Why I Will Definitely Go Again

[Raxel7851]

Yea, I felt the same thing when I first retired. I felt that I had money that would last a lot longer then me. It may still, but over 12 years I have eaten away at the cushion to the point were between my trips to Disney, to Europe and the current stock market it has dropped enough that I am now concerned. Concerned enough that it isn't worth it to me to spend down to that degree just to go to a theme park. Taking into consideration the restrictions like park reservations, high price for a day ticket, additional charges for two different incarnations of pay for Fastpass. Add to that the fact that either way I go, pay up or stand by, I still might not be able to see the things that I really would like too. And to decide where I want to be on any given day. I have to reserve days in advance with nothing in the line of guarantees if a hurricane or tornado decides to pick the same day to visit. It's just to damn much and something that, knowing me, will only add to the anger and frustration to a high level. Hence it no longer has sufficient value to risk an old age dining on Alpo for protein. I am at an age where I can not afford to throw away what little time I have allotted. I've worked hard all my life and I have no desire to complicate my retirement.

Well said @Goofyernmost. I was fortunate to have worked at a company for 45 years that had an excellent defined pension plan. My DW also has one. Last I read, less than 15% of the working population has one now. I’ve been retired 6 years and I watch my spending more closely lately. Fortunately for us, we can anticipate several WDW trips each year. However, we definitely look at them more closely.

 

[DfromATX]

That is awesome. Can't wait for the grandkid Disney trips. Not that I am pushing my son, he just turned 21.

I just reminded my 26 year old that I had him when I was 26 lol. They are waiting later and later these days. I told him I didn't want to be too old to enjoy my grands, but it went in one ear and out the other I guess.

 

[JIMINYCR]

You could have given your side on the other thread, so that is bull. I once was one of the biggest WDW fans that there was. I don't always put Disney down, if I had I wouldn't have spent 10's of thousands of dollars going to the parks. 48 trips to WDW, 1 trip to DLR and 1 trip to DLP. If you don't mind letting a billion dollar company turn you upside down and needlessly shake every spare dime you have out of your pockets nothing I can say will stop that. It is a high level fleecing of the public. Maybe you didn't experience it the way it was or you don't remember, but I cannot stand by and not at least warn people of what is happening whether you are willing to accept that or not is out of my control. Just don't say you weren't warned or attempting to make people understand what is happening.

Again… READ the title of the post and what the OP was asking for. This is for those who are not bothered by current Dis policies. You are free to vent all you want and let others know how you feel. I have no issue with that. But you injected negativity in a post that was meant for people wanting to post positives. You aren’t a Dis fan now, but this wasn’t the place or time to do that opinionated stance.
There’s no reason to say what I stated was bull. I tell my negative stance on Dis policies when the OP asks for those types of views or when the post is regarding views that are negative.
There was NO reason for you to go negative here… that’s my point.

 

[DfromATX]

I think you're post brings up one very important point, everyone values different things and different experiences. you can have two families look at the same situation totally different.

For me the hotel and meals absolutely make up the "magical bubble", one of our most cherished memories is waking up at the beach club and listening to the sounds of the boats or My husband and I having our first cup of coffee while watching the animals on the savannah (at akl) before the minions got up, that is worth every single dollar I've paid. walking back to our resort at park close through international gateway, the concrete has sparkly lights in them that twinkle and the music that you can hear from the boardwalk. a perfect ending to our days. Yes for my family, that soothes our souls and we'll pay the price to have it. I love watching young families come through the lobby after a long day and the young one's are bouncing off the walls, lol poor mom and dad look lke they've been beat down. I just smile and feel at peace.

Now for me planning prevents stress. lol, can't tell you how many times we've had the discussion that goes like this...
me: "what do you guys what for dinner"
hubby and kids "I don't know, what do you want?"
me: "I don't care pick something"
kids: "pizza"
me: "not pizza again"
hubby: "I don't care"
round and round and round we go. yeah, some times it's a pain to try and guess what we will want 6 months out but once we are there, it's awesome not to have to rehearse the "what do you want for dinner" monologue.

Now I will admit, I'm not a "winger" no matter where I go. so no matter if it's wdw, the beach, europe or simply going back to NYC I am a planner. so I'm not feeling this "stress" everyone talks about. I do dislike the park reservation system and I'm hoping it will go away before our next big trip in 2023 but I definitely don't feel any "stress" from making them.
I actually think with so much information available on line, it makes some things easier. yes it does take some preplanning but nothing so onerous.

