Disney Vacation Experiences

[Huntn]

Ah, the good ole days when Navy Night at Disney Land was $15. Of course this was almost 40 years ago.

Now a 1 day ticket is a steal at $120. Yesterday we visited Disney World on our way to a Disney Cruise departing out of Port Canaveral today. They've got quite the money making operation here. Everything in this park now costs an arm and a leg. Your choice of an $8 or $12 hotdog. Tip: The $12 hot dog is a better deal, the size of 3 $8 hot dogs. This was my 3rd visit to a Disney property and my 2nd visit to Disney World. The magic is gone. I only went cause I got my arm twisted.

Question about The Pirates of the Carrabean ride- at Disneyland, California I remember the first part of the ride where the boat travels though a swamp with a shack before going over a waterfall into the main part of the ride. However, in Disney World, the ride starts with a short ride through a cavern to a dark place going over the waterfall in the dark. The California presentation is better. It may be me, but both the Pirates and Haunted Mansion although completely unique rides are looking a little worn today.

I can still recommend the Disney Cruises. Those are all inclusive. At least you know your upfront price. I'm on my second Disney cruise cause I got my arm twisted for that too.

Internet on the boat: $.25 per Mb or 1000 MBP for $89. Type at you again on Monday!

 

[ucfgrad93]

Enjoy your cruise! My family has been on two Disney cruises. Well worth it in my opinion.

 

[Khalanad75]

Enjoy your cruise! The family have been on two and I'm trying to talk my wife into a 3rd one later this year. Ports out of New York and goes up to Nova Scotia.

But she loves the Caribbean and laying out, and heading north out of New York in October doesn't sound that warm.

 

[Macky-Mac]

I'm remembering that there's also a restaurant inside at the start of the California version of Pirates.......it's been years since I was there though

 

[960design]

We rotate between Disney and Universal every year. Still pretty magical to me. Admittedly, I'm easily amused.

Have not tried the Disney Cruise... will look into it if you all recommend it.

Best cruise I've ever taken:
14 day Barcelona round trip Mediterranean on Norwegian Cruise Lines... last I checked, they had removed the stops in Alexandria, Egypt ( plus Cairo ) and Istanbul, Turkey. So sad, beautiful places.

 

[maflynn]

Never did the Disney Cruise, but the wife and kids are anxious to try. I'm not, I'm not a fan of cruises for reasons I don't want to get into.

As for DisneyWorld, I agree its quite a money making operation, but still, I love to go. I'm looking to planning a WDW trip for 2018. The wife is suggesting we pop into Orlando for a quick visit this fall because of a wedding in FLA. We can then take advantage of a bounceback promotion to save $$ on our 2018 trip.

 

[AlliFlowers]

I don't do Disney cruises since one of the things I enjoy about cruising is being able to gamble at night. No casinos on Disney cruises.

For former military, if you're spending any time at Disney in Orlando, I highly recommend staying at Shades of Green. Prices vary depending on your rank/grade, and much better than any other park property. I've stayed there a few times, and it's really nice.

 

[Plutonius]

Ah, the good ole days when Navy Night at Disney Land was $15. Of course this was almost 40 years ago.

Now a 1 day ticket is a steal at $120. Yesterday we visited Disney World on our way to a Disney Cruise departing out of Port Canaveral today. They've got quite the money making operation here. Everything in this park now costs an arm and a leg. Your choice of an $8 or $12 hotdog. Tip: The $12 hot dog is a better deal, the size of 3 $8 hot dogs. This was my 3rd visit to a Disney property and my 2nd visit to Disney World. The magic is gone. I only went cause I got my arm twisted.

Question about The Pirates of the Carrabean ride- at Disneyland, California I remember the first part of the ride where the boat travels though a swamp with a shack before going over a waterfall into the main part of the ride. However, in Disney World, the ride starts with a short ride through a cavern to a dark place going over the waterfall in the dark. The California presentation is better. It may be me, but both the Pirates and Haunted Mansion although completely unique rides are looking a little worn today.

I can still recommend the Disney Cruises. Those are all inclusive. At least you know your upfront price. I'm on my second Disney cruise cause I got my arm twisted for that too.

Internet on the boat: $.25 per Mb or 1000 MBP for $89. Type at you again on Monday!

Disney has made many changes to the Pirates of the Caribbean over the years.

I refuse to go to a Disney park since they started replacing their workers with H1-B visa workers.

