Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>There's a tacit/underlying point you're insinuating that I am looking for faults. That's not true and it places the responsibility on me for having the keen senses of observation and history to notice things ... many that should be obvious to ANYONE not blinded by pixie dust. If a trashcan is overflowing, I will take note.<< That is thr truest statement you have said so far, and maybe because I can relate to it. I too never go down to the MK or WDW for that matter, looking for faults but many just jump at you out of nowhere. In my case, I am further cursed, not only by the historical facts but also by familiar and frequently refreshed knowledge of the other properties around the World.. which make WDW, and the MK in particular, a most painful experience to enjoy at times.
Originally Posted By Labuda ^^^ I'll never forget the time you & I rode on the monorail together and just as we were discussing how you didn't LOOK for stuff like that, you noticed the roofing above my head was partially open - an air vent or something - but, anyhow, that stuck me as ironic that you spotted that during that particular conversation in a monorail car that *I* chose for us! lol
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Nobody spends a small fortune to go and look for faults, but when busses come at 30 min intervals and break down on a $450 a night room experience (yet I can pay $6 and take reliable public transport. Or more lightbulbs are burnt out than working, when Disney used to calculate their life expectancy and replace them at 80%. Or where you trowel through trash in lines (when the HISTA line about look out for the sweeping people used to be funny because it was real - not anymore), then you know there has been a decline. I love Disney more than anything else bar my family, and I have spent probably about $100,000 on Disney in recent years. I expect to get the Disney experience, the one I used to learn about as being the best. Well they are still good, their lead is not as great as it once was!
Originally Posted By goinagain enough already. yes the standards of cleanliness are down. most of you are beating a dead horse. I did notice the sad state of Buzz's lobby while waiting in line but soda and food wrappers were all forgotten to me once I saw my three year olds face when we were shotting the Z's, and for those of you who love California and think its so much cleaner, good for you but four years ago when I was there what I remember for the most was, HM was set for the nightmare before christmas and I found it a major bummer, it's a small world looked to have been made from a cardboard cutout outside and inside I saw paint drippings all over the floors and bases and a big white drop ceiling with black metal bars on it, Peter Pan was twinkling lights not london, and i also found the atmosphere out and around disney depressing this is not the way I find it in WDW. The only redeeming factor was the Indiana Jones ride my husband and I spent six straight hours on that one attraction. So if you want a cleaner park knock yourself out go DL however the experience will never match or even compete with WDW. And I won't even begin about the DL's castle to the WDW castle the two cannot even be compared.
Originally Posted By spacejockey >>And I won't even begin about the DL's castle to the WDW castle the two cannot even be compared. Your right... WDW's castle is cold and ugly. WDW dose not have substance it is mostly filler. WDW is like ordering a crab cake with mostly flour and little crab meat. Disneyland is smaller but, better quality. With Nemo opening, DL will blow the Magic Kingdom out of the water! He he!
Originally Posted By goinagain Are you kidding me? When I went through DL's I must have blinked cause I couldn't even find the inside of it. My eye sight may not be 20/20 but my depth perception is just fine hows yours?
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Well, my sisters and I visit BOTH coasts and BOTH parks all the time. While we can find things to enjoy in both resorts, we agree that the one in California has a strong edge over the one in Florida. ORWEN: Both castles have their individual charms and I dislike it when anybody knocks either one of them--whether its for their size or whatever. Both serve important purposes. ORDDU: But we certainly agree with Spirit of 74 and TDLFAN on their observations of Walt Disney World's decline. Even the cast members openly admit things aren't the way they should be. There was a time when this wouldn't have been allowed. Now days it's common knowledge that Disney management at WDW is asleep and letting too many foxes enter the hen houses. Very sad, indeed...
