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999thghost
06-25-2004, 02:57 PM
After 12 years of holding a pass (4 with my fiancee'), I have decided that it is no longer worth the investment to continue as an AP. Overpriced merchandise, overpriced food, and worn out rides just won't cut it for the amount of money I would have to shell out to go another year.

Disneyland has been such a huge part of my life, I am truly sad to see it killed off by an egomaniac. Maybe one day it will return to its former glory, but I doubt it will happen until Eisner leaves the company.

For all of you that still enjoy the park, have at it. Keep the money coming in so Disney Corporate can keep ignoring the problems and Eisner can get another huge bonus.

I will keep checking with MP to se if things start improving, but until then, I will start supporting some of the other local theme parks that actually give you new cutting edge rides for the money.

Bill Catherall
06-25-2004, 03:04 PM
You're certainly welcome to your opinion and you can spend your money however you see fit. But with all the recent improvements I'm a bit surprised to see you say that. Matt Ouimet seems to be doing a good job of undoing some of the damage done by the previous regime. Change can take time.

And, not to be contradictory, Disneyland has much more to offer than just cutting edge rides.

Not trying to change your mind...just stating my opinion.

999thghost
06-25-2004, 03:11 PM
such as?

tod
06-25-2004, 03:43 PM
Such as quiet places to people-watch.
Such as casual entertainment like the Disneyland Band or the Dapper Dans.
Such as little beautiful places like the Snow White Grotto or the balcony at the Disney Gallery.
Such as rides that families can enjoy together, and rides that couples can enjoy snuggled up together, and and rides that are as much a part of the surroundings as they are "rides": like the vehicles on Main Street or the Mark Twain.
Such as the still-remarkable cleanliness.
Such as the almost-every-time smile and helpful attitude of Cast Members.
Such as the pride so many Cast Members take in the Park.
Such as the atmospheric elements like the petrified tree trunk and anchor along the Rivers of America.
Such as the glow in a child's eyes when he sees MIckey Mouse for the first time on Main Street and Mickey looks at the mouse ears on ths kid's head and pats them and the kid doesn't stop smiling for a week.

Cutting edge? No.

Touching the heart?

Oh yeah.

--t

Dani24
06-25-2004, 03:51 PM
I agree, Tod. While other parks may occasionally have "cutting edge rides" they ALL fail to have one very important thing that Disneyland does have: magic. Somehow, DL has managed to create a theme park that continues to give people a very unique, and distinct feeling of childlike wonder, magic, fantasy, amazement, adventure, etc.

I love amusement parks, and go to many others as often as I can. And while each has their own cool rides, or other attractions, none can quite hold a candle to DL. Even if DL never added another ride, and never updated anything, it would still posses a special magical feeling that no other park will.

999thghost
06-25-2004, 03:55 PM
thats not what i see.
long lines
overpriced cold food
harried underpayed and under appreciated cast members
repetetive merchandise
rides with non-working elements
lands with few rides
a 6 year old parade
a 12 year old water show
chipped and faded paint
burnt out light bulbs
etc.
etc.
etc.

tod
06-25-2004, 03:58 PM
Then by all means don't go. If that's what you see -- and I'm not disputing any of it, I've seen all that and worse over the last 50 years, give or take -- then it is an awful experience for you and you shouldn't subsidize it.

Go someplace where you can find the magic that works for you. I hope you find it, because Disneyland is not doing it for you.

--t

999thghost
06-25-2004, 03:58 PM
As far as touching the heart goes, I proposed at Disneyland. I am glad you get that sense of childlike wonder, I don't anymore. As far as never adding or updating another ride, thats ok too, just don't keep taking rides away from me.

999thghost
06-25-2004, 04:01 PM
My point is, it will never get better as long as dollars keep flowing in. Keep going, Disney hopes that sense of magic is enough to keep your wallet open.

Dani24
06-25-2004, 04:06 PM
thats not what i see.
long lines
overpriced cold food
harried underpayed and under appreciated cast members
repetetive merchandise
rides with non-working elements
lands with few rides
a 6 year old parade
a 12 year old water show
chipped and faded paint
burnt out light bulbs
etc.
etc.
etc.

long lines: you'll get this at any decent theme park, especially during peak rides. Besides, Disney has the fastpass system that not all theme parks have.

overpriced/cold food: again, all theme parks have this. And, there are restaurants outside of the park with cheaper food to be had. Many theme parks have no other restaurants within walking distance of them. And many only have fast food options, and no finer dining like Disney has (Blue Bayou, Vineyard Room, Napa Rose, etc.)

harried underpayed and under appreciated cast members: Again, you will find this at ALL amusement parks. And actually, people who work for Disney typically enjoy it more, and want to work there more than people at other theme parks. You can show these people appreciation while you're a guest. There's nothing stopping you.

