Is anyone getting as turned off as I am?

[PatriciaH]

Bit a tangent question - but what made the Yellowstone trip special? What did you do there and would it be fun for tweens/teens?

I definitely would love to go there...I've always envisioned it as a series of hiking adventures.

We love the outdoors, animals and nature, so it really was an amazing place for us. We do like to do short hikes-there are many of those in the parks as well as longer ones. Getting off the beaten track gets you away from any summer crowds too. We saw many animals (tons of bison, bighorn sheep, 3 bears, moose, elk, wolf puppies.) The scenery is beautiful-so different in several areas. The Tetons are amazing! The geyser basins are like walking on another planet! Waterfalls! The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone!

So some things to see/do in the parks/Jackson/Cody: hiking, fly fishing, swimming in the Boiling River or Firehole River, the Rodeo, aerial tram, National Museum of Wildlife Art, river float or rapids, biking, chair lift on Snow King Mountain, shoot out, Buffalo Bill Museum, Beartooth Highway (most scenic drive in the US), wildlife watching, horseback riding, Roosevelt Old West cookout, camping, etc.

Do it!!!

 

[mom2rtk]

I think they do a more aggressive trip...stories of driving at like a 75 degree angle straight up the face of a 40 foot snowbank...worried the thing was gonna flip straight back over them as it churned upward...stories of hanging wayyyyy off the side of the thing and trying to muscle it through various manauevers.

Don't get me wrong...I'd be up for that! But wow!

It is good to know however there are more moderate versions for families though...makes sense actually. I'm intrigued,,,,

I'LL DO MY OWN VERSION OF FROZEN THANK YOU VERY MUCH WDW!!!! :lmao:

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think they do a more aggressive trip...stories of driving at like a 75 degree angle straight up the face of a 40 foot snowbank...worried the thing was gonna flip straight back over them as it churned upward...stories of hanging wayyyyy off the side of the thing and trying to muscle it through various manauevers.

Don't get me wrong...I'd be up for that! But wow!

It is good to know however there are more moderate versions for families though...makes sense actually. I'm intrigued,,,,

I'LL DO MY OWN VERSION OF FROZEN THANK YOU VERY MUCH WDW!!!!

Oh my goodness! Yes that is intimidating! lol, no, that's nothing like what our trip was like . We stayed in West Yellowstone, MT and there was a tour company running snowmobile tours. We went to Madison Junction, Old Faithful, Biscuit Basin, Fountain Paint Pot, Firehole Canyon, Gibbon Falls, and Norris Geyser Basin. The route was really pretty easy and fun

Here's one of my favorite shots from Firehole Canyon (we didn't have our SLR with us, so this is just a P&S)

 

[maxiesmom]

On our August trip, DW and I stopped in there mid-afternoon to get a baked good of some sort, and all we saw was the same stuff you see in every Starbucks on every street corner. We went down the street and got something at the candy shop.

That is a bummer.

 

[msb578]

Eisner has come up a few times here.

I was a kid during Eisner's early years. I went to WDW at age 12, probably just after the Tishman lawsuit that eventually yielded the Swan and Dolphin.

It was great and all, but now I'm surprised by this thread. I never really heard great things about him. Was he really well-regarded? I'm not being sarcastic at all- I truly am just not that familiar with his performance leading the company.

 

[cakebaker]

On our August trip, DW and I stopped in there mid-afternoon to get a baked good of some sort, and all we saw was the same stuff you see in every Starbucks on every street corner. We went down the street and got something at the candy shop.

It's funny what makes one person dislike something is the exact thing that makes someone else like it.

I liked being able to go in and get something and know it's going to be something I like. I don't go to Starbucks at home but I know from my daughter bringing me some now and then that I like it- at Disney I don't mind spending so much. lol

 

[PatriciaH]

Eisner has come up a few times here.

I was a kid during Eisner's early years. I went to WDW at age 12, probably just after the Tishman lawsuit that eventually yielded the Swan and Dolphin.

