Disney's MyMagic Failure

[momof2n2]

Makes total sense to me! But you're not saying "I'm out!"... at least not yet, right? That's the part I don't get - saying "I'm out" but being on DIS a lot, engaging in the threads. I guess when I bail, I BAIL!! But to each his own - obviously - I'm just really curious about that. I'll get over it...

Well - we're out for THIS year... along with the anticipated $5000 we expected to spend over our 5-days visiting from our off-site rental.

 

[WillAustin]

Well - we're out for THIS year... along with the anticipated $5000 we expected to spend over our 5-days visiting from our off-site rental.

I think a lot of people are "out," and maybe temporarily, waiting to see if the system is refined into something that still works for them.

I certainly keep waiting for more changes.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Never has, Never will.....Rome fell, remember reading about that?

I bet GM never thought they were going to have get money from the government to keep running either.

I also bet Microsoft never thought Apple would be a real competitor.

The worst thing a company can do is rest on their laurels....Disney is doing just that with WDW.

And that is exactly what Disney is doing. I just don't get why people can't understand that. The fact that the cuts across the board over the last 5-6 years aren't visible to some is beyond belief.

Like someone mentioned earlier....just look what the Dining Plan has become. That was someone's brilliant plan at one point and it started off great. Then they stripped it of all it's worth, creativity and soul. It might as well be a Hometown Buffet, Macaroni Grill and Outback Steakhouse for 2-3 times the price at this point. And don't forget about the seasonal upcharges. Everyone knows the food tastes better during the busy times. Don't get me wrong...some of the Signature dining is pretty awesome, no doubt. I'm glad Blue Zoo never joined the DP because the integrity shows.

The GP has been witness to a lot of Corporate greed over the last few years. Some here may have been a victim of it. Luckily for DW and I (who actually work together...yeah, Guys....do the math on that ) we have been able to survive it. A lot of my friends and coworkers haven't. When you see the blatant slap in the face day after day by these Buffoons it starts to sink in.

Let's raise the parking rate, let's charge more for this park because more people actually come to this one anyway (with no admission that the other 3 parks aren't good enough to charge as much)and let's charge $4 for a fruit skewer that consists of one strawberry, a chuck on pineapple and two grapes. Until people actually stand up and say "enough" then it will never change. WE are doing our part.

You think I am upset about FP+? You should have seen me when the stock market crashed in 2009 and my 401K dropped 50%. Yeah....nothing could ever go wrong.

 

[jmulvaney]

We are going back to WDW after a five year hiatus--not because of anything they've done now or in the past, but simply because we are a once every 4-5 year WDW vacation family. We love to travel and so we go to lots of different places. That being said, I am VERY excited to go, and I find all the FP+ debates interesting.

Disney is a business and for a very long time, they were the best at what they do. That is arguably not the case anymore. Last time we were there we did 7 days at the GF and I must admit I was underwhelmed. While it is a lovely hotel and the service was fine, it was not spectacular to be worth the price. I am an Omni fan because, IMHO, they do service fantastically (concierge calls before your stay, beverage service, etc.) for much less than a WDW deluxe.

Food-wise, I was lucky enough to get a BOG dinner res, and I cannot wait to see it. That being said, restaurants at WDW are, in large part (once again, my opinion--please no one take offense) over-priced, over-booked, and mediocre. I know there are some exceptions, but not the majority. I could add that many of the rides are showing their age, CMs are not as accommodating as 10 years ago, etc.


I think WDW is only looking at the bottom line, without regard for their guests. They are maybe too comfortable at the top, and it's starting to show. FP+ is just another cog in the wheel on the WDW runaway train. The only way if believe this will change is if revenue decreases.

