Wow how things have changed.

[Davey Jones II]

I agree. I did exactly that about two weeks ago, as it was a busy time and getting up a little early and paying a small amount guaranteed myself and my brother the ability to see something neither of us had done before. By the time we were arriving for our reservation the standby wait was over 4 hours. This and the Genie+ I also paid for probably saved us about 6 or more hours of wait time. However we only did either of these that one day as the rides and experiences we wanted to do on other days and parks did not necessitate it.

Can you provide more details concerning the above bolded? Were you able to do other headliners with a reasonable wait? And how did you pull that off?

 

[NYEmomma]

Smugglers run is someone's HAS to do? Can't they play video games at home?

Ya got me. My interest in anything Star Wars related is so low that it's technically negative interest.

 

[hubbard53]

It's all fun and games till you get someone as a pilot that has no idea how to fly the thing and the entire experience is running into the ground...

HAHA! Aint that the truth! My son and I were gunners and he was getting so annoyed at the two pilots - he wanted to get two containers for a different ending than what we've had before. One of the pilots didnt even have her hands on the controls...

But hey, it's all fun!

 

[Chernabob]

Just talked to DH... I was wrong about what ride he HAD to do this trip. It's actually Smuggler's Run, which doesn't seem to be quite as popular??

I can totally relate. Child of the ‘80s here. Stepping on to the Millennium Falcon made me giddy. ROTR is a great ride, but flying the Falcon for the first time was awesome.

Wait times for MFSR should be fine. Have fun!

 

[bsmcneil]

There were several posts about people putting their phones way up in the air.

But not the one I quoted, obviously - because I was responding to the particular comment.

 

[fairestoneofall]

Def do your research…. But also know that many people seem to have had success without use of genie+. Mostly by utilizing rope drop, and extra evening hours (if eligible). So don’t feel like you have to use genie as plenty of people have seemed to get a lot done without it! If it feels more overwhelming than helpful, don’t be afraid of skipping it.

We just got back from a quick trip for marathon weekend. We used the ILL for Remy and Rise. We took advantage of early entry (and getting to parks early) and staying late. You can get a LOT of rides in either early or late. We bought G+ for HS but that was more an issue of my not doing my proper homework and giving my daugher incorrect information. She accidentally (my fault) bought G+ for three of us, so we ended up just buying it for the rest of our party. But we got a LOT done in the morning with early entry and really could've done without it. I'd say if you are NOT going to take advantage of early mornings and late nights, it might be worth it for MK. I wouldn't buy it for AK or Epcot.

And the parks were very crowded. It seems like Epcot was the least crowded every day. But the other three were packed.

 

[pipe36]

As simply and succinctly as I can put it - Disney has taken me for granted. I have moved on. I'll have the memories of the place, especially with the kids, I'm a fan of Disney history, architecture, urban planning, nostalgia, PAST customer service among other things, but will no longer pay a premium price for what is now not a premium product.

 

[ScarletFire]

As simply and succinctly as I can put it - Disney has taken me for granted. I have moved on. I'll have the memories of the place, especially with the kids, I'm a fan of Disney history, architecture, urban planning, nostalgia, PAST customer service among other things, but will no longer pay a premium price for what is now not a premium product.

I don't wear rose colored glasses. But, wondering what you think is not premium. What has changed in the last 20 years?

Yes, Disney has gotten incredibly pricey!! I hate, HATE the additional parking fee at the resorts. The money grab upsets me the most. I'm not a millionaire and Disney is my happy place.

I don't see customer service as a negative. I continue to find CMs kind and gracious. But, Disney is short staffed. Maybe that's it, hourly pay and COVID are hurting customer service. I'd have a hard time caring when people are breathing in may face and my hourly pay sucks.

 

[gorkt]

Yeah, I am in the early stages of planning for next year, and the amount of changes since my last trip in 2019, plus the uncertainty of COVID is making this....challenging.

 

[Grumpylarr]

Don’t know from personal experience but I understand you need to get on genie+ at 7 am to insure you can get the ride you want. Also in listing changes no mentioned it seems like the QS menus have fewer options at many locations.

 

[pwdebbie]

As simply and succinctly as I can put it - Disney has taken me for granted. I have moved on. I'll have the memories of the place, especially with the kids, I'm a fan of Disney history, architecture, urban planning, nostalgia, PAST customer service among other things, but will no longer pay a premium price for what is now not a premium product.

My thoughts exactly. But you expressed it so much better.

 

[supergirl04]

Maybe?? I do agree to some extent. Offsite though now no longer get the rope drop perk. I'm an offsite guest who always in the past has been able to do rope drop and be one of the first people in the park. We'd get so much done those first two hours, so I'm sad about that. We would just go to parks with EMHs. Now though rope drop is just for onsite. I'm not saying they don't deserve that, as they do for paying a premium for onsite. Just saying that I for one will really miss this, but I won't miss it enough to pay onsite prices (budget Orlando traveler who loves the great offsite condo deals available. Will though spend money on LL and Genie + for our one Magic Kingdom day for all who are going there.)

