Is Disney at fault for disappointment?

[JJZMgailey]

But even me a major planner, someone who loves Disney, some one who has been over 30 times, and someone who researches things to death found myself disappointed in MVMCP (high crowds, longer lines than I was expecting, and mediocre cookies and hot chocolate lol). I'm not blaming anyone. It just didn't meet my expectations, and most likely I won't do the party again. And except for visiting the Disney resorts, that was my only Disney theme park day.

This was me last December! I had gone by myself to MVMCP in 2013 with a group of friends and was SO excited to bring my hubby and the kids for their first time in 2014. The night we went, the party was so packed that there was not a chance of being able to watch the parade on Main Street which is my fave because of the snow - I'm talking the second parade too! The Attraction lines were incredibly long and lines for meeting Characters in their holiday best were very long too. Even with all of that though, the things we did get to experience were so festive and magical.

I don't fault Disney for my disappointment in the crowds and long wait times because it's certainly a popular party that takes place during a super popular time of the year - I knew that when we made the decision to spend the money on the party tickets.

That being said, we probably won't attend MVMCP every single year, but we'll most likely go again at some point.

 

[mick1229]

Like everything else in WDW they figured out the best way to charge more and give the consumer less.... Which is why I am no longer a consumer there....the greed is out of control

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

Getting new business is only a portion of a marketing dept, there is also retention. Disney would not have invested so much in DVC and continue to do so if they did not want/care about repeat business. I would not have a mailbox filled with WDW ads if they did not care about repeat business. They would not create a magazine highlighting all the resort things for DVC members if they did not care about repeat business. They would save the money if they didnt think it worked or redirect to that one time customer but they dont.

I don't agree..
Ap and DVC perks have been gutted recently.. And many DVC memebers are selling their contracts due to it..
The lastest of these was the new AP pricing and DVC memebrs now can only get a discounted AP the has black out dates.. Along with this came the rising cost of the TIW cards.. (Even tho in the last year many places stoped taking it and they added more black out date)
Their are many more things that have been taken away from ap/DVC members but this seems to be the last straw for a lot of people.

>>>>If WDW really care about repeat costumers AP/DVC would be given the same kind of perks they receive in DL.


FYI.. Disney only makes money off dvc when they are selling a NEW resort.. After you buy in it starts to feel like your an after thought... The main reason other than money to create more DVC resorts is the large decline in deluxe resort stays. Disney make a killing off converting some of a deluxe resort to a DVC resort.

 

[ArwenMarie]

The main problem is that the parks, especially MK, are too darn crowded for much of the year.

 

[Angel Ariel]

A current example where I do believe Disney is at fault is the disappointment many are (and will) feel at BBB now that they have eliminated the photopass photographers at the Disney Springs location (the ones that took pics during the transformation), and will be eliminating them at MK I think November 8th.

People booked their appointments for BBB, in many (if not most) cases many months ago. And Disney is now discontinuing something that was an included benefit when these people booked, with very little notification (those not on Disney forums will, if history is any indication, not find out until they arrive). For many parents this will completely change the BBB experience. Instead of relaxing and being able to just enjoy the magic, many parents will now be filling the photographer role themselves, and if the responses on the other thread are any indication, that will disappoint many parents. And, IMO, that's all on Disney.

Disney should, at the *very* least, have announced that benefit was going away and said "anyone who books a package up until [insert date here] will have photopass photographers during the transformation. Anyone booking after [insert same date here] will not have photopass photographers". If I were going in the next few weeks, and I was expecting that because it was promised when booked, I would absolutely be disappointed and upset with Disney, and it would be all Disney's responsibility because of how they chose to handle it.

 

[Dug720]

I agree that the guest needs to do their due diligence as to what they should be doing. I've been numerous times, and still I've gotten at least 3 different booklets (one that clearly explained FP+ - though I have to say I have gone when I was not able to make them in advance (on a CM comp ticket so there was no media to attach to MDE) and guess what? I had a BLAST and was able to do everything I wanted, even if that meant having a little wait) as well as numerous emails about planning my vacation. As well, every time I've called to make a payment or change, the CM on the phone has asked if I'm familiar with My Disney Experience and if they can help with making any dining reservations. That alone would clue me in that "Oh, if I want to have sit down meals, maybe I should make some reservations."

