Do You think DISNEY has gone down hlll the last few years?

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I don't think Disney has gone downhill the last few years.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Never said the thread represented any portion of Disney visitors. I didn't even call it ironic. It's an observation.

Nice job diminishing the comments of those 25 people, however. I didn't realize people needed a public mandate to discuss these things.

Funny, ironic. Tomato, Tomatah.

You diminished the positive threads, yet I don't have a right to post my opinion too.

That said, I agree that these threads can sometimes serve a good purpose. I actually find them mildly entertaining and can sort through the riff-raff to get to the true valid (valid IMO of course) complaints. I was simply trying to point out that it's not necessarily as funny/ironic as you mentioned in how the positive threads went away while the negative ones flourish. By mentioning numbers, I was simply pointing out that any potential inference that the thread must survive because more people agree is invalid. It's just because a few people like to debate. Not diminishing anyone's opinion, just pointing out an observation based on the "Who Posted?" link.

But it's also the same dozen or so people posting over and over and over again, restating the same points y'all were making on page one. Perhaps the UP HILL people have just made their point and have now moved on to go plan their next trips?

DING DING DING DING!!! That is true of most any public forum. Those being negative will come back again and again to argue. Those not being negative will make their point and move on.

Thanks to both of you for succinctly summing up what I was trying to say.

 

[WDSearcher]

Yes. Because people on both sides of any debate on the Dis are so well known for calling it quits.

Well, yeah ... there is that.

I just think that this thread is still going because you guys are all enjoying chatting with each other. At this point, it's more about you all sharing stories than it is about complaining or making any major observations about Disney going downhill. The few "defenders of Disney" who are still around are also, I think, here more for the camaradarie of the group than for any sort of active debate. There are a few people who are still trying to push buttons, but no one is really taking the bait any more. It's all turned into what my grandpa would call "a lazy afternoon discussion".

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Never said the thread represented any portion of Disney visitors. I didn't even call it ironic. It's an observation.

Nice job diminishing the comments of those 25 people, however. I didn't realize people needed a public mandate to discuss these things.

Just forgot to add that I never intended to diminish the views of the Top 25. I even specifically defended the views of the top poster in this thread. Plus, a handful of the remaining Top 25 seem to post here just to keep the debate honest.

I think until the last few days, WDSearcher was correct. This had turned more into a conversational thread vs a debate thread. Not sure why you had to bring up the uphill thread other than to Yet, if anyone disagrees.....

 

[flicx]

You know the funny thing is this thread stays relevant because of alot of bad decisions by management lately,IMO.I do enjoy chatting with alot of the posters on this thread,but disney management I think has been the real catalyst in this thread.It is just like the prediction about the monorail threads to.Someone said they would go away as people got used to the new hours,still ain't gone yet and won't be until that situation changes!

 

[WDSearcher]

You know the funny thing is this thread stays relevant because of alot of bad decisions by management lately,IMO.I do enjoy chatting with alot of the poster on this thread,but disney management I think has been the real catalyst in this thread.It is just like the prediction about the monorail threads to.Someone said they would go away as people got used to the new hours,still ain't gone yet and won't be until that situation changes!

Of course it's still relevant. It will always be relevant. Disney could fix every single thing you want them to fix, from the CEO on down, and there would still be a relevant complaint thread. Because even if all YOUR complaints were taken care of, that doesn't mean EVERYONE'S complaints would have been taken care of. You'd be thinking Disney was 100%, but someone else would be grousing about something you didn't even think was broken. There will always be a Disney complaint thread because everyone has different expectations.

As for the monorail threads ... I think they will go away as people get used to the new operating pattern. But it'll take longer than a few weeks -- which is really all it's been. Any major change takes a while to cycle through. People complained for months about PI closing, about LOW going away, about no more appetizers or tips on FD, etc etc etc. Eventually, whatever changed becomes part of the "new normal" and the specific complaint threads move to the back of the pack. And the people who remain end up in more generalized complaint threads like this one.

This thread is also still here because you're not just complaining. You're discussing ways that Disney has slipped, sure, but you're also discussing things you still like about the parks. You're chatting about methodology of how certain facts or stats were arrived at. You're complimenting each other on finding good deals and offering suggestions on how to get better ones. There's more going on than just the complaints, which is why it stays interesting to both the people posting regularly and the people stopping by from time to time to see what's being discussed.

