My Slow Divorce from Walt Disney World

[RamblingMad]

We're selling our DVC points. We've owned since 2003. No regrets. We can still go. We can rent points. But WDW has never been relaxing, and now into retirement, relaxing is more valuable to us than what WDW has become, or perhaps always was. My idea of the Disney brand isn't Marvel or Star Wars. But that's okay. That's just me. I miss the old MGM. Just my ramblings...

Loved the Great Movie Ride.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

But people still go.

This is true.

Ye olde story. A restaurant owner called in a marketing guru to ask for help. He said, there is an easy way to increase your intake dramatically and people will still pay. Simply ask, do you want coffee? after the meal...

Point is, people will complain, but they will go back!

 

[john7994]

I honestly don't care at all about the part we can't talk about. That personally wouldn't keep me from visiting. This piece was really going after the affordability in my opinion. They not only bring up the increase in ticket prices, and genie+ extra fees...but also the things that used to be free....Magical Express, and Resort parking. They also point out that a lot of the entertainment in the parks is still not back, that they haven't brought back all of those 32K employees they laid off when they shut down. And, they throw in photos of garbage along the shores on the Jungle Cruise attraction. So, not only is it way more expensive, you're getting way less, oh and the parks are packed to the gills....and dirty.

Let us not forget that you'll never see a story like this on Good Morning America (ABC..Disney owned)....and *probably* not a Disney hit piece on Comcast (NBC...owns Universal)....because then ABC would have to run a hit piece on Universal. Then we'd have the Great Theme Park wars...lol. I also would imagine that if you go on YouTube, or TikTok....you'll find plenty of Disney "influencers" fighting for users, and providing lots of commentary about how expensive Disney is right now....click, click, click...boom. .

I go back to my original statement: One can only hope the article works for what it was clearly intended for - resulting in less people in the parks overall - which doesn't bother me a jot.

 

[RamblingMad]

I go back to my original statement: One can only hope the article works for what it was clearly intended for - resulting in less people in the parks overall - which doesn't bother me a jot.

Nah. It's a piece to give people something to complain about. How dare Disney raise prices so I can't afford to go unless I max out all of my credit cards. It's a puff piece. It's like writing an article about why the working class can't afford Lambos.

 

[joedplumber]

For us, the amount of planning involved with booking a trip just sucks the magic right out of the whole vacation.

 

[john7994]

Nah. It's a piece to give people something to complain about. How dare Disney raise prices so I can't afford to go unless I max out all of my credit cards. It's a puff piece. It's like writing an article about why the working class can't afford Lambos.

Well if that Lambo is parked next to a curb with a piece of debris on it - its a dirty Lambo too!

 

[DarthDadMan]

Goodness. This read was just depressing lol. Not in a terrible way, you all just pulled me through all your (and my) emotions at once. I should have broken my reading of this discussion up a bit. Ok, I have a lot of response to this lol. I get where everyone is coming from. It feels like every chance Disney gets, they intentionally slap you in the face with something else to spend on.. but, it's not just Disney, is it. Costs are up everywhere and for everyone now. Everything is up. The housing market, the rental market, the super market, all the markets. It's insane. It's just the consumer getting the bill for the bulk of it. Hotel costs are up everywhere, and Universal's ticket cost is the same, right, if not higher? Fastpasses have been paid for just about every other theme park, but Disney, right? Yeah, paying for parking sucks given there's no alternative, but owning or renting DVC. Everything else has an alternative, and honestly, who really wants to live on their phone planning their day with Genie and LL!? You don't need it. Just stop. The more you try to shove into your day, the more frustrating your day is going to be. Strict plans clutter your brain to the point of sapping your enjoyment. You don't need to try to do everything at once on a schedule, I don't care what Disney thinks. Put the phone down (except for ordering food). I feel like most of the anxiety we all get at the parks is from staring at our devices and staying on a schedule. I get it, it's getting more expensive, you can't go as often, and therefore, you need to do more in a shorter amount of time. Stop. It's not possible. If the time you save is worth your money, great, but it is not needed to enjoy Disney and its charm as it always has been for us all.

And I love the Great Movie ride, as much as anyone. I hate that they took away what was the heart and soul of MGM. Yeah, I prefer "MGM" too haha.. but, I'm sure Disney has data somewhere that provides the reasoning that it had to go. They're not selling to you and I, any more. The romance for cinema is gone with the generation they're marketing too. But if that's what helps their profit margin, I guess I'm good with it because my little girl can't get enough of Runaway railway. I go to the parks because of her. The resorts are for me haha. Time marches on. I'll enjoy it while my kid enjoys it, then maybe I'm in the same boat as you all, but I continue to enjoy it for what it's worth. It's still a place unmatched, unrivaled with a certain kind of magic thanks in large part to the cast members. Travelling the world is amazing, but Disney is still special for us. I just have to remember to slow life down to remember why it's special. Hope you all find your way back! We'll be waiting for you... probably on Test Track, mid-break down.. Come find us. Please.

 

[JaxDad]

 

[CaptainAmerica]

For us, the amount of planning involved with booking a trip just sucks the magic right out of the whole vacation.

I vividly remember my mom's stack of guide books and notepads planning our first family Disney trip in 1996. We called her itinerary the "Clipboard of Fun." People didn't just start extensively planning their Disney vacations recently.

 

[MillauFr]

For us, the amount of planning involved with booking a trip just sucks the magic right out of the whole vacation.

