Why do you think people still go to WDW?

[Pepper's Ghost]

I also preferred WDW in the early 2000's compared to today. I think the worst update I've seen has been to Test Track. The original ride was based on the actual build and testing of vehicles. I'm not sure what this new ride is supposed to be about.

The original Soarin' was good but I think it would have been better had that film stayed a DL attraction and there was an "east coast" version for WDW.

We always enjoyed the Backlot Tour. I've never been a big Star Wars fan so this big shift toward SW attractions and a resort doesn't do anything for me. I know I'm in the minority on that though.

Totally agree about TT. It makes zero sense to me now.

Soarin Over CA used to get applause at the end. SAtW is CGI gone berserk. SoCA just had stunning mostly genuine cinematography, and it felt like the music just worked better. Flying over the Golden Gate Bridge, nearly dipping your toes in the river water, soaring past the skiers in the mountains, soaring with the other hang gliders on the side of the cliff, flying over the orange groves, then in the desert getting chills when the jets fly past, and culminating with fireworks over DL... just stunning! I really, really miss SoCA.

The Backlot Tour was excellent with seeing the historical props, and the attraction made sense in that park. I love SW too, but have yet to see the new land.

I miss WDW circa 2000s a lot. I'm sure kids of 80s and 90s miss those eras more.

 

[Phonedave]

Totally agree about TT. It makes zero sense to me now.

Soarin Over CA used to get applause at the end. SAtW is CGI gone berserk. SoCA just had stunning mostly genuine cinematography, and it felt like the music just worked better. Flying over the Golden Gate Bridge, nearly dipping your toes in the river water, soaring past the skiers in the mountains, soaring with the other hang gliders on the side of the cliff, flying over the orange groves, then in the desert getting chills when the jets fly past, and culminating with fireworks over DL... just stunning! I really, really miss SoCA.

The Backlot Tour was excellent with seeing the historical props, and the attraction made sense in that park. I love SW too, but have yet to see the new land.

I miss WDW circa 2000s a lot. I'm sure kids of 80s and 90s miss those eras more.

I miss the backlot tour as well. T thought it was a nice mix of a behind the scenes look along with a bit of a thrill. Sure, it was more interesting when it was an actual back lot, but even afterwards it was still interesting. They could have kept it on a constant refresh status too by moving in and out actual props when they became available.

 

[Leo!]

Came back recently. Been there Dec. 16-27. For me it was super expensive, nothing magical and low-quality for a '400 USD per night' room (Stayed in CBR). Disney just need to charge for the air we're breathing.

Next time, I'll try Universal with just tickets to WDW Parks.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Nostalgia. Then, they see it's gone. Then they complain. Then they go back. Every time you read "they" you can assume I included myself.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Because despite my bellyaching in the ME thread, I still think the parks themselves are great and agree with most recent decisions. I just won't stay onsite next time, or recommend other people do.

 

[aliceismad]

It's healthy and good to be able to love and appreciate something but still point out flaws and room for improvement. I think the forums have a tendency to go toward the doom and gloom because it's easy and fun to arm-chair quarterback and people have an emotional attachment to Disney things/memories/perceptions.

Disney is one of the few places where I can let everything go and just be present and enjoy the moment, moreso even than some other vacations. Disney is a magical bubble. The feeling in my chest, and more importantly the look on my kid's face, when we ride certain rides or see certain things are among my most cherished memories.

 

[LittleMerman]

We still go for the following reasons:
1 - Biggest reason is nostalgia. We have so many good memories at the park as a family when we were younger.
2 - IPs. We also love the Disney IPs that you don't find at other parks.
3 - The product. The parks are definitely flawed but overall they're really fun and they deliver mostly high-quality rides and shows.
4 - Each day is a self-contained day - all your food, entertainment, and rides are all in whatever park you choose vs. having to find new places and things to do. It's nice to go somewhere where you know the ropes and tricks and your way around.

However, other the years WDW has definitely gotten worse as a company. Their customer service is bad now. It's taken a lot of the magic out of it. They have gotten greedier and seem to not care about the customer on a personal level. Everything is such a money grabber and your options are to pay up or not. And now they're taking away so many perks it adds to that. And they let wayyyy too many people in.

So now, my points #1 and #2 are the main reasons why we keep going. You can find great parks in other places that have just as good if not better rides but our hearts are attached to Disney movies and characters and WDW itself.

 

[Disneyelisa]

We still go for the memories (and the food). Disney brings me back to my childhood years.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

I go there for nalsyalgia and to recapture something that isn’t there any more, I visit Epcot once a year and that’s it for Disney now sadly, sometimes once every other year I’ll visit Epcot because what I go back for is either jot there or in its last leg.

 

[Graham9]

We go for the nostalgia as over the years it became a special place for us, but given the time, distance and money it costs to get there, we haven't been for a few years and we spend a lot of time looking forward to our next visit and arranging and building finances for out next trip - which would have been November this year. But Covid-19 put the brakes on that, so we have penciled in next year.

I have seen the gradual decline of the 'soul' and spirit of the parks. They have never been 'perfect' by any means, but they have been overall enjoyable and we have taken away a lot of good memories from them.

