Feel like the magic has gone!

[DonnaD]

Originally Posted by Gelatoni

I was nostalgic for paper Fastpasses until I had a dose of it again in Tokyo Disneyland. After being in the scrum for them and getting one of the last available times when we got to the machines, not so much... 😂

See more...

My thoughts exactly. I was always the one racing across the parks to get them while the rest of the family meandered along. The need to always be there early if you wanted any decent ones isn't missed either.

Nostalgia is a funny thing in my opinion. I went to River Country in the 70's as a child and again in 1990. Typhon Lagoon was open by then and enormously better than River Country. River Country was great in the 70's but that was because the only thing we had to compare it to was our cousins above ground pool in Brooklyn! I don't think many people would be as thrilled with the unheated lake water now.

[DonnaD]

Originally Posted by sieborg

I’m out, the magic is gone for our family.
Bob Chapek will now be officially known as Rob Paycheque to us. Walt would be spinning in his cryo tube if he knew what had become of his beloved creation.
He wanted his magical world to become available for all but now it has become a world away from his dream.
I don’t want to become too negative about it but the cutbacks have eroded the last remaining fairy dust the world had to offer.

See more...

Disney World was never "available for all". On our first visit in the mid 70's we drove in a campervan from NY to Florida and stayed in a campground. We still could barely afford to go despite my father being an officer in the US Coast Guard. There were individual tickets for rides (the famous E tickets for the best) so we had to choose very carefully what we did. The only reason we got extras was because people leaving kindly gave us some. We went once more and managed to get a spot at Fort Wilderness. It seemed like complete luxury but even then cost 3 times a normal campground.

Today, the vast majority of my daughters' friends live within 15 minutes of WDW. For most the only time they can afford to go is if their parents or someone else they know works there and gives them free tickets.

[SleepingBeauty]

Originally Posted by AnnieB

The comments here and in general on social media are so overwhelmingly negative that I am starting to wonder if this might actually have an impact on Disney’s profits.

See more...

It won’t. Their profits will increase if anything.

[Gelatoni]

Originally Posted by DonnaD

My thoughts exactly. I was always the one racing across the parks to get them while the rest of the family meandered along. The need to always be there early if you wanted any decent ones isn't missed either.

Nostalgia is a funny thing in my opinion. I went to River Country in the 70's as a child and again in 1990. Typhon Lagoon was open by then and enormously better than River Country. River Country was great in the 70's but that was because the only thing we had to compare it to was our cousins above ground pool in Brooklyn! I don't think many people would be as thrilled with the unheated lake water now.

See more...

My goodness, I have fond memories of River Country too, but if that was around today it would be awful 😂 I wouldn't be so keen to swim in dirty lake water and wonder what i'm standing on!

[Gelatoni]

Originally Posted by DonnaD

Disney World was never "available for all". On our first visit in the mid 70's we drove in a campervan from NY to Florida and stayed in a campground. We still could barely afford to go despite my father being an officer in the US Coast Guard. There were individual tickets for rides (the famous E tickets for the best) so we had to choose very carefully what we did. The only reason we got extras was because people leaving kindly gave us some. We went once more and managed to get a spot at Fort Wilderness. It seemed like complete luxury but even then cost 3 times a normal campground.

Today, the vast majority of my daughters' friends live within 15 minutes of WDW. For most the only time they can afford to go is if their parents or someone else they know works there and gives them free tickets.

See more...

This is a key point here. When we first went in 1991 it really was a once in a lifetime experience that we scrimped and saved for. We stayed in a dilapidated motel on international drive. The crowds at Disney were light, and for most guests it was a special/expensive experience.

Over time it's just become, well, easier if anything. Like you, I don't think it used to be more affordable, it used to be even harder to go.

[themeparksandy]

I been to Orlando 5 times and stayed at Disney 4 of them times. We stayed in a moderate resort every time and every visit the perks have got worst.

2007 Free DDP with tips included at a value resort, 1 Table service meal, 1 quick service meal and a snack also EMH a hour before and up to 3 hours afterwards.

2008 Free DDP but you had to pay for tips and stay at a Moderate resort. EMH were the same.

2011 Free DDP was now QSDP at a Moderate resort which included a free resort mug and 2 counter service meals and 2 snacks per day, $100 gift card. EMH were changed from 3 to 2 hours.

2016 QSDP was changed again from 2 snacks to 1 a day, $200 gift card, EMH was more morning than evening on offer. 60 day fast pass window with tiered rides per park.

Now I’m looking to going back in 2023 but no word yet if the Free food offer gonna be back or are they gonna stick with the dinning credits, $200 gift card, no DME so got to pay for transfers, EMH in the mornings only for 30 minutes unless you book a deluxe resort then you get them in the evening. Paid for Fast pass service.
So really is international guests gonna pay top $ for very limited offers available or just skip Disney.

[Gill H]

Your choice. The UK market is tiny, Disney will only really listen if they lose US custom. US guests stay for short periods and don’t tend to use DME anyway. They will probably suck up the extra costs for parking and Genie+ as it’s not so much over a couple of days.

We have booked onsite next time as we don’t drive and like the convenience of being onsite. We haven’t been since 2014 so wanted ‘the bubble’ again.

I would hope that going in January and making use of early entry to do the headliners, we can get by without paying for Genie+ every day. But we will have to see.

[Princess Ariel]

Originally Posted by AnnieB

The comments here and in general on social media are so overwhelmingly negative that I am starting to wonder if this might actually have an impact on Disney’s profits.

Will people just get over it and book anyway? Personally, I am 50/50. We promised the kids a big Disney trip, then Covid happened, now Disney have turned “evil” and it will cost us an arm and two legs to experience the magic.

I think most of the appeal is convenience for parents. But Disney has taken this away now. It sounds like it will be a stressful and expensive struggle to keep a typical family happy on future Disney holidays.

To be honest, the kids really loved Italy when we visited recently and it seems a little more wholesome to take them to learn about real cultures rather than the sugar-coated fake world of Disney. Do kids really need this stuff?

See more...

This is exactly how I am feeling at the moment, after having countless trips cancelled due to TC going bust and then the pandemic and now all the changes at Disney it’s made me think about what’s important and family values.
We scrimp and save for our Orlando holidays, but I’ve now decided life is too short (especially now DS is 13 too) we’ve bought a dog and are planning lots of U.K. holidays & breaks away, with one holiday abroad a year, but probably not Orlando for the foreseeable future, the prices for next year are astronomical compared to other places and there’s a lot more to see and experience in the world I think.

[YorkshireT]

Joe Cocker fully agrees. If you look carefully at 1.30 you can even see the Hollywood Studios water tower.

[Hughseysar]

After having 4 trips cancelled we have realised just how much Money we were giving the mouse every year. After saving most of it we have actually moved to a much nicer much bigger brand new house !
We decided rather the 2 trips to Orlando a year we are going to concentrate on just 1 holiday somewhere and use the rest of our holiday looking after our 2 little children who live 100 miles away . We live on the coast and now have plenty of room for them and their parents to stay 😀.
Really missed Disney this last 2 years but it’s not magic like it was , it’s all charge charge charge …… you will be paying for the air you breath while on property next !