What is needed is a CEO who was a long time Imagineer and Walt like. He needs to have people around him one like Roy who did what his brother liked. And others who was Walt fans & the bottom line was not the main thing. If this can be done maybe just maybe Disney can be put back on track to save my Cousins creation with the help from Roy, Lillian (Walt’s wife) & all the Imagineers that helped!
I can’t disagree with the writer. Disney magic and charm is lost. I won’t say gone because every time I turn the corner and see Cinderella’s Castle, it still stirs some emotions. I say lost because there were too many changes over the past couple years that “magic” was displaced. I can only hope Iger reads, hears and sees guests desires and realigns accordingly.
I saw Disney go down hill after they purchased Miramax and paid for Pulp Fiction! My family returned to EDW in 1999 and WDL in 2008 – costs were going up up but WDW was enjoyable then but 9 years later the company was too PC – I go to parks to escape from everyday in your face antics –: Hope Disney enjoys their PC crowd cuz they lost a conservative customer!
My family and I have made too many trips to count from VA to FL to spend a week at WDW. This was the first year we have made the same trip, but instead WDW, went to Universal. It exceeded our expectations and our next trip will be back to Universal. WDW has lost its way, and it seems to have lost some loyal customers. But why should they care? Prices will continue to increase, rides will continue to frequently break down, the aesthetics will continue to deteriorate, but people will continue to line up.
My husband and four girls have been loyal fanatic fans of magical Disney world. Then our five grand children and there parents shared our love of Disney. We enjoyed our annual pass as soon as we moved down to Fl. We have been disappointed and disenchanted by all of the strictly money making , crowd control practices that have been put in place.We loved Disney and pray for the return of common sense , magical moments. We are waiting for Disney to return to accommodating the people who love them and stop gouging them. Return the magic. Our saying at Disney Was “Is it real or is it Disney”. Now it’s why did they take away our campground area for another hotel, why did they get rid of the backyard barbecue, why can’t we take a launch to the hotels, why did they take away all that we hold dear??? Please make Disney a wonderful , magical place again so I can come back home to WDW. Thanks for the chance to vent. Joan
My family and I would go to Disneyland in California 2-3 times a year but the year 2021 we went it was so disappointing the Security was very few people were Rude from staff to other families we saw trash everywhere and over flowing trash cans the food was little to choose from and tasted like new hired fast food workers cooked it they Only reastrunt that was still the same was Bangeld BBQ. The lines were long because most of the rides were down because of the low staffing it was terrable untill they restored the staff and reastrunts we Will not go back
They have gotten rid of Chapek, and now need to get rid of Iger. Bring in someone similar to Eisner, and things might start to improve. After 22 years as passholders, we decided to not renew this year. In my opinion Disney has lost its magic. We can only hope they replace Iger with a good CEO.
Disney has to up their game with parks and attractions.
Disney has to create new intellectual properties for film and tv. (Not rushed low production quality for Disney+).
Disney has to stop hemoraging money into Disney+.
Next year Universal.with the release of SuperMario, and then in 2023 and 2025 expansion of the parks with Nintendo World plus more will definately give Disney a run for their money and creativity.
Decisions being made by Disney are not just Iger, or the formwr Chapek…Ms McCarthy is behind a lot of the financial decisions but will do it in a way where blame would lay with Iger, and Chapek, and not her.
The continual increase in Disney park admission may yield a profit in the short term. However if the guests stop visiting the parks, in the long term, that profit means nothing, and especially the tarnished reputation being brought unto the company, with the CFO and others on the board or in leadership roles within Disney.
Lower prices would yield a long term, more sustainable profit. Money is easier to replace than a tarnished reputation.
One statement about political involvement, ideology and agenda….Disney has to stay out of it. Disney is an entertainment company and that is where is starts and stops. Provide quality family entrtainment without political commentary, influence or indoctrination.
Implement other cost cutting measures such as:
Discontinue MagicBands
Menu items use basic ingredients not overpriced “supposed nutritionally Whole Foods type of thinking organic vegan” for the parks.
Same with resorts. Lower the per night stay price and the long term profit will be sustained.
Sell off Marvel, or Star Wars, or Fox and or all non Disney original IP’s,…
(To be fair in a business decision, the Marvel IP’s make more money than Star Wars, so the decision is made based on most profitable). Star Wars, as many say is broken.
Stop purchasing other IPs that are way over priced and the return yields nothing in terms of profit, and more important fan loyalty to the brand.
