What is going on with Disney parks?

[Jrb1979]

Sounds like Universal is where you want to go in regards to theme parks.

Don't get me wrong, I had lots of fun at Magic Kingdom when I went. It was a last minute decision. I managed to get on lots of rides with only booking my fast pass at the park.

Yes I did enjoy Universal much better. It was a more relaxing pace.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Don't get me wrong, I had lots of fun at Magic Kingdom when I went. It was a last minute decision. I managed to get on lots of rides with only booking my fast pass at the park.

Yes I did enjoy Universal much better. It was a more relaxing pace.

We have 3 days at Universal before we head to Disney next month. I haven't done anything but look at some menus. It's so nice.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Here's what I'm finding out about myself lately with Disney. When I got the pin code the other day, i literally laughed out loud and told my wife, "Nope, no way in hell are we going".

I'm finding out that i'm not just "disneyed out", I'm actually pretty upset with Disney for the direction they've gone in the past few years. I'm the guy that has 25 Disney mugs in his cabinet, probably 10 disney shirts that I wear to work on occasion, and the guy that people say "you're going to disney again" and the one they come to to help plan their trip.

The planning, the pricing, the nickle and diming, the crowds, the fast passes, the parking fees, the food, you name it, its gone downhill, for us at least. For the first time since my wife and i have been together, we are looking at other destinations for vacation next year and finding that a lot more can be done for cheaper than Disney.

We're just one family, and I understand that Disney isn't hurting my losing us.

 

[sponica]

You've pretty much listed why I'm on a parks hiatus. Really interested in trying a cruise though.

I did a DCL cruise for my honeymoon because it was actually cheaper than WDW, it was amazing. The only reason I haven't returned is because we want our daughter to be a little older (she's 3 now). While I know I could dump her off at the kids club, she's slow to warm up and that wouldn't work well for her. They are more expensive than other cruise lines, but you still get that Disney touch/feel without dealing with the insanity of the parks. You can be low-key and just lounge on the boat or book excursions if you so choose.

 

[The Pho]

I would never go to that much detail to plan my vacation. Doesn't any one just book a flight and hotel anymore? Doing what you want when you want makes for much better vacations. Planning down to the minute of every day what you are doing is like being at work for me. I like to get away from work on my vacation.

Thats precisely how I do every park I go to, including Disney. I don’t decide which park I’m going to more than the night before usually. Grab fastpasses that morning and dining reservations on the way to the restaurants.

 

[sponica]

Thats precisely how I do every park I go to, including Disney. I don’t decide which park I’m going to more than the night before usually. Grab fastpasses that morning and dining reservations on the way to the restaurants.

I think if it was just my husband and myself, we'd be more inclined to go with the flow like that. But with a youngish kid, I'm not playing games with standby wait times over 30ish minutes or being boxed out of meal times she needs to eat.

 

[firefly_ris]

Thats precisely how I do every park I go to, including Disney. I don’t decide which park I’m going to more than the night before usually. Grab fastpasses that morning and dining reservations on the way to the restaurants.

Yeah. I was just on MDE last night and for fun (because I'm a nerd) I took a look at what dinner reservations were available for the following day, and there was a ton of options. There was even Ohana, V&A's, all sorts of stuff available with multiple time options. Then I tried for dinner that same night; there were less options but still quite a lot. I think if someone has their heart set one one really particular place and it's really important to them, the 180 mark could be important for that, but it wasn't like there was nothing to choose from. And barring that, lots of quick service mobile order options. On our trip in February I originally had I think 6 ADRs planned for our 7 night stay and we ended up actually using 3 or 4, and that was after changing my original ones a billion times. We ended up leaving MK earlier than planned one day because the kids were done and headed to DS instead, and I grabbed a Raglan Road res on the way over there.

As much as I dislike whipping out my phone at Disney, that IS one advantage I think, the ability to just keep modifying stuff or grabbing something at the last minute. As for FPs I tend to lean more towards the earlier the better to book because I just really do not want to wait in line 90 minutes with 3 kids for Mine Train. or 120 min for FoP. But then after you secure the big ones, it's still so easy to grab more and more on the fly... and modify that too.But, even if you don't get an FP, it's not like it's impossible to ride, you just have to wait. Unfortunately they installed FP on too many rides and makes older, low loading rides into unbearable wait times for a 2 minute ride.

 

[The Pho]

I think if it was just my husband and myself, we'd be more inclined to go with the flow like that. But with a youngish kid, I'm not playing games with standby wait times over 30ish minutes or being boxed out of meal times she needs to eat.

I never wait more than 30 minutes for anything, and in general hit every attraction every trip. But eating at normal times can be a little tougher, but at slightly off hours you can pretty much eat anywhere. Hard ticket events make it much easier to avoid planning also, after hours especially if you’re willing to pay for them.

