Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Ooops, stuttering finger>> Better than the finger I've gotten from some of my Disney 'pals.'
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Back to Spirit in #13. I am glad you point out the flaws of WDW, nothing will change if they think they can get away with something. And yes you do notice the good side too. My problem with anyone who complains about faults, it that the ones who are listening to you, are not "powers that be." If all 40 Million who go there in a year complained about the same thing to management, then maybe it would be good. Preaching to the choir doesn't solve problems. I don't know the solution, but I'm open to suggestions. I do mourn some of the things that were there on my first trip, 1979, but new stuff has sprouted up elsewhere. What can we do to make it better?>> Simple. No. 1, don't put up with mediocrity. If you go to WDW and something is wrong (be it a filthy hotel room), disinterested CMs, bad meal etc ... complain in a professional way. Don't let it simply go. And don't waste your time with Guest Relations/City Hall. This isn't 1977 or 1987 and they aren't interested in your problems, they just want to get you out the door without anything in writing and they will pay you off with free tickets, character meals, merchandise etc ... to do so. But talk to the highest level CM/manager at the site of the problem. Get names and numbers. Try and get the problem fixed or at least acknowledged as such. Then, if you feel you aren't getting the message across, find out who the top exec is in that area (problem at San Angel Inn? Epcot food and beverage manager ... problem with Fantasyland CMs? MK VP of Ops ... problem at your hotel? resort GM or Erin Wallace because she ultimately runs WDW on a daily basis) and PHONE, EMAIL AND SNAIL MAIL these folks when you get home expressing your concern ... again be professional and don't be whiney. But also don't be afraid to let them know if you've had an AP since 1998. Or that you're a DVCer who's invested $40,000. Or that you have a friend who works for the local NBC affiliate ;-) Whatever it takes ... And No.2, don't justify exec bad decisions on fan sites. These are read and monitored regularly by execs and their minions (and I don't intend to argue with any pinhead here who wants to dispute what I know as FACT!) and if Disney's most diehard guests prattle on about how great Main Street merchandise is or how their brats love Pooh's McPlayground or how they love that Epcot closes at 9 because they want to be in bed early for rope drop ... well, that just tells the decision-makers that it's perfectly alright to continue WalMarting the product.
Originally Posted By jacobsmom Sprit of 74... Can you give me some examples about your comments on the overall resort?Thanks
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Thanks Spirit, that was a positive approach. And personally, I hope if I ran a business, I would want my customers to handle problems that way. 2 of my daughters were retail managers, they grew to hate many of their customers. CMs have my respect for the way most of them handle the guests.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Sprit of 74... Can you give me some examples about your comments on the overall resort?Thanks>> That's a very general and broad statement and very difficult to give you honest answers. So, please, ask anything specific you'd like and I'll do my best to offer an educated opinion. That said, generally, here's what I think. WDW is the best Disney resort on earth right now. Even though it's a pale shadow (quality-wise) of what it was even 15 years ago. But go back and read that statement. WDW is STILL the best. It's huge and simply offers more than any other. So the good things, and they are plentiful, can ... offset ... no, that's not the word I'm looking for ... can temper (that's better) the WalMarted aspects. DAK is my fave park at WDW. Not simply because it is the newest park, but because it was built (even though one-third of the original park got cut due to budgetary concerns late in the process) on a grand scale with a single-minded vision of excellence. It is also something totally unique. Then there's Epcot, a 1982-era statement of excellence at its pinnacle from then WED Enterprises (now WDI). It has been dumbed down greatly and been run by a line of truly clueless VPs since the mid-90s, but they still couldn't destroy the inate grandeur of the place. It's scope, while watered down, is still impressive. Those two places alone are worth a visit to WDW. The resorts, especially the deluxe ones, are wonderful and many have recently been updated and are absolutely destinations in their own right. The AKL and WL are resorts that are so terrific, you can easily stay at them without ever setting foot in a theme park and still have a great vacation. There's great dining, despite a dumbing down brought about by a management team that wants to bring cuise ship style dining to WDW, in many incredible venues. The water parks are wonderful, although frequently close due to overcrowding (made worse by the closing of River Country, WDW's original water park). And recreationally, there's golf, tennis, boating, horseback riding etc ... There's plenty of worthwhile things at WDW ... enough to spend a few weeks of quality vacation time. So, like I said, if you have any specific questions, ask away ...
