Disney reads DISboards - Fact!

[kimberh]

A few more things the CM told me:

Disney really listens to the market (us) and will change a boat midstream if something is not working.

DCL is NOT offering discounts as they all sell out. They are building 2 new ships that will be MUCH larger in terms of lenght and width, but will look the same (classic lines).

If Disney can't make money off something, they will drop it. He cracked up when I told him my Ped Peeve was the $10 refillable soda mugs...I personally think it is a rip off.

He said, when you see Disney advertise, they are hurting and when they don't advertise, they are doing well.

I also told him I want a DVC special cruise in DCL during the SUMMER as that is when kids are off school. He said Disney reservs special cruises for when the bookings are slower and harder to sell out. School vacations and summer does not need any promotions.

Cruises on other lines can be so cheap. We just took one to Hawaii, on a new ship, for a steal, I do wish Disney would have some better prices on cruises. My daughter, just left my house asking me to look for a cruise for all of our family. I told her how the specials work, when the kids are in school. Families can get in real trouble for taking the kids out of school for vacation! Disney, if you are reading, HELP!!!!!

 

[goalie5hole]

free dining is not a big deal for me - but going back to feature menus at restaurants rather than the current uniform menu offerings would be appreciated...we get more variety eating off-site nowadays.

Agreed- we have been eating alot more off site the last couple trips.

 

[goalie5hole]

And if starting out today, Walt would likely be bankrupt, unfunded, or left without resources. Sad? Maybe, but the fact is that Disney needs to function in TODAY'S business environment in order to actually exist. Pining for the halycon days of yore is fruitless. Thinking Walt would be able to do better in an environment he had no exposure to, or experience in is equally as pointless. Wishing Disney would harken back to the days of Walt is, essentially, wishing a death sentence on them.



Do you know WHY corporations operate that way? Because shareholders demand they do. If they don't, their stock prices plummet, their credit rating is junked, and they cease to exist. I'll agree on management compensation...it's completely over the top at the upper echelon. But you can't begrudge Disney doing what it needs to do to survive.

Walt might have been willing to "spend a little more", but the shareholders aren't/won't be, unless there is a tangible benefit in doing so. It's the world we live in. It's not the 20's, 30's, and 40's, where ideas and idealism could conquer the world. Sad? Maybe....

This is exactly what is going on at UPS right now since it went public in 1999. Service is going to he**.

 

[Budshark]

Families can get in real trouble for taking the kids out of school for vacation!

What do you mean by this???

Chris

 

[Mickey Moose]

What do you mean by this???

Chris

Here is a quote from my children's school district policy manual about "educational" trips. Looks like some districts will report you to child services if you exceed their policy on taking kids out of school for unscheduled and unapproved absences.

"Parents who are planning to take their child on an educational trip during the time
that school is in session may request an excused absence for the student.
Consideration of such a request is dependent on these conditions:
1. Trips will normally be limited to five (5) school days in any given academic
year.
2. Any days beyond the maximum of five (5) days permitted will be considered
unexcused and unlawful for students under age seventeen (17) and appropriate
legal action will be taken"

 

[kimberh]

What do you mean by this???

Chris

My Brother and his wife took their 7 yr old daughter on a cruise last fall. They were called in for 3 meetings to authorities for a 5 day cruise, she did not miss that many days of school. Labor day was one of the days. She was not behind with her grades, it was a real mess.

When my now college graduated son was in Elementary School, we went to another state every year, the first weekend of Dec. for my mother's side of the family to celebrate christmas. He missed 3 days of school, I was called in and told he would not miss any more school unless he had a DR.'s excuse. In our state, a child can have 10 unexcused absences, any more than that and they fail, it does not matter what their grades are. If they miss 3 days in a row, it raises a red flag. We are very limited with taking a child out of school. Disney is not a educated trip. Many home school or go to private school to have a little more flexibility. I put my son in Private School after that, my grandfather is now dead, I do not regret any of those trips. He graduated with Honors from High School and College.