If this thread were all complaints all the time, it would have gotten tiresome for everyone and ended a long time ago, don't you think?

 

[nytimez]

Just forgot to add that I never intended to diminish the views of the Top 25. I even specifically defended the views of the top poster in this thread. Plus, a handful of the remaining Top 25 seem to post here just to keep the debate honest.

I think until the last few days, WDSearcher was correct. This had turned more into a conversational thread vs a debate thread. Not sure why you had to bring up the uphill thread other than to Yet, if anyone disagrees.....

I posted in this thread the day it went online and the other one -- now more than two months later, this one's here and the other one's gone. Not sure why you're blowing this WAY out of proportion.

I didn't instigate a debate, I didn't argue with anyone, I didn't throw in an inflammatory remark and I didn't make any accusations -- unlike you, I might add, by saying I did that to stir the pot.

Believe me, if I wanted to stir the pot it would have been something a lot more interesting than a remark on the thread's longevity.

 

[flicx]

Of course it's still relevant. It will always be relevant. Disney could fix every single thing you want them to fix, from the CEO on down, and there would still be a relevant complaint thread. Because even if all YOUR complaints were taken care of, that doesn't mean EVERYONE'S complaints would have been taken care of. You'd be thinking Disney was 100%, but someone else would be grousing about something you didn't even think was broken. There will always be a Disney complaint thread because everyone has different expectations.

As for the monorail threads ... I think they will go away as people get used to the new operating pattern. But it'll take longer than a few weeks -- which is really all it's been. Any major change takes a while to cycle through. People complained for months about PI closing, about LOW going away, about no more appetizers or tips on FD, etc etc etc. Eventually, whatever changed becomes part of the "new normal" and the specific complaint threads move to the back of the pack. And the people who remain end up in more generalized complaint threads like this one.

This thread is also still here because you're not just complaining. You're discussing ways that Disney has slipped, sure, but you're also discussing things you still like about the parks. You're chatting about methodology of how certain facts or stats were arrived at. You're complimenting each other on finding good deals and offering suggestions on how to get better ones. There's more going on than just the complaints, which is why it stays interesting to both the people posting regularly and the people stopping by from time to time to see what's being discussed.

If this thread were all complaints all the time, it would have gotten tiresome for everyone and ended a long time ago, don't you think?

It appears that this thread also gets longer as we debate why it still is going.HoweverI think the complaint threads have really been on the increase lately,and this one discusses that.So it will keep going.Yes there are some side discussions like this one,but its primary purpose has stayed true,IMO thanks to alot of not so smart decisions on disneys part! In staying with that spirit I disagee that the monorail thing will go away unless they go back to the way things were.They are cheapening the deluxe/monrail resort stay.Yet another reason IMO disney has gone a little more downhill. Please feel free to debate it,but beware you may be accused of cultivating a negative venue!

 

[brunette8706]

But it's also the same dozen or so people posting over and over and over again, restating the same points y'all were making on page one. Perhaps the UP HILL people have just made their point and have now moved on to go plan their next trips?

*
HI Searcher!

I beg to differ on your stance above though. I believe more and more people on the DIS board are complaining more and more about several things re Disney. For instance there has been more complaints about the limited monorail service. This just started back in August. There have been more complaints about the decline at Ohana, also there has been several complaints about the MNSSHP's. We just don't make this stuff up. It used to only be 1 or 2 complaints per month now it seems like there is a complaint thread once a week. We want to encapsulate for everyone on the DIS, what is going on, in and around Disney. We want people to know before they go as the saying goes. lol! We also, as I have stated time and time again, mention all the positive things per Disney and the value(s) at Disney. I for one, (as many others have mentioned) tout about Boma, Spirit of Aloha dinner show, Kona, the Yacht Club, the cleanliness of all of WDW and last but not least Guest Services and CMs just to name a few. But people should know about what we as consumers think about things that have essentially have gone downhill or lack of a better word "tarnished". We are not Debbie Downers, to the contrare. We just want to make users/people aware of what's going on, that's all. BTW our next trip is in November and we're going back in January. Why? Because WE it! It's the Most Magical Place on Earth.

