I've been going to WDW since 1999. I tend to go at least three times a year, sometimes more. Do I miss the nighttime parade? Yep. Seriously? Those who think the new fireworks show precludes a parade? Why? There's no reason there can't be a parade as well. There just isn't anything all that special about Happily Ever After. Yes, it's a good show, but not good enough to fill in the empty spot of a nighttime parade.
Is Disney spending a ton of money now? Sure they are. But....let's be realistic. They're taking down GMR....so that leaves yet another hole over at DHS. Back in June, I was charged $126 to get my dd into DHS...premium cost for that particular day. Sure, a Sat in mid-June. But, for what? ToT, RnRC, TSMM, ST? Only reason we did that was so she could visit with the people she had worked with.
Epcot has entire buildings that are going unused....buildings that used to house some fairly interesting activities. Not anymore.
And now we find that MK is going to have a ton of construction...new theater along Main St and the Tron attraction over by SE. Terrific...nothing is quite as magical as scrims!
I love WDW...I truly do. But, they seem to be grabbing every last penny they can. Extra special parties...for what? A few little desserts? Used to be almost worth it, but not at the prices they charge now. Same with the Christmas and Halloween parties. The amount they are getting for those parties is nuts! And the Christmas party is a shadow of it's former self. Shows have been taken away, decorations have gotten smaller, crowds have gotten hugely larger....all with a much higher cost.
So yes...some of us really miss those nighttime parades. I don't much care about Paris and Shanghai...I don't go there. It's a cost issue with Disney..pure and simple. The same with the Lights of Winter over at Epcot. They were done away with because of obsolete technology? Seriously? Pretty sure Disney could have figured that one out if they had wanted to. They used to have a really great tree lighting show there as well....CMs from around the world around the tree. It was quite something. Now? Nothing. There have even been times when an entire section of that tree wasn't lit!!! Go figure.
I am not disenchanted. Not at all. I still feel the magic...I have trips in Sept, early Nov and then late Nov/early Dec, and late Jan planned. So, I'm obviously still going. But.....I am also spending time over at US/IoA on each trip! I'll hold an AP for both Disney and Universal. I am eating less and less at WDW restaurants due to the high cost and decreasing quality. I now rent a car, almost every single trip. Yes, my dd lives down there now, but she comes to see me. I just find myself wanting to go off Disney property more than ever. I can see the things I don't like, yet still see the things I love.
With Disney building two new hotels, it's going to put more people than ever in the parks, with no 5th gate. Disney doesn't care. And to think that someone actually told me that I am wrong....that just because there will be new hotels, that doesn't mean more people in the parks! Seriously? Does anyone really think that Disney is planning on building new hotels that will be consistently under capacity? Nope...they do their homework. And sure, the GMR was in need of serious refurb...but taking it down, with a month notice? Crazy. Never even heard a whisper of a rumor about that one!!! W all knew about Ellen's going down to make way for Guardians. I guess they think DHS needs a ride for the little ones. Terrific.
I know I'm in the minority here. Heaven forbid anyone say that Disney isn't perfectly magical. And I know that things change. You'll never hear me say 'Oh my God...Walt must be spinning. This isn't his vision'. He was all about change. But to take away some of the things that they have taken away is nutty. But, it's not my company...although I do own shares. They get to do what they want. And I get to spend less time and money there if I choose. And yes, there are plenty of people who don't feel this way and will go there and be quite happy. I get it.
