Has Disney dropped the magic ball?

[itchin2go]

I didn't say they didn't monitor social media. Of course they do. I said they don't make wholesale changes based on a few complaints on an Internet message board. They understand the type of users that are most vocal on this board and recognize that they already have those people. Even if they are complaining, they are still buying tickets and making vacation plans.

Let's say you are 100% right. Do you think they want the complainers complaining? On a message board, to their friends, in a blog?

 

[socrateze]

Does Pete give it?

He tells them to provide a court order and he will. According to him, that's been the end of the conversation.

 

[socrateze]

Let's say you are 100% right. Do you think they want the complainers complaining? On a message board, to their friends, in a blog?

I certainly wouldn't.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Let's say you are 100% right. Do you think they want the complainers complaining? On a message board, to their friends, in a blog?

If you have a business, you have someone complaining about it. It's a fact of life. You could have 100, 5 star reviews but there will always be one or two people that will complain about this or that and give a low rating. For example, you own a theme park, and out of 1000 reviews, two people complain about your dirty restrooms and 998 people give you 5 stars. Do you, as the business owner, go out and hire a dedicated person to clean the bathroom? No, of course not. If you reacted to every complaint like that, your costs would soar and you might be soon out of business. If you start losing business because of your dirty bathrooms, that might indicate a serious issue and that would be incentive to possibly make a change.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

We just got back from our Aug 16-Aug 20 trip and for us the magic is still there. This trip was to celebrate our DD's birthday (she turns 18 tomorrow!) and she wore the Happy Birthday pin the CM gave her when we checked in. So many CMs (and guests) said Happy Birthday and she had so many really special interactions with various CMs. Sure, once in a while we'd see a CM that looked a little tired/hot but they were never rude.

I will admit I noticed more trash laying around than I ever did before. The monorail had trash in several of the cars we rode ..... I noticed an empty water bottle floating in the water at Aladdin's Carpet Ride as we waited in line ..... an empty cigarette pack in the bushes as we walked up the ramp to the Epcot monorail station ..... the Haunted Mansion, right before you get on a doom buggy had trash all over ..... and the T&TC had trash blowing around. We usually visit in October so I thought maybe it had to do with the summer crowds. But that's no excuse.

But, we had an awesome time and we will be going back.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I would go as far as to say that the majority of people that would notice would be people who have been going to the park for many years. The problem is that those people also happen to be the some of the same ones who just can not resist that next trip. And they justify it many different ways; discounts, etc. Say what they will on these boards about how Disney has gone downhill, as long as they continue to give Disney their money, they are casting their vote in the affirmative for the current direction.

I don't "justify" my continued trips, I look forward to them. I gladly pay, casting my vote that Disney is as awesome as it has ever been.

 

[jerseygirl82]

$105.00 tickets to Magic Kingdom

$400 per night deluxe resort

Being expected to create your own magic at Disney...Priceless.

Since when isn't it enough magic to walk down Main St and catch that first glimpse of the castle?

 

[Disneyholic]

This is a great tip!

Other things you can do to make things easier on housekeeping:
-Bring some counter and floor cleaner with you. Before you leave for the parks each day, wipe down and clean your hotel bathroom. Think of the time housekeeping can save if they don't have to clean every guests' bathroom.

-Obviously no one expect you to pack a vacuum cleaner, but if you bring a broom and dustpan you can sweep up your room every day, which should help minimize the amount of time housekeeping spends in a single room.

-Quit leaving unmade beds for the maids to deal with. Each resort offers laundromats. If you wash your sheets after sleeping in them and make your own bed, voila! Less time the maids are spent doing something we can do ourselves.

Give a little, get a little.

I never said that anyone had to clean their room, but if you want towel animal and a clean room on time, there has to be some compromise.

Actually I don't leave my room a mess like I have seen some rooms in passing. I pick up after myself, wipe out the sink in the bathroom when I am done, and straighten out the bed before we leave the room. If I am in a DVC room with no daily housekeeping, there is a vacuum cleaner and items to keep my room neat and clean. There is NO reason to leave your room such a mess just because someone will be cleaning it. It is just like the dirty restrooms. If people weren't such pigs in there when they go, they would stay a lot nicer for everybody. I don't pee on the seat or floor and I flush if the auto-flush doesn't. There are lots of people who do none of this, feeling that Disney OWES them.

As far as the towel animals go, I was just pointing out that it is very easy to do yourself if you want to surprise your kids.

 

[BugsDaddy]

I don't "justify" my continued trips, I look forward to them. I gladly pay, casting my vote that Disney is as awesome as it has ever been.

Exactly. You don't need to justify your trip because you think your trips are awesome. I was referring to those for which they claim Disney has slipped and lost the magic and is no longer fun or spontaneous but are still booking one more trip, well, because of free dining or a variety of other reasons.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Since when isn't it enough magic to walk down Main St and catch that first glimpse of the castle?

I guess I don't have enough disposable income where 30 seconds justifies $100.

 

[socrateze]

Since when isn't it enough magic to walk down Main St and catch that first glimpse of the castle?

Well for the amount of money I'm paying, I want a darn site more than a walk down main street!

