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

[almburr]

they have these at the public restroom near the lobby in Shades of Green.

it's ...really neat. lol.

They are also at Yak and Yeti

 

[ajseagles3]

I don't think it has gone down hill--but then again we went from vacationing as a couple to vaca w/small kids so--the places we eat etc are very different

 

[themilesfamily]

I actually feel that they're improving in some ways.

1) I love the addition of the themed rooms at the hotels -- the pirate rooms and the upcoming Princess rooms, Haunted Mansion rooms, etc. We'll go back again and again just for that.
2) I feel that the customer service is just as magical and second to none. They treat everyone like they're VIP.

I just hope they don't stray too far from classic Disney with the updates to the parks -- especially the Magic Kingdom.

 

[patsal]

Well it is considerably less clean, understaffed, many CM's are disinterested and less than polite. After returning from a long weekend at US/IOA I have to say I see that they have much more hospitality than WDW does currently--perhaps that is where the old Disney hospitality went? The parks there were cleaner, more appropriately staffed and the TM's were much more interested in pleasing customers. I'm bummed now that I have a 12 night Disney stay planned and cannot get a room at US/IOA to replace some of that time. Honestly, I never thought I'd ever say that!

 

[lesabrowning]

Food quality has definitely hit the skids. We're hungry, it's food so we eat it-period. The food used to be unique and delicious. My FIL's gourmet group took a trip to eat at the Epcot restaurants in the 1990's These are men that traveled all over the world to eat at various restaurants. They thought the food was gourmet quality at the restaurants. Today, if he was alive he would not be impressed. Heck, i'm not even close to a gourmet and I think it's pretty awful.

I wonder how many people visit WDW and really feel that the food is "awful?"
We have been visiting WDW once or twice a year for the past 12 years and dine at mostly TS restaurants. (usually twice a day) We are not food snobs, but we live in Los Angeles and have more than our fair share of fine local restaurants. We happen to think the food at WDW is very good. We hate how crowded TS restaurants are and I think that has to do with free dining, but I just don't see how anyone can say the food in general is awful. (a bad dish, a bad day or a bad server sure... but in general?)

I worked for Disneyland in high school and college and have been a AP holder at DL and WDW for many many years. I have seen many changes over the years, the majority of them being good ones. I still find Disney to be "The Happiest Place on Earth" and some of our best family moments are at Disney parks. From what I can see in the parks, I am not the only one that feels this way : )

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

Also, if any of you think that certain things at WDW are going downhill, do any of you actually write letters or emails to the resort or stop by Guest Relations in the parks to make your voices heard? Those are the only ways to get change to come to WDW.

We made sure to take the opportunity to participate in multiple surveys during our last visit. Especially the one at the resort on check out day, as we'd heard that it is reviewed regularly. We feel that feedback, both positive and negative, is important. Each evening during our last stay, we would reflect on the day's events prior to turning in. I still have our detailed notes (names, dates, times, etc). This way we could make sure that those who excelled were properly recognized. Heck, we shocked the socks off our KTTK Guide from 2003, when we spotted him in MK last fall. He made that good of an impression.

 

[rcraw45425]

DysonAirBlade

they have these in some areas at US. I saw them in a restroom in the NY area while waiting for DD's marching band to perform in December

 

[Tim Riordan]

I must agree with you. I feel over the past 5 years it's all about the money

 

[goofy4prez]

Sorry, BuckeyeGuy, but I completely disagree.


Also, if any of you think that certain things at WDW are going downhill, do any of you actually write lettersYES or emailsYES to the resortYES or stop by Guest RelationsYES in the parksYES to make your voices heard?YES Those are the only ways to get change to come to WDWI AGREE.

The answers are in red. I should add that I am not a negative person, but there are some things WDW has lowered their standards over the past few years.

 

[brunette8706]

The answers are in red. I should add that I am not a negative person, but there are some things WDW has lowered their standards over the past few years.

*
Hi Goofy4Prez-

I just saw this thread again. We went in January for a January trip, everything was mostly good. Went to Flame tree and got the ribs, though, and they were disgusting! LOL!

Can't wait until the Fantasyland expansion.

Brunette

 

[GOOFYsince71]

