Just Back - some observations and random thoughts

[Goofdad]

We are just returning (family of 4, DD-age7, DS - age4) from a GREAT Disney trip. Here are some observations and thoughts:

1. Magic Bands
Look, they're cool and convenient. We used to have to have papers/reservations/etc stuffed everywhere. Now we have MBs and the MyDisExperience App on our phones. Lots of convenience here and should only improve.

2. My Disney Experience App.
Very problematic and just plain doesn't work for changing FastPass+, etc. Still, very cool idea with organizational features that help in the rush/madness of Disney Parks (reservations, FP+ schedule, etc).

3. Hotel: Port Orleans Riverside
Nice place. Well manicured and clean. But I'll never stay there again. Clearly the "secret" is out that POR is one of the best (or the best) moderate - the place was at capacity - so, food and bus lines were awful. Bottom line, I don't want lines and crowds at my hotel, I need to get a break from all that at the hotel - I don't want to "fastpass" my breakfast of dinner. AND the time in those lines is valuable - I don't have 30 extra minutes in the morning for the food line/crowd.

4. Fantasyland Expansion
Awesome. Like it's always been there and better than what was there in many ways.

5. Lunch in The Beast's Castle.
We waited 40 minutes in line. It was worth it. The restaurant decor is fantastic, the food was great. Comparing this quick serve to something like Pecos Bills just isn't even fair. Worth the wait IMO.

6. Lots of Magic for our family:
Talking Mickey, Minnie/Mickey stopping the light parade to say hello to our dressed up kids, MNSSHP dance parties were not too packed, and lots more great interaction for the kids.

7. FP, FP+, and Lines overall
Is Disney looking to "shutout" all non-Dis resort people? Looks like that's what happening. Toy Story was gone by 9:15. Soarin' and Test Track gone earlier than ever too. Seems to me that Dis will eventually have everything "scheduled" for on-property guests, limiting them to 1/day for each main attraction and the rest of the non-dis property visitors will be out-of-luck. Not a bad business plan, but some won't like it. I'm sure this topic has been discussed around here - I haven't read it all thought- - just my honest opinion.

8. Talking Mickey.
Wow. it is real. My kids nearly fell over (and so too did the adults). But we visited Mickey 4 times on the trip and only once got the Talking variety. Not sure how they choose, but my boy was dressed as Mickey the day we hit the talking jackpot.

9. Epcot Night time (food and wine festival)
Not that this is bad, but Epcot seems to have changed a bit. There were clearly 2 "classes" of people that night - those who were in amusement parks and those who were out for a nice "adult" night, dressed up, drinking, and clearly a singles/dating scene. Hey- - Epcot is what it is and if that's the market that it appeals to, no problem. I've just never noticed that you feel a bit out-of-place at night in Epcot if you're Clark Griswold or pushing kids in strollers.

I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting. Overall, we still love the spirit of Disney and can't wait to get back while our kids are still at these perfect ages.

 

[surferdave]

9. Epcot Night time (food and wine festival)
Not that this is bad, but Epcot seems to have changed a bit. There were clearly 2 "classes" of people that night - those who were in amusement parks and those who were out for a nice "adult" night, dressed up, drinking, and clearly a singles/dating scene. Hey- - Epcot is what it is and if that's the market that it appeals to, no problem. I've just never noticed that you feel a bit out-of-place at night in Epcot if you're Clark Griswold or pushing kids in strollers.

I think Clark would have felt perfectly at ease.

 

[Postal68]

7. FP, FP+, and Lines overall
Is Disney looking to "shutout" all non-Dis resort people? Looks like that's what happening. .

WOW,

Funny, first hand experience of exactly what I've been proclaiming on this forum for the past couple weeks.

I'm glad you had a great trip

 

[Postal68]

9. Epcot Night time (food and wine festival)
Not that this is bad, but Epcot seems to have changed a bit. There were clearly 2 "classes" of people that night - those who were in amusement parks and those who were out for a nice "adult" night, ......... I've just never noticed that you feel a bit out-of-place at night in Epcot if you're Clark Griswold or pushing kids in strollers.
.

