10 Things We’ll Never Do Again at Disney World
Every Walt Disney World fan has a bucket list, but the smart ones also have lists of things we’ll never do again. This isn’t like our list of easy first-timer mistakes. Rather, these are things we’ve done and said to one another: “Wow, that was stupid on our part. Let’s avoid it at all costs in the future.”
Truthfully, there are very few things at Walt Disney World that we’d never do again. Our bucket lists far longer than our “never again” lists, because most things at Walt Disney World are worth of a second chance. Menus at restaurants change, hotels are overhauled, and attractions are tweaked or re-imagined over time.
In fact, since we originally published this a few years ago, a lot has changed. Perhaps we should take the immortal words of celebrated thinker Justin Bieber to heart and “never say never.” Thankfully, Walt Disney World tends to listen to guest feedback and correct mistakes and experiences that score poorly on guest satisfaction surveys. Over the years, we’ve had to remove several things from this list because we’ve done them again (sometimes inadvertently or not by choice) and had dramatically different–and better–experiences…
To that point, we’ve removed different entries from the list:
- Dinner at Chef Mickey’s – We have a daughter now. There isn’t a single character meal at Walt Disney World that we won’t be doing in the near future. With that said, we revisited breakfast at Chef Mickey’s and it exceeded expectations. So maybe we’ll just stick to that and continue avoiding dinner?
- New Year’s Eve at Magic Kingdom – The last two times we did NYE or December 30 (basically the same) at Magic Kingdom, it went far better than expected. Crowds aren’t nearly as bad as they used to be, and usually peak earlier in the week.
- All Stars During Youth Sports – I’ve stayed at All Star Sports during two youth events (couldn’t pass up the price, even if I knew I was playing with fire) and it honestly wasn’t that bad. You still might want to avoid the All Stars during these events, but it’s no longer a “never again” for us–especially now that Pop Warner is gone from Walt Disney World.
- Step Foot in Dino-Rama – It’s extinct.
- Tomorrowland Speedway – We have a daughter now–one who loves cars and pretending to drive. Uh oh.
Another thing to note is that this list only covers things that are within our control to never do again at Walt Disney World. Over the years, the company has made the “choice” for us, by eliminating a lot of things that we’d otherwise love to do again. We’ve taken our final ride on Disney’s Magical Express and redeemed our last FastPass.
Those are things we will technically never do again at Walt Disney World, but are very much not in the spirit of this list, which is more like “NEVER AGAIN!” What won’t we do again at Walt Disney World? Here are the top 10+ things…
TODDLER TIME BONUS: Two Queen Beds – When it was just the two of us, we’d book whichever standard room type was cheapest. This often meant getting two queen beds, which was perfectly fine. We had a queen bed at home for the longest time and it was plenty of space. The other bed could be used as a workspace or where one of us unpacks their suitcase.
This does not work with a crib added to the mix. I think this is where the phrase, two’s company, three’s a crowd, was born. If you have two queen beds plus a crib (and other baby stuff), the room becomes virtually unnavigable. We never really took room size or floor space into consideration, as every resort was fine for just the two of us. Holy cow does adding one small human to the mix change the equation! It’s king rooms exclusively for us…for now.
Honestly, it feels like this is already ‘evolving’ again. That our best option is queen rooms that have a second bed that folds down from the wall and converts into a table or sofa. This is doubly true as Megatron will soon graduate to a regular bed, making the space-saving two queen arrangement the optimal one. Regardless, the two standard queen bed arrangement is two cramped–we need the convertible room for extra space.
TODDLER TIME BONUS: Split Stays – Honestly, it pains me to include this. I love split stays and this blog has advocated them for so long. All the while, parents have questioned our sanity, and now that we have a toddler of our own, we completely get it.
When traveling solo for research trips, I can pack up a hotel room in under 10 minutes. When it was just the two of us, the time was a tad higher than that. With a toddler, it’s much longer–packing is two steps forward, one step backwards on repeat. Other moving pieces of switching hotels just makes it way more trouble than it’s worth with a small child. This was one of the Biggest Lessons Learned on Baby Bricker’s Christmas 2025 Trip to Walt Disney World.
