Just returned from GREAT trip... BUT some words of warning for members:

[disneyfan2kids]

Maybe I should've known these things...but they came as an unwelcome surprise for me:

1.) The DTD boat no longer goes from DTD to SSR. ?!?! It now goes only to West Side and then you have to wait for new boarders (for quite some time!) and THEN it goes to SSR. Makes it TOTALLY inconvenient IMO. I was very upset. One of the main "selling points" for me was the straight shot boat ride b/w SSR & DTD...as we go nightly. This fact alone made me consider buying my extra points somewhere else and eventually selling SSR.

2.) No more 10% DVC discount at the SSR store. We used to ALWAYS get it. Now we have nothing. Can't remember if that was on food or merchandise...but I used it plenty in the past.

3.) Buses still stink. Sorry. We took a cab THREE times this trip b/c of them. Have NEVER EVER taken a cab in our 10+ trips. It was necessary this time if we didn't want to leave 2 1/2 hours before ADR's just to be "safe."

4.) (Not DVC related.) But no more view finders at 50's PT. My kids were let down they get so excited for them to order dessert. Due to a FANTASTIC server (CLiff) he tracked down an old one for the kids to play with.

5.) Again - maybe I should've known but the Goofy's Candy Co make your own treats weren't included in DDP. They were last time I was on DDP (back in 2007.) Bummer.

6.) The "missing" Lights of Wonder canopy in epcot was HUGELY noticeable. SIGNIFICANTLY impacted the overall holiday beauty of previous years :-(

Bus drivers (in general were sullen and miserable) no music playing, no salutations, nothing but empty stares. HOWEVER, every boat we got on the boat captains were AMAZING. Filled with Disney magic and made every ride enjoyable and made sure the kids had a blast during the boat ride!!!

Just some random thoughts:

 

[auntsue]

I hate when they take things away. It makes the experience less magical, especially for us old-timers who remember things from back in the day. Like when DNephew was six (he's now 21) and he lost his autograph book and was crying. A CM came over to see what was the matter, told us to wait there a moment, then came back with a brand new one that he gave him for free. Those were the days. We were remembering that on this trip and said they probably don't do things like that anymore. It's too bad because we went to see One Man's Dream and in it, Walt himself said, "Quality will out," and I left there thinking the new regime doesn't always get that.

It's too bad to hear that about the bus drivers. They often used to add to the fun. I don't think the endless waits and circuitous routes are anything new. My sister used a cab a lot for the same reasons when she was at the All-Stars years ago. We were fortunate enough not to use the bus at all on this trip so I don't know if they still stop at all five Epcot hotels on the way to MK or AK. I always hated that!

I hope you still had a great trip. We still love it, even after going for more than 30 years.

 

[Muushka]

I noticed that the boat from OKW also now only stops at the West Side.

I wonder if they did that so that people would ride the new balloon ride? It is right there when you get off.

It worked for me! But now that I have ridden it (the balloon), I want to be able to just take 1 boat!

I agree that it is disappointing when things are taken away. Or denigrate.

 

[TDC Nala]

maybe I should've known but the Goofy's Candy Co make your own treats weren't included in DDP. They were last time I was on DDP (back in 2007.) Bummer.

They were just removed from DDP snack entitlements in August 2009. Some very limited ones are still included (I think marshmallows, gingerbread cookie and one pretzel rod) but those are further limited as to the amount of dips and toppings permitted.

I don't know if they still stop at all five Epcot hotels on the way to MK or AK. I always hated that!

Not from the parks, but they do from Downtown Disney.

 

[CindeBella]

Sorry to hear of your unpleasant experiences. We're not fans of the buses either and sometimes take cabs to avoid them. IMO, there is nothing worse at Disney than to wait several minutes for a bus and have 15 adults push your children over, although, we're first in line, to get on a bus.

We do enjoy the boats. That is part of the reason we're at BW.

 

[vicki_c]

Like when DNephew was six (he's now 21) and he lost his autograph book and was crying. A CM came over to see what was the matter, told us to wait there a moment, then came back with a brand new one that he gave him for free. Those were the days. We were remembering that on this trip and said they probably don't do things like that anymore. It's too bad because we went to see One Man's Dream and in it, Walt himself said, "Quality will out," and I left there thinking the new regime doesn't always get that.

All you have to do is read the Theme Parks boards for a day and you will see numerous reports of things like this. I don't know why you think those things don't happen any more - that's not true.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

OH! Also just remembered.... they don't allow kids to ride up front of monorail anymore :-(

 

[helenk]

OH! Also just remembered.... they don't allow kids to ride up front of monorail anymore :-(

They stopped letting people ride up front in the monorail after the recent accident which caused the death of one of the drivers.

 

[Telcogirl]

OH! Also just remembered.... they don't allow kids to ride up front of monorail anymore :-(

It's not just kids, its everyone.

 

[donmil723]

I think it's just hit or miss on the busses. We really only had one long wait at the MK after MVMCP. We also had one bus driver who wasn't very friendly but it was getting late so maybe he was tired too. On the other hand, we had a great driver named John if you liked him or Steve if you didn't. He played trivia and told jokes all the way from the BC to DD.

