We were only gone a week, but the soybeans in the field next to the barndo went from green with some yellow to all brown. Although I love the change of seasons, it was still a bit depressing.
So let’s roll this up! I may talk about the trip and even share other photos in the future, but I figure a summary and a change of topics might be a good thing.
Resort – Coronado Springs.
The resort grounds were well-maintained. Again, the smoking situation wasn’t great. Housekeeping skipped us one full day but did a good job for the rest of the week.
Transportation.
Riding the bus to the parks from the Disney resorts is the same as it’s always been, although they’re no longer Disney owned. The buses are clean and the drivers are friendly. The wait times aren’t bad at all and the schedule is reasonable.
Parks.
The parks are clean and the esthetics are amazing.
Annnnd… basically everything goes downhill from this point and can be a list.
- Disney has taken away fast passes for rides and dining plans (dining is coming back soon).
- You wait in ride lines that can be up to 3-hours long… or pay for a lightning lane pass and wait around 15-20 minutes.
- Most food purchased is decent but priced extraordinarily high (this is expected).
- For each person in your party, you’ll spend about $165.00 PER DAY for a park hopper ticket.
- For this price, you MIGHT get in the virtual queue to ride what you want.
- If the virtual queue fills up and you don’t make it, you have to buy a lightning pass for each person or you’re out of luck… for the great rides, you can figure on $20/per person for one ride.
- Virtual queue rides have NO STANDBY LANE. In other words, you can’t wait in line — you either get in the queue and arrive when they tell you to, or pay a premium above the cost of your ticket to ride.
- Over our entire trip, the number of really good cast members could be counted on one hand. In the past, Colette was called “princess” by most everyone. It happened once this trip.
- DO NOT pay for a special event. It’s a waste of money!
- Smokers hate the smoking areas — and non-smokers hate the smoking areas. While this could be fixed, it hasn’t been.
- When the parks are so packed, it’s not fun anymore with the current set-up.
- We’ve been to the parks when they were at capacity at a time when fast passes were still a free option. Even then, we got to pick what we wanted to ride most and do those without paying a premium or waiting 3+ hours.
- The current Disney experience feels like you’re being gouged for money constantly. (And you are!)
- Very few characters made park appearances — I saw one during the entire week (Kevin at Animal Kingdom).
- I don’t think I even want to go back. 😢
Although the next event has been booked and the same deal is there for me if I want it… I’m not sure I even want to go back. I’ve been a Disney fan forever, you guys. If I’m over it, the regular person that chooses Disney World for a vacation occasionally won’t be loyal either. Robert Iger returned as Disney’s CEO 11/22. I had high hopes for change, but I’ve not seen any improvements yet.
And finally… Ben completed a spectacular face plant.
Leaving Epcot on the 3rd day, Ben fell while throwing away a cup before boarding the bus to return to the resort.
He destroyed the skin of one finger and had road rash down one arm from elbow to wrist. He came away with a bump under his eye and a few skinned places on the rest of his face — and his entire chest was bruised. Not Disney’s fault, exactly… but who knows if it would’ve happened if he wasn’t fighting a crowd of 3 bajillion hot, grumpy people who had been sucked dry by the happiest place on earth.