All that being said, I really do not see our periodic trips to WDW ending. We will just continue to tweak them to make them what we need them to be. So this trip we are staying at the Dolphin and only doing 3 TS restaurants. (Lots of lounges though). I am curious to see how FP+ will work for us. In the mean time, I will continue to read with interest all of your opinions to glean helpful information for our trip

 

[dawgsgirl]

Great discussion. I am not really a fan of FP+, but it is more like the straw that broke the camel's back. The drop in quality and the staleness of the parks have been bothering me for awhile. Add in the money grabbing and I was already getting fed up. FP+ and the whole Nextgen thing was just the icing on the cake. I am a big Disney fan and love to read the boards just to see what is going on. Sad state of affairs for the hard core WDW fan.

 

[Glencora]

Problem is I think many people, including the author of the opinion piece, are forming an opinion without many facts to back it up. Disney has access to all the numbers (guest feedback, number of people using the system, increase in attendance, attraction utilization percentage, and many other great numbers) and I feel like they are seeing something totally different than what we are. I honestly believe they think the whole MDE has been a resounding success because all you need to do is look at the numbers (for us it's born out through looking at how packed the parks are) in the parks and they are top notch. I actually believe guest feedback has been great also because so many people going to WDW are first timers. I would bet many top brass would look at the article and just shake their head in astonishment that somebody could be so clueless.

There's another thread somewhere that I couldn't find that has a link to an article from last November. In it, the author lists all of the projects that Disney has either cancelled or put on indefinite hold because they have spent so much money on NextGen/MyMagic/whatever that they can no longer afford to pay for any new attractions. Specifically, there were supposed to be a number of new attractions and celebrations for Disneyland's 60th anniversary that are now not going to happen.

So I don't think we're not seeing what seeing what they're seeing. I think that they are far more upset about cost overruns than customer complaints.

 

[Griffin226]

After reading the article, I have a couple of points FWIW

1. I think My Magic is far more about crowd control than anything else. WDW had to try to solve how to move an ever growing number of people around a limited space. At certain times of the day the MK will be jammed in some areas and empty in others. The challenge is how to even the crowds out. Yes, it is also about locking in guests, increase the amount of $$ people spend on a per day basis and all the other things people say it is about, but, IMO crowd control was a major factor in driving this project.

2. The article hangs together so long as you don't count the New Fantasyland expansion as an E ticket experience. Personally, I think there is less to New Fantasyland than meets the eye, but, it is two major attractions, a uniquely themed restaurant and new concept character greeting locations. I believe NWL was the largest single in park expansion in WDW history. You may not like NFL but you can't say that WDW has not added a new major attraction since EE.

3. When I first read the article I did think the author tended to gloss over the the financial crisis. The fact that there is any growth in attendance at a high end resort for the period of 2008-12 is really quite remarkable. The Mouse has drawing power, there is no doubt about that.

4. I am worried that in the long term FP+ will have the same effect on attractions that the dining plan had on restaurants. Impossible to get the times that you want. We were there over Christmas and didn't have a problem getting the slots we wanted, but, I understand why people are concerned about that.

4. Magical Express and the dining plan was a brilliant way to lock in guests for longer trips. Personally, i'm not wild about Disney dining. I find the restaurants are expensive and the food is just ok. It drives me nuts that my plans for the day revolve around where we are eating dinner that night, and we had to make that decision 180 days before. We were there over Christmas and if we hadn't made reservations 180 days before we would have been eating at Pecos Bills every night.

In general, my family has been going to WDW since 1973. We can remember when there was no Fastpass and when you didn't have to wait in line to meet characters. There have been many positive changes over the years, some we liked and some haven't. The one thing that is constant tho is the increase in the number of people going to the Parks, and Disney is really trying to manage the growth to make it a better experience for everyone. I completely get why people who are frequent visitors don't like the My Magic experience, after experience it ourselves I don't think it is as bad as people had me thinking it was. However, to each their own.

 

[redrosesix]

There's another thread somewhere that I couldn't find that has a link to an article from last November. In it, the author lists all of the projects that Disney has either cancelled or put on indefinite hold because they have spent so much money on NextGen/MyMagic/whatever that they can no longer afford to pay for any new attractions. Specifically, there were supposed to be a number of new attractions and celebrations for Disneyland's 60th anniversary that are now not going to happen.

