It is hard to believe that I haven't posted anything here in about a year-and-a-half. And nothing about an actual trip in nearly 2 years! What has happened? I'm not 100% sure myself.
I have had a few journeys to WDW and Disneyland since then. We even spent a week at Aulani between now and then. My 2nd "Disney Tale of the Tape" book was released in Jan. of 2019 one would think that would add fuel to the fire.
Maybe I hit "a wall"? Or have some of the changes to the Disney parks experience affected my enthusiasm? Or... am I just getting "old"? After all, I was about 49 years old when I got "infected" with the Disney Bug. Now I'm heading for 61.
There have been many changes to the Disney experience. Obviously, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed many things, and the Disney Parks experience will certainly be very different for a while. But my enthusiasm seemed different even before the world-wide crisis. So.... WHAT HAPPENED?
Here are a few changes that may (I think) have contributed to my change in attitude:
CHANGES TO THE EXPERIENCE
FAST PASS +
Along with the arrival of the My Disney Experience system, and Magic Bands, came big changes to the Fast Pass system. When we made our 2nd ever trip to WDW in 2009, the Fast Pass system was easily mastered by the Disney "Insider". You didn't have to schedule your FP's, you would just walk up to a machine and get them. One person in your group could take everyone's tickets and get Fast Passes FOR ALL! And the BEST part of it was that the Disney Cast Members DID NOT enforce the times on the tickets! I mean, you could actually build up a handful of Fast Passes, and use them whenever it was handy for you! That was probably my favorite "Insider Trick" at Walt Disney World. But over time, it changed, and they began enforcing the fast pass window times, and eventually (with the advent of My Disney Experience and Magic Bands), the machines were gone, and you had to use your phone or a kiosk to get new Fast Passes, and, the times are enforced. Just imagine, walking around a Disney park with a pocketful of Fast Passes that could be used any time! And, you could just walk up to someone and give them away if you couldn't use them (of course, I would tell them that they were good even after the times printed on the tickets had passed)! Fast Pass Hunting is a sport that I miss very much!
I am not even sure how FP's are being handled at Disneyland/DCA in Anaheim. At WDW you pick your FPs on-line before you leave for your trip. That's fine and can even be fun during trip planning, but then to get more FPs while you are in the parks, you need "The App" - We aren't "App people". Our phones are basically flat flip phones. We don't have much ability beyond texting and calling. Yes, that is our fault, but that's who we are, and it makes it tough to navigate things around the parks. Going to the kiosks for more FPs is not all that great. For most people, the App-on-the-Phone thing is wonderful. For "Grandpa Dan".... not so much!
MAGIC BANDS
Magic Bands were a change that took a little bit of getting used to. They are used for so many things, including: Entry to the parks, Room Keys, Fast Pass, and Photo Pass to name a few. Some things I like (Photo Pass), and some I would prefer "the old way" (Room Key). It was fun to get a magic band for the first time, but I can't say that I prefer them over the "old way" - like they do at Disneyland in California. And for many, the novelty has worn off. I would bet that there are a lot of WDW fanatics with piles of Magic Bands somewhere in their houses! I have a few boxes full of them myself. I doubt this is what Disney had in mind when they launched this new system. I miss my old plastic ticket box that I wore around my neck. I would just fill it with my Park Ticket, Tables in Wonderland card, and Fast Passes, and off I happily went!
DAILY ROOM CHECK
If you are staying on property at a Disney Resort, you now have a daily "room check". A CM will knock on your door and come in to check the room. I understand, but I don't like it very much. We just feel a little on alert and unable to totally relax until this has been done. So on days when we are not going to the parks, it is a little uncomfortable. There was nothing like being able to just put the "Do not disturb" sign on your door, and hiding out! I understand that it isn't totally just a Disney thing, but it is still a thing.
VIRTUAL QUEUES
I know lots of people LOVE the idea of virtual queues. I have not done one yet, and frankly, I'm not sure I ever will. As I said earlier, our phones need an upgrade (actually I think I need an upgrade!), and the way things are right now with my "Low-Tech Mindset" and low level phones, I doubt I'll ever get to ride Rise of the Resistance, and/or any attractions that will have the virtual boarding group system in the future. I was pretty disappointed to learn that virtual queuing is the only way to ride the new attraction at Hollywood Studios. I thought they would give you the option to wait in line, but no... no other way! I hear talk that this could be the future of boarding popular rides, and that doesn't bode well for "Grandpa Dan".
TICKET PRICES
The prices just keep on rising. It seems like yesterday we were hearing about the possibility that tickets for the parks would break that magical "$100 Barrier". Well, that is now in our rear-view mirror and there is no end in sight. Again, this is something that is to be expected, but even a staunch Disney defender like myself has to draw a line somewhere. Less trips per year seems to be the obvious way to battle the cost factor, but even I find myself asking - "Where is this heading?".
IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME?
And to be fair, it is not just Disney that has changed. What about ol' Grandpa Dan. That 49 year old powerhouse that went crazy over the Disney Parks is now a (nearly) 61 year old geezer. Physically, I don't have the same energy and stamina that I once had. But that doesn't necessarily mean that I can't enjoy a Disney vacation, it just means that I like different things now. A Shady bench is now a featured attraction that competes with the "C-Ticket" Rides. When I was working, I would load up my iPod and listen to Disney podcasts all day long! Now that I'm retired (since 2015) I just don't listen to them like I used to. Every once in a while I'll listen to a podcast on iTunes, but that is a rare occasion anymore. I do watch more YouTube Disney videos though, so that may be a wash. As I wrote this, it made me realize something... I sure miss the original WDW Today podcast! And, now that I'm retired I have more time to enjoy other hobbies, and that has really made me "Slice the Pie" differently when it comes to free time.
COVID-19 CHANGES EVERYTHING
DO WE STAY OR DO WE GO?
So, now what? The immediate strategy is "wait and see". You know that we'll be watching the Disney News sites and YouTube Disney Vloggers very close to see how things go when the turnstiles open up. Right now, the thought of going into the parks is not nearly as exciting as it used to be for us. The missus and I have agreed that we would like to use our DVC points for a "Non-Park" stay on our next trip. We had long talked about doing such a trip, but the parks were just too tempting not to go to, plus, we were AP holders most of the time, so it just didn't make sense. Now, we did not renew our AP's and with all that has changed, this may be the perfect time to dip our toes into the waters of the Disney Fountain of Youth by doing a "resort only" trip. A week at Old Key West or Kidani Village sounds pretty sweet to this ol' couple of Grandparents! But deep down, we just KNOW, that when our "Disney Sweeties" (Daughter and Granddaughters) ask us about going to Walt Disney World, we will say "What Parks on what days?" and we'll be in the parks again!
Get your Copy of Dan's Books:
DISNEY TALE OF THE TAPE
DISNEY TALE OF THE TAPE (Volume 2)
