Am I being unreasonable or is Disney neglecting UK visitors?

[All Star Paul]

As a family we love Disney, I personally am super loyal and we are going back to Florida for the 9th time in August, as well as Disneyland Paris in July. However I am feeling a bit disappointed. Firstly I heard all about Summer Nightastic and thought great, then I found out that it is only till August 14th. Now I know they may well run it longer but the point is they are planning and communicating that it will stop on the 14th, a poke in the eye for international guests who are still in full holiday mode.

Now today I just found out that they are shutting down Toy Story Mania on the 16th of August. I accept there will always be rehabs, I know that and understand the need normally, but why TSM just after the movie has opened and loads of kids are going to want to go to TSMM and when it is still prime non-US holiday time.

Even if you take a selfish US view, which Disney clearly has here, they have just extended free dining to the US visitors. Why would you do that and then stop Summer Nightastic and shutdown what is super popular ride when the movie is still doing the rounds. Are you not making it more likely that US guests will not take up the promotion, and if they do this year, they may think twice about it in future years??????

I am going to complain to Guest Services. If you feel like me please do likewise. It may change nothing but you never know, and it sends a message to Disney to consider their guests that come the furthest, stay the longest and pay the most per trip. Rant over

 

[2Tiggies]

I don't know, I have mixed views about this, but not because I think Disney is unfair, but because sometimes my requirements/choices are different to what most others want so for various reasons, it would make sense for me to book with Disney US.

Now for an average family, the UK gets longer periods of free dining, out long in advance so that we can book our ADRs AFTER we book our trips, great value park tickets, unless you are going for less than 14 days and plenty other promotions.

I am annoyed that Its A Small World will be closed when we are there. However, the US school holidays are staggered vastly depending on the state and county and many of the US schools are on holiday until late August too so it really depends where you are from.

While I don't think your points are invalid, I do think there are ways around some of the things. On the main boards there are hoards of Americans protesting TSM being closed when they are there as it is the only time they can go.

However, that is my point of view based on what I want, which I respect is different to what you may need for your family and I am a strong believer in putting your point across when appropriate. If you feel Disney should know about it, then you should let them know. I am sure there are many others who will be willing to join you.

Hope the tone of my post conveys the tone in which it was intended.

 

[torsie24]

Granted I'm not going at the same time as you so it doesn't directly affect me, but I don't think UK guests are being neglected whatsoever.

If Disney decided to check the school holidays of each country that it gets visitors from then I think they'd need to have special events on 365 days a year.

Us in the UK get amazing deals, often times a lot better than the US visitors do (42% offer, extra free dining)

As for "come the furthest, stay the longest, pay the highest" I doubt that's many Brits. Plenty of US guests spend weeks and weeks each year in the parks, plenty of US guests drive for over 2 days to get to WDW, plenty of US guests stay at deluxes/buy DVC.

The same can be said for people from South America, France, Spain, South Africa etc. etc.

Please don't feel like Disney are singling out Brits, I'm pretty sure there will have been people from every nation thinking the exact same as you - the grass is always greener....

ETA - I re-read this and it sounded harsh - I didn't intend that. You aren't being unreasonable as you feel what you feel, and we all get very excited for our trips and look forward to them for years/months. By all means let Disney know your concerns, but I honestly don't feel it's a nationality thing. Late August is the start of low season, which means even if hoardes of Brits are visitng they still have low crowds levels at that time.

 

[All Star Paul]

Granted I'm not going at the same time as you so it doesn't directly affect me, but I don't think UK guests are being neglected whatsoever.

If Disney decided to check the school holidays of each country that it gets visitors from then I think they'd need to have special events on 365 days a year.

Us in the UK get amazing deals, often times a lot better than the US visitors do (42% offer, extra free dining)

As for "come the furthest, stay the longest, pay the highest" I doubt that's many Brits. Plenty of US guests spend weeks and weeks each year in the parks, plenty of US guests drive for over 2 days to get to WDW, plenty of US guests stay at deluxes/buy DVC.

The same can be said for people from South America, France, Spain, South Africa etc. etc.

Please don't feel like Disney are singling out Brits, I'm pretty sure there will have been people from every nation thinking the exact same as you - the grass is always greener....

ETA - I re-read this and it sounded harsh - I didn't intend that. You aren't being unreasonable as you feel what you feel, and we all get very excited for our trips and look forward to them for years/months. By all means let Disney know your concerns, but I honestly don't feel it's a nationality thing. Late August is the start of low season, which means even if hoardes of Brits are visitng they still have low crowds levels at that time.

Thanks for the feedback. Its good to others perspective. I don't mean Disney are being deliberately unfair to non US guest but I do think they are underestimating the impact they will be having on guests (not just UK) who visit in that late Auguest period and if they are trying to get the maximum out of the summer then they need to reconsider when they stop summer events and shut popular attractions for refurb. I know that sometimes they just have to take things down but this seems like it is more of choice than a necessity.

