What (if anything) made you give up wdw

[JustCallMeMommy]

We don't go as often now, and the WDW part is shorter than it used to be. We aren't staying onsite next time.

While the prices do seem to get higher each time, Universal is what has really pulled us away. We usually find a way to get to WDW for a little while; for instance, next trip, I'll see DD's band march, we're going to do the MK tour you have to be 16 to do, and I want to see Pandora. As DD got older, we started to enjoy Universal more and our trip focus shifted.

 

[amberpi]

Prices less an less for our money including quality of food. The new FP system made it impossible for the day guest who wanted to go into the parks for 3 or 4 hrs to ride many of the major attractions. Not had AP's since 2016 when our AP's ran out in Oct.

Turned out it was a good thing we had not renewed DH's health started failing at that time an now there is no possible way for us to go to the parks.

Really sad to see this again. Wishing your DH the best too.

 

[Feralpeg]

DD and I still have APs, but that may not continue much longer. When we first moved to the area, it was great. We'd bop over to a park to ride a few things or go to Epcot for dinner. That is no longer possible. All the spontaneity is gone. As locals, we never know when we'll want to go to a park. We are not going to plan our day trips way in advance, thus we can never get FPs or dinner reservations. When we do go over, it's so crowded. The merchandise is crazy expensive and the food is pretty bad (where we can get it).

The only reason I've renewed our passes thus far is so we can spend time with friends when they visit, and because we are on the Florida resident monthly payment plan. If they ever take the free parking away from our AP level, we're done. My sister retired from Disney, so she can get us in on her pass once in awhile. That will have to be enough.

I really miss the old Disney World! sigh!

 

[Planogirl]

I discovered Universal. I absolutely adore those parks so they come first. I'll still go to the Disney parks occasionally to revisit old favorites but the high prices and the loss of many things I loved has killed my old enthusiasm.

 

[arminnie]

I'm sorry to hear that. Wishing you a speedy, amazing recovery as much as possible.

Thank you so much. I just recently learned that I MAY be helped by IVIg treatment. What I have is similar to MS except that MS starts in the brain. Mine starts in the toes. I would be happy if it just doesn't get worse.

 

[Princessclab]

Really sad to see this again. Wishing your DH the best too.

Thoughts and prayers for you all.

 

[MamaLema]

Wait, so people who hate Disney now and refuse to visit Disney still post here so they can complain about how awful Disney is? "I hate Disney so much I still hang around a place people who like Disney gather so I can pee on it in front of them."

Cool.

I can only speak for myself but I joined here 14 years ago when I loved Disney but soon found this board.

I don’t hate Disney or complain about it. We’ve simply stopped going because i think the amount of planning is ridiculous...staying up until midnight to book a 1 min roller coaster ride 3 months in advance?

 

[luvsJack]

I don’t hate Disney by any stretch. But we have chosen not to go back for awhile at least.

Higher prices, cuts in services, the FP+ system, are some of the reasons. The last couple of trips were more stressful.

We love Universal (which by the way has a board here too so there are actually other reasons to be here than WDW). Just book a room and go. I don’t even ride most rides and still enjoy it.

 

[VandVsmama]

We went to WDW for the first time as a family this past summer. I'd been once before ages ago when I was little pre-Epcot. We had a really great time. But it's going to be quite awhile until we go back. I'd LOVE to spend an entire week staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. But...

• a trip to WDW overall is soooo expensive (I know, duh, haha!)
• the quick service food sucks compared to the quick service food options at Disneyland (we live in AZ, so DL is much closer for us. Therefore, we've been to DL a few times)
• there's way too much focus in my opinion on table service. Like the whole trip for some people seems to revolve around eating. I missed being able to make an ADR just a week ahead of time like we do on our DL trips. I think it's ridiculous that for some on site restaurants at WDW, you have to be on the phone at midnight 180 days ahead of time.
• I really really don't like the whole reserving your FP times in advance. I much prefer DL's FP system and their Max Pass system ($10/day per person) is even better.
• Getting around takes forever. Park hopping at WDW? Forget it.
• If you drive to the parks, like at MK, sure you may get to the parking lot in a 20 min drive from the on site hotel, but then it's almost 30 min sometimes to finally get through to the main gate. Insane. At DL, we can stay across the street on Harbor Blvd, walk 7-10 min to the main gate and go through the turnstiles. You're tired and want to take a nap at your hotel? No problem, walk 7-10 min back. It won't take you almost an hour to get back to your hotel.
• There were a fair # of CMs who you could tell were just clocking in for a paycheck and were completely burned out and not "feeling it" and not wanting to be there. We've encountered SO many CMs at DL who have been just totally amazing.
• I know it's obvious, but the weather...the weather at DL is just a lot better. Next time I go back to WDW, I think we'll go in Jan or Feb.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I remember one trip I was like where are the awesome zebra domes? I have to have one? Then I get one and I'm like What? That is what they're talking about? Did I just get catfished? Is this the dis equivalent of a snipe hunt?

