First Time I Ever Felt That WDW Wasn't Worth The Time and Money

[NY Pirate Princess]

I listened to a podcast in which Len Testa was discussing literature used the the Travel Agent course folks take to sell Disney trips, and it seemed as though Disney is really trying to attract and keep those in a very high income bracket. It makes sense to me with all the up-sell tickets and experiences launched over the last few years. Remember the cabanas at MK? Yikes. Anyway, while it would take a lot for the magic to ever end for me, I am considering what to do after our upcoming trip in November. Retirement is approaching, and I really want to start exploring options for getting out of upstate new york over the winter. I can keep going to Disney every other year for the next ten years, or I can buy an ocean front condo in North Carolina.

 

[melanielll]

I listened to a podcast in which Len Testa was discussing literature used the the Travel Agent course folks take to sell Disney trips, and it seemed as though Disney is really trying to attract and keep those in a very high income bracket. It makes sense to me with all the up-sell tickets and experiences launched over the last few years. Remember the cabanas at MK? Yikes. Anyway, while it would take a lot for the magic to ever end for me, I am considering what to do after our upcoming trip in November. Retirement is approaching, and I really want to start exploring options for getting out of upstate new york over the winter. I can keep going to Disney every other year for the next ten years, or I can buy an ocean front condo in North Carolina.

Buy the condo. Lease it out when you aren't using it and take that money to fund trips.

 

[jcvalenti]

I was exactly where OP was after our last big family summer trip in 2015. It felt like we were going through the motions, and everything about the trip seemed to be a headache - scheduling FP, getting ADRs for our large group to sit together (or at least in the same restaurant at the same time). Worst of all, we all felt, was the sense of entitlement from other guests. It seemed like literally every single guest in the park has a special occasion or some disability that they felt should give them special privileges or access to a ride or experience, and I couldn't even handle listening to everyone complain.

That being said, we took 2 years off and now we're really looking forward to returning - this time in the fall with just our family of four (something we've never done before). Sometimes you just need a break and need to try something new.

 

[jcvalenti]

I sympathize with the OP's complaints, but I do think you get a better vacation value when you do more park days. The cost per day goes down, and you're not under as much pressure to squeeze everything you want to do into a handful of days. Also, if something breaks down or a show is cancelled or full, you can always plan to see it later in the trip.

We will be at WDW for ten days, and we will barely be able to do everything we want -- although, granted, we are riding certain favorites multiple times.

Totally agree. We learned long ago that we are much happier staying off property in a giant rental house if it means we can get Annual Passes and take two 10-14 day trips in a year. When your trip makes you feel like you have to see everything in a park in a single day, it's daunting. Much, much, much more relaxing to know you have at least 2 days in each park, are guaranteed to ride 6 big rides, and you have the flexibility to just leave and go do something else if it's too crowded or miserable. It makes the trip so much more relaxing.

 

[TomorrowlandKD]

Sorry OP, but I don't care how intensive security is on the monorails. Based on the state of our insane country at the moment, the more security the better at checkpoints like that.

 

[disneydreamer781]

Paying 5 dollars for a Mickey ice cream bar did it for me.

I can buy a whole container of ice cream at my local grocery for way less than that and shape it like a Mickey!

 

[slpeters]

I have to say it amazes me that people feel like anywhere is going to be worth it time and time again--and that WDW seems to live up to that for so many so often. I can't speak to it myself yet--first trip next month. I'm hoping it will be amazing--and if it is we'll go back, in a couple years, with three or four other vacations between. We have a few places we go regularly (New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Puerto Vallarta) but never without somewhere in between. We once made the mistake of going to Vegas twice in like four months and on the second trip it all just seemed tacky. Don't get me wrong--it's always tacky but that actually seemed like a bad thing on that one trip. I guess we just need a palette cleanser...

 

[dreiwhit]

It's such an expensive vacation to have those kinds of cuts in what is offered. The lack of a nighttime parade was just so sad altogether. I'm also pretty tolerant and not really observant to things like this but the cuts are obvious and frankly, insulting.

IMHO, when you spend a lot of money for a vacation, rightly or wrongly you have expectations that everything will be spectacular in order to match the amount you are spending. Unfortunately, by making cut backs and nickle and diming us for everything, that can cause Disney not to live up to our expectations.

For example, our last trip was good, but it wasn't as great as the previous trip. For example, rides constantly broke down, the monorail broke down, CMs seemed clueless on how to keep a standby line moving, grumpy CMs, attractions closed and not replaced, and other things. All of that made me think "why am I spending this kind of money?"

We've got a trip planned for next year, but it won't be all Disney. There's other non-Disney things we'll be going and seeing. Before, we would spend all that time at WDW, but not anymore. And after that trip, it will be quite a few years before we go back.