 

[Heather07438]

(looking forward to trying Sanaa again, Tiffins, Jungle Skipper)

Those are our 3 favorites!

My in-laws decided to go to Disney with grandkids. They invited me over for dinner to help plan. Everything that came up made them uncomfortable. They won't be rope-dropping, too early. They're not sure what parks they definitely want to visit but they love MK (went 20ya). They don't want to think about food now. It's no surprise they came back from the trip disappointed.

I'm not blaming them. They spent tons of money and thought they could relax like any other vacation. Showing up to a park at 11am with day-of FPs is horrible. Popping in to the closest food option when you're hungry is horrible. This is their vacation style and it didn't jive at WDW. They missed out on many experiences, always 2 steps behind the pack. People not experienced in the parks can't just 'wing it' without giving up alot.
I think WDW Genie is supposed to help guests like this... we'll see.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

We’re down here right now, and there are still so many people who walk around very obviously not knowing (or maybe not caring) about planning. I think people really overestimate people’s willingness or ability to plan to the extent many of us super fans do.

I can’t tell you how many times we heard people in line for rope drop making their plans right then and there, people trying to book their first 3 FP at MK late afternoon on the only day of the week it was open past 6, people who are surprised by those early MK closings, people who are having the FP system explained in the parks by a CM, people complaining about how little they got accomplished that day (on previously mentioned MK day), etc.

Now personally, I wouldn’t go on any vacation “blind”. I guess I can thank Disney training for that LOL. But lots of people still do, and I think lots do get turned off.

On a side note, we are having massive success with EEMH and the 4th+ FP. We are finishing entire parks (minus shows) in half a day. It’s why I have time to write this . My biggest current issue with the parks (price and crowds aside of course, lol) is the photopass people. Where have they gone?? There used to be so many more around the parks, not just at the front. So many spots we have had pictures previously with nobody there anymore. I also am seriously unimpressed with the prevalence of the parties but that’s not a new or surprising complaint.

 

[snappy]

We’re down here right now, and there are still so many people who walk around very obviously not knowing (or maybe not caring) about planning. I think people really overestimate people’s willingness or ability to plan to the extent many of us super fans do.

I can’t tell you how many times we heard people in line for rope drop making their plans right then and there, people trying to book their first 3 FP at MK late afternoon on the only day of the week it was open past 6, people who are surprised by those early MK closings, people who are having the FP system explained in the parks by a CM, people complaining about how little they got accomplished that day (on previously mentioned MK day), etc.

Now personally, I wouldn’t go on any vacation “blind”. I guess I can thank Disney training for that LOL. But lots of people still do, and I think lots do get turned off.

On a side note, we are having massive success with EEMH and the 4th+ FP. We are finishing entire parks (minus shows) in half a day. It’s why I have time to write this . My biggest current issue with the parks (price and crowds aside of course, lol) is the photopass people. Where have they gone?? There used to be so many more around the parks, not just at the front. So many spots we have had pictures previously with nobody there anymore. I also am seriously unimpressed with the prevalence of the parties but that’s not a new or surprising complaint.

Thanks for the live report!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We’re down here right now, and there are still so many people who walk around very obviously not knowing (or maybe not caring) about planning. I think people really overestimate people’s willingness or ability to plan to the extent many of us super fans do.

I can’t tell you how many times we heard people in line for rope drop making their plans right then and there, people trying to book their first 3 FP at MK late afternoon on the only day of the week it was open past 6, people who are surprised by those early MK closings, people who are having the FP system explained in the parks by a CM, people complaining about how little they got accomplished that day (on previously mentioned MK day), etc.

Now personally, I wouldn’t go on any vacation “blind”. I guess I can thank Disney training for that LOL. But lots of people still do, and I think lots do get turned off.

I always look to the silver lining in these cases. You do not want everyone to know everything there is to know

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I always look to the silver lining in these cases. You do not want everyone to know everything there is to know

Absolutely!

 

[dreiwhit]

The planning, the pricing, the nickle and diming, the crowds, the fast passes, the parking fees, the food, you name it, its gone downhill, for us at least. For the first time since my wife and i have been together, we are looking at other destinations for vacation next year and finding that a lot more can be done for cheaper than Disney.

We feel the same way. After our 2018 trip, we did not go back in 2019 and won't go back in 2020. All of the items you mentioned have really begun to bother us.

 

[ChipnDale79]

We feel the same way. After our 2018 trip, we did not go back in 2019 and won't go back in 2020. All of the items you mentioned have really begun to bother us.

We're out for 2020. We're in the process of finding other options for next year and I've been surprised what i can find for us to do for the same price or less than our yearly disney trip.

