Former president of Disneyland resort says WDW doesn't feel magical

[clarker99]

i mean, if you know how to do disney, you can wait until the day of, pop your phone out, and get your lighting lane and genie pluses. i have heard people that havent been in 5 years, or havent been at all, about how hard the trip was for them. it was too complex, or they missed out on a ride because they didnt understand the system.

if you're not a causal disney fan, and you do not spend countless hours watching tips and tricks on youtube, you are going to miss out on things.

You can't just fly into London or Paris or Tokyo or go to Universal without a plan either. If you plan a holiday... any holiday... do some research.

Check these threads from 5 years ago and people constantly complained about FP+ at 60 days and dining at 180 days and whatever else. I am sorry but the complaining goes on for years and years.

 

[ChipnDale79]

You can't just fly into London or Paris or Tokyo or go to Universal without a plan either. If you plan a holiday... any holiday... do some research.

they are planning, its not like they dont plan at all and just show up to the parks. ive said for years, disney vacations almost require a college level course to tackle it if you havent been before.

we've spent countless hours on youtube learning how to tackle the parks, and we go enough to know. i cant imagine how daunting it is for people that dont go often.

 

[clarker99]

lol its funny how people always go to the extreme in a response. they are planning, its not like they dont plan at all and just show up to the parks. ive said for years, disney vacations almost require a college level course to tackle it if you havent been before.

we've spent countless hours on youtube learning how to tackle the parks, and we go enough to know. i cant imagine how daunting it is for people that dont go often.

Speaking of extremes. College degrees and spreadsheets. I am sorry it isn't that hard.

 

[starlite_]

the vast majority of the people that post here; love disney. even those that say they're going somewhere else, love disney.

I think there are a lot of people that come here to vent about something they love that has upset them. that doesnt really bother me. i too love disney, i do also hate to see that disney has made so many changes over the past 10 years or so that it has upset so many people. if they want to vent, i'm cool with that.

Quoting myself cause there really is no better way to respond to this.

Absolutely fine! It's everyone's choice to go or not to whatever park. But why be here being miserable ??? Choosing to not go doesn't make anyone better or worse than others. It's the attitude that makes no sense.

If it doesn't apply to them then it doesn't and I am not talking about them.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Matt Quimet was president of Disneyland from I think 2003-2006. He left and was at to Cedar Parks as their CEO and then left a few years ago, remained on their board until a few months ago. This is not the first time he has made a negative comment about the ease of going to Disney vs a Cedar Fair park. He has several quotes commenting on how much easier or better the Cedar Fair type parks are for families due to needing to plan or money or other reasons. I take his comments with a grain of salt because this really is no different than a former employee of any company proclaiming why their new company is better.

Mostly Agree … but sadly he’s correct. It/system HAS changed and those that Want, change with it/Accept the changes. Or choose elsewhere. I’d be interested to read his take After an actual visit

 

[Jrb1979]

You can't just fly into London or Paris or Tokyo or go to Universal without a plan either. If you plan a holiday... any holiday... do some research.

Check these threads from 5 years ago and people constantly complained about FP+ at 60 days and dining at 180 days and whatever else. I am sorry but the complaining goes on for years and years.

There is major difference in planning between Disney and every other park out there. I dispise Genie+ and FP+. It has nothing to do with the cost but the whole return time thing. Let me enjoy the parks as I want to enjoy them. Not when Disney tells me how to enjoy them.

 

[clarker99]

There is major difference in planning between Disney and every other park out there. I dispise Genie+ and FP+. It has nothing to do with the cost but the whole return time thing. Let me enjoy the parks as I want to enjoy them. Not when Disney tells me how to enjoy them.

You have never used Genie+

 

[Jrb1979]

You have never used Genie+

You still have return times. All that's changed is your doing it day of instead of 60 days ahead of time. Universal's system is the better one. You don't have to plan when to ride anything you just get in line.

 

[clarker99]

You still have return times. All that's changed is your doing it day of instead of 60 days ahead of time. Universal's system is the better one. You don't have to plan when to ride anything you just get in line.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Minnie1222]

You still have return times. All that's changed is your doing it day of instead of 60 days ahead of time. Universal's system is the better one. You don't have to plan when to ride anything you just get in line.

I would love to see the Express Pass system at Disney. I just can't imagine what the fee would be. $250/person for one park? $1000 for all 4 parks?

 

[Smugpugmug]

I would love to see the Express Pass system at Disney. I just can't imagine what the fee would be. $250/person for one park? $1000 for all 4 parks?

I've said this before but I think it would need to be at least $350/person. Especially if a pass like this had unlimited rerides and included all ILL attractions.

 

[clarker99]

I've said this before but I think it would need to be at least $350/person. Especially if a pass like this had unlimited rerides and included all ILL attractions.

This website would meltdown with (faux) outrage.

 

[starlite_]

And I'll say it again, at that price might as well just get the VIP tour and leave us mortals with Genie+ in peace xD

 

[Smugpugmug]

This website would meltdown with (faux) outrage.

What doesn't get this site (and other Disney fan communities) to have a meltdown?

 

[clarker99]

What doesn't get this site (and other Disney fan communities) to have a meltdown?

Ha. Good point.

 

[New Mouse]

I didn't say it was. Yes they both have problems but I find Cedar Point a better experience mainly due to it being much simpler to visit. I don't want to book rides or be told to ride when I can ride. I want to just show up and go about my day. Something Universal does better too.

I go to parks as an escape from my everyday schedule. I have a schedule at home for most days, so it's the last thing I want when on a theme park vacation.

This x 100

 

[New Mouse]

There is major difference in planning between Disney and every other park out there. I dispise Genie+ and FP+. It has nothing to do with the cost but the whole return time thing. Let me enjoy the parks as I want to enjoy them. Not when Disney tells me how to enjoy them.

Disney has both an attendance and an image problem.

They have too many people to run a system like Universals and they couldn't afford to.price it where it needs to be due to an image problem and their previously free fastpass options.

Why they haven't gone to deluxe resorts only for genie plus is beyond me as that's the easiest solution.

 

[clarker99]

Why they haven't gone to deluxe resorts only for genie plus is beyond me as that's the easiest solution.

Only deluxe can buy genie+? Or Deluxe gets genie+ included?

 

[New Mouse]

Only deluxe can buy genie+? Or Deluxe gets genie+ included?

Buy it....you keep a revenue stream, you can up the price a little and you also make the standby lines more manageable while guaranteeing 100% occupancy at your most overpriced properties.

 

[broncofan]

I think a lot of the frustration that is highlighted in this post about Disney World is true - it has gotten less magical, more difficult to navigate, and maybe most importantly you can really feel the ways they are trying to optimize the bottom line by maximizing ARPG (Genie+, Reservation system, etc) at the lowest possible cost.

However, I think this is going to end up being a temporary state of affairs. It doesn't make sense to run the place this way over the long haul. It worked post Covid when consumers were flush with cash and engaging in "revenge travel." Given the extreme struggles and disruption occurring on their media side, Disney corporate has felt the need to really squeeze the parks for cash to offset cratering media results. As Disney+ matures and the long term side effects of running the parks for current cash are felt, I think they'll eventually tack in the right direction.