You Hate Everything About It, Yet You Still Go

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
I see you use this excuse a lot, and I think you put way too much wait on it. You don't have to specifically know the intricate details of running a theme park when some of the errors they have been making are visible to those of us who have intricate knowledge about how businesses run in general. I run a department at a company that has experienced 3000% growth over the past 3 years. Our market share and partner base has grown tremendously over that time. But one of the questions that we're always asking as we proceed into new markets is "how do we make sure that we don't alienate our existing customers?" and "what can we add to our portfolio that will keep our existing customers coming back for more from us?" These are two basic questions that TDO seems to ignore more often than not. Case and Point with how APers and FL Residents are being given considerably less discounts and prices for APs continue to rise (about 43% in just 5 years). Why alienate some of your customer base when you can be adding to it?
Sure but if you have an AP and you go there many times a year, isn't your "reward" that fact that your individual cost per day is way, way lower then the average Joe that buys a single day or even a multi-day (up to 10) ticket. If you go enough the advantage is pretty big. For example, if I buy a 10 day park hopper (which is needed to be near equivalent) It would cost me $398.00 or $39.80 per day. If you had a Florida AP and went at least once a month (any less then that and you have to question why you bought an AP) it would be $396.00 per year or $33.00 per day. The likelihood that you would probably go at least an average of 24 days per year that brings you down to $16.50 per day. I would think that is pretty generous. Add more days to that it keeps getting cheaper per day. Seems like a deal to me.

Logic would tell me that the cheaper the daily rates get the fewer "extra" perks are likely to happen. Since your business, in this case, is working on as a lost leader to begin with, why would it be necessary to give away the farm to entice people to go there. There might even be an argument placed forth that one could make more money with fewer people visiting less often.
 

PolynesianPrincess

Well-Known Member
I will admit I am one of those people who finds stuff to complain about about WDW. If people have a problem with me expressing how I feel, then so be it. My opinion is my opinion. It seems like most people in this country seem to find more bad than good in things. As to why we continue to visit WDW - it's simple really. We went every year growing up. In the last 3 years I have gone 7 times. We are bringing our cousin for her first visit next month. Disney holds great memories for my family. I am excited to see WDW through the eyes of a newbie. I think people complain (me included) because they know what Disney COULD BE if management would step up and spend money to plus the parks. I think more people are frustrated with the way the parks have been run the last few years. I know it frustrates me. They continue to raise prices yet don't give us anything in return and sometimes, take things away. People feel cheated, in a sense. And they should feel that way. While next month marks my 8th trip in 3 years, it will also mark my last trip for awhile. We are heading out west next year to check out DL. Also, we have discovered Disney cruise line and while yes, we are still giving money to Disney, what we pay for and get on a 4 night cruise is leaps and bounds beyond what we pay for and get for 4 nights at WDW in a comparable property. The service on the cruise is outstanding and the food is amazing. We are getting what we pay for on the cruise while at WDW, I just don't feel we are getting what we pay for there any longer. I know there are those who will disagree with me and will say "good riddence, we don't want you in the parks anyway" Those are the people who clearly live in the 'Disney is the best thing in the world, nothing is wrong with it AT ALL' bubble. Then there are those who will agree with me and those are the ones who love Disney just as I do, but know that so much more could be done to make it better.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
This thread was originally asking, if you hate Disney so much, why do you keep going to it? Mostly, now we are getting the reason why people aren't going. We already know that one. But the question is legitimate and requires an honest answer. Because we don't HATE it. We have been around a long time and see how it has changed and, even though, like myself, we realize that those that are just starting to come are still quite happy about it, we also know what it could be and what it was.

Most of us are also realists enough to know that unless competition really starts to "scare" Disney there is little to no chance that anything is going to change in the near future. It will change eventually, but, that magic bullet has to hit first, then things will happen. We continuously, some more than others, point out what is different in hopes that maybe, just maybe something might be done about it. That would take a leader that isn't concerned if he/she gets a huge bonus this year as long as he/she gets a good bonus for years to come.
 

Jimmy Thick

Well-Known Member
First off, people need to understand the people who complain on this forum are an incredibly small sample size, possibly around one hundred total people range, and have absolutely no influence upon what Disney does to successfully run their theme parks. That feeling of impotence has no doubt brought about the feeling of helplessness that forces them to "lash out" on these forums in a negative, doom and gloom kind of way. If they really wanted to make a statement about their feelings to the current state of the parks, or what they perceive as such, they would make that grass-root movement with their pocketbook/wallet and simply just not go. Why people would pay thousands upon thousand of dollars on vacations they are not enjoying because of a broken animatronic or chipped paint is pretty redundant.

Millions of people go to Disney resorts around the world, a small group, .0001 of 1% has issues with the parks, let them eat cake elsewhere I say.


Jimmy Thick- Don't like it, don't go, leave the parks to those who want to enjoy them.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
First off, people need to understand the people who complain on this forum are an incredibly small sample size, possibly around one hundred total people range, and have absolutely no influence upon what Disney does to successfully run their theme parks. That feeling of impotence has no doubt brought about the feeling of helplessness that forces them to "lash out" on these forums in a negative, doom and gloom kind of way. If they really wanted to make a statement about their feelings to the current state of the parks, or what they perceive as such, they would make that grass-root movement with their pocketbook/wallet and simply just not go. Why people would pay thousands upon thousand of dollars on vacations they are not enjoying because of a broken animatronic or chipped paint is pretty redundant.

Millions of people go to Disney resorts around the world, a small group, .0001 of 1% has issues with the parks, let them eat cake elsewhere I say.


Jimmy Thick- Don't like it, don't go, leave the parks to those who want to enjoy them.
I'm sure that there are some that would beg to differ with you. Not me...but some nameless others.
 
