I always enjoy going to Disney World. At least I used to. It started with the concerts. I’ve been going to see the concerts at EPCOT for over 10 years now. Groups from my generation (primarily the 60s but some from the 50s and 70s as well) have been performing during the Flower Power Concert Series (now Garden Rocks) and the EPCOT venue is a great place to go to listen to this LIVE music. Getting great photos is fun and easy as well. And to top it off getting to actually MEET and become friends with those musicians that I grew up with is just something special. But things change and change is always inevitable; many of our older group musicians are dying off (Paul Revere, Davy Jones, etc.) and no longer perform there. Disney is bring in more “current” groups many of whom I’ve never heard of before. This is bringing in a different crowd, many of whom are of the “entitlement” mentality which is forcing Disney to change the seating arrangements inside the theater. Going to concerts there is no longer a fun adventure any more. And to make even more $$ for themselves, Disney is taking the concert popularity to even new heights – dinner packages. You can get preferred seating (meaning close to the stage and not behind any of the trees in the theater) IF you fork over additional $$ for a meal package (a quick glance suggests average price is about double from a normal meal). While that’s good for Disney (and my Disney stock), it’s not necessarily good for the thousands of annual passholders and other people who come for the experience.
Speaking of food, my normally favorite place to eat at Disney, the Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom, has apparently changed some of its ingredients for the worse. Most people normally think of the lowly mashed potatoes as anything special but at the Liberty Tree Tavern they were so delicious you could eat them plain with no gravy or anything else. Having the gravy as well was, well, just gravy! It was over the top good. The macaroni and cheese they served was just out of this world. Unfortunately things have changed. The potatoes haven’t been as good for the last year. And during our recent visit the macaroni and cheese was, well, blah. Unfortunately this will be the last time I visit that formerly fine eatery at $40 a pop.
I also had a hamburger at the Sci-Fi Diner in Disney Studios. The quality of this find sandwich has declined as well. It’s a good hamburger but not like it once was. And definitely not worth the $19 either. Again, my Disney stock is joyful but this rapidly becoming former Disney fan is not. Going to Disney is more like a chore than an exciting experience.