We still love split stays for a number of reasons, and recommend them to solo travelers and couples (especially those who pack light). We’ll absolutely do them again in the future once the logistics are easier, but for us for now, split stays are a no-go.
TODDLER TIME BONUS: Resorts Under Unavoidable Construction – We usually aren’t too fazed by construction at Walt Disney World, not even on the hotel side where it seems like there are perpetual projects at some resorts. A simple room request usually works wonders.
That’s still mostly our perspective, but after our Holiday Hotel Horror Stories at Walt Disney World, we will definitely be a little less cavalier about the unavoidable or all-encompassing projects. In particular, anything involving the lobby at a resort where the rooms radiate from the lobby, or any future projects at the tower-style hotels where everything is under one roof.
Note that this only applies while we’re traveling with a toddler and when it comes to unavoidable projects. We’d have zero hesitation to stay at Port Orleans Riverside between now and 2027 during its room overhauls, but would avoid the A-frame of the Contemporary if the Grand Canyon Concourse were redone. It’s a case-by-case basis.
10. Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along – This is a tricky one. We came of age during the Disney Renaissance and are huge fans of Beauty and the Beast as a result. On top of that, we’re new parents who cannot wait to share the movie with our daughter.
However, we also hate the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns. I’ll spare you that rant again, but there’s a reason the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along is dead last on our rankings of all 87 attractions at Walt Disney World. It’s worse than the worst direct-to-video sequel, and even the authors of bad fanfic could’ve penned a better script.
For us, this is a delicate needle to thread–making Megatron a big fan of Beauty and the Beast, while preventing her from ever learning of this atrocious show’s existence. One of my big fears is that we will succeed at the first, but fail at the second…which is a recipe for disaster.
Instead of never doing this show again, we will do it every single time we visit EPCOT. It’ll become the attraction we do more than anything else at Walt Disney World. Our frequent viewership alone will single-handedly prop up guest utilization numbers and inadvertently help keep this show around. We will become the villains.
9. Magic Kingdom on ‘Red Flag’ Days During Party Season – Magic Kingdom crowd dynamics during Party Season have been one of the key discussion points of our August through December crowd calendars for several years.
We’ve strongly recommended readers visit Magic Kingdom during the day on Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights, and Park Hop elsewhere around 4 pm. Conversely, we’ve recommended avoiding Magic Kingdom on non-party days.
There’s an added wrinkle to this from mid-October through December, Party Season “expands” from 2-3 days per week to 3-4 days per week. This results in some 4-5 days stretches when Magic Kingdom is only one until 10 pm or 11 pm once, and closes early all other nights. This creates major problems, especially on Main Street, as there are several days of crowds consolidated into a single date by virtue of those concentrated 6 pm closings.
If you do make the mistake of going–perhaps even on purpose as you want to see Magic Kingdom at night and it’s your only option–at least heed this one piece of advice: stay far away from Main Street before, during, and after Happily Ever After and Starlight Night Parade! Seriously. It can get downright uncomfortable and feel unsafe.
8. Lightning Lane Multi-Pass at Animal Kingdom – Let’s just say that there’s a reason why Animal Kingdom is now the “cheapest” park for Lightning Lane Multi-Pass. We beg of you: do not be fooled by this. It’s not actually a deal if it’s something you don’t need!
Even on busier days, you do not need LLMP at Animal Kingdom with even a scintilla of strategizing. This is discussed in countless posts, including in our Best Time-Saving Strategies for Walt Disney World, which says all you need to know for DAK is “don’t go during the middle of the day and stand in long lines.”
Seriously, that’s about it. Arriving early or staying late work perfectly fine for beating the crowds because most guests still treat it like a half-day park and attendance is significantly lower at Animal Kingdom than any other park at Walt Disney World.
As a result, a lower advertised base price for Lightning Lanes at Animal Kingdom is almost meaningless. This is especially true on days when Animal Kingdom is under $20–crowd levels are never bad enough on those dates to justify LLMP in the first place!