It was great and all, but now I'm surprised by this thread. I never really heard great things about him. Was he really well-regarded? I'm not being sarcastic at all- I truly am just not that familiar with his performance leading the company.

At the time people were annoyed by Eisner too, but in retrospect he was better for the parks. He was very into fine dining and really turned around the restaurants at the parks and resorts. He also pushed for more upscale resorts. Also, a lot of rides/attractions were built when he was in charge.

 

[Ellwood970]

At the time people were annoyed by Eisner too, but in retrospect he was better for the parks. He was very into fine dining and really turned around the restaurants at the parks and resorts. He also pushed for more upscale resorts. Also, a lot of rides/attractions were built when he was in charge.

He was criticized after 911 when travel fell off. He had to cut costs drastically leading to lots of criticism. But I don't think quality was cut like it is being cut now with record profits.

 

[RedSox68]

From Undercover Tourist newsletter:


'Frozen' Attraction Is Headed to Epcot

After months of speculation, the Disney Parks Blog has confirmed that a "Frozen" attraction is headed to the Norway pavilion in Epcot® and will replace Maelstrom. The new attraction, set to debut in early 2016, will take guests into the world of Arendelle and allow them to experience some of their favorite parts of the Disney animated film. Maelstrom's last day will be Oct. 5.

 

[PrincessV]

Eisner has come up a few times here.

I was a kid during Eisner's early years. I went to WDW at age 12, probably just after the Tishman lawsuit that eventually yielded the Swan and Dolphin.

It was great and all, but now I'm surprised by this thread. I never really heard great things about him. Was he really well-regarded? I'm not being sarcastic at all- I truly am just not that familiar with his performance leading the company.

At the time people were annoyed by Eisner too, but in retrospect he was better for the parks. He was very into fine dining and really turned around the restaurants at the parks and resorts. He also pushed for more upscale resorts. Also, a lot of rides/attractions were built when he was in charge.

Yep, Eisner was sort of a mixed bag. He was passionate about guest experience, which translated into new rides, better food options, and superb service. And for we Floridians, it was awfully nice to be wooed and made to feel like we were critical to WDW's success. (Which is what makes today's complete disdain, however financially practical, for locals especially painful.) But Eisner was a big-picture, dreamer kind of guy who spent a fortune to make those things happen: he was not popular with shareholders, or likely bean counters, either. And, frankly, he was known to be difficult - he wanted things done and he wanted them done the way he wanted, period. There wasn't any place for "no, that won't work." Again, that benefited we, the guests, but made for some challenges behind the scenes.

 

[Squidgyness]

"But, I don't even know what my kids are going to like or want to do since we've never been there. Why don't they make everyone wait and do this FP thing in the park the day they are there. They could put a machine by the ride that spits out paper times to tell you when to come back to the ride". Me- after I quit laughing uncontrollably- "Yes they used to have it like that, but they changed it". Her: "Why the heck would they change something like that to this crazy mess? Now, I know my kids are going to want to see A&E and you are saying that even if I get on the computer in the middle of the night, it is possible that we don't get FP+ for A&E or 7 Dwarves, so I should keep messing on this website every day until our trip after that trying to get them".

Man that is too funny. Get that person a job as an exec, fast!

Given that the touring method that we used to use for Disney (i.e. Do what you want, as you want to do it) is now no longer practical (NOTE: Practical, not possible) we stopped even talking about going.

The amount of money it would cost would require 2-3 years of saving at the least, and its just not worth it when we can get sea-view 4* hotel rooms in the med for less money than an OFF-SITE in Orlando, and that's not even talking about the ludicrous pricing of Disney resorts.

I made a promise to myself that if things didn't get better at Disney in the months after FP+ was implemented I wouldn't be going back, as did other posters on this board. Some scoffed and said we'd give in, but I'm sticking to my principles. If I won $10k tomorrow, I'd spend it on a trip to Orlando... for US and SeaWorld. Disney can take a hike frankly.

