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  1. #21
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    What I hate the most. Aside from a charachter meal or some heatlamp warmed clone (yes, clone) sandwhich, you can not get a good breakfast in the parks anymore. Oh how I miss my cinnamon roll appetizer before breakfast at Tony's.

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  3. #22
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    Good grief, Charlie Brown! From what I'm hearing, people will hate Disney soon and stop going, thus bankrupting the empire.

    First off, the dining quality has not gone down - all because of the DDP. When I first went, my lunch at the Castle was just OK(still the same), the selection at SciFi was pretty plain (nothing's changed there), and San Angel Inn served bland texmex(still the same). Liberty Tree has improved, the burger joints at MK still have the fixens bar, and I had my best steak ever at LeCellier on our last trip 2011. The food isn't worse, and it isn't better. It's still good, and I still like the DDP.

    Second: the parks are better today than they were 10 years ago. MK has a new fantasyland and new dining options. Epcot has Mission:Space, a soon to be updated TestTrack, an up-to-date SSE, kid friendly Seas and Mexico boat ride. DHS has an updated StarTours, which I can't wait to ride. How about Toy Story Mania? Throw in the AI Exp and the LMA, that's plenty of new stuff. And AK has added ExEv and a really fun live show with Nemo. Sound like a pretty good 10 year run for the parks.

    Third: the resorts are constantly getting updated. All of the mods have had AT LEAST one refurb in the last 10 years. There are two new, really nice value resorts. If anything, I think the bus service is better now than it was back in 2002.

    Fourth: the reason they're offering deals to get to WDW is because the economy is in the tank. Not because people don't like the low quality of Disney. It's simple marketing: keep the prices the same or go up with them, but offer deals to entice people to come until the economy is doing well. When I went in 2002, there was NO deal for my honeymoon trip, but now there's all sorts of deals. People have quoted Iger from back in 2010as saying the deals will be rolled back, but the free dining deal has gone from Hurricane season to August through February. Not exactly rolling back,eh?

    Are these the dark days for Disney? I think not. Maybe it is for America and it's economy - again this being the reason for all the discounts - but not for Disney. Is this their finest hour? Of course not. But from what I just listed, WDW is doing a pretty good job and keeping me coming back for more.
    My name is Gator. You killed my Sorcerer's Hat. Prepare to die.

    DL 2-17,8-17, 11-17; DL 2016; DL 11-2015; DL-DL-Hotel 2-2015; DL 2014; DL-Paradise Pier 2013; POFQ Dec 2012; CSR - Jan 2011; AKL-Kidani - Jan 2010; A.S.Mov - Dec 2008; CSR - Dec 2006; DL Feb 2006; CBR - Feb 2004; POR - Jun 2002

  4. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ms. Mode View Post
    I think some of the "ill will" comes from the computer age. I read several WDW blog sites and complaining is running rampant, it drives me crazy!
    I think you are really hitting the nail on the head with this one... there are a LOT of issues out there, but it's true... complaining & negativity just seems viral on the computer.

    I used to read comments to local news stories, etc., until I just couldn't handle it anymore... there was RARELY anything positive!! I think people just really love the chance to get things off their chest w/o the accountability of having to say it to someone in person... and although that's not quite as true re: Disney, seeing as very few of us would really ever have the chance to share our thoughts with anyone in a position to really listen and make a change, being able to vent and get our disgruntled feelings off our chest seems to be something that works in these online forums.

    Thankfully, we have a place here where it's pretty balanced... people have the chance to vent, but we also have people who are "meh" about the negative stuff and stay sunny & cheerful, and it reminds us of all the good things we may allow our frustrations to overshadow.

    I think the OP's thought that over time, we remember things more fondly also plays into it... I know that we've had trips that were good, and trips that were GREAT... but somehow, 6 months out, they ALL become great and it's easier to see the changes we hear about negatively b/c we like how it WAS.

