Just back and not happy

[EPCOTatNight]

When you are a DVC member, not just staying at a DVC resort.

There are a lot of areas Disney is better than Universal in, but having to spend tens of thousands of dollars for the ability to pool hop vs a couple hundred for a night's stay is not one of them. I don't personally care either way and probably wouldn't utilize it if it was allowed, but it's no contest between the two.

Also, the most desirable pools are restricted from being hopped to. Yay for Disney for allowing you to hop from Saratoga Springs to Old Key West for the pools when you pay huge amounts of money and commit to them for 40+ years?

I wouldn't pay a couple of hundred dollars to pool hop. I can stay home and swim. My point was that it is possible.

 

[morethananyonex]

I wouldn't pay a couple of hundred dollars to pool hop. I can stay home and swim. My point was that it is possible.

Possible at one for almost 100 times the price in some situations than the other. Not exactly comparable, but okay.

 

[Ellwood970]

TSMM is still open for tomorrow for instance? Yes 7DMT is out but if you were to arrive at like 10am without FP+ in the old system its likely that FP- would have been gone and the line would have been very long then as well. Pick your option: 1.) No Fast Pass - faster stand by 2.) Fast Pass Minus - the key rides could have all FP gone before vacationers arrive at 11am though 3.) Fast Pass Plus - vacationers can lock in the key rides way ahead of time so they at least they know they have a spot of TSMM or 7DMT 4.) Fass Pass Pay - you have to pay for FP or its only open to Deluxe resort guests more like Universal No matter what someone is upset about Fast Pass so from a business side who will make you the most money? The local who pays less on tickets on a per day basis? The local who buys less souvenirs on a per day basis? The local who buys less expensive meals likely as well? Its your right to be upset that Disney doesn't suck up to the locals but they are a business and looking out for their bottom line first and the consumers second. Universal could be said to do the same thing with their Express Pass and such as well...

the locals supported WDW after 911 when many people were afraid to travel.

 

[lugnut33]

I do not have a problem with the hard ticket events. They are held after park closing (in most instances - they do close MK early for the Halloween and Christmas parties but they have been doing that for years) and have value above a typical day at the parks. Whether you personally value what they are offering is up to you - pay for the event, or don't pay for the event. You aren't losing anything by not paying for the event.

I'm going to Harambe Nights this Saturday in fact. Not the Villains thing because it's not worth booking another weekend just to go to that.

There's also the carving out of "VIP" areas for fireworks viewing - because Disney has figured out that guests will pay more for a decent view plus some desserts and beverages. I'm not so sure that is a bad thing either.

I don't like the direction that pay per events is taking the parks, where everything will come at a price. But, that's what a publicly traded company does and Iger will have the biggest golden parachute in the land when he goes.

 

[angelia denise]

My impression is that hardcore DIS people who used to like the FP system as it allowed ambitious people to get their hands on tons of them do not really like the new system.

As for me? Well I'll have 30 passes over my ten day trip. Easily double what I would have chased down on the old system. Works for me. Sorry it doesn't make everyone happy.

As for some other comments. You say food still sucks? Well, that implies you have had plenty of food that "sucks" on previous trips. My suggestion is to stop paying money for something you expect will suck based on previous experience.

As for me. I am easy to please. I like the food. I expect to pay too much for it. So I do.

I agree!! I always felt a little defeated when it came to fast passes and the big attractions like Toy Story and Soarin'. I am just not the type to want to get up really, really early with the entire family and go sprinting into the park to get the fast pass. I want to take my time and enjoy every minute and smell the roses! I haven't used the new system yet, but am really looking forward to it. It makes me feel like now I have a fighting chance at the attractions I wouldn't have had before, OR I would have had to sacrifice that easy going vacation / smell the roses feeling. Now I can relax AND have my fastpass too!!

 

[slickpoetry]

I'm always surprised by discussions like this, when an anti-FP+ person complains that their vacation requires "too much planning."


Its 3 rides per day to figure out. If you want to make ADRs (which is not at all a requirement), that adds 1 or 2 more things per day to figure out. And unless you're going for attractions that are at the peak of popularity (A&E, 7DMT, and perhaps TSMM on the weekends), you can do it all the day before your trip and still pretty much get what you want. Maybe its because I'm naturally a super-planner, but I don't see this as being inconvenient or a hassle at all (unless you run into an infamous computer glitch, of course--which I haven't experienced yet).

Then while you are on vacation, most reports say its pretty darn easy to change the FPs if your plans for that day change.

AND--you don't even have to do any of this stuff anyway! Nobody is forcing you to make FPs. If you want to have a spontaneous vacation and just go to WDW with no plans and wing it, that is certainly still an option for you!