The decline in quality was there in 2009. My parents asked me the other day to name things that had changed in Florida between 2006 and 2009, and all the ones I could think to mention were in Universal. I knew then that Disney was probably not in my future for a long time. I agree with others, add don't replace. I realise that Disney cant tailor their improvements for me alone etc etc, but that doesn't change the way I feel about them right now. That's pretty sad considering I spent my childhood in a constant state of excitement about going there. Recently I've taken to watching videos from before 2009, but all that does is make me more depressed about how Disney is going, so I've stopped that for now, just limiting myself to the occasional post on the forums atm.

 

[kbelle8995]

Eisner has come up a few times here.

I was a kid during Eisner's early years. I went to WDW at age 12, probably just after the Tishman lawsuit that eventually yielded the Swan and Dolphin.

It was great and all, but now I'm surprised by this thread. I never really heard great things about him. Was he really well-regarded? I'm not being sarcastic at all- I truly am just not that familiar with his performance leading the company.

Eisner did some things well. And others not so much. The problem (for me at least was when he tried to do things in parks on the cheap) Note the orginal California Adventure. He did build a lot of hotels on Disney property and two new theme parks here in Florida.

The thing is that he did make Roy Disney mad at end and in the end I think that is what derailed him. "Waking Sleeping Beauty" is an excellent account of what went down. He was also known for not playing well with others.

Customer service was very important to him and he worked hard along with others to bring the company back from what seemed at the time the dead.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Yep, Eisner was sort of a mixed bag. He was passionate about guest experience, which translated into new rides, better food options, and superb service. And for we Floridians, it was awfully nice to be wooed and made to feel like we were critical to WDW's success. (Which is what makes today's complete disdain, however financially practical, for locals especially painful.) But Eisner was a big-picture, dreamer kind of guy who spent a fortune to make those things happen: he was not popular with shareholders, or likely bean counters, either. And, frankly, he was known to be difficult - he wanted things done and he wanted them done the way he wanted, period. There wasn't any place for "no, that won't work." Again, that benefited we, the guests, but made for some challenges behind the scenes.

Sounds to me that he was a lot like Walt and he just needed his own Roy to balance him out.

 

[kbelle8995]

Sounds to me that he was a lot like Walt and he just needed his own Roy to balance him out.

He did have a Gentleman named Frank Wells who did balance him out. Unfortunately he died tragically and some will tell you that this was the beginning of the end for Eisner in their opinion.

I don't think Eisner was like Walt. If what I've read is true, There was a lot of men running around the company claiming that they were the new Walt Disney.

A lot of egos and hubris. Sorry. I do try to take some of this with a grain of salt

 

[lugnut33]

I wish Lassiter would take over for Iger.

 

[Donaldduck975]

My 2 cents if anyone actually cares:

I went to Disney World this past August 9 - 20 (last month) . This was the 9th Trip in my liftetime (yes I have been blessed). It was an offsite stay this time. (don't care what some of you think, Offsite = Better Value even with rental car and parking, it is waaaaaay cheaper.)

What I liked:

1) I was in Disney!!

2) Restaurants - This was the first time I could afford eating at a different Disney restaurant every night. I loved all of them, some more than others (except Garden Grill, which was just OK). I had no problem making Ressies, and was even able to switch some on the fly. Services were top notch.

3) New Fantasyland - Great. Mine train was great, Mermaid was great, Gaston Character meeting is a must.

4) EPCOT = Especially at night. This place is beautiful.


My issues:

1) MDE app - The app crashed at least once a day. One day it was out of commission the entire day. All guests were having the same issue, so it was a Disny IT problem, not my phone.

2) Ride Closures - While I was on line for at least 10+ mins, the following rides broke down:
A) SDMT
B) Dinosaur
C) Haunted Mansion
D) Test Track
E) Maelstrom
F) Splash Mountain
None of which were we offered a fast pass to return with. This was dissappointing, especially since the Mine train was closed on 8/19, which was the last day, and only time my Daughter, who joined us later in the trip could get to this. We go there well before Rope drop, walked right to the ride, waited 15 minutes, only to be told it was closed and to go ride splash mountain instead!! Ride reopened 3.5 hours later and immediatley had a 90 Min wait.


