The Magic is gone!

[21stamps]

Guys.. I literally just went to Disney World when booked a resort reservation a few days in advance.
Then switched resorts once I arrived, well after 9pm.
Then woke up and asked my kid which park he wanted to go to first.

Any fast passes we got were acquired on that day, there are many that we didn’t get. Some attractions we waited for, some we skipped.

It is entirely possible to go to WDW last minute, and it’s even more possible to have a fantastic time while there.

 

[RustySpork]

I would be even more bummed if I was a local. There was a time when we'd wake our kids up early on vacation and ask them "What park do you want to do today?" and based on their answer, that's where we'd go. We'd get there at park open and ride stuff, grab paper FPs along the way. We did everything we wanted to do without planning and without standing in massive lines. Those days are gone.

Going back even farther, I can remember walking into restaurants without an ADR and getting a table after a short wait. I can also remember the reservations center located under Spaceship Earth where you could easily make dining reservations for that current week - even at the most popular restaurants. All you needed was a few days of planning. By the time we were on property and in the park, we had some idea where we wanted to eat and on what day.

Those were the days, weren't they? Walking up to Le Cellier, and being seated right away for dinner without an ADR. Dropping by Magic Kingdom after work just for dinner at Tony's. Wait times being 10 minutes for Space Mountain. Boy I miss that.

If I lived locally I would love doing a spur-of-the-moment Disney trip, just eating where we felt like eating and doing whatever attractions we felt like doing. But I don't see how that could work these days, unless you're willing to be satisfied with whatever you can get... which in my experience would be the teacups followed by Harbor House (preferably in that order)

It doesn't work anymore, unless you're OK with counter service and don't mind waiting 75 minutes for Space Mountain or 100 minutes for Peter Pan without an FP+ (that's the current wait time in MDE) you have to plan in advance even if you live 10 minutes away. Even the Mad Tea Party is a 20 minute wait right now. Spur of the moment WDW trips are a thing of the past. Still, there's plenty to do if you lower your expectations enough. People watching, quick service dining, maybe a ride on the WEDWay PeopleMover. There's a wait for that too now though, I think we waited 20 minutes for it the last time we were there.

 

[flynnibus]

Havent been on FoP yet, but if 7DMT and BoG are your two most desired things to do at WDW then you're doing it wrong.

Funny.. you were just saying how you can do anything someone wants. Now, you get to judge what they can and can't do? You're rich...

 

[RustySpork]

Funny.. you were just saying how you can do anything someone wants. Now, you get to judge what they can and can't do? You're rich...

Bingo.

 

[flynnibus]

Did i hurt your feelings? If you wanna go to BoG so bad, then make a reservation in advance. Its that simple. If you wanna ride 7DMT 3 times in a day, then do it...nobody is stopping you.

Thanks mr semantics that don't matter in real life.

On the planet the rest of us live in... reality in WDW now is you adapt to it... and what you can get. Not 'do whatever you want...'

 

[flynnibus]

Have you ever gone on vacation without planning for it?

Yes, we book a hotel and then decide what to do when we are there day by day. If a restaurant is popular, we make sure we are there early to beat the rush.. and can tolerate a 20... maybe 30min wait. We don't book reservations 6 months in advance to eat lunch. We plan our day at the waterpark by knowing which days of the week are busier and the 3 day forecast... not by deciding 6 months in a advance the invasion plan we need to stick to.

The WDW planning is not like all vacation planning... to argue otherwise is just being stubborn and obtuse to defend a thread of truth.

 

[ppete1975]

I do quick service only so I just have crowds to deal with.. although the qs at the land is amazing!!!!! I do like mexicos restaurant but that's just for looks

 

[ppete1975]

Do you guys think that a 5th gate is a possibility?

they need to complete a park then think about adding a 5th. Ok wdw is a complete park.. and animal park might be as close as we will get till dinosaur land is gone... but epcot and Hollywood... are not completed parks.

