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Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 21 to 30 of 30
  1. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrPeetrie View Post
    My feeling on this entire trip can be capsulized like this:

    I don’t feel like I’m on vacation; I feel like I’ve been sentenced to a nicely adorned work camp. No fun allowed.
    I have been thinking about it since these trip reports like yours have been coming out.

    Do you feel like they are still focusing on money rather than guest experience? That is what it sounds like. I know they are a business and they are trying to keep from losing money.....BUT and this is a big BUT, they have been focused on maximizing profits and squeezing every single penny out of the parks that they can for at least 10 years now. I would think they could use a little of those record profits to do extra things to make this time as enjoyable as possible rather than letting every cast member and entertainer they can think of go. They should be more focused on the guests and a little less focused on trying to find a way to squeeze money out of the situation. Perhaps they should go into the office a let some bean counters go.

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  3. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2001
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    Pittsburgh, PA
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1DisneyNut View Post
    I have been thinking about it since these trip reports like yours have been coming out.

    Do you feel like they are still focusing on money rather than guest experience? That is what it sounds like. I know they are a business and they are trying to keep from losing money.....BUT and this is a big BUT, they have been focused on maximizing profits and squeezing every single penny out of the parks that they can for at least 10 years now. I would think they could use a little of those record profits to do extra things to make this time as enjoyable as possible rather than letting every cast member and entertainer they can think of go. They should be more focused on the guests and a little less focused on trying to find a way to squeeze money out of the situation. Perhaps they should go into the office a let some bean counters go.
    That was EXACTLY my thought. This trip felt like a pure money grab. As a company, they lost $2B last Quarter. It really felt like “do the least and charge full price.” I fear some of these cutbacks will be permanent. I hope I’m wrong. It “appeared” they were selling a FastPass-like service to those that wanted to buy it. That was the rumor surrounding the park. I confronted a Cast Member and he assured me they were special needs access. I’m all for that and I know no one knows what is going on in another’s body, but trust me we kept seeing able-body, nimble groups in the FastPass lane and no one needing assistance. They brought their group, scanned their band, and were given a FastPass return time.


    No beds made unless you asked. I was unaware so our bed went unmade for four days. Magical Express does NOT pick up your luggage at the airport. You do. No check-in at the resort. No Parades. No Fireworks. No shows! No character meet-n-greets. Poor bus service. No discount on price. I’ll give trip details later.

  4. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 1997
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    INTERCOT, SC
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrPeetrie View Post
    That was EXACTLY my thought. This trip felt like a pure money grab. As a company, they lost $2B last Quarter. It really felt like “do the least and charge full price.” I fear some of these cutbacks will be permanent. I hope I’m wrong. It “appeared” they were selling a FastPass-like service to those that wanted to buy it. That was the rumor surrounding the park. I confronted a Cast Member and he assured me they were special needs access. I’m all for that and I know no one knows what is going on in another’s body, but trust me we kept seeing able-body, nimble groups in the FastPass lane and no one needing assistance. They brought their group, scanned their band, and were given a FastPass return time.


    No beds made unless you asked. I was unaware so our bed went unmade for four days. Magical Express does NOT pick up your luggage at the airport. You do. No check-in at the resort. No Parades. No Fireworks. No shows! No character meet-n-greets. Poor bus service. No discount on price. I’ll give trip details later.
    I honestly think the cost to value ratio is what's bothering me most right now - along with reading your transportation issues - something you pay for staying at a Disney resort. With so many things shut down and capacity diminished - it seems like things should be deeply discounted.
    John - aka. The Master Control Program
    Owner, Chairman & Chief Imagination Officer - INTERCOT

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  6. #24
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Blacksburg, VA
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    I understand the frustration with paying full price for less-than a full price experience. However, I am looking at it more like I'm paying full price so that those who work there can keep their jobs as the parks are operating at 25% capacity. They're still losing money, even charging those attending full price. They still had to lay off people, had to cancel projects, had to close some operations, shows, restaurants, and events. If they discounted the tickets, I think that the operation of the parks would be even worse at this point.
    2002 - 2022: 20+ visits (POR, BW, All Stars, VWL, CSR, BLT, BC, SSR, CB, Dolphin, OKW, Poly, offsite x8)
    DL - 1996, 2019
    Next up - January 2023 short trip! We just want to try that 50th Anniversary chocolate monstrosity at Mexico!

  7. #25
    Join Date
    Oct 1997
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    INTERCOT, SC
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    Quote Originally Posted by azcavalier View Post
    I understand the frustration with paying full price for less-than a full price experience. However, I am looking at it more like I'm paying full price so that those who work there can keep their jobs as the parks are operating at 25% capacity. They're still losing money, even charging those attending full price. They still had to lay off people, had to cancel projects, had to close some operations, shows, restaurants, and events. If they discounted the tickets, I think that the operation of the parks would be even worse at this point.
    I hear you - but in retrospect, how much money did they spend on the FOX acquisition? Might they have been in better financial shape if they weren't so eager to swallow up other media companies. It's also coming back to bite them how much they have raised ticket and resort prices above inflation for years now. I love Disney as much as the next person - but it was getting very pricey even before what's going on.

    OR, if they didn't take on that debt - would they be a takeover target for someone like Apple.

