Maybe it's just me...

[Iya]

MK does not close at 6 now. It closes at 7 and yes we have been there during slow times with no party where the park closed at either 7 or 8. We have also been there when the park closed at 4pm for a private party. No refunds where given then. It is one of those tough tamales situations.

For some of the Christmas parties, they closed at 6. I expect that trend to continue.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

MK does not close at 6 now. It closes at 7 and yes we have been there during slow times with no party where the park closed at either 7 or 8. We have also been there when the park closed at 4pm for a private party. No refunds where given then. It is one of those tough tamales situations.

I was there for 2 weeks last nov/dec and it closed at 6

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

But since a less than stellar trip this year and watching all the upcharges, add-ons, hard ticket events, and especially price increases and gouges, I'm feeling pretty disillusioned with Disney right about now. We're planning another trip probably in late 2020, but the shine is gone. Like I said in the thread title, maybe it's just me (and my DW) that're feeling this way. I guess the thing that bothers me most is that Disney doesn't seem to care about disenfranchising their long-time, loyal fans/guests. They just seem happy to take our money and offer us less and less value for it each time we come back. Won't be long before that money train runs out I suppose. Like I said, maybe it's just me...

I can completely understand how you feel and it's not just you. I know it's hard pill for us to swallow too. But we see the costs just keep going up with no added value and it hurts. The once in a lifetime, casual disney guest won't notice the parking fee and figure it's always been that way, they won't notice the increase in tickets/food, etc. since it's their first and likely last visit but for us who go a lot and track and plan every little detail, it's painful since we go back year after year and keep disney a float. We've never really had any majorly bad experiences anywhere at WDW to say that we don't see us going back but I have seen a lot of disappointing stories on the DIS and it's painful to hear about such horrible experiences when we've all paid so so much and planned our trips so tediously. I have to say you are not alone in your feelings and while we always have vacationed at Disney and also usually go to a few other places, we may postpone our Fall 2018 visit in hopes that disney can get their act together with the parks and their treatment of their employees.

 

[Garyjames220]

Thankfully the parking won’t effect me as I always like to have a few drinks on my vacation anyway

 

[Magpie]

Like having Halloween parties in the middle of August? I'm sure Disney was greeted with requests of having them earlier and it just wasn't a random idea.

I think more like getting upset that other people are having Halloween parties in the middle of August.

If no one goes, Disney will discontinue them very quickly.

 

[Magpie]

Here's the thing. Disney offered these events during a reasonable "seasonal" period. As the Disney entitlement runs rampant, the Disney execs are seeing the green on the other end of it.

What is "Disney entitlement"?

Is it giving people what they appear to want, in exchange for them giving you money?

I thought that was called simple economics aka "good business".

 

[Lilsia]

For certain Christmas parties they did close at 6.

Well I am usually there for the MNSSHP and not the Christmas ones. I wonder if you know what year that was because a quick google search showed that the park closes at 7 for the party, at least for the past several years. Either way, you know in a advance that the park is closing early. They post in on their website, if you are staying at a Disney hotel they give you the park hours plus it's on the TV in your room. They also post signs before you enter the park that day saying that they are closing. It is not like they make an announcement at 5pm saying " surprise, we are closing early now get out". You have a choice to not spend that day at MK and go to another park, which usually has evening EMH to make up for it. I get it, you hate the parties, but thousands of people love them.

 

[Tksolomom]

Well I am usually there for the MNSSHP and not the Christmas ones. I wonder if you know what year that was because a quick google search showed that the park closes at 7 for the party, at least for the past several years. Either way, you know in a advance that the park is closing early. They post in on their website, if you are staying at a Disney hotel they give you the park hours plus it's on the TV in your room. They also post signs before you enter the park that day saying that they are closing. It is not like they make an announcement at 5pm saying " surprise, we are closing early now get out". You have a choice to not spend that day at MK and go to another park, which usually has evening EMH to make up for it. I get it, you hate the parties, but thousands of people love them.

