What is happening? Is FF dying out?

[Starbuc71 162]

12 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Mark- thanks for starting this thread. You asked a good question, and this thread gives me a good place to share some thoughts. 

Yes, this message board is in decline. It has been for a long time. Message Boards are not popular any more. They’re all fading away. 

As for this one, I agree with the others about how Disney and the Fort have lost a lot of magic lately.  The dealbreaker for me personally has been how poorly they have treated passholders and castmembers as a result of COVID-19.  I understand that they are a business, but Disney has relentlessly focused on making huge profits at the expense of loyal passholders and castmembers.  They’re also treating DVC members badly.

As most everyone here knows, before the pandemic the TCD twins had been castmembers for 5+ years and both worked very hard and put up with a lot to get on career paths that were very promising.  When COVID hit, that changed. One never got called back and the other took a temporary assignment with Disney doing some very important and sensitive HR work and was treated very badly.

They are 25 years old with college degrees, and could not sit around hoping that Disney would offer them some crappy positions when they finally decide to loosen the purse strings. So, they have both moved on. They both have new jobs with new companies where they are making more money and have brighter futures.

But, it’s heartbreaking for them to have been treated so poorly despite their hard work and loyalty.  

So, it’s break time for the TCD gang and Disney.  Such a shame.  

TCD

Andrew,

great to hear from you. When you of all people are parting ways with Disney, everyone needs to realize there is a problem..lol. Like we spoke years ago, Disney has changed so much. For years it was just an attraction that a family could vacation at. Disney was not battling for world domination back then like they are now. It seems the majority changed when they bought MARVEL. Everything was looked at to make more money. They didn’t just want to make more money, they wanted to become a powerhouse and make a HUGE amount of money. With acquisitions like ABC,ESPN and eventually Lucasfilms, the attraction disappeared and the big business began.  An average family, with an average income slowly could not afford that magical trip. The Disney experience that cast members believed in began to diminish and the hidden gem of fort wilderness where you could stay for under $100 a night and get all the perks of staying on Disney property was soon realized and corrupted. Then Covid hit which disrupted their entire business model and changed the way they treat their guest.  Such a shame. But as I posted, we had 10 good years of awesome memories at the fort. As for this site, there has been many memorable post and especially trip reports from you, the master. Hard to believe the twins are 25. Time flies. Everything moves on and moves twice as fast. I’ll never regret having our kids enjoy the 10 years of Fort camping. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

1 hour ago, Starbuc71 said:

Andrew,

great to hear from you. When you of all people are parting ways with Disney, everyone needs to realize there is a problem..lol. Like we spoke years ago, Disney has changed so much. For years it was just an attraction that a family could vacation at. Disney was not battling for world domination back then like they are now. It seems the majority changed when they bought MARVEL. Everything was looked at to make more money. They didn’t just want to make more money, they wanted to become a powerhouse and make a HUGE amount of money. With acquisitions like ABC,ESPN and eventually Lucasfilms, the attraction disappeared and the big business began.  An average family, with an average income slowly could not afford that magical trip. The Disney experience that cast members believed in began to diminish and the hidden gem of fort wilderness where you could stay for under $100 a night and get all the perks of staying on Disney property was soon realized and corrupted. Then Covid hit which disrupted their entire business model and changed the way they treat their guest.  Such a shame. But as I posted, we had 10 good years of awesome memories at the fort. As for this site, there has been many memorable post and especially trip reports from you, the master. Hard to believe the twins are 25. Time flies. Everything moves on and moves twice as fast. I’ll never regret having our kids enjoy the 10 years of Fort camping. 

Good to see you here, Dave. I bought my camper when my oldest daughter was 8, and the twins were 4, and those first 10 years were the best. Like you, we made many last minute weekend trips, and never had a problem getting a site or feeling ripped off.  I didn’t like what came next, but I accepted it, and we just camped less, but still enjoyed it when we did. 

What finally did it for me is seeing how opportunistic and greedy Disney has been during the pandemic.  The park pass system blocks out passholders so they can sell those spaces to day guests at a higher price. Even though park attendance is about back to normal, there are long lines everywhere because they are understaffed and not operating attractions at their capacity.  They are too greedy to even have the trams running in the parking lots. They should have used this time to complete the construction projects that were already in the budget, but even that would hurt the current balance sheet too much, so the MK will have no new attractions, and the Magic Kingdom train isn’t even going to be running for the 50th anniversary.

So congratulations to Disney. They win. Their stockholders are happy. Their executives are very happy. They sure made a bundle by picking the pockets of castmembers, DVC members, and passholders. Not to mention the millions of “loans” they got from us taxpayers that they will never pay back.  They won big.

