The Spirited Back Nine ...

[PhotoDave219]

bhg, Great response. We may disagree, but I appreciate the reasoned and thought out comments. I also think you touched on why we disagree. I'm an annual visitor who comes for 3-5 days. Planning ahead and not having to worry about it when I get there helps make the vacation better for me. If I lived 15 mins away, I might have a very different opinion.

Quick question on your response... Weren't KTTW cards pretty revolutionary when they launched? I thought Disney's idea of getting close to everything on one medium (in this case a card) linked to your onsite room account was pretty much considered a game-changer. Not arguing, Just studied the idea in college and just really want to know if it's true.

Well it all comes down to what people want as a vacation.... If you actually like planning, it's great. If you like a highly structured vacation, it's for you.

If you're looking to relax and do whatever comes to mind, it's Not.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Fine, I'll use "Timmah!" Instead....

So Timmah, we've been over this before. Epcot is in no way whatsoever the dire straits that DHS/DAK is in. People keep trying to insist that and I can't fathom why.

I agree that epcot needs more than Frozenstrom. They have plenty of vacant space that can be used. But they seem content to sit on their hands as long as the metric ton of cash & attendance rolls in with the festivals For six months out of the year.

For good or for bad, Epcot has become the "festival" park. Is what it is. That's unlikely to change given the amount of cash they bring in.

Maybe the Disney execs I saw at Rachel's were there negotiating with the owner a sponsorship/operator deal for a buffet/show for the American Pavilion.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Fine, I'll use "Timmah!" Instead....

So Timmah, we've been over this before. Epcot is in no way whatsoever the dire straits that DHS/DAK is in. People keep trying to insist that and I can't fathom why.

I agree that epcot needs more than Frozenstrom. They have plenty of vacant space that can be used. But they seem content to sit on their hands as long as the metric ton of cash & attendance rolls in with the festivals For six months out of the year.

For good or for bad, Epcot has become the "festival" park. Is what it is. That's unlikely to change given the amount of cash they bring in.

"Trouble" how? I have a hard time imagining that the park is somehow going to struggle for attendance. Certainly, I wouldn't expect any boost the way that DHS and DAK should hopefully get with new attractions once they open -- though the Frozen ride will bring some new guests -- but Epcot is far ahead of those parks in attendance to begin with. The features that already draw sizable numbers of guests to Epcot aren't going away.

And if more guests overall go to WDW in the wake of additions to DAK/DHS, then Epcot will pick up a corresponding percentage of said guests. People aren't going to just skip Epcot (I mean, some people might, but not an appreciable percentage).

If the discussions here were only predicated on isolated numbers there would be very little discussed as Disney in the present is doing just fine.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Well it all comes down to what people want as a vacation.... If you actually like planning, it's great. If you like a highly structured vacation, it's for you.

If you're looking to relax and do whatever comes to mind, it's Not.

Yes, but like I have said... you don't have to play their game. Don't get suckered into staying on site and instantly your vacation becomes completely relaxing. Or as relaxing as walking a gazillion miles a day can give you. I have no stress about ADR's or even FP's. When I get there I try for the ones I want and so far, granted off season, I have gotten every one that I wanted. I come and go as I please, a simple drive offsite gives me so many options for meals that in itself it's a little mind boggling, but reservations are not necessary. If I have to stand in line because of popularity, I do not have to constantly check my watch to see if it is going to clash with a dinner reservation. And on top of all that, I don't have to wait in line for a bus or stand there packed in amongst a group of tired, sweaty people to just get back to my hotel.

If anyone doubts just how good Disney PR is all you have to do is think about how so many people have been convinced that not staying on site will be negative to their experience. I haven't gone there 43 times because I had any bad experiences. In fact, the only semi-bad experience I ever had was the one time I did stay onsite. I was never so miserable in my life.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Maybe the Disney execs I saw at Rachel's were there negotiating with the owner a sponsorship/operator deal for a buffet/show for the American Pavilion.

It wasn't for the steak?

 

[bhg469]

bhg, Great response. We may disagree, but I appreciate the reasoned and thought out comments. I also think you touched on why we disagree. I'm an annual visitor who comes for 3-5 days. Planning ahead and not having to worry about it when I get there helps make the vacation better for me. If I lived 15 mins away, I might have a very different opinion.

