I think we've reached our breaking point

[jason417]

We just got back from a 5-day trip. We had a lot of fun, but the cost is getting harder to justify. Everyone has their own breaking point and I think we've reached ours after visiting more than 30 times. I actually don't mind paying for Genie+ (with fewer people using it than Fastpass, you can get some good use out of it if you use it well) and I don't have any real issue with the cost of the food. So, for us, it's not about the cost so much as it is about the decline in value. The entertainment is lacking compared to what it used to be, and the ride breakdowns are off the charts.

Maybe we just got unlucky and happened to be at the rides that were breaking down, but the number of times we had to route to another ride due to a breakdown was a bit silly and negatively impacted our usage of time. Also, the lack of any goodwill gesture seems odd to me. We were on Indy when it broke down and had to sit in there with the emergency lights on for 10 minutes. They eventually got the ride working again and we finished the ride (it kind of sputtered but worked decently). They unloaded us and loaded new passengers. It seemed odd to me that they didn't run us through it again or offer us a pass or something since we didn't really experience the ride as it's intended. Toy Story broke down while we were on it and we were on that ride for 32 minutes as it broke down at each screen. Two of the screens weren't playable on our ride and, like Indy, they unloaded us like normal and loaded the next guests after us after we had a poor experience with the ride. Maybe I'm just expecting too much. We've been on those rides countless times so I wasn't going to waste any time complaining to anyone about it; we just moved on feeling odd about it.

One positive I will note that we appreciated was DL being open 8am to midnight every day. We are rope-droppers and park-closers with a break in the afternoon, so this helped us make up the time we lost in the ride breakdowns.

 

[shosh1530]

I'm sorry you had a bad time with ride breakdowns. I do think some of it is luck. We experienced a lot of ride breakdowns when we were there in the summer, but only had Indy really go down on us during visit last week (leaving us stuck in line for about 15 minutes).

Although I will say it isn't a good sign when we got excited to make it through both HM and Pirates without a breakdown. That should just be the norm. We got stuck on both during recent visits.

 

[Brandonius]

That's a good balanced take on it. Prices and such are understandable with the economy, if a bit annoying. But the core value of the parks - rides and entertainment - is kinda choppy right now.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I would certainly have requested a re-ride after your Toy Story ride did not function properly. And if they declined, I would have gone to one of the Guest Experience Team umbrellas. I have always found them to be very fair with reasonable requests and I would be very surprised if they would not have given you a Toy Story LL after you described your experience.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I find food relatively reasonable in the parks now when compared to years ago. It seems like the price of food outside the parks actually increased faster than the price of food inside the parks so it's actually not always that much more expensive inside the parks compared to outside the parks.

I don't think you were particularly unlucky. I've lost count of how many people I met in line this year who mentioned Radiator Springs Racers and/or Web Slingers being down while they were in line with no compensation. I've definitely had days this year without any major breakdowns affecting me but that's not really the norm anymore.

 

[wabbott]

Management will definitely have to address the maintenance issue, especially since the parks/experience/products division makes 3x the profit margin of the media/entertainment distribution division. It's not a good business practice to neglect your most profitable capital investment and divert that money elsewhere.

 

[Skip Coffee for Rope Drop]

We just got back from a 5-day trip. We had a lot of fun, but the cost is getting harder to justify. Everyone has their own breaking point and I think we've reached ours after visiting more than 30 times. I actually don't mind paying for Genie+ (with fewer people using it than Fastpass, you can get some good use out of it if you use it well) and I don't have any real issue with the cost of the food. So, for us, it's not about the cost so much as it is about the decline in value. The entertainment is lacking compared to what it used to be, and the ride breakdowns are off the charts.

Maybe we just got unlucky and happened to be at the rides that were breaking down, but the number of times we had to route to another ride due to a breakdown was a bit silly and negatively impacted our usage of time. Also, the lack of any goodwill gesture seems odd to me. We were on Indy when it broke down and had to sit in there with the emergency lights on for 10 minutes. They eventually got the ride working again and we finished the ride (it kind of sputtered but worked decently). They unloaded us and loaded new passengers. It seemed odd to me that they didn't run us through it again or offer us a pass or something since we didn't really experience the ride as it's intended. Toy Story broke down while we were on it and we were on that ride for 32 minutes as it broke down at each screen. Two of the screens weren't playable on our ride and, like Indy, they unloaded us like normal and loaded the next guests after us after we had a poor experience with the ride. Maybe I'm just expecting too much. We've been on those rides countless times so I wasn't going to waste any time complaining to anyone about it; we just moved on feeling odd about it.

One positive I will note that we appreciated was DL being open 8am to midnight every day. We are rope-droppers and park-closers with a break in the afternoon, so this helped us make up the time we lost in the ride breakdowns.

Unfortunately, the squeaky wheel gets the oil, whether it is a bad cart on Toy Story Mania or a passenger on Toy Story Mania that spends 32 minutes on the ride with two screens out. These are young college kids working the rides just following orders. Ask to ride again, if they say no, politely ask let me speak to the rides supervisor, he/she will come out and usually within 10 seconds they will walk you to the handicapped entrance and ride again.

 

[Aurora0427]

I remember before Covid getting stuck on rides at both WDW and DLP, and they’d always hand out fast passes. Last December, we had friends stuck on pirates for almost an hour, and they had to be evacuated. They received fast passes.

