DF's Observations, Thoughts, and Opinions From Current Trip

[thejens]

Thanks for your excellent objective report.

I figure that if I want Starbucks I'll just stop on my way to work. No need to go t WDW

[Jared]

I've seen both Starbucks locations in person and don't have any problem with them. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I recognize that for many guests, this is a major improvement from what was offered previously.

I thought I would lament the loss of the "real" Main Street Bakery, but it turns out I don't. The aesthetics of the place still work. That ultimately is all I care about.

The new Fountain View looks awesome.

[TheVBs]

Wow! Thanks for putting in the time and effort to give us such a detailed.... um..... non-report. It was a very interesting read and I appreciate that you shared your experiences. I do think you should write that letter. I can certainly understand why you would be hesitant to make the effort, but I think it's important that Disney knows why they're losing someone's business.

[waymickey]

FASTPASS PLUS

MAGIC BANDS
For the first few hours of wearing them, I had no issues or complaints... other than the awkward turning of the wrist at the FP or gate entrance turn styles... By late afternoon/early evening, they became annoying... Easy fix: remove from your wrist... They worked just fine, for the most part, for entering the room or theme parks or fast pass lines... We did run into one issue but it was easily corrected... I was told at Bay Lake I did not have to check out, just leave... So, I did and went to SSR... The CM at SSR informed me I was supposed to check out at Bay Lake so they could deactivate my BLT bands and SSR could activate my SSR bands... Hassle if you ask me.. Easily solved: ONE SET OF BANDS!!! But no, we needed two... So, I had to get my SSR bands from the car and have the CM check me out of BLT (from SSR which was pretty nifty!!) and then activate my new bands... Once they did that, everything worked just fine... Like I said, one issue which was easily fixed...

I'll add this here since this does fit with magic bands... As I and a few others stated previously, and again, shouted down, Disney WILL BE tracking you... They have long range and short range readers... Short range examples are your door, FP+ turn styles, park entrance turn styles, or the pay at the register readers... They have long range too... And yes, Disney will know when Dizneyfreak enters Emporium or World of Disney or Gaston's Tavern even before I purchase anything... Before, the only way they knew where you were is by you using your KTTW card as a credit card... they the information registered back that Dizneyfreak was at Emporium... Now, you no longer have to make a purchase... Just entering they will know... I know some people think the tracking is no big deal... But others do have a problem with it... And Disney is not being honest about it... At least Google tells you they are tracking you... Disney doesn't...

What Disney does with the info they gain is the problem, I feel... Disney will be creating (yes I know they already have one) a database on their guests... They will compile information regarding your spending habits (where you spend your time and money and on what)... If you are a big spender, Disney will look to squeeze even more out of you... if you are a not a big spender, don't look for Disney to try to get one more cent from you... You are more of a liability then someone they see dollar signs in, and someone they prefer not to visit the parks.. yes, I know it sounds like a stupid idea, but this is what it is...

So if I don't spend much in the parks other than food, Disney is going to look at me as a liability? Do they consider how much was already spent on the resort?
Do they also track you in your room? .."Waymickey just walked into the bathroom boy she is in there a long time. She is not spending money turn off the hot water !" lol
Or do they see that I am waiting at the bus stop forever waiting for the MK bus and will they send out another bus to get me to the park so I can spend big $$$$$$? Or since I am not a big spender will they slow that bus down..

[JerseyDad]

So if I don't spend much in the parks other than food, Disney is going to look at me as a liability? Do they consider how much was already spent on the resort?
Do they also track you in your room? .."Waymickey just walked into the bathroom boy she is in there a long time. She is not spending money turn off the hot water !" lol
Or do they see that I am waiting at the bus stop forever waiting for the MK bus and will they send out another bus to get me to the park so I can spend big $$$$$$? Or since I am not a big spender will they slow that bus down..

......to all of the above ....I'd say yes ...but maybe not the bathroom thing. Though ...there is a motion sensor on your room thermostat ...so there is a potential for some kind of spying

[rkmemkc]

A Cast Member said "s uck" to a guest with a small child nearby" Wow.

Yes he did!

[DizneyFreak2002]

I wanted to respond to a few, so forgive me for this long post...

