Disney cutbacks...

[swald91]

Anyone making decisions not to go to Disney not just because of the economy but b/c of changes Disney is making in their parks? They are throwing out the 4/3 deal, offering free dining in codes/pins, bouncebacks, etc but we are experiencing & reading alot of services that Disney seems to be cutting back on. I noticed alot on buses. The deals are helping Disney fill the resorts & parks but the service of transportation & entertainment aren't as plentiful. I love Disney, but what good is the awesome deals if the magic is going away? Just curious.

 

[RMulieri]

I am still going. Disney is still absolute Magic, and you still by far get your moneys worth.Try vacationing at the Jersey Shore for a week in the summer and you'll see that Disney gives more for the money.Are they experiencing a downtime right now? Sure, but who isn't? Seriously, I think people get to hyped up about what Disney is cutting and doing wrong instead of focusing on what DIsney does right.

 

[Trixie15]

I'm worried that it's going to be way more crowded in May than I'm used to because of all the deals they're throwing out.

 

[ancestry]

Personally I think Disney is making prudent financial decisions and is trying to balance keeping the magic with making a profit. There still is no other place that can even come close to Disney in what they have to offer and with the feelings they convey to families. To expect Disney to spend money on entertainment to the extent that they lose money is unfair and unrealistic. I feel confident that Disney has everything down to a tight formula on only makes cut backs that are absolutely necessary to ensure that they can manage to stay in business. Just my .02 cents worth.

 

[loralie]

I'm worried that it's going to be way more crowded in May than I'm used to because of all the deals they're throwing out.

I am worried about the crowds in May too.

Loralie

 

[RMulieri]

Personally I think Disney is making prudent financial decisions and is trying to balance keeping the magic with making a profit. There still is no other place that can even come close to Disney in what they have to offer and with the feelings they convey to families. To expect Disney to spend money on entertainment to the extent that they lose money is unfair and unrealistic. I feel confident that Disney has everything down to a tight formula on only makes cut backs that are absolutely necessary to ensure that they can manage to stay in business. Just my .02 cents worth.

I agree. Would we rather they jack up all the prices on tickets and resorts and start charging for transportation and the little extras ?

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

As long as I have a job and can afford to go to WDW, I will go. I want my pixie dust, but you know there is still plenty of magic there.

I think the complaint about the buses is one that we all hear a lot and it's a very subjective complaint. Just because you are not seeing lots of buses running doesn't mean that their system isn't running at a very functional rate. Disney did some upgrades over the past year and a half or so and in doing so, they have figured out how to run less buses, but still get the guests moved around efficiently.

Yes, I hate the cutback of Fantasmic only being shown 3 nights a week. I think that it's a bad decision, but only continued guest complaints will make them change this. So far, guest complaints have encouraged them to show Fantasmic one additional day from the previously planned cutback to only 2 showings a week.

Yes, I wish that they would quit cutting out on the little bits of magic, like Pipa the taking trashcan at AK. But, at the same time, I know that they are making some new additions in other areas, so that offers something new to the guest experience.

I think that with all there is to see and do at WDW that even with the cutbacks, going to WDW is still a great vacation experience. We all must remember that Disney is aiming for the first time guest in their marketing. Most guests don't even do any research before they go on their vacation, which is why using TouringPlans.com or TGM still gives us an advantage when it comes to park touring. Just because we here on the boards don't like it that things are changing and maybe not always for the better, most guests have no clue, so Disney can and does get away with it.

On one other note, I refuse to live my life in a shell waiting for the freakin' sky to fall. If people would turn off their tv's and stop pinching every penny worrying about what's potentially going to happen months/years from now and just go about the business of living, then our economy would be doing much better right now. So, I say, go to WDW. Make some memories. Keep it open for all of us to visit in the future. Mickey needs our help and we certainly need the joy that he brings to each and every one of us.

 

[RMulieri]

As long as I have a job and can afford to go to WDW, I will go. I want my pixie dust, but you know there is still plenty of magic there.

I think the complaint about the buses is one that we all hear a lot and it's a very subjective complaint. Just because you are not seeing lots of buses running doesn't mean that their system isn't running at a very functional rate. Disney did some upgrades over the past year and a half or so and in doing so, they have figured out how to run less buses, but still get the guests moved around efficiently.

Yes, I hate the cutback of Fantasmic only being shown 3 nights a week. I think that it's a bad decision, but only continued guest complaints will make
them change this. So far, guest complaints have encouraged them to show Fantasmic one additional day from the previously planned cutback to only 2 showings a week.

Yes, I wish that they would quit cutting out on the little bits of magic, like Pipa the taking trashcan at AK. But, at the same time, I know that they are making some new additions in other areas, so that offers something new to the guest experience.

I think that with all there is to see and do at WDW that even with the cutbacks, going to WDW is still a great vacation experience. We all must remember that Disney is aiming for the first time guest in their marketing. Most guests don't even do any research before they go on their vacation, which is why using TouringPlans.com or TGM still gives us an advantage when it comes to park touring. Just because we here on the boards don't like it that things are changing and maybe not always for the better, most guests have no clue, so Disney can and does get away with it.

On one other note, I refuse to live my life in a shell waiting for the freakin' sky to fall. If people would turn off their tv's and stop pinching every penny worrying about what's potentially going to happen months/years from now and just go about the business of living, then our economy would be doing much better right now. So, I say, go to WDW. Make some memories. Keep it open for all of us to visit in the future. Mickey needs our help and we certainly need the joy that he brings to each and every one of us.

 

[bicker]

I love Disney, but what good is the awesome deals if the magic is going away?

