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

[KellyNY]

Hi! I've been lurking I am so tired of the 'Disney can do whatever they want, don't buy a ticket if you don't like it' nonsense drivel - not just in this thread, either! Some people have seriously drank some Kool-Aid and it gets a little silly sometimes.
Anyway.....I leave in 3 days and am sooo excited!!

Hi, good to see you again, I booked last minute vacation, leaving on September 2nd, cannot wait

 

[d1gitman]

...60+ pages of discussion, cut through some name calling, long rambling posts...and said in 7 sentances what we have been trying to explain...

and now, for the next 60+ pages...

 

[luckyprincess]

As for koolaid, that is such a stupid saying. I don't put my faith in anyone or any company on this planet, and that is what the koolaid was all about.

Oh boy. It's not a stupid saying. It means that people will just accept what's being presented to them without thinking objectively. I mean, if you have always paid $40 to go to dinner at your favorite place and they always bring you warm bread while you read your menu, that would be a standard of theirs. So if you came in and paid $40 for dinner and there was no bread because they decided to cut it out - well, ok - no big deal - the economy isn't great, they need to make cuts, right?

So next you come in and pay $50 and there is no bread...hmmmm..an objective thinker may start to get concerned. After all - they are charging more and giving you less. Well, now say you pay $50, get no bread, and use the restroom and find it to be not clean. Not the best experience, right?

Now, you come in, they charge $55 (because it's holdiay season) there is no bread, restroom if not clean and your server isn't as friendly as usual and seems to be pre-occupied.

If you were to say 'oh well, prices go up - no big deal! I still love this place and won't bother complaining and don't feel the least bit slighted!' then someone may consider that 'drinking the kool-aid'. Just saying.

 

[flicx]

Good thread hope it keeps on going. I have to agree with the kool aid comment. Seems to me disney has raised ticket prices 22 years in a row,food is through the roof in price, and 30 dollar tshirts(that kinda speaks for itself).Now add in the yearly room increases,surcharges on weekends,more for food certain times of the year.Couple that with a millionaires exclusive housing resort,and less new attractions in the past decade than ever.Now top that off with 1500 layoffs,and yet new resorts are being built even though you have basically boarded up attractions and bulidings in the parks for a half a decade.Now mix this mess all up and and put a rosy outlook on it for me!These are great concerns that compound each other and they need addressed,now if you don't address these problems when you are making a profit when may I ask will you. I personally have the theory before long the common man will basically be priced out at the world.Heck by the current ticket increases in 6 years we will break the 100 dollar a day barrier!Thats just 3 dollars a year incidentally. Now with this all said I do love disney world, however I hope and plead they stop the madness soon or I can see my days as a disnut being numbered!

 

[Suellen]

Oh boy. It's not a stupid saying. It means that people will just accept what's being presented to them without thinking objectively. I mean, if you have always paid $40 to go to dinner at your favorite place and they always bring you warm bread while you read your menu, that would be a standard of theirs. So if you came in and paid $40 for dinner and there was no bread because they decided to cut it out - well, ok - no big deal - the economy isn't great, they need to make cuts, right?

So next you come in and pay $50 and there is no bread...hmmmm..an objective thinker may start to get concerned. After all - they are charging more and giving you less. Well, now say you pay $50, get no bread, and use the restroom and find it to be not clean. Not the best experience, right?

Now, you come in, they charge $55 (because it's holdiay season) there is no bread, restroom if not clean and your server isn't as friendly as usual and seems to be pre-occupied.

If you were to say 'oh well, prices go up - no big deal! I still love this place and won't bother complaining and don't feel the least bit slighted!' then someone may consider that 'drinking the kool-aid'. Just saying.

But does the food still make me happy? Does it still light my kids eyes up and make them giggle and squeal in a way that makes me happy that I was able to bring them there? If it does then I probably would not complain.

I've been going every year (September makes trip 5 this year) and do things change? Yeah of course they change. Do I always like the changes? Of course not.

But does it mean that the experience is less magical for me? No. For me. Not less magical. Yeah, for me.

Yeah ~ we have had some craptastic meals in the last few trips...(Garden Grill anyone?) but we just won't go back there ~ and if we do then it will be for the character interaction.

For the most part we know what we are paying for going in.

Maybe I just have my rose colored glasses on while at the World.... but then that's okay with me.

