Worst Trip Ever -- HATE the changes!

[draybook]

I hate to be a party pooper but based on your post it seems besides crowds (and again, its Disney World, not 6 Flags Great Adventure) most of your issues were with your party, not the company.

Do you not have a smart phone? All (no offense) non flip phones have easy email access and all rooms (if you were staying on site, and I would say most if not all Orlando hotels) offer free wifi so the ability to check email (even if you don't, doing it through your cell carrier isn't that expensive) to check for an email doesn't seem so outlandish.

And as for the rules, you should always check online or sites like this to see what has changed, lots of things change or rides are closed or things are under construction all year long.

Someone with a disability, tough, very hard, I understand that, but if they are in a wheelchair or a scooter or are unable to move themselves, nobody can push and hold the wheelchair? They also have break/locks so that when you aren't moving they don't roll.

And for your kids who refused to wear their arm bands, aren't you their parent? Don't you have any control? You paid for their Disney vacation, the least they can do is wear what is basically a watch.


It just seems as though you wanted the perfect experience, and didn't do your research, again I am not trying to be an *** or anything, but to consider never going to Disney again because your kids wouldn't wear their bands (do they not hold their phones or keys or anything on their own?) and that there were crowds and that you were with a handicapped person makes it seem like you just didn't plan on something happening, which is silly when everyone in the world wants to go to Disney 12 months a year

There's what, about 17 million people that visit WDW per year, how many people do you see registered on these types of sites? That's a ridiculous expectation.

And if your kid isn't comfortable wearing the bands why would you force them to wear it?

And expecting everyone to have a smartphone is also ridiculous. I know people that don't have a cell phone at all.

 

[AmyBWV99]

Disney is basically saying that they are following a trend (kids going to iPads in schools vs textbooks type trends) while in theory it is exactly what works for my family and co-travelers it's definitely excluding all the 'perks' to non smart phone/tablet oriented families.

Right, wrong or indifferent after their investment of 1+ billion dollars it's here to stay. Like I said we had band issues as everyone else so I think opening the guinea pig pool so big is their shame. It wasn't ready.

 

[mousehockey37]

Disney is basically saying that they are following a trend (kids going to iPads in schools vs textbooks type trends) while in theory it is exactly what works for my family and co-travelers it's definitely excluding all the 'perks' to non smart phone/tablet oriented families.

Right, wrong or indifferent after their investment of 1+ billion dollars it's here to stay. Like I said we had band issues as everyone else so I think opening the guinea pig pool so big is their shame. It wasn't ready.

You couldn't be more right about how they are following the trend. If anyone needs any proof, stand at the back of Main St. or up at the train station and watch Wishes and just look at the sea of iPad/iPhone/Tablet/Smartphone screens that you see... To say that Disney couldn't see this is an understatement.

 

[rteetz]

Disney is basically saying that they are following a trend (kids going to iPads in schools vs textbooks type trends) while in theory it is exactly what works for my family and co-travelers it's definitely excluding all the 'perks' to non smart phone/tablet oriented families. Right, wrong or indifferent after their investment of 1+ billion dollars it's here to stay. Like I said we had band issues as everyone else so I think opening the guinea pig pool so big is their shame. It wasn't ready.

I do agree with you but not everyone is having band issues I have seen a lot of people have no problems with there's. I also think due to problems Disney hasn't labeled it a complete system yet and are still making changes.

 

[Zoie]

Wow. I never expected so much conversation on what was a simple disgruntled trip report.

I'm a seasoned Disney veteran, but did not think I was going to be able to come this year. It came together at the last minute (meaning two or three months out rather than a year out as usual) and I hadn't followed all the changes Disney made, thinking I wasn't coming this year. When I realized I was coming and began reading of all these changes, it was very overwhelming, trying to figure out HOW to plan this trip to make it as magical as all the others in years past, when I knew EXACTLY how to do Disney. The trouble was, despite reading zillions of posts on this board and asking a few questions, and many hours of research on Disney's site, allears, touringplans, on the phone with Disney, etc., I went into this trip STILL feeling unprepared. For one thing, nobody knew when fp+ was going to roll out in each park as I was planning. Everything was guesswork. I had to keep changing plans as things kept rolling out. To say I didn't come prepared is ridiculous given the many many hours that I spent TRYING to prepare, and one should not HAVE to spend all this time researching in order to have a good time on their vacation.