There’s one big exception to this, which is strategic Park Hopping. Some Lightning Lane power users might be able to leverage LLMP at DAK by pairing it with another park, savvy strategy, and a strong refresh game!
7. Pinocchio Village Haus Lunch Rush – We covered this one in Magic Kingdom’s Biggest Love-Hate Restaurant. After a fast and furious morning racing through Fantasyland, it’s common for kids and parents alike to hit a wall, needing food immediately or risking a meltdown. Enter Pinocchio Village Haus. Literally, they all enter Pinocchio Village Haus because it’s the nearest restaurant when the clock is ticking on a nuclear meltdown.
The core demographic of Pinocchio Village Haus during the midday rush is “hangry families that are 90 seconds to midnight on the WDW Doomsday Clock.” This is exactly why merely mentioning it can send shudders down the spine of longtime fans. We’ve almost all been there, with the war stories to tell about Pinocchio Village Haus and eerily similar not-so-fond memories of the restaurant.
Pinocchio Village Haus is the most infamous Magic Kingdom large-scale eatery, but it’s a similar story with the other high-capacity counter service restaurants. We’ve wandered aimlessly at Cosmic Ray’s trying to find a table and had people literally run into us rounding corners at Pecos Bills. The moral of the story is not to avoid these restaurants entirely–as they each have redeeming qualities–but to not do it during the lunch rush when it’s bonkers. Go early or late to save your time and sanity.
6. Pandora, Star Wars or Toy Story Lands Midday – There are a few components to this. First is crowds, which are always chaotic and take away from enjoying the lands. These lands have a lot of fun details, but when they’re packed with people, the crowds impede anyone’s ability to truly soak up these lands.
Long lines during the middle of the day certainly don’t help. This isn’t just triple-digit waits for the attractions, either. Walkways and shops become congested, and it’s more difficult to see everything as a result. Good luck meeting the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda or trying to find a table at Woody’s Lunch Box!
Second, you’re running a risk if rain is in the forecast. These lands are large and have few indoor escapes if the weather takes a turn for the worse. Adding insult to injury, they are a bit isolated from the rest of their respective parks. In short, if it starts raining in either and you’re not already inside, you will get wet. Your options for quickly ducking indoors are limited if not nonexistent.
Finally, there’s the simple reality that these lands are best at the beginning and end of the day. Pandora’s bioluminescence and organic life comes alive in the evening, and it truly feels like another planet. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has a spooky and serene sense to it, except in the marketplace where a variety of beautiful light fixtures give added texture and depth to everything. Toy Story Land’s cartoonish quality is even more exaggerated, with show lighting and popcorn lights adding even more vibrance to the land.
5. Summit Plummet – Despite my claim for years that I’m good on this, when we visited Blizzard Beach this year, I did Summit Plummet again. Almost as soon as it began, the realization washed over me like water that I had made a terrible mistake. To borrow the immortal words of Roger Murtaugh: I’m too old for this slide.
This is the only attraction on this list, and the reason for that is that we think people should judge attractions for themselves, because everyone has different preferences. (For example, there are probably a few of you who don’t like Country Bear Jamboree. That’s fine–some people don’t like masterpieces like The Godfather and Citizen Kane, either.)
For me, Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach water park is something that’s moderately enjoyable and I’m glad it exists, because it looks really cool and is a great water slide concept…but once was enough. From the insanely long line to the feeling of pure terror to the crazy wedgie, I’m good on it for one lifetime. Actually, I’ll probably do it when I’m 65, against my better judgment once more, just to feel young and reckless again. 😉
4. “Improperly Pack” – This is somewhat of a blanket statement because it’s a mistake I’ve made repeatedly in different ways. Basically, I have a propensity to simultaneously under and over-pack, and bring clothing for the weather I want rather than the weather that’s actually forecast.
For example, I have a tendency to pack shorts and polos for winter trips–a mistake I’ve made as recently as last year, even despite having written our Winter Packing Tips for Disney. For early fall trips, I’ve been known to bring jeans and button-downs, even when the weather is still sweltering. Beyond that, I leave behind practical items I end up missing to avoid overpacking, while bringing pointless stuff “just in case” that I never use.