I do totally agree the nickel and diming is getting out of hand.

I LOVE the planning. I get that it's annoying for some to have to reserve the park they want to go to, but I plan all that anyway so it doesn't bother me. I usually have an itinerary typed up. We don't plan every minute of course, but I do plan which park, dining, and what we'll rope drop, stuff like that. Everything in between is random and depends on the day.

 

[DfromATX]

Reading your post is why I have a hard time relating to a lot of you here. My family didn't grow up going to Disney. We went a few times when I was a kid but nothing like many of you here have. I grew up going to Cedar Point and Canada's Wonderland. For me driving across the Cedar Point causeway seeing the roller coasters is similar to how most of you feel seeing the castle.

I grew up going to Astroworld in Houston. One time we went to Disneyland in the 80's, but I didn't go to Disney World until I was married and taking our own kids. The rest is history!

 

[DfromATX]

Well said @Goofyernmost. I was fortunate to have worked at a company for 45 years that had an excellent defined pension plan. My DW also has one. Last I read, less than 15% of the working population has one now. I’ve been retired 6 years and I watch my spending more closely lately. Fortunately for us, we can anticipate several WDW trips each year. However, we definitely look at them more closely.

We have a pension plan. I will be able to retire when I'm 58 years old in 6 years! I can hardly wait! Not that I make a lot now, but I'll be getting about the same pay when I retire. I'm so thankful we don't do social security! The only thing I won't have will be insurance, but since my husband said he wants to work until he's 70, cause he's a weirdo lol, he can add me to his plan.

 

[OneofThree]

I'm really genuinely happy that people are finding an escape from the real world in the current iteration of WDW. Also wondering what exactly has happened to society that just a shadow of WDW's former self is so satisfying to some.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Well said @Goofyernmost. I was fortunate to have worked at a company for 45 years that had an excellent defined pension plan. My DW also has one. Last I read, less than 15% of the working population has one now. I’ve been retired 6 years and I watch my spending more closely lately. Fortunately for us, we can anticipate several WDW trips each year. However, we definitely look at them more closely.

but here's the thing, that's not exclusive to Disney, nor is it Disney's fault. That's pretty much always been the way of the world.
I just don't get this mindset that Disney is somehow evil or the bad guys because we come to a point where we can no longer afford it.
Is that how entitled we've all become where we rant when we can no longer afford a luxury (well at least in Disney's eyes) item. Does that work with every thing? lol, can I get mad at San Diego because I can't afford that beach house Ive been drooling over for the last 10 years?
I do know people who have decided to work until they die for various reasons. As I said before when we started to have kids we knew that in order to give them the life we felt a kid should have we would have to leave the city and move to a lower cost of living area.
like every other retiree, I have to make choices. Disney NEVER was free and inexpensive. I decided to retire after my second knee replacement, I knew that there was probably a short window of opportunity that I have to travel while still relatively healthy. I was watching a video about the GOTG ride, of course that got me wanting to go, pulled out a pen and paper, tried to magically make $500 bucks turn into $3500 bucks and nope, not going to wdw this year.
Why should I be mad at Disney for that?

 

[eliza61nyc]

I'm really genuinely happy that people are finding an escape from the real world in the current iteration of WDW. Also wondering what exactly has happened to society that just a shadow of WDW's former self is so satisfying to some.

Translation: we're stupid??

nothings happened, we like what we like and it's not what other people like.

But that's our evil plan, destroy society one trip at a time until it's just us left.

 

[larryz]

You are not alone in your addiction........................

I understand someone named Jane is also addicted.

 

[kalel8145]

I understand someone named Jane is also addicted.

That's what Jane Says

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I was jumping off of your comments directed to him, who constantly gripes about Disney.

Thanks for the clarification. I'm trying to be very positive in this thread. I've said before, I may return at some point, and I really hope it's worth my while if I miss it very much. I just don't see it at this time, but I'm trying to post in this thread the things that call me back to the parks.

 

[Vacationeer]

I'm really genuinely happy that people are finding an escape from the real world in the current iteration of WDW. Also wondering what exactly has happened to society that just a shadow of WDW's former self is so satisfying to some.

