Disney World is a little "weird" right now

[ArwenMarie]

I thought the same in the fall about the CMs...no one was ever rude, but they looked miserable.

 

[kittyab]

When we got our magic bands (which we loved btw), we were also given cards. We were told if the magic bands did not work we can use the card to get into the parks etc.

We were suppose to take the cards with us at all times just in case. Which we did....

No need to go nuts on the poor CM guy

 

[3happydancers]

I just don't get it. I'm sorry--I feel sorry and bad for the CMs right now. Sounds to me like there are a lot of stupid people who don't educate themselves on going to Disney before they go and that's why they have a bad time.

1. MagicBands this has been all over the place forever on how this is Disney's new ticket, resort and everything ---if the husband mentioned above forgot it then that's his problem. I'm tired of all the negative comments. People posting on how their kids won't wear them. Give me a break...you want to go on vacation? This is the deal;

2. New Tech people. There are going to be some bugs. While this is being handled get a Key to Magic Card to use as back up--yes you can still ask for them.

3. What is up with the Fast Pass Constant Negative comments. The vibe I'm getting is that people are going and expecting to just walk right on whenever they want and ride. This has never been the case even with FP. Furthermore, so what if you only get 3? The old way you could only be issued one at a time and then you had to use it until you could be issued another. By the time that happened, FP were usually so late or gone that you didn't get a chance to utilize it. Oh and let's think about how many other theme parks even give us a chance to get on three popular rides with minimal waiting without charging us a ton of money to do so.

In my opinion people need to practice more patience and do their homework before going. Check all your reservations on everything prior to leaving, printout your fast pass options prior to going in case something isn't working. Ask for the old Key To The World Cards as back up. If you do have a problem or encounter a glitch be kind to the CMs as this is new to them as well.

Sorry for the rant, I'm just fed up with the mentality. People generally don't always work well with change at first. But eventually, things get worked out and we realize the benefits.

For example, how awesome is it that we no longer have to cut out an hour and half of time to get a good spot for a parade? FP that!

I was going to break down your post but then I just concentrated on the bolded part and realized you don't know that much about how things worked at Disney.

Agreed! Those who talk this way are often ignorant and rant before thinking. Very offensive; very sad.

 

[Cyrano]

You do not want to see me rant.

The next person that resorts to name calling I will be showing them what we do with stupid

If this topic bothers you then go to the numerous other threads on the board.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I think the thing that is a negative vibe regarding fp+ that concerns me the most is the lines for rides that now have fp that formerly did not. Like Pirates. I have been to WDW in all kinds of crowds level. Like the week between Christmas and New Years. And the most I ever waited for that ride was maybe 30 minutes and that was one time (on NYE when the park was closed to capacity). Now I see that the ride has fp and guess what, the lines are supposedly longer. Why is that an improvement that needed a billion dollars to make happen?

I agree change takes time to appreciate but there is also an old saying called "if it ain't broke don't fix it". To me a ride that once had little to no lines that now has gridlock lines falls into that. Under old fp you had a way to get on headliner rides with far less wait. But you had non headliner rides, that did not have fp that you could ride very easily. Now you have long waits for rides that have fp for the first time. That does not sound like change that will take time to get used to, that sounds like stupid change that makes no sense.

And if parks are dirty and cms are grouchy that even takes away my "soaking it all in while I happily people watch" aspect.

I am hoping it all gets worked out but what I am reading lately is magic bands are working very well for most but the fp issues and park management/quality control issues are problems. And if the phone app can't work half the time, then that is just more insult to injury.

 

[brockash]

I just don't get it. I'm sorry--I feel sorry and bad for the CMs right now. Sounds to me like there are a lot of stupid people who don't educate themselves on going to Disney before they go and that's why they have a bad time.

1. MagicBands this has been all over the place forever on how this is Disney's new ticket, resort and everything ---if the husband mentioned above forgot it then that's his problem. I'm tired of all the negative comments. People posting on how their kids won't wear them. Give me a break...you want to go on vacation? This is the deal;

2. New Tech people. There are going to be some bugs. While this is being handled get a Key to Magic Card to use as back up--yes you can still ask for them.

3. What is up with the Fast Pass Constant Negative comments. The vibe I'm getting is that people are going and expecting to just walk right on whenever they want and ride. This has never been the case even with FP. Furthermore, so what if you only get 3? The old way you could only be issued one at a time and then you had to use it until you could be issued another. By the time that happened, FP were usually so late or gone that you didn't get a chance to utilize it. Oh and let's think about how many other theme parks even give us a chance to get on three popular rides with minimal waiting without charging us a ton of money to do so.