I just got back from my 40th trip to WDW...
Sharing this anniversary with WDW was very important to me...being that I believe in the magic,,,,and have always thought NOTHING could be negative about WDW.....after this trip,,I guess I stopped looking at it through rose colored glasses....It IS what you make it.....In the past I closed my eyes and looked the other way to the Negatives....and just looked at the experience as a whole....the music, the gardens, the amazing buildings,and different lands,,,all creating a dream come true experience....Last week,,,,No matter how hard I tried,,,,there were too many ,,,,what I call....empty apologies......
"sorry, we didn't know, sorry we didn't expect,,,sorry I keyed it in wrong,and your passes are lost,,,sorry, we forgot, sorry, but we have a new system since "NOVEMBER" and are still getting use to it,,,sorry, sorry , sorry,,OH<<<and when I wanted to get in a FP lane ,,,a CM at the line said,,,"don't bother,,,the FP line is as long as stand by,,,,I would just skip this attraction completely"
I AM the most patient person that I know,,,,but with a week of apologies,,,it seemed that no one really cared anymore,,,one or two people still exuded the magic,,,and it was obvious that it was a lot of work for them to portray that feeling ,,,but a little of the luster has faded.....It is still beautiful,,it is still a dream vacation,,,but remember ,,,I experienced it when it was at its peak,,,,when we truly WERE THEIR GUEST,,,and they were happy to see us...
I heard from one CM that He was so tired of bad parents,,,,,another said he couldn't wait to get off his shift...another complained about the tips,,,,Oh well, I say,,,,maybe it will get better ,,,,,,like the old days,,,,
I still tipped 20% plus,,,and still thanked everyone for their service,,,whether it was just the bus driver who ignored me,,,or the park sweeper who stepped over every piece of food or napkin on the ground,,,Maybe it just wasn't their day.......

 

[seals]

Disney needs to get rid of free dining and their problems with people complaining about food decline will be solved.

I have to say I agree with this. I think then the overall food prices could be a little lower too. I'd rather see discounted resort rates than free dining.

 

[TheLadyTremain]

I don't go to Disney enough to really notice a big "downhill" slide. I have been to Disney about 7 times in my life. Each time has been a different experience, going as a child, a teenager, a single girl, with my young kids, etc. So each experience has been uniquely different. For each trip, I have different expectations and in general, I don't have high expectations. I don't expect to be staying at the Four Seasons. I don't expect the caliber of food to be Michelin rated. I expect Disney to be expensive. So I don't think I am very disappointed.

On my trips though, i can say food is the one thing I have always thought could be improved. WHile I have had some fantastic Disney food, things could be better at some places.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I have to say I agree with this. I think then the overall food prices could be a little lower too. I'd rather see discounted resort rates than free dining.

I don't think you will ever see them get rid of the dining plan or the use of free dining to entice people to come visit

Disney wants to keep you on property 24/7 so they want you to only eat on Disney property and the DDP (whether free or not) makes it easier for families to eat all there meals there and just do nothing but Disney (if your meals are covered at Disney, are you going to take a day to go to Universal and have to pay for food there?_

personally I would like to see the prices of OOP food prices come down and maybe even have some additional choices for those paying OOP and not on the DDP as I feel some of the restaurants have "dumbed down" their menu and gotten rid of some of the more expensive options as they were losing money on those with the DDP - but I don't think this will ever happen

 

[Balt ravens fan]

I haven't actually been. I have a friend who much prefers Disneyland to the World. ...

I think they are different expierences. Disneyworld has more to offer but it is very spreadout and difficult to do in a week. Disneyland has a ton of rides in a much smaller area, making you feel you got more out of less days.

So you could go to Disneyland for 3-5 days and feel you rode and did just as much as you did in Disney World in 6-7 days. But Disney World is much more impressive, beautiful, and the expierence is better.

I don't know if that makes sense. I guess I prefer Disney World to Disneyland, but I prefer Southern California as a "whole" more than Orlando. If you go out to California, you do disneyland for 3,4 maybe 5 days, and you do other things in California - Hollywood, Santa Monica Pier, San Diego, the beach, etc, etc, etc... The "California expierence". But when you go to Disney World, you immerse yourself in the World. The rest of Orlando is ok, but it is no Southern California.

 

[mskayjay]

I know this has been talked about many times before here, but the issue has come to the forefront more and more about the cleanlyness of the bathroom facilities at the parks. Clean bathrooms are one of the things that have always impressed me about Disney. Clean bathrooms are one of the many things that set Disney apart from other places. I heard recently that certain guest have found the bathrooms in several parks to be so disgustingly filthy, that some guest have searched out cast members to have them cleaned. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to see these problems in person, because we haven't been to WDW in over 2 years, but if these things are true, this would be a perfect example where Disney has gone down hill over the past few years. I know Disney's profits are down for the last quarter and I'm sure they're looking for anyway possible to cut cost. It would be a tremendous mistake, however to make cuts in areas that directly affect their guest and this would be one of them.

I agree with you about the conditions of the bathrooms and used to comment that as a woman, if you were unfortunate enough to have to deal with mother nature during your trip, at least the bathrooms at Disney were clean. Not anymore.

However, that being said, I think the bathrooms being dirty is directly in relation to the fact that people overall today are rude, inconsiderate, dirty slobs when they use public facilities. They use public restrooms in a way that they would never act in their own homes. They let soap drip all over and don't take a moment to wipe it, spray water all over and leave it, drop TP on their floor or worse and leave it...... I honestly think some people go into the bathrooms to see just how disgusting they can be. Who in their right mind throws or drops a "sanitary item" on the floor and leaves it? Who makes a mess on a seat and leaves it? Its just disgusting!

I've been going to WDW since '72 and the changes are very evident. I hate how short the CMs can be but when you look at how rude many many people are, I can see why they act like they do at times.