As far as actively enjoying WDW, we love it more now than ever. Pandora, ToyStoryLand, StarWarsLand, 2 new rides in Epcot, 4 new night shows, quick service menus much better, new restaurants and lounges, Skyliner, Tron is coming, re-doing the front of Epcot and adding Beacons of Light, new and refurbed resorts, Disney Springs makeover, etc. Next year‘s Flower & Garden will be gorgeous! When Tron and the Railroad opens that will be stunning. Boardwalk’s overhaul will bring new energy into Crescent Lake area. There’s all this new stuff along with the most of the classic. Yeah some changes aren’t loved by everyone. I have a feeling they’d be much more upset if WDW stagnated though.

Quest became a shadow of its old self. Same with Downtown Disney. But a downgrade of WDW on the whole? I don’t see it. Society isn’t cuckoo because people are still having an awesome time visiting.

Maybe some goodwill has eroded and it’s more expensive but that’s a different story than what WDW has to offer. I understand the frustration especially where so much has switched to non-human transactions and the need for apps. Times change and not everybody is aggravated by it. They’re not something wrong with them, they just have different perspectives.

 

[kalel8145]

As far as actively enjoying WDW, we love it more now than ever. Pandora, ToyStoryLand, StarWarsLand, 2 new rides in Epcot, 4 new night shows, quick service menus much better, new restaurants and lounges, Skyliner, Tron is coming, re-doing the front of Epcot and adding Beacons of Light, new and refurbed resorts, Disney Springs makeover, etc. Next year‘s Flower & Garden will be gorgeous! When Tron and the Railroad opens that will be stunning. Boardwalk’s overhaul will bring new energy into Crescent Lake area. There’s all this new stuff along with the most of the classic. Yeah some changes aren’t loved by everyone. I have a feeling they’d be much more upset if WDW stagnated though.

Quest became a shadow of its old self. Same with Downtown Disney. But a downgrade of WDW on the whole? I don’t see it. Society isn’t cuckoo because people are still having an awesome time visiting.

Maybe some goodwill has eroded and it’s more expensive but that’s a different story than what WDW has to offer. I understand the frustration especially where so much has switched to non-human transactions and the need for apps. Times change and not everybody is aggravated by it. They’re not something wrong with them, they just have different perspectives.

I think this post just made me more excited than I already was.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

We are voluntarily on a Disney World message board site. I think it is safe to say nearly all of us plan on going back, and in some cases very soon.

Here is why I go back. It is the same reason why I keep going to Baseball games. It's fun. I love it and it is sentimental. Orlando is arguably the world's playground, it can't be beat. And it doesn't matter how old you are. There was an old episode of "All in the Family" where Archie and Meathead are talking about an upcoming getaway Meathead and Gloria are having to spice things up a bit. Archie chimes in and suggests that Disney World would be fun, because once you do the husband stuff behind closed doors you can go out "and have all of the real fun on the rides!" haha.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

By the way, why will I go back again? Well, I'll give you a rundown of things and how each time I went I went into it preparing that I may not get the same "feel" anymore. Here is how that worked out.

2009 - It had been 7 years since I went. I was in my early 20s the last time. Now I am married (before kids) and my wife had never been. I told myself "Look, you were younger the last time you went, you have more responsibility now and your priorities have changed. Don't be too disappointed if the place just isn't the same." Well, our resort was two miles down the road from WDW, and as we were driving there I accidentally took an exit to WDW and I couldn't turn around until we got into the parking lot at Epcot. My wife, was wide eyed when she saw Spaceship Earth, it excited her, and all of the sudden just like that the Disney I knew was there again.

2012 - Going to Disneyland, I told myself that as a WDW veteran it probably won't be the same. It won't have the same magic as WDW. It's smaller, and I shouldn't get my hopes up. Yeah..............nope. I was running up and down Main Street like a 5 year old on crack on the first day. It had so many of the dark rides I either hadn't ridden in a long time (Mr. Toad, Snow White) or ones I had never been on. I felt an aura there that surpassed the one in WDW.

2017 - Our first trip with our kids. I thought "Okay, I know I love Disney, but if the kids hold you back, don't let it get to you." Well, the kids have not held us back. If anything it adds another level of happiness just sharing it with them. The year after in 2018 I would say it was probably the best Florida trip ever, just because our kids are at an age where they are so fun to be around at places like this.


So yeah, the place resonates.

 

[Jrb1979]

By the way, why will I go back again? Well, I'll give you a rundown of things and how each time I went I went into it preparing that I may not get the same "feel" anymore. Here is how that worked out.