Unfortunately, I don’t have an elephant-caliber memory…or I try to convince myself that “it’ll be different this time” (for reasons unknown), only to have history repeat itself. In other words, I say this is a mistake I’ll never make again…but I almost certainly will. Fortunately, there’s now a UNIQLO at Disney Springs, and that store has bailed me out many times!
3. Food & Wine Festival on a Weekend – We want to start out by saying that we really enjoy Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival…but we don’t love it on weekends. Ever been to a UCF frat party? Well, if you answered “no”, it’s not too late!
Weekend evenings are prime time for college students with disposable incomes to descend upon the Festival to get sloshed. For them, it sure beats drinking Old Style in a dank basement (like we did in college), but that atmosphere plus the huge crowds can make this the least pleasant time to be at Food & Wine Festival.
Weekdays during the festival are far more enjoyable. It’s also far more enjoyable to attend Food & Wine in mid-November when the temperatures and humidity are more bearable, but we invariably attend in September because that’s usually when we visit for Halloween.
BONUS: Italy Booth – If not “required” for the sake of research, we’d never do the Italy booth at any festival ever again. The kiosk is notorious for high prices, elementary school cafeteria-inspired cuisine, and just a startling lack of ambition. If you enjoy paying $10 for a sample-sized version of microwaved TV dinners, Italy is a great option. If not, stay far away.
2. Rainforest Cafe – How this restaurant still has multiple locations around the United States, much less multiple locations in Walt Disney World, defies logic. The food is awful, and the ambiance reminds me of 1980s-relic ShowBiz Pizza Place, but “modernized” for the 1990s and devoid of character/charm.
The dark cloud that hangs over Rainforest Cafe almost extended to cast a shadow over T-Rex Cafe for me. Fortunately, I gave that a chance because dinosaurs, and was pleasantly surprised. If you are thinking, “but our kids love Rainforest Cafe!” consider taking them to T-Rex instead.
1. Leave Early – Nighttime is when the parks come alive with beautiful lighting and enchanting ambiance. It’s also when the weather starts to cool and lines start to die down. From a practical perspective, nights are now more advantageous than mornings, with lower wait times in the last couple of hours of the night than in the first couple hours after rope drop.
On top of that, one of my favorite “attractions” is strolling through World Showcase after Epcot’s fireworks end, just soaking up the ambiance, listening to the music, and seeing the stunning architecture. I’d rather do this for an hour than spend 8 daylight hours in the park. Same goes for wandering along the Rivers of America in Magic Kingdom or being bathed in the neon glow of Tomorrowland.
BONUS: Sleep In – We stress this so much on the blog that it’s probably becoming cliche. However, it’s good advice–especially if you’re staying on-site and are eligible for Early Entry. There’s no better way to beat the crowds at most parks. Basically, we would never not be tired at Walt Disney World again. Well, that’s not true–midday naps are a game-changer if you can manage them.
Beyond a couple of other restaurants that are blacklisted (for now) and attractions we avoid for personal reasons, but that’s about it. Hopefully you can learn from some of our mistakes…or find solace in knowing that we have made these same mistakes as you. Think of this as a support group for those who have been awoken by loud construction at off-hours or who have dropped $200 on a family “dinner” at Rainforest Cafe. Share your own “NEVER AGAIN!” items in the comments–venting can be therapeutic!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What things at Walt Disney World would you never do again? Is any restaurant, resort, or ride beyond redemption for you? Any time of year you’d never visit? Do you agree or disagree with our list? Would you do any of these things again? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I used I say that about Small World too. Went on it when my kids were little and couldn’t stand it. Then this month I went to Magic Kingdom with my oldest who is now 40 and my grandaughter is 12. Went on Small World to get out of the heat and loved all the detail of the costuming and decorations. The song didn’t even get stuck in my head. I guess it is true…never say never.
Hey! We LOVE Epcot for new years! Lots of dancing! The bathroom lines are long, but I’ve found they move fast. Just don’t wait until the last minute to get in the line. We are not fussed about seeing the fireworks from a perfect location, so it’s not a hassle for us. That being said, I completely agree with most of this list.