    I think what's killing them is that one of their Theme Park Resorts (cali) has been shut down since the beginning of the year. Theme parks were the cash cow of the company.

    I feel for each and every cast member that has lost their job. I feel for each and every person outside the parks that has lost their job or is furloughed due to COVID (count my son as one of them).

    Problem is - I don't see with the public hysteria surrounding this virus that things will get much better anytime soon... not to be a Debbie Downer.
    John - aka. The Master Control Program
    Owner, Chairman & Chief Imagination Officer - INTERCOT

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  9. #26
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    Indiana
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    It's good to get both sides of the Disney experience under Covid. I understand the entertainment business continues for the sake of people having some jobs and for profits, but keeping ticket fees at the same price seems somewhat unfair.
    (46) CB -91,95,08,13 (2)
    Poly-93, 01 Port Orl FQ - 97,98, 09, 10 Riverside 01,09, 18 Coronado -99,08
    BC - 01,03,05,06,07
    Dland 03 AK - 06 Pop-14,18 All Star 14,17,18,23
    Christmas at WL 06,07
    SS - 07,10 WL - 06, 07,10 Epcot 08,21
    GF 11 YC 12, 16, 18, 19, 23 DS 21, offsite 14
    Dolphin 21

  10. #27
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
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    Hope you and your family can make the most of it. And have a good time. Just remember, you all are in the Happiest Place on the Earth!
    March Madness 2024!!

  11. #28
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Blacksburg, VA
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    Quote Originally Posted by John View Post
    I hear you - but in retrospect, how much money did they spend on the FOX acquisition? Might they have been in better financial shape if they weren't so eager to swallow up other media companies. It's also coming back to bite them how much they have raised ticket and resort prices above inflation for years now. I love Disney as much as the next person - but it was getting very pricey even before what's going on.

    OR, if they didn't take on that debt - would they be a takeover target for someone like Apple.
    I don't think it's fair to say that business decisions that happened years before the COVID pandemic were poor decisions, and that they should have sat tight in case something like this pandemic would arise. Besides, I think that the Fox acquisition is one of the things that is helping the company get through this time. It gave them a much broader media portfolio for the Disney+ streaming service, which is what is really keeping the company afloat right now.

    Man, was Disney+'s rollout timely, or what?

    The Disneyland Resort being closed isn't on the company...it's on Governor Newsome. Now, him, I'm not going to second-guess. I have NO idea what it must be like to run any government office, and California's has to be one of the toughest. That said, I think that the measures that they have put in place at Walt Disney World seem to be working just fine, and I don't see why it would be any different at Disneyland.
    2002 - 2022: 20+ visits (POR, BW, All Stars, VWL, CSR, BLT, BC, SSR, CB, Dolphin, OKW, Poly, offsite x8)
    DL - 1996, 2019
    Next up - January 2023 short trip! We just want to try that 50th Anniversary chocolate monstrosity at Mexico!

  12. #29
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Fort Worth, Tx
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1DisneyNut View Post
    I hate it for you. It sounds exactly like I would expect and I won't be having any part of it. The funny thing is they are planning on increasing the amount of people they allow into the parks. I don't know how that is all supposed to work when from all accounts I have head, it is just like your experience. On top of that, you get to pay the same as you would have if everything was normal. I can't imagine wearing a mask in the parks. I can't even make it through Lowes or Walmart without pulling mine off as I am walking from one end to the other. I typically only put it back on if someone wearing one comes on the same isle as me, just to make them happy.
    Quote Originally Posted by 1DisneyNut View Post
    This exactly. I have been frustrated my last several trips just from all the crazy changes, prescheduling and constantly having to be on the app on my phone to check times and make changes. There is absolutely no way I could deal with all the nonsense going on now. I would most likely end up being escorted to the exit on day one.
    Quote Originally Posted by MrPeetrie View Post
    My feeling on this entire trip can be capsulized like this:

    I don’t feel like I’m on vacation; I feel like I’ve been sentenced to a nicely adorned work camp. No fun allowed.
    Disney nut, you and me both. DW wants to go, but we agreed no sooner than 2022. I'm not doing this, and getting arrested to boot

    MrPeet, yeah man. I'm sorry you had this nightmare. Poor service, situation and a remarkable price. Yeap, sounds great...Well, hopefully you are home and can have a few cocktails or five over the weekend and finally relax and have a good time.
    ===================

    2016 POR
    2015 CS
    2014 WDW-Offsite
    2014 Disneyland-offsite
    2014 CBR
    2013 Dolphin
    2012 POR
    2012 WDW-Offsite
    2011 ASMusic, POR

    1998 Dixie Landings
    1990's, Dixie Landings, Misc Offsite

  13. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Arizona
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    Quote Originally Posted by azcavalier View Post
    I don't think it's fair to say that business decisions that happened years before the COVID pandemic were poor decisions, and that they should have sat tight in case something like this pandemic would arise. Besides, I think that the Fox acquisition is one of the things that is helping the company get through this time.
    .
    I have to agree with John. We're told over and over again to have enough personal savings to carry us through tough times. Companies should follow the same rule. Even if it wasn't Covid, it could have been something else. Another 9/11? A War? Lots of things could happen and being prepared for them is the responsible thing to do.
    I'll meet you at the Rainbow Bridge.

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