Okay, I’m a big fan of WDW resort. I choose to vacation here because of the great lengths to which they go here to make good vacation memories. Disney has cut back many times over many years, and some of the cuts are imperceptible to most guests, while others are more of an inconvenience. I’ve complained about the mechanical music travesties here, which few people are going to get excited about. But one thing that guests are grumbling about, and not just me–is the shortened service hours of the extensive WDW transportation system. Transportation is included in the resort overhead and shows up in room rates, ticket prices, and possibly other places.

I expect to be able to get around the resort during reasonable hours for vacationers. We very nearly got stuck at a resort hotel after dinner because we had 8:30 reservations (earliest available) for dinner but the last bus that would connect to our resort left at 10:35. I know because I watched it pull away, unable to board–I didn’t run for a bus, but I assumed there would be another. Before you question a two-hour dinner, consider that we weren’t seated at our reserved time (no big deal) and the dinner was at a very nice table service restaurant which wasn’t fast. Anyway, since the Magic Kingdom closed at ten, the ENTIRE WDW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM went nighty-night by eleven. Which in my case meant ten-thirty five.

Shame on you Bob Iger! I’m a Disney guest and a stockholder, and I want reasonable cost control like any stockholder would, but to strand resort guests to save a few bucks, while key restaurants are still operating at the resorts is bad business. Never mind those who might stop for a $12.00 drink at a hotel bar that is open until 1:00 AM.

Is WDW still fun? Of course it is. But it isn’t quite the example of excellence it once was, and I’m more worried about where it’s going than where it is now. I hope Six Flags doesn’t become a top competitor for WDWs theme park operations.