Just home, my thoughts

[DopeyforDonald]

A very valid point. But when people say: "I can't put my finger on it, but it just wasn't the same...just not as good as I remember", there is a good chance that the person making that statement went to WDW in its prime. Such comparisons are natural, and in this instance, I think, valid. If you went to WDW between 2005-2010, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you viewed the "then" versus "now". Especially at DHS and Epcot. (And Downtown Disney, and Pleasure Island).

Actually my fiance has been during those days and he has the exact same feelings as me. He's actually said he enjoys epcot a lot more now than he has in previous years

 

[JimmyV]

He's actually said he enjoys epcot a lot more now than he has in previous years

But that's because he is there with you!!

 

[DopeyforDonald]

But that's because he is there with you!!

Ha I'm more than willing to take the credit, allthough I don't think it's all me!

 

[Jennygt]

I have to say this is one of the best threads I have read on this topic. Well stated opinions, no drama, respectful.
That being said we have not been since 2012. I was not planning to go because of all the reasons most have stated in this thread, however my children are dying to go... So with my very low expectations we are going this Aug. I hope I am surprised.

 

[GAN]

If you went to WDW between 2005-2010, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you viewed the "then" versus "now". Especially at DHS and Epcot. (And Downtown Disney, and Pleasure Island).

The drop off is huge, and you can go even further back if you wanted to. I hate reminiscing about the good 'ol days ...but the truth is -it was so much better when it was simpler. Not that we don't enjoy ourselves now because we still do. Its like the chicken and the egg, was it when they started added all the extra rooms -maybe. There is something to be said about growth and how much a business/destination cancel handle and still keep the same level of service. I'm not sure I like having a DVC option on every corner.

As far as the parks go, it's already been mentioned but it's all about jamming in as many people as they can -they could care less how many attractions are shut down.

I agree -they are in a lull, either by design or failure(if it's possible to call all the profit-taking failure). But for now, we mainly rent our DVC points which is fine because we just take the money and go to Europe, California, wherever -instead. So we'll sit tight until things start to change.

 

[maxiesmom]

A very valid point. But when people say: "I can't put my finger on it, but it just wasn't the same...just not as good as I remember", there is a good chance that the person making that statement went to WDW in its prime. Such comparisons are natural, and in this instance, I think, valid. If you went to WDW between 2005-2010, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you viewed the "then" versus "now". Especially at DHS and Epcot. (And Downtown Disney, and Pleasure Island).

I started going 20 years ago, and have been going at least every other year. I do notice a few cuts, but I think what they have added more than makes up for it. I love the FP system that means you don't have to wait in lines that are a couple of hours long. I love that Epcot is not the only park to offer fireworks most every night. Back in the day MK rarely had fireworks--everyone flooded Epcot. Having character lines instead of the free for all that trying to get an autograph used to be---you had to be aggressive and shove your kid forward at just the right time. Hopefully before another parent shoved. Forget about 5 minutes with a character, you were lucky if you had 60 seconds before another parent shoved their child forward.

The cuts that stick out to me? At the resorts, not being run on a golf cart to your room when you arrive. No mickey shaped butter.

I am a firm believer that when people look back they do so through rose-colored glasses. Time and the fun you had put a more positive spin on things that maybe were really not that great at the time.

 

[JimmyV]

The drop off is huge

I do notice a few cuts

Two very different points of view. But honestly, I don't think that you can look at where DHS and Epcot are now compared to where they were in 2007 and make the point that either park is now in its heyday. Even if the Brown Derby brought back Mickey-shaped butter, it still lost the Catwalk Bar. Given the choice between the two, I'd take the Catwalk.

 

[L&Lfan]

I don't really remember MK NOT having a regularly scheduled nightly fireworks show....and I've been going almost every year since 1972. Are you sure about that? What period/years are you talking about?

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't really remember MK NOT having a regularly scheduled nightly fireworks show....and I've been going almost every year since 1972. Are you sure about that? What period/years are you talking about?

Around 1995 and forward for a while. Mk didn't have fireworks every night. Everyone and their uncles went to Epcot, making it a very crowded park.

 

[L&Lfan]

Thanks! The '90s was when I skipped a few years of visits due to career. I can't fathom the MK not having nightly fireworks especially when the park is open after dark!

 

[JimmyV]

I don't really remember MK NOT having a regularly scheduled nightly fireworks show....and I've been going almost every year since 1972. Are you sure about that? What period/years are you talking about?

Every night, in 1972:

Around 1995 and forward for a while. Mk didn't have fireworks every night. Everyone and their uncles went to Epcot, making it a very crowded park.