So I don't think we're not seeing what seeing what they're seeing. I think that they are far more upset about cost overruns than customer complaints.

Agreed. And it was this article (and nothing has changed since it was published, although I don't think they expected so many glitches and issues as they've been having).

http://micechat.com/49401-my-magic-plus-failure/

IMO, the most important point "This is a big deal folks. While individual projects at WDI have had their budgets put on hold in the past, sometimes never recovering, this is different. The concept of stopping all work on all projects for all existing theme parks, except for the Oriental Land Company owned Tokyo property and Shanghai Disneyland, is a rare wide-reaching blow to WDI. "

 

[Griffin226]

After reading the article, I have a couple of points FWIW

1. I think My Magic is far more about crowd control than anything else. WDW had to try to solve how to move an ever growing number of people around a limited space. At certain times of the day the MK will be jammed in some areas and empty in others. The challenge is how to even the crowds out. Yes, it is also about locking in guests, increase the amount of $$ people spend on a per day basis and all the other things people say it is about, but, IMO crowd control was a major factor in driving this project.

2. The article hangs together so long as you don't count the New Fantasyland expansion as an E ticket experience. Personally, I think there is less to New Fantasyland than meets the eye, but, it is two major attractions, a uniquely themed restaurant and new concept character greeting locations. I believe NWL was the largest single in park expansion in WDW history. You may not like NFL but you can't say that WDW has not added a new major attraction since EE.

3. When I first read the article I did think the author tended to gloss over the the financial crisis. The fact that there is any growth in attendance at a high end resort for the period of 2008-12 is really quite remarkable. The Mouse has drawing power, there is no doubt about that.

4. I am worried that in the long term FP+ will have the same effect on attractions that the dining plan had on restaurants. Impossible to get the times that you want. We were there over Christmas and didn't have a problem getting the slots we wanted, but, I understand why people are concerned about that.

4. Magical Express and the dining plan was a brilliant way to lock in guests for longer trips. Personally, i'm not wild about Disney dining. I find the restaurants are expensive and the food is just ok. It drives me nuts that my plans for the day revolve around where we are eating dinner that night, and we had to make that decision 180 days before. We were there over Christmas and if we hadn't made reservations 180 days before we would have been eating at Pecos Bills every night.

In general, my family has been going to WDW since 1973. We can remember when there was no Fastpass and when you didn't have to wait in line to meet characters. There have been many positive changes over the years, some we liked and some haven't. The one thing that is constant tho is the increase in the number of people going to the Parks, and Disney is really trying to manage the growth to make it a better experience for everyone. I completely get why people who are frequent visitors don't like the My Magic experience, after experience it ourselves I don't think it is as bad as people had me thinking it was. However, to each their own.

 

[Mad Hattered]

I think Lake was just setting us up

 

[fairy8i8]

Long...

"For the first time in Disney’s history, they will go 11 years between headliner additions to Walt Disney World (Expedition Everest in 2006, Avatar in 2017). The longest previous gap between E-Ticket attractions was 6 years (Horizons/Journey Into Imagination in 1983, MGM Studios and Wonders of Life in 1989)."

This is glaringly bias and could ruin the rest of the arguments. He calls Wonders of Life a headliner, and ignores all of New Fantasyland? Sorry. That would be 2006-2013/2014. NOT 11 years. New Fantasyland sometimes gets a bad rap because it was opened in stages rather than with a big bang, but it is STILL NEW and ADDS ATTRACTIONS (I would consider Mine Train at least on par with Body Wars). When I read this paragraph, the bias was so glaring that I figured any reader that might give this article serious note would possibly dismiss it because it begs the question of where else the numbers are cooked and data is ignored.

That said, hopefully Disney will see the benefits of adding major attractions. Carsland increased attendance somewhere around 21% last year in Disneyland. That might include WDW as well, but I believe that is mostly just DL. Pretty obvious that a new Land riding on a major movie theme is popular with guests.