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't like the direction that pay per events is taking the parks, where everything will come at a price. But, that's what a publicly traded company does and Iger will have the biggest golden parachute in the land when he goes.

But with the way these are being done now, everything does not come with a price. You get the same offerings during the day you would get otherwise, the hard ticket offerings are "plussed" offerings. New and special shows, food and drinks, extra villains. Of course there is an argument that WDW should think about "plussing" offerings in the parks regularly without charging extra for it. We all saw what happened with the Villains event last year - by most accounts it was miserable because so many people went, they had to close the park for capacity, and people sat in traffic jams. No reason why they shouldn't do it now as a hard ticket. They'll probably sell it out. As long as they don't close the parks early (yes they do that with MK for their events, but those events are not new, they have been around for many years) then they should have at it. They know people will pay extra to get extra. I can't see anything terribly wrong with that. As Universal grows more popular, they will do it too.

 

[clsteve]

How many folks actually pool hop at WDW? Not sure how many actually do it at Universal either.

We did it every day at Uni and almost all of the kids mine became friends with at the pools had done it multiple times as well - very nice perk.

 

[slickpoetry]

But with the way these are being done now, everything does not come with a price. You get the same offerings during the day you would get otherwise, the hard ticket offerings are "plussed" offerings. New and special shows, food and drinks, extra villains. Of course there is an argument that WDW should think about "plussing" offerings in the parks regularly without charging extra for it. We all saw what happened with the Villains event last year - by most accounts it was miserable because so many people went. No reason why they shouldn't do it now as a hard ticket. They'll probably sell it out. As long as they don't close the parks early (yes they do that with MK for their events, but those events are not new, they have been around for many years) then they should have at it.

I think there is an argument to be made that if you paid for a full day in MK, its not really fair that they kick you out at 7 PM for a party. Some people that don't investigate ahead of time probably get very shortchanged here. And those that do investigate ahead of time go to a different park, which increases crowding at the other parks.

Easy solution is that anyone who is at MK and gets kicked out at 7 gets a free park hopper on the way out of the park, so they can go to another park that night. (many already have the park hopper pass anyway, but this would mollify those that don't).

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

The monorail rebuttal was hilarious. Just throw the "we don't need it" answer when you can't come up with a comparison. "Need" is not the purpose of comparison. None of us "need" to go to theme parks.

I don't understand what is "hilarious" about that statement. The monorail is a means of transportation from one park to another. A monorail is not needed when the proximity of the two parks and the onsite resorts is so close that you can walk between them, or take a boat (which is a much nicer ambiance than the monorail, in our opinion).

That poster didn't list a comparison, because one doesn't exist. It truly is not needed. I am guessing you haven't been to Universal?

Lots of people think that Universal is a better theme park vacation, but WDW is a better vacation overall.

Not for our family. And yup, when we tried it, we did it up "right" .... we stayed onsite, had the dining plan, used Disney transportation exclusively, the works.

The value goes beyond the parks and the resorts, and that's where Uni can never measure up. They just don't have the space. And finally, if it's about headliners, I'll go to Cedar Point. They beat everybody in that category. WDW doesn't do as many BIG rides, because LITTLE people can't enjoy them. That's why WDW is at the top of the hill, because they focus more on what people care about most, their children.

I care about my child first and foremost, and that's why Universal and SeaWorld win out over Disney for our family. Universal's Hulk, Spiderman, Men in Black, Simpsons, etc. "measure up" ten-fold over Anna, Elsa and Cinderella for my son. Heck, my 40 year old husband was just beside himself when he got to meet Dr. Doom on our 2012 trip. It was a highlight he'll never forget. Universal, in my opinion, has found a way to serve that unique sector of the population who Disney lets down.....the guys. No princesses or fluff required.

I think its important for everyone to realize that not one size fits all (for that matter, that's why we love ORLANDO as a whole.....something for everyone!). Disney isn't "king" in everyone's minds. Other parks can and DO measure up for many. And Disney isn't atop everyone's personal hill.

I am not knocking Disney, there are still aspects of it we love. But its not the be-all and end-all for many of us, and after visiting the other competitors, there are so many things they could do better. And that's something every park should be striving for.....how to make the next experience for a visitor even more memorable than the one before.