 

[OriginalAppleGuy]

We went to Disney and Universal last vacation. Never, again. We had a house to stay in and it still cost us a ton of money. Knowing that it would, I put it off as long as I could. Arm twisting and ages got to the point where I couldn't pull a Nancy.

I've heard cruises were nice. Hope you enjoy yours!

 

[ZapNZs]

For quite a few years, there was apparently a big underground thing where you could "rent a cripple" - more or less, someone who is disabled could register for a type of fast pass and go to the front of a line with like 3 guests in their party. Well, it appears that rich people decided they wanted in on this, so they started "renting" a "grandma!" or "grandpa!" or "cousin!" or "nephew!" These "informal tour guides" supposedly made bank. Not surprisingly, Disney had to change their policy upon the realization that such an underground market not only existed, but was quite common and lucrative. My buddies tell me that I might have missed my calling in life as I could have made bank going on amusement rides with strangers who would give me money. On one hand, as someone who could qualify to be "rented," I find the whole thing pathetically funny. On the other hand, I find it really sad and infuriating since it likely ruined the experience for those with children with severe challenges. But since they say it is the happiest place on earth...

I didn't realize it was up to $120...that's pretty nuts. I'm pretty close to Hershey Park, and with local coupons it is only about $30-35 to get in, and I think their family-quality entertainment and atmosphere is more welcoming than Disney, so I don't know if I could swallow 120 x 5... And for those looking for a bat poop crazy experience, there's always Cedar Point...

 

[OriginalAppleGuy]

I'm pretty close to Hershey Park

Been to Hershey - very impressed. The experience was so much better than Disney.

 

[AustinIllini]

For quite a few years, there was apparently a big underground thing where you could "rent a cripple" - more or less, someone who is disabled could register for a type of fast pass and go to the front of a line with like 3 guests in their party. Well, it appears that rich people decided they wanted in on this, so they started "renting" a "grandma!" or "grandpa!" or "cousin!" or "nephew!" These "informal tour guides" supposedly made bank. Not surprisingly, Disney had to change their policy upon the realization that such an underground market not only existed, but was quite common and lucrative. My buddies tell me that I might have missed my calling in life as I could have made bank going on amusement rides with strangers who would give me money. On one hand, as someone who could qualify to be "rented," I find the whole thing pathetically funny. On the other hand, I find it really sad and infuriating since it likely ruined the experience for those with children with severe challenges. But since they say it is the happiest place on earth...

I didn't realize it was up to $120...that's pretty nuts. I'm pretty close to Hershey Park, and with local coupons it is only about $30-35 to get in, and I think their family-quality entertainment and atmosphere is more welcoming than Disney, so I don't know if I could swallow 120 x 5... And for those looking for a bat poop crazy experience, there's always Cedar Point...

I have an autistic sibling. Honestly, the new policy is fine. They have managed to address this issue in a more fair way.

 

[Huntn]

Disney has made many changes to the Pirates of the Caribbean over the years.

I refuse to go to a Disney park since they started replacing their workers with H1-B visa workers.

That's inexcusable. I had no idea, however I'm not surprised. Cruises in general seem to be manned by third world workers who work for something like 8 month shots and go home for a month.

I'm sitting at the MCO airport waiting for our flight, so not home yet.

 

[ejb190]

I was a Cast Member back in 1995-96 at Epcot. At that time Disney just let wheelchairs right to the front of the line. The changes started when groups of kids would rent a wheelchair and take turns sitting in it. They would cruse up to a line and walk on with ten or so people. It got to be kind of ridiculous.

The use of H1-B is concerning, but there's another thing that Disney is doing that most people aren't aware of. The Disney College Program hires thousands of college students and offers them "experience" in exchange for low wages and minimal hours for a 4 month program. I was in the Professional Intern program, but lived in the College Program apartments. There was one apartment complex when I was there. Now there are 4 apartment complexes at WDW - so it's grown a bit. Most of these kids come home with less money than they started with - they have to maintain college enrollment as well.

If you do a bit of searching, there are fan web sites dedicated to Pirates and the Haunted Mansion (among other rides) that outline the history and the differences between the attractions at different parks. There used to be a site with the blueprints of the different Haunted Mansion ride tracks. Pretty interesting stuff - especially when you've been backstage yourself!

 

[Huntn]

Enjoy your cruise! My family has been on two Disney cruises. Well worth it in my opinion.

