Is Disney World Eroding Fan Goodwill?
While reading the comments to the recent news about Walt Disney World charging for parking, I noticed many readers indicated that this was their tipping point: they were done with WDW. This has been a trend I’ve in comments to stories of this kind the last couple of years. More and more one-time fans seem fed up with what they view as nickel and diming, and practices that don’t value them as customers.
It’s easy to write off these comments as hollow words that won’t be backed up with action when it comes time to book their next vacation. Impassioned initial responses will give way to cooler thinking or ways to adjust behavior and ‘make it work’ to continue feeding the Disney addiction. The internet being what it is, there is no doubt some (a lot) of that.
However, dismissing the chorus of complaints out of hand would be foolish. I’ve been around the fan community a while, and have seen a lot of people move on the last few years; fans with thousands of posts suddenly disappearing or social media accounts changing their focus. These are just the prominent, visible examples. If even the most passionate fans felt alienated, no doubt more casual lurkers have reached their own tipping point. For me, this raises a couple of interesting questions: has Walt Disney World eroded fan goodwill, and if so, will that have negative ramifications down the road?
For those unfamiliar with the term, goodwill is basically the consumer relationship with and perception of the brand “Disney.” What you think when you hear the word, the loyalty you have as a result of past experiences, and how likely you are to be an advocate for the company. (This is all reductionist, but it provides a working understanding of the term, and why it’s a significant intangible asset for Walt Disney World.)
In Walt Disney World fandom, this manifests itself in myriad ways. People accumulate thousands of posts on fan forums, spend their hours discussing the parks on social media, and even descend upon the comments sections of articles critical of the parks. People spread the ‘Disney gospel’ to family and friends. Heck, it even leads the most overzealous fans to start blogs about Disney, documenting every experience, no matter how insignificant.
Historically, the Walt Disney Company as a whole has enjoyed exceptional consumer goodwill. Last year, Forbes ranked it as the #6 most powerful brand in the world (#1 was LEGO). The year before that, Disney claimed the #1 spot in Forbes’ measure of goodwill. Those impressive rankings sort of beg the titular question here. However, I’d argue that there’s a significant difference between goodwill for Disney and goodwill for Walt Disney World, which is a subset of the former.
For Disney as a whole, it’s easy to see why goodwill is so high. The company has a solid reputation as being family-friendly, producing toys and television shows that kids love. Then there are the Disney and Pixar-branded animated films; both studios have enjoyed an impressive streak of films that are well-received by families. (I’m inclined to withhold Star Wars and Marvel from consideration here, as I’m not entirely sure the average consumer associates those with Disney.)
Evaluating the theme parks is a bit trickier. Whereas every first-run movie, regardless of quality, costs the same amount to see, theme parks exist in a world of vacation destinations that are not exactly apples to apples comparisons for a multitude of reasons. Pricing, crowds, nature of the experience, etc., all vary dramatically, making head to head comparisons exceedingly difficult.
It’s entirely possible that Walt Disney World enjoys a similar level of goodwill as the Walt Disney Company as a whole. Given the prevalence of “Disney parks are overpriced, tourist traps” articles and sentiment in the mainstream, I find that a very difficult premise to accept.
Walt Disney World does enjoy its own unique reputation, earned from decades of its–and Disneyland’s–existence. The United States Disney parks are viewed as rite of passage vacation destinations where parents, even the most cynical and Disney-averse, take their children. Hugging Mickey Mouse (and capturing the photo to prove it!), getting that first flight on Dumbo, being tall enough to ride Space Mountain, etc., all are experiences that have become ingrained in our culture. Suffice to say, Walt Disney World is an American institution, and a place many people aspire to visit.
Among the general public–the ones who don’t read blogs like this–experiencing this cultural touchstone is important. In today’s strong economy, it’s also easier to justify. Sure, there will be sticker shock when seeing hotel prices, but they’ve heard brand advocates like us touting Walt Disney World for decades.
