Never thought I'd do it- Cancelled.

[CBMom01]

Sounds like the OP has been reading a lot of negative 3rd party reports. I'd just encourage those in a similar position to go and decide for themselves.

Seriously. It’s starting to feel like mass hysteria is setting in. I see posts where people are talking about sobbing about things they’ve read on these boards. There are trip reports where people talk about how WDW is a dangerous nightmare that scarred their children and they’re never going back, but the only real specifics seem to be that they can’t get LL times for SDD or the parks merch is also on ShopDisney.


To each their own, but canceling a family vacation over someone else’s unhinged trip report seems extreme to me. Take your vacation, enjoy it. Will it be exactly like a past vacation? Of course not. It was never going to be a repeat no matter what Disney did. Just my $.02.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I understand. I want my WDW of years gone by gosh darnit!!!
I believe the 50 th Anniversary party couldn't have come at a better time for the company ( even if things were behind, put off, or cancelled) But come spring of 2023 then what?

 

[RanDIZ]

You can thank all of those who bowed to Disney and accepted their greedy money grab by buying Genie+ and the extremely overpriced after hours events. It would’ve been great if nobody showed up to those after hrs events. I just got back and would honestly have no problem if I ever went back. Especially the parks. We enjoyed our time at the resorts (AKVJambo/CCV) far better than the overcrowded/overpriced parks. We did plenty of rides without Genie. It was the first time ever that we left the park for resort time and actually contemplated just staying at the pool.

Full disclosure, I own DVC for 2 yrs now. So I’d either have to sell all together and never look back or just rent the points out going forward. But this trip was probably the worse by far I’ve ever taken. It didn’t suck, but it definitely didn’t live up to the magical experiences I’ve had in the past. It seems like every week it’s something else Disney is taking away or raising prices on. It obvious Disney doesn’t care about us the consumer.

 

[soniam]

I guess I am the odd-man-out and bummed that I am not going back until May, after having been during Thanksgiving week. We didn't mind Genie+/ILL, but we have used Maxpass before. I actually thought this Thanksgiving trip was much better than Thanksgiving last year, but I think that was due to our family being vaccinated now and not worrying so much about the inconsiderate behavior of others. People were still inconsiderate; it just didn't bother me more than usual. We also don't use DME or the buses much. We get up early anyway to do park opening. We figured out some of the Genie+/ILL IT weirdness/issues pretty soon. With both of us doing it, it wasn't really an issue. Our meals, even the one at Tony's, were good. We even did the xmas after hours party and had a good time. We have done xmas/halloween parties and after hours events before. I wasn't really feeling the xmas spirit before the trip, but I really felt it afterward. My only complaint is that we didn't get to spend enough time at the holiday festival at Epcot. We were too tired and full by the end of the trip.

 

[Stratman50th]

We went at least once, many times twice a year since 1989. The first two trips we were park commandos. After that we took a more relaxed approach. We always bought park hoppers for our 7 day trips and decided which park we would go to the night before. We went to the early open park in the morning, came back to the hotel for pool time, lunch and maybe a nap then went to the late closing park after. Dinner in the park, walk up and enjoyed the closing. Rinse and repeat. We did a water park one day and always had a dinner at 'Ohana and closed the trip the night before leaving at Trail's End. It was years filled with wonderful memories. My parents always were with us and my daughter grew up going. My mom was the biggest Disney fan of the bunch. Our last family trip was 2008. My nephew was with us from California and was amazed how "BIG Disney" was! He grew up at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom was what he called "Disney". My mom got pancreatic cancer that year and died in early 2009. We went again in August 2009 because we figured my mother would have loved it if we went. It wasn't much fun. By then, even though she would have been the biggest fan on this board, my mother was starting to complain about the prices.
We went again in 2010, 2011, and 2012, my daughter taking a friend to do the things we no longer were interested in. They had a great time but by then I was done. I won't speak for everyone but I went for the nostalgia of those older trips. By 2012 the magic was gone for me.
We have been Florida residents for 5 years now and I did discover Fort Wilderness. We went in Christmas 2018 and a 4 day trip in May 2019 for my wife to see flower and garden. Again in Dec. 2019. The cost for fun ratio was just too much for me. I loved the Fort but had no interest in the parks any longer. Covey hit and things were shut down. We went one last time in October 2020 to meet a big group from the camping forum. No park tickets. Meeting that group was fantastic, but so much was still closed it was a let down. We won't ever return. Like others have said there's way too much to do and see for far less cost and even far less required minute to minute planning that requires you to have your nose in a phone.
Sorry this was so long, but I figured a little perspective. I was "that guy" people would look at and shake their head and say why do you go all the time?

