Further Reflections on Ou December Tip

[Stu29573]

Having had a month an a half or so to think about it, I'm actually pretty disappointed in our December trip. Looking back, I just seem to remember the stress of trying to get to FP+ times (some of which were wasted), huge crowds, wasted time and relatively little "magic." Maybe my hopes were too high. I tried to keep focusing on he positive and having fun, but it was work. It was my 8th trip, but my grandkids' first, and I wanted that magic! I just wasn't feeling it. Right now it seems like the problem was the crowds. I had been at peak season, but not for a few years. It has changed...and NOT for the better. I'm glad I was able to take the kids, but I feel like their first trip could have been so much better. I wish I could get a "do-over," but the combination of taking 2-3 years to save for the trip, and the fact that Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are going to be junk for the next three years at least mean it's not happening soon. If and when I do go back, it will NOT be anywhere near a peak time. I want my old, relaxed, magical WDW back. It was nowhere to be seen in December. I'm calling a "Disney-Fail" on this one.
Sorry just had to vent.
(PS The closed attractions and construction DID negatively impact the experience. I won't go back with that much going on- period.)

[SBETigg]

I'm really sorry that you're let down, especially more upon reflection. It is definitely an undertaking to plan ahead for everything. And then crowds can really change your outlook.

[faline]

Sorry to hear your December trip disappointed. I was there in December and felt a bit mixed about our trip but figured that was because I soldiered through a head cold during the entire trip. I know what you mean about wasted fastpasses. I hate having a fastpass, only to arrive at the ride and find there is no line at all!!

[princessgirls]

Very sorry to hear this, but not at all surprised. I feel like Disney doesn't care about guest experience anymore because they are packing them in.

[dtootsie42]

Sorry to hear that the trip was so disappointing. After our cruise we will be staying a few days at WDW before heading home. Hubby has said that this will be the last time we go to WDW for some time.

[MrPeetrie]

stu292573, sorry to hear about the disappointing recent trip, but I almost feel I can cut-and-paste your remarks into at least 75% of the recent trip reports posted here. Nearly everyone seems to have the same opinion: Walt Disney World no longer cares about the "Guests' Experience."

We are (were) HUGE WDW fans, but just look at my signature and you can see how our trips have been curtailed. After some disappointing October vacations, we purposely tried to schedule our most-recent trip during supposed "slow time" -- mid-September. The parks were jam-packed. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party was sold out and the Magic Kingdom was busting with guests. For how expensive it has become, the enjoyment level did not come close to matching the price. I hate to say it, but we don't intend to return to that for a while. FastPass+ was such an added sense of pressure for the trip planner, trying to guess well in advance for which rides would need a FP, then trying to ensure you traversed the park EXACTLY how you had planned it in your head months before.

Yes, sometimes FP+ worked very well. Yes, I was able to make changes on the fly (at times.) However, the apprehension of "what-if" was always in the back of my head until things worked out (if they did.)

[What if: I have a FP for POTC and don't need one, but do need one for Jungle Cruise and can't get one. What if: it rains tomorrow and we go to Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs) and switch the Magic Kingdom to next day, but no FPs are available for anything worth riding. What if: we go to the park tomorrow and attractions, which are normally walk-ons, now have extended wait times because FP has skewed the queues.]

As the family trip planner, that weight was always with me. When it worked well (and it did several times,) I felt very good about the new system. When our trip threw us a curve ball, it was an absolute obstacle to enjoyment.

As I have said in other posts, my wife remarked to me, "For the first time, Disney did not make me feel special. They made me feel like cattle."

No return trip this year! Probably not one to WDW next year, either.

[LandFan]

I'm sorry you had some issues this trip. I had a day or two on our last trip that were kinda let downs as well (11/2014) and I am just hoping that is not a harbinger of things to come. We are going on three trips this year (not normal for us AT ALL) and will have annual passes due to joining a couple of groups of friends on previously promised trips so it will be an interesting year. Next July I will have a much better idea of things... I hope it is more positive than negative.

In between we took another trip to disneyland last November and had a blast so if it does swing more negative we may end up out there more often. Luckily I have an aunt who has a very nice/large house, is a great hostess and is 25 minutes down the road from DL...