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<WDW is the best Disney resort on earth right now.>> Oh, I can't wait for TDLFAN to read that. LOL.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Now Disney has a cruise ship in the Med! I know a DVCer who is going next week. Flying over, then cruising for 12 days. He specificly (sp?) said it's Disney, that they sent it over there for the summer.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^I would be very suprised if TDLFAN disagreed with me. My statement wasn't that WDW has the best MK park in the world. It doesn't. It has the worst (arguably, if you include HKDL Lite). My statement wasn't that WDW has the best, most professional CMs of any Disney resort ... because it doesn't. My statement wasn't that WDW was the cleanest, best maintained resort of them all ... because we sure know that ain't true. My statement wasn't that WDW has the best, freshest entertainment of any Disney resort because it doesn't. My statement wasn't even that WDW has the best second-gate of any Disney resort on earth (although I still think Epcot can give TDS a run for its money, although tragically, I haven't seen it yet). Like I said, I don't think TDLFAN will disagree but we'll have to wait for him to weigh in.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Okay, I skimmed what you wrote too much. I agree as a "resort" WDW is the best. The others are really only resorts in name only. What TDLFAN would say is that TDR offers the most (Walt) Disney experience.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Okay, I skimmed what you wrote too much.>> A good thing I'm not a writer or that comment might really hurt! <<What TDLFAN would say is that TDR offers the most (Walt) Disney experience.>> I dunno what my globetrotting bud would say. But to me the place that most offers a Walt Disney experience is and will always be DISNEYLAND.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 ^^^^^^^^^^^ I agree on the DL comment, but let's think back about 10 years ago or so when DL was in a state of disrepair, IMHO, far beyond that of WDW. The magic was disappearing some - even with a more 'Disneyfied' CM crew across the board. That is not a slam against any WDW Cm's- as they have excellent ones also - but no on ehas 60,000 excellent ones and the scale at WDW makes it impossible to match the locals - who grew up on Disney in the area, and have it ingrained more in their background - which is why the CM's are more consistent there I believe.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> I've often said WDW jumped the shark with its 25th Anniversary (the never-ending one telling you to Remember the Magic Because We Aren't Going to Create Anymore!), with its pink castle, horribly overrated Test Track as the E-ticket for the celebration (too bad it didn't open for months and still doesn't operate reliably ... just like a GM car!) ... it also was about the time WDW had reached critical mass with Boardwalk opening and Coronado soon after. That was the breaking point. << I never could understand the Castle Cake. I think a lot of people felt that way also. Thanks for reminding me Spirit. I ran downstairs,and checked....Yep, all of my GM cars were still running flawlessly. Now that's a fact. However, I am a little concerned about that '68 Firebird though.You can never tell when an old unreliable car is going to crap out on you! >> The resorts, especially the deluxe ones, are wonderful and many have recently been updated and are absolutely destinations in their own right. The AKL and WL are resorts that are so terrific, you can easily stay at them without ever setting foot in a theme park and still have a great vacation. << I think that anybody that has stayed at either of these two resorts would not try to dispute that statement by you. I know you feel that WDW is overbuilt, but don't you feel that is the reason it's the best resort in the World if you are into Disney. All of the parks need a litle TLC, especially the Magic Kingdom, and the Disney Studios. The MK needs to be the jewel in the crown of WDW resort. Hopefully it will be again someday. I am forever optimistic when it comes to WDW. As has already been stated Disneyland had gotten into a pretty sad state prior to the 50th year celebration. Maybe WDW can come around also. At least I hope so.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I understood the reason for the castle cake (anniversary) and I, for one, thought it was a terribly clever and, I'm sure, expensive do over. It was never meant to be anything but temporary and because of that I found it quite interesting. Sure beats the heck out of that ugly "permanent" hat at MGM. If you folks wonder why Disney doesn't take chances anymore think about how negatively every "purist" reacted to it. At the same time some of the same people think the Halloween overlay of HM is the best thing since sliced bread. Why is that OK and not the cake. They were both temporary and, I think the cake was done with a wonderful sense of whimsy. The kind the imagineers don't do anymore. I wonder why!
