Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<"So what's the next excuse?".">> Bob, don't you think that title is a little vague? For all I know you could have been talking about Kim Kardashian's Wedding.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Yeah! Really! I often have to do a double take to make sure I'm actually posting in the WDW forum and not the DL forum for all the DL stuff that is dicsussed here.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 Or the new "Kardashian" forum they apparently started here recently. Again......really?!?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I certainly complain IN PERSON at WDW when I find something lacking. Typically, that has been about the condition of my accommodations. Two years ago it was about the condition of the men's restroom near Spaceship Earth at Epcot. Last year it was about the greatly reduced schedule for Fantasmic. But usually I honestly don't find much to complain about in the parks. Would I like a new "E ticket" built every year in each park? Sure. Who wouldn't? But does it bother me? No it does not. I always find way more to do in the parks than I have time for anyway. As far as general upkeep goes, I find that has significantly improved over the past half dozen years. In fact as much as IOA impressed me last month (and I plan to visit Universal again next fall rather than the WDW) I noticed that there was more trash in the various lagoon areas than I have ever seen at WDW (excluding the ugly fireworks barges on the Showcase Lagoon). So I think the fact of the matter is NOT that DVC owners don't care or don't complain. I think the fact is that there are a few hypercritical people on this board who find fault where that vast majority of people just plain don't see it.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Trippy, in the near 4 years since I started working there, I've seen maintenance and upkeep slip further and further. It has nothing to do with being hypercritical. It comes with having eyes. Add to that the fact that I know how dire the maintenance budgets and staffings have become, and we're not on the road to improvement.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip It must be in areas that the average guest would not notice, because most people I know also feel that WDW hit a low-point on maintenance early in this century and has improved since then. I'm not saying that you are wrong, just that it must be in areas that aren't obvious to most guests. Certainly when it comes to things like peeling paint on railings etc, it seems to me that WDW is doing a much better job than they did 6-10 years ago.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper ^^^Ride show quality has severely slipped. Yes, there is being more spent on things like paint, but ride quality slips further and further down the drain, especially in the Magic Kingdom. As a friend told me, "We're nearing Disneyland before the 50th level of maintenance problems."
Originally Posted By danyoung >We have at least one (DVC Owner)on here that gives Disney a free pass all the time. A psych would say it may be because he has spent enough money that he MUST justify the value otherwise buyer's remorse kicks in.< I'm sure vbdad can speak for himself, but I've seen him be plenty critical of WDW when it's justified. What he and I don't do is jump on the WDW IS CRAP bandwagon every time someone gets their panties in a wad because the 3rd AA figure 4 rows back in Pirates isn't working totally correctly.
Originally Posted By CDF2 Is it not simply more difficult to maintain buildings or even gardens in the harsh climate of Florida compared to the relatively dry and temperate climate found in Southern California? Is it not the case that paint will peal faster in high humidity areas which are getting a daily dose of alternating thunderstorms or direct exposure to 90+ heat versus a relatively bone-dry humidity environment where rain is very limited and average temperatures are in the 70's? Surely there must be some differences which lead to perhaps increased maintenance costs in a tropical environment versus a relatively dry and temperate one?
