lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Well I guess its nice that you've done my thinking for me. It was a simple question and I think your unwillingness to answer says more than an actual answer.
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Two coasts: One very different world
- Thread starter WDW1974
- Start date
Wanna bet I ask 90% of UK tourists about Disney Timeshares I get a blank expression?
BTW, welcome to the party.
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
That's because it's Disney's best-kept secret!
Let's face it: for the majority of guests (including off-site), the addition of AoA means nothing. I'd wager that even a majority of on-site guests will never stay at AoA (price too high or amentities too low); all a new resort opening means to most on-site guests is more crowded EMH.
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
I love sports analogies. Even though they are on the same team, they will constantly battle each other for playing time (capital investment), because they both want new contracts at the end of the year (vacation spending). They are competing because there is a salary cap (family budget) and only so much money to go around.
The Internet puts us much, much closer to "perfect knowledge" than ever before. Whether I want to go to WDW, DLR or Thailand, there is a wealth of information readily available to me to help me decide which vacation I want to take. That is where I think WDW could be in trouble. If people are tired of your product, it's easier than ever to find an alternative.
Longhairbear
Well-Known Member
I and other DVC owners, especially those of us out west are particularly interested in why WDW gets all the timeshares. We love staying at all the different themed DVC resorts, but we really, really need an addition to DLR. It seems DVC is a bad word among WDW fans. I see it all the time on here, as well as other sites. To stay on topic, we go to WDW to stay at the different resorts, and to go to the parks. The parks do tend to stay the same, with nothing new. But when we plan a vacation, we say "Where do we want to stay this time?" To bolster the viewpoint that the parks are the main reason for staying at a DVC at WDW is somewhat very true. But Vero Beach , and Hilton Head still have their fans. Personally we go for the parks. But being DVC members, we no longer go 'commando" running around to do every attraction, never get up for rope drop, and use the extra magic hours at night.
Now we want to stay at a DLR DVC because there is a new land, and other attractions at DCA. We can come and go at our vacation home, cook dinner, relax, run out to the parks when we feel like it, just like at WDW. But there is a huge no vacancy there from now until New Years at The Grand California DVC villas. We live less than 2 hours away from DLR, and used to make day trips, but now since being members of DVC we stay over a few nights. So, we use our timeshare points to stay at one of the 3 hotels if we want to stay on property. There is no room at the DVC inn! California needs more DVC units, and we can't understand why DVC is not building more, such as adding another tower for DVC to the DLH when they totally refurbished the hotel. More and more posts I read on forums are about staying at DLR before or after taking a Disney cruise to Hawai'i, or Alaska. We are taking the California 7 night cruise on DVC points instead of going to WDW. Some stay at DLR before or after a trip to Aulani. If airfare is good, we'll go to Aulani, instead of WDW next year. D23 events eat up available rooms, and villas.
So GF gets a DVC, we'll stay there someday because it, and all the other DVC units will be available. But we want an available DVC unit now at DLR.
We aren't going back to WDW this year, and probably not next year either. We didn't go last year, that makes 3 years not going to WDW. So it is two coasts, one very different world.
John
Well-Known Member
So I am a little embarressed that I spent the last few days (when time allowed) to read almost EVERY post on this thread. It is the same argument that ends up rearing its ugly head time and time again. D&G vs Pixie dusters. It is all great vs Declineing by degrees. But as we all know it probably falls somewhere in between. I still love WDW but can not help but remember the ol' days. The golden age. Thing is....there is a lot in my life that just isnt the same anymore. Those days are gone forever. We hold out hope for our beloved WDW to go against nature, to repel the infringing demand from "todays" guest who want theyre " thrill" a minute attitude.
Both sides of the argument talk about exspansion, additions. Where both sides should agree is that WDW offers more attractions, entertainment, experiences etc. that anyone could possibly experience in a one weeks vacation. For those of you who lable us as D&G, that isnt the argument. I keep hearing that we are complaing about minutia. Excuse me but that is exactly the problem. The small things that make it the "Disney difference" For me I could care less if they add another thing to WDW . If they told me that they were taking that one billion dollars and they "fix the magic" at WDW I would be a happy guy.
There seems to be two very different types of guest at WDW, i know that is generalizeing the situation ( which in this crowd is very dangerous) but hear me out. 1) there is the guest who have been loyal subjects of WDW. Spending tons of money for multible visits that span many years. Who have come to appreciate WDW for a product that they have come to know and enjoy (me). They pulled the old bait and switch on us. We have come to expect a certian quality that has been established over time. We were the loyal customer and now they go and dummy down the product. If you have never visited WDW before the mid 90's you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about.