Quick question on your response... Weren't KTTW cards pretty revolutionary when they launched? I thought Disney's idea of getting close to everything on one medium (in this case a card) linked to your onsite room account was pretty much considered a game-changer. Not arguing, Just studied the idea in college and just really want to know if it's true.

Sure , they tied everything together and yes, that was a great move, game changer hands down.

Fp+ though, by making it your only choice is a step in the direction of charging you for better fastpasses.

 

[zjer]

WDW has nothing new for me to want to spend 3-5 days there anymore. I could even argue if someone goes there for more than that and has been there within 5 years, you're wasting your money.

You could argue that but you'd be hard pressed to find many travelers who agree with you. I go to Chicago once or twice a year to watch my beloved Bears squander away yet another season and are there really any new things to do? Not really, but I wouldn't miss it for the world. I also take my family to the beach's in California a couple times a year. Do they change? Nope. Are they a pain in the a$$ to get to and expensive to stay near? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. Same with Disney World. I don't expect or need massive changes every year to enjoy myself. I don't study every facet of the park, demand old school attractions, scoff at new initiatives, or bring my pen and paper and jot down every missed firework during a show. Disney World is like every other place I choose to spend my vacation dollars at, a nice break from reality that has never been and never will be perfect. It simply is what it is and I can still get a value based vacation which I enjoy. It's not the most expensive, it's not the most affordable, it's simply a place I've gone to every year for the past 15 years that I've enjoyed with girlfriends, solo, and now with my wife and kids.

 

[Little Green Men]

Well, Down at the world for on the trip I was going to cancel, But through the miracle of Disney's faulty IT the trip was never cancelled. So went to Universal to see the Mannheim Steamroller concert (one of my favorites) and I've paid for premium tickets at other venues to see them

So this was first trip to UNI in 11 years, I was blown away , Cast Members who actually SMILED and spoke and understood ENGLISH as a first or strong second language, Went to the Hard Rock cafe gave our name and waited 25 minutes on a busy night and got a table had an awesome waiter Jerry by name and we had a great dinner experience and I DID NOT NEED TO RESERVE 6 bloody months in advance.

Short answer was DW and I left UNI with premium AP's which INCLUDE FOTL after 4PM and valet parking and they were less than HALF of the cost of Disney's similar and you can pay monthly and they AUTOMATICALLY renew none of the spend half an hour with Member Services trying to renew passes on the phone, And we Will be back, Staying at BLT in grand villa and unfortunately maintenance is absolutlely horrible - laminate torn in strips from one of the vanities and some careless repairs where the carpenters did not even TRY to match the stain colors.

This level of maintenance in the premier rooms is absolutely unacceptable and I have complained both in writing and email.

But what I saw at UNI is they worked very hard to make things seamless and eliminate 'resistance' there are no artificial hoops to jump through at UNI like there are at WDW.

And Yes neither DW's or my MDE experience accounts are working AGAIN this trip, For crying out loud what the H--- is wrong with WDW IT operations. So no FP for us this trip, We probably will be making good use of the UNI passes this trip as I refuse to do the help desk thing AGAIN this trip. We will spend a couple of days at AK as it's our favorite and there is much to see and do there. We can spend hours just watching the tigers.

Is there a way you could create a new account? What is it that's not working? They won't load or you select a ride and it doesn't register or something else? Or go to the front desk and ask for help, I did that at The Beach Club.

 

[asianway]

Is there a way you could create a new account? What is it that's not working? They won't load or you select a ride and it doesn't register or something else? Or go to the front desk and ask for help, I did that at The Beach Club.

Creating a new account is like feeding MM+ after midnight.

