Farewell to Disneyland for a few years

[brentm77]

I posted these elsewhere, and thought I would share it here with a few edits. I know there has been some discussion here about being grateful after the parks were closed, and I really appreciate that sentiment and appreciate those who can do that. But, no matter how good of an attitude you have while visiting, you can't convince yourself that you think the value is there if you just aren't feeling it anymore. So here are my thoughts from a recent visit:

After four visits between Disneyland and WDW last year, we started to feel that the value wasn't what it used to be. So this year, we planned an extended weekend to Disneyland instead of a longer visit. Unfortunately, it only confirmed that we need to be done with Disneyland for a long while, which breaks my heart. We have so many happy memories with our family there, but we are chasing something that doesn't currently exist at the parks. Namely a premium experience.

The good:
Disneyland Hotel was a very pleasant stay. It was immaculate and beautiful as always. We received a free upgrade to a pool view. We had a wonderful first evening there with dinner at Trader Sam's and a swim. The live music was exceptional. It was probably my favorite day of the mini-trip. On the other hand, Trader Sam's served us on to-go dishes because they didn't have a dish washer. Not what I expect for a $160 meal. My wife's dish was gross too. And as much as I loved the Disneyland Hotel, I couldn't help but think about how we can stay at five star hotels in major cities for less.

World of Color. I hadn't seen it in a long time, and it was a very good show. It really captured the Disney Magic. That Pirates sequence was incredibly good.

The chocolate chip cookie from Pooh Corner were moist and delicious, which had not been the case for at least five years for us.

We also had a generally good time, with lots of time to laugh, talk, and just enjoy the overall atmosphere and rides we love. We made great memories and tried to just make the best of the experience. We kept a positive attitude and tried not to look for problems. But it really comes down to cost - the product simply doesn't match the cost anymore. It's like if you paid Michelin Star prices for a well-made McDonald's meal - you would feel like a sucker, which is how I now feel at Disney.

The bad:
Breakdowns. The park continues to be plagued by the inability to keep rides up and running. You are literally paying a premium to ride rides above all else, but they can't seem to even meet minimum standards for operation anymore. Old staples are even breaking down often. It seems to be a major problem. Regardless of the cause (labor or parts), it simply isn't what you expect when paying what Disney charges. And the rides that are running are in a terrible state of repair. So many effects are broken and not working right, even on rides like Pirates, which just reopened from a lengthy refurbishment. It is a very bad sign when they can no longer meet this minimum expectation.

Genie+ is so buggy still. The system completely collapsed in California Adventures in the late afternoon and never came back on line. We could use the one ride we already had reserved by scanning park tickets, but couldn't reserve anything more. It also remains a huge pain in the butt to constantly be looking at your phone to check when your next reservation is and to grab new reservations. I also hate walking back and forth across the park to hit reservation times. But if you don't have Genie+, you are in serious trouble given what it has done to lines. I miss the old days of walking into a land and hitting up every ride in that area before moving on to the next. Even on the busiest days before fastpass, we somehow managed to get everything in and it was just a much more relaxed. There was no strategizing and constant diligence. You just showed up and let the day unfold. Even with fastpass, it was more like that somehow. Now, it feels like work.

Cast members continue to be good overall, but there are many who just don't provide the service Disney used to be known for - saw more than one yelling at customers. But the most common problem was seeing big groups of them just sitting around chatting or flirting with each other . I couldn't care less if they didn't have anything to do, but it was common that they wouldn't look at what they were doing, or miss doing what they were supposed to do, or have to correct something because they directed you to the wrong spot in line, etc. I saw this last year and it has only worsened. It's unsettling when you know these are the people responsible for your family's safety too. I don't blame them either; I blame Disney for being a D-rate employer now.

The food has gone downhill even more. I have never been very impressed with Disneyland food, but it has somehow become worse. Smaller portions and worse quality. Even our old favorites just don't taste the same. Some was inedible. For example, they have ruined Rancho Del Zocalo. They took the old grilled items off, like the carne asada, shrunk the menu, and what is left is garbage. All of our meat was cold - literally pre-cooked and refrigerated and hadn't yet been heated property. It tasted like literally poo too. They now have only one spot where you can get items without mobile ordering (which they are currently installing), and the line was long and very very slow. This used to be the best spot for a quick lunch. It's so frustrating to see them break it so they can reduce labor and food costs.

