Prices just hit my threshold :-(

[mickeyluv'r]

Why assume that? Walt's time saw the birth of the nationwide anti-littering campaigns. The first PSA, happened in 1956, Lady Bird Johnson adopted it as her "first lady" project. If these people were so "respectful" why did America need this? Walt insured DL was staffed appropriately, and there are those stories about making sure trash cans were spaced at a certain distance.

And another datapoint. There's another guy on WDWMagic who works in Custodial. He says the MK custodial staff is the same size as the other parks. Despite having almost twice the attendance.

Walt's strategy is also well documented regarding keeping all the post ends painted. I distinctly recall a WDW promo that talked about painting the horse head posts on Main Street.

And Disney still runs old footage of Walt talking about how WDW was supposed to be a solution vs. what happened just off WL's property. He didn't like eyesores.

I like the post that talked about Walt being someone who looked for solutions.

 

[lugnut33]

Gordon Ramsay made a similar comment on Kitchen Nightmares about the state of the bathrooms reflecting the state of the kitchens. Oddly enough if I'm not mistaken there was a thread recently about all the the violations found during inspections of Disney kitchens.

I'm sure the inspector was just and entitled jerk.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

When the winter/spring discounts came out, I priced out the same trip we did 5 years ago vs. the exact same trip (age adjusting my kids so it would be a valid comparison). The 2016 cost is 62% more for the identical package we had in 2011.

Meanwhile, the food quality has gone down, lines have gone up, and major construction is going on all over the place.

It's not a matter of affording it or not, it's a matter of it not being worth it anymore (for me right now). I'm sure we'll go again sometime, just not anytime soon.

 

[hopemax]

DLR was one park and the tickets were tiered. I think there was only 1 "E" ticket in the book. You had to buy more if you wanted to ride more.

An incorrect assumption. This is a 1960 flyer, so not quite the 1961 the previous poster mentioned but I hope it's close enough, they didn't change the makeup that much.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3jV5FcVqp...AJu8/epmg7UnctDQ/s1600-h/1960+dl+flyer_2a.jpg

The $3.75 10-adventure ticket book included 3 E's (and 3D's) The flyer also shows which rides were which ticket. There were 7 E's (if you don't multi-count the Train). If you had an extra $1, you could get the 15-adventure which provided an additional ticket per letter.

Interesting, that in the 60's Disney wanted you to visit a minimum 10 or 15 attractions ... that number is less than 10 now.

 

[hopemax]

Walt's strategy is also well documented regarding keeping all the post ends painted. I distinctly recall a WDW promo that talked about painting the horse head posts on Main Street.

And Disney still runs old footage of Walt talking about how WDW was supposed to be a solution vs. what happened just off WL's property. He didn't like eyesores.

I like the post that talked about Walt being someone who looked for solutions.

And someone earlier mentioned what would have Walt done about "entitled guests." There is a story relayed in the book Disneyland: Inside Story written by Randy Bright. At one point, someone was complaining about all the guests that were walking through a garden area, and wouldn't keep on the pathways. Certainly, that would qualify as "entitled." Walt told them to build a pathway where the people were walking.

 

[saskdw]

Was there some sort of DIS board of directors decision that I missed where it was decided that the food quality going down at WDW was a fact and not an opinion?

I've personally never had a problem with the food at WDW. I know its the cool thing to do on DIS to say the food quality is down, but it is still just someones opinion.

 

[crostorfer]

I was just talking with my Mom who is set on going to Paris for her 60th birthday. I priced Viking River Cruises and I just realized that I can go from Paris to Prague on a 12 day cruise for less than I can stay at a WDW deluxe for for a week, (or stay one night in that Poly Bungalow for). Its amazing how much more affordable some vacations, ones that I would have once thought were too far out of my price range, seem to become when I compare them to Disney pricing.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

I'm guessing you live much closer to WDW than some of us?

All of our yearly WDW vacations cost $10k.

We come all the way from western Canada each December which means two things. Flights are $2000-$2500 and because it takes an entire travel day there and a day back combined with the flight cost it only makes sense to go if it's for 2 weeks. Not a few days at a time.

Flights $2500
Magic my way with FD at a Business Class room at CSR for 3 $6500.

We're at $9000 with "free dining" and we have factored in no other expenses yet.

So your opinion of what a $10k vacation should look like is not valid for most. These cheap little 4-5 day trips to WDW for those of you close enough to drive or fly for cheap don't exist as an option for many of us. We've priced out other vacations, there is not alot of "luxury" vacations out there for $10k that involve staying a full two weeks.

I own DVC, so my rooms are "free" (yes, I pay dues... but you get my point.) My airfare often runs less than $1000 as long as I keep a lookout for good rates. So our OOP is airfare, AP's, and food (we do 1 TS per day usually.) I don't spend ANYWHERE NEAR 10K per trip. Like I said... I'd say we spend about 5-6K annually in the parks over 2 trips. Which will now be significantly less...because I will stay at DVC and visit a park here and there, BUT will also now turn my vacation dollars over to Universal/SeaWorld/Wet&Wild/etc.

