Disney's getting boring.

[RUN]

When I was younger and I used to live in Cali we use to go to Disneyland once or twice a year. When we moved to Georgia when I was 7 it really excited me because we were so close to WDW. All tell you from then to when I was 11 I loved the place, and I always cried when we had to leave. I was crazy about all things Disney. And I always longed for the chance to get back there. But then when I turned 11 I finally got to visit Cedar Point. That changed my whole outlook on the place. The next time we wen't back to Disney things weren't near as fun, coasters felt slower and Splash Mountain and other rides seemed smaller.

Then 2 years later IOA opened. From my first visit there Disney just became another boring group of parks down the road. Since then I've been to over 20 different parks using my parents flying free privledges they get from working for Delta. About a year ago I really got into coasters and found out all these really cool sites like Danimation, Coasterbuzz, Thrillride, and just recently this great site. It's amazing how much stuff you can learn from sites like this. Things like how cheap Disney has been as of late, and how they are relying on their name to make them money and not their rides themselves. On previous visits I never realised how much it coasts to go to Disney because I was so immersed in it, now that I'm 14 I've realised how much Disney is a rip-off when it comes to prices and why my parents dreaded going there. I really don't see how you can be in any kind of Fantasy Land when your paying $4.50 for a pretzel and $300 a night for a hotel room no bigger than a room at any Holiday Inn.

Then once we stayed at the PBH at USO that totally destroyed any reputating Disney had with me. Like how the PBH was $250 a night and the bathroom was bigger than a whole Disney hotel room. One other problem with WDW is that they make you go to 4 parks to do all the main attractions, but each park only has 2 maybe 3 notable rides. There are also so many other things worse I've learned about Disney through all these forums and info sites, but I don't want to be too hard on them, because of my previous love for the company. I don't know if anyone else shares these beliefs, but it kinda saddens me to find out that Disney isn't the perfect company I once believed it was.

 

[socca princess*]

First of all, sorry you feel that way.

Second of all, I do not think Disney is relying on their name to make them money. Have you seen how much time and thought goes into every little thing that Cast Members do? That's basically like saying all those smart people working down there aren't helping at all really because, like you said, they don't depend on their rides anymore. (Uh~oh, I am starting to sound kinda like Coral sorry.)

Third of all, just because you like the roller coasters doesn't mean Disney is bad because they don't have a lot. Space Mountain is a pretty good roller coaster, Big Thunder Mt., and Rock 'n' Rollercoaster are all most definitley roller coasters. And just cuz they might not be to your level is no reason not to like Disney. They have a variety of rides because they have a variety of people there.

Fourth of all, they charge extra for the food because number one it is good, and number 2, you are in Disney World... on vacation! If you don't expect to spend a little extra mula on vacation then bring snacks in backppacks or something cuz it's not illegal.

Fifth of all, they have different parks because different people like diferent things, and they have the types of rides spread out so that if you like MGM theming, you don't have to be stuck with a little boat ride or something.

Sixth and last of all, about the resorts, you get to chose where you want to stay. There are many hotels that have rooms that are actually quite big. Maybe you stayed at one that wasn't, but you have to do research and stay in the one that is the best size for you. My family? We stay in a regular room at the Beach Club, and yes, it is small, but we stay there becauase we like the location, the pool, and we're in Disney so how much time do we want to spend in the hotel anyways? It gives us the room to sleep, watch TV, go to the bathroom, shower, and eat... what more do you need? I'm not saying your opinion is wrong, but I am saying that just because it's not the best place for you... do you know how many lives it had changed? And I don't think you should be saying that about the Disney name. Sure, that is part of the reason people go there. But there is more to it and if you're not going to appreciate the rest of it, you don't have to go, and if you do end up there, you have to remember that it was created for all people to enjoy.

I, for one, do not think Disney is boring.

 

[AFgirl325]

I don't want to try and totally change your perspective on Disney, but I thought I'd just throw in my 2 cents...

Ok, it's great you like all the rollercoaster parks- I do too- they are some great ones within a couple hours from my house. They're fun, but it does not even compare with Disney- why? because Disney isn't just a trip to have fun for a day- Disney is an experience. So although IOA is awesome in your opinion, you can't really compare it to WDW because they're two different types of vacation. Sorry if I've like totally lost you, but this how I feel. Like at WDW you wake up in the morning in a wonderful resort (all of them are- from AS- GF) with the option of going to 8 different parks (4 theme, 3 water, 1 sports). Later on, you can decide from several restaurants for where to dine. Before the parks close, you can experience wonderful firework shows which NOTHING can top. Everything has the littlest detail and makes you feel like you're in a different world- that's why WDW is an experience, rather than a normal theme park- so that's why you can't even compare the two.

