Angry lifting block out dates

[bryanb]

You come here to vent, just as the OP did. Different things strike a nerve with different people. What angers or annoys you, may differ from others. It is dismissive to suggest that there are many things in Disney to be angry about, but this is not one of them. At least, that's how I'm reading this. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm not saying it's wrong to vent. It was more about how angry some people are. All the time.

 

[DLgal]

Wow, now that's a rant!

Thanks! I try.

But you might be surprised to hear that I'm not actually angry. I have strong feelings, sure, but I won't dwell on this all day. That's not how I roll. Anger is a fleeting thing for me. Always has been. I'm already over it.

And I love Disney. I basically throw money at Disneyland every week. Lots of it. Because I enjoy going there. But some of the crap they pull (especially at WDW) isn't cool and without feedback when people are upset, they will continue to see how far they can go.

People can be critical of something they love. It's a good thing.

 

[bryanb]

Thanks! I try.

But you might be surprised to hear that I'm not actually angry. I have strong feelings, sure, but I won't dwell on this all day. That's not how I roll. Anger is a fleeting thing for me. Always has been. I'm already over it.

And I love Disney. I basically throw money at Disneyland every week. Lots of it. Because I enjoy going there. But some of the crap they pull (especially at WDW) isn't cool and without feedback when people are upset, they will continue to see how far they can go.

People can be critical of something they love. It's a good thing.

I'm good with that! I guess I don't know people's lives outside of this board because we see only one slice here. And I think you have a valid point that you're posting here out of good intentions, just as I am.

There are also people on these boards who never miss an opportunity to go into threads where people are genuinely upset about something and belittle them and tell them they are being ridiculous

I agree and don't want to give the impression that I'm one of those people. But there are people who complain about everything (not just here, but also in life), and you think that not everything can be so awful so much, unless I am the one who is wrong and sees things too optimistically?

 

[MrInfinity]

People can be critical of something they love. It's a good thing.

That's true... And really, if people didn't post about what erks them, and didn't post about the positive bits either (which being positive for someone is bad or creates envy in someone else) then what would there be to talk about? People just share what's on their mind I guess. While being prepared to be challenged when you post something someone else will invariably think differently about.

OP commented that someone else got an unexpected perk that he didn't... or possibly even put him out. I don't think that way. We spend our days convincing our kids that sometimes some of them just get something that others don't and you need to learn to be ok with that and not have it put you off or even be happy for them.

 

[yulilin3]

Thanks! I try.

But you might be surprised to hear that I'm not actually angry. I have strong feelings, sure, but I won't dwell on this all day. That's not how I roll. Anger is a fleeting thing for me. Always has been. I'm already over it.

And I love Disney. I basically throw money at Disneyland every week. Lots of it. Because I enjoy going there. But some of the crap they pull (especially at WDW) isn't cool and without feedback when people are upset, they will continue to see how far they can go.

People can be critical of something they love. It's a good thing.

I am 100% with you on the bold. And that makes a difference, you can be upset over something but I just move on, in any situation. In particular with Disney, when it affects me to the point that I am upset first thing I do is email them, Disney does NOT go on these boards to read how people are reacting and if they do they take little notice, only a large amount of people contacting them and leaving actual feedback through the proper channels will lead to some action.
In every case I have emailed I have always got a call back, sometimes I received some sort of refund (for example the Villains party at DHS years ago) sometimes I haven't received anything but in any of those instances did I email with the hopes of getting back money, or additional fp or "pixie dust".
I understand these boards are here to share feelings about Disney and Universal, but if you don't follow that up with the proper communications to the park itself it's pretty useless

 

[Parkercrew]

Disney attendance will probably be down until Star Wars land opens. Obviously Pandora alone didn't bring the crowds in as expected, but when there is Pandora, Toy Story, Star Wars, Ratatouille, Guardians of the Galaxy, Tron, . .Then (if the economy is well) you'll probably see record crowds. But maybe not .. as I would expect Disney to continue to increase ticket prices EVERY year until all this new stuff is done.