 

[OSUgirl77]

You could argue that but you'd be hard pressed to find many travelers who agree with you. I go to Chicago once or twice a year to watch my beloved Bears squander away yet another season and are there really any new things to do? Not really, but I wouldn't miss it for the world. I also take my family to the beach's in California a couple times a year. Do they change? Nope. Are they a pain in the a$$ to get to and expensive to stay near? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. Same with Disney World. I don't expect or need massive changes every year to enjoy myself. I don't study every facet of the park, demand old school attractions, scoff at new initiatives, or bring my pen and paper and jot down every missed firework during a show. Disney World is like every other place I choose to spend my vacation dollars at, a nice break from reality that has never been and never will be perfect. It simply is what it is and I can still get a value based vacation which I enjoy. It's not the most expensive, it's not the most affordable, it's simply a place I've gone to every year for the past 15 years that I've enjoyed with girlfriends, solo, and now with my wife and kids.

You could also argue that, unlike WDW, the beach and city of Chicago weren't built as tourist destinations. No one created the beach with the purpose of providing entertainment or accommodations to the masses for a profit. It's just part of nature. However, the hotels on the beach were built for that purpose, and patrons expect them to be properly maintained and updated. I expect the same of WDW. I'm not asking much, and I don't think most here are either. I don't need a new thrill ride every year, it's not Cedar Point. I just want the parks to be well-maintained and have enough quality attractions to justify the money I'm paying. Am I still able to enjoy WDW? Of course. But it's not the same, and I absolutely don't feel the need to stay longer than a few days for at least the next few years.

 

[Phil12]

Yes, but like I have said... you don't have to play their game. Don't get suckered into staying on site and instantly your vacation becomes completely relaxing. Or as relaxing as walking a gazillion miles a day can give you. I have no stress about ADR's or even FP's. When I get there I try for the ones I want and so far, granted off season, I have gotten every one that I wanted. I come and go as I please, a simple drive offsite gives me so many options for meals that in itself it's a little mind boggling, but reservations are not necessary. If I have to stand in line because of popularity, I do not have to constantly check my watch to see if it is going to clash with a dinner reservation. And on top of all that, I don't have to wait in line for a bus or stand there packed in amongst a group of tired, sweaty people to just get back to my hotel.

If anyone doubts just how good Disney PR is all you have to do is think about how so many people have been convinced that not staying on site will be negative to their experience. I haven't gone there 43 times because I had any bad experiences. In fact, the only semi-bad experience I ever had was the one time I did stay onsite. I was never so miserable in my life.

I agree. Going with the herd at WDW is just asking for long waits and a miserable time. I think that all long time guests learn how to work the system to their own advantage. You learn with experience that there are certain days of the week and certain weeks of the month to avoid the MK for example. You also learn that there are certain attractions in every park that require some finesse if you want to avoid long waits. Working the system is a time honored tradition at all Disney parks. With FP+ the rules have changed a little but the system can still be worked to save a lot of time. For the poor folks that plan to see Peter Pan at 1:00 PM on Monday afternoon with their FP+, there's nothing I can do for them but feel sorry that they are inexperienced guests.

 

[Little Green Men]

Creating a new account is like feeding MM+ after midnight.

Well if his account never works I thought it would be worth a shot.

 

[Progress.City]

I just saw a special sneak preview of Into the Woods. It followed the play script word for word, ignoring the three act screenplay structure and the rules of screenplay. It was the most annoying movie I've ever sat through. Disney fans may love it, though. I'm just happy it's over. It had some funny moments, such as, during a search for a lost cow, the search party yelled "moo" when looking for it.

 

[Cesar R M]

bhg, Great response. We may disagree, but I appreciate the reasoned and thought out comments. I also think you touched on why we disagree. I'm an annual visitor who comes for 3-5 days. Planning ahead and not having to worry about it when I get there helps make the vacation better for me. If I lived 15 mins away, I might have a very different opinion.

Quick question on your response... Weren't KTTW cards pretty revolutionary when they launched? I thought Disney's idea of getting close to everything on one medium (in this case a card) linked to your onsite room account was pretty much considered a game-changer. Not arguing, Just studied the idea in college and just really want to know if it's true.

the problem with planning everything is.. plans almost NEVER go exactly as you plan them.
You might have fastpass somewhere.. but what if the attraction goes down? you will need to reshuffle your vacation. What if your "gaps"between fastpasses dont let you have anything else due of too many people waiting in line?

