Bad experiences

[safroim]

Unruly guests, attractions closed for days at a time, drunks at Epcot? I'm hoping these are exceptions rather than the norm. I've been to WDW 7 times in the last 14 years and I have never experienced any of these things. I just joined these boards recently in anticipation of our upcoming January trip. I've heard quite a few posters express that Disney isn't what it used to be. It's kind of taking the wind out of my sails for our next visit. Are these experiences really more common than they used to be or do people tend to share negative experiences more often than positive ones?

 

[whamma]

I'm sure there are times when really unfortunate things happen but for my family we haven't experienced anything that I can remember that has ruined our trip. We have made about 13 trips since 2004--and I don't notice the negative things. Yes, I do think that people tend to post negative things on these boards--not because they want to bring other people down but because they need support from other DISers to get over it. We're just all one big support group here!

I think if you look at some of the resort boards--and read the "fan threads" for those you will hear a lot of great things that are happening at WDW.

I can assure you that the "magic" is still alive and well at WDW.

So don't worry!! You're going to have a great trip!!

 

[Minerva Mouse]

I believe that people like to complain

Disney has changed, but it's still a VERY magical place. My biggest complaint is usually the people, we seem to have evolved into a self entitled, me society and Disney is one of the best places to witness that. It's usually someone and not something that knocks the wind out of my sails.

Someone once told me to "expect the worst, that way you won't be disappointed."

 

[larryz]

Unruly guests, attractions closed for days at a time, drunks at Epcot? I'm hoping these are exceptions rather than the norm.

They are -- remember, people with negative experiences are far more likely to post than those with positive experiences.

Someone once told me to "expect the worst, that way you won't be disappointed."

Something I like to call "optimistic pessimism."

 

[Zeppelin]

Unruly guests, attractions closed for days at a time, drunks at Epcot? I'm hoping these are exceptions rather than the norm. I've been to WDW 7 times in the last 14 years and I have never experienced any of these things. I just joined these boards recently in anticipation of our upcoming January trip. I've heard quite a few posters express that Disney isn't what it used to be. It's kind of taking the wind out of my sails for our next visit. Are these experiences really more common than they used to be or do people tend to share negative experiences more often than positive ones?

i think a lot depends on the time of year you go....your January trip should be fine and one of the better times of the year....

 

[minnie mum]

Unfortunate experiences can happen anywhere, any time. Even on vacation. Put 10s of thousands of hot, sweaty, tired people with depleted wallets into the relatively confined space of the theme parks and unpleasant interactions can occur. But I'm definitely not saying that they WILL occcur. Big difference.

I think that you frequently get what you're looking for. So if you go expecting trouble, chances are you'll find it. If you go expecting a great (NOT perfect!!) time, then you'll find that too. We try not to sweat the small stuff. We try to enjoy OUR vacation and leave the meltdowns to others (and do our best to ignore them). You can't control other people and events. But you can control how you react to them. I hope that you and your family have just as wonderful a time as we have always had.

 

[mommyrosa2]

You'll learn to take a lot of what you read on these boards with a grain of salt. While you will find lots of great, useful information here, you'll also get a great deal of negativity. I, for one, will share our most recent Disney experience in hopes that you won't worry so much. We just visited the World from 8/11-8/20, our first time going in the month of August. After reading so many negative comments about August (too crowded, too Hot, feet melting on the pavement, etc.), I began making myself nuts early on in the planning stages and had to stop. I began to tell myself that Disney in August was better than no Disney at all and with that I prepared myself for the worst and hoped for the best. Well, I'm happy to say that this recent vacation was the BEST trip we've had so far and I can tell you that I thought all of our past trips were pretty great. Was it hot? Yes it was. Did our feet melt? No and we actually found both the crowds and heat to be very manageable. We are no longer "park commandos" so we toured a little differently. We head out early in the day, left parks by noon, ate lunch, rested by pool side, headed in for quick naps and air condition breaks at the resort, and head back out to the parks after dinner when the weather was much nicer. We managed to do all the things that we wanted to do and the best part of the heat? It forced us to really stop and "smell the roses". I can't say enough positive things about this trip...we loved it so much that we are planning another vacation next August and I'm so glad that I didn't put too much weight on the negativity for if I had, our trip could have gone in a total different direction. Don't stress, go with the right mindset and have a wonderful time!

