What will it take to stop you from going to WDW?

[disneyflush]

They keep profiting off the tools they design to help you manage the lines caused by the crowd levels they let in. Thank you WDW may I have another.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They keep profiting off the tools they design to help you manage the lines caused by the crowd levels they let in. Thank you WDW may I have another.

The real trick is getting customers to go on the internet and defend the moves for free

 

[OG Runner]

I have absolutely zero basis for what I'm about to say ...

I don't think these crowds (like now) are here to stay. I truly think people are taking these trips now to make up for cancelled trips and to get in trips while Covid is "gone" for now.

I think next year will be back to "normal" crowds.

Well as the saying goes, "From your mouth to God's ear." or Bob Chapek, whichever works.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

The whole change in our feelings about disney was the cancelling of the DME. From there it has escalated.
So, we are no longer going to disney, and I must admit, it feels freeing. We have other trips scheduled and I can't wait!
This change of feelings comes from a long time WDW fan. I was the one everyone came to for advice and information on a disney trip. We went every year and loved it. Then the downhill started with the loss of DME. Thanks to the current management who cares more about shareholders and their golden parachutes, they have lost another big family and future disney fanatics. But they don't care, which is really sad.

 

[OG Runner]

The whole change in our feelings about disney was the cancelling of the DME. From there it has escalated.
So, we are no longer going to disney, and I must admit, it feels freeing. We have other trips scheduled and I can't wait!
This change of feelings comes from a long time WDW fan. I was the one everyone came to for advice and information on a disney trip. We went every year and loved it. Then the downhill started with the loss of DME. Thanks to the current management who cares more about shareholders and their golden parachutes, they have lost another big family and future disney fanatics. But they don't care, which is really sad.

So you stopped going in January? I hate to say it but the reason they do not care if because the parks are packed with
vacationers. I am sure it will probably take about a year before they start to care again, once the excitement of the parks
and resorts even being open calms down.

 

[Littleclown]

They have already done enough in the last 4 years to stop me from ever coming back. The last straws were doing away with Magical Express joined by making people pay to park their cars at their resorts followed closely by doing away with Fast Pass and park hoping. After going 16 out of 17 years it has come to my attention that Disney is now only for the wealthy. You use to get to Disney and get up and open a park and go back to your resort when it closed. If you tried that today you would need a park reservation 12 weeks before you got there and then mega bucks to ride attractions with Genie+, that use to be free for anyone waiting to ride them. Talk about money grabbing. Sorry to say goodbye to what has been a long term relationship but as the saying goes "all good things come to an end sometime"

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They have already done enough in the last 4 years to stop me from ever coming back. The last straws were doing away with Magical Express joined by making people pay to park their cars at their resorts followed closely by doing away with Fast Pass and park hoping. After going 16 out of 17 years it has come to my attention that Disney is now only for the wealthy. You use to get to Disney and get up and open a park and go back to your resort when it closed. If you tried that today you would need a park reservation 12 weeks before you got there and then mega bucks to ride attractions with Genie+, that use to be free for anyone waiting to ride them. Talk about money grabbing. Sorry to say goodbye to what has been a long term relationship but as the saying goes "all good things come to an end sometime"

…no…it is not. That just what they are telling the people in their mirror

 

[GimpYancIent]

So you stopped going in January? I hate to say it but the reason they do not care if because the parks are packed with
vacationers. I am sure it will probably take about a year before they start to care again, once the excitement of the parks
and resorts even being open calms down.

Yep, that is correct Disney does not care. Vacationers are waking up to that, somewhat slowly, but steadily.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

The whole change in our feelings about disney was the cancelling of the DME. From there it has escalated.
So, we are no longer going to disney, and I must admit, it feels freeing. We have other trips scheduled and I can't wait!
This change of feelings comes from a long time WDW fan. I was the one everyone came to for advice and information on a disney trip. We went every year and loved it. Then the downhill started with the loss of DME. Thanks to the current management who cares more about shareholders and their golden parachutes, they have lost another big family and future disney fanatics. But they don't care, which is really sad.

