Disney World is a little "weird" right now

[roseandcrownfan]

There was a Starbucks on Main Street? I completely missed that. I saw the one in EPCOT and that they are putting in two in Downtown Disney, but I missed the one at MK. I'm actually a bit of a Starbucks nut, but I didn't have any there, go figure.

Did it seem like there was a lot more construction than ever before? We are only every few years visitors and it just felt like there was something new going in around every corner. Which will be nice for us because it's a lot more to see next time, but - back to the original idea of the thread - I wonder if everything: magic bands, FP changes, construction, seasonal refurbs isn't almost too much at once?

 

[*disgal*]

Now...I won't go without a hopper now BECAUSE of Fast Pass plus. Go to one park at rope drop....rest and then hit the Fast Pass park in the afternoon...makes perfect sense.

Well, for now, that only works for onsite guests, right? So that strategy won't work for many, including my family next month.

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.


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!

Wow. The first paragraph is just so....so....wrong. I can tell you have never fully used fp. And I don't care about other theme parks. I'm at Disney. I care what they do. If I cared about Universal or whatever I would stay at their hotels and get the FOTL pass.

And as far as the parade, we don't do that any longer anyway. Give me another fp for Splash. Now we're talkin'!

I'm another one in agreement with 3happydancers. I'll be patient to a point, but I spend a lot of money at Disney (4 AP's between myself and the family, and we're DVC members), and regardless of how much I love it, I do expect things to be up to "Disney" standards with a little magic tossed in.

One thing I saw mentioned in a couple of posts in this thread were the "scooter convention"- type remarks. I really wanted to say my mom has to use one every time we go, and it would be nice if benefit of the doubt was given. Yes, I'm sure there are those that really don't need them, but it's not as much of a 'benefit' as you may think; among other things it's very difficult to maneuver around crowds of people, and believe me when I say she'd much rather not have to use one - she rather have good legs and no health conditions, and maybe a couple of decades given back (she's 78). It really irritates me when people talk about "all the scooters" - just be happy you or yours doesn't need one.

I've often encouraged my own family members who have difficulty walking to consider a scooter for situations where they might not otherwise be able to get around (to no luck on my part, unfortunately). My original statement still stands, though, that I was surprised at how many I saw which made me wonder Disney has changed a policy.

I'm usually so carefully measured on message boards that I rarely ever cause hurt feelings with my comments. Added in to being a new poster and I do apologize to the few that spoke up to me and to those who didn't. I got called out on a glib comment that I made without thinking of my own past situations and how those experiences affected me and I'm really bothered that I hurt feelings. It's not my intent to make enemies, especially as a new poster. I would much rather spend my time earning my ears discussing the good and bad of Disney vacations.

I wanted to apologize to everyone personally, but I'm too new. I could run and hide with my internet tail between my legs, but I'd rather you know I saw your comments and they affected me. And I've edited this a bajillion times so I hope it makes sense!

My mom rented a scooter for the first and only time at Epcot in, I think, 2005. It was wonderful for her as far as driving it. Couldn't believe how well she did. Probably because she went slowly. But even though it helped her out she hated all the traffic it messed up. We did too! Just like I hate strollers but guess what? I used 2 of them over the years at Disney. When ya need them, ya need them. Doesn't mean ya have to like 'em!

roseandcrownfan......I'm not offended at all. My mom wouldn't be offended. She would laugh and agree with you. She was on oxygen the last 2 years of her life. Won't go into all that was wrong with her let's just suffice it to say the doctors thought she would have gone 10 years before she did. She had a great sense of humor about it. Only way she got thru it with a smile. We were all grateful for the scooter and I'm sure all who use them are grateful. I didn't think you were trying to offend all handicapped people or anything. You sound really sweet.

 

[shaycamp21]

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!!

Just wondering what would have happened if you did not have a means to pay for the lunch (other than MB)? In the past our credit cards were locked up in the safe and we just took our KTTWC everywhere, but I suppose you can't do that anymore.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

Now...I won't go without a hopper now BECAUSE of Fast Pass plus. Go to one park at rope drop....rest and then hit the Fast Pass park in the afternoon...makes perfect sense.