Over the years there has been a decline in cast members as to how they interact with guests visiting the parks. This is not new, this has been occuring since the end run of the Eisner era. Newer generations of cast members just down understand the way Walt and his brother Roy wanted the guests to be treated. (Not all cast members, there are some great cast members out there).
This new Disney Look allowing for tattoos, beards. No No No. If you want to see someone with tattoos go to a carnival in the shopping mall parking lot.
Really cannot argue with SOME of what you have written here. However Disney discontinued their free magic bands a few years ago. DEFINITELY agree with the whole beard-tattoo thing. Disgusted me last time we went, which was when we decided Disney no longer held any magic for us.
I could not agree more! My husband and I purchased DVC 2007 because Disney World was our family’s get away. We looked forward to the magical time we knew we would have from the moment we handed over our luggage at the airport to magically show up at our hotel room. I do not need to run down the list of the lost perks we have encountered since that time because you all know all of that. My heart longs for those magical times again but if the c-suite continues to ignore their fan base they will continue to lose them. 💔
Our last visit to Disney World in October was definitely not magical. Our rooms at Polynesian were not clean with mold in bathrooms and a hair mane on my closet door. First time disappointed with rooms and for the price, rooms should be spotless. Manager did respond immediately and cleaned.
Genie plus did help but a family on a budget would be strained.
Bathrooms were dirty in parks and parks were strewn with garbage.
Also people post COVID have lost all social graces.
My son and DLI married at Grand Flo 11/2019 and had a wonderful time and returned 5/2021 with a great experience. 10/2022 was not magical! Won’t go back for a while!
We made the switch from Disney to Universal this year and already have our next trip to Universal planned. Between the constant price hikes, the removal of once-free perks to a paid for system, the drastic decline in customer service, and the overall run down/filthy atmosphere in the parks, we are done. There are too many other places to spend our money. Universal still has perks, and some pretty amazing ones, and they especially honor the US military. So yeah, Universal all the way for this family.
Disney has always been expensive but, there was a time when guests felt appreciated with perks that other parks didn’t offer, Magic Express transportation from the airport, free Magic Bands for resort guests, free hotel parking, maid service, free Fast Passes for resort guests, well maintained rides and attractions, etc. etc. These things made us feel welcome and appreciated by Disney and set Disney apart from the other theme parks. Once in Disney World you entred a whole environment geared toward your entertainment and isolation from real-world issues. Now you need your phone, you need to pre-schedule everything and the spontaneity, which was so much of the fun element has been taken away. Disney has succeeded in dividing the haves and have nots with their pay-per-ride, pay-per-perk, Genie+
add-ons. Yes, the Magic is indeed gone. Unfortunately it’s gone for good.
Park tickets for a day are more than my discretionary income after inflation stole the rest of my money. Rent food electric are $700 more this year which was my vacation budget, I really enjoy your blog because I can’t afford to go any more. Articles like this make me go oh well I’m not missing much lol
Disney, for right or wrong, inserted itself into politics. No company should allow ANY group of employees, even unions, to dictate a political stance. If a company kowtows to any group, as Disney did with regard to a certain bill in Florida, it risks alienating other groups. Coupling Disney’s entry into politics with the obvious dissatisfaction of guests at its many theme parks, truly makes the Disney magic disappear. I was a Florida resident from 1971 until 2006, and Walt Disney World was like a second home. I can’t imagine going there again.
While I agree that with all the changes we’ve seen in the last few years, that the magic has definitely been lost; the op-ed writer referenced in the article complained about nothing but crowds. I doubt that will do anything but please Iger. It’s only when people get fed up and decide to spend their vacation dollars elsewhere that there is any hope of change. At some point, the glut of travel booked in the wake of people being finally freed from Covid lockdowns will start slowing down. The fact that the economy has taken such a nose dive in the last couple of years will play into the lessening amount of disposable income people have to travel as well. When that starts happening, perhaps we’ll start to see some changes in the parks in order to lure people back. Until then, Iger will just look at it as an “if it aint broke (still big crowds coming), don’t fix it”.
Comments for Major Publication Claims Disney Has Lost Its Magic
Gary
You got it right and maybe you can help in Disney getting back its magic!
Gary
What is needed is a CEO who was a long time Imagineer and Walt like. He needs to have people around him one like Roy who did what his brother liked. And others who was Walt fans & the bottom line was not the main thing. If this can be done maybe just maybe Disney can be put back on track to save my Cousins creation with the help from Roy, Lillian (Walt’s wife) & all the Imagineers that helped!