 

[Mome Rath]

Been going for 31 years... I think over time what seems to make or break a trip for us isn't externals (crowds, CM's, etc...) but rather internals; the members of our own fam and who goes and what we decide to do, the attitudes we have, how early or late we get up or stay out, etc... I guess there is a quote by Abraham Lincoln that has become more true for us over time, "I have noticed that most people in this world are about as happy as they have made up their minds to be." That's true for us at home or at Dis, or anywhere else we go on vacation... As for the money, we decide if it's worth it or not, but spending the money doesn't add or detract from happiness.

 

[Dakota731]

This makes me sad when I think of my sister who has never been able to afford to take her kids to Disney even once. . I think it’s just that nothing will ever be as special as the first time so some people may be lessening the magic by going year after year. Harder to appreciate something if you never have time to miss it.

 

[Ava]

OP, I'm sorry you didn't have a great trip this year. That's how I felt after our 2015 trip; I came back just feeling like we didn't have nearly as much fun as the year before and wanting a do over. Part of it was due to factors out of my control - it rained A LOT, and my then-2-year-old was unexpectedly really difficult at meal times (which is hard when you're on the dining plan and have a TS meal every day). And part of it I did to myself. I invited both grandmothers along, which was great in theory but having 2 extra people in the group was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. The trip was also longer, 9 nights/10 days, and I over planned the whole thing and didn't know how to handle it when our plans went awry. We had also just been less than a year prior (this Aug 2015 trip was a bounceback I booked during our Sept 2014 trip) so we kind of felt like we'd just done everything that we were doing & nothing was new.

So we took 2016 off from Disney and came back again this year with just our family of 4, for a shorter 7-night trip. We had 6-day base tickets, and no dining plan so we could be more flexible with meals. We stayed at Bay Lake Tower so we were closer to MK & Epcot, where we spent two days each. I booked FP+ in advance but wasn't married to most of them and ended up changing quite a few as we went along. I didn't push the kids to get up & out for rope drop (we only made it once, at MK) but with FP+ it didn't really matter and we still got on plenty of rides and had a great time. We also only saw 2 nighttime shows from inside the park - Fantasmic once, and HEA once - other nights we watched fireworks from our balcony at BLT (which was worth the cost of renting those points; the kids thought it was the best thing ever). We live in NYC and are used to public transportation, so waiting for the buses & monorail didn't bother us. But, since we usually left the park before closing, we really never had a long wait. I was also more prepared for rain - Disney ponchos for everyone! - and we didn't bring a stroller so didn't have to deal with the folding/unfolding/parking/retrieving/etc that can make strollers a pain in the butt. (The 4-year-old also flat out refuses to ride in one any more, so it wasn't really even an option. We carried her sometimes, but most of time she walked.)

Basically, I learned a lot from that not-so-magical 2015 trip that helped me make our 2017 trip, and hopefully all future trips, so much better. Next year we are tentatively planning to head west to try out Disneyland, so we still get a Disney fix without going back to the same place two years in a row. Hopefully we find it just as magical.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Basically, I learned a lot from that not-so-magical 2015 trip that helped me make our 2017 trip, and hopefully all future trips, so much better. Next year we are tentatively planning to head west to try out Disneyland, so we still get a Disney fix without going back to the same place two years in a row. Hopefully we find it just as magical.

I also am looking to head to DL for a first trip next year. This would also be a first CA/West Coast visit. We have done WDW three years in a row, and while I love it, I do think it can get stale if you go too many times in a row.

 

[Disneytam]

Perfect - until the six foot guy who also paid the toll standing in front of you puts his 8 year old on his shoulders and the kid then records the whole show on a tablet held over their head while waving a glowing light saber.

Ha ha, been there done that! Though the guy was well over six foot and he swayed back and forth with the music. Nothing like having a moving wall in front of you! I can laugh about it now.

 

[Spencer Wright]

The guests are getting ruder and ruder, and there's an air of "every man for themselves" where you kind of have to be a jerk to get anything done. The planning has gotten maddening and stressful and now is a must with the FP+. The new security procedures for the monorails and such are just ridiculous.

I get why people love Disney. We love it too. But it's really getting to the point where the amount of effort, money, and time you have to put in just doesn't cut it for most people no matter how much you love the place.

I absolutely agree with you in regards to guest behavior. I admittedly can be somewhat aggressive in crowds, and am used to mass transit during rush hour and spending most time in a major city and I was literally almost knocked to the ground twice last trip.

I am looking into taking a WDW for probably one to two years to give something else a try (probably either DL or a Royal Caribbean cruise). The level of planning, while part of the fun, is starting to really become ridiculous; if it has not already.

 

[adelaster]

I also am looking to head to DL for a first trip next year. This would also be a first CA/West Coast visit. We have done WDW three years in a row, and while I love it, I do think it can get stale if you go too many times in a row.

I LOVE California- have the best time!

We visited DL for the first time this spring after visiting the MK only last fall. DL was the magic I was expecting and lacked in MK. I can't wait to return. Of course my husband liked WDW better, ha!

