where did my wdw go?

[Sheryl2059]

More entertainment options would be a good thing for new visitors or those that never got a chance to see many in the past. But not sure where they would all go now unless its more a matter of using existing venues but much faster rotations for different things.

Fantasmic has been around for such a long time and they could use the existing set and all of its infrastructure in an additional show and rotate them now and then. Not saying that would be easy to maintain, and of course not cheap, but perhaps a good use of what you already have to increase your offerings. But I suppose its like shows in Vegas that have also been around forever. Or perhaps music. Some want to hear live exactly as it is on studio albums with little to no variation. Some prefer jams using the same albums and different every single time. Depends also on whether or not the act is good at improvisation.

 

[tinkerjo]

I went to Dollywood over the summer on a family vacation. Just one day, but it made me miss Disney so much. I just didn’t feel anything. The rides were boring and dated with very little theming, it was just as crowded, and just as expensive. The shows were good but not the same. I think we just expect a lot from Disney, but for me, the magic is definitely still there!!!

 

[bobgobblin15]

Unfortunately for us the magic is gone as well. It’s the cast members, higher prices, and entitled rude people.

 

[bakerworld]

We still enjoy Disney. We do, usually, not visit MK because we think the crankiness is worse there. I wish the parents stayed more in the front of EPCOT than the WS but C'est la vie - drinkers gonna drink. Maybe MK is the crankiest because there's no beer carts.

 

[bobgobblin15]

We still enjoy Disney. We do, usually, not visit MK because we think the crankiness is worse there. I wish the parents stayed more in the front of EPCOT than the WS but C'est la vie - drinkers gonna drink. Maybe MK is the crankiest because there's no beer carts.

The no beer carts and the park with the most kid rides!

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

anybody else feel wdw is losing the magic?

Yes. We bought DVC in 2010 and sold it in 2020. All of the changes, cutbacks, etc got to be too much for us. We enjoyed going every year, but every year we got less and paid more. Some cutbacks were not a big deal, like plain brown napkins or limiting the plastic cheese that isn't really even meant for human consumption, but many of them were. And many of them were huge.

We felt Disney was no longer focused on the guest experience, but instead the guest wallet.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

We still enjoy Disney. We do, usually, not visit MK because we think the crankiness is worse there. I wish the parents stayed more in the front of EPCOT than the WS but C'est la vie - drinkers gonna drink. Maybe MK is the crankiest because there's no beer carts.

I get cranky in AK, because the food options are awful. I get hangry around noon.

 

[bbak30]

I think it just is what you make of it. But that's anything in life. It's very easy to get caught up in the things you feel like you "have to do". Social media gives us such unreasonable expectations these days. Our first trip was a decade ago and I laugh when I think back to how much we didn't know. Things have changed so much, as well as our family has changed. We started with strollers, naps, rider swap and meltdowns. Now we have teenagers who like to sleep in, roller coaster challenges, high snack bills and we have been stroller free for years!
I try not to pay attention to things going on around me and focus on my family (or friends if it's a girls trip!). And I make sure to manage my expectations, just like everything in life these days.

 

[Pluto777]

The nickle and diming does have a lot to do with it. The extreme increases in price puts people on edge. They expect more for what they are paying. When that doesn't happen, tempers can flare.

Agreed. I still love WDW and it is our 'happy place', but losing the Magical Express, free paper fast passes and reasonably priced dining has taken a toll. The constant need to be staring at a cellphone screen coupled with higher cost dining & park tickets have definitely added stress and removed value.

Imagine if they just decided new in 2025 to make it 2015 again!? They could simply bring back the exact old policies of 10 years ago, FREE paper fast passes, Magic Express, even roll back dining prices. Would it cost them more in the SHORT run? YES - but people would LOVE it and they would get the all important brand loyalty which has made WDW WDW. Universal would have no chance against them. I also believe they would make the money back in the long run - all of it and then some & get a great return on their investment. Considering Epic Universe & the competition heading down the road soon, I think they need to get back more to Walt's original idea: 'quality will outperform over time'. - There is no need to over think it.

People traditionally spend the time and money to come from all over the country to visit WDW, stay onsite, go to onsite dining etc. BECAUSE it had real quality & was great family entertainment. It was true then, and it is true now, small investments in quality now pay off much higher over the long term.

 

[Minnie1222]

Imagine if they just decided new in 2025 to make it 2015 again!? They could simply bring back the exact old policies of 10 years ago, FREE paper fast passes, Magic Express, even roll back dining prices. Would it cost them more in the SHORT run? YES - but people would LOVE it and they would get the all important brand loyalty which has made WDW WDW.

Do they also have to use the 2015 ticket rates? I'm sure people would love it so much that the parks will be packed to a standstill and the fastpass lanes would have a wait of several hours. That would certainly scare off the real brand loyalists, aka the guests who are still with Disney despite the increasing costs.

I also believe they would make the money back in the long run - all of it and then some & get a great return on their investment.

Why would they need to go back to free FP when their $400+ Premier Passes can sell out?

 

[Goldelpack]

About a zillion or so years ago (before AOL) in the 90's I used a system called PRODIGY that allowed users to access very primative message boards (BB) after business hours through IBM & Sears servers. I could download images (1 image took all night on my super duper dial up modem) and participate in many Disney discussion groups. At that time, the Magic Kingdom was open in the 20 year or so range. BB users ranted and raved at the sight of chipped paint, bit of rust, a ride that stopped working, and every possible blemish they discovered. If something were changed on an attraction some people celebrated progress while others cried and screamed about the desecration of history. I learned then that universal happiness doesn't exist and you simply can't please everyone. So yes, absolutely things have changed, prices have changed, but hey... the entire world has changed. I'm no longer watching Romper Room on a black and white television - and no longer hiding in fear because the teacher spotted me in her Magic Mirror (I was aftraid to watch tv alone for months). To expect a company not to roll with the times - that are a'changing would be rather silly. We would complain. All of WDW is thousands of times different for me now than it was back then - I'm different - WDW is different. I am ok with that despite being sad at seeing things in not great shape there and not taken care of as well as it should be. Then I look in the mirror.

 

[Rory607]

I think it just is what you make of it. But that's anything in life. It's very easy to get caught up in the things you feel like you "have to do". Social media gives us such unreasonable expectations these days. Our first trip was a decade ago and I laugh when I think back to how much we didn't know. Things have changed so much, as well as our family has changed. We started with strollers, naps, rider swap and meltdowns. Now we have teenagers who like to sleep in, roller coaster challenges, high snack bills and we have been stroller free for years!
I try not to pay attention to things going on around me and focus on my family (or friends if it's a girls trip!). And I make sure to manage my expectations, just like everything in life these days.

I agree that social media plays a part in creating unrealistic expectations. You simply can’t do everything at Disney in a single trip, but there are so many influencers out there sharing “hacks” and before you know it you have a list a mile long of things and experiences to fit in on your trip. And of course those influencers don’t show cranky, tired, crying kids (or adults, lol!)

Our first trip with kids was almost exactly 10 years ago and I tried to fit way too much in, especially with a preschooler and a baby. We’ve been lucky enough to be able to go on several Disney vacations and I know how to manage it all better. And I’m sure we still haven’t seen everything! Unfortunately, it’s not affordable for everyone to go multiple times and people doing a once-in-a-lifetime trip want to do it all, which is impossible.