Which is why we typically go to Disneyland instead. No planning needed

 

[RamblingMad]

I vividly remember my mom's stack of guide books and notepads planning our first family Disney trip in 1996. We called her itinerary the "Clipboard of Fun." People didn't just start extensively planning their Disney vacations recently.

Once the paper fast passes went away, the insane planning began. When I used to visit in the 80s and 90s, we'd work out way from newest attraction to oldest. Now, that's not even possible anymore.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Which is why we typically go to Disneyland instead. No planning needed

Have you gone to DLR with Genie+? and the park reservation system?

 

[MillauFr]

Have you gone to DLR with Genie+? and the park reservation system?

Our son has Downs Syndrome. We use DAS. It worked great.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Our son has Downs Syndrome. We use DAS. It worked great.

I'm glad I was just asking about genie+ and the park reservation system because those two things have added a level of planning to DLR that wasn't there before (genie+ being a bit different than MP although at least a paid system was there at DLR before genie+ that probably helps). I've no doubt it's a heck of a lot less planning than WDW even now because our trip to DLR twice in 2019 was different style than our WDW trips) but there is more involved than there used to be, namely that you actually have to reserve a park in advance to get it which is the same at WDW. Not talking about availability ease or difficulty in getting that reservation just that there's something that you have to actually plan for and it's a pretty big one.

I know there's a poster who has a sorta open ended trip and they asked and the advice basically was keep checking park reservations or book a hotel now which typically has few issues with availability. It certainly isn't a park you can just purchase tickets and just decide to go to.

 

[DawnM]

If any of you remember my posts from years past, you know we got APs every year, went down to stay at Disney between 2-8 weeks per year, and we had a blast and found ways to go for relatively inexpensive costs.

Then the kids got older, we were paying for college, I went back to work full time, and that was that. We haven't been to Disney World in 7 years. We did make a trip 4 years ago to Disneyland, but that was our last Disney vacation.

We were so excited when my college kid got into the Disney College Program in January of 2020 with a start date of late May, 2020. Well, we all know how that went.......Covid hit and the entire thing was cancelled.

We are trying to go this next year, but I just looked at tickets for a family of 6, and, well, we may opt for Universal or a beach vacation. I just can't see us spending nearly $5,000 on just tickets. And that is not even for APs!

 

[leebee]

I remember waiting in those lines, but I also remember that there was entertainment while waiting lines and for shows to start (4 for a Dollar, magicians, juggling acts, street performers, any number of entertainers in World Showcase, etc). We started going to WDW in the late 90s and it was just amazing. Everything was special, everything was unique. Resorts had resort-specific mugs, restaurants had individualized themed menus, CMs handed out stickers and glitter and it just seemed like everyplace you turned, there was value for the dollar. Not so much anymore... just more ways to spend, more ways for Disney to suck money from your wallets while making it harder and harder to be able to enjoy the parks without a ton of work involved. It used to be, once you got in the door, everyone was on equal footing, Not so much anymore.

 

[DCLMP]

Have you gone to DLR with Genie+? and the park reservation system?

I have and it works very well there. Not as many people buy it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I have and it works very well there. Not as many people buy it.

Yup I know. Or at least that's what I read with a comparison of how it works at both especially because they have more APs who don't have the same need for it like the bulk of non-APs who go to WDW. I was only asking the PP because you do have to plan at DLR, at least by securing a park reservation. How we toured DLR in 2019 wouldn't be the same today, there would have been planning needed today that didn't exist back then even though there was MP back then.

 

[DCLMP]

We just finished six days at WDW. It was better than expected except for the extra cost. We spent 700 on genie plus and ILL. For the most part genie plus worked well for us. I think with some practice it could even be better. I found the standby lines were shorter than with fast pass plus which was a good thing. I hated fast pass plus. I actual preferred no fast passes at all over either system.

We spent 3 days at Universal too. It was packed. We had express passes, but their two main attractions Hagrids and velacocoaster with no express passes were just under an hour wait. Rise was always between 120- 200 minutes. You really have no choice but to get a lightening lane if you don’t want your whole day ruined.

I will say Guardians of the Galaxy is all that and then some. Disney out did themselves with this one. Any of you that have trips planned are in for something special. Wow just Wow. I won’t spoil it for you.

Other than the hit to my wallet it was a great trip. We’ll be back in a year or two to ride Tron.

 

[DCLMP]

Yup I know. Or at least that's what I read with a comparison of how it works at both especially because they have more APs who don't have the same need for it like the bulk of non-APs who go to WDW. I was only asking the PP because you do have to plan at DLR, at least by securing a park reservation. How we toured DLR in 2019 wouldn't be the same today, there would have been planning needed today that didn't exist back then even though there was MP back then.

If you read my previous post you’ll see we had a successful WDW trip. Weve been to WDW several times and I just used the system last year a DL. I can’t imagine taking my first trip to WDW and trying to navigate all this. I can see why people say never again. Honestly I’m the only one in my family that could have made this work. I’m the momma duck and everyone just follows. Of course the advice I get from these boards helps tremendously.
I never plan when I go to DL even with genie plus I didn’t plan.. I dont remember DL having the 2 hour rule. I feel I was booking another LL as soon as I scanned in, but maybe I’m not remembering correctly. The standby lines were shorter at DL too so that could be what I’m remembering. I know we rode every ride in both parks multiple times. It was very easy.