What (if anything) made you give up wdw

[robinb]

I have been thisclose to stopping going to WDW for a few years.

• I hate FP+. HATE IT. I went to Disneyland in August and realized how much I *still* hate FP+ after using FPs (plus MaxPass) there.
• Prices have been skyrocketing. Everything is priced up Up UP every year. Every year everything costs more than it did the last year: resorts, parking, food, souvenirs and park passes. Yes, everything increases in price but Disney pricing is in a league of it's own. Park passes have doubled in price in the last 10 years even if you account for inflation.
• Upcharge parties and events are on the rise. Things that used to be free are now being charged for. The MK used to set aside a viewing area for a FP, now you need to pay $70 for a dessert party to be able to enter (and, yes I've done it because I didn't want to be squashed). You want to see hard to meet characters? Book one of the special parties. Want to avoid the crowds? Pay extra for Early Morning Magic.
• What is familiar had become a bit boring. I still have fun at WDW but it gets to be too much of the same thing for me.
• We only went to WDW once this year and I rented out over half of my DVC points so I think I make have one foot out the door because Disney is just not into me anymore.
• Frankly, the difference in prices depending on the first day of use may in fact be the last nail in the coffin after I use the park passes I have. It is just such a naked money grab.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

This past may was my last trip to the parks , I will still continue to cruise Disney simply because I like the ships but theme parks are done .. between the having to plan which rides I want on which day and what time MONTHS in advance , the resort interruptions and the new parking fees I won’t be giving disneyworld my money anymore.

 

[Forum Jumper]

It has gotten too expensive to go. We don't use smart phones so trying to use some of the services they offer is a 'no go'. The crowds are awful and for the 'happiest place on earth' has a lot are miserable people visiting. The quality of employees working there has gone down FAST over the years (as it has everywhere). I can spend that kind of money to go to happier places.

 

[720L]

We aren't giving up Disney, but it has changed for the worse. The prime Disney time for me was "Year of a Million Dreams"......after that it seems everything went downhill. Closing classic rides, losing the educational part of Disney, the dining plan, new FP system. I still love the Disney bubble but it definitely has changed. Disneyland is more like the old times for me.

 

[snappy]

The 'free' dining and dining plans have destroyed the dining experience at WDW.

I agree. Free dining and Dining plans resulted in the Dumbing down of eating at WDW. Even if you don’t participate in these plans, the quality and cost of what is available is negatively affected by them.

I have not used either. I like to have flexibility in what I eat from one day to next, not focusing on what is the best items to order on the plan or which restaurant to eat at in order to get the best deal on the plan.

 

[Snowysmom]

We haven't given up Disney but plan on watching what we spend. We rented DVC points for 2019 and aren't doing any extras like dessert parties etc. We plan to eat breakfast in the room most days. We will be doing a few table service meals but not as many as previously. We did get our kids to think about coming along with us in 2020 which would include the grandkids. After that I think we will taking a breather for a couple of years. We talked about going once a year as we are getting older and want to go while we are able but we can visit some great places for less than a 6 night trip to Disney. We will see if we are finally priced out by 2022.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Insane crowds, booking fast passes, crappy expensive food and lodging. And the realization I can take my entire family to 6 countries in Europe for three weeks for the price of a 10 day Disney vacation at a mod.

 

[Darcy03231]

I haven't given it up completely, but it's not longer a primary vacation destination. Last time we went we tacked a couple of days on to the end of a cruise because DH wanted to see Pandora and do the rides there. He's a huge Avatar fan.

For me the value just isn't there anymore. It's gotten really expensive, food is just ok at premium prices, I hate fast pass+, and Disney has just made the whole thing too darn complicated. I don't want to book reservations for restaurants 6 months in advance and my parks/rides 2 months in advance. Like previous posters we can take our family on different vacations for a longer period of time and not spend anywhere near what we spend at WDW. I also miss a lot of the little things, the white napkins with the blue castle printed on them, the butter pat shaped like Mickey's head, etc.

 

[Shanti]

Insane crowds, booking fast passes, crappy expensive food and lodging. And the realization I can take my entire family to 6 countries in Europe for three weeks for the price of a 10 day Disney vacation at a mod.

That's impressive. You must get some bargain basement deals on airfare to Europe.

 

[snappy]

Ahhh remember those napkins!

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

That's impressive. You must get some bargain basement deals on airfare to Europe.

Not at all. For a family of Five we usually paid 10 grand at Disney. Have taken many European vacations for that price including flights

 

[anniemae]

Unfortunately, even though many are frustrated with Disney, nothing will change. It seems for everyone one person who either choses not to go anymore, or who scales back their vacation by maybe staying off site and eating off site, there are 100's who will gladly go and be happy paying top dollar for mediocre product. As long as the parks are packed, there will be no incentive for Disney to change. We still like Disney, but our trips are shorter, we are staying off site, and we are combining other things into our FL vaca's.