We were there in December and didn't notice any negative vibe. We honestly really liked the Magic Bands and the Fast Pass Plus. We are going back in a week...we will see what happens then.

This only works if you hit rope drop. I've never hit rope drop at WDW in my life and I'm about to start now. We do hop but it's usually once one park has closed (like AK) and it's usually for dining or parades/fireworks.

 

[disnut1149]

First; Your previous post was very offensive whether you want to admit it or not. While you did not call anyone on the "board" stupid you took a general approach which can be directed toward anyone. Simply not acceptable. Not to mention several other comments you stated.

Second: You are not the only one who has been to Disney countless times. You are not the only one who has helped others plan their dream vacation and had them come home thrilled with their stay.

Third; If you never truly utilized legacy fast passes, then you should not be commenting on the many complaints posted by those who have and understand what has been lost. You have the flexibility to go when attendance is low which is wonderful for you. Other families do not have this choice. Some had the idea that since you could now schedule fast passes, they would have more flexibility and could go to the parks a bit later only to find out this does not work for them. And for some, this worked fine. Either way, these are personal decisions and both sides have a right to voice how they were affected. If you don't have the ability to understand both sides, I suggest you don't read their posts.

Fourth; Don't assume that people did not do their homework before going on vacation. I for one, have more than once had to have something clarified only to get different answers to the same question. And, no matter how many questions you ask, you always chance not being aware of something you should have asked. Actually, Disney should be more mindful of just how much guests spend on a WDW vacation and should do everything in their power to make sure their guest's stay is magical, not plagued with countless problems.

As for asking for a KTTW, yes, they are supposed to be available upon request. But guess what, some have posted that they were denied that request. Further, if guests have their MB's, get to a park only to find out their band is not working, who's fault is that, the guest or Disney's faulty system? Why should it be the guest's responsibility to have a back up plan (not to say that this wouldn't be a good idea)? Guests should not have to "prove" they had FP's scheduled or that they had an ADR, or that their tickets were supposed to be linked to their bands. This is Disney's test, not the guests! As for the apps, those who are lucky enough to have a smart phone still experience problems which has nothing to do with the most updated download. For those who do not have smart phones or are staying off site, they need to deal with kiosks which to date, have been reported being both good in some areas while being a nightmare in others. No one can plan for this. This problem needs to be addressed by Disney.

Ultimately, Disney's problems are not minor and many guests and CM's are suffering. Sorry you have such a love for Disney that you can't see past your heart. The fact remains that everyone has a breaking point; everyone runs out of patients at some point. Disney needs to take charge and at the very least manage crowd control and moral. It's been reported how FP lines are running into walk ways and stretch far into the next attraction causing chaos and great confusion; not acceptable! They have thrown the CM's into a situation without giving them the proper tools to manage what is happening; again, not acceptable! While it might take some time to correct technical glitches, Disney is well aware of what is going on in the parks and yet they have not stepped in to take control. Shame on Them!

It saddens me that you expect those who have had terrible experiences to have "more patience and understand" for the situation at hand and yet you yourself show absolutely none for them. I find this rather ironic.[/QUOTE

Great post!! Totally agree!

 

[Minniesgal]

Actually the way I read it he had his magic band but it didn't work. The point of the band is so you don't have to have tickets money etc with you.

In fairness I don't think the system is mature enough for people to travel without back up tickets or means of payment.

 

[PopnPrincess]

The magic band and fp+ are such huge changes that it's hard to get it going and do it right the first time (even in Disney!!) So, I think we ought to just let it slide and move on.

 

[Mommy2Corinne]

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.

ITA. We used to ride POTC, IASW, HM, etc. numerous times each throughout the day while we were waiting for FP- windows to open up because they were always basically walk ons. My kids *love* these rides. My 4 year old's favorite ride in the whole world is HM. My little guy loves IASW. My oldest is nuts about POTC. It's so sad to me that they ruined the walk on aspect of these rides with FP+.