TCD
 

 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Is there a full day exciment at typhone lagone?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

59 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

Is there a full day exciment at typhone lagone?

LOL. It’s great to see a post from DIT. I have nothing but great memories of you, brother. I hope that all is well with the DIT gang. I hate to ask, but how old is little Anna now?

TCD

[Ivy 36]

On 4/16/2021 at 9:12 AM, keith_h said:

I don't do Facebook. My social media is limited to this and several other forums and of those the majority are professional user groups. If Facebook became the primary communications vehicle unless it was mirrored here and visa versa I would likely stop not only posting but lurking too.  I'm not sure how many other members it would affect but I don't believe I am the only one who doesn't do Facebook. 

I don't do Facebook or any social media other than forums. I have always enjoyed the forum platform, (but sadly for me, lol.) there aren't many active forums left.

[itsnotcindy 24]

This is DIT.  Tried posting on the ipad but all it can remember is INC's login....lol.  Back to the laptop. 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

3 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

LOL. It’s great to see a post from DIT. I have nothing but great memories of you, brother. I hope that all is well with the DIT gang. I hate to ask, but how old is little Anna now?

TCD

I’m glad to read that your girls have landed on their feet. I would have expected nothing less.  I wish them the best in their post-Mouse lives.   

Anna is 13 years old.  Yes, we’ve combined Anna’s trademark Russian attitude with teenage angst.  Life in the DIT household is pretty active.  While most of our friends are now empty nesters, we’re still firmly in Disney princess territory, which is really annoying for me being the anti-Disney guy I long have been.  Like the country song said...I was anti-Disney before anti-Disney was cool.   Lol.  

So all of these changes at Disney haven’t impacted us...we weren’t returning to WDW anyways. But I’m sorry for those of you affected, in particular those who were or still are employed there.  This COVID stuff has derailed many careers, but none more upsetting than our young adults who are just beginning their lives and then everything went sideways.  My older girls are dealing with their own setbacks.  But at the end of the day they are learning skills of resilience that our generation never really had to.  This will serve them well eventually.   If you’ve ever read the book The Fourth Turning, this was actually all predicted by demographers who study generational change.  The current 20 somethings have a lot in common with the Greatest Generation, who survived the Depression and won the War.  This group of young folks will do great things, IMO.  

Anyways, sorry for the hijack.  Back to our regularly scheduled programming.  Yes Disney sucks.  No I’m not on Facebook or any social media.  Yes I miss the old days on FF.  But I will always cherish the memories of the interactions on here and my family’s 10 years of camping at the Fort.

Onward and upward.    

[momof3kids-Yvonne 595]

So part of what makes Fort Fiends so special to me is the Grand Gatherings both those at the Fort and those away from the Fort. I just posted a Fall Grand Gathering that will be happening in September. Check out the Grand Gathering thread for information on the Stone Mountain GG September 10-12. 
https://www.fortfiends.net/topic/21711-stone-mountain-park-campground-september-10-12-2021/

[Lou... 3,118]

1 hour ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

So part of what makes Fort Fiends so special to me is the Grand Gatherings both those at the Fort and those away from the Fort. I just posted a Fall Grand Gathering that will be happening in September. Check out the Grand Gathering thread for information on the Stone Mountain GG September 10-12. 

I'd love to attend but I'd have to drive a whopping 45 minutes just to see some Fort Fiend knuckleheads. For those who remember me, I retired from Disney and now live north of Atlanta. I will show up at Stone Mt. to annoy as many of you as I can. It'll be just like old times at the Fort. And you thought you had gotten rid of me. I expect some apple pie. 

 

[momof3kids-Yvonne 595]

2 hours ago, Lou... said:

I'd love to attend but I'd have to drive a whopping 45 minutes just to see some Fort Fiend knuckleheads. For those who remember me, I retired from Disney and now live north of Atlanta. I will show up at Stone Mt. to annoy as many of you as I can. It'll be just like old times at the Fort. And you thought you had gotten rid of me. I expect some apple pie. 

 

Is McDonald’s Apple pie ok? I think I can afford that? 

[Lou... 3,118]

10 hours ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

Is McDonald’s Apple pie ok? I think I can afford that? 

Sure

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

17 hours ago, DaveInTN said:

I’m glad to read that your girls have landed on their feet. I would have expected nothing less.  I wish them the best in their post-Mouse lives.   

Anna is 13 years old.  Yes, we’ve combined Anna’s trademark Russian attitude with teenage angst.  Life in the DIT household is pretty active.  While most of our friends are now empty nesters, we’re still firmly in Disney princess territory, which is really annoying for me being the anti-Disney guy I long have been.  Like the country song said...I was anti-Disney before anti-Disney was cool.   Lol.  

