Items Important To Seniors Because Not Mentioned
Not one senior in this year’s Disney Parks survey or in last year’s first Disney Parks survey mentioned that their park experience could be improved with a park expansion to include more and new attractions, shows, rides, restaurants, retail stores.
- Sarah – More family friendly rides. Pop could ride the Great Movie ride. But not Mickey and Minnie’s Railway. The twists and turns were hard on his back (and getting to be hard for mine as well).
- Gennie – Why not fix what things need fixing before tearing out things to make room for new things?
A big, big plus for the experience of seniors on a Disney vacation that includes Disney parks, is that no seniors, with one important exception, mentioned that they did NOT feel safe in the Disney Parks … in fact in a separate post within the Disney for Seniors Facebook Group, agreed to by many in their comments, was that they travelled to Disney World and nowhere else specifically because they felt safe there but do not feel safe travelling elsewhere.
- Nancy – Did mention in response to our survey, that Disney needs to control the firework crowds better (would be very helpful). She said …. Recently she was at Magic Kingdom and wanted to see the show. People were laying down on Main Street USA and blocking the street. My son was trying to get me through the crowd as I was in a wheelchair. The cast members were very rude and didn’t help a bit. We stopped at customer service and they were not a bit helpful. They need to do a better job with crowd control and have more areas for people in wheelchairs or scooters.
- Kelly – More security and protection for CMs. They are the ones that have to deal with angry visitors.
Return Disney Parks Services & Magic Taken Away
Next, we take a look at the Disney park services and Disney magic that no longer exist for Disney park guests that were called out in our 2nd annual Disney Parks survey.
Karen– You know what I miss having (in-park) purchases sent back to the hotel.
- Lisa – Even if they did not want to deliver to my room, just having them sent to guest services at my hotel would be very helpful.
- David – Even hold them at the front of the parks. I am not sure when they did away with that option either. Since they did away with resort delivery, are you supposed to wait around for your personalized items? I have ordered several sketches from the Disney Artists and that is a long time to stand and wait especially if you have it customed framed.
- Donna – Mixed on this cause I end up spending more $$, but the shops delivering my purchases to my room, or at least the front desk area. The more spending maybe what the stockholders would like.
- Becky – Bring back delivery of shop items to hotel- I shop much less in the parks because I don’t want to carry things around or have to walk to lockers- (24)
Michael – something that’s not specific to Disney Parks, YET important to Disney parks guests of all ages… Bring back the Magical Express
- Debbie, and Carol and Karen agreed – (bring back) Magical Express from both MCO (Orlando International Airport) and SFB (Orlando Sanford International Airport). (20)
Carol – Magical Express
Donna – Selfishly I really miss Magical Express at WDW, but many people drive, so not an overall benefit.
- Mary Beth – I think I miss the magical express the most. I remember when we didn’t have it. When it came into play, our trip was so much easier. Please consider that and resort airline checkin.
- DAN – Minnie Van’s return are not the answer …. Way too expensive for many seniors
Sharon added two additional aspects to Disney parks magic in our Disney Parks survey that no longer exist
- Sharon – But mostly, I’d like you to put back a lot of what made Disney so special ….. the little things The characters walking the main streets in Hollywood studios performing or “looking for an agent” ….. this could be similar to what Nancy and I experienced on our most recent trip to Disneyland park……we saw so many different Disney characters just walking about and interacting with park gets….so magical.
- Sharon (again) – Put “education” back in Epcot. (Many and I need many many many people love the old Epcot and being dazzled by education.) My grown up family still talks about the show with I/O that showed how the computers ran Disney world.
Kelly – Please offer higher quality clothing, especially more women’s cut shirts–those tubelike unisex shirts are the norm and they just don’t work for a lot of women. Higher quality merch overall would be much appreciated.
Disney Parks Survey – Park Admission Ticket Types
This next aspect of seniors’ experience at Disney parks received a lot, I mean a lot, of input by the seniors from the Disney for Seniors Facebook Group in our 2nd annual Disney Parks survey.
There are a lot of really good ideas here, and with the current technology used by Disney parks, the excuse that these ideas are too complicated to implement simply no longer exist. And, these ideas are not mutually exclusive.
Hey, Disney? Josh D? Bob Iger? Are you listening to your Disney luvin’ seniors?
