An okay trip to DW nothing magical

[Soccermom58]

An okay trip not in a hurry to return:
1. Used Florida Tours for pick up. They picked us up in a stretch limo due to other car problems( VERY NICE). Driver was not happy about 1/2 hour grocery store stop and stopped at a convenience store ( high prices) I was too tired to fight it! Driver tried to say we didn't request it. I had registered on line and I know I clicked the store stop.
2. Stayed at All Star Sports - It was packed with people. Seems many people are staying in value resorts. Hard to find decent meals that include fruits and vegetables at a reasonable price.
3. Transportation was awful- Many times waited over 20mins. for a bus to leave and come back!! Long lines for the buses and always people standing. People wouldn't give up their seats to the elderly or mothers holding babies or move back. I was appalled at behavior of people on the buses. Often stood in line and couldn't get on the bus - too crowded because they transport to the movies, sports and music resorts.
4. Son was in a soccer tournament in Wide World of Sports. In order to get him there had to wait for bus for MGM and then switch buses at MGM. Shortest trip was 40mins. Longest trip we started waiting at All Star at 11:30 am and arrived at Sports Complex at 1:10pm missed the first 10 mins of the game!! Disney should not invite teams down and encourage staying in the resorts. The complex is all of 3 - 4 miles from the All star sports. We should have stayed cheaper off site and rented a car.
5. His soccer team played in the hottest time slots of the day 12:00 and 2:00. First day referees forgot to give them a water break.
6. The Wide World of Sports Complex is a beautiful facilty. I would not rush down there again to play in a tournament. Many softball, soccer and basketball teams were staying at All Star Sports. It is one of the closest resorts to the complex. Can't believe that a bus doesn't run directly there.
7. Best part of the trip was a day at Blizzard Beach although they had to close Summitt Plummett for a time period due to someone having a bowel movement on the way down. Also enjoyed dinner at the Whispering Canyon and Sci Fi Movie.

This was about my 10th trip to Disney. Also have been on the Disney Cruise. Disney seems to have changed their business attitude. It is all about saving money. It seems like people don't matter anymore. Sorry to see things heading in this direction.
We are not in any hurry to return.
PS - Team played well and ended up placing 3rd out of 10 teams.

 

[WebTink]

I'm curious why you wouldn't have arranged a taxi ride if you were on a schedule for games? It doesn't sound like it's very expensive. (Haven't done this mind you, just wondering if you think that might be a better alternative for those who don't want to rent a car.)

 

[CarolA]

Well, usually the teams make arrangements to get to the games. Did you stay with the team? I can't believe the whole team made that connection!

Actually 15 to 20 minutes has ALWAYS been the standard for buses. Remember you are using PUBLIC transportation.

I am just curious where you stayed on your past trips.

 

[ktulu]

I read alot about people complaining that Disney is cutting back, trying to save money. Last I heard they were a for profit corporation trying to make money, so if Disney cuts back a bit, I'm okay with that, I want to take my future kids there and let them experience it for themselves, not imagine what it was like.

Sorry your experience was bad, but from your report, it wasn't Disney's fault.

 

[CarolA]

Just to counter. I was at Disney the weekend of July 4th. I really did not notice the "cutbacks" I talked to several part time CMs who were working what I would consider full time work due to the crowds.

That said it was not near as crowded as Disney needs it to be. Lines at MGM and Epcot on July 4th were very short. For Disney to make a profit on these parks that place needs to be packed on the major holidays and it wasn't. Until the economy turns around I don't think they have much choice, but to cut back

 

[epcotfan]

20 minute bus waits are normal at Disney. I suppose if you aren't used to taking public transporation then it might seem like a long time.
Did you son's soccer team not provide transporation to the game? I always thought they charted buses to the event. Seems odd that they would make everyone catch buses from the Theme Parks.

 

[Cindy B]

20 minutes is not bad really... I'm sorry he missed some of his game. I personally would have gotten a rental car, or worked a carpool situation out with some of the other team members..