 

[si-am]

But you appear to be speaking for everyone who has been going for years. You discount many of us who have been going nearly yearly or more for 24 years. What right do you have to assume how anyone but a handful of dissers feel? I am fine and dandy with the magic. Thanks. Do things cost more? Yep. Here there, and everywhere.

As for koolaid, that is such a stupid saying. I don't put my faith in anyone or any company on this planet, and that is what the koolaid was all about.

You may be fine and dandy with the magic that still exists, but you can't deny there have been cutbacks in MANY areas.

Cutbacks and price increases.

I'm happy with Disney magic too but not altogether thrilled about the loss of quality and diversity of merchandise, food value, entertainers, maintenance, etc.

I've been every year for my whole life (36 years).

 

[Pirate Jeff]

Hey Folks!

Brunette asked me to write a letter describing some of our complaints. I would be more than happy to oblige. I'm a little exhausted at the moment, but I will post something tomorrow night, if anyone is interested! I look forward to doing so.

Aaaargh!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Donut23]

RE: Kool Aid and proud of it


You know, just because someone can afford to stay in a Disney Deluxe Resort does not mean they appreciate TRUE Deluxe standards. Just because someone CAN eat in an expensive Disney restaurant does not mean they can appreciate fine cuisine. It just means they can pay for it.

Perhaps they can't see the decline in food quality at Le Cellier beause they simply don't know the difference between Prime and Select. Nothing wrong with that. That's why you find the $12.99 steak platters at restaurants!! By the way....for those who didn't notice, Prime cuts of beef at most Disney restaurants are now long gone..but they DID increase prices when they introduced lower standards.

Perhaps people don't appreciate a Bell Services castmember coming to their arriving taxi to open the door and welcome them to the resort.....The only thing I can guess is some guests are simply not familiar with truly good service.....and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. ....but please Disney, don't tell us you are offering a level of quality and service you obviously are not. Just because you CALL it Deluxe doesn't make it Deluxe.

Willing to pay more and accept less........absolutely your choice. We pay castmember rates so we are not really paying for a Deluxe resort at hospitality standards. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE our stays at BC or BWI....but they are rated perfectly as they are at the 3 star level. You expect less with 3 stars vs. 4 or 5 stars.

There are many layers to quality service. Chip away at them slowly and one day you will look up and find your meal compares to that $12.99 steak platter and the "Good 'Ole Boys Diner". (we are just as comfortable with diner food too -- but they DON'T charge us $36 for a lesser cut of steak!)

 

[GadgetRick]

But, except for the rides being in disrepair, not one of those complaints is a complain brought up by posters on this thread. This is a straw man argument, making it easier to knock down than our real argument.

I don't want anything free. I don't want more than another family. I want Disney to maintain the standards IT set for ITSELF.

How can Disney teach marketing classes to other company executives on customer service anymore? When I was a former CM in Traditions we learned things like if a piece of garbage was on the ground, the CM in that vicinity should pick it up immediately and there were so many custodial CMs that you never saw a mess for a long period of time and never overflowing garbage cans. This was even parodied on the WDW episode of Roseanne, where she tossed popcorn to see how fast the still-smiling CM could sweep it up. Since 1983 I never saw overflowing garbage cans until 2009. It is a change for the worse.

When I was a CM, I would often see the CMs we called Super Greeters. They walked around just to offer directions, give a little advice, make sure guests were happy. We used to have Guest Service Recovery cards. If someone dropped their popcorn or ice cream, they would have a new one for free and we would clean it up asap.

I haven't seen a SuperGreeter anywhere in the parks during my last 3 trips.

The "honey" smell on Winnie the Pooh is gone.
Resort specific merchandise is gone.
The Epcot Christmas lights and tree lighting ceremony are gone.
Prime rib and other items on the buffet that were widely enjoyed are gone.
Benches are being removed.
Portions are being reduced.
Holiday decorations are being reduced.

etc, etc.

I don't want to be family of the day or get anything for free. I just do not want Disney to take anything ELSE away. I mean at what point does it become impossible to ignore. If they decide that EMH is not profitable and they cut it out, is that ok? What if they got rid of the Dapper Dans? What if they reduced the parades to two days a week only? Or got rid of them entirely? What if they decided to close one of the four parks one day a week each to save money? What if they decided to remove the entertainment from 'Ohana to save money? What if they decided to charge extra for meeting Mickey and Minnie and autographs like some baseball players do? Is that ok? Business ethics and all? Is Disney still as magical as YOU make it?

