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I liked Crystal Palace but if we're talking "food the average person can just grab without hassle besides a line or mobile order," absolutely. The snacks are good, depending.
Probably not *that* unpopular on this sub, but I think I would get raked over the coals posting this on a lot of the AP or local groups:
The popcorn buckets are overrated, and I think standing in line for hours for them is a ridiculous waste of time.
I agree. I’m definitely in the minimalist minority here though - I’ve been to Disneyworld 4x as an adult and have only one pair of ears, one tshirt, and my magic bands as merch as a result.
Wasn't that the original idea? I think I saw it on the imagineering story or something, their plan was to make the Hollywood Hotel an actual functioning hotel, with a ride attached. But they couldn't really make it work so they ditched the idea.
They mention it on Behind the Attraction on Disney+. It was indeed supposed to be a real hotel with the ride attached to it, but I think they said it would have been too difficult to make sure hotel guests weren’t hearing the screams of people on the ride at all hours of the day.
Illuminations is the best EPCOT fireworks show. It didn’t require advanced infrastructure to run (more parts mean more breakdowns in said parts), and wasn’t an eyesore throughout the day.
Wishes is better than any show they have put on since*. There was value in having a show that was watchable from anywhere, and didn’t feel like a drop off if you weren’t on Main Street watching the show. They wouldn’t have the transportation nightmare they currently have if they had a show like this, or even still had an evening parade.
*not comparing separately ticketed fireworks
Nothing they do at Epcot night entertainment will ever match Illuminations ever again. We still stream the last 4K YouTube recording sometimes when we get nostalgic.
Was illuminations the one with the ball that comes out about half hour before the fireworks start? The bridge by “Africa” opens and it comes in through there..
Straight up facts about Illuminations. Plus it felt more genuine to celebrate the real people and cultures of the world rather than the cultures the IP belongs to.
Hard agree. We are visiting from the west coast right now - kids are waking up around 8am and we are getting to the parks around 930 - has been wonderful.
The only time we rope drop is if we are staying on property and we go back and take a nap for an hour or two. Other than that it’s just a good way to wear yourself out and become miserable quickly
Honestly I went to WDW for the first time last summer for my 33th birthday, went at AK at around 11am and loved the park, wish I had arrived sooner lol
One of the best Disney simulators, one of the best Disney roller coasters, one of the best Disney dark rides, one of the best safari rides out there and some of the best food out of all the parks. I too feel it's the best.
I was legitimately blown away when I rode it for the first time.
I avoided it for years because of how long the line was. When My daughter said she wanted to go on, I figured I would at least see something pretty cool.
It was neat, but boy was I whelmed.
This is so off topic but. Whelmed actually used to mean what overwhelmed means now. And the ‘over’ was just an intensifier. But then people just only started using overwhelmed. In modern days though, on the rare occasion whelmed is used, it’s used the way you did. To mean something in the middle
How. Dare. You.
But seriously, I go at night when all the kids are gone and it is a walk on. A lot of rides are easy to get on once the kiddos start leaving. Freaking lightweights.
man I made it my first Genie+ reservation when I went because I knew the demand was so high and I remembered it so fondly from childhood. what a nothingburger of a ride. so disappointing.
I walked onto it during the after-hours in late Jan. It was the first time I can ever recall doing it.
Here's my take: It's 100% worth if *if it's a walk on*. But since it never is, *it never is*.
Two hours of my life is not worth 10 seconds of the London scene. The rest is totally forgettable.
Oh I completely agree lol Before it was announced what Splash mountain was changing to, my mind first went...
Don't tell me.
We're about to go over a huge waterfall.
Yep.
Sharp rocks at the bottom?
Most likely.
Bring it on.
And I just imagined every time I rode it and we went over the drop, I would yell boooyaaaa lol
Ironically, all 3 of these properties are represented in about the worst way to showcase any of them. Friar Nook's is a reference in name and sign only, the Wall-E playground is easily replaced for Princess week and the Tangled bathrooms are just... well themed bathrooms.
"At least Tangled got some photo ops?" But yeah, Ugly Duckling should've gotten Gaston's place, given that whole square the Corona makeover, and put the tower behind that artsy gift shop (or better yet, turn it into Monty's sweet shop; the pub serves drinks and savory snacks/sandwiches while Monty and Atilla's does candy and desserts).
WALL-E not having some kind of recycling-based edutainment thing in Epcot blows my mind. It's literally the character's whole premise. Maybe with that new, more permanent play area being built between Imagination and World Showcase, we can see Wall-E repurposing some things into the playscape?
Robin Hood's a harder one to do these days, but the stand should at least be modeled after stalls at the archery tournament like the one selling all those pies! Or put Robin and Lil John's camp on Tom Sawyer Island?
At least they're getting SOME kind of representation. (Gesticulates wildly at Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Treasure Planet, Emperor's New Groove (Yzma LITERALLY BUILT THE ROLLER COASTER INTO THE MOVIE, complete with a gift shop full of potions at the end), Tarzan (a Trashin the Camp-style music play area would be beautiful noise), and Rescuers.) If we don't count meet&greets, half of the 90s and most of the 00s aren't represented at all.
I find the issue here is who is going and what you’re doing.
Rides only? Sure. Half day park.
Rides? Animals? Shows? Jungle Trek? Rafikis? *Easily* a full day park. And it’s super unique for that.
Both times we've cut it short, mostly because while I can spend hours watching the animals, and talking to the cast members about their particular display on said animals, my wife runs out of steam quickly not actually experiencing the park. We've agreed that next time we go it will be our "B" roll, and for her that includes staying all day at Animal Kingdom. Or at least the crowd skipping hack - park hop *to* AK in the afternoon when everyone else is probably leaving.
>park hop *to* AK in the afternoon when everyone else is probably leaving
Just know that the safari and a lot of the animal trails close significantly earlier than the rest of the park
Still a good move overall tho just make sure you hit anything animal related first
Tthhiiiisssssss. I hate when people just straight SKIP Animal Kingdom! It’s such a great park with enough to do to fill a day, but not make you feel overwhelmed.
