Just home, my thoughts

[ArwenMarie]

Let me clarify. We were in the meet and greet building a total of 5 minutes. So scan band, walk, scan band again, wait for the kid whose with elsa to move to Anna (again, the pushing along by elsa which rubbed me funny), abou 45 seconds tops with elsa, book signed, posed, "your dress is pretty, come meet Anna" as she gets herded along. The photo pass guy got 2 snaps, I got 1, barely. Anna was a little better, probably about a minute total. They didn't let anyone else in after us, so maybe it was break time. I dont know the reason for the rush, but I felt sad, and jipped, and DD though happy to meet them was not impressed either.

I would say about the same thing...30 seconds max, with each character. Might have been less.

 

[kaetra]

We first started going to Disney during the time when Fantasyland was under construction and the economy was down. FP- was in full swing, Free Dining windows were plentiful, we got excellent package deals and flights were very reasonable. All the stars were aligned. Our trips were Commando friendly, wallet friendly and very magical. (Our most affordable 6 night trip for 2 adults 1 child cost only $1600 - on property, Free Dining and that included our air fare from Chicago.)

I've accepted those days are over and I'm lowering my expectations accordingly. We probably won't ever be able to ride headliners 10 times in one day again. We'll have to be much more choosy when it comes to park food. We definitely had to pay much more for this upcoming trip than any trip before it.

Do I still expect to have a wonderful, magical vacation? Definitely! But I have to prepare myself and my family for a different kind of trip. We'll look for more hidden magic and hopefully enjoy the more relaxed touring style. This is the test of the "new" WDW for my family. I sure hope it works out! But even if it doesn't I am SO very grateful for all the years of Magic that we have experienced.

 

[lauradis]

I would say about the same thing...30 seconds max, with each character. Might have been less.

i never timed how long we have had the pleasure of meeting characters. I would say it depends on

1. how long the line is
2. when the break is

interaction if I would guest would take less then 3 mins from walking up, talking, signing, pics. That's always the format with the rare exception.

I also feel that my daughter is no more important then the child in front or behind her, well except to me.

I'm sorry op that you feel slighted. Maybe to better understand you. You should explain what you where expecting. An explanation of exception would help us to tell if you had an abnormal expectation.

 

[TeamSy]

OP, I'm so sorry about your experience. I would have been upset too!

I have to agree with most of you as well. Our last trip was the LEAST magical of all! And I totally get what you mean by it's now more of an "amusement" park. Disney had always seen like "so much more" to me, but now with the herded cattle feeling and the crowds, FP+, even the decline in service and quality… it's just moved to standard. It used to be SO MUCH MORE! And like another one said, I too have to get used to not being able to ride headliners multiple times anymore, and just get used to this "new" Disney. We'll still go, we'll still have fun, but it's going to be more frustrating and just much less special than it used to be.

 

[IndianaRRT]

I'm in no way saying that the following applies to the OP, or to DISers as a whole, but could some of the perceived decline be some fallout from "the entitled vacationer"? We all know them...the one who insists that the pixie dust be included in the Magicband and ready for shaking all over every aspect of their visit. Like Oprah herself is standing at check-in. "YOU get an upgrade!! YOU get an upgrade!! EVERYBODY GETS AN UPGRADE!!" If the line at a M&G moves at lightning speed, then do we diminish the chances that someone will start a Veruca Salt fight about another little gal getting more time with the Princess? Sure, Disney deals in sheer numbers (listen closely, you can hear the cash registers in the distance), but what nudges a multi-gazillion dollar company to let some shine come off its tiara? Not saying it's totally the spoiled patron, but I wonder if that has something to do with it.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't agree. I've seen people fight when someone stood in front of their bench in "their" space before. It wasn't pretty. And I'm sure that it wasn't a rare thing.

Other theme parks manage to keep benches while avoiding this problem. Maybe they could call one of them for advice. I bet the people at Disneyland would share how they have been able to successfully keep a TON of benches in that park.

 

[mom2rtk]

Because lack of seating is a long standing technique in crowd management and flow. There are other variations as well, like seating with no seat backs to increase turnover at eateries.

No place to sit, gotta keep moving. No comfortable place to sit, don't sit very long.


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Maybe instead of removing all the benches, they need to add more bench capacity.

 

[flicx]

I have been on these boards for quite a while. I have never seen the sheer number of complaints I have in recent years. This is just my opinion, Disney better right this before it snowballs into something bigger!

