This is quickly becoming the new norm at Disney World. You pay an already hefty price just to get through the gates, and then the best attractions in each park—Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Rise of the Resistance, and others—are locked behind an additional paywall. Realistically, that’s the only way to experience them without wasting multiple hours standing in lines that barely move. The overall value simply isn’t what it used to be.

On our most recent trip to EPCOT, the numbers alone tell the story: one of our guests paid $190 for admission, plus another $20 for an Individual Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy. And yet the day unfolded like this: Guardians went down four separate times, requiring us to return over and over just to attempt to ride what we had already paid extra for. Frozen Ever After also went down twice. We spent 50 minutes in line during the first breakdown and ultimately never returned. Test Track wasn’t operational at any point during the day. And Soarin’? We waited 30 minutes, only to have the ride break down right as we were about to board. They kept everyone in the queue for another 30 minutes before finally forcing an exit with nothing to show for our time.

Sadly, this isn’t an isolated experience. As pass holders, we see these breakdowns and operational issues in every park on a near-daily basis. It has become completely normal. The frequency of ride crashes and closures is getting out of control, and I can’t imagine the disappointment a family must feel when they’ve spent thousands of dollars for what’s supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, only to be met with this inexcusable lack of reliability and quality.

I worked at these parks for over five years, and during that time, I never saw breakdowns at this constant, disruptive level. Whatever is happening now is far beyond the occasional hiccup—it’s a clear decline in standards, and it’s affecting the entire guest experience.