    Things have definitely changed, and the almighty dollar definitely seems to be a huge focus, pleasing the investors, etc... and I'm admittedly a bit nervous about some of the decisions being forced on all of us who just love Disney, and want the magic without all the rest.

    All that to say... I think this is a cool thread... can't wait to read more comments!
    Blythe

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  5. #24
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    Seems like all the ones who complain (about the food quality, etc) are still the ones going at least once a year.
    If it's bad, then don't go. There's other places to vacation than Disney World. Vegas has great food and no dining plan, go there.

    From a food standpoint, I was there in '05 (pre dining plan), and then again in '08, '09, and '10.
    If anything, the food has gotten even better with time. Of course, we stick mainly to the Signature Dining places. I can see where maybe the Counter Service places have gone downhill, but if you're expecting burgers & fries at an amusement park to be gourmet, you're misguided.

  6. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gator View Post
    Good grief, Charlie Brown! From what I'm hearing, people will hate Disney soon and stop going, thus bankrupting the empire.
    Well THAT isn't going to happen!

    I do think WDW has some issues to overcome, and as I've said, quality of service in some places is one of them.

    Nevertheless, I highly agree on two points you made and wanted to comment again.

    1. Food quality has not got down: Actually, I guess I disagree with you here because you say it has never been great to begin with. In any case, I feel like we had some of the best WDW meals we ever had at WDW this year with highlights being Artist Point, Mama Melrose, and Boma.

    2. You say the parks are better than they were 10 years ago. Sure, some things can be improved, and others need a refurb, but I think the parks are better than they were on our first trip in 1998.


    As for people not going, I certainly won't be one of them. We've spent 8, 10, and 14 days respectively at WDW on our last three trips to FL, and not once did I ever regret not going to that other theme park. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike them either, but to me WDW will always be the best!
    Viva Darth Macho!
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  7. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dsnygirl View Post
    I think you are really hitting the nail on the head with this one... there are a LOT of issues out there, but it's true... complaining & negativity just seems viral on the computer.

    I used to read comments to local news stories, etc., until I just couldn't handle it anymore... there was RARELY anything positive!! I think people just really love the chance to get things off their chest w/o the accountability of having to say it to someone in person... and although that's not quite as true re: Disney, seeing as very few of us would really ever have the chance to share our thoughts with anyone in a position to really listen and make a change, being able to vent and get our disgruntled feelings off our chest seems to be something that works in these online forums.

    Thankfully, we have a place here where it's pretty balanced... people have the chance to vent, but we also have people who are "meh" about the negative stuff and stay sunny & cheerful, and it reminds us of all the good things we may allow our frustrations to overshadow.

    I think the OP's thought that over time, we remember things more fondly also plays into it... I know that we've had trips that were good, and trips that were GREAT... but somehow, 6 months out, they ALL become great and it's easier to see the changes we hear about negatively b/c we like how it WAS.

    Things have definitely changed, and the almighty dollar definitely seems to be a huge focus, pleasing the investors, etc... and I'm admittedly a bit nervous about some of the decisions being forced on all of us who just love Disney, and want the magic without all the rest.

    All that to say... I think this is a cool thread... can't wait to read more comments!
    You may be right about pining for how it USED to be. But that's because in my trips in earlier years, we never ran into grumpy CMs. (And I do mean never, and I'm not remembering wrong.) We didn't have to worry about when the monorail was going to stop running. The effects on the rides were awesome because they worked.

    And, the focus wasn't so much on the "theme park experience" as the "Mickey Mouse" experience. There was more of an innocence there that is gone now, replaced with something more cynical. Plus, something that has nothing to do with Disney, people in general were better behaved.

    While I do get upset about changes at WDW for the worse, I also believe we are now a nation of complainers, of people who believe that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I wonder how much all of this plays into how much we enjoyed our trips in the late 1990s and early 2000s vs. how much we enjoy them now.