Here is my opinion of cruises in general. Typical Ocean cruises are for the cruise, not for the destination. Spending 12 hours in a port does not really count imo for being able to claim you visited a local, although technically you did. If you ever really want to visit most places in the Carrabean, like the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Jamaica, etc, a dedicated vacation to one specific location will give you a better experience, unless your primary goal is to enjoy the relaxation of a cruise. Our Disney Cruise with a stop at Jamaica was a 30 min buggy ride through town (paid extra) and then 6 hours on the segregated and protected tourist shopping dock, a real taste of Jamaican... inflated tourist retail.

The exception to this rule would be the European Viking River Cruises that imo are completely worth it. The Viking Med Cruise which was also very good, including bus tours that did get you away from the ship. Among the excursions on this trip included Pompei, Herculeam, and an extensive temple ruin on Siscily (both extra $, but worth it).

 

[Plutonius]

That's inexcusable. I had no idea, however I'm not surprised. Cruises in general seem to be manned by third world workers who work for something like 8 month shots and go home for a month.

I'm sitting at the MCO airport waiting for our flight, so not home yet.

I'm not sure of the cruise but I doubt they were staffed by US citizens in the first place .

Disney did however replace almost all their IT workers with H1-B visa workers after forcing the original workers to train their replacements .

I generally don't boycott companies but I am in this case.

 

[Huntn]

We went to Disney and Universal last vacation. Never, again. We had a house to stay in and it still cost us a ton of money. Knowing that it would, I put it off as long as I could. Arm twisting and ages got to the point where I couldn't pull a Nancy.

I've heard cruises were nice. Hope you enjoy yours!

Thanks! At least the food on the Disney Cruise is mostly included (not alcohol or specialty drinks and deserts). The food in the Disney Parks are high. Also directed at those thinking about it, be aware of the food packages or at least examine them closely before purchase. For a past trip, with Grandkids, my wife did not think the food package was all that good of a deal. There is always of the $8 hotdogs.

 

[D.T.]

We went to Disney and Universal last vacation. Never, again.

I wanna party with you cowboy!

 

[OriginalAppleGuy]

I wanna party with you cowboy!

D.T. - we were there for 7 days with 6 of them in the parks (4 Disney, 2 Universal). AND it was July. Gold Bond saved my marriage. I would go back to Universal - it was awesome! You in for some of that? LOL!

 

[D.T.]

it was July. Gold Bond saved my marriage. I would go back to Universal - it was awesome!

Hahaha, nice, I almost choked on my beverage

 

[ZapNZs]

I have an autistic sibling. Honestly, the new policy is fine. They have managed to address this issue in a more fair way.

That's good to know that the new policy is fair. A lot of times, when people abuse things like that, those that legitimately need it get screwed over badly.

 

[A.Goldberg]

I went to Disney world when I was 5. I was very disappointed I was too short to go on Splash Mountain ... still unresolved Trauma. I also cried when I met Donald Duck for some reason. It was actually a miserable trip, my sister, brother, and I all got sick at some point throughout the trip.

My family stayed at the Polynesian Hotel. I just looked it up- base hotel price is almost $500/night up to $1200 for a suite. That's a bit high in my opinion. $120/day for a ticket is crazy.

They're certainly cashing in on the cultural expectation Americans bring their kids to Disney at least once.

 

[maflynn]

For quite a few years, there was apparently a big underground thing where you could "rent a cripple" - more or less, someone who is disabled could register for a type of fast pass and go to the front of a line with like 3 guests in their part

At this point that's a non-issue.

One of the prior times we were at Disney, my daughter had a broken foot, and was in a wheelchair. We never got to the front of the line, we either waited in line with the wheelchair or we got a slip of paper with a return time (same as the estimated wait time).

When news broke out about this cottage industry and how some rich people were skipping the lines, Disney changed the policy and now its pretty fair for everyone.

 

[AlliFlowers]

And for those looking for a bat poop crazy experience, there's always Cedar Point...

Boy does that bring back memories! Most of the people I went to college with either worked at Cedar Point when they were in high school, or during the summer in college. My brother worked there the year he was taking time off from college. (It might have hastened his return to the classroom!)

And then there was King's Island....

 

[Huntn]

I'm not sure of the cruise but I doubt they were staffed by US citizens in the first place .

Disney did however replace almost all their IT workers with H1-B visa workers after forcing the original workers to train their replacements .

I generally don't boycott companies but I am in this case.

BOO! With many large corporations there is no loyalty to country, only the almighty dollar.