 

[Floridaman999]

Unfortunately, even though many are frustrated with Disney, nothing will change. It seems for everyone one person who either choses not to go anymore, or who scales back their vacation by maybe staying off site and eating off site, there are 100's who will gladly go and be happy paying top dollar for mediocre product. As long as the parks are packed, there will be no incentive for Disney to change. We still like Disney, but our trips are shorter, we are staying off site, and we are combining other things into our FL vaca's.

There seems to be an unlimited number of first time visitors that will make up for those of us who either no longer go or go much less. I think WDW will always have that going for it no matter what they do at this point.

 

[goofyernmost]

That's impressive. You must get some bargain basement deals on airfare to Europe.

No, it's pretty easy to do. A couple of years ago, myself and one other went to Europe. I lived in NC and the other lived in Vermont. We flew via Iceland, to Paris, rented an apartment for a few days. We went for a day to Disneyland Paris, Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and a number of local attractions to numerous to list. We then flew to Venice got a hotel room, spent a couple of days there taking in all the sites and even went to a string quartet concert in a 500 year old church. From there we took a train to Rome, another apartment rental and spent a few days wandering all over the city via the subways. The Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Basilica, Trevi Fountain, The Colosseum and The Roman Forum, plus many other places. We got on a train and made a day trip to Pompeii. Just outside of Rome we got on a trans-Atlantic cruise that was 14 days. We made five ports of call, in France, Spain (Barcelona) and Italy, The tower of Pisa, Florence and on the way back to the ship we stopped in a winery in Tuscany for a meal and a wine tasting session. Then we sailed across the Atlantic passing by the Rock of Gibraltar before arriving in Fort Lauderdale and flying back home. We were gone for 1 month. Total cost was just a hair over $7000.00 for the two of us. Not group things, just free to see whatever we wanted to see. That beats the crap out of a week at Disney as far as fun and adventure is concerned.

 

[anniemae]

There seems to be an unlimited number of first time visitors that will make up for those of us who either no longer go or go much less. I think WDW will always have that going for it no matter what they do at this point.

I think you are right. I also think that a lot of people who are okay with the current standards never visited years ago when 20 mins. was considered an insane amount of time to wait. I remember walking down Main St. and there were like 10 other people around. What is considered very low crowds today was considered "packed" years ago. Many of the changes are good though like the new TS land, and star wars, guardians of the galaxy etc. I am excited to see how that all turns out.

 

[Colleen27]

That's impressive. You must get some bargain basement deals on airfare to Europe.

Yeah, the airfare is the killer... but if you're flexible with dates and willing to bargain hunt a bit, it can be had for less than the cost of a WDW park hopper. And since there aren't many other places in the world where the lodging-and-dining premium is as high as it is onsite at WDW or that have such high ticket prices as an essential part of the trip, it can be done. Especially in the AirBnB era, where renting an apartment rather than a hotel room is so very simple.

 

[Shanti]

Yeah, the airfare is the killer... but if you're flexible with dates and willing to bargain hunt a bit, it can be had for less than the cost of a WDW park hopper.

We're pretty much restricted to summer, so I suppose that is the difference. And we live in middle America, not on the coast.

 

[Colleen27]

We're pretty much restricted to summer, so I suppose that is the difference. And we live in middle America, not on the coast.

I'm in middle America too, but the Detroit airport is big enough that there are good deals to be had. Being restricted to summer is what hurts, I think; we're pretty flexible on when we travel and do a lot of last-minute trips based on what happens to be cheap at the moment. I hate that we're not jumping on the good overseas fares I've been seeing, but I haven't gotten my youngest her passport yet - the plan was to wait until after July so that her first renewal comes once she's an "adult" for expiration-date purposes, but I'm getting impatient.

 

[GusGus77]

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

I am wondering if they are hit or miss. We tried them last year and they were to die for. We went last month and they were not that great and disappointing.

 

[sasywtch]

I don't know if I qualify to jump into this conversation since I've only been to WDW once in 2000 for 10 nights. My daughter and her bf and some other friends just landed at MCO and spending 14 days in WDW and Universal so I'll find out in a few weeks. Anyway, back in 2000 on the AOL boards, we all joked about the commando style, every minute accounted for, the people getting all the reservations for Cinderella's castle, etc. Seems, that is now what WDW is geared for. I have zero desire to plan out my day to day schedule 6 months in advance. My daughter has her wristbands, planned her fastpasses, stressed out because she could only get a reservation for 4 at Sci Fi (???why??? it was May 2000, it was hot and humid, she had had a milkshake and a sundae and got very ill on the bus ride back.....so, she wants to go again LOL) I am one that figures I drove/flew for hundreds of miles and I want to be in the parks. I can swim at home. (not to say we don't swim for an hour 1 or 2 days but it's not part of what we are there for).

So, I will take my grandson to Disneyland again. Hopefully before StarWars opens otherwise, quite a while after that. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed Epcot and Animal Kingdom and wish it was in CA, DL is still relaxing. We stay down the street, walk a block and go to the center and decide which park we are going to that day.