I did miss the Lights of Winter Arch at Epcot. A CM told us that his friend works in decorating and said when they took it out of storage, it was broken but it should be back next year or something else similar. I missed the fact that they didn't put the times in the times schedule that the holiday storytellers
would be in each country.

The Y&B Club were beautifully decorated as was the GF. We didn't make it to the WL or AKL.

 

[drusba]

I hate when they take things away. It makes the experience less magical, especially for us old-timers who remember things from back in the day. Like when DNephew was six (he's now 21) and he lost his autograph book and was crying. A CM came over to see what was the matter, told us to wait there a moment, then came back with a brand new one that he gave him for free. Those were the days. We were remembering that on this trip and said they probably don't do things like that anymore. It's too bad because we went to see One Man's Dream and in it, Walt himself said, "Quality will out," and I left there thinking the new regime doesn't always get that.

It's too bad to hear that about the bus drivers. They often used to add to the fun. I don't think the endless waits and circuitous routes are anything new. My sister used a cab a lot for the same reasons when she was at the All-Stars years ago. We were fortunate enough not to use the bus at all on this trip so I don't know if they still stop at all five Epcot hotels on the way to MK or AK. I always hated that!

I hope you still had a great trip. We still love it, even after going for more than 30 years.

Yep, I am still getting over the loss of the Swan Boats at MK. the Melvin the Moose Character Breakfast at Pioneer Hall, Horizons, If You Had Wings, the original Journey Into Imagination, Magic Journeys, Captain EO, the short-lived Tapestry of Nations parade in Epcot, the 10% DVC discount at Disney Stores, and the days when valet parking was free everyhwere on site. Nevertheless, there is always something new and imaginative added to make one know that Disney really cares about the sensations you experience, like the Devy Cee infomercials.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Maybe I should've known these things...but they came as an unwelcome surprise for me:

...2.) No more 10% DVC discount at the SSR store. We used to ALWAYS get it. Now we have nothing. Can't remember if that was on food or merchandise...but I used it plenty in the past....

Did you mean Artist's Palette? I don't remember a discount at all at the store.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We really miss the lights of winter too. It doesn't seem festive at all at Epcot without them!

 

[Brian Noble]

I wonder if they did that so that people would ride the new balloon ride? It is right there when you get off.

The addition of THV brought about a reconfiguration of the boat routes.

they don't allow kids to ride up front of monorail anymore

Having seen pictures of the accident, I'm completely okay with this. I will never, ever ride in the front of a monorail again. Essentially, one nose cone ended up in the cockpit of the other train. Not pretty.

 

[kt-scarlett]

ynevertheless, there is always something new and imaginative added to make one know that disney really cares about the sensations you experience, like the devy cee infomercials.

BWAHAHAHAHAH!!! **GASP** BWAHAHAHAHAH!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Yep, I am still getting over the loss of the Swan Boats at MK. the Melvin the Moose Character Breakfast at Pioneer Hall, Horizons, If You Had Wings, the original Journey Into Imagination, Magic Journeys, Captain EO, the short-lived Tapestry of Nations parade in Epcot, the 10% DVC discount at Disney Stores, and the days when valet parking was free everyhwere on site. Nevertheless, there is always something new and imaginative added to make one know that Disney really cares about the sensations you experience, like the Devy Cee infomercials.

Oh - If You Had Wing and the Tapestry of Nations! Miss those too. Every trip thru Epcot I see the parade entrance that was used for Tapestry and wish they would bring that back.

Having seen pictures of the accident, I'm completely okay with this. I will never, ever ride in the front of a monorail again. Essentially, one nose cone ended up in the cockpit of the other train. Not pretty.

I actually wouldn't worry about the monorail myself and hope that they allow it again. The busses are scarier to me than that! Or BTMRR at DL - which I still ride.

 

[Brian Noble]

The chances two monorails bump again is low. But, a bus is designed with an idea that it might hit something, and so if the bus hits something (or something hits it) you've got a pretty good shot at nothing worse than minor injuries. It's clear to me that a monorail nose cone wasn't designed for impact, even a little.

 

[Doug7856]

On our recent trip to SSR, the boat captain told us that the DVC boats now only go to the Pleasure Island stop (near Paradiso 37). He said that it was too crowded at the Marketplace dock. I believe there is a boat that serves the Downtown Disney docks. The DVC resorts go to Pleasure Island. The Port Orleans resorts use the Marketplace dock. I believe I read about this change last June when the THV opened.

The boat service is still every twenty minutes or so.

 

[JimMIA]

The chances two monorails bump again is low. But, a bus is designed with an idea that it might hit something, and so if the bus hits something (or something hits it) you've got a pretty good shot at nothing worse than minor injuries. It's clear to me that a monorail nose cone wasn't designed for impact, even a little.

I agree with Brian.

There were actually two scary aspects of that tragic accident. One was the design of the monorail cars probably made the accident worse rather than mitigating. The other was the supervisor who was supposed to be controlling things wasn't even onsite. He/she was offsite eating dinner and running the show blind by cell phone.

 

[locodemickey]

We really miss the lights of winter too. It doesn't seem festive at all at Epcot without them!

This isn't the gateway from FW to WS is it? I would be so incredibly bummed if it is!! I love the lights with the music