We have the advantage of being local so weekend are our “avoid at all cost”. Far, far busier on the weekends. We also avoid the traditional spring break times of week before, week of, week after Easter.
I’m concerned about the chaos that can be (so I’ve read) when dealing with the Pop Warner crowd. Family and I were in Disney last year for the first week of December and didn’t see much of them (presumably, I’m guessing, because we were at AKL).
This year to cut back on costs a bit, we are opting to stay at Pop Century. Does anyone know if Pop Century is overrun by this Pop Warner crowd due to the price structure? Or is it ever used as an overflow for them when rooms run out at the 3 All Star hotels?
Appreciate any insight you all can provide. To be honest…if its a bad call on our part…I’ll switch to a different resort now while the trip is still months away.
Thanks everyone!!
Overrun is putting it mildly. One year we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside during Pop Warner. We arrived at 1130pm and the cheerleader were having contests to see who could scream the loudest. It was Downhill from there. And I understood that All Stars was even worse. We have resolved this issue by scheduling our trips to depart as they arrive! The parks are not awful as the kids are busy during the day. Just be careful about where you stay.
I was weary about staying at Pop Century the first and second weekends in December last year due to the football/ cheerleader crowds and was pleasantly surprised. We hardly saw them and never heard them. When we did see them on the bus they were kind to my kids and always offered to give up their seats to others.
Clearly I am in the minority, but we went to Chef Mickey’s and loved it. Because of the napkin twirling and the characters coming out to dance, we got a LOT more interaction than at other character meals. While the food was not memorable, I wasn’t paying for food at any of the character meals – I was paying to sit in AC with food while awaiting characters, rather than standing in endless boring lines in the sun. I entertained my child in the sun in so many character lines….the meals were much better and Chef Mickey’s was the best. Sorry to all of you who do not have a MMCH-obsessed 3-year-old…
We LOVE Disney, we have been there many times and plan on going again, I do agree completely with your list, I of course have my own list of add ons, main one is I will try very hard to never leave anything behind at Disney, in Jan this year we left our daughters baby blanket that she had since she was a baby, she is 11 years old so it means a lot when she still takes it with her overnight, well we forgot it in the room wrapped up in blankets, well we drive there and discovered it was missing an hour after we left resort, I called right away, come to find out that the resort does not do the laundry at the facility, they send it out, fine, I talked to multiple people, multiple departments, passed around and around, kept being told they will put me on the lost and found list and to continue to check back periodically, so I called about 2x a week, we had some leads I asked them to send me a picture so I could identify it, they said they could not do that, also I at one time while crying offered to fly there and help search for this important item and they said that I could not do that because i am not an employee of Disney, well to make a long story short after a phone call to them a few months later, I was told that they may nave found it but due to the time period they probably donated it to charity, my daughter and I still have nightmares about this, she said she will never stay at that resort again.. Heart broken!!
sorry this happened to you. My son in law left an entire dresser drawer full of his clothes there and once we got home, we called. Disney was superb. His clothing was not only mailed postage free back to us but washed and pressed too! Dont know what happened in your case, but we cannot say anything negative. We were pleasantly surprised. What a shame for your loss.
I hate to admit there are things I’d put on my “NEVER DO AGAIN” list since I love WDW so very much…but, yeah, there are things I’d be ok with never doing again.
1. I have to agree about Chef Mickey’s. The food is definitely not great. It’s really cute when Mickey & Co. come out to see the kids, but I don’t think the cuteness factor justifies the price when the food is iffy. I can’t truly say I’d never do it again bc my son really loved it…and I guess you’re paying more for the experience than the food…I think…right? I just think the food is way better at someplace like the Crystal Palace.
2. Going to Animal Kingdom on a hot day is, to me, miserable. I know it’s not actually any hotter at Animal Kingdom than it is at Epcot or MK, but it certainly feels that way. I last visited WDW last September. The day we went to AK wasn’t any hotter than the other days we were at WDW, but it sure felt that way. We actually wound up leaving by noon and just heading back to our resort to cool off in the pool. I can tolerate the Florida heat in any of the other parks, but I just can’t seem to do it at AK.