As a result of the economic down-turn, our maintenance of our streets and highways is often being deferred. What good is a road if it has a few potholes that you have to avoid?

As a result of the economic down-turn, some school districts are letting teachers in certain non-mandatory disciplines go. What good is sending your children to school if they're not offering fine arts electives or home economics courses?

As a result of the economic down-turn, some television networks are aiming for more inexpensive programming to present. What good is watching Heroes and the Office, if they're going to be showing Jay Leno at 10PM every night?

Closer to the point...

As a result of the economic down-turn, airlines are taking more and more "included" items and charging additional fees, such as the new US Airways fee for blankets and pillows. What good is flying to Orlando if we have to use our own jackets to keep warm?

Some of this is tongue-in-cheek, but the real point is important: Our responsibility to ourselves, as vacation travelers, is to make the most of our scarce time-off as we can. Ignoring the opportunities we do have available to us, just because those opportunities aren't as good as they were last year, is spiting ourselves. A vacation during an economic down-turn is a luxury, but despite the effects the down-turn may have on the quality of the vacation experience, it is sure better to have the option than to not have the option, and better to enjoy a vacation than to not enjoy a vacation.

 

[disgram]

I am going with my daughter and her family and my wonderful granddaughter the first week in Sept! I know that things are tight but this is something that I have looked forward to for each of the past 13 years and as long as there is a way for me to go, I will be going!

I agree with Timon and Pumba fan wholeheartedly. I go for the magic and while I am there there is no radio, cell phone, tv, or newspaper. I need Mickey's help esp. this year. I am celebrating the fact that come Sept. I will be cancer free for 14 months!!!

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

I am going with my daughter and her family and my wonderful granddaughter the first week in Sept! I know that things are tight but this is something that I have looked forward to for each of the past 13 years and as long as there is a way for me to go, I will be going!

I agree with Timon and Pumba fan wholeheartedly. I go for the magic and while I am there there is no radio, cell phone, tv, or newspaper. I need Mickey's help esp. this year. I am celebrating the fact that come Sept. I will be cancer free for 14 months!!!

Congratulations! Now, that's a wonderful reason to celebrate!

 

[teachallday]

Why are you going to Disney?

Are you going to Disney just so you can watch the same parade during all 7 days of your stay, then I guess you should rethink your trip to Disney.

Are you going to Disney just so you can see the talking trash can in AK, then I guess you should rethink your trip to Disney.

Are you going to Disney just so you can see Fantasmic during all 7 nights you are there, then I guess you should rethink your trip.

Are you going to Disney just to enjoy the free transportation running even if there is just one or two people on it, then I guess you should rethink your trip.

Personally none of those are the reasons I am bringing my DD to Disney. Disney magic is not these thing, it is something else that is seen on the face of little kids when they see their favorite character or ride an outstanding ride. I have been to so many places where you have to pay for every ride and every piece of entertainment. At Disney I pay one price and I get it all, but more than what I expected.

If Disney's effect of the "recession" is that I have to plan my trips to visit a certain park on a certain day just to see a show I want to see, then it just means I have to plan more or pay more for a Park Hopper ticket. None of this takes away from the Disney Magic. You may need to rethink why you are going to Disney if their cuts are putting a negative twist on your visit. Or you could decide to stay away from Disney if these are the reasons you are going. If people don't like these cuts and stop coming, then Disney will have to rethink their decisions. But for some reasons I do not think these are things that cause people to come to Disney in the first place.

 

[dogodisney]

I am celebrating the fact that come Sept. I will be cancer free for 14 months!!!

That's Wonderful!!!!!

 

[swald91]

We knew when we went in Jan that the calendar of events had some cuts in them - we still wanted to go & still had a good time. I definitely don't plan vacations around parades, shows etc-but being there in Disney & being what sets Disney apart from other theme parks-I enjoy watching them. I just wondered if people decided whether or not to go there if the cuts they are making are going to affect the magic there. Thanks for your opinions!!

 

[BostonRob]

It seems like Disney's been "losing the magic" since I've been reading Disney internet boards. Don't let all the focus on the negative things make you lose site of all the positive things.

 

[WDWTigger72]

Nope, Not at all, I still plan on making trips down to WDW. This year I am actually taking two trips down, just came back in January and heading back again in December. Back in 2000, When the technology bubble burst I was concerned about my job since I was in the technology field, but I had a great box to have open conversations with. My boss stated he would never put aside his vacations for the economy, and recommended that I do the same thing and take the normal vacations I always do, and not stop life because of how the economy is. At first I was question whether to go, but instead I ended up heading down twice, and never thought about it again or looked back. Obviously, It helps to be financially stable too and gives you lots of flexibility. I have always felt a bad economy means less people at my favorite place, although with the 4/3 deal that isn't so much the case like back in 2000. Disney making cuts would never stop me from heading down to WDW.

 

[bicker]

It seems like Disney's been "losing the magic" since I've been reading Disney internet boards.

I've been reading Disney forums online for over twenty years -- you can rest assured that Disney has "lost the magic" for at least that long.

 

[Justsyd2]

I guess I am fearless, like most people seem to be. I'm going anyway. I'm glad that Disney is being financially responsible so that they can keep the parks open.

 

[Sherwin]

Uh no.

Despite the fact that I live 1200 miles away from the closest Disney park, I am in the process of planning 3 (hopefully 4) more trips in the next year, which is a 900% jump of Disney vacations per year for me (as I used to go once every 3 years, now I hope for a minimum of one year every 3 times! )

This all happening after the recession hit. Screw that.

 

[Dipstick]

All the talks about Disney making cut backs and that Disney is losing the magic is starting to become worrisome. I haven't been to Disney for 6 years, and I have booked my trip for April 20th.