We have discovered that we can do a LOT with our little home, with the $6000 that went to WDW for ONE of our "twice per year trips".
Once per year for us, from now on... MAYBE. Side effects: No APs (they are not for sale anyway), no TIW (not for sale anyway), our 300 DVC points hit break-even years ago (including initial investment - close to SELL time).

It's just not fun anymore.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

So out of all that you listed a few things. The parking fee that some have to pay does suck and is really inexcusable. Just raise the rack rate. I say some of course, because those of us that are DVC don't have to pay the parking fee, so doesn't affect us.

I completely agree that stopping Magical Express was also a sucky move. We did use it a few times, and liked the service. They really have no good reason for ending the service either.

As far as Genie+ goes, the system has been live long enough for people's reviews along with tips and tricks for it. If someone goes to Disney without doing any research, then that is on them. Do I like or want Genie+. Heck NO. We loved FP+ as it fit the way we vacation. Will we pay for Genie+? Not during our upcoming vacation, as we want to see how it goes if you don't buy in. That will determine what we might do on our future trips.

So price increases. Yes, Disney has raised prices on everything, but so has everyone else. COVID is partially responsible, and other factors make getting the goods to WDW a lot more expensive. They are not just going to eat the extra cost, so we pay more, just like we're paying a lot more at the pump and at the grocery store.

Well, my original point was about nickle and diming their customers. Not price increases. So while I agree with what you said, my problem is about disguising price increases to those who don't pay enough attention. I've said over and again, just be upfront and jack your prices up. Don't add ala carte pricing to a bunch of little things because it just hides the overall cost. It's a deceptive practice.

Used to be that from the airport you ride the Magical bus to your hotel. You watch a fun video, and next thing you know you're there and step into the fairyland. Now that's gone. You're either trying to arrange an Uber, or tracking down a rental car and driving to the hotel. Before, getting to the hotel was free and fun. Now it's expensive and a pain in the @$$. Rent a car for what $70/day plus Disney sticks it to you by charging you to park your rental. There for 7 days? +$700 to your trip. Remember that magical ride from the airport? Now it's an expensive hassle.

Again, just saying Disney should be up front, and say we need to increase cost to the customer all-in, but keep all the Magical parts that once were. Charge me $250/day to get into the park. Just don't hide it with up-charges. They've spent the last 12+ years over-complicating the Disney vacation process.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Rock N Roller Coaster featuring Olivia Rodrigo

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

Rock N Roller Coaster featuring Olivia Rodrigo

OMG! THAT shoulda been one of the options I posted. That would definitely kill DS for me.

 

[WDWJoeG]

It's just not fun anymore.

This. Last time I was at the parks everybody was fixated on their phones frantically trying to navigate Genie, the entire family was waiting for the parent to figure out how to order a simple quick service lunch on their phone, and so many "commando parents" trying to execute the day like they are storming Normandy.

It used to be a fun day in the park with your family. Maybe a day by the pool or rent a boat out on the lake.

Now it is this. It's just not fun anymore.

 

[OG Runner]

Yep, that is correct Disney does not care. Vacationers are waking up to that, somewhat slowly, but steadily.

What do you base your statement on? You realize the attendance numbers are up in the parks?
I was not happy with some of the changes to the park, but who do you know that is telling you
Disney does not care? Stop just throwing out statements without any support to them.

 

[Phonedave]

There are a combination of two things that have greatly curtailed the amount of time, and by extension, money that I spend with WDW.