2009 - It had been 7 years since I went. I was in my early 20s the last time. Now I am married (before kids) and my wife had never been. I told myself "Look, you were younger the last time you went, you have more responsibility now and your priorities have changed. Don't be too disappointed if the place just isn't the same." Well, our resort was two miles down the road from WDW, and as we were driving there I accidentally took an exit to WDW and I couldn't turn around until we got into the parking lot at Epcot. My wife, was wide eyed when she saw Spaceship Earth, it excited her, and all of the sudden just like that the Disney I knew was there again.

2012 - Going to Disneyland, I told myself that as a WDW veteran it probably won't be the same. It won't have the same magic as WDW. It's smaller, and I shouldn't get my hopes up. Yeah..............nope. I was running up and down Main Street like a 5 year old on crack on the first day. It had so many of the dark rides I either hadn't ridden in a long time (Mr. Toad, Snow White) or ones I had never been on. I felt an aura there that surpassed the one in WDW.

2017 - Our first trip with our kids. I thought "Okay, I know I love Disney, but if the kids hold you back, don't let it get to you." Well, the kids have not held us back. If anything it adds another level of happiness just sharing it with them. The year after in 2018 I would say it was probably the best Florida trip ever, just because our kids are at an age where they are so fun to be around at places like this.


So yeah, the place resonates.

I'm amazed with stories like that. I have never had that feeling of awe going to Disney ever. A lot of it is that IP has never been a draw for me. It's not just Disney. I feel the same at Universal. What draws me is rides.

For me out of all the parks I have yet to visit Knotts would be on the top of my list. IMO they have the perfect balance of theming and thrills.

 

[kalel8145]

I'm amazed with stories like that. I have never had that feeling of awe going to Disney ever. A lot of it is that IP has never been a draw for me. It's not just Disney. I feel the same at Universal. What draws me is rides.

For me out of all the parks I have yet to visit Knotts would be on the top of my list. IMO they have the perfect balance of theming and thrills.

I think a lot of it, at least for me, is weather your able to just look at it as when I was a kid. If I walk through the parks looking for things, I'm gonna find them. I go as one of those children of all ages. I'm looking at merchandise to buy, although admittedly it's gone from toys to coffee mugs, an insane amount of coffee mugs. I look at the classic rides I love. The new rides I'm looking forward to.
I have no idea what Cosmic Rewind will be like. I've read that thread but everyone has their own experience. I'm going like a kid. Something new with Gauduians of the Galaxy. So i get a new ride and marvel. Sweet. Right next to it, Spaceship Earth. I get new and classic.
I don't go for thrills. Disney has to be for family to do things together. Rides are tamer. I have Six Flags for thrills. At Disney my whole family can ride all things together. At Six Flags I'm usually alone on rides as they won't go on most of those coasters.

 

[Lilofan]

I think a lot of it, at least for me, is weather your able to just look at it as when I was a kid. If I walk through the parks looking for things, I'm gonna find them. I go as one of those children of all ages. I'm looking at merchandise to buy, although admittedly it's gone from toys to coffee mugs, an insane amount of coffee mugs. I look at the classic rides I love. The new rides I'm looking forward to.
I have no idea what Cosmic Rewind will be like. I've read that thread but everyone has their own experience. I'm going like a kid. Something new with Gauduians of the Galaxy. So i get a new ride and marvel. Sweet. Right next to it, Spaceship Earth. I get new and classic.
I don't go for thrills. Disney has to be for family to do things together. Rides are tamer. I have Six Flags for thrills. At Disney my whole family can ride all things together. At Six Flags I'm usually alone on rides as they won't go on most of those coasters.

I know of some who are enthralled with many pre show and or queue lines attached he'd to the attraction all things Disney. Imagineering cast members are so talented in designing and bringing these areas to life. The ones I know would spend more time in these areas soaking it all in more than the rides itself. And they search for Hidden Mickeys throughout WDW.

 

[eliza61nyc]

I'm amazed with stories like that. I have never had that feeling of awe going to Disney ever. A lot of it is that IP has never been a draw for me. It's not just Disney. I feel the same at Universal. What draws me is rides.

For me out of all the parks I have yet to visit Knotts would be on the top of my list. IMO they have the perfect balance of theming and thrills.

And for me it's the exact opposite . I've had great Disney vacations and only done maybe 1 or 2 rides. I've never beennon tower of terror or rnr and probably never will.

I didn't go to epcot during what I call "the glory years" so I don't get this whole "Ip" argument, isn't mickey an Ip?

I've sat in the lobby of WL for hours and been blissfully happy listening to the soundtrack