 

[All Star Paul]

I don't know, I have mixed views about this, but not because I think Disney is unfair, but because sometimes my requirements/choices are different to what most others want so for various reasons, it would make sense for me to book with Disney US.

Now for an average family, the UK gets longer periods of free dining, out long in advance so that we can book our ADRs AFTER we book our trips, great value park tickets, unless you are going for less than 14 days and plenty other promotions.

I am annoyed that Its A Small World will be closed when we are there. However, the US school holidays are staggered vastly depending on the state and county and many of the US schools are on holiday until late August too so it really depends where you are from.

While I don't think your points are invalid, I do think there are ways around some of the things. On the main boards there are hoards of Americans protesting TSM being closed when they are there as it is the only time they can go.

However, that is my point of view based on what I want, which I respect is different to what you may need for your family and I am a strong believer in putting your point across when appropriate. If you feel Disney should know about it, then you should let them know. I am sure there are many others who will be willing to join you.

Hope the tone of my post conveys the tone in which it was intended.

Thanks, your tone is fine and you make some good points, I just feel the need to let Disney know my views. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks, your tone is fine and you make some good points, I just feel the need to let Disney know my views. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I just wanted to add that I do know how you feel - at least to a certain extent. I confidently posted that I dont have issues, which is not really the case. You see, I am not a typical "family" It is just me and my little girl. So when I book through Disney UK I pay her as a full adult - for everything. This is nothing new and I have booked through Thomas Cook too in the past with the same thing. It really bothered me for a long time, but I had to accept that when I do "family" holidays, I am not a typical "family" and if they catered for my little unit, then there would be more folk upset about it than those who would benefit. It was just easier for me to accept it and learn to be objective about it until DD is classed as an adult and it is no longer relevant. Does it still bother me? Absolutely, from time to time.

I just thought I should be honest because it does sort of look like the responses on here make you out to be "unreasonable" which isn't actually true. And I did engage in a long correspondence battle with Disney over the course of several months with them and me quoting their terms and conditions to each other, pointing things out and me requesting then to back up their statements by quoting Ts&Cs issued to me within the first 7 days of booking. I did eventually get a fair compensation, but at the end of the day, next time I book I can't be bothered to go through all that.

What I am saying is that if you have a point to make and feel strongly about it, you need to go for it and understand that it IS going to be work on your part because you WILL have to follow up and chase up responses, but I must admit I did feel like I had at least been heard and achieved something at the end of it all.

I wish you all the best with your challenge!

 

[luke]

Hmmmm not sure at all as to why you'd think Disney are being unfair to UK visitors?!

As Torsie summed up, we actually get much better deals than the US (at the moment at least) - Before the US released free dining (months later than the UK) I priced up what I'd booked through Disney UK, on the US site, and it was about £2000 more expensive!!!

For the refurbs, well they have to happen at some point. You talk about TSM and Summer Nights finishing in mid August, but even if you stick to British school holidays (which in my job I have to do) these don't close/finish til the last third of the British summer holidays

I understand your frustration (we miss IASW totally on our trip) but I don't think Disney is being unfair to us Brits, intentionally or otherwise

 

[torsie24]

I just thought I should be honest because it does sort of look like the responses on here make you out to be "unreasonable" which isn't actually true.

Just wanted to double state that I don't think you are being unreasonable.

It is hard when things are closed/changed in time for a trip. Just be happy that you are going in 'value' season, the crowds will be a lot lower than if you'd have gone earlier.

So you may not be able to ride some rides or see summer nightastic, but the many many things you can doo will be a lot less crowded, and you've saved money!

 

[wayneg]

I am sure they do things to maximize profits and disrupt least people whenever possible. They have to try keep rehabs to a minimum around main US school holiday, Xmas Easter, July 4th, Labor Day, and and other busy times.
Just looked at figures (see below) we only make up a small proprtion of visitors so while I am sure they want to look after us as much as poss we must be low on the list of priorities when deciding dates for rehabs, 93% of visitors are from within US.

Orlando was the most visited US destination with 46 Million+ in 2009

From today’s ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL

The metro Orlando area welcomed 46.6 million visitors in 2009, making it the most visited U.S. destination of the year, according to a new report by D.K. Shifflet & Associates.

The visitation numbers represent a 4.7 percent decrease as compared with 2008, marking a much stronger performance than the earlier forecast by D.K. Shifflet & Associates of a 9.9 percent decrease in a difficult year for the travel and tourism industry.

Domestic travel represented 93 percent of Orlando’s total visitors in 2009, with 43.3 million visitors. International travel, which includes overseas countries and Canada, totaled nearly 3.3 million.
The top international market for 2009 was Canada with 865,000 visitors.

The second-largest number of international visitors came from the United Kingdom, with 831,000.

 

[2Tiggies]

Ooh Torsie, I didn't mean to imply that anyone else was suggesting it either - just from the point of view that we all disagreed with the core of the opening post. Hope you knew that.

