Just back and not happy

[Anthony1971]

Well let's see.....let's look at the Ritz/JW/Lakeshore reserve.and I'll base it on our last trip to the Ritz.The grounds are imho far better than anything offered at D(and although yes AKL was nice when we stayed on concierge level the animals were the only part of the hotel we liked to any great extent), at the Ritz they were doing cool spritzes and iced face cloths at the pool, the service mind boggling, an amazing variety of pools through the complex to choose from, great service never hearing the word no (including everyone from front desk staff to drink servers, pool attendants....you know those fellows that set up your chairs and towels for you), rooms to die for, and having your every need catered to....nope I guess there are no better amenities than at a D property.

Sorry I do not agree with the grounds at any of those resorts being better they are far smaller compared to the D Deluxe... Where are is the Tiki torch lighting ceremony, The boat rentals, The bike rentals and paths, The spa, The Beach, The fire Pits, the Marshmallow roasts, The movie under the stars, The golf Courses... go into the GF and lets not forget it has the only true 5 star eatery in Florida and Grand one.. Pool activities they have a pool party everyday with music, games and Giveaways, Pools ahhh Stormalong bay
What you mention are not Amenities they are services and Disney will do all of that for a fee CR certainly has private Cabana rentals... No one has ever said no to me at Disney??? in fact last time I Stayed at AK one of the greeters took my son by the hand and walked us to the check in desk if you would like to pony up Disney will provide any service you would like. There are people who go on vacation and are willing to pay for location and service and the better rooms Disney offers at the Deluxe resorts... as you can see from the list above you will have different types of people who will stay at Disney Deluxe and there are enough people in the world who will pay for Grand one which does include a Butler and eat at V & A whit out a second thought.....
Lets not forget the resort fees, parking fees and mandatory tips you need to pay at a lot of other resorts with a low starting price... Atlantis for example you can easily pay as much in all the fees as the room costs... but of course Atlantis did it different as you can get the same room in a different location with a much higher level of service for a fee... and then of course the rooms and service for those willing to Pony up the big $.
I do not understand why you talk of all these things when you are staying at the Swan and Dolphin for a location but they pal in comparison To a Disney resort in respect to grounds, Lobby, and Amenities.. Services sorry do not see it there.. not to mention they are true convention resorts... lets not forget the on top of the room rate they have a 23 a day resort fee and 17 parking fee.
The rest of the resorts you mention are timeshares and the first thing you get asked when you walk in is if you would like to buy...
I enjoy my stays at Disney Deluxe resorts for what they are.. stayed in them before I owned DVC and will if I sell it.. They have never done me wrong.. that is not to say they are perfect as they are by far not but they have always settled any short comings faster than 99% of any other brand I have stayed at. Now if you would like to have a nicer room at Disney on the cheap by or rent DVC for a 1 or two bedroom.. I can tell you The Master bath at the newer DVC resorts is bigger than a studio at the values and amazing... You can also pay for nicer than those in the suites at any Disney Deluxe....
I had the pleasure of speaking with for hours a man form Canada whose company paid for him and his family for a presidential suite at AKL and I had the opportunity to see the inside... He was very impressed with it as was I... He had no complaints and a lot of Praise.. I would gather but am not certain he stays at a lot of very high Hotels in suites Again if you are willing to pony up Disney will provide anything if you are price comparing then yes you can do better in Orlando minus location.... however there has always been three rules in real estate... Location Location Location and Disney has it and they DO charge for it as would any business. I like my location and I am willing to pay for it some are not. Yes my bed in a studio may not be as comfortable as in other resorts but I can tell you in a one or two bedroom it is... and I enjoy a bathroom that simply amazing.

 

[sethschroeder]

Yeah! Guess who is picking up on the "younger target audience"? Even Gringotts has a 40" height requirement. And then there are all those Family Suites at the new Cabana Bay.

It's going to be pretty cool to see a themepark expand itself without alienating any demographics. It's pretty "magical".

And don't forget "he" is being built right now...

Can you explain how a ride can be a fit for a 7-10 year old but not sacrifice something for the 16-40 year old group? Then I read below that someone is happy they are listening and building "kid-friendly" rides in the future plans. So is Universal slowly starting to try to become like Disney and pamper to the young family?

