Wow how things have changed.

[Jennasis]

I know staffing is short but we had dinner at WL tonight and the wait for a boat is insane...I'm pretty sure they are only running 1 boat from MK to WL..wait..and it's also servicing Ft Wilderness. So one boat for 2 resorts. It standing room only and about 50 people deep at the dock. Unacceptable.

I've been hearing guest complaints all week about how it wasn't like this before. They are right.

 

[bdiddy]

I am having a hard time feeling excited about going again. Which probably wouldn’t be for a year or two anyway since we just went in June. But I’m a big planner and that’s so much part of the fun for me and it just seems all too much now. I don’t even want to deal with any of it. And I sure as heck don’t want to be on my phone constantly while there. And my BFF who goes 2-3 times a year (and is my go-to Disney guru) had so many negative things to say about everything now and their recent experiences. Disney was our thing and we’re both feeling so down about it now. It’s really discouraging. All I can hope at this point is maybe there will be more tweaks or changes that might make things a little better but it’s sad thinking that it will never be the same again.

 

[bearzabout]

I am here to report that there is life after Disney! We stopped going years ago when they took away some of our favorite things. We started going to Seaworld, Busch Gardens and Aquatica and hung out and ate at the resorts. Now these aren’t what they used to be so we switched to Silver Dollar City. It was so nice to see over 6 million Christmas lights that included the Osbourne Lights that used to be at Studios. It was magical! Big Cedar is as nice as any Disney resort.

Maybe now is the best time to make new memories at new places. Everything is changing fast and we feel like new places are better than going to old favorites and noticing everything we have lost.

 

[jknc]

I bet we’ve all changed in varying ways the last few years. Why should a corporation be any different?

 

[gharter]

I checked my son's height, but he was just right at the edge. It was a gamble, and I knew that, but I decided to err on maybe he would be tall enough and could ride, rather than risk him being tall enough and not being able to ride because I hadn't paid.

That's too bad, did everything right, thought you were ok, and found out you weren't. Forgot to put in the shoe lifts?

 

[My GSD Rules]

The only thing that stays the same is change. Everything changes, that is constant. 1100 miles from MK, I've gone for long weekends 4-5 times a year with an AP 2017 -2019. Went in 2020 3 times without an AP. Rushed to do things? Nope, maybe because I know I'll be back to do whatever I missed. For people and their once in a lifetime trip, they don't know what it was like before, so can't really compare, which with all of these changes is OK.
Going on a big family trip Jan 2022, did we get the dining reservation we wanted ? nope, but we did get something for 14 of us. So we'll be together, having fun, not running for anything ( unless we sleep in haha). WDW holiday is what you make it, you can't control everything so you 'let it go'. Rain? yes was there in hurricane, freezing cold windy weather ( a different January trip). Heat and humidity. ( August early 70's sister passed out at Haunted Mansion). Did we still have fun? Yes. Was everything what we expected or hoped for over the years ? Nope. Do I provide feedback? YOU BET. Going back to lurk mode

 

[denman007]

For reasons, we will not be purchasing Genie+ but my daughter and I may purchase a LL if the SB line for TOT is very long.

I don't think you can.

 

[dvcgirl67]

I am here to report that there is life after Disney! We stopped going years ago when they took away some of our favorite things. We started going to Seaworld, Busch Gardens and Aquatica and hung out and ate at the resorts. Now these aren’t what they used to be so we switched to Silver Dollar City. It was so nice to see over 6 million Christmas lights that included the Osbourne Lights that used to be at Studios. It was magical! Big Cedar is as nice as any Disney resort.

Maybe now is the best time to make new memories at new places. Everything is changing fast and we feel like new places are better than going to old favorites and noticing everything we have lost.

Oh totally....there's a whole big world out there. And there are tons of people here who are big Disney fans, but also travel to lots of places, here in the US and around the world. Personally, we were big Disney fans for the first 8 years or so of our relationship/marriage....we really did Disney, and then places where we could scuba dive. Those were our two "things" when it came to vacationing. Then we had to move to Florida and ended up in Orlando and Disney really changed for us. It wasn't the same. And so we started to travel to Europe and other international destinations, and that has been incredible....amazing. The last trip we did to WDW was in 2010 and I was the planner....for a big trip with my family...parents, sisters and their S/Os and three little ones under 5. It was a lot of planning...but still enjoyable and rewarding. Tiring yes...but that's what a lot of our early trips to Europe were like too....go-go-go.