 

[CBMom01]

You can thank all of those who bowed to Disney and accepted their greedy money grab by buying Genie+ and the extremely overpriced after hours events. It would’ve been great if nobody showed up to those after hrs events. I just got back and would honestly have no problem if I ever went back. Especially the parks. We enjoyed our time at the resorts (AKVJambo/CCV) far better than the overcrowded/overpriced parks. We did plenty of rides without Genie. It was the first time ever that we left the park for resort time and actually contemplated just staying at the pool.

Full disclosure, I own DVC for 2 yrs now. So I’d either have to sell all together and never look back or just rent the points out going forward. But this trip was probably the worse by far I’ve ever taken. It didn’t suck, but it definitely didn’t live up to the magical experiences I’ve had in the past. It seems like every week it’s something else Disney is taking away or raising prices on. It obvious Disney doesn’t care about us the consumer.

I am in no way questioning your experience or feelings but you say the resorts were great and you didn’t need Genie+ to ride plenty of rides. Seems like a big leap from that to “Disney doesn’t care”. Can you tell us more?

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

I would have to think if more and more people cancel their $8k+ vacations Disney will start to take notice. Right now demand is through the roof with people's vacation budgets pretty flush due to Covid delayed vacations. When people cancel now I think Disney probably doesn't have much trouble replacing them. But I don't know if that will continue to be the case. I think the first year of Genie+ might look like a success but I could see declines in revenue metrics in subsequent years.

We've done two trips with Genie+ and didn't mind it. I do wish they would have kept the Fastpass system and just charged for it. But it is what it is. While I do agree with those who say people should give Genie+ a chance, I don't blame anyone spending the money a Disney vacation costs deciding to cancel.

 

[cgattis]

Here’s the thing—if you cancel, you can always change your mind and go. If you go and have a crappy time, you’re out a big wad of money. I wish I could go back and cancel my trip instead

 

[lorenae]

Right now, with parks packed full and the ticketed (VERY expensive) Christas parties 100% sold out, I think it’ll be a long time before things may become more customer oriented.
With travel finally opening up, the guests are flocking to WDW to the point where they can’t even begin to keep up. As long as people will flock there, they will not be encouraged to add more customer friendly services. Part of the crowds are because all restaurants and events aren’t fully open, but part of it is that travelers are rescheduling their cancelled trips.
I don’t know what the future will be, but I’m not cancelling my January trips.

 

[jknc]

General reminder, Genie+ is not mandatory.

This thread is hilarious!

 

[RanDIZ]

I am in no way questioning your experience or feelings but you say the resorts were great and you didn’t need Genie+ to ride plenty of rides. Seems like a big leap from that to “Disney doesn’t care”. Can you tell us more?

The “Disney doesn’t care” part is the fact they begin charging for fast pass with the new Genie+. Then have the audacity to raise the price on after hours parties a whopping 100%! That is Disney not caring. Should I even mention taking Magical Express away, which by the way I’ve never used, but still feel for the people that rely on it and charging for magic bands. There are other ways to cut costs rather than pass every cent onto us the consumer. I have no problem with increased pricing every year as long as it’s reasonable. But this was a massive money grab that’s out of control.