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<Is it not simply more difficult to maintain buildings or even gardens in the harsh climate of Florida compared to the relatively dry and temperate climate found in Southern California?>> The central FL climate is ideal for plants. Fresh water is plentiful and central FL has high humidity. That is one of the reasons why DAK is in WDW and NOT at any other Disney park in the world. <<Is it not the case that paint will peal faster in high humidity areas which are getting a daily dose of alternating thunderstorms or direct exposure to 90+ heat versus a relatively bone-dry humidity environment where rain is very limited and average temperatures are in the 70's? Surely there must be some differences which lead to perhaps increased maintenance costs in a tropical environment versus a relatively dry and temperate one?>> It all depends on what building materials you use. For external purposes it makes sense to build using materials that can handle the high humidity and temp extremes of central Florida. For example the Wilderness Lodge Villas DVC are clad in Vinyl siding. Which is considered to be "cheap", but it requires very little maintainence ( just ocassional pressure washing to get the mold and mildew off ). Most of the buildings at WDW are built of steel and concrete. All the value resorts including AoA resort are entirely built of concrete and steel. They are built like military bunkers. There is no wood in the contruction of the Contemp or Wilderness Lodge. So if your using the right building materials, anything can be "low maintainence". Where the problem comes in is on the inside of the buildings. Because of the high humidity it is easy for mold and mildew to get "inside" hotel rooms and attractions. So, it is not uncommon in central Florida to see air conditioning on perpetually to suck the humidity out of the air. Again this problem can be minimalized by using certain products inside rooms and attractions; laminate or stone counter tops, table tops, etc. Flooring of stone, tile, rubber, or bamboo that will naturally resist mold and mildew. Plaster walls instead of using sheet rock.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <I'm sure vbdad can speak for himself, but I've seen him be plenty critical of WDW when it's justified. What he and I don't do is jump on the WDW IS CRAP bandwagon every time someone gets their panties in a wad because the 3rd AA figure 4 rows back in Pirates isn't working totally correctly. < thanks Danny and you're right, I have no issue speaking for myself or speaking up when thing aren't right. But like you I can't jump on the 'everything is crap' brandwagon- presented by some here many times without a shred of fact.. Like the FACT that DVC owners are willing to accept anything...yet do I see one single shred of evidence this is true ? Of course not- but because one person here makes the statement suddenly it's indisputable. It's really ridiculous. Perfection, or really anything even near it is not going to happen. One can be critical of anyplace in this world if one wants to- ..but instead of focusing on the large things- we get people ready to throw themselves off towers because they added a queue they don't like at Haunted Mansion. Who cares if anyone does like it- we're all idiots if we do. Or ranting how DVC has sucked all the money from the parks even when accountants from the company tell them that is hardly a 1:1 correlation - they know better. I'm sorry, but a lot of what gets posted here is opinion, and everyone is entitled to theirs UNTIL they start claiming items as FACT , then can't substantiate a stick of it. And I heard from someone, who heard from someone- who overheard at the gas station..is not fact. WDW has issues, much like everywhere I can possibly think of-- all myfavorites do - from my Alma Mater to my grad schools to Wrigley Field, to the United Center to my favorite bands etc..but none of them are life threatening, and I do see some signs of improvement. It's not senility setting in, but it seems anything even close to an improvement is met with disdain. I would love to see them address the watering down of SOME menu's- and if it is DDP that is causing it, then address it....I too would like to see more D and E tickets built, but understand there is a world economic crisis that Disney is not immune to..I am grateful for the updated Fantasyland coming and no it is not WWoHP-- oh well. And I am somewhat dismayed with the direction of Avatar as part of the WDW park experience in the future because I think it is a mistake. I am not ready to make it a FACT that it is a mistake because quite frankly none of us here knows that. The Yeti is an issue, but I believe the issue may not be repairable - and needs an alternative- the sooner the better. I really really enjoy my DVC ownership and not because of my 'investment'- I have made my investment back almost two fold in 17 years - the spent money has nothing to do with it, never did. If I couldn;t afford the money I would never have spent it. I do not find a kiosk or two for DVC to be some insane marketing program - sorry. I do not view every change as 'being on the cheap' - when I do I absolutely call it out. Putting "Poo playplace in the middle of Fantasyland as opposed to a queue addition that it is now was just wrong....I do not like it but as a queue additon I also recognize there are some little kids that will enjoy it--AS A SIDE attraction. I do not think anything WDW could build in the next 20 years would compete with WW oHP-- I tip my hat to Uni and definitely want to visit it as I like Potter also.Do I wish it was at DHS- yes --does Disney get to win every negotiation - nope. More live entertainment should be somethig I believe would be loved by most going forward. I comment on it on every survey I get or chance to speak to someone who actually might have some influence over that-- from stockholders sessions to DVC ownership surveys..to meeting and talking with DIsney personnel at events. Because I am not ranting up a storm on a chat room I guess makes me an apologist to some- that's their issue, not mine