It's only a few years back that I started to have some nostalgia for Disney. DH and I had lots of fun trips there and we thought a nice trip with just us (no other family) would be nice. There's a lot of new attractions and things we haven't seen. Figured we'd stay at a deluxe, enjoy the parks, lots of fine dining....some extras, would be fun. But as I've watched these new changes unfold, it just doesn't seem like the "fun" would outweigh the 'hassle" of it. I am a planner at heart....but like to have the details pinned down before we arrive. Paying extra doesn't even really bother me all that much if we're getting something in return. But having to pay extra *and* get up at 7am to start Genie+ for the day..*and* then hope we get some of the rides we want without having to spend 12 hours in a park each day...*and* having to mobile order way ahead for food....it's just too much. I really do think that Genie+ is going to be the new "baseline" pretty quickly as aggravation grows. I don't think people will stay home, but I do think they'll pay even more for less of a hassle.

 

[bushdianee]

I am known in the family as the Disney Aunt! I have tried to go at least every other year since my first trip in 98, usually taking at least one niece or nephew with me.The last time I went to Disney was in 2019 with 2 of my sisters and our tween niece and nephew. The trip didn't go very well as we stated out with a canceled flight then delayed flights which didn't get our resort until 5AM so we started out exhasted and stayed that way. Any way my nephew asked me early last Spring if we could go back as he is a big Star Wars fan. Of course I sais yes and booked a trip for June of 22. My nephew mowed my lawn summer earning gift cards towards the build a light saber he really wants. I was becoming less excited about the trip after reading all of the negative things posted. Then one of our party was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and will not be ready for a trip like Disney by June so I canceled the trip. I thought I'd feel bad about canceling but I don't. With the pandemic still going on, all the problems with the airlines, things not open yet, etc. I am actually kind of glad. We are hoping for a positive outcome with the cancer patient, things settle down and making a trip in 23.

 

[Jennasis]

I'm back at our resort now and honestly so deflated after today. I don't even recognize this place anymore. Genie/Genie+ is an unmitigated disaster. The executives who devised this system and the entire IT department should be ashamed of themselves.

The crowds are mind boggling (and everyone is walking around snapping at each other).

Old masks, trash and leaves all over the walkways. I think this is the first trip ever where I didn't see custodial even one time in a park. The bathrooms are horror shows.

The shining spot? CMs. Each one doing the best they can. Bless them.

 

[gharter]

I'm back at our resort now and honestly so deflated after today. I don't even recognize this place anymore. Genie/Genie+ is an unmitigated disaster. The executives who devised this system and the entire IT department should be ashamed of themselves.

The crowds are mind boggling (and everyone is walking around snapping at each other).

Old masks, trash and leaves all over the walkways. I think this is the first trip ever where I didn't see custodial even one time in a park. The bathrooms are horror shows.

The shining spot? CMs. Each one doing the best they can. Bless them.

You're being way too kind.
I really don't understand how you take a program like FP+, make it a paid piece and royally screw it up.
You could have left FP+ as it was and made it a paid option and it would have been much better.

 

[dvcgirl67]

You're being way too kind.
I really don't understand how you take a program like FP+, make it a paid piece and royally screw it up.
You could have left FP+ as it was and made it a paid option and it would have been much better.

100% agree!

 

[going/again]

I'm back at our resort now and honestly so deflated after today. I don't even recognize this place anymore. Genie/Genie+ is an unmitigated disaster. The executives who devised this system and the entire IT department should be ashamed of themselves.

The crowds are mind boggling (and everyone is walking around snapping at each other).

Old masks, trash and leaves all over the walkways. I think this is the first trip ever where I didn't see custodial even one time in a park. The bathrooms are horror shows.

The shining spot? CMs. Each one doing the best they can. Bless them.

