Run down and dirty

[JLTraveling]

I understand that every one has a choice and a opinion,But with that said.

I was raised in central Florida about 45 mins from the parks all of them. I have been going to all the parks since 1971 or when they where built. WDW is the best of them all, WDW service is world class, the parks are the cleanest there are. Period no exception to the rule.
Last year we met some friends at US and it was horrible, to the point that we left and went to DTD to just to get some of the magic. I actually Emailed them on what a terrible time we had. The email I got back actually said well not everyone can be the Mouse. And if you compare everyone to WDW you have set the bar to high.

I guess I'm a Disney Kid at Heart

Just out of curiosity, what was so horrible at US? I'm not an apologist for either place, and I've taken up issues with both at their respective Guest Services/Guest Relations. But I hate these blanket statements with no information.

 

[airhead]

Geez,I go during the summer(always over the 4th). There are TONS of people(I happen to love that!). I have to say,I never thought the parks looked shabby at all! Maybe I'm looking thru pixie dust or somethin',but I just love it there!!!

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

I think that the numbers speak for themselves, regardless of what some might say.

- In 2008 the four WDW parks in Florida drew a total of 47.146 Million visitors.

- In 2008 the two Universal parks in Florida drew a total of 11.528 Million visitors.

(Source: TEA/ERA 2008 Attraction Attendance Report)

- Even when factoring the number of parks per company (four vs. two) it still shows that Disney is drawing 32,291 per park, per day. Universal is drawing 15,791 per park, per day.

- On a daily basis over 2:1 prefer Disney in Florida over Universal. It's pretty obvious that the "Disney Magic" is alive and well, after 38 years in Central Florida!

 

[imprimouse]

like Disney; don't like it. to each his own, but to refer to it as "run down & dirty" is to lie.

Disney facilities are top notch in terms of repair & cleanliness and as many have noted, most of that takes place without ever being noticed.

last trip, I spent a day & a half feeling "less than magical" in our room.
My recovery occured in the wee hours of the morning and after lying in bed for the better part of 2 days i was ready for fresh air. I made my way down to the computer pool @ POP (around 4 am or so) and was enjoying the fresh Florida air when i noticed a golf cart pull up across the way. It was a maintence CM checking the pool and sprinkler systems nearby. After a few minutes he noticed me sitting in the lawn chair, walked around the pool to me, and asked if everything was ok. I told him about the last few days 'events' and he apologized for interrupting my solace! I told him it was fine but he insisted that he would attend to other areas of the resort and finish the computer poole area after I left. Amazing service- Disney is top notch.

 

[melly]

As I stood in front of the school today picking up DD I overheard a Mom talking about her recent trip to Disney. She used the words run down and dirty.

Pretty serious that. I hope you called the police to report it.

She was talking about how boring the rides were and they skipped the rest of their plans and spent the remainder of their trip at Universal. (I have not been to Universal so I can't compare myself)

I have, its far far better.

Oh well, I think she felt a little embarressed when the other Mom she was talking to told her that my family were total disney lovers. She stated that they travel a lot to different destinations and Disney was not for them.

We travel a lot too around the country so I am not quite sure where she was going with that comment. I suspect she was back peddling at that point. Hey, to each their own. We ski, hike, lay on the beach, go East coast, West coast and in between, but when we are at Disney World our family is at our best and the happiest!

Well if thats what you like then fair play but not everyone is the same.

 

[melly]

I think that the numbers speak for themselves, regardless of what some might say.

- In 2008 the four WDW parks in Florida drew a total of 47.146 Million visitors.

- In 2008 the two Universal parks in Florida drew a total of 11.528 Million visitors.

(Source: TEA/ERA 2008 Attraction Attendance Report)

- Even when factoring the number of parks per company (four vs. two) it still shows that Disney is drawing 32,291 per park, per day. Universal is drawing 15,791 per park, per day.

- On a daily basis over 2:1 prefer Disney in Florida over Universal. It's pretty obvious that the "Disney Magic" is alive and well, after 38 years in Central Florida!

Thats doesnt prove which is best, it merely proves that there are twice as many people who want to ride childrens rides.

 

[BostonRob]

Thats doesnt prove which is best, it merely proves that there are twice as many people who want to ride childrens rides.

Wow, are you always this negative? Do you have some sort of a grudge against WDW?

 

[BostonRob]

Disney isn't about the level of maintainence kept at the park, it's not about the nostalgia or the thrill factor of rides.

I'm not sure I agree with the first part of that. Back in the 1980's, the two things people always spoke about first when they talked about Disney were the cleanliness of the parks and the customer service. In my opinion, that is where WDW built its reputation.
When I first started posting on these boards (using a different, long-lost account) around 2001, there were a lot of debates/complaints about how the standards had fallen. But I think since these boards grew in popularity, the 'newer' people who (hadn't spent time in Disney back in the '80s) have come to far outnumber those of us who remember the 'heyday.' So you don't see many of those debates anymore. I don't think there's any doubt that WDW standards have fallen, I just think most of the people on these boards don't talk about it.
So perhaps that mom that was talking about 'rundown and dirty' was comparing WDW to how it was 25 years ago. Because in that context, the words 'rundown and dirty' aren't THAT far off base.

 

[melly]

Wow, are you always this negative? Do you have some sort of a grudge against WDW?

its not negative its true. Attendance figures dont show which is best. Universal and Disney have different target audiences.

 

[BreezysMom]

Melly, it is people like you that turn threads into nasty discussions.

As my original post, I did not fault the family for their opinion.

Go find a Universal board if you find Disney World so awful.