Avatar isn't as solid a prospect. It doesn't have the fan base... coming from a mom who spent WAY too much on ebay for silly Cars that are suddenly collector items, even though my 2 year old just wanted the characters from the original movie, not the sequel (originals weren't being sold in stores at the time - all Cars2). Yes, parents will spend for their kids. Did the same over Christmas for Star Wars stuff I couldn't find locally. Avatar? Yeah right. Doubt my kid is going to be clamoring for that, particularly because he likely won't see the movie for years, and even then, it will be an old flick. It's not a classic that is going to endear future generations for years to come. More like LaFou's Brew. No one really cares. Butterbeer? Definitely an icon of Harry Potter.

I don't pretend that MyMagic+ is for guests at all. It is a tracking device meant to help Disney cut costs on casting and streamline the parks. They did have to do something to get people to actually wear the things, so that's why this FP+, etc. was cooked up. Granted, for the family that sleeps in late, FP+ is a good thing. If Disney ever gets the Counter Service ordering aspect so it is widespread and works well, that would be a great feature. Order meals while in line for an attraction? Yes, please. Hopefully the interactive queue aspects of the Magicbands will get turned on sometime soon. Personally, these aren't big enough draws for me. We are going next month to Disney World for my son's first trip. After all the Magicband hoopla- mostly it being implemented with so many glitches- we have decided we will probably wait 4 more years to return to WDW. However, at that point our son will be 8, and honestly, if he is into Harry Potter, Universal will be getting a lot more of our money. Disney World does have a lot of inefficiencies in its use of cast members. If MyMagic+ can help Disney better manage its cast members and adjust for crowd flow, that could be a great money saver for them, especially if they can do it to improve guest experience and not detract from it, but it is not a real perk for guests.

MyMagic+ attempts to get visitors to pre-plan and commit to Disney. Disney knows from previous experience that pre-planners spend more at Disney and tend to spend more time there. It attempts to gather guest data to so Disney can optimize marketing and resources in the future, hopefully increasing revenue and decreasing costs. It is a theme park management system, and affects underlying elements of the experience more than the overt ones.

Unfortunately, FP+ with its limitations came as part of the package. If instead they introduced MM+ with unlimited FP and every ride was only a 10 minute wait for everyone, people would have been singing it's praises and planning trips for every year in the future instead of giving hate. I know such lines are an impossibility with capacity constraints, but it goes to show that most people are more unhappy with FP+ than they are MM+ (minus the GLITCHES!!!!). It's just that the 2 are lumped together and sometimes one is not differentiated from the other.

It's simple. Parents like to have their kids young kids watch Disney Movies. It's why Cinderella and The Little Mermaid are still popular. Parents also want their kids to like to read, and Harry Potter has done that in a way no other series has in the past, so it is likely to remain an institution. Star Wars is the same (an institution). New Fantasyland is filling the need of adding Belle and Ariel and a Princess Hall to the mix of MK. That's pretty enduring. Carsland did the same for DL. Both were needed updates as these shows proved to remain popular, and there wasn't a place for them really in the parks. Hopefully Disney will continue this vein in the future. Avatarland is an attempt to make AK into an evening park, and I think it is particularly angled at teenagers and adults. We will see. If it is cool and as beautiful as the movie, maybe it will be a smash hit. Or it could be a dud. Who knows.

Honestly, for the FP+ side of things, I am a touring plan user - a mashup of easywdw and touringplans using the things I like, not someone else's list. I do plan in advance and make advanced touring plans, so pre-booking isn't a big deal to me. However, the limitations on FP over previous visits does feel very limiting, especially now with a young child in tow. I would MUCH rather pull a FP ticket and play/eat/shop where my child is not seeing the backs of the same people for a half hour to an hour than just get 3 chances at that and maybe have to scrap the rest of the day, depending on crowds and line sizes. I am not happy with the 3 limit and tiering. If I park hopped, then I would also want FP reservations for other parks available.

