Just back - and won’t be returning to Disney…

[kk20]

10k-15k for a family of 4 in middle to upper class country is probably a normal annual holiday.

Kuoni wouldnt be in business if people werent spending this sort of money.

[MarkUK]

Originally Posted by TractorBoy

Agree but they are still paying the same with regards to food and merchandise which seem to be most people's cripe. Saying that neither have been that cheap over the years especially the merchandise.

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We have never really bought the merchandise. Most of it is just over priced tat that’ll only get thrown in a cupboard once home.

[ScoopsAhoy]

Originally Posted by Gill H

At the moment they aren’t really. The dining credit offer was pitiful, and very restricted. We had to change our dates and have now lost it - and lost the gift card too.

True, we are still getting 14 day tickets for the price of 7, and free Memory Maker. But no other benefits.

We haven’t been able to afford to go since 2014. On both our previous trips, we got on everything with short waits using Fastpass in 2010 and FP+ in 2014. We ate like kings and got every cent of value out of the DDP.

This time is costing us over £6k up front, before airport transfers and food. I love WDW but not sure when we will be able to go back again.

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I mean in general, not just at the moment and we have always had some good deals in the past that Americans don’t get.

[ziggyzag]

Having just come back, I agree with the comments, when we go back which won't be for a few years now, we will be giving Disney a miss.

[Moorlandman]

Originally Posted by MarkUK

We have never really bought the merchandise. Most of it is just over priced tat that’ll only get thrown in a cupboard once home.

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I agree but it can be difficult saying no to young children for 14 days

[sha9]

Originally Posted by ScoopsAhoy

Sorry to hear this.
This is my fear but we are going well prepared that it’s going to be busier and much more expensive.
I really hope those who have had an awful time with Genie+ complain some how to Disney as that’s the only way they’ll try and improve it .

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I’ll definitely be complaining on my return. We’ve also had an issue with Genie plus dropping off two of the tickets. IAS is a bit of a con with the time not confirming until you’ve paid. We clicked on an 8.10am slot for ROTR and ended up with 2.45pm.

[ScoopsAhoy]

Originally Posted by sha9

I’ll definitely be complaining on my return. We’ve also had an issue with Genie plus dropping off two of the tickets. IAS is a bit of a con with the time not confirming until you’ve paid. We clicked on an 8.10am slot for ROTR and ended up with 2.45pm.

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That’s terrible.
Was watching a tracker vlog the other day and he bought genie plus as could see reasonable times to meet Mickey and then clicked on 2pm but it offered him 5:30-6:30!
The whole thing is just a shambles.

[Noodle500]

Are people choosing U.S Magic your Way tickets over UK 14 day tickets in light of busier crowds? For next year I've been considering the base tickets from Undercover Tourist as we're planning a few days at Universal and a couple of days at KSC

[sha9]

Originally Posted by ScoopsAhoy

That’s terrible.
Was watching a tracker vlog the other day and he bought genie plus as could see reasonable times to meet Mickey and then clicked on 2pm but it offered him 5:30-6:30!
The whole thing is just a shambles.

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Yes that happens a lot and we’ve only been here 2 days! It’s basically not holding the time that you see for you and someone else can have “checked out” by the time you get to that point. At least we paid a discounted rate but I’d be raging if I bought it specifically cos I’d seen a good time then it changed.
The only way for Disney to do something is if no one buys it.

[ATO Jones]

Originally Posted by Gill H

Disney admitted quite openly in the early 2000s that they were looking for ways to reduce crowds while maximising profits. They said they were deliberately aiming at those with lots of money to spare.

Trouble is, it doesn’t seem to have lowered the crowds.

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If only there was some way they could control the numbers through their own gates.

The nonsense of the above is that they used NGE (Magicband) as the reason that they could increase park capacity. All this while chronically underfunding the parks and failing to invest in badly needed rides... or even maintaining and not shuttering existing rides. And then, what they did build was so value engineered or compromised that it couldn't hold a candle to people eaters designed in the 50s. Or even the restaurants; Magic Kingdom has less dining capacity now than when I visited first in 92!

The suspicion is that WDW pivoted from return guests to gouging "one and done" guests about a decade ago. And without the extremely vocal locals that DL has, was allowed to slide.

We hadn't planned on going to Paris Last week. That was initially booked in 2019 for early April 2020. We had three weeks in Orlando for this summer, with almost two weeks stay in the Riviera. But I just couldn't do it...

It wasn't just Covid situation. It was the cutbacks, the upcharges, the crowds, the military planning that's required and the Genie introduction finally just broke me.

If you've lost me you're in trouble. That first visit turned me into an evangelist for the company. For almost thirty years I've advocating people they had to go. That's it's not just for small kids etc etc. Now I'm telling people the opposite. That's a seriously bad sign.