Second, the handicapped comments. I know people think they get to "skip the lines." Like someone else said, there have been many rides where we have to wait LONGER than others, because there are several handicapped people in line and they don't just put you on when you first walk up, they do make you wait awhile. Sometimes they HAVE to make you wait awhile because there is one special car that is created for handicapped people, and while other people are walking up and getting on a ride with no wait, you are waiting twenty minutes for your handicapped car to come around. Other times, yes, you get on the ride quicker than other people in the queue. But the time you save there, you lose in other places. Walkers can walk wherever they want. Try to maneuver a huge ECV wherever you want. You have to find ramps, you have to get people to move out of your way (and NOBODY watches where they're going so it is NOT easy to do!) and just maneuvering around the park takes a LOT more time than it does for walkers. When you get to the ride, you have to go ask how to board the ride (this is based on years past), then go park your ECV where they tell you, transfer to a wheelchair, get your wheelchair to the place they want you to board, get back to the wheelchair from wherever they drop you off which isn't always close and when you can only walk a few steps it can cause big problems sometimes, then wheel back to where your ECV is parked, and get back in it. All that takes time too, you know. It's just part of life as a handicapped person and they are used to having to deal with that. And yes, I know people abuse the policy and Disney has to do SOMETHING about it. I have no problem with the new way -- what I have a problem with is that not ONE CM told us anything about it. They simply told her to get in a wheelchair and get in the standby line. Not a word was said about the existence of any kind of card. No, it's not the same as getting a GAC because we never had to get one before. Ever. She has her own ECV and Disney has ALWAYS boarded her through their handicapped entrances with no card at all.

On every trip, this friend accompanies us a day or two, and we usually spend a week. It was not a bad trip because we didn't get to "skip the lines." We always have the majority of our trip not getting to "skip the lines." (And even on the days we DO "skip the lines," we don't accomplish any more than we do on days we wait in lines regularly because of the reasons I outlined above. Being handicapped is harder than people realize...) It was a bad trip for her because they expected her to do things that caused her a great deal of pain and exhaustion to do and nobody told us that there was any other way to do it. She even asked, "Is it like this now at every ride?" and explained that she couldn't handle the way the queue was done, and was simply told, "Every ride has their own policy." Nobody said a word about, "Did you know you could go to guest relations and get a card to help you out with what you can't do???"

 

[Zoie]

Also, I DO plan to write to corporate about our experience, as well, and my handicapped friend has already written her complaints.

 

[davedmaine]

I hate to be a party pooper but based on your post it seems besides crowds (and again, its Disney World, not 6 Flags Great Adventure) most of your issues were with your party, not the company.

Do you not have a smart phone? All (no offense) non flip phones have easy email access and all rooms (if you were staying on site, and I would say most if not all Orlando hotels) offer free wifi so the ability to check email (even if you don't, doing it through your cell carrier isn't that expensive) to check for an email doesn't seem so outlandish.

And as for the rules, you should always check online or sites like this to see what has changed, lots of things change or rides are closed or things are under construction all year long.

Someone with a disability, tough, very hard, I understand that, but if they are in a wheelchair or a scooter or are unable to move themselves, nobody can push and hold the wheelchair? They also have break/locks so that when you aren't moving they don't roll.

And for your kids who refused to wear their arm bands, aren't you their parent? Don't you have any control? You paid for their Disney vacation, the least they can do is wear what is basically a watch.

It just seems as though you wanted the perfect experience, and didn't do your research, again I am not trying to be an *** or anything, but to consider never going to Disney again because your kids wouldn't wear their bands (do they not hold their phones or keys or anything on their own?) and that there were crowds and that you were with a handicapped person makes it seem like you just didn't plan on something happening, which is silly when everyone in the world wants to go to Disney 12 months a year

Wow.. Put down the Kool Aid

 

[AmyBWV99]

Our issues weren't as bad as some; they could not get things linked before we left for their lives. Once there totally checked and my DH went to the pool bar couldn't pay even tho we'd set everything up from home, my band was ok his said incorrect pin. We got it fixed quickly enough after a trip to the front desk it was just irritating.

 

[AmyBWV99]

I would comment that it was interesting that with the GAC changes before they issued my oldest a pass card no questions but gave me the inquisition this last trip about their diagnosis's. I was fine with it in general but then they asked and WHY is that an issue for lines? I was thinking um..... Are you not seeing this kid jumping, running in circles, hand flapping, screeching and attempting to scale your counter to get to you MIGHT be the issue? My other son has low tone and less 'noticeable' so I get them asking for him, but seriously on my younger son I was thinking common sense is missing in some......

