There is a lot of negativity surrounding the Disney theme parks. Even the negative articles I am guilty of writing get a lot of attention, but at the end of the day, that isn’t why we are all here. We are here because we love visiting the Disney parks.
I find myself being critical of Disney because I love it so much. I am holding it to the standard I think Disney has already set for themselves, but sometimes my criticisms can spiral into negativity. This is something I think all Disney fans should be aware of, and it is something I am working on myself. There is nothing wrong with us being critical, but there is no point in being negative just to be negative.
Nostalgia is toxic. It can warp the way we view things and can make the present a very dark and depressing place. Oftentimes when we think about past trips to Walt Disney World or Disneyland, we forget about all the bad and frustrating things that happened on our vacation, and we glamorize the best parts. This can create an unreachable standard that is set when returning to those same parks. When I think of my trips to Walt Disney World as a child all I remember are the great times. I remember getting autographs from the characters with my older brothers, laughing with my family on our favorite rides, and being amazed by the fireworks. In reality, while all those things are true, there were probably a lot of things that went wrong during the day as well. Maybe we waited an hour for an attraction or two, maybe I spilled my drink at lunch, the list probably goes on and on.
There are a lot of negative things that may have happened that over time I have selectively chosen to forget. It is important to remember this when we are living in the present on a Disney vacation, because if we compare our current situation with a glamorized version of the past, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. For some of us, this nostalgia comes from having to deal with adult responsibilities. We now have to worry about planning the trip beforehand, how much food will cost, where we parked the car, how much the resort will cost, the list is endless.
Recently, it has been really easy to complain about the crowds. No one likes crowds, but Disney is currently in a period where crowds are an issue. In my opinion, things will get better, so while it is easy to be negative about this issue right now, I think in the coming years things will change. Once Pandora – The World of Avatar, Toy Story Land, both Star Wars Lands, and other future expansions open, I am hoping that crowds will be more dispersed. I don’t think attendance will dramatically decrease anytime soon, but with more attractions, shows, restaurants, and just more space, I think the parks will feel a lot less crowded, because there will simply be more room.
Another complaint about the Disney parks is that the service has gone down. This is something Disney is well aware of, and I believe it is something they work at every day to try and improve. I also think guests need to speak up, and talk to guest relations when they feel the service they received isn’t up to the standard they hold for Disney. A lot of people complain to friends and family about bad service, but they forget to tell the people that could actually use that information. Again, I also think part of the problem is nostalgia. It is easy to remember the cast member who was extremely nice and gave your family extra FastPasses, but it isn’t as easy to remember the bad interaction with a cast member 5-10 years ago.