 

[brunette8706]

DING DING DING DING!!! That is true of most any public forum. Those being negative will come back again and again to argue. Those not being negative will make their point and move on.

*
If you think this thread is all negative, it's obvious you have not read most of the posts. Most posts here are helpful, informative, positive and negative. It has a lot of respectful discussions too! This is far from a bashing or attacking thread. All people are welcome to post "their own opinion".

Brunette

 

[brunette8706]

Are you both serious? Just because we are still discussing, does not mean we are being negative and can't move on. On the contrary, if there are still things to discuss, why not continue to discuss them in a friendly and informative manner? I am very far from a negative person, but I love to discuss, especially when it's about Disney.

And sorry, people move on because they get easily bored and move on to other things. Many people on the DIS seem to have short attention spans, as so many of them don't even read through the thread before posting in it.


Thanks for the discussion, Tiger

*
This! Nice post Tiger, I think most people feel the same way!!!

 

[JennMouse32]

my past two trips to disney the only bad thing i found was the food.. everything else was great. so i dont understand what everyone else is complaining about..

and as far as disney being "greedy" they are in the recession just like we are!! only they have alot more to pay for. you want to have disney's kind of bills to deal with? i dont think so. yes its expensive to go, but as far as i see it.. its worth it to me. the fun i have and the memories i make are far worth the money in my mind.

 

[brunette8706]

Constructive criticism is an important part of the experience and I always learn more from the negative experiences than the positive ones. That's why I value these threads.

I look on them the way I do a restaurant review on the restaurants board. Some match my experience, others don't -- but they all help inform my own expectations as well as alert me to things I should watch for.

*
Your above short post paints a great analogy regarding constructive criticism and the restaurant review! Great thinking and I totally agree! You are EXACTLY RIGHT.

Brunette

 

[brunette8706]

This may come as a shock, but I actually agree with this post. Personally, I am with you in that I would not pay the prices asked, but yet these resorts still get quite a few bookings each night. When I tried to add a night on to our BLT stay last June, many of the lower categories of the Delxue resorts were sold out. Sure, I could still get a room with a water or theme park view or even CL, but if I was hesitant to pay $300, I was definitely not going to pay $500+. We ended up off-site at the Vistana for a couple of nights. Even the family suites (which are horrible IMO compared to DVC) often go for more than $200 per night and they are harder to find discounts.

I have read many posts from those who say that FD is the only way they can afford Disney. They stay in the Values during value season with FD. They claim that there is no off-site resort that is less expensive unless you pack your own food. Not sure how valid their claims are as we never do FD as we generally cannot go during those times of year.




The top 25 posters on this thread have generated over 72% of the posts. The DIS is such a tiny fraction of those who visit WDW and to say that a miniscule 25 people keeping a thread alive by debating this topic is representative of the larger population is unrealistic.

Plus, I'm not sure how ironic it really is. The only way to keep a thread alive is to have those who want to debate or if there is a true disagreement. That is why negative threads stay alive and positive threads die quickly IMHO.

At least Brunette adds that Disney has done many positive things over the years in addition to the cutbacks and price increases. I respect that and wish more posters were like her. We can respectfully disagree on whether the positives outweigh the negatives or vice versa. These threads are mildly entertaining, but I doubt if they change too many minds. JMTC

*
HI KSDISNEYDAD!

Thanks for your very nice complement. Most people on here love Disney. I think some really get frustrated with the price increases etc. It's always nice to have a respectable debate/discussion/conversation too!

Glad to see you post. And you and everyone else are always welcome to post anything on this thread, positive and or negative, or neutral. Maybe you would want to post about your experience at XYZ!

With that said, I would LOVE to try the AKL DVC and or Bay Lake Tower. Is one more expensive than the other? They both appeal to us! I thought it would be something different, rather than just staying in a hotel room.

I will say we checked out the Grand Floridian DELUXE ROOM at the Concierge Lounge in the Main building! ALL IS CAN SAY IS WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That place is downright GORGEOUS! I believe it's $700.00 a night, but you have to see that room. Next time your at the GF ask to see the room, they will gladly show it to you. I would stay there if they offered the 40 percent off rate DURING VALUE SEASON! lol!

