Help! Our Pixie Dust Dreams are fading!

[ha1264]

I know Disney's main objective is to make money because in the end it is a Business. I just feel we are being nickeled and dimed for every last cent. Charges for premium parking, extra evening hours, extra morning hours, special viewing areas and so on. We have adapted to the lack of spontaneity. You really have to plan out every minute. Food dictates your trip if you want to eat at sit down restaurants. It's getting harder with families with little ones due to larger crowds. We aren't big Star Wars fans and I think it may be taking over. We Have been to Disney World 15 times since 2006 and 1 Disney cruise. We are huge fans. I know they have to adapt to stay relevant. I remember walking through Mickey and Minnie's house on our first trip and felt like a kid again. It was awesome! Things are a changing and for our family it's not for the best. I guess in the end they will keep testing the ceiling of how high they can go. As they raise prices attendance keeps growing.

 

[Travis B]

Maybe it's time to consider alternate vacation destinations if you're so unhappy. Money talks.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

If the options you mentioned aren't right for your family, there's no need to pay for them.

 

[ha1264]

Money isn't an issue. We own a business and pay for a lot of things with our Disney credit card to earn the points so all our trips are paid for with that. It's just the point.

 

[snowwhite84]

Charges for premium parking, extra evening hours, extra morning hours, special viewing areas and so on. We have adapted to the lack of spontaneity.

I understand your frustration, but even in your own words above, one can see that these things are add-ons. If you don't want to opt into something, you don't have to. I don't mind paying $70 for MNSSHP, because I love that party and the cost is well worth it to me. In Jan, we went to the Star Wars fireworks dessert party, and while fun, I won't do it again because I don't think it was worth the cost. I can't see myself paying for the early morning thing, it's not something we care about. If anything, these things make it so your trip is more customizable.

I know some people are nervous the changes mean at some point EMH may not be offered for free to resort guests, and I guess it just doesn't bother me because we always avoid the parks that have EMH hours.

 

[aaarcher86]

I guess it just comes down to whether or not you're having fun when you go and enjoying it or not.

 

[tsme]

I get what you're saying. I do feel some of the things Disney is doing is going too far. But the truth is as long as people are going in droves, Disney won't change anything. We can complain, as in, write Disney an email, etc. Of course, who knows if it would matter. But it might make you feel better. I do believe that if the majority feels nickel & dimed & complained followed up with a reduction in attendance, Disney would have to take notice & change. Kind of like the airlines, people loath the airlines for it. Disney however is not a necessity. So it's possible.

 

[kydisneyfans]

For every family that thinks Star Wars is taking over, there is another family that is frequenting Disney more due to the new Star Wars attractions. Personally I'm happy to see something geared toward boys instead of the constant barrage on Princess items. Our son is now 17 and was cooling of the idea of Disney visits, now he practically wants to live there.

As for costs, park in a regular lot and don't partake in the extra items.

 

[snowwhite84]

Money isn't an issue. We own a business and pay for a lot of things with our Disney credit card to earn the points so all our trips are paid for with that. It's just the point.

I don't think she was saying if you can't afford it, don't do it. She was saying if it doesn't sound like something your family enjoys, don't do it.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

For instance, almost all of the Star Wars "takeover" is at Hollywood Studios. If you don't like SW, don't go to HS. AK, Epcot and MK are almost devoid of SW.

Don't want to pay $70 for a so-so view of fireworks with a dessert buffet? Easy to not do it!

 

[yulilin3]

I know Disney's main objective is to make money because in the end it is a Business. I just feel we are being nickeled and dimed for every last cent. Charges for premium parking, extra evening hours, extra morning hours, special viewing areas and so on. We have adapted to the lack of spontaneity. You really have to plan out every minute. Food dictates your trip if you want to eat at sit down restaurants. It's getting harder with families with little ones due to larger crowds. We aren't big Star Wars fans and I think it may be taking over. We Have been to Disney World 15 times since 2006 and 1 Disney cruise. We are huge fans. I know they have to adapt to stay relevant. I remember walking through Mickey and Minnie's house on our first trip and felt like a kid again. It was awesome! Things are a changing and for our family it's not for the best. I guess in the end they will keep testing the ceiling of how high they can go. As they raise prices attendance keeps growing.

you don't need to book any of the things you listed to have fun, they are added things no need to do them if you don't want to. Lack of spontaneity depends on how you plan, you can plan your meals and leave wiggle room in your day to do things you want at that moment, there may be a longer line for some things but it depends on your planning. Star Wars is not taking over, it has a heavy presence in only one park and that's just a couple of shows and fireworks that weren't there before.
Like others have said if you feel that Disney is no longer the right vacation for you and your family then you should consider taking your money somewhere else, that's fine. I always say Disney isn't for everyone

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Disneyworld is so vast and there is so much to do I would consider alternate experiences.

