Disney Parks Don't Want YOU Anymore

Disney is at war... but not with who YOU might think.

As we slowly exit the, hopefully, worst parts of the COVID-19 with continued post-pandemic record breaking crowds, we’re gradually starting to see a sentiment towards Disney fostered by the public and media, something which has always been there but has never really been a point of contention this large. This is the idea that Disney is wildly expensive.

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[onehorseopensleigh]

Why do we keep calling Disney a “Premium Experience” when they offer fewer attractions, entertainment, and food choices than 5, 10, 15 years ago? The company publicly brags about cutting costs and raising prices. They’re not a premium experience anymore.

[SquirrelsForAll]

As a former Club 33 member, I'll be the first to attest that guest-relations is no longer a concern. The artists who build and design the parks are the true magic, not the execs or low-level managers. Club 33, specifically under their newest manager, Luke Steadman, began treating their original Gold Member as though they were low-buck baggage and were no longer wanted or needed, opting for higher paying, new-level platinum members, primarily from overseas investors and companies. Wealthier members, paying more annual dues, who frequented the club much less. Higher profit, lower operating expense.
We began to see fewer and fewer of the original members who frequented and supported the ol' club, some for over 30 years and the membership constituency began to change.
Disney prefers higher-value guests who spend more, take up less park resources, therein, keeping crowds down, lowering park expenses, precisely as this chap states.
As one Imagineer told me, 'Disney has a problem... We can't keep people out!".
We drank the DIsney-Kool Aid many years ago and I'm happy to say, we're over it.
There is a real, non-fantasy world out there to explore.

[Pantheragem]

I was a Disneyland passholder from 1999 until 2019. My Disneyland doesn't exist anymore. I'm not going to Disneyland anymore. I don't come at it from a place of boycott, or protest. I do it out of self-respect.

[claudioccornejo]

Disney is like:
We’re all for equality and everyone is the same

Also, Disney:
We will make it ridiculously expensive so all those poor people can’t come

[melaniesmith]

As a former Disneyland CA castmember, I endorse all you have said. It disgusts me that greed has overtaken the parks.

[Skye_Writer]

Honestly, raising the cost of going to the parks in order to "cut down on the crowds" seems like a thin excuse to me. Plenty of theme parks around the world keep the crowds down by having a set park capacity and when they reach it, no one can go in until guests leave. Since you already have to plan your Disney stay in advance and choose what park you will visit AND they don't let you park hop until after a certain time of day AND you have to have pre-reserved that park you are hopping to....then they already have the data and analytics to tell them when they have reached capacity.

If you want fewer crowds, lower the capacity limit.

But the truth is that Disney has outright admitted that they are no longer interested in repeat guests like my family used to do every summer when we would drive across the state line, book a Howard Johnson's in Orlando for the week, and spend 5 days visiting The Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. They have literally said that they want to cater more to the guests who save up to make it a once every few years kind of trip. Originally, they incentivized people to do that by staying in their resorts which got them early access, free parking, passes to cut the lines, and snacks and meals all rolled up into the price. Now, even staying at the resort doesn't get you any perks. Now you have to pay to skip lines, you have to pay to park *in the hotel's parking lot* and it's harder than ever to get the reservations to the restaurants your meal plan will actually cover, and even the quick-service (fancy name for "fast food") places make you order your meal hours in advance.

There's no more deciding, "Hey that smells/looks good, I think I'm in the mood for one of those meals/drinks." And you better know what rides you want to ride the day beforehand and get up at 7 am to reserve your spot on that ride, or you just aren't going to be able to get on it. There is no room for spontaneity anymore, no room to have FUN at the park, and to top it off, they are having you spend even more for that lesser experience.

[LesterMoore]

Way too expensive for us. If I ever desire to stand for hours in a queue, I'll go to the DMV where not only will the trip be less expensive but I'll also get something accomplished.