Which leads me to the second type of guest, These guest only know WDW what it is today. Is it a great vacation destination? absolutely. If you are compareing todays WDW to other vacation resorts sure it is very nice. There really is value there. I am not trying to insult anyone but Disny has done a tremendous job at marketing . When it comes to enticeing the consumer there is no other company who does it better. They have weapons at thier disposal no one else in corporate America has. A certian iconic figure that resonates with people all over the planet.....the mouse. I's great that this group loves WDW as much as they do. Thing is this is where both sides have something in common....their love for WDW. Just that one group loves a different version of WDW then the other. That is where the argument gets lost in the fog of war.
Personally I think Lee,74,Raven, Martin and others of thier ilk have an advantage most of us dont have. They have some insight to where the parks are heading that we dont have. They are the first type of guest but with a huge advantage of knowing where the parks are heading and they are not happy. Atleast give them props for comming on here and feeding us some info we may not have had. They could go about thier buisness and not even bother. For those who get upset with their style of posting.....really? It's a chat board. I for one appreciate their knowledge and insight.
I heard one poster ealrier in the thread screaming " what exactly is your complaint" "what exactly do you want" Thing is it isnt something you can put into words. That is why the poster never got an answer. It's the Disney difference. The "magic"...the small things that some people dismiss as minutia and we call it the "golden age"
Both sides of the argument talk about exspansion, additions. Where both sides should agree is that WDW offers more attractions, entertainment, experiences etc. that anyone could possibly experience in a one weeks vacation. For those of you who lable us as D&G, that isnt the argument. I keep hearing that we are complaing about minutia. Excuse me but that is exactly the problem. The small things that make it the "Disney difference" For me I could care less if they add another thing to WDW . If they told me that they were taking that one billion dollars and they "fix the magic" at WDW I would be a happy guy.
There seems to be two very different types of guest at WDW, i know that is generalizeing the situation ( which in this crowd is very dangerous) but hear me out. 1) there is the guest who have been loyal subjects of WDW. Spending tons of money for multible visits that span many years. Who have come to appreciate WDW for a product that they have come to know and enjoy (me). They pulled the old bait and switch on us. We have come to expect a certian quality that has been established over time. We were the loyal customer and now they go and dummy down the product. If you have never visited WDW before the mid 90's you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about.
Which leads me to the second type of guest, These guest only know WDW what it is today. Is it a great vacation destination? absolutely. If you are compareing todays WDW to other vacation resorts sure it is very nice. There really is value there. I am not trying to insult anyone but Disny has done a tremendous job at marketing . When it comes to enticeing the consumer there is no other company who does it better. They have weapons at thier disposal no one else in corporate America has. A certian iconic figure that resonates with people all over the planet.....the mouse. I's great that this group loves WDW as much as they do. Thing is this is where both sides have something in common....their love for WDW. Just that one group loves a different version of WDW then the other. That is where the argument gets lost in the fog of war.
Personally I think Lee,74,Raven, Martin and others of thier ilk have an advantage most of us dont have. They have some insight to where the parks are heading that we dont have. They are the first type of guest but with a huge advantage of knowing where the parks are heading and they are not happy. Atleast give them props for comming on here and feeding us some info we may not have had. They could go about thier buisness and not even bother. For those who get upset with their style of posting.....really? It's a chat board. I for one appreciate their knowledge and insight.
I heard one poster ealrier in the thread screaming " what exactly is your complaint" "what exactly do you want" Thing is it isnt something you can put into words. That is why the poster never got an answer. It's the Disney difference. The "magic"...the small things that some people dismiss as minutia and we call it the "golden age"
spacemt354
Chili's
I believe I am the "screamer" that you are referring to. And I didn't get an answer because it was a rhetorical question. Anyway, it is true (generally) that this argument is about the people who enjoy Disney world vs. people who are critical of what it has come to. However speaking from my own experiences, everything has not been perfect on the trips to wdw. Just last year we stayed at the beach club and got a room that was basically under refurb. We didn't know that when we booked the resort and we asked to be moved to a different room but the hotel management said the resort was at capacity. It was difficult and it was definitely a change from past Disney trips, and we were wondering if wdw had changed for the worst. But then Disney called us back and basically refunded the hotel and they gave us a new number to call for reservations so that mistake would never happen again. And we will be coming back because the way they handled that we thought was very professional. They didn't need a billion dollar investment to save the magic in our trip. It was the little things like getting that call that makes wdw magical. Some people on here have said they like sports analogies, so I'm going to say another. I like the new York yankees and the 1927 Yankees are considered the best baseball team of all time. And people who look at the 2012 Yankees and compare them to the old yankees are going to be disappointed. But that doesnt make the 2012 team a bad team, you're comparing two different eras and you don't even know what the 2012 yankees have in store, because the season isn't over. I can't say what Disney looked like before the mid 90s because I wasn't even born yet, but I don't think it's fair to grade Disney world now based on Disney past. I grade the current day Disney world with the other vacation destinations available today, and continually it comes out on top. I'm not saying people who compare the old Disney with the new Disney are wrong, I'm just saying that you're always going to be able to find flaws in the current wdw when you compare it to what it was. Like you said this is two different time periods, and the past is gone. So let's let the people who enjoy the current Disney world have their fun, rather than remind them that in your mind the public used to get a better product.