This literally made me LOL

 

[goofyernmost]

Ah, ok, sorry, people JUST think it's FUN to pee on things other people like.

@skyblue17, I believe the title of this thread is What (if anything) made you give up Disney. It's hard to understand that if nothing has bothered you why are you on this particular thread. So far I have seen nothing, but, legitimate reasons, just people reciting the reasons why it is no longer worth it anymore because the New Disney has put way to much stress into something that is supposed to be a fun vacation.

For myself, it is a combination of things. I became an obsessed Disney Park fan as I was driving down World Drive on my way to the Magic Kingdom with my wife and young children in 1983. I was 35 at that time. After that I was on every dial up internet Disney Discussion Forum that existed. I have stayed onsite only once and hated the captivity aspect of it, so, after the one time I just stayed offsite and saved buckets of money over the years.

I am now 70 years old my wife and I had divorced and has since passed away and my little girls have grown up and have kids of their own. For the last 18 years I have gone there solo (three times with family). I am retired and living on Social Security and my savings. Disney has managed to price me out of the place even with my offsite habit. I had to be spontaneous as far as when I went. Now I have to know not only when I am going ahead of time, but, I have to be exact because of the new ticket system that requires a commitment of a particular week before you can even buy a ticket plus the FP connections. Because of my age and health issues I cannot always be sure when I can make the trip, so I might commit to a date and then not be able to go at that time. Yes, I can change it, but, that is just another hassle. That along with mobility issues and the fear that I would be one of the scooter users because I cannot walk long periods of time anymore. I can walk quite well for a short time so if you saw me get off the scooter a big reaction would be there's nothing wrong with him, he's just fat and lazy. I'd like to tell everyone that feels that way to go pound sand, but, since I know that a lot of people are judgmental like that it just takes the fun mood away. For many of us there are multiple reasons for declining interest in it. It was my escape for many, many years. I used to get excited as a five year old when I was planning a trip to my favorite place in the world. The one place were I could be a kid again. Just cannot imagine being able to do it anymore without either physical pain or psychological pain and self-consciousness. Even something as simple as Disney deciding that everyone is in the prime of their lives and have removed an awful lot of places to just stop a little while to rest the back and recover so I can continue on with out that scooter. It has finally set in that Disney really doesn't want me there anymore. I don't have enough money to reach the goals they have for everyone to spend.

I still stay on the boards because deep inside I still am curious about what is happening in the place and would love to look forward to SWL, but, I don't think I will physically be able to ever see it. That just makes me sad. I cannot control Disney prices or ticket policy's and lord knows if I could have somehow just stayed young things might be different, but, honestly if anyone feels pee'd on it would be me.

 

[Shanti]

or part of its services? The entire vacation? The hotels? The dining plan? What was the straw that broke the camel’s back?

Shorter hours and cutting parades.

 

[tvguy]

This is why Disneyland will always be my main park, so easy, I love it....I also love the Grizzly River Run in CA also, I don't know how but the one in Animal Kingdom is not as good, not enough drops.

I've only been to WDW once, and I plan on going at least one more time for a very big trip, in about 3 years. After that we will play it by ear.

We had a nice lunch in the park, went back to our room at the Grand Californian and got into our "we're getting wet" clothes. For some reason there was a 20 minute wait on the Fast Pass side for Splash Mountain, then we went over to California Adventure, no wait at all for Grizzly River Run, then it was back to the room for dry clothing, all in about 45 minutes. Oh, I only took one pair of shoes, it was 3 days after we got home before THEY dried out.

 

[cinnaminny]

We had a nice lunch in the park, went back to our room at the Grand Californian and got into our "we're getting wet" clothes. For some reason there was a 20 minute wait on the Fast Pass side for Splash Mountain, then we went over to California Adventure, no wait at all for Grizzly River Run, then it was back to the room for dry clothing, all in about 45 minutes. Oh, I only took one pair of shoes, it was 3 days after we got home before THEY dried out.

Squishy shoes! lol I love it!! lol I had to buy my kid some new clothes one night after doing that ride about five times in a row. Totally worth it!