 

[Burnedout]

I'm always surprised by discussions like this, when an anti-FP+ person complains that their vacation requires "too much planning." Its 3 rides per day to figure out. If you want to make ADRs (which is not at all a requirement), that adds 1 or 2 more things per day to figure out. And unless you're going for attractions that are at the peak of popularity (A&E, 7DMT, and perhaps TSMM on the weekends), you can do it all the day before your trip and still pretty much get what you want. Maybe its because I'm naturally a super-planner, but I don't see this as being inconvenient or a hassle at all (unless you run into an infamous computer glitch, of course--which I haven't experienced yet). Then while you are on vacation, most reports say its pretty darn easy to change the FPs if your plans for that day change. AND--you don't even have to do any of this stuff anyway! Nobody is forcing you to make FPs. If you want to have a spontaneous vacation and just go to WDW with no plans and wing it, that is certainly still an option for you!

I'm on the wall, rather than anti. However, I travel with an older person and planning where she will be up to visiting ISO far in advance is stressful. Hopefully there continue to be good options for changing.

 

[Planogirl]

We did it every day at Uni and almost all of the kids mine became friends with at the pools had done it multiple times as well - very nice perk.

DH and DS spent the afternoon at the Hard Rock pool even though we were staying at the Royal Pacific and they had a blast. It is a nice feature.

 

[Planogirl]

So the OP had a bad trip and said so in strong terms which upsets some people? He also used a word in an acceptable way but that annoyed a couple of people? I think that I understand most of this.

I won't judge FP+ completely yet but otherwise I agree with him if not quite as strongly. I definitely agree that the food isn't as good as it once was.

As for Universal, they have nothing, NOTHING to do with the direction of the Disney parks. Some here can slam Universal all they want to (and a few never miss a chance) but anything Disney does is on Disney.

 

[mattmc]

I paid SIX DOLLARS for a bottle of water at a concert a couple of months ago. Bargain, indeed. lol

Stop doing ecstasy and you won't have that problem.

 

[surferdave]

There's nothing that makes me feel like I've had value added to my stay like sitting in my resort room and blissfully remembering that there are about 30 more resorts on site that I'm not staying at.

 

[clsteve]

With that said, Universal has done enough to make me want to go there, so they are doing something right.

Well, then you'll actually know and be able to compare more objectively - that's a good thing and I'm sure you'll have a great time!

Nothing wrong with enjoying both places and respecting the different things they have to offer...

 

[FLchick415]

Stop doing ecstasy and you won't have that problem.

Uh. Okay.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think the argument is if you paid for a full day in MK, its not really fair that they kick you out at 7 PM for a party.

yes but that refers to the Halloween and Christmas parties. Those are not new and they are not inventions of the current management. (Granted, the current management has greatly increased the number of days the party is offered, I'm guessing they would not have done that if there hadn't been demand, though.)

There's always the option to go to WDW during the 8 months of the year when they do not have hard ticket parties at MK. If you don't have a hopper and you must travel at that time, maybe choose a park other than MK to visit on party days. You do have to deal with crowds on the non-party days....there's not a lot of days left when there are no crowds, though, and they usually add extra late hours to compensate.

How many guests are actually surprised by the MK parties though, and don't have the opportunity to figure out an alternative?

 

[Burnedout]

yes but that refers to the Halloween and Christmas parties. Those are not new and they are not inventions of the current management. (Granted, the current management has greatly increased the number of days the party is offered, I'm guessing they would not have done that if there hadn't been demand, though.)

That would be like us complaining when the parks close early in January. It is what it is.

 

[angelia denise]

We were there apr 26-may 9 with a 3 day cruise in the middle. Already had reservations for christmas and our next cruise planned before this one even began. We were very disappointed. After our first park day, spent 3 hours at HS before the kids asked to leave and go to the pool, i knew things were going bad for this trip. We added the water parks option that day- best part of our vacation- the other park days... The same thing happened, kids were sick of standing in lines just to go on a few rides. Mind you, we were not fp grabbers prior, we just went in at rope drop, maybe get a fp or two and spend all day until closing at each park. Now, my kids are asking to go back to the resort to swim and its not even noon?! We checked into kidani and our room wasnt ready. The cm said you can go to the parks today and we'll send you a text when your room is ready! No thanks, we're tired from traveling - we'll just grab a bite to eat and wait. Got the text, went to our room, none of the mb's would open the room. Back down to the lobby and the same cm says, "well! I guess it's a good thing you didn't go to the parks today!" What? Anyway, he took each mb and did something in his computer and we were able to get into our room. Other things disappointed us too so, when i got home, i canceled our future christmas trip and our cruise - yeah, it was that bad!

You cancelled your cruise too? Was the cruise bad? Our 2 cruise experiences were fantastic! They do a great job of managing crowds on the cruise ship! Maybe you are outgrowing the Disney vibe? Sorry you and the kids had a bad time!