 

[KathyM2]

We are going on a brief trip to Disney for 2 days in March. I have to say...I normally love planning - but even for me, the amount of planning required just to spend even one day in the parks and a few meals anywhere on Disney property is hurting my brain. I booked my FP's and ADR's...and then started second guessing myself and changing them around and now I've got a situation where I don't know if I will be able to make one of my FP's if the lunch service isn't quick, but I can't do anything about it because we are only a couple weeks out and nothing else is available. How ridiculous is that, that we have to be concerned about rushing to make it to a ride on time after lunch? And if we don't make it, we'll lose our chance at that ride for that day...which, when you only have one day there, is going to break my daughter's heart. The planning is causing me a lot of stress. I can't speak for how I will feel once we actually get there...but I have a feeling it may not be as magical as I'm hoping. I totally LOVE Disney and hope I'm wrong about all of this...but from what I'm reading I have to wonder.

 

[maxiesmom]

Other theme parks manage to keep benches while avoiding this problem. Maybe they could call one of them for advice. I bet the people at Disneyland would share how they have been able to successfully keep a TON of benches in that park.

I bet they already know and have their reasons. I doubt it is done out of spite.

 

[mom2rtk]

I bet they already know and have their reasons. I doubt it is done out of spite.

Profit motives are not the same as spite.

 

[Elisa84]

Honestly, my last vacation felt a lot like that too. It didn't help that we had so many issues with getting additional fastpasses that went beyond going to kiosks, that we just gave up while watching others with card tickets getting multiple additional ones per day(ended up getting 2 total during the whole vacation...). So we were actually punished for park hopping(I'm not even considering getting it this trip, partly due to that).The magic has indeed felt a little tarnished and rushed lately. Rides are looking shabby and the transportation isn't getting any better. The quality of food at some of the restaurants was noticeably declining, but I'm still paying the same. I've been considering canceling our upcoming trip(including my prime ADRs!) and going to Disneyland this year instead. I want to have the flexibility of adding another person onto our vacation, but it wouldn't be until a month away. So I might lose my nice ADRs(or ditch grandma), and forget about the FP+ mess I would have to try and rectify. It just seems all so stressful after all of my planning. Disneyland at least offered me deals! Plus it's their anniversary and I would be spending half the amount of time and money that I would need to have going to WDW. I'm in Texas, so it's not like it would be that much of a difference, travel-wise.

If I do end up sticking with WDW this year, you better believe my expectations are going to be high. As much as I love Disney, I also love not being cheated out of my hard-earned dollars and not get the experience I paid for.

 

[mom2rtk]

Honestly, my last vacation felt a lot like that too. It didn't help that we had so many issues with getting additional fastpasses that went beyond going to kiosks, that we just gave up while watching others with card tickets getting multiple additional ones per day(ended up getting 2 total during the whole vacation...). So we were actually punished for park hopping(I'm not even considering getting it this trip, partly due to that).The magic has indeed felt a little tarnished and rushed lately. Rides are looking shabby and the transportation isn't getting any better. The quality of food at some of the restaurants was noticeably declining, but I'm still paying the same. I've been considering canceling our upcoming trip(including my prime ADRs!) and going to Disneyland this year instead. I want to have the flexibility of adding another person onto our vacation, but it wouldn't be until a month away. So I might lose my nice ADRs(or ditch grandma), and forget about the FP+ mess I would have to try and rectify. It just seems all so stressful after all of my planning. Disneyland at least offered me deals! Plus it's their anniversary and I would be spending half the amount of time and money that I would need to have going to WDW. I'm in Texas, so it's not like it would be that much of a difference, travel-wise.

If I do end up sticking with WDW this year, you better believe my expectations are going to be high. As much as I love Disney, I also love not being cheated out of my hard-earned dollars and not get the experience I paid for.

If you're into benches..... definitely swap to DLR.

Sorry your WDW experience has not been up to par.

 

[pjhootch]

Part of the problem is our own expectations. I include myself in that category. I started going to Disneyland in '67 and therefore have seen a lot of changes over the years. I always have a little bit of nostalgia for the way it "used to be". But last year- when I started trying to figure out when to get FP+ reservations- I threw my hands up and canceled the trip. Took a Carnival cruise instead. And yes, it is easy for me to do that because my three kids are grown up now (they still come on vacations with us though), and because we have been to Disney lots of times and know it will still be there the next time we want to put the effort in.

I prefer short trips. 4 or 5 days is all I can handle at Disney in a row. I always thought I was a pretty laid back traveler and didn't have high expectations. Apparently, my expectations are out of line. Because I expect to be able to change my mind about going on a particular ride if it is raining, or have a headache, or I'm just bloody tired of walking and want to sit down and find a cold beer somewhere! And I would like to change my mind, without it starting a chain reaction that will mean I miss my favorite ride. Yeah... I know it isn't really that serious. But I am still really irked about having to schedule 3 rides a day, two months in advance.

Oh yeah... and today is day 61 for me. So guess what I am doing in about 4 hours? Yep.... scheduling three rides a day for four days, two months in advance. ROFLMAO.

So some parents expect their children to not get the bums' rush at a princess meet and greet. I get that. I was lucky. When my kids were little the characters roamed the parks. I thought it was kind of weird when they stuck Mickey and Minnie in houses and made everyone line up.

