WDW Charm

Originally Posted By disneymusic

I've been going to WDW for about 10 years straight. I know how much we may rag on it, and I've been guilty myself, but the question I ask is, does it still have its lasting impact? In other words, do we still have that "magical"" feeling every time we leave the parks. Is there still that atmosphere that can only be felt on Disney property? IMO, I say that yes, it does, though not as strong as it might have used to be. Thoughts?

 

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Originally Posted By LuvsDsnyTrips

I love WDW....I only get to go once every 5 years as I live alot closer to DL
Not sure about staying off property in Orlando as I have never done that .....
But, I do love staying on property there

 

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Originally Posted By RoadTrip

I still feel the charm of WDW but it is considerably reduced from previous years. So much of my enjoyment of WDW came from shared memories with my late wife from the many visits we made over the years. It just isn't the same anymore.

I also feel that WDW, for me, is pricing itself out of the market. The increasing ticket and food prices are getting ridiculous... it just isn't worth it anymore.

I enjoy DL more because Rose and I went there only twice... it is easier to make new memories there with Ann. The down side to DL is again the expense. It is more costly to get to DL than to WDW, and the Disneyland hotel prices are outrageous. I know I could stay on Harbor Blvd, but it just isn't the same as staying at a Disney resort. I wish DL would develop a moderate-priced resort.

 

Originally Posted By FerretAfros

>>I also feel that WDW, for me, is pricing itself out of the market. The increasing ticket and food prices are getting ridiculous... it just isn't worth it anymore.<<

This is what's really getting to me. In recent years the parks have stagnated, without much new development, yet the prices have gone through the roof. What was once a fairly good value is now completely overpriced. Even with the discounts I've been able to use on my recent trips (CM friends and runDisney discounts), it's borderline too much. And this is coming from someone who doesn't have to pay for an entire family.

I still have a good time at WDW. I've found things that are a little unusual (like the runDisney races) that make it feel fresh and exciting, and give me a different perspective on everything. But for the rates they're charging, I think I could probably have just as much fun somewhere else, like Europe.

 

Originally Posted By tashajilek

RT, I wish DL would have a mod or even a value resort too.


I have only been to WDW once and I loved it. I am probably spoiled because I went over Christmas and got to experience seeing all the decorations, gingerbread houses etc. I am fortunate enough to be going again for Christmas this year! Disneyland will always be my favorite park and now with the improvements DCA is a close second.

 

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Originally Posted By tashajilek

I still think Disney is worth the value, but you have to be smart. I really can't understand how some people will be up to $400 a night for a hotel room and then complain about the price increase. I think visiting Disney for a number of days which can still be cheaper than a one night stay in a deluxe hotel is still good value. I booked a value resort at a excellent price and still get the extra perks.



The thing that is the most important to me is my actual vacation time. I can only take one longer vacation over the Christmas holidays and maybe try and convince my husband to take a week off at some other time. I pretty much don't want to waste my vacation time on Disney when I can try somewhere else like Hawaii which I did in April. Sadly traveling over the Christmas holidays is the most expensive time to travel, but flying to DL or WDW is reasonable. I will never go back to Anaheim in December, so this year it will be the Florida Keys and only four days at WDW.

 

Originally Posted By Socrates

Want to have a magical feeling?

Go with a six-year-old who's never been there before.

Socrates
"The unexamined life is not worth living."

 

Originally Posted By disneymusic

I think what I'm trying to get at is the feeling I get while I'm there. I just went at the beginning of the summer, and even though I go every year, I felt that atmosphere. Believe it or not, more so than I have in a while. I watched wishes and the new celebrate the magic show and I really felt the atmosphere I was hoping to feel. However, little changes (I.E. the TTA spiel and the monorail spiel) are small things that I think have seriously dimmed the magic in the air

 

Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad

I have to agree with RT. when I first started going as a family of four my room and tickets would be about 2400 to 2600. Now the same stay at the same location hits around 3500 or more. While there we would spend roughly that same amount having fun around the world and that held true at the higher rate so that what I used to budget as a 5000 dollar vacation now approaches 7000.
As a result this will be my 3rd year straight without a WDW trip. Granted I have had some health problems that ate into my cash but Disney has still lost an easy 5000 a year that I would have spent if prices hadn't risen so much. I knowi could shorten my stay or stay off property, but it is my vacation and I choose not to do that. So I guess I'll just continue to go to the beach instead at a fraction of the cost.
In the end we both lose because I love my time at Disney and Disney loses my visit


As for the original theme for the thread, Yes, I still feel the magic when I go to WDW. It is still myfavoriteplace in all the world and I still wear something Disney nearly every day. Unfortunately trips there are becoming wishes instead of wills.

 

Originally Posted By Blufusion12

Yeah I'm back. 1st I want to apologize to Rt for the statement I mad e the other night and saying something he did . But never did do. Please accept my apology. Carolina Disney Dad. I have been to WDW 16 times from 1982 to 1997. Which I call the Golden Age of WDW. And as I mentioned in a post the other night I believe that Disney made the mistake of building AK and should have used that money in those 16 yrs. to up and add to what ever need to finish the 3 parks there.

And extension of the monorail to the studios and to DTD and add to Epcot and to MGM studios at the time.
Thats my opinion and that just my opinion.

Now to your answer last year I had the funds . All cash to go to WDW and do the ultimate WDW experience . Stay at the Contemporary Resort and do my bucket list of WDW . I had gone thru some hard times as you have as well concerning my health and I wanted to be able to do that trip . Cause at my age and the condition of my heath was getting better at the time But we decided not too.

For me I was lucky enough instead of going to do WDW and spending a small fortune for the noise and the stress of it all. But instead me and my partner David decided to go to Oahu Hawaii and stayed at the 5 star Marriott Ko Olina Resort. Just within a quarter mile from Disney Aulani Resort. For us it was what we needed and it was great not to have to deal with the stress of putting ourselves of doing Disney.
We are lucky David works for Marriott in Saint Petersburg Florida at the Vinoy Resort. We were able to go thru their friends and family discount and the travel agency for Marriott for our Hawaii vacation.
For the total of $4000.00! Not per person thats the total. We stayed for 8 days in a villa not a regular room or a suite a villa a rental car for those 8 days. Round trip airfare for 2 and a 1 hr helicopter flight over Oahu.
WE had check at WDW and at Aulani before we decide and knew about the travel agency for Marriott employees and the total cost of just a room at each of the Disney resort would be $1000.00 more than our whole trip combined. It's outrageous what Disney is charging for these places now. Disney seems to think everyone can afford those prices. For us we could but after realizing we could do the trip to Hawaii and have peace and quiet for 8 days and a new experience other than a theme park. That was the best trip I have ever taken just for the peace and quiet of just relaxing and not worrying about how much we would have spent for the Walt Dated World experience. I would suggest if you have that kind of funds check out what you can get thru the travel agency and see if you could do something like what we did. We are lucky that we had the car. We don't have Credit Cards and we had a blast. We had with us $4000.00 cash with us just to make sure we could what we wanted and we came back with $2000.00 for another trip . For the next trip in 2014 to maui.

 

Originally Posted By kennect

Blu we all know you did Hawaii. You have told us a thousand times. Tell us something new.

 

Originally Posted By ADMIN

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Originally Posted By RoadTrip

Well, you won't be here long because that last post will get you banned forever. I was going to say thanks for the apology... that I really didn't understand you going after me when I had never criticized you or even expressed the point of view you claimed I did. But now that is all irrelevant. Your temper got the better of you and you are more than likely gone.

 

Originally Posted By ADMIN

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Originally Posted By disneymusic

Sorry guys. Didn't mean to start anything with this post if I did.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

No, it had nothing to do with you or your thread. It just went totally off the rails.

 

Originally Posted By disneymusic

Yeah I've never seen it get like this lol