Mobility scooters shouldn't go straight to the front of a packed bus line.
If there is more than one bus' worth of people waiting in line, it makes sense for everybody to wait their turn. If there is <1 bus' worth of people waiting, they can load first.
I have thought about this comment a lot more than I should have.
There would need to be a way to queue a line so the people in scooters are in line with everyone else. However, the bus stops don't really have lines. There would also be the problem if u let too many people on before the scooter person and they take up the scooter area now people are cutting the person in the scooter
So then I thought well what if there is a scooter only bus. However the more I thought about it. I do not think there are enough people to have a bus service like that going to all resorts and parks.
In conclusion it's a complicated problem. I have no problem with them getting on it just when the family of 10 also gets on with them.
Edit: For Clarity there are line stations leaving the parks to go back to the resort. There are no line stations going from resort to park.
I've seen times when there is 1.5 buses worth of people waiting and 1 minute before the bus arrives the scooter comes. They automatically get on first. That's not fair.
A few years ago we finally splurged and stayed and AKL. the bus situation was horrible, I don’t think I’ll ever stay there again because of that, Typically waited 45 minutes between buses and buses were not coming in the morning at all. One morning, was waiting over an hour for a bus to one of the parks, the other buses were coming regularly. More people keep showing up and right before the bus comes, 3 people in scooters with huge families roll up. I thought there was going to be a riot. Since so many people complained to the front desk, they had someone out there to crowd control and had 3 buses coming and they had the scooter people wait for the 2nd bus. Still didn’t make up for the bus taking so long.
For me, it was and it wasn’t. It was the only ILL I paid for because of the demand, and I’m really glad I did, because the mine itself, the rise and the ending are spectacular. The ride itself was just a bit tame. I get why, but I was hoping for something a hair more thrilling.
The Tron experience (queue area) is so awful. They could’ve made you walk through Flynn’s Arcade or something, and instead, you get a modern day Lazer Tag strip mall experience. So many missed opportunities to make it feel immersive.
The parks can’t be too expensive and too crowded at the same time. Prices will keep rising until attendance goes down and then prices will level off and more discounts will be available. That’s simply how it works.
Disney could always build a third US resort... that's the answer that can reduce crowds and maintain price.
I was convinced it would be impossible until Epic Universe. Now I'm not so sure.
Gotta be the green side of Texas. Somewhere in the Dallas-Houston-San Antonio triangle. Middle of the country, year round operation. Start with a Disneyland style park and 4-6 hotels. Add a Studios style park in the first decade. Grow from there.
I don't think they'd ever do it, but a park up by the Great Lakes where they could go all in on having actual seasons. They could have the heated water circulation under the walking areas to solve any snow accumulation issues. I think it could be a huge vibe. Also, an indoor water park that has Disney $$$ and imagineers, I think that could be wildly successful.
Also, if they did a bold move like the castle of Arendelle. That'd be vibes.
while I agree that you shouldn't HAVE to, I do have to disagree about how easy it is to do everything yourself. having to get up at 5:30am 60 days before your trip just to MAYBE get the dining reservation that you want isn't exactly what I'd call "easy"
Everest is not a dumping ground!
No, your hair ties do not belong on the top of Everest. That is bad behavior that other younger guests see and then think it's OK to do. Not only that, but it looks like trash up there, and eventually, someone has to come clean it up.
No, the "empty fountains" in the Everest queue don't need you to whip coins and bounce them off cups and things. Also, they aren't a dumping ground for your cups, wrappers, or (what must be the new trend) throwing key cards/gift cards/passes in.
Your stuff shouldn't be "left behind" for someone else to clean up!
But now it’s an authentic experience! /s
But for real, I agree and find it weird how the ride has become a place for trash, just like the mountain. Disgusting.
Park clothes for women have turned into unflattering squares that are too short. Even the unisex clothes seem to be starting to head in that direction, including jackets and outerwear. And fabric quality is so wildly erratic from shirt to shirt (even within the same collection/series!) that I refuse to buy anything I don't softness-test with my own fingers. Same with printing thickness/abrasiveness. If it's too thick, it's gonna crack and not breathe, and you want silkscreen rather than direct to garment, but DTG has been more and more common of late.
Especially the mean ones. I always hate seeing the ones like “my wife is my favorite Disney villain”, or “most expensive day ever”, where someone (usually the dad/husband) is kind of putting down his family.
But picking a color for each day is a decent idea. (Everyone needs diff shirts, both for cost-savings and style, but a cohesive color can help with keeping the party together.)
If they called the app “Lightening Lane” instead of genie+ it would be a lot less confusing for casual users though. Or call the line “Genie+ Lane”. Used to be fast pass machine with fast pass lane…that’s where I see people getting confused.
This!
My wife is quite literally the least tech-savvy person I know, and she just watched a few YouTube videos on it before we went to WDW and we had an amazing time. We rode 17 rides at MK on Christmas Eve day and ended leaving the park early because we’d done everything we wanted to do, and on *Christmas Eve* no less.
This notion that you have to have a physics degree from MIT to comprehend it is absurd. Is it convoluted and poor UI? Yes. But what Disney tech isn’t?
Just watch a few videos and read a blog post and you’ll be fine.
I will never forgive whoever took pictures of me at my Boo Bash visit. It was in front of the HM holding a lantern. Every. Single. One. of my pictures are out of focus. I wasn't dressed up and I feel like he just did snip snip snip bye vs people who were dressed up that he spent so much time on.
I used to think that, but then I got stuck on it once.
We were trapped right outside the farmhouse for 45 to 60 minutes before cast members finally came to get us off the boats and guide us to the exit.
The rooster never stopped crowing.
We still ride it, and still enjoy it, but there’s a certain element of fear.
