Reducing the Disney "Experience"

[granmanh603]

My biggest issue with the changes is NOT that changes are being made, but that things are being eliminated and replaced with… NOTHING. Look at Epcot and all the empty buildings; Horizons replaced with nothing, Wonders of Life replaced with nothing (except the occasional party center). The Viking Ship in Norway is gone (and now Maelstrom, but at least something will replace it), acrobats in China, the masquerade characters in Italy, Miyoshi in Japan, living statues in France, Mo Rockin', Off Kilter (replaced with something that requires too large a venue to be done appropriately in that little spot). Does the Ooompah Band still play in the courtyard in Germany so everyone can Chicken Dance together? What happened to the Lights of Winter (or just the light arch that was there otherwise) and the fountain that danced to the music playing along with the water show? Tapestry of Nations? At one time, ALL of these were a part of Epcot. Now none (or almost none) are.

PP commented "Will they take the Castle away?" Actually, in a sense, they have. You used to be able to go IN the Castle, to walk through it from the hub to FL, see the beautiful mosaics on the wall. CRT used to have the FairyGodmother sitting in the lobby; queue up for a meet&greet while awaiting your meal… or if it wasn't busy, go meet the FG anyhow! The Castle Forecourt shows are fun, and a nice addition, but isn't there some other way to produce them than to close the Castle to visitors?

Look at how experiences in the restaurants have changed. Little things- venue-specific napkins, mickey-head butter pats, mickeyroni and cheese, etc.- have changed, food quality is lower, variety limited/offerings more generic, etc. All this adds up. DIsney USED to be able to give a terrific dining experience, but not anymore- and many believe it was in the chase for the dollar that the restaurants lost much of their individuality and quality. It's all about money.

Entertainment? I remember when live shows had pre-shows, actual entertainers to make the 30-60 minute wait pass more quickly. There were singers and jugglers at Fantasmic and 4-for-a-Dollar at Beauty & the Beast. The "counselors" at Camp Mickey-Minnie used to teach the crowd at Festival of the Lion King the hand-bop, so they could "play" along with Hakuna Matata. Why did all this end? Money.

It never surprised me that they closed PI; of course, during its heyday, I had small kids and didn't have the luxury of adult-only entertainment. Now I look at WDW when the parks closed and think "what do we do now?" We stayed on the Boardwalk last week and the Dance Hall was almost empty all the time, and JellyRolls? We listened to the off-key, lame singing from the 10 people inside and decided it wasn't worth the cover charge. While PI might have been TOO great an undertaking, some of it was popular; I'd love to experience the Adventurer's Club. I understand the business decision, but once again, Disney took away something to replace it with NOTHING.

AK? I remember when it opened. There was an amazing pre-park show ("The Awakening) that included about 20 dancers, dressed as different creatures and bugs, entertaining for the last 10 minutes before the park opened. Just inside the ticket stalls there were CMs with cages of all kinds of interesting bugs, small amphibians or reptiles, etc., (NOT MY THING, btw) to entertain and educate the kids. There were CMs stationed along the Discovery Trails on the way to the Bridge across the river, to talk about the animals lining the pathways, as well as some stationed on the paths around the Tree of Life, to explain what all these animals were, their lifestyles, habitats, etc. Is any of this still there, or has it all been eliminated- not replaced by new, exciting, updated things, but gone, to save money?

Many "newer" DIsney fans whine because the "old timers" complain, but I am lamenting the things that have been LOST and not replaced in any way, shape, or form. It's not this little thing or that… it's ALL the little things adding up, being replace with NOTHING. More money, less value. In the past, I always felt like Disney wanted to be the industry leader in giving people more than expected- more experiences, more opportunities, more entertainment, more customer service, more value and worth- than any other company in the industry. They prided themselves on giving the guest MORE than they'd dreamed possible. Now they just take more away, take more money, take more happiness. It's sad...

I totally agree and with following post...wish they had likes to click. At WDW now and sitting in room . Noticed all you said and sad and amost want to cancel and go home. Not much joy or fun. Had to go to park early to ride anything as do not want to plan my 18 day trip in advance. At MK this week had to walk back and forth across the park for FP the train down for rehab. Was exhausted by 1:30 and let Splash mt FP go unused and left park. The bus back to BWV was packed too. We used to be the only ones on an afternoon bus back to resorts.