Originally Posted By spacejockey My eye sight is good enough that I can see all the metal facades in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland which makes it look cold and cheap. Disneyland's Fantasyland has richly detailed structures which makes it look like a warm and charming European village.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I've noticed this trend in housekeeping in general in hotels over the last couple of years. For example, if you leave a half-consumed drink in glassware on the desk, it used to be that this would be cleaned up and you'd have a new set of four clean, empty glasses. Starting a couple of years ago, I've noticed that at most hotels, they will leave the partially-consumed drink in place >>> This happened to me again yesterday, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. This has become prevalent enough that I'm certain it's not by accident.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN So you are in Orlando and didn't call me??? Was that you I saw at DTD this evening???
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< So you are in Orlando and didn't call me??? >>> I don't have your number. My email is in my profile should you wish to contact me. I'm here through Sunday, with Friday & Saturday completely free. I'll be in the parks either Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, or possibly both. <<< Was that you I saw at DTD this evening??? >>> I was in DTD this evening! I was on the lookout for you last night at Epcot and MK, but was pre-occupied with something important tonight (finding food) so I must have missed you at DTD. What time do you think you saw me?
Originally Posted By Mr X So SD, are you finding DisneyWorld the run-down shanty town everyone else is noticing?
Originally Posted By SuperDry Well, yes and no. Like Spirit says of himself, I can't help myself from being observant and noticing things, although I'm not sure how to separate things I would have noticed had I not read about them here. It's interesting that I could see the effects of reduced custodial and maintenance (such as the obvious signs of lack of nightly powerwashing), but my co-worker who had never been to a Disney park thought it was dramatically clean considering the number of people. I noticed what I thought was reduced care level in some CMs. But to balance that, we did get an impromptu "magical moment" that I thought was really great (we got to ride in the pilot compartment of the monorail), and it was due to me engaging the CM in friendly conversation. Since my co-worker's point of comparison was Six Flags employees, he of course didn't notice anything amiss about CM attitudes. I noticed several artifacts of cost cutting, but the only thing that I thought was really disappointing was the state of HM. That really has gone too far. As for the rest of the stuff, I just kind of took a "live and let live" attitude and didn't let it bother me.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>What time do you think you saw me?<< Maybe around...7pmish.. I was going to Earls' but the line was a bit long.. and on the way back I saw someone who looked like you pass me by at a brisk pace.. >>It's interesting that I could see the effects of reduced custodial and maintenance (such as the obvious signs of lack of nightly powerwashing)<< This will become more apparent after visiting TDR often, then coming back to WDW while that TDR memory is still fresh in your head.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I totally agree with Super Dry's findings. WDW is still head an shoulders above non Disney parks, but they have certainly fallen below their own bench marks. I would never call it a shanty town.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< WDW is still head an shoulders above non Disney parks, >>> Another thing my co-worker noticed in comparison with Six Flags is that there were almost no hoodlum-looking types in the parks. And no metal detectors!
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Ok, so maybe I'm paranoid. But since Sunday, I haven't gotten any "there has been a post to...." Did some wise guy figure how to oust me?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Another thing my co-worker noticed in comparison with Six Flags is that there were almost no hoodlum-looking types in the parks. And no metal detectors!<< That I believe will only be a matter of time. Wait until some one gets stabbed in the park, then they will realize their puny bag search at the front door has been a major failure. Oh.. btw.. Universal Japan has stopped doing security searches. Things are now the way it was before 9-11 at that park. On the other hand... TDL now has two new Bin Ladden security check points on either side of the Monorail Station. Check that on my photo update in the TDL section (shameless plug).
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I look forward to the day he comes back to WDW after experiencing TDR.>> Not nearly as much as I am ... not nearly!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>It's interesting that I could see the effects of reduced custodial and maintenance (such as the obvious signs of lack of nightly powerwashing)<< <<This will become more apparent after visiting TDR often, then coming back to WDW while that TDR memory is still fresh in your head.>> You don't have to go halfway around the world to notice, just go halfway across town to Universal, which doesn't seem to have as much trouble keeping its parks clean and maintained.
