Corporate Disney has lost the vision of what a Disney park is supposed to be. It was a place where you went for vacation and made to feel like you were a welcomed guest the moment you got off the plane at MCO or at the gate as you drove in on property. If you flew in you had the option of letting Disney magical express handle your luggage and take you to your destination or renting a car. Now corporate disney wants you to believe that with rideshare services the disney express is no longer needed and you didn't want it anyway. They also now want to squeeze every dollar they can out of you to maximize profits to increase shareholder value while at the same time increasing their bonuses but choosing not to fix Expedition Everest or Primeval whirl among other things along and with playing fast and lose with movie distribution contacts with the actors. They may get a short term revenue boost but as people begin to weigh in on what a disney vacation costs and find better alternatives some wont be back. Who wants to spend thousands of dollars to wait in line for hours for some rides that are not even working t like they should? the Disney Park I went to 5 years ago and before that is vastly different then the one today. Disney was always expensive but you get so much less now.
Corporate Disney has lost the vision
- Thread starter Bearval
- Start date
jhglassman
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- May 3, 2019
Is it weird that thing that frightens me the most is that decision to have an end of night DJ at Magic Kingdom?
bianca
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2000
The "all about the shareholders" mentality is getting old. Disney has needed another park for at least a decade in order to better accommodate the growing number of guests. However, that would severely cut into profits of shareholders. I think they are being quite shortsighted about this, as adding another park would entice more "old timers" to come back AND create a more fluid park experience without all the massive crowds ...... making everybody happy {including shareholders if they just wait a few years for their payout}. Our family rarely goes into the parks anymore, as we remember the days of old when you didn't have to stand in line for Peter Pan for an hour or make your park reservation 6 months in advance. It just isn't fun anymore to spend your entire day fighting crowds, especially in light of Covid.
IMO Disney has lost the "next generation" and one beyond. My kids are now 30 and 32. Both planned on buying their own DVC contracts within the next 2 years and have decided against it. They just don't see Disney the same way they did 10-15 years ago, and all this Genie nonsense has sealed the deal. They are also now parents. While we have taken the grandkids every year for family trips, the kids just don't seem to be "clicking" with Disney. They are super excited about the upcoming Nintendo area at Universal and after that opens, I doubt we will ever set foot in a Disney park again. Disney has just made it too hard to go on vacation.
Missing Michael Eisner .....
IMO Disney has lost the "next generation" and one beyond. My kids are now 30 and 32. Both planned on buying their own DVC contracts within the next 2 years and have decided against it. They just don't see Disney the same way they did 10-15 years ago, and all this Genie nonsense has sealed the deal. They are also now parents. While we have taken the grandkids every year for family trips, the kids just don't seem to be "clicking" with Disney. They are super excited about the upcoming Nintendo area at Universal and after that opens, I doubt we will ever set foot in a Disney park again. Disney has just made it too hard to go on vacation.
Missing Michael Eisner .....
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iheartglaciers
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 1, 2014
I think that particularly bothered me because someone actively decided to spend money to add the DJ to Main Street, U.S.A., going against the Show key, the importance Walt placed on theme, and what feels like the spirit of Magic Kingdom. It was different than Disney's cost-cutting measures that impact show or theme. The DJ wasn't needed, so somoene thought it was addititve.
monstermash23
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 23, 2021
The number crunchers in Disney management need to go. More creative vision, not less, is what’s needed. Disney is extremely short sighted at the monent and is rushing to become just like every other “theme” park and not be the gold standard anymore, as if those other parks were doing something right along and Disney wasn’t. I’m sure that isn’t the headliner of every Disney boardroom meeting, but it’s certainly the result.
I agree with the poster above who talked about a 5th gate. That’s been so desperately needed for so long. But the fact that I’m already at such a low point with Disney that I don’t have much hope for a 5th gate, or much else at the moment. I mean the fact that I’m hoping they get rid of a DJ at MK and replace it with something thematically appropriate just shows how low the bar has been set now. Disney has a lot of work to do to come back and the more they keeping going down the path they are on, the longer that road becomes and the farther out I keep pushing my next trip (until I eventually sell my contracts altogether). Been going since the 80’s, nothing saddens me more then making posts like this. Disney just isn’t what it is used to be in my eyes.