I am placing Disney's "prime" in the 2005-2010 range. That is more likely the time period that people would reflect back on to conclude that 2015 just isn't the same. That isn't so long ago that the glasses are rose colored. Back then, you could go to Pleasure Island and whoop it up every night. And MK fireworks were very, very regular.

 

[mom2rtk]

According to Jim Hill, on the Unofficial Guide Podcast, NFL was about increasing the park capacity. NFL has allowed disney to pack 5,000 more guests into the MK before reaching capacity. The only issue they have now is the MK parking lot is too small to accommodate the additional guests. That's the reason the Richard Petty Driving Experience is closing. It will become another parking lot for the MK. The MK hub construction is also to accomodate increased capacity.

I have a sneaking suspicion that additional park capacity might have also prompted them to sell more Halloween and Christmas party tickets.

 

[mom2rtk]

With the age of our kids, I'm not giving up a 2015 WDW vacation, but to be honest, who knows how long it will be before we make it back after this year.

Dan

That's part of my frustration. Many of the posters who are so supportive of what is going on right now have young kids. My youngest enters high school in the fall. I could give Disney more time. But by the time they work through this trough, she'll be so busy in school we won't be able to go. Disney might be able to have a 5 or 10 year plan. But I can't. This trough came just as I was hoping to soak it for all its worth.

 

[mom2rtk]

Truth. It is so so so easy to have another " friend" of A&E in another room behind them doubling the amount of people who can see them in a day. The line would split at some point. No little ones would be the wiser. Instead they are choosing to create more and more Frozen hysteria ( which is a working really well for them since Frozen is the most successful Disney film ever) by limiting the supply.

Are you sitting down?

Cover the little ones' eyes........

They do this already.

That said, there's no reason they can't add the sisters to another park. Or two.

 

[maxiesmom]

The Prime was 5 years ago? To me, that is not what people are talking about when they are talking about the good old days at WDW.

 

[JimmyV]

That said, there's no reason they can't add the sisters to another park. Or two.

Or better yet...add them to some place outside of a park. Like a Resort Character Meal.

 

[JimmyV]

The Prime was 5 years ago? To me, that is not what people are talking about when they are talking about the good old days at WDW.

I think you are conflating "prime" with "good old days". The two concepts are different. There were more attractions, more entertainment, more "atmosphere", more nightlife, more dining options between 2005-2010 than at any other time in WDW's history. When people compare their 2007 trip to today, that drop off is noticeable. Just pull out an old guide map from then and look at the list of entertainers at Epcot who are no longer on the payroll, and who have not been replaced by anything else. Look at DHS and how many more attractions there were. Anyone going in to DHS today who remembers spending an entire day (or day and a half) at DHS will wonder what the heck happened when they hit the lunch hour and have run out of things to do. It is often said here (and elsewhere), that it is the "little things" that make WDW so special, and all the "details". And it is exactly the "little things" like live performers at Epcot that make the difference. Let alone working pavilions like Wonders of Life.

 

[TeamSy]

A very valid point. But when people say: "I can't put my finger on it, but it just wasn't the same...just not as good as I remember", there is a good chance that the person making that statement went to WDW in its prime. Such comparisons are natural, and in this instance, I think, valid. If you went to WDW between 2005-2010, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you viewed the "then" versus "now". Especially at DHS and Epcot. (And Downtown Disney, and Pleasure Island).

This EXACTLY!

When I say MAGICAL EXPERIENCE, I don't mean it in the sense that I'm WAITING for someone to DO SOMETHING for me, like something special or an upgrade. That's not what it is about, but it's more of an overall experience. What makes Disney being different than say, Six Flags, Hershey, or some other amusement park… because IT'S DISNEY, and it used to be VERY different.

I'd say our most "magical" trip was probably 2007, and nothing particular "special" happened then AT ALL. It was our first time staying on Disney property (all the many other times we've stayed offsite). We loved Disney so much we decided to give onsite a try. There was such a Disney bubble back then that's not there for us anymore.

Since that 2007 trip, we've since stayed at many of the deluxes, and something about that 2007 trip (which was at a moderate btw), was SO MAGICAL that it still remains our favorite (it was at CBR and we still prefer that trip over the one to GF, which was last year)!