Also (and I realize this is a culture thing) but I would say (in my experience) MOST, (not all...but MOST) Americans do not take 2 week long WDW trips. In my experience, that's more of an "outside the states" thing. So no...10K is nowhere near what I would spend. If I had to spend 10K to visit WDW. I wouldn't go more than once. For 10K, I'd travel the world...and not the "small world."

 

[crostorfer]

An incorrect assumption. This is a 1960 flyer, so not quite the 1961 the previous poster mentioned but I hope it's close enough, they didn't change the makeup that much.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3jV5FcVqp...AJu8/epmg7UnctDQ/s1600-h/1960+dl+flyer_2a.jpg

The $3.75 10-adventure ticket book included 3 E's (and 3D's) The flyer also shows which rides were which ticket. There were 7 E's (if you don't multi-count the Train). If you had an extra $1, you could get the 15-adventure which provided an additional ticket per letter.

Interesting, that in the 60's Disney wanted you to visit a minimum 10 or 15 attractions ... that number is less than 10 now.

10-15 vs the 3 we get now doesn't seem like that great of deal. :-/

 

[jsmla]

Was there some sort of DIS board of directors decision that I missed where it was decided that the food quality going down at WDW was a fact and not an opinion?

I've personally never had a problem with the food at WDW. I know its the cool thing to do on DIS to say the food quality is down, but it is still just someones opinion.

I have never been either "cool" or a huge fan of the food at Disney. It is adequate. We enjoyed the character meals very much when our kids were little but the rest is kind of just there. I actually feel like they do snacks and fast food better than table service which has a bland sameiness to it for me. I think regional tastes may come into play here, I'm from South Louisiana and like my spice. I do feel like the stuff I can prepare simply at the condo is fresher, healthier and more to my personal taste at a quarter of the price.

These days I eat at Disney either because it's included in my package or for convenience's sake. We went to Hoop de Doo Revue a few years ago and I really enjoyed it because of the show. IMHO Popeye's makes better fried chicken.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

For some of us, it's a luxury vacation price but it no longer provides a luxury vacation experience. The cost is extremely high for what you get these days. We last went 1 year ago and for the first time in almost 20 years, we have no future trips planned whatsoever to Disney property. Such high prices and the levels of crowding, the rushed/distracted/poor service, amenities (have you slept on a slab mattress there lately...) and food quality simply are not worth the cost anymore. I will confess that so many people I know don't go there anymore (we live within driving distance, so LOTS of people we know used to go yearly and no longer do). I don't know who they fill the parks with these days, but clearly they're still filling them, and with people who are willing to pay extreme prices. I get the impression that they've lost a lot of repeat guests from the 90s and 00s and so the current crop has no idea what they're "missing".

Last time we were there we stood in endless lines for everything (including waiting up to 55 minutes past our ADR times), bussed our own counter service tables so we could sit down (yep, cleaned up other peoples' food trash) because there was no staff taking care of it, and had a couple of really atrocious service experiences at table service restaurants in two parks. Even my local Chick Fil A keeps the tables clean. And that doesn't count the challenges we ran into at the resort. Nobody, not even the kids, wanted to talk about another trip. WDW has become something we no longer recognize, really. What you can actually DO has been whittled down and now it's primarily sold simply as a really expensive place to breathe the air.

I'm glad they're Star Wars, Anna and Elsa'ing it up, because if they're busy, they're profitable, hopefully that means they're providing good jobs for lots of people and an economic benefit to Florida and Orlando. But that's about all I can say for it now.

I think there are plenty of documentaries to show you whether or not Disney provides "good" jobs.

 

[saskdw]

I own DVC, so my rooms are "free" (yes, I pay dues... but you get my point.) My airfare often runs less than $1000 as long as I keep a lookout for good rates. So our OOP is airfare, AP's, and food (we do 1 TS per day usually.) I don't spend ANYWHERE NEAR 10K per trip. Like I said... I'd say we spend about 5-6K annually in the parks over 2 trips. Which will now be significantly less...because I will stay at DVC and visit a park here and there, BUT will also now turn my vacation dollars over to Universal/SeaWorld/Wet&Wild/etc.

Also (and I realize this is a culture thing) but I would say (in my experience) MOST, (not all...but MOST) Americans do not take 2 week long WDW trips. In my experience, that's more of an "outside the states" thing. So no...10K is nowhere near what I would spend. If I had to spend 10K to visit WDW. I wouldn't go more than once. For 10K, I'd travel the world...and not the "small world."

I get what you are saying. I was just pointing out that not everyone is looking at this from the same angle.

For us it's 2 weeks because it doesn't make sense to spend $2500 on flights and waste 2 entire days travelling to only be there for 5-7 days.

Actually this year we ARE going to Universal. I got a PIN code for 40% off onsite resorts and the deal was to good to pass up. 11 nights at Royal Pacific which is a deluxe resort for quite abit less than staying at a Mod at WDW. It will be a good change, we haven't been there for about 3 years.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I've seen both allergies and free dining as a reason for the food quality going downhill and neither make sense. There are thousands of great restaurants in this country that seem to handle food allergies while providing excellent service. As for free dining, how does a promo that lasts around 2-3 months account for a decline in food quality?