As a culturally-important, rite of passage vacation at a time when unemployment is at historic lows and they have record high confidence in the economy, Walt Disney World is very appealing for casual consumers. This is true even if the vacation costs $6,000 to $8,000 and requires going into a bit of debt to fund.
These first-time visitors who will spend big on their vacation, doing everything they can to ensure that their important trip lives up to expectations, are a lucrative audience for Disney. These guests generally don’t know hacks to save cut costs, and generally spend more money than regular guests. (Obviously, there are exceptions to every generalization–we know plenty of Annual Passholders who are merchandise-addicts.)
A compelling argument can be made (one that I’d agree with) that Walt Disney World is tailoring its business strategy towards one and done visitors, eager to score big financial results in the short term. Right now, it’s also quite conceivable that Walt Disney World is not particularly interested in loyal customers. It doesn’t need them to fill hotels, and doesn’t recognize their long-term value.
The first problem with this line of thinking is what happens when another recession hits or an event negatively impacting the tourism industry. Since 2000, this has occurred twice. Even if you think the fundamentals of our economy are sound (I don’t), it does not take a vivid imagination to envision a time in 5 years or less when things are not so rosy.
During both of the past recessions, Walt Disney World discounted heavily and was very much reliant on its ardent fans to pick up the slack. Following the last recession, the argument was made that Walt Disney World is ‘recession-proof’ in light of its healthy performance.
I’d retort that this misses the mark. Historically, Walt Disney World fans have had an ironclad passion/addiction that they would prioritize going to Disney over other discretionary expenditures. More casual middle class families with kids of the ‘right age’ would do likewise since the parks enjoyed such a strong rite of passage reputation. Sound promotional strategies plus these demographics meant that a recession was not enough to discourage robust attendance numbers.
This raises several questions. Are there still just as many fans with that ironclad passion today as there were a decade ago? If not, can those one-time fans be lured back with aggressive discounting? Is Walt Disney World raising new generations of fans in the same number as it raised my generation and those before mine? Does Walt Disney World’s longstanding institutional rite of passage reputation outweigh its newfound “Walt Disney World is a playground for the wealthy” reputation?
I don’t have the answers to any of these questions. I’m guessing Disney does not, either (if they’re questions even being asked within the company). While I can understand Disney’s eagerness to capitalize on short term trends, I’m weary of what some of the company’s decisions mean in the long term. There are obviously still a ton of things I love about Walt Disney World, and I’m incredibly enthusiastic about what’s on the horizon between now and 2021. I also have a bit of trepidation about pricing trends, and find myself a bit disenchanted with a business plan that, in my opinion, does not hold a whole lot of regard for loyal customers.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Has Walt Disney World lost some of the goodwill you once held for the parks? Do you agree or disagree with our analysis? Other thoughts on this topic? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
What about the non Disney hotel that’s getting to
Use extra magic hours. Is that what we are paying big bucks for, off ground guests? Is nothing sacred? Really disappointed in their decision to
Let a off site hotel in on one of the reasons to stay on site.
No The off site Hotels by Disney springs have been doing it for years.
I have stayed at the Hilton across from Disney springs and have used extra magic hours there for min 10 years back. they charge huge parking fees and have for long time but when I can get a room for 120 bucks in the past was worth it to me. Being walking distance to Disney Springs.
The Disney Parks division is in many ways of a victim of its own success. In my humble opinion, there are simply too many people visiting the parks…and Star Wars Land has yet to open on either coast (yikes). Much of the Disney magic is lost when you’re elbowing your way through hordes of people or standing in hour-long lines for 5 minute attractions.
The reality is Disney essentially has to price out a huge chunk of people if it doesn’t want its parks to become a daily scene similar to that of my local mall on Black Friday. When I talk to friends who have returned from a Disney trip, I can pretty much guarantee I will hear “it was so crowded” within the first minute of the conversation. I think most people will tolerate crowds up to a point, but I seriously doubt that it is the lasting memory that Disney hopes people leave with.
