I just joined the car #4 crowd

[ArcticWildMan]

I don't know when it was announced but I just noticed on the front page that Blizzard Beach will be closed in November and December instead of the normal January/February dates.


I'm pissed!! This trip I have planned for December was scheduled just so we could go to BB. Now Disney decides to change the refurbishment schedules out of the blue

I'm done with Disney after this trip. This is the last straw for me.

 

[Testtrack321]

Wow, I feel bad for you. Not that it's closed, but that you go durring the winter months expecting the water park to be open, then cry bloody murder.

Some people here need a serious reality check.

One less person in line infront of me.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Umm...BB has always been open in the winter months except when it has normally been scheduled for refurbishment.

What is it with people on this board lately being such smart asses?

GASP!!! I dared say something about Disney that you don't agree with so you have to make a snide comment about me expecting too much??

EXCUUUUSE me for expecting at the least the "normal" schedule to be in place.

And just as an FYI...it may be cold to you, but to me it's quite warm during the Winter months. I guess because I like coming then makes me a second class visitor compared to you. Glad I see the big picture now!! Thanks for enlightening me!

 

[KNWVIKING]

So I can assume TL will be open, cause Nov-Dec are normally the months TL is closed for refurb.

I'm sorry BB being closed is the straw that broke your back, but quite honestly I just don't understand it. You're coming all the way from Alaska and a water park -that looks like it's from Alaska- being closed is going to cause you to never come back to WDW again ?? That's totally your perrocative, but have you done any research to determine why the early refurb ?

 

[wdwguide]

I am very sorry that BB will be closed during your trip. And I agree with you that Disney should improve its communication with visitors about rehabs and operating hours - the current system is badly broken. However, attempting to predict future refurbs based on what happened in years past is "dangerous".
One side of the story is Disney getting a lot of hate mail from people who say that they never get to see a certain water park because it is always closed during the only time they can visit - for them, a change is good news. Also, Disney has been slashing maintenance budgets left and right, which makes predicting anything a futile exercise. The positive side to this is that things may yet change for the better for you... you never know with them...

I suggest voicing your concerns to Disney in a terse but constructive way. Don't let them get away with the standard phone call from some customer relations "executive", but insist on communication from someone who is truly in charge. It may take some months, but if you keep harassing them, you will get through eventually.

Finally, Blizzard Beach is a fun water park, but it is by no means the best one out there. I can understand your disappointment, but try to maintain a positive attitude and enjoy the new attractions during your visit. Mission: SPACE is excellent, PhilharMagic should be good, and if the rumored MK fireworks show will be presented, that should be good as well. I recommend postponing a decision whether or not to visit Walt Disney World or any other Disney destination in the future until after your trip.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

I guess you have to live someplace where you don't even have the option of swimming in the summer to really appreciate the disappointment when a waterpark is closed.

I've already talked with guest realtions and have both the email and snail mail addys. As a matter of fact, I've already fired off an email explaining my disappointment in WDW's lack of customer care when it comes to park hours and services. I plan on following it up with a snail mail letter.

It probably won't do squat, but at least I have the release of venting


I'll just take my family to Wet n Wild. I did a quick search and it looks like a really well designed park. Just more money WDW won't get from me

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"One side of the story is Disney getting a lot of hate mail from people who say that they never get to see a certain water park because it is always closed during the only time they can visit - for them, a change is good news."***

I was going to mention this but didn't want to add my fuel to your fire. This is exactly my situation. Since '95 we have come each Nov and Dec. TL was never an option. Couple years ago we added a May trip and enjoyed TL for the first time. It was great. We enjoy it much more then BB. If you've never done TL, try it. You may not miss BB at all.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

We did TL this past February. None of us cared for it.

Too tame. The kid section was for REALLY little kids, not a 7 and a 4 year old.

 

[Chess]

I also like BB better than TL for it's tween area which which my kids really enjoy. We will also miss it this November but we will deal with going to TL. According to my DB, he read somewhere on the internet that they were changing the openings of TL and BB because they are going to put new slides in at TL. This is only a rumor and I have not read it anywhere on the Dis boards so I'm not sure where it came from. BTW he is a newbie as they are planning their first family trip for November and of course I told him BB would be open.

 

[*Robin*]

Originally posted by ArcticWildMan

I'm done with Disney after this trip. This is the last straw for me.

We all say that sometimes! Then you go, get dusted with all that pesky pixie dust, find yourself acting like you're 13 again, and go home wishing you could live there....

It's called MAGIC!

At least I hope this is your experience with your next trip!!

And just for the record, I'm not from Alaska, but living in N. Indiana right now, and am an avid swimmer, so I can COMPLETLEY understand the desire for waterparks...I hope you find your solace in Wet -n- Wild!!

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Thanks Robin. Hopefully some pixie dust does fall my way

I've been threatening to go to Universal for 2 years now anyway. This entire scheduling issue gives me enough motivation to go there.

More money that Disney doesn't get a chance at

 

[KNWVIKING]

Wet-n-Wild is a very good water park, it just doesn't have any theming. "Storm" is a cool ride. Try the knee boarding attraction in the lake. "Bombadier" will give you a wedgie 2nd to none. Enjoy yourself.