 

[LivingforDisney]

Went Sept/Oct last year, had the magic bands, had no problems at all with them, booked out fp's days in advance.
One day sons's band didn't work when getting lunch, so I just scanned mine again, then back at POP the cm fixed it.
Thought the bands were great!!!

 

[khaleesi]

One thing I saw mentioned in a couple of posts in this thread were the "scooter convention"- type remarks. I really wanted to say my mom has to use one every time we go, and it would be nice if benefit of the doubt was given. Yes, I'm sure there are those that really don't need them, but it's not as much of a 'benefit' as you may think; among other things it's very difficult to maneuver around crowds of people, and believe me when I say she'd much rather not have to use one - she rather have good legs and no health conditions, and maybe a couple of decades given back (she's 78). It really irritates me when people talk about "all the scooters" - just be happy you or yours doesn't need one.

Exactly! I was diagnosed with MS a month after booking my trip. My main symptom was my vision, but I do get weird tingling in my legs. You would never know this to look at me. The tingling doesn't affect my walking, but since heat can be a trigger for exacerbated symptoms, I was a little concerned going down especially sine I was going alone.

Every time I saw someone on a scooter get on a Disney bus or go on a ride, I was grateful that I didn't have to do that and I was so impressed with all the accommodations Disney makes for those who can't just happily skip down the path. I watched CMs hurriedly run to ride vehicles to make seating out of the way to make room for scooters and I thought "THAT is why I love Disney!"

While my experience at Disney last week doesn't match the one a lot of people have been reporting, I understand complaints about things that have changed. I don't really agree with them, but I certainly respect the differing opinions. But complaining about people who have to make modifications in the way they travel due to an illness that may or may not be easy to see is not the same thing.

I've often encouraged my own family members who have difficulty walking to consider a scooter for situations where they might not otherwise be able to get around (to no luck on my part, unfortunately). My original statement still stands, though, that I was surprised at how many I saw which made me wonder Disney has changed a policy.

I'm usually so carefully measured on message boards that I rarely ever cause hurt feelings with my comments. Added in to being a new poster and I do apologize to the few that spoke up to me and to those who didn't. I got called out on a glib comment that I made without thinking of my own past situations and how those experiences affected me and I'm really bothered that I hurt feelings. It's not my intent to make enemies, especially as a new poster. I would much rather spend my time earning my ears discussing the good and bad of Disney vacations.

I wanted to apologize to everyone personally, but I'm too new. I could run and hide with my internet tail between my legs, but I'd rather you know I saw your comments and they affected me. And I've edited this a bajillion times so I hope it makes sense!

Thank you for that!

 

[MandiC]

As far as the CMs waving guests who get the 'no-go blue' through in FP+ lines. If you show up more than 5 minutes early for your FP+ ride it will be blue rather than the green. When you only have 10 minutes until your FP+ and you've done all the rides in that land and know you won't have time to go to another ride (in another land) than you go wait in line. We had some CMs let us through early and two who didn't. When you go through the FP+ line and scan your MagicBand they can see your name and your FP+ time, we had the CM at Jungle Cruise tell us to stand aside for just one minute...the CM at the Dinosaur ride in AK did give me a bit of a bad vibe. We showed up 8 minutes early, he told us we had to come back in 8 minutes...by that time I knew if you showed up 5 minutes or less early it would let you through so that was a little irritating as there was nothing close we wanted to ride.