This is my family. We always stay offisite and are rope droppers. I just said to my husband that we are now behind many people and will have to plan accordingly.

 

[ajkoos]

So we are returning to WDW this March for the first time since 2014. We loved Disboards as it helped us plan the most magical vacations in 2010 and 2013 for our kids from dining reservations to FP to park strategies. We were lucky that FP+ wasn't really rolled out until 2014 and that trip was just a quick weekend trip for a cousin's wedding at the chapel at GF.

Having said all that, I returned to Disboards a couple weeks ago to learn all that has changed at WDW particularly with the reopening during the pandemic. All I can say is wow. Genie+ doesn't sound very magical and I didn't get the dining reservations I wanted when it opened at 60 days to our vacation so I'm checking all the time to find dropped reservations to get something decent. And now I feel completely stressed out that DH won't get to go on ROTR while we're there because we're staying off property and all the ILLs will be gone before we can even look to see if it's available.

We've always been rope droppers and planned way ahead of time to make sure we could do what we wanted while we were there, but now, I'm not sure if all this stress is worth it for a Disney vacation. We'll see if it was worth all of this stress when I get back. In the meantime....I'm reading all of your comments to get the best tips!

 

[Steve19842015]

So we are returning to WDW this March for the first time since 2014. We loved Disboards as it helped us plan the most magical vacations in 2010 and 2013 for our kids from dining reservations to FP to park strategies. We were lucky that FP+ wasn't really rolled out until 2014 and that trip was just a quick weekend trip for a cousin's wedding at the chapel at GF.

Having said all that, I returned to Disboards a couple weeks ago to learn all that has changed at WDW particularly with the reopening during the pandemic. All I can say is wow. Genie+ doesn't sound very magical and I didn't get the dining reservations I wanted when it opened at 60 days to our vacation so I'm checking all the time to find dropped reservations to get something decent. And now I feel completely stressed out that DH won't get to go on ROTR while we're there because we're staying off property and all the ILLs will be gone before we can even look to see if it's available.

We've always been rope droppers and planned way ahead of time to make sure we could do what we wanted while we were there, but now, I'm not sure if all this stress is worth it for a Disney vacation. We'll see if it was worth all of this stress when I get back. In the meantime....I'm reading all of your comments to get the best tips!

I’m pretty much in the same boat. Heading there in March.

 

[Kristina]

This is exactly it. Even my DH, a Disney Scrooge, marveled at how easy it was to vacation with our kids at Disney compared to other destinations we had taken them. The included hotel to park transportation and Magical Express, the ability to rent a stroller from an offsite vendor and have it waiting for you at Bell Services, free Magic Bands shipped to your home that would unlock your door and admit you to the parks and your FP reservations, the clean bathrooms with child-height sinks in the restaurants, the genuinely good food that we got included with our Free Dining package. The minute I stepped on the plane, the planning was over and I could relax, my vacation had begun. But it's all just stress and work now, at a premium price. WDW execs aren't feeling it yet, but word will spread.

It was heavenly, and I would tell everyone I knew who wanted to listen! I’m over seas in Sweden and two other families started visiting yearly because I explained to them how much fun it was!
But now.. I’m telling people to wait, that Disney broke what didn’t need fixing and that it’s better to wait. I mean I have hope that someone new will come along and take away some of the headaches and stress of the mess it is now.

 

[wolfaroo]

As simply and succinctly as I can put it - Disney has taken me for granted. I have moved on. I'll have the memories of the place, especially with the kids, I'm a fan of Disney history, architecture, urban planning, nostalgia, PAST customer service among other things, but will no longer pay a premium price for what is now not a premium product.

This exactly. Going childless for a few days to celebrate my milestone bday next week. Makes me kind of sad to know if my son was young now that I wouldn’t be able to afford any Disney trips with him where we could stay onsite. Staying at the value resorts was always so fun and affordable. I’m lucky to have to have memories, but this is likely the last trip for me, Disney isn’t for us any longer.

 

[Shellyred8]

I don't wear rose colored glasses. But, wondering what you think is not premium. What has changed in the last 20 years?

Yes, Disney has gotten incredibly pricey!! I hate, HATE the additional parking fee at the resorts. The money grab upsets me the most. I'm not a millionaire and Disney is my happy place.

I don't see customer service as a negative. I continue to find CMs kind and gracious. But, Disney is short staffed. Maybe that's it, hourly pay and COVID are hurting customer service. I'd have a hard time caring when people are breathing in may face and my hourly pay sucks.

One of the things I think is not "premium" is the Deluxe resorts. This sentiment actually started a couple of years before Covid when I started noticing that Disney was starting to slack in the maintenance and cleanliness of the Deluxe resorts. The bedding in the Deluxe resorts is in no way "premium". It's the same sheets and pillows as you find in all levels of their resorts. The beds themselves also seem more of a "basic" bed than a "premium" bed. But they still charge a premium fee because people will pay it to be in the bubble and as close to the parks as possible.