 

[*Robin*]

Originally posted by ArcticWildMan
I've been threatening to go to Universal for 2 years now anyway. This entire scheduling issue gives me enough motivation to go there.

You know, I always say that too!! Then when we do our 3 days in Jacksonville on the way down, I can't stand it anymore, and it's Disney all the way.

So very pathetic.

But, I've been to Disney nearly every year since it opened in Florida, (lived in S.California for 13 years so was there ALL the time) and I think they placed some kind of homing chip in my brain along the way!!

Let us know if you head to Universal instead, I'd love to know if it converted you!!

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

ArcticWildMan!! How do you do? Not feeling very good at the moment, I suppose. And brother – I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!

This trip I have planned for December was scheduled just so we could go to BB. Now Disney decides to change the refurbishment schedules out of the blue

This is one of the things that Disney does not understand. Tell me, how long have they normally scheduled a Jan/Feb refurbishing. Has it been since BB’s inception? Several years at least?

You see many people plan Disney around these things. I know it’s probably a mistake. And I don’t need any D(istinguished) K(ontributors) telling me (with the right amount of smilies) that I’m an idiot for not checking, blah, blah, blah!!

A story and some suppositions.

A STORY
Back in 1998 my sister-in-law planned the long awaited trip to Disney. It was five years in the making. They would camp (even the economies were out of reach). They would spend five days in the last of July and the first few days of August. Five days ain’t much, but with EE and midnight closings, it was possible. Just possible.

Well, that time of year also brings the rains. EVERY DAY!!! And two of those days it rained well into the night. Still!! No problem. Until Sunday, August the 1st (or 2nd, I don’t remember) They had been rained out of the MK on the two days they planned to visit. So with only one day left, they had not seen the parade, fireworks and many of the attractions in the MK. The morning saw them in another park, and the clear skies meant that the MK was in order that final night!! They got there at six or so, even though they were waiting for the bus TWO hours before that (but that’s another story!!)!! Upon arrival they learned that MK was closing at 10:00!!! Not midnight. But two hours earlier!!! They now had a choice of seeing the parade and fireworks and nothing else or trying to fight the crowds, who were tenacious in their staying ability, caused by the shorter hours (no natural thinning of the crowds)!!! Guess what!! My sister-in-law (a Disney NUT without the means to support the habit) had found her “last straw”.

Some Suppositions:
I don’t know ArcticWildMan personally. I don’t know what ‘car’ he came to the dance in. But to see that he’s in #4 now!! Well!! I suppose:

Perhaps he saw the Mods being built, below standards, but decided to make the most of it. Maybe he saw the hours dwindling but ignored it. Maybe he saw Pearl Harbor and… Maybe he saw the CEO of the company take home over three quarters of a BILLION dollars, but will not put a hammer to a nail in EPCOT without sponsorship. Maybe he witnessed GO.COM. Maybe he saw the ABC acquisition for what it was, the biggest mistake this company ever made!!! Maybe…

Well, maybe he planned his vacation, costing thousands of dollars, around the Blizzard Beach closing, knowing when that was being an avid Disney fan, and the company screwed him once again!!!

And you question why he found his last straw!!!!??? Shame on everyone who even thought (much less posted) that it wasn’t a big enough deal!!

I can’t speak for ArcticWildMan, but I would be expecting some honest apologies!!

You have my sympathies ArcticWildMan. Listen to what Robin says. It is true that you may enjoy it anyway. In either case don’t let it spoil the entire trip!!



PS: IOA is a gas!! I tried it for the first time last year! Very good indeed!!!

 

[Planogirl]

ArcticWildMan, I sympathize. We all look forward to our trips for different reasons and if BB is important to you then of course you're disappointed. But why not jump in Car No. 3 with so many of us and hang on until things get less bumpy? The Baron is truly a pretty good driver. Hopefully, you can still enjoy a lot of WDW has to offer in spite of this and maybe you'll get through some thick heads at guest services.

I've never been to Wet'n'Wild but I understand that it has some outstanding slides and other attractions. Just don't expect much in the way of theming. And if you decide to try Universal itself, you may just enjoy it too. We went for the first time this year and had a really good time. The attitude and style is different but it's still a fun ride.

Good luck with whatever you end up doing.

 

[crusader]

ArcticWildMan -

I hear you. You are travelling pretty damn far and BB is one of your must do's. That really bites. I don't know if Wet N Wild will suffice but I had been there years ago and had a blast. It's not BB of course and I'd certainly hate to have to patronize another waterpark as well.

I am sorry this is the last straw for you and hope this doesn't dampen your vacation. Who knows! Maybe you will feel less frustrated once you arrive. One thing I am certain of - around here you will find a great deal of company as there are many who share your sentiment.

 

[HB2K]

I'd just like to chime in and express my awe at how insensitve and quite frankly rude some of the posters are in this topic.

Some of you should be ashamed at your comments (Test Track especially).

