Fort Fans...Disney going downhil?

[kazlac4]

With the world, and the World, being imperfect places, people can always find something to complain about. Are prices going up? Sure. And I did see a particularly dirty parking lot on our last trip (DHS in April 08), which I found shocking, but the rest of our 8 days at Disney everything was immaculate. I just chalked that one day up to some problem with scheduling or something. We, the adults, do have to remember that it isn't really all pulled off by magic - there are human beings, and yes, a business behind the whole concept. If you dwell on the negatives, you will find stuff to bring you down, anywhere you go.

I don't mean to offend anyone, but I see these threads where people are spending huge amounts of money and then getting mad if everything isn't perfect. I do understand wanting value for your money, but there are choices to be made, and frankly you won't be treated any differently in the restaurants and parks if you are paying $400 a night at the GF then you will if you are camping in a tent for $44 a night at FW. To me that is one of the most wonderful things about WDW, but it seems to tick a lot of people off. WDW guest, day guest, whoever ... everyone is the same and receives the same friendly hellos and top notch attractions once they are through those gates. It seems like some people want to be treated like royalty because they are shelling out the big bucks for their hotel stay. Looking for anything that isn't perfect and then taking it personally.

Its all in your perspective. I like to read travel reviews on tripadvisor and I am always fascinated by the differences in opinions on the very same place. This isn't just Disney. I'll find a budget hotel that I'd like to check out and half the people will say what a great bargain it is, not fancy, but clean and friendly. Then the other half of the people will say what a dive it was and how they feared for their lives. A bit of an exageration, but you see my point.

The truth is that Disney is not perfect all day every day. What Disney accomplishes is an amazing feat of organization, dedication, technology, and yes, magic . And if you are headed there to have a great, clean, entertaining time with your family then you WILL NOT find a better value, IMO. And the options are just about endless. If the hotels are too expensive, stay off-site. Restaurants too pricey? Bring your lunch. You may find an occaional grumpy CM, you may have to wait longer than you thought you would for something. You'll still have a fantastic time. Truth is that all vacations are expensive. Sometimes people get grumpy, even at Disney. Sometimes things get dirty and have to be cleaned up. Its amazing to me that it all goes off as well as it does.

Of course I am a very laid back, budget minded girl. We don't get that many vacations in our family - but brother, when we do get one we make the best of it! And our two trips to Disney have been amazing. Perfect? No, not perfect. But I hardly remember the glitches because I am so busy remembering the fabulousness of it all

That is one reason why I am so excited to have found the Camping Board and learned so much about FW. We can stay onsite again! Now, I know that sleeping in a tent and packing/cooking our own food is just not a vacation to many people. In fact, we are hoping to head down in October and sleep in a tent and do just one GAD park day (gasp!). We'll drive 18 hours to get there, too. And yes, people on the other boards said I was crazy to do it. But you know what? I don't care. Because I still think that Disney is the best place in the world to spend time with my family. I still think that is is absolutely magical. There is something for everyone.

And not to be rude, but to all those people who are complaining on all those threads ... why would you go somewhere that makes you so unhappy? If you don't like a certain restaurant anymore, then skip it. If a line is bugging you, walk away. Whole experience getting you down? Just don't go.

Disney makes me happy. It feels magic to me and to my DH & kiddos. We've not been disappointed even once. Of course we don't expect to be treated like royalty. And we don't expect perfection. We take those little bits of magic as wonderful surprise bonuses rather than expected perks. We are positive because we are in such a happy place with our family Does it really get any better than that? Not to me.

Well said...

While we certainly expect our Disney vacation to be a one-of-a-kind experience, we also know that there are times (for a million different reasons) that a problem can occur making the "Disney standard" not shine through...so be it. Sometimes difficult situations arise but all in all I believe most would agree that a Disney vacation is heads above ANY other in the amusement industry and customer satisfaction. We will return for many years!

 

[NLPRacing]

Overall, I think every experience we've had at WDW & FW has been better than the last and we cannot wait until we get back. The only concern I have is the food at Disney. It seems that the prices at the restaurants have gone up as much as the quality of the food has gone down. One thing we really liked on our first family trip was experiencing the Disney restaurants. It even lead us to get the Disney Dining Plan (DDP) on a couple of our trips. But based on our last trip, we will be doing much more cooking at our RV site as well as eating off site more than we ever have before. IMHO, with Disney pushing the DDP as much as they do, I think they have jacked up the prices so much to give people a perception that the DDP is a really good value. The truth is we spend less on food than what the DDP costs and we eat better & healthier. So for us, we think WDW and FW in particular is the greatest place in the world. I just have this one gripe about the food...

 

[kampfirekim]

I agree with allmydisneydreams 100%.

Just this week my family and I were discussing changes at WDW.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

We determined that even with the changes we don't like...

Fort Wilderness and WDW in general is still 5 heads and 5 sets of shoulders above the rest in quality and value.

We've still got mad love for the Mouse!

 

[BradyBz12]

These threads just come up ALL the time (there's a big one on the Theme Park strategies board right now) and they just sometimes eat away at my confidence about our coming trips. (I know, I shouldn't read them!)

And that's why I find myself spending less and less time on the Theme Parks board.

I disagree, constructive discussion among Disney fans can actually result in improvements to the world... What doesn’t help is constant whining without suggestions for improvement.

Very well said, and exactly how I was feeling... just didn't say it as well.

Its all in your perspective...

And not to be rude, but to all those people who are complaining on all those threads ... why would you go somewhere that makes you so unhappy? If you don't like a certain restaurant anymore, then skip it. If a line is bugging you, walk away. Whole experience getting you down? Just don't go.

