Maybe it's just me...

[djc9699]

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

In my small school district in Texas it is $37,000ish. With Math and Science earning $4000 a year more. If the district is paying that low then the cost of living is probably lower too. The point is, it is about choices you make. If you want a new car every year you sacrifice for that, if you want season tickets to your favorite sports team you sacrifice for that. I choose to sacrifice for Disney. If a teacher wants to go to Disney, they can with sacrifices.

 

[cindyfan]

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...

Nope.... not just you! TONS of people starting to feel this way.... me included!

 

[Lilsia]

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.

Well I obviously have better things to do with my time then to count how many people were trying to sneak past the cast members during the party. I have to say in the last few year they have done a much better job of setting up cast member road blocks to get people out of the parks. But you always see people that do not have the wristband on trying to stay in the park after the party starts. I really don't understand why you are so bent out of shape with the parties. They have had them for years now and we all know about them. If you ever go to one, you might like it.

 

[Lilsia]

In my small school district in Texas it is $37,000ish. With Math and Science earning $4000 a year more. If the district is paying that low then the cost of living is probably lower too. The point is, it is about choices you make. If you want a new car every year you sacrifice for that, if you want season tickets to your favorite sports team you sacrifice for that. I choose to sacrifice for Disney. If a teacher wants to go to Disney, they can with sacrifices.

Where I live, a ton of teachers go to WDW. And their average salary is a couple grand less then in KS. I think like you do, it is all in how you choose to spend your money.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Well I obviously have better things to do with my time then to count how many people were trying to sneak past the cast members during the party. I have to say in the last few year they have done a much better job of setting up cast member road blocks to get people out of the parks. But you always see people that do not have the wristband on trying to stay in the park after the party starts. I really don't understand why you are so bent out of shape with the parties. They have had them for years now and we all know about them. If you ever go to one, you might like it.

ive been to at least 20. Not bent about the parties at all.

 

[cel_disney]

Well as others have said, historically, the parks used to close early during the "slow" times anyway even without a party. But those people still paid full price.

On my honeymoon in Sept 2002, MK closed most nights at 7 and only had Wishes 2x that week. It was not because of the party - just super low crowds. I think your perception of ‘having’ those longer hours is a bit misguided - they were around for a little while but certainly not ‘forever’. (Unlike parking at resorts - that’s been around forever and a legit erosion for those that drive...but the local FL AP didn’t increase very much this year and is much less than the DL AP so I think it’s pribablh a wash and I would prefer the lower priced AP).

And for those that keep saying Halloween in August is a big issue - I think there should be parties all year long / they don’t have to be Halloween or Christmas - just ticketed events with something special, and I think the once a week cadence for most of August is perfect!!

 

[Lilsia]

On my honeymoon in Sept 2002, MK closed most nights at 7 and only had Wishes 2x that week. It was not because of the party - just super low crowds. I think your perception of ‘having’ those longer hours is a bit misguided - they were around for a little while but certainly not ‘forever’. (Unlike parking at resorts - that’s been around forever and a legit erosion for those that drive...but the local FL AP didn’t increase very much this year and is much less than the DL AP so I think it’s pribablh a wash and I would prefer the lower priced AP).

And for those that keep saying Halloween in August is a big issue - I think there should be parties all year long / they don’t have to be Halloween or Christmas - just ticketed events with something special, and I think the once a week cadence for most of August is perfect!!

I remember those days. We used to travel in September every year starting in 1996. The parks would close early a few times a week but be open longer on the weekends. But to be fair, we were able to do more on the shorter days because the crowds were lower.

 

[RysMomma]

I, for one, love the fact that they're starting MNSSHP early! I'm a teacher in the North East and cannot take off time to come down during the fall and do the party. We planned our trip over a year ago and now found out we'll be there during a Halloween party. I've been wanting to do one for years! It's early, yes, but it's also exciting to us because we've never done it before! It's something different and we can't be more excited!

