Worst change in the last 10 years...What do you miss most

[Mom2aJessieGirl]

Worst change in ten years? Easy. The implementation of the 180+10 ADR system. All spontaneity has been removed from the ability to get a decent meal. If you care at all about dining at Disney, you now have to plan your vactions more than half a year in advance. And even worse. Not only do you have to figure out that you are going to WDW more than half a year in advance, you now have to scour the internet to find reliable park opening times and EMH schedules so that you can plan which park you are going to visit 6 friggin' months before you actually travel. Heaven forbid you land that coveted table at Cindy's Castle 189 days before departure, only to decide two weeks before you go that the MK is not really a good park to visit that day. And when you score that table at Le Cellier at 5:15 for dinner, you are pretty much committed to touring Epcot that day, like it or not.

Planning a Disney vacation is a lot fun, no doubt about it. But we all know that our park plans influence our dining choices, and our dining choices influence our park plans. But do we really have to make these decisons 190 days in advance? The fallout has been three-fold:

1.) It has caused people to double (or triple) book ressies, which in turn makes getting ressies even harder;
2.) It has made it next to impossible for local residents to dine at the nicer restaurants. (Do you make dinner reservations in your home town 180 days in advance?); and
3.) It has removed almost all chance of flying by the seat of your pants while doing a Disney vacation. Try to walk up at the nicer restaurants and you will be turned away in favor of people who uber-planned their trips more than 6 months in advance, leading you to the conclusion that if you can't beat them, you must join them. And when everyone "joins them", it turns planning a Disney vacation into a strategic coordination effort that rivals planning the Normandy invasion.

I've been taking Disney vacations since the first summer they were open (1972) and have been back almost every year since, at least once a year. Planning a trip has never been so complicated or stressful as it is now, and I attribute a lot of that to change over to the 180+10 system. 60 days for on-site guests and 30 days for everyone else was just fine. It didn't need to change.

Very well said!


I haven't been in over 10 years, but I have a feeling that I will DEFINITELY miss being able to walk up or even make same-day reservations. We booked a trip this past weekend that starts on 2/15/11...I am panicking because I don't want to eat counter service for EVERY meal!!! Yet, I don't want to plan out every day's dinner already. Our vacations are about flexibility, and this dining ADR business is taking the fun out of picking restaurants....IMHO.

 

[KimR]

The Dining Plan in general. Since restaurants are only compensated xxx dollars per meal credit, they have been forced to alter menus, go to premade standard desserts, get rid of unique entrees, etc.

Also, it has turned the nicer restaurants into family restaurants so that any attempt to have a quiet, romantic meal with quality food and a nice bottle of wine must now be tried at only those places not on the dining plan.

I agree with all of this. The food quality in general has gone downhill even at some of the signature restaurants. We are going to start frequenting those not on the dining plan and maybe even venturing off-site.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Tapestry of Nations parade.

Lights of Winter at Epcot.

Tree Lighting at Epcot involving cms from different countries.

I miss different and unique merchandise from all over WDW. Now everything is the same no matter wher you go.

I also miss being able to walk up to a restaurant and ask for a table for dinner and be told yes. When we were there last Oct. it was so nice to walk up to La Hacienda de San Angel ,ask for a table and be seated within minutes.

Breakfast at Tony's Town Square in the MK. We ate here on every visit for years. It was so nice to be able to order from the menu. The food was very good also.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

Nice! I second this!

 

[hookedonears]

As outdated as the old Mexico ride was, its replacement, The 3 Caballeros is just not good. I realize that Disney was trying to do what they could to make EPCOT a little more kids friendly, but the product they came up with is very underwhelming.

 

[I-Bike]

Lots of people really dislike free dining.

 

[eliza61]

Worst change in ten years? Easy. The implementation of the 180+10 ADR system. All spontaneity has been removed from the ability to get a decent meal. If you care at all about dining at Disney, you now have to plan your vactions more than half a year in advance. And even worse. Not only do you have to figure out that you are going to WDW more than half a year in advance, you now have to scour the internet to find reliable park opening times and EMH schedules so that you can plan which park you are going to visit 6 friggin' months before you actually travel. Heaven forbid you land that coveted table at Cindy's Castle 189 days before departure, only to decide two weeks before you go that the MK is not really a good park to visit that day. And when you score that table at Le Cellier at 5:15 for dinner, you are pretty much committed to touring Epcot that day, like it or not.

1.) It has caused people to double (or triple) book ressies, which in turn makes getting ressies even harder;2.) It has made it next to impossible for local residents to dine at the nicer restaurants. (Do you make dinner reservations in your home town 180 days in advance?); and
3.) It has removed almost all chance of flying by the seat of your pants while doing a Disney vacation. Try to walk up at the nicer restaurants and you will be turned away in favor of people who uber-planned their trips more than 6 months in advance, leading you to the conclusion that if you can't beat them, you must join them. And when everyone "joins them", it turns planning a Disney vacation into a strategic coordination effort that rivals planning the Normandy invasion.

