Disney “Isn’t What It Used To Be,” Guests Voice Their Disappointment

in Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World

Mickey Mouse Disney100 statue with Main Street, U.S.A., and Sleeping Beauty Castle in the background at Disneyland Park

Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the Magic

Disappointment has struck Disney fans once again as they have voiced their concerns over a decline in Disney experiences, saying one particular experience “isn’t what it used to be.”

For one hundred years (and counting) The Walt Disney Company has created magic for millions of fans worldwide, winning the hearts of generations with timeless stories, unique experiences at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, as well as Disney Parks worldwide, beloved characters, and much more.

Unfortunately, fans continue to think that Disney is losing its magic due to controversial decisions in the company and continuous changes at the parks, particularly since former Disney CEO Bob Chapek stepped into the company’s leadership. The latest comments have exposed a decades-old Disney Parks experience being affected, filling guests with disappointment.

Mickey Mouse posing behind a 100 sign for the Disney100 celebrations during the Disney D23 Expo
Credit: D23

Related: Disney Parks Officially Deemed “Biggest Rip-Off in America” 

Guests disappointed by Disney Pin Trading Experience

What started as an innocent call for help to verify the authenticity of a fan’s new Disney Pin sparked debate surrounding quality control throughout The Walt Disney Company, with guests voicing their disappointment at the decline in merchandise quality.

Redditor u/umnothnku recently posted on the r/DisneyPins Subreddit, asking netizens for help to verify if a pin from the popular Disney movie Encanto they had bought off Mercari was fake, as some of the authenticity indicators were off, including the “waffling” on the back of the pin.

Disney Pin Trader Cast Members_feature image
Credit: Disney

Related: Guest Shares Frustrating Experience, Says Disney Is “Not Worth the Money Anymore”

While the original poster was comforted to find out that, despite the less-than-ideal quality in the pin’s “waffling.” their pin was authentic, fellow Redditors took the opportunity to voice their disappointment at the decline in quality control of some Disney Pins they have recently added to their collections, including some items bought at the parks.

Redditor u/funtrixy commented, “Authentic Disney Pins have been having awful waffling in my experience. Not sure what that’s about, but even some pins I purchased recently from the parks would have had me double guessing their authenticity had I not pulled them from the racks myself.”

Users u/CloudyTug and u/cbwhobbes shared similar experiences, commenting, “My month 2 stitch attacks snacks had bad waffling. Disneys qc has just gone downhill,” and “I’ve had a few mystery packs that I bought in the park that has pretty bad waffling. I guess QC isn’t want it used to be? Good find though!” respectively.

Redditor u/cutielemon07 also joined the conversation, commenting, “Just checked my Bruno door pin. Wow. The waffling is terrible and it’s got a border. But I bought in store at a Disney Store so I know it’s real, Checked the rest of the set. And yeah. Your pin is 100% real, but Disney’s QC is 100% in the toilet.” User u/Upstairs-Bluebird428 added, “There’s def super new ones with weird waffling.”

Cast Member and Guest exchanging Pins
Credit: Disney

Unfortunately, less-than-ideal “waffling” in the back of authentic Disney Pins, one of the most remarkable signs to know if a Disney Pin is genuine, seems to be increasingly common in the iconic collectibles, harming the beloved Disney Parks experience.

Disney merchandise reportedly on the decline

While Disney Parks worldwide are packed with nearly irresistible merchandise for the young and the young at heart, the company has made some questionable decisions in some of the latest releases.

Inside the Magic reported on the outrage caused by the release of the Disney100 Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse ears, which were immediately sexualized online and caused a significant backlash against the collectibles. Additionally, we shared an article discussing if Disney had inadvertently gone too inclusive with adult merchandise at the parks. You can click here to join the conversation on these questionable adult items.

Two pairs of silver dripping Mickey Mouse ears.
Credit: Disney Store

Related: Disney World Liquidates Pricey Merchandise, Fans Concerned

Guests have also questioned the merchandise sold at Disneyland and Disney World, claiming that their shopping experience has been “b******t,” complaining that Disney merchandise has become uniformed and boring, and sharing that some releases have been the “worst merchandise” they’ve ever seen.

These claims, added to first-hand experiences with less-than-ideal performance and durability on some items, add to the idea that quality control is declining at different Disney Parks and Disney Stores, causing disappointment among guests.

Disney changes Pin Trading at the parks

While Disney has not addressed the manufacturing errors encountered on some items, including Disney Pins, the theme parks recently changed the experience to make it more enjoyable for all guests following complaints, particularly at Disneyland Resort.

If you visited Disneyland Park before November 2023, you undoubtedly saw multiple guests with massive Disney Pin collections taking over the benches in Frontierland. For a long time, guests complained against this practice, claiming that pin traders were taking advantage of some guests and blocking the seating spaces with their collections.

big thunder mountain disneyland
Credit: Disney

Following the complaints, Disneyland officials introduced new guidelines for pin trading at Walt Disney’s original theme park in November 2023. The Disney Park’s official website states: “Guest Pin Trading, outside of the use of a lanyard, will only be permitted in Disneyland Park near Westward Ho Trading Company, as directed by a Cast Member or a sign with the exact location, from park opening to 3:00 PM daily (subject to change).”

Additionally, guests must limit the items they bring. Only one trading bag, 14 “L x 12” W x 6” H (36cm x 31cm x 16cm) or smaller, is allowed. Such bags and lanyards are the only items permitted for Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure pin trading – signs, displays, lights, and other items previously utilized by Frontierland pin traders are banned.

“Benches or any other structures for the display of pins will not be permitted,” Disneyland Resort writes. “Benches are for seating purposes only.

big thunder mountain disneyland
Credit: Disney

The changes to the years-long tradition caused complaints among extreme pin traders, but the necessary updates have improved the experience for all guests at the Southern California Disney Park.

Coming changes at Disney Parks

While The Walt Disney Company has not announced additional plans to change Disney Pin Trading or other fan-driven experiences at the parks, Disneyland and Disney World are gearing up to welcome significant additions and upgrades to improve guest experience at the Orlando and California Disney Resorts.

Disney CEO Bob Iger recently announced a multi-million dollar investment to expand and enhance theme park experiences worldwide, including a land inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar franchise in development for Disneyland.

Additionally, Disney continues to push forward on a massive project expected to bring all-new shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences to the Southern California Disney Park and possibly even a third theme park, with the DisneylandForward initiative recently being approved and moving into its following development stages.

Concept art for DisneylandForward
Credit: Disney

Of course, Disney World couldn’t fall behind. During last year’s Destination D23 event, dozens of announcements were revealed for the Orlando-based Disney Resort, including expansions, upgrades, and new additions coming to iconic Disney rides, a project to reimagine Dinoland U.S.A at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a set of additions coming to EPCOT, and more!

While no official timeline has been released for these projects, we can’t wait to learn more about the future of Disneyland and Disney World under the leadership of Disney CEO Bob Iger and Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Josh D’Amaro.

Have you noticed Disney merchandise quality declining on your recent park visits? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!

Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks guest experience. No two guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.

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