Brunette

 

[Pirate Jeff]

When Brunette first posted this thread, some angry Diser made a competing "Do you think Disney has gone UP HILL" thread to "fight the negativity."

It's funny how that thread vanished... and this one is still going strong.

Nytimez:

I believe I have your context clearly in my mind, so I'm going to go with it. I have been a contributor on this thread and sworn off it some months ago... yet, I still return.

Why?

Maybe because I am so in it for Disney. Maybe because I could live there and practically do. Yet, I am disappointed frequently by many things.

Starting off with this thread, and how it has gone so long...

Somewhere in my own mind, I am hoping that folks at Disney read through some of this stuff and see areas where improvement is needed. Or, where things have "slipped" a bit. A thread like this, can serve to expose areas where Disney fails or has allowed their image to tarnish.

As a continuous Disney customer, allow me to say that I am not so much inhibited by the rising costs. Not at all. It is the combined lack of value and rising cost that draws my ire.

As an example:

I could get a steak at Ponderosa for less than $16.00. Yet, at Ruth's Chris, I couldn't get an appetizer for that cost! Yet, I would take Ruth's Chris over Ponderosa any day. Why? Quality.

Plain and simple.

We could go to Angel's Seafood Buffet on 192 and have at it for under $15.00 or, we could go to BOMA for about $38.00. I'll take BOMA any day but that decisiveness has lengthened over the last few years.

I don't mind paying more for a great thing. I tip well when I am treated well and I will pay a big price for a great meal. Period.

If Disney was sticking to simply raising prices, I wouldn't have one single issue as the "Disney Experience" is phenomenal.

But, there is a caveat. BOMA no longer serves smoked Prime Rib. They have a (very good) Sirloin Roast. While it is very tasty, it is not the Prime Rib they used to have. I would rather they had raised the price than to reduce the quality of what they served.

This is simply one example of what is taking place all over Disney.

It is still an experience for all. And for one timers, it probably has all the magic promised. But as stated so many times before, us long timers have come to realize, that things have changed and corners have been cut.

It isn't the same.

Yet, it's still "awesome". Even after thousands of trips there, we still love going.

We don't mind paying more for the experience. What we do mind, is that we're used to Ruth's Chris and now all we can expect sometimes, is McDonald's. Ironically, you won't find a McDonald's fry anywhere on site as even that has changed.

For better? For worse? I don't know.

What I do know, is I miss the Skyway to Tomorrowland. I miss the lunch buffet at Ft. Wilderness. I miss the exceptional food at O'Hana, not to mention the hot towels. And most of all, I miss riding in the front of the monorail.

Through it all is one mouse and "One Man's Dream". My biggest lament, is that WED and his legacy is taking a back seat to profit.

Then again, maybe I'm a hypocrite. As I will once again up my AP and continue to stay on property. Which makes me believe, that my own personal dream, would be to have Disney remain the standard of quality and family experience that can be offered anywhere.

They don't have to build a new Fantasyland Addition for that. All they have to do, is remember what got them there to begin with.

That's what Walt wanted. If it costs more, so be it. Then charge more. But at the end of the day, people want to be absorbed in the magic of Disney and they should receive nothing less than an exceptional performance by all involved.

Off my soapbox now.....

 

[nytimez]

Nytimez:

I believe I have your context clearly in my mind, so I'm going to go with it. I have been a contributor on this thread and sworn off it some months ago... yet, I still return.

Why?

Maybe because I am so in it for Disney. Maybe because I could live there and practically do. Yet, I am disappointed frequently by many things.

Starting off with this thread, and how it has gone so long...

Somewhere in my own mind, I am hoping that folks at Disney read through some of this stuff and see areas where improvement is needed. Or, where things have "slipped" a bit. A thread like this, can serve to expose areas where Disney fails or has allowed their image to tarnish.

As a continuous Disney customer, allow me to say that I am not so much inhibited by the rising costs. Not at all. It is the combined lack of value and rising cost that draws my ire.

As an example:

I could get a steak at Ponderosa for less than $16.00. Yet, at Ruth's Chris, I couldn't get an appetizer for that cost! Yet, I would take Ruth's Chris over Ponderosa any day. Why? Quality.

Plain and simple.

We could go to Angel's Seafood Buffet on 192 and have at it for under $15.00 or, we could go to BOMA for about $38.00. I'll take BOMA any day but that decisiveness has lengthened over the last few years.