The food? Its a joke now. I managed a restaurant in a resort area for years. There is no way they can justify what they charge for what they are delivering to their guests but they know people will pay for it. Cali Grill....down hill; Artist Pointe....down hill and never worth it to begin with IMHO; LeCellier.....proof that WDW charges more where it can get more simply "because".....it is NOT a 2TS restaurant!!!; buffets....$30 for eggs and cheap starches????...you get the point! But we all pay for it because we want to stay in the moment! It is convenience/desires of the guest and the business model (proper one!) of keeping guests strictly on property that is keeping this going. Families looking to save did much better when they paid for rooms under the pre-Free Dining model and packed lunches. Disney knows that! Our last few trips, we had FD offered but it was cheaper to take a discounted room and add DDP if we wanted to. You get caught up in the word "free" and think its a good deal when it isn't necessarily your best deal or option.

Disney will not make changes as long as people are going and we all are going and just accepting it and dealing with the things we don't like because ultimately, we have no other choice if you want to be at WDW.

 

[Planogirl]

I just got back from my 40th trip to WDW...
Sharing this anniversary with WDW was very important to me...being that I believe in the magic,,,,and have always thought NOTHING could be negative about WDW.....after this trip,,I guess I stopped looking at it through rose colored glasses....It IS what you make it.....In the past I closed my eyes and looked the other way to the Negatives....and just looked at the experience as a whole....the music, the gardens, the amazing buildings,and different lands,,,all creating a dream come true experience....Last week,,,,No matter how hard I tried,,,,there were too many ,,,,what I call....empty apologies......
"sorry, we didn't know, sorry we didn't expect,,,sorry I keyed it in wrong,and your passes are lost,,,sorry, we forgot, sorry, but we have a new system since "NOVEMBER" and are still getting use to it,,,sorry, sorry , sorry,,OH<<<and when I wanted to get in a FP lane ,,,a CM at the line said,,,"don't bother,,,the FP line is as long as stand by,,,,I would just skip this attraction completely"
I AM the most patient person that I know,,,,but with a week of apologies,,,it seemed that no one really cared anymore,,,one or two people still exuded the magic,,,and it was obvious that it was a lot of work for them to portray that feeling ,,,but a little of the luster has faded.....It is still beautiful,,it is still a dream vacation,,,but remember ,,,I experienced it when it was at its peak,,,,when we truly WERE THEIR GUEST,,,and they were happy to see us...
I heard from one CM that He was so tired of bad parents,,,,,another said he couldn't wait to get off his shift...another complained about the tips,,,,Oh well, I say,,,,maybe it will get better ,,,,,,like the old days,,,,
I still tipped 20% plus,,,and still thanked everyone for their service,,,whether it was just the bus driver who ignored me,,,or the park sweeper who stepped over every piece of food or napkin on the ground,,,Maybe it just wasn't their day.......

You hit on a key point for me. I too remember when the service and overall experience was better. I still like it now but it isn't the same for me.

 

[eliza61]

You hit on a key point for me. I too remember when the service and overall experience was better. I still like it now but it isn't the same for me.

More to the point, I no longer expect exceptional service. I've drastically lowered my expectations. Now I realize the food will be mediocre, the service will be spotty at best and now when I run into an cm who goes out of their way, I'm surprised.

 

[mskayjay]

More to the point, I no longer expect exceptional service. I've drastically lowered my expectations. Now I realize the food will be mediocre, the service will be spotty at best and now when I run into an cm who goes out of their way, I'm surprised.

This post sums up how I feel as well and makes me very very sad......

 

[iheartdisney]

i think it definately has.
I feel like the Disney company as a whole peaked in the 90's, and was crashing and burning for most of the first decade of the 21st century. The theme park model is only one tiny area of the company that we love so dearly.
It started with trying to improve the bottom line, and the moves were penny-wise yet pound-foolish.
*Installing off-rack carnival style rides rather than letting WDI develop attractions
*Shuttering the Walt Disney Animation Studios in favor of computer animation and outsourcing animation overseas
*Relaxing Disney's strict and proactive maintenance and safety policies- which not only creates a bad show for the visitors, but also ended up costing lives.
*Going for quantity rather than quality in the number of Direct to Video sequels.
These are only a few examples. What kills me more than the fact that Disney is doing this is that the Guests, especially the loyalists, bend over and take it. Lines like this one are as much a part of the problem as the beancounter in the cubicle that makes up a ridiculous change.

I still tipped 20% plus,,,and still thanked everyone for their service,,,whether it was just the bus driver who ignored me,,,or the park sweeper who stepped over every piece of food or napkin on the ground,,,Maybe it just wasn't their day.......

Things are changing at Disneyland, they have been getting better. I think one of the major reasons they have been getting better is that the base is much louder and more public. As long as you are willing to pay for, and celebrate, a subpar experience, that is what you are going to get. Capitolism is King, and you vote with your dollars. If you had an awful time, but still have your next visit booked, don't expect to see any changes. You have to stop defending mediocrity if you want greatness.