We drive to disney so i don't have to account for airfare, and i'm finding that if we were to fly somewhere next year, that trip is still cheaper or the same price as our current disney trips.

We are going back in 2021 with grandparents before they get too old. But we're moving from yearly to at least every 2 years now.

I can't continue to give them my money blindly the way they've changed things in the past 5 years.

 

[Moliphino]

I still need my yearly WDW fix, it's my comfortable stress-free vacation (yes, even with all the advanced planning). After a few Europe trips, I've found that one of my favorite things about a Disney trip is always knowing there's a bathroom nearby. I'm always paranoid about drinking too much and then not being able to find a bathroom when I need one, then I end up getting dehydrated.

 

[BGinCali]

I still need my yearly WDW fix, it's my comfortable stress-free vacation (yes, even with all the advanced planning). After a few Europe trips, I've found that one of my favorite things about a Disney trip is always knowing there's a bathroom nearby. I'm always paranoid about drinking too much and then not being able to find a bathroom when I need one, then I end up getting dehydrated.

This is us! Just back from Italy (less expensive than our Disney), but the bathrooms & dehydration was my daily concern!

 

[Ellie Webbs]

Our bank account has reaching the tipping point, due to the rising prices and the rubbish pound sterling to dollar exchange rate. Emotionally though, I don't think I have a tipping point. We went to Disney for our honeymoon and have been every couple of years since. I've been a Disney parks official dedicated fan since I was 6. If I have to eat beans on toast forever to get back, I think I would. There have been failings lately in the running of the park's but i would rather be there than lying on a beach in Corfu or Italy etc bored out of my brain, we aren't those type of holidayers at the end of the day...

 

[Alynw]

At the risk of repeating things the issue that I see is that some people (on both sides) only see their way of a vacation. I say that because of the comments about what it really takes to have a successful and pleasant Disney vacation which is such an subjective thing to say combined with comments like "if they just listened to me"

We didn't book a single ADR in DLR in March and only booked Oga's at DLR in September and like I said on my prior comment our 2017 WDW trip was great but they weren't make it or break it. Somehow we lived

There's not a "whole extent" here. Either you see that Disney says Reservations Strongly Recommended and go to book an ADR or you don't. Either you see that FP is available to you and you can book them or you don't. From what you said your friends knew at least a bit about that stuff. And in all honesty you can't control when Disney purposefully manipulates the SB line. If you couldn't get a FP for a ride and you still want to ride it you'll go through SB.

I think a lot of people describe friends, coworkers, and acquaintances who probably would have disliked Disney in just about every scenario (maybe sometimes they would have had a marginally better time but still seems to be the type of people who aren't Disney folks). If they couldn't have gotten the ADR they wanted I would bet they still would have been upset. Would having ADRs or FPs removed the crowds or reduced the cost? No. They went during Christmas. I don't even want to go during Christmas not only for crowds but travel reasons. I'm normally not really wanting to travel like that though I have done it before (most recently a few days before Christmas from NYC back home in 2017). Always makes me stressful after the cruise we took the week before Christmas and the ice storm we had back when I was 15 (too long of a story to tell).

