How did you feel about your 2014 WDW Vacation?

[mzadell]

This survey surprises me. I guess it goes to show all the negative threads don't tell much. We haven't visited this year, so can't vote, but happy to see a big majority enjoyed their trips.

I've talked about this before here - it's called self-selection bias. When you create an open forum for people to post their opinions, it will very often skew negative because dissatisfied people seek out ways to express their feelings more than satisfied people. Like every other thing out there with a loud unhappy minority, things are way better than they seem from places like this or the WDW FB.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I've talked about this before here - it's called self-selection bias. When you create an open forum for people to post their opinions, it will very often skew negative because dissatisfied people seek out ways to express their feelings more than satisfied people. Like every other thing out there with a loud unhappy minority, things are way better than they seem from places like this or the WDW FB.

Very good point.

 

[ms tom morrow]

This survey surprises me. I guess it goes to show all the negative threads don't tell much. We haven't visited this year, so can't vote, but happy to see a big majority enjoyed their trips.

This poll surprises me too, in a good way! Before my first FP+ trip I was VERY leery from reading all of the negative feedback on the DIS, but it turns out that we love FP+... we aren't rope droppers, and don't have kids so we can be flexible with our "must do's". I understand that we are a different demographic than most, but I've gone twice this year and will be going again in January. Each of my trips this year has been significantly better than the last.

I tend to stay out of the fray of the negative threads because the system works fine for me. I'm glad to see there are others out there who are still enjoying the World as much as we are, and I hope that this survey gives hope to those who may be lurking and are nervous to experience it themselves after reading so much negativity.

 

[bjscheel]

FP+ had its plusses and minuses on our June trip, but I thought it worked out overall pretty good for us. We are able to take advantage of the Single Rider lines too, and that was a blast. We rode EE 9 times, TT 6 times, RRC 3 times. We had 2 FP for Mine Train.

We were just really hot and tired, wish we could go in cooler weather.

 

[OasterP]

I voted this was my first trip and (way) better than expected. Technically it's not my first trip, but it's the first I really remember.

I had high expectation and expected it to be a lot of fun and really magical to see my son experience it.

But in reality it was even more, and it was magical to me! I loved it. We had a LOT of rain and after two days I just didn't care! Bring it on Disney....I'm on vacation.

I liked fast pass + because it guaranteed us that we could ride the rides we wanted to ride no matter when we got to the park. I can see it not working for others, but for us it worked. Now on our next trip - it's off site and we have AP, so we likely won't get fp for some of our favorite, so we'll have to see.

But overall - incredibly magical experience and though I'm back a week yesterday I still have the "Wishes" soundtrack going through my head and I'm thrilled about that!

 

[carlythecat]

We went in April for 9 days and had a fantastic time. The FP+ system worked very well for us!

 

[OB1]

Wife & I went in May - with a 3 day advance notice - over Memorial Weekend. We expected it to be super busy, and were pleasantly surprised to have manageable crowds. More than we are used to, but not bad at all. I went for 2 days mid AUG, and had a fun time on my solo trip. It was VERY hot, but I work outside, so I could deal with it.
We did everything we wanted, and had plenty of great experiences with cast members. 2 photographers were amazing, and 2 different tram announcers had us cracking up.

 

[ScrampShopper]

I voted for not as good as previous trips.

I went on my 8th trip since Nov2009 this Feb, my first trip with only FP+ available. FP+ just doesn't work for my family. I am a planner with a color coded spreadsheet with park info for each day, park recommendations from TP and EasyWDW, our parks for the day, and any ADR info, but I still think it is ridiculous to plan rides into 1 hour slots, weeks before getting to the park. I also travel with a child (my just turned 4 year old has been on 7 trips to WDW). She is extremely flexible and easy to travel with, but even she gets tired sometimes at inopportune times or wants to do something that interferes with a FP+ reservation. I discovered that changing FP+ times/experiences was not so easy, and the MDE app is not the easiest to deal with. I hated constantly having to check the time, and on several FP+ scheduled experiences I had to prove I had FP+'s. I'm just not a fan of scheduling so much for a vacation. That's why I book no more than 3 or 4 ADR's for a 10 day trip, and even that stresses me out.

My family does not do commando touring or even rope drops (except at DHS for TSMM), but we were still super users of paper FP's without having to run all around the parks for those FP's. There really is no way to get that back and I have to adapt, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I do like the magic bands and all that I can do with them even with the problems I had with setting up my room charging last time, but i will never become a fan of FP+. I don't see anymore APs in my future, but we will still do an annual trip. I just booked my trip for Feb2015 with a 4 year old and an infant, and I'm sure the infant will make me dislike FP+ even more! Disney is still going to get some of my money, but not nearly as much as it used to.

 

[TartanFan]

We had no issues on our trip at all that we could lay at Disney's feet.