 

[Pangoo]

We went back in May with kids and it was our first time returning since a trip back in September 2012. We do recall crowds being much lighter, but it was not terribly packed this past May either. We used all our FP+ on rides/character greets we knew the kids could enjoy with us (two 2 year olds). While at Epcot, I periodically checked wait times, and saw Frozen had 30 min wait time on MDE so we hopped in line, was more like 25 min wait. We also eventually got to ride 7DMT (about 20 minutes wait) during extra magic hours at MK where lines were incredibly short for most everything. A theme park visit really is what you make it out to be. Everyone is spending a lot of money to be there, really to me Disney is about the atmosphere which can be spoiled by large crowds, but you kind of expect it when you go to such a popular place. Our visit changed drastically from when we went with kids. As 2 adults, we stayed at the parks late, ate quick service meals during odd hours, and hopped in and out of rides. It didn't matter what time we got back to the hotel. With young kids you can only control so much lol.

 

[Gshrout]

The moral of the story is WDW is not for everyone. Some kids can handle crowds and long days some absolutely can not, same goes for adults. We have been to Hawaii and San Diego recently with my family, when we were in San Diego we took boat tours, in Hawaii we visited Pearl Harbor, while all the adults loved it my niece was bored out of her mind all she wanted to do was swim. We took her to Disney in March and she had no problem waiting in extensive lines to take pictures with characters and get autographs. If your grandkids do not want to go back or did not enjoy it I don't know that it was just necessarily because Disney has lost it's magic, maybe it just wasn't for them anymore like it was at one time. You stated the price and the weather, in October Florida is still hot, that is a known fact. Regarding price I don't know how many of you there are but around here if you take a family of 5 to a Chicago Bears game it will run you 750.00 for a 2 hour sporting event, nothing really is cheap anymore. Disney is hot, Disney is not cheap, Disney is not for everyone. However I don't think that it is losing its magic by any means, at least for my family.

AMOS, Bless your heart! If only you could have experienced WDW as we did in the 80s and 90s. It would help you to understand my point about the Magic. I'm happy for Disney that their Bottom Line is on the rise, but for us who live in my region the general consensus is that the Magic is no longer. During those times children would hound their parents for when the next trip would be planned. That's not happening any more. Friends and acquaintances no longer talk about going back to WDW. Now the talk is "what a waste of money". Yes Florida is hot isn't it? Have you ever spent a summer day here on the Gulf. We don't fret over the heat dear. We've learned to endure it quite well.

The Magic is still there for you and I'm glad. Please go as often as it pleases you and enjoy that feeling.

 

[RustySpork]

Other than checking weather and making sure we have secured lodging arrangements, yes all the time. That is why it is call a vacation.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Ouch. that's harsh. I've done Paris and London both without planning. Pre kid days my husband and I would decide to take vacation when we were really burnt out and basically pack a bag and go.

I live by a schedule in real life, why on earth would I want to do it on vacation??

Now for me, there really isn't ANY restaurant at Disney that I have to eat at. there all pretty average but I realize having grown up in NYC, gone to school in DC and now living in Philly, I have the opportunity to get excellent food. So I rarely stress if BOG is booked.

 

[RustySpork]

Ouch. that's harsh. I've done Paris and London both without planning. Pre kid days my husband and I would decide to take vacation when we were really burnt out and basically pack a bag and go.

I live by a schedule in real life, why on earth would I want to do it on vacation??

Now for me, there really isn't ANY restaurant at Disney that I have to eat at. there all pretty average but I realize having grown up in NYC, gone to school in DC and now living in Philly, I have the opportunity to get excellent food. So I rarely stress if BOG is booked.

It was just a joke about my being called a liar earlier in the thread for saying the same thing.

 

[21stamps]

Other than checking weather and making sure we have secured lodging arrangements, yes all the time. That is why it is call a vacation.

Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve done that, I’ve forgotton what it feels like. Sounds nice!

 

[mj2v]

If all of the people who complained about the parks being too expensive and too crowded, would stay home they would leave more room for those of us who are willing to pay and enjoy the parks.

Join a 12 step and stay home. Problem solved!

Or you could just pray that a few million people lose their jobs, the housing and stock market to tank and you will have less crowds in the parks.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

If all of the people who complained about the parks being too expensive and too crowded, would stay home they would leave more room for those of us who are willing to pay and enjoy the parks.

Join a 12 step and stay home. Problem solved!

Or you could just pray that a few million people lose their jobs, the housing and stock market to tank and you will have less crowds in the parks.

You can have it. There is no way I'm re-upping when my AP expires.

 

[eliza61nyc]

You can have it. There is no way I'm re-upping when my AP expires.