NO. When Walt Disney said we need people to make that dream a reality he was talking about CAST MEMBERS not guests! Guests are there to enjoy the show.

All this talk about saving money is understandable given the economy, but we need to remember that this is not the heart of what made Disney great.

Quoted from http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/familymuseum/collection/insidestory/inside_1946c.html

Walt equipped the property with a red barn (modeled after his family's barn back in Marceline) with woodworking and machine tools. He also enlisted the aid of studio staffers like Roger Broggie, who had established the Disney Studio machine shop (and whose son is author Michael Broggie). He decided that it would be more exciting if the tunnel were shaped like an S -- so that riders wouldn't be able to see the light at the end when they entered it. One worker advised Walt that it would be cheaper to build the tunnel straight. "No," said Walt, in a classic Disney response, "it's cheaper not to do it at all."

and that doesn't mean I think they should save money by removing the railroad, either.

Extremely well-said!

I remember, a few years ago, we were sitting outside on Main St eating a little breakfast. One of the horses just had to go and left a land mine in the middle of Main St. I said to my wife, "Let's see how long it takes someone to clean up that mess..." Right away (maybe a minute later) a CM comes by and cleans up the mess as if it was never there.

My last trip I saw overflowing trash bins, trash on the ground and a disgusting bathroom. Something I've never seen in 20ish years of going. No, it wasn't super busy or anything like that. Crowds were of moderate size. But I've been there during the busiest of times--seen the park close due to the number of people) and never saw these things before.

So I really don't think I'm crazy in saying things have gone downhill...

 

[GadgetRick]

What I am saying is THAT kind of attitude is ALL around at Disney. Hearing those complaints is the only thing that takes magic away for me. For the most part I fluff it off ~ but it is annoying to hear over and over while we are enjoying ourselves.

So people shouldn't voice their concerns because others don't want to hear it because it may ruin the experience? What does that tell you? If the concerns voiced don't have some validity, it wouldn't ruin your experience.

 

[GadgetRick]

RE: Kool Aid and proud of it


You know, just because someone can afford to stay in a Disney Deluxe Resort does not mean they appreciate TRUE Deluxe standards. Just because someone CAN eat in an expensive Disney restaurant does not mean they can appreciate fine cuisine. It just means they can pay for it.

Perhaps they can't see the decline in food quality at Le Cellier beause they simply don't know the difference between Prime and Select. Nothing wrong with that. That's why you find the $12.99 steak platters at restaurants!! By the way....for those who didn't notice, Prime cuts of beef at most Disney restaurants are now long gone..but they DID increase prices when they introduced lower standards.

Perhaps people don't appreciate a Bell Services castmember coming to their arriving taxi to open the door and welcome them to the resort.....The only thing I can guess is some guests are simply not familiar with truly good service.....and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. ....but please Disney, don't tell us you are offering a level of quality and service you obviously are not. Just because you CALL it Deluxe doesn't make it Deluxe.

Willing to pay more and accept less........absolutely your choice. We pay castmember rates so we are not really paying for a Deluxe resort at hospitality standards. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE our stays at BC or BWI....but they are rated perfectly as they are at the 3 star level. You expect less with 3 stars vs. 4 or 5 stars.

There are many layers to quality service. Chip away at them slowly and one day you will look up and find your meal compares to that $12.99 steak platter and the "Good 'Ole Boys Diner". (we are just as comfortable with diner food too -- but they DON'T charge us $36 for a lesser cut of steak!)

Well said...

 

[Planogirl]

RE: Kool Aid and proud of it


You know, just because someone can afford to stay in a Disney Deluxe Resort does not mean they appreciate TRUE Deluxe standards. Just because someone CAN eat in an expensive Disney restaurant does not mean they can appreciate fine cuisine. It just means they can pay for it.

Perhaps they can't see the decline in food quality at Le Cellier beause they simply don't know the difference between Prime and Select. Nothing wrong with that. That's why you find the $12.99 steak platters at restaurants!! By the way....for those who didn't notice, Prime cuts of beef at most Disney restaurants are now long gone..but they DID increase prices when they introduced lower standards.