As for Disney getting more of my money with the system? It's really not. I have a budget for this vacation. Wanting a deluxe resort and Signature dinners means that I am spending 5 days there rather than 10. So per day spending is up, but Disney isn't really getting more of my money. In fact, they are getting less because I am paying for some other services outside of the park to make up for the inconveniences and long lines in the parks. Disney would get that money if I wasn't worried about FP limits.

 

[xie]

Didn't read all the replies in this thread, wanted to give our family perspective.

I'm not a huge fan of FP+, don't like planning so far out, and I think it makes some lines longer, but it's not a deal breaker.

What I found in the article that is more relevant, is the LOWER QUALITY that Disney has seemed to embrace.

For example, FOOD. We have felt the FOOD quality at most Disney restaurants has plummeted. This last year we finally had enough. Cancelled a ton of reservations, didn't reserve some places and started eating off property. Granted we have a car when there, but the cost savings was huge and sadly, the quality difference was even larger.

THAT will be the ultimate demise for Disney in the long run.

^^^ So much this.

This is why we cancelled two upcoming week-long trips to WDW property. Our last few trips we have been increasingly disappointed with the food and service in restaurants and at the resorts. We had so much trouble last time that we spent HOURS in the lobby trying to get them to fix things (things we couldn't simply "live with", like broken room keys). And we tolerated a lot of other things because they weren't deal-breakers (as in being locked out), but they made the experience less pleasant. Enough of those things happen, and you start to wonder why you are paying such high rates per night, and such high prices per table meal, for utter mediocrity or worse.

Once upon a time, Disney wasn't mediocre. High quality guest service used to be a point of pride on Disney property. Yes, it was an expensive trip, but you felt taken care of at Disney resorts. And as the writer of that blog post pointed out, it all began to slide in 2005.

 

[xie]

We are going back to WDW after a five year hiatus--not because of anything they've done now or in the past, but simply because we are a once every 4-5 year WDW vacation family. We love to travel and so we go to lots of different places. That being said, I am VERY excited to go, and I find all the FP+ debates interesting.

Disney is a business and for a very long time, they were the best at what they do. That is arguably not the case anymore. Last time we were there we did 7 days at the GF and I must admit I was underwhelmed. While it is a lovely hotel and the service was fine, it was not spectacular to be worth the price. I am an Omni fan because, IMHO, they do service fantastically (concierge calls before your stay, beverage service, etc.) for much less than a WDW deluxe.

Food-wise, I was lucky enough to get a BOG dinner res, and I cannot wait to see it. That being said, restaurants at WDW are, in large part (once again, my opinion--please no one take offense) over-priced, over-booked, and mediocre. I know there are some exceptions, but not the majority. I could add that many of the rides are showing their age, CMs are not as accommodating as 10 years ago, etc.


I think WDW is only looking at the bottom line, without regard for their guests. They are maybe too comfortable at the top, and it's starting to show. FP+ is just another cog in the wheel on the WDW runaway train. The only way if believe this will change is if revenue decreases.

All that being said, I really do not see our periodic trips to WDW ending. We will just continue to tweak them to make them what we need them to be. So this trip we are staying at the Dolphin and only doing 3 TS restaurants. (Lots of lounges though). I am curious to see how FP+ will work for us. In the mean time, I will continue to read with interest all of your opinions to glean helpful information for our trip

Your trip report, if you write one, will be interesting. You will be shocked at how different things are (much less well maintained than they were 5-10 years ago).

 

[KYDisneyDad]

Many valid point made on areas when Disney can benefit from MM and specifically FP+, but don't underestimate streamlining of labor force. By knowing in what park the majority of guests will be on what day and for how long, Disney can more efficiently staff areas rather than being simply reactionary to daily crowds. Employee costs are one of their largest expenses and there is quite a bit I suspect they can trim.