As far as park experience goes, rope drop, early entry and extended hours was our saving grace for plenty of rides. But without that, the old free fast pass would’ve given us an equal ride experience. So those not fortunate enough to qualify for extra hrs due to staying at off site resorts or value resorts, they are forced to use long standby lines or bow to Disney’s greed and buy Genie.

 

[georgina]

The thought of anyone spending $8000 on a Disney trip amazes me! As far as spending on an after hours event vs blowing thousands on a Disney resort stay, I was thinking of staying at a Universal lower cost resort next Dec and buying an MK holiday AH event. Don't blame me for the lack of customer service.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

It seems like there's a group of people not only angry with Disney for what they call a 'money-grab', but also angry with all the people still going to Disney right now and packing the place. Just because you're upset and looking to not return to Disney does not mean everyone is so unhappy as to be part of some sort of perceived boycott. It's very simple. If you're not happy with what Disney is offering at the prices they are charging, don't go. If you don't like G+, don't buy it. If you're not willing to pay an extra $15-$20 per person to ride ROTR, don't buy it.

We were there for 5 nights within the past week. Based on what we saw and discussions we had with other guests, people are very happy to be enjoying the holidays at Disney again - and the crowds were pretty signifcant. The trip was a bit different due to some reduced-capacity restaurants, but for the most part, we were very happy to be there and enjoying Disney at probably 80% of what it was pre-Covid. We didn't rely on Genie+, but did buy it 2 days to kind of tinker with it to better understand how it works and perhaps utilize it better in the future. Things change at WDW, and this is yet another, perhaps more drastic phase. But we still love it there, we're still going, and we're looking forward to the upcoming years of new attractions like Guardians and Tron and EPCOT updates, etc.

If you think Universal is a better value, go for it. If HersheyPark or Dollywood or Busch Gardens is a better value, go for it. It is all a matter of choices with the money and time you spend.

 

[jknc]

It seems like there's a group of people not only angry with Disney for what they call a 'money-grab', but also angry with all the people still going to Disney right now and packing the place. Just because you're upset and looking to not return to Disney does not mean everyone is so unhappy as to be part of some sort of perceived boycott. It's very simple. If you're not happy with what Disney is offering at the prices they are charging, don't go. If you don't like G+, don't buy it. If you're not willing to pay an extra $15-$20 per person to ride ROTR, don't buy it.

We were there for 5 nights within the past week. Based on what we saw and discussions we had with other guests, people are very happy to be enjoying the holidays at Disney again - and the crowds were pretty signifcant. The trip was a bit different due to some reduced-capacity restaurants, but for the most part, we were very happy to be there and enjoying Disney at probably 80% of what it was pre-Covid. We didn't rely on Genie+, but did buy it 2 days to kind of tinker with it to better understand how it works and perhaps utilize it better in the future. Things change at WDW, and this is yet another, perhaps more drastic phase. But we still love it there, we're still going, and we're looking forward to the upcoming years of new attractions like Guardians and Tron and EPCOT updates, etc.

If you think Universal is a better value, go for it. If HersheyPark or Dollywood or Busch Gardens is a better value, go for it. It is all a matter of choices with the money and time you spend.

Great summary.

Disney isn’t going to revert to the way things were, so all the fake outrage here is really amazing to read.

 

[CBMom01]

Great summary.

Disney isn’t going to revert to the way things were, so all the fake outrage here is really amazing to read.

I don’t think these folks are faking

 

[Bete]

I was happy to see this thread; I share the feeling.

First, I'm grateful for having done over 50 trips through the years starting with a honeymoon in the 70s. Even though we were out of state we even did some years with an annual pass. Then, we'd go four times a year. We have stayed more offsite then onsite through the years and enjoyed it either way. We have experienced all levels of Disney resorts from value to deluxe through the years. Our last visit was November 2018. We have done trips with our parents, children, grandchildren, cousins and friends through the years. We have wonderful memories.

We went to Disneyland's 50th anniversary and it was on our bucket list to go to Disney World for their 50th. After months of thinking about it we just don't have it in us to do it now. Cost, lack of entertainment, and the pandemic have all played into this decision.

