What would it take for you to NOT go back?

[RoadiJeff]

I'm not sure what it would take for me to not go back unless it was a REALLY bad experience while I was there and I could tell that was the new norm instead of just some unlucky fluke. When I was at WDW for 4 days last September I still had fun, the crowds were very low due to COVID restrictions and I didn't think prices were too ridiculous at the time. I stayed offsite, which helped with keeping costs down, and I was only buying food, tickets and whatever else for myself and not a whole family.

I am working on another solo trip there for 7 days in mid-October. Something is going on already because I've been checking the daily park reservations maps and all parks are green and available, except for the first two days in October when the 50th anniversary celebration begins. In the past, HS has become unavailable first, probably because of ROTR, but not anymore. I don't know if it's because Disney is just opening up the gates to let the elbow-to-elbow crowds in or people are staying away due to COVID fears or mask restrictions or what. I'm trying to find all this out before I make any non-refundable deposits and arrive, only to be majorly disappointed.

However, I will NOT be spending any extra money on this Genie+ thing. Ticket prices are high enough as it is and I live 5 miles from Six Flags over Mid America, where I can get an annual pass with free parking for $49. I'd rather go to Disney but not if they price things sky high for my tastes.

 

[FettFan]

Im pretty much done with the Walt Disney company in its current incarnation.

Im not even particularly excited about the 50th.

- Disney Imagineering kind of sucks at their jobs. They should just be called Disney Engineering, because the imagination aspect is essentially dead at this point, hence why there are so few park-exclusive attractions. It seems nothing gets approved unless there is an existing popular IP to back it.
needless to say I don’t think something like Space Mountain would be approved for construction these days unless it was explicitly linked to Star Wars from the get-go.

- Disney’s leadership is far more worried about short term finances instead of long term legacy.
How do we know this? DLP is already playing with a pay-per-ride fastpass system, California has turned their annual passes into a complicated hierarchical system that loses certain perks (parking is no longer included), and WDW offering new hard ticket experiences that are more expensive and less substantive than the ones they replaced.
see: Very Merriest After Hours tickets costing twice as much as Mickey’s Very Merry.
what’s really funny is their official logo gas a big red price tag on it.
View attachment 579777

And now we have Genie+.

Because we all know that becoming a Disney genie means you are now a enslaved to a power beyond your control

I just installed the new Genie app and I—AAAAAAAARRRRRGHHH DAMN YOU CHAAAAAPEKKKKKK!

 

[KikoKea]

While sunning by the Carowinds wave pool yesterday, DH and I were discussing Disney's latest $$ grab and agreed WDW wasn't in our future plans. We bought the Carowinds season pass in July and hit their water park weekly ( just over an hour away) and their coasters, and we've found our little getaways relaxing. With the thou$and$ we used to spend at WDW yearly, we're planning to buy a camper and going to see our beautiful country (and other parks).

 

[eliza61nyc]

Yes.....we have a planned trip in May.
We might cancel last minute if it turns out to be really aweful wait times, if you don't pay for genie plus.
Greasy move Disney.......greasy.

Hi @NickMaio
May I ask a personal question? You have been a very vocal critic of wdw. Why in the name of all that is holy are you going again or even planning a trip
I ask because I find that an interesting phenomenon hereand not only with you. So many poster will bash, trash and complain and then say they have a trip planned.

Now I always admit I do not have this emotional attachment from my childhood to wdw. The first time we went my entire family hated it. Took me 20 years to go back but if I trashed a place the way that you trash Disney no way no how would I go back.
Not even if it were free.
I'm genuinely interested in knowing

 

[LittleBuford]

I find it interesting (and, if I’m honest, a little puzzling) that so many posters here were already one straw away from never returning. I would stop visiting a place long before things got to that point—why spend thousands of dollars repeatedly going somewhere that is no longer all that enjoyable to you?

 

[jlhwdw]

I find it interesting (and, if I’m honest, a little puzzling) that so many posters here were already one straw away from never returning. I would stop visiting a place long before things got to that point—why spend thousands of dollars repeatedly going somewhere that is no longer all that enjoyable to you?