Perhaps people don't appreciate a Bell Services castmember coming to their arriving taxi to open the door and welcome them to the resort.....The only thing I can guess is some guests are simply not familiar with truly good service.....and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. ....but please Disney, don't tell us you are offering a level of quality and service you obviously are not. Just because you CALL it Deluxe doesn't make it Deluxe.

Willing to pay more and accept less........absolutely your choice. We pay castmember rates so we are not really paying for a Deluxe resort at hospitality standards. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE our stays at BC or BWI....but they are rated perfectly as they are at the 3 star level. You expect less with 3 stars vs. 4 or 5 stars.

There are many layers to quality service. Chip away at them slowly and one day you will look up and find your meal compares to that $12.99 steak platter and the "Good 'Ole Boys Diner". (we are just as comfortable with diner food too -- but they DON'T charge us $36 for a lesser cut of steak!)

Nicely stated. My way of saying this is that the WDW resorts are not luxury but deluxe in Disney standards. That just means that some hotels are nicer than others but not as nice as offsite resorts. Also, some restaurants are nicer than others too.

I can't justify the buffet prices though.

 

[disneynutz]

RE: Perhaps people don't appreciate a Bell Services castmember coming to their arriving taxi to open the door and welcome them to the resort.....

Disney doesn't let Bell Services open your door or unload your car. The folks who do that now are contracted from a outside company.

The door opener wants a tip, the luggage unloader wants a tip and they pass your luggage to Bell Services who also expects a tip.

Bill

 

[Donut23]

Disney doesn't let Bell Services open your door or unload your car. The folks who do that now are contracted from a outside company.

The door opener wants a tip, the luggage unloader wants a tip and they pass your luggage to Bell Services who also expects a tip.

Bill

Oh NOOOOOO - hit me with a wet noodle because I used the wrong castmember title.

Trouble is......at Deluxe resorts opening taxi doors for arriving guests is just standard service.

I remember the first time I arrived at the Hilton at Ground Zero. We had a taxi terrorist for a driver. The taxi was big and black and the driver knew two speeds....stopped at a traffic light and "LET 'EM DIE YOUNG" fast. This big black taxi reminded me of Princess Di's black limo in Paris and I desperately spent the ride trying to find the seatbelt.

Seriously shaken, we arrived at the Hilton. I had such a firm handlock on the door handle the poor (let's call him) Hilton greeter couldn't open the door. Funny now...don't remember it so funny at the time.

Anyway....just part of your day at a TRUE deluxe hotel. I don't think managers of true Deluxe properties worry about staffing based on Emily Post's Tipping Guidelines. They staff based on service offered. And for Disney, many times it's the service which should be offered anyway.

By the way......I HAVE had my door opened arriving at a Disney resort.


The bottom line of my earlier post was simply.....just because people are not familiar with appropriate service does not mean it should not be a standard policy. Just because people cannot recognize good cuisine does not mean it's OK for ALL of us to endure lowering standards and higher prices.

Disney wants us to believe they offer higher standards than they actually have been of late but they cannot fool ALL of us.

 

[Suellen]

So people shouldn't voice their concerns because others don't want to hear it because it may ruin the experience? What does that tell you? If the concerns voiced don't have some validity, it wouldn't ruin your experience.

Did you even read my original post? My guess is no. There is no validity to the complaints I hear all around the park.

 

[Tiger926]

RE: Kool Aid and proud of it


You know, just because someone can afford to stay in a Disney Deluxe Resort does not mean they appreciate TRUE Deluxe standards. Just because someone CAN eat in an expensive Disney restaurant does not mean they can appreciate fine cuisine. It just means they can pay for it.

Perhaps they can't see the decline in food quality at Le Cellier beause they simply don't know the difference between Prime and Select. Nothing wrong with that. That's why you find the $12.99 steak platters at restaurants!! By the way....for those who didn't notice, Prime cuts of beef at most Disney restaurants are now long gone..but they DID increase prices when they introduced lower standards.

Perhaps people don't appreciate a Bell Services castmember coming to their arriving taxi to open the door and welcome them to the resort.....The only thing I can guess is some guests are simply not familiar with truly good service.....and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. ....but please Disney, don't tell us you are offering a level of quality and service you obviously are not. Just because you CALL it Deluxe doesn't make it Deluxe.