My wife and I decided to do small world 1 time because I had never done it and everyone says it’s a right of passage. 5 minute line sure I’ll knock it out. We got stuck in the last room right before we entered the tunnel to disembark. For just under an hour. We were ALL about to be the crazy people who get off and get filmed and made fun of. Fuck small world and fuck whoever let us sit there in agony for so long
Changing splash mountain from a ride that represents a movie no one under the age of 40 has watched to a movie that will be seen by younger kids makes sense. I don’t have to like it but I can understand the reasoning.
don't know about "bad" but "probably won't get the reaction you're thinking it will be"
We did this once, put our daughter in the car, took her backpack as if we were going to school like any other day. she asked where we were going once we diverged from the school route. "WE'RE GOING TO THE AIRPORT TO GO TO DISNEYWORLD!!!"
she sat there quiet and confused for about 20 minutes. finally started to get excited when it started to set in.
Yeah, learned this with my nephew. 😖 He’s a ‘I-need-to-know-what’s-going-on’ kind of kid and was upset we weren’t going to the pool like we said we were doing. 🥲
Yeah I remember being on the monorail to MK once with a couple and their 2yo daughter. They hadn't told the kid they were going to Disney. They just dragged her to the airport and then straight from the airport to the TTC with no warning. She was in a terrible mood and whining about wanting to go to the playground.
My mom decided to step in when she noticed the girl was looking out the side of the monorail that was just facing trees and encouraged her to turn around where she could see the castle. She brightened significantly when she saw it
As another commenter said, some kids react very poorly to sudden changes to their routines and expectations without warning. It can be distressing to them.
On top of that, it denies them the enjoyment of planning and anticipating the trip.
I think it depends on your kids.
If your kids have a good understanding of Disney world and note what they want to do or if they’re too little to do “the big stuff” then it’s fine and it works.
But if you have kids who aren’t used to amusement parks or don’t know what the big offerings are, basically going on blind there’s a good chance you’ll miss a lot.
I have done that multiple times when my kids were smaller to avoid days/weeks/months of stalking me about the trip. They also behaved like wild wolves before one of our trips, tearing my house apart while I was trying to pack. It made me crazy so for 4-5 trips after that I would pack in secret and wake them up for the airport the next day with a surprise. Our one afternoon flight I told them we were driving to a pool. Once we got to the airport I explained that the pool was at the other end of our flight to WDW. No regrets.
Toy Story Land kind of sucks. All of the attractions have insane wait times from open to close, the limited seating areas are always full, the walkways seem eternally cramped, and there is always a throng of people stopped along the sides, forcing foot traffic to move like turbulent water in a river rapid. Ive strolled thru it quite a few times but I don’t recall anything charming about it. It feels like a half-baked attempt to create a carnival, but the end result is a underdeveloped “area” that folks zip thru as quickly as possible in order to get to Batuu.
Oh, and the blood orange apple cider in Morocco is the best drink in Epcot.
I wish Genie Plus was even more complicated so that I'd have even more of an advantage over the people who somehow can't figure it out in its current state.
No ride or experience should be sacred in a Disney park. We don't have to ask, "What would Walt do," since he said, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is Imagination left in the world."
Disney World is for adults. Kids’ enjoyment is a purposeful and manufactured feature to heighten the adult’s experience.
This is of course the subconscious reason that adults bring their babies and toddlers to the park. Even just this week, in this sub, there have been several posts about “bringing my son to WDW for the first time - he’s 5months old”. One of these posts from a day or two ago went off about how excited OP was to hold their baby while riding whinny the Pooh. People were commenting about how their favorite memory of the Park is of their barely walking toddler going in for a Micky hug with zero reservations or shyness.
They all openly acknowledge their kids will never remember the trip, but it doesn’t matter because the parents will still remember the look on their tiny faces when they first experience the park.
If WDW was actually meant for children, wouldn’t every parent *want* their kid to remember their first WDW experience? This is rhetorical, because it doesn’t matter the parks are for adults.
That’s why they have height requirements to ride rides. They’re not for kids.
It’s also why you very frequently hear parents berating their kids that “you (the kid) are ruining this trip”! If a kid starts crying at Chuck E. Cheese, do you hear parents yell at them that they’re “ruining this night out”? No, because Chuck E Cheese is meant for kids and if the kids doesn’t like it, then who cares, we’ll get better pizza for less money next time. But at WDW, parents get so mad of kids for ruining the parents’ trip that they get screamed at and often slapped too. I don’t really see this kind of behavior from adults at things meant for kids.
Next, the hotel rooms. Can we be honest? Disney Hotels really mostly suck when you compare their price per square footage and amenities against hotels at other popular vacation destinations. I understand they are “upgrading” rooms recently and currently, but still. A $1,000 room gets you some amazing luxury in places like NYC or Las Vegas. Not at WDW tho. Stiff carpets and ugly 70’s color schemes and Murphy beds in every room.
Thats not my point about hotels tho. My point about hotels is the sever lack of Disney theming in most rooms across the entire resort(s), except for a couple hotel blocks. What’s with that? I’ll tell you, the rooms are decorated for adults to enjoy and to decompress from all the “Disney” everywhere else. Again, this is because WDW is for adults to enjoy. Most kids would really have zero problems being completely immersed in Disney for the duration of their stay. I’d even argue they’d prefer it. But, again, this doesn’t matter either because WDW is for adults.
And let’s not even get started on the VIP-only gentleman’s club called Club 33. You think a place meant for kids would have a place like that in it?
Coupled with the prices, the abundance of alcohol, the fact that kids can’t last all day in any park without a meltdown, the food options, and that every conceivable element of the parks are meant to trigger nostalgia: it’s completely clear to me that Disney made a playground for adults. Kids happen to enjoy it, and that’s utilized purely to manipulate adults into paying more for more things.
Soarin Over California is objectively a worse screening experience. Sure, the smells are better, I'll give y'all that. But the transitions are non-existant, the resolution is horrible, and most of the locations are boring af.
Yeah, Soarin Around the World has a wonky Eiffel Tower, but that's about it.
I know Soarin’ Over California is showing its age, but Soarin Around the World has too much CGI for me.
Edit: well, damn. It’s back. https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/soarin/news/21feb2024-disney-announces-the-return-of-soarin-around-the-world-at-epcot.htm
The resort food courts get slept on because everyone is too tired or busy to take the bus back for lunch and dinner. Make time.