I agree with the poster above who talked about a 5th gate. That’s been so desperately needed for so long. But the fact that I’m already at such a low point with Disney that I don’t have much hope for a 5th gate, or much else at the moment. I mean the fact that I’m hoping they get rid of a DJ at MK and replace it with something thematically appropriate just shows how low the bar has been set now. Disney has a lot of work to do to come back and the more they keeping going down the path they are on, the longer that road becomes and the farther out I keep pushing my next trip (until I eventually sell my contracts altogether). Been going since the 80’s, nothing saddens me more then making posts like this. Disney just isn’t what it is used to be in my eyes.
iheartglaciers
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 1, 2014
As much as I would personally love a 5th gate, I don't think Disney will do it because I think they feel like they've hit the limits of how long people vacation at Disney with the current parks. But there's a lot they can do to build out the current parks. Universal is gaining a lot of ground on them with their rapid development. But they desperately needed more in place to convince people to stay more than a couple ngihts.
monstermash23
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 23, 2021
I think you are right. That’s very rational. Especially during the spring/summer months when the water parks are more in play. A 5th park could help with crowds for us park-goers but ultimately might be diminished returns for Disney. But yea Universal is def gaining on them in the parks department. This may take a while to materialize but the competition is a very good thing for Disney imo.
lawboy2001
DVC since 2013 @ BLT and AUL
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
But what that mentality ends up coming down to is maximizing shareholder value THIS YEAR, in order to pad the execs bonuses THIS YEAR.
There is nothing wrong with maximizing shareholder value, but when the horizon is set only on this years' balance sheets, shortsightedness results.
I had not heard of this until now. WDW News Today's Youtube is reporting the DJ was pulled. I sure hope so.
The afternoon pool parties are bad enough (i.e. sipping a beverage and trying to relax by the pool after being in the parks when a poor CM pulls out a loud speaker and begins playing loud party music while simultaneously yelling into a microphone to encourage participation in the games).
Is is it possible the folks in-charge have never spent a day in Disney parks or resorts? I am thinking "no" or else they would stop listening to the good idea fairy.
Mousemom234
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 12, 2012
Extremely possible. At least not from the point of view of the "average park-goer."
And the 'good idea fairy' needs to have their wings clipped (or their tiara firmly planted in a very dark and uncomfortable place).
tink2424
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 28, 2019
Very much agree. Glad to see so many coming around to this. I do hope that the number of guests drop dramatically and Disney needs to do something to entice us all back. All the changes that were problems before COVID are now so much worse. They aren't bulletproof and people will vacation elsewhere.
Castillo Mom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 5, 2003
Exactly and I think people are forgetting that. Disneyland has also never had such a service. I also wonder whether perhaps this group doesn’t travel elsewhere. I don’t expect any other resort I spend time at to transport me and my luggage at no cost or even at all.
monstermash23
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 23, 2021
Agreed. And yea it’s good to see that people are really opening their eyes to this. It’s a shame it has even come to this but. No issues with anyone that wants to be positive or create a positive spin, but to ignore these things just gives Disney a free pass in this regard, which I’m not willing to do personally, if I can help it.
Focusing on one cut, and then dismissing our travel experience, does not really help your point. One cut doesn’t explain the death by a thousand cuts that we are talking about. No one here is comparing Disneyland to WDW either, which is an impractical comparison in many respects.
If I fly anywhere that requires an overnight stay, I absolutely expect and will only stay at airport adjacent hotels that offer a shuttle service. If I travel to a major city, I expect there to be public transportation available and we use that. We pick our hotels with consideration of distance to train stops. I don’t want to take car seats anywhere. Three suitcases, carry-on bags and a stroller is enough. If I’m traveling without kids, I’ll take the Uber if that’s the best option.
I think WDW specifically has somewhat forgotten that kids are a large part of the audience. They’ve made it exponentially harder and more expensive for those with kids than without in terms of luggage, transportation, and the multiplier of increased fees on things that used to be free. Know who got super excited about a free magicband arriving and the luggage tags with characters? The kids here. Know who doesn’t need another $25 magicband? Also the kids here, but for the dollar it probably costs Disney, for the whole stay on a $500/nt room, the kids love it.
Its nobody’s job to subsidize anyone others kids enjoyment, but if you think Disney is doing anything than pocketing that savings, I don’t think it’s true.
I would never expect Disneyland to have this service since it is a regional park with 75% of the annual passes sold to residents. Almost all of Disneyland visitors drive to the park and do not need to fly in.
ColonialMouse
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2012
But that was the point of MDE. You put the yellow tags on your luggage and were on a Disney vacation as soon as you boarded your plane. Part of the magic. Sure everyone can arrange their own transportation, and lots of companies will fill the void. And we probably only used it half the time. But it was part of the magic. Is the vision still to provide a magical experience (in exchange for a healthy profit)? Just like letting go of the entertainers and "unnecessary" CMs and now having problems re-staffing, what is the vision?
Bruce
One of the biggest knocks on Universal was that it was a 2 or at best a 3 day park. It will be interesting to see how much of the Florida market share they will gain when their 3rd gate is finished and this will come at the expense of WDW.
For me it was dropping the luggage off at the airport ticket counter. From that point on, the work part of getting a vacation off the ground was done. Luggage, transportation, dining, FP, all of it was done. I could relax or run across the park as we zig zag to rides on the other side. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t flying, driving, lugging or planning. It was vacation until the return plane landed at my home airport.
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