It's finally starting to get to me . . .

[walker0829]

After last year we said we were done for awhile. It was our 2nd trip in 2 years with our DS3 and it was slightly less magical than the 1st visit with him(which was also my first return in 14 years). It seemed like everything broke down while we were there to the point where I thought I was jinxed.

With our son(now 4) starting school next year we decided to do a last hurrah of Disney for the foreseeable future this year. Yes it's expensive, yes it seems to be more crowded than ever and yes having to create a daily plan for a vacation seems to go against the whole concept of a vacation but all those issues disappear when my son's face lights up for that Pooh or Mickey hug. I'm a big kid at heart and at Disney so is my wife. That's why we keep going.

 

[nilla]

Sweet so we can enjoy those now? I had no idea cutting Lady Tremaine in 2016 would speed up the three pipe dreams.

Ok, then Rivers of Light, nighttime safaris, the new Frozen attractions, 3rd track for TSM, 3rd theater for Soarin'...

 

[shanethesaint88]

I'll bite .

None of those cuts really bother me. Curbside greeter? I don't even remember those from older trips. Mousegears opening later? No problem. Character cuts? Never been my priority. Fantasmic, parades only once a night? Fortunately for me, not a priority.

I'm just saying this to prove the point - no matter what they do that people on this board think is inexcusable...there will be people like me who won't care! And before you call me a cheerleader or a Kool-Aid drinker, I'm not the one going to Disney every 6 months to a year....

I said before though, I feel for those who are losing jobs/hours over this.

While these may not be your priority they are for others. I for one hate seeing only one fantasmic. Can you imagine how crowed it's going to be now. You'll have to line up two hours prior just to get a seat. And there in lies the problem. Disney has no want to deliver a great guest experience anymore. You can't make the only fantasmic? Sorry. It's to crowfed for you to get a seat? Sorry. And now you a want the already overworked and underpaid cast members to make more sacrifices? Are you kidoing me? This isn't disney. These are only executives who see dollar signs and the bottom line. Long gone are the days of worrying about the Disney legacy and what it means to be apart of that name smh

 

[amg35]

While these may not be your priority they are for others. I for one hate seeing only one fantasmic. Can you imagine how crowed it's going to be now. You'll have to line up two hours prior just to get a seat. And there in lies the problem. Disney has no want to deliver a great guest experience anymore. You can't make the only fantasmic? Sorry. It's to crowfed for you to get a seat? Sorry. And now you a want the already overworked and underpaid cast members to make more sacrifices? Are you kidoing me? This isn't disney. These are only executives who see dollar signs and the bottom line. Long gone are the days of worrying about the Disney legacy and what it means to be apart of that name smh

Exactly. It doesn't bother me, it bothers others. That's the point of when people ask if Disney notices if their "regulars" are unhappy. Sorry to say, but I doubt it. There are too many more infrequent visitors like me and people going for their first time that will still keep crowding the parks. For now anyways, nothing lasts forever.

 

[shanethesaint88]

Exactly. It doesn't bother me, it bothers others. That's the point of when people ask if Disney notices if their "regulars" are unhappy. Sorry to say, but I doubt it. There are too many more of infrequent visitors like me and people going for their first time that will still keep crowding the parks. For now anyways, nothing lasts forever.

I completely agree. This focus is on the once in a lifetime guest. Not the returning guest. Its obviously not a bad decision for the company, nor is it right or wrong. I disagree with it however. I hope no gets me wrong, I love disney. I decided not to go to WDW this year(and probably next) but decided to spend twice as (maybe even more) on a cruise just because the Disney name is behind it. So it's not like I hate the Disney company all of a sudden. I just think these decisions of making a quick buck, ignoring the repeater guest's experience, and the slowly marketing themselves out of a certain number of people's budget, may come back to haunt them

 

[nilla]

That one and a half new things dont even replace what was closed at EPCOT much less HS and the other general reductions. If they'd have invested in new attractions they probably could have dispersed crowds to a point that adding capacity to existing rides was unnecessary. I'm sure they could have done a lot of that for the 2 billion they spent trying to force people into Laugh Floor.

New Fantasyland?

 

[shanethesaint88]

Isn't this the exact reason that Roy Disney ran Michael Eisner out of town? Because he felt that the company was moving in this direction? How did it still end up here?