Regarding FastPass+ on unnecessary rides (POTC, Haunted Mansion), you confirmed my fears. FastPass+ exacerbates wait times unnecessarily on these rides. They can handle a tremendous ride-through volume and do not need FastPass+ during normal seasons. (Maybe during the busiest of season, but not in October / November).

Thank you for reading and following... I went into this trip with an open mind, and as I said, a goal to make sure my brother and I had fun... and we did... I just happen to be looking at the bigger picture, not a narrow view... FP+ has caused a ton of bad feelings from guests towards WDW... As for the lines, well, I still want to know where these huge crowds were... The crowds were no larger than normal in October... So there was no reason for Pirates or HM to be 45 minutes... None... Remove FP from these two rides, and wait times will shrink...

I wouldn't go to Be Our Guest without a Fastpass at this point. The line outside is absurdly long. I waited the soon after it opened because I really wanted to experience the new restaurant. But now that I've eateh there three times over the past year, I can't bring myself to wait an hour for lunch.

I would agree with Jared here... No way I would do BoG again without FP... While the restaurant is well themed, the food is good but not great... Not worth an hour wait... But in reality, nothing is worth an hour wait... I wanted to experience it, I did... Now, if I can FP it, maybe I'll eat there again... If not, then no skin off my back if I don't dine there...

Maybe the novelty of it will wear off by August.....Bah, who am I kidding. I used to think the novelty would wear off Toy Story Midway Mania as well

The novelty will wear off, but I don't think the line will slow down until end of 2014, 2015... Remember, 7D opens next year... People will still be visiting the new Fantasyland area, and wait times for BoG will stay long for the foreseeable future...

I predict a great big price increase in the near future, once they run off all the day guests.

That's like predicting snow in the winter in Canada... We know it will happen, just a matter how how much... LOL...

I have to agree with some CM's attitudes, .
Getting on the TTA yesterday, dressed in our Ravens jerseys with my DD (10) the CM said, "Ravens ****, go Steelers."

I never understood why Cast Members or Universal's Team Members had to mock any shirt a guest was wearing... I can understand liking the shirt, engaging in conversation, but mocking the guest? That's childish behavior... Remember when Disney fans used to bash Universal employees for mocking Disney shirts? Now Disney CMs do the same thing... It is not in fun and games... it is childish, immature, and honestly, trashy... I felt that way when I had a fight with a Universal Guest Services manager when she mocked my Pirates of the Caribbean jersey several years ago (BTW, not one Universal TM mocked or made fun of me wearing a Disney shirt to the parks this year)... This year, when I went to Epcot on my final day, I was mocked and teased for wearing my Universal tee shirt... I let it go in one ear and out the other... Want to know why? When you are scared and getting your brains beat in by the competition, the only thing you can do is make fun of them and their fans... WDW is now in that position...

It's funny because I haven't had that experience with cast members at all and I've visited twice this September and twice this October. I am not doubting anyone's experience. I'm just amazed how inconsistent the the cast member / guest experience is. On our last trips we had several above average experiences.

I don't doubt your experiences, but what you describe has become the exception, not the rule... I had friends come back from trips, just this week actually, and they said the same thing.. CMs were miserable and rude... Not saying there weren't a few good CMs, there were... But they were very few and far between... I can remember counting on 1 hand how many unhappy CMs I would meet... This year, I could count on 1 hand how many good CMs I met...

The new Fountain View looks awesome.

And again I agree with Jared... Actually, Fountainview in Epcot looks great... So much better than before...

BTW, Joffery's coffee is just as bad as Starbucks... Made a pot one night in the room, and tossed it right out.. Went to Walmart and bought Dunkin Donuts coffee... HMMMM finally, good coffee in WDW..

Wow! Thanks for putting in the time and effort to give us such a detailed.... um..... non-report. It was a very interesting read and I appreciate that you shared your experiences. I do think you should write that letter. I can certainly understand why you would be hesitant to make the effort, but I think it's important that Disney knows why they're losing someone's business.