    One last point: On our last two trips we visited Universal. Both times we didn't encounter any CMs who didn't seem happy to be there. The comparison between Universal and Disney was surprising to me; on our trip last June, there were many, many unhappy CMs at Disney. If you closed your eyes and couldn't see their name tags, you wouldn't have guessed correctly where they worked.
    Many visits over 35+ years!
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  8. #27
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    Dark days? That's a bit dramatic. I would have said that the mid 80's was the dark age at WDW...

    Now, I don't particularly see what a lot of people seem to. Sure, there are occasional poor CM's. Yes, things don't always run smoothly. In fact, I was quite critical of Art of Animation's food court in recent posts. And yeah, there are cut backs and instances where things are not working 100% of the time. But, you know, the majority of that stuff doesn't really bother me and in fact, I don't notice most of what I read about online.

    My feeling in general is that your OVERALL attitude in life reflects how you perceive things to be. If you go through life with a negative attitude, everything will seem like "the worst."

    I suppose a lot of this comes from the entitlement attitude of many people these days and the lack of any sort of real sacrifice in day to day living. It feels like people go to WDW these days demanding and expecting perfection, and then they are let down and come back and rail about it.

    I think the parks are still amazing. I think WDW is starting to fall behind Disneyland (in terms of overall value and experience) but it has been that way for a long time. However, the numbers don't lie. Magic Kingdom is still #1 domestically, with 17 million visitors last year.

    Now, where I do see a problem is with the overall pricing structure that Disney (both coasts) feel is "appropriate." The recent massive price hikes for APs (Disneyland) as well as the hotel rack rates that continue to be WAY out of the ballpark for the industry make me shake my head. BUT, I still contend that anyone who is paying rack rate is a fool. I have NEVER once paid rack rate at Disney, due to numerous discounts going way back to 1998 when I first took a trip on my own dime in college. I am fortunate to be eligible for the military discount, and I appreciate that Disney does that. However, I would not pay rack rate at Disney ever and feel like I had a good experience for the price. After going on a Disney cruise and seeing what Disney CAN do, the pricing seems even more obscene. Disney really needs a reality check on that, but I feel like their continuation of discount offers even after they said they were going to stop them speaks to that. They know they are pricing people out, and they know they can't keep that up long.
    Natalie
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  9. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gator View Post
    First off, the dining quality has not gone down - all because of the DDP. When I first went, my lunch at the Castle was just OK(still the same), the selection at SciFi was pretty plain (nothing's changed there), and San Angel Inn served bland texmex(still the same). Liberty Tree has improved, the burger joints at MK still have the fixens bar, and I had my best steak ever at LeCellier on our last trip 2011. The food isn't worse, and it isn't better. It's still good, and I still like the DDP.
    DDP has killed dining... No one can honestly say otherwise... The food choices have been limited, menus have shrunk, the food has become bland... As I said in my post, yes it has gotten better, but not to the top quality it used to be... And not worth the prices they charge... Better meals can be had off property.... and for cheaper too...

    Second: the parks are better today than they were 10 years ago. MK has a new fantasyland and new dining options. Epcot has Mission:Space, a soon to be updated TestTrack, an up-to-date SSE, kid friendly Seas and Mexico boat ride. DHS has an updated StarTours, which I can't wait to ride. How about Toy Story Mania? Throw in the AI Exp and the LMA, that's plenty of new stuff. And AK has added ExEv and a really fun live show with Nemo. Sound like a pretty good 10 year run for the parks.
    Parks are not better today than 10 years ago... New Fantasyland is only eye candy with very little substance.. A cloned dark ride which already has no wait time in DCA, Test Track isn't Disney's doing... GM is footing the entire bill and even went as far as to tell WDI that THEY will do the prefab of the minimal show scenes... Mission Space has been such a success that their plan to clone the attraction world wide went smoothly.. Wait, never mind, they never cloned it because MS isn't the success they thought it would be... Siemens paid for the redo of SSE and well, that descent is spectacular (black curtains, exposed chicken wire).. Let's not even get into that dumbed down narration by a boring Judy Dench... DHS' updated Star Tours was FORCED onto TDO who refused it, and when they realized they were going to lose, begged for a cheaper version of it... TSMM is only a Wii video game on wheels... In fact, you can actually buy the game for Wii... And it is also a product of poor capacity thus inflating wait times... AI is a waste and never should have been added into any theme park, let alone a Disney park... LMA is horrible and constantly rated as the least likely show to get a return visit (one of the reasons it is going away soon thankfully), not to mention it is a legal issue for the company as well... Everest is now just a coaster with a mountain theme... majority of the effects don't work, the Yeti is broken for the last 6 years, and now, how magical is this.. wait for it.. you can now see the TRAIN BARN since they ripped out all the bamboo... HOW MAGICAL!!!!!