 

[3DisneyFanz]

New Fantasyland?

Even adding that doesn't replace what was lost from Wonder of Life.

Don't get me wrong though as I love the look of New Fantasy Land to a point that it really makes Old Fantasy Land look Old. That said for all the hype and promise we got a bad copy of a DCA attraction, 2 restaurants a gift shop and one cool attraction that ended up a shell of what it was proposed to be.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Isn't this the exact reason that Roy Disney ran Michael Eisner out of town? Because he felt that the company was moving in this direction? How did it still end up here?

Wall Street.

 

[shanethesaint88]

Wall Street.

Good point

 

[mom2rtk]

It's not my tipping point, if that's what you are asking.

I've been on these boards quite a while. And I'm seeing more people reporting being at their own "tipping point" than ever before. By far.

 

[amg35]

I've been on these boards quite a while. And I'm seeing more people reporting being at their own "tipping point" than ever before. By far.

And I've seen the same people on these boards complaining for years that it's their last trip, but yet they are still going every year!

Look, people are still going to go. Cuts will be made. Prices will go up. That's life, everywhere and everything. Pick and choose what's worth it to you. To me, WDW is still worth it - every few years.

 

[mom2rtk]

And I've seen the same people on these boards complaining for years that it's their last trip, but yet they are still going every year!

Look, people are still going to go. Cuts will be made. Prices will go up. That's life, everywhere and everything. Pick and choose what's worth it to you. To me, WDW is still worth it - every few years.

That's interesting, because I see a lot of regulars actually posting about how much they are cutting back. (Not renewing APs, going once a year instead of twice, cutting back on the number of Disney days in a given trip). It seems very credible to me. Many of them have posted in this very thread.

 

[mshanson3121]

While these may not be your priority they are for others. I for one hate seeing only one fantasmic. Can you imagine how crowed it's going to be now. You'll have to line up two hours prior just to get a seat. And there in lies the problem. Disney has no want to deliver a great guest experience anymore. You can't make the only fantasmic? Sorry. It's to crowfed for you to get a seat? Sorry. And now you a want the already overworked and underpaid cast members to make more sacrifices? Are you kidoing me? This isn't disney. These are only executives who see dollar signs and the bottom line. Long gone are the days of worrying about the Disney legacy and what it means to be apart of that name smh

Definitely agree.

Exactly. It doesn't bother me, it bothers others. That's the point of when people ask if Disney notices if their "regulars" are unhappy. Sorry to say, but I doubt it. There are too many more infrequent visitors like me and people going for their first time that will still keep crowding the parks. For now anyways, nothing lasts forever.

I'm certainly an infrequent visitor. And these changes bother me. Big time. Because some of the things cut are things that we really enjoyed the one time we've been as a family and some are things we wanted to see next time because we didn't get a chance. But even beyond that - it's the principal of it, and quite honestly, I'm not all that keen of giving thousands of my dollars to the attitude they're showing. Disney used to be (perhaps a long time ago) synonymous with a company that cared about families and making dreams come true for the average family. Those days are long gone. Will I go again and do I want to go again are two very different things. I want to go back yes, because my kids loved it, and I have my own nostalgic memories from my childhood. But will I? I really don't know because we are pretty well at our price point now. So between the Canadian dollar, the increases that are likely coming, and the way they're cutting stuff... I'm not convinced it's going to be worth it. I know that we could spend a fraction of the money and go to New Hampshire's Story Land and Santa's Village and honestly, the kids would have just as much fun.

Here's something else I don't understand, based on a comment I read earlier - if DLP is doing so poorly financially (only profiting 2 years???) then why are they still open?

 

[momof2n2]

Ok, then Rivers of Light, nighttime safaris, the new Frozen attractions, 3rd track for TSM, 3rd theater for Soarin'...

None of that will be there for me in May... But fewer characters, parades, and nighttime shows. Even

If some of the things promised for someday were actually available before they start closing and removing things (SWW!!?? What were they thinking!)

I'm glad we're going. It will make my mom happy. My girls will meet some princesses, but although I used to feel WDW gave me a great bang for my buck I no longer feel that way. They keep taking away and charge more for it. And yes. Customer service and smiling CMs go a long way with DH and I.