In my opinion people need to practice more patience and do their homework before going. Check all your reservations on everything prior to leaving, printout your fast pass options prior to going in case something isn't working. Ask for the old Key To The World Cards as back up. If you do have a problem or encounter a glitch be kind to the CMs as this is new to them as well.

Sorry for the rant, I'm just fed up with the mentality. People generally don't always work well with change at first. But eventually, things get worked out and we realize the benefits.

For example, how awesome is it that we no longer have to cut out an hour and half of time to get a good spot for a parade? FP that!

Lol...I suppose if Disney was paying me to go on vacation I'd agree with most of what you said, but otherwise, I find it pretty laughable. Any guest paying the kind of money they're paying to go on a Disney vacation has a right to be upset and to complain about the big mess that has been made by Disney. Not to mention the fact that this "test" has been going on for a long time, obviously not the full roll-out and at different levels, but this technology and "testing" phase has been going on for well over a yr now. Customers have every right to be upset when a company is not meeting their needs.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Yep. For me it went from Wow! To meh.

Not very happy or magical at the moment..

 

[morethananyonex]

I was honestly shocked with something a CM said to me, as I have never heard a CM talk about their role at Disney and Disney itself in such a way.

We had to go change some FP+ times at our hotel concierge a few times because of the app not funcitoning properly. One time the girl working there sighed and we got into a conversation about how much she hated FP+, hated that CM's can no longer access it, hated having to plan, hated being limited to 3, and I'm just sitting there like..... she sounds like she's on the DIS! She kept going on about how can Disney expect people to like this system. She described many CM friends of hers as just having their job as a placeholder until they get a "real job". Yikes. Maybe just a coincidence, but I've never heard a CM be that open and honest in the past.

Now I agreed with much of what she said , but I can't imagine that going over well if a CM said that kind of stuff to someone who didn't.

 

[wdw4rfam]

You do not want to see me rant.

The next person that resorts to name calling I will be showing them what we do with stupid

If this topic bothers you then go to the numerous other threads on the board.

Thank you.

 

[prudence64]

I've known disney interns who loved it and others who hated it and begged to get out. I'm sure it's not always a magical place to work and I kno a lot of people have had to settle for a job there after graduation because they couldn't find a job in their field.

 

[MickeyChix]

Agreed! Those who talk this way are often ignorant and rant before thinking. Very offensive; very sad.

Ok some clarifications. First I did not call anyone stupid on this thread---I did however say there are stupid people out there. Second, I've helped many families plan a vacation to Disney and they've come back happy with their trip, so clearly I must know something about Disney. That and I'm currently working on my own trip for going back which will be trip 15 for me personally.

Third, it's true I've never utilized FP that much before because we've never needed to. We go during times when attendance is at it's lowest and always utilize early entry days and basically show up way before gates open so we can optimize those first couple of hours prior to the parks getting busy.

Fourth, going to Disney World really is like going to a foreign country---it's expensive and very overwhelming. Which is why it is so important to gather as much info as needed prior to going to ensure that you have a great time. Especially given the money you will spend!

I think right now while this major transition is happening you have to do a little more leg work is all. And have patience. Ask for a Key to the World Card as back up--you can still get them and then carry it with you at all times. That way if you are caught off guard by a glitch you have it covered. Have your ADRs written down with confirmation nos. just in case. You might even consider printing out your FP+ selections from home and bringing them with you if you don't intend to change them. Make sure you have the latest Disney Apps downloaded to make your trip easier. If you encounter a FP glitch have some patience and know your not the only one. Try and hit the parks first thing in the morning when they open up.

It just saddens me to hear all the negatives about a place I love so much. For me it's not about the number of attractions I get on, wait times, glitches, it's about being with my family and feeling like a kid again! Having fun with the CMs there and thanking them for making my trip enjoyable by doing the jobs they do.

Have faith knowing that eventually these glitches will be fixed and not giving up on the Dream! That's all I guess.

 

[PirateD]

I think the thing that is a negative vibe regarding fp+ that concerns me the most is the lines for rides that now have fp that formerly did not. Like Pirates. I have been to WDW in all kinds of crowds level. Like the week between Christmas and New Years. And the most I ever waited for that ride was maybe 30 minutes and that was one time (on NYE when the park was closed to capacity). Now I see that the ride has fp and guess what, the lines are supposedly longer. Why is that an improvement that needed a billion dollars to make happen?