 

[ha1264]

Not a Star Wars Hater just not a fan. I was just trying to make the point that the magic that made us love Disney is fading.

 

[mickey0624]

I know Disney's main objective is to make money because in the end it is a Business. I just feel we are being nickeled and dimed for every last cent. Charges for premium parking, extra evening hours, extra morning hours, special viewing areas and so on. We have adapted to the lack of spontaneity. You really have to plan out every minute. Food dictates your trip if you want to eat at sit down restaurants. It's getting harder with families with little ones due to larger crowds. We aren't big Star Wars fans and I think it may be taking over. We Have been to Disney World 15 times since 2006 and 1 Disney cruise. We are huge fans. I know they have to adapt to stay relevant. I remember walking through Mickey and Minnie's house on our first trip and felt like a kid again. It was awesome! Things are a changing and for our family it's not for the best. I guess in the end they will keep testing the ceiling of how high they can go. As they raise prices attendance keeps growing.

I look at these add-ons like everything else in life. Premium items cost more money. I go to a Yankees game and sit in the upper deck, because I'm OK spending $30 a ticket, and don't want to spend $400 to sit 5 rows from the field. You go to a Broadway show and to sit in the orchestra its $180. Nicer hotels, first class plane tickets, type of car you buy. I still love it. I just don't purchase those extra add-ons that I think are absurd. But if people want to buy them more power to them. Some people think its nuts to spend $400 a night at the Poly when you can stay off-site or at a value resort for 1/4 of the price. To me staying at the Poly is worth it. We save all year to do it, and I don't worry about it.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

We have done DDP a few times but find value in it. We get MM for long trips and split the cost with my parents who usually go along. We went to MNSSHP once and it was great and we had my youngest son's first haircut at WDW, but those are the only times we have paid for any of the extras. We've never taken a tour, done BBB or PL, done a dessert party, or any of that stuff. We always have an amazing time. For our last trip, we did DDP and didn't pay any OOP for food. I used my Disney Visa leading up to our trip and spent $50 on gift cards for the kids. Our rewards points paid for all our tips and extra for more souvenirs. I think we spent about $20 more total. We don't find the value in most of the add-ons. You have to look at each one and decide if there is value there for your family. We did and saw almost everything we wanted to. More time would have been desireable but we didn't have it. There is always next time.

 

[yulilin3]

Not a Star Wars Hater just not a fan. I was just trying to make the point that the magic that made us love Disney is fading.

and that's a personal view, and like I said, that's ok.

 

[Travis B]

Not a Star Wars Hater just not a fan. I was just trying to make the point that the magic that made us love Disney is fading.

I think everyone gets your point, but there's nothing any of us can do about it. You can choose to continue going or not. Maybe it seems less magical because you've been 15+ times. Maybe it's time for a break. In the title of this thread you ask for help, but I'm not sure what kind of help you're looking for.

 

[Allison]

Is there specific help you are looking for from other posters?

 

[BigAlsGal]

Not a Star Wars Hater just not a fan. I was just trying to make the point that the magic that made us love Disney is fading.

Maybe it's time to opt out then. We go multiple times a year and feel it is still worth the money and full of magic. Those things you listed are add ons. Like buying a car. There are many option packages you can purchase. From bare bones all the way up to luxury options. Disney is giving people ways to customize their experience. If that's something that's making you bitter towards Disney then yeah maybe you should find something that works for you.

 

[GillianP1301]

Disney "magic" is relative. It could be there for one person and not for the other on an identical experience. If the magic is gone for your family, then it's probably time to seek out a different vacation destination - that's what I would do if I were in that situation.

Many of the things mentioned by the OP are premium add-ons which are totally optional. To some people, those add-ons are a huge plus, for others a waste of money. Use/pay for them if you can and they are a benefit to you, skip them if they aren't. Attractions being shut down, sure sometimes those can hit hard, especially if they hold a particularly special memory for you, but for me the stuff that has been added (and will be added) outweigh that.

Again, it's all a very personal thing and one person loving the changes doesn't make them the best thing ever, just makes them great for them. Conversely, if you dislike all the change, doesn't mean you're wrong and missing the point, it just means they don't work for you. You can't control the change, you can only control your response to that change and there is no right or wrong answer.