Disney fans have really rolled with the punches. We pay enormous sums of money to the mouse, and receive less in return. Most of us have come to terms with that. But when "guests" (or "marks" perhaps) feel like they are on an assembly line and can't get off, some are going to be unhappy. Disney attendance seems to be very good right now- so obviously the issues bothering me and many other members here- aren't putting a dent in the bottom line.

 

[KathyM2]

Disney fans have really rolled with the punches. We pay enormous sums of money to the mouse, and receive less in return. Most of us have come to terms with that. But when "guests" (or "marks" perhaps) feel like they are on an assembly line and can't get off, some are going to be unhappy. Disney attendance seems to be very good right now- so obviously the issues bothering me and many other members here- aren't putting a dent in the bottom line.

You hit the nail on the head. Until anything people complain about starts to put a dent in their bottom line, Disney ain't gonna change it.

 

[Mommee]

OP our Anna and Elsa fp was a letdown, too. Know that part of A Christmas Story where they go to see Santa and they're manhandling the kids and barking at everyone? That's what it felt like. My daughter stumbled when Anna pushed her toward the door as soon as a photo was snapped. Anna also completely ignored her little sister. Elsa was kind, so that's something, but the visit was tainted by the cast member barking orders and Anna's demeanor.

and they changed the ice cream in the Mickey bar!!! Life will never be the same

 

[North of Mouse]

Sorry you felt you had such a bad trip OP. It's rather standard procedure at the meet and greets from what I've seen and heard - 5 min. is a 'long' time if you had that much. There are 'lots' of people waiting in line and the CM's have to rush you along to some extent or they'd never get all the little ones through. Your experience was not a 'put down' just to you, so it shouldn't be perceived that way.

We're here now for two weeks and we are having a great time. We are not big planners and have been able to get most of our FP's since being here. (two for SW7D, 3 for Toy Story Mania, several for Soarin' and 'any' of the others that we'd want) It's a matter of keeping checking - have even gotten two lunch ressies for BOG on different days which we've used already.

The CM's we've met have been great - actually don't see how they keep up their 'attitudes' with some of the guests 'meism' that I've seen. A lot of people think just because they spend so much on their vacation that they are entitled to being treated like princes/princesses, guess what, we 'all' pay that much and everyone is 'equal' here and this is what we have to understand. Hate the entitled attitude.

 

[pickles]

Yep
They build in excitment this way. If everyone got to see A&E it wouldn't feel special. No one ever says it was so special meeting Mickey.
Supply and demand....the limit supply and daughters continue to demand to see A&E.
So, you return again in Nov. instead of waiting a year.

Disney wins!

I beg to differ on this one. I took a 9 yr old foster boy to Disney one year..it was a challenge for us to hunt Mickey down(I am not one to stand in long character lines) our last day there we made rope drop just so we could go see Mickey..i left my older kids to fend for themselves as they just wanted to ride rides. and while my boy and I didn't spend a lot of time with mickey, it was still very, very special for him and myself also..don't ever think that only the popular character of the moment is the one to see. Mickey is still king and I hope that foster boy is out there somewhere with a fond memory of that meeting

 

[JZCubed]

I agree it's awful in a nice hotel like that to have room service plates sitting for that long. Heck, it's awful even in a not so nice hotel.

I will concur that dirty plates are left far too long in the hallway, and I have even been known to call about such things.

Of all the room/hotel problems I've had (luckily, extremely few), dirty plates in the hallway would be the most consistent one.

 

[Laketravis]

Honestly, my last vacation felt a lot like that too. It didn't help that we had so many issues with getting additional fastpasses that went beyond going to kiosks, that we just gave up while watching others with card tickets getting multiple additional ones per day(ended up getting 2 total during the whole vacation...). So we were actually punished for park hopping(I'm not even considering getting it this trip, partly due to that).The magic has indeed felt a little tarnished and rushed lately. Rides are looking shabby and the transportation isn't getting any better. The quality of food at some of the restaurants was noticeably declining, but I'm still paying the same. I've been considering canceling our upcoming trip(including my prime ADRs!) and going to Disneyland this year instead. I want to have the flexibility of adding another person onto our vacation, but it wouldn't be until a month away. So I might lose my nice ADRs(or ditch grandma), and forget about the FP+ mess I would have to try and rectify. It just seems all so stressful after all of my planning. Disneyland at least offered me deals! Plus it's their anniversary and I would be spending half the amount of time and money that I would need to have going to WDW. I'm in Texas, so it's not like it would be that much of a difference, travel-wise.

If I do end up sticking with WDW this year, you better believe my expectations are going to be high. As much as I love Disney, I also love not being cheated out of my hard-earned dollars and not get the experience I paid for.

Never ditch grandma. Never.




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