In 2017, for the Halloween party , the park closed at 7, but closed at 6 for the Christmas party. This year MK closes at 6 for both parties.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I'm about to go next month for our first visit in 7 years. And while I'm confident we'll have a great time, both my DH and I have commented on how expensive it's gotten and how it must be getting out of reach for many families.

We are a family of 3 (2 adults one child) and all-in (airfare, etc.) we are dropping almost $5700 on 8 nights...and it's only that "low" because we are staying at the Dolphin on hotel points. That's right, $5700 and the hotel is all but free (still have to pay about $250 in resort fees for the stay). We are only doing 3 "add-ons", which are Memory Maker and two desert parties. Most days we're only having one table service meal a day (one of them being CRT, but still). Out of curiosity, just to see what a more basic trip would run, I ran the numbers where we ate counter service for all meals and dropped the two desert parties and it knocked about $900 off the budget, not chump change but that was still almost $4800 for a week at Disney and again - the hotel was free!

Here's the break down:

Flights from Chicago $913.20 (3 tickets)
Bag Fees (2 bags round-trip) $100.00
Hotel Resort Fees $252.00
Park Tickets -7 Day Hop $ 1,544.25 (2 adults 1 child)
Meals and parties $ 2,122.13
Town car service (for both ORD and MCO) $ 300.00
Photo/Memory Maker $169.00
Souvenirs/Misc. $ 265.00
Grand Total $5,665.58

We're a fortunate family, we have a good income and we budget/spend in our daily lives wisely. Even for us this is more of a "once every few years" kind of trip. DD is 6, I figure we'll go again when she's 8 or 9 and then a few years after that we'll do a Universal trip. And that may be it for us for theme park based week long vacations. I love Disney, but I can't justify spending that kind of cash year after year, not when there are other places in the US and abroad that we want to visit too.

This year our July beach vacation will run about $750.00. Our tickets only for June's WDW trip are $2100-2200 by themselves. But we love WDW and will likely continue to go even though I am really steamed about those parking fees.

 

[mousehockey37]

In 2017, for the Halloween party , the park closed at 7, but closed at 6 for the Christmas party. This year MK closes at 6 for both parties.

Thank you!

 

[Magpie]

All the economies in the world basically were struggling in those years. For the most part Disney as a company has done very well, and they came through those years just fine

Part of the reason they're doing well, however, is by keeping their eye on the bottom line, and attempting to maximize profits. If they'd tried to keep doing things the way they'd always done them, they'd be out of business by now.

There's been other rough times, btw. The Disney company was very nearly bought by Coca-Cola in the early 80's. Shareholders felt their stocks were undervalued. Other hostile takeover attempts followed. Disney seemed to be on the verge of collapse when Eisner and Wells came in.

Eisner was (from what I've read, anyway) the one who pushed for higher ticket prices. People were initially afraid that if the tickets went up from the original 1971 prices ($3.50, rides not included), guests would stop coming. In fact, the opposite happened. The influx of new money into the parks breathed new life into them. Two new water parks followed, and Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.

1986 saw four price increases in one year! They were trying to find that "sweet spot" between how much people were willing to pay and at what point they'd close their wallets and walk away. I think Disney is still trying to figure out what that is, and more power to them. Even if some day they price themselves out of my range, I hope they continue to prosper. I'm glad the parks weren't sold, back in the '80s.

 

[Lilsia]

If that is true then I am actually not even mad at that. It will help get the people out of the park in time for the party to start. Nothing is more annoying then paying extra for the party to have a bunch of people that did not pay refuse to leave. So we all know ahead of time that the park closes early, so plan your trip accordingly.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

If that is true then I am actually not even mad at that. It will help get the people out of the park in time for the party to start. Nothing is more annoying then paying extra for the party to have a bunch of people that did not pay refuse to leave. So we all know ahead of time that the park closes early, so plan your trip accordingly.

