Disney vs. all the competition

[WannaBeInWDW]

I went to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jersey yesterday and I remembered how MUCH i missed Disney World! What a RUDE awakening. They TRY to be like Disney with their FLASH pass which was like $20/person and you entered through the exit sometimes. (if you are going to BE like Disney, copy them all the way, don't drop the ball!!) Their Character picture spots, their themed lands. There is really NO comparison.

It just made me super depressed going there. People are rude and obnoxious and think they are too good to wait in line so they decided cutting is better and NO ONE stops them.

What a MISERABLE place. Or Maybe I am just spoiled rotten by Disney!!!!!

 

[Robo]

You'll find "bad apple guests" in every park.

A Disney park can make things just seem nicer, however.

 

[Markstudy]

I went to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jersey yesterday

Yep I went there once for Halloween (I thought it was PA or NJ???)
I felt like I had been dropped into the old 1970's movie "ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK" (staring Kurt Russle?). It looked like a gang war zone...LOL (harmless kids but all trying to copy MTV's newest Thug image). Too many Teens.

I think Disney solves the problem in a unique way... they charge too much!

I don't go to Bush Gardens or Universal for Halloween either...both very nice parks...but again too many teens. Disney has two advantages... high prices and a rep amoung teens as being a place for little kids. That's why we go to Diseny.

PS nothing wrong with teens... just don't put too many in one place without adults

 

[WannaBeInWDW]

Yep I went there once for Halloween (I thought it was PA or NJ???)
I felt like I had been dropped into the old 1970's movie "ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK" (staring Kurt Russle?). It looked like a gang war zone...LOL (harmless kids but all trying to copy MTV's newest Thug image). Too many Teens.

I think Disney solves the problem in a unique way... they charge too much!

I don't go to Bush Gardens or Universal for Halloween either...both very nice parks...but again too many teens. Disney has two advantages... high prices and a rep amoung teens as being a place for little kids. That's why we go to Diseny.

PS nothing wrong with teens... just don't put too many in one place without adults

Nothing wrong with teenagers. Something wrong with UNSUPERVISED teenagers. Here's a hint, they may be total angels at home, but when they are with 33 of their closest friends, rude loud and obnoxious. I think the only safe place to go in great Adventure is kiddie land. no cursing, no line jumping, no pushing. just cute little kids waiting to get on theirs rides, smiling away!!!

 

[I'mNoPrince]

But the Face characters are just too cool . This is the one close to D.C. and i had to bribe DD a bunch.

 

[Evil Princess]

I went to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jersey yesterday and I remembered how MUCH i missed Disney World! What a RUDE awakening. They TRY to be like Disney with their FLASH pass which was like $20/person and you entered through the exit sometimes. (if you are going to BE like Disney, copy them all the way, don't drop the ball!!) Their Character picture spots, their themed lands. There is really NO comparison.

It just made me super depressed going there. People are rude and obnoxious and think they are too good to wait in line so they decided cutting is better and NO ONE stops them.

What a MISERABLE place. Or Maybe I am just spoiled rotten by Disney!!!!!

You can't expect Disney when you go to Great Adventure. It's not in the best area to begin with, so the guests tend to act a bit differently.

It also has an entirely different target audience and approach.

I love SFGAdv, but JUST for the coasters, since I'm such a roller coaster geek. Otherwise, it's actually one of the better Six Flags in the chain, but you cannot go expecting Disney. It isn't, nor does it try to be the same.

 

[Cinderella1122]

I agree with Evil Princess. Six Flags is listed as a Coaster-Thrill park not a family resort destination like Disney. I have season passes to six flags because I am also a coaster nut. I absolutely love the variety that great adventure has and it's only going to get better once the dark knight opens.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

You can't expect Disney when you go to Great Adventure. It's not in the best area to begin with, so the guests tend to act a bit differently.

It also has an entirely different target audience and approach.

I love SFGAdv, but JUST for the coasters, since I'm such a roller coaster geek. Otherwise, it's actually one of the better Six Flags in the chain, but you cannot go expecting Disney. It isn't, nor does it try to be the same.

Thats not all together true.

When Dan Snyder took over his head of Parks went on a rant that we will be just like Disney going after the Disney model. ( I was a 6 year SP holder).

They stated they were going to do Parades ,fireworks, characters and even Character Meals Just Like Disney.

Well that was the Characters and here's the Parade

.

What I do expect is a clean safe enviroment and I just haven't had that the past few years at our SFs . They took rides out and some just never seem to run correct.