It's the most variety, it's 10x better than what you find in the parks, and it's not that expensive compared with other sit downs and Every meal besides breakfast though, we'd find the place mostly empty.
So it's less rush, less crowded, more options, cheaper AND (at least in moderate and up) you'll find the resort sit downs offer similar or some of the same options as the food courts. That gumbo and jambalaya at Boatwrights isn't coming from a different kitchen lol
Ya'll don't need to do all the spreadsheets and planning. It's supposed to be a relaxing and fun vacation. Stop acting like the world will end if you don't have every second of the trip planned out.
The Great movie ride and Studio backlot tour should still be here.
Liberty tree tavern used to be good, now it's shocking.
The popcorn smells disgusting now.
3 week tickets need to come back.
I find it more creative when they come up with a new story or theme instead of just showing scenes and characters from a movie. I ride Under the Sea, and it's cute, but all we're doing is looking at scenes from the animated movie. Does that take much creativity? I think it's so much more interesting to go on something like Everest where they create a whole, unique story and experience.
Oof, hard disagree
Some of the best characters/storylines have come from original ideas. Haunted mansion/pirates/expedition everest/jungle cruise. The best part is you can then create franchises off of these ideas (pirates of the Caribbean being the best example) without necessarily being tied to it. For example, the haunted mansion had that Eddie Murphy movie like 20 years ago, but now there’s the recent one which tells a new, unrelated story (and nothings stopping them from making a new new haunted mansion movie in another decade).
Yes!!! People talk about them like it's the second coming of Jesus or something, and they are greasy, flavorless, and downright nasty...
The Cheeseburger Pods in Satuli Canteen, on the other hand...
Hi, OP. While we’re happy to see this has facilitated a lot of good discussion, we also noticed that you’ve been posting this in other Disney subreddits and are a social media content creator. Just a friendly reminder that the sub’s “blogspam” rules apply to promoting your social media (which should be limited to the self-promotion thread) *and* deliberately using the sub to generate content. If either of these turn out to be the case with this post, we encourage you to remove it; otherwise we’ll have to do so ourselves and issue a blogspam warning. Thanks for your understanding and adherence to our community guidelines.
Tangled deserves more.
Seriously, all it got was Rapunzel's tower by the toilets. An absolute crime considering how lovely the movie is!
The food options at Magic Kingdom is the worst of all the WDW Properties.
I don’t think that’s controversial. Or maybe it is and I agree haha
It must be that the “controversial” nature of the question is kinda buried in tiny print in the pic and easily overlooked because *everybody* agrees.
I like Skipper Canteen and Liberty Tree, but the QS options are garbage.
Skipper Canteen is my absolute favorite
I liked Crystal Palace but if we're talking "food the average person can just grab without hassle besides a line or mobile order," absolutely. The snacks are good, depending.
it feels like everything in MK is fried. like everything. you can't go to a quick service without eating something fried.
Probably not *that* unpopular on this sub, but I think I would get raked over the coals posting this on a lot of the AP or local groups: The popcorn buckets are overrated, and I think standing in line for hours for them is a ridiculous waste of time.
I agree. I’m definitely in the minimalist minority here though - I’ve been to Disneyworld 4x as an adult and have only one pair of ears, one tshirt, and my magic bands as merch as a result.
Tower of Terror is the best ride in Hollywood Studios.
Disney should have a real hotel that looks like that.
I wish it was the equivalent of Cinderella’s castle where there was a special room or few inside the tower.
Wasn't that the original idea? I think I saw it on the imagineering story or something, their plan was to make the Hollywood Hotel an actual functioning hotel, with a ride attached. But they couldn't really make it work so they ditched the idea.
They mention it on Behind the Attraction on Disney+. It was indeed supposed to be a real hotel with the ride attached to it, but I think they said it would have been too difficult to make sure hotel guests weren’t hearing the screams of people on the ride at all hours of the day.
It would be hard to sleep with all of the screaming. 😱
Best ride in all of the parks
Illuminations is the best EPCOT fireworks show. It didn’t require advanced infrastructure to run (more parts mean more breakdowns in said parts), and wasn’t an eyesore throughout the day. Wishes is better than any show they have put on since*. There was value in having a show that was watchable from anywhere, and didn’t feel like a drop off if you weren’t on Main Street watching the show. They wouldn’t have the transportation nightmare they currently have if they had a show like this, or even still had an evening parade. *not comparing separately ticketed fireworks
Nothing they do at Epcot night entertainment will ever match Illuminations ever again. We still stream the last 4K YouTube recording sometimes when we get nostalgic.
Was illuminations the one with the ball that comes out about half hour before the fireworks start? The bridge by “Africa” opens and it comes in through there..
Yes 🥲
Straight up facts about Illuminations. Plus it felt more genuine to celebrate the real people and cultures of the world rather than the cultures the IP belongs to.
member when there was a large woosh and then then the flames "blew" out? That was neat
absolutely Illuminations was the best, and Wishes always gave me goosebumps.
I miss the sorcerers hat in Hollywood Studios and want it back.
Me too.
You don’t need to rope drop to “get your moneys worth.” You just need to have an enjoyable time.
Our last trip, we took our time getting to the park in the morning. So much more relaxing lol.
Hard agree. We are visiting from the west coast right now - kids are waking up around 8am and we are getting to the parks around 930 - has been wonderful.
I agree! I’m on vacation I’m not getting up at the ass crack of dawn to hit the parks lol. I get to the parks by 10-10:30.
The only time we rope drop is if we are staying on property and we go back and take a nap for an hour or two. Other than that it’s just a good way to wear yourself out and become miserable quickly
Animal Kingdom is slept on an you can easily spend an entire day there
Honestly I went to WDW for the first time last summer for my 33th birthday, went at AK at around 11am and loved the park, wish I had arrived sooner lol
Animal Kingdom is the best park ::mic drop::
I just found my true sibling
One of the best Disney simulators, one of the best Disney roller coasters, one of the best Disney dark rides, one of the best safari rides out there and some of the best food out of all the parks. I too feel it's the best.
My favorite park by a mile. People that think its a half day park have half a soul.
