Would you recommend THIS board to someone planning their first trip?

[BuckeyeBama]

One other comment about the general "tone" of this forum - When I first found this site, I was amazed at how supportive of Disney most of the posters were. Yes, there were those who kept the field honest, so to speak, but most posts were positive and supportive - even as Disney made changes and mistakes.

On the Dis, the glass was half full.

Now, I was not a member then and I really did not read enough to keep track of who was posting what, but it seems that some of the same posters have flipped to now holding a negative view of Disney. I would never suggest to another person that they have the wrong opinion about anything. Opinions are too personal. But these posters seem to be the same ones that used to caution others not to be too negative - to give Disney the benefit of the doubt. They kept pointing out positives in the face of negatives.

So, what happened to those people? Why are they now exhibiting the very behavior that they used to decry? Disney may be making mistakes, but are you really willing to let their mistakes change your attitude?

On the Dis, the glass is now half empty.

 

[surferdave]

It makes this forum look like candy land.

Cloud Cuckoo Land, where there's no negativity of any kind!!!!

 

[mom2rtk]

So, what happened to those people? Why are they now exhibiting the very behavior that they used to decry? Disney may be making mistakes, but are you really willing to let their mistakes change your attitude?

On the Dis, the glass is now half empty.

Don't you find it odd that so many people would apparently all change at the same time?

Isn't it possible it's not about the people changing?

 

[JoshuaShaw]

Maybe it's because I've spent the last 14 years on many different boards, most comic book or nerd related so I've seen some pretty despicable behavior, but this is one of the few boards where I can genuinely say the majority of posters are calm, rational, well-spoken human beings. While it may not be a bastion of undiluted Disney love, it's rare to see discussion devolve into an all-out flame war of personal attacks and name-calling.

Cloud Cuckoo Land, where there's no negativity of any kind!!!!

Somewhere in the bowels of Cloud Cuckoo Land, Frank Reynolds is playing Russian roulette with a gang of hardened Vietnamese.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Don't you find it odd that so many people would apparently all change at the same time?

Isn't it possible it's not about the people changing?

Here is how I would answer this question if it were asked of me by my boys - You own your attitude and your behavior. You cannot blame it on anyone but yourself. If someone else hits you in the mouth and you decide to hit them back, your decision to strike them is your own, not theirs. They are not responsible for your behavior, you are. And only you will have to live with the consequences of your behavior.

So, is Disney doing things that are worthy of criticism? Absolutely. But does that make it okay to behave in this way? Absolutely not.

 

[mom2rtk]

Here is how I would answer this question if it were asked of me by my boys - You own your attitude and your behavior. You cannot blame it on anyone but yourself. If someone else hits you in the mouth and you decide to hit them back, your decision to strike them is your own, not theirs. They are not responsible for your behavior, you are. And only you will have to live with the consequences of your behavior.

So, is Disney doing things that are worthy of criticism? Absolutely. But does that make it okay to behave in this way? Absolutely not.

So you are equating voicing opposition to a change in theme park benefits to having a fist fight?

Always interesting.

 

[aprincessatlast]

NO WAY! I have been reading here for years and anyone who says this place has not changed is fooling themselves. I am embarrassed to say where I read something if I saw it here. I usually mention another sight casually. It has taken time but something I have learned is that This place is for the crazies! The same people post the same argument over and over and over again. So many silly dramas. The list goes on!

I mean seriously where else can you read a trip report and then chat about running a race with someone and then this month they are in jail for MURDER? Yup the crazies. Of course if you want to chat about it the thread will go poof. Yep Only the DIS

 

[BuckeyeBama]

So you are equating voicing opposition to a change in theme park benefits to having a fist fight?

Always interesting.

No, but nice try.

I am pointing out that even in far more extreme situations, you still own your own behavior. When it comes to something as meaningless as Fast Passes, what could your excuse for poor behavior possibly be?

How lame does it sound when you try to explain to someone else why you (the larger you) have to point out hundreds of times to different posters all of the things that Disney is doing wrong right now, and how much it is ruining WDW for you and your family?