Cleanliness has taken a steep dive. It improved since our last visit, but is nowhere near what it used to be. It really isn't much better than our local theme park these days. When it comes to theme parks, this is a huge priority for me and one of the reasons I was willing to pay more for Disneyland. There were multiple times on the trip where I noticed bad smells, like garbage, and where we were pestered with flies. I never recall running into this before.

Fantasmic! What in the world did they do to our beloved show? We hadn't taken the time to watch it in years, but it was a shell of its former magic. The pacing is completely off and the replaced scenes were all downgrades in my book. It was an underwhelming mess. I was really disappointed that we had spent the money for good seats and the time to watch it. The fireworks that followed was one of the poorer versions we have seen too. It felt like such a waste of our evening time.

The customers have grown ruder too. I had a guy trip me with his giant jogging stroller and didn't even apologize when I called him out. Just kept walking. I also saw others acting like jerks to cast members. Disney can't be blamed for that entirely, but they sure bring out the worst in people with the ever increasing work required to visit coupled with the extreme costs pushing people to try and milk every second of the day.

The way Genie+ has pushed so many lines out into walkway is a mess. And even with somewhat lighter crowds, Genie+ has managed to make every single line in the park (whether it has lightening lane or not) super long compared to years past.

This would all be tolerable, if it wasn't for the cost. Simply put, there are much better ways to spend this kind of money on vacation. I will gladly pay a premium price for a premium experience - but this isn't it anymore. So farewell Disneyland. I'm sure we will be back in a few years, but for now, we will continue to see amazing places, stay at really nice hotels and resorts, and eat at great restaurants, all for the same or less cost. Luckily, there are still destinations that don't take our business for granted.

For those that continue to enjoy the parks, I'm genuinely happy for you. There appear to be plenty that do.


*Edited to clarify they are adding mobile ordering in Rancho, that is why only one window is open now.

 

[joseph821]

I posted these elsewhere, and thought I would share it here with a few edits. I know there has been some discussion here about being grateful after the parks were closed, and I really appreciate that sentiment and appreciate those who can do that. But, no matter how good of an attitude you have while visiting, you can't convince yourself that you think the value is there if you just aren't feeling it anymore. So here are my thoughts from a recent visit:

After four visits between Disneyland and WDW last year, we started to feel that the value wasn't what it used to be. So this year, we planned an extended weekend to Disneyland instead of a longer visit. Unfortunately, it only confirmed that we need to be done with Disneyland for a long while, which breaks my heart. We have so many happy memories with our family there, but we are chasing something that doesn't currently exist at the parks. Namely a premium experience.

The good:
Disneyland Hotel was a very pleasant stay. It was immaculate and beautiful as always. We received a free upgrade to a pool view. We had a wonderful first evening there with dinner at Trader Sam's and a swim. The live music was exceptional. It was probably my favorite day of the mini-trip. On the other hand, Trader Sam's served us on to-go dishes because they didn't have a dish washer. Not what I expect for a $160 meal. My wife's dish was gross too. And as much as I loved the Disneyland Hotel, I couldn't help but think about how we can stay at five star hotels in major cities for less.

World of Color. I hadn't seen it in a long time, and it was a very good show. It really captured the Disney Magic. That Pirates sequence was incredibly good.

The chocolate chip cookie from Pooh Corner were moist and delicious, which had not been the case for at least five years for us.

We also had a generally good time, with lots of time to laugh, talk, and just enjoy the overall atmosphere and rides we love. We made great memories and tried to just make the best of the experience. We kept a positive attitude and tried not to look for problems. But it really comes down to cost - the product simply doesn't match the cost anymore. It's like if you paid Michelin Star prices for a well-made McDonald's meal - you would feel like a sucker, which is how I now feel at Disney.