 

[JeanfromBNA]

Stuff happens. I think that one of the problems is that people put so much hope into that WDW vacation that their expectations are too high. If I had a dollar for every time I read about planning the "perfect" trip, I could go to WDW a lot more.

Don't plan the "perfect" vacation. Plan a good trip. Plan a fun trip. WDW won't disappoint.

 

[JennyDrake]

Disney has changed, but it's still a VERY magical place. My biggest complaint is usually the people, we seem to have evolved into a self entitled, me society and Disney is one of the best places to witness that. )

I COULD NOT HAVE SAID THIS BETTER!

In particular, people want to request SPECIFIC rooms and SPECIFIC tables and they expect any magic other guests have expereinced to ALL be included on their vacation.

I also think it depends upon where your focus is. If you focus on the negative, then yes, it will be a negative trip. And remember kids follow their parents' lead....

Personally, I've had three WDW that were way less than magical, but it had to do with my travelling companions--not WDW.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I believe that people like to complain

Disney has changed, but it's still a VERY magical place. My biggest complaint is usually the people, we seem to have evolved into a self entitled, me society and Disney is one of the best places to witness that. It's usually someone and not something that knocks the wind out of my sails.

Yeap...this! without question

AKK

 

[qman]

Has WDW changed, of course it has but as times and technology change WDW needs to change also. Since our first trip in 2003 WDW has added Soarin' and Expedition Everest (two wonderful additions, there are more) and has upgraded several other attractions. And coming soon is the major addition to Fantasyland. Many of the classics are just as they've always been.

Yes, sometimes the upgrades don't quite work (the voice track to Tomorrow Land Transit Authority for example: Where are you Tom Morrow, you party from Saturn has arrived, please give them a ring?) but for the most part they have.

If I had a complaint about change perhaps it would be that more is needed. We love the Indian Jones Stunt show but could they at least change up the dialog (the Harrison Ford $20 million joke is old).

Having said that we love the place and hope to return someday. Right now are DS and DD are in college and that sucks up and WDW vacation dollars!

 

[ready2vacation]

I believe that people like to complain

Disney has changed, but it's still a VERY magical place. My biggest complaint is usually the people, we seem to have evolved into a self entitled, me society and Disney is one of the best places to witness that. It's usually someone and not something that knocks the wind out of my sails.

Someone once told me to "expect the worst, that way you won't be disappointed."

Well, well said!

 

[jnfr2424]

Your vacation will be whatever you make it to be.
Our trip last October we got stuck on SSE for an hour and my grand niece had to go to the bathroom, We also got stuck on Splash Mountain, it rained every single day to the point we had to go to Walmart and get rain boots, A fight broke out on line wating for Peter Pan (so bad security had to escort both groups out the parkand we had to play "witnesses") and the best trying to see Fanstasmic in the soaking rain only to be cancelled but after ALL of that it was still a magical vacation!!
Minerva Mouse hit it right on the nail we are in a all about "me" society. The choice is truly up to you

 

[fla4fun]

Maybe I'm just so focused on what I am doing at the time, that I don't take time out to see a lot of the bad stuff - or maybe I just visit often enough that I let it roll off my back. But I always manage to have a good time.

I haven't seen a lot of drunks staggering around Epcot, but that is most likely to happen during F&W - which I avoid.

I don't have problems with tour groups or sports groups. I've seen some, and was surrounded by tour groups watching MSEP once, but I haven't seen any bad behavior. I don't doubt that it happens sometimes, but it hasn't happened around me.

I haven't been on any rides that have broken down, or gone to ride something only to be told it was down. Sure, rides have stopped when I've been on them, but they are usually the omnimover rides and the pause is just about long enough for them to load a physically challenged guest or two - not a ride breakdown.

I think it helps to have realistic expectations and know that not everything will go according to plan. Life is just like that. Sometimes the best moments at Disney are the little spontaneous ones you weren't expecting.

 

[Senator Tressel]

I'm so sick of hearing about how we are turning into a "me first" society. No we aren't. Those people's parents were like that. That's where they got it from. It's no different than it's ever been. You see one family out of ten thousand acting crazy and we have to hear lectures about what is becoming of society.

