Here Now & Just Back - A Place To Share Your Recent Experiences

[Minnie1222]

Regarding LLMP and LLSP, you can certainly move them to a different day during your visit. I haven't had to move the LLSP, but have moved LLMP with the app. You don't need to see Guest Services for that.

 

[wendlle]

We are pretty frequent consumers of Disney properties, and I have to say that this trip has been disappointing, and it's so many little things.

- Second trip in a row our room hasn't been ready at 3 pm.
- One water park open only til 5 makes that 'perk' pretty useless
- Trash everywhere in the parks. Mulch littered with cigarette butts, gum, tags
- The food has been broadly mediocre at QS but that has reached new lows this trip. We even were served a Joffreys donut that was uncooked in the middle.
- The gap between experiences when you can afford to buy all the extras and when you can't has never been more obvious
- So much closed, crowds have been nuts at a time that 'used' to be low crowds (and there not being any of those anymore)
- Inability to get Guardians even though I was up and refreshing before 7 am... I even bought LL but due to injury we weren't able to use it yesterday and it couldn't be moved to today.
- Pool games at resort making my autistic preschooler cry because he couldn't compete and he just wanted one of those dumb ducks... that wasn't very magical...

And a hundred other things. This is the first Disney trip I've taken in my adult life that I seriously have contemplated leaving tickets unused and just going home. I feel so sad and defeated. I am usually a pretty avid Disney apologist and it breaks my heart to feel this way.

Have you tried taking a Disney Cruise before?
I'm thinking that would be way more magical for you. The parks have become a real hassle, but the cruises are so relaxing, you also can participate in the "free" hunting of ducks on board for your preschooler, and they are really great in the kids clubs with the kids - getting them really involved in all the games and activities - my kids like it better than the parks.

Most everything is included so you don't have to buy any extras if you don't want to and you don't feel left out, no virtual ques to worry about or anything.
Maybe give it a try ??

 

[scrappinginontario]

Have you tried taking a Disney Cruise before?
I'm thinking that would be way more magical for you. The parks have become a real hassle, but the cruises are so relaxing, you also can participate in the "free" hunting of ducks on board for your preschooler, and they are really great in the kids clubs with the kids - getting them really involved in all the games and activities - my kids like it better than the parks.

Most everything is included so you don't have to buy any extras if you don't want to and you don't feel left out, no virtual ques to worry about or anything.
Maybe give it a try ??

I agree that Disney cruises are magical and amazing but they come with an extremely high price tag. Our family stays at Pop for 9 nights each August with 8 day PH tickets but a 7 night cruise is easily double the price of a 9 night trip to the parks.

Sadly it’s very difficult to compare a Disney parks trip to a Disney cruise, purely due to the difference in price for many guests.

IMO, a Disney Cruise is now a luxury vacation that many just cannot afford.

 

[Minnie1222]

I usually don't share my trip experiences on this thread, but I need to dispute the comments about Disney parks being dirty. We go to WDW four times a year, with last December being the most recent trip. I think the parks are exceptionally clean for the amount of people traversing them every day. If a mess were made, it would be cleaned within minutes. I've seen a custodian following a stroller with a broom & pan to sweep up the popcorn liberally thrown by its occupant. When a child threw up, the CMs immediately covered the mess with towels and guarded the area until the cleaning crew arrived. To call the parks "dirty" is a blatant disrespect for the hardworking custodial staff, especially when it's embellished with tales of cigarette butts, knowing that smoking has been banned from the parks for years. Even when smoking was allowed, there were no cigarette butts anywhere except for the designated smoking areas.

 

[Princesca]

Where was this? I thought smoking had been banned entirely from the parks.

Outside the train station at Pete's Sideshow is where I saw the butts. But honestly a jerkface was smoking at the MK bus stop and no one moved to stop him. Had to flag down the bus stop CM and ask him to tell the guy it wasn't allowed. Security was nowhere to be found.

I just Googled to see about smoking in the parks and there are quite a few posts in various places about people doing it and not getting caught, so apparently it does happen, even when it's not allowed, and in the little spot between the bathroom and the train station it's kind of a blind/tucked away area, so wouldn't really surprise me. The nearest CMs are train CMs and they are far enough away to not be aware. Also in my experience it's pretty common for ppl to try to smoke outside bathrooms/transit.

 

[Princesca]

I usually don't share my trip experiences on this thread, but I need to dispute the comments about Disney parks being dirty. We go to WDW four times a year, with last December being the most recent trip. I think the parks are exceptionally clean for the amount of people traversing them every day. If a mess were made, it would be cleaned within minutes. I've seen a custodian following a stroller with a broom & pan to sweep up the popcorn liberally thrown by its occupant. When a child threw up, the CMs immediately covered the mess with towels and guarded the area until the cleaning crew arrived. To call the parks "dirty" is a blatant disrespect for the hardworking custodial staff, especially when it's embellished with tales of cigarette butts, knowing that smoking has been banned from the parks for years. Even when smoking was allowed, there were no cigarette butts anywhere except for the designated smoking areas.

You have a right to your opinion but I know what I saw and what my child picked up. I'm not saying there was a whole carton of cigarette butts but there were a couple along with other trash pretty much in a lot of the flower beds. I was shocked. I hadn't been since 2023 and just assumed standards had fallen. Lots of bathrooms with no TP, no paper towels, no soap, faucets not working... and please don't accuse me of faulting the CMs. If anything I think it speaks more to Disney not hiring to keep up with the overcrowding they keep encouraging.

 

[Princesca]

Regarding LLMP and LLSP, you can certainly move them to a different day during your visit. I haven't had to move the LLSP, but have moved LLMP with the app. You don't need to see Guest Services for that.