Marie
Exactly! Although there will never be another Walt, you’re right. WDW needs someone with as similar a mindset and creativity as possible.
Gary
Thank you ma-am for confirming what I think was needed.
Mickeymouse3
I can’t disagree with the writer. Disney magic and charm is lost. I won’t say gone because every time I turn the corner and see Cinderella’s Castle, it still stirs some emotions. I say lost because there were too many changes over the past couple years that “magic” was displaced. I can only hope Iger reads, hears and sees guests desires and realigns accordingly.
Lisa
My thoughts exactly
Scott C.
I saw Disney go down hill after they purchased Miramax and paid for Pulp Fiction! My family returned to EDW in 1999 and WDL in 2008 – costs were going up up but WDW was enjoyable then but 9 years later the company was too PC – I go to parks to escape from everyday in your face antics –: Hope Disney enjoys their PC crowd cuz they lost a conservative customer!
Anderson
My family and I have made too many trips to count from VA to FL to spend a week at WDW. This was the first year we have made the same trip, but instead WDW, went to Universal. It exceeded our expectations and our next trip will be back to Universal. WDW has lost its way, and it seems to have lost some loyal customers. But why should they care? Prices will continue to increase, rides will continue to frequently break down, the aesthetics will continue to deteriorate, but people will continue to line up.
Joan
My husband and four girls have been loyal fanatic fans of magical Disney world. Then our five grand children and there parents shared our love of Disney. We enjoyed our annual pass as soon as we moved down to Fl. We have been disappointed and disenchanted by all of the strictly money making , crowd control practices that have been put in place.We loved Disney and pray for the return of common sense , magical moments. We are waiting for Disney to return to accommodating the people who love them and stop gouging them. Return the magic. Our saying at Disney Was “Is it real or is it Disney”. Now it’s why did they take away our campground area for another hotel, why did they get rid of the backyard barbecue, why can’t we take a launch to the hotels, why did they take away all that we hold dear??? Please make Disney a wonderful , magical place again so I can come back home to WDW. Thanks for the chance to vent. Joan
Daryl-Rhys
Don’t waste your money. Nobody is impressed by Universal. You are just angry and emotional.
Brenda Kreitzer
My family and I would go to Disneyland in California 2-3 times a year but the year 2021 we went it was so disappointing the Security was very few people were Rude from staff to other families we saw trash everywhere and over flowing trash cans the food was little to choose from and tasted like new hired fast food workers cooked it they Only reastrunt that was still the same was Bangeld BBQ. The lines were long because most of the rides were down because of the low staffing it was terrable untill they restored the staff and reastrunts we Will not go back
pikkurtooker
They have gotten rid of Chapek, and now need to get rid of Iger. Bring in someone similar to Eisner, and things might start to improve. After 22 years as passholders, we decided to not renew this year. In my opinion Disney has lost its magic. We can only hope they replace Iger with a good CEO.
Royz
The article is correct.
Disney Magic is fading…but not all gone, yet.
Disney has to up their game with parks and attractions.
Disney has to create new intellectual properties for film and tv. (Not rushed low production quality for Disney+).
Disney has to stop hemoraging money into Disney+.
Next year Universal.with the release of SuperMario, and then in 2023 and 2025 expansion of the parks with Nintendo World plus more will definately give Disney a run for their money and creativity.
Decisions being made by Disney are not just Iger, or the formwr Chapek…Ms McCarthy is behind a lot of the financial decisions but will do it in a way where blame would lay with Iger, and Chapek, and not her.
The continual increase in Disney park admission may yield a profit in the short term. However if the guests stop visiting the parks, in the long term, that profit means nothing, and especially the tarnished reputation being brought unto the company, with the CFO and others on the board or in leadership roles within Disney.
Lower prices would yield a long term, more sustainable profit. Money is easier to replace than a tarnished reputation.
One statement about political involvement, ideology and agenda….Disney has to stay out of it. Disney is an entertainment company and that is where is starts and stops. Provide quality family entrtainment without political commentary, influence or indoctrination.
Implement other cost cutting measures such as:
Discontinue MagicBands
Menu items use basic ingredients not overpriced “supposed nutritionally Whole Foods type of thinking organic vegan” for the parks.
Same with resorts. Lower the per night stay price and the long term profit will be sustained.
Sell off Marvel, or Star Wars, or Fox and or all non Disney original IP’s,…
(To be fair in a business decision, the Marvel IP’s make more money than Star Wars, so the decision is made based on most profitable). Star Wars, as many say is broken.