I don't mind paying more for a great thing. I tip well when I am treated well and I will pay a big price for a great meal. Period.

If Disney was sticking to simply raising prices, I wouldn't have one single issue as the "Disney Experience" is phenomenal.

But, there is a caveat. BOMA no longer serves smoked Prime Rib. They have a (very good) Sirloin Roast. While it is very tasty, it is not the Prime Rib they used to have. I would rather they had raised the price than to reduce the quality of what they served.

This is simply one example of what is taking place all over Disney.

It is still an experience for all. And for one timers, it probably has all the magic promised. But as stated so many times before, us long timers have come to realize, that things have changed and corners have been cut.

It isn't the same.

Yet, it's still "awesome". Even after thousands of trips there, we still love going.

We don't mind paying more for the experience. What we do mind, is that we're used to Ruth's Chris and now all we can expect sometimes, is McDonald's. Ironically, you won't find a McDonald's fry anywhere on site as even that has changed.

For better? For worse? I don't know.

What I do know, is I miss the Skyway to Tomorrowland. I miss the lunch buffet at Ft. Wilderness. I miss the exceptional food at O'Hana, not to mention the hot towels. And most of all, I miss riding in the front of the monorail.

Through it all is one mouse and "One Man's Dream". My biggest lament, is that WED and his legacy is taking a back seat to profit.

Then again, maybe I'm a hypocrite. As I will once again up my AP and continue to stay on property. Which makes me believe, that my own personal dream, would be to have Disney remain the standard of quality and family experience that can be offered anywhere.

They don't have to build a new Fantasyland Addition for that. All they have to do, is remember what got them there to begin with.

That's what Walt wanted. If it costs more, so be it. Then charge more. But at the end of the day, people want to be absorbed in the magic of Disney and they should receive nothing less than an exceptional performance by all involved.

Off my soapbox now.....

No -- by all means, stay on that soap box.

This sums up how I feel so perfectly it feels like your broke inside my head and stole it. The only evidence you didn't is that you wrote it out far better than I ever have.

Agreeing with absolutely everything you've said, I feel like there have been some minor and *possibly* hopeful signs for the future. The Avatar commitment, regardless of how you feel about Avatar, shows a new willingness to spend big in Florida and shoot for the moon instead of taking the cheap/easy/safe route. The $10 no-show fee for dining shows a small recognition of the problem they created with the dining plan/free dining - namely, folks like us who go all the time and aren't inclined to do either free dining or the dining plan are now having a hard time getting reservations. The long-term closure of BTMM, while overdue, shows they're actually -- hopefully -- going to restore the ride to its glory. And the slow-but-steady queue improvements show a trend toward improving the least pleasant part of the park experience: the wait.

Promise me I won't have to book ride times 180 days out and I may start being a little optimistic about things.

Might.

The merch still stinks, food quality is still not even close to what it was (and menu options remain more limited) and there's still an overall sense of paying more and getting less. But so far, I keep going back just the same... and have had such an enjoyable experience at Universal in recent years that I may start alternating instead of hitting Disney every time and Universal some of the time.

Now, I'll relinquish the soapbox.

 

[flicx]

*
This! Nice post Tiger, I think most people feel the same way!!!

A pleasant good evening to you miss brunette! Not talked to you in a while hope everything in your world is good.See all the trouble you started on here with this thread!LOL FLICX

 

[Tiger926]

Nytimez:

I believe I have your context clearly in my mind, so I'm going to go with it. I have been a contributor on this thread and sworn off it some months ago... yet, I still return.

Why?

Maybe because I am so in it for Disney. Maybe because I could live there and practically do. Yet, I am disappointed frequently by many things.

Starting off with this thread, and how it has gone so long...

Somewhere in my own mind, I am hoping that folks at Disney read through some of this stuff and see areas where improvement is needed. Or, where things have "slipped" a bit. A thread like this, can serve to expose areas where Disney fails or has allowed their image to tarnish.

As a continuous Disney customer, allow me to say that I am not so much inhibited by the rising costs. Not at all. It is the combined lack of value and rising cost that draws my ire.