Regarding the IT had to go to member service after I entered park Monday as my ride reservation wasn't showing with the other 2 was told it wasn't there because I wasn't in the park yet, this as I standing in front of them, Tuesday had to go MS again as one of the others wasn't showing today, apparently he was still in park he was in yesterday, again he was standing in front of them. The Cm's are sick of the system as well, one of them said please write to Disney and tell them all this.
Wednesday more problems another trip to MS that's 3 days running.

 

[WalloghbyWay]

MK trams back in December!

The trams will return to Magic Kingdom starting this month. For the other parks—Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom—service will resume “throughout” next year.

They were training with the trams today.

 

[going/again]

100% agree!

Felt sorry for family today they had paid for LL on dinosaur, the standby time said 5 minutes it was litterally walk straight in, they wanted to know if they could change it for another ride and was told sorry no. So they just wasted money and 1 off there LL's

 

[DavidNYC]

Felt sorry for family today they had paid for LL on dinosaur, the standby time said 5 minutes it was litterally walk straight in, they wanted to know if they could change it for another ride and was told sorry no. So they just wasted money and 1 off there LL's

A few things wrong here. Dinosaur isn't a paid ride - included as one of the Genie+ options. And if it was truly walk-on there's no reason to "change" the reservation - just cancel it and make a new one which is basically the same thing. And also - unless they were planning on riding Dinosaur again later when they think there would be a long line (unlikely), there would have been no reason to change it in any event since as soon as they tapped in to the ride they'd be able to make a reservation for another ride right then anyway.

 

[kathy884]

Just wait... someday it will be $180 per person to get in and then you have to pay for each ride you want to ride separately. LOL!

That would be like Universal for the one park to park day we are doing next March lol. It's $194 for the one day ticket two park ticket and $110 for the once for each ride fastpass per person. Ouch. I'm glad half of our party didn't want to go to Universal at all on this trip. (Doing the throw away deluxe room for the express pass (unlimited) that we didn't need as many recommend when I did the math was more not less expensive for the one day experience). And then tax is around $20 per ticket and express pass. So going over there is $324 pp for the day. Disney and SeaWorld are looking like real bargains to me in comparison. It will be super nice for folks in our party to have the one ride express pass at that super busy spring break time though.

 

[kathy884]

I am here to report that there is life after Disney! We stopped going years ago when they took away some of our favorite things. We started going to Seaworld, Busch Gardens and Aquatica and hung out and ate at the resorts. Now these aren’t what they used to be so we switched to Silver Dollar City. It was so nice to see over 6 million Christmas lights that included the Osbourne Lights that used to be at Studios. It was magical! Big Cedar is as nice as any Disney resort.

Maybe now is the best time to make new memories at new places. Everything is changing fast and we feel like new places are better than going to old favorites and noticing everything we have lost.

We love SeaWorld especially and make it a point to go on every Orlando trip. It's the best park in Orlando IMHO for an extended family group with a wide age range. Big Cedar is a gem in that Branson area (lovely resort).

 

[MomOTwins]

We are skipping the parks in 2022. We are DVC members and normally go multiple times per year with tickets, character meals etc. We are using the points some for resort only stays and universal. I remember our firet disney trip in 2016 coming home and telling a friend how everything at Disney World makes it easy for families. Magical express with luggage delivered so you don’t have to push a stroller and haul a suitcase at the same time, three fast passes you could book ahead so on the day of you don’t have to worry about figuring out what to do, big buffets where even the pickiest eaters could eat well and the characters come right up to your table. I said all those things because that’s what made Disney stand out at a vacation destination. We’ve been several times in 2021 and each time it just felt like WORK. Such a shame. I think the people making decisions at Disney HQ are just totally out of touch with the guest experience. They need to spend a day in Hollywood studios as a regular guest with no VIP tour and see if that is an experience they would pay for.

 

[CBMom01]

I checked my son's height, but he was just right at the edge. It was a gamble, and I knew that, but I decided to err on maybe he would be tall enough and could ride, rather than risk him being tall enough and not being able to ride because I hadn't paid.

I would have done the same.