Expressing an opinion is one thing - but this horse was beat to death a long time ago. Folks are no longer expressing their opinion. It has gone way beyond that.

 

[mom2rtk]

No, but nice try.

I am pointing out that even in far more extreme situations, you still own your own behavior. When it comes to something as meaningless as Fast Passes, what could your excuse for poor behavior possibly be?

How lame does it sound when you try to explain to someone else why you (the larger you) have to point out hundreds of times to different posters all of the things that Disney is doing wrong right now, and how much it is ruining WDW for you and your family?

Expressing an opinion is one thing - but this horse was beat to death a long time ago. Folks are no longer expressing their opinion. It has gone way beyond that.

I'm sleeping just fine. I would have no problem having my kids see a single thing I have posted here.

 

[Brian Noble]

Don't you find it odd that so many people would apparently all change at the same time?

Isn't it possible it's not about the people changing?

It's not about the people changing. But that doesn't make this board any better for new people seeking advice.

Fundamentally, the thing that changed was that those in-the-know have much less of an advantage over the "average guest" than they used to. And I am one of those people. I had a blackbelt in FP-fu. Guess what? So did lots and lots of other DISers. And, many of those people are pretty unhappy, because all that time they spent learning how to take best advantage of the system as it stood is now worthless.

I don't begrudge them being disappointed and upset by this. I'm not, as it happens, because I'm the sort of person who doesn't get worked up about things I can't change, even though I understand those who do.

But to a newbie, that's all irrelevant. They don't know or care what it "used to be like." It doesn't matter to them that all of our clever FP-optimization tricks are so much ash in the smoldering MyMagic+ fire. And so subjecting them to this collective reaction of folks who had something, and have had it taken away, just doesn't make any sense.

Indeed, the few newbies/casual guests I know who have gone to WDW have had a grand time, and really like the Brave New World. It's true that the plural of anecdote is not data, but even so---this might well just work out for the Mouse (or the Rat, as you prefer).

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I'm sleeping just fine. I would have no problem having my kids see a single thing I have posted here.

I don't try to keep track of who posts what, so that definitely was not directed at you personally. I apologize if that is how it came off.

But even if I did, this would be none of my business. Each of us raises our children in whatever manner them deem appropriate.

 

[surferdave]

How lame does it sound when you try to explain to someone else why you (the larger you) .........

I think he's calling you fat, mom!

 

[d1gitman]

I think of the perceived difference in the DISboard is similar to those using FB. Things run their course and plateau. The longer the DISboard exists, the more it will level off. Personally, I think the DIS has calmed down tremendously from a few years ago. If you currently removed all the threads about FP+, MDE, etc...the balance of the threads are repeats of the topics that seemed new and exciting and often controversial not that long ago. FP+ is certainly the main topic these days and lots of negativity flying around with regards to it. However, I also think there is a core base of DIS'rs that have outgrown many of the topics that used to get the perceived majority involved. What used to be a novel time of discussion, arguing and proving points has faded for some, myself included. The same holds true for my FB and many of my friends on FB usage from when FB first hit the scene big. For many, usage of the DIS has evolved, dare I say, matured.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think he's calling you fat, mom!

I actually come here for the humor from a number of entertaining posters. If I can help someone decide the best time to meet their favorite character, when to schedule a BBB apt in conjunction with a visit to CRT, or even how to choose the best lens to photograph the dark rides, then even better.

 

[Magpie]

I think of the perceived difference in the DISboard is similar to those using FB. Things run their course and plateau. The longer the DISboard exists, the more it will level off. Personally, I think the DIS has calmed down tremendously from a few years ago. If you currently removed all the threads about FP+, MDE, etc...the balance of the threads are repeats of the topics that seemed new and exciting and often controversial not that long ago. FP+ is certainly the main topic these days and lots of negativity flying around with regards to it. However, I also think there is a core base of DIS'rs that have outgrown many of the topics that used to get the perceived majority involved. What used to be a novel time of discussion, arguing and proving points has faded for some, myself included. The same holds true for my FB and many of my friends on FB usage from when FB first hit the scene big. For many, usage of the DIS has evolved, dare I say, matured.