The only obvious short term fix to overcrowding is to jack up prices to a point where a healthy chunk of folks are discouraged from attending. Unfortunately that will impact many life-long fans. What a crazy balancing act the Disney bean counters have to engage in. The truth is as fans (we wouldn’t be posting on a Disney blog if we weren’t) we want the magic affordably available to us, but not too many other folks. There are only so many parks, so many rides, so many restaurants, and so many hotels to go around.
I may ultimately become one of those fans who is either completely priced out or chooses to avoid a “magical vacation” in which Main Street USA, 365 days a year, resembles Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Yeah, I’ll pass. Already we are urgently saving up for a Disneyland trip within the next year, because I am having nightmares of the light-saber toting plague of locusts that will descend on Anaheim when Star Wars Land (GE) opens. That’s not a criticism of Star Wars fans (I am as well), just an acceptance that Disneyland may NEVER be the same again (i.e., not overcrowded). Kind of a bummer, but it is what it is.
To sum up my thoughts: Maintaining “goodwill” will be an incredibly difficult task over the next few years, as the options are seeming to converge upon either (A) taking out a second mortgage to afford a Disney trip, or (B) the parks being a place where only a certain category of fans, the touchy-feely-extreme-extrovert-who-places-no-value-on personal-space, will want to attend.
Sounds magical!
While we can afford it I think we will simply choose not to go. It’s not the money it’s the attitude that tipped the scales for us. I too am sorry for the families that will no longer get be able to afford the value resorts without going into debt (which I would never advocate for any vacation) but I’m even more irritated at the decision to tier the parking charges by resort level. It smacks of socialism to me to say that because someone is staying in a deluxe resort they must have deeper pockets and therefore WDW can stick its hands further into them. Having stayed at all levels of resorts I know that the value resort parking lots are larger (not to mention more convenient) than the deluxe resorts. Ipso facto those lots would cost more to maintain and therefore the costs to those guests should be more than the guests at the deluxe resorts. Charge me for parking if you must but make it a flat, reasonable fee across all resort levels. Don’t punish me for spending more money at your establishment.
It sounds as if you are implying that Disney is intentionally pricing out the average American family, like families who stay at values. And if this is the case, why not just do away with the values all together? I think it’s ridiculous to say that only a certain demographic should be able to go to Disney world or therefore intentionally discourage a family with a limited budget to come back again and again by pricing them out. And if that truly is there goal than I won’t to be anywhere that doesn’t want me.
Tom, I’m curious to know if you see similar trends at Disneyland, or if you think this is happening moreso at Disneyworld? Anyone else can chip in with their two cents as well – I’m more of a Disneyland person, so I’m curious to hear other’s opinions.
As a child, my family could only afford a one-day pass to WDW so we would pick just one park, we always stayed offsite at a cheap motel, and we drove down. We packed lunches or grabbed fast food outside of the parks. Then we would fill in the rest of our vacation with other central Florida attractions, mini golf, waterparks etc. I never would have dreamed of the deluxe resort, multi-day trips I take my children on now, but I believe there should still be that accessible base version of a WDW vacation for average families. This parking fee will likely push some people out of the Value resorts, will increase pressure on an already crowded bus system, and make traffic worse as more people choose to stay offsite. It also does nothing to prevent locals from taking advantage of the loophole that allows them to park for the day at the MK or Epcot resorts to avoid paying for parking.
Thank you Alexa. We used to do the deluxe resorts but we can’t afford it now. Not on one income in NJ. We even owned dvc but it was too much with having to pay our monthly fees and than paying out of pocket for the tickets and plans. We do value with our toddler and spend that extra on merchandise and the nicer dining plan. We’re fine with that but I thank you for having the Outlook you so have on this whole thing. Because we are that family you describe. We’re trying really hard to make it an annual family trip and everytime we turn around there’s more fees and increases.
I do agree with the article that WDW is catering to one and done.
I have been going to WDW since November 2001 & also been a AP couple of times. I currently have AP that expires October 2018. I will not be renewing and do not plan to go to WDW after AP expires next. Last trip was 1/30-2/10 2018 – 5 day trip with husband & then he went home & had girls trip with friends. Between the Disney understaffing & perceives disminished value I felt frustrated & nickled & dimed for everything. Both husband & friends discussed how WDW was more like a one and done vacation.