That's just the F+W crowd. It used to be so nice years ago, now I won't even bother with it.

 

[Goofdad]

That's just the F+W crowd. It used to be so nice years ago, now I won't even bother with it.

I had considered that - the F+W probably magnified the difference between park hoppers and night-lifers (if that's even what you'd call 'em).

I just re-read my original post - and although I highlighted some of the negative, I want to make it clear that we had a GREAT trip and will go back ASAP.

 

[Goofdad]

WOW,

Funny, first hand experience of exactly what I've been proclaiming on this forum for the past couple weeks.

I'm glad you had a great trip

from a business perspective, it seems obvious.
IMO, they are in a "gray area" right now where FP and FP+ co-exist but eventually I don't think there will be FP and for those staying off-dis property- everything will be scheduled for on-property guests and you won't spend much time standing in line.
The "lines" will be for those not on dis-property.

With all this in mind, I'm curious how Hotel owners/managers of the off-site hotels are preparing for this. Will the off-property hotels work out deals for FP+? Or will Disney "monopolize" their own assets and essentially "lock out" those non-disney hotels? It would crush them. Who would stay there?

Look - I'm just thinking off-the-cuff here - I haven't really put much research into all of this. It's just one possibility I see. Disney knows that the lines are the biggest deterrent to their offering - they could be well on their way to "scheduling" everything for each guest and removing the lines - but also removing riding multiple times and removing staying off site.
:dunno:

 

[GrimGrinningGhost25]

As far as the app not working I will say a lot of the issues I've had in the past were related to the wifi in the parks being less than stellar.

DH and I leave tomorrow and this is our first F&W. Would you say the night crowd were more date night types or just downright rowdy? I've heard mixed reviews about the people that are there.

Thanks for the feed back, glad you had a nice trip.

 

[Goofdad]

As far as the app not working I will say a lot of the issues I've had in the past were related to the wifi in the parks being less than stellar.

DH and I leave tomorrow and this is our first F&W. Would you say the night crowd were more date night types or just downright rowdy? I've heard mixed reviews about the people that are there.

Thanks for the feed back, glad you had a nice trip.

I didn't think the crowd was "rowdy"... call it an upscale bar scene... I'm in my cargo shorts with my Photopass hanging around my neck pushing a stroller and then there's a bunch of Johnny GQs and Miss Popular Administrative Assistants having drinks and appetizers. And it was PACKED! Wall to Wall people - hard to get thru with a stroller.
A couple of louder young adults (early 20s) but for the most part, an upscale bar scene.

RE: App and Wifi
The Wifi was surprisingly good (to me) - I used my iPhone frequently thru the parks. I do believe it was the app itself that was problematic OR the amount of traffic/people trying to use the app all at once.

 

[GrimGrinningGhost25]

I didn't think the crowd was "rowdy"... call it an upscale bar scene... I'm in my cargo shorts with my Photopass hanging around my neck pushing a stroller and then there's a bunch of Johnny GQs and Miss Popular Administrative Assistants having drinks and appetizers. And it was PACKED! Wall to Wall people - hard to get thru with a stroller. A couple of louder young adults (early 20s) but for the most part, an upscale bar scene. RE: App and Wifi The Wifi was surprisingly good (to me) - I used my iPhone frequently thru the parks. I do believe it was the app itself that was problematic OR the amount of traffic/people trying to use the app all at once.

Some of those may have been local professionals or Disney professionals having an after work drink/app. I know when my husband traveled down for business a lot of the people he worked with at the Celebration office would have lunch/dinner/drinks in the parks especially during F&W.

Hmm, I haven't been down since January so I hope that the wifi is better now. But I need that app working! I have a lot of info stored in there including notes that I need.

I do know that if you happen to get dropped from wifi the app kicks you out but won't prompted you to sign back in. (A big flaw I think) So when you when you go back in its all wonkie/missing your info because you need to log back in. Fingers crossed there won't be able app issues.