So all of these changes at Disney haven’t impacted us...we weren’t returning to WDW anyways. But I’m sorry for those of you affected, in particular those who were or still are employed there.  This COVID stuff has derailed many careers, but none more upsetting than our young adults who are just beginning their lives and then everything went sideways.  My older girls are dealing with their own setbacks.  But at the end of the day they are learning skills of resilience that our generation never really had to.  This will serve them well eventually.   If you’ve ever read the book The Fourth Turning, this was actually all predicted by demographers who study generational change.  The current 20 somethings have a lot in common with the Greatest Generation, who survived the Depression and won the War.  This group of young folks will do great things, IMO.  

Anyways, sorry for the hijack.  Back to our regularly scheduled programming.  Yes Disney sucks.  No I’m not on Facebook or any social media.  Yes I miss the old days on FF.  But I will always cherish the memories of the interactions on here and my family’s 10 years of camping at the Fort.

Onward and upward.    

Good to hear that you’re doing well. Thanks for the book recommendation. I am going to check it out- very interesting topic. 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

16 hours ago, Lou... said:

I'd love to attend but I'd have to drive a whopping 45 minutes just to see some Fort Fiend knuckleheads. For those who remember me, I retired from Disney and now live north of Atlanta. I will show up at Stone Mt. to annoy as many of you as I can. It'll be just like old times at the Fort. And you thought you had gotten rid of me. I expect some apple pie. 

 

Wow!  A post from a former giant on this board. I’m glad to hear that the retirement plans worked out, and I hope that you and Gail are enjoying it to the fullest.

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

12 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Wow!  A post from a former giant on this board. I’m glad to hear that the retirement plans worked out, and I hope that you and Gail are enjoying it to the fullest.

TCD

Thanks for the kind words. We're enjoying our completely new life but I do miss FL and not being a CM at WDW. Sorry to hear about your girls ending to their Disney careers, I know how much they loved WDW. For me Disney was always a love hate relationship and ended on a positive note, at least I got all my Disney perks. Hope everyone in your family have done well through the pandemic mess. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

1 hour ago, Lou... said:

Thanks for the kind words. We're enjoying our completely new life but I do miss FL and not being a CM at WDW. Sorry to hear about your girls ending to their Disney careers, I know how much they loved WDW. For me Disney was always a love hate relationship and ended on a positive note, at least I got all my Disney perks. Hope everyone in your family have done well through the pandemic mess. 

You’re lucky to be away from Florida and WDW at this time. It’s not good here at the moment, and I don’t think that things will ever go back to where they were. 

I certainly understand the love/hate relationship you had with Disney. Both girls have connections and paths that can get them back to Disney at some point, but I doubt that either will return because the career paths they were on are gone.  I don’t think people fully understand the long-term changes that will follow from the bridges Disney chose to burn.  People will eventually accept Disney’s lower standards, but that doesn’t mean that we will.

My family and I were very blessed to have a much less difficult time during the pandemic than others. 

All the best to you, Lou.

TCD

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

I agree with what you all are saying.   Good to 'see' you Lou and TCD so glad your girls have found other jobs.  Their youth and education probably helped them.  I know former cast members with years at WDW in salaried and 'helping' Tigger  positions and they still trying to find a new job.  Two in my neighborhood went ahead and retired, at least that freed up a couple jobs.  I haven't even tried to get a reservation to get in a park yet.  Now have learned I need to navigate that system to make, if possible, resies for out of town friends coming in Sept.  rats

I hate not being able to just say let's go walk around a park on the spur of the moment.  However, even tho many people and fiends said they felt very safe at WDW I still haven't even been back to Disney Springs let alone any parks.   I do have my 'jabs' tho so hoping  to be there soon, if I figure the system.

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

So, tried to check retired cast reservation system.  Can't get past April and this is the first time ALL the parks are blocked to retired cast for the rest of April.  Don't know about active cast.

I know someone who has been successful getting res. so will ask him.  But ....Grrrrrrrr

[djsamuel 322]

48 minutes ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

So, tried to check retired cast reservation system.  Can't get past April and this is the first time ALL the parks are blocked to retired cast for the rest of April.  Don't know about active cast.

I know someone who has been successful getting res. so will ask him.  But ....Grrrrrrrr

The calendar is the same for both active and retired.  Blocked out for everyone.  Still waiting for May to show up.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

As far as  Florida AP and Florida Resident, we have had no problem getting park reservations at all since things opened up.  We have the Weekday Select and I bought a 3 day FL resident for this weekend since DD is in town and we got reservations at MK for Mon (AP), HS and AK(3 day ticket) yesterday and today.  

