What happened to the WDW I knew and loved?

[hollygolitely93]

I agree 1000%





I agree about the pressures from Wall St. It's gotten ridiculous. Companies can not take measures that will improve their results long-termif it means some short-term pains. Two bad (or even just mediocre) quarters and the hedge fund and pension fund managers are calling for the CEO's head. Long-term, value-based investing has pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur. In today's climate, they are always forced to have too much of a short-term approach as they must be supremely focused on the next quartely earnings and not enough on the future. That's a problem in every business in every sector - Disney included. And many times this is what leads to a lot of the seemingly "silly" or "trivial" cutbacks. Some may be good business decisions - in Disney's case, I would consider generic napkins one. Some are bad decisions - generic merchandise across the board, or cutting performers such as the living statues in Epcot or the street performers in DHS I would categorize as poor decisions.


Management in just about all businesses these days have a terrible approach. They focus on all the wrong things. Many times, because those are the things that some management text book said they should be focusing on. They are obsessed with "metrics" (oh how I hate that word) and generally lack good old common sense.

I don't know if I completely agree. While certainly companies are very caught up in quarterly earnings...they can't report good earnings consistently without a long-term strategy. The stock ratings are on more than earnings but the entire balance sheet. Think back to Sears-Roebuck days when they were trading at nothing and their rating was horrible...they were pulling a profit but completely through op ex (cut backs) and not through increase revenue. Most successful companies have long-term strategies that include GOP targets, revenue targets, and levers like pricing, distribution, acquisitions, etc.

I also disagree that business these days all have a terrible approach. Talent Acquisition and Talent Development is a growing sector as businesses realize there is an emotional aspect to becoming a brand with staying power. Digital Marketing has turned power to the consumer in a way they never had before (see Pampers Diaper Rash example). Companies that don't spend time on the human capital and only focus on the "metrics" will find themselves as a commodity in today's world. Disney does not fall into that position to me, at all.

Where I do agree is there are companies out there that for sure our chasing the quarterly profit and focusing only on the metrics without strategy of leadership. But they aren't showing strong results and staying power. They aren't the Fortune 500, now!

 

[ellie05]

How long were you at Universal? How many restaurants did you try?

Just like anywhere, Universal has good places and bad places.

We have been to universal at least 10 days in the past few years and we have tried at least 8 CS restaurants and while the food was not as bad as our experience in January it has never been great.

What did the TMs do when you complained about it?

When I asked a TM what had happened to the soup at 3Broomsticks, she was shocked that it tasted so bad and actually went back to check on it, and agreed that it even SMELLED wrong. She got me a whole new set of food, and was happy to do it.

I love love LOVE the veggie burgers from Richters and we just kept on going back each day, LOL. DS loved his cheese pizza from the place near Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster and kept going back for more.

I think that's all the counter service we've had in our 3 trips, though. Maybe there are other places that were bad. (and while I don't recall any bad food that I personally have had at WDW in our 2 trips, my aunt and cousin are magnets for nasty food at WDW and nasty customer service from the CMs when they complain, righteously, about it!)

But if they were THAT bad, I'd talk to the TMs about it!




I don't think they are blaming the actual people, but *what the people were taught*.




That's so weird! We've had FAR better interactions with the TMs at Universal vs the CMs at WDW.

They offers us new food but the other salad look as nasty and no one else really wanted to try it again we have lost our appetite. Instead we end up eating some snacks we bought in one of the vendor cars. We never had a bad interaction with CM's but plenty with TMs. I guess it all boils down how good of a day they are having. We had been over 60 days in Disney since 2009 and never had nasty food that we couldn't eat in Disney. Except for Les Chefs de France, the food was bad but not uneatable.

 

[goofy Jr. 88]

Hey, I read all 11 pages... Can I get a generic souvenir or something!

 

[davedmaine]

Recent college grads are not running Disney..

 

[bookgirl2632]

Hey, I read all 11 pages... Can I get a generic souvenir or something!

:::throws goofy Jr. a Disney Parks napkin:::

 

[DisLee]

"What happened to the WDW I knew and loved?"


it's there. it's changed a bit and prices have too. But it's still loveable.

 

[Planogirl]

We have been to universal at least 10 days in the past few years and we have tried at least 8 CS restaurants and while the food was not as bad as our experience in January it has never been great.

It must be the luck of the draw. I've had great food in Universal and horrible food at WDW. And of course the reverse has been true too. I don't see either place being better than the other when it comes to food.

Plus I love many of the TM's. It's fun to catch those who work at both resorts and will admit it.

 

[WedgieSock]

THe thing about opinions is that everybody's got one I personally quite enjoy the food at Disney World. However, I recognize that the CS pizza isn't perfect. My mom LOVES it When I told her that Pinocchio House changed their pizza, she was first upset and then decided we'd have to eat at Pizzafari in hopes they don't change it soon.