The bad:
Breakdowns. The park continues to be plagued by the inability to keep rides up and running. You are literally paying a premium to ride rides above all else, but they can't seem to even meet minimum standards for operation anymore. Old staples are even breaking down often. It seems to be a major problem. Regardless of the cause (labor or parts), it simply isn't what you expect when paying what Disney charges. And the rides that are running are in a terrible state of repair. So many effects are broken and not working right, even on rides like Pirates, which just reopened from a lengthy refurbishment. It is a very bad sign when they can no longer meet this minimum expectation.

Genie+ is so buggy still. The system completely collapsed in California Adventures in the late afternoon and never came back on line. We could use the one ride we already had reserved by scanning park tickets, but couldn't reserve anything more. It also remains a huge pain in the butt to constantly be looking at your phone to check when your next reservation is and to grab new reservations. I also hate walking back and forth across the park to hit reservation times. But if you don't have Genie+, you are in serious trouble given what it has done to lines. I miss the old days of walking into a land and hitting up every ride in that area before moving on to the next. Even on the busiest days before fastpass, we somehow managed to get everything in and it was just a much more relaxed. There was no strategizing and constant diligence. You just showed up and let the day unfold. Even with fastpass, it was more like that somehow. Now, it feels like work.

Cast members continue to be good overall, but there are many who just don't provide the service Disney used to be known for - saw more than one yelling at customers. But the most common problem was seeing big groups of them just sitting around chatting or flirting with each other . I couldn't care less if they didn't have anything to do, but it was common that they wouldn't look at what they were doing, or miss doing what they were supposed to do, or have to correct something because they directed you to the wrong spot in line, etc. I saw this last year and it has only worsened. It's unsettling when you know these are the people responsible for your family's safety too. I don't blame them either; I blame Disney for being a D-rate employer now.

The food has gone downhill even more. I have never been very impressed with Disneyland food, but it has somehow become worse. Smaller portions and worse quality. Even our old favorites just don't taste the same. Some was inedible. For example, they have ruined Rancho Del Zocalo. They took the old grilled items off, like the carne asada, shrunk the menu, and what is left is garbage. All of our meat was cold - literally pre-cooked and refrigerated and hadn't yet been heated property. It tasted like literally poo too. They now have one spot where you can get items without mobile ordering (which wasn't opened yet), and the line was long and very very slow. This used to be the best spot for a quick lunch. It's so frustrating to see them break it so they can reduce labor and food costs.

Cleanliness has taken a steep dive. It improved since our last visit, but is nowhere near what it used to be. It really isn't much better than our local theme park these days. When it comes to theme parks, this is a huge priority for me and one of the reasons I was willing to pay more for Disneyland. There were multiple times on the trip where I noticed bad smells, like garbage, and where we were pestered with flies. I never recall running into this before.

Fantasmic! What in the world did they do to our beloved show? We hadn't taken the time to watch it in years, but it was a shell of its former magic. The pacing is completely off and the replaced scenes were all downgrades in my book. It was an underwhelming mess. I was really disappointed that we had spent the money for good seats and the time to watch it. The fireworks that followed was one of the poorer versions we have seen too. It felt like such a waste of our evening time.

The customers have grown ruder too. I had a guy trip me with his giant jogging stroller and didn't even apologize when I called him out. Just kept walking. I also saw others acting like jerks to cast members. Disney can't be blamed for that entirely, but they sure bring out the worst in people with the ever increasing work required to visit coupled with the extreme costs pushing people to try and milk every second of the day.

The way Genie+ has pushed so many lines out into walkway is a mess. And even with somewhat lighter crowds, Genie+ has managed to make every single line in the park (whether it has lightening lane or not) super long compared to years past.

This would all be tolerable, if it wasn't for the cost. Simply put, there are much better ways to spend this kind of money on vacation. So farewell Disneyland. I'm sure we will be back in a few years, but for now, we will continue to see amazing places, stay at really nice hotels and resorts, and eat at great restaurants, all for the same or less cost. Luckily, there are still destinations that don't take our business for granted.

For those that continue to enjoy the parks, I'm genuinely happy for you. There appear to be plenty that do.

I have not been to Disneyland and California Adventure since the reopening in 2021 after the pandemic closing.
We always stay on site at either the Disneyland Hotel or GCH but your report and others of the lack of quality has caused me to go elsewhere. Mobile food ordering on vacation? I miss Disneyland a lot but I'll spend my tourist dollars elsewhere until Disneyland rebounds.
Thanks for your insightful post.

