Magic wearing off?

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Both of these were known issues before you went to WDW. A little research on the boards and you probably would have known not to stay at CBR and the UG and most other touring sites advise avoiding EMH.

A little harsh for someone who didn't seem to read the entire thread-starting post. Oy!

 

[F4disneyfan]

To be honest we have not lost one iota of the magic we love it as much today as we did in 96 when I went for my first trip on property. I couldn't imagine going anyplace else for holidays and neither could my family. We have been down every year since 96 and love every minute of our 2 weeks at WDW every Dec.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

The main point of my original post is that for me, Disney has changed.

To have to repeatedly call for fridge repairs and other amenities is a sign of poor service. Whether it's due to the lack or inexperience of staff is anyone's guess. The point is, it's bad management.

I'd have been a bit disappointed, as well. Only a few times in my life I have called the front desk from my room the moment I arrived and insisted it was unacceptable and not what I had paid for or reserved. Each time it was promptly dealt with. The resolutions that aren't so prompt are the ones that leave you with that decidedly magic-less feeling.

I did not have resort issues for either of our WDW stays, but I did notice many CMs that were ill-groomed and sloppy in their appearance. Turn off. When i worked at DL there were appearance standards that, if not followed, you were sent to your locker or home to correct. I fully understand that Florida has higher humidity than California, but that can't be the only reason for the lapse in standards.

Better luck next trip!

 

[DisneyFairy19]

So Sorry to hear about your experience... i have noticed some let go's in the up keep department and it is a little disappointing... I think Geez this is Disney they should keep up with the maintenance on some of the rides and buildings.... Hopefully it will happen soon...

 

[12BNWDW]

I agree with the suggestion to visit other, smaller theme parks to get the magic back. My family and I just returned from visiting Sesame Place in Pa and it really made us appreciate how much effort the WDW staff put into their jobs. The whole time we were there all we kept saying was "This sure isn't Disney!" My husband is by no means a Disney fan (I know, I know- what is wrong with him?) so it was surprising to hear this from him!

 

[TheresaNY]

flortlebap....we did just as you suggested. This summer we went to Universal/IOA and Clearwater and did NOT go to any WDW parks. There is an incredible difference between the two places. Universal was very LOUD with music blarring all over. Not necessarily bad (though I hated the noise personally) just very different. HOWEVER, I only paid $99 per ticket for 5 days and one of my children was free. Definitely beats WDW prices !! But, we prefer and really missed WDW while we were there. So, we went to Gulliver's Travels at the Swan one night for dinner (4th of July). The hostess had a snotty attitude when we said that we did not have ADRs. I told her I called the Disney Dining phone number and that the woman said it would be no problem getting a table. She treated us like we were such idiots for not having ADRs ! Then we had to wait quite a while to get a table. When we finally were seated I was shocked to see the restaurant was over half EMPTY !! Why the wait ?? Punishment?? The waiter said it was not crowded at all the entire night. We definitely did not appreciate her attitude and resulting wait for the table, but we were thrilled to be on WDW property and get a break from Universal.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I am not a long-timer like some of you. My first trip came when I was 35 years old in 2000. We have been seven times since, and are planning for our next trip in October. I fell in love with the place the moment I set foot on property in 2000. The beauty, the imagination, the service... everything that was legendary about WDW turned out to be true. I am still nuts about it, but I have to agree -to an extent -with the OP. My observations...

1) WDW is cutting some corners. Like I said, I wasn't there in the "glory days" like some of you. But even since 2000 there is a noticeable drop off in upkeep, especially at MK. Chipped curbing, chipped exterior paint, the occassional dirty bathroom and too full trash can. I found this to be sad enough as I encountered it at resorts (ASMu is the worst offender IMO), but to find it at MK was even sadder. Now mind you, I don't find this to be enough to "ruin the magic" for me. It's just that WDW seems to be letting things go a little bit. I know this has a lot to do with the bottom line; Disney is not a non-profit. It also has something to do with the fact that the property (referring to MK here) is 35 years old and has been tromped over and through by a gazillion people. All the upkeep in the world can't stave off some things. I look forward to the day when WDW will increase the numbers of CMs, which leads me to #2...