The weather was horrible, rain, rain and more rain. It was crowded and the people were pushier and more rude than I've ever experienced before. Other than that, we were very pleased and had a great time despite the weather and people.

So I chose just as good because we tried our best to ignore the weather and not the let the just downright nasty people ruin our vacation.

This is exactly our experience too! We bit the bullet, bought ponchos, kept calm and carried on!

This was our first visit since 2011 so I worried a lot beforehand about the changes but it was all good - well except for 7DMT where I thought I'd scored 3 FP+ the night before but actually only got 1! The CM took pity eventually and let us all on!

 

[Sandy Fisher]

First trip to Disney EVER, first week of May '82. Regular trips to Disney for vacations until we moved to central FL in 2007 and lived there full time til summer 2012. Had APs at that time and went regularly -- as often as we liked or wanted to.
Saw many changes over the years. Some that were nice, some that we didn't like, some that we still don't like.
Seems fitting that our most recent trip was also first week of May. This year. Don't like FP+ in spite of all the hoopla and advertising and statements that it would be wonderful for all of us. Not so.
Our most recent trip was likely our last. It wasn't the same and we know our way around and do the parks very well FOR US. It's not the same and it's doubtful we'll return unless we happen to be in that part of FL and have time to stop in and do our favorites.

 

[happymommy]

To the OP: We were at the BWV the week after you probably! We loved our villa (it was probably the best one we've gotten there!). Top floor, right by the stairs that go down to the Boardwalk (on the end, so no one on the one side).

I loved the trip but only thing that was annoying was the FP+. I hate it, and always will. My friend and I were constantly on our phones changing times for rides - it was such a pain!

I loved the BWV and may see about a rental again next spring break (now it's too much so we have the Swan booked on points for free).

 

[pmaurer74]

sames as before. We went at Christmas so maybe a little better than usual.

 

[Laketravis]

It's hard for me to compare previous visits because the conditions were different.

Not conditions at WDW, but personal conditions. In 2010, I was pushing a 5 year old around WDW in a stroller. In 2011, I was pushing a 6 year old around WDW in a stroller. In 2012, I was often carrying a 7 year old around WDW, and in 2013 I was chasing an 8 year old around WDW.

Each of those past 4 years was a completely different experience for me that had nothing to do with WDW. Must have been okay because we're headed back next month for another 2+ weeks.

 

[Ametista]

My only real gripe was that for some reason we never had a warm day to go to the beach. Normally for Spring Break there are some hot days, but we never had any.

Nothing was wrong with Disney though.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We go every year and this trip, a Disney was still Disney....a wonderful place. DH and my girls had a wonderful time as always. My misery came from being 19 weeks pregnant during the hottest August EVER!!!

Looking forward to our next trip in April! We LOVE April!

 

[heybravo626]

We have done 3 trips in 2014 and each has been better than the one before. We have been going 2-4 times per year for the last 7-8 years. Things change all the time. We just adapt and have a great time.

 

[momof2n2]

It's hard for me to compare previous visits because the conditions were different. Not conditions at WDW, but personal conditions. In 2010, I was pushing a 5 year old around WDW in a stroller. In 2011, I was pushing a 6 year old around WDW in a stroller. In 2012, I was often carrying a 7 year old around WDW, and in 2013 I was chasing an 8 year old around WDW. Each of those past 4 years was a completely different experience for me that had nothing to do with WDW. Must have been okay because we're headed back next month for another 2+ weeks.

OT - I found myself taking our stroller to a park this summer even WITHOUT our baby. Maybe you could take yours next month for old time's sake.

 

[kaite]

I voted better than previous. We went in late July and while it was hot, it was overall very bearable and didn't seem nearly as bad as past years. We are normally rope droppers but this year we were able to sleep in for the first time on our Epcot day because we already had FPs for the only attractions we cared to do. The long lines at the FP kiosks were a tad frustrating, but not a deal breaker. We had especially good luck getting additional FPs at DHS...we were able to get Fantasmic FPs just a few hours prior to showtime. When they added FP+ to our favorite show, Beauty & the Beast, we were worried that we wouldn't be able to see it as often as we normally do; this was certainly not the case, as we were able to get last-minute FP for it whenever we felt like catching a show.

A positive aspect of the FP+ system, in our experiences, was that it seemed to keep us away from the infamous tour groups. They were never in the FP section for neither Fantasmic nor B&B, which means we never had to compete for seats with them. That was a nice change.

 

[Laketravis]

OT - I found myself taking our stroller to a park this summer even WITHOUT our baby. Maybe you could take yours next month for old time's sake.

It hurts my back just thinking about it

 

[Dannek]

Well I've had three onsite trips to WDW this year so far and many more day trips as an AP holder.

I only voted once because all of my on site stays have been wonderful in 2014, just as they have been in previous years. So I said "as good as previous trips".

To be better would take a really special gift of pixie dust like a free night stay in the castle..