The thing is, our friends are huge Disney fans, they love and go to all the Disney movies as soon as they come out, growing up they dressed their daughter in all the Disney princesses, they collect Disney memorabilia, their daughter room was decorated Disney, so yea they are definitely big Disney fans as we are. Our daughters are same age and grew up together and were always Disney tv, Disney on ice, etc..So whether or not ur your "Disney Folks" dont mean ur going to like or dislike the parks. There is definitely a "whole extent" of planning. You can decide to only do fp, u can just do ADR, you can even do both and it's still even close to being done with planning if you really want to plan. There is so much more than people realize than just fp and adr and this is what I was talking about with the whole extent of the planning process. And although planning wont be the difference between loving or hating in every trip, it absolutely makes the difference in some. Yea, I agree that if they would've got their desired fp and adr it still wouldn't make the crowds, long lines and money go away but it can make things better which can make ur experience better and could be the difference in opinion. It's not just fp and adr you have to consider. Most all first time guests dont get the whole extent of the planning, yes Disney says RSVP recommended for fp and adr but what Disney doesn't say is, you should review a map of the resorts and the parks and all the different types of transportation available and make sure u pick a resort based on ur needs, this resort only has 1 bus, this resort has monorail, u can use van, u can even call uber, etc.. and these are all very important parts of planning and can be extremely frustrating after u arrive and didn't realize u should've considered all this. Also, the Disney site doesn't say hey, take note that some of the days there are EMH in specific parks on specific days and the crowds tend to be a lot higher so if ur not taking advantage of EMH then u might want to plan around this. It also dosent say, u need to take into consideration the days we do they special ticket event party that the crowds tend to be lower that day but note, if u dont have a ticket u have to leave the park early. This is just few examples of the planning that I consider "whole extent". Now proper planning wont make the actual prices go down, it can definitely help make people feel like they got their money's worth. So I do agree, the best planning in the world wont make the difference for everyone but I do believe it could make the difference for a big majority. If our friends would've taken some time and listen to some advice, they could've ensured they booked the best resort for their needs, researched the EMH/special event days to plan which days they went to which park, gotten the top fast passes, booked some character meals, decided on transportation and by doing so, they would've had a much better experience that might've resulted a different opinion. This is just my opinion based off my experience, different strokes for different folks.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The thing is, our friends are huge Disney fans, they love and go to all the Disney movies as soon as they come out, growing up they dressed their daughter in all the Disney princesses, they collect Disney memorabilia, their daughter room was decorated Disney, so yea they are definitely big Disney fans as we are. Our daughters are same age and grew up together and were always Disney tv, Disney on ice, etc..So whether or not ur your "Disney Folks" dont mean ur going to like or dislike the parks. There is definitely a "whole extent" of planning. You can decide to only do fp, u can just do ADR, you can even do both and it's still even close to being done with planning if you really want to plan. There is so much more than people realize than just fp and adr and this is what I was talking about with the whole extent of the planning process. And although planning wont be the difference between loving or hating in every trip, it absolutely makes the difference in some. Yea, I agree that if they would've got their desired fp and adr it still wouldn't make the crowds, long lines and money go away but it can make things better which can make ur experience better and could be the difference in opinion. It's not just fp and adr you have to consider. Most all first time guests dont get the whole extent of the planning, yes Disney says RSVP recommended for fp and adr but what Disney doesn't say is, you should review a map of the resorts and the parks and all the different types of transportation available and make sure u pick a resort based on ur needs, this resort only has 1 bus, this resort has monorail, u can use van, u can even call uber, etc.. and these are all very important parts of planning and can be extremely frustrating after u arrive and didn't realize u should've considered all this. Also, the Disney site doesn't say hey, take note that some of the days there are EMH in specific parks on specific days and the crowds tend to be a lot higher so if ur not taking advantage of EMH then u might want to plan around this. It also dosent say, u need to take into consideration the days we do they special ticket event party that the crowds tend to be lower that day but note, if u dont have a ticket u have to leave the park early. This is just few examples of the planning that I consider "whole extent". Now proper planning wont make the actual prices go down, it can definitely help make people feel like they got their money's worth. So I do agree, the best planning in the world wont make the difference for everyone but I do believe it could make the difference for a big majority. If our friends would've taken some time and listen to some advice, they could've ensured they booked the best resort for their needs, researched the EMH/special event days to plan which days they went to which park, gotten the top fast passes, booked some character meals, decided on transportation and by doing so, they would've had a much better experience that might've resulted a different opinion. This is just my opinion based off my experience, different strokes for different folks.

Anyone can be a Disney fan or enjoy offerings from Disney owned things and yet not be a Disney theme park person. Or for that matter theme/amusement parks in general.

When I said whole extent it's because of how you phrased things. Your viewpoint on what you have to do is far more than what the basics are. TBH sometimes less is more especially to some types of tourists. It's no wonder you see things in a different light and I mean that in a not mean way at all. There is such a thing as overcomplicating and overwhelming yourself unnecessarily.

Disney can't spoonfeed people. However, there is information there.

If you want to know about park hours you go here:


If you click on more hours the entire calendar opens up with a ton more information such as right now Eat to the Beat concert series, fireworks and entertainment schedule and more.

If you're looking at what park hours would be for your trip you can find out when EMH occurs and with EMM occurs and when MNSSHP occurs and when MVMCP occurs and when DAH occurs. You do have to be looking at park hours in the first place. If you're not well . And don't get me wrong I'm not knocking those types of tourist--my in-laws are those types of tourists lol.

As for crowds being higher--that's subjective and what crowd calendars tend to tell people. Experience can come into play but be realistic too. You really expect Disney to ascertain that every day there is an EMH that the park that has it will be more crowded AND you want them to put that in print? What company does that? I'm presently not aware of a company that does that.

You're right it's different strokes for different folks. That's exactly why I don't take to heart some of the stories told or get hurt or upset or whatever if someone didn't have the best of times at Disney. I can see what type of tourist they may be, some of the complaints are literally nothing to do with Disney itself as a company, some things cannot be helped either. I think the discussion might be different if you took people who were not on the DIS and didn't get excel sheet happy (and I'm one of those people by the way lol) and discussed their trips. Our frame of mind can already be impacted simply because we are on the DIS.