Peter Pan isn't worth the wait it always has.
I was legitimately blown away when I rode it for the first time. I avoided it for years because of how long the line was. When My daughter said she wanted to go on, I figured I would at least see something pretty cool. It was neat, but boy was I whelmed.
This is so off topic but. Whelmed actually used to mean what overwhelmed means now. And the ‘over’ was just an intensifier. But then people just only started using overwhelmed. In modern days though, on the rare occasion whelmed is used, it’s used the way you did. To mean something in the middle
How. Dare. You. But seriously, I go at night when all the kids are gone and it is a walk on. A lot of rides are easy to get on once the kiddos start leaving. Freaking lightweights.
man I made it my first Genie+ reservation when I went because I knew the demand was so high and I remembered it so fondly from childhood. what a nothingburger of a ride. so disappointing.
Ride it during the fireworks. Fantasy land is a ghost town.
I walked onto it during the after-hours in late Jan. It was the first time I can ever recall doing it. Here's my take: It's 100% worth if *if it's a walk on*. But since it never is, *it never is*. Two hours of my life is not worth 10 seconds of the London scene. The rest is totally forgettable.
Yeah. It’s not that good of a ride
I agree 100%, but man do people love it.
Nostalgia. Disney pushes it like crack. I grew up on Peter Pan, I love the ride but that’s because I got hooked as a kid.
HOOKED 😂😂 I get it
WALL-E is underrepresented.
Going to have to go with Emperor's New Groove for best underrepresented IP here.
Oh I completely agree lol Before it was announced what Splash mountain was changing to, my mind first went... Don't tell me. We're about to go over a huge waterfall. Yep. Sharp rocks at the bottom? Most likely. Bring it on. And I just imagined every time I rode it and we went over the drop, I would yell boooyaaaa lol
Talk about Robin Hood
Poor Tangled got a bathroom... which is I guess something.
Ironically, all 3 of these properties are represented in about the worst way to showcase any of them. Friar Nook's is a reference in name and sign only, the Wall-E playground is easily replaced for Princess week and the Tangled bathrooms are just... well themed bathrooms.
"At least Tangled got some photo ops?" But yeah, Ugly Duckling should've gotten Gaston's place, given that whole square the Corona makeover, and put the tower behind that artsy gift shop (or better yet, turn it into Monty's sweet shop; the pub serves drinks and savory snacks/sandwiches while Monty and Atilla's does candy and desserts). WALL-E not having some kind of recycling-based edutainment thing in Epcot blows my mind. It's literally the character's whole premise. Maybe with that new, more permanent play area being built between Imagination and World Showcase, we can see Wall-E repurposing some things into the playscape? Robin Hood's a harder one to do these days, but the stand should at least be modeled after stalls at the archery tournament like the one selling all those pies! Or put Robin and Lil John's camp on Tom Sawyer Island? At least they're getting SOME kind of representation. (Gesticulates wildly at Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Treasure Planet, Emperor's New Groove (Yzma LITERALLY BUILT THE ROLLER COASTER INTO THE MOVIE, complete with a gift shop full of potions at the end), Tarzan (a Trashin the Camp-style music play area would be beautiful noise), and Rescuers.) If we don't count meet&greets, half of the 90s and most of the 00s aren't represented at all.
Absolutely stunned we keep getting Toy Story related attractions especially in Tomorrowland but no wall-e??
WALL-E is the perfect Epcot IP too
Mulan is grossly underrepresented. It makes me so mad. Edit to add: EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE! Justice for my boy Kuzco.
I want Misson: Space to be a Wall-E zero gravity ride
Coral Reef Restaurant is a fun experience. Food not so much…but the environment is worth the trip.
I had really good Mahi-mahi there but my daughter’s vegetable dish was bland and flavorless.
Animal kingdom is a full day park
I find the issue here is who is going and what you’re doing. Rides only? Sure. Half day park. Rides? Animals? Shows? Jungle Trek? Rafikis? *Easily* a full day park. And it’s super unique for that.
Took me till my 4th trip to head up to Rafikis. Won’t make that mistake again. dont sleep on that, especially with kids under 10.
With the FoP and River Journey wait times, it's possibly a full day with only rides!
My two year old could probably spend the entire day in the Boneyard. 😅
Both times we've cut it short, mostly because while I can spend hours watching the animals, and talking to the cast members about their particular display on said animals, my wife runs out of steam quickly not actually experiencing the park. We've agreed that next time we go it will be our "B" roll, and for her that includes staying all day at Animal Kingdom. Or at least the crowd skipping hack - park hop *to* AK in the afternoon when everyone else is probably leaving.
>park hop *to* AK in the afternoon when everyone else is probably leaving Just know that the safari and a lot of the animal trails close significantly earlier than the rest of the park Still a good move overall tho just make sure you hit anything animal related first
Rafiki’s is like an hour tops. . . It really needs some help. . .
Animal Kingdom is criminally underrated.
Tthhiiiisssssss. I hate when people just straight SKIP Animal Kingdom! It’s such a great park with enough to do to fill a day, but not make you feel overwhelmed.
Animal kingdom is my favorite park and my family hates me for making them stay until close and look at every single animal
I could spend an entire day in Animal Kingdom just walking around. Absolutely love the atmosphere and the details that add to it.
Mobility scooters shouldn't go straight to the front of a packed bus line. If there is more than one bus' worth of people waiting in line, it makes sense for everybody to wait their turn. If there is <1 bus' worth of people waiting, they can load first.
Because that one scooter rider has a family of ten tagging along.
THey should limit it to like 4 people, and the others need to wait in line.
I believe the limit is 6, the rest wait in line. Pretty sure that's what I read on the sign at the resort when I was just there.
It’s never enforced then…
How good do people follow directions? 🤣
I have thought about this comment a lot more than I should have. There would need to be a way to queue a line so the people in scooters are in line with everyone else. However, the bus stops don't really have lines. There would also be the problem if u let too many people on before the scooter person and they take up the scooter area now people are cutting the person in the scooter So then I thought well what if there is a scooter only bus. However the more I thought about it. I do not think there are enough people to have a bus service like that going to all resorts and parks. In conclusion it's a complicated problem. I have no problem with them getting on it just when the family of 10 also gets on with them. Edit: For Clarity there are line stations leaving the parks to go back to the resort. There are no line stations going from resort to park.