 

[PirateBrigade]

I feel you, and if there's one thing pandemic taught me, life goes on without Disneyland in our lives, and there are a lot of great alternatives to spend our hard-earned leisure money on. While I couldn't cut out Disneyland completely (my 8 year old still finds magic in it, and I'm hard-pressed to say no, given that my time before her turning into a teenager is limited), we've definitely cut our visits back since reopening (once a month down to once a quarter, possibly going down to once every 6 months once our current passes expire).

My wife and I used to go on an adults-only trip here and there (usually Food & Wine Festival, or adjacent events and we would pop into parks), that has also gone to zero, and I don't foresee that returning. We get better value now flying to other cities and doing other things... it's only worth dealing with Disneyland crowds/issues, and spending to stay on-site, if we have the kids.

Godspeed to you -- dare I say this, but it actually can be relieving letting go of Disneyland, on your own terms. At the end of the day, it's only an option in a vast sea of other worthy options, and it's not a permanent state. Hopefully the parks will meet your wants/needs in the future!

 

[DLgal]

I don't blame you at all. I think if we weren't locals and we came here on vacations and had some of the experiences we have had over the last year, we'd be taking a break too. It's only because we go so often that we will continue, because we are still at net positive experiences and my kids really, really kind of use the parks as therapy.

I won't lie, though, I am sad about the state of the parks lately too. The ride breakdown problem is a real stain on the Disney brand. Genie+ has made the experience miserable for everyone who doesn't buy it, and without a passholder add on option, it's not something I am willing to spend $80 extra per visit on. We use a DAS, which I wish we didn't need, but which is the ONLY reason we can continue to visit the parks. The standby wait times have become a real drag.

I understand your frustrations, although I admit to being a bit perplexed at your opinion of Fantasmic and Disneyland Forever. I find those to be great, personally. Unless something drastic has changed with Fantasmic (which I haven't seen since the reopening), it was better than it used to be IMO, at least in 2019 it was.

Rancho del Zocalo has never offered mobile order. I have had one great meal there since the reopening and one not so great (the same grilled half chicken meal both times). As with everything else at DLR these days, there is no consistency. I've eaten practically everywhere over the last year, and have had good and bad experiences at each.

I have also noticed a lot more CMs just standing around socializing. It's the worst at retail locations at the registers. You can stand there staring at them for several minutes before they snap out of it and help you. I've gone to the mobile checkout option everywhere that it's offered at this point. Like you, I blame Disney's pay scale and other policies for the downgrade in quality of cast members (but on the other side of the coin there are also STILL a TON of really dedicated and amazing cast members, and I don't want that to be overshadowed by the bad ones).

I'm hoping this is a temporary phase for Disneyland. I have to believe that at some point management will right the ship.

 

[brentm77]

I don't blame you at all. I think if we weren't locals and we came here on vacations and had some of the experiences we have had over the last year, we'd be taking a break too. It's only because we go so often that we will continue, because we are still at net positive experiences and my kids really, really kind of use the parks as therapy.

I won't lie, though, I am sad about the state of the parks lately too. The ride breakdown problem is a real stain on the Disney brand. Genie+ has made the experience miserable for everyone who doesn't buy it, and without a passholder add on option, it's not something I am willing to spend $80 extra per visit on. We use a DAS, which I wish we didn't need, but which is the ONLY reason we can continue to visit the parks. The standby wait times have become a real drag.

I understand your frustrations, although I admit to being a bit perplexed at your opinion of Fantasmic and Disneyland Forever. I find those to be great, personally. Unless something drastic has changed with Fantasmic (which I haven't seen since the reopening), it was better than it used to be IMO, at least in 2019 it was.

Rancho del Zocalo has never offered mobile order. I have had one great meal there since the reopening and one not so great (the same grilled half chicken meal both times). As with everything else at DLR these days, there is no consistency. I've eaten practically everywhere over the last year, and have had good and bad experiences at each.