I've been taking Disney vacations since the first summer they were open (1972) and have been back almost every year since, at least once a year. Planning a trip has never been so complicated or stressful as it is now, and I attribute a lot of that to change over to the 180+10 system. 60 days for on-site guests and 30 days for everyone else was just fine. It didn't need to change.

I have a family reunion in August, do you know the travel agent actually encouraged our family to triple book. She said it was the only way to ensure getting a choice of restaurants during free dining. So naturally when I said this was not very nice, I was shouted down. My 180 day window opens up next month and I have family members already with 3 different adrs for each night. Unfortunately I can't blame them.

I also miss having fabulous food. I miss leaving a wdw restaurant and saying "wow, that was a great meal" (yes, it used to be the norm not the exception). Now I'm happy if the meal is hot! LOL but really sad.

Couple that with the stratergy in getting fastpasses for TSM and seeing fantasmic and it's almost as much planning as I put into my wedding.

attraction wise: I miss river country and adventurers club.

 

[jpdeg99]

the skyway, and 20,000 leagues.

We do the dining plan because it makes money sense for us. it's also nice to have everthing pre-paid and not have to worry about money spent on food.

That said, the eservation system is absolutely ridiculous. I don't want to have to know where I am eating 6 months in advance. We dont like to overplan vacations, and thismakes us do just that. However, we have never had trouble getting into some of the Epcot restaurants, and usually do not reserve a few nights just to leave that little bit of flexibility.

 

[JimmyV]

My 180 day window opens up next month and I have family members already with 3 different adrs for each night. Unfortunately I can't blame them.

How do they already have ADRs for August??

 

[Lewisc]

I agree about the 180+10 comments. Not everyone plans every trip 6 months in advance.

Standardization Is my complaint. Menus are almost the same from restaurant to restaurant. Don't blame the DDP. Food menus at the bars are now standardized. Specialty adult drinks are pretty much standardized. My memory is Boma used to have a greater variety of food items that aren't served in other buffets. Forget about resort or park specific merchandise. The new stuff is generic Disney Parks, not even WDW specific.

Free DDP is offered during slow time periods in which deeply discounted resort rates would otherwise be offered. Disney is already fine tuning the promotion. A room in a value resort no longer gives you 4 adult meal plans (2 parents and 2 teenage kids). It now gives you 4 QS plans.

 

[JackieMD]

Ringnes beer
Akershus before the Princesses
River Country
Tapestry of Nations
The quality of the food (hate the dining plan and "free dining")
Cranium Command
Adventurers Club
Comedy Club
Spoodles - though Kouzzina is good
Hunchback Show

 

[midnightlouise]

OK, so it's 12 years, but I still miss Mr. Toad. To me this is a classic, not just for the movie (which we watch every October along with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow!) but the excellent book that my DS10 and I have enjoyed.

River Country

JIYI


In the words of DS10:
"Seems like all the best rides were closed before I was even born!!"

I know we can see old school rides at DL, but as I have mentioned, it's neither logistically nor financially as feasible as WDW. But I will go back one day...oh yes...

 

[hookedonears]

Free dining is the worst change by far. Disney use to have a great package many years ago called the Fall Fantacy Package. Disney discounted the package significantly, which also included a free character breakfast per person each day of our trip. It's hard to believe, but as I remember, our family of 3, including a 2 1/2 year old, stayed at the Polynesian for 4 nights with park hopper passes including water parks with free character breakfast every day for $1200 including taxes, transfers, everything. My how things have changed.

 

[nurtz]

What do I miss? Been visiting the World since 1974 and have made around 30 trips.

Disney Dining the way it was...before the dining plan and free dining
Horizons
Wonders of Life
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
River Country

 

[MarkF0wle]

I really really stumped with this one until I read the last post. I miss most of all.. River Country. I went there once in my entire time spent at Disney & had the best fun. It wasn't ultra commercial & high capacity which is I think what killed it but such great fun. It's just a waste it sits there unused.

 

[hookedonears]

The worst thing that Disney has ever done by far is replace E ticket nights with extra magic hours. E ticket nights was the best thing that Disney ever had.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Figaro Fries.

That's it.

Yes, really.

 

[kidd_freeper]

Worst changes:
1. Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Yes, TSM is a great replacement, but could've been placed elsewhere)
2. Cranium Command
3. World of Motion
4. The Hat in HS

Would liked to have experienced (but didn't):
1. Adventurer's Club
2. Horizons

Best changes:
1. Fast Passes
2. Soarin'
3. Removing the wand from EPCOT sphere

 

[mcd2745]

The worst thing that Disney has ever done by far is replace E ticket nights with extra magic hours. E ticket nights was the best thing that Disney ever had.

Can't disagree with that. Those were great. Easily the best value of all the money ever spent at WDW.

 

[danny1649]

To keep me me from coming back , though I thought the Christmas decorations are gettiing more cheap each year.