Shame on you Disney

[IloveJack]

I remember one fan's famous poignant Twitter picture of Aurora standing all alone in her corner while a crowd surrounded A&E in the other, and as someone who didn't like the movie, that just seems like an injustice.

Just an FYI, they only allow one family in the room at a time. Hence, Aurora stood in the corner and watched my kids meet A&E, and then they stood in their corner and watched my kids meet her. No other guests were let in until we exited the room.

[wellsm]

I'm pretty sure that Disney has multiple rooms with multiple pairs of the sisters in them.

Just like they do at the Town Square Theater.

I'm sure that Disney doesn't like 3 hour lines. That's 3 hours you could be elsewhere in the park - having fun, buying food and merch.

I'm also sure there are only so many rooms they have for the M&G at the Princess Fairytale Hall, and so many CMs who can be A&E.

What else can they do?

• More rooms? If they could, they would.
• Decrease the experience time. I guess this would help, but after waiting in that line do you really want just 15 seconds with the characters?
• Decrease the standards of the CMs so they can hire more? Nobody wants this. Do you really want your kids to say "What was wrong with Elsa?" Or, to have an inexperienced cast member who breaks character in front of the kids?

It's supply and demand. It's like the complaints I saw when the movie came out and Disney didn't have much out for merch in the parks and in stores. People wanted their stuff, and they wanted it now. What did they expect Disney to do - pull out their cloning device?

With Frozen being THE hot property right now they are doing what they can to meet a huge demand. I think Disney is doing a good job at meeting that need the best they can.

[princessgirls]

I see this more as a HUGE Demand problem, that Disney is adjusting too. They certainly do not want you waiting in line for 3 hours. Anna and Elsa are the new Queens of the Kingdom.
A friend of mine who writes for our Paper wrote a funny piece of how Anna and Elsa have dethroned the other princesses. His piece was fun.

There are always the "non-planners", that just show up, I often wonder how that really works out for them? How much time is wasted figuring things out while on site. My inlaws tour like this. THEY WASTE SOOO MUCH TIME!!! It makes me NUTS, so I don't do anything with them anymore.

The "Planners" can get a full out day in. Up and out early, they have their game face on, fast pass plus times and dining reservations made. Their plan is solid, but they can adapt to a change if necessary!!

We all have to adapt to the new system, and it will change as Disney tweaks it. It's here to stay! I have not yet experienced it, but I will use it to the fullest when I go back. For the money a Disney vacation costs, being a planner is the way to go!
Julie

[Mrs Bus Driver]

Shame on Disney? Really, I once waited in a 3 hour line to take my DD on Rocket Rods at Dl. I did for my DD I could have easily skipped it, could have told her no. But when it comes to my DD, it was one of those experiences we shared. These days she won't wait more then 30 minutes. RRs was a little disappointing but we still had fun and we are still both Disney fans.

[RunDMV]

Why do you fault fastpass+ for not benefitting the non-planners? Fault the non-planners for not planning. Do you spend thousands of dollars for your vacation and then just show up, without having read a thing about the place? Everybody's gotta do a little research, and if not- great to those that do.

And here is what Disney and you dont get. I plan, schedule, organize, direct all day long at work. I run from one meeting to the next while telling my office manager to schedule more meetings. When I am on vacation, I dont want to do that.

Oh yeah, there is one more thing Disney doesn't get: my money.

[Aurora]

Apparently Disneyland has debuted a Frozen "pre-parade" float that features Anna, Elsa and Olaf, so guests can at least see them in person if they don't want to wait in insane meet lines.

Personally, I figure out other ways for my kids to have a good time if a favorite character or ride becomes unavailable. (And to me, a 3-hour wait means they're unavailable. )

[joonyer]

And here is what Disney and you dont get. I plan, schedule, organize, direct all day long at work. I run from one meeting to the next while telling my office manager to schedule more meetings. When I am on vacation, I dont want to do that.

Me neither, but I don't expect to go on a vacation to any popular destination and be able to find a premium hotel room, or a table at a popular restaurant, or good seats for a Broadway show, without having made reservations in advance. Taking a vacation to any popular place takes lots of planning in advance if you want to enjoy the most popular attractions. Expecting Disney, maybe the most popular vacation destination of all, to be any different is being unrealistic.

[RunDMV]

I, OTOH, WANT to plan. I don't show up at the airport and buy my ticket day of flight, after all.
If I did want to "wing it", I wouldn't have gotten Free Dining plan six months in advance, to have my flights, room and meals all paid and waiting for me when I got there.
I do have to plan, or at least run for buses to keep schedules, and for me a vacation is letting me decide my own activities without the obstacles of the "real" world.
That includes private "appointments" with princesses and thrill rides.

Like we've been saying all along: Planning's a haul, but you reap the rewards.

That's the whole point. One used to not have to plan each meal out 6 months in advance. It got to the point for our family (2-3X a year visitors for 2 plus decades) just gave up on table service. This is just too much planning for us. You like it? Go. Ill pass.