If we stayed onsite we would go mostly if there was a deal like free dining. We would make sure to have four of us to a room to make it even more worthwhile for free dining. Right now, that's gone.

Being glued to a smartphone to book rides is just too much for me. The lack of shows, especially the street entertainment is so disappointing for us. Paying extra for ride privileges gets to me, too. The expensive park parties are just too much.

I have never heard of so many complaints about ride breakdowns as it has been over the last two years.

We wanted to enjoy our great grandchildren at Disney World; we have twin boys who are 8 now. Luckily, they went once before the pandemic in 2019.

I do believe Disney World is enjoying the pent in demand for travel right now. Also, stimulus checks help some to go there. I'm confident this bubble will burst.

When it comes to amusement parks we have switched gears over the last ten years and have concentrated on Dollywood and Silver Dollar City. We are well satisfied and the pocketbook is feeling better. From a kids perspective they seem to have just as much fun or more fun doing these other parks.

I think we will continue to go to other amusement parks like Santa's Village, Holiday World and Indiana Beach. We live in the Midwest and all these parks are easy for us to drive.

For Disney to get me to come again it will have to go back to 2018 standards again.

 

[MICKIMINI]

After being double vax'd and still getting breakthrough over the summer and being very sick, we are determined to live our lives and WDW is important to us. We are going more not less and are determined to squeeze as much joy as we possibly can out of life - Disney included. AKV and OKW last month, BWV in May and SSR in September. Life is good!

We went back and forth after recovering...should we, shouldn't we, Genie+ (we didn't do it), the mask thing (it was fine) and all the chaos out there. We decided there has always been stress and life can be a challenge. Our time is limited so we went for it. We spent two glorious weeks with our son and DIL and are now back on track to continue our family tradition! BEST TRIP EVER!

That being said everyone needs to follow their heart. If you aren't into it anymore there is plenty to see and do outside of Disney! We will continue to enjoy our happy place as long as we are able! Peace and joy!

 

[Grasshopper2016]

To each their own, but canceling a family vacation over someone else’s unhinged trip report seems extreme to me. Take your vacation, enjoy it. Will it be exactly like a past vacation? Of course not. It was never going to be a repeat no matter what Disney did. Just my $.02.

I’m not canceling my trip for next week. But I think it’s a little demeaning to accuse those who have made a different decision of acting irrationally based on some random unhinged trip report. Things have changed at Disney. And not all of them were beyond Disney’s control. Many, many guests have reported vastly inferior experiences as a result. I, for one, am still willing to go. And I will be sure to make the most of my vacation, even if, as I suspect, it will at times be frustrating one. But I certainly don’t think less of those who have made a different choice. I totally get it.

 

[ucf_knight]

I feel the same as OP. The nickel and diming, competitive planning, and decline in service has taken away the Disney appeal for me...but I hope that those who still find WDW or Disneyland magical continue to enjoy it. I'll be keeping my $9K and finding a less stressful experience.

“Competitive planning” is probably the best description of the current state of Walt Disney world for me right now. I first felt this way when I went to rotr at 5 am to tap into the parks to try and get a BG and got number 137 (or something like that). Still got to ride just before park close but didn’t enjoy the experience of trying to get on that attraction.

 

[disny_luvr]

I get it. We went in August for two weeks and had a great time, but boy was it expensive; much more than any of our other trips. We are going in April for three nights, only because my boys will be down with their high school marching band and I don’t want to miss their performance, but I’m not excited at all for the trip. In fact, I was secretly hoping the district would postpone for a year, but alas they are forging ahead (and I’m glad for the students that are seniors).

We are branching out this summer and headed out west and I am much more excited for that trip than I thought I’d be and I’m not even sad to not be going to Disney. Plus, I’m saving so much money taking this vacation versus a Disney vacation. Our trips to Disney are not over, but my desire to go there right now is gone.