Wow that was amazingly true! We have a family trip planned in April and sadly I'm not really looking forward to it. I'm waiting for Disney to charge to use the bathroom because I think that's the only thing that they don't charge for.
Great article! Unfortunately all so true and sad... so much can also be said about so many other places, services, companies. Sometimes I’m afraid that there’s no turning back 😐
Mar 21, 2022·edited Mar 21, 2022Liked by Brent Hartinger
So 👏 much 👏 to 👏 unpack 👏! My children and I are pretty much Disney addicts. It’s worse than a crack addiction. Way more expensive. Incredicoaster highs and lows. My parents were also Disney fanatics. My mom went opening year l, and that’s where they went on their honeymoon…without any children. My happiest childhood memories are from Disneyland. My family loved all of the movies, the music, the nostalgia. Recently, however, all you say is true. I so want the Disney experience of my childhood, but the over saturated commercialism and skyrocketing expense is overwhelming. We have not stayed in a Disney hotel for 10+ years because I cannot fathom spending the 350+ minimum per night cost (and that’s an off-season price). I have a daughter who is special needs, and I’m so grateful to Disney for their accommodations for people with disabilities. With the crowds and hours-long waits in lines, we couldn’t take her without it because it would be a nightmare day of seizures and uncontrollable tics. But they’ve now made it too easy to get an accommodations pass, and so many people lie to get it that sometimes, it’s not great. At Disney World last month we were in line to get my daughter’s pass updated, and there were three ladies behind us who were talking about how they just needed to tell the people at the desk that they had vertigo and a heart condition and any other myriad of “fake” (yes they used the word fake) conditions to get a disability access pass. People like this suck. (I didn’t tattle because I didn’t want to be a Karen.) But they are doing it because they don’t want to pay the extra for the Genie+ pass. And this is just another problem I see at Disney - the cost is SO high, that everyone who goes feels a sense of entitlement. The patrons aren’t nice anymore. There’s no sense of “vacation” anymore. Everybody is so balled up about getting their money’s worth in a day that buying a churro is like buying bread in circa 1982 Soviet Russia, and getting on rides is as competitive as being a contestant on the Amazing Race. It’s maniacal. I went to Disney World this year because it is the 50th Anniversary, and I’m 50 this year. But I felt so worn out by the end of the Disney vacation that I needed a vacation to recover. It was that high stress. I used to LOVE Disney at Halloween, and took my kids to the Halloween event every year. But the last time we went to that was the last time I’ll ever go. It was wall to wall people, and not fun at all. In order to control crowds, Disney raised their prices. What they should have done is controlled crowds. Limited entry. But no, it’s all about money. Raising the prices didn’t control crowds. It just made it inaccessible to anyone who makes less than 100K per year.
It is quite sad, isn't it? Disney was unique in its 'equal' treatment by giving everyone a few Fast Passes - I know it made us all feel like we got that extra special 'treat' of not waiting over an 1.5 hour for a ride. The fact that all guests were on equal footing felt, dare I say, kind. Chip, chipping away
After a gap of about 10-15 years, we went to Disneyland on the date of their 60th anniversary in 2015. We didn't plan it, it happened by chance. I am reasonably sure that was my last trip to see the Mouse. BTW, we had just gotten off a 14 day cruise on the Disney Wonder from Port Canaveral to San Diego. We did enjoy the cruise a lot ... not too many kids on a repositioning cruise 2 weeks long.
Why direct your ire only to Disney when you can include Universal which I am sure has similar policies. Everything is more expensive today. You want to look back at what things cost in the 80's? My first top of the line Honda Civic cost $3,500. My first top of the line Honda Accord cost $5,000. Basic food is significantly more expensive than just six months ago. The base sticker price of an electric car is higher today than it was just 3 months ago. Car dealers are not selling cars below sticker but are asking over ticker. What's a poor person to do if they need a car with $5.00 per gallon gas? Disney is a business, a for profit business that can afford to invest billions in its attractions, not a not-for-profit business which receives government money so it can afford to stay in business while selling its products with no profit. And without profit to invest in upgrades and improvements, it stagnates and becomes old and then there is no reason to visit.
Wow that was amazingly true! We have a family trip planned in April and sadly I'm not really looking forward to it. I'm waiting for Disney to charge to use the bathroom because I think that's the only thing that they don't charge for.