As an example:

I could get a steak at Ponderosa for less than $16.00. Yet, at Ruth's Chris, I couldn't get an appetizer for that cost! Yet, I would take Ruth's Chris over Ponderosa any day. Why? Quality.

Plain and simple.

We could go to Angel's Seafood Buffet on 192 and have at it for under $15.00 or, we could go to BOMA for about $38.00. I'll take BOMA any day but that decisiveness has lengthened over the last few years.

I don't mind paying more for a great thing. I tip well when I am treated well and I will pay a big price for a great meal. Period.

If Disney was sticking to simply raising prices, I wouldn't have one single issue as the "Disney Experience" is phenomenal.

But, there is a caveat. BOMA no longer serves smoked Prime Rib. They have a (very good) Sirloin Roast. While it is very tasty, it is not the Prime Rib they used to have. I would rather they had raised the price than to reduce the quality of what they served.

This is simply one example of what is taking place all over Disney.

It is still an experience for all. And for one timers, it probably has all the magic promised. But as stated so many times before, us long timers have come to realize, that things have changed and corners have been cut.

It isn't the same.

Yet, it's still "awesome". Even after thousands of trips there, we still love going.

We don't mind paying more for the experience. What we do mind, is that we're used to Ruth's Chris and now all we can expect sometimes, is McDonald's. Ironically, you won't find a McDonald's fry anywhere on site as even that has changed.

For better? For worse? I don't know.

What I do know, is I miss the Skyway to Tomorrowland. I miss the lunch buffet at Ft. Wilderness. I miss the exceptional food at O'Hana, not to mention the hot towels. And most of all, I miss riding in the front of the monorail.

Through it all is one mouse and "One Man's Dream". My biggest lament, is that WED and his legacy is taking a back seat to profit.

Then again, maybe I'm a hypocrite. As I will once again up my AP and continue to stay on property. Which makes me believe, that my own personal dream, would be to have Disney remain the standard of quality and family experience that can be offered anywhere.

They don't have to build a new Fantasyland Addition for that. All they have to do, is remember what got them there to begin with.

That's what Walt wanted. If it costs more, so be it. Then charge more. But at the end of the day, people want to be absorbed in the magic of Disney and they should receive nothing less than an exceptional performance by all involved.

Off my soapbox now.....

No -- by all means, stay on that soap box.

This sums up how I feel so perfectly it feels like your broke inside my head and stole it. The only evidence you didn't is that you wrote it out far better than I ever have.

Agreeing with absolutely everything you've said, I feel like there have been some minor and *possibly* hopeful signs for the future. The Avatar commitment, regardless of how you feel about Avatar, shows a new willingness to spend big in the Florida and shoot for the moon instead of taking the cheap/easy/safe route. The $10 no-show fee for dining shows a small recognition of the problem they created with the dining plan/free dining - namely, folks like us who go all the time and aren't inclined to do either free dining or the dining plan are now having a hard time getting reservations. The long-term closure of BTMM, while overdue, shows they're actually -- hopefully -- going to restore the ride to its glory. And the slow-but-steady queue improvements show a trend toward improving the least pleasant part of the park experience: the wait.

Promise me I won't have to book ride times 180 days out and I may start being a little optimistic about things.

Might.

The merch still stinks, food quality is still not even close to what it was (and menu options remain more limited) and there's still an overall sense of paying more and getting less. But so far, I keep going back just the same... and have had such an enjoyable experience at Universal in recent years that I may start alternating instead of hitting Disney every time and Universal some of the time.

Now, I'll relinquish the soapbox.

Both are great posts! Enjoyed reading them very much, Tiger

 

[brunette8706]

A pleasant good evening to you miss brunette! Not talked to you in a while hope everything in your world is good.See all the trouble you started on here with this thread!LOL FLICX

*
Hey ya FLICX!

I know I'm the lead troublemaker!

If you ever get to the Grand Floridian, ask to see one of their DELUXE rooms in the main building! LOL ! Holy Smokes! You'll love it! Start saving now though! LOL!

Hope you're doing Terrific on this windy, damp, Friday night! LOL!

 

[brunette8706]

Nytimez:

I believe I have your context clearly in my mind, so I'm going to go with it. I have been a contributor on this thread and sworn off it some months ago... yet, I still return.

Why?

