June 29 - July 4 Trip

I thought I would give a report on our trip for the week leading up to July 4th.

I noticed right away that the parks were not all that crowded for this time of year. We have been going for years and years consistently and the parks seemed busier 10 or 12 years ago at this time of year. It got so bad in 2006, we actually stopped going on the week of July 4 and haven't been since. This time we were actually there for the National Beta Club convention which was held at the Swan and Dolphin resorts, otherwise we would not have scheduled a trip for this week.

Although the parks were not all that crowded, the wait times for the attractions that prior to FP+ typically did not have long waits, were commonly long. We had to wait in the FP+ line numerous times for 20 minutes or so as well. I can't even describe how dysfunctional the FP+ system is or how irritating it is to be constantly trying to make the prearranged appointments all day. I heard a lot of people talking about how much they do not like it while we were in que lines.

We also once again, had ticket prioritization problems and the system pulled days off of old non-expiring tickets we do not want to use unless we have to use them. I have asked that they be set to not be used but somehow they jump up the priority list every time I buy a new ticket and link it to my MDE account. I went to guest services at the International Gateway to try to get it fixed and was met with a bit of attitude. She supposedly fixed them and said she put the day back on our non-expiring tickets but the next day we discovered the day was still missing and it was pulling from the wrong tickets on one of the kids again. I had to go out of my way to Disney Springs guest services to try to straighten it all out. They fixed them but it took forever and ate up a lot of time we would have been in the park for the day. It required a supervisor to help fix it all in the system and then to top it all off when he was done he decided to give me a lecture. He told me "it is the guest's responsibility to be sure tickets are prioritized correctly when there are multiple tickets on the account and they had fixed them as a one time courtesy." I asked if there is a way to prioritize them myself in my MDE account and of course the answer was no and I asked if I can see how they are prioritized to verify they are correct and the answer was no and they also went on to tell me that the days left showing on the app on tickets is quite often incorrect so do not pay attention to the number of days it shows. I just let it go and moved on but I was pretty furious. I have to say I surprised myself because typically, I would have exploded and went on a cussing tirade.

Our next problem, which we have also had in the past, is our app would not load our plans the entire time of our stay. It kept stating there was a problem loading our plans and to try again later or something to that effect. We couldn't see our dining plans so I had to search my email to find the confirmations and see what the times were. We also couldn't see our fastpass times in our plans but we found a work around by clicking to make fastpasses and it would ask if we wanted to change the ones we had and we could then see them. What a pain!

To wrap things up, Disney has created a $2 billion mess that creates the most aggravating experience for what is supposed to be a vacation. Our last few trips have all involved glitches and problems with MDE and the app with everything from fastpasses disappearing, hotel reservations not showing on MDE and can't make fastpasses, tickets not being prioritized properly, tickets not linking, not being able to do self check in because of a glitch, not being able to see dining reservations and I am sure I am forgetting something. I am so sick of fighting the system, I have no intentions of returning anytime soon even though I already have tickets. I just cannot deal with the frustration and stress of a WDW vacation anymore. The only way we will be going anytime in the foreseeable future is if one of the kids have some sort of event there again which is also the only reason we have been in the past 3 years since all these problems with the new system started. It is absurd that you have to fight THEIR system to enjoy YOUR vacation.

I'm so sorry for the added aggravations to your trip. We have not been to Disney in years because my kids love Universal's Express Pass system so much more (along with the bigger rides and Harry Potter), but even when they asked about spending a day or two at Disney on our last Orlando trip, I steered them away. I'm a HUGE planner, but the idea of scheduling fast passes stresses me so much than I have no desire to make another Disney trip. Maybe Disneyland.
However, my daughter will be a senior this year and she really wants a mom and daughter Disney senior trip. I may have to **** it up and do it, but it is really something I dread instead of being excited ... Now that is sad.

Sorry to hear of the issues you experienced on your trip as well as the poor service you received at Guest Relations.

I am sorry it went so poorly for you. I certainly understand your frustration.