Is the Magic Over??

[TheWho]

I live in a resort town, Cape May NJ, and people pay thousands of dollars to spend a week here during the summer. Traffic is gridlocked, bicycles are everywhere, waiting in line to eat is common, and thousands love doing that. It’s Magic to them! It is a lovely area, and I’m thrilled to call it home. The other three seasons are truthfully more Magic for me.

Hey bobbiwoz, I live in northern NJ and I’m one of those people who visit the best beach in NJ and best seashore town in NJ, Cape May. My wife and I love the Mainstay, Queen Victoria, Congress Hall !! We go several times a year. Your town is beautiful.

My 2 cents on this thread. Our kids are 22 & 26 and my wife and I went this past November for only the second time w/o kids. DVC members since 1999 (BWV). I hate what is happening at WDW recently (Fast pass gone, Genie +, No more ME, limited hours, steep park ticket prices, NYC prices at restaurants, etc). With the said, we had a blast this past November. After 20+ years of visiting WDW and innately acquiring knowledge to navigate the crowds. The trip was a success and the BW was fantastic, just like it was in 1999. I can’t say enough how this resort still impresses me. I pay $2k a year in dues (300 points) and playing the reservation game by picking studios and picking lower point scenario, I get ALOT from my $2k. I was 36 when we brought DVC, I’m 58 today and knock wood, still feel the DVC magic. Fingers crossed.

 

[Judique]

I will be in HHI for a Gals getaway March 20-25…do we overlap?

Almost! March 13 to 18 for us. I usually book this same week each year at 11 months because it coincides with the college week off, where both DD's work. Don't always go but just in case, I'm ready!

 

[Lost boy]

My wife and I did a resort only trip 2/21 for 16 days, no parks, no phone except to call family back home. At first it felt a little weird but after a couple days it was great and the time flew by. We went again in Sept for food & wine with 5 days in the parks and were exhausted at the end of seven days of fighting crowds. We were able to enjoy some of our favorite rides and even got on some of the new ones. Not being big Star Wars fans, we didn't care about not being able to experience that. Getting ready to book Dec 2022 stay with less park and more resort days.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Almost! March 13 to 18 for us. I usually book this same week each year at 11 months because it coincides with the college week off, where both DD's work. Don't always go but just in case, I'm ready!

When I taught at U Cincinnati, I always booked a get away for the week that included March 19, because that usually coincided with our spring break. Have been retired for 5 years now.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Yes, we have been doing the same for the past 3-4 years now, and I suppose that's part of my issue. As much as I enjoy relaxing poolside and strolling the grounds at VWL, RIV, CCV, SSR, et.al., there's a finite limit to how many times I will continue to find doing so enjoyable. After all, a pool is a pool is a pool (SAB perhaps the exception). Hanging out at a resort and exploring only takes a few hours stretched out over a few days. While it is relaxing, I can do the same at any halfway decent hotel. I'm not a shopper, so while Disney Springs is fun to explore, it is also a venue that loses appeal after a day or two there.

Going back to VWL (I'm old school and generally refuse to call it by the current BRV moniker), it's my home resort, and while beautiful and still enchanting, it's lost luster over the past few years. It's a deluxe with no signature restaurant, no actual sit down, a la carte restaurant whatsoever. Artist Point was a highlight for years--now it's a pricey character meal. WCC has always been about masses of people eating all-you-care-to-eat skillets which is great if you enjoy that sort of thing. Roaring Fork used to be an above average QS until the refurb during the construction of CCV. Since re-opening, it's taken a huge hit in quality. Geyser Point is a very nice QS, and is usually our go-to place when staying there, but the menu is limited and has dropped some favored items the past couple of years (looking at you, waffle fries). The old sandy nature trail was shut down when the cabins were built, never to return, and the lovely, paved walking/biking path was subsequently closed when Disney started to build the now defunct Reflections...and it is still closed, overgrown, and torn up meaning there is no way to walk through any sort of wilderness to get to FW...nor bike...nor take a boat. All that to say, while I do enjoy a resort stay, even that experience has changed leaving guests less to do and explore.

And should I wish to go into a park just to hit a couple of mainstay rides or soak up the ambiance or catch a parade? Megabucks. Too sweet of a price for me going forward to justify APs or even regular ticket pricing for, say, three days. Again, this is just my version of events, but in the end, that's all I have to go on.

Agree 100%! We're VWL too, (also old school). Yes, beautiful resort and we like staying there but it's just lacking. Never a fan of Artist Point and not interested in the character meal. Every so many years, we give WCC a try but don't find the skillets all the great. We too find the menu at Geyser Point limiting. For us, it's not so much of the magic is missing, it's the price point (even with DVC) and what you get (I should say don't get), it's all the over planning, it's all the hoops you have to go through now....it's no longer enjoyable and definitely not as fun when we get there.

 

[Pinnochio]

We are very much enjoying the new systems as well. Yes you have to pay for the faster queue (and there are only 2 of us) but it has been really enjoyable. I prefer it to FP+.

We booked 8 LLs this morning for use between 9a and 12p — including Peter Pan, Big Thunder, Splash, and Space.

I thought you could only book one ride every two hours....?

 

[kes601]

I thought you could only book one ride every two hours....?

Once you've used one you can book another. Just like with FP+ after your initial 3.

If you book one that is longer than 2 hours away then you can book another one in 2 hours (this is what we did for evenings while relaxing in the resort between late morning and when we went back).