Originally Posted By bobbelee9 <<I'm lousy at ironing so my wife takes care of that. Also The basic cleaning. I use to be a clean freak (I bet you can relate). When I would vaccum I would use the drapery extension, and get down on my hands, and knees to mmake sure everything was perfect. I couldn't stand to see a water mark on a sink. My clothers had to be spaced out just right when I hung them up. All of this can become very annoying when you are living with someone. I decided to yield cleaning chores for the sake of tranquility in the home.>> MPierce, next time you want a vacation, I'll pay you to come clean my house!! I hate dusting. Even when the kids lived home, my house was neat, but I just pretend to not see the dust.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 <<She's a craked workaholic.. This job of hers is really going to cut into my summertime fun!> My summertime fun too, it already did me out of buying a puppy last summer.
Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad Everyone keeps justifying the high prices by talking about how they compare to other entertainment venues. While in large cities like Chicago the games may sell out, that is not the case in smaller cities. Here not as many people have large amounts of disposable income and attendance at local sports events is very low (excluding the NFL panthers). I have talked with numerous season ticket holders who gave up their tickets because prices were just too high. There were no demonstrations or protests. The people just stopped coming and nothing the Bobcats do can get them back. They realized they could live without it. Disney is approaching the same level. They will continue to raise prices until the guests just stop coming. I know when we start skipping years, that will be money Disney will not get. I will still try to spend about the same each trip regardless of how long it has been since I was there. I don't want to find out if I can do without Disney. I'm afraid I might already know that answer.
Originally Posted By dshyates I like that everyone who satys off propertty and eats off property are eating at Wendy's and staying at the Masters Inn on US 192. Not me, I aim for the Ritz Carlton with its lower than Wilderness lodge prices, and eat at Emeril's, Ocean Prime, Ruth's Chris, and Blue Martini (at Brown Derby prices). Slumming it off property really sucks. If I really want to slum it, I get the $99 7-day Universal Parkhopper. But I am a hillbilly and obviously just don't recognize quality.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> << I can only speak for me but I am not traveling 1200 miles with the family in the car to eat at Wendy's - I'll stay home first.>> Perfectly stated, I'm in total agreement. << ...But what if Wendy's taste better? I can testify to the fact that I would have enjoyed a Wendy's meal much more than 4 of the meals I had at WDW. That is no exageration either.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Disney is approaching the same level. They will continue to raise prices until the guests just stop coming. I know when we start skipping years, that will be money Disney will not get. I will still try to spend about the same each trip regardless of how long it has been since I was there. I don't want to find out if I can do without Disney. I'm afraid I might already know that answer << A very astute observation CDD. Mainly because I know you do not come here to be negative. There are a lot of things we feel we can't live without until we discover we actually can. I so agree that WDW is traveling down that road now.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> But I am a hillbilly and obviously just don't recognize quality. << That's so very obvious to me. Don't you realise that Quality is measured in appearances, rather than actual value received!
Originally Posted By danyoung >I can testify to the fact that I would have enjoyed a Wendy's meal much more than 4 of the meals I had at WDW.< If I felt that way, then I'd go off prop too. But I don't - I have great meals, both table service and quick service, in the parks and in the hotels. But there are some restaurants that I'm wary of. The San Angel Inn has been pretty lame of late - I'm waiting a couple years before trying it again. I have enjoyed great fast food at the Flame Tree, and they still do a good burger at Cosmic Ray's. And besides, even if the burger isn't anywhere near as good as an In-n-Out double double, where else in the world can I eat lunch while being entertained by Sonne Eclipse and the Stars of the Milky Way? There's still plenty of value for me in dining at Disney eateries. If the same isn't true for you, then don't eat there.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> There's still plenty of value for me in dining at Disney eateries. If the same isn't true for you, then don't eat there. << I definetly plan on taking that advice Dan.