 

[Doug M]

I'm disappointed too. The recent announcement about M&G cutbacks and the (maybe) discontinuing of Wishes FPs

I missed this news, where did you see changes to Wishes FPs?

 

[amg35]

That's interesting, because I see a lot of regulars actually posting about how much they are cutting back. (Not renewing APs, going once a year instead of twice, cutting back on the number of Disney days in a given trip). It seems very credible to me. Many of them have posted in this very thread.

Okay, maybe. Honestly, I was kind of joking, I don't really keep track of everyone's trips.

It's apparent to me that I take my Disney trips much less seriously than a lot of you. I can't explain anymore why I will keep going until I don't want go.
If you don't want to go, that's okay! You have your reasons and I don't question them.

I also have been coming to these boards many years, since we planned a trip back in 1999/2000. I've seen complaints come and go. This too shall pass.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

To me, the problem is when you are asked to make ADR'S 180 days in advance and Disney closes attractions or does refurb 4 weeks before your trip. By that time, you've taken off work, booked your plane tickets and your kids are all excited. How about a price reduction? Yeah right, never gonna happen.

The problem is that Disney is so...Disney. There's not really a substitute, although I hear good things about universal. So, they've got you over a barrell. A really fun barrell that's marketed quite well.

 

[ktlm]

We are just about at tipping point. We have done a trip each to WDW and DLR for the last several years. OP, I agree with you -except for the FP+ part. We have had 3 FP+ trips and hate it, and I am not quiet about that on here. Other than that, I did think people were being to hard on Disney with a lot of the complaints. I was more in the camp of "there sure are a lot of complainers- but they are all still going". Last October at WDW was the first trip we really felt like we were paying more, but getting less. Part of that is FP+, but in October we really saw and felt lots of little cutbacks that took away things that made WDW special but that really added up, with one of the big ones being all the character cuts (and a dance party) from MNSSHP. There were lots of other little things- like the fact that we have been at the same time every year for the last few years-but this time the pool closed an hour earlier every night- so where we used to come back and swim until pool closing a couple of nights in our trip- that didn't work well this year. There were other things that closed earlier, other things CMs no longer did, other things they no longer had (towel animals in the room being a little one). Most of it, other than the character cuts both in the parks and at MNSSHP were little things- but the problem with that is that when a ton of little things you are used to are changed or taken away without any other little things replacing them- it starts to feel more like a bigger thing. FP+ about sent us over the edge on its own. We are really starting to feel all the little cuts since it started. I know that WDW often changes a lot of things this time of year, but it sure looks like we are seeing a lot of cuts with no replacements.

We have been taking what we felt like was refuge from the WDW cuts with our lovely non FP+ trips to DLR. We get photopass+ every trip at DLR and love it. The pre-purchase price was $69.95. Recently DLR entirely did away with photopass+ and now the only thing they sell is a ONE DAY photopass for $40. You have to buy it separately for each day. We do 5 park days at DLR, which means if we want all of our photopass, ride and meal photos, it will now cost us $200- an almost 200% price increase!!! Not only that, but they changed the photopass website for DLR, and now there are no longer any borders, stickers etc. to add to or edit photos. So we pay 200% more and get significantly less.

For the first time this year, we are seriously thinking of just cancelling both our DLR and WDW trips and choosing other vacation destinations instead. I'm sure we will go back to both when Star Wars land is completed, but we have just started to feel like WDW/DLR doesn't care about their guests like they used to. It seems like they are focusing on the one time guest who won't know the difference, instead of their loyal repeat customers. We still love Disney, and there is no place else like it, but we definitely have issues with things current management are doing.

 

[kamik86]

I feel the same way. The last time I was in WDW was Sept of 2014 I believe? Which isn't that long ago but previous to that every vacation was WDW and I think I did get burned out a bit and then with all the changes it was even worse.

So the next trip was San Diego and a few days at Disneyland, Then our first cruise (Alaska), then a caribbean cruise and we are doing England in the fall.

Next year is DHs turn to pick and he picked another caribbean cruise for our Jan warm weather break (smaller cheaper vacation) and is thinking of Seattle and another Alaskan for our large one. (DH is much more of a go back somewhere person where I tend to pick to go to new places).

So it will be years before we will be in WDW again it seems. We are even looking at selling DVC. We got burnt out enough to go somewhere else and then once we did we realized it really is traveling we love more then just WDW.