What I'm saying is that Disney can't make 100% of people happy 100% of the time. For every person complaining about the pizza there's another who loves it. For every person who complains about the hotdogs, there's another person like me who enjoys them. For every person who thinks every store has the same merchandise, there's someone like me who spent two days searching through two parks to discover the mickey ear headband that I had to have on my last trip was only sold in ONE store in Frontierland.

The only real fact here is that when I hand over my money for that cheeseburger, TS meal, or tshirt that I'm happy to do it

 

[Waltgirl]

What would be the point of having a DISCUSSION BOARD, then, if one isn't allowed to have a discussion? An opinion can be discussed- as in airing opposing views on a given subject- and still be completely civil.

What is disrespectful, uncivil, and demeaning, is to have all opposing views summarily dismissed in this matter. Really.

Exactly. That is why I spoke up. There are differing opinions but there is also derision. There is a tendency on this board to make light of and dismiss as small or silly people's concerns, especially if they disagree with the majority view.

I am curious, which do you feel is more demeaning, uncivil and disrespectful? A) responding to someone by stating their position is stupid and they are silly to feel the way they do or B) by not replying at all? Sorry, but that is basically what people are saying. That the OP is making something out of nothing. If that's how they feel, it's their right to feel it and post it. You don't have to agree but don't diminish it. In other words, I could care less whether or not you agree with me about the napkins, but don't mock me for feeling strongly about it.

Fact is Disney has made many changes over the years that some people are not happy with. I suspect there will be more and more posts such as these. As some decide not to spend their vacation dollars on Disney any longer, others will fill in to take their place. Nature abhors a vacuum, as does TDC.

 

[>Ash<]

what happened to the disney world you knew and loved?

the disney i know and love is still their, still vibrant and full of magic.

ive never been anywhere else in the world more magical, yeah little things happen on a trip and people moan about them but it dosnt take away from all the magic and memories i have created at disney world,

i met my now wife and took her to disney world in the 3rd month of our relationship i shared my passion for the magic of disney and she entered my world... she is now too a DIS-fanatic like me, we go every year,

ive now been over 10 times to the magic of disney and i still get goosebumps every time i go.

no other holiday offers me the magic and memories and adventures that disney world can.

people need to stop looking at the bad and just grab a dole whip and take in the magic of the place, the magic is very much alive... sleeping beauty is awake in that place... it still feels like walt was their only yesterday

 

[MushyMushy]

Just got home from my trip and was interested to read this thread because I was having some of the exact same reactions to, of all things, the napkins. Hey, don't get me wrong. I had a great time, great experiences, and am already planning my return trip. But the standardization of merchandise, even cocktails, was a bit of a letdown. My friend and I did a lot of shopping on this trip and by the last day we were bummed at finding the same things in store after store. Maybe if enough people remark on it to TPTB, they'll get back to more customization of merchandise.

 

[Magpie]

Did you happen to read this new blog?
http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/09/25/new-disney-parks-merchandise-continues-to-impress/

Or the other blog that preceded it about merchandise?

http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/07...merchandise-a-look-at-whats-new-in-the-parks/


Now.... You were saying?

Just got home from my trip and was interested to read this thread because I was having some of the exact same reactions to, of all things, the napkins. Hey, don't get me wrong. I had a great time, great experiences, and am already planning my return trip. But the standardization of merchandise, even cocktails, was a bit of a letdown. My friend and I did a lot of shopping on this trip and by the last day we were bummed at finding the same things in store after store. Maybe if enough people remark on it to TPTB, they'll get back to more customization of merchandise.

Based on the above links, I'd say TPTB are trying very hard to find a happy medium between people who like to hunt down their souvenirs and people that want to find them conveniently at hand.

For every person who is "bummed at finding the same things in store after store", there's someone else who'd be equally bummed to discover they missed their once chance at getting that perfect souvenir.

 

[jkjs]

people need to stop looking at the bad

But I don't think I am looking at the bad. I think I am making a statement of fact that the extras, the pluses at Disney are being eliminated. Let's look at this way:

An ice cream shop used to put a cherry on top of their Hot fudge Sundaes. Over the years, the increased the price of the Sundaes but you still got a cherry. Then one day, they stopped adding the cherry. The sundae is still the best one you have ever had. But, oh, that cherry made it even better.

For new folks, they never had a sundae with a cherry so they don't know what they are missing. The old timers who remember the cherry, miss the cherry. Some new folks complain, Oh you old timers are just being nostalgic about the old days.

Some new folks will also say, the added a fudge brownie sundae to the menu and it is great. What are you old timers complaining about?

 

[Magpie]

But I don't think I am looking at the bad. I think I am making a statement of fact that the extras, the pluses at Disney are being eliminated. Let's look at this way:

An ice cream shop used to put a cherry on top of their Hot fudge Sundaes. Over the years, the increased the price of the Sundaes but you still got a cherry. Then one day, they stopped adding the cherry. The sundae is still the best one you have ever had. But, oh, that cherry made it even better.

For new folks, they never had a sundae with a cherry so they don't know what they are missing. The old timers who remember the cherry, miss the cherry. Some new folks complain, Oh you old timers are just being nostalgic about the old days.