3. I stayed at the Contemporary when I visited last September. Every other time I’ve ever been to WDW, I have always arrived in the morning. Last time, though, I took a 6pm flight out of NYC because of my work schedule. I figured it would be fine getting to the resort at 11pm because I know the check-in counter is open 24/7, so no big deal. When I arrived at the Contemporary, though, nobody was there. A very disheveled man made his way to the counter after I’d been there for 10 minutes or so and proceeded to mumble so much that I had no idea what he was saying. He actually seemed really annoyed to be helping me. I was wondering if maybe I had woken him up or something. It was very uncharacteristic of any WDW employee I’ve ever dealt with in the past. It was weird to walk into a WDW resort and not instantly feel welcome. Maybe it was the late hour (even though it wasn’t TOO late…people were still returning from the parks/Disney Springs when we arrived), but it wasn’t the “magical” start to a WDW vacation I’d been used to having.
4. I actually don’t think I would stay at the Contemporary again. The main reason I chose to stay there last time is its location. I had my 2 year old son with me, so I wanted to be able to hop back and forth between the resort and MK, which is where we were going to spend the bulk of our time. Don’t get me wrong, the resort itself is very nice…clean, well-kept, etc…and I loved the 10 minute walk from the resort to the MK. However, as nice a resort as it is, it didn’t feel like a WDW resort to me. There was just some sort of magic missing that I always feel when staying someplace like Port Orleans or Caribbean Beach. I also didn’t love the food court area, the Contempo Cafe. It’s really small considering how large the resort is (we had trouble finding seating most days and had to kinda lurk until a table opened up) and didn’t have nearly the same variety of options as the food courts at other resorts. The food we had there was good, of course, but I typically stay at Port Orleans, so I guess I’m just used to the style of Boatwright’s.
5. I was also pretty disappointed after riding the Barnstormer. My sister and I ran on when the line was particularly short (I think it was during a parade), and I’m glad we didn’t wait as long as I know others have waited. The ride was over before I’d realized it had begun. Seriously, when we returned to the loading platform, I was confused. It was fun while it lasted (all 20 seconds), but definitely not worth any more than a 15 minute wait!
These really are pretty minor complaints in the grand scheme of things. I love WDW with all my heart and there are certainly waaaaaaaay more wonderful things about it than “eh” things. So, I hope the above comments don’t deter anyone from trying any of the things or places I mentioned. The best way to know whether or not you’ll like something is if you try it yourself.
I feel the EXACT same way about AK!!! So much so that we are actually skipping it our next trip and stuck an extra MK day in place of it. We bailed out by noon last visit because everyone… kids and grandparents included, were miserable. I’m sure we will go back again when the littles are older and def when it isn’t scorching.
I apologize if you elaborated more in another article, please link me if so, but can you describe what you mean by “chaotic” when you tried to do Flights of Passage at rope drop or closing? Honestly, that was going to be my strategy too if I was one of the unlucky ones that didn’t get a FP so I would like to know what to expect. Thanks in advance for any replies. By the way, my contribution to the question, I’ll never again waste Fast Passes on character meets or good spots for the parades, no more chef Mickey, and unless it’s to specifically have time inside an empty park, no more morning reservations that cost you precious time getting a lot done with touring before crowds come in!
We did Flight of passage at rope drop last June only a couple months after Pandora opened up. I did not feel as though it was chaotic whatsoever. Yes there were a lot of people there but there the cast members made sure that everything was well organized and my family members only waited about 20 min to get on while I waited outside with the baby. I would highly recommend going at rope drop because this is a ride that you DO NOT want to miss out on!
I agree, did the same early June of this year. Got there an hour before it opened, using Lyft. An organized line, separated those staying onsite from those not. We were done quickly.
I agree on all of your list but would add a few times to avoid as follows.
Cheerleading championship
Brazil or similar days. One person gets on a ride line then 30 of them jump the line claiming they are all together. This happened in multiple trips. Never again !