Willing to pay more and accept less........absolutely your choice. We pay castmember rates so we are not really paying for a Deluxe resort at hospitality standards. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE our stays at BC or BWI....but they are rated perfectly as they are at the 3 star level. You expect less with 3 stars vs. 4 or 5 stars.

There are many layers to quality service. Chip away at them slowly and one day you will look up and find your meal compares to that $12.99 steak platter and the "Good 'Ole Boys Diner". (we are just as comfortable with diner food too -- but they DON'T charge us $36 for a lesser cut of steak!)

Excellent post!!!

I remember reading last year on these boards from a former Signature Restaurant chef that the cuts of meat were below what guests thought they were considering the cost of the steaks. Le Cellier is one thing, but when you are paying $40 - $50 for steak at a Signature Restaurant, that is something else entirely.

Tiger

 

[disneyfan55]

Excellent post!!!

I remember reading last year on these boards from a former Signature Restaurant chef that the cuts of meat were below what guests thought they were considering the cost of the steaks. Le Cellier is one thing, but when you are paying $40 - $50 for steak at a Signature Restaurant, that is something else entirely.

Tiger

And LeCellier will be 2 TS credits next year, or so I've read. I wonder if the quality will go up as well.

 

[Tiger926]

And LeCellier will be 2 TS credits next year, or so I've read. I wonder if the quality will go up as well.

Yup, as of March, dinner is now a Signature or 2 TS credit meal.

I just read somewhere that Le Cellier is advertising a new dinner menu coming - they better do something, as we hardly thought that it was worth 1 credit the last time we were on the DP a few years ago.

It'll be interesting to see...but, since it's so popular, Disney will more than likely cheapen out on the food product, as people will go anyway.

Tiger

 

[disneynutz]

Oh NOOOOOO - hit me with a wet noodle because I used the wrong castmember title.

Trouble is......at Deluxe resorts opening taxi doors for arriving guests is just standard service.

I remember the first time I arrived at the Hilton at Ground Zero. We had a taxi terrorist for a driver. The taxi was big and black and the driver knew two speeds....stopped at a traffic light and "LET 'EM DIE YOUNG" fast. This big black taxi reminded me of Princess Di's black limo in Paris and I desperately spent the ride trying to find the seatbelt.

Seriously shaken, we arrived at the Hilton. I had such a firm handlock on the door handle the poor (let's call him) Hilton greeter couldn't open the door. Funny now...don't remember it so funny at the time.

Anyway....just part of your day at a TRUE deluxe hotel. I don't think managers of true Deluxe properties worry about staffing based on Emily Post's Tipping Guidelines. They staff based on service offered. And for Disney, many times it's the service which should be offered anyway.

By the way......I HAVE had my door opened arriving at a Disney resort.


The bottom line of my earlier post was simply.....just because people are not familiar with appropriate service does not mean it should not be a standard policy. Just because people cannot recognize good cuisine does not mean it's OK for ALL of us to endure lowering standards and higher prices.

Disney wants us to believe they offer higher standards than they actually have been of late but they cannot fool ALL of us.

 

[disneyfan55]

Yup, as of March, dinner is now a Signature or 2 TS credit meal.

I just read somewhere that Le Cellier is advertising a new dinner menu coming - they better do something, as we hardly thought that it was worth 1 credit the last time we were on the DP a few years ago.

It'll be interesting to see...but, since it's so popular, Disney will more than likely cheapen out on the food product, as people will go anyway.

Tiger

the past few years (since 2007) we have either been on FD or used TIW. When we used TIW we did eat at a few of the Signature restaurants and I really wasn't that impressed with the food. I mean it was ok but not worth the costs even with the discounts. Food really has lost quality esp. since the DDP has been promoted and has been offered free. I recall eating in the castle even up to the early years of this decade and the food was pretty good. Now, since it's an "item" be booked I really don't bother. It just seems that in the past up until our 2003 visit, you could always book a TS, even the castle the same day! NOw WDW seems to be so regimented. I really don't even like eating at the TS. The cleanliness has really gone down as well Our 2 rooms at WL left a lot to be desired, plus there were mixed nuts on the floor and in the drawers in my daughter's room (she had her 1 1/2 yr. old so not a nice thing to find upon walking in the first day) I have noticed more of the decline in everthing over the entire span of my visits.