Let’s listen to these Disney luvin’ seniors as we group their input to our 2nd annual Disney Parks survey into several different park admission ticket types.
Disney Parks – Evening Only Park Admission for Seniors
Christine – My parents used to have an after 4 pm annual pass at WDW. I know they loved going to Epcot.
Disney Parks – No or Limited Attractions Park Admission for Seniors
Russ – Maybe, like the very old days (before WDW), a ticket that does not include all the rides.
Tracy, David, Alexia, Debbie, David, Linda, Patricia, Judy, Julie, Darla, Mark, Katie, Eric, Gina, Becky, Gretta, Julie and many, many more, too many to mention actually, all agree … let’s listen to some of their rationale for such a park admission ticket for seniors
Tracy – for many of my friends; an inexpensive no rides ticket. As in, one suffers from the pains of age, infirmity, motion sickness, but enjoys being inside the bubble in the parks. Happy to hold everyone’s bags, snacks, and watch strollers and happily people watch while everyone else rides rides. Maybe a modified ride ticket – like you can ride Small World, People Mover, go to shows, but no “big” rides. (3)
- David – That is a Great idea! I am the bag and snack holder for the family. lol I can still ride those attractions except my legs do not move and work like they use too and it takes several minutes for me to load and unload. Space Mountain CM’s are great and have always been willing to wait and assist.
- Alexia – I agree with all of this; more benches, shady areas, senior meals, and a senior discount of some sort. I don’t go on as many rides as I used to. I’ve become the Grandma, content to sit and take in the sights and sounds around me, while my children and grandchildren enjoy the park. I’m sure Disney can figure out a way to offer a discounted admission for all of us Disney Seniors.
Debbie – My husband is not a ride person… I am. I will ride with my daughters or friends…But we walk, shop, eat and socialize. Is it possible to have a less expensive pass for seniors who don’t take advantage of rides? I don’t know how to monitor that… but that’s my request. (34)
- Jodi – great idea, but unfortunately too many would abuse it — Put on wrist band at front and then rip it off once inside the park so they can ride but pay reduced price. Most of us wouldn’t, but there would definitely be some that would.
- David – Link it to their Magicband. My Magicband and AP knows what I paid for including Photopass.
Patricia – Since we no longer go on all the rides, discounted tickets for seniors
Judy – A senior rate for the parks. I enjoy the parks but hardly go on the rides.
Julie – An optional ticket that included no rides. Just enjoy watching the grandchildren. Still spending plenty on snacks, meals and souvenirs.
Darla – Senior priced tickets and annual passes. We don’t ride all the rides like we did when we were young, so we don’t take advantage of all that comes with a ticket. But we can still spend $$ in the parks!! So it would be a Win-Win.
Mark – I would say a senior discount would be nice. We don’t get near the value of all the rides and such that the younger people do. But, we do eat the food, which is huge profit to them.
Katie – Paying extra for rides limits many families, and a senior discount would be a welcome change.
Eric – Discount for non-riding pass for seniors to be with their grandkids without going on rides.
Gina – Have a discounted senior “multi-pass” that is only good for maybe 3 rides in a day. Since most of us only ride a few times, this would be great. Would also love if it had a return after time when you book a ride rather than a one-hour window.
Becky – I agree with many other seniors…reduced prices for us. My husband & I don’t get on many rides. We enjoy seeing our gkids having the times of their life. Thank you for listening!
Gretta – No rides for us. Me and hubby going to make memories with grandchildren. One day when we are gone they will remember us going with them. Discount entrance tickets for seniors.
Julie – I agree about discounters seniors, we’re both over 70 and don’t do rides, but love to see sites parades and shows but so expensive, also discounts for food, and snacks. Would go to parks more if given discounts, been to both California and FloridaDebra – A ticket to just walk the parks
And, the thing is ….. Disney can experiment. Disney does not have to create a permanent type of no ride or limited ride park admission specifically for seniors. They could offer it say on a day at one Disneyland or Walt Disney World park celebrating seniors. See what happens….see how many such no or limited park ride attractions they would sell, see the impact on crowds, etc.
Next, continuing with different types of park admission tickets for seniors ideas from our Disney Parks survey, ….many suggested to add this to seniors specific park admission.