1) The first is value. I have posted this story before, but I will do it again. I first went to WDW as an adult where I paid my own way in 1999 or 2000. I was recently married, just bought a house, had a new kid and money was tight. WDW was on a budget at that time, and my (then) wife had convinced me to go. I though there were much more affordable vacations out there. Within the first day at the parks, I thought I was getting my money's worth, and then some. Yeah it was expense (to me) but it was worth it. The value was there. The little details, the attitude of the cast members, the sense of relaxation, the being in the "bubble".
Fast forward to today. Suffice to say I can afford a WDW vacation, even at today's prices, easily within our budget. I am also a DVC member, so I have that prepaid room as well. However, every time I go, I come out feeling like I have been robbed. My wife and I come home, look at what we spent, and say "why do we keep going back". In fact, we no longer go back as often. We used to go on a family vacation with our kids every summer, and then F&W 2 out of 3 years with just me and my wife. We haven't been to WDW as a family in two years now (and have no plans to do so this summer). We haven't been to F&W in 3 years (but we do have room reserved for this year).

2) The second is logistics. I manage a team of Technical Project Managers as my job. Any given day I am managing budgets, overloaded IT resources in wildly varying time zones, marketing, legal, supply chain, retail, and network engineering requirements. All while making sure things are reported properly to executives and meeting their requirements. I do not want to do anything approaching this on vacation. I do not want to be up at 6:00 AM with 4 cell phones trying to snag a time to get on a ride. I do not want to have to plan where I am going to eat months in advance, I do not want to have to consult crowd levels, park schedules, and reserved ride times in order to not wait in a 90 minute line. I do not want to have to look at my cell phone - I look at those things all of the time at work, I don't want to do it on vacation. WDW has become a massive planning event, and a lot less of a vacation than it used to be (at least for me)

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I do not want to be up at 6:00 AM with 4 cell phones trying to snag a time to get on a ride. I do not want to have to plan where I am going to eat months in advance, I do not want to have to consult crowd levels, park schedules, and reserved ride times in order to not wait in a 90 minute line. I do not want to have to look at my cell phone

And let's add to this - I don't want to preselect which park I will be visiting months in advance, and trying to figure out how much a ride will cost via ILL vs just opting for Genie+, or in some cases going sans Genie+. There's always some level of planning with a vacation, but Disney now seems intent on taking it to extremes.

 

[Wilbret]

WDW has become a massive planning event, and a lot less of a vacation than it used to be (at least for me)

Winner. And it's even tougher if you have people in your party that fail to realize this. Every year for 15+ years, my in-laws have yet to comprehend why I try to book rooms 7 months out, or find reservations when available, or why we need to get tickets so far ahead. They are living in the 1970s.

 

[Heppenheimer]

And let's add to this - I don't want to preselect which park I will be visiting months in advance, and trying to figure out how much a ride will cost via ILL vs just opting for Genie+, or in some cases going sans Genie+. There's always some level of planning with a vacation, but Disney now seems intent on taking it to extremes.

Back when I lived in Europe, on the Rick Steves forum, I would often give advice on posters' proposed itineraries. One of the common mistakes I recommended against was overplanning specific activities or meals far in advanced without the benefit of a short-term weather forecast. For example, that once-in-a-lifetime view of the Alps you only budgeted for one specific day could very easily get washed out by rain and clouds. I used the example of "Build some flexibility into your plan, like you were visiting Disney World and could decide day-to-day which park you plan to visit." Well, that analogy didn't age well, apparently.

 

[GimpYancIent]

What do you base your statement on? You realize the attendance numbers are up in the parks?
I was not happy with some of the changes to the park, but who do you know that is telling you
Disney does not care? Stop just throwing out statements without any support to them.

I respect your diehard support of the Disney properties and work at diverting eyes away from what is happening. By all means continue to enjoy the parks and have a magical time.

 

[dreday3]

During certain times of year, you're screwed, parks book up.
But in October, we were able to change park reservations day before/day of with no problems. And Genie was still new so mostly everything was available.

Just FYI, you can still change parks pretty easily unless parks buckets are full. How often reservations for parks will be unavailable during non-peak times with new crowd levels remains to be seen...

Funnily - fast pass + actually made it much harder for us to change parks on the fly because you lost those passes for the rides and usually the new park we would choose - all the good fast passes were long gone.