Lol, I can’t believe some people. In reality, nothing is more annoying than paying for a full days ticket to get into a park and be asked to leave at 6 o’clock. And I’m pretty sure people can’t “refuse to leave.” And “those people” DID pay to get into that park

 

[Lilsia]

Lol, I can’t believe some people. In reality, nothing is more annoying than paying for a full days ticket to get into a park and be asked to leave at 6 o’clock. And I’m pretty sure people can’t “refuse to leave.” And “those people” DID pay to get into that park

But you KNOW it closes early. There are 3 other parks you can go to instead on that day. Sheesh

 

[disneydreamer1980]

But you KNOW it closes early. There are 3 other parks you can go to instead on that day. Sheesh

Which are more crowded because of MK closing early.BTW, how many people did you see refusing to leave???

 

[Lilsia]

Which are more crowded because of MK closing early.BTW, how many people did you see refusing to leave???

Now your being silly.

 

[djc9699]

Well I for one do think Disney should be affordable for teachers. And I do spend a lot of time working with them on their budgets and figuring out how they can take their kids. And Disney is GREEDY there is no nice way to say it. I am spending 3X's what I spent in 2006. And when we do have another economic downturn just watch how fast Disney's board convinces Iger to retire for his health as they try to figure out how to get people back to the parks. They could easily have gone down the middle raising prices on the deluxe's and adding their upcharges while keeping basic tickets and value resorts at a fairly decent value. One of the forensic accountants in my building said he thought they were working on a 30 to 35% profit margin at the least.

I believe that it being affordable for a teacher's salary is subjective. I make about $10,000 a year less than a starting salary for a teacher and I go to Disney with my kids every year. We have done several extra events through the years as well. We make sacrifices all year so we can have a great time at Disney. We do not go to the movies (we wait for DVD or Netflix), we do not eat out, except on rare occasions. We stay at the value resorts, not just for the price, but also because we love how close everything is. We just went for 12 days in December and did 3 desert parties and MVMCP (thanks to free dining, which saved us a bunch). I took my granddaughter for the first time last week (very crowded spring break - had a blast) and we are going to splurge for Club Level at WL for a few days and then a value in July (thanks to room only discount). We have AP so we get discounts on some dining and that helps. But it is all in what you choose to spend your money on. I only buy used cars (less than 2 years old) and drive them till they won't drive, have a strict budget for clothes and food purchases and we do not splurge on unnecessary or frivolous items. We save for our trips because they make us happy. I have several friends who are teachers who have been to Disney. It is all about choices, not income.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Now your being silly.

I’m being silly?! I’m asking you how many people you saw “Refusing to leave the party you paid for”. You said “a bunch” of people were. Just asking how many. And also, makes logical sense that the other parks would carry the weight of the people who can’t be in the MK, thus making them more crowded. Sorry if I’m being “silly” but I don’t like it when people are condescending.

 

[mousehockey37]

I believe that it being affordable for a teacher's salary is subjective. I make about $10,000 a year less than a starting salary for a teacher and I go to Disney with my kids every year. We have done several extra events through the years as well. We make sacrifices all year so we can have a great time at Disney. We do not go to the movies (we wait for DVD or Netflix), we do not eat out, except on rare occasions. We stay at the value resorts, not just for the price, but also because we love how close everything is. We just went for 12 days in December and did 3 desert parties and MVMCP (thanks to free dining, which saved us a bunch). I took my granddaughter for the first time last week (very crowded spring break - had a blast) and we are going to splurge for Club Level at WL for a few days and then a value in July (thanks to room only discount). We have AP so we get discounts on some dining and that helps. But it is all in what you choose to spend your money on. I only buy used cars (less than 2 years old) and drive them till they won't drive, have a strict budget for clothes and food purchases and we do not splurge on unnecessary or frivolous items. We save for our trips because they make us happy. I have several friends who are teachers who have been to Disney. It is all about choices, not income.

What's the base teacher salary? There's some that start as low as $25,000/yr (if not less).

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Guys - most of this thread has been an interesting, respectful discussion of various viewpoints. Personal fighting / arguments / overly sarcastic posts will result in the thread being closed. Vent frustrations you have with Disney all you want, but not at each other.