It's obvious based on the crowds that people are still coming, even Pop Century, where DD is, was busy and DS was hopping pretty good Friday afternoon as both garages were open and Spring Break weekend all the lots were.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

5 hours ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

So, tried to check retired cast reservation system.  Can't get past April and this is the first time ALL the parks are blocked to retired cast for the rest of April.  Don't know about active cast.

I know someone who has been successful getting res. so will ask him.  But ....Grrrrrrrr

 

4 hours ago, djsamuel said:

The calendar is the same for both active and retired.  Blocked out for everyone.  Still waiting for May to show up.

More poor treatment of castmembers and reneging on retirement benefits. Park entry is part of the compensation and retirement packages that castmembers were promised. Except when Disney reneges so they can sell tickets to day guests.  Pure greed.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

2 hours ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

As far as  Florida AP and Florida Resident, we have had no problem getting park reservations at all since things opened up.  We have the Weekday Select and I bought a 3 day FL resident for this weekend since DD is in town and we got reservations at MK for Mon (AP), HS and AK(3 day ticket) yesterday and today.  

It's obvious based on the crowds that people are still coming, even Pop Century, where DD is, was busy and DS was hopping pretty good Friday afternoon as both garages were open and Spring Break weekend all the lots were.

Congratulations you got what you paid for. Guests with more expensive passes that are supposed to have no block out dates and weekend admission don’t. 

TCD

[momof3kids-Yvonne 595]

17 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Congratulations you got what you paid for. Guests with more expensive passes that are supposed to have no block out dates and weekend admission don’t. 

TCD

I was just looking at the May reservation calendar. My daughter is going to be there with her friend and her friend’s family. The parents have annual passes. My daughter and her friend do not. I am hoping they already made their park reservations. For the week they are there those with APs have availability at all four theme parks. Resort guests and theme park ticket guests it shows only openings for AK and Epcot. 
 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

1 hour ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

I was just looking at the May reservation calendar. My daughter is going to be there with her friend and her friend’s family. The parents have annual passes. My daughter and her friend do not. I am hoping they already made their park reservations. For the week they are there those with APs have availability at all four theme parks. Resort guests and theme park ticket guests it shows only openings for AK and Epcot. 
 

May is typically a slower month than April and the summer months. But let’s look at what’s available to passholders for the remainder of April:  I just looked. There are 12 days left in the month.  Of those 12 days, there are 4 with no availability. None. For any park. For four days. There are 7 that have limited availability- with no availability in at least one park each day. And there is one day where all parks are available. When I purchased my platinum annual pass in February 2020, I paid a premium price for unblocked admission to all 4 parks for 365 days, with unlimited park hopping. When the parks reopened last summer, I was limited to making one park reservation per day, subject to availability, and no park hopping.  At the same time they were restricting my pass, they were selling new tickets to resort and day guests who were allowed to visit parks that I was not allowed to. Why?  Because Disney  had my money in their pocket.  They wanted new money. 

It did not have to be this way, but Disney chose to screw over passholders so they could sell more tickets. And that is just one of many crappy decisions they have made in the last year. 

TCD

[momof3kids-Yvonne 595]

5 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

May is typically a slower month than April and the summer months. But let’s look at what’s available to passholders for the remainder of April:  I just looked. There are 12 days left in the month.  Of those 12 days, there are 4 with no availability. None. For any park. For four days. There are 7 that have limited availability- with no availability in at least one park each day. And there is one day where all parks are available. When I purchased my platinum annual pass in February 2020, I paid a premium price for unblocked admission to all 4 parks for 365 days, with unlimited park hopping. When the parks reopened last summer, I was limited to making one park reservation per day, subject to availability, and no park hopping.  At the same time they were restricting my pass, they were selling new tickets to resort and day guests who were allowed to visit parks that I was not allowed to. Why?  Because Disney  had my money in their pocket.  They wanted new money. 

It did not have to be this way, but Disney chose to screw over passholders so they could sell more tickets. And that is just one of many crappy decisions they have made in the last year. 

TCD

Oh I don’t disagree about how poorly the pass holders and CMs have been treated. But like you said they are looking at it from where can we get the most money. 
I especially hate the way they treated the CMs. From the beginning it bothered me that they expected them to work to bring “magic” to our trips, but they were unable to enjoy said magic during their down time. 

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

21 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

.At the same time they were restricting my pass, they were selling new tickets to resort and day guests who were allowed to visit parks that I was not allowed to. Why?  Because Disney  had my money in their pocket.  They wanted new money. 

TCD

So according to you they are supposed to just close the Resorts so only the Pass Holders can go to the Parks.  I'll also bet you have a percentage of FPH who are making reservations and not using them