 

[Kman101]

Don't really want to get into the FP+ debate and My Magic whatever the heck they want to call it but for me, personally, I've had no issues what-so-ever. I consider myself lucky in that regards. I've had no problems losing FP+ selections, I've had no issues with my Magic Band. My AP linked immediately. Now that being said, I haven't had a hotel reservation so that could end up being a headache, but to be fair, I've had issues in the past with the key cards not working. It's not at all different. It's just a band. I think it gets a bit more hate than it deserves, but I do understand that others have had headaches with it, and that's not good. Just throwing my personal experiences with it out there.

Although I did nearly lose it once, but overall, it stays on and I even forget I'm wearing it. And personally, I like a lot of what it offers (it's not that hard to scan and hold your finger, you have to tap a card, how is that different?) and I like that FP is viewable on a phone, but I do sort of prefer the old FP way, I won't lie, even though I don't hate the new way. I think there are a few tweaks they could make. I'd rather be able to tap my card/band at the attraction and not have to book online, but I've never felt attached to my phone in the park. Not trying to be rah rah Disney but at the same time, again, just expressing my own experiences with it.

 

[Kman101]

the problem with planning everything is.. plans almost NEVER go exactly as you plan them.
You might have fastpass somewhere.. but what if the attraction goes down? you will need to reshuffle your vacation. What if your "gaps"between fastpasses dont let you have anything else due of too many people waiting in line?

You receive an e-mail and a "Free FP+" for any available attraction listed. I had that happen for Big Thunder, and I actually wasn't even at the park when I missed it, but because the ride was down, I was able to tap and go on at whatever time I showed up. No, I'm not fond of it, but it's really not horrible.

 

[BrerJon]

bhg, Great response. We may disagree, but I appreciate the reasoned and thought out comments. I also think you touched on why we disagree. I'm an annual visitor who comes for 3-5 days. Planning ahead and not having to worry about it when I get there helps make the vacation better for me. If I lived 15 mins away, I might have a very different opinion.

You should try visiting randomly for one day, buying your ticket at the gate, without planning anything, and see how you get on. I suspect you'd have a far less positive view of MyMagic+ by the end of it.

 

[DisDan]

Well it all comes down to what people want as a vacation.... If you actually like planning, it's great. If you like a highly structured vacation, it's for you.

If you're looking to relax and do whatever comes to mind, it's Not.

You are implying that people who like to Plan out their vacations can't have a relaxing vacation and still be spontaneous. I disagree with this notion, our family likes to plan our Disney trips out and we like taking advantage of FP+ and all MM has to offer. That being said, Disney has priced us out of their On-site resorts and quite frankly you can get much more bang for the buck staying off-site. We usually pick a family friendly resort with nice pools for kids and adults. We plan our Disney days out in advance with FP+ and decide ahead of time on what nights we want to do Disney dining and make reservations accordingly. Doing that gives us the peace of mind of not having to worry about whether or not we can eat at a particular restaurant that we know we wanted to eat at. Also with FP+ we get to enjoy the park at our leisure with the idea that we know at certain times of the day we want to be in certain areas of the park to be able to use our FP+ reservations. Between park days, when we are at the resort, or any other time in between our reservations/FP+ we do what we want to do and really take it all in.

We, as a family, have really enjoyed the My Magic changes, they have worked out well for us. These are just my opinions I know not everyone vacations like we do. I also understand the experience is totally different for locals. I am not local but we do only live about a 4 hour drive away.

 

[ford91exploder]

Sad to hear MDE still seems to hate you. How was Diagon Alley? Was Weasley lifting his hat?

Primarily went to UNI for Mannheim Steamroller, Wandered around a bit ate and went back to BLT, Went to KSC yesterday and did the Canveral AFS tour. Have not decided on what to do today.

 

[ford91exploder]

You should try visiting randomly for one day, buying your ticket at the gate, without planning anything, and see how you get on. I suspect you'd have a far less positive view of MyMagic+ by the end of it.

Or better yet be in possession of a PREMIUM admission media and NOT BEING ABLE TO USE FP at ALL. Spent 1.5 hours at GR attempting to link ticket to MDE - utter fail.

That adds the fine edge of frustration to the experience. To be fair GR gave my family 3 paper FP's to compensate so the kids and grandparents had a great time.