Anyways, I guess I can't really comment. We were there Jan 31- Feb 7 and it was my very first time at Disney World but it was magical and most of the CMs went out of their way to make it special for us. The park was very clean and other than some issues with the fingerprint scanner at the gates I loved the MagicBands. FP+ was great everywhere except Hollywood Studios and Epcot. More because Hollywood Studios isn't a whole lot of rides, it is more shows and FP people were pretty much let in with everyone else. Epcot I hate the tier system, hate it. Both days we were in Epcot I didn't use all our FP+ for the day because we didn't care to waste our time with the second tier rides (not that we would have needed a FP for most of them). We wanted Maelstrom, Soarin and Test Track...thankfully we were there during a good time of year and the lines weren't awful anyways.
My main problem was Disney transportation. Is it normal that when they have two busses running between your resort and the park that they come one right after the other? I thought they could have spaced them out to one every 10 minutes rather than 2 every 20. I also think I might have been there at the same time as the guy who made the scooter convention remark (your signature says Feb at POR, that was us too), because that made the bus situation even worse. I completely understand some people need to use them but a scooter would pull up just as the bus was coming after we waited 20 minutes and then we'd have to wait for the driver to load the scooter and person before we loaded...and sometimes then a second and/or third scooter would show up and the bus would be half full of scooters before people would be able to get on. It just seemed like a lot of people were using scooters.

 

[dakotix]

This has been an interesting thread to read through. You can really tell the difference between those who embrace change and those who detest it! lol. My DH hates change. I mean he really abhors it. I on the other hand love change, I think it's the spice of life (the point of life, really) -- new opportunities and challenges -- change is what I think makes life more interesting.

We're going in November so we'll see how the system works then. It is too bad the current system doesn't work with park hopping. You would think that would be a benefit you get when you buy the park hopper option. Maybe by November they will include it.

Last time we definitely used the legacy FP. We were probably doing it wrong since I can't remember being able to use it more than 3 times a day anyway. But we did use it at multiple parks per day (mostly MK and EP).

But then again we're just two pokey 40-something dudes who like to stop and smell the roses (literally) .. haha we love how Disney landscapes everything! We definitely love the rides but appreciate all the other parts of Disney too.

 

[kbelle8995]

I don't think it's about hating change. There is some of that there but I don't think that's all it's about it.

I think that the FP+ program is great for some people and for others not so much.

 

[Mary*Poppins]

I think anytime you are implementing a new system there is an adjusting period. Sometimes it is a short, smooth one. Sometimes it takes a bit longer. In my industry this happens often.
Sometimes plans that the "Big Wigs" think looks great on paper, is not do great when the employees on the ground have to implement it.

Hopefully, most will be patient and understanding and realize that the employees are the ones on the front lines taking the brunt of the criticism. They're also making very little while dealing with all of this. I'm sure that it is very hard for them to feel the magic themselves. When you don't feel it, it's hard to show it

I agree about the adjusting period, After reading so many negative threads I'm glad my family is skipping this year (the first in 7 years) and are going to try Atlantis in the Bahamas instead! Hopefully next year Disney will have worked out its kinks!

 

[flicx]

In fairness I don't think the system is mature enough for people to travel without back up tickets or means of payment.

But isn't that the point of the system? You can go to waterparks and just have the band. Go everywhere and charge with it , get into your room with it etc. Is Disney telling people to bring an alternative form of payment/ room key etc. If so I really think they should look at this 1.5 billion dollar expenditure a lot closer. Obviously if this is so they rolled it out too soon.

 

[mom2rtk]

You can really tell the difference between those who embrace change and those who detest it!

All this thread shows is who dislikes THIS change.

 

[khaleesi]

I don't think it's about hating change. There is some of that there but I don't think that's all it's about it.

I think that the FP+ program is great for some people and for others not so much.

I think this is probably more accurate. I hate change, but didn't feel any negative effect of the Magic Bands, FP+ or the atmosphere/vibe. Perspective is a huge part of it... one person said nobody left their resort on Wednesday, but I was there the same day and though MK was packed.

 

[wdwlver]

All this thread shows is who dislikes THIS change.

If embracing change means paying more for getting less then I guess I hate change.

Seriously though I too am majorly bummed that rides we used to walk on POTC, HM, IASW, now have long lines thanks to fp+.

 

[EMode]

I love change when that change results in something positive. I hate FP+, not because its a change but because its a change that really sucks.

 

[magicbob]

I embrace change for the better. Change just for the sake of change has a habit of resulting in things becoming worse. Just because someone doesn't like a particular change doesn't make them an anti-progress, change-fearing, troglodyte.