    Third: the resorts are constantly getting updated. All of the mods have had AT LEAST one refurb in the last 10 years. There are two new, really nice value resorts. If anything, I think the bus service is better now than it was back in 2002.
    Talk to the Poly resort about being updated... The resort is in such bad shape, don't expect it to be the same resort in the next 5 years... And yes, include DVC in that... And bus transportation is constantly rated as mediocre...

    Fourth: the reason they're offering deals to get to WDW is because the economy is in the tank. Not because people don't like the low quality of Disney. It's simple marketing: keep the prices the same or go up with them, but offer deals to entice people to come until the economy is doing well. When I went in 2002, there was NO deal for my honeymoon trip, but now there's all sorts of deals. People have quoted Iger from back in 2010as saying the deals will be rolled back, but the free dining deal has gone from Hurricane season to August through February. Not exactly rolling back,eh?
    Iger says things to appease the shareholders who hate seeing people getting rooms at 60 bucks a night... They want people paying 400... And those deals have been so successful that the resorts are doing 60% capacity... If they didn't have those deals, image the ghost town the resorts would be???

    People are getting smarter about the dollar then spend... They are finding you get nicer rooms for less price off property... Thus, they are staying off property more and more...

    Are these the dark days for Disney? I think not. Maybe it is for America and it's economy - again this being the reason for all the discounts - but not for Disney. Is this their finest hour? Of course not. But from what I just listed, WDW is doing a pretty good job and keeping me coming back for more.
    Dark days may be drastic, but these days are the best for WDW by any long shot... They are teetering... And they know it... The numbers really aren't good for WDW... They have entered their down turn and until this management team is out or the upper management team removes any decision making from TDO, thing aren't going to get much better...
    Son of Jor-El.. Kneel before Zod...

    TRICIA JONES: I heard that you were going to propose to Brandi Svenning at some theme park. When are men going to learn that women want ROMANCE, not Mr. Toad's Wild Ride...

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  10. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aurora View Post
    You may be right about pining for how it USED to be. But that's because in my trips in earlier years, we never ran into grumpy CMs. (And I do mean never, and I'm not remembering wrong.) We didn't have to worry about when the monorail was going to stop running. The effects on the rides were awesome because they worked.
    Doesn't stink pining for the days when they actually cared about show and giving the guests more bang for their buck?? Giving them reasons to spend money and buy quality merchandise?? Pining for the days they at least acted like they cared about the guest and not their next huge bonus check... Yea, shame we pine for quality and not accepting the crud they force down our throats now...

    One last point: On our last two trips we visited Universal. Both times we didn't encounter any CMs who didn't seem happy to be there. The comparison between Universal and Disney was surprising to me; on our trip last June, there were many, many unhappy CMs at Disney. If you closed your eyes and couldn't see their name tags, you wouldn't have guessed correctly where they worked.
    It is all about morale... Where is the morale higher today?? At a theme park that shutters attractions, runs them at 50% show ready, hassles CMs, and has remained stagnant for years or a theme park that has seen attendance increase 30% one year, 29% another, huge increased in customer spending, huge increases in customer satisfaction, and tons of momentum going for it the next 10 years while your competitor throws press events for new BENCHES???

