Opinions

NOTHING COMPARES TO THE MOUSE!
By Missy F. (aka MissyMousketeer) - July 15, 2001

Hi Everyone! I'll apologize in advance because this is going to be lengthy. Recently there has been a lot of posts to the list about changes in policy and problems at Disney theme parks. I really was becoming depressed over hearing all of the bad things that were happening to people on this post. I absolutely adore Disney and I expect courteous, friendly and safe service for the money that I spend there and much of this seemed to be lacking.

SO, this week my family of 5 went to a major theme park for 3 days and stayed on-site at the resort. There were many comparisons to Disney such as very comparable room rates (even $10/day to rent a refrigerator) and theme park pass prices, passes included a water park, buses transporting to and from parks, beautiful fountains and music playing from out of nowhere, etc.

NOW for the real comparisons....no onsite resort restaurant, housekeeping never emptied our trash the entire time we were there, no hot water the entire first day (ice cold showers are not fun!), took 2 phone calls and 1 trip to the front desk to receive a pillow which still was never delivered until 11:30 pm., no air conditioned buses, no friendly cast members (most were college students that made you feel like you were wasting their time), no rides for the handicapped, elderly, or those who don't like fast rides like my son. Kiddie rides were for small children only (no Dumbo ride here!) and my 11 year old son could ride nothing but bumper cars, roller coasters, or spinning carnival rides. Soft drinks cost $3.99 or $1.99 with refill and $2.50 for a small ice cream cone (I almost think Disney was cheaper on these). The shops were very similar to the shops on Main St. except that all of the stores had the same exact merchandise as the one before it. The candy shop boasted they had the "best homemade fudge-made daily"--for 1/4 lb it cost $7.95 plus tax and the outside was crunchy! and for the real clincher.......I witnessed a man almost fall out of a ride in the Coney island section of the park while the 2 (I referred to them as idiots!) people running the ride looked on. Even the people passing by were saying "why aren't they stopping the ride?". Did they stop the ride? Nope. Not until it was time for the ride to come to an end. The man continued to be thrown over the side every time the wind caught the ride practically turning him upside down. The sad thing about this ride....my 6 year old was tall enough to ride this by himself!!! I was so shaken that all I could do was cry!

SO, DISNEY WORLD HERE I COME!!!! I don't care how much you charge me for my room, I don't care if I have to pay $10 for a refrigerator, I don't care how bad the water tastes, I don't care how long I have to wait for the buses, I don't care if you don't have misting machines on every corner, I don't care that I no longer get free valet parking because I know that there is no place like Disney World and I will never again doubt the quality of service that is given because even the worst day at Disney could not be near as bad as the weekend from H-E-double hockey sticks that I just experienced!

AND ALSO, I know that Disney is strict on their policies and sometimes it seems too strict, but I just witnessed what happens when there are too few policies and the few that are in place are not enforced. I now know for a fact that this is why I feel so safe at Disney World and I hope they never change! And that's MY 2 cents!