I asked. CM said only moveable if there is availability. Granted that was guest services chat. I do think they would have accommodated me at a blue umbrella but we didn't want to risk going to a park we didn't have a ton of interest in other than GotG on our last day and find out we were out of luck.

 

[wendlle]

I agree that Disney cruises are magical and amazing but they come with an extremely high price tag. Our family stays at Pop for 9 nights each August with 8 day PH tickets but a 7 night cruise is easily double the price of a 9 night trip to the parks.

Sadly it’s very difficult to compare a Disney parks trip to a Disney cruise, purely due to the difference in price for many guests.

IMO, a Disney Cruise is now a luxury vacation that many just cannot afford.

while it is VERY true that Disney Cruises are very expensive, you can also get sale fares and discounts sometimes.
and some people will take a shorter cruise than a park visit simply to enjoy the experience better.

It is a way for some people to experience the magic of Disney without the headaches the park experience now offers.

 

[Princesca]

Have you tried taking a Disney Cruise before?
I'm thinking that would be way more magical for you. The parks have become a real hassle, but the cruises are so relaxing, you also can participate in the "free" hunting of ducks on board for your preschooler, and they are really great in the kids clubs with the kids - getting them really involved in all the games and activities - my kids like it better than the parks.

Most everything is included so you don't have to buy any extras if you don't want to and you don't feel left out, no virtual ques to worry about or anything.
Maybe give it a try ??

Yes, actually I have in my sig that I've been on two and have a third planned next year. Definitely addicted and finding them much more enjoyable anymore. I think we are going to downshift from these week-long park extravaganzas and just do like a park day before a cruise kind of thing.

 

[wendlle]

Yes, actually I have in my sig that I've been on two and have a third planned next year. Definitely addicted and finding them much more enjoyable anymore. I think we are going to downshift from these week-long park extravaganzas and just do like a park day before a cruise kind of thing.

ahh, yes I see that now. Also I see you've been to Disneyland.
I think THAT is where the magic is. DL still has it, the park experience there is so much different in all the right ways to what WDW has to offer.
I still like WDW, but DL holds my heart.

 

[Princesca]

knowing that smoking has been banned from the parks for years. Even when smoking was allowed, there were no cigarette butts anywhere except for the designated smoking areas.

Just as a further example, the guy smoking at the MK bus stop, when we finally got a CM to tell him it wasn't allowed, stubbed it out and dropped the cig. We didn't see it cleaned up during the time we waited, so maybe something similar happened where we were in the parks. Anyway, I was constantly having to tell my kid not to touch or pick up trash and that's something I don't remember ever having to do before bc it wasn't there.

Also a woman actually called loudly three times for security over the smoker, who was being very belligerent ('it's a free country, are you a Democrat or something, you can't tell me what to do') AND smoking around kids, including one in a wheelchair, and no one came. That was troubling to me since that area is outside bag check and pretty vulnerable.

 

[Princesca]

I agree that Disney cruises are magical and amazing but they come with an extremely high price tag. Our family stays at Pop for 9 nights each August with 8 day PH tickets but a 7 night cruise is easily double the price of a 9 night trip to the parks.

Sadly it’s very difficult to compare a Disney parks trip to a Disney cruise, purely due to the difference in price for many guests.

IMO, a Disney Cruise is now a luxury vacation that many just cannot afford.

It's true. We can't cruise for the same price that we can do the parks. For us it's a 'we probably shouldn't as often as we do, but we do'.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Lots of bathrooms with no TP, no paper towels, no soap, faucets not working.

While I don't agree that the parks are dirty (they're cleaner than most public spaces IMO), I do agree that the bathrooms are pretty disgusting. I chalked it up to lack of staffing rather than the actual employees themselves not doing a good enough job.

 

[Princesca]

While I don't agree that the parks are dirty (they're cleaner than most public spaces IMO), I do agree that the bathrooms are pretty disgusting. I chalked it up to lack of staffing rather than the actual employees themselves not doing a good enough job.

For sure they are cleaner than most public spaces but Disney used to have a certain standard and at least this past week, it felt like it had dropped significantly.

And yes, i didn't say anything about this being the fault of CMs. I don't know where Disney is plowing all its profits but it isn't into janitorial.

 

[Minnie1222]

Just as a further example, the guy smoking at the MK bus stop, when we finally got a CM to tell him it wasn't allowed, stubbed it out and dropped the cig. We didn't see it cleaned up during the time we waited, so maybe something similar happened where we were in the parks. Anyway, I was constantly having to tell my kid not to touch or pick up trash and that's something I don't remember ever having to do before bc it wasn't there.

Also a woman actually called loudly three times for security over the smoker, who was being very belligerent ('it's a free country, are you a Democrat or something, you can't tell me what to do') AND smoking around kids, including one in a wheelchair, and no one came. That was troubling to me since that area is outside bag check and pretty vulnerable.

I am so sorry you have to experience this. There are weirdos everywhere.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I asked. CM said only moveable if there is availability.

Unfortunately this is normal even at a blue umbrella. If there is no availability all they are willing to maybe do is give you a refund.



For those worried about the GOTG VQ, it’s not uncommon to miss out on the 7am drop but the 1pm is generally easy to get if your schedule still has you in EP.

 

[Minnie1222]

While I don't agree that the parks are dirty (they're cleaner than most public spaces IMO), I do agree that the bathrooms are pretty disgusting. I chalked it up to lack of staffing rather than the actual employees themselves not doing a good enough job.

I agree they need to have more restroom staff, but it's difficult to fill these positions. My own cleaning lady left the country last year and I'm fortunate she had referred a new one (although her schedule is so busy that she could only come once every 3 weeks instead of my preferred 1-2 weeks, and I'm still unable to find a filler in between). It's hard to find cleaners for residential areas. I can't imagine it would be easier to find cleaners for toilets used by thousands of guests every day.