The original poster apparently thinks HIGHLY of Blizzard Beach. Maybe you don't, but it's apparently a large part of his vacation.

So what do some of you do? Belittle his vacation choices and tell him to roll with the punches? He should be thrilled that Disney has decided at the last minute to remove one of the main reasons he goes to WDW?

What if they closed Magic Kingdom down but said "Hey, Animal Kingdom is still up and running! Check it out!"?

So let me get this straight...he wants one product (Blizzard Beach), but since it's not available he should settle for something which he doesn't really care for....and he should be happy about it?

If you go to Outback steak house for a steak, you wait 3 hours for a table, and then when you finally sit down the waitress tells you they stopped serving Steak 2 hours ago but try the hamburger (hey it all comes from a cow)....you all would be OK with that?

You people are amazing. This goes beyond debating what is right and wrong with the Disney company (although it's a microcasm of that issue). This is a man expressing his frustration about his little piece of magic getting taken away from him. I can't wait until something you all hold dear about WDW is taken from you!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

As previously pointed out, I think switching the TL & BB schedule is a great idea. This way the folks that go during the same time of year can visit the other park.

I am not sure I see the lack of customer communication here. I don't know how much advance notice is normal, but five months seems pretty good to me.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by HB2K
I'd just like to chime in and express my awe at how insensitve and quite frankly rude some of the posters are in this topic.

Some of you should be ashamed at your comments (Test Track especially).

The original poster apparently thinks HIGHLY of Blizzard Beach. Maybe you don't, but it's apparently a large part of his vacation.

So what do some of you do? Belittle his vacation choices and tell him to roll with the punches? He should be thrilled that Disney has decided at the last minute to remove one of the main reasons he goes to WDW?

What if they closed Magic Kingdom down but said "Hey, Animal Kingdom is still up and running! Check it out!"?

So let me get this straight...he wants one product (Blizzard Beach), but since it's not available he should settle for something which he doesn't really care for....and he should be happy about it?

If you go to Outback steak house for a steak, you wait 3 hours for a table, and then when you finally sit down the waitress tells you they stopped serving Steak 2 hours ago but try the hamburger (hey it all comes from a cow)....you all would be OK with that?

You people are amazing. This goes beyond debating what is right and wrong with the Disney company (although it's a microcasm of that issue). This is a man expressing his frustration about his little piece of magic getting taken away from him. I can't wait until something you all hold dear about WDW is taken from you!

-------------------------------------------

I've got to hand it to you - you have made some EXCELLENT analogies in your post!!

I'm suffering a bit of disappointment myself right now.. In December I will be taking my grown DD, and my then-to-be-5-yr-old granddaughter to Disney and this will be our first Christmas season trip ever.. We were SOOOOO looking forward to seeing the Osborne Lights - and - well - you all know that story...

Unfortunately, our last trip held some major disappointments as well - although NOT the fault of Disney AT ALL.. We arrived on Sept. 9th, 2001... Need I say more? Being from New York, the best two weeks of our lives turned into the worst - in the blink of an eye - on September 11th.. We stayed - because it was my granddaughter's first trip to Disney - but believe me, it was the most bittersweet experience of my ENTIRE life.. The parks were like ghost towns.. Many things were closed in terms of food carts, restaurants, etc.. There were grown adults, wandering around with blank, reddened eyes - and phony smiles plastered on their faces merely to keep their children from sensing that the world had suddenly turned upside down.. Yes - we watched the parade and the fireworks - and yes, we clapped and cheered and "smiled" - but I never knew until then just how PAINFUL being "happy" can be..

I guess all I'm really trying to say though is people have certain expectations when they plan their Disney vacations... It's not a "cheap" vacation - and it's not one that many people can make more than once every few years.. Disney advertises the living daylights out of all of these wonderful "attractions" and intentionally or not, leads people to believe that all things are available at all times.. It's kind of like that very, very fine print at the bottom of a contract that you can barely read - if you don't belong to a site such as this one, it would be VERY easy to go there and be VERY disappointed when you learn what really IS available during your particular vacation period.. Disney needs to communicate better and much, much EARLIER in the game plan if they ever hope to build up (or hang on to) their base of returning visitors.. I don't think it's too much to ask.. No one should "order steak - and then be served hamburger instead" - without significant advance warning.. Nor should anyone on this thread - or any other thread - be ridiculed and mocked because they are angry and/or disappointed that Disney is not delivering the "highlights" that they so freely advertise..

I'm very disappointed that we won't see the Osborne Lights this trip around - but given the circumstances of our last trip, I think I'm a little more tolerant than the average Joe would be.. Still, if they continue to hack, whack, and cut everything from services to events to hours up until our departure time, I too may find myself in the position of re-thinking future trips.. I absolutely LOVE Disney World - but if they want me (and others) to return, they need to rethink their current strategy and go back to treating us like "guests" - not just dollar bills walking thru the turnstiles..

 

[rwodonnell]

This may be only slightly on topic, but why does Disney close each of the water parks for "refurbishment" for 2 months every year? That seems a little odd to me. I wonder if they're really just going to one water park for the 4 coldest months of the year and calling it refurbishment.