I agree change takes time to appreciate but there is also an old saying called "if it ain't broke don't fix it". To me a ride that once had little to no lines that now has gridlock lines falls into that. Under old fp you had a way to get on headliner rides with far less wait. But you had non headliner rides, that did not have fp that you could ride very easily. Now you have long waits for rides that have fp for the first time. That does not sound like change that will take time to get used to, that sounds like stupid change that makes no sense.

And if parks are dirty and cms are grouchy that even takes away my "soaking it all in while I happily people watch" aspect.

I am hoping it all gets worked out but what I am reading lately is magic bands are working very well for most but the fp issues and park management/quality control issues are problems.

Very well said! These are my exact concerns as well. We also have been during Spring and Christmas Break but were able to manage crowds fine just by knowing what the high capacity rides were and using FP. I don't know how we will tour during those times now that we can't depend upon shorter lines at rides like Pirates. And if you add to that grumpy CMs and guests and dirty parks, you have lost the just sit back and soak up the atmosphere option. I really want to plan a trip for this Christmas but I can't picture how it will possibly be worth it if things remain as they currently are.

 

[morethananyonex]

I've known disney interns who loved it and others who hated it and begged to get out. I'm sure it's not always a magical place to work and I kno a lot of people have had to settle for a job there after graduation because they couldn't find a job in their field.

If that was in response to what I said, I know it's not always magical, I was more surprised that the CM had no issues voicing her true feelings to a guest. I imagine the stuff she was saying could get her in trouble if I had chosen to tell someone.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Ok some clarifications. First I did not call anyone stupid on this thread---I did however say there are stupid people out there. Second, I've helped many families plan a vacation to Disney and they've come back happy with their trip, so clearly I must know something about Disney. That and I'm currently working on my own trip for going back which will be trip 15 for me personally.

Third, it's true I've never utilized FP that much before because we've never needed to. We go during times when attendance is at it's lowest and always utilize early entry days and basically show up way before gates open so we can optimize those first couple of hours prior to the parks getting busy.

Fourth, going to Disney World really is like going to a foreign country---it's expensive and very overwhelming. Which is why it is so important to gather as much info as needed prior to going to ensure that you have a great time. Especially given the money you will spend!

I think right now while this major transition is happening you have to do a little more leg work is all. And have patience. Ask for a Key to the World Card as back up--you can still get them and then carry it with you at all times. That way if you are caught off guard by a glitch you have it covered. Have your ADRs written down with confirmation nos. just in case. You might even consider printing out your FP+ selections from home and bringing them with you if you don't intend to change them. Make sure you have the latest Disney Apps downloaded to make your trip easier. If you encounter a FP glitch have some patience and know your not the only one. Try and hit the parks first thing in the morning when they open up.

It just saddens me to hear all the negatives about a place I love so much. For me it's not about the number of attractions I get on, wait times, glitches, it's about being with my family and feeling like a kid again! Having fun with the CMs there and thanking them for making my trip enjoyable by doing the jobs they do.

Have faith knowing that eventually these glitches will be fixed and not giving up on the Dream! That's all I guess.

I agree with these points you are making and see where you are coming from.

What concerns me is that prices continue to rise to pay for changes that are seemingly either a love hate kind of thing and also don't seem to be going very well. I don't want to stand in lines for ride that used to be a sure thing to get onto quickly. I don't want to hear cm's sounding cynical and unhappy, I don't want to hear about cleanliness issues, Imagineering projects that are now put on indefinite hold. It seems like widespread issues happening that shouldn't be inter related but yet seem to be just that. That to me suggests they did too much at once and its kind of a domino affect.

For sure there are a lot of great things happening. People seem to really like these magic bands and some of those kinks seem to be working out and having a plastic card available as back up sounds good to me. The new Fantasyland is a big addition and the mine train being done in the near future at long last is also a really good thing.

I think its just hard to hear some of the things others are seeing and reporting back on. When you have something you love, that you have always paid the big bucks to enjoy and felt like it was worth it (obviously or we wouldn't keep going back), now cost more for an experience that feels way different, take more work (Disney trips have always been work to plan the way I do them but I knew how to do it and it paid off) and pre planning and cost more for an experience many are saying is diminished by more than a little bit. Makes me sad and yeah a bit worried. Not enough to cancel but kind of enough to have me worrying I might come back for the first time ever not feeling like I got my Happy Place fix and my money's worth.

If people were saying, "it stinks you can't book more than one headliner but the usual rides like POTC and Spaceship Earth are still easy to get on and the parks look great and the cm's are there to settle the issues" I wouldn't worry one bit.

I just feel like I keep seeing these same negative experiences being posted, some from people I have seen posting on here for a decade that used to not have a bad thing to say.