As for travel agents not doing things, well... Exhibit A as to why I would never use a travel agent. I'd much rather do my own research and make my own arrangements than trust someone to do the things I should be doing on my own.

 

[Mkrop]

I don't agree..
Ap and DVC perks have been gutted recently.. And many DVC memebers are selling their contracts due to it..
The lastest of these was the new AP pricing and DVC memebrs now can only get a discounted AP the has black out dates.. Along with this came the rising cost of the TIW cards.. (Even tho in the last year many places stoped taking it and they added more black out date)
Their are many more things that have been taken away from ap/DVC members but this seems to be the last straw for a lot of people.

>>>>If WDW really care about repeat costumers AP/DVC would be given the same kind of perks they receive in DL.


FYI.. Disney only makes money off dvc when they are selling a NEW resort.. After you buy in it starts to feel like your an after thought... The main reason other than money to create more DVC resorts is the large decline in deluxe resort stays. Disney make a killing off converting some of a deluxe resort to a DVC resort.

I dont disagree but they are still marketing to us as I see in my mailbox and my emails.

 

[lilaclily]

I know WDW is basically a corporation. However, what has made it so profitable was the illusion that the guest was special. Over booking to the max, making the guest work for everything does not make it a magical experience. I hope they dont kill the goose that layed the golden eggs, but it think its too late. Now a days the only truly magical experiences are the ones you have to pay even more for. I have been a Disney fan for many years. Unfortunately, Im old enough to know how good it used to be.

 

[DisDadDVC]

I know WDW is basically a corporation. However, what has made it so profitable was the illusion that the guest was special. Over booking to the max, making the guest work for everything does not make it a magical experience. I hope they dont kill the goose that layed the golden eggs, but it think its too late. Now a days the only truly magical experiences are the ones you have to pay even more for. I have been a Disney fan for many years. Unfortunately, Im old enough to know how good it used to be.

Actually, I have found the exact opposite. The ones I paid up for were overpriced and not very magical. They were very fake magic. However, I did have a magical experience when we couldn't get back to Epcot to pick up my daughters pearl earrings from pick a pearl and Disney sent a runner for us and dropped them off in our room.

 

[Mickfarland4]

The only person responsible for feelings of disappointment are one's self. You make or break your own vacation or way though life. A positive attitude in a crowded park will lead to a better time than a salty "Oh, I didn't expect these type of waits!" one. Attitude is EVERYTHING! Guests can't blame Disney when the way they react to the situation in the parks ultimately will be how they feel about it. They can just as easily decide that they are on vacation and will have fun regardless and viola, their trip would be reported as a fabulous time.

 

[toontoy]

Disney does charge a management fee for managing the DVC resorts and usage for resort facilities. These fee's are yearly income to them.

Disney is caught somewhere unique since they are able to charge a premium for their products due to demand but are not of premium quality. The value of the offerings is subject to individual customer, but it is very subjective. Many will say Disney is a luxury destination and the term luxury is in the eye of the beholder. As with any marketing company they want to show you what you could get, they wont show crowds and wait times as many would be customers would automatically be turned off by that. Many know the parks are crowded but my sister went and thought it was insanely crowded during septemeber and it was nothing like the images on the website and videos. Its kinda a double edged sword as with her they lost a customer but she was made to believe they cared for the one and done crowd and once they had your money they didnt care about any problems. This is where I see a problem, my families last trip was fun, we had problems and nothing was done about them but what made it worse was the solution to one of them to spend more to have more fun.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Honestly I think most of the disappointment people encounter is of their own making. Sure we know that at times people who work in customer service industry are not the most helpful (having worked in that field for in the past for 9 years I will tell you a little niceness from the customer goes a long way..I.e. screaming, cursing and being an overall jerk immediately does not make it easier to help you however some people just don't care about helping others).