I have also noticed a lot more CMs just standing around socializing. It's the worst at retail locations at the registers. You can stand there staring at them for several minutes before they snap out of it and help you. I've gone to the mobile checkout option everywhere that it's offered at this point. Like you, I blame Disney's pay scale and other policies for the downgrade in quality of cast members (but on the other side of the coin there are also STILL a TON of really dedicated and amazing cast members, and I don't want that to be overshadowed by the bad ones).

I'm hoping this is a temporary phase for Disneyland. I have to believe that at some point management will right the ship.

Thank you for your comments. Just to clarify one thing, Rancho is installing mobile order right now. So they pushed all food ordering to one station instead of the old setup where you would get different offerings at different windows. This has made the wait much longer than it used to be. While I am not opposed to mobile ordering when it improves the customer experience, they seemed to have broken something that worked just great before it in this case.

I hear you on DAS. We had to use it for years for a family member. We are very fortunate that we don't have to use it anymore. While it was nice in some ways, nobody wants to be in a situation where they must use it.

I don't know why I felt that way about Fantastic, but both my daughter and wife commented on it too. We all greatly preferred the old version, with Jungle Book, Peter Pan, etc. There is something about the way they tried to take the music and parts of the old one, but insert different scenes, that was jarring and less magical for us. Underwhelming is the only way I can describe it. It is very possible that out experience from the entire day just didn't put us in the right mood to enjoy it too, but we all seemed in pretty good spirts when it started. The fire on the river didn't work either, which just seemed like one more example of Disney no longer focusing on maintenance.

I too hope it is temporary. That's why we will try again in a few years.

 

[PirateBrigade]

I understand your frustrations, although I admit to being a bit perplexed at your opinion of Fantasmic and Disneyland Forever. I find those to be great, personally. Unless something drastic has changed with Fantasmic (which I haven't seen since the reopening), it was better than it used to be IMO, at least in 2019 it was.

I don't know why I felt that way about Fantastic, but both my daughter and wife commented on it too. We all greatly preferred the old version, with Jungle Book, Peter Pan, etc. There is something about the way they tried to take the music and parts of the old one, but insert different scenes, that was jarring and less magical for us. Underwhelming is the only way I can describe it. It is very possible that out experience from the entire day just didn't put us in the right mood to enjoy it too, but we all seemed in pretty good spirts when it started. The fire on the river didn't work either, which just seemed like one more example of Disney no longer focusing on maintenance.

I'll add on to this discussion. I do find it musically jarring and off pace when The Lion King theme/Circle of Life kicks in--it just doesn't fit--and I have a strong memory of the older version of Fantasmic. It's kind of like how the new MSEP introduction sounds garbled/warbly, as if it were mis-recorded.

The Pirate sequence is dated, and really anything POTC movie related just feels stale. That was probably the logic behind removing the Davy Jones projection from the POTC ride. I get that the last movie was 2017 (so 5-ish years ago), but I mean, this series has been going on since 2003. Something as timeless as Fantasmic having stand-ins for Kiera Knightley and Johnny Depp's characters, while fun to watch, feels kinda weird. Like, again MSEP, imagine a Jack Sparrow on the pirate ship.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk For the record, F! and D Forever still remain the highlights of our last trip.

 

[DLgal]

Ugh, mobile order at Rancho?

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

They better NOT at Plaza Inn. I will revolt.

 

[brentm77]

Ugh, mobile order at Rancho?

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

They better NOT at Plaza Inn. I will revolt.

Yes

I wish I had taken a photo. The entire two center stations are now pickup windows! The far left is desserts (horchata cold brew was actually really good from there). So that leaves the far right station as the only walkup one. Rancho was easily our favorite lunch stop too. So easy to visit and one of the better values before they messed the menu up too. It was a sad change for us.

I will revolt with you when they get to Plaza!

One positive I just thought of - the ribs that came with the Hungry Bear Fantasmic! package were better than I expected. We aren't talking barbeque joint quality, but surprisingly enjoyable for Disneyland ribs if you aren't turned off by lots of sweet barbeque sauce (as I know many are when it comes to barbeque). Serving size was generous too. But, on the flip side, my wife's burger was ice cold. That was two meals that day for her that went mostly uneaten. It is just so sad to see them give up on even trying to provide a premium product. They know they have such a loyal fan base that they can get away with cutting quality everywhere.