Abagail Disney would agree.
://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-25/disney-heiress-says-skip-theme-park-visits-to-help-worker-rights
Great article! Unfortunately all so true and sad... so much can also be said about so many other places, services, companies. Sometimes I’m afraid that there’s no turning back 😐
My liberal heart says “right on” but my American brain says Disney is a publicly held business and behaves like one. Sorry Brent.
So 👏 much 👏 to 👏 unpack 👏! My children and I are pretty much Disney addicts. It’s worse than a crack addiction. Way more expensive. Incredicoaster highs and lows. My parents were also Disney fanatics. My mom went opening year l, and that’s where they went on their honeymoon…without any children. My happiest childhood memories are from Disneyland. My family loved all of the movies, the music, the nostalgia. Recently, however, all you say is true. I so want the Disney experience of my childhood, but the over saturated commercialism and skyrocketing expense is overwhelming. We have not stayed in a Disney hotel for 10+ years because I cannot fathom spending the 350+ minimum per night cost (and that’s an off-season price). I have a daughter who is special needs, and I’m so grateful to Disney for their accommodations for people with disabilities. With the crowds and hours-long waits in lines, we couldn’t take her without it because it would be a nightmare day of seizures and uncontrollable tics. But they’ve now made it too easy to get an accommodations pass, and so many people lie to get it that sometimes, it’s not great. At Disney World last month we were in line to get my daughter’s pass updated, and there were three ladies behind us who were talking about how they just needed to tell the people at the desk that they had vertigo and a heart condition and any other myriad of “fake” (yes they used the word fake) conditions to get a disability access pass. People like this suck. (I didn’t tattle because I didn’t want to be a Karen.) But they are doing it because they don’t want to pay the extra for the Genie+ pass. And this is just another problem I see at Disney - the cost is SO high, that everyone who goes feels a sense of entitlement. The patrons aren’t nice anymore. There’s no sense of “vacation” anymore. Everybody is so balled up about getting their money’s worth in a day that buying a churro is like buying bread in circa 1982 Soviet Russia, and getting on rides is as competitive as being a contestant on the Amazing Race. It’s maniacal. I went to Disney World this year because it is the 50th Anniversary, and I’m 50 this year. But I felt so worn out by the end of the Disney vacation that I needed a vacation to recover. It was that high stress. I used to LOVE Disney at Halloween, and took my kids to the Halloween event every year. But the last time we went to that was the last time I’ll ever go. It was wall to wall people, and not fun at all. In order to control crowds, Disney raised their prices. What they should have done is controlled crowds. Limited entry. But no, it’s all about money. Raising the prices didn’t control crowds. It just made it inaccessible to anyone who makes less than 100K per year.
It is quite sad, isn't it? Disney was unique in its 'equal' treatment by giving everyone a few Fast Passes - I know it made us all feel like we got that extra special 'treat' of not waiting over an 1.5 hour for a ride. The fact that all guests were on equal footing felt, dare I say, kind. Chip, chipping away
Seems like these days, access to anything that makes life easier is often behind a pay wall. 😒
After a gap of about 10-15 years, we went to Disneyland on the date of their 60th anniversary in 2015. We didn't plan it, it happened by chance. I am reasonably sure that was my last trip to see the Mouse. BTW, we had just gotten off a 14 day cruise on the Disney Wonder from Port Canaveral to San Diego. We did enjoy the cruise a lot ... not too many kids on a repositioning cruise 2 weeks long.
Mind boggling... A reflection of society at large.... unfortunately...
Why direct your ire only to Disney when you can include Universal which I am sure has similar policies. Everything is more expensive today. You want to look back at what things cost in the 80's? My first top of the line Honda Civic cost $3,500. My first top of the line Honda Accord cost $5,000. Basic food is significantly more expensive than just six months ago. The base sticker price of an electric car is higher today than it was just 3 months ago. Car dealers are not selling cars below sticker but are asking over ticker. What's a poor person to do if they need a car with $5.00 per gallon gas? Disney is a business, a for profit business that can afford to invest billions in its attractions, not a not-for-profit business which receives government money so it can afford to stay in business while selling its products with no profit. And without profit to invest in upgrades and improvements, it stagnates and becomes old and then there is no reason to visit.