It will be no surprise to many Disney fans that Walt Disney World Resort theme parks have sunk somewhat lower in their visitors’ minds in recent months. Rising prices, constantly-malfunctioning rides, underpaid Cast Members, and violent or unruly Guests have all caused Disney fans’ enthusiasm to wane, even after former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger returned from his (somewhat) retired status to replace Bob Chapek.
Typically, Disney fans tend to complain about Walt Disney World Resort or Disney theme park vacations within their own Disney-loving community — but now a high-end publication has picked up on the anti-Disney ‘trend’, of sorts, and published a critique of Disney within its pages!
Town & Country is a longstanding luxury magazine, and writer Danielle Stein Chizzik has just published an article in the magazine that discusses the customer experience at Disney World (and whether or not to spring for splurges like VIP treatments or guides during your Disney trip).
Chizzik described Disney, in the article, as a location for “waiting, whining, and abysmal food”. The writer presented “the brutal truth” to readers, saying that “Disney is far more crowded, and costly, than when you were a kid”.
“After you’ve purchased the flights, the hotel, and the very expensive daily admission to the parks, you can expect to spend most of your day waiting on lines that stretch to two hours long,” Chizzik continued. “It’s a depressing ROI. The only way around this is — you guessed it — to throw more money at the problem.”
Chizzik did end up spending more money on her Disney vacation for her, her husband, and her family in order to have a more enjoyable customer experience, but the negative description of Disney is still a noteworthy example of just how low Disney fans’ morale has sunk these days!
Occasionally, we are still seeing some happy stories about the classic Disney magic and its return (particularly in the form of sweet interactions between Disney Characters and children during Meet and Greets), but to see the Disney Parks lambasted in a high-end publication will no doubt be a jarring experience for many ardent Disney fans.
Do you think that Disney vacations are no longer ‘worth the hype’? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!