Steve also writes on the topic of cutbacks at WDW: Hi Brian, just to respond to the ongoing discussion about upkeep and cutbacks at WDW. We just got back from two weeks at WDW. We spent six nights at the Wilderness Lodge (our first and last time there), and eight nights at Old Key West Resort (our home resort). We have been doing a two week trip in the summer every year for over ten years, and this was overall, the worst experience we have had.Steve also writes on the topic of cutbacks at WDW: Hi Brian, just to respond to the ongoing discussion about upkeep and cutbacks at WDW. We just got back from two weeks at WDW. We spent six nights at the Wilderness Lodge (our first and last time there), and eight nights at Old Key West Resort (our home resort). We have been doing a two week trip in the summer every year for over ten years, and this was overall, the worst experience we have had.
The biggest complaints from our group of six was that all the thermostats on the property are turned up. We used to be able to go into any shop, restaurant, or ride to cool off from the intense summer heat. Many of the shops and restaurants, especially World Showcase, were not much cooler than the humid outdoors. Some felt like they had no air conditioning at all! I first noticed this trend last year, but this year seemed even worse. How short sighted is it not to keep a store air conditioned in the summer! We definitely spent less time in the shops this year (and as a result spent less money). Canada, Germany, and Italy were the worst.
Another complaint was that so many of the stores now offer the same merchandise as everywhere else. This is especially noticeable in the resort shops (with the exception of Animal Kingdom Lodge). Even the World of
Disney store carries the same things you can find everywhere else. We couldn't even find a decent variety of postcards like we have in the past. We also felt that many of the World Showcase shops had less of the unique merchandise that they have had in the past. We also noticed a few more closed shops (the carpet store in Morocco, and the wine shop in France.) The shop at American Adventure used to have unique things as well and now is mainly a T-shirt shop. I was disappointed to see much of the flavor of World Showcase diluted by making the shops carry less unique items. It's not like there are a lot of rides there to keep you occupied. It is supposed to be a shopping and dining park, but now with no air conditioning and less interesting shops, why bother?
Another problem we had was transportation. Wilderness Lodge was a joke. Every bus had to also service the campground. We often were shoved on a bus with people paying $40 a night, while some of us were paying a few hundred. I don't mean this as negative to the campers (I also enjoy camping), but a deluxe hotel as remote as Wilderness Lodge should not have to go out of their way to a campground to get to the parks. Some buses go to the Pioneer Hall area, while other buses go to the main campground bus stop near the Bonnet Creek Golf Club.
Old Key West Resort buses were better, definitely not as crowded, but we often had 30 minute waits for a bus. Never have had that experience before during all of our trips to Old Key West Resort.
Other cutbacks we noticed were less people staffing attractions (Country Bears, Circle of Life, Food Rocks, etc. all used to have someone inside the auditorium with you, giving directions. Now you hear a voice over the loudspeaker). No big deal, but definitely a cutback in customer relations.
Bathroom maintenance was hit and miss. Some were spotless as in the past, others were filthy. Urine splatters around urinals, and overflowing trash cans used to be unheard of at WDW. We had two rooms at the Wilderness Lodge and both rooms had battered furniture that needed refinishing. We also noticed battered doors in the lobby rest room and the largest cobwebs I have ever seen on the ceiling rafters. All these things are normal wear and tear, but used to be taken care of sooner.
Last, but not least, is the replacement of butter with "butterine" and margarine. How penny pinching is that? We asked for butter instead of margarine or "butterine" and were told there wasn't any. When we explained how we don't eat margarine, we were told that it was better for us and that is why Disney replaced butter with "butterine"! Not only don't I need Disney telling me what is healthy, but they seem to forget that they have served butter for 30 years. Also, butter is a natural fat, while margarine is chemically altered oil. The main reason we don't use margarine is due to allergies. Fortunately, some of the table service places still serve butter, but not all of them.
We had a good trip, but it was definitely not the same level of service we are used to at WDW. We all had the feeling of being nickeled and dimed by Disney. I am writing a similar letter to Disney and enclosing a few nickels and dimes to make that point.
Thanks for letting me share, Brian. I apologize for being so long winded.