And FYI, it's easy to state that the parks saw increased guest spending when prices are increased at the percentage and frequency that they are these days. Wait a few quarterly reports from now and I suspect we will see how bad this is.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Long...

"For the first time in Disney’s history, they will go 11 years between headliner additions to Walt Disney World (Expedition Everest in 2006, Avatar in 2017). The longest previous gap between E-Ticket attractions was 6 years (Horizons/Journey Into Imagination in 1983, MGM Studios and Wonders of Life in 1989)."

This is glaringly bias and could ruin the rest of the arguments. He calls Wonders of Life a headliner, and ignores all of New Fantasyland? Sorry. That would be 2006-2013/2014. NOT 11 years. New Fantasyland sometimes gets a bad rap because it was opened in stages rather than with a big bang, but it is STILL NEW and ADDS ATTRACTIONS (I would consider Mine Train at least on par with Body Wars). When I read this paragraph, the bias was so glaring that I figured any reader that might give this article serious note would possibly dismiss it because it begs the question of where else the numbers are cooked and data is ignored.

That said, hopefully Disney will see the benefits of adding major attractions. Carsland increased attendance somewhere around 21% last year in Disneyland. That might include WDW as well, but I believe that is mostly just DL. Pretty obvious that a new Land riding on a major movie theme is popular with guests.

Avatar isn't as solid a prospect. It doesn't have the fan base... coming from a mom who spent WAY too much on ebay for silly Cars that are suddenly collector items, even though my 2 year old just wanted the characters from the original movie, not the sequel (originals weren't being sold in stores at the time - all Cars2). Yes, parents will spend for their kids. Did the same over Christmas for Star Wars stuff I couldn't find locally. Avatar? Yeah right. Doubt my kid is going to be clamoring for that, particularly because he likely won't see the movie for years, and even then, it will be an old flick. It's not a classic that is going to endear future generations for years to come. More like LaFou's Brew. No one really cares. Butterbeer? Definitely an icon of Harry Potter.

I don't pretend that MyMagic+ is for guests at all. It is a tracking device meant to help Disney cut costs on casting and streamline the parks. They did have to do something to get people to actually wear the things, so that's why this FP+, etc. was cooked up. Granted, for the family that sleeps in late, FP+ is a good thing. If Disney ever gets the Counter Service ordering aspect so it is widespread and works well, that would be a great feature. Order meals while in line for an attraction? Yes, please. Hopefully the interactive queue aspects of the Magicbands will get turned on sometime soon. Personally, these aren't big enough draws for me. We are going next month to Disney World for my son's first trip. After all the Magicband hoopla- mostly it being implemented with so many glitches- we have decided we will probably wait 4 more years to return to WDW. However, at that point our son will be 8, and honestly, if he is into Harry Potter, Universal will be getting a lot more of our money. Disney World does have a lot of inefficiencies in its use of cast members. If MyMagic+ can help Disney better manage its cast members and adjust for crowd flow, that could be a great money saver for them, especially if they can do it to improve guest experience and not detract from it, but it is not a real perk for guests.

MyMagic+ attempts to get visitors to pre-plan and commit to Disney. Disney knows from previous experience that pre-planners spend more at Disney and tend to spend more time there. It attempts to gather guest data to so Disney can optimize marketing and resources in the future, hopefully increasing revenue and decreasing costs. It is a theme park management system, and affects underlying elements of the experience more than the overt ones.

Unfortunately, FP+ with its limitations came as part of the package. If instead they introduced MM+ with unlimited FP and every ride was only a 10 minute wait for everyone, people would have been singing it's praises and planning trips for every year in the future instead of giving hate. I know such lines are an impossibility with capacity constraints, but it goes to show that most people are more unhappy with FP+ than they are MM+ (minus the GLITCHES!!!!). It's just that the 2 are lumped together and sometimes one is not differentiated from the other.