Yes, you could compare, say IOA with MGM. Personally, I would rather go with MGM, just because of the magic Disney provides. For some reason to me, IOA and USF just seem so... manufactured I guess you could say- somewhat fake. But Disney just makes you feel like a kid again- even just if you go into one park.

So this is my 2 cents- enjoy!! lol

 

[WDWfanatic288]

ok first of all...ok im sorry you feel that way..but hey! if u dont want to go...good!(no offense to you,though)more room for me!!! and also..i hate when ppl go that hate WDW..it puts sour moods on others.
ok i LOVE thrill rides..love them...I love IOA...dueling dragons is my favorite and the best coast ever...the near misses are excellent!!!
ok but first off....i agree with disney being cheap...not totally cheap but cheaper than usual. i mean they put a new ride like every year but its like dumbo or some sorry ride...they are laying off ppl in record numbers...this year isnt Disneys year,AT ALL!!! DCA is sucking BAD,atlantis was a bomb,pealr harbor didnt do as well as wanted so its makes sense...they are relying on their name...my die-hard disney fan understands this..every disney needs to(to learn about it go to www.laughingplace.com...read columns by Jim Hill but the best one is www.mouseplanet.com...go read Al Lutz column...it will put u in order!)
ok 2nd..not all hotel rooms are $300 dollars!!!!! this september all-star is going for $49 a night!!! thats NO WHERE near $300....my family has talked about staying at the USF hotel but those rooms are really expensive!!! we cant afford to stay there for that much when we can go to Contempary and get $150!
and also....u dont have to go to all parks...you can pick a pass and go to any or every one.
but I would choose to WDW over USF....i can do both parks in less than 2 days...it would take me over a week to do every park!!! and also nothing compares to the magic of DISNEY!!
but yes...i couldnt agree more...disney fans needs to wake up and smell the coffee(i have and boy do I love that I did!) DISNEY ISNT A PICTURE-PERFECT COMPANY THAT IT SEEMS TO BE...ITS FAR FROM IT!!! sorry to yell(hehe) just wanted to make sure that yall saw!
again if u want to info(aka back-up info to prove the point) go to www.laughingplace.com and read Jim Hills column and/or www.mouseplanet.com adn read all of Al Lutz columns)

 

[PigSoldier]

Woooh!! Another Jim Hill fan !! I think David Koenig is another great journalist, you can read him at Mouseplanet too.

I agree with IOARules, that budget cuts are making the Disney company go downhill. I still think that its the most magical place on earth, and I think most people here do, making it easier for them to make budget cuts, and no-one will care. In the past, Walt Disney made money so that he could spend money, now Eisner makes money so that he can give himself a hefty bonus at the end of the year.
Before, Disney attractions were state of the art, making use of new cutting edge technology. Now, we get attractions like Buzz Lightyear, and though it is a fun ride, is hardly state of the art. Compare it to Men in Black at Universal, and its no contest.
And compare IOA with DAK, both theme parks opened in the last few years. IOA has great theming, great rides and makes the bestuse of new technology. DAK has 3 rides, a safari ride which is great, but has been done before, a water ride, with barely any theming and a simulator/rollercoaster ride, which was new and exciting about 5 years ago. Add a few shows and animal exhibits, and you've got a theme park that you can do in half a day if you're lucky.
Budget cuts in the theme parks are also getting out of control. Before, there was a team of maintenance men, who were there solely to change the light bulbs when they were 4/5s gone. Now, lightbulbs on Main Street burn out and stay that way.
Before you all flame me, I'll point out that I love Disney, and despite everything that's wrong with WDW, I still love it, and think its the most magical place on earth.

 

[socca princess*]

BuMp!!

 

[samster]

I think disney isn't geared twards thrill seekers. I think that disney is for familys to enjoy themselves, not for rollercoaster fanatics (I admit, I'm one too) to go nuts. You can't turn on disney guys. I know we're all getting to be older and disney dosen't have those wild rides we all want but its ridiculous to think that disney is just another boring place. I agree, IOA is a great place that has a ton o cool stuff but for me, nothing and i mean NOTHING compares to disney

 

[nsyncraider17]

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't think Disney will ever be boring for me. I agree with samster- Disney isn't supposed to be for thrills. They have a few thrill rides, but the majority of the attractions are for families to enjoy together. And while the thrill rides may not be as good as some at non-disney parks, Rock 'n' Rollercoaster is my favorite roller coaster. It's not just the ride, it's the theming. I will admit that I've never even been to IOA or USF, but I'd rather go to Disney any day. If I really want to go ride roller coasters all day I can go to Cedar Point, King's Island, Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, Kennywood in pittsburgh, etc.

I do agree w/ you that the WDW resorts seem to be kind of a ripoff. But i've never stayed in one, so I can't really give a good opinion. My family likes Holiday Inn Family Suites, which has bigger rooms than most disney resorts anyway. Disney isn't a perfect company. WDW is expensive. (although a one day, one park pass costs no more than a ticket for IOA) But in my opinion, the experience you have there makes it worth the cost.