You can be ecstatic they are building 1-2 new rides per year but if 50% of all rides built have a child of 5-10 in mind wouldn't there HAVE to be a change in mindset for the ride than if you are building a ride for age groups 16-40 in mind?

If you include young age groups into a ride experience you automatically have to leave something out for the older age group. Not saying kid rides are not fun just saying the whole thing about Universal is that its a more mature park and its part of the reason people like it.

 

[Ellwood970]

In its simplest terms Disney execs chose to spend billions on the my magic system, when spending billions on new rides would have definitely made more customers happy. They are now seeing a lot of unhappy long time customers who know why they opted for the my magic system instead of the new rides.

I agree and they just do not seem to care any longer about unhappy customers they repeat the same thing over and over. Very condescending to someone paying 100 dollars as a day guest.

 

[Anthony1971]

oh yes...then there's that!


I also wanted to add about universal and not being rushed. If something shiny caught my kids eyes, I had no problem letting them go and do it. For instance we were all playing in the Curious George water area and my two year old loved the back room where they have all the balls that you can vacuum up and they dump all over the floor. All she wanted to do was sit on the floor and stick balls into that vacuum and watch them be sent up. I had no ADR to run to, I had no FP to get to....so I sat on a bench and watched my two year old suck up balls for an hour. Yup, an hour. I watched her have the time of her life. She laughed and had a blast and I had a great time watching her. I've learned to stop and smell the roses on my Disney trips and let the kids have their moments in between things. But, it's only for a few minutes because we have something else scheduled. It was just nice to NOT have something scheduled.

I have not been to Universal in years so not about that... But will say back then it was only universal and it was far better done than MGM but there was nothing else so... Plan on starting to go again once my son gets past the Disney Coasters as hey I want to ride the big Coasters at IOA and look at them...
AT Disney I always stop and smell the roses... rarely used FP in the past usually one ride at some parks never had the need... Did have to get FP+ this time which I am not a fan of for the planning part.. never make ADRS and never had a problem either.. we have been to Disney a LOT and I can tell you over time you learn where to go in each park and when. You can also talk to some of the CM that have been around for a while they have great tips... example (for years) and even on a day the MK was a 10 crowd level and it was Holiday hotel rates sometime near Easter-spring break... If you go to Tomorrow land around 4 the lines are short such that we rode the speedway twice in a row with a 5 minute wait walk on Buzz and a short line at Space (remember looking but my son was to young).. The huge crowds (most I ever saw) where just walking by I doubted it would work on that day but it did-- some CM's will also tell you about this.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I agree and they just do not seem to care any longer about unhappy customers they repeat the same thing over and over. Very condescending to someone paying 100 dollars as a day guest.

But what could they do to make you happy? Go back to the old system? That's not going to happen.

 

[sunday3]

I can see why this poster is frustrated, and I don't understand the anger of the opposition, but I do think Disney is paying reputation defenders to post on message boards since people started being frustrated with FP+. I don't think everybody who posts in favor of FP+ is paid to do so, but there are an awful lot of people who have no signatures, not trips planned, signed up about the same time, etc. posting to defend the new system. It's a common practice to hire these agencies these days, but I'm not sure your run of the mill poster knows that "reputation defenders" exist.

You mean like someone who signed up 2 months ago and doesnt have a picture, vacation planned or a signature?

 

[Seeker615]

Great point about the younger kids, I've always felt IoA is aimed at Teens and above. Another thing that bugs me about US is that it is impossible to find a CM to take a photo of myself with a character and if you ask one of the US photographers now with characters to take a photo with someone like Wolverine they are not happy about it. Luckily other guests are more willing to do so. The food at US is also appalling as far as I'm concerned and I tend to just eat at Starbucks or Ben and Jerrys (no proper meals,just snacking) The Cornish Pasties at WWoHP were nothing like a Cornish Pasty (I lived in Cornwall for 12 years) they were more like Samosa and not nice ones at that.

I had no problems getting the handlers to take me and my husbands photo with the characters when we were there in November. Even at the Jurassic Park jeep and T-Rex the photographer was there and he took one with my camera as well as one with his. When my daughter and I were there the year before we had a cast member ask us if we wanted a picture together by the Weasley car near the Dragon Challenge coaster. The cast members have always been very accommodating.