 

[brockash]

One way to look at it is look at all these upcharges and add on's. Disney is nickle and diming its customers to death! Or look at it as wow! Disney is offering all these cool add ons so we can get some party time, early access etc. It's all perspective. The best part is we still have the option to not purchase the "Extras" if we don't want to.

Ehhh, I feel like you're really having to try to look at it through rose colored glasses for that. Sure, we have a choice to pay for extras or not, but at the bottom of it, most of those "extras" used to be free (included with resort stay) (extended park hours, more frequent and longer EMHs, unlimited fastpasses with all on the same playing field for each day (just depended on how much running around you were willing to do), free parking, providing full service/capacity even at times that the park didn't have jam packed attendance, direct bus service to/from water parks...and I'm sure I'm missing many others. I def. agree that I think for Disney 5 years ago or so, they decided the repeat guest just wasn't worth it to them, and they started only wanting to attract those willing to spend LOTS of money and they'd prefer not to deal with the hassle of the more budget/frequent "guest," as they're just taking up space/a room someone willing to spend more could have.

 

[Planogirl]

OP, you are far from the only one. I'm happy for those who are still happy with everything and I hope to be that way again someday.

 

[Rschall]

This is our first trip in a long time and so much has changed. I was a bit taken aback at all of the special events. The parties and such all look wonderful but we are already paying $2350 just for five days of tickets. Yes we have a big family but that is a lot of money. We cannot add more even though we wanted to do the fireworks dessert party for example. As of now we will be cooking most dinners and packing sandwiches. Anyway as for us we would love to do the extras but we cannot. I admit it is hard for me to see so many nice things I would love to do for my family and not be able to buy them. But that is ok

 

[michbaron]

Disney is not going to stop selling ticketed events as long as people keep buying them, remember when they added the ridiculous cabanas in MK and they didn’t go over well so they stopped offering them? If they put out Halloween parties the last week of August and they sold last year of course they’re going to try an extra week earlier this year and the hours for the party days are out now 5-8 months in advance so if you feel like you’re being ripped off by not having a “full” park day you have plenty of notice to not go on those days... we had a room booked at pop for our April stay and I changed it to an offsite hotel for over $300 less and now we’ve added EMM and a dessert party instead, it’s all about choices, make the ones that make you happy and you feel comfortable with and for some people that means not going to Disney at all

 

[robinb]

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...

It is not just you. We are done with WDW until NYE of this year. That would be our longest time between WDW trips as we always have 2 and sometimes more. At least that's the plan and if things change we'll be going later rather than earlier. HOWEVER ... my DH is working in Anaheim now so I might visit Disneyland. I have not been there forever and it'll be all new for me.

 

[cel_disney]

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

A full days ticket is for the operating hours THAT Day. The Party is not included in those operating hours.

Universal does Halloween Horror nights and closes super early almost every day. Not sure why this is such a big deal?

Actually - even when it’s not a Halloween party at Universal - the parks still close pretty early comparatively?? There is no requirement for the parks to be open at night. And I do believe that you can easily go to the 3 other Disney parks at night and NOT find them over crowded because there is a party at MK. Pandora, Star Wars fireworks and Food and Wine are going to draw evening crowds at other parks regardless of the MK but all are totally navigatable with a plan!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

A full days ticket is for the operating hours THAT Day. The Party is not included in those operating hours.

Universal does Halloween Horror nights and closes super early almost every day. Not sure why this is such a big deal?

Actually - even when it’s not a Halloween party at Universal - the parks still close pretty early comparatively?? There is no requirement for the parks to be open at night. And I do believe that you can easily go to the 3 other Disney parks at night and NOT find them over crowded because there is a party at MK. Pandora, Star Wars fireworks and Food and Wine are going to draw evening crowds at other parks regardless of the MK but all are totally navigatable with a plan!

I’m sorry but IMO (pretty sure I’m allowed to have one) the parks closing at 6 is ridiculous. Would be ok if it was an occasional thing, but several nights a week for almost half the year, that’s overkill. I’ve been to MVMCP innumerable times, and it’s really just OK. I also attended MK on many party days then hopped elsewhere for the low crowds. I am not totally anti -party, I just think that Disney is getting carried away with all these add ons that negatively affect other guests trips. But I am not one to blindly applaud everything about WDW like so many do.