2) CMs. Quite simply, I have never ever encountered a bad one, one having a bad day, one who was hot and bothered, one who was lazy or curt. Who knows how many I must have encountered in my 7 WDW vacations? But every single one of them has been at least polite -including the nice CM dressed in period garb in Liberty Square on my very first trip who politely told me the 3PM parade started at 3PM. Jungle Cruise captains, resort clerks, street sweepers. vendors, lifeguards, bus drivers, monorail captains, the people who clean up the overflow trough at the soda fountain -every single one has been at least courteous. More often then not they have behaved as though my having a wonderful vacation mattered greatly to them. I say this not to discredit or dospute less-than-wonderful treatment other may have had from some CMs, but rather to point out how they are a big part of the magic for me

3) Guests. Basically, we can be a rude lot. We are given to expecting compensation when everything is not practically perfect. We tend to find fault in other guests, CMs, even the parks themselves.We bang other peoples ankles with our strollers; we cut in line; we smell bad sometimes; we moan; we cry; we alwasy expect a little more than what we have received -even though that may be more than we paid for. But you know what? We are the reason WDW exists. Because Walt and his successors have wanted to entertain us and make a buck off of us, we have been given this whole universe of mice and princesses and pirates who thrill us beyond belief. (And, boy, do I love them all!)

I try to be on my best behavior while at WDW -and to help my kids to be on theirs. (DW is on her own ) Part of that is loving and living for the moment, willingly suspending disbelief, and embracing the magic. Chipped paint nor an unflushed toilet will not rob me of that magic.

Thanks for reading my novel

 

[DisneyDotty]

Sorry you had a less than magical stay, OP! However, I'm going to answer your question with a "Nope." In fact, my experience has been the opposite--each trip gets more magical. To name some examples, this time around:
1. we received a lot of FPs from friendly guests
2. CM's went out of their way to help me--from the woman in City Hall who let me go behind the counter into the back room to use the computer to send an email; to several ride CM's who gave out extra FPs whenever we had a glitch with the machine; to the CM who let me jump ahead of the line when I had to go to Customer Service for a nonworking park pass...
3. CM's were extra friendly--tugging DS's golden Mickey ears in a playful way at POTC; giving clues for the VMK quests; many instances of CM's making conversation while we were waiting in line.
We really didn't encounter any problems at POR--the Dolphin was a different matter. But they're not Disney, so I'm not going to discuss them.
However, I know that the OP's issues do occur with some frequency, as I read similar complaints on the Dis. I guess the pixie dust clouds my view of WDW!

 

[Williamsfamily7]

It seems that some (most) people really got what I was saying, and some (not quite as many) just didn't get it. I certainly wasn't meaning to imply that WDW is a bad place to vacation and I would never go there again. Obviously, it's still one of the greatest places to go. A gazillion people prove that each year!! I'm pretty sure that eventually I'll even be back - just not for quite awhile.

I have vacationed other places. I've visited other theme parks. You get the good with the bad. My point was (and I think I've already said this 2 or 3 times): I expect more from Disney. In the past, they have always come through.

I was simply expressing my thoughts that it's not quite the magical place it once was for me and my family. You can blame it on whatever you want (rude guests, inferior workforce, super-large crowds, even terrorists! Or -heaven forbid - WDW working to keep the profit margin ever rising!) The bottom line is that (in my opinion), the service at WDW is definitely not what it was 12 years ago. End of story (for me).

I do have to say: I find it sort of funny how defensive some people (not alot - just a few) on this forum get when you say anything negatiave about WDW.