    Yes CM morale is down and it shows... Universal Team Member morale is up and guess what??? It shows!!!!
    Son of Jor-El.. Kneel before Zod...

    TRICIA JONES: I heard that you were going to propose to Brandi Svenning at some theme park. When are men going to learn that women want ROMANCE, not Mr. Toad's Wild Ride...

    BRODIE: Hey, now, be fair. EVERYONE wants Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

  11. #30
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    I have a slightly different take on this. Is this the dark days? No but if they continue at this rate, they can call it Six Flags of Orlando.

    But I think what got them into this situation is being Comfortable.

    You know you will have your visitors who will come atleast once a year. You know that little kids will beg their parents to go see that Castle that is on the screen before Disney Movies start. You know you will get your share of honeymooners and people returning for anniversaries.

    When you put that together without much competition from surrounding parks, you get "comfortable" and slightly lazy. Sorta like a marriage, when its new you are putting you best foot forward, but as time goes on you get "comfortable" and take each other for granted without realizing it.

    Well Disney, the honeymoon is over. Harry Potter and you can include Sea World has the attention of your spouse. Its time to get back to work and make that person realize why they fell in love with you. The last thing you want to do is go through a divorce ..
    Love my Pittsburgh Penguins and Penn State Nittany Lions !!!!

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  12. #31
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    This sounds like every other thread I read on the auto racing forums I visit every day. This track is doomed. This series is doomed. The TV ratings are down, the tracks arent selling out. Its all going to be gone within 2 years Things were better in the old days.

    Gloom and doom gloom and doom gloom and doom

    You will never re-live your good ole days.
    They were great. But they are gone.

    95% of the racing fans have no idea what the TV ratings were for last weeks races or that the crowd is off by 10% from the previous year

    But about 95% of those that are aware of the ratings and attendance #s are the ones who are on the message board 7 days a week

    Sort of like the 95% who visit WDW once or twice a decade. They show up and have fun and say that was fun and I cant wait til we come back again.

    They have no idea about how many people dislike the Space Mtn Refurb or how the Yeti isnt working like he used to

    But the 5% that are aware of those things are the ones who come here.

    Theres nothing wrong with being That Guy (or Girl) but sometimes one gets too close or too invested to see its really not as bad as you think it is.

    Im lucky enough to be able to visit WDW once every few years and when I go Im not counting light bulbs that are burned out or garbage cans that havent been emptied

    Im visitng my Happy Place

    And its still looking great. Dare I say it looks better than it did when I visited in 1971 and even 1991

    Lighten up and enjoy the ride Things arent as gloomy as you think they are
    We are Siamese if you please

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  13. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by KevMcNJ View Post

    ...Lighten up and enjoy the ride Things arent as gloomy as you think they are
    Last year, we returned after a four-year absence. I remember wondering, "How far had Disney regressed since my last visit?" There were so many negative posts that I was sure we'd have a poor time. That was far from the truth. It was one of our best vacations. The CMs were amazing. (I was expecting them to be short-staffed, over-worked, and miserable.) The truth is: if they need three CMs to cover a service, there were four or five there. I was very pleasantly pleased.

    With that said:
    I still have some concerns. My fear is they will go the way of GM (i.e. taking a loyal customer for granted. Provide less, charge more, and one day suddenly wake up needing restructuring.)

    • I hate the Dining Plan. My wife is small business owner, when we are paid prior to providing a service, the incentive to excel has been diminished. I think Disney figured it this way: Each family budgets $xx.xx amount of dollars for a trip. When they arrive, a large portion of their budget will go to food. But what if the food part was already paid in advance? Would the guest still bring the same amount to spend? If so, that would mean more $$ for Disney. Unfortunately, the incentive to provide quality food service has disappeared. I think we've all seen Disney's food slip in the past few years and I think it's no coincidence it coincides with the addition of the DDP.
    • Ride breakdowns. It seems to me that there are more rides becoming "darker" in an attempt to mask the non-functioning aspect of the attraction.
    • I am leary of this upcoming NexGen FastPass. I read (or heard in a podcast on this site) that since the current FastPass didn't generate the added revenue Disney anticipated, this new version will address the problem. Disney thought if they freed up the customer from waiting in line for an attraction, the guest would then be more likely to shop and thus spend more money. The problem is: we only budget for $xx.xx amount of money to spend. People will try to stay within their budget. So this new FastPass will then try to cram more people in the park, but handle the large crowd more efficiently. The problem here is: are we really enjoying ourselves if it's shoulder-to-shoulder, but well managed? I don't think so.