 

[surferdave]

I'll gladly accept comparison to Carl Fredricksen! Now give me my Ellie badge and get off my lawn.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'll gladly accept comparison to Carl Fredricksen! Now give me my Ellie badge and get off my lawn.

 

[5dizneynutz]

A brand new, never-done-Disney newbie? Never, absolutely not. I'll explain in a moment.

However, someone who has maybe gone to Disney as a child but now is returning as an adult (i.e. someone who has a 'rough' idea of what Disney is/how it functions), maybe. But I would caution them highly about the negative few.

To explain why I do not recommend this board to a newbie;

In the (very) short time I have been here, I have seen a huge tide shift right before my eyes. The unveiling of FP+/MM+, and the DAS card projects both created a madhouse amongst this place (DAS created far less waves than FP+ has, but it still counts) that has definitely turned me off in terms of how I view this board and some of the specific users on here. I'm not naming names, or even hinting at persons, but the few that have made it a point to leap into any post, good or bad about something in the parks, and turn it into a bash/snark/snide remark fest has gotten old and overdone.

To someone who has never considered Disney until, say last night, I couldn't point them to these boards knowing they wouldn't get off the computer, grab a bottle of wine, and start chugging for dear life. All because someone(s) would bash them about with 'You paid THAT much for a night in WHERE?' or 'You're not REALLY going to use THAT method of touring, are you?' or the simple 'If you're not getting there at RD you're not getting your money worth. I figured it out for you, it comes out to ____ per hour, so waiting in line for ANYTHING past five seconds isn't worth the money.'

I've only been to WDW four times now, my first trip in May 2012, last (current) trip was February 2014. Out of those four times, one trip was miserable, two were so-so, and one was flat out magical. Guess which one was the magical one? The one where I didn't do what people said on here (for some part), the one where I didn't run around just to do everything because I didn't know if I would be coming back. Am I a seasoned vet? Heck no, not even close! Do I have a rough idea of what I'm doing for the most part? Yes, I'd like to believe so. Can I continue to learn more? Absolutely, who can't?! But that doesn't mean I drink the kool-aid of this board and spout it back verbatim, and I'm afraid a newbie who didn't know better would do just that, and end up with heartache in the end of their trip.

 

[sharadoc]

I think there are people who take on a cause, and make sure they comment on every post on that topic. When major changes occur, there are many threads on that one change, and the "negative nellies" with their soapbox jump on every one, and start arguments. I don't believe their purpose it to start an argument, but that's the end game. Folks get annoyed at tone, too, and sometimes it's matter of fact but is read by others as an attack.

I experienced it with the DAS change. There was 5 or 6 posters who posted the same thing on every discussion about the change. Always turned into attacks, the "how dare you think you deserve..." or "admit it, it was an unlimited fastpass". Turned me off for good, I no longer go on here as often as I used to, and I rarely post any more. And I thought I was one of the good people who made sure I passed along good information. But I can't be bothered any more because someone is going to have a problem with what I say. It's amazing how cold-blooded people are when it comes to Disney World.

And I'll say that I understand Disney's goal of the FP+ system really is to combat the type of people who frequent the message boards, travel agents who learned the tricks, and their thousands of friends who learn the tricks second-hand. The more you read, the more you see that the argument against it is a complaint about not being able to go on certain attractions many times (to get one's money's worth). It's a culture change, just like the DAS, and we all need to learn that our vacation style has to change and won't be like it was.

I never liked sending a newbie here, because the info was way too specific and based on many years of visits. First visits should be about discovery and learning to love the place YOUR way, not the way some people who go multiple times a year thing you SHOULD do it. Nor should you be made to feel that YOUR way is less than good, and that's what this board is now.

 

[d1gitman]

i'm dying cause that's my avatar for MDE!!! ROFLMAO