When it comes to ADR each restaurant that NEEDS a reservation will tell you online that a reservation is STRONGLY recommended in the bottom of the page describing the experience as well as the 180-day mark. I would think it's a safe bet to make reservations for restaurants that mention reservations are taken (this applies to restaurants back home that take reservations..if they take it likely there is a reason).

I know not everyone uses the computer to do all this research but Disney in my opinion has a fantastic website (especially compared to Universal Studios which is hard to navigate and doesn't compile restaurants and attractions at all in an easy way) and should be utilized. Food was never really important on any of my other trips. I never ate at a Table Service restaurant but my next trip, which will have 5 adults-no children, will be different and I really want to experience some of these fantastic places to eat. This means I researched what I needed to do in order to experience this.

I've seen many complaints regarding people's experience for both Disney and Universal Studios. It's shocking to me how many people go to the most visited theme parks in the world and do zero or very little research (yes maybe 15, 20 or30 years ago you could do this but things evolve too quickly now-look at how quick cell phone technology becomes old just months after a release). When I last went September 2011 the Legacy FassPass was around and no Magic Bands existed. However, you better believe I have already extensively researched the ins and outs of FassPass+ and Magic Bands for our September 2017 trip (which I know by then some things will change).

Some people expect no waiting in lines and are beyond furious that they had to wait to go on a ride (umm entitled much??). Others equate waiting time with overall attraction time (i.e. 60 minute wait for a 3 minute ride). That to me is crazy to even think about because it doesn't make sense to do this at all.

The Disney World website really has all you need for this information and the FAQ section is awesome too. Have a question that isn't answered in the FAQ nor website?? Guess what Disney is available for chat!! And I've used it several times already myself. You can also E-mail or call them. This can be done by going to the Contact Us page from the Help area of the main website toolbar.

 

[GPC0321]

The only person responsible for feelings of disappointment are one's self. You make or break your own vacation or way though life. A positive attitude in a crowded park will lead to a better time than a salty "Oh, I didn't expect these type of waits!" one. Attitude is EVERYTHING! Guests can't blame Disney when the way they react to the situation in the parks ultimately will be how they feel about it. They can just as easily decide that they are on vacation and will have fun regardless and viola, their trip would be reported as a fabulous time.

I very much agree with this entire post.
Every year for at least the last decade or more, my Mom and I have gone to the NC State Fair, usually on the first Saturday which is always very crowded. We know it's going to be crowded, we don't care, we go anyway. It is virtually EXACTLY the same every single year with very, very few little new tidbits or things we discover for the first time (but those are rare). This year (just last weekend) was the most crowded it's ever been. At one point when we were making our way down a main stretch, it got so congested we came to a complete standstill in the mob. We were packed shoulder-to-shoulder in complete gridlock for a minute and Mom jokingly said, "Well, this is it! This is how it's all going to end. My life is a a standstill at the State Fair!" LOL! We chuckled, patiently waited for the crowd to start creeping forward again, and were soon on our way to the exhibit halls we'd been trying to get to.
We left that day, just like every other year, feeling exhausted, backs and feet aching from so much standing and walking on concrete, overpriced food in our bellies, and not having seen or experienced anything particularly new. We had to park farther away than usual and pay more ($15!), we didn't get to a few of our favorite things (the bunnies and part of the big garden exhibits), and we actually threw two hideous chocolate "ice cream" (not convinced it was ice cream at all) cones away ($4 each) because we just couldn't stand to eat them... Blech.
But we still had a great time! We always do! It's our special tradition and as long as my mom feels like going we'll go! We laughed and had a ball. Is it more expensive now? Yep. Tickets, parking, and food have all gone up. Do we get anything more? Nope. Same ol' fair. Is it more crowded? Sure was this year! Will we go next year? God willing!