It is all about my children and them having the same Disney experience as I did when I was a child. Disney knows that I will pay anything for this. To me it is a right of passage for my children and worth the grief. I, on the other hand, would much rather be sitting on the beach staring at a clear blue ocean.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
It is all about my children and them having the same Disney experience as I did when I was a child. Disney knows that I will pay anything for this. To me it is a right of passage for my children and worth the grief. I, on the other hand, would much rather be sitting on the beach staring at a clear blue ocean.
I went to WDW for myself and brought my children with me to share my passion. You might be remembered as the guy that took us even though he didn't want too, but you will never hear them say that My parents loved the place and in the process made me love it too. Take them to that beach and show them how wonderful it is, how awesome the ocean is, how mysterious it is and how it isn't controlled by cables and electric motors. Show them the wonders of nature. When all is said and done. They will connect with your enthusiasm and subsequently love it also. WDW is nothing more then a theme park. Engineered, but man made. Nature trumps it every time.
 
I went to WDW for myself and brought my children with me to share my passion. You might be remembered as the guy that took us even though he didn't want too, but you will never hear them say that My parents loved the place and in the process made me love it too. Take them to that beach and show them how wonderful it is, how awesome the ocean is, how mysterious it is and how it isn't controlled by cables and electric motors. Show them the wonders of nature. When all is said and done. They will connect with your enthusiasm and subsequently love it also. WDW is nothing more then a theme park. Engineered, but man made. Nature trumps it every time.
Don't get me wrong, I do love Disney and everything it offers my children but I do not like the expense of Disney. Point well taken though. Thanks.

BTW, we have gone to the beach every year since our first child was born 13 years ago. Disney is a Fall Break visit and we have only been twice.
 

jensenrick

Well-Known Member
This thread was originally asking, if you hate Disney so much, why do you keep going to it? the question is legitimate and requires an honest answer.

Is it a legitimate question? Because it seems to me that the OP, Jimmy, and the Cowanfamily are all just rewording the same sentiment, which is "Why don't YOU people, who hate Disney, just STAY AWAAY!?!?"
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Is it a legitimate question? Because it seems to me that the OP, Jimmy, and the Cowanfamily are all just rewording the same sentiment, which is "Why don't YOU people, who hate Disney, just STAY AWAAY!?!?"
I suppose that it could be interpreted that way, but I don't think it was the intent of this question. I really do believe that some people really do not understand the concept of being critical of something that they really like. They read negative comments and wonder how come someone can always talk so badly about a place and they interpret that as hate. I would compare it to a parent that you love very much that, let's say, smokes. You are very critical of that habit and do and say whatever you think might get them to quit it so that they will live long enough to be there for many years. It's not because you hate them, it's because you love them and want them to be well. Most of us that are critical are that way because we found something special in a Disney Park many years ago and we are slowly losing it. It is very frustrating to see a place this special fall further and further due to management with almost no ability or concern about the long range future. I've said it before and I'll say it again, anyone that saw EPCOT when it opened and it's first two decades or DHS when it opened know just how different it is now compared to then. How high the quality was, the length of the rides, the quality of the show and theme, the feeling of adventure and discovery that they conveyed. If everyone could have witnessed this, then they would understand why so many of us are critical of it.

Where we sometimes go astray is when we start to worry about tiny little things that are unimportant in and of themselves, but, we see them as another bit of evidence of decay. We sometimes tend to overreact to many things.
 

englanddg

One Little Spark...
We don't hate EVERYTHING about it. We just hate feeling like TDO's primary focus is on bringing in every dollar they can at the expense of overall park quality. You know, stuff like building DVC-only hotel expansions when that money could have been directed into new shows and attractions instead.




Disney Nazis.
nazis-i-hate-these-guys.jpg

I hate these guys.



Yeaaah....I had to quit reading when he got to "I take three vacations a year". That's the point where Christian Bale pops up and screams "WELL GOOOOD FOR YOOOOU!"
I take my park wifi and bluetooth enabled bracelets and barely functioning website and raise you two Harry Potter lands, a Simpsons miniland and a new Transformers ride... <grin>
 

englanddg

One Little Spark...
I think I heard that Universal has exclusive rights to using the Kuka arm on a track for X number of years.
Not heard that, but that's interesting.

There are competitors to the Kuka system that offer the same benefits though...no reason why Disney can't use them (or patent their own version)...
 

cowanfamily

Well-Known Member
You don't get it. You never will. Walt's goal was to make money. He chose a different route to do that. That was his ultimate goal. It's a business.
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
You don't get it. You never will. Walt's goal was to make money. He chose a different route to do that. That was his ultimate goal. It's a business.
What don't I get? I fully understand that Walt wanted to make money. I also understand that Walt took AMAZING risks to do that. The current TDO is so risk adverse and greedy that they are doing real damage to the resort. And how would someone make more money? Charging $450/night on 900 rooms and selling 90+% or charging $650/night and selling <45% of them? There is also a concept of pricing yourself out of the market. If your Demo is young families with young children? How many of them can actually now afford a WDW vacation?
 

cowanfamily

Well-Known Member
The numbers don't lie. As long as the parks are full TDO is still making money. I was there on a Saturday night the last weekend in September. It was packed with people. I couldn't believe the parks were that full in September. It's about supply and demand. The cost is going up because the people keep going. I fully understand what your saying. I'm just not 100% sure their DEMO is families with young children. there are 23 resorts on Disney property, 5 of them are geared towards kids. That's less than 25% of the resorts they have. Yes, the MK is totally geared towards kids, but take a look at the other 3 parks and you would be hard pressed to come up with the same opinion. I'm not saying that Walt had that in mind from the beginning. However, business must go where the money is. I would rather have WDW the way it is today, than no WDW because it went bankrupt.
 

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