We did Hershey Sp and it's well worth the extra 45 mins to drive to. I think they are as close to Disney as it will get.

 

[Got Quattro?]

Ok, I will get flamed. But what else is new.

Disney, buy nature is extremely expensive compared to six flags. That tends to keep less disreable folks away from the park, so you dont have as much rude behavior, littering ect.

plus, disney has much much higher employment standards which make the CM actuall care about their job and the guests.

I live 2 miles from Six Flags St. Louis. I can see / here the park through the trees on my back deck. We have season passes only beacuse we live so close and my 6 year old likes rollercoasters.

The works at 6 flags dont care, they goof off, have shirts untucked,...the flower beds have weeds, there is gum everywhere....and the local riff raff that goes to the park is just un bearable.

It makes disney that much more special.

 

[Evil Princess]

Thats not all together true.

When Dan Snyder took over his head of Parks went on a rant that we will be just like Disney going after the Disney model. ( I was a 6 year SP holder).

They stated they were going to do Parades ,fireworks, characters and even Character Meals Just Like Disney.

Well that was the Characters and here's the Parade

.

What I do expect is a clean safe enviroment and I just haven't had that the past few years at our SFs . They took rides out and some just never seem to run correct.

We did Hershey Sp and it's well worth the extra 45 mins to drive to. I think they are as close to Disney as it will get.

Ah, what I meant was that Six Flags Great Adventure was not designed to be a Magic Kingdom of the Northeast. Originally it wasn't a Six Flags park, and the man who designed it did have a huge imagination and was ahead of his time...but they weren't trying to be Disney.

Many theme parks have adopted some of Disney's ideas, as have business in general. Disney is obviously very successful, and if you're going to model some areas of your park after anyone, it's going to be Disney.

That being said, Six Flags KNOWS that it isn't Disney. They added a parade because yes, it's successful in theme parks...but it isn't a theme park, it's an amusement park. They've had a parade at Great Adventure for many years now, we always joked around that it was like the ghetto version of the 3 o clock parade.

Obviously they are going to adopt some of Disney's practices. A character meal and a parade is not exclusive to Disney though. While they are becoming more family focused (with their Wiggles World expansions and the like) Six Flags target audience is more the thrillseeking crowd, and they know this.

That's why I'm saying, you can't hold them up to the same standards. Six Flags is an amusement park, Disney World is made up of theme parks. For us coaster geeks and park enthusiasts, those are two completely separate entities.

 

[DanMedix]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I love that parade pic!


...and HERE we have the world famous BLUE FORD TRACTOR! Great way to be in theme with a HIGH-CLASS PARADE!!!




Sorry, folks. I'll stick with Disney, thank you.

 

[Endeavour105]

Ok, I will get flamed. But what else is new.

Disney, buy nature is extremely expensive compared to six flags. That tends to keep less disreable folks away from the park, so you dont have as much rude behavior, littering ect.

plus, disney has much much higher employment standards which make the CM actuall care about their job and the guests.
I live 2 miles from Six Flags St. Louis. I can see / here the park through the trees on my back deck. We have season passes only beacuse we live so close and my 6 year old likes rollercoasters.

The works at 6 flags dont care, they goof off, have shirts untucked,...the flower beds have weeds, there is gum everywhere....and the local riff raff that goes to the park is just un bearable.

It makes disney that much more special.

Of course this explains the high WDW turnover rate and the fact that local area focus groups in the area do not rank WDW as the best place to work.

 

[boomhauer]

Of course this explains the high WDW turnover rate and the fact that local area focus groups in the area do not rank WDW as the best place to work.

If it's such a bad company to work for, why are you still there?

BTW - Not trying to be as rude as that sounds. Just couldn't word it any differently. You just don't seem very happy with your job. You often have unflattering things to say about guests. There must be something that keeps you there.

 

[WannaBeInWDW]

I absolutely love roller coasters!!! That's why I went!! I got on Kingda Ka and that's about it cause unless you are willing to pay $20/person extra to buy a fast pass, you can MAYBE get on two rides there!

I just think they can run the lines a little better. Like we had to figure out ourselves how many people were ahead of us to ensure we would all get on the same ride. In Disney, they figure that out for you! I enjoy not having to think!

I wasn't going to Great Adventure expecting to be in Disney. I just realized being there yesterday how much i LOVE Disney.

