Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian We had been doing three trips in a year to maximize our AP and because we were having fun. That's a three times in one 365 day year, then a break of about 6 months between APs, repeat (so really more like 2ce a year). For us it was watching the characters interact with our daughter over the years. Each day was unique and better than the one before. This was especially true during the 50th. On our last trip (September 2010) we saw that magic returning.
Originally Posted By smd4 Take the money you would have spent on an AP or two and buy a copy of "The Nickel Tour," and as many "The E Ticket" magazines as you can find. Then, nestle into your most comfortable easy chair and, for a few hours, relish just how wonderful the Park once was...
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Friendofdd I totally get what you're saying, but none of the activities that you describe come with the same potential pitfalls that a visit to Disneyland can have (expense, hordes of people, long lines for all but a handful of attractions, strollers bumping me in the ankles, self-entitled locals, and so forth and so on). I'm not saying that DL isn't worth visiting, only that my desire to visit often is diminished by these things plus the fact that I've probably been a few too many times already.
Originally Posted By LPFan22 ^^I don't know... I think overcrowded camping accommodations can be just as upsetting.
Originally Posted By tashajilek I think the reason i go to DL so freguent is because i am not a local. It still feels exciting and different to me.I think if i was a local i probably wouldnt feel the same way about DL.
Originally Posted By tashajilek "^^I don't know... I think overcrowded camping accommodations can be just as upsetting." I think that can be worse, thats your entire living space for days.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt A crowded campground in the wilderness is not the same a crowded Disneyland by any stretch.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I really think Fastpass has got to go. The system was great and innovative back when it first debuted. But I think it has added hugely to the overcrowded feeling in the park. Huge, people-absorbing queues like Indy are wasted with Fastpass.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Nope, it's worse. I've never been awakened in the middle of the night at Disneyland by drunks with bottle rockets and cherry bombs.
Originally Posted By tashajilek "I really think Fastpass has got to go. The system was great and innovative back when it first debuted. But I think it has added hugely to the overcrowded feeling in the park. Huge, people-absorbing queues like Indy are wasted with Fastpass." Yupp, some rides are torture in the stand by line up. "Nope, it's worse. I've never been awakened in the middle of the night at Disneyland by drunks with bottle rockets and cherry bombs." Omg, what idiots.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I've never been awakened in the middle of the night at Disneyland by drunks with bottle rockets and cherry bombs." Maybe not, but I've been awakened by little screaming kids running up and down the halls at both The Grand Californian and The Cheyenne at Disneyland Paris.
Originally Posted By ecdc Forgive me if this is waxing a little too philosophical.... Disneyland isn't really any different than most corporate properties these days. It started because someone saw a need...a niche to fill. It was American capitalism at its best: improve an existing product, provide people with something they wanted, and then make money on it. Win/win. Now that has nothing to do with Disneyland. It's become a cultural icon that makes its owners money based on its own status. So rather than improve the guest experience or innovate, they only need to cultivate and nurture that iconic image of a magical family place - hence the toons and hyping the familiar instead of the new. The management doesn't ask itself, "How can we make this special for each guest every time?" They ask, "How can we maximize attendance and guest spending?" Oh sure, I'm confident they pay lip service to the guest experience. They probably even mean it - they don't want people to have a lousy time. But actions speak louder than words, and I guarantee you most of the management's time is spent reviewing reports on revenue, attendance, sales figures, maintenance costs, marketing, etc. Corporations just aren't designed to think in the long-term - which would demand more attention to keeping your current customers rather than recruiting new ones. They think short-term - daily goals, weekly figures, monthly KPIs, and that holiest of holy grails, quarterly results. Those three months are what commands the vast majority of their attention. So, that rambling aside, what does that mean for us Disneyland fans? It means we go for the experience and the memories, and when those things aren't as good, we go less, or not at all. I don't go to Disneyland because its inherently perfect; I go because I know my family and I will most likely have a great time and great memories. We just don't enjoy other places as much. But when the day comes when we do (and it will come, even if only because my kids get older), we'll do something else.
Originally Posted By Sparrow <<<I'm probably in the minority here, but I really don't see why anyone would be compelled to go to Disneyland more than once, maybe twice in one year.>>> I know for us, it's nice to be able to see different parts of Disneyland and DCA and not have to cram it all into one packed trip. For instance, we'll do one trip to focus on World of Color. Maybe it's been a while since we've spent time over in DCA or seen the fireworks so we'll do a mini trip every month to do different things. But we have that privillage as locals. And NO I don't have the SoCal AP's. We sprung for the Premiums to avoid the SoCal AP crowds. Also I think that the statement that the park is always wall to wall packed now is a bit of an overstatement. If that were true, I would never go. But during the holidays and school breaks, yes, the crowds are huge.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>They probably even mean it - they don't want people to have a lousy time.<< I think they do mean it, as cynical as I can be at time, I still really do think they mean it. And certainly I have had almost completely positive interaction with the cast members through the years and I know that they try hard to go above and beyond. But I personally have reached a point where it just isn't ever going to be exactly the same as it was years ago. That isn't Disney's fault -- they've improved maintenance and added new stuff and still exceed expectations more often than not. The kinds of things the modern Disney audience seems to want more of (character-based shows and attractions) was never and will never be the primary draw to DL for me. I'm out of step and after many years posting about that here, I've increasingly come to accept that fact. So now it's much more about the enjoyment of family or friends I bring to the park than it is about whether or not I'd rather be exploring some place I've never visited before.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I'm out of step and after many years posting about that here, I've increasingly come to accept that fact." That sums up my feelings too.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo So does that mean we are old then? Because it sums me up too. and breaks my heart. My kids are not bothered about the character stuff either. They like th similar ethos of DL that I do. Surely they are not alone?
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Surely they are not alone?<< No, just outnumbered. The fact is that the majority of current APers and vacationers really, truly enjoy the character interaction, the character-based attractions. It's what they ask for and Disney is delivering. For those of us who bought into a different sort of Disneyland that was as much world's fair as Disney park, well, I don't see much of anything of that sort on the horizon. Animal Kingdom is probably the last thing like that we'll see built for a long time, until the character-based stuff wears out its welcome. So rather than drive oneself into a funk about the way things "should" be, you have to be able to enjoy what's there for what it is, enjoy the nostalgic bits, and/or find other places to explore. That isn't a bad thing really.
Originally Posted By avimagine <<The management doesn't ask itself, "How can we make this special for each guest every time?" They ask, "How can we maximize attendance and guest spending?">> Well I think this is what was one of the magical things about the "old days" of Disneyland. Aside from the Rose colored glasses, I remember when Matt also walked the park like Walt did (although more "corporate suity" then Walt did it the confidence of DL faithful rose. Let's look at it this way: The pavers are nicer then the old painted red streets, but streetmosphere is gone to a certain extent. I think it's not DL that's harming itself now it's the DL guests as stated in the original post. We don't obey the right hand/left hand traffic streaming anymore, we don't remotely dress up (look at old pictures, from Sundays best, to casual to Tee's and trendy FCUK at one point), we don't calmly wait in line, we keep our cells on, if the guests halfway returned to the old days we'd probably all experience more magic regularly. Oh and more streetmosphere (The bands, the small dramedy acts etc) would help make DL more magical again then more just a nicer dressed then average amusement park.