Only because I promised a child (best friends daughter) 6 years ago that we would go to WDW for her high school graduation (June 5-11 2018) and the fact that she has been working to earn her portion (per her mom) to go – is there another WDW trip in June 2018 much less 2018 for me. And YES I did try to get out of it – asked child are you sure you still want to go, would you like to go someplace else, would you like to use your money for something else….. Nope all she wants is to go. Ok! Let’s do this! No snarky comments, planning big time and knowing this will be the last trip for me.
We have vacationed in Disney at least once a year since my daughter turned 8. The last 6 years we return with her and my grandson. Last year in October we stayed in Copper Creek . A bit expensive but since it was new slightly expensive. This year we tried to stay there but the rate had gone up. In the same period last year it was 600+ per night same room last week cost 2000.00+ per night.
Its off site for us next year. Gone also will be entry tickets for the week and meal plans.
I wish my Disney stock was doing as the CEO…….maybe he should be paid less and raise the dividends on the stock.
Our first trip to Disney was in 1980 for our honeymoon. We’ve made many trips since bringing the children, going by ourselves to celebrate anniversaries and now our upcoming trip in April/May is to celebrate retirement. Needless to say, we have “grown up and old” with Disney. Much has changed over the years, usually changes that make your stay more enjoyable and that costs money. I’m willing to pay for that. But over the last few trips we’ve noticed Disney is giving us much less for much more. Sadly, this upcoming trip will be our last to Disney. Two major changes will now keep us from ever returning. Eliminating the Main Street Electrical Parade was a huge loss. That was a BIG mistake. But the real tipping point was when Disney figured how to get more money from people wanting to stay in standard and garden view rooms (their least expensive option) by allowing people to bring their dogs. Disney showed it’s true colors by caring more about charging more money for rooms than the welfare of children and adults with severe allergies and asthma. This could literally destroy a family’s vacation by landing one of their family members in the hospital. Not to mention people come from all over with their dogs and tick borne illnesses are a very serious disease. There are many more than just Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Disney needs to get their hands out of the piggyback and do some serious research on this. They will now be allowing dogs carrying ticks that are native to only certain parts of the country into one area so the diseases can spread. Ticks adapt easily to other environments and with the millions of people who visit Disney and now can bring dogs, they may have just opened a big can of worms. And don’t kid yourself. A “deep cleaning” in a room with a dog will not guarantee removal of the ticks they carried in. It most definitely will be our last trip. Florida has so much to offer.
I absolutely love Disney. My son and I go at least 4-5 times a year since we are only an hour and a half way from WDW. It is getting more difficult to be there though. Hard to get a room thru DVC due to everything being booked. Ticket cost of our annual pass is becoming almost unobtainable for my paycheck. Food and drink prices, and just buying a t-shirt have increased considerably and now parking fees. I love Disney and will go as long as I can. You are not paid as much attention to as you used to be, don’t feel that special anymore. Everything used to be so much easier. Parks are so crowded all the time. Even after paying as much attention as you can to the crowd calendars. Going to Disney has become difficult sometimes to check in, check out, lengthy time for bus or monorail, package check, lines to scan your magic band, etc. If I want to be one of the many, I will stay home and go to the mall.
I forgot to add how Disney Springs has changed to just an overpriced, elite mall. Too many shops that I can’t even afford to walk into much less buy anything in and same goes for the restaurants they have their now. I loved the quaintness of the Marketplace. I used to be there for hours. The Pooh store is gone which was very upsetting. My favorite store.
Mine to Hollie, I loved the marketplace. I’m not sure what that place is anymore.
We already have our next trip booked, but after that Disney won’t be seeing us for quite a while. Since this news was announced we’ve already priced out and booked some alternative vacations for the next year. Half the price for some amazing experiences I would not have even looked for if Disney had not decided to keep chipping away at my loyalty with its nickel and diming – so maybe I should thank them for severing my Disney heartstring.