It is a waste of time... I know many people who write to Disney complaining just to get freebies from them... And Guest Relations loves to hand them out... I don't look for freebies... The only complaint I ever lodged was with Universal several years ago... I'll tell the story one day but over in the Universal thread... Led me to cancelling my Annual Pass... When I got home, I called and lodged the same complaint... A manager got on the phone and offered me two free park hopper passes for my next trip... I wasn't going to accept them, but in 2009 I did... And I saw a major turn around in the Universal parks... led me to buy tickets in 2011 and 2013, and now considering buying the Universal AP again...

But even if I do write the letter, they won't care... Why? Cause they will replace me with a family of 4 going for their first time, in a heartbeat... And the fact I am a DVC member won't matter either... They already treat us like dirt... Cause they already have our money... But who knows? Maybe I'll write one just to see what kind of response they give me...

So if I don't spend much in the parks other than food, Disney is going to look at me as a liability? Do they consider how much was already spent on the resort?
Do they also track you in your room? .."Waymickey just walked into the bathroom boy she is in there a long time. She is not spending money turn off the hot water !" lol
Or do they see that I am waiting at the bus stop forever waiting for the MK bus and will they send out another bus to get me to the park so I can spend big $$$$$$? Or since I am not a big spender will they slow that bus down..

Let me see if I can explain this a little better... You know how companies have rewards programs? Spend more, get more? Well WDW will kind of become the same way... Now, some could argue they already do that... Stay in a deluxe (spending more for your room), you get more than someone staying in Pop Century... While true, it isn't the rule... Everyone, no matter where they stay, gets the same treatment in the parks... Everyone has access to free dining or discounted rooms (mostly)... This new program will not reward low spenders... At least, it isn't designed to, which I think is a waste of the program... Guests spending thousands on hotel rooms (staying in deluxe hotels) may get codes for free nights or discounts... Those spending a lot on merchandise may get coupons for discounts on tee shirts or plushes... Those spending big on dining may get free dining offers... To me, that doesn't make sense... WDW is already getting their money.. But they want more of it... waymickey, who may not buy much merchandise, may actually be costing WDW more then making from him/her... waymickey may not get that free dining offer, or a discounted hotel stay... why reward you? That is their feeling...

Now, what I would do is opposite... You know you are getting the high spenders' money anyway... Target the low spender... Target waymickey who may only spend $500 on merchandise... Send him/her a text with a coupon code for 15% off a tee shirt while he/she is standing in Emporium... Maybe he or she will now buy that shirt when before, he or she wouldn't... So, waymickey only stays at value resorts? Let's send him or her a discounted stay at a moderate hotel, with a possible upgrade to a deluxe, again with a discount... Now waymickey is spending a bit more on hotel stays, while getting a sense of value (even though no WDW resort is worth the price they charge)...

As for the tracking, no I don't believe they are or legally can track you in your room... But they will know when you are in your room, just like they do now... The tracking will be done on property (in the parks, DTD, etc)... But not in your hotel room... And again, no evil intentions behind it, but when you look at the over all picture, people will wind up hurt.. mostly CMs who will no doubt lose their jobs... Better crowd control means less CMs needed, means less CM jobs... WDW really is the only one who benefits from this program, even though some Disney fans actually and falsely think this is a guest benefit.. It isn't...

Ya know, the buses are a good place to start with this tracking nonsense...While I had no issues with the buses this trip, there were plenty of trips in the past where the bus service was unreliable... With RFID, they should be able to determine how many people are waiting for resort or park buses and send out as many buses as needed to keep up with the passenger demand... Technically, they should be doing that now, but no one will ever accuse WDW management of having any clue about resort guest demand LOL...

[waymickey]

Let me see if I can explain this a little better... You know how companies have rewards programs? Spend more, get more? Well WDW will kind of become the same way... Now, some could argue they already do that... Stay in a deluxe (spending more for your room), you get more than someone staying in Pop Century... While true, it isn't the rule... Everyone, no matter where they stay, gets the same treatment in the parks... Everyone has access to free dining or discounted rooms (mostly)... This new program will not reward low spenders... At least, it isn't designed to, which I think is a waste of the program... Guests spending thousands on hotel rooms (staying in deluxe hotels) may get codes for free nights or discounts... Those spending a lot on merchandise may get coupons for discounts on tee shirts or plushes... Those spending big on dining may get free dining offers... To me, that doesn't make sense... WDW is already getting their money.. But they want more of it... waymickey, who may not buy much merchandise, may actually be costing WDW more then making from him/her... waymickey may not get that free dining offer, or a discounted hotel stay... why reward you? That is their feeling...