Stop purchasing other IPs that are way over priced and the return yields nothing in terms of profit, and more important fan loyalty to the brand.
Over the years there has been a decline in cast members as to how they interact with guests visiting the parks. This is not new, this has been occuring since the end run of the Eisner era. Newer generations of cast members just down understand the way Walt and his brother Roy wanted the guests to be treated. (Not all cast members, there are some great cast members out there).
This new Disney Look allowing for tattoos, beards. No No No. If you want to see someone with tattoos go to a carnival in the shopping mall parking lot.
Jo
Really cannot argue with SOME of what you have written here. However Disney discontinued their free magic bands a few years ago. DEFINITELY agree with the whole beard-tattoo thing. Disgusted me last time we went, which was when we decided Disney no longer held any magic for us.
Mary Ann
I could not agree more! My husband and I purchased DVC 2007 because Disney World was our family’s get away. We looked forward to the magical time we knew we would have from the moment we handed over our luggage at the airport to magically show up at our hotel room. I do not need to run down the list of the lost perks we have encountered since that time because you all know all of that. My heart longs for those magical times again but if the c-suite continues to ignore their fan base they will continue to lose them. 💔
MCG
Our last visit to Disney World in October was definitely not magical. Our rooms at Polynesian were not clean with mold in bathrooms and a hair mane on my closet door. First time disappointed with rooms and for the price, rooms should be spotless. Manager did respond immediately and cleaned.
Genie plus did help but a family on a budget would be strained.
Bathrooms were dirty in parks and parks were strewn with garbage.
Also people post COVID have lost all social graces.
My son and DLI married at Grand Flo 11/2019 and had a wonderful time and returned 5/2021 with a great experience. 10/2022 was not magical! Won’t go back for a while!
Jo
We made the switch from Disney to Universal this year and already have our next trip to Universal planned. Between the constant price hikes, the removal of once-free perks to a paid for system, the drastic decline in customer service, and the overall run down/filthy atmosphere in the parks, we are done. There are too many other places to spend our money. Universal still has perks, and some pretty amazing ones, and they especially honor the US military. So yeah, Universal all the way for this family.
Daryl-Rhys
You might as well just kill yourselves.
GamerMickey1928
How about you shut up? Moderation please remove this person’s disgusting comment
Kathy
We were passholders for decades. We will definitely not renew anytime soon. Going to give Universal a try.
Mason
Disney lost its magic in 2020.
Bill Wells
Disney has always been expensive but, there was a time when guests felt appreciated with perks that other parks didn’t offer, Magic Express transportation from the airport, free Magic Bands for resort guests, free hotel parking, maid service, free Fast Passes for resort guests, well maintained rides and attractions, etc. etc. These things made us feel welcome and appreciated by Disney and set Disney apart from the other theme parks. Once in Disney World you entred a whole environment geared toward your entertainment and isolation from real-world issues. Now you need your phone, you need to pre-schedule everything and the spontaneity, which was so much of the fun element has been taken away. Disney has succeeded in dividing the haves and have nots with their pay-per-ride, pay-per-perk, Genie+
add-ons. Yes, the Magic is indeed gone. Unfortunately it’s gone for good.
Rachel
Park tickets for a day are more than my discretionary income after inflation stole the rest of my money. Rent food electric are $700 more this year which was my vacation budget, I really enjoy your blog because I can’t afford to go any more. Articles like this make me go oh well I’m not missing much lol
Aligoman
Disney, for right or wrong, inserted itself into politics. No company should allow ANY group of employees, even unions, to dictate a political stance. If a company kowtows to any group, as Disney did with regard to a certain bill in Florida, it risks alienating other groups. Coupling Disney’s entry into politics with the obvious dissatisfaction of guests at its many theme parks, truly makes the Disney magic disappear. I was a Florida resident from 1971 until 2006, and Walt Disney World was like a second home. I can’t imagine going there again.
J
While I agree that with all the changes we’ve seen in the last few years, that the magic has definitely been lost; the op-ed writer referenced in the article complained about nothing but crowds. I doubt that will do anything but please Iger. It’s only when people get fed up and decide to spend their vacation dollars elsewhere that there is any hope of change. At some point, the glut of travel booked in the wake of people being finally freed from Covid lockdowns will start slowing down. The fact that the economy has taken such a nose dive in the last couple of years will play into the lessening amount of disposable income people have to travel as well. When that starts happening, perhaps we’ll start to see some changes in the parks in order to lure people back. Until then, Iger will just look at it as an “if it aint broke (still big crowds coming), don’t fix it”.
Comments are closed.