 

[wdwcoltsfan]

I would have to say the magic is still there for us! We only started going in 2000, but we have been 13 times since. We don't remember the "glory days" either. We have never encountered a rude cm. We have had some that weren't as pleasant or outgoing, but I can't say they were rude. I have many more positive experiences with cm's. We were there in February and we all wore Incredible shirts(yes, we're dorks!), if I had a dollar for every cm that made a positive reference to our shirts, I think I could have paid for our trip!

I have noticed that sometimes the bathrooms aren't as clean as they should be. Usually, I get irritated with how disgusting guests bathroom habits are. I will say that I haven't noticed trash around the parks. I seem to remember a lot of people walking around with brooms and dustpans sweeping things up. We usually stay at AKL or Poly and we haven't had a problem with cleanliness there.

There are so many threads about how rude guests are and the general poor behavior of many. There are bound to be this type of person that gets hired by Disney. If someone has a negative attitude, I'm sure working on Disney property doesn't automatically transform them into a friendly, positive person. While it's bad for business, I'm sure we all know people who are like this. People who don't care what others think and don't particularly care if they are doing a good job. It's too bad because it does have an effect on the guests.


Rachel

 

[Disfan3]

excuse me...to the OP


I never blamed late luggage on terrorists. You may want to reread my post. I blamed the fact that the airports are slower and the fact that we can no longer bring on most personal items on terrorists.

I am sorry you seem so upset. Maybe you should choose a different vacation spot next time around if you are that unhappy.

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

I could be upset that I paid 330 bucks a night for a room and asked for a balcony and did not get one...but rooms are not guaranteed at Disney.

 

[Williamsfamily7]

I did re-read your post, and you were the one to mention terrorists in explaining what was going on at the airports. You said "I blame this mostly on the terrorists who are trying to harm us for these problems...not the airport or Disney." Sorry, but I read that to say "blame the terrorists, don't blame Disney." (Which I actually think is a little bit of a ridiculous train of thought to be honest with you.) I think you might be one of those "defensive" types to which I refer!!!!

 

[Ana~n~Joseph]

I'm sorry you don't feel that Disney is as "magical" as before and that you had so many problems during your vacation.

Now my two cents...

I've been to Disney a few times now and to me, Disney is still as magical as ever. It's not perfect, but then again, what is? I honestly can't say though that I've encountered rude CMs or bad waitors; I guess I've always been lucky and I'm grateful for that. However, if at any time I see something I don't like (i.e. fist fight breaking out at Epcot before Illuminations) I make sure that someone at Disney hears about it. The same applies for when someone goes out of their way for me and/or my family. In January, after the fight took place, I wrote a letter to Disney and sent it via e-mail. I received a reply a few weeks later and a phone call soon after. The same applied to an e-mail I sent in regards to the parks maintenance and once again, I received a response to that. So, if you have a problem or see something you don't like, let them know. I don't know if what they say is true when they call, but I choose to believe them.

Now sending pixie dust your way for future magical trips to the world

 

[Sammie]

The problem is for guests such as yourself that went when it was better, so you have something to compare the service you get today with the way it used to be. And believe me from someone that has been going for 20 plus years it has gotten worse.

This is not an excuse, but there is a reason. Service everywhere is worse. The job market is just not what it used to be. Disney is 8000 employees short and all mainly in service areas of housekeeping, custodial and food services. Many of the ones they do have simply do not deliever the level of service we used to get at Disney.

I wish I had an answer that it will get better, but I am not sure it can or will. There are two reasons they are short of employees. One Orlando has out grown it's available work force and no one wants to move there. Second and this a huge problem causing them to lose good employees, Rude Guests!!!

I am sorry, but read these forums long enough and you will see a glimpse of what they have to deal with. People are absolutely ridiculous about demanding things they have no right to or paid for and cheating, lying, and scamming while on vacation. They are messier in the restrooms, and do they not realize at CS you clean up your table. We saw table after table left dirty and people just got up and walked off.

 

[Blondie]

When it's the off season and slower, CM's seem to be a happier bunch, not as stressed, etc.

