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 a stupid move on our part. Let’s avoid that at all costs in the future.” (Updated December 10, 2023.)
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. And you know what? I’m looking forward to (over)paying ~$150 for the three of us to do dinner at Chef Mickey’s again!
- Pay to Stay at Grand Floridian – The price is still absurd, so it’s likely we won’t be doing this much (especially given that we can use DVC points instead). With that said, our reason for not paying to stay at Grand Floridian was the mid-tier Marriott caliber rooms. Those are currently in the process of being transformed into something far, far nicer.
- Genie+ at EPCOT – The addition of Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure to the Genie+ service, plus better availability for other attractions and a lower price at EPCOT takes this off the list. We still favor Early Entry or Extended Evening Hours, but we’re no longer as ardently anti-Genie+ at EPCOT.
- 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. Of course, reservations are going away in 2024, so this could change again for the worse, but we wouldn’t hesitate to do it again…for now.
- Busy Buses at Coronado Springs – This was a huge problem in 2020-2022, due to a mixture of staffing shortages, reduced capacity on transportation, and Gran Destino Tower adding a ton of rooms to the resort. Thankfully, we didn’t experience the issue this year, presumably because pent-up demand is exhausted and resort occupancy is down. It could still be a problem from time-to-time, but not enough of one to make this list.
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. For example, we’d love to see a night parade or winter icicle lights on Cinderella Castle, but it seems that Disney might deny us the opportunity. We’ve also now 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…
BONUS: All Stars During Youth Events – This is one we’d still strongly recommend that you avoid, so we’re not fully removing it from the list. However, in the last year-plus, 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.
Part of this is probably that the worst youth event, the Pop Warner Championship, is no longer hosted at Walt Disney World. Another component is that we’ve heard Disney has become more ‘diligent’ about communicating to chaperones that groups need to be quiet after a certain hour. Maybe another is that the kids these days are better behaved??? (Nah.)
In any case, this becomes a ‘do as we say, not as we do’ entry on the list. If there’s a major youth sporting event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, you should probably avoid all of the All Stars, but Sports at the very least. Basically, if you’re thinking of booking a Value Resort between February and May, consult this calendar–it can be a planner’s best friend and help “save your sleep schedule.”
Assembling this many under-supervised teens in one location is like feeding a Gremlin after midnight. There’s some sort of chemical or hormonal “thing” that happens, and then all hell breaks loose. Due to the reputation and complaints over the years, Disney security has done a better job in dealing with the teens in recent years (impromptu midnight practices are quickly broken up so I no longer have the need to literally yell “get off my lawn” to the kids), but this is still a scene to be avoided.
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 made our list of Things We Skip at EPCOT and is dead last on our rankings of all 91 attractions at Walt Disney World.
So 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 suceed 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.
Here’s hoping that Walt Disney World has the good sense to retire this abomination before Megatron is of age to become “addicted” to entertainment and starts calling the shots, forcing us to see this sing-along endlessly. In the meantime, other parents, you’ve been warned: avoid Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along at all costs. It’s worse than the worst direct-to-video sequel, and even the authors of bad fanfic could’ve penned a better script.
9. Magic Kingdom on Monday During Party Season – This actually isn’t only Monday, that’s just the most succinct way of wording this. 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 been strongly recommending that readers visit Magic Kingdom during the day on Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights, and then bouncing to another park at around 4 pm. Conversely, we’ve recommended avoiding Magic Kingdom on non-party days. The rationale for all of this is laid out in Least Crowded Days at Magic Kingdom, we aren’t going to belabor that point yet again.
One point we haven’t made nearly as much is the “danger” of visiting Magic Kingdom on a Monday (the busiest day of the week) at points during Party Season when it’s the only day during a 3-4 day stretch without MNSSHP or MVMCP. This is a double-whammy. Not only are the crowds consolidated away from the party-shortened days, but it’s also what’s regularly the busiest day of the week at Magic Kingdom. (See Best & Worst Days of the Week for Each Park at Walt Disney World.)