Yep…The Brazillian crowd is my #1 thing to avoid if possible.
when is the Brazilian crowd in town? I need to avoid this because I’m sure I would not be very magical if 30-some people tried to get in front of me.
YES!! we just visited over the week of July 4th, expecting crazy crowds but unaware of the Brazilian teens. Everywhere we went, they were there, in their matching t-shirts, pushing and shoving, congesting lines, blocking sidewalks, chanting, shouting, and singing at the top of their lungs. While waiting in the hour-long Splash Mountain line (remember, this is during the heat of July) AT LEAST 200 kids filed through the FastPass line. How Disney issued that many FastPasses, I will never understand, but in addition to all the other FastPass guests, came alllllll these chanting teens, who delayed the ride even longer. For the Happily Ever After show, my husband and I found the viewing garden was nearly empty. We picked a nice spot with an unobstructed view. Minutes before the show started, the teens flooded into the garden and tried to push us out of the way. Fortunately, a cast member saw our struggle and snuck us to a reserved area so we could actually see. Never again!
We would 100% agree about AVOIDING WDW during the time the kids are there w cheerleading competition at ESPN! We’ve found this typically in May. But, that group doesn’t sound as disrespectful or disruptive as the group you referenced in December!
We have also experience very disrespectful behaviors when there’s a large group of Brazilians in WDW. That is in NO WAY being prejudiced!! Actually, I’m AMAZED how some of the ladies can manage walking all day in heels that they are in and still have their make up looking as beautiful as they do! But, jumping ahead of you in line is out of control!
We tried to stroll through the World Showcase at night when Epcot has EMH. Little did we know that the World Showcase does not stay open late. We all were very disappointed!
Go in jan. Won’t do that again. We’ve been there several times in Oct and once late Feb. For our kids first time it was so cold it really took out a lot of the fun. And we live where its 20-30 below! If im going to spend the money on a disney trip for 6 of us it better be warm. Lol. Also I won’t spend the money on a moderate resort again. Loved the value resort so much more!
Completely agree with your Chef Mickey comment, we thought it was awful. Went for dinner, good was awful and several of the workers (photo takers) were completely uninterested in being there. We have been to Disney World multiple times and were “warned” not to go, but curiosity finally got the best of us, and we went. Never, ever again!
Yes!! I cant believe the number of people who love Chef Mickeys. Last time we went, we did the meal plan thinking it was a great deal….maybe for some families, but we are a family of 6….at the time of our trip our kids were 9,7,4 and 1. Little did i know they charge a mAndatory gratuity (20 percent i think) on all meals with a party of 6….even though one was a baby…just 13 months….was hardly eating table food and slept through most meAls)!! All the character buffets were outrageous as a result but chef mickeys wAs the worst. Bad food, bad service and then we were handed a bill for a $40 gratuity on top of it!
Na’vi River Journey is the one attraction I wouldn’t ride again. I am glad I jumped on it late at night with a 10 minute wait because if I had to wait longer for that ride I would have been very upset. It’s beautiful but not worth long waits. If you want to experience it for yourself head over right at the end of the night!
BUT without Din O Rama there would be no primeval whirl!
I’ll never wait for a resort bus after park closing again. Last June we stayed at Pop Century and the buses were awful to and from the parks. There simply weren’t enough buses. A couple of times we went to the Art of Animation stop and walked through. Coming out of MK we’d waited for 30 minutes after Happily Ever After and still stood in the bus line for an hour.
Spend $$$$$$ to take my sister and her whole family on a trip with us. She needed to bring $0 and all she did was complain. In her eyes, transportation took to long, lines were too long (20 minutes max), too crowded, food too expensive (she wasn’t paying for it. I had bought DX dining plan) I ended up crying at my happy place and hubby had to become a referee. I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. After that trip, we decided to never treat anyone to another all expense paid vacation. Disney itself is amazing and I can’t think of anything I wouldn’t try again.
Dee, I’m so sorry that happened! My sister is like that too. Everything is provided for her by my family and she is still so ungrateful about things. AND she’s 5 years older than me. Never treat anyone to Disney who won’t appreciate it. It’s a treasure and you don’t need anyone’s negativity crapping all over it. Never take her again and have a GREAT time
I’ve been there too! Never again will I go with my family. It was a dream of mine to go in December to see all the decorations and my family (mostly my sister) completely ruined it.
