Goodbye WDW AP, Hello DCL

[DisneyPiPhi]

You hit the nail on the head with what I was getting at when I started this thread. Yes DCL charges more but I am willing to pay if I get something good back in return. Where WDW is taking things away, DCL at this time isn’t (besides the paper navigators lol). I feel like the ships can get crowded but there is a maximum occupancy they reach that still feels nothing like walking through Fantasyland at 2pm. Unlike WDW, where they can manufacture crowds, they can’t quite do that on DCL.

Agree on all counts. I do have some worries about what kind of changes will come with the new ships (i.e. additional paid activities, upcharge restaurants, etc.), so I may feel differently about DCL in the future. But, this is where we're at right now!

 

[Lisa F]

Everything loses its shine with too much exposure. APs tend to take very frequent trips but I will tell you that the best trip of my LIFE was in 2014 after I'd taken a break for about 5 years due to finances. It was an amazing trip, and I don't think anything in particular in 2014 made it that way except absence making the heart grow fonder.

Take enough DCL trips and you'll be saying the same about DCL - it's not as good as it used to be etc. People hate change... you see it on these boards too about stuff being not as good as it used to be. Before I took my Dream cruise in 2018 my previous cruise was in 2005 and I had an absolutely amazing time in spite of debates about classic vs. dream class ships etc.

Best thing you can do when something is losing its shine is take a break for a while.

 

[mrsxsparrow]

Except for concierge guests on DCL none of the crew knows how much you paid for the cruise and that is part of it. The other part is the huge mass of people now in the parks. It's overwhelming to me and the cast members. People are far more on edge and it shows. People haven't become more rude but the natural rudeness in people comes out more easily when congregating en masse. If the parks backed down on the number of people allowed in per day or per hour it would once again be a happier place even though they wouldn't be making such a huge amount of money (which they don't even need!) As for me I'm very glad the number on the ships has a safety cap that simply can't be changed. You won't ever catch me on a mega ship even if DCL were to create one.

But if the parks did in fact do as you suggest and back down on the number of people allowed in, they would be turning away guests every day which would also make people extremely unhappy. Not saying it isn't influenced in a large way by the want of making more money, but from a different business standpoint, this is, in fact, the goal of those extra paid events, and even the new ticket pricing structure (charging more money on busier days with the goal to shifting some of that attendance to slower days). I am a HUGE fan of some of those extra events like Disney After Hours and even the Early Morning Magic. In particular, Disney After Hours costs about the same as a one-day ticket but honestly, I feel it is such a better experience and you can get everything done in that short time frame. I would do that over a full day in the park any time -- and the price point is basically the same.

Bottom line, I think everyone has their own preferences and one is not better than the other. Just comes down to what each person wants in their vacation. While I love the parks and could never imagine myself not visiting frequently, I also love cruising and can admit that it feels more like the dream Walt had for his theme park. And while I love cruising, I don't have a strong desire to go more than once a year, but because I live in Orlando, I enjoy visiting the parks at least once a month.

OP, glad you found a love of cruising and will be able to still experience that Disney magic!

 

[pixiedustedme]

I am a HUGE fan of some of those extra events like Disney After Hours and even the Early Morning Magic. In particular, Disney After Hours costs about the same as a one-day ticket but honestly, I feel it is such a better experience and you can get everything done in that short time frame. I would do that over a full day in the park any time -- and the price point is basically the same.

Five years ago resort guests could get that experience for no extra cost, via the late-night Extra Magic Hours that were regularly offered at Magic Kingdom until 2 or 3am. Those late-night EMHs aren't offered any longer, because Disney has learned how to charge extra for them in the form of Disney After Hours.

Special viewing areas for fireworks & other shows used to be bookable via the complimentary FP system. But they stopped offering that so they could charge people for it in the form of dessert parties.

And that is in addition to the fact that resort and ticket prices are higher than ever, resort guests now have to pay for parking, etc. No, I don't see these cost increases as improving the guest experience at all.