venting my frustrations to guest services

[AnnaKat]

Thanx Magpie! Oh, to set the record straight, I do NOT dislike Frozen. I just didn't like " losing " Norway as my husband is 1/2 Norwegian, and we're from MN...
AND I love the song " Let It Go ". I had a favorite YouTube where Bryan M. & instrumentalists from Disney Springs improvised inside @ Disney Springs on a rainy day. I loved the instrumental improv & Bryan's singing. It must have gotten taken down, because I have not been able to find it
Then there's the 24-language Disney version, the adorable kids singing in front of the Norway pavilion's stave church w/Anna & Elsa version,
AND yes!!, I even love the YouTube Voices of Liberty, full costume, inside rotunda version. I can see WHY they brought their Frozen version outside. I just don't want to lose V of L singing traditional carols during the holiday season, etc.

 

[scrapquitler]

I will preface this post by saying that I still love and plan to go to WDW, but I just had to email them to let them know my disappointment in some recent experiences - another sign of "offer less, charge more". Haven't received a response yet from WDW but had to share with my fellow disboard-ers! Bums me out.

Here's my email:


I visited EPCOT on March 8, 2016 and want to share my disappointment with some park experiences that have changed and I find to be not of the same quality as in the past. Two of my favorite experiences at EPCOT are listening to the mariachi band in Mexico and the Voices of Liberty at the American Pavilion. Although the performers remain top notch, I was disappointed with both experiences.


The mariachi performers did not include the typical arrangement with trumpets, etc. It was just three performers - two guitarists and and a xylophone player. In my 30+ years of seeing that experience, that’s the first time there was such a small group! Again, they were absolutely wonderful but not the full experience I expect.



The Voices of Liberty were outside (what?!), did not dress in colonial costumes and sang Disney songs! (UGH - Let it Go! The entire audience groaned when they starting singing). I mentioned it to one of the performers. Again, wonderful and amazing singing but why change a good thing!?!


I LOVE Disney World and the memories it brings for me and my family. However, the prices continue to rise and now they are thinking about charing a resort fee!!! It seems like we are paying more for less. I just wanted to get this off my chest and share my disappointment. It seems to be all about stock prices and making money anymore. Most people won’t notice but your loyal fans that chose to continue to spend their discretionary money on a Disney World experience may start questioning if it’s worth it anymore.


I hope I never get to that point.

Maybe there was a Mariachi Band member who was ill that day?

When we were in AK in November, we enjoyed the Festival of the Lion King, but the monkeys didn't do the normal tumbling part of the routine. Posters here told me that it most likely meant that there was an equipment problem, or a sick performer which meant the routine couldn't be performed as it is choreographed. I'd assume that the Mariachi thing was the same sort of issue.

 

[cigar95]

I can see WHY they brought their Frozen version outside. I just don't want to lose V of L singing traditional carols during the holiday season, etc.

Epcot management decided that they don't want the AmGar theater sitting empty - part of the whole "kinetic" thing - so the intent is that some performance will be scheduled there each day. So when the American Music Machine is off, the Voices move out there.
For now, unless it has changed very recently, all of the AmGar sets are the same - "You've Got a Friend", "Over the Rainbow", "Let it Go", a couple more, and concluding with "Seize the Day", which I find terrific. I'm hoping they will expand the selections at some point.
It's possible that at Christmas time, with everything else going on, they will move back inside the rotunda seven days a week, as there will already be activity in the AmGar.

 

[recmouse]

To be clear, the Lumberjacks show has now been replaced with the musical group, TradNation, which reflects the cultural heritage of French Quebec.

Anything has to be better than the Lumberjack show! That was so bad it was embarrassing!

 

[maxiesmom]

The lesson here is: Stop and consider other possibilities before assuming that Disney has done something nefarious to ruin your vacation. There might be a totally logical explanation.
.

That would take care of about half the threads on the Dis. So many posters seem so sure Disney does stuff just to take the joy out of their trips. Not that their might be a reasonable explanation for something.

 

[ElsieAstronaut]

You know what they say about assumptions. Did you send Disney an email because you watched a performance once and decided they must have made a permanent elimination of some sort? Or was this multiple performances over several days where the typical performances didn't take place?

You really can't please everyone. If the entertainment never changed people would complain it's stale. They make little changes like switching between 2 different mariachi bands, or letting the VoL outside, and people complain it's not exactly the same as it's always been. To me, this would be such a minor thing it wouldn't even cross my mind to complain.

 

[qman6975]

I also noticed the bass player (aka Paul McCartney) in the British Invasion at Epcot was right handed...come on Disney get with it!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I think guests expect to see exactly what they saw on their last visit, and if they saw an 8 piece mariachi band and return to see a 3 piece mariachi band, they leap to the conclusion that the band has been cut based on the stories of all the other "cuts" that are making people mad on the boards. Even if it's actually a matter of scheduling between two different bands (because bands get breaks, they don't have one band with the same members performing every single day) and not a cut at all, because they don't realize that's what's happening. Once you see the entertainment schedule it becomes obvious that these particular changes are not "permanent" or "cuts." The OP was there on the wrong day to see what he or she expected to see.