I agree, except that I also agree with the other poster who noted a change did occur shortly after DDP was introduced. Before DDP, food quality at WDW went up every year. Then it went down considerably. Eisner also publicly talked about cutting food costs.

according to an article on the WDWinfo site, "Each department head, whether a hotel manager, retail manager, or restaurant manager is charged to make more money than the previous year. If they do, they will receive a bonus. If not, well there’s no magic in that. So in the Food & Beverage (F & B) world, that means you either raise menu prices, serve more guests, cut costs or any combination of the three." Really, the situation went far beyond WDW during the recession. But Disney did experiment with cutting food costs during the free dining promo. Naturally, they decided to extend those cuts beyond those few weeks when the economy nose-dived.

The other big thing about WDW food is that guests, are sorta kinda stuck there. At a ballpark, we can survive a few hours without eating the food they sell. It gets a little more complicated if WDW is an all-in-one, week long, full-family destination.

People with allergies and disabilities have families. So the WDW that won't accommodate little Jon's allergy is excluding not just Jon, but his whole family. And THAT makes for a rather large chunk of the general population.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

OMG run do not walk to Seas. GORGEOUS park, and Japan has the best customer service I have ever experienced in my life. I can't wait to go back. Absolutely worth the higher price in airfare to get there when and if you can swing it.

The difference is the parks in Japan aren't really run by Disney. They're operated by another company that understands customer focus.

 

[AquaDame]

The difference is the parks in Japan aren't really run by Disney. They're operated by another company that understands customer focus.

Whoever they are, I will continue to give them my money because they are doing it right.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Was there some sort of DIS board of directors decision that I missed where it was decided that the food quality going down at WDW was a fact and not an opinion?

I've personally never had a problem with the food at WDW. I know its the cool thing to do on DIS to say the food quality is down, but it is still just someones opinion.

try this: http://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/dining/the-business-of-magic-2015-food-prices/

I suppose there is some opinion in the matter, but it was also pretty public that the recession =restaurants cutting costs to survive.

For a start, clearly, portions on kids QS meals were cut over the last ten years.

 

[asc]

Add 30% for us Canadians given our dollar being down and its a definitive no for a long time. I bought some 10 day no expiration a few years ago that have 7 days left and also 4 adult 7 day with expiration so ok for now but once those are gone, I honestly don't see us going back again for a long long time. We will get a fix in kong kong and tokyo where thankfully one days tickets are not punishing but that's that.

 

[AquaDame]

I was just talking with my Mom who is set on going to Paris for her 60th birthday. I priced Viking River Cruises and I just realized that I can go from Paris to Prague on a 12 day cruise for less than I can stay at a WDW deluxe for for a week, (or stay one night in that Poly Bungalow for). Its amazing for much more affordable vacations that I would have once thought were too far out of my price range seem to become when I compare them to Disney pricing.

Try comparing them to DCL/Adventures by Disney prices too.

 

[eliza61]

Was there some sort of DIS board of directors decision that I missed where it was decided that the food quality going down at WDW was a fact and not an opinion?

I've personally never had a problem with the food at WDW. I know its the cool thing to do on DIS to say the food quality is down, but it is still just someones opinion.

LOl this made me laugh saskdw, not because you maybe right but because it brought up a childhood memories. I grew up in a family's restaurant (my grandfather and uncle) and my uncle had a saying.

If one or two people say your restaurant sucks (not their language) treat it as an opinion.
If four, five and more say your restaurant sucks, treat it like a fact.

you really think that hundreds of people trash Tony's town square because it's "cool"??

You know what's interesting. first people say those who make a negative report do so because we are disney haters, now we do it because we want to be cool?

 

[JennyMP03]

I sure do hope so! I'm so excited and my experience will definitely be different from someone who has frequents the parks, but this makes me worry that I'm going to analyze the park and watch out for things that I shouldn't have to worry about. And I guess I'll just have to relax and let this vacation take its course. That's all.

Whatever happens, happens.

But this is an expensive trip and if it doesn't work out, I'm going to sit in Hogwarts at Universal for all upcoming Orlando trips.

I hope you don't fret too much. Chances are you'll have a great time!

I've gone the three times listed in my signature, and I absolutely loved each visit. I personally didn't notice any decline, but I may not be especially discerning. I loved the food, the attractions, and even enjoyed FastPass+. I had similar concerns before my second and third trips because I'd read unhappy posts on these forums and become fixated upon them. None of the problems I read about were on my personal radar while I was in the park, however. Each trip I've taken has been even better than the one before it in some ways.

I enjoy these forums and they are a wonderful resource in many ways, and I'm glad people have an outlet for venting their frustrations when trips don't go according to plan. I've learned to remind myself that dealbreakers for other people may not bother me at all, though, regardless of how drastic any particular thread may make a complaint sound. WDW is a wonderful experience for the majority of people who get the chance to go, and I hope you have a great time!