A lot of the counter service food we found to be terrible but the sit down places we never found any issues with.

 

[flicx]

But what could they do to make you happy? Go back to the old system? That's not going to happen.

That a simple question to answer. Start building attractions with billions of dollars. Not spend it on elaborate people tracking system.

 

[JoeA]

In its simplest terms Disney execs chose to spend billions on the my magic system, when spending billions on new rides would have definitely made more customers happy. They are now seeing a lot of unhappy long time customers who know why they opted for the my magic system instead of the new rides.

Billions? Really? I think that is a little self serving! More like $1B from everything I've read.

Disney is building infrastructure and it's a global deal, they are not just putting in new rides for long time WDW visitors! If MyMagic+ works then they'll roll it out across all parks and probably get more ROI than by adding a few rides to WDW and making us happy. They have something like 133M customers to make happy across the world - not just Orlando.

Like I've said on one of the first few posts - I am pretty much "been there, done that" with WDW and probably won't be back for a few years but I am also pragmatic enough to understand reality and the business side of the coin.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

That a simple question to answer. Start building attractions with billions of dollars. Not spend it on elaborate people tracking system.

The people tracking system is already there. They won't remove it and start over. So they can't possibly make you or anyone with this outlook happy. If you're done with WDW for this reason, then you are done. fortunately there are other parks in the Orlando area that aren't purchasing people tracking systems.

They are building attractions, they apparently aren't the kind of attractions most Disney fans want though, and according to most they are taking way too long to do it.

 

[Seeker615]

Originally Posted by AnAmericanInDisney
That used to be true, but now a visitor is forced to be on the app and use technology to get the Fastpasses and make the trip worthwhile. If I'm paying to fly and stay at Disney, I want to ride some rides. You used to be able to wander around and grab a few fastpasses for later. You used to be able to "wing it" and still ride plenty of rides. FP+ has made that impossible, even without adding dining to the equation.

The bold is simply not true. It's not impossible to go on rides in between fast passes or even before. It seems like the people bashing the system are either Universal enthusiasts who are beating their chest about the express system or people who have never used FP+ and are jumping to conclusions. All you are doing is planning 3 rides, that's it. Everyone knows which park they are doing on a specific day, this makes it more convenient instead of bull rushing a headliner to grab a fastpass.

That is not really true either. When I took the kids well before either fast pass was available we planned where we were going that morning. I think there is a lot of families plan day to day based on weather, kids moods and if they want to sleep in.

I think the issue with the new system is that it makes lines where things really never had any like HM and POTC. My daughter and I went in August in 2012 and we rode both of these countless times in one day. Maybe it would have been a better idea to have created the system with just the attractions and rides that had long lines. (like meet and greets and the mountains...etc...)

 

[Ellwood970]

But what could they do to make you happy? Go back to the old system? That's not going to happen.

Bring back exceptional customer service and park maintenance. I like fastpass+.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

That a simple question to answer. Start building attractions with billions of dollars. Not spend it on elaborate people tracking system.

I agree.

Instead of an elaborate ride rationing system with limits and tiers how about adding capacity.

 

[jeffbear]

Bring back exceptional customer service and park maintenance.

Ding, ding, ding.

That's something we all could support ... I hope.

 

[flicx]

Billions? Really? I think that is a little self serving! More like $1B from everything I've read.

Disney is building infrastructure and it's a global deal, they are not just putting in new rides for long time WDW visitors! If MyMagic+ works then they'll roll it out across all parks and probably get more ROI than by adding a few rides to WDW and making us happy. They have something like 133M customers to make happy across the world - not just Orlando.

Like I've said on one of the first few posts - I am pretty much "been there, done that" with WDW and probably won't be back for a few years but I am also pragmatic enough to understand reality and the business side of the coin.

Actually the last figure given was over 1.5 billion dollars for the my magic system with an estimated .5 to 1 billion dollars more to be spent. Self serving ,I think it is obvious how self serving the my magic system is for Disney. This company got its theme parks to this point by building more attractions not people tracking. Pleasing customers should be a top priority for Disney. I don't think you can argue that 10 or 15 new attractions (which could conservatively be built with that much money) would have gotten a lot more people to come to the parks and also spread out the crowd. How happy would the customers be then? I am sure of one thing 100% happier!