I think it's the holding on and remembering the good times.

It's kind of like going to a store or restaurant you used to love, but has gone downhill. You may not go as often, but you still go and check in on it and hope for some improvements until it gets to a point where you just sever ties. I think that's where many of us are with WDW now.

 

[KikoKea]

I think it's the holding on and remembering the good times.

It's kind of like going to a store or restaurant you used to love, but has gone downhill. You may not go as often, but you still go and check in on it and hope for some improvements until it gets to a point where you just sever ties. I think that's where many of us are with WDW now.

Exactly. We came back a few more times hoping it was would at least better than the last visit, but it wasn't.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think it's the holding on and remembering the good times.

It's kind of like going to a store or restaurant you used to love, but has gone downhill. You may not go as often, but you still go and check in on it and hope for some improvements until it gets to a point where you just sever ties. I think that's where many of us are with WDW now.

Thanks for your reply. I thought of the restaurant analogy myself, but the difference there is that you’re not losing much by giving your old favourite another try—at most, you’ve wasted an evening and a bit of money on a less-than-great meal. Compare that to the bucketloads of time, effort, and money involved in going back to WDW. It makes no sense to me that those who have lost their taste for Disney would return time and again just because of nostalgia; one, two, or maybe three bad visits should be enough to put an end to the pattern. I can’t understand why people would keep it up until breaking point.

 

[Graham9]

We came to WDW back in '98 as a one-off trip. We were so overwhelmed at what a fantastic place it was, that we have been 11 times over the years. I proposed to my wife there, we had our honeymoon there. I have a hard drive stuffed with thousands of photos and videos we have taken there. We have spent all the time we were unable to come to WDW planning our next trip. We worked and saved money to come to WDW and we wanted to come last year, but thanks to Covid, we couldn't. I had planned to come in June as a celebration of my retirement from work, but again, Covid boarder restrictions meant we couldn't.

So we planned to come November 2022 and had advanced plans what we want to see and do and began building funds to spend there - almost to the point of securing deposits with WDW and flights to the US.

Then I watched this video about Genie+, and it hit us hard how bad things have got since our early trips, where Fastpass was a free extra service to give people a chance to do their favourite attractions. Now we are looking at paying for the privilege, which when multiplied by each of us and the number of days there adds up to a number which is extortionate, ridiculous - and dare I say it - some form of blackmail where you could be denied your favourite attraction if you don't stump up with the $$$ - having already paid a great deal for a park ticket just to get in.

Thus we have decided to give up on WDW until this Genie+ thing either collapses or replaced with something else which will add to our trip, as opposed to taking something away from it. Not just about the money, its also these stupid unwanted 'profiles' and other worthless garbage this app comes with which I would be paying for. I have never needed before and I don't see the need for it now. Despite the claims, this is NOT going to give a unique experience or enhance my visit in any way. We are more than capable of deciding what to see and do every day we are there and we are able to make our own choices, which we can do without expensive apps doing it for us. Besides, I don't like the idea of being tracked and profiled in this manner.

I also don't particularly want to drag my phone around the parks all day as coming to WDW is where I go to get away from technology - having to work with it all the time at home. But it seems it's becoming compulsory.

 

[eliza61nyc]

I think it's the holding on and remembering the good times.

It's kind of like going to a store or restaurant you used to love, but has gone downhill. You may not go as often, but you still go and check in on it and hope for some improvements until it gets to a point where you just sever ties. I think that's where many of us are with WDW now.

Lol see I don't, I go to an old restaurant and if it sucks I may give it one more try. Two bad meals and that's it. We went to Jamaica once, hated it. Never been back. And it's not only the money, I only got so much vacation time so that's valuable also. I can't understand burning through valuable vacation time on a place you know you won't have a good time. Heck I've left movies that sucked instead of wasting 3 hours.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Thanks for your reply. I thought of the restaurant analogy myself, but the difference there is that you’re not losing much by giving your old favourite another try—at most, you’ve wasted an evening and a bit of money on a less-than-great meal. Compare that to the bucketloads of time, effort, and money involved in going back to WDW. It makes no sense to me that those who have lost their taste for Disney would return time and again just because of nostalgia; one, two, or maybe three bad visits should be enough to put an end to the pattern. I can’t understand why people would keep it up until breaking point.