As far as not being expensive, I disagree. Yeah the ticket prices are lower (we paid $40 for admission i think it was $60 at the gate) then you have to pay $15 for parking; $20/person for FLASH PASS if you want to get on more than 3 major attractions; $3.29 for a NON-BRAND bottle of Water; $7.99 for a cold cheeseburger and DELICIOUS curly fries. At the end of the day, just so not worth it!! I think i spent more money there for 6 hours then I did a WHOLE day at Disney.

 

[Endeavour105]

If it's such a bad company to work for, why are you still there?

BTW - Not trying to be as rude as that sounds. Just couldn't word it any differently. You just don't seem very happy with your job. You often have unflattering things to say about guests. There must be something that keeps you there.

BTW - All I did was just state actual locally known facts. To infer otherwise and make assumptions as in your "BTW" are your erroneous additions.

 

[Evil Princess]

I absolutely love roller coasters!!! That's why I went!! I got on Kingda Ka and that's about it cause unless you are willing to pay $20/person extra to buy a fast pass, you can MAYBE get on two rides there!

I just think they can run the lines a little better. Like we had to figure out ourselves how many people were ahead of us to ensure we would all get on the same ride. In Disney, they figure that out for you! I enjoy not having to think!

I wasn't going to Great Adventure expecting to be in Disney. I just realized being there yesterday how much i LOVE Disney.

As far as not being expensive, I disagree. Yeah the ticket prices are lower (we paid $40 for admission i think it was $60 at the gate) then you have to pay $15 for parking; $20/person for FLASH PASS if you want to get on more than 3 major attractions; $3.29 for a NON-BRAND bottle of Water; $7.99 for a cold cheeseburger and DELICIOUS curly fries. At the end of the day, just so not worth it!! I think i spent more money there for 6 hours then I did a WHOLE day at Disney.

I've never had any trouble getting on more than 2 rides the entire day.

It's the same as Disney. You don't go on peak times or during the weekend. Try a weekday in early June, you won't wait more than 20 minutes for any ride. It's the same kind of thing.

 

[WannaBeInWDW]

I've never had any trouble getting on more than 2 rides the entire day.

It's the same as Disney. You don't go on peak times or during the weekend. Try a weekday in early June, you won't wait more than 20 minutes for any ride. It's the same kind of thing.

I have a rule... visit Great Adventure BEFORE memorial day or don't go at all. I broke that rule this year because i REALLY wanted to exprience Fright Fest (cause I LOVE Halloween). I am over it now.

I don't mind it being crowded, but it's like you just wait in line or you wait in line. There's nothing else to do!! No Tomorrow Transit Authority, no pretty gift shops to visit. The ferris wheel wasn't even working Sigh.

Thanks for listening!

 

[MikeyUVM]

I went to Great Escape in Lake George, NY this past summer. While I had a good time, I found myself making a lot of the same comparisons you guys are making.

I tried really hard not to fault it for not being Disney, because nothing but Disney is Disney. However, I found myself faulting it a lot more for not offering too much past a country fair; especially for the price of admission. It didn't seem well-kept; many of the rides looked like they were in need of some maintenance or a good cleaning; customer service was lacking, misunderstanding and rude. I didn't really have too much of an issue with the type of people who were there.

It just seems like they address the fact that they're not Disney by ignoring a lot of what Disney does right in the customer service and entertainment realms. You can be apart from Disney while still addressing and applying many of the things that they do to make a stay in their resort so special.

 

[WannaBeInWDW]

I went to Great Escape in Lake George, NY this past summer. While I had a good time, I found myself making a lot of the same comparisons you guys are making.

I tried really hard not to fault it for not being Disney, because nothing but Disney is Disney. However, I found myself faulting it a lot more for not offering too much past a country fair; especially for the price of admission. It didn't seem well-kept; many of the rides looked like they were in need of some maintenance or a good cleaning; customer service was lacking, misunderstanding and rude. I didn't really have too much of an issue with the type of people who were there.

It just seems like they address the fact that they're not Disney by ignoring a lot of what Disney does right in the customer service and entertainment realms. You can be apart from Disney while still addressing and applying many of the things that they do to make a stay in their resort so special.

Hey Mikey.... looks like we will both be going to Disney at the SAME time!!

I totally agree with you. We know you aren't Disney but there is a reason they are so successful. Maybe Disney should offer like a seminar!!

 

[MikeyUVM]

WannaBeInWDW: I see that now, I hope it's going to be a good time of year to go. I just upgraded from pop century to POR because I've been smart with my money this year; I love POR