I am sure a lot of people are putting off vacations until at least the second half of 2018 or 2019 to at least get a new land. (I know I am).
Even people not like us have heard Disney is just a bunch of construction zones and that a "ton" of rides are closed and they've heard of this new stuff coming out "in the future" .. so why go now? When it is hot and has tons of construction walls and rides closed.

that's a good point. I will definitely go when the new stuff open but don't mind lower crowds until then. Disney is still fun!

 

[stinkpickle]

I guess since they're opening the passes in all 4 parks they're not even doing that any more.

Yuck! I missed that update.

 

[Mdsleiman]

with all the new lands/rides coming in 2018/2019, I was thinking that December 2017 would be the time to go but with all the trouble getting ADR's, I am not sure that was the correct thinking lol

 

[Dakota731]

What does this post mean? What tickets have block out dates? What is angry hearty lifting? I'm totally confused and realize there is fo much about WDW I don't know

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I've seen a lot of anger over someone getting something they didn't pay for. Like those who managed to grab an airline seat on sale when the person sitting next to them paid 4 times as much. Not fair, says the I paid 4 times as much person. Not fair, says the gold passholder who sees the silvers getting 10 days in the parks they didn't pay for. Yes it will "increase crowds" but not by the huge numbers some are anticipating. Only Florida residents can buy the silver pass. Might get a bit harder to get a fastpass for the Great Movie Ride though. Ellen is a crowd sucker because the theater is huge, so probably no long waits for that.

as a gold passholder who is going August 4 I don't have any illusions that Disney is "sticking it to me" by letting a few locals in the parks to up their numbers. I probably won't even notice that the crowds might be a little larger. Lots of Floridians are preparing for school to start, too.

 

[wilkeliza]

What does this post mean? What tickets have block out dates? What is angry hearty lifting? I'm totally confused and realize there is fo much about WDW I don't know

Some 1 day tickets have black out dates (you can't buy a value or regular ticket and go on a premium day with out paying the extra $10) and then Gold and under annual passes. Those are sold to DVC and Florida Residents only and won't show on the website if you aren't one of those. Gold is really only blacked out during Christmas though. Silver and Weekday Select are who got a handful of extra days.

Cast member tickets and some complementary tickets also have black outs and I believe Florida Resident 3 and 4 day tickets do as well.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

For seasonal passes, Gold passes are blocked out 2 weeks at Easter and 2 weeks at Christmas/New Years. They are sold to DVC members and Florida residents. The next level, Silver pass, is blocked out in the summer as well. There's also the Weekday Select which I think is only good for entrance Monday-Thursday? Silver and Weekday Select are only sold to Florida residents.

There's currently a deal for DVC members who can for a limited time buy a Platinum Plus pass with no blockout dates for the price of a gold pass. Uh oh, more DVC members in the parks on more days. And the water parks too. Disney can't do that, there are people out there who paid full price for a platinum plus pass.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've seen a lot of anger over someone getting something they didn't pay for. Like those who managed to grab an airline seat on sale when the person sitting next to them paid 4 times as much. Not fair, says the I paid 4 times as much person. Not fair, says the gold passholder who sees the silvers getting 10 days in the parks they didn't pay for. Yes it will "increase crowds" but not by the huge numbers some are anticipating. Only Florida residents can buy the silver pass. Might get a bit harder to get a fastpass for the Great Movie Ride though. Ellen is a crowd sucker because the theater is huge, so probably no long waits for that.

as a gold passholder who is going August 4 I don't have any illusions that Disney is "sticking it to me" by letting a few locals in the parks to up their numbers. I probably won't even notice that the crowds might be a little larger. Lots of Floridians are preparing for school to start, too.

It's not all about somebody getting something someone else isn't. It's about bringing more crowds into the parks. And neither you nor anyone else can say if the effect will be large or small. Disney thinks it's enough to have blacked them out to begin with during the final month before school starts, and they thought it's enough to help boost the bottom line in park attendance that it was worth lifting the block.

