Barksy's Barktacular Return Day - Final thoughts
All in all, I'm glad I went. I would have regretted not going, and I have learned that life is too short to live with regrets.
If you are going to Disney any time soon, plan to do things you know you will like even if everything else goes horribly wrong or where you can mitigate the things that may go wrong - like our evening at Animal Kingdom. We just walked around enjoying the ambiance. Our only necessary interaction was with the cast members for the Flight of Passage ride.
If you have any reason to not wear a mask or have to alter the way it is worn, now is not the time to go to Disney - even if you have a doctor's note.
Disney merchandising really needs to step it up - from the snafu of The Child merchandise when the Mandalorian came out to the fiasco at the park with only putting the merchandise in one place. Also, they need to have merchandise from current movies at the parks. I shouldn't have to spend 10 days looking for a Raya toy.
Disney really needs to bring more staff back and open up more places if they are going to allow that many customers in. I know people will cite Covid, but when they are putting multiple parties in the same row in ride vehicles, Covid isn't the excuse. Yes, this happened to us. One particular instance I remember is another couple sitting next to us on the Runaway Railroad. I remember it, because Aaron wanted to sit on the side of the ride vehicle. I got in first, not thinking it would be a big deal, since he would have the other side to sit on. Well, the cast member put another couple in the same row with us, and Aaron was squished in the middle. I felt badly that I didn't let him get in first. The other couple said the cast member told them to get in.
It is hard for people who have not been going to Disney for a long time to understand how much Disney has declined. Aaron commented on how kind one of the cast members was to us. I told him how that used to be the Disney standard. There used to be trips where every cast member I interacted with was like that. Now it is enough of the exception for him to comment on it instead of the rule.
While I consider this trip to be a failure, there were still cast members who created very bright points in the trip. They seemed to be cast members who had worked at Disney for a long time. All of them seemed to be very tired and overworked. I really hope Disney management begins supporting them more than it appeared they were. Perhaps getting them out of the office and into the parks will help with that.
Disney tech - I have no words.
DD and I had a serious talk about our family reunion trip to Disney World in 2023. Her husband's side of the family has never been, and we didn't want this type of trip to be their first experience to a Disney park. We have come up with alternate plans in case Disney can't get their act together in the next two years. I cancelled our Disneyland trip next year. My children were all shocked. I know it is a different park, but I am not willing to chance having a repeat of this trip.
Sorry my trip report wasn't nearly as peppy as they usually are. I just wasn't feeling it this time around.