Now, what I would do is opposite... You know you are getting the high spenders' money anyway... Target the low spender... Target waymickey who may only spend $500 on merchandise... Send him/her a text with a coupon code for 15% off a tee shirt while he/she is standing in Emporium... Maybe he or she will now buy that shirt when before, he or she wouldn't... So, waymickey only stays at value resorts? Let's send him or her a discounted stay at a moderate hotel, with a possible upgrade to a deluxe, again with a discount... Now waymickey is spending a bit more on hotel stays, while getting a sense of value (even though no WDW resort is worth the price they charge)...

As for the tracking, no I don't believe they are or legally can track you in your room... But they will know when you are in your room, just like they do now... The tracking will be done on property (in the parks, DTD, etc)... But not in your hotel room... And again, no evil intentions behind it, but when you look at the over all picture, people will wind up hurt.. mostly CMs who will no doubt lose their jobs... Better crowd control means less CMs needed, means less CM jobs... WDW really is the only one who benefits from this program, even though some Disney fans actually and falsely think this is a guest benefit.. It isn't...

Ya know, the buses are a good place to start with this tracking nonsense...While I had no issues with the buses this trip, there were plenty of trips in the past where the bus service was unreliable... With RFID, they should be able to determine how many people are waiting for resort or park buses and send out as many buses as needed to keep up with the passenger demand... Technically, they should be doing that now, but no one will ever accuse WDW management of having any clue about resort guest demand LOL...

I like your idea of sending texts to guests who are in a gift shop or maybe a restuarant. This would work on me. I probably would be more likely to buy a t-shirt if I got 20% off text while standing in the store. I would be more likely spend more on food too if I got some kind of discount close to dinner time. As it is right now I eat off the kids menu whenever possible. It is enough food for me and a bit cheaper.

I really wish they would use the tracking for buses. I usually have no problems but my last trip bus service was so horrible that I did not bother going to the park my last night there. I just could not bear waiting for the bus again , on either end.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I like your idea of sending texts to guests who are in a gift shop or maybe a restuarant. This would work on me. I probably would be more likely to buy a t-shirt if I got 20% off text while standing in the store. I would be more likely spend more on food too if I got some kind of discount close to dinner time. As it is right now I eat off the kids menu whenever possible. It is enough food for me and a bit cheaper.

And this may wind up the way they go... I really don't think they know what they are going to wind up with or how they will ultimately run the program... They are still making changes on the fly with everything... When all is finally up and running, maybe better business sense prevails... Honestly, that is the only way this program will work and increase guest spending... Which is what this program is all about... Milking more money out of guests to force guests to increase spending...

[DizneyFreak2002]

OK, here is one for ya to chew on regarding the trashy guests I encountered...

One night, walking through World of Disney, I encountered something I never encountered anywhere before..

I was in one of the tee shirt sections, right by where the boys toys are, looking at one of the Grumpy tee shirts, when I thought I saw a female remove her top... I thought my eyes were deceiving me, so I turned and looked again... And I saw what I thought I saw.. a female removed her shirt and tried on a Monsters Inc hoody... She was standing there, in just her bra, in front of families with children... I was in shock... I walked away in disbelief...

after meeting up with my brother, and walking back to the tee shirt section I was just in, we came across her again... This time she was with some other guy, maybe her brother I don't know... She had on her shirt, but proceeded to take it off again to try on more Disney shirts... She would try them on, take them off, hang them back up, and try on more... While standing there, in her bra, again, in front of other guests... The girl appeared to be a teenager... That point, I was so shocked, I went over to a CM and reported what I just witnessed... The CM looked to be shocked by what I told her... She said she would go get a manager, but I didn't stay around long enough to notice what occurred... Probably nothing...

I know people want to emulate the white trash of Honey Boo Boo, but to go topless in a store full of young children when they have dressing rooms only a few feet from where you are standing? Humanity has hit new lows...