To me, it's a question of scales and how far will enjoyment outweigh all the issues and problems which come with them. In all the years we have been to WDW, I have noticed that soul and spirit along with 'enjoyment' has slowly eroding away and I am wondering how much further it will decline until it tips over and we will have to make the decision to withdraw away from WDW, because there will be no reason to go there. On that day we will have to reevaluate our plans to Orlando and rely on photos and home movies to look back on when WDW used to be 'the best place on Earth'.

I often think that as parks evolve, they should get better. But it seems to be going the other way.

 

[networkpro]

I'll take another stab at this after having some time to mull it over.

It's so much unlike any other vacation destination. Here's my revised list in no specific order:

• It's clean.
• It's organized.
• It's food offerings are varied.
• It's beautifully landscaped.
• Areas are themed differently instead of a series of state fair midways.
• The rides, shows, and attractions are fun.
• It's isolated from a lot of the woes of the outside world if just for a few hours or days.

Compare and contrast that with the ongoing horror and freak shows that are the reality of so many other destinations. Yes, it comes with a price that some cannot afford. Some guests cant deal with disconnecting from whichever agendas they are pursuing and inflict their psychosis on others instead of just enjoying the day.


Compare and contrast those other destinations which may have stunning natural or manmade wonders that are also accessible and have accommodations. Most have a thin veneer covering a plethora of other "stuff".

 

[chriskbrown]

Totally agree about TT. It makes zero sense to me now.

Soarin Over CA used to get applause at the end. SAtW is CGI gone berserk. SoCA just had stunning mostly genuine cinematography, and it felt like the music just worked better. Flying over the Golden Gate Bridge, nearly dipping your toes in the river water, soaring past the skiers in the mountains, soaring with the other hang gliders on the side of the cliff, flying over the orange groves, then in the desert getting chills when the jets fly past, and culminating with fireworks over DL... just stunning! I really, really miss SoCA.

The Backlot Tour was excellent with seeing the historical props, and the attraction made sense in that park. I love SW too, but have yet to see the new land.

I miss WDW circa 2000s a lot. I'm sure kids of 80s and 90s miss those eras more.

When we did Soarin in DL last year - I remembered how the original Soarin' was just so incredible. The new one while incredible lacks the theme of the first

 

[TotallyBiased]

Because the wife and I still feel like kids and that magic still works for us, despite the various instances of evolution; positive or negative.

 

[JusticeDisney]

I can’t speak for others, but I still love to go to WDW because, even In spite of some of the changes to it that I don’t support, it is still the happiest of all of my happy places. I know that sounds incredibly cheesy, but it’s equally as true.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I'm going to speak for myself. To have awesome experiences and simply because I love Disney.

 

[Skibum1970]

I'll take another stab at this after having some time to mull it over.

It's so much unlike any other vacation destination. Here's my revised list in no specific order:

• It's clean.
• It's organized.
• It's food offerings are varied.
• It's beautifully landscaped.
• Areas are themed differently instead of a series of state fair midways.
• The rides, shows, and attractions are fun.
• It's isolated from a lot of the woes of the outside world if just for a few hours or days.

Compare and contrast that with the ongoing horror and freak shows that are the reality of so many other destinations. Yes, it comes with a price that some cannot afford. Some guests cant deal with disconnecting from whichever agendas they are pursuing and inflict their psychosis on others instead of just enjoying the day.


Compare and contrast those other destinations which may have stunning natural or manmade wonders that are also accessible and have accommodations. Most have a thin veneer covering a plethora of other "stuff".

This is a great description. My favorite time is to go in February when it's cold and nasty and nature is in hibernation. I go to Disney and see flowers, green grass, trees, and it is all so pretty. Yes, nostalgia plays a role but we honestly enjoy the parks. I know Pirates and the Haunted Mansion basically by heart but still enjoy both. The isolation is wonderful as you do feel separated from the normal stress regarding work or other aspects of regular life. We love the resorts that we stay at and find that the whole trip is enjoyable. We mix in one day at Islands of Adventure for their rides but still come back "home" to our Disney resort.

I have some anxiety issues that I get when traveling but those are basically eliminated during a Disney trip. Thus, I find that I enjoy my Disney trips far more than the trips we would also take. It's just different. Some parts of the enjoyment factors are intangible.

No, we don't always like the crowds and yes it is an expensive vacation (at most, once per year or once every few years for us). Still, it is fun and happy and basically is what we make of it.

 

[DisneyNittany]

Short answer, because I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford it and up until now (I won't go until pre-COVID rules are back, not because I'm anti-mask or a virus denier, but because I don't like having any limitations) it was a good use of my money.

Long answer, its one of a very few set of places that both my wife and I mutually enjoy. It's not a place where I'd plan a guys trip, but for my wife and I (and soon-to-be-here daughter) it's damn near perfect. Again, we're very fortunate, so we don't exclusively take WDW trips, but it's a nice change of pace/scenery from a beach vacation or touring a new city/country. We've now gone enough that we know how we like to vacation in WDW, so it's equally relaxing and engaging.

I've long compared WDW to the PG version of Las Vegas. There is so much to do there OTHER than the attraction/rides, but where Vegas has the escapist/hedonistic vibe, WDW has the escapist/nostalgist vibe. My wife and I just find it to be a place where we're both in pure bliss, where our demanding jobs don't exist, and our inner-child can escape for a short period of time.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I also like getting away from the real world for a while.