Pixie dust is gone

[KimBean]

Yeah, I wish people who get frustrated with the changes wouldn't post this hyperbolic sentiment. It seems to lead some here to think that everyone who has an issue with MDE thinks the same thing, that they claim it has "ruined" their trips, that they say they are never going back, etc. It also leads to the inevitable "JUST BACK.....THE MAGIC IS NOT GONE!!!" threads where somebody recounts an anecdote of a CM giving them a dessert or flower or something; then everyone congratulates them for loving WDW and the issues become reduced to some sort of loyalty contest.

I could not agree with you more.

 

[RealBlast3]

Surely we can all agree that, of course, there are other places to go on vacation. And it doesn't make sense to go to Disney and have a bad time. But can we also all agree that it is normal for people who do (or did anyway) enjoy WDW to be saddened by changes that are causing it to no longer bring them that same enjoyment?

Rather than the somewhat callous advise "if you don't like it, go somewhere else" (or worse, just branding them "Negative Nellies"), how about we all show some compassion and understanding for people who are experiencing the loss of something they loved tremendously?

I hate change! It is annoying. However, what I find "sadder" than people who can longer enjoy Disney World because of the changes, like Fast Pass+ or MDE or ride changes are people who do not know how to roll with the punches and make the necessary adjustments and just change their attitude to ensure they have a magical time.

It is up to YOU, not Disney, to provide the magic. There have been some excellent posts in here that I am proud to see of vacationers taking the pixie dust by the reigns and making sure they and their family have a wonderful time. It never happened by accident before and it won't happen by accident in the future.

Disney World is still Disney World - it has not been taken over by gremlins. I may hate change and have to be dragged into liking it kicking and screaming, but I have my little tantrum, and then I start PLANNING all the ways I can make all these new changes and this new system WORK FOR ME. It's not impossible. If you really love Disney World, just put in some effort and you can achieve the magic.

Otherwise, if it's too much of a hassle and too much work, and a Disney World trip is ALWAYS that, no matter what anyone says and no matter how much Pixie Dust was flung at you in the past, you should really look into other vacation alternatives where you don't have those expectations that can no longer be met anymore.

 

[magicbob]

The magic is not gone for us. There have been times when something went wrong while there or in the planning and caused us to question it, but in the end if it was a WDW issue, they always came thru and made it right.

I can't imagine how sad I would be if something happened that would cause us to not love it anymore, so I understand how others who think that feel. I understand sadness and disappointment. What I don't understand is this pervasive, sarcastic attitude that some people ( please note I said SOME) who have this problem exhibit. They seem really angry at those people who haven't lost their love of WDW vacations.
If you can't get past the problems you have with WDW, then it isn't callous to say perhaps you should move on and find vacations that do give you what you want. Because in the end, WDW is going to do what's best for WDW. If complaining on these forums would change a thing, I'd say scream to the hilltops, but going after those people who still like it doesn't help much.

I think they (notice I said "they" and not me... I'm not angry at all) only get frustrated and angry with the people who dismiss their concerns/grievances by implying (or just coming right out and saying) that the problem lies with their bad attitude.

 

[Jennasis]

I hate FP+. I hate MDE. I'm not happy at all with the vast majority of changes Disney has made as of late...

We just got back from a week's vacation on 9/28 and there was plenty of pixie dust and magic to be found (just not with FP+ or MDE).

The CM's were stupendous. Not a bad one in the bunch. We were wished happy birthday/anniversary every 20 feet it seemed. Servers were attentive, helpful and often showered us with pixie dust. The resort was beautiful. We discovered the awesome that is Yee-Ha Bob. We found new things to love (pork shanks! Pinnochio's Village Haus! The AoA food court!).

While there is plenty going on that I am suspicious of or downright pissed over, the magic isn't gone...it's still there in many places, people and things, and of course my family makes our own magic wherever we go.

 

[btk2333]

Does anyone else feel this way? Being sprinkled with "pixie dust" now feels like being pelted with "rock salt"! What happened to the Disney we were all in love with? Now we cringe at the thought of a Disney vacation. p.s. We used to feel like the phrase below in my signature...we miss that

Sorry that you feel this way I hope you enjoy other vacation destinations in the meantime and "find the magic" again at WDW or elsewhere soon!

 

[chelseabun76]

To me, Disney is like Christmas... if you don't believe... you don't receive. I am looking forward to my trip SO very much. Before we go, I will say to my dd that it is a HUGE place, with MANY rides, MANY shows, and MANY things to just walk around and see. We won't be able to do it all, and that is OK. I'm not going to promise her certain rides, I am going to tell her we'll give it a shot and if it works out, then WOOHOO!! If it doesn't, on to the next ride.