MUTZIE77
Well-Known Member
Why is it not fair to grade a company based on the standards that they set themselves 57 years ago? A standard DLR still holds itself to. WDW held themselves to that standard until the 90's. None of us are saying that you and others are not allowed to have a good time at WDW, and everyone here that is critical of WDW has said so. The reason we are critical is because we love WDW and want it to be the best. But while WDW is hanging back, the other kids on the block are upping the ante at a rapid pace.
Mouse Detective
Well-Known Member
Good one!
bubbles1812
Well-Known Member
I actually for once was agreeing with you...up until your last sentence. It's just fine to have fun, I'm not looking to take away anyone's fun. I even have fun at WDW. I'm not so super critical that I think it's now an awful place or something. In fact, I love it. Which is why I criticize. I want it to be the best place it can be. I think it's ok to hold Disney to the standard they set themselves over the years. I am holding them accountable to something they established. It's not like I just made up with they were all about. Why some people don't seem to want to do the same is beyond me.
And I again, don't want to take away peoples' fun. I actually want people to have more fun...via the problems that are at WDW (for there are big problems) finally being addressed. Just saying "let the people who enjoy the current Disney World have their fun" and not reminding them the used to get a better product (which, they did...just research...seriously research what Disney was like today compared to the late 80s early 90s. It's not like people don't have a basis for their discontent) is basically akin to you saying "I'm going to put my fingers in my ears and hum lalalalala over and over while saying I can't hear you, I can't hear you." You're asking to remain ignorant...which, I guess more power to you if you really want that, but actually asking to stay ignorant seems pretty sad to me.
It's ok to love something and still be critical. And it's ok to discuss those problems. That is how change happens.
wannab@dis
Well-Known Member
Maybe they don't meet the demographics? Surely you don't want WDW to waste advertising on people not in their target market?
You're right!
I know I am!
wannab@dis
Well-Known Member
That's always been evident.I know I am!
theRIOT
Active Member
Anything and everything?
We complain that our 2012 hard-earned vacation dollar doesn't buy us half of what Disney used to offer.
And you're ok with that. And all the other dusters are ok with it. Why?
To Jimmy Thick: Disney don't want me or need me?
Sure. Mickey just loves to see me take my money 10 miles up the road to Potterland.
Once again, just because people can't seem to understand the notion, we complain because we care. We're vocal because we want to see things run like they used to be.
It made financial sense then. Why not now?
John
Well-Known Member
Great analogy!!!!!!! Bravo....couldnt agree with you more. I live outside Baltimore and because of the interdivisional rivalry I am very familiar with the Yankees. As you know the Orioles have not been doing so great as of late. But where I disagree with you is the fact that indeed todays Yankees/Orioles are absolutely held up to a standard which they built (Yankees...27 championships?) Because of this standard if they dont make the World Series every yea.... in New York the season is considered a bust......is it not? If they dont make the playoffs managers are fired. See Boston, same thing.
What is different in the case of WDW, the old days were a creation of Disney. They set the standard. We are not talking about some old folks and how it cost 60 cents to go to the movies (true story). It is about a company who held ITSELF to a standard. Not that I hold it to that standard. I didnt have to say they were the best of the best....they did it for me. We can break this down in the simplist of terms. What is the difference? Disney no longer puts guest experience first.......Its about the bottom line....period.
Do they still do things that go above and beyond? absolutely, the example given by another poster that they checked in to a room that was basically under refurb. That would of never even happened in the time we are discusseing. It simply wouldnt have been an issue. That would be "Show Quality", given the utmost attention.
I do think that this DL vs WDW is a little over blown. DCA had to fall pretty far to get the love it needed. My question is.....Does WDW have to fall that far before it recieves the same love?