I also plan Disney trips for other people all the time. I book hotels, fastpasses, etc. I always tell people “you need to stay on site!” But honestly that is not what I would recommend now. Every year the prices get higher and the benefits just don’t feel worth it. In the past, if you were paying for something extra at least it gave you a level of “magic” – extra park time, special dining events, etc. What’s the magic of spending $150 just to let your car sit in the parking lot for a week?!? Is there a fairy that’s going to fly through the parking lot washing and waxing vehicles? Will they check your tire pressure and refill your gas tanks? Valet/chauffeur for you?
I expect Disney to go “above and beyond” in everything – especially up-charges. That’s how they originally gained customer goodwill and loyalty. Their premium prices make that the expectation. For Disney to charge a premium for a parking place is absurd. It steals the magic and joy right out of my upcoming Disney vacation – even though we booked last year so we won’t have to pay for it.
Unfortunately the magic is gone for me. My family last visited Disney in January, 2018. We occupied 2 rooms at the Polynesian. The rooms were caked with dust. Staff was friendly – except for the quick service dining. The monorail was super slow and when it did make a stop was beyond packed….. the monorail system needs to be updated, to say the least. It squeaked and shook so much— as if when it made a slight turn…. it would just fall off the rail. Chef MIckey’s was awful with service… greeter, photographer, waiter and wait staff…
Many times on this trip employees were complaining, appeared to be ‘hiding’ from guests, appeared dirty/unkept, talked in groups, and were inept at their job to say the least. The parks were dirty— where at one time every inch of Disney was pristine- every employee made every guest feel like they were the only one that mattered.
Those days are gone. I honestly cannot get over they still operate ‘Disney Institute.’ What a joke if their parks and resorts are supposed to be an example of a high quality customer experience.
My first trip to Disney was in 1976. I’m afraid 2018 will be my last visit…. too bad… because i have 3 kids under the age of 12.
and i forgot to add- Disney is simply catering to foreign money and foreigners… visitors and employees…. and the ones i ran into in Jan – were simply rude.
You know, it’s funny as a first timer who got back just a couple weeks ago.. our experience was incredible and I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the service (that it was lacking, etc). We came away feeling like, “WOW! That was amazing!”. But when it comes to the costs… I just don’t understand why more people are not clueing into the fact that staying off site is SO much cheaper. I understand that the deciding factor is that maybe you wont get a couple fast passes you want.. but to us we were like, “meh. We’ll just do what we can and if we miss stuff, we miss stuff!” Our expectation was, in my opinion, realistic. Even as a family of 4 we still did everything we wanted to and saw everything we wanted to. It was ok that we weren’t on site – actually I would say it was even MORE enjoyable because we weren’t scrutinizing every staff member making sure they gave us our money’s worth in impeccable service. Because when you are paying the kind of money it costs to stay on site – you expect impeccable service! I get that. But knowing that I can buy a weeks worth of groceries for what it costs to eat at one fancy character dining meal?? Yeah… that alone could change people’s experience!
We are planning on going back in two years and we will approach it the same way we did our first trip: set a budget (never EVER go into debt for a vacation! That is a great way to be bitter and frustrated when things don’t go exactly your way!) , be wise about our money, stay OFF site and pack food and have a fantastic time. The ticket prices are SO worth what we paid. There were days when we were only an hour into our day and I told my husband, “this alone is worth the price we paid for tickets!” It’s the food and resort costs and experiences that get out of control. But what we determined is that you REALLY don’t need to participate in absolutely EVERYTHING to have an incredible time. I think if people adjusted their expectations in light of the recent cost hikes they could still find a way to love Disney.
Amanda, I have other thoughts about Disney’s pricing and service, but I’ll share those in a separate post. I want to commend you and your family on your “we’ll do what we can, and if we miss stuff, we miss stuff” attitude. That is truly the way to enjoy a Disney vacation!
Two thumbs up!!