 

[Suvadoo]

Spirit of America is not gone.

I was told by Disney that the benches would be replaced after F&W

For goodness sake, why did the take the benches away during F&W? People need a place to sit down and eat or to relax. Did they explain? Please don't say it was guest demand!

 

[carlyle688]

Spirit of America is not gone.

The Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps is gone.

 

[ncdj2013]

For goodness sake, why did the take the benches away during F&W? People need a place to sit down and eat or to relax. Did they explain? Please don't say it was guest demand!

No they did not explain. I expressed concern over rumours I had heard about benches being gone and they told me they would be put back after F&W. They called me in response to an email I had send complaining about several things.

 

[mmafan]

life is what you make of it so is your VACATION......seems like most of you need to go else where from now on for some new Experiences.....

 

[carlyle688]

For goodness sake, why did the take the benches away during F&W? People need a place to sit down and eat or to relax. Did they explain? Please don't say it was guest demand!

There are way fewer benches overall than there were a few years ago. They have slowly removed them over time. Go on YouTube and watch video from 10 years ago and see how many benches there were. They don't want people sitting around not spending money.

 

[ncdj2013]

The Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps is gone.

Excuse me. Voices of Liberty is still there. The Drum Corps is gone.

 

[surferdave]

I believe Mission Space now resides where Horizons was before.

 

[mmafan]

There are way fewer benches overall than there were a few years ago. They have slowly removed them over time. Go on YouTube and watch video from 10 years ago and see how many benches there were. They don't want people sitting around not spending money.

why is this so hard for anyone to understand.......lol

 

[x5x5x5x5x5]

Glad to hear the benches will be replaced. I guess they removed them to accommodate crowds for F&W. That said, I do understand what people are talking about when they say the magic is fading. I no longer participate in F&W much when I go to Disney in the fall. I did go to a tasting at Morocco last year and it was wonderful but I didn't do any of the booths. The offerings don't seem as adventurous as they used to be. More events at extra cost and less stuff included with park admission. Lots of other little details, small performances, etc. have been removed in all of the parks. Leebee said it best in one of the previous posts. There is still lots of great stuff to see and do (heck I'm going to Disney three times in the coming eight months) but for those of us who have been going regularly for thirty years or more, the changes are pretty obvious. I find that we are spending less time in the actual parks, and more time hanging around the resorts. The tipping point for our family is there . . . just not sure exactly when and where.

 

[tony67]

For goodness sake, why did the take the benches away during F&W? People need a place to sit down and eat or to relax. Did they explain? Please don't say it was guest demand!

maybe they added more garbage cans for us to eat our mediocre snacks on.



Anyway - I'm sure they did a study on this (and got some more guest feedback):
If you sitting and comfortable then you're not in line buying more.
If you sitting and comfortable you might actually taste how average it all really is
If you are uncomfortable and eating on a garbage can I'm sure you will eat it faster and then get in another line and order more

The offerings don't seem as adventurous as they used to be.
More events at extra cost and less stuff included with park admission.
Lots of other little details, small performances, etc. have been removed in all of the parks.

The offerings really don't change much any more - 80% seems to be the same as last year (and the year before that..and they year before that...).
At this point I just go for the break and the weather. I finally gave up on the food two or three years ago.

The extra cost of seminars really annoys me. The beverage ones are basically product commercials that used to be free - then a nominal charge so you could get tickets in advance - now they are $15. I'm sure they are still free for Disney - the product provides everything for it - its a commercial.

The cooking seminars used to be very good, as well as the dinners - now instead of mostly quality chefs they are mostly Disney chefs and a few TV personalities IMO

No point in mentioning the small changes - the masses don't care and will argue it is all change for the good - frozen food - frozen shows - frozen rides - lets rename it frozen showcase

 

[granmanh603]

There are way fewer benches overall than there were a few years ago. They have slowly removed them over time. Go on YouTube and watch video from 10 years ago and see how many benches there were. They don't want people sitting around not spending money.

Had to eat on a small wall, then left
But the drunks don't care and that's who are mostly there now too for this.

 

[leebee]

Excuse me. Voices of Liberty is still there. The Drum Corps is gone.