If all of the people who complained about the parks being too expensive and too crowded, would stay home they would leave more room for those of us who are willing to pay and enjoy the parks.

Join a 12 step and stay home. Problem solved!

Or you could just pray that a few million people lose their jobs, the housing and stock market to tank and you will have less crowds in the parks.

lol, I don't think it's that drastic.

I think some common sense and reality is all that is needed. this is my take

1) Is Disney way more crowded?? Absolutely. since this is pretty much a fact for the forseeable future you may have to adjust.
2) there are still "less" crowded times. We went the third week in May this year and it was enjoyable. was it empty? no. did we have 90 minute waits? No. biggest problem was frozen ride kept breaking down.
3) There are no such thing as guaranteed "vacations". My best gal pal and I planned a trip to Paris France in 2010. LOL, my TA booked us a connecting flight to Iceland because Iceland has the best track record for on time flights. Yep, you guessed it. That stupid Volcano whos name no one can pronounce erupted. stuck in an airport in Iceland for 3 days. Nice...
4) spontaneous trips can be had at the world. Usually you have to be flexible. my family and I do it all the time. once again flexibility and reality is needed. would I suggest no plans and go the week of Christmas and expect to have a good time? no I'm going the 3rd week in April for 4 days with some friends. we'll be fine getting a ts but we don't have a "must dos".
5) fast pass is your friend.

and lastly, you know waiting is not horrible. now it can be a challenge if you have small kids but you know what Disney has some of the most magical ques around. 30 minutes going through TSM and the HM ques can be fun. turn off the phone and engage. you'd be surprised.

 

[RustySpork]

lol, I don't think it's that drastic.

I think some common sense and reality is all that is needed. this is my take

1) Is Disney way more crowded?? Absolutely. since this is pretty much a fact for the forseeable future you may have to adjust.
2) there are still "less" crowded times. We went the third week in May this year and it was enjoyable. was it empty? no. did we have 90 minute waits? No. biggest problem was frozen ride kept breaking down.
3) There are no such thing as guaranteed "vacations". My best gal pal and I planned a trip to Paris France in 2010. LOL, my TA booked us a connecting flight to Iceland because Iceland has the best track record for on time flights. Yep, you guessed it. That stupid Volcano whos name no one can pronounce erupted. stuck in an airport in Iceland for 3 days. Nice...
4) spontaneous trips can be had at the world. Usually you have to be flexible. my family and I do it all the time. once again flexibility and reality is needed. would I suggest no plans and go the week of Christmas and expect to have a good time? no I'm going the 3rd week in April for 4 days with some friends. we'll be fine getting a ts but we don't have a "must dos".
5) fast pass is your friend.

and lastly, you know waiting is not horrible. now it can be a challenge if you have small kids but you know what Disney has some of the most magical ques around. 30 minutes going through TSM and the HM ques can be fun. turn off the phone and engage. you'd be surprised.

We're in what used to be a value season right now, and the wait times are beyond silly.

 

[eliza61nyc]

We're in what used to be a value season right now, and the wait times are beyond silly.

I didn't think that was unusual. I'm in the Northeast we always found this to be a super busy time so I never understood why it was a value season. It would start in what we called "Jersey" week in early November and continue right up through Christmas. We went once the first week in December and it was maybe 1 hour waits for major attraction but the week after thanksgiving, and the 2 weeks prior to Christmas I always found it to be insane.
Throw in that this is a popular time for DVC members and I just never thought this was a "slow" time. It's not as crazy as full summer but it definitely wasn't 15 min wait time.

 

[drizgirl]

I didn't think that was unusual. I'm in the Northeast we always found this to be a super busy time so I never understood why it was a value season. It would start in what we called "Jersey" week in early November and continue right up through Christmas. We went once the first week in December and it was maybe 1 hour waits for major attraction but the week after thanksgiving, and the 2 weeks prior to Christmas I always found it to be insane.
Throw in that this is a popular time for DVC members and I just never thought this was a "slow" time. It's not as crazy as full summer but it definitely wasn't 15 min wait time.

There used to be a lovely lull in the couple of weeks after Thanksgiving. It was definitely slower than the couple weeks leading up to Christmas. It's the reason they have (at least previously) offered free dining during that time.