 

[Amgrease]

Ok, I agree with everyone that Disney is going downhill a bit but I think they'll eventually pull themselves back up. Every great company has a bad year or so. On the subject of IOA. I've been to every theme park in Florida about a billion times. Hey! I live here. IOA is great but it doesn't have the same feel as Disney. One big difference is the employees. I find that I have many more memorable experiences made at Disney than I do at IOA. I've made friends with Disney employees, get to do and see special things, like the front of the monorail (ya, I know everyone gets that but do you at IOA?), playing a memory game with the cast member at AKL, seeing the backroom of a store in MK, stickers for playing a Disney Trivia game with a bus driver, and being offered coloring books (even though I'm 15) at the Disney Institute! Disney's all about experiences, not thrills. Universal wants to give you thrills on their rides and in their shows. They show you things to amaze you. Disney does things for you that you'll remember forever. That's why I like Disney much more.

 

[RUN]

I know for sure Disney is for families, I mean the average visiting kid there is about 8yr old. I will also admit the complete immersion into differenct sections is great and the employees there are wonderful, and the day Disney loses that quality is the day Disney parks close. I just don't seem to get any different feeling when I walk into a Disney park than I do any other. It's just a theme park themed to characters from animated movies. I don't see any magic there because there isn't any, for those of you who keep talking about it what is it, the lights out on Main St, the numerous Dumbo rides cloned throughout the parks, the broken clicking animatronic characters, the water blasters they use to get you wet because the ride can't, the insane prices, the corny ride stories, a bunch of carnival rides, or a ride that makes you wear something to silence your screams?

 

[Disenchanted9k]

IOArules, can I ask you a simple question? Why are you posting on here and wasting your time if you think WDW and Disney are so horrible? I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just kinda curious. You're entitled to your own opinion and I'm the first person to say that, but I think you should let everyone here like Disney if they want. Just b/c you don't feel any magic there, doesn't mean no one else can. Maybe disney just isn't your kind of thing and that's fine. As for me, I love WDW b/c while you may not believe it, it IS a place where I feel disconnected from the rest of the world and to me it DOES have a different feel than other theme parks I've been to, and believe me, I've been to a lot. As for IOA, personally I can't comment one way or another b/c I've never been there, but I'm sure it is better for thrill rides than WDW, but as many people have already said before me, that's not why I go to WDW. And yes, I admit that disney isn't the picture perfect company we all once believed it was, personally I will stand by it until the day the parks close and disney shuts down production of everything. (A day which will never ever ever come )

 

[RUN]

Disenchanted I was just wondering if anyone here used to love Disney and then got tired of it or realised it wasn't the magical place it's all cut out to be. I wasn't trying to change minds or anything I was just wondering if anyone had the same thoughts as me. And all I wanted to know in my last post was what makes it so magical, and what I'm missing out on.

 

[PigSoldier]

Well I think that everyone who loves Disney so much should be doing something about Walt's dream being turned into the profit-hungry run-of-the-mill theme park it is now.
I agree that Disney doesn't do thrill parks, but this doesn't mean they can make poor-quality rides. Think of all the new rides that have been added to the parks recently. Buzz Lightyear or Winnie the Pooh are basically the same ride as before, but with different vehicles and 2D plywood figures. Journey Into Your Imagination is possibly one of the worst rides ever. Aladdin is Dumbo with different vehicles. Kali River Rapids is a water ride you could find anywhere. Rock n Rollercoaster is a fun ride, but has very simple theming (queuing in a basement didn't exactly fill me with anticipation for the ride). I could go on.
There are also staff cutbacks, like the lightbulbs I mentioned before, and the lack of correct training and supervision for staff resulted in the tragic deaths of two people on Christmas Eve in 1998.
Don't reply by asking me why I go to Disney if I hate it so much, like so many people have before. I love WDW, and still think its the most magical place on Earth, but I think its sad that Walt's dream is being destroyed.
I'd love to post a link to one or two of Jim Hill's best articles, but since he left Mouseplanet, its hard to get hold of most of his older stuff, but I think this is a nice article too: A Letter to Walt from Mickey

- Suzi

 

[socca princess*]

I just don't seem to get any different feeling when I walk into a Disney park than I do any other.
It's just a theme park themed to characters from animated movies. I don't see any magic there because there isn't any

The thing that is different about Disney is that they were the first ,the original place to have them and that's what makes it so magical. Maybe some of the pther people go down there at different times and maybe that makes this different, but I have never seen any light bulbs out on Main St. or any of the other thigs that you are talking about. Thepark has always been clean and there are like a billion CMs that are assigned only to sweep the streets so that it will always be clean. Like I said, maybe when I'm down there, things change, but I really don't have any idea what you are talking about so I can't really comment there.