Please people, do not feed Melly.

 

[irunnoft]

Run down and dirty? Definitely not. I am always amazed at how clean they are able to keep the parks considering how many people visit.

Me, too! I'm especially amazed at how clean most of the bathrooms are considering the punishment they get put through. Granted, that's not all the time, but most of the time, they are clean and even smell good!

The rest of the park, in my opinion, is very clean and well maintained.

Your story reminds me of some negativity my son experienced with his schoolmates when talking about Disney. I suprised him for his 12th birthday with a trip for Spring Break. He knew it about 2 weeks in advance of going and told all his friends. Many of them were not happy for him and told him "Disney is for babies." He didn't think most of these kids had ever been to Disney.
I guess to each his own, but I think anyone who doesn't like Disney has either never been or has something seriously wrong with them.

I'm a teacher and I can tell you for a fact that those kids were just jealous! Most likely they haven't been to WDW before and they long to go. I have 7th graders that would all give their eye teeth to go to WDW. Yeah, sure! Disney's for babies! Then why do so many grown-ups absolutely love it?!!! I'd love to see one of those scoffers refuse to swim in Stormalong Bay just because that's for babies! Let them turn their noses up at Expedition Everest! Ha! I just feel sorry for them, though, because they probably don't get to go due to the cost. Anyhoo, tell your boy to not even let that bother him. Getting to go to Walt Disney World is an awesome thing no matter how old you are!

 

[melly]

Melly, it is people like you that turn threads into nasty discussions.
.

No it isnt. I havent posted anything nasty, I have posted a different opinion. If you cant cope with that then tough, dont read what I write. Not everyone thinks the sun shines out of Disneys @rse.

 

[marivaid]

Thats doesnt prove which is best, it merely proves that there are twice as many people who want to ride childrens rides.

There is more to Disney than Fantasyland, just like there's more to Universal than Hulk. It's been 6 years since we've been to US but I'm fairly certain there weren't hordes of teenagers lining up to see Jimmy Neutron.

 

[melly]

There is more to Disney than Fantasyland, just like there's more to Universal than Hulk. It's been 6 years since we've been to US but I'm fairly certain there weren't hordes of teenagers lining up to see Jimmy Neutron.

For sure but that wasnt my point. The predominant target at Disney is younger kids plus the family of those. The target audience at Universal is older kids plus their family. Neither place is exclusive to just that but thats what they are biased towards. So my point was that a larger attendance isnt just indicative of somewhere being better but maybe due to larger numbers of that catagory of people.

 

[marivaid]

So my point was that a larger attendance isnt just indicative of somewhere being better but maybe due to larger numbers of that catagory of people.

I agree that a larger attendance does not necessarily mean a park is "better" than another however IMO the main reason is simply personal taste. You either like something or you don't.
Epcot is not aimed at families with young children at all yet it gets a much larger attendance than Animal Kingdom.

 

[pavil]

I think everyone here pretty much loves Disney, otherwise why would we be here. That doesn't mean we can't point out the obvious that we see. The economy has reduced the expenditures and hours that Disney devotes to maintenance lately. To be blind to that and say "I don't see it, it's not true" is doing a disservice to all who look at these boards.

Are the Parks filthy? No. They still are for the most part, cleaner than any other Parks. US is pretty good too in that respect.

Are the Parks as clean as they were a few years ago? Again, No. They could use some TLC to get back to the lofty standards that is Disney. For instance, I saw a "Gum spot" in the queue for Kali River Rapids, you know a spot where kids put tons of gum in one area. That shouldn't be happening at Disney IMO.


Is the Magic still there, Yes.

 

[BostonRob]

Are the Parks as clean as they were a few years ago? Again, No. They could use some TLC to get back to the lofty standards that is Disney. For instance, I saw a "Gum spot" in the queue for Kali River Rapids, you know a spot where kids put tons of gum in one area. That shouldn't be happening at Disney IMO.

This makes me a bit sad because another thing I think about when I think about WDW cleanliness is gum:

Gum is not, and never has been, sold inside Disneyland. Any gum found on the ground is scraped up immediately. Walt didn't want his guests to have to pick gum off their shoes every ten minutes, as was (and is) common at other amusement parks.
http://www.justdisney.com/disneyland/waltdisney_touch/

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

Thats doesnt prove which is best, it merely proves that there are twice as many people who want to ride childrens rides.

You're a funny one!

Millions of tourists each and every year DO have the final voice in determining which is best, and their voices are loud and clear... The execs at Universal would agree - they would kill to have Disney's revenues.

Perhaps, as you say, all it will for Universal to climb to the top of the hill are a few more "kiddie rides." You know, with such ideas (they've certainly never considered such an easy solution to their woes) you could be a consultant for them...

 

[pavil]

You're a funny one!

Perhaps, as you say, all it will for Universal to climb to the top of the hill are a few more "kiddie rides." You know, with such ideas (they've certainly never considered such an easy solution to their woes) you could be a consultant for them...

Not to get off topic.... but Seuss Landing is just about one of the most adorable places for young kids, our family loved it and it is very well themed. Universal does a pretty good job, don't make them sound like a Six Flags or Cedar Pointe. Plus HP is going to be pretty huge for them if they pull it off right.

One could say Disney reacted (Copied) IOA with Expedition Everest and Rock and Roll Coaster.

Both Parks are pretty good in my book. They do target slightly different Demographics.

 

[puntagordabob]

we just returned from a quick trip tp The Boardwalk for my Birthday (april 30th and may 1st) and I can assure you WDW is as clean as a brand new anything!!! They do an Amazing job there!