[jojocookies]

It feels like a social experiment like some fashion brands do “will these people still pay 500$ for this trash bag? 🤭” Disney is testing it’s limits

[briansaunders]

Universal is surpassing Disney these days when you consider the overall guest experience. WDW is stressful and tense because everyone's spending thousands to try and offer their kids the same experience they had as a child. Disney is making that harder to achieve

[RiqueFresco]

I respect anyone who is willing to call Disney out when and where it's deserved. Anyone who isn't a shill, tells it like it is, and doesn't think being a legitimate fan of the company, or rather what it used to be, means you can't say anything remotely negative about it even when it's perfectly-justified. Hats off, big fan of your channel.

[briandavis]

I live about 20 minutes from Disneyland. I've had a season pass for decades, but no more. The best thing about Disneyland is that even without a pass, you could just show up, get a ticket and go. No planning, not a huge cost. Now you have to plan every meal, every big ride, and pay to do it. It's absolutely terrible now. The park isn't fun any more I can't imagine how it is for someone who doesn't know the layout or how to navigate the system.

[mikeboldrick]

This reviewer hit this perfectly. My wife and I started going to WDW in the late 90s and her and my son have gone at least twice per year since 2005 or so as they are enormous fans of the park. I will join them every few years because it is not really my preferred way to relax, but seeing them have fun is worth the haul. Disney has always been expensive, but has become egregiously so in the past 10 years. We just returned from 8 nights and I would have to say that I was incredibly disappointed with the experience. We stayed at a Deluxe resort which I cannot even call deluxe any longer. They NO LONGER have maid service. Your room DOES NOT get cleaned during your stay. 600 plus per night and you have to live in a dirty bed and a dirty bathroom for your stay. They are supposed to give you new towels every other day but that never happened unless you called housekeeping, and half the time they would never show. They used to speak about magical service, but they DO NOT care about customer service any longer. They keep removing things from the experience and charge more. I hope and pray that people will eventually vote with their wallets. The place really kind of disgusts me.

[sailormars]

Im by no means a big Disney fan, but I’m OBSESSED with the growing discontentment among Disney fans online. I love seeing everyone break through their nostalgia and acknowledge that Disney is still a corporation and though they can claim anything they want corporations exist to make money. If people will pay more for a lesser or equal experience they’ll let the experience suffer to save money on their end.

[technosworld]

I'm suddenly interested in that 20 day cruise from Hawaii to Australia

[jgatzby]

Being a Disney fan today, under the Chapek regime, is like being in a toxic relationship.

Even if you invested tens of thousands of dollars in previous experiences, the Mouse only cares what you are spending today.

With cutbacks, significantly scaled down regional theme park offerings and fully in-your-face approach of ‘paying more to receive less’ its a emotional play that will the guest will accept less and pay more based on past memories of better times.

It’s putting present day yield ahead of long term loyalty

[robinellison]

Walt would turn over in his grave if he saw the price gouging. HIs dream was a family park that was affordable.

[wmiller]

The biggest impact to Disney is their loss of culture. There was always this symbiotic relationship between the guests and cast. The parks are now filled with overstressed guests that have no emotional ties to the parks. With Disney’s reliance on nostalgia / everyday relevance to justify price, this current practice will hurt them in the decades to come.

[nathanielburbery]

Just because you are able to afford something does not mean you should be willing to be ripped off. Hopefully big spenders will also push back

[CattyWompus.]

I’ve been a Disney purist my whole life, but recently bought universal passes and am incredibly impressed. The product at Universal is just as high quality, the way they treat their guests is wonderful and the value is astounding. Very happy with our Universal passes and it’s now my preferred park. Disney just stresses me out now.

[Tati]

I remember going to Disney World when they had the paper tickets. I used to go whenever my family had time to spare (one of my parents was a cast member, and the company used to give away a lot of extra passes back in the day). I went to Disney for school field trips, or when my family wanted to celebrate something special. I remember walking freely, with no crowds, no lines wrapping around the sides of buildings, no exorbitant pricing, just a clear, straight path to that classic gray and blue castle. It was a beautiful time! It’s never going to be the same, but I’ll never forget how special the parks used to be.