Has Disney dropped the magic ball?

[Jadyreen1282]

How did you miss in your 454 post history that towel animals were done?

 

[mjallemand]

It is actually almost flat since the 1990s. Literally. Attendance at MK is about the same it was in 1991.

That seems hard to believe...if feels like the crowds in 2012 were bigger than the crowds in 2010 and I fully expect even bigger crowds this year.

 

[shoppie]

We had plenty of magic last trip. Celebrated DD birthday. She received so many magical moments. Free churro, pop corn, balloon, cupcakes, etc. none of it was expected but they were definitely appreciated! DD and I are like two 5 year olds with manners(she's actually 8, me I have a little more experience being 5). We were having an amazing time and I think the CMs recognized that and did special things for her...

I always make sure we make our own magic but magic from others makes us happy

 

[Magpie]

It is actually almost flat since the 1990s. Literally. Attendance at MK is about the same it was in 1991.

Source?

 

[socrateze]

Source?

Actually, if you search the Disboards you'll find it. There was a blog on this site about it.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Actually, if you search the Disboards you'll find it. There was a blog on this site about it.

According to this article, WDW attendance to all parks combined peaked at 33.7 million guests in 1990 and then started a serious decline. Attendance is over 17 million guests just for MK now. There has been serious growth in attendance.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1994-11-13/news/9411120998_1_walt-disney-disney-world-attendance

 

[socrateze]

According to this article, WDW attendance to all parks combined peaked at 33.7 million guests in 1990 and then started a serious decline. Attendance is over 17 million guests just for MK now. There has been serious growth in attendance.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1994-11-13/news/9411120998_1_walt-disney-disney-world-attendance

The blog post I'm referring to was on this site and it was within the past couple of months.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

The blog post I'm referring to was on this site and it was within the past couple of months.

Sorry - that post sounded different than I intended. My point is that there is information out there that refutes the idea that attendance at WDW or MK is flat since 1991.

 

[cakebaker]

d

I agree, the people at GS are very good at their jobs. What do they do to make it right? Assuming we are talking about the parks. Like a refund or something?

That would depend on the specific issue of course. There are things where compensation is not appropriate. Just because they don't give you something free doesn't mean that it's pointless to make the concerns known. I'd much prefer they take my comments
seriously rather than throw a couple of passes my way and forget it.

As I said several times now, it's not like we live at guest services complaining. I just know that when I do have a problem, I have no problem telling them and we always leave thinking they acted appropriately.

 

[itchin2go]

The blog post I'm referring to was on this site and it was within the past couple of months.

This one? http://blog.wdwinfo.com/2015/06/06/disney-parks-take-top-six-spots-in-america-last-year/

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I am aware of all of these things, but for some reason none of them bothers me. I consider myself lucky that the things at WDW that I really value and would notice are just fine. But my not noticing or caring about these things doesn't mean that I am accepting anything less from WDW. What it probably means is they weren't a huge part of my enjoyment of WDW in the past. So, as far as I am concerned, I am not accepting less. I am still getting all of the things that I have come to love at WDW (less FP-).

Isn't that the truest definition of accepting less and having low expectations?

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Isn't that the truest definition of accepting less and having low expectations?

LOL - no, and 100 times, no. If it meets your definition for such, so be it. I really can't help you understand my point of view any more than I already have. I don't mind that you feel differently. We should just agree to disagree on this point.

 

[DoingDisney]

According to this article, WDW attendance to all parks combined peaked at 33.7 million guests in 1990 and then started a serious decline. Attendance is over 17 million guests just for MK now. There has been serious growth in attendance.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1994-11-13/news/9411120998_1_walt-disney-disney-world-attendance

You are comparing fewer and more parks ... not talking about wdw attendance on the whole just MK attendance.

 

[DoingDisney]

This one? http://blog.wdwinfo.com/2015/06/06/disney-parks-take-top-six-spots-in-america-last-year/

That's the one ...

 

[BuckeyeBama]

This one? http://blog.wdwinfo.com/2015/06/06/disney-parks-take-top-six-spots-in-america-last-year/

Thanks - it is amazing that MK attendance peaked at 18 million visitors in 1990. I remember a trip to WDW in the spring of 1990 and it was really mobbed. Animal Kingdom didn't exist at that point, and MGM was a joke. Everyone was either at Epcot or MK. Also, Universal Studios had not yet opened at that point. SeaWorld was WDW's only competition in Florida.

Attendance dropped by 33% at MK, back down to 12 million, shortly thereafter and has built back up from that number since even in the face of stiff competition from US. Pretty amazing, but it is clear that crowds cannot be blamed for any degradation in service.

 

[socrateze]

This one? http://blog.wdwinfo.com/2015/06/06/disney-parks-take-top-six-spots-in-america-last-year/

Yup, that's the one.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

As often as I come, I'm starting to dread using the bathrooms. That's sad, and saying a lot, cuz you know how much I love Disney. I can't even post on here how awful the MK bathroom was last night. I still can't comprehend how THAT got THERE. I think the men's room must have been great, which is saying a lot. (Sigh) its a horrible job, I know, but its supposed to be what Disney is about. I don't tell people how clean Disney is anymore, but I do talk up how fun it is. The fancy Palo bathroom on the Magic, not one single commode station was usable last year for the adult brunch. I've lowered my expectations for that now. But I still can't get over yesterday!!!

 

[Kalliope]

You signed up for Comcast. They're not running ads on TV to say "give us another try our service isn't that bad any more" because they're known for good service. Everyone, even Comcast, knows their service is the absolute worst. But, you get internet, for cheap. If it made me as livid as it makes you, I'd get another carrier. Fiber, DSL, Satellite, Cellular.



You should be livid, but w the understanding that this is a 1st world problem. It should not impact your life. This 1st world problem of dirty bathrooms seems to really put off some ppl's vacations to where they say because there was no towel animal and they found the only dirty bathroom on the property that the magic is gone from Disney World... You just have to keep it in perspective. We've encountered way worse happenings on our trips... but they're still magical.

I live in the First World. Every. Single. Problem I deal with is a First World problem!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I can't tell if you're being serious or joking. But yes, I've not seen a dirty bathroom at WDW. They've always been minimally acceptably clean to really clean. Have yet to encounter one in disrepair either.



No, not really. I'd say everyone out here is a fan. Even those who are negative about everything.

O wow! You have been spared. This is a growing trend for sure. I used to let the CMs know but for as often as I go (sometimes as much as 3-4 times a week) I've just basically written off the horrible bathrooms and look for others. And I'm NOT a clean freak and I'm completely Disney obsessed and even looking to work for Disney so I'm not just looking to complain. I won't go near the Everest bathroom again and I don't think I can go by the Terrace after yesterday. They are so disgustingly memorable. Like that horrible gas station you say you will never go back to. (Sigh again)

I will say, I make exceptions for "wet areas" like Kali rapids or areas where the bathroom gets wet and gross from that. THIS is NOT THAT. This is just ew.

In the extremely positive, as often as I go, the CMs are always delightful to us. That comment about the 'I hate it when they talk to me' is certainly feasible but so far thankfully not the norm. Before I tried to get hired, I asked all the CMs from the University programs who were going back and they all said they were going to miss it and absolutely loved it. But you can get the ones that it's just a job, but they have been much rarer in our experience since getting APs in April, definitely compared to my bathroom success- or lack of it!

 

[bbjunkie]

I still didn't see that the OP said the "magic was Lost" Where did she say that?

In the title of the thread that the op began...

"Has Disney dropped the magic ball?"