Ding! Ding! Ding! ...WE HAVE A WINNER!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Kungaloosh recipe:

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup blackberry brandy
1/4 cup strawberry daiquiri mix
1/4 Capt Morgan's Spiced Rum

Mix in blender with enough ice to make slushy.

 

[BradyBz12]

I'm gonna print this out and tack it to the fridge in the camper.

Bigger camper = more room for alcohol!!

 

[indimom3]

I'm going to agree with people who say the food has gone a bit down hill overall. But that's Disney doing something cool, in a way - they offered their dining plan and now people can pay a smaller amt of money and eat out 3 times a day. For a LOT of Disney customers, that's the best part of the vacation. The crowds filling those Epcot restaurants allow them to keep opening new places. There's always a new restaurant to try. I seriously doubt that would happen if it weren't for the dining plan.

So there's at least some good with that bad.

We've adjusted the way we vacation. One of the reasons the Fort cabins work so well for us is that we eat out WAY less on our trips now than we used to. That kitchen comes in handy. We've adjusted the timing of our vacations - July 19th starts "Low" season for the cabins, and with a PIN we had a rate of less than $160/night. In my mind, for what you get at FW, that's a steal. A family of 6, sleeping and eating in comfort - we would have needed 2 rooms at any other resort, and then we wouldn't have had a kitchen or a deck or a guitar playing hippie neighbor.

I actually think that for all the negativity I've read, Disney has done a pretty good job adjusting to the economy and still attracting hordes of vacationers. It's still the BEST vacation destination for our family. And it's a pretty decent value when you consider a standard hotel room will not work for us.

I think a lot of the complaint threads are people who expect Disney to make all the adjustments. Disney is a business. They are there to make money, not just magic. You have to work within their system and build the best vacation for your family. Not get ticked off because you went on the most crowded weekend of the year and one of the bathrooms was smelly.

I couldn't find a single complaint about FW on our last trip. There were things I didn't care for overall about WDW. But the Fort still rocks.

 

[RocklandRVers]

Change is inevitable and some people just don't handle change well. How boring would it be if WDW didn't change and evolve. Sure one person's favorite getting changed might be heartwrenching while for someone else it is the best change since cooking with gas. Look at how Disney has evolved in just a decade. It was almost dead in the water like the entire country was after 9/11. It bounced back and despite economic booms and busts hangs in there and provides us with a magical retreat from the real world. Sure if you have a bad attitude toward life, you will scoff at WDW. But if you love life and all its wonders, WDW is your place.

 

[des1954]

And yes, we have stayed at the Fort before. 10 amazing days on Cottontail Curl. And I have to say, that trip WAS perfect. Our family came back so connected and happy. That happiness lasted for a long time after! But yes, it was just magical. And things went wrong! But I still felt it was perfect.

These threads just come up ALL the time (there's a big one on the Theme Park strategies board right now) and they just sometimes eat away at my confidence about our coming trips. (I know, I shouldn't read them!)

Feeling better already!

Thanks!

VP

My advise to you is: stay away from the other boards and make this your home!!

 

[kampfirekim]

My advise to you is: stay away from the other boards and make this your home!!

Amen.

*In my best broadway musical voice* "There's no people like Fort people...like no people I know!"

 

[Magicbus]

Amen.

*In my best broadway musical voice* "There's no people like Fort people...like no people I know!"

You're right on key too.
There's no comparison between the Camping Board and most of the other boards. You'll never see any of those people on the other forums, but you have a good chance of meeting some Fort Fiends if you stay at the Fort.

 

[AuburnJen92]

You're right on key too.
There's no comparison between the Camping Board and most of the other boards. You'll never see any of those people on the other forums, but you have a good chance of meeting some Fort Fiends if you stay at the Fort.

Some of us are quite social. (some not so much...but to each their own)

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I'm not into virtual gatherings.

 

[Gatordad]

Disney is better than ever... Please come down and spend lots of money.

 

[mkrober]

Third!!

Honestly - and no flames intended to OP - I've been perusing the boards lately and bemoaning how much I hate the "how much does Disney suck" threads. I really don't want to engage in discussions about how much the place that brings us all to these boards to begin with, isn't "up to snuff."

I come to these boards to share my LOVE of WDW and the Fort. And I'm not idealistic or silly enough to think that everything's going to be sunshine and rainbows all the time, and I'm up for a good rant as much as the next guy, but I just don't want to dwell on these things when there are still so many GOOD things to dwell on.

Times change, businesses makes decisions for good or bad, and you can't please all of the people all of the time. That's the way of the world. Squawking about it on a discussion board isn't likely to change anything.


Now.... please pass the beer!!

Amen! We love WDW & the Fort!!!!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Bobby says he'll keep the light on for ya.

 

[LORNADUCK]

QUOTE=kampfirekim;37760033]Amen.

*In my best broadway musical voice* "There's no people like Fort people...like no people I know!"[/QUOTE]

 

[4mickey2]

It's the BEER! campers don't complain, they just grab a beer and sit by the lake and watch the otters...

 

[AuburnJen92]

I'm not into virtual gatherings.

But are you into rock stars and the Poly?

 

[Violet Parr]

Aw, I think I missed Gatordad and Ftwildernessguy most of all! I honestly can't identify my former screen name for security reasons (sounds mysterious but it is really not terribly interesting at all.)

All I can tell you is that I once asked if the Fort had hot water at each site...

Thanks for the reassurance, all! Glad to hear all is well at the Fort!

VP