 

[jerseygirl82]

I guess I don't have enough disposable income where 30 seconds justifies $100.

Well for the amount of money I'm paying, I want a darn site more than a walk down main street!

Yikes. Sorry for taking pleasure in the little things that make my family happy. For my sake and my family's sake I'm happy this is not my attitude. For the money I am spending I will create the magic if necessary and instead of being negative focus on the joy that is created for my daughters. I'm sorry some people go through life with any other attitude.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Since when isn't it enough magic to walk down Main St and catch that first glimpse of the castle?

Totally agree!

Thanks Uncle Wat for all the Magic and Pixie Dust you gave us and tryng to teach us the let loose the bit of child we adults all have

AKK

 

[cakebaker]

And in the rest of my post, I pointed out my experiences and I still see the details, sorry my experiences don't jive with yours.

And broken glass? Sure, it's an issue and go ahead and make the complaint.
And find me another theme park as beautiful and immersive as Animal Kingdom...I'll be there tomorrow!!

Universal? You bet! But I'm spending just as much there!

This the issue I have as well-

It seems to be that if you still see all the details you think are important and Disney is still a magical place for you then you're just settling for less or you're a Disney apologist. Not true.

For me, the parks are as clean as they've ever been as are the bathrooms. We love the changes at the MK and can't wait to see all the new things coming. The resorts are not in disrepair, in fact they're better every time we go. FP+ has improved our trips many times over. We didn't just adjust to it, it's been amazing how much better our trips worked with it. The things that make my trip magical and make me want to return are there- they've never left.

I understand for others, Disney just doesn't have it anymore. ....for whatever reason. What I don't understand, and have never gotten an answer that makes sense is this: If the bathrooms are filthy, you think Disney is run down, doesn't care, is only after your money, is too expensive, FP+ horrible, CM's are rude and on and on and on...why do you return? I would never go to a place that I felt that way about- no matter how much I used to like it.

 

[itchin2go]

Totally agree!

Thanks Uncle Wat for all the Magic and Pixie Dust you gave us and tryng to teach us the let loose the bit of child we adults all have

AKK

Who is Uncle Wat?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Who is Uncle Wat?[/QUOTE


Sorry typo

WALT DISNEY

Back in the day, Walt had the whole studio on a first name basis.

He also liked to be called by the younger actors like the original Mouseketers as Uncle Walt. As time when on, the Uncle Walt name caught on.

The one original Mouseketers who said she respected Walt to.much to call.him Uncle Walt was Annette, she always addressed him as Mr. DISNEY.

AKK

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Yikes. Sorry for taking pleasure in the little things that make my family happy. For my sake and my family's sake I'm happy this is not my attitude. For the money I am spending I will create the magic if necessary and instead of being negative focus on the joy that is created for my daughters. I'm sorry some people go through life with any other attitude.

I'll admit that the moment we walk under the train station I still get excited. I love the addition to the shop outside of HM. I think NF looks amazing and I loved our lunch at BOG. That said it still depresses me that things remain broken for 3+ years. I think for people that don't know WDW from the 70s, 80s and 90s to now don't really understand the changes.

 

[itchin2go]

I understand for others, Disney just doesn't have it anymore. ....for whatever reason. What I don't understand, and have never gotten an answer that makes sense is this: If the bathrooms are filthy, you think Disney is run down, doesn't care, is only after your money, is too expensive, FP+ horrible, CM's are rude and on and on and on...why do you return? I would never go to a place that I felt that way about- no matter how much I used to like it.

Me personally, I do still enjoy our Disney trips. I have noticed some chinks in the armor, though. And it worries me. It's just not up to the standard that it used to be. It's still fun, we still like it, but I see erosion in little details and I worry for the future.

I think you're right - if you hate every minute of it, you wouldn't go back. But some are reluctant to give up on a brand/destination that has given them good experiences and memories in the past. You do try to overlook the negatives, you do try to focus on the stuff that's still there that you love. But you can't help noticing that it's not getting better; it's getting worse. You notice that you pay for more and get less. And if you love something the way so many of us love DisneyWorld, that is cause for some concern. And so maybe you come here to see if anyone else has noticed it.

I've said before in this thread - I have no issue with people saying nope, haven't noticed it, or yeah, I noticed it, but it doesn't bother us.

What I have trouble with are the posts that insinuate that the OP (or anyone else) is doing something wrong. "You make your own magic" in particular. As other posters have said, if I want to make my own magic, I'll stay home and save the cash.

 

[cakebaker]

I'll admit that the moment we walk under the train station I still get excited. I love the addition to the shop outside of HM. I think NF looks amazing and I loved our lunch at BOG. That said it still depresses me that things remain broken for 3+ years. I think for people that don't know WDW from the 70s, 80s and 90s to now don't really understand the changes.

No that doesn't work either- the not knowing any better reasoning. We've been going to WDW for a very long time- close to 40 years.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

No that doesn't work either- the not knowing any better reasoning. We've been going to WDW for a very long time- close to 40 years.

Well then the only other answer wouldn't be appropriate at all so we'll just leave that one alone.