I stay on property so I can take the afternoons to go back to my hotel with relative ease, not pay $22 parking at the parks’ gates, not have to rent a car because I use Disney transportation to and from the airport and around the resort. I order groceries, or rent a car for a day to get them and go to an outlet mall, and have two of three meals from the groceries, and one meal, usually dinner, at a resort hotel (sometimes splitting the meal as the portions are big enough). There are ways to stay on property and be cost effective. However, those driving (which I’ve done on a number of occasions) should not be socked with additional fees for staying in the magic. Glad your trips work well for you, but the other options should be affordable too.
I’m feeling very frustrated with the Disney price gouging as well. This week that was compounded by circulating information stating Bob Iger earned $36.3 million for the past fiscal year ending September 30th. It further stated that in his new compensation package he could receive $423 million for his four year agreement if he meets the goals stipulated in his contract.
My family and I have been going to Disney twice each year for 30 plus years. We live in Ohio. We have annual passes, pay for flights to and from, rent a car and stay at the Boardwalk. We stay onsite the entire 7 to 8 day stay. We do not buy the dining plan; we pay as we go. We do not skimp on meals or purchases in stores. We are not DVC members. We were dedicated true Disney fans.
We decided as a family that we will spend our vacation elsewhere this year. Our passes expire in June and we are not renewing. It seems to us that the compensation packages of their executives are more important than their guests and their employees.
Hi
I’m a Brit that has visited Disney every two years. Since 2001. I favoured Disney hotels because I felt ripped off by the universal on site parking charges. Things have changed and I don’t get that Disney feeling anymore which is sad. I think our visit on 29th April 18 will be our last vacation for a few years. Disney are alienating their long term fans and I fear it will bite them in the back side soon.
I like the replies in the sense that it is not just Disney bashing but real examples and valid opinions. I agree with the majority. I have been lucky enough as an adult to visit disney multiple times and over the last decade my family has been fortunate to be in a position to fly down almost on a yearly basis to spend a week vacation there. My wife did the college program there and its a destination we always enjoy returning to.
But as a previous poster said, its not as much the increases, but rate of increase. And in the process they are seemingly taking away everything that made Disney – Disney.
it feels like a biting the hand that feeds you in a way. I can’t be hypocritical and say we will stop going – but i know already for next trip, we are now skipping parks entirely and will do the water parks, mini golf, and see volcano bay,etc.. We’ve also looked into hotels and I think for the first time we will be staying offsite at Bonnet Creek.
Maybe we will get lucky and management will start to see the error of some of their choices. I don’t mind price increases that are justified or providing a value. This latest just feels like a move of – what else can we charge for so some executive in charge can show a better revenue number at the end of the quarter? The problem is that as has been said – that may be a short term solution – but is it going to hurt you greater in the long term as people find other places to now spend their money. I guess we will have to wait to see.
I couldn’t agree more! We have been several times and the quality of service has diminished a little each time. We have done several Disney cruises and I feel like they are a good representation of what was once “the Disney experience”. I hope that doesn’t begin to change. It saddens me because Disney World has been the most magical experiences we have had as a family and we looked forward to sharing it with future generations.
Devils advocate – from a business perspective maybe Disney Pema are trying to weed out those who can’t afford it so that attendance finally dips, thereby giving those that can continue to afford t a better park experience with less crowds, better service, etc. They are expected to continually be profitable as they are on the stock exchange and need to report ongoing profits to shareholders, but st the same time they need to do something to find a way to preserve the “Disney magic/experience” so this likely a business strategy to retain their most profitable visitors over the budget travellers and fill their parks with those with looser penny purses over penny pinchers.
K, I think you make a good point. I was almost ready to write a semi satirical comment about people (myself included) complaining about large crowds and rude customers. I was going to comment that maybe Disney could raise prices to weed out some folks so the crowds aren’t as bad, but you summed it up pretty well.