repetetive merchandise: DL is probably far better than most amusement parks in this category. DL has a wider variety of items, since they produce more movies/attractions/etc. and have been around a lot longer than most other theme parks. Most other theme parks I've been to have the same type of souveniers as the next place: stuffed animals, t-shirts, keychains, etc. Besides, are you really going to DL (or other amusement parks) to shop?

rides with non-working elements: Again...show me any other theme park, and I will show you rides with non working elements as well. Disney actually has more features integrated on most of their rides than you'll find at most other theme parks. It certainly isn't any worse than any place else. At other theme parks you'll either get a cookie cutter ride, or something without much of a theme to it. And DL has lots of little "secrets" and stories behind their rides that make it even more interesting. Most other parks don't have this.

lands with few rides: typical for other amusement parks too. The lands, however, are for more ornate and detailed than you will find at most other places. You really feel like you're somewhere else.

a 6 year old parade/a 12 year old water show: Disneyland does add new attractions/parades/etc. quite often. Far more often than many other theme parks -- if they even have this stuff.

chipped and faded paint: It's no worse than anywhere else I've ever been. And DL probably spens more time fixing up their park than other places.

burnt out light bulbs: these are typically replaced very quickly. But, it's bound to happen. I've seen other amusement parks where a burned out light bulb wasn't replaced for a couple of weeks! (I was a season pass holder).


Methinks thou dost protest too much! :D

Nephythys
06-25-2004, 04:23 PM
Have you missed all the tarps going up and the new paint jobs and the refurbs going on? You are focusing on the negative way too much, it seems to be all you see.

IMO if you can't do anything but complain, then stay away and make room for those who want to be there.

cstephens
06-25-2004, 04:31 PM
For all of you that still enjoy the park, have at it. Keep the money coming in so Disney Corporate can keep ignoring the problems and Eisner can get another huge bonus.

I think you're doing the right thing by not renewing if you don't feel it's worth it. It puzzles me to no end when people complain almost non-stop about the resort but then plunk down their money every year to renew. However, while you're doing what you feel is right for you, I don't see that it's necessary for you to condescend to those of us who do still feel that we get our money's worth and continue to enjoy enough at the resort to maintain our annual passes. If you're not finding enough to enjoy, that's fine, but that's no reason for the backhanded slap to those of us who don't agree with you.

rentayenta
06-25-2004, 04:43 PM
I think you should do what is best for you.


This past March we took the kids to DL. My little boy is a Buzz Lightyear fanatic. His room is all Buzz. His toys are all Buzz. The look on his face when he met Buzz was worth every penny we paid for that trip.

My girls are Disney freaks like me. Their bathroom, down to the knobs on the cabinets, is all Disney. The bathroom is plastered with framed pics of the kids posing with the characters. The shower curtain rings, soap dispenser, towels etc..are Disney.

When the tooth fairy visits, she leaves Disney Dollars.

I feel that our $ is well spent when we are there.

Pilot Mickey
06-25-2004, 05:17 PM
a 12 year old water show

Are you talking about Fantasmic!? that is the best show i've ever seen, but that is my opinion. But if you don't want to go to Disneyland, that's good for the rest of us. Then that's one less person we have to wait behind in line. :rolleyes: like i have told people, i go to other amusement parks for the rides, but i got to disneyland for the enviroment, and i haven't found a better enviroment anywhere i have been.

Thomas
06-25-2004, 07:44 PM
long lines...so does everyone else
overpriced cold food...sp does everyone else
harried underpayed and under appreciated cast members...so does everyone else
repetetive merchandise...so does everyone else
rides with non-working elements...so does everyone else
lands with few rides...so does everyone else
a 6 year old parade...how old was MSEP when it left?
a 12 year old water show...no one else has one (i think)
chipped and faded paint...welcome to Six Flags Magic Mountain!!!!!
burnt out light bulbs....oh my god!!!! a light bulb is burned out!!!!!!
etc.
etc.
etc

Bill Catherall
06-25-2004, 07:53 PM
such as?
This doesn't happen often, so prepare to be shocked. I agree 100% with what Tod said (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showpost.php?p=415458&postcount=4). That was said so perfectly that I have nothing else to add.

myron61090
06-25-2004, 08:01 PM
thats not what i see.
long lines
overpriced cold food
harried underpayed and under appreciated cast members
repetetive merchandise
rides with non-working elements
lands with few rides
a 6 year old parade
a 12 year old water show
chipped and faded paint
burnt out light bulbs
etc.
etc.
etc.

long lines: that just proves that DL is still at it with the magic. long lines means a lot of people, no?