 

[notatallmagic]

"We have so many happy memories with our family there, but we are chasing something that doesn't currently exist at the parks. Namely a premium experience." - EXACTLY. THIS.

It hurts my heart...another poster said something like "captive nostalgia" or feeling like a "nostalgia hostage". The wonderful memories conflicting with the feeling of getting completely taken advantage of...

 

[Tinkaboo]

In 2019, long before COVID was even heard of, I was on my annual trip to DL. While waiting to be seated on Soarin’ after making a very polite request for seating ( due to a medical condition), I was so brutally berated by a CM, I nearly cried through the entire ride. I immediately went over to DL toTown Hall to report the incident and the CM ( I didn’t know where else to go).

I was still upset, enough that I was crying, and the CM who handled it was awesome. She remedied the situation with empathy and resolved my issue.

My point? There has always been a good side/bad side to DL. Bad things happened prior to the pandemic; good things happened, too. Rides have been breaking down for the past decade…it took me two trips in two different years to finally get to ride RSR. Indy has been notorious for breakdowns and no - functioning segments…I’m more surprised when the ball does roll down!

I’ve had good meals, bad meals and once, about 15 years ago, I got the best short ribs I had ever eaten at Blue Bayou. Never had that meal replicated anywhere else…ah, good times.

I hope the OP can find peace and joy visiting some other wonderful places and then maybe will venture back to DL when ready. But for me, I just accept the current state of things as being fluid - this, too, will change, maybe better, maybe worse but it’s still Disneyland to me and I alway try to ‘Remember the Magic’.

BTW, not a Keyholder, don’t live close enough to drive. Been coming to park since the late 70s. Annual visits (sometimes two if it’s a good year) for past 15 years. It’s my happy place, warts and all.

 

[Aurora0427]

I posted these elsewhere, and thought I would share it here with a few edits. I know there has been some discussion here about being grateful after the parks were closed, and I really appreciate that sentiment and appreciate those who can do that. But, no matter how good of an attitude you have while visiting, you can't convince yourself that you think the value is there if you just aren't feeling it anymore. So here are my thoughts from a recent visit:

After four visits between Disneyland and WDW last year, we started to feel that the value wasn't what it used to be. So this year, we planned an extended weekend to Disneyland instead of a longer visit. Unfortunately, it only confirmed that we need to be done with Disneyland for a long while, which breaks my heart. We have so many happy memories with our family there, but we are chasing something that doesn't currently exist at the parks. Namely a premium experience.

The good:
Disneyland Hotel was a very pleasant stay. It was immaculate and beautiful as always. We received a free upgrade to a pool view. We had a wonderful first evening there with dinner at Trader Sam's and a swim. The live music was exceptional. It was probably my favorite day of the mini-trip. On the other hand, Trader Sam's served us on to-go dishes because they didn't have a dish washer. Not what I expect for a $160 meal. My wife's dish was gross too. And as much as I loved the Disneyland Hotel, I couldn't help but think about how we can stay at five star hotels in major cities for less.

World of Color. I hadn't seen it in a long time, and it was a very good show. It really captured the Disney Magic. That Pirates sequence was incredibly good.

The chocolate chip cookie from Pooh Corner were moist and delicious, which had not been the case for at least five years for us.

We also had a generally good time, with lots of time to laugh, talk, and just enjoy the overall atmosphere and rides we love. We made great memories and tried to just make the best of the experience. We kept a positive attitude and tried not to look for problems. But it really comes down to cost - the product simply doesn't match the cost anymore. It's like if you paid Michelin Star prices for a well-made McDonald's meal - you would feel like a sucker, which is how I now feel at Disney.

The bad:
Breakdowns. The park continues to be plagued by the inability to keep rides up and running. You are literally paying a premium to ride rides above all else, but they can't seem to even meet minimum standards for operation anymore. Old staples are even breaking down often. It seems to be a major problem. Regardless of the cause (labor or parts), it simply isn't what you expect when paying what Disney charges. And the rides that are running are in a terrible state of repair. So many effects are broken and not working right, even on rides like Pirates, which just reopened from a lengthy refurbishment. It is a very bad sign when they can no longer meet this minimum expectation.