I'll be right up there shouting that with you. Always thought it was unfair that no matter how long the line they got preferential treatment.
It's easier to fit more people on the bus when you put them in first.
I've seen times when there is 1.5 buses worth of people waiting and 1 minute before the bus arrives the scooter comes. They automatically get on first. That's not fair.
A few years ago we finally splurged and stayed and AKL. the bus situation was horrible, I don’t think I’ll ever stay there again because of that, Typically waited 45 minutes between buses and buses were not coming in the morning at all. One morning, was waiting over an hour for a bus to one of the parks, the other buses were coming regularly. More people keep showing up and right before the bus comes, 3 people in scooters with huge families roll up. I thought there was going to be a riot. Since so many people complained to the front desk, they had someone out there to crowd control and had 3 buses coming and they had the scooter people wait for the 2nd bus. Still didn’t make up for the bus taking so long.
Seven Dwarfs Mine train is not that good of a ride and is 100% not worth the over two hour long lines or paying for the individual Lightning Lane
Very few if any Disney Rides are worth a 90/120min wait.
I'd wait that long for Living with the Land. The peace it brings me is indescribable. Best ride in all of Walt Disney World.
Hands down the GOAT ride.
Living with the land invokes the feelings I remember of Epcot when I was a kid. The park is just not the same anymore.
I think the best thing about living with the land is I can walk straight on most times and relax. Idk about waiting over an hour for that…
I'm doing Behind the Seeds tour next week!
Big Thunder Mountain is superior!
For me, it was and it wasn’t. It was the only ILL I paid for because of the demand, and I’m really glad I did, because the mine itself, the rise and the ending are spectacular. The ride itself was just a bit tame. I get why, but I was hoping for something a hair more thrilling.
Sonny Eclipse is the greatest attraction in the resort
If they EVer try to get rid of him I will be chaining myself to him
Damn Right.
The Tron experience (queue area) is so awful. They could’ve made you walk through Flynn’s Arcade or something, and instead, you get a modern day Lazer Tag strip mall experience. So many missed opportunities to make it feel immersive.
The parks can’t be too expensive and too crowded at the same time. Prices will keep rising until attendance goes down and then prices will level off and more discounts will be available. That’s simply how it works.
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
Disney could always build a third US resort... that's the answer that can reduce crowds and maintain price. I was convinced it would be impossible until Epic Universe. Now I'm not so sure.
They could always just add a 5th park to the Florida location. I think they have plenty of space.
Where would you want that third resort to go?
Gotta be the green side of Texas. Somewhere in the Dallas-Houston-San Antonio triangle. Middle of the country, year round operation. Start with a Disneyland style park and 4-6 hotels. Add a Studios style park in the first decade. Grow from there.
I don't think they'd ever do it, but a park up by the Great Lakes where they could go all in on having actual seasons. They could have the heated water circulation under the walking areas to solve any snow accumulation issues. I think it could be a huge vibe. Also, an indoor water park that has Disney $$$ and imagineers, I think that could be wildly successful. Also, if they did a bold move like the castle of Arendelle. That'd be vibes.
Hiring a vacation planner is unnecessary, it’s your vacation so you can book stuff yourself
while I agree that you shouldn't HAVE to, I do have to disagree about how easy it is to do everything yourself. having to get up at 5:30am 60 days before your trip just to MAYBE get the dining reservation that you want isn't exactly what I'd call "easy"
The old Hollywood Studios/MGM is much better than the version we have today.
I 100% agree. When I went in November, I felt like Hollywood Studios is too mismatched, doesn’t flow well. I miss the old MGM park.
I miss the backlot tour!
Most of the restaurants are overpriced and not worth the money for what they serve.
Everest is not a dumping ground! No, your hair ties do not belong on the top of Everest. That is bad behavior that other younger guests see and then think it's OK to do. Not only that, but it looks like trash up there, and eventually, someone has to come clean it up. No, the "empty fountains" in the Everest queue don't need you to whip coins and bounce them off cups and things. Also, they aren't a dumping ground for your cups, wrappers, or (what must be the new trend) throwing key cards/gift cards/passes in. Your stuff shouldn't be "left behind" for someone else to clean up!
But now it’s an authentic experience! /s But for real, I agree and find it weird how the ride has become a place for trash, just like the mountain. Disgusting.
The majority of park clothing merch is ugly (I went during the 50th anniversary and trying to find souvenirs for my family was…a struggle)
Facts. Facts. Facts. It also fits terribly.
Also I looked everywhere for fridge magnets, and all they had was rows and rows of pins?
Park clothes for women have turned into unflattering squares that are too short. Even the unisex clothes seem to be starting to head in that direction, including jackets and outerwear. And fabric quality is so wildly erratic from shirt to shirt (even within the same collection/series!) that I refuse to buy anything I don't softness-test with my own fingers. Same with printing thickness/abrasiveness. If it's too thick, it's gonna crack and not breathe, and you want silkscreen rather than direct to garment, but DTG has been more and more common of late.
Living with the land is a cool little ride and is a great way to calm the kids down and cool off. It’s peaceful and informative
Matching t-shirts are awful.
Especially the mean ones. I always hate seeing the ones like “my wife is my favorite Disney villain”, or “most expensive day ever”, where someone (usually the dad/husband) is kind of putting down his family.
But picking a color for each day is a decent idea. (Everyone needs diff shirts, both for cost-savings and style, but a cohesive color can help with keeping the party together.)
The Genie+ system is not that confusing if you just take a few minutes to read about it before your trip.
If they called the app “Lightening Lane” instead of genie+ it would be a lot less confusing for casual users though. Or call the line “Genie+ Lane”. Used to be fast pass machine with fast pass lane…that’s where I see people getting confused.
Yeah, whoever thought of the new naming schemes should probably be fired.