During busier times of the year and during warmer weather, not only are the CM's probably tired of dealing with rude park guests, but the crowd tends to be a bit more rude. Dealing in customer service is no walk in the park, especially when you get some people who think the CM's are there for their own personal use and that the rules don't apply to them.

Fortunately for me, I haven't seen a huge decline as some have mentioned, but I've only been going on a regular basis since 1998. Prior to that I have only been twice; 1994 and 1995.

 

[Williamsfamily7]

Your response makes perfect sense. I like that you said "This is not an excuse, but there is a reason." I can really respect everything you said in your post. It makes alot of sense.

Thanks for not making it sound like it is somehow my fault that I feel the way I do. Really, I'm not trying to convince anyone that I'm "right" about anything. Just my opinion.

 

[figarofan]

Yes, there has been a steady decline over the past six or seven years. However, you can still experience Disney perfection at the Tokyo Disney resort, where all the restaurants are open for as long as the parks are, where none of the rides empty into gift shops, where you never see a vacant building where something used to be, where rides rarely break down, and where the standards of cleanliness and service are truly breathtaking. I just wish it didn't take 16 hours of travel to get there:-(

The empty buildings also bothers me. But of course so do some of the choices of ride replacements. Still, I think the magic is always going to be there. I have to admit that over years I quit putting my expectations too high and I base the Disney experience on the nation as a whole. For me when I compare Disney to the other vacation options in America, the magic is definitely there.

Caren, I will be going to Tokyo Disneyland in just a couple of days for my first trip (burning frequent flyer miles). Do you mind my asking if you gathered info on Disney for your Tokyo trip before you left, and if so where the best place to gather info is?

 

[keishashadow]

Not to diminish how the OP feels in any way...

*Lack of magic or just "stuff" happening?...murphy's law does tend to crop up even on vacation @ WDW.

*Lack of magic or buyer's remorse...sticker shock after a trip has been known to lessen the overall appeal (think those CC bills in January ).

Must say I'm puzzled when someone complains about the lousy location they got @ a WDW resort, that's why they have "preferred" views/rooms prices...someone has to get the less desireable location - luck of the draw. We manage to have a great time whether we're @ the Values or Deluxe rooms, cannot expect a 5 star experience in a budget offering - even if it is Disney.

 

[DVC Grammy]

The problem is for guests such as yourself that went when it was better, so you have something to compare the service you get today with the way it used to be. And believe me from someone that has been going for 20 plus years it has gotten worse.

This is not an excuse, but there is a reason. Service everywhere is worse. The job market is just not what it used to be. Disney is 8000 employees short and all mainly in service areas of housekeeping, custodial and food services. Many of the ones they do have simply do not deliever the level of service we used to get at Disney.

I wish I had an answer that it will get better, but I am not sure it can or will. There are two reasons they are short of employees. One Orlando has out grown it's available work force and no one wants to move there. Second and this a huge problem causing them to lose good employees, Rude Guests!!!

I am sorry, but read these forums long enough and you will see a glimpse of what they have to deal with. People are absolutely ridiculous about demanding things they have no right to or paid for and cheating, lying, and scamming while on vacation. They are messier in the restrooms, and do they not realize at CS you clean up your table. We saw table after table left dirty and people just got up and walked off.

Sammie,
I totally agree! We've been going since '78, and while Disney, like the rest of the world, has had to cope with cost-cutting, lack of labor force, etc., and all the other reasons you cited above, one of the major differences now is the attitudes of more and more guests feeling "entitled" to special treatment. In the earlier times, it seemed as if guests came to Disney with a "magical" attitude of their own, instead of expecting to be made 100% "magical" by Disney. It seems as if there's a shortage of !

 

[DisneyDotty]

Hi again, OP! I'm not blaming you or questioning you--your experience was what it was. It would be ridiculous for me to say it wasn't. Here's hoping you have a pixie dust-filled trip the next time you go!