If you don't like that the Voices have been drafted to do something different from their usual a couple of days out of the week, then shoot out an email for sure.

 

[mikeyg1479]

Yeah, don't want to be a meanie, but IMO this is kind of small fry complaint. We all in our travels will have moments that stand out to us. (for us, last trip it was being seated next to dancers stage at Raglan Road as the nighttime shows was starting- didn't want to leave that night).
That said, we can't expect the same experience when we come back months or in many cases years later, in particular when it concerns specific bands we saw just at THIS spot or the songs they play. Things change. I doubt I'll get that stage side seat at Raglan Road again, or ever have that experience to that level again. Sorry they didn't play the songs you like or have the same lineup at that moment which you were previously accustomed to. But i'm sure there were a large portion of guests, particularly youngsters, who quite enjoyed Let It Go.
And yes, the prices are increasing, the parks are more crowded and that stinks, supply and demand, but at the same time we can't use it as our fallback everytime something small doesn't suit us perfectly at the park.

 

[Barnabas T Bullion]

TradNation, which reflects the cultural heritage of French Quebec.

Do they try to secede from Canada and make their own Epcot pavilion?

 

[Gillyrose779]

I have emailed a couple times in regards to issues I had a Disney. I have received a personal call both times. I always try to give positives with my criticisms- ie. CM so and so was wonderful. I was super impressed both times- the CMs on the phone really listened to me and even added their own personal experiences to what I was saying.

 

[csjordan]

I will preface this post by saying that I still love and plan to go to WDW, but I just had to email them to let them know my disappointment in some recent experiences - another sign of "offer less, charge more". Haven't received a response yet from WDW but had to share with my fellow disboard-ers! Bums me out.

Here's my email:


I visited EPCOT on March 8, 2016 and want to share my disappointment with some park experiences that have changed and I find to be not of the same quality as in the past. Two of my favorite experiences at EPCOT are listening to the mariachi band in Mexico and the Voices of Liberty at the American Pavilion. Although the performers remain top notch, I was disappointed with both experiences.


The mariachi performers did not include the typical arrangement with trumpets, etc. It was just three performers - two guitarists and and a xylophone player. In my 30+ years of seeing that experience, that’s the first time there was such a small group! Again, they were absolutely wonderful but not the full experience I expect.



The Voices of Liberty were outside (what?!), did not dress in colonial costumes and sang Disney songs! (UGH - Let it Go! The entire audience groaned when they starting singing). I mentioned it to one of the performers. Again, wonderful and amazing singing but why change a good thing!?!


I LOVE Disney World and the memories it brings for me and my family. However, the prices continue to rise and now they are thinking about charing a resort fee!!! It seems like we are paying more for less. I just wanted to get this off my chest and share my disappointment. It seems to be all about stock prices and making money anymore. Most people won’t notice but your loyal fans that chose to continue to spend their discretionary money on a Disney World experience may start questioning if it’s worth it anymore.


I hope I never get to that point.

I want to hear VOL sign "Let it Go"!!!!! I'm pretty sure I might cry a little!

 

[L&Lfan]

Well, on the bright side they don't wear colonial costumes when they bleat Let It Go.

 

[jeanico2000]

Do they try to secede from Canada and make their own Epcot pavilion?

 

[KnittingMom]

Do they try to secede from Canada and make their own Epcot pavilion?

Not sure I understand the question! Weren't French-speaking Canadians already Canadian? They wouldn't have to secede to speak or sing in French.

 

[Robo]

Now, that this outdated thread has been dredged-up...

TradNation is no longer performing at Epcot.

The band now at the Canada Pavilion is Alberta Bound.

 

[Aliceacc]

Here's the problem:

When Disney changes something you love-- or when it disappears for a day or a week-- people complain. Since a huge spectrum of people visit and revisit WDW, that means that every single change will bring on the complaints.

When Disney doesn't change anything, people complain that it's stagnant.

I'm very glad not to be the person on the receiving end of the complaints at Disney.

 

[Magpie]

Not sure I understand the question! Weren't French-speaking Canadians already Canadian? They wouldn't have to secede to speak or sing in French.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_sovereignty_movement

La Belle Province (ie Quebec) has a long history of attempting to secede from the Rest Of Canada and create their own independent state.

 

[crazy_for_the_dis]

The lesson here is: Stop and consider other possibilities before assuming that Disney has done something nefarious to ruin your vacation. There might be a totally logical explanation.

I would never have dreamed of complaining about either situation. The idea would never have entered my head.

Here's the problem:

When Disney changes something you love-- or when it disappears for a day or a week-- people complain. Since a huge spectrum of people visit and revisit WDW, that means that every single change will bring on the complaints.

When Disney doesn't change anything, people complain that it's stagnant.

I'm very glad not to be the person on the receiving end of the complaints at Disney.

Completely agree with both of these posts!

 

[Robo]

ZOMBIE THREAD ALERT

Now, that this outdated thread has been dredged-up...

TradNation is no longer performing at Epcot.

The band now at the Canada Pavilion is Alberta Bound.