It's simple. Parents like to have their kids young kids watch Disney Movies. It's why Cinderella and The Little Mermaid are still popular. Parents also want their kids to like to read, and Harry Potter has done that in a way no other series has in the past, so it is likely to remain an institution. Star Wars is the same (an institution). New Fantasyland is filling the need of adding Belle and Ariel and a Princess Hall to the mix of MK. That's pretty enduring. Carsland did the same for DL. Both were needed updates as these shows proved to remain popular, and there wasn't a place for them really in the parks. Hopefully Disney will continue this vein in the future. Avatarland is an attempt to make AK into an evening park, and I think it is particularly angled at teenagers and adults. We will see. If it is cool and as beautiful as the movie, maybe it will be a smash hit. Or it could be a dud. Who knows.

Honestly, for the FP+ side of things, I am a touring plan user - a mashup of easywdw and touringplans using the things I like, not someone else's list. I do plan in advance and make advanced touring plans, so pre-booking isn't a big deal to me. However, the limitations on FP over previous visits does feel very limiting, especially now with a young child in tow. I would MUCH rather pull a FP ticket and play/eat/shop where my child is not seeing the backs of the same people for a half hour to an hour than just get 3 chances at that and maybe have to scrap the rest of the day, depending on crowds and line sizes. I am not happy with the 3 limit and tiering. If I park hopped, then I would also want FP reservations for other parks available.

As for Disney getting more of my money with the system? It's really not. I have a budget for this vacation. Wanting a deluxe resort and Signature dinners means that I am spending 5 days there rather than 10. So per day spending is up, but Disney isn't really getting more of my money. In fact, they are getting less because I am paying for some other services outside of the park to make up for the inconveniences and long lines in the parks. Disney would get that money if I wasn't worried about FP limits.

I agree with most of what you said. But at the time, Body Wars was pretty state of the art. Back To the Future didn't open until 1991 at Universal (but ultimately blew it away). It was sort of a big deal. Swinging cars on a mild 2 minute coaster is not the same thing in this day and age. Now, the new Gringott's at Universal will be another story.

 

[Laketravis]

I think Lake was just setting us up

Wait for it........ wait for it..............

 

[MrInfinity]

And that is exactly what Disney is doing. I just don't get why people can't understand that. The fact that the cuts across the board over the last 5-6 years aren't visible to some is beyond belief.

OMG really? Bob Iger has done more for Disney in the last 5 years than Michael Isner ever did.

* Carsland Radiator Springs Racers - A whole new land and major ride that totally saved DCA from certain death.

* HK DL. ENTIRE NEW PARK.

* Fantasyland, including a new enchanted experience, new dark ride, new E-Ticket roller coaster, and new major restaurant. Biggest Development to hit the MK since Splash Mtn over 30 years ago.

* New parade

* Retooling all the Kimpossible stuff at EC for P&F, which kids love.

* Rebranding of new Dis Jr characters again that are going to capture the young one's attention.

And it doesn't stop there!

We have a whole new land coming to the AK in 2 years.

And my forecast, a whole SW refurb coming to HS in 4 years. (feel free to challenge this, but mark my words and look back in 4 years and think - wow he was right - Disney did not buy Lucas to do nothing w it).

Iger has done SO MUCH with Disney World and Disney parks the world over.

And now, let's not forget the WORLD IS IN A RECESSION yet Disney stock is up almost double! Bob Iger is making the cuts that matter to keep his theme park alive amid a world of suck in the real world. He is investing where it counts, he is cutting back where it counts, and he is succeeding with a high-end luxury park in a world thats heard nothing but recession and "slow recovery" for the last 5 years. That is AMAZING.

If you don't see that... well... I don't know what you could be hoping for that would make you think Disney is investing heavily in its experience.