[tiggerbuddy]

I totally agree !!!!

Spaceship Earth needs to have a true ending... That descent back to earth is just lazy and shoddy work... And Judy Dench needs to go... Her voice is so monotone it puts me to sleep... The script she reads from is one a 5 year old could write... No one can beat Jeremy Irons in my opinion...

[stephicakes]

DF – thanks so much for your detailed report! I always enjoy reading your posts and yours are one of the few that literally have me laughing out loud now and again. I do like it when you take off your “doom and gloom hat” – your witty dry sense of humor gets me smiling. Great job on the report!!

THEME PARKS/ATTRACTIONS
Living With the Land: Jared would love to read this... LwtL is a gem.... A gem which gets no appreciation.... May not have much too it, but still, there is something about it which makes it a must ride... kind of like the TTA/Peoplemover...

Agree 100%! If I wasn’t such a tough girl I would probably could cry every time I get on these two rides. If I could just please get a pillow and close my eyes for a nap on either one of these for a continuous loop – I would be in my Happy Place…

Disney's Hollywood Studios
TSMM: I don't see why this ride is such a big deal... Maybe cause it really is one of the only family friendly rides the park offers... But even still, there is no reason for FP to be gone by 9:15 to 9:30 every day... So, those saying you love FP+ cause you no longer have to run for a FP, well, some people still do... So, looking at it objectively (not selfishly), FP+ does not solve the problem but creates bigger ones...

Yep, agree here too. This is a “must do” for DH but I really could leave it. I enjoy the music and ambiance of the queue and it brings me right back to the movies, but the ride… MEH. I have the Wii game at home and it has the same effect on me – once in a while it’s ok for a few minutes, but otherwise it stays in the box. I guess if I had little ones I may look at the ride differently…

A lot of us complained about Starbucks coming to the parks... Some complained because they thought there would be a visual intrusion, some because the Bakery was going away for Starbucks, others cause Starbucks coffee is horrible...

I complained because I hate Starbucks coffee and hated the loss of the bakery... but I never thought it would be a visual intrusion... and it isn't... You wouldn't even know Starbucks was there if you didn't look specifically for the small sign... And in Epcot, Fountainview is still Fountainview, just with a much more futuristic looking facade... Kept the name... Wouldn't even know it was a Starbucks... So far they have been very well done and blend in nicely... Still can't stand the coffee though.. Burnt mud...

Agree here too. I only visited the one in EPCOT and not on Main Street MK, but the appearance/façade didn’t bother me at all at either location. But… I make better coffee at home.

OK, here is one for ya to chew on regarding the trashy guests I encountered...

One night, walking through World of Disney, I encountered something I never encountered anywhere before..

I was in one of the tee shirt sections, right by where the boys toys are, looking at one of the Grumpy tee shirts, when I thought I saw a female remove her top... I thought my eyes were deceiving me, so I turned and looked again... And I saw what I thought I saw.. a female removed her shirt and tried on a Monsters Inc hoody... She was standing there, in just her bra, in front of families with children... I was in shock... I walked away in disbelief...

after meeting up with my brother, and walking back to the tee shirt section I was just in, we came across her again... This time she was with some other guy, maybe her brother I don't know... She had on her shirt, but proceeded to take it off again to try on more Disney shirts... She would try them on, take them off, hang them back up, and try on more... While standing there, in her bra, again, in front of other guests... The girl appeared to be a teenager... That point, I was so shocked, I went over to a CM and reported what I just witnessed... The CM looked to be shocked by what I told her... She said she would go get a manager, but I didn't stay around long enough to notice what occurred... Probably nothing...

I know people want to emulate the white trash of Honey Boo Boo, but to go topless in a store full of young children when they have dressing rooms only a few feet from where you are standing? Humanity has hit new lows...

Ok... that's just GROSS... lol


Thanks again for reporting. Well done!
steph

[mickclub1955]

OK, here is one for ya to chew on regarding the trashy guests I encountered...

One night, walking through World of Disney, I encountered something I never encountered anywhere before..