The Fife and Drum Corps is gone, along with the afternoon little show-thingy they did for the kids. Walking past the American pavilion 2 weeks ago, DD21 said, "Remember when I was a Daughter of Liberty and they gave me my own copy of the Constitution?" She was 10 or 11 at the time, and still remembers it! She was pretty sad- maybe more disappointed for other kids who wouldn't have the experience- when I told her that this is something that Disney doesn't do anymore.

I believe Mission Space now resides where Horizons was before.

I thought that Horizons was in the big empty building beyond TestTrak, that leads over to WS on the Mexico side.. but I might be mistaken, I think we only experienced it once.
Regarding the acrobats- they weren't performing when we were there, and a couple other posters report not seeing them, so I guess I assumed they were gone. Yes, I know what it means to assume, but given the trend of removing without notice/replacement that Disney is following these days, it didn't seem an unfounded assumption.

And to reiterate: It's not that things are gone, it's that they aren't replaced. Fewer experiences with increased ticket cost means less value, less enjoyment, for more money. Geez… remember when Disney admission was good FOREVER? You bought the admission and you could use the days until they were gone. Now THAT was value!

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

The parades are gone from HS and AK.

Didn't they just do a summer long coronation parade at DHS? As for DAK, good riddance.

With all due respect, you don't get it. What you cite is what people expect. What used to define Disney is the extras that you didn't expect. Have you ever heard of under-promise and over-deliver? That WAS the Disney way. As others have said, it seeMs like Disney now says give them what they think of when they think of Disney, but no more.

With all do respect, if you don't find magic in the things that I cited, but do find it in a trash can, you don't get it. As for giving more than what I expect, I still get it when I go. Sometimes it is from a CM going above and beyond, sometimes it's a magic shot I didn't know existed, on this past trip I didn't know about the midday dance party till a photog was taking a pic of us and told us to hang around for 5 minutes, but showed us exactly where to stand. 10 minutes later, my kid was dancing with Woody and Jessie, a spontaneous, mind blowing event. The magic from the unknown still exists, it's just different.

 

[mmafan]

if everyone keeps looking at what WAS there you'll never see what's new and upcoming....its gone shoot an email to Disney and get over it

 

[leebee]

There are way fewer benches overall than there were a few years ago. They have slowly removed them over time. Go on YouTube and watch video from 10 years ago and see how many benches there were. They don't want people sitting around not spending money.

why is this so hard for anyone to understand.......lol

If I need to sit, I need to SIT. If I am too tired to walk around and see/experience things, I am too tired to browse around a gift shop. If Disney can't give me a bench to relax on when I am too tired or my feet hurt too much to enjoy things, I'm not in a gift shop spending money, I'm OUTTA THERE!

 

[mmafan]

If I need to sit, I need to SIT. If I am too tired to walk around and see/experience things, I am too tired to browse around a gift shop. If Disney can't give me a bench to relax on when I am too tired or my feet hurt too much to enjoy things, I'm not in a gift shop spending money, I'm OUTTA THERE!

exactly what they want you'll be back at your resort taking a break and some one else will fill you spot

 

[mmafan]

this is crazy...soooo many people complaining about somewhere you PAY ALOT of money to go to vacation just enjoy your self if you cant do that at Disney anymore go else where to spend your hard earned money.....it really is that simple

 

[ncdj2013]

Didn't they just do a summer long coronation parade at DHS? As for DAK, good riddance.



.

I don't go in the summer. Just know there were no parades when we went in April. And I really liked the AK parade. I miss it.

 

[JanaDee]

Glad to hear the benches will be replaced. I guess they removed them to accommodate crowds for F&W. That said, I do understand what people are talking about when they say the magic is fading. I no longer participate in F&W much when I go to Disney in the fall. I did go to a tasting at Morocco last year and it was wonderful but I didn't do any of the booths. The offerings don't seem as adventurous as they used to be. More events at extra cost and less stuff included with park admission. Lots of other little details, small performances, etc. have been removed in all of the parks. Leebee said it best in one of the previous posts. There is still lots of great stuff to see and do (heck I'm going to Disney three times in the coming eight months) but for those of us who have been going regularly for thirty years or more, the changes are pretty obvious. I find that we are spending less time in the actual parks, and more time hanging around the resorts. The tipping point for our family is there . . . just not sure exactly when and where.

The benches won't be replaced. They've been removing benches over the last few years and it has become quite noticeable.