I guess you'll fall back to they took out a talking trash can so the parks suck. Why are you here. You hate FP+, you seem to hate the parks too. You hate the Dining plan, you hate what Disney charges, you don't feel any of it is worth it any more. So go elsewhere -- really it's not a big deal. Follow your heart on this. There are tons of other options out there that might make you actually enjoy yourself at a theme park again. You know what I love? The Electric Water Pageant. Cuz I last saw them in 1983, then I came back to WDW after most of my life in California... and was sitting at the Poly and watched the parade and I was just floored... I was like OMG they still do this parade... 30 years later... same tune. What I remember and loved as a kid is STILL here and I'm sitting on the beach watching it w MY kids. That is SO AWESOME. No other park in the world could replicate that. I'm sure you have a memory like that of your own.

This is so sad you obviously harbor so much love for WDW yet you can't bring yourself to smile about anything Disney it seems. Why not try it. Just ENJOY WDW for whatever it brings out in you that you do love. Stop ranting about everything, and think about the things you like. And if there truly is nothing left that you like, then find something else to enjoy... but I'm guessing that's not the case.



Or, just complain away. If that's what you want to do w your days, it's a free world so have at it.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Iger's "business plan" is to bleed the brand, until it's dead.

 

[KYDisneyDad]

Agree that Iger has done more for Disney as as whole with IP acquisitions of Pixar,marvel,and SW, a strong stock price and global expansion but no way had he done more for the parks than Isner.

And SW expansion along with so much else is in hiatus due to massive cost overruns of NextGen

 

[Mad Hattered]

OMG really? Bob Iger has done more for Disney in the last 5 years than Michael Isner ever did.

* Carsland Radiator Springs Racers - A whole new land and major ride that totally saved DCA from certain death.

* HK DL. ENTIRE NEW PARK.

* Fantasyland, including a new enchanted experience, new dark ride, new E-Ticket roller coaster, and new major restaurant. Biggest Development to hit the MK since Splash Mtn over 30 years ago.

* New parade

* Retooling all the Kimpossible stuff at EC for P&F, which kids love.

* Rebranding of new Dis Jr characters again that are going to capture the young one's attention.

And it doesn't stop there!

We have a whole new land coming to the AK in 2 years.

And my forecast, a whole SW refurb coming to HS in 4 years. (feel free to challenge this, but mark my words and look back in 4 years and think - wow he was right - Disney did not buy Lucas to do nothing w it).

Iger has done SO MUCH with Disney World and Disney parks the world over.

And now, let's not forget the WORLD IS IN A RECESSION yet Disney stock is up almost double! Bob Iger is making the cuts that matter to keep his theme park alive amid a world of suck in the real world. He is investing where it counts, he is cutting back where it counts, and he is succeeding with a high-end luxury park in a world thats heard nothing but recession and "slow recovery" for the last 5 years. That is AMAZING.

If you don't see that... well... I don't know what you could be hoping for that would make you think Disney is investing heavily in its experience.

I guess you'll fall back to they took out a talking trash can so the parks suck. Why are you here. You hate FP+, you seem to hate the parks too. You hate the Dining plan, you hate what Disney charges, you don't feel any of it is worth it any more. So go elsewhere -- really it's not a big deal. Follow your heart on this. There are tons of other options out there that might make you actually enjoy yourself at a theme park again.

This is so sad you obviously harbor so much love for WDW yet you can't bring yourself to smile about anything Disney it seems. Why not try it. Just ENJOY WDW for whatever it brings out in you that you do love. Stop ranting about everything, and think about the things you like. And if there truly is nothing left that you like, then find something else to enjoy... but I'm guessing that's not the case.

I apologize...I was focused on WDW. I just got back from a week at the Grand Californian at DLR. We also travel the Country visiting parks. It's not all about Disney. RVs are awesome!

Let me sum this up...we don't have kids...NFL...meh. Cars Land is awesome! NFL is NO Cars Land. Period. Besides, we rode the weak LM years ago at DCA. Yawn. It LOOKS good from the outside but is one of the shoddiest built rides ever in a Disney park. Remember when they used to care about stuff like that?

AK in TWO years? Get real. How long has that "state of the art" coaster taken? And it's 3 years on paper.

My 401K was once doubled, too. Remember that part of my post? I really hope they take their shell game out to DLR so you can see what revolt means.