 

[TheDisneyPrep]

We stayed at Art of Animation in October AND December. Both time our Magic bands drove me b-a-n-a-n-a-s. It was awful.
Apparently ONLY the concierge at AoA could help me with Magic Bands, so when we got back from the parks at 10:30 pm no one could help. I had to show up at 7:00 a.m. in order to get help... but when I showed up at 6:45 a.m. there was already a huge line. We missed park open because the Magic Bands were acting up and no one could help.

At one point the Magic Band "lost" our Deluxe Dining Plan... so we had to pay out of pocket for an 8 person lunch at Brown Derby (with drinks!) and then get reimbursed later, which was a nightmare. Because of course why would we have been given an itemized receipt... it was so horrific. And the CMs, bless their hearts, were just so frustrated that even they couldn't make the situation better - and kind of made it worse by being SO negative.

In May I'm heading back for another trip - with two girls who have never been to WDW before and I'm nervous that this Magic Band FP+ nonsense will really impact out trip, big time, and sour their experience. Here's hoping for the best!!

 

[brinney08]

We just went in December and had the MagicBands to test. I actually really enjoyed having the bands, made our trip so much smoother to just use it to pay, enter the park, etc. The FP+ was still getting kinks worked out, and I found it to be so/so. Sometimes it worked out great and others I got pretty frustrated. The CMs all seemed very friendly to me at least though, and I never saw anyone getting mad.

 

[MickeyChix]

I agree with these points you are making and see where you are coming from.

What concerns me is that prices continue to rise to pay for changes that are seemingly either a love hate kind of thing and also don't seem to be going very well. I don't want to stand in lines for ride that used to be a sure thing to get onto quickly. I don't want to hear cm's sounding cynical and unhappy, I don't want to hear about cleanliness issues, Imagineering projects that are now put on indefinite hold. It seems like widespread issues happening that shouldn't be inter related but yet seem to be just that. That to me suggests they did too much at once and its kind of a domino affect.

For sure there are a lot of great things happening. People seem to really like these magic bands and some of those kinks seem to be working out and having a plastic card available as back up sounds good to me. The new Fantasyland is a big addition and the mine train being done in the near future at long last is also a really good thing.

I think its just hard to hear some of the things others are seeing and reporting back on. When you have something you love, that you have always paid the big bucks to enjoy and felt like it was worth it (obviously or we wouldn't keep going back), now cost more for an experience that feels way different, take more work (Disney trips have always been work to plan the way I do them but I knew how to do it and it paid off) and pre planning and cost more for an experience many are saying is diminished by more than a little bit. Makes me sad and yeah a bit worried. Not enough to cancel but kind of enough to have me worrying I might come back for the first time ever not feeling like I got my Happy Place fix and my money's worth.

If people were saying, "it stinks you can't book more than one headliner but the usual rides like POTC and Spaceship Earth are still easy to get on and the parks look great and the cm's are there to settle the issues" I wouldn't worry one bit.

I just feel like I keep seeing these same negative experiences being posted, some from people I have seen posting on here for a decade that used to not have a bad thing to say.

Agreed on all levels!!!

 

[NewEnglandCamper]

Just got back from 5 days at Disney and I agree...

It was definitely our worse trip... yes I hate hate hate the fast pass + system... why did they take something that worked really really well and replace it with nonsense and confusion?

Now the teens had fun... we allowed them to go to any park they want and they did but also they don't mind waiting in lines and they have phones to text and chat...

Now we did like Ariel new ride, loved the Test Track experience,

The cast members at MK are usually the most friendly but when I question one about a price confusion she was annoyed but ultimately gave me the price...

I loved loved the Pirates League too! That was a lot of fun!!!

But overall the feel was different...

I did like the TURNSTYLE FREE entrance!!!

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Just got back from 5 days at Disney and I agree...

It was definitely our worse trip... yes I hate hate hate the fast pass + system... why did they take something that worked really really well and replace it with nonsense and confusion?

Now the teens had fun... we allowed them to go to any park they want and they did but also they don't mind waiting in lines and they have phones to text and chat...

Now we did like Ariel new ride, loved the Test Track experience,

The cast members at MK are usually the most friendly but when I question one about a price confusion she was annoyed but ultimately gave me the price...

I loved loved the Pirates League too! That was a lot of fun!!!

But overall the feel was different...

I did like the TURNSTYLE FREE entrance!!!

NewEnglandCamper...how were the crowds at the non-MK parks?

 

[khaleesi]

I'm sorry it felt that way. I just got back on Thursday and didn't experience anything even remotely close to that. Everyone I encountered was absolutely wonderful.