As newbies, we appreciate how much there is to do in WDW, and the less than 2hr flight. Disney Springs is a large draw too. Threads like this are sort of sad, but you can't miss what you never had and all spilt milk does is spoil. We'll never be week+ vacationers, but I think it's a great stay for a few nights break from reality. I try to only spend what I can justify as worth it in my mind. I also live in a city, and am used to high costs. Grabbing lunch downtown where I work is equitable to most Disney Springs/Quick Service pricing. We don't eat fancy at home much, and $45 is my usual cap on a "nice" dinner for the two of us with tax & tip. Most other meals that is $25ish. So even on vacation we stick close to that, and have been able to do so. On vacation we might splurge a little more, or get drinks-but that's why we do short vacations. Budget is king.

A lot is expectations, as others have posted. I am hoping for the best but prepared to make the best of the worst. Buses, downed rides, and aggressive/rude guests were my cons from our first trip. Made some adjustments for our second & we'll see how it goes! I truly think people need to stop painting WDW as perfect. I saw trash in the bushes, there are still many bugs, and a lot if the staffing is short and overburdened. The rides are old, and yeah, thete's crowds-just like every other tourist attraction globally. For me though, it's different from my norm and it connects me to people who dreamed big and made those dreams happen- something that is indescribably cool to me in this age of "Remake4567". Corporate BS aside, there truly is some magic there. Anyway, it's a place with lots to do & see, and I like to approach it with the ichi-go ichi-e tea kind of mindset. It's a unique place, but it isn't the only one. There's a whole world of awesome places! It all comes down to what you want and what you expect.

 

[tony67]

Yeah - I agree with the Op - I gave up on Disney a few years back..but for some reason kept going.
Price of food has gone up and the quality has dropped IMO
The planning is way out of hand.
The parks are extremely busy - there is no such thing as a slow time- there is busy, very busy and extremely busy.
The Food & Wine festival is a shadow of what it once was

More and More people I talk with at work have the same opinion

Back when I had an AP - I could go down for a weekend in the off season when I got a deal on airfare and just show up and have a good time.
Now you have to book every minute of every day 2 months in advance - not even slightly fun IMO

This is why I pretty much just go to Universal now - there is no planning - I can show up at the drop of a hat and have a good time.
Yes it has also gotten busier with HP and it will get busier with Nintendo - no doubt - but even on the worst day it is not like Disney

This year I did spend two days in Disney at it was just awful I ended up going to Trader Sams for a few hours and called it a day.
Next year I dont see myself going back to Disney - maybe in a year or two to check out the new Star Wars stuff...but that is about it

As for the rudeness - I think that the regional parks would be worse - at least in the north east in my experience - way more line cutting and general rudeness- and lack of safety

 

[DisBuckMan]

No, I think the pp is correct. The start of magic bands and Disney tracking your every move enabled them to figure out exact numbers/times etc., and they're using that to figure out how close they can cut it, services etc., and how much a guest will put up with so they can spend the least amount of money. This was beyond evident during our last trip a little of a month ago.

Magic bands *might* be a way to schedule buses/transportation, but not rides and attractions. Only on-site guests get magic bands unless they pay for them out of pocket, which I doubt many do. Even lots of on-site guests choose to not wear MB's, opting instead to use KTTW cards. We wear them sometimes, and sometimes we don't.

 

[brockash]

Magic bands *might* be a way to schedule buses/transportation, but not rides and attractions. Only on-site guests get magic bands unless they pay for them out of pocket, which I doubt many do. Even lots of on-site guests choose to not wear MB's, opting instead to use KTTW cards. We wear them sometimes, and sometimes we don't.

I'm not sure what you mean? Magic bands most certainly can and I'm sure do "track" where ppl. are (think ride photos)...where crowds are, where they're not, how long ppl. are waiting in line etc.

 

[DisBuckMan]

I'm not sure what you mean? Magic bands most certainly can and I'm sure do "track" where ppl. are (think ride photos)...where crowds are, where they're not, how long ppl. are waiting in line etc.

My point is that since pretty much only on-site guests wear magic bands, and not even all of them, it would be a poor indicator of crowds, etc. Off-site guests, which make up probably over half the guests at WDW on any given day, certainly aren't accounted for using mb's. They could monitor fast-pass line lengths, since you have to "clock" in to enter the line, and you "clock" through again once you near the ride, but I seriously doubt they're monitoring where everyone in the park is at all moments of the day. The don't monitor stand-by lines...otherwise why are folks still asked to carry the card through the line?

Again...it only works for people actually wearing a mb...which is probably less than half the guests in a park on a given day.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I use to think it was coming, but I think we are still quite far from it. As you say, the "first time" market is likely always going to be there. Disney have become experts at event planning to continuously draw in crowds, one of the big reasons why there are no longer quiet times. And while I think there was a general feeling that the parks were becoming stale, Disney just recently announced lots of new rides and attractions that are coming. By 2021, the parks, to some extent, will almost feel like a completely new experience, likely even drawing in the folks who have sworn it off.

True enough. They are doing things that I don't like, BUT they are reinvesting billions into their parks. I do give them credit for that. And with the coming of Star Wars Land and other new goodies, let's face it: the parks will remain popular for years to come.