This happened on the Monday of Thanksgiving week, and it was an absolute nightmare. But we actually experienced it earlier during the Party Season on a Wednesday, which was the only day in a 5 day stretch without an event. Same can happen on select Saturdays. All of those days are absolutely brutal, and should be avoided.
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 the fireworks! It’s the only opportunity in a several day stretch to watch Happily Ever After, meaning that about 10x the number of guests who can safely fit on Main Street for the fireworks will want to watch from there. Seriously. It can get downright uncomfortable and feel unsafe. Watch from behind Cinderella Castle instead.
8. Genie+ at Animal Kingdom – This replaces Genie+ at EPCOT on this list, which I still wouldn’t purchase or recommend to the vast majority of guests due to the ridiculous amount of backtracking it requires (and among attractions that are incredibly spread out). However, the inclusion of Frozen Ever After or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure does remove it from ‘worst things you can do at Walt Disney World’ status.
Genie+ has become more popular at Animal Kingdom in the second half of 2023 due to the introduction of per-park pricing. Consequently, Animal Kingdom is now the “cheapest” park and many guests view it as a “good deal” as a result. We beg of you: do not be fooled by this.
Even on busier days, you do not need Genie+ at Animal Kingdom with even a scintilla of strategizing. Regular readers of this site know this, as we’ve hammered home time and time again that Genie+ is a waste of money at Animal Kingdom. 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 Genie+ by virtue of 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 Genie+ in the first place!
6. Pandora or Star Wars Lands Midday – There are a few components to this. First is crowds, which are always chaotic and take away from enjoying the details that define both Pandora – World of Avatar and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. These two lands absolutely beg to be explored, and stressed out crowds and people going in every which way impede anyone’s ability to truly soak up these lands. The environments and layers of lived-in detail and storytelling are so key for appreciating both.
Plus, the 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. At Galaxy’s Edge, good luck meeting the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda if you’re trying to do so midday!
Second, you’re running a risk if rain is in the forecast. Both lands are huge, but also have few indoor areas that are large and easily accessible 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 (or in the case of Galaxy’s Edge, right next door to another popular land with very little covered space). 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 Pandora and Galaxy’s Edge are best at the beginning and end of the day. The morning light flitters through the trees, kisses the mountains, and gives greater depth and dimension to the rockwork. It’s like going from standard television to high definition, as all of the details are clearer and stand out.
Both lands also take on new dimension once the sun goes down. Pandora’s bioluminescence and organic life comes alive in the evening, and it truly feels like another planet. The setting is enchanted, and evokes what I can only imagine an alien forest is like. At night, 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.
This might seem like an exaggeration, but you truly have not experienced Pandora or Galaxy’s Edge if you’ve never done them at night. It’s not just like standard to high def–it’s more like going from listening to the radio to watching in IMAX.
BONUS: Midday Standby at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Similar idea as the above, but the problem here is unique enough to warrant its own (bonus) entry. Wait time inflation at Walt Disney World is a real thing, and we think it has gotten worse with the launch of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes. Whether that has nefarious motivations or not is a different debate for another day. (See Why Certain Walt Disney World Rides Can Have WORSE Actual Wait Times Than Posted.)
We can safely say that Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is notorious for having the least-accurate wait times in all of Walt Disney World. Quite often, especially around park opening and late in the day, the wait times are significantly inflated. We’ve experienced posted wait times that are more than double the actual wait times we’ve experienced. (There have been instances of triple posted vs. actual wait times!) However, that is not always the case.
One thing we’ve learned is that doing Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance via standby during the middle of the day is playing with fire. This is especially true when the posted wait time is over 120 minutes, we’ve found. The reason for this is because the Galaxy’s Edge headliner–and #1 attraction in all of Walt Disney World–is still prone to breakdowns. The longer the line, the higher the likelihood of a ride breakdown.
But that isn’t the only issue. After all, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has been unreliable since opening, so you’d think that Walt Disney World could build a ‘cushion’ into posted wait times to account for the downtime to some degree, right? (They do. That’s precisely why the wait times are often significantly inflated!)
