I'm kinda sad about Dec. trip....I'm afraid this sound whiny

[Melody D]

Not been there many times (maybe 5 times in 17 years), our last time was in 2001. We had a great vacation and when you walked into the park they had ressie times on a board and you booked it right there. Easy enough.

You are right, this will probably be our last trip to Disney. IMO they have priced themselves right out of the market. I can overlook the cost, but vacation should be time for flexablity and you are not going to get that at Disney anymore To me it has lost the magic.

Maybe we will go and have a great time and it will make me forget the planning nightmares but I am really disenchanted with the whole experience right now. Right down to the fact that they blew they whole Christmas surprise with an email that I asked them not to send....

 

[TLSnell1981]

Thanks again everyone This is what these boards are all about--pooling ideas and experiences. I love all the reccommendations, I would not have thought about many of them! We will definiately keep calling. I am so excited about going back to Disney, and this is our first cruise with them, so we are looking forward to that!!!! Thank everyone who responded!!!!!! Vicki

I am so glad things are looking up! I also have fibromyalgia and know what a struggle it can be. I have a feeling things will be even better once you begin your trip. The cruise is FANTASTIC, but it can keep you very busy. There is SO much to do! So pace yourself. WDW... doesn't take much once you're there to put a smile on your face. Have a MAGICAL trip!!!!

 

[DisneyRN1]

Thanks everyone for all your responses. 1 1/2 weeks to go, then 6 nights WDW, and 4 nights cruise!!!

Thanks TLSnell, this is our first trip to WDW since I started having fibro-a little concerned about stamina, and the walking and standing, but will do my best. ...Vicki

 

[TLSnell1981]

Thanks everyone for all your responses. 1 1/2 weeks to go, then 6 nights WDW, and 4 nights cruise!!!

Thanks TLSnell, this is our first trip to WDW since I started having fibro-a little concerned about stamina, and the walking and standing, but will do my best. ...Vicki

I am seriously considering renting an ECV for at least part of our next trip. It will really depend on where I'm at (health wise) when we go. Let us know how your trip goes.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

You are right, this will probably be our last trip to Disney. IMO they have priced themselves right out of the market. I can overlook the cost, but vacation should be time for flexablity and you are not going to get that at Disney anymore To me it has lost the magic.

I guess it depends on your definition of a vacation. There are different types. An all-inclusive vacation at the beach in the Caribbean, for example, is very unstructured. A bus tour of the UK, however, is quite structured. WDW is somewhere in between, depending with how much planning your comfortable with. So, I think it's up to us to decide on which type of vacation works best for us. You can't really blame Disney for not liking what they offer.

 

[DisneyRN1]

Thanks for the replies.

TLSnell, I have worried about needing a scooter. I did ask my dr for a temp. Handicap parking permit to try to minimize all the walking before you ever get to the parks themselves. I really feel bad about that-my brother had muscular dystrophy before parking permits were available. I will feel bad if I get one when he needed it so bad. I am so much better off than so many people, but walking distances is freq. a problem. Has anyone had any experiences like this where you just need a little help, but feel bad about asking for it because others need it more?

M/M Smith, I see both your and Melody D's points. I have been going to WDW since 1975, and have seen it change so much over the years. I do remember just feeling hungry, and deciding at that time where we felt like eating. Planning to go to WDW was basically deciding when to go..and you went. Over the years,some guests and some cast members have gotten more impatient, pushier, everyone is trying to "get the jump, and beat out everyone" for rides, restaurant reservations, hotels, etc. All that has nothing to do with Disney, it's just life. And Disney has lost a lot of the magic it used to have. For the past 3 or so times I have been there I think that maybe we won't go anymore because it has changed. BUT, having said that...and before someone flames me....WDW is still one of my favorite places in the world. We have been there almost once a year, and sometimes twice for the past 25+ years. And the people and castmembers are bazillions times better than most places. I love WDW, have always loved WDW, and probably always will, and will continue to go. This is just a "old person" remembering how it used to be.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Do you think that maybe it lost its magic because you have been there so many times? I would think that any place would.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Part of the reason so many people love Disney is that it's a place you could go to over and over.....years apart....and it was still "the same" As you get older, it's nice being able to recreate the same "magic" with your children and then your grandchildren. I know things have to change somewhat .......eventually, but this really didn't happen until the Eisner reign....much changed then. I will not let anybody ruin my Disney for me...it's STILL the Happiest Place on Earth!