    It just seems to me those at the top of the Disney corporate ladder are more concerned with squeezing each dime from us and less concerned with our overall experience. If that trend continues, I fear it will lead to their downfall.
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  14. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by DizneyFreak2002 View Post
    DDP has killed dining... No one can honestly say otherwise... The food choices have been limited, menus have shrunk, the food has become bland... As I said in my post, yes it has gotten better, but not to the top quality it used to be... And not worth the prices they charge... Better meals can be had off property.... and for cheaper too...
    I don't know, I have to politely disagree. We just got back from a 14 day trip, and I swear on my life that we ate really well a table service restaurants, and I enjoyed most of the quick service food too.

    What I did notice was a lot of bad service at the QS restaurants, and average to decent at TS.
    Viva Darth Macho!
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  15. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by darthmacho View Post
    I don't know, I have to politely disagree. We just got back from a 14 day trip, and I swear on my life that we ate really well a table service restaurants, and I enjoyed most of the quick service food too.

    What I did notice was a lot of bad service at the QS restaurants, and average to decent at TS.
    I counter your disagreement. We used to consider dining an attraction to be enjoyed. To us, it is nothing more than something to be endured.

    Menus used to be imaginative and unique. They are nothing more than slight variations on the same food from restaurant to restaurant.

    DDP and character meals (read: overpriced under quality buffets) are the rule of the day.

    Our trips have become fewer, farther between, and shorter.

  16. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by A Big Kid View Post
    Menus used to be imaginative and unique. They are nothing more than slight variations on the same food from restaurant to restaurant.
    And, I counter this point with: if the "imaginitive" and "unique" menus were REALLY selling well, they would have not changed them. The truth is, they offer what PEOPLE ORDER. Going back to a previous poster's "5%" rule, if only 5% of the people are ordering the lamb, or the bison, or the duck entree (just very crude examples), they are not going to keep offering it! They are going to dumb down the menus only if that is what the sales trends show people want. My mom used to be a restaurant manager, and I used to work in a fast food place in high school and even then, if an item wasn't selling, you'd order less and less of it until finally, it would just go away from the menu. Restaurants are a balancing act.

    I do fault the DDP for artificially inflating the prices of the food while lowering the quality, but the argument about unique and inventive menus doesn't really hold water here. The DDP is not to blame for that...people's tastes are.
    Natalie
    INTERCOT Staff: Disneyland Resort-California, The Water Cooler

  17. #36
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    I wanted to say so much when this question was posted yesterday morning. I decided to give this some thought before posting.

    I am fortunate that I have taken so many trips and have stayed at so many resorts. But, that has its downside too. Disney has spoiled me with the "Magical Moments." I don't want or expect them. But, it sure is nice when it happens. Knowing how good Disney can be, allows me to know when Disney isn't up to snuff too. Therefore, my conclusion to this being the "Dark Days" for Disney is: Maybe

    From a business perspective:
    WDW is failing because it lacks consistency. I can say that my 4 trips so far this year have been anything but consistent. The trips have ranged from AWESOME to AWFUL all within 7 months. I don't think any business can last with this happening.