For the most part, the customer service that I've received while at the parks and staying at the resort has been good. There have been a few encounters that weren't quite as rosy, but those happened at a time when the CM's were in a very stressful situation (think Oct 1, 2021 at almost any MK merch spot). The front desk CM's that we have encountered have all been good. One of our last trips where we stayed at BLT, the housekeeping CM's on our floor were the some of the best we've ever encountered. I think what has changed in regards to customer serviced is that more of the guests feel more entitled and have unrealistic expectations and when those expectations are not met, they take it out on the CM's. Eventually, that type of treatment starts to wear on a person.

 

[Miffy]

One of the things I think is not "premium" is the Deluxe resorts. This sentiment actually started a couple of years before Covid when I started noticing that Disney was starting to slack in the maintenance and cleanliness of the Deluxe resorts. The bedding in the Deluxe resorts is in no way "premium". It's the same sheets and pillows as you find in all levels of their resorts. The beds themselves also seem more of a "basic" bed than a "premium" bed. But they still charge a premium fee because people will pay it to be in the bubble and as close to the parks as possible.

For the most part, the customer service that I've received while at the parks and staying at the resort has been good. There have been a few encounters that weren't quite as rosy, but those happened at a time when the CM's were in a very stressful situation (think Oct 1, 2021 at almost any MK merch spot). The front desk CM's that we have encountered have all been good. One of our last trips where we stayed at BLT, the housekeeping CM's on our floor were the some of the best we've ever encountered. I think what has changed in regards to customer serviced is that more of the guests feel more entitled and have unrealistic expectations and when those expectations are not met, they take it out on the CM's. Eventually, that type of treatment starts to wear on a person.

That's great that you had good housekeeping on your BLT trip.

That's something we haven't encountered at all in our last two trips--and I'm not entitled nor do I have unrealistic expectations. But when the front desk tells me at check-in that I'll get trash+towel service every other day and a full cleaning on day 5, then I expect just that. When instead I get nothing, have to empty the garbage every day myself (and bring my own trash bags, btw), and have to call housekeeping multiple times and beg to get fresh towels then get only bath towels begrudgingly handed to me at the door, then my expectations for a nearly $700/night hotel room are definitely not being met. If you think this makes me an entitled guest with unrealistic expectations I can't know how to respond.

If there's zero housekeeping, then tell me at check-in. Better yet, tell me when I book the room. Then I'll know what to expect and will be able to decide if that's okay.

Customer service/guest relations has been excellent at all the parks I've visited during the last two trips (May and December 2021), and these CMs are dealing with some difficult situations. I do not envy them their jobs.

 

[Shellyred8]

That's great that you had good housekeeping on your BLT trip.

That's something we haven't encountered at all in our last two trips--and I'm not entitled nor do I have unrealistic expectations. But when the front desk tells me at check-in that I'll get trash+towel service every other day and a full cleaning on day 5, then I expect just that. When instead I get nothing, have to empty the garbage every day myself (and bring my own trash bags, btw), and have to call housekeeping multiple times and beg to get fresh towels then get only bath towels begrudgingly handed to me at the door, then my expectations for a nearly $700/night hotel room are definitely not being met. If you think this makes me an entitled guest with unrealistic expectations I can't know how to respond.

If there's zero housekeeping, then tell me at check-in. Better yet, tell me when I book the room. Then I'll know what to expect and will be able to decide if that's okay.

Customer service/guest relations has been excellent at all the parks I've visited during the last two trips (May and December 2021), and these CMs are dealing with some difficult situations. I do not envy them their jobs.

I probably should've moved my statement about more guests feeling entitled to a new line and added that it was the parks where I've seen that. I totally agree with you on how you feel about your housekeeping experiences. To be charged $700 a night for a room and then receive such poor housekeeping service is unacceptable to me too.

I called out the good housekeeping for our BLT trip because it was pretty drastically different from the other resorts we've stayed at. I was just so excited to see some relatively happy housekeeping CM's that it really stood out to me.

 

[LeftyG]

Just got back from a stay Valentines week. I am almost 67 and grew up on the Wonderful World of Disney, Mary Poppins, etc. My boys grew up on Lion King, Bug’s Life, George of the Jungle. I’ve been to Disney World 5 times in my life counting the last one. I have wonderful memories of this place and all things Disney. But, this was my last visit as it stands now. Seeing my granddaughter take it all in was where the enjoyment this visit came from for the most part. We visited 5 days, had G+ and bought ILLs, stayed on property, planned our ADRs 60 days out and still was not prepared. Crowd calendars were completely wrong. The crowds were completely out of hand causing G+ to not being nearly as useful as we were led to believe. Although if we didn’t have it, we would not have done half of what got to do. I’m not sure what can be done about the crowds, rides being down, LLs being gone before park opening, etc. The magic just wasn’t there this time for me and my wife. For my son, daughters-in-law and granddaughter, yes. I’m not saying I had an awful time, far from it. There was no leisure in it. The world is a rat race with people pushing and trying get ahead, not paying attention to anyone else with their faces in their phones all the time. DW should not be that place. Sadly it seems it is. I will end on a positive note by saying EVERY CM was wonderful, helpful, cheerful and friendly. I guess there still is some magic.