Let's not even get in to the impossibility of meeting family at WDW and trying to coordinate vacations.

There will always be the never-say-die Disney supporters who will go no matter what. I'm not one of them.

[RunDMV]

Me neither, but I don't expect to go on a vacation to any popular destination and be able to find a premium hotel room, or a table at a popular restaurant, or good seats for a Broadway show, without having made reservations in advance. Taking a vacation to any popular place takes lots of planning in advance if you want to enjoy the most popular attractions. Expecting Disney, maybe the most popular vacation destination of all, to be any different is being unrealistic.

That's a silly analogy. No reasonable person thinks you dont have to make some kind off plan. But planning meals 6 months out and trying to plan rides that are blocked out before and after you ADR and then trying to coordinate it family and friends is too much for a lot of people.

[VWL Mom]

Just an FYI, they only allow one family in the room at a time. Hence, Aurora stood in the corner and watched my kids meet A&E, and then they stood in their corner and watched my kids meet her. No other guests were let in until we exited the room.

That right there would tend to slow things down. Perhaps Aurora needs to find a new home for the time being.

[yankeesfan123]

And here is what Disney and you dont get. I plan, schedule, organize, direct all day long at work. I run from one meeting to the next while telling my office manager to schedule more meetings. When I am on vacation, I dont want to do that.

Oh yeah, there is one more thing Disney doesn't get: my money.

Planning a vacation isn't unheard of. Disney World isn't the only vacation destination that you need to plan for.

Maybe a beach or cruise vacation (minus excursions, because that involves planning) will work for types like you?


Visiting Disney is like visiting a major city or another country.

You can't go to NYC, Vegas, London, etc and just show up and be able to eat wherever you want, see any show you want, or visit any museum or historical sites on a whim and plan to make an effective use of your time. You get dining reservations, buy tickets to shows ahead of time, and plan the best times to effectively visit museums/sites ahead of time.

[lindique]

Let's not even get in to the impossibility of meeting family at WDW and trying to coordinate vacations.

That was my problem too. On my last trip, I found out that 2 people from 2 other offices in my organization were going to be in Disney World at the same time as me. They live and work in different cities so I don't see them very often.

It was extremely difficult to arrange times to get together. First we had to be in the same park that day. And secondly, we had to find a time that no one had a hard-to-get fastpass.

I am not a fastpass+ hater. But it sure made meeting up with people not in your immediate group very difficult.

[DonaldDuck1117]

First, there are multiple rooms at MK with Anna and Elissa, just like Mickey up front. I will agree that there should be meet and greets with them at MK, Epcot, and Studios. It wouldn't make 3 hours lines at each location, it would decrease them overall. And yes, face characters are harder to cast but it's not impossible. With the size of workforce Disney has they can certainly find more women to play them.

I happen to love FP+. I'm a night person. We like to sleep in, get to the park around lunch time then close them down each night. FP+ allows us to do that and still get FPs for the most popular attractions. Before, if I wanted one for TSM I had to get up early and be there at rope drop. Now, I can sleep in and know I'm riding TSM with a short wait.

And, you know you can ride rides without FP. Just because you don't have a FP doesn't mean you aren't allowed to ride. In our last trip before FP+ there were no FPs left for Soarin and it was an 80 minute wait. I hadn't ridden Soarin the trip before so you know what I did? I got myself in line and waited my 80 minutes, just like old times. Do you guys remember those days? When there was no such thing as FPs? When if you wanted to ride X you got in line and waited how ever long it was.

If you want to wing it you certainly can. No one is stopping you. Get to the parks at opening, head to a kiosk, grab a FP, then go ride the popular rides while their wait is short. Or, come later and just know you are going to have a longer wait-just like old times.

FP+ and MDE aren't going anywhere. The system is already starting to show why it was developed in the first place-people are spending more because of it.

[AgentC]

That right there would tend to slow things down. Perhaps Aurora needs to find a new home for the time being.

I'm not sure if has happened yet but I did see it reported somewhere that Aurora was moving out of Fairytale Hall.

[Aurora]

That right there would tend to slow things down. Perhaps Aurora needs to find a new home for the time being.

For a second I thought you were talking about me.

[minnie04]

I have said it before, I feel sad for the first timers - people who dream about Disney, save and get there on the day with their children and discover that they can't get any fastpasses for the signature rides and the rides are 80+ minute waits.

I agree the "first timers" will have a hard time getting on all the rides they want, BUT if you are saving your money and making time to get to WDW. I think some planning has to go into it. I know when we first went back in the day we never had to plan anything (1992), BUT AGAIN times have changed and it's almost a must to plan out your days in the parks. If you know anything about WDW you know it gets crazy crowded all year now, so you should be planning at least most of your trip so you won’t be wasting time with a map wondering around looking for things to do...