Genie+ is so buggy still. The system completely collapsed in California Adventures in the late afternoon and never came back on line. We could use the one ride we already had reserved by scanning park tickets, but couldn't reserve anything more. It also remains a huge pain in the butt to constantly be looking at your phone to check when your next reservation is and to grab new reservations. I also hate walking back and forth across the park to hit reservation times. But if you don't have Genie+, you are in serious trouble given what it has done to lines. I miss the old days of walking into a land and hitting up every ride in that area before moving on to the next. Even on the busiest days before fastpass, we somehow managed to get everything in and it was just a much more relaxed. There was no strategizing and constant diligence. You just showed up and let the day unfold. Even with fastpass, it was more like that somehow. Now, it feels like work.

Cast members continue to be good overall, but there are many who just don't provide the service Disney used to be known for - saw more than one yelling at customers. But the most common problem was seeing big groups of them just sitting around chatting or flirting with each other . I couldn't care less if they didn't have anything to do, but it was common that they wouldn't look at what they were doing, or miss doing what they were supposed to do, or have to correct something because they directed you to the wrong spot in line, etc. I saw this last year and it has only worsened. It's unsettling when you know these are the people responsible for your family's safety too. I don't blame them either; I blame Disney for being a D-rate employer now.

The food has gone downhill even more. I have never been very impressed with Disneyland food, but it has somehow become worse. Smaller portions and worse quality. Even our old favorites just don't taste the same. Some was inedible. For example, they have ruined Rancho Del Zocalo. They took the old grilled items off, like the carne asada, shrunk the menu, and what is left is garbage. All of our meat was cold - literally pre-cooked and refrigerated and hadn't yet been heated property. It tasted like literally poo too. They now have only one spot where you can get items without mobile ordering (which they are currently installing), and the line was long and very very slow. This used to be the best spot for a quick lunch. It's so frustrating to see them break it so they can reduce labor and food costs.

Cleanliness has taken a steep dive. It improved since our last visit, but is nowhere near what it used to be. It really isn't much better than our local theme park these days. When it comes to theme parks, this is a huge priority for me and one of the reasons I was willing to pay more for Disneyland. There were multiple times on the trip where I noticed bad smells, like garbage, and where we were pestered with flies. I never recall running into this before.

Fantasmic! What in the world did they do to our beloved show? We hadn't taken the time to watch it in years, but it was a shell of its former magic. The pacing is completely off and the replaced scenes were all downgrades in my book. It was an underwhelming mess. I was really disappointed that we had spent the money for good seats and the time to watch it. The fireworks that followed was one of the poorer versions we have seen too. It felt like such a waste of our evening time.

The customers have grown ruder too. I had a guy trip me with his giant jogging stroller and didn't even apologize when I called him out. Just kept walking. I also saw others acting like jerks to cast members. Disney can't be blamed for that entirely, but they sure bring out the worst in people with the ever increasing work required to visit coupled with the extreme costs pushing people to try and milk every second of the day.

The way Genie+ has pushed so many lines out into walkway is a mess. And even with somewhat lighter crowds, Genie+ has managed to make every single line in the park (whether it has lightening lane or not) super long compared to years past.

This would all be tolerable, if it wasn't for the cost. Simply put, there are much better ways to spend this kind of money on vacation. I will gladly pay a premium price for a premium experience - but this isn't it anymore. So farewell Disneyland. I'm sure we will be back in a few years, but for now, we will continue to see amazing places, stay at really nice hotels and resorts, and eat at great restaurants, all for the same or less cost. Luckily, there are still destinations that don't take our business for granted.

For those that continue to enjoy the parks, I'm genuinely happy for you. There appear to be plenty that do.


*Edited to clarify they are adding mobile ordering in Rancho, that is why only one window is open now.

I feel all of this. Especially your comments regarding the food, the cleanliness and Genie +.
Rancho used to be our favorite place to eat at Disneyland. It was so good in January 2020, my parents wanted to eat there two days in a row when we took them. Our last meal there was inedible. And my husband was so disappointed in how they changed up the taco salad and basically made it a slab of sour cream in a taco shell. The restrooms are just gross. Absolutely disgusting. I can’t even talk about genie +…. It makes me so mad. The reservation system is also super disappointing…. If it kept the crowds down so we all had a better experience, that would be one thing, but they don’t. I’m also super disappointed with the magic keys, but that’s a different discussion.