If I was a local with lots of trips to the parks it wouldn't even be a blip on my radar. But for the people who have been planning their August trips for months and months, and can't just come back next week instead if it turns out the crowds are indeed larger, it is a fair consideration. Crowd level in the parks can make or break a trip. And the beginning of blackout lift period always stands a chance of being busier, especially for those starting school in August.

I just wish people could consider the variety of different perspectives on this and stop belittling and dismissing those with a different opinion on it.

 

[Disneylover99]

I just wish people could consider the variety of different perspectives on this and stop belittling and dismissing those with a different opinion on it.

Exactly. If people are benefitting from this, awesome! If people are mad or fretting about the possibilities of more crowds. I get it.

 

[Dismama2boys]

I would like to think that it's not that people are upset that some are getting extra value or pixie dust or whatnot - I love to see others get pixie dust. But if others' pixie dust starts to devalue or hinder other people's trips, then that's certainly "worth" getting upset about. I realize some who are upset fall into the first category, but for the sake of humanity I'm hoping most are in the second.

ETA: I have no skin in this game. I'm not local, don't have an AP, and don't currently have a trip planned.

 

[SimonSez]

Exactly. If people are benefitting from this, awesome! If people are mad or fretting about the possibilities of more crowds. I get it.

As they say--two sides to every story

 

[Amanda999]

What does this post mean? What tickets have block out dates? What is angry hearty lifting? I'm totally confused and realize there is fo much about WDW I don't know

I swear our most fun WDW vacation was the 1st one - when we didn't know anything about disboards, touring plans, runners for FP, ADRs 180+ days out, etc... We had no idea what we were missing out on.

 

[mjr0483]

OP commented that someone else got an unexpected perk that he didn't... or possibly even put him out. I don't think that way. We spend our days convincing our kids that sometimes some of them just get something that others don't and you need to learn to be ok with that and not have it put you off or even be happy for them.

A perk is a perk and I am ok with that. Good for them. It's not like a free cupcake on your birthday. Disney charges extra and a good bit at that for me to be able to go at non block out times. So by them giving away something that I paid for that could add wait times to what is supposed to be an already busy time is not ok. And when I started the thread I read the headline and didn't know it was only 10 days or so plus weekends.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It's not all about somebody getting something someone else isn't. It's about bringing more crowds into the parks. And neither you nor anyone else can say if the effect will be large or small.

Actually, yes we can. I do not know exactly how many silver and weekday passholders there are, but it's a small number compared to the number of people who go to WDW. And not all of them will be descending on WDW every single day of these ten days. And the whole reason for doing this was because attendance is below what would be normal for this time of year already. I guess some folks are going to be upset because now that they know attendance was lacking, they are thinking about the fact that hey maybe they could have been walking on rides if it weren't for those pesky silver passholders! And nobody can say whether or not that would have been the case either.

I think those who are worried about crowds are exaggerating in their minds exactly how many locals and Florida residents the blockout will bring in, and what their effect will be on the park attendance. It's like they think all of a sudden it'll be like Christmas and there are going to be long lines in places there wouldn't have been long lines before the blockout was lifted. as for fastpasses, the popular ones are gone already.

Gold passholder here and the first thing I thought was, cool, the place must be pretty empty.

 

[iluveeyore]

Forgive me if I missed this in a previous post, but it was my understanding the blackout dates were lifted due to the timing of ride closures and wanting to allow FL residents to enjoy them one last time because they close on Aug 13/17: (copied from website)
"Walt Disney World will be lifting block-out dates in August on annual passes that would not typically allow entry to the parks during this time so that guests may say goodbye to two classic attractions."
"While we don’t have the exact dates yet, Disney should be distributing that information to guests later this week. The adjusted block-out will allow these guests to enter Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to ride the Universe of Energy and the Great Movie Ride one last time. Of course, guests will get to experience other things in the parks as well, not limited to these rides."