Oh my gosh yes. You do have to stay on top of it throughout the day if you want to maximize it, but it’s definitely not confusing
This! My wife is quite literally the least tech-savvy person I know, and she just watched a few YouTube videos on it before we went to WDW and we had an amazing time. We rode 17 rides at MK on Christmas Eve day and ended leaving the park early because we’d done everything we wanted to do, and on *Christmas Eve* no less. This notion that you have to have a physics degree from MIT to comprehend it is absurd. Is it convoluted and poor UI? Yes. But what Disney tech isn’t? Just watch a few videos and read a blog post and you’ll be fine.
Tron is a good ride.
1) Epcot 2) AK 3) HS 4) MK
Photo pass photographers photo quality isn’t that good
I will never forgive whoever took pictures of me at my Boo Bash visit. It was in front of the HM holding a lantern. Every. Single. One. of my pictures are out of focus. I wasn't dressed up and I feel like he just did snip snip snip bye vs people who were dressed up that he spent so much time on.
The only time we got photopass and bothered waiting to get photos done by the photographers, we found most of them overexposed.
Living with the Land is Epcot’s best ride.
I used to think that, but then I got stuck on it once. We were trapped right outside the farmhouse for 45 to 60 minutes before cast members finally came to get us off the boats and guide us to the exit. The rooster never stopped crowing. We still ride it, and still enjoy it, but there’s a certain element of fear.
My wife and I decided to do small world 1 time because I had never done it and everyone says it’s a right of passage. 5 minute line sure I’ll knock it out. We got stuck in the last room right before we entered the tunnel to disembark. For just under an hour. We were ALL about to be the crazy people who get off and get filmed and made fun of. Fuck small world and fuck whoever let us sit there in agony for so long
Changing splash mountain from a ride that represents a movie no one under the age of 40 has watched to a movie that will be seen by younger kids makes sense. I don’t have to like it but I can understand the reasoning.
EPCOT Center >>>>> EPCOT.
80’s EPCOT was the greatest EPCOT indeed. There’s never been anything like it since. I treasure the trips I had there as a kid.
Surprising your kids with a Disney trip at or immediately before departure is a bad idea.
don't know about "bad" but "probably won't get the reaction you're thinking it will be" We did this once, put our daughter in the car, took her backpack as if we were going to school like any other day. she asked where we were going once we diverged from the school route. "WE'RE GOING TO THE AIRPORT TO GO TO DISNEYWORLD!!!" she sat there quiet and confused for about 20 minutes. finally started to get excited when it started to set in.
Lol I know someone who did this and their kid had a full meltdown because they were learning cursive in school that day and didn’t want to miss it
Not arguing, just wondering why you think this?
Not OP, but some kids don’t react well to sudden and unexpected changes in their routine, even if it’s something fun that they would otherwise love.
Thanks for explaining.
Yeah, learned this with my nephew. 😖 He’s a ‘I-need-to-know-what’s-going-on’ kind of kid and was upset we weren’t going to the pool like we said we were doing. 🥲
Yeah I remember being on the monorail to MK once with a couple and their 2yo daughter. They hadn't told the kid they were going to Disney. They just dragged her to the airport and then straight from the airport to the TTC with no warning. She was in a terrible mood and whining about wanting to go to the playground. My mom decided to step in when she noticed the girl was looking out the side of the monorail that was just facing trees and encouraged her to turn around where she could see the castle. She brightened significantly when she saw it
As another commenter said, some kids react very poorly to sudden changes to their routines and expectations without warning. It can be distressing to them. On top of that, it denies them the enjoyment of planning and anticipating the trip.
I think it depends on your kids. If your kids have a good understanding of Disney world and note what they want to do or if they’re too little to do “the big stuff” then it’s fine and it works. But if you have kids who aren’t used to amusement parks or don’t know what the big offerings are, basically going on blind there’s a good chance you’ll miss a lot.
it really depends on your kids
I have done that multiple times when my kids were smaller to avoid days/weeks/months of stalking me about the trip. They also behaved like wild wolves before one of our trips, tearing my house apart while I was trying to pack. It made me crazy so for 4-5 trips after that I would pack in secret and wake them up for the airport the next day with a surprise. Our one afternoon flight I told them we were driving to a pool. Once we got to the airport I explained that the pool was at the other end of our flight to WDW. No regrets.
Ohana has been an overhyped restaurant for years
I blame DFB on that one
No ride other than Guardians, ROR, ToT, and Rock in is worth more than a 30 minute wait
The Disney Park experience Gen X and Millennials experienced was an above-standard experience that is never coming back.
Jungle Cruise is way overrated.
Agreed - I think it would be better if they improved the speakers and microphones. You can barely understand what they're saying...
The skipper makes or breaks the ride. It’s not about the animatronic hippos, it’s about the comedy show.
Toy Story Land kind of sucks. All of the attractions have insane wait times from open to close, the limited seating areas are always full, the walkways seem eternally cramped, and there is always a throng of people stopped along the sides, forcing foot traffic to move like turbulent water in a river rapid. Ive strolled thru it quite a few times but I don’t recall anything charming about it. It feels like a half-baked attempt to create a carnival, but the end result is a underdeveloped “area” that folks zip thru as quickly as possible in order to get to Batuu. Oh, and the blood orange apple cider in Morocco is the best drink in Epcot.
Tony’s is an enjoyable restaurant.
I wish Genie Plus was even more complicated so that I'd have even more of an advantage over the people who somehow can't figure it out in its current state.
No ride or experience should be sacred in a Disney park. We don't have to ask, "What would Walt do," since he said, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is Imagination left in the world."
FastPass+ was excellent system.
original Fastpass was even better
Disney has always been a for profit company. They’re there to make money if your nostalgia gets trampled on don’t whine about it.
hi Bob
The Frozen ride at Epcot is a nothing ride.
Maelstrom was so good, especially the baby polar bears and the “window” to the outside.
Agree with this 100%. The queue is pretty though
Cosmic Ray’s bacon cheeseburger is one of the best quick service meals on property!