 

[PrincessTess]

To say this is based on a matter of perspective just cant be true. I think some people just haven't reached the tipping point, or "snapped out" of the magic. We love Disney and continue to go, and pay for these up-charges as need be, but it is getting to a point where we feel like some of the magic is getting lost and that they only care about money. The resort parking fees, BOG prix fixe breakfast of $25 for a cronut (yes you can get other options, just an example here), and other raised prices is getting old. Yes, we are still paying it. But its quite disheartening to see things become an added fee when it didnt used to be, and prices skyrocket. I know everyone can pick and choose, we could stay offsite and avoid fees, etc.... but we dont want to, and have spent years enjoying our trips the way they are and wish it wasn't this way. I think most people can agree with this statement.

 

[michbaron]

The total number of Halloween and Christmas parties this year is under 60 days, that leaves 300+ other days to go to magic Kingdom, go to magic Kingdom the last two weeks of December and you can enjoy the Christmas parade and show without the cost, problem solved

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

I’m sorry but IMO (pretty sure I’m allowed to have one) the parks closing at 6 is ridiculous. Would be ok if it was an occasional thing, but several nights a week for almost half the year, that’s overkill.

I didn’t realize the had parties almost half a year. I thought it was around 50. That is a little much.

 

[Tomh]

Not everyone wins a trophy. Kids in the South start school in the beginning of August, should Disney back up the parties even earlier so they can go? Maybe they should cut the Halloween parties short and start the Christmas Parties in October? I mean, Halloween parties run til the holiday itself, the Christmas parties don't run til Christmas.

I don't recall asking to win a trophy. It is a simple matter of economics . . . if people will pay for Halloween parties in August, Disney will hold them. Since there is a significant population that can't attend parties in September, or after, there are a fair number of potential customers for August parties. I'm not sure what financial incentive they would have to cut the Halloween parties short, and start the Christmas parties earlier. A party is a party, as long as people are paying to attend, Disney wins.

The problem with all the upsells is they’re affecting those who choose not to buy into them. Taking space away in MK that used to be open to anyone for FW viewing and charging for it, ridiculous amount of holiday parties forcing paying guests out of the park at 6:00 several nights a week (lower hours but not lower prices), charging for parking for people staying at a resort but not those using the lot so they can get to a park without paying to park, those ridiculous cabanas (I know they’re gone now) taking up space, the list goes on and on. I admit I buy many of the upsells and I understand it’s nice to have different options but they should not affect people who are paying a lot of money for their trip too. And when they’re making record money, they’re screwing over their staff and not keeping up on repairs and cleanliness. Charging more, making more, giving less to guests and CMs. This will bite them in the butt eventually, all of this blatant greed and money grabbing. Yes, Disney is a business, but they were also a business, performing well, for decades without all of this nonsense. Some people will defend Disney no matter what, and act like if you criticize it you hate it. But I love Disney as much as anyone, and I’m still able to see its flaws. I’m a new DVC member and I plan on going for many years to come, I just hope they get their act together.

Interesting, you dislike all of the upsells that affect those who chose not to buy into them, and then admit that you buy many of the upsells. The reason Disney offers so many upsells is because people buy them . . . so you are part of the reason why they are offered.

it’s not harmless when people are paying full price for a ticket and only getting partial hours. And I’m sorry, a Halloween party in August is ridiculous

It is March, the Halloween parties start in August, meaning that you know 5 months ahead of time what days the parties are on, giving you plenty of opportunity to plan accordingly. You can choose either to go to different park on the party days, or you can choose to go MK on the party day, and take advantage of the lighter crowds (even with the shorter hours, it may well be possible to get more done) or you can visit Disney World at a different time when the Halloween parties aren't running.

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

No, you can't refuse to leave, but you do know the party schedule 5 months in advance, so you do have a reasonable opportunity to adjust your plans accordingly.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

WDW could announce that next month everything is half price and park hours will be extended to midnight and some people would still find a reason to complain.