I was in one of the tee shirt sections, right by where the boys toys are, looking at one of the Grumpy tee shirts, when I thought I saw a female remove her top... I thought my eyes were deceiving me, so I turned and looked again... And I saw what I thought I saw.. a female removed her shirt and tried on a Monsters Inc hoody... She was standing there, in just her bra, in front of families with children... I was in shock... I walked away in disbelief...

after meeting up with my brother, and walking back to the tee shirt section I was just in, we came across her again... This time she was with some other guy, maybe her brother I don't know... She had on her shirt, but proceeded to take it off again to try on more Disney shirts... She would try them on, take them off, hang them back up, and try on more... While standing there, in her bra, again, in front of other guests... The girl appeared to be a teenager... That point, I was so shocked, I went over to a CM and reported what I just witnessed... The CM looked to be shocked by what I told her... She said she would go get a manager, but I didn't stay around long enough to notice what occurred... Probably nothing...

I know people want to emulate the white trash of Honey Boo Boo, but to go topless in a store full of young children when they have dressing rooms only a few feet from where you are standing? Humanity has hit new lows...

Saw this our first trip to AK except it was a man in his underwear. It was in the clothing store in Africa across from Tusker House. My dad reported him. He was foreign and evidently this is what they do. He didn't understand why he couldn't try things on out in the store.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Saw this our first trip to AK except it was a man in his underwear. It was in the clothing store in Africa across from Tusker House. My dad reported him. He was foreign and evidently this is what they do. He didn't understand why he couldn't try things on out in the store.

That may have been part of the problem here... She wasn't America, that was for sure... She did speak a foreign language, couldn't tell what language she spoke... Then again, many Americans speak the language of their heritage, especially if they relocate to this country from another... I don't want to classify this girl incorrectly, but it is entirely possible she was a foreigner on vacation, and in her country removing your top in front of everyone to try on clothes may be acceptable...

[Tekneek]

We just came back from WDW. First big thing I noticed was seeing CMs eating, in guest areas, in full costume/uniform. Worse than that, they were often discussing backstage things and some were even talking disparagingly of guests amongst themselves. It really blew my mind and confirmed the trend we've been noticing over the years.

We found Disney transportation to be hit and miss. Good in the mornings, awful at night. Coming back from MNSSHP, I was holding a sleeping baby. A CM directed me away from the newly arrived, and empty, bus to a standing oom only bus. I told him I could not stand on the bus while holding a baby and he told me I would just have to wait for yet another bus. I waited at the MK bus stop for POR for over 1 hour holding a baby. Pretty amazingly awful guest service.

RnRC broke down while we were in the queue. A CM walked through telling everyone we would get a FP on the way out to come back. When we got to the exit, the CM there says, "Sorry, we're all out of fast passes." I would've feared for his life, if I had not been so appalled by his lack of customer service skills. I went to Guest Relations at DHS about that one. Apparently this CM should have asked us to wait while they got more FPs instead of shrugging and trying to get us to leave empty handed.

I agree that maintenance appeared to be on an upswing. Cleanliness was pretty good as well. Little details regarding "show" appear to be overlooked in lots of ways, but Joe Public may not be noticing or even care. General CM quality and guest service appear to be continuing negative trends. The older CMs appeared to be the better ones, but there were exceptions to this in both directions. I honestly believe the low quality CMs are not entirely to blame for their performance, because I bet they simply do not know they are bad (management problem).

[Daisy'sMom]

Interesting. I remember a time in the early nineties that we were very disenchanted with Disney. Parks were dirty, cms were crabby and uninformative, food was horrible, and most attractions broke down on a daily basis.
The past few times we have gone, we left saying we thought we had gone back in time. We left each time wondering if we were going to attempt another visit or let our passes expire.
It's sad to see others are seeing the same thing. Come on Disney, get with the program. You are better than this!

[Tekneek]

Parks were dirty, cms were crabby and uninformative, food was horrible, and most attractions broke down on a daily basis.

Some CMs were great, some were average, and some were horrible. The spread seems to be allowing for way more average ones and slightly more horrible ones than great. The really good ones stand out from the crowd. The really bad ones also stand out very obviously. There were some that were extremely unpleasant to be around. I understand being jaded, but guest facing roles simply should not be staffed by people who hate their jobs.