 

[rie'smom]

Lose the clown at BWV
LOSE THE DDP and bring back great dining.
The restaurants really were fabulous at one time. My FIL's gourmet club even travelled to WDW in the 90's. They scheduled meals at each of the Epcot restaurants. He's almost impossible to please but he really liked the food.

 

[diznycrazed]

If Disney folks are listening:

Had to laugh at this one. We are staying in a 2 bed this summer at the BWV - taking my sister's family. Her youngest is deathly afraid of clowns, should be interesting!

Terry

 

[dianeschlicht]

Is DISNEY listening??????


HAWAII Did you read that DVC folks???HAWAII!

 

[OneMoreTry]

Is DISNEY listening??????


HAWAII Did you read that DVC folks???HAWAII!

What about the US Virgin Islands? They're so much closer.

 

[dianeschlicht]

What about the US Virgin Islands? They're so much closer.

Closer to whom?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Oh yes...While we are on the topic of telling Disney something...
Do away with the "standardized" food the DDP has brought on and go back to having restaurants we WANT to pay good prices for. I no longer think Disney has a really good restaurant.

 

[OneMoreTry]

Closer to whom?

I may have my geography wrong, but I think they're closer to most of the Continental US. However, there may not be as many nonstop flights.

 

[jarestel]

dianeschlicht, I'm totally with you on this one! I'd rather pay more for quality food than get "free" or reduced rate lowest common denominator offerings. (just while I'm on vacation, of course)

Disney is quite sly. You see they have me clamoring for higher prices. When they give me what I'm yapping for, their hands are clean. Very clever, they are!

 

[crisi]

How about this for an idea - drop the DDP signature meal option. Certain restaurants simply ARE out of pocket and they WILL be more expensive. Maybe allow people to apply $15-20 worth of "DDP credit" to their California Grill meal. That would allow some restaurants at Disney continued freedom and ability to gage their own market with their own pricing. I miss good Disney food, too.

 

[bzzelady]

I agree with the above comments about DDP but would do a couple of things in addition.
Drop the signature dining option...pare down the entire list of table service restaurants available on DDP.
Take the restaurants that have then been removed from DDP and bring the menus/choices back up to the pre-DDP level.
I have no objections to paying for quality meals and atmosphere.
Just because DDP is being offered does not mean it has to be accepted in every restaurant on property...

 

[nezy]

We never use the DDP, and I really haven't taken notice of the menus the last time we were there, but I have noticed that it has been extremely difficult to eat at a WDW restaurant without a ressie of some sort. I do not know what I will be having for dinner this week let alone make plans 6 months from now as to where and wehn I will be eating. It has been very difficult to get anything PS by by calling when I am in the World. We end up eating on the go or in our DVC room. Would I like to go out, yes, but it seems my options are limited.

 

[Starr W.]

I have no objections to paying for quality meals and atmosphere.
Just because DDP is being offered does not mean it has to be accepted in every restaurant on property...

I am beginning to feel the DDP is a mess. Here I am starting to wonder where we are going to eat at Thanksgiving, so I can make some ADR's! Perhaps they could limit the number of ADR's for the DDP people and let some open for those who don't use it.

My family would also pay for quality & variety of meals also, but we are probably in the minority. Just read some of the threads that people are drooling over the "supposed" announcement of free dining for Aug-Sept. Even going to take kids out of school to get free dining?

 

[rantnnravin]

so, am i to understand that in the past, Disney used to offer a higher quality of food that many had become accustomed to and had become something to expect and, dare i say it, a reason for visits?
but now, the quality has declined to such a noticeable degree that some are disgruntled by the idea of paying the same or more for less?
of course, it's all a matter of opinion...

 

[brandedguy]

It has long been known that Disney reads many Net forums, including this one, the comment about leaking info, I would take with a grain of salt.

Sammie is right, they leak DIS-information!

From what I understand (a little mousie told me), some of the most prolific posters were Disney employees. (Management level).