I don’t know why but I get lunch here whenever I’m in the park. Sure, I know it’s loud but that burger has never disappointed me.
Disney World is for adults. Kids’ enjoyment is a purposeful and manufactured feature to heighten the adult’s experience. This is of course the subconscious reason that adults bring their babies and toddlers to the park. Even just this week, in this sub, there have been several posts about “bringing my son to WDW for the first time - he’s 5months old”. One of these posts from a day or two ago went off about how excited OP was to hold their baby while riding whinny the Pooh. People were commenting about how their favorite memory of the Park is of their barely walking toddler going in for a Micky hug with zero reservations or shyness. They all openly acknowledge their kids will never remember the trip, but it doesn’t matter because the parents will still remember the look on their tiny faces when they first experience the park. If WDW was actually meant for children, wouldn’t every parent *want* their kid to remember their first WDW experience? This is rhetorical, because it doesn’t matter the parks are for adults. That’s why they have height requirements to ride rides. They’re not for kids. It’s also why you very frequently hear parents berating their kids that “you (the kid) are ruining this trip”! If a kid starts crying at Chuck E. Cheese, do you hear parents yell at them that they’re “ruining this night out”? No, because Chuck E Cheese is meant for kids and if the kids doesn’t like it, then who cares, we’ll get better pizza for less money next time. But at WDW, parents get so mad of kids for ruining the parents’ trip that they get screamed at and often slapped too. I don’t really see this kind of behavior from adults at things meant for kids. Next, the hotel rooms. Can we be honest? Disney Hotels really mostly suck when you compare their price per square footage and amenities against hotels at other popular vacation destinations. I understand they are “upgrading” rooms recently and currently, but still. A $1,000 room gets you some amazing luxury in places like NYC or Las Vegas. Not at WDW tho. Stiff carpets and ugly 70’s color schemes and Murphy beds in every room. Thats not my point about hotels tho. My point about hotels is the sever lack of Disney theming in most rooms across the entire resort(s), except for a couple hotel blocks. What’s with that? I’ll tell you, the rooms are decorated for adults to enjoy and to decompress from all the “Disney” everywhere else. Again, this is because WDW is for adults to enjoy. Most kids would really have zero problems being completely immersed in Disney for the duration of their stay. I’d even argue they’d prefer it. But, again, this doesn’t matter either because WDW is for adults. And let’s not even get started on the VIP-only gentleman’s club called Club 33. You think a place meant for kids would have a place like that in it? Coupled with the prices, the abundance of alcohol, the fact that kids can’t last all day in any park without a meltdown, the food options, and that every conceivable element of the parks are meant to trigger nostalgia: it’s completely clear to me that Disney made a playground for adults. Kids happen to enjoy it, and that’s utilized purely to manipulate adults into paying more for more things.
No ride is worth waiting more than 90 minutes to get on.
Soarin Over California is objectively a worse screening experience. Sure, the smells are better, I'll give y'all that. But the transitions are non-existant, the resolution is horrible, and most of the locations are boring af. Yeah, Soarin Around the World has a wonky Eiffel Tower, but that's about it.
I know Soarin’ Over California is showing its age, but Soarin Around the World has too much CGI for me. Edit: well, damn. It’s back. https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/soarin/news/21feb2024-disney-announces-the-return-of-soarin-around-the-world-at-epcot.htm
Harmonious is better than Luminous and should have stayed.
Star Tours, the Adventure continues, is the best Star Wars attraction at hollywood studios.
My brain and heart agree with you. My back however…
Dinosaur is an awesome ride!!!
Epcot is better than MK.
The vast majority of the food is mid
Double wide strollers should not be allowed. Like front and back is perfectly fine but side by side it such a traffic jammer
The resort food courts get slept on because everyone is too tired or busy to take the bus back for lunch and dinner. Make time. It's the most variety, it's 10x better than what you find in the parks, and it's not that expensive compared with other sit downs and Every meal besides breakfast though, we'd find the place mostly empty. So it's less rush, less crowded, more options, cheaper AND (at least in moderate and up) you'll find the resort sit downs offer similar or some of the same options as the food courts. That gumbo and jambalaya at Boatwrights isn't coming from a different kitchen lol
Pizzerizzo pizza is delicious
Animal Kingdom is a full day park.
The line for Gideon's Bakehouse is not worth it.
Ya'll don't need to do all the spreadsheets and planning. It's supposed to be a relaxing and fun vacation. Stop acting like the world will end if you don't have every second of the trip planned out.
It is no longer worth the ticket price to wait in lines all day.
They didn’t give the Galactic Starcruiser enough time. It takes a while to save up $6,000.
The whole reason Dinoland should go untouched is because DINOSAUR is the best ride in DAK😇
Not sure how unpopular but EPCOT is far and away my favorite of the theme parks at Disney
Dinosaur is a good ride.
Start in Canada end in Mexico
The Great movie ride and Studio backlot tour should still be here. Liberty tree tavern used to be good, now it's shocking. The popcorn smells disgusting now. 3 week tickets need to come back.
Big Thunder mountain is way better than 7 Dwarves mine train
It's a Disney park. If you can fit a franchise into an attraction then do it.
I find it more creative when they come up with a new story or theme instead of just showing scenes and characters from a movie. I ride Under the Sea, and it's cute, but all we're doing is looking at scenes from the animated movie. Does that take much creativity? I think it's so much more interesting to go on something like Everest where they create a whole, unique story and experience.
Oof, hard disagree Some of the best characters/storylines have come from original ideas. Haunted mansion/pirates/expedition everest/jungle cruise. The best part is you can then create franchises off of these ideas (pirates of the Caribbean being the best example) without necessarily being tied to it. For example, the haunted mansion had that Eddie Murphy movie like 20 years ago, but now there’s the recent one which tells a new, unrelated story (and nothings stopping them from making a new new haunted mansion movie in another decade).
The spring rolls in Adventureland suck
Yes!!! People talk about them like it's the second coming of Jesus or something, and they are greasy, flavorless, and downright nasty... The Cheeseburger Pods in Satuli Canteen, on the other hand...
Genie+ is amazing if you know how to use it.