And then get mad at Disney??
I mentioned this above but it's not only the money. It's valuable vacation time for most people. I only got 3 weeks vacation, no way would I waste that time somewhere I didn't enjoy the previous trip.

If all a person does is complain when you talk about a place, any place it's time to call it quits

 

[SteveAZee]

Thanks for your reply. I thought of the restaurant analogy myself, but the difference there is that you’re not losing much by giving your old favourite another try—at most, you’ve wasted an evening and a bit of money on a less-than-great meal. Compare that to the bucketloads of time, effort, and money involved in going back to WDW. It makes no sense to me that those who have lost their taste for Disney would return time and again just because of nostalgia; one, two, or maybe three bad visits should be enough to put an end to the pattern. I can’t understand why people would keep it up until breaking point.

Perhaps it's less like a restaurant and more like an abusive relationship? Perhaps it's the 'sunk cost' of committing so much already to Disney and its culture that it's tough to not ante up one more time?

 

[LittleBuford]

Perhaps it's less like a restaurant and more like an abusive relationship? Perhaps it's the 'sunk cost' of committing so much already to Disney and its culture that it's tough to not ante up one more time?

Thanks. That’s a depressing analysis, but a convincing one.

 

[NickMaio]

Hi @NickMaio
May I ask a personal question? You have been a very vocal critic of wdw. Why in the name of all that is holy are you going again or even planning a trip
I ask because I find that an interesting phenomenon hereand not only with you. So many poster will bash, trash and complain and then say they have a trip planned.

Now I always admit I do not have this emotional attachment from my childhood to wdw. The first time we went my entire family hated it. Took me 20 years to go back but if I trashed a place the way that you trash Disney no way no how would I go back.
Not even if it were free.
I'm genuinely interested in knowing

Well, my wife and I love WDW, I practically grew up there. My parents took my sister and I every year since I could remember.
It is honestly one of my happy places. That being said I do not like what has been happening over the last 6-8 years.

I am vocal and negative about WDW because I love it so much, it sucks to see what they are doing send how they are squeezing people, charging for the air is the next big thing.

We have not been in 3 years, and it hurts my wife and I want to go so bad. However, I am not the type to just eat whatever WDW serves. I feel like they are not keeping up the standard and quality that I grew up to love, my first trip was in 84.

Seriously, I am the kind of WDW fan that plays ride music in the car, and que music at the dinner table. Phone ring tone is 3rd tunnel on space mountain. Ride posters in our living room.

I am not always negative about WDW things....., lately though its hard not to be.

☆As a side note, WDW has been watching this and other Dis forums for many years to guage popular opinion on various issues. I had a family member who was in that department years ago.

So, if the mouse is actually listening I am in the camp of change where I want to see change.

Don't mean to be a downer, sorry if I am.
Take care.

 

[NickMaio]

We came to WDW back in '98 as a one-off trip. We were so overwhelmed at what a fantastic place it was, that we have been 11 times over the years. I proposed to my wife there, we had our honeymoon there. I have a hard drive stuffed with thousands of photos and videos we have taken there. We have spent all the time we were unable to come to WDW planning our next trip. We worked and saved money to come to WDW and we wanted to come last year, but thanks to Covid, we couldn't. I had planned to come in June as a celebration of my retirement from work, but again, Covid boarder restrictions meant we couldn't.

So we planned to come November 2022 and had advanced plans what we want to see and do and began building funds to spend there - almost to the point of securing deposits with WDW and flights to the US.

Then I watched this video about Genie+, and it hit us hard how bad things have got since our early trips, where Fastpass was a free extra service to give people a chance to do their favourite attractions. Now we are looking at paying for the privilege, which when multiplied by each of us and the number of days there adds up to a number which is extortionate, ridiculous - and dare I say it - some form of blackmail where you could be denied your favourite attraction if you don't stump up with the $$$ - having already paid a great deal for a park ticket just to get in.