The most fun I've had at Busch Gardens Williamsburg was a last minute summer day trip with my best friend. It POURED rain WHILE we were riding the Big Bad Wolf, and she was fussing at me and screaming bloody murder the whole time (she hadn't wanted to ride in the rain but I convinced her to, hee hee). Later we ran through water up to our knees to a gift shop to buy ponchos, then while eating lunch we got so tickled rehashing our roller coaster in the rain adventure that we were about to fall off our chairs laughing. People were actually staring and one guy even came over and teased us about having way too much fun. We still laugh about it all these years later.
I honestly do believe our attitudes play a huge role in how we perceive an experience, be it at Disney or anywhere.

 

[Mkrop]

The only person responsible for feelings of disappointment are one's self. You make or break your own vacation or way though life. A positive attitude in a crowded park will lead to a better time than a salty "Oh, I didn't expect these type of waits!" one. Attitude is EVERYTHING! Guests can't blame Disney when the way they react to the situation in the parks ultimately will be how they feel about it. They can just as easily decide that they are on vacation and will have fun regardless and viola, their trip would be reported as a fabulous time.

Well I will beg to disagree to an extent...I do think attitude is important when dealing with anything BUT there are times that WDW messes up and they need to own that and people can, should, and not be belittled for feeling disappointed when they spent a good chunk of change at this location. Yes you can control weather etc but there are many things WDW can control, like having enough buses at closing or something like that.

It amazes me that so many are willing to let WDW slide or tell people to lower their expectations. No other company seems to get this slack. If I had something wrong at any other hotel chain, most would complain, for some reason at WDW, you are just suppose to just be happy to be there. If a mechanic didnt fix my car right, I would be disappointed and ask them to fix it again. But at WDW people seem to think they can do now wrong and people should not complain when something doesnt go right. People need to express their disappoint, frustration, and both positive and negative feedback, so they as a company can improve.

No one should yell at a CM but they do need to complain and get a resolution if WDW messes up.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think one of the problems is that too many people do blame Disney for things that they didn't know or messed up, and all of that is lumped together on the internet for many people to point at and say "Look how bad Disney has gotten at customer service". The parks being busy is not a fault to blame Disney for (I'm quite sure Disney is happy that there is so little down time anymore). Disney is not to blame because it is hot and humid. Disney is not doing anything wrong because you couldn't walk up to your favorite restaurant without an ADR and get seated.

A bus not showing up for an hour is something Disney needs to fix. A bus not showing up within 5 minutes of you being at the bus stop is not. And too many people don't know or don't care that there is a difference. It all becomes one giant pot of negativity.

 

[GPC0321]

The thing I notice is the complaints aren't at the "mechanic didn't fix my car" level. The complaints are things like: Disney is packing too many people into the parks, ADRs and FP+ are stressful and unfair, the food isn't as good as it used to be, the hotels aren't as nice as other off-property ones, there aren't enough new attractions, etc. But for every one of these complaints is someone else who thinks ADRs and FP+ are great, expects crowds and can have fun despite them, thinks the food is delicious, loves staying on property, and thinks there are plenty of great attractions.
I say if your room is dirty or something is broken, a cast member is rude, the food you're served is not what you ordered or is improperly cooked, the pool is filthy, or any number of specific examples of Disney failing to do their job should arise, then it is absolutely justified to complain to management.
But if the way Disney operates and the quality of the experience there just isn't to your personal liking, then you have a choice to go somewhere else.
The internet is notorious as a place for people to vent frustrations and criticize. It seems people are much more likely to go to an online forum to complain than to praise something. The result is a skewed perception that there are more people frustrated and disappointed in Disney than people who are content and satisfied.
Obviously Disney is doing something right if the parks and resorts are as full as people claim. And the fact that more people are going to Disney might well be encroaching on some people's ideas of how Disney "should" be. We'd all love to waltz on in, spend less money, eat nothing but delicious food whenever and wherever we'd like, wait no more than 15 minutes for any ride, have buses rolling up for the park we want exactly when we arrive at the bus stop, and have the flexibility of coming and going as we choose without ever sacrificing a single thing we want to do or see. But that's unrealistic.
So going back to the original point of this thread, it is not, IMO, Disney's fault if guests arrive unprepared for the reality of visiting the most popular vacation destination in the world. Newsflash: it's probably going to be really crowded.