I did the same thing! NEVER again! Still 15 years later, she still complains about the trip.
I can’t believe anyone could be so ungrateful as to complain about a free trip to Disney! Even when I’m paying $$$$ I happily suck up the long lines and crowds just to be there. If someone was generous enough to treat me to a trip heck- I’d walk from hotel to parks if need be!! Sorry your trip was made a little less magical due to your sister- next time will be all the more enjoyable for you. I wish I had a sis as generous as you!
1) Stay at Caribbean Beach Resort. Construction did not bother us. The place is just too big. Tto much bussing to go anywhere.
2) The Up bird show at Animal Kingdom. We liked it better before they revamped it.
3) Waiting until the last minute to find a viewing location for the Magic Kingdom projection and fireworks show.
I just wait for a rainy night and schedule animal kingdom for that day and bring a poncho. 1) its my favourite Disney experience to walk around at night at both animal kingdom or Epcot in the rain. 2) The park clears out and if you get on flight of passage about half hour before park closing you can usually ride it twice. I have done this twice now. Once in November and once in march, got in line and waited about 15 min even tho the sign still says an hour and a half wait. Then jumped in line again for the last ride with no wait at all. One time I went back for rope drop the next morning and it was a 4 hour line still with the line out to the tree. So it works at busy times as well.
I have ridden Avatar: Flight of Passage at least 15 times and only one of those times with a Fastpass. Being a local and not staying on property, Fastpasses are pretty much a no go for this attraction, so it’s either suck it up and stand in line or never get to go on my absolute favorite ride of all time. I will say that the wait times listed near closing are always over exaggerated – always. For instance, I was there two nights ago – the posted wait time was 110 minutes at 9:52pm (closing at 10:30pm) when I got in line, and I was on the ride (not in the pre-shows, but actually straddling the mechanical Banshee) 54 minutes later. I think that they give exaggerated wait times at night to discourage people from getting in line and keeping the attraction operating hours after the park closes – that’s just my opinion. So my advice is, don’t fool with the running of the bulls at rope drop. Go to Pandora at night right before the park closes – I have never waited more than an hour despite the posted wait time.
Any week during Pop Warner, Cheerleading etc. Worst vacation I have ever. Disney or otherwise. Go on It’s a Small World, never again even if they paid me. Eat at Kona Cafe. Go VERY sick a few years ago from eating there and just can’t ever go back.
This is just my opinion, but even if you don’t like “It’s a Small World,” it’s still a very short queue for a cool ride. By cool, I mean literally… it’s a good place to cool down!
I used I say that about Small World too. Went on it when my kids were little and couldn’t stand it. Then this month I went to Magic Kingdom with my oldest who is now 40 and my grandaughter is 12. Went on Small World to get out of the heat and loved all the detail of the costuming and decorations. The song didn’t even get stuck in my head. I guess it is true…never say never.
My controversial list of never agains in Disney World:
1) Space Mountain – an in the dark crazy mouse style roller coaster is not worth the wait or the FastPass
2) Interpark transportation (monorail, buses, boats) at closing to our resort– we found paying $10 for an Uber was 1000Xs better than waiting 45 minutes for a monorail or bus
3) Na’vi Boat Ride — Easily the most boring ride I have ever been on.
4) Chef Mickeys
5) Spaceship Earth — the perfect place to take a nap — pretty dated ride
6) The Barnstormer — Disney should be ashamed of itself
I am not curmudgeon, I love almost everything else in Disney World — these six really got my goat last time.
That’s funny that you included The Barnstormer. My three boys (ages 5, 6, and 8 when we were last there) just LOVED the Barnstormer. We probably rode it close to a dozen times over the couple of days we spent at Magic Kingdom during our last trip. It helped that the lines were usually very short.
One of our favorite memories was on Barnstormer when heavy rain broke out – – it felt like someone was spraying a hose right at us — we still laugh about it!