Thus we have decided to give up on WDW until this Genie+ thing either collapses or replaced with something else which will add to our trip, as opposed to taking something away from it. Not just about the money, its also these stupid unwanted 'profiles' and other worthless garbage this app comes with which I would be paying for. I have never needed before and I don't see the need for it now. Despite the claims, this is NOT going to give a unique experience or enhance my visit in any way. We are more than capable of deciding what to see and do every day we are there and we are able to make our own choices, which we can do without expensive apps doing it for us. Besides, I don't like the idea of being tracked and profiled in this manner.

I also don't particularly want to drag my phone around the parks all day as coming to WDW is where I go to get away from technology - having to work with it all the time at home. But it seems it's becoming compulsory.

I hear ya....

 

[NickMaio]

I find it interesting (and, if I’m honest, a little puzzling) that so many posters here were already one straw away from never returning. I would stop visiting a place long before things got to that point—why spend thousands of dollars repeatedly going somewhere that is no longer all that enjoyable to you?

You can dislike specific aspects on something and love others..........its not one or the other.

Be vocal........either way.
Many love WDW and they could do no wrong no matter what happens...... this I will never understand.

I love it too much to just sit here and talk about favourite rides all day.

Someone is listening.......

 

[LittleBuford]

You can dislike specific aspects on something and love others..........its not one or the other.

Be vocal........either way.
Many love WDW and they could do no wrong no matter what happens...... this I will never understand.

I love it too much to just sit here and talk about favourite rides all day.

Someone is listening.......

To be clear, I am not questioning why people criticise aspects of WDW. I think that's healthier than being an all-out apologist. What confuses me is that people would keep going back when their overall experience is repeatedly a negative one.

 

[John park hopper]

Why do people go back

Perhaps it's less like a restaurant and more like an abusive relationship? Perhaps it's the 'sunk cost' of committing so much already to Disney and its culture that it's tough to not ante up one more time?

It's a case of good memories over many visits and not believing that it maybe declining in value and enjoyment. Hope for that old experience springs eternal so people give it another shot and another and another

 

[eliza61nyc]

Well, my wife and I love WDW, I practically grew up there. My parents took my sister and I every year since I could remember.
It is honestly one of my happy places. That being said I do not like what has been happening over the last 6-8 years.

I am vocal and negative about WDW because I love it so much, it sucks to see what they are doing send how they are squeezing people, charging for the air is the next big thing.

We have not been in 3 years, and it hurts my wife and I want to go so bad. However, I am not the type to just eat whatever WDW serves. I feel like they are not keeping up the standard and quality that I grew up to love, my first trip was in 84.

Seriously, I am the kind of WDW fan that plays ride music in the car, and que music at the dinner table. Phone ring tone is 3rd tunnel on space mountain. Ride posters in our living room.

I am not always negative about WDW things....., lately though its hard not to be.

☆As a side note, WDW has been watching this and other Dis forums for many years to guage popular opinion on various issues. I had a family member who was in that department years ago.

So, if the mouse is actually listening I am in the camp of change where I want to see change.

Don't mean to be a downer, sorry if I am.
Take care.

No not at all, I will say that some times we only get one side of the story especially when Disney does something ridiculous like cancelling Magic Express. So I'm glad you guys are still getting some value from your vacations.
Being stuck in the house for a year definitely has given me an appreciation for getting a break.

Wow it would be great if the powers that be listen to social media and other platforms,. I worked for mega chemical company for 33 years so I don't have a lot of faith in them listening.

Hope you have great vacations no matter where.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Why do people go back

It's a case of good memories over many visits and not believing that it maybe declining in value and enjoyment. Hope for that old experience springs eternal so people give it another shot and another and another

God bless 'em. I'm too much of a tightwad, at 4k a pop I need my vacations to be consistently good. Like I said before I'm hard pressed to give a bad restaurant a second try. No way would I be kicking out Disney dough on a memory.