harried underpayed and under appreciated cast members: last i remember, they were generally happy. and besides, any park is bound to have this

repetetive merchandise: i think this is because well... its easier to sell lets say a towel with 5 themes (making it a collection), than a single themed curio or vase that noones bound to buy(and imagine the disappointed faces of children when they find out their favorite character is not on a tshirt)

rides with non-working elements: DL has a lot of elements and i think it is only fair to allow it to have some non-working elements.

lands with few rides: i'm sure that the other lands compensate for this. and as someone said, DL offers some quiet places to people watch/rest.

a 6 year old parade: for six year olds or the parade is 6 years old? either way, i still think that as long as people flock to the parades (which they do), parades shouldnt be at the top of disneylands priority list.

a 12 year old water show: same question as above. but same reason as well... AND FANTASMIC ROCKS!

chipped and faded paint: show me a theme park without these...

burnt out light bulbs: as long as never-burning-out light bulbs are'nt invented, there is no reason to complain about this. i'm pretty sure that this happens in your house too, no?

just because we say there is magic in DL doesn't mean that everything has to be done by magic.
:)

CaptJackZodiac
06-25-2004, 08:50 PM
Those of you who are citing the overpriced merchandise, disgruntled employees, frequent breakdowns, etc... as acceptable as the status quo for a bustling theme park are making 999s point for him. (or her) Disneyland/World was conceived and built to be superior to the status quo of the average park. The Disney parks are supposed to set the standard of excellence against which all those other parks are measured. By justifying the flaws that exist under current management you're offering approval to the continued ruination of the Disney standard.

Disney shouldn't have all the flaws 999 outlined and even if they are typical of the average theme park, they certainly shouldn't be typical of Disney. All of these flaws are a testament to the decline of the Disney standard under Tweedledum's reign.

999 is making a valid point.

Emma
06-25-2004, 09:15 PM
a 12 year old water show...

If they got rid of Fantasmic, I would cry myself to sleep every night. :crying:

Explicit
06-25-2004, 09:27 PM
I've gone to Disneyland for the past 17 years now with my parents. I'm 19 and my family and I go mostly for the enviorment. We can spend 4 hours just sitting at the plaza inn or at the country bear resturant and enjoy every moment of it. It's to bad you've lost that since of feeling for Disneyland. Everything Tod stated is almost how I feel. Hope you have fun at another Amusement park.

sleepyjeff
06-25-2004, 09:56 PM
This doesn't happen often, so prepare to be shocked. I agree 100% with what Tod said (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showpost.php?p=415458&postcount=4). That was said so perfectly that I have nothing else to add.

Ditto that!!!

cryan71
06-25-2004, 11:06 PM
I let my pass expire for the simple reason that I knew that this year will be a "getting ready" year with a ton more ride closures and rehabs than before.
I do appreciate the hard work that Matt and Greg have done, but there is at least 7 years of repairs and upkeep that have to be made up for due to the previous management's "penny-wise, pound foolish" approach.

I am planning to buy a new AP after May 7 (or the day after they close before the 50th). I figure, everything should be redone, new shows will have started, new rides will have opened, etc.

Besides, it can be really easy to burn out on Disneyland.

TikiGeek
06-26-2004, 04:41 AM
This doesn't happen often, so prepare to be shocked. I agree 100% with what Tod said (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showpost.php?p=415458&postcount=4). That was said so perfectly that I have nothing else to add.
Bill,

I too am shocked :eek: Tod is completly correct (notice I didn't say... right :p)

When you go to the park often, as an AP holder does, you start to enjoy the subtile great things that the place has to offer. See the place for what it is, not for what it is not. Heck, when you are a junkie to the magic, you go there just because of the way it makes you feel :D.

Pat-n-Eil
06-26-2004, 09:08 AM
long lines: you'll get this at any decent theme park, especially during peak rides. Besides, Disney has the fastpass system that not all theme parks have.

overpriced/cold food: again, all theme parks have this. ...

... Methinks thou dost protest too much! :D

I'm not defending or not defending the position of the orignal poster, but if your arguments are all going to be "just like any other amusement park" then I think you're missing the point. He probably isn't an annual passholder anywhere else because Disneyland was the best. If Disneyland turns into "just like anywhere else" then why would he want to continue supporting it?

I go about once per year and though it has lost some of its luster at times, I still love the place. I'm going on Monday!! :)

I think that Annual Passholder sometimes lose the magic. As Syrus said "Familiarity Breeds Contempt"

(and as Mark Twain Amended - Familiarity Breeds Contempt - and Children)

Alf
06-26-2004, 09:26 AM
I say bravo to you sir! For being so fed up you're not going to take it any more! I dont agree with you at ALL! However, I respect your opinion. I guess I'll see you back at DL once the submarine ride is back in operation (read never)