Maybe because I am so in it for Disney. Maybe because I could live there and practically do. Yet, I am disappointed frequently by many things.

Starting off with this thread, and how it has gone so long...

Somewhere in my own mind, I am hoping that folks at Disney read through some of this stuff and see areas where improvement is needed. Or, where things have "slipped" a bit. A thread like this, can serve to expose areas where Disney fails or has allowed their image to tarnish.

As a continuous Disney customer, allow me to say that I am not so much inhibited by the rising costs. Not at all. It is the combined lack of value and rising cost that draws my ire.

As an example:

I could get a steak at Ponderosa for less than $16.00. Yet, at Ruth's Chris, I couldn't get an appetizer for that cost! Yet, I would take Ruth's Chris over Ponderosa any day. Why? Quality.

Plain and simple.

We could go to Angel's Seafood Buffet on 192 and have at it for under $15.00 or, we could go to BOMA for about $38.00. I'll take BOMA any day but that decisiveness has lengthened over the last few years.

I don't mind paying more for a great thing. I tip well when I am treated well and I will pay a big price for a great meal. Period.

If Disney was sticking to simply raising prices, I wouldn't have one single issue as the "Disney Experience" is phenomenal.

But, there is a caveat. BOMA no longer serves smoked Prime Rib. They have a (very good) Sirloin Roast. While it is very tasty, it is not the Prime Rib they used to have. I would rather they had raised the price than to reduce the quality of what they served.

This is simply one example of what is taking place all over Disney.

It is still an experience for all. And for one timers, it probably has all the magic promised. But as stated so many times before, us long timers have come to realize, that things have changed and corners have been cut.

It isn't the same.

Yet, it's still "awesome". Even after thousands of trips there, we still love going.

We don't mind paying more for the experience. What we do mind, is that we're used to Ruth's Chris and now all we can expect sometimes, is McDonald's. Ironically, you won't find a McDonald's fry anywhere on site as even that has changed.

For better? For worse? I don't know.

What I do know, is I miss the Skyway to Tomorrowland. I miss the lunch buffet at Ft. Wilderness. I miss the exceptional food at O'Hana, not to mention the hot towels. And most of all, I miss riding in the front of the monorail.

Through it all is one mouse and "One Man's Dream". My biggest lament, is that WED and his legacy is taking a back seat to profit.

Then again, maybe I'm a hypocrite. As I will once again up my AP and continue to stay on property. Which makes me believe, that my own personal dream, would be to have Disney remain the standard of quality and family experience that can be offered anywhere.

They don't have to build a new Fantasyland Addition for that. All they have to do, is remember what got them there to begin with.

That's what Walt wanted. If it costs more, so be it. Then charge more. But at the end of the day, people want to be absorbed in the magic of Disney and they should receive nothing less than an exceptional performance by all involved.

Off my soapbox now.....

No -- by all means, stay on that soap box.

This sums up how I feel so perfectly it feels like your broke inside my head and stole it. The only evidence you didn't is that you wrote it out far better than I ever have.

Agreeing with absolutely everything you've said, I feel like there have been some minor and *possibly* hopeful signs for the future. The Avatar commitment, regardless of how you feel about Avatar, shows a new willingness to spend big in the Florida and shoot for the moon instead of taking the cheap/easy/safe route. The $10 no-show fee for dining shows a small recognition of the problem they created with the dining plan/free dining - namely, folks like us who go all the time and aren't inclined to do either free dining or the dining plan are now having a hard time getting reservations. The long-term closure of BTMM, while overdue, shows they're actually -- hopefully -- going to restore the ride to its glory. And the slow-but-steady queue improvements show a trend toward improving the least pleasant part of the park experience: the wait.

Promise me I won't have to book ride times 180 days out and I may start being a little optimistic about things.

Might.

The merch still stinks, food quality is still not even close to what it was (and menu options remain more limited) and there's still an overall sense of paying more and getting less. But so far, I keep going back just the same... and have had such an enjoyable experience at Universal in recent years that I may start alternating instead of hitting Disney every time and Universal some of the time.

Now, I'll relinquish the soapbox.

*

Both of these posts by these gentlemen, are awesome. Both were a great read. Wish you guys posted more often...

Anyway, I really enjoyed reading these! I couldn't have said it better.