My wife and I recently returned from a one-week trip to the Villas at the Grand Floridian (VGF). We are DVC members since 1992 (30 years) and have been going multiple weeks a year for many years. Unfortunately, this was our worst trip ever, a chore rather than a vacation. Between Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane (LL), our park days were terrible. I don’t have a smart phone to use the new system even if I wanted to, which I don’t. We are also ones that enter the parks in the afternoon, so I definitely do not want to get up at 7 AM to get FPs on Genie+. Further, the AP cost has escalated significantly so that one should not have to pay extra, particularly if they don’t need any more than 3 passes/day. The old system for resort guests was so much better, being able to book FP+ 60 days ahead of check-in and plan their park experiences.
On our first day in MK, wait times were 70+ minutes. All we were able to do in the afternoon was Monsters, Inc. and Peter Pan before dinner. The wait time for Pan was 70 minutes but took 85. After that, we weren’t about to get in another 70+ minute queue and miss the fireworks. At the Studios, significant attractions were closed (Toy Story Mania and Little Mermaid), so we tried Runaway Railway which took 70 minutes. After that, we did one show and then called it a day since other queue times were ridiculous and it would prevent our on-time arrival for a dinner ressie. Another day in AK, we waited in line for the Safari (60 minutes) and the Avatar boat ride (80 minutes). At least the animal walks were still free; however, they were strangely empty. I guess everyone else was waiting in lines. Of course, absent a smart phone, getting in the virtual queue for the REMY ride is impossible at 1 PM at Guest Services. Further, the parks aren’t open late enough anymore to get on rides if one eats a sit-down in dinner in the parks. Park hours/EMH have been significantly cut back of late, particularly at MK.
Further, with the new system, everyone is walking around the parks staring at their phones. They constantly crash into you or come to a dead stop on walkways causing you to trip or swerve to get around them. It is horrible. During our July vacation, without the old FP+ system or Genie+, the wait times for rides were much less and the lines moved swiftly.
Resort guests, particularly DVC members, should still be able to get at least 3 FP+s per day without having to pay for them! Some accommodation must be made without having to enter the parks ½ hour prior to opening or staying up late one night for MK and one night for EPCOT to try to ride anything. For us, the Extended Evening Hours for MK AND EPCOT were rained out. As DVC members staying on property, we used to be able to plan ahead. We were able make FP+ reservations 60 days out and dining reservations 180 days out. Our trips could be well-planned without having to get up early, try to connect to inconsistent wi-fi signals as told to me by another VGF guest, and run into the parks early. That may be great for one-time guests but not for us loyal Disney vacationers. That isn’t a vacation! There has been a slow, but steady, erosion of WDW Resort Guest benefits.
Between all of these issues and the lousy weather, if this were my first time I wouldn’t return. I want to disconnect electronically while vacationing and not be glued to a smart phone all day to put one foot in front of the other. These issues need to be corrected, particularly for DVC members who spend a substantial amount of money at WDW. We will be returning this May and if the situation is not improved, it will sadly be our last trip! Please do not put the blame on the Pandemic for any of the above.
On our first day in MK, wait times were 70+ minutes. All we were able to do in the afternoon was Monsters, Inc. and Peter Pan before dinner. The wait time for Pan was 70 minutes but took 85. After that, we weren’t about to get in another 70+ minute queue and miss the fireworks. At the Studios, significant attractions were closed (Toy Story Mania and Little Mermaid), so we tried Runaway Railway which took 70 minutes. After that, we did one show and then called it a day since other queue times were ridiculous and it would prevent our on-time arrival for a dinner ressie. Another day in AK, we waited in line for the Safari (60 minutes) and the Avatar boat ride (80 minutes). At least the animal walks were still free; however, they were strangely empty. I guess everyone else was waiting in lines. Of course, absent a smart phone, getting in the virtual queue for the REMY ride is impossible at 1 PM at Guest Services. Further, the parks aren’t open late enough anymore to get on rides if one eats a sit-down in dinner in the parks. Park hours/EMH have been significantly cut back of late, particularly at MK.
Further, with the new system, everyone is walking around the parks staring at their phones. They constantly crash into you or come to a dead stop on walkways causing you to trip or swerve to get around them. It is horrible. During our July vacation, without the old FP+ system or Genie+, the wait times for rides were much less and the lines moved swiftly.
Resort guests, particularly DVC members, should still be able to get at least 3 FP+s per day without having to pay for them! Some accommodation must be made without having to enter the parks ½ hour prior to opening or staying up late one night for MK and one night for EPCOT to try to ride anything. For us, the Extended Evening Hours for MK AND EPCOT were rained out. As DVC members staying on property, we used to be able to plan ahead. We were able make FP+ reservations 60 days out and dining reservations 180 days out. Our trips could be well-planned without having to get up early, try to connect to inconsistent wi-fi signals as told to me by another VGF guest, and run into the parks early. That may be great for one-time guests but not for us loyal Disney vacationers. That isn’t a vacation! There has been a slow, but steady, erosion of WDW Resort Guest benefits.
Between all of these issues and the lousy weather, if this were my first time I wouldn’t return. I want to disconnect electronically while vacationing and not be glued to a smart phone all day to put one foot in front of the other. These issues need to be corrected, particularly for DVC members who spend a substantial amount of money at WDW. We will be returning this May and if the situation is not improved, it will sadly be our last trip! Please do not put the blame on the Pandemic for any of the above.
