It has been a common refrain in recent years that trips to Walt Disney World are getting too expensive. However, another problem coming in alongside that one is the idea that a Disney World vacation just isn’t as much fun as it used to be. It would be one thing if increased costs led to better experiences, but many feel like, from a customer service perspective, Disney World has only gotten worse.
Nobody wants to have a bad experience on vacation but Disney always had a reputation as a place willing to go the extra mile to help out guests who had issues. And yet, we have many anecdotal cases of guests claiming Cast Members can’t or won’t do things they used to do to help out. For what it’s worth Disney World is well aware of this perception and is apparently taking steps to try and improve things.
Why Guests Are Unhappy At Walt Disney World
The first complaint guests have is always about cost. Disney World is absolutely a lot more expensive than it used to be. Many things that were once free at Disney World now cost money, and other services, like the Magical Express, are gone entirely.
Changes to the Disability Access Service have made getting approved for that access more complicated, and the disabilities that are officially recognized have been reduced. The changes were reportedly part of an effort to tap down on abuse, as many people were allegedly using the DAS system inappropriately as a way to avoid lines without purchasing Genie+.
While some of the guests complaining are actually the problem, as many people's expectations at Disney World are unreasonable, there are some real problems here that the theme parks need to address.
What Disney World Is Doing To Fix Its Problems
For what it’s worth Disney World is well aware of this perception and is apparently taking steps to try and improve things. An anonymous Cast Member recently told Bloomberg…
We hear about the complaints, and we’ve had many trainings on improving guest interaction and the guest experience overall.
Much like the fact that there is always something new at Disney World for guests to enjoy, policies, procedures and the park are always changing, and sometimes for the better.
We recently saw the transformation of Genie+ into Lightning Lane, which changes the way guests get access to line-skipping options. While some are frustrated with the fact that they now need to learn how to use a new system, it is largely seen as an improvement over the old one, as it works much like the old FastPass+ system.
We also have seen some recent changes to increase the value of a Disney World vacation. The resort has stopped charging for parking for hotel guests. Starting next year, guests staying in Disney World hotels will get free waterpark access on the day of their check-in. It should also be celebrated that one of the best Disney World attractions right now doesn't require a park ticket.
Guest satisfaction is a key metric for Disney Parks. You’ll regularly find Cast Members at the gates of Disneyland and Disney World parks interviewing guests about their experiences to find out what people liked and didn’t like. At the end of the day, happy guests tend to spend more money, so it’s worth it to the company from a financial standpoint to make sure guests have a good time. Disney spokesperson Melissa Britt told Bloomberg…
The guest experience remains a top priority for any Disney theme park visit.
It will be interesting to see what Disneyland and Disney World do to try and improve guests' opinions of their experience. If there are major policy shifts planned we could hear about them during the Disney Experiences panel at D23 in a couple of weeks.