From a business perspective I don’t think Disney really wants to treat anyone badly, but they also are certainly not having a problem filling the parks. In fact, as many comments point out, the large crowds themselves are contributing to some of the lost magic. It seems raising prices is the only alternative, what else could they do? Ask loyal customers to skip coming every other year so the rest can have a more enjoyable time?
Again, I’m really not looking forward to Star Wars land if it draws the crowds they are anticipating, not for me!
This is our thoughts exactly. We just returned from a 2 week WDW trip on January and it was wall to wall half-dressed trashy people, lines for hours, and generally a sour atmosphere. Our last trip was a few years ago and the experience then was much, much better.
Honestly I’d be fine with them doubling the price of admission if only to thin the parks out a little and make the experience one you save up for instead of going with this week’s paycheck and a dime bag. Can you just imagine lines in the minutes instead of the hours? 45 minutes for Mine Train? 30 minutes for Frozen?
And while they’re at it, going back to a non-alcoholic menu would be fantastic. Epcot after dark is not a place you want your children.
Been to WDW 6 times. Used to tell everyone they needed to go. It was great. It’s to the point now that most of thsoe people can no longer afford to go. Plus I hate being Nickeled and Dimed. So, I am no longer recommeding and I am not taking my family back.
I’m afraid we are stearing clear this year. I have 2 boys 8/11 and we are die hard fans. However the cost for even an upper middle class family is outrageous compared to what you can get for the same money. Will we go back. Prob. But not every year anymore. We can get an annual pass at universal Orlando for the same price at tickets at Disney. We are moving on.
I love Disney. I grew up in southern California and visited Disneyland often as a kid. When the army stationed my husband on the east coast, I couldn’t wait to take our kids to Disney World. Our first trip was in 2015 and it was truly magical. It was the best vacation I think I’ve ever had. We visited just before Pandora opened and I think that made for lighter crowds because so many people were waiting the additional few weeks. But the army gives us set vacation time so we didn’t’ have that option. The overall customer service was outstanding! Just incredible. It completely made a believer out of my very skeptical husband and when 2017 rolled around, it was actually his idea to go back.
But that trip was decidedly less magical. For starters, we paid 30% more for the same exact package. Same room. Same dining plan. Even the same time of year. The service was lacking to be sure. My son was ill and we had to remove all the sofa cushions from our room. We had to call the front desk three times for them to come pick them up because they kept forgetting. So, we were the family who had vomit soiled sofa cushions (which we of course cleaned as well as we could) sitting in the hallway outside our room for two days. Which meant we couldn’t use the sofa. Mousekeeping came to our rooms both days yet no one picked up the cushions or brought us clean ones. Kind of defeats the point of paying for a suite. I’m sure we’re not the first family to deal with illness while on vacation but their lack of attention really put a sour taste in my mouth.
That’s just one example. We were also on several rides that broke down. We spent an hour stuck on Pirates. We had to rearrange fast passes and dining reservations to accommodate the mechanical issues. I don’t expect the place to be perfect, but it literally happened to us at least once a day for the duration of our week long trip.
I still love Disney and Disney World was still one of the best trips of my life (the first one) but it definitely has me rethinking my plans to go again next year. I’m definitely looking into other options. And it’s not because of the parking fee, though I do think that’s kind of ridiculous given that you’ve already paid so much for a room. It’s simply that even just comparing my two recent trips, there was a marked decline in the overall service and magic of the experience.
Wow! reading all these comments makes me want to cry. I thought it was just me feeling betrayed by Disney! I have come to Disney every year for over 25 years. Staying on property with a rental car. Every year they take something away , charge a “little” more, or tweak it not for the better. Still I come… I love Disney and the magic but man it is really starting to hurt. When Disney needed us loyal fans to come during their down times we were there. When Disney needed seat fillers we were there. We were there to buy merchandise, buy food, buy experiences… I hope Disney looks at these comments and remembers us the “loyal Disney fans” The one and done fans won’t be around forever but we will! I love being on Disney property but maybe for now off property is the way to go. I can rent a house for less than the cost of the moderate resort stay.
Kim nicely said, couldn’t have said it better.