The real problem is that Disney sells Individual Lightning Lane access to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and that does not take downtime into account. Meaning that when the ride reopens, there is a huge backlog of guests who have paid $20+ per person to skip the line at the attraction. And guess what? They are still entitled to that, resulting in a Lightning Lane to standby ratio that is way more skewed to Lightning Lane than normal. This causes the actual standby wait time to skyrocket…and that’s on top of whatever downtime you might’ve endured.
There are two takeaways here. First, don’t do Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during the middle of the day when wait times are the highest as you’re betting big when it comes to ride breakdowns. Second, if the ride does go down while you’re in the standby line, get out unless you’re very close to the front of the line (you’ve already spent at least 30 minutes in the caves). Don’t make yourself a victim of the sunk-cost fallacy! For more advice to doing the attraction with lower wait times, see our Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Ride Guide.
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 (see our Top Time-Saving Strategies for Walt Disney World for a rundown of the best & worst ways to avoid long lines.) 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), attractions we avoid for personal reasons, and lands that are dead to me *cough*Dino-Rama*cough* 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 at 2 a.m. at All Star Sports by a cheer practice 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 will likely never go to WDW again, rather go to any other Disney resort. It feels like work to plan and engage, the weather, and the poor service compared to the other resorts for a very expensive price tag.
Last trip was terrible, and we are not newbies. Went to Disneyland over a 100 times since 1970’s, Disneyland paris 60 times and many trips to WDW over the years. desperate to try the asian parks.
Also avoid all food in the MK – expensive and overpriced. go to a MK resort instead for dinner.
With regards to #6, what if you got to open the park riding summit plummet? How do they choose the that person?
Rainforest Cafe-yes! Agree 100%. Our kids don’t even like it. Thanks for another great and enjoyable list.
Flight of Passage without Fastpass really gives you discouragement. But only until you put your foot in its place inside the cabin. At that moment, everything becomes pure happiness!
Our never-agains:
1. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Total waste of money! No FastPasses because theory is you don’t need them. Wrong! With many rides closed for the party, there were still rides with hour wait times. Trust me, the crowds aren’t any less during the party than on normal park nights. We parked for a good view of the parade, then shortly before it started, the crowds moved in and cut right in front of us. We ended up not seeing any of it. We also didn’t see any of the characters at any meet-and-greets. We just couldn’t justify spending the entire evening waiting in the incredibly long lines for them.
2. Chef Mickey’s. Agree with you on that. We’ve tried it for dinner, brunch, and breakfast. All three meals had equally bad food. I’d rather eat at Rainforest Cafe, which isn’t saying a lot.
3. Also agree with the value resorts during Pop Warner week. We made that mistake last year. Everyone says how low the crowds are the 1st week in December. They lied. We didn’t have problems with them at the resort, but there were just so many! We’d have to wait for the 3rd or 4th bus to the parks in the morning. Had an ADR for T-Rex’s Breakfast with Santa but they were having a difficult time keeping the buffet stocked. Place was filled with cheerleaders. Manager said they’d had 250 the day before for the the breakfast.
4. Also agree with weekends at Epcot during the Food & Wine Festival. We made that mistake, too. It’s NOT a kid-friendly park during that time. Very annoying. One guy was sloshing his drink all over the place. He couldn’t stand upright. So when the 9 year old asked me why Disney was still serving him alcohol since he was drunk, I knew it was time to leave the park.
5. Take a late flight to Disney. We made that mistake on our first trip there years ago. We got to the resort in time for bed. That’s like paying for a day that you don’t get.
6. Go to Disney without first reading all of Tom’s new reviews of anything dealing with WDW. Way easier than using Yelp & a lot more informative.
I only have one thing on my never list: I will never return to Disney World. I honestly do not fathom in the least why people pay for the experience of:
– dripping with sweat for 10 solid hours (I went in October when it was “cooler”),
– being jostled in stadium-like crowds (school was in session so there were “less people”, – waiting in line for hours (we meticulously planned and had fast passes galore),
– eating extremely expensive, mediocre, unhealthy food (we had meal plans),
– listening to other people’s children throw epic tantrums several times a day (my own daughter wanted me to put her down in a sea of people so that she could “run away from this place”), or
– buying overpriced trinkets, clothes, and other crap that is now torn to shreds or rotting in a closet (grandparents paid for it).