 

[DisneyRN1]

Although sometimes returning repeatedly to the same place can take away the magic, I wouldn't return so often if I didn't love the place. We enjoy not only the new things, but remembering the differences between then and now. I think most of problems I have are with people's attitudes in general-including Disney's. Everyone (including myself) tries to cram so much in to their trip that makes it difficult to just enjoy ourselves, because we have to go here at this time, and there at that time, and do this and do that at certain times And as the "World" get more crowded, people get so competetive that they forget about having fun, (and being considerate)--like an earlier response where someone basically books two reservations at all the restaurants, one in her name and one in her husbands name so they have options to eat wherever they feel like it at that time. Fine for them, but what about the people who are not able to eat at their favorite places because someone has all the times booked up. And I'm sure they are not the only ones who do that. We have had some problems over the years with hotels, etc., and Disney has sent gifts, and gift baskets, and other things to say they were sorry that the problems occured-they really seemed to care. But now, on the cruise board, one lady made her ressies for early dining months ago, only to find when she got to the ship that her dinner times had been changed to 8:30. She not only tried to talk to the manager to change the times because her son is diabetic, but also wrote a letter to them after returning home. She copied their letter to her for the boards, and the response was essentially...oh well, it was a computer glitch, and they hope she will take another cruise so she can see that they care. This was a health issue with her son-diabetics should not eat so late if they aren't used to it. So, just because you love something doesn't make you blind to the faults. And after weighing the good vs. bad, Disney is still far better than so many other places.

 

[Hugpug]

Your not whining I know what you mean when you are diabetic you need to stay on the time frame you are use to. I found I can et around that if I have a snack to tide me over till meal time. It worked out for me last time as a couple of seatings were later then I wanted. I opt for the resort places more then the park for most of my meals. I always made a ADR at a resort that was near the park I wanted to be at. I agree the dining plan has really hurt making ADR'S. I have never used the dining plan as it was to much of a hassle and not a cost savings for me. I was better off with the Dining Experiance Card.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Everyone (including myself) tries to cram so much in to their trip that makes it difficult to just enjoy ourselves, because we have to go here at this time, and there at that time, and do this and do that at certain times And as the "World" get more crowded, people get so competetive that they forget about having fun, (and being considerate)--

But that is how you choose to experience Disney. We don't do it this way. While we planned our ADRs well in advance to have some structure, we were much more "go with the flow" than what you describe. Maybe you are not taking the time to feel the magic but I definitely feel that it is there - and strong!

But now, on the cruise board, one lady made her ressies for early dining months ago, only to find when she got to the ship that her dinner times had been changed to 8:30. She not only tried to talk to the manager to change the times because her son is diabetic, but also wrote a letter to them after returning home. She copied their letter to her for the boards, and the response was essentially...oh well, it was a computer glitch, and they hope she will take another cruise so she can see that they care. This was a health issue with her son-diabetics should not eat so late if they aren't used to it. So, just because you love something doesn't make you blind to the faults. And after weighing the good vs. bad, Disney is still far better than so many other places.

Believe me, I am able to see Disney's faults. I had problems with my last trip. Some were extremely handled well. Others were not. However, I still think that overall the treatment we received and the way we felt when we were there were beyond wonderful.

If you want to know the truth, I feel that people sometimes have unreasonable expectations. Like with the situation above for instance. We just booked a cruise and nowhere did it say that any seating time was guarenteed. It appeared to us to be a request. Also, there are several food options. So if someone had to eat earlier, they could. There is absolutely no problem with diabetics getting food any minute they might need it on the trip. It would have been nice if Disney could accomodate this cruiser but they didn't. But then again, guarenteed priority in seating was not part of the deal as far as I can tell.