The meet & greets are another story. I have never waited in a line longer then 30mins to meet a character for my kids (when they were small) I know as a parent we will do whatever it takes to make it happen for our kids. We have all been in this position. Disney need’s to work on this one. And make it right for all those little ones waiting in the HOT sun to say hello to A&E. Maybe they could make the lines fun by having some kind of entertainment for the kids (parents) to help with the wait. There is nothing worse than waiting in a line with a child that is super excited to meet someone and tell them they have to WAIT!!! Its torture on kids and PARENTS. By the time you get to the front you are disgusted and some kids are over it.... and their excitment has turned into crabby faces (not all ,but some) so the beautiful picture you were hoping for has changed into a
"Smile honey" PLEASSSSE...lol " I promise we are going to EAT & DRINK something as soon as we are done" I have seen this so many times. It almost becomes the parents mission to make sure that 3 hour wait wasnt in vain..

Or god forbid you make it to the front and they say " BLANK WILL BE RIGHT BACK THEY HAVE TO STEP AWAY"!!!!!!! are you KIDDING ME

[MNNHFLTX]

My family and I have never been into the character meet and greets, so I'm not up on this stuff, but can't people get a FP+ in advance for the Anna and Elsa M&G? If it is a must-do for a family and the standby lines are that long, why wouldn't folks just use their FP+ option?

I am an ardent planner by nature, but even I don't want to plan that much on my vacations (and if I did, my family probably probably commit mutiny). It appears that there are plenty of people out there who are finding positives in the system and investing in WDW trips, but I'm not one of them at the moment. I haven't been there in 1-1/2 years, which is a long time for me.

You can't go to NYC, Vegas, London, etc and just show up and be able to eat wherever you want, see any show you want, or visit any museum or historical sites on a whim and plan to make an effective use of your time. You get dining reservations, buy tickets to shows ahead of time, and plan the best times to effectively visit museums/sites ahead of time.

I can't speak for Vegas or NYC, but you absolutely can go to London on a whim and see almost everything. Musuems are free and open to anyone (the huge national ones, anyway) and even the other historical sites you can pretty much walk-up and get in right away, especially if you get there early. You can get discounted tickets to some of the most popular theater shows the same day in Leicester Square. As far as the restaurants, the only ones you need reservations for will also be the most expensive; if you can afford to eat there, more power to you!

[Terra]

Here's my thoughts. (and worth exactly what you paid for them )
Disney Parks are a business offering goods and services for a price. Visiting them is a premium big$$ vacation compared to many other vacation options. Don't like what you're paying for? Vote with your wallet. Go somewhere else on vacation. We do that often.
No one is entitled to short lines for anything. We choose to visit the most popular theme parks in the world. And they are popular for a reason. But that makes them really crowded. And we still we elect to go there along with millions of others and we expect not to have to wait in long lines?
How dare they make us wait.

This exactly. Sorry original poster. I DO understand the frustration, but at the end of the day it's the parent(s) choice whether to say yes or no to the line.
I've said no. There have been a few tears, but life goes on. So much more to do there. Personally I think it's silly to wait that long in line, especially if the child is young enough to not have the concept of time down, THEN get irritated and say my kiddos were grumpy, I was grumpy, etc.

Disney is a business at the end of the day. Like this poster said, don't like it, vote with your wallet.

For us, living local, we still take actualy vacations there AND do day trips. We plan accordingly. And generally I let my kiddos know up front if there is something we can't do [especially because I do have an ASD son] and he needs structure and to know what is happening before we get there.

[DisneyFan1979]

Personally, I feel that any good vacation requires a bit of planning. For Disney for me that has always meant thinking in advance about what park I'd like to go which day, which day I'd like to take off to visit area relatives or the outlets, do I want to take time for Universal, etc? From there I make some dining reservations, usually an extra one or two so if our plans changes I can cancel one. And now with Fastpass+ I also have to select some rides in advance. On my last trip, we really only used 1-2 Fastpasses a day to catch the biggest rides. Even then, our plans still changed. For example, I made fastpass reservations for afternoon at AK for the safari. It was raining lightly that day so instead I went to the safari as soon as I got there and just waited in line. It all worked out in the end.

This planning is no different from how I plan trips to other destinations. When I take trips to big cities, I plan what things I want to do each day to minimize travel time and to assure a nice balance of activities each day.

[AgentC]

My family and I have never been into the character meet and greets, so I'm not up on this stuff, but can't people get a FP+ in advance for the Anna and Elsa M&G? If it is a must-do for a family and the standby lines are that long, why wouldn't folks just use their FP+ option?

Yes, it is a FP+ attraction. When it first opened the FP+ were hard to get but now that they have the longer hours, it doesn't seem to be a problem except perhaps for guest who do not reserve until that morning.

I just played around and I can't get an Anna and Elsa FP for tomorrow (6/18) but I can get one for Thursday 6/19.

I do think when they should eventually add Anna & Elsa to one of the princess meals but I don't fault them for the lines. My daughter has not met Anna and Elsa yet because I generally do not do wait of more than 30 minutes for characters. Next time we go back if she really wants do meet them, I would FP.