I told my husband we need to stop giving Disney so much of our money…. I booked a two night stay at a 4 Star resort near Palm Springs for Labor Day weekend because I just can’t do Disneyland that weekend as we’d originally planned. I feel completely exhausted the next day because it’s so much work.

I still love Disneyland, regardless of its issues, but I definitely see the problems it’s having right now.

 

[DodgerGirl]

The problem that Disneyland has always struggled with and is still struggling with is trying to get more people into the park and what is the simple trick? Improving itself to gain a new generation of people to come. But ever since the pandemic began and the 2020 closure Disneyland has been trying to return to it's old image and it has been hard for them. Just like a person whose recovering from a very serious operation Disneyland has been trying hard to return to what it used to be before the pandemic hit and it's taking so long for them to recover from the 2020 closure. So they added a few things such as new attractions such as Avengers Campus and debuted Genie+ to keep people coming to give the park more money. But the actual reason people go to Disneyland is because of the nostalgia feel of the place. But why you see so many rides breaking down and not in working order is because when Disneyland closed a lot of the workers such as ride operators either quit or simply retired and Disneyland had to rush and train new workers to fill the positions left by the previous workers and it's really hard to find good people to do good jobs. And the same thing with the shows and in my eyes why so many of the shows have gone downhill is because they simply cannot hire enough people to work on the shows such as singers actors dancers character performers and stage managers and so Disneyland has to use whoever they can to fill the roles on the parade or show until new people are trained. And I think this may be the reason why Disneyland has been having problems with it's shows. And I agree about the food because when families go to Disneyland they expect good quality food sold at a good price. Take for example if you go to the Golden Horseshoe to buy a hot dog you'll notice that the hot dogs there are overpriced and when my mom and dad and I ate at The Golden Horseshoe we got hot dogs for a great price. But if you try to order popcorn or an ice cream cone you'll notice that Disneyland has raised the price for popcorn and the same thing occurs with ice cream cones and ice cream sandwiches and Disneyland should lower the prices for popcorn and ice cream as well to make people buy them more instead of raising the prices more. But I think Disneyland's real problem was when they made Magic Keys and Genie+ because the more I read about Genie+ I think it is the biggest mistake Disneyland did because to me waiting in a line for a ride is like waiting in line at a supermarket and I can see why people find Genie+ a pain. I simply have no desire of going to Disneyland myself Brent and I can understand what you went through but in my eyes it's better to return to Disneyland once they improve themselves again
Dodger

 

[PirateBrigade]

I booked a two night stay at a 4 Star resort near Palm Springs for Labor Day weekend because I just can’t do Disneyland that weekend as we’d originally planned. I feel completely exhausted the next day because it’s so much work.

I still love Disneyland, regardless of its issues, but I definitely see the problems it’s having right now.

Good on ya' mate, we booked a family trip to Hawaii this month (one week) and a kid-free weekend in LA at the end of the month. Both of those would have been Disneyland trips in 2019--in fact, I looked, and they actually were Disney trips in 2019, 2018, and 2016 (and probably earlier, it was our end-of-summer tradition). I'm also looking forward to the better food, better value, and less work per unit happiness (LA is for a concert, so maybe not a true comparable).

I have to say, though, it was slightly sad deleting "AP's are unblocked!" from my calendar after booking Hawaii, especially with MSEP going into storage for a little bit starting in Sept.

We'll be back in late September for our perfunctory Halloweentime trip, but I don't think we'll be back in October, November, or December like we were in the pre-2020 era. Our APs expire early-December.

 

[Curiousporpoise]

I absolutely love Disneyland, we have been going for years and years, but the quality is going down and the prices are going up. It is crazy how expensive hotels and tickets are now. It’s cheaper to go to Europe than it is to stay on-site with 5 day park hoppers. Tons of rides were down on our last stay, bathrooms were dirty, and I got yelled at at Autopia by a very cranky CM (I was not bumping cars doing anything unsafe). It’s just different now, I feel like everything is about making more and more money like charging for genie+, lightning lanes etc.