 

[texas disney mom]

There is no question that disney is trying to squeeze more money out of their parks. There is no question that pretty much everything has gone down in quality at WDW. As someone who has gone almost yearly and sometimes twice a year since the late seventies- its just a fact. The crowds are so intense sometimes nowadays that in the evenings they can be dangerous. It is almost impossible to do much in the magic kingdom in a one day visit. You used to be able to hit every ride in a single day. No joke. That being said...it is still possible to have a blast there. Thats why it is so crowded. What sucks is if you are with someone (and we have one of those) who has a low tolerance for any inconvenience or just is not flexible. Then, definitely, wdw becomes impossible. But that is an issue much larger than wdw. There are some people who have fun no matter what. There are others who complain no matter what.

 

[Mkrop]

Why are some saying WDW cant control the crowds...sure they can, but they dont want to, of course, but they can, they do for parties depending on the number tickets they sell, If the complaint is the party is too crowded, sell less tickets or they might start to lose customers. They have to figure out where that threshold is but they can control. And they control daily park attendance during Christmas week etc, shutting things down when it gets too crowded etc. So WDW can control the crowds, now whether they want to is another story

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well I will beg to disagree to an extent...I do think attitude is important when dealing with anything BUT there are times that WDW messes up and they need to own that and people can, should, and not be belittled for feeling disappointed when they spent a good chunk of change at this location. Yes you can control weather etc but there are many things WDW can control, like having enough buses at closing or something like that.

It amazes me that so many are willing to let WDW slide or tell people to lower their expectations. No other company seems to get this slack. If I had something wrong at any other hotel chain, most would complain, for some reason at WDW, you are just suppose to just be happy to be there. If a mechanic didnt fix my car right, I would be disappointed and ask them to fix it again. But at WDW people seem to think they can do now wrong and people should not complain when something doesnt go right. People need to express their disappoint, frustration, and both positive and negative feedback, so they as a company can improve.

No one should yell at a CM but they do need to complain and get a resolution if WDW messes up.

I agree with speaking up when issues do arise for sure. I do see many complaints where people did nothing at the parks and waited til they got home to vent. That being said I think there are many cases where people's complaints are due to their own lack of research or ability to adapt to the surroundings.

My family and I took a trip to Austin,Texas in May 2015 that had been planned since December of the year before. No one and I mean no one could have anticipated it being the rainiest May in a very long time. It rained at our house for so much before the trip and it rained the entire time we were down there (with some breaks during the day). The thing that really dragged the vacation down was my mother-in-law. She was so vocal about the annoyance of the rain and really brought the whole mood down.

I expect hot, humid and rain/thunderstorms when I go down there: It's Florida. I also know that I will be reviewing the weather before I go and while I'm down there. People who complain because they couldn't get into the "best" restaurants are those who likely didn't do research because if they had they would have known that they could have attempted to book a table 180 days in advance for that restaurant. Those who complain about the heat likely didn't review the weather of the place they were going to. I would complain to Guest Services if a CM is very rude to me or I was given misinformation that really impacted my overall trip but I wouldn't complain that I spent $X and it rained the entire time I was there or it was too hot or no good restaurants had availability.

Also crowd level seems to be a hot topic but the thing is many who complain don't mention what time they got to the park, what they did while they were there (i.e eating versus going on rides). If you got to MK at 2 or 3pm and then complained at the sheer # of people it's a no brainer that you are going at the busiest time of the day. If you got to MK at 10 or 11am (the start of the busy time) and complained that rides already had 45-60 mins wait its a no brainer that you are starting to mix with the crowd that was already there. If you spent 1hr 30 mins each eating for lunch and dinner, got there at 11am and left at 6 pm how can you complain that you only got to ride 3 rides.

 

[Mkrop]

But there are people who know the research, and cant get the restaurants or FPs right when they open...they can complain and should.