    Maybe this is the "Dark Days" or maybe this is the beginning of the end, or maybe the beginning of a turn around. Only time will tell. One thing that does seem obvious is that things will start to happen. WDW suffering through 60% occupancy rates can not last long. They will be forced to do something. I can only hope they do the "right" thing.
    Sean
    DL - '72, '74
    WDW - '84, '85, '86, Honeymoon '90, '93, '96, '00, '01, '03, '04, 2x '05, '06, 2x '10, 2x '11, 10x'12, 2x '13
    Booked for February 22-27

  18. #37
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    Other than finding an amazing lack of seafood even at the seafood places (is salmon REALLY the only fish in the ocean?) we really enjoy teh food. That said, they have room for improvement.
    "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day..."

    1973- Disneyland
    1981- WDW- OS
    1991- WDW- OS
    1995- WDW- CBR
    2000- WDW- DLR
    2001- WDW- ASM
    2009- WDW- POFQ
    2010 (November)-WDW POR
    2015 (December...with the grandkids)WDW ASM
    2019- WDW- POR

  19. #38
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by DizneyFreak2002 View Post
    DDP has killed dining... No one can honestly say otherwise...

    Parks are not better today than 10 years ago...
    Easy does it, Anton Ego (reference Ratatouille). I agree with DarthMacho above - the food is just fine. My last trip, I had some really good food. Some had gotten better, some is exactly as good as it was when I tasted it 10 years ago. None of it has become worse in my opinion, and obviously other's opinions as well.

    And yes, parks are better than 10 years ago. And I listed all the new attractions that make them better. If all those new attractions don't light your fire, I doubt anything truly will.
    My name is Gator. You killed my Sorcerer's Hat. Prepare to die.

    DL 2-17,8-17, 11-17; DL 2016; DL 11-2015; DL-DL-Hotel 2-2015; DL 2014; DL-Paradise Pier 2013; POFQ Dec 2012; CSR - Jan 2011; AKL-Kidani - Jan 2010; A.S.Mov - Dec 2008; CSR - Dec 2006; DL Feb 2006; CBR - Feb 2004; POR - Jun 2002

  20. #39
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    Red face

    I ahve to agree in 2009 we had free dining food was awesoem everywhere we had TS so this yr I book at a few same palces as that trip.. but I was TRUELY suprised in a huge way at the CASTLE for breakfast ..6 entrees that were very creative..I have the menu I can't figure out to post here...but I ahve to say MAma rosies staff excellent but the shrimp past was better in 2009 ther was more of it and more sundried tom. it seamed plain FYI new top chef at Coral reef the lobster soup is awful we all tried my daughters..OMG YUCK we are from maien so LOBSTER is a staple the soup had no teaste and we told the waitor he was "wicked" nice he said noone has liked it since the new chef has changed it!!!! WOW... even at the Crystal palce I was meh... in 2009 it was WOW...then again our waitress was meh, but the food was "POPPING" like it had been...even my DD6 noticed... I ahve to say NORWAY CS was verygood and JApan Dinning was excellent... thank goodness!!! but CS at england the fish was greasy...strange..I have my CS there every yr never greasy... I was just there... They definately need to add more fish and salad with the pasta meal well i quess we will see...
    Just keep swimming Just keep swimming

  21. #40
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    Mar 2007
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    I look at this from a slightly different perspective. All of the positive changes done in the past few years (new attractions, hotel refurbs, etc) will ALWAYS be overshadowed by the failure to execute the basics (CM rudeness, non-working ride elements, slow restaurant service, etc.). These will always be the things that people will remember. Once a company forgets how to do that basic, daily execution, they loose their competitive advantage. It is all about reinventing yourself while still meeting that basic customer expectation.

    As other posters have said, Disney is all over the place and not showing consistency in their decision making and delivery. The ratio of hits and misses is pretty much even; management should be doing the right things (not always the expensive things) to tip the scale back to the win column.

    Will I still go? Of course. Will I expect to be blown away completely every time? Not likely.

    2018 Port Orleans Riverside
    2012 Port Orleans Riverside
    2011 Port Orleans French Quarter
    2009 Grand Floridian
    2007 Contemporary
    2006 Grand Floridian
    2004 Polynesian
    1980 Day trip to MK

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