 

[Planogirl]

OP, I understand how you feel. I'm more about the great classic attractions and some other things that I love so much but I'm completely unenthused about the direction Disney is going in. We have already expanded our horizons to other places and will continue to do so.

 

[disneyvoice]

Honestly? I have been going to WDW multiple times a year for many, many years and we just moved to Florida and became Florida annual pass holders. And every time I read a post about how the magic is gone or someone can't stand WDW anymore I am completely perplexed.

I ALWAYS have a WONDERFUL time when we go to WDW. We have never had problems with our magic bands - we think they are a great idea, especially since we have a 13 year old boy who likes to go off on his own in the parks - we don't have to worry about whether he has enough money if he gets hungry or thirsty.

We don't mind the new Fast Pass system one bit. It has worked out just fine for us. I do think that maybe we wait a bit longer in line but I also think it has helped to decrease the mad, dash frenzy I used to drag my family through in trying to make sure we did "everything." I'm being serious. I think my anxiety level has drastically decreased with the new Fast Pass system because I already know in advance we have and have resigned myself to the fact that we might have to wait longer in line. So I have actually ended up being pleasantly surprised when a line is shorter than I expect it to be.

We have also found that because we aren't running through the park like crazed lunatics we have noticed things we haven't noticed before. We actually took pictures of this beautiful berry-flowering bush I have never noticed before on the bridge between Main Street and Liberty Square. We even thought about trying to find a Cast Member who might know what kind of plant it is.

I've read posts about how the CMs no longer seem happy and are rude or no longer smile. That hasn't been my experience at all. In fact on our first two visits as annual pass holders we commented about what excellent service we received at all the restaurants we ate at. One of the trips was a celebration for my husband's 50th birthday and my son's 13th birthday and two CMs in particular went above and beyond at Be Our Guest to ensure that our first visit there for their birthday dinner was super memorable. I made sure to write a commendation for both of them at Guest Services.

I still cry when I see little girls dressed up in their fairy tale princess dresses hug their favorite Disney princess for the first time. I still cry during the fireworks at Magic Kingdom and at the beginning of the Electric Parade because it reminds me of the first time I saw it as a little girl at Disneyland in California. I still get excited when we drive through the arch welcoming you home to Disney World. I still get excited about turning on the TV and watching the Disney World TV show as soon as we check into our resort.

I am literally puzzled about why people think the magic is gone. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[shanethesaint88]

No one can take away the numerous memories and great feelings I have when entering the parks. And that to me is the true "pixie dust" maybe I have a different definition of the magic of disney world, but It never included having to ride every ride or getting all the fast passes and reservations. The "pixie dust" to me is being fully transported into a entirely different world for an entire week where me and my family can enjoy each other and share experiences that you cannot get anywhere else in the world. Disney world will never ever lose its magic to me because of the nostalgia of it.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Things have changed for sure. Some for the worse and not a whole lot for the better, mainly because it was pretty great before. But I don't think the pixie dust is gone. I find the pixie dust more in the little things. Seeing the castle for the first time (each trip), walking down Mainstreet, watching the look of awe on a child's face (any child not just one with you), seeing the characters interact playfully with the guests, looking at the little details everywhere you go and so so much more. None of these things have been effected by FP+. It is a different experience and sometimes a stressful experience, but there is still pixie dust as well.

 

[dpswift]

maybe its because i dont go the parks near as often as most people and I have never been good at the just wing it thing. I need an out line of a tour plan at the least no matter were we go Disney or Rome....

But I still see the pixie dust. This is my DD's first trip and she is so excited. We have a meal in a castle! What 5 year old is not going freak out about that... we have an appointment with a fairy godmother before dinner in the Beasts castle. I have princess dresses packed away she hasnt seen so when she has lunch with the princesses she can pick out what ever dress she wants... that is so much pixie dust there this child is not going to forgot it.

and oh by the way I planned and booked my vacation on warship in a warzone with internet so slow we have to use mobile facebook and mobile banking site. There is warning at the top of my page on MDE that tells me my browser is out of date and things might not load and more then once it has happened. But I kept at it because making pixie dust required a little bit of work from Mommy this year. We are not going to be able to ride everything she wants to because even in 7 days I know its not possible to see and do everything. So i made certain things important and worked to find the magic in them. These boards helped alot and with 34 days to go i am done planning this one and already looking forward to the next one. I didnt stress anything except maybe the A&E (before my window opened, once it opened and there was nothing good there I just accepted and kept looking till I found one). I think maybe if I had stressed thing i would have lost the pixie dust, but i felt like a fairy godmother making a very special trip happen.