Originally Posted By MPierce I'm certainly am not a purist. I never wrote WDW to complain about the Castle Cake. I just thought it was flat out ugly. It was also up for more than a full year. That is just my opinion. I'm sure there were people out there that liked it, I'm just not one of them.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Sorry, MPierce but my comments were not directed at you and you are entitled to dislike it as much as I dislike the HM overlay. That doesn't however stop me from thinking that the cake was a special touch for the 25th Anniversary of WDW. If it did stay more than that one year, I don't believe it was much more than the usual "celebration" carry over that happens every promotion.
Originally Posted By kennect Goof, I loved the cake redo of the castle also...I can't imagine why it threw so many folks off base...It was for a special moment in the history of the park...Now we have folks wondering why they aren't celebrating other milestone's with some of the other parks...Spirit seems to have a pretty good grasp as to what is going that I would agree with...The better question is as large as WDW is can they finally realize what is wrong and get it back under control? It is all very frustrating...But Goof give them time, I feel sure they could also screw up the MK with another absurd giant icon such as they did at the Studio and Epcot parks...
Originally Posted By FerretAfros For what it's worth, I thought the Castle Cake was really cool too. As a kid, it was particularly interesting, since I didn't entirely remember what it looked like before. I remember seeing pictures and videos of it before we went, and I knew there had to be something special going on. Each time we got within view of it, my eyes never left it. It was huge and completely different than anything I had ever seen before or since. And I don't think it ever crossed anybody's mind that it was permanent, so that made it even cooler, since not many people (relatively) would get to see it. And my personal favorite part of it was how you could hear the inflatable things (frosting, candy, candles, etc) moving around every time the wind blew. It was just cool. For that matter, the 2000 wand on SSE was cool too. It was when they changed it to say Epcot that I knew it was permanent and it started to look more and more rediculous. I thought it was strange that you could see the structure when it was first built, but the new sinage made even more of the structure exposed. Both the castle and the wand looked temporary, and I thought they were great during their respective celebrations. And now the castle looks great in its normal form (well...I'm not a huge fan of it's design, but it still looks pretty good), but SSE still looks like there's a party going on, but an Epcot themed party. Interesting that this would be the year for said themed party, yet it's still not happening. I have no problems with temporary makeovers of things in the parks (I think TDL may go a little overboard with the Stitch grafitti), as long as they remain temporary. And for what it's worth, I never liked the hat at MGM.
Originally Posted By ladypirate I have been going to WDW since 1993 and yes some of the cast members have an I don't care attitude about their job and the managers are so arrogant. I am seeing more untrained CM and some that can hardly speak English. I came across couple young adults that could not give back correct U.S. change after making a purchase. It is sad to see the very friendly and professionalism that Disney had going out the door.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Sorry, MPierce but my comments were not directed at you and you are entitled to dislike it as much as I dislike the HM overlay. << I never thought they were. The only reason I commented was to state that I was not opposed to trying something different, as long as it worked. In my opinion it didn't, but that's just my opinion. Maybe it was because I wasn't looking at it through the eyes of a kid. >> I have been going to WDW since 1993 and yes some of the cast members have an I don't care attitude about their job and the managers are so arrogant. I am seeing more untrained CM and some that can hardly speak English. I came across couple young adults that could not give back correct U.S. change after making a purchase. It is sad to see the very friendly and professionalism that Disney had going out the door. << I think this is because of the below poverty level wage that is paid to the CM. The resource of people willing to work for that pay just for the love of being at WDW is being tapped out. Raise the wage scale to a liveable wage, and you will get all the good employees you want or should I say, desperately need.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I hated the Pepto-Bismal castle cake ... it reaked of cheapness and tackiness. But, opinions aside, I refer to the 25th anniversary as the watershed event where Disney reached the point of diminishing returns, where bigger didn't equal better and where quality started taking its huge nosedive. The cake isn't the point here ... all the confetti with nothing worth celebrating is (this is an analogy folks) ... oh and since someone asked somewhere, WDW's never-ending 25th 'marketing event' actually lasted from 10/1/96 until 2/28/98 ... a good six months too long.