Some new folks will also say, the added a fudge brownie sundae to the menu and it is great. What are you old timers complaining about?

Wait, there's fudge brownie sundaes now???? To heck with cherries, I never liked 'em anyway!

I think you've summed it up quite nicely. Because when it comes right down to it, that ice cream shop is still the best shop in town. You might miss the cherries, but in many ways it's bigger and better than it was before (fudge brownie sundae! woo!). It's grown and changed.

And considering how many ice cream shops have closed over the years, that's probably for the best...

Also, on an earlier topic, one person's "demeaning derision" is another person's smile for the day. And quite frankly, I'll take laughter over anger and offence any day. People are ridiculous, me included. We're arguing over napkins in a theme park! What can you do but laugh?

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

I miss the old Disney, too. To the point where I am regretting our purchase of DVC and we own several contracts and A LOT of points.

 

[MrRob]

I find it odd that all of your complains revolve around merch and food.

I came here expecting a post about the attraction quality or the atmosphere. I didn't realize napkins and the softness of buns was enough to "change" the WDW experience.

As far as I see it, making changes to negligible aspects of the resort like napkins or shirt selection in order to save money is fine by me as long as it allows them to maintain the same high level of quality attractions that they've offered up over all these years.

 

[MushyMushy]

I find it odd that all of your complains revolve around merch and food.

I came here expecting a post about the attraction quality or the atmosphere. I didn't realize napkins and the softness of buns was enough to "change" the WDW experience.

As far as I see it, making changes to negligible aspects of the resort like napkins or shirt selection in order to save money is fine by me as long as it allows them to maintain the same high level of quality attractions that they've offered up over all these years.

With well over 100 restaurants and an even larger number of stores on property, you really find it odd that shopping and eating are a big part of many people's experience?

Every trip we've ever taken, we spend half our days enjoying resort amenities and for as crowded as the pool, lobbies, gift shops, and restaurants are, we definitely aren't the only ones.

 

[whiporee]

I grew up in Orlando in the 70s. It's hard to explain the mystery the place held then. It was a half-hour out of town, out there by itself, isolated from everything around it. It wasn't part of the Orlando -- it was its own universe out there. Truth is, the experience of Disney itself was inexpensive. Ride tickets cost something, but just going -- just experiencing it -- not very much at all. I still use the term E ticket, even though no one knows what it means. The ambiance of the park was there to sell the brand. There was an isolated innocence to the park back then, one that was dictated by the Disneys in charge. The totality of he experience was mandated by them. It was also controlled by that central idea, that here is like no where else.

If you were onsite, you either were at the Poly or the Contemp. Or camping at Fort Wilderness. You could just drive up there and hang put at the lake, for what felt like for free. We did that a lot more often than we went to the park. So I can be pretty nostalgic for the old days -- I was only a kid, but I remember it well.

But profits slipped, and Roy begat Eisner. And Eisner, nota Disney man, brought a culture of monetization. They made the decision that the Disney Experience didn't need to be limited to the MK itself. So it expanded. All these resorts sprung up, expanding Disney out to I-4, and with it, profits increased.more rooms, more revenue. More parks, more revenue, and profits spiked. But they ran out of land -- the isolation Walt had created is pretty much gone now -- so profits can't get the giant influxes it did in the 90s. So they have to come up with them somewhere. Operating margins get tighter, but Wall Street's expectations remain the same. Something has to be done.

The folks running the company have no stake in the original idea. I don't mean to say they are callous about it, but they were raised in a culture of monetization, not magic. So they make cuts -- easy ones, because who really cares about napkins, or a wrapper on the ground? People keep coming.

Carl Hiassen, a Florida writer, once had a native Floridian confront a developer. The gist of the conversation was that compared to South Jersey, even developed Florida is Paradise. It's just not what it was. That's what Disney has become. Compared to any other amusement or theme park in the world, it's magnificent. But compared to what it used to be, it's not.

 

[Cyrano]

Just moving to TP community

 

[mac_tlc]

Just got home from my trip and was interested to read this thread because I was having some of the exact same reactions to, of all things, the napkins. Hey, don't get me wrong. I had a great time, great experiences, and am already planning my return trip. But the standardization of merchandise, even cocktails, was a bit of a letdown. My friend and I did a lot of shopping on this trip and by the last day we were bummed at finding the same things in store after store. Maybe if enough people remark on it to TPTB, they'll get back to more customization of merchandise.

We have been to WDW over 60 times. It is our favorite place and our first visit with our GS is coming in 2 months. So -- the magic is alive and well for us.

That said, during our August trip, I did comment to my DW that the generic, brown, plain, unmarked napkins made an impact. Yes, its all about memories and we have plenty. But we would usually take a bunch of napkins home when the kids were young -- and that would trigger a bunch of memeories throughout the year --- especailly when they we park-specific and season specific.

So -- even though its only a "napkin", it can be similar to a picture which reminds us of the fun we had and has us ready to return!!!


mac_tlc