Originally Posted By danyoung On a long shoot this weekend. Had about 4 hours sleep last night. Just getting ready to start the 6 hour show. Right now, tomorrow just can't get here fast enough!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <>> << I can only speak for me but I am not traveling 1200 miles with the family in the car to eat at Wendy's - I'll stay home first.>> Perfectly stated, I'm in total agreement. << ...But what if Wendy's taste better? I can testify to the fact that I would have enjoyed a Wendy's meal much more than 4 of the meals I had at WDW. That is no exageration either.> if Wendy's was better than you are at the wrong places. Not everywhere in WDW sucks..c'mon. I already stated I wouldn't get a burger/fries at a walk up in WDW either - saem reason. Not drivign that far for something I already have. If there was a WDW in Illinois- I wouldn't drive to Florida- really simple for me.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I like that everyone who satys off propertty and eats off property are eating at Wendy's and staying at the Masters Inn on US 192. Not me, I aim for the Ritz Carlton with its lower than Wilderness lodge prices, and eat at Emeril's, Ocean Prime, Ruth's Chris, and Blue Martini (at Brown Derby prices). Slumming it off property really sucks. If I really want to slum it, I get the $99 7-day Universal Parkhopper. But I am a hillbilly and obviously just don't recognize quality.>> You are obviously my kind of hillbilly. I think some folks who spend all their time on WDW property and all their money on WDW lodging, food and merchandise really have no clue what's out there. Look, I want to dine at the Brown Derby. Love the place ... never had a bad meal there and have had a few dozen good to great ones. But I am not paying $22 for the cheapest entree when it was $14 a few years ago. I'm just not. I know what's fair and I know when I am being gouged by Disney and its DDP and its consultants (who likely are staying at the Ritz on Disney's dime or possibly the GF but, either way, aren't paying). I've always been a savvy traveler and always looked for value, but now I am doing it more than ever. My last stay I was set for a return to CBR to try a 'new' room for an AP rate of $99 (very fair for what the place offers, but not a 'steal' by any stretch) ... well, I decided to see if anything better could be had with Priceline and I wound up splitting a nine day stay between the Country Inn and Suites at Calypso Cay for $20 a night (with free breakfast, high speed Internet, microwave and fridge as well as three resort pools with water slides, zero entry and jacuzzis) and the Hilton DD for $49 a night where I got an equal (some might say better) experience than a WDW deluxe and was ON PROPERTY ... could walk to DD and got the EMH 'perq' as well. You can't compare the deal I got vs. if I had spent the time at CBR as planned. Oh, and while I dined well ... I did take the five minute drive to Wendy's, McDonald's and Chik-Fil-A once each ... and got better food for less money than had I say dined at the Electric Umbrella. I want to give Disney my money. The problem is they want every cent, and they don't want to give me value in return. They're going to have to earn it back ... maybe they can ... I heard they have some great new sex party thingee ... The Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! deal ... looking forward to that
Originally Posted By -em >>The Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! deal ... looking forward to that << Dont knock it till ya see it- I while I didnt love it I liked it more than I anticipated... It was well done for what it was
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<...But what if Wendy's taste better? I can testify to the fact that I would have enjoyed a Wendy's meal much more than 4 of the meals I had at WDW. That is no exageration either.>> I believe it ... I had one godawful burger at the Electric Umbrella last year and swore that was it ... The problem is some people really think their WDW food is sprinkled with pixie dust. I have decided to dine on property three times on my next visit ... at locations that offer real value and quality still (at least I hope they do) ... one location isn't even owned or operated by Disney. I won't list them here because I may be nuts, but I do know people read these boards and I could see them saying 'If the Spirit is touting this location for value, clearly we can make some cuts here in quality and raise prices.' I'd be more than happy to share my locations to any of my friends here via email.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >> Disney is approaching the same level. They will continue to raise prices until the guests just stop coming. I know when we start skipping years, that will be money Disney will not get. I will still try to spend about the same each trip regardless of how long it has been since I was there. I don't want to find out if I can do without Disney. I'm afraid I might already know that answer << <<A very astute observation CDD. Mainly because I know you do not come here to be negative. There are a lot of things we feel we can't live without until we discover we actually can. I so agree that WDW is traveling down that road now. >> WDW still gets my business, but I am spending a fraction of what I spent there even three or four years ago. They are losing my business on the resort end. They are losing most of my business on the food and beverage end. And, unless something knocks my socks off or a CM pal takes me to Property Control/Character Connection and I see something of real value, they've lost me on the merchandise end. Now ... some spirits might say well why go at all? The answer is pretty simple. I still love being in the parks (even MK). I can lose myself at DAK and EPCOT. I love hanging at the resorts. Or biking/hiking from FW to WL ... or taking a boat out on Bay Lake. Or petting the horses. And, most of all, seeing and spending time with friends in the area. Also, as a Charter AP holder I realize there's still a tremendous value in my pass. This year, after a $7 and change increase, it will still cost me only $305 (including tax). That can't be beat. Even though I'll be buying a SW/Aquatica annual (thru a CM pal) for 50% ... or roughly $75 for a year for both parks. But Disney is losing people like myself in droves ... and the product and the attitude of the exec 'leadership' team has a lot to do with it. This year, with any luck, I'll be spending time at Disney resorts in Orlando, Paris, Anaheim and Tokyo (in that order) ... the latter three excite the heck out of me (especially TDR which will complete my list of Disney parks around the globe) ... WDW doesn't anymore. Will I enjoy it? Likely. But that's because of the people I'll be seeing and the inate special feeling I get at EPCOT and DAK. It won't be anything Disney is doing these days to earn/keep my business because, frankly, at this point they're doing as much as they can to push me away. I'm just holding out hope because I know people don't hold these jobs forever ... and everytime John Lasseter visits WDW, I hear about how displeased he is with what he sees. Anyway ... just some more thoughts ...