Now, for the first time in a LONG time we're back to being okay with staying offsite. Our next trip we're actually splitting between on and offsite, just to take a "break" from Disney. A BREAK?! We've NEVER WANTED a break before! But with the crowds, the insane construction, the feeling of herding; I feel like it's not much of a vacation. For us, it's just about Disney being so different today. We still go, because we enjoy the rides that are there (GOD PLEASE DON'T CLOSE ANYMORE OF THE OLDER ATTRACTIONS, PLEASE!), and we enjoy spending time together no matter WHERE we are. THAT is magical, but the feeling of "THIS PLACE is so magical," is definitely not there as much as it used to be. Maybe it's the decline in character interaction, or the fact that so many beloved attractions have CLOSED, without being REPLACED, (Epcot is a HUGE example of this, HS is a half day for us now, and you mention the New Fantasyland, and while that's great and all, it did force things to close). Yes, it brought in some great attractions (Mine Train and Little Mermaid), but I sure do miss Snow White's scary ride.

Something I remember back during our 2006/2007 trips was the dining plan. They were a MASSIVE SAVINGS FOR US! You'd get an app, entree, dessert - we just couldn't believe the VALUE and the EASE. There was one plan, now there are many, the cost is not only greater but you get much less.

We had a terrible experience last year where they cancelled our evening on the Grand 1 mere HOURS before we were set to depart. This was not an inexpensive experience, and I can't help but feel "old" Disney would have come up with a solution, other than what we were given, which was, "We don't know when it will be fixed. Here, go to MK and watch the fireworks instead." This was my anniversary gift to my husband (which left me empty handed now). He understood once I explained it to him, but I remember us talking over dinner, like, "How could Disney not come up with anything else? It's Disney!" (Again, NOT in terms of FREE, that's not what I was looking for. I was looking for SOMETHING ELSE I COULD PAY FOR). Before I told my husband about my (now) ruined surprise, I spent my time in the park that day, sneaking off to the bathroom and calling, begging them for something else to do. I didn't care the cost, I wanted this unique experience gift to him since Disney has always been so special.

Nothing.

We ended up going to MK to watch the fireworks, which yes, compared to what we were suppose to do was a let down. Especially since we were getting there late from dinner at the GF. How do you go from, "I'm going to see the fireworks on the Grand 1 tonight" to "I'm going to rush to MK after dinner and see the backs of people's heads in a too crowded space."

Again, I don't feel like I was out of line asking for some that was along the lines of the experience THAT I WANTED TO PAY FOR.
It's like another poster mentioned about the commercials, and how they advertise how "magical" Disney is, how things "just happen," how "empty" is is. That's not the reality of what it's like there, and in my case during our last trip, even when I wanted to pay for something. Not the reality of it. And that's just the thing. We KNEW how Disney has slowly declined, so I wanted to MAKE OUR OWN MAGIC EXPERIENCE by booking the Grand 1.
But then what happens when one books their OWN magical experience and THAT'S a let down too?

We were in Disneyland this past summer, where they have a lot of CLASSIC rides (not to mention SO MANY RIDES in only 2 parks!). They still had the old FP, and my husband and I just had such an EASY day. We looked at each other and we're like THIS IS IT! THIS IS MAGICAL! Characters popped up, we met them and it was cute, we got to go on our favorite rides MULTIPLE times, we didn't have to reserve dining so far in advance (we got into Blue Bayou the week before!). Something about it was just MAGICAL (and we didn't even stay on property!).

In Disney World, I don't ever remember previously going in the past and being TURNED AWAY from a character M&G because there are TOO MANY PEOPLE. Then having to PLAN to come back. Things just happened, a character would appear and you'd get to meet them, or a fun show would take place out of nowhere... it was a lot more spontaneous and so to me that's more magical. It made it more than an average amusement park. A lot of the cast members were overall friendlier and happier. Yes, there are still a lot of amazing ones, but I don't remember ever seeing one without a smile, or a hello. It's an experience thing. Lately, I've seen so many stressed faces on cast members and I can't help but think it's because they are overwhelmed with the crowds, people, and new FP+ system… I don't know how to explain it… it used to just be DIFFERENT. I remember being able to stay on a ride if I wanted to go a second time if it wasn't busy. I don't remember EVER having to PLAN as much as I do now, but I almost feel FORCED TO PLAN just so I can attempt to get the same experiences I used to. Because yes, I would be disappointed if I were turned away somewhere I wanted to go. Obviously the fix to this would be to plan, but at what cost? I miss when I would just GO and things would HAPPEN (a short wait, a show, a character, a friendly face). Again, not in the sense of entitlement AT ALL, just in the sense of the EASE OF THINGS, which lead to my personal overall enjoyment.

I just feel like for the increase cost, the experience should be increasing, not declining. I will lower my expectations, but that's such a terrible thing to do and say! I can only hope that the less of an experience now will lead to a better experience in the future.

 

[Fastpassminus]

Are you sitting down?

Cover the little ones' eyes........

They do this already.

That said, there's no reason they can't add the sisters to another park. Or two.

Mind Blown! Lol!

 

[JimmyV]

That's what I'm talkin' about.