 

[MET270]

Is that what you really think happened- people in a wheelchair or ECV got to "skip lines"? I must not have any luck because that never happened for me in my 5 years of visiting DW with an ECV. In fact my family and I frequently had to wait LONGER than everyone else.

Yes, that is what happened a lot of the time. Hence the rule change. Did you not read about the abuse of the cards by "tour guides", it was all over the news. This is also what was being stated by the OP, this trip they had to wait in line with everyone else. I'm not trying to be rude or mean to anyone, it was my opinion of what I gathered from the post.

 

[MET270]

You just contradicted yourself. You say that this board is for people to give their honest feelings. Well, people are doing that and since it's not the response you want to hear, it's automatically considered mean? I've seen threads that are far worse than this one. Yes, the OP had a bad experience. The way that they have set up their story seems to think they want sympathy from the readers, unfortunately, there are those out there that are going to see the other side and they have voiced their honest feelings about what the OP said. As I stated in an earlier post, what the OP as well as every other person who's having less than memorable times should be doing is constructing well written and thought out emails and sending them to the Disney brass. Coming here will obviously show us the issues, but doing the latter will be what hopefully gets something done.

Exactly!!

 

[heaven2dc]

I'm so sorry you had an awful trip. That doesn't sound like fun at all. That's frustrating. And to the several posters ahead of me--when did it become ok to speak to others in such a condescending manner? If you don't have something nice to say, just don't say anything at all.

I agree with you 100%!! We all have had some less than perfect experience at Disney. (There are those who will either completely deny it or haven't experienced a major hiccup yet that makes them second guess going again) but its not Dis-friendly to be so harsh esp to one dealing with small children and someone in a wheelchaiir.

I can sympathze with the poster and only hope they give Disney chance.

 

[MPB82]

Wow.. Put down the Kool Aid

I don't have a Disney tattoo, it wasn't made to be "Disney is wonderful, you are the devil"

After reading her initital post (and again reading it now) I did not think that she went alone with 3 extremely young children and a person who needed a scooter/wheelchair.

If your 7 year old is unable to help out mom by grabbing things or taking control of something then I do believe this might not be a trip for your group at this age.

When you said children I did not think the oldest would be 7 I assumed (my fault and I apologize) that you had children who could (but didn't want to) have some form of rseponsiblity/control for their own portion of the trip within the theme park.

That seems like an awful lot of work for you regardless of a scooter or not. I have seen 2 parents with 1 kid having a tough time, I couldn't imagine a 3 vs. 1 battle.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

OP, thanks for sharing your experiences.

Just a suggestion, but try to ignore the posts. For all you know, the poster could be a teenager who has no experience dealing with three little kids and a handicapped person on a trip such as WDW. Don't even waste a response.

I understood your post completely (as someone who's been in similar situations). As a matter of fact, I myself did not like the MB on my wrist and could not wait to get it off each night. I cannot imagine what it felt like to wear four of them. (And understood why you did it.)

 

[rteetz]

I agree with you 100%!! We all have had some less than perfect experience at Disney. (There are those who will either completely deny it or haven't experienced a major hiccup yet that makes them second guess going again) but its not Dis-friendly to be so harsh esp to one dealing with small children and someone in a wheelchaiir. I can sympathze with the poster and only hope they give Disney chance.

I am one of those that have not yet had a bad disney experience where it makes me question if I will go back. Yes I have had problems but nothing that makes me not want to go back.

 

[tazadd0420]

I am really not trying to be mean or snarky. Did the wheelchair disney provided not have brakes on the wheel? Or did this person have such a handicap that they can not do a wheelchair in line?

Even with that I am hoping if you all ever go again you can explain why you can not wait in the normal line and they can provide you with a return time. Waiting in line without actually "standing" in line.

Hopefully this provides insight for other guests that are going with disabilities. I know we had to explain my dd disability and how lines caused issue and then the 2nd cm was more helpful at gr in providing the correct assistance.

 

[Lollicollins]

I would comment that it was interesting that with the GAC changes before they issued my oldest a pass card no questions but gave me the inquisition this last trip about their diagnosis's. I was fine with it in general but then they asked and WHY is that an issue for lines? I was thinking um..... Are you not seeing this kid jumping, running in circles, hand flapping, screeching and attempting to scale your counter to get to you MIGHT be the issue? My other son has low tone and less 'noticeable' so I get them asking for him, but seriously on my younger son I was thinking common sense is missing in some......

