The Walt Disney Company has been at the center of a brutal storm of controversy and backlash. Amid political battles with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, which have resulted in multiple lawsuits, Disney has also found itself pitted against its loyal and valued customers.
After a string of unpopular decisions under the guidance of former CEO Bob Chapek, The Walt Disney Company brought back a veteran player in the community and business, Bob Iger. Iger’s return signaled a shift for Disney, indicating things may not be all Mickey Bars and glass slippers after all.
If near-constant price hikes weren’t enough to challenge longtime Guests and fans alike, the removal of certain benefits would surely ruffle some feathers.
There’s no denying that the Disney Parks and Resorts have changed significantly over the last few years. Of course, a lot of this change has been good, with the addition of new rides at both Maic Kingdom and EPCOT bringing in a whole slew of new Guests.
However, the Parks have also changed in other ways, ways that some may argue were not the best. The aforementioned price hikes are a good place to start. Group that in with the removal of beloved Resort benefits such as transportation, limited hours at the Parks, and an overall drop in quality, some Guests may be left feeling disappointed.
This extends to international Disney Resorts as well, with the Disneyland Paris Resort embroiled in controversy as of late.
Aside from the intense tension between the European Resort and its Cast Members, who are currently on strike, the Resort just revealed a new Annual Pass.
This new pass, called the “Disneyland Pass,” replaces the former version of these Park tickets. Guests were quick to notice these were considerably more expensive and included less of the expected benefits. This decision has not been popular, to say th least.
According to Forbes, nearly 15,000 fans have signed a petition demanding Disney reinstate the expected benefits of this Annual Pass.
The new “Disneyland Pass” no longer includes features such as discounts on hotels and day tickets, stroller rentals, and locker storage.
An entire entrance to the Parks has also been removed as a part of this new pass.
Credit: Inside The Magic
Only time will tell what becomes of this petition, but looking at previous fan petitions, we can only expect it to be completely ignored by Disney despite being incredibly unpopular among thousands of Guests.
As we mentioned earlier, the Disneyland Paris Resort is currently battling against its employees, who began protesting for better pay earlier this year. For months, hundreds of employees have been publicly demonstrating at the Parks, blocking areas like the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle.
These demonstrations forced certain areas of the Resort to close, leaving Disney no choice but to offer Guest refunds. While there may not be much Guests can actually do, it seems Disney is losing the battle to maintain a popular public image.
Have you ever been to the Disneyland Paris Resort? Stay tuned here for all Disney news!
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