 

[POOHsie]

Unruly guests, attractions closed for days at a time, drunks at Epcot? I'm hoping these are exceptions rather than the norm. I've been to WDW 7 times in the last 14 years and I have never experienced any of these things. I just joined these boards recently in anticipation of our upcoming January trip. I've heard quite a few posters express that Disney isn't what it used to be. It's kind of taking the wind out of my sails for our next visit. Are these experiences really more common than they used to be or do people tend to share negative experiences more often than positive ones?

With internet access 24/7, people at WDW are posting common, insignificant things to complete strangers because they can get instant feedback. Like, "I just left the food court and I can't believe how many people didn't clean up their tables!" Or, "I just saw 15 unruly kids disrupting the POTC line!" This is News? And now that you can read these instant postings, does that mean these things never happened before internet came along? Or, more important, does that mean these stories are important? No, and No. Here's today's gem: "Horrible start to our WDW vacation. 7yr old heart broken, DTD magic store closed." Horrible vacation? Heart broken? Really? Puh-leeze!

One thing I like about Disney is, they try to be consistent from one location to another, and from one year to another. When you mix in with thousands of strangers at a place like WDW, it tests your confidence in people. Are these strangers good people, too, maybe with a few flaws, just like you and me have our quirks? I would say Yes.

 

[hookedonears]

Unruly guests, attractions closed for days at a time, drunks at Epcot? I'm hoping these are exceptions rather than the norm. I've been to WDW 7 times in the last 14 years and I have never experienced any of these things. I just joined these boards recently in anticipation of our upcoming January trip. I've heard quite a few posters express that Disney isn't what it used to be. It's kind of taking the wind out of my sails for our next visit. Are these experiences really more common than they used to be or do people tend to share negative experiences more often than positive ones?

That's really unfortunate. We've been 10 times over the last 15 years and other than the Brazilian groups, we've never seen anyone who's been belligerent, or out of control. Now there were 3 boys smoking on Pirates one time, and people talking loudly and laughing loudly at It's A Small World, Pirates and Splash Mountain, and we've seen parants who've completely lost it screaming at their children, but nothing like what's being described.

 

[alexxussss]

I just went to WDW in July and was expecting a lot of rude guests, especially with all of the tour groups and hot weather. I was pleasantly surprised that out of being there 10 days, we only encountered one somewhat rude woman at a waterpark. I have witnessed many rude people in the past, but during this trip, everyone seemed to have their manners, saying "excuse me" when walking past in stores, etc.

Being someone who is big on manners, I was very happy!

 

[acwsmom]

Yes, you will probably see some rude and abnoxious guests while at WDW. And, going in January, you'll probably have a few attractions closed for maintenance. We've seen all those things every time we go. But honestly, I couldn't sit here and list a single one of those things that we've seen! It's not what we dwell on or really pay attention to! Instead, we just go and have so much fun and make our memories full of the magic we DO see! If you go looking for those things, you'll see them. But if you just go full of excitment and enjoy the fun your family is happening, all of those other negative things won't matter. Don't let them steal your joy!

 

[lilipad]

I think Poohsie and the other commenters have hit on it. I also think, in general, people are more likely to express complaints rather than compliments. Is that always the case here? of course not, but there's a lot of detail and sometimes it's a bit overwhelming. I thnk sometimes overplanning kind of wears some of us down and you have to take a break.

I've found these boards to be an invaluable resource. There are a lot of good details and advice. I personally couldn't have cared less about some of the more persnickety details (ie who has "real" coffee, minute details about bathrooms, noises, menus, etc.); however, for all I know someone could have benefitted greatly (ie someone w/family w/special needs, allergies, etc). You just have to filter through a lot and take it ALL with a grain of salt. Ultimately, a lot of it's subjective. One person's downer trip to DTD (been there done that -- Goofy's Candy Store saved our day) is another's ruined day.

We had a great time on our vacay last month and have the boards to thank for a lot of really good tips and advice. I found myself getting a little down or jaded or what have you after reading some posts. Maybe if you're in the same boat you might try what I did -- taking a break. I think I had whipped myself up into this planning frenzy worrying about ADRs and FPs and other TLAs that I didn't understand. You know what? My trip was still great! We deviated from our touring plans just about every day and it all worked out. We just focused on what was important to us (Jedi Training academy -- thank you Robo). My guess is, you're going to have a fantastic time as well. I'm not saying don't plan, just plan for your family and what you all want and need.