Now couldn't you have taken a bus/monorail to the TTC and then taken a bus to WWos from there? Wouldn't that have been easier?

As for the convenience store, I would have fought that. You are paying for the service and you should have gotten what you had paid for.

 

[franw]

Dealing with the logistics of WDW can be daunting but when you tie it in with having to be at meets at certain times and being in peak season - well, no wonder there was no magic for you. You were trying to take care of too many things and not just there to have a "magical" time. I would suggest that you book a little trip for yourself off-season next time and just sit back and let it happen. You may find that the magic is there after all. I can honestly say that despite all the so called "cutbacks" I have never felt as though they affected my experience there. But I always travel off season and in months when I can count on decent weather. You had all the odds stacked against you this trip. Don't let it sour you on going back. Make it a shorter trip and try a different resort next time.

 

[Abbeysdaddy]

My 2 cents.....

We just returned from a 4 day stay at the Beach Club Villas. As I said to my wife on the way home, either something has changed at Disney or it's me that has changed. We have been DVC members since 2000, and this is our 3rd trip to Disney since last July 2002 (we stayed for a long weekend in Januay 2003).

Usually when I leave Disney, I cannot wait to return, this time I did not feel that way. The "magic" was not there for me this time.

I did notice that the wait staff at all of the restaurants we went to were stretched to thin, making waiting for a refill of a drink seem like an eternity. We ate at Cape May, Ohana's, Boma, and Fort Wilderness. We met only one perosn who truly seemed to care that we enjoyed our meal, the others seemed eager to free up the table.

Staff around Storm Along Bay also were not the typical Disney staff, instead they were eager to confirm if you were indeed allowed access to the pool, and they did it not the way you expect from Disney.

We went to MK and MGM, MK was okay, MGM was a nightmare. We went to the 10:30 Fantasmic show, very poor crowd "control", never experienced anything like this before at a Disney park.

Someone mentioned, well Disney is a "for profit" enterprise and they need to control costs....I agree, however, I always justified the higher costs for a Disney visit on their exemplary customer service, without that they will become just another hotel or amusement park.


Oh well my 2 cents, maybe it was just me.....

 

[Alice in Cleveland]

although they had to close Summitt Plummett for a time period due to someone having a bowel movement on the way down.

Oh my!

 

[Minniespal]

Thanks for posting!!!!

 

[momof2inPA]

Soccer Mom,

Sorry your son missed some of his game. I bet he was a nervous wreck. It would only make sense to me to have a bus running from the ASSp to the WWofSp complex if Disney was encouraging the players to stay there. I agree, one hundred minutes is entirely too long to go three miles.

To maintain quality service, I would be in favor of Disney raising ticket prices substantially, but I think they have too many rooms to fill and too much outside hotel competition. They will have to find some way to maintain the service their guests have come to expect.

Better luck next time.

 

[grinningghost]

A bowel movement on Summit Plummet??? That sure gives new meaning to it "scared to &^%$ out of me!"

 

[999thghost]

this entire thread can be summed up in a few tips
1.always rent a car...do you carpool at home??..me neither
2.if your bringing your child to disney to play a sporting event realize the event is more important than the hotel or the crowds.
3.smack the coach in the head for not providing transportation for his team.
4.last but not least...when your child says oh mommy we have a tournament in disney ask them if the whole team is going together without the parents.if not pack the largest bottle of tylenol you can find...youll need it

 

[CarolA]

I have a feeling there is something we are missing here on the transportation to the game. I mean the rest of the team must have gotten there on time or the game would have been forfit. So.... maybe the OP stayed someplace different then the team? I noticed that the OP has not been back so.. who knows. My other feeling is that maybe the OP does not normally stay at the value resorts.

The one thing I have learned is that attitude is 50%, if not more, of everything. I say that because there are other threads about this time with people staying at the same place who seemed to love it. I am not saying that either is right or wrong in their reactions, just food for thought.