3) FP+ - I don't like it.
A) I have no interest in scheduling my ride 30 days in advance.
B) you now are held to the times, which takes away from enjoying
various lands. For instance, if I have a FP+ for BTM @10AM, then
SPace at 11AM, then Peter Pan at 12pm, I am running all over the
park trying to make my time.
C) I liked the old way where if when I got to the line and it was too long,
get a FP, but now, that FP was gone 60 days ago.

4) Starbucks - Never liked Burnt Coffee.

5) Umbrella rental at Typhoon lagoon - There was noone checking for wristbands in the "private area", so we had bunches of people coming and going as they pleased. I did get my money back for this though.

 

[W.E.D.]

Yeah, I get the feeling that they just don't know what to do with Epcot. IMHO, it was conceptually flawed from day one, although I never visited in the early years (I hear that some of the yesteryear attractions, like Horizons, were great).

I just made our trip schedule, and I've got Epcot slated for 1.5 days out of eight. World Showcase takes up half the park (or so it seems) and soon will be down to two attractions (Three Cabaleros and The American Adventure). The park is huge and burns a lot of shoe leather, but we never spend a great deal of time there. Educational? Thanks anyway. I may not be a kid anymore, but I still go to WDW to have fun.

Reportedly, DHS will be revitalized for years to come with a Star Wars land. AK will get Avatar. MK is endlessly popular. It looks like Epcot will be the also-ran at WDW, unless they can figure out what the heck to do with it. At the very least, the park needs one new killer E Ticket.

It was supposed to be educational entertainment. Biggest problem: no one apparently wants to learn anything anymore or expand their minds now that you can look it up whenever you want.
[end rant]
I think the problem with FW at least, is that the future is now. No matter what they build there, it will be old news by the time they complete the attraction. They would have to look FAR into the future for attraction ideas.

 

[dwheaton]

It was supposed to be educational entertainment. Biggest problem: no one apparently wants to learn anything anymore or expand their minds now that you can look it up whenever you want.
[end rant]
I think the problem with FW at least, is that the future is now. No matter what they build there, it will be old news by the time they complete the attraction. They would have to look FAR into the future for attraction ideas.

I know this is a real challenge, especially with Tomorrowland. However, I think there's a way around it. Just look at what we saw in Horizons back in 1983. We still don't have floating cities, families in space, or the type of farming they showed. There are ways to depict the future without being worried it will be obsolete soon. I'm not a fan of Mission Space, but we still haven't gotten to Mars. I think it takes the type of vision that I'm not sure Imagineering (or possibly the public like you mention) are interested in seeing.

 

[laurapitcher]

Some of the changes have been an adjustment, but they're starting to become a positive instead of a negative after learning how to work with them.

I think its just about trusting the Disney company - I know that they spent a ton of money on the My Disney Experience program and that they're goal was to have it be a pleasant experience for the guest, and they wanted it to be something positive. Same with Starbucks - people didn't like Joffreys, and they wanted to give them something as a viable alternative inside the parks. I personally love being able to get decent coffee in the parks.

I think the program will get its kinks worked out, and people will eventually love it. At the end of the day, I don't think Disney has ever bet this big and failed. I have faith in the company, and trust their decisions.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Eisner did some things well. And others not so much.

One of Eisner's faults was cutting Disney Animation. Some of the movies made during his tenure were highly forgettable. (Home on the Range)

He eventually got Pixar back, but that was after effectively letting it go. He also passed on Lord of the Rings and the Sopranos among others.


It's also hard to describe. one simple thing is that he was in the news often enough. Now you hear about Disney, but not so much about Iger. Roy E. Disney left in large part because of Eisner. (he accused Eisner of making the company "soul-less".)

He expanded the number of parks, but some didn't do all that well initially (Disneyland Paris, Cali Adventure).

Eisner ran Disney for quite a while. Eventually though, he was ousted before his contract ended.