I guess I am frustrated about the situation as well and perhaps I am taking that out on people that don't deserve it. I didn't mean to be taken that way, but if I have I'm sorry for it.
...yeah, at some level or another, I think we're all frustrated with the situation (and likely running at an above-average stress level, in general, for a couple months, now); we all just exhibit that frustration and stress in different ways. I posted in this thread only because the "DD boat" issue is one that seemed to be a particular sore spot for Roy, and it seemed from the last few posts in the other thread that both of you were looking to let it go.
Back on topic, I'd like to say I'm certainly glad that YoHo's bud had a good time in WDW, but rather disappointed that he felt the decision to go required ignoring or giving up on the Rumors Board.
I'm well aware that I'm considered one of the negative posters, but I've never suggested that someone else should cancel their trip based on my perception of the current "value" of a WDW vacation. I don't remember that kind of language at all, except in a couple posts where someone was obviously venting. When heads cooled, it seemed to me that the "cancel trip" posts were folks wrestling with their own concepts of "value," just here in front of everybody.
True, I've complained about Disney taking down the December hours: I don't think it's unreasonable, sixteeen days away from my trip, to expect to be able to make some plans. I've also pointed out that we (and Disney) should not be surprised if a lot of folks _do_ decide to cancel based on reduction of perceived value.
I believe there are times when guests have legitimate complaints against Disney. It seems to me that the legitimate complaints are all too often tossed in the "that guy's just out to get Disney" bin.
I remember preparing for our November 2000 trip; I'd done all my planning and research, and one thing I discovered was that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was going to be down most of that month. When I saw posts with folks asking questions about BTMRR for trips around that time, I thought I was doing them a favor by letting them know about the closure ahead of time, so they wouldn't be in for a big disappointment.
Boy, was I surprised at the reaction I got for trying to do that "favor." CRO was not informed of the closure until after it actually happened, so I (and others. This secret wasn't held in national security type confidence or anything) just got dumped on repeatedly for "trying to ruin" other people's vacation and making things up to suit my "ulterior motives," because "Disney says it will be open" and I didn't know what I was talking about.
Sure it's petty, but there were a couple particularly belligerent nasty-grammers that I kinda hope ended up consoling crying children in front of the closed coaster, just because they wouldn't listen to something they didn't like hearing.
There's an old story about a bird that flew too high and froze its wings, then fell in a pasture to die. A cow walks by and drops a heaping, steaming load right on the bird. What a way to go, huh? Well, it turns out that the manure was so warm that the bird's wings began to thaw, and soon after, the bird was singing happily again. The moral of the story: Not everyone who dumps **** on you is your enemy (the story goes on to explain how a cat hears the bird singing, digs it out of the pile and eats the little sucker. The second part of the moral is: Not everyone who helps you out of **** is your friend; but this part of the story has less connection to the topic at hand).
I just wish that more folks would realize that, just because someone ****s on Disney on the boards or elsewhere, does not mean they have it in for the Company or the folks who don't see it that way.
Jeff
PS: d-r, very little to none of this is supposed to be aimed precisely at you. I do think you gave Roy a bit harder time than you needed to in order to make your point (I know. I've really been tossing the 'scoop some softballs, lately), but you certainly weren't taking part in the vicious kind of stuff I got talking about (and besides, it seems like you two got a little lovefest goin' on at this point, anyway
).