They are probably required to ask. Usually things like that they have a list of questions they have to go down, no matter how silly the question may seem they have to ask or get in trouble. I agree its silly but theres a corporate policies for you

 

[portocall]

Nope - no cards anymore, not at our resort anyways because I did ask for a card. And no, I don't think the app ie. the wifi in the parks has been working well lately. Our experience was similar to other people we met at our resort, in the parks, and even at Golden Corral (you know there's an issue when 4 tables are discussing FP issues at Golden Corral).

That being said, you shouldn't really have to be a member of Dis or even look at the boards to get through your vacation. It should be simple enough and working well enough that even first timers who have never heard of the Dis can have a great vacation. If you had a crappy first vacation at WDW would you have ever gone back? Would you have cared enough about WDW to join the Dis?

I have noticed that they have made a lot of changes at MK that make the park less accessible. For example, moving the drop-off bus stops so far away and that whole down and uphill thing to get to the bag check -- obviously not designed by anybody who has ever been in a wheelchair. If I had to do it I'd be exhausted by the time I got to the turnstiles. And we need to remember that every person in a wheelchair is not a paraplegic capable of playing wheelchair basketball -- people use them for different reasons and many people don't have sufficient arm strength to keep up with people, like yourself, who can walk. I'm not happy with the changes from GAC to DAS because I don't think it recognizes the limitations that people actually have -- people have to struggle daily with disabilities. And getting through queues etc is much harder than what many people could cope with on a daily basis. It's just asking too much.

They say "walk in another person's shoes for a day" -- I'd like to see people try to wheel in another person's chair for a day.

I couldn't agree more. Our last trip to WDW made me swear off Disney forever. It was that bad, and before the major change. It is my Disney hating husband who is forcing one more trip to be fair to our youngest. I've been going to Disney routinely since 1978. Once upon a time I couldn't imagine going longer than a year without a visit. Now returning seems like torture... What happened? Well, the straw that broke the camels back so to speak was the poor distribution of fast passes. Now I despised fast passes when they first debuted so you could say that I already had a negative inclination towards them and you would be absolutely correct. Queue a sign that said 60 minute wait for toy story mania. Fast passes gone for the day. Well, my son wanted to do that ride and pretty much only that rife so an hour isn't that bad. The line was week inside the building so no reason that it should have jumped to a full 175 minute wait. Had out been 70 or even 90 minutes... I wouldn't have ruffled a feather. I understand how they get the wait times. Had the line been outside... I would have expected it as well. We got close enough to the potato to enjoy the show...and stuck for hours. Yes, I should have abandoned it... I agree. But it doesn't change the fact that the fast pass lines were backed up to what a normal regular line should be. Not just for that ride...but all of them we did have a fast pass for. Also, they had just began to force people to stay in their window. Unfortunately... That gave me time to think how much I missed the old, much more efficient double line system, how much the vacation cost, how little fun I was actually having compared to the cost. When we do go back, we are mostly staying at the resort. I will pick two parks and spend the days enjoying myself and relaxing. For people who do actually know me, they know a very patient person who rarely gets a ruffled feather and doesn't mind waiting in lines. But in that moment I felt taken advantage of. It will take more than a little pixie dust to get me over it.

A far as the rude people commenting on the OP's wheelchair guest. It reminds me of when we looked like we walked on to a ride in the early 90's with my cancer stricken sister who was 4. A father made a nasty comment about it, not realizing that they has made us wait while one in the party did the actual queue and we got on when he reached the front. (how it was mostly done at EPCOT those days). I was much older than her and asked him which child he wanted to have cancer so he could get the same privilege. By then she had had hair but looked like a boy. I then told him wee would have done anything as a family to be like his family and be able to have all of us wait in a regular line like him. He stammered out an apology but the damage was done. Did people abuse the system...absolutely. But so many people really had an issue that you couldn't see that made those alternate ways of transportation truly necessary? How many little boys did you see that were actually little girls going through treatment? Let Disney worry about the policing of who gets special access. Just saying.

OP, sorry you day was miserable. May Disney learn from your experience and provide fun, memorable experiences for all.

 

[pktbMouse]

I'm so sorry you had an awful trip. That doesn't sound like fun at all. That's frustrating. And to the several posters ahead of me--when did it become ok to speak to others in such a condescending manner? If you don't have something nice to say, just don't say anything at all.

THIS!!

 

[pktbMouse]

Wow.. Put down the Kool Aid