Has anyone noticed the amount

[mprewitt]

I think the complaints don't reflect the opinions of the majority of guests at WDW. The Walt Disney World resorts were the top-rated upscale hotel in the Market Metrix 2nd quarter 2007 index of customer satisfaction.

 

[Buzz2001]

I think the complaints don't reflect the opinions of the majority of guests at WDW. The Walt Disney World resorts were the top-rated upscale hotel in the Market Metrix 2nd quarter 2007 index of customer satisfaction.

I agree 100%. Someone will post a complaint before they will post that a vacation was as expected. If posts are from someone under 50 posts, I always take those with a grain of salt. Being here since 1999, I've seen many a troll scouring the DIS boards.

 

[CoffeeCup]

Every trip I have taken to Disney World has been magical. I have stayed at PORFQ twice (and love it there), the Swan once (teacher discount), and off property several times. When I have gone in the summer, it always was hot and crowded....just like at home, so I expected it to be that way. We sweated, got tired, and still enjoyed every minute of it. The year I was there a few days before Christmas was every cold, but it still was great to be at Disney and to see all of the Christmas decorations. We just remembered how hot it always was on summer visits and enjoyed not sweating. We were there exactly one month after 9/11, and the magic still was there and greatly appreciated after the somber and scary airport experiences with such tight security.

Yes, Disney World has changed some in the past few years, but the world has changed. It is unbelievable how disrespectful many people have become, but they are the same way at home. I don´t understand why people throw trash on the ground, change baby diapers on the table in restaurants, feel they have the right to break in line, etc., but I can control only the behavior of my family and myself. Most of the complaints people have about Disney World are not Disney´s fault. No one promised you a perfect vacation with ideal weather, a pristine hotel, food prepared exactly the way you want it and served the second you are ready for it, or only beautiful,considerate and kind people in the parks...all speaking only English. Be happy you are on vacation and make the best of the circumstances you find yourself in. Enjoy what you have instead of constantly wanting everything to be perfect. Be grateful that you can afford to take your family to Disney World and cut back a little if your budget is stretched too thin. You don´t have to buy everything you see, you don´t have to stay for 2 weeks, and you don´t have to eat in the more expensive restaurants every night. Instead of complaining about things you can´t control, be grateful that you are able to take a vacation.

 

[wdw4us2]

Two comments on this. WDW is a business, as we all know. It has shareholders (I am one). The problem with any publicly traded company is it needs to maintain it's profits, if not increase them, or people will start offloading shares.

I personally don't think ticket prices are over the price of inflation, as the costs at WDW have gone way up. This last union contract they are offering pay increases to thousands of CMs. Even with these increases, most CMs hardly make enough to keep up with the local cost of living. Two bedroom apartments in the area go for close to $1,000 a month, and at starting pays of less than $8 an hour even after pay increases, it's hard. The thing is, Disney cant pay more without charging even more and still maintain a profit.

According to The Inflation Calculator, the ticket price increases Disney instituted in 2006 were over the price of inflation. Take the price of a one day one park ticket in 1999 (the first full year of 4 parks) - $44.00. In 2006, the inflation adjusted price should be $52.91. In 2006 the same ticket was actually $67.00. That's a difference of $14.09 which really adds up if you multiply it for a family of four - $56.36.

The resort prices were closer to the price of inflation. However, this is harder to gauge because you can't take into consideration the services and amenities that were eliminated - only the basic room price.

 

[kribit]

Every trip I have taken to Disney World has been magical. I have stayed at PORFQ twice (and love it there), the Swan once (teacher discount), and off property several times. When I have gone in the summer, it always was hot and crowded....just like at home, so I expected it to be that way. We sweated, got tired, and still enjoyed every minute of it. The year I was there a few days before Christmas was every cold, but it still was great to be at Disney and to see all of the Christmas decorations. We just remembered how hot it always was on summer visits and enjoyed not sweating. We were there exactly one month after 9/11, and the magic still was there and greatly appreciated after the somber and scary airport experiences with such tight security.

Yes, Disney World has changed some in the past few years, but the world has changed. It is unbelievable how disrespectful many people have become, but they are the same way at home. I don´t understand why people throw trash on the ground, change baby diapers on the table in restaurants, feel they have the right to break in line, etc., but I can control only the behavior of my family and myself. Most of the complaints people have about Disney World are not Disney´s fault. No one promised you a perfect vacation with ideal weather, a pristine hotel, food prepared exactly the way you want it and served the second you are ready for it, or only beautiful,considerate and kind people in the parks...all speaking only English. Be happy you are on vacation and make the best of the circumstances you find yourself in. Enjoy what you have instead of constantly wanting everything to be perfect. Be grateful that you can afford to take your family to Disney World and cut back a little if your budget is stretched too thin. You don´t have to buy everything you see, you don´t have to stay for 2 weeks, and you don´t have to eat in the more expensive restaurants every night. Instead of complaining about things you can´t control, be grateful that you are able to take a vacation.

Great post!