 

[tup1830]

Disney....the ultimate love hate relationship.

It causes some people to drink koolaid and others to put on gloomy glasses.

I kind of fall in the middle...keep going back, but don't love it. Just need to understand that everyone goes for a different reason.

Some bash because they go there SO often...while others praise because they go so infrequently. Some have to save up for a Disney fund...while others go on a whim.

The only common thread i can see is this...its your money, its your time, do with it something that you enjoy and makes you happy (or someone you love) happy!

 

[JoeA]

Originally Posted by AnAmericanInDisney
That used to be true, but now a visitor is forced to be on the app and use technology to get the Fastpasses and make the trip worthwhile. If I'm paying to fly and stay at Disney, I want to ride some rides. You used to be able to wander around and grab a few fastpasses for later. You used to be able to "wing it" and still ride plenty of rides. FP+ has made that impossible, even without adding dining to the equation.



That is not really true either. When I took the kids well before either fast pass was available we planned where we were going that morning. I think there is a lot of families plan day to day based on weather, kids moods and if they want to sleep in.

I think the issue with the new system is that it makes lines where things really never had any like HM and POTC. My daughter and I went in August in 2012 and we rode both of these countless times in one day. Maybe it would have been a better idea to have created the system with just the attractions and rides that had long lines. (like meet and greets and the mountains...etc...)

You have to also figure that >1M people are now walking through those same gates. I was curious so I checked wait times: It's 11:00 am in Orlando on a Friday and the current times are 15 min for PoC, 20 min for HM, 25 min for Buzz, and 40 mins for BTRR. I wouldn't call those out of the ordinary and not prohibitive to riding as many times as you like.

 

[rsimon]

A little off topic but along the same lines since someone posted previously that Disney put about $1 Billion into this system.

The readers for the RFID (cards and magic bands) work great in the parks and rides. Although slower on the entrance than they should be at recognizing your card (I guess they had to make it spin up nice and slow for the visual anticipation).

Does anybody else think these handheld monsters they use to read your card/magic bands in the restaurants and resort gates are a bit stupid? Considering the money they put into the system, don't you think they could come up with something a bit more reliable and, well, small? LOL!

We were told when they first came out that they were prototypes (before all the parks even had the readers). However, it looks like they are here to stay for a while. They don't read reliably, they constantly lock up, and they are HUGE! Must be one great genius that came up with this design. BTW, it is an iPod touch at the heart of it, the rest is all RFID reader to give you an idea on the size of it.

As far as FP+ vs. FP, they both have pros and cons. Are the parks busier and lines longer? We think so, but that has been happening for a while now. Not sure if it is Disney's marketing getting more people there, or the FP+ fault.. Maybe a combination of both. At least you CAN plan a day though without needing to get to rope drop like you had to before.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Sorry, me again. With all the complaints about the FP+ system, I recall the old system, you had to head over to the attraction to get the FP for it then return later (extra walking) dashing to The Land for Soarin' or TSM at rope drop, the being stuck not being able to ANY more FP until that was used, no changing it or nothing if you decided that after getting a TSM FP at RP that was for 4pm you didn't want to do it after all. I recall queues for the FP machine being 20 minutes long and standing behind Tour Group guides with dozens of tickets and the time increasing and increasing. Happy memories

Actually, last year the ap made a BIG difference. We could still see all the wait times PLUS the FP return time on the phone without ever even walking there. For instance, we could see that when we hopped to HS the second day, that the FP ticket times being given out for TSMM weren't until after 9:30pm, and we knew we would hop before then, so we didn't have to bother walking all the way over there to get one.

Last year was the perfect combination of TECH and LOW TECH.

FP+ is very limited now.

 

[PlutoMars]

Disney is one nefarious company:

Hiring reputation defenders to come post on the DIS

Violating guests' constitutional rights.

Spending 18 kazillion dollars on a "tracking system" because that is all the My Magic+ project is all about.

Kidnapping people at the airport

Forcing people to use magic bands

People should stop giving their money to this evil empire