What has happened to the service in the parks in 2022 is inexcusable… I don’t know if it’s Josh or Chapek or what. But it’s not the same level of service….

The Calibae has an interesting post on his stories… he’s been hearing tourists are leaving dlr angry, frustrated etc and taking it out on employees at restaurants, transportation, hotels etc in the surrounding areas. The wait times he posted yesterday at both parks were completely insane. It’ll be interesting to see if people in surrounding states spend their fall break somewhere else next year.

 

[209Disney]

That same thing happened with us on Toy Story last November. We asked if we could ride again and the cast member said, the line is still short so you can get back in line. We decided to ride something else, but were pretty disappointed that we did not get to enjoy the ride the whole way through!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

That same thing happened with us on Toy Story last November. We asked if we could ride again and the cast member said, the line is still short so you can get back in line. We decided to ride something else, but were pretty disappointed that we did not get to enjoy the ride the whole way through!

Omg! That is insane. What has happened to Disneyland???

 

[fly girl]

We had Indy and RSR break down during our last visit.

RSR: before even touching our seatbelts to unload, the CM asked us do we want to ride again. Of course we did! And off we went.

INDY: upon returning to loading station, they did nothing. We nicely asked for a re-ride and we were loaded on the next car.

I'd always ask. And as PP posted, if they decline talk to Guest Experience team.

 

[Angel141925]

This is my exact issue with them. I don’t mind paying the price but I expect more then what I’m getting for that price. I’m just asking them to make an effort to make things right. I’m not even asking the world from them. I understand things happen and it’s not always in their control. But how hard is it to make it right. Something as small as a re ride should be done. Even loading some multi experience passes on to accounts would suffice. It costs disney nothing to do that but would keep a bunch of customers happy.

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

My family will be taking a break from our annual visits for a while. Same thoughts, too expensive for what you get right now. If upkeep and lines were a bit better, it would be worth it. Our last trip in August felt like things were barely running and poor maintenance was very noticeable throughout the rides.

 

[Royal Consort]

What has happened to the service in the parks in 2022 is inexcusable… I don’t know if it’s Josh or Chapek or what. But it’s not the same level of service…

It's D’Amaro but Chapek gets blamed. D'Amaro continues to get let off easy.

 

[Aurora0427]

It's D’Amaro but Chapek gets blamed. D'Amaro continues to get let off easy.

I agree… he’s the president of the parks….

 

[Curiousporpoise]

I agree. We went in August 2021 when the parks reopened, capacity was limited, there were no annual passes, maxpass/genie +, and it was the best time ever. Lines were short, people were friendly, they were continuously cleaning and crowds were the lowest I have seen at Disneyland in decades.

We went back in July 2022 and it was packed, rides kept going down, the bathrooms were disgusting, we wiped down our own tables, and CMs seemed unhappy. We still had a fantastic time, but I just wish they would really limit capacity since CM’s, rides, F&B and visitors are completely overwhelmed.

 

[motherof5]

We just got back from a 5-day trip. We had a lot of fun, but the cost is getting harder to justify. Everyone has their own breaking point and I think we've reached ours after visiting more than 30 times. I actually don't mind paying for Genie+ (with fewer people using it than Fastpass, you can get some good use out of it if you use it well) and I don't have any real issue with the cost of the food. So, for us, it's not about the cost so much as it is about the decline in value. The entertainment is lacking compared to what it used to be, and the ride breakdowns are off the charts.

Maybe we just got unlucky and happened to be at the rides that were breaking down, but the number of times we had to route to another ride due to a breakdown was a bit silly and negatively impacted our usage of time. Also, the lack of any goodwill gesture seems odd to me. We were on Indy when it broke down and had to sit in there with the emergency lights on for 10 minutes. They eventually got the ride working again and we finished the ride (it kind of sputtered but worked decently). They unloaded us and loaded new passengers. It seemed odd to me that they didn't run us through it again or offer us a pass or something since we didn't really experience the ride as it's intended. Toy Story broke down while we were on it and we were on that ride for 32 minutes as it broke down at each screen. Two of the screens weren't playable on our ride and, like Indy, they unloaded us like normal and loaded the next guests after us after we had a poor experience with the ride. Maybe I'm just expecting too much. We've been on those rides countless times so I wasn't going to waste any time complaining to anyone about it; we just moved on feeling odd about it.

One positive I will note that we appreciated was DL being open 8am to midnight every day. We are rope-droppers and park-closers with a break in the afternoon, so this helped us make up the time we lost in the ride breakdowns.

We haven't gone in a year due to the cost spikes and no fast passes. Seems like the extras are all gone.

 

[DLgal]

You have to ask to ride again when breakdowns ruin your experience. They will usually have no problem having you reload and ride again.

The breakdowns need a resolution. It's beyond ridiculous at this point.

 

[fly girl]

I’m not even asking the world from them. I understand things happen and it’s not always in their control. But how hard is it to make it right. Something as small as a re ride should be done.

Agree 100%. And back in the day this was never a question to be had. It was given.

This is where the problem lies. And imho, CM's aren't being properly trained. This leads straight to one person, D'Amaro.

 

[Aurora0427]

Agree 100%. And back in the day this was never a question to be had. It was given.

This is where the problem lies. And imho, CM's aren't being properly trained. This leads straight to one person, D'Amaro.

Everyone was so in love with D’Amaro back in the day. It’s all gone just WRONG. So disappointing.