 

[TipsyTraveler]

While we’re on this subject, I’ve got one more thing to get off my chest. Lol.

Disney sent me the “post-trip guest experience survey” (whatever it’s called) only a couple of days into my vacation. I opened it a week after I returned home, ready to fill it out, and it had expired. I emailed the customer support asking if they could reactivate it or send me a new one because I was very interested in providing feedback about my stay — not all bad, btw. There were a few CM’s I wanted to heap praise on. They replied no, they couldn’t do that, but they “appreciate [my] interest in providing feedback.”

 

[ronandannette]

This literally made me LOL

I laughed too because I though practically the same thing when I finally got my chance at the revered zebra dome.

 

[wenrob]

Never been. Once upon a time I yearned to experience it at least once but after years of reading about the crazy amount of planning that goes into it, not so much anymore. I get stressed reading the threads I can’t imagine having to actually do it myself.

I’m a Disneyland girl. I could hop in my truck right now, drive out and KNOW I’m going to have a fabulous day tomorrow with no planning at all. What would make me give it up? Having to decide if I want to ride Big Thunder or not at 3pm on July 5th, 2020 at midnight tonight.

 

[tvguy]

Never been. Once upon a time I yearned to experience it at least once but after years of reading about the crazy amount of planning that goes into it, not so much anymore. I get stressed reading the threads I can’t imagine having to actually do it myself.

I’m a Disneyland girl. I could hop in my truck right now, drive out and KNOW I’m going to have a fabulous day tomorrow with no planning at all. What would make me give it up? Having to decide if I want to ride Big Thunder or not at 3pm on July 5th, 2020 at midnight tonight.

Yes, Disneyworld is less vacation and more work than Disneyland.

 

[Shanti]

Never been. Once upon a time I yearned to experience it at least once but after years of reading about the crazy amount of planning that goes into it, not so much anymore. I get stressed reading the threads I can’t imagine having to actually do it myself.

I’m a Disneyland girl. I could hop in my truck right now, drive out and KNOW I’m going to have a fabulous day tomorrow with no planning at all. What would make me give it up? Having to decide if I want to ride Big Thunder or not at 3pm on July 5th, 2020 at midnight tonight.

I'm glad our prime Disney World theme park years (when my son was a child, not a teen), took place before the austerity program of the past couple of years really ramped up. The optional upcharge stuff was busily being added during our prime years, but that was no problem in my book (that was before the cuts made them almost a necessity). What really bothers me now is all of the cuts to park hours, to parades & shows, and WDW always getting rid of rides and attractions in order to make room for new ones, rather than just keeping what they had and also building a much-needed 5th park. I agree, from our experience during our one trip to Disneyland, that Disneyland is a better place to go if you're there just to enjoy the rides.

Disneyworld is less vacation and more work than Disneyland.

That depends on what you're trying to get out of your vacation. Disney World still has a place for us as a resort. We typically stay deluxe in the summer, and the resort and the fantastic resort pools are at least as much a part of the experience for us as the theme parks. We love Disney's water parks, too. No FastPasses there, thank goodness, just clean, creatively-themed places to go at a moments' notice and do fun water rides or float peacefully in a lazy river. We've enjoyed playing Fantasia mini-golf on a summer night, with fireworks from a nearby park going off in the distance. The WDW "bubble" helps us to truly feel like we're in another world. Disneyland can't offer those types of experiences.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I wouldn't say we've given up completely, because at some point we will be back, but no plans anytime soon. For me it is:
1) Crowds / wait times. Can't stand how crowded it is. We have been on 5 trips between 2011 and 2017. In 2011 (early Jan) and 2012 (early May) we could walk onto rides like IASW. The recent times we've been, it's been a 25-40 min wait. For IASW! There were times in those earlier trips where we felt like we were practically alone in the parks ... not anymore!
2) My kids have gotten whinier as they've gotten older. They were fun to take as babies and toddlers, excited about everything, and would fall asleep in their strollers when tired. Now they complain about various things, and one of them will sit down and refuse to walk anywhere. Yeah I know ... then I should just sit down too and wait him out ... he will sit there all day ... so I've paid $400 to get in so I can sit all day? Nope.
3) Cost ... I can go lots of places for less $$
4) Personal preference for variety - we like different kinds of vacations - national parks, Europe, cruise, other theme parks, New England, etc. We've BTDT with Disney.
5) Planning. I'm a planner, so I even like planning trips, but planning WDW has just gotten ridiculous. Yeah, like someone else said, I don't want to stay up until midnight to pick what 1 minute ride I want to do at 3:35pm several months from now.