Wow what an attitude and thank you for your service. DS was on a ship last year at this time and we took him to Disneyland in May. Just the time together was enough pixie dust for us.

As far as WDw is concerned you do almost have to make your own pixie dust or look for it but it is there. My kids that did not go to the land with us paid their own way to the World in Sept. I spent the last 2 weeks before they went making sure they had the ADRs and FP that they wanted. They checked into the hotel and were given a view upgrade and not told at the time

The next day they went down to get on the bus to their first ADR they were told by a CM that the HS bus would probubly go to the Grand Floridian so they should take that insted of the MK bus. They stepped aside to ask the HS bus driver and the MK bus went by with out stopping. They explained their situation to the desk and they were given a ride

Attitude goes a long way as far as enjoyment of Disney trips

 

[georgina]

Things have changed for sure. Some for the worse and not a whole lot for the better, mainly because it was pretty great before. But I don't think the pixie dust is gone. I find the pixie dust more in the little things. Seeing the castle for the first time (each trip), walking down Mainstreet, watching the look of awe on a child's face (any child not just one with you), seeing the characters interact playfully with the guests, looking at the little details everywhere you go and so so much more. None of these things have been effected by FP+. It is a different experience and sometimes a stressful experience, but there is still pixie dust as well.

Very nicely said!

 

[wyurm]

Does anyone else feel this way? Being sprinkled with "pixie dust" now feels like being pelted with "rock salt"! What happened to the Disney we were all in love with? Now we cringe at the thought of a Disney vacation. p.s. We used to feel like the phrase below in my signature...we miss that

Pixie dust varies from person to person. For some people rock salt is pixie dust. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that.

I will say that when I begin to feel jaded about a vacation destination then a new destination is in order. In other words, you might need a break from Disney.

 

[kmiller372000]

Last year my DW, DD, and myself rode the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. My DD left her Minney ears on the train. She had placed them in the front compartment. Later on she realized she had left them so we went back to the ride and it was broken down. She was very upset. A wonderful CM Bob heard our story and asked us to follow him. He took us to a store next door to Peter Pan's Flight. He asked my daughter if the ears were there and she found the same type of ears she had lost. He signed for the ears and she was so happy. And to top it off, he walked us over to Peter Pan's Flight and put us on the next pirate ship off to Neverland. Now that was MAGIC to me.

 

[emmagrl96]

It's not gone for me. Things are different but I love Disney and I've adapted to changes there before. And no matter where else I go, I always come back.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Surely we can all agree that, of course, there are other places to go on vacation. And it doesn't make sense to go to Disney and have a bad time. But can we also all agree that it is normal for people who do (or did anyway) enjoy WDW to be saddened by changes that are causing it to no longer bring them that same enjoyment?

Rather than the somewhat callous advise "if you don't like it, go somewhere else" (or worse, just branding them "Negative Nellies"), how about we all show some compassion and understanding for people who are experiencing the loss of something they loved tremendously?

I agree with this comment 100%.

I think behind every angry post regarding the changes is someone who is sad about the changes.

Like that saying....The opposite of love is not hate but indifference. If people truly didn't like Disney anymore they wouldn't post on a fan board, even to express anger or disappointment.

 

[JeJecm]

It is still there for me. I went 3 weeks ago for 5 days. I'm always sad to leave but my DH reminded me that we were coming back soon. We will be returning in 3 weeks for 10 days!!!

 

[MichelleVW]

If your cringing at the idea of a vacation may want to look into that further.

I don’t see any magic gone, which is why I continue to go back.

Same here. Went for Spring Break....A week in August.....going back the week before Christmas...with 3 weekend trips thrown in there this summer.

I actually love Fast Pass plus...way less running around for us and we still seem to do everything we did in the past.

 

[Sparkly]

In the words of Josh of EasyWDW... VACATION RUINED. MEMORIES LOST. SHUT IT DOWN!!

 

[LilyWDW]

The pixie dust is 100% still here.... as I sit, watching the Electrical Parade at the Fireworks Dessert Party at Magic Kingdom. It is beautiful and amazing. Magic bands have worked great. FP+ has been awesome. Being able to change on the fly has been wonderful. I feel like I have MORE flexability in the parks then I used to with the old FP system.