I haven't communicated very well on here tonight .... I'm digging myself into holes

 

[Irish Goofy]

On a slight different note.I have booked our hols ( 3rd--21st August ) with the view of seeing both Summer Nightastic and then Wishes on the last week of my hols.So if Disney decide to extend the Summer Nightastic events i will not be very pleased and will be very vocal with my complaints to them.My kids will be jutted if they do not see Wishes and we have changed our dates to work around when Summer Nightastic ends and Wishes resumes.......

 

[paul_toria96]

I understand everyones frustration I have just found out this morning that Liberty riverboat will be shut from the 16th August, it does seem that there's an awful lot of referbs happening in Aug, but then as you say they have to be done at some time.

My DK are gutted that IASW will be shut,they are asking if we can go to Paris to do it there instead

Does money grow on trees? If anyone has one can they let me have a cutting

 

[torsie24]

Next year is a big year for WDW (40th) so it could well be that they don't want any refurbishments during the year and are trying to get them all done now....

It does seem like there are an awful lot scheduled for the end of this summer!

Maybe there is going to be some kind of Disney OFSTED in September?

 

[2Tiggies]

I understand everyones frustration I have just found out this morning that Liberty riverboat will be shut from the 16th August, it does seem that there's an awful lot of referbs happening in Aug, but then as you say they have to be done at some time.

My DK are gutted that IASW will be shut,they are asking if we can go to Paris to do it there instead

Does money grow on trees? If anyone has one can they let me have a cutting

When is the Liberty Belle shut until? I didnt' know about that one.

Maybe there is going to be some kind of Disney OFSTED in September?

 

[2Tiggies]

All Star Paul, I see the Liberty Belle is closed from 16 - 25 August. How long are you gong to be there? Maybe you can squeeze in a go on it before it closes/after it opens if you are staying there long enough.

 

[zippy99]

Sadly, the simple fact is - go at peak time, more crowds and longer queues and more £££s - everything will be open.

Save £££s by going off peak and there will be less shows, shorter hours and more refurbs.

Having done Paris from 23rd Dec - 27th one year EVERY attraction was open - and we got to do all the seasonal attractions that were normally closed when we had visited in March & October.

With Orlando - our first trip (Jan) saw Splash Mountain closed, last year (Sep) Space Mountain was shut. Looking at this year thus far we seem to have avoided any major closures - with Small World (fingers crossed) Scheduled to re-open they day we arrive.

Toy Story Mania is a great ride - but don't let it get you down we all have missed out on favourite rides at sometime or another - its not personal.

 

[heatherbelle]

I'm with OP on this one, as we arrive on the 14/08 and will miss the summer fireworks, I was looking forward to this when I first read about it. Would it hurt to extend special summer events for 2 weeks until the end of August?

As far as rides go, well they have to be spruced up at some point in time, so as long as they rotate the dates, then it doesn't matter.

We have never been on the boat and only last week we were saying we would make sure we go on it this year, only to find its in re-had. Never mind not the end of the world, although DH has just said we should cancel the holiday!! No chance of that.

 

[All Star Paul]

Been away for a couple of days, just catching up.

I just wanted to remphasise my real point here.

For UK and other international visitors the summer holidays do not end on August 14th and I feel that Disney are ramping down about 2 weeks too early to be completely fair to non US visitors and given that US school holidays are about 11 weeks and finish about mid August and we only get about 6 weeks the impact of that is much bigger on us.

I am sure it is based numbers reducing towards the end of August but I think if enough people made the point, they may consider extending these events and delaying refurbishments by one or two weeks without much hardship to them and to the benefit of us.

I have cooled off on this now, I admit I was steamed when I first heard about TSMM but I am still going to let them know how I feel. I think we have a right to receive the "full experience".

 

[Jordanblackpool]

I do see your point and its valid, but i think as someone stated rides have to have refurbs at sometime. I think doing TSM in the middle of the Summer is a strange call, especially when the movie is out, but I presume they know what there doing!

When i went in February we were dissappointed that Splash Mountain and Jurrasic Park were closed, but sometimes its the way the cookie crumbled, at least we had plenty of other attractions to keep us occupied!

 

[janiebubble]

I don't want to sound inflammatory so I hope this doesn't ... but ultimately you do have a choice (unless you are restricted to those weeks you've picked by your work?) if you're trying to travel in school holidays could you not have gone at the start of holidays ... granted it would be busier, but you would have more chance of there being no refurbs on at that time. Can I add I went to California three years in a row and Space Mountain was shut each and every time - so I do understand your pain!!

As a teacher who does have to be back by August 18th (A level results!) I don't get the chance to visit with lower crowds, I always have to travel in US peak season, deal with the crowds etc and there is usually something not open!!

I can also sympathise with those who don't have a 'traditional' 2 adults, 2 children family - the offers never seem to be as attractive to those of us who don't fit the stereotype of the 'typical' disney visitor (especially at Disneyland Paris!!)

In the end I think it becomes an issue of compromise and priorities ... I'd give anything to be able to go 'off season' and would gladly sacrifice a few attractions for that - but it depends on what is most important to your individual family!