Never. I will never return. I wouldn’t go if Bob Iger promised me an all-expenses paid premium experience. I would burn my money before spending it on such an awful experience.
Wow! We go every year (when possible) because we have so much fun there. But we never go during the unseasonably hot months & never when the crowds are high. We’ve never had to wait an hour for a ride that we’ve had FastPasses for.
Kids throwing a tantrum is anywhere you go. Disney hasn’t cornered the market on that. But I’ve never seen what you’ve described. At best, we’ve listened to maybe one. And I’m not sure why expensive souvenirs would ruin a trip. Go anywhere touristy and you’re going to find expensive souvenirs that aren’t worth what they’re priced at most of the time. Simple solution? Don’t buy them. But it’s even more confusing why it’s upset you so much since you even admit you didn’t buy them; someone else did.
Maybe next time you’ll have a more pleasant vacation if you properly research your destination before going to it, wherever that may be. Had you done that for Disney, you would have chosen different restaurants that offered healthy meals & you’d know which ones are good & which ones aren’t. Tom has reviewed most of them on the Dining page of his blog. It also would have solved your wait times for rides and when the best months to visit are. Proper planning really does make a world of difference
Well said, Peg!
Yep, we planned/researched this thing meticulously. Started planning probably a year in advance. Had all the fast passes, restaurant reservations, everything. Had each day, each hour planned out to a T. Watched countless hours of recommendations from the “pros”. Read all the guidance on how to do things best. We’ve never spent more time planning a vacation. That’s part of what makes this so bad.
Also saw that Disney laid off tens of thousands of people due to the virus. This is a company making profit hand over fist for decades, billions and billions of dollars a quarter, and now they cut off their minimum-wage labor force from salaries and benefits.
Not cool, Disney. Not cool at all.
Actually, I know several people who work for Disney, some family. All in different positions and some on the lower level (think, “How many? Row number 1 please”). They have all been furloughed not laid off. Disney is also continuing to pay for their healthcare and for whom it applies, college tuition. They have also filed in such a way as they can apply for unemployment if they choose.
Disney is not for everyone for sure. Not sure how, with all your research, you missed the mark so much. In any case, now you know!
I agree, Aimee. IF he’d done as much research as he claims, he wouldn’t have chosen restaurants serving non-healthy meals over the ones that serve the healthy choices. He also wouldn’t have gone at a time of year when it’s super crowded.
But the point knocking Disney for expensive souvenirs when he didn’t even buy them made me realize he just hates Disney for some reason other than what he’s claiming.
Disney only recently furloughed their cast members. They shut down in March & paid their employees for a month, even though they weren’t working. They also took all of the foods from their 400+ restaurants and donated the food to Orlando food banks. They’ve been having “Imagineers” do online classes for the kids out of school because of the virus. There’s classes for drawing and engineering, etc all for free.
I won’t trash Disney. I appreciate what Disney does for the military. We get substantially reduced ticket prices, plus discounts on resorts that are above what the general public gets. They also discount the Memory Maker and tickets for special events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
They may make billions, but with every park in all the countries they have a park in closed as well as their cruise lines, they’re also losing billions. And yet they’re still taking the time to care about those quarantined in their homes. You can even cook with Disney via their app. Today’s recipe is for the Dole Pineapple Whip
So sorry you didn’t enjoy your trip.
We will never visit WDW over New Years. We went there many years ago just after Christmas until January 2. December 27 through 29/30 was somewhat quiet. Then…it was as if they let people in for free. There were wall-to-wall people. I went to purchase an ice cream at one of the carts in EPCOT. I turned around and had people within inches of me in every direction. It was a bit overwhelming! That was in 2006. Maybe it isn’t that way now, but I wouldn’t try it again. Other than that, we LOVE going to WDW. I feel like a kid just thinking about going back!! 🙂
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We went to this on 12/12/2019. When I had called a Disney reservations cast member several weeks prior and asked about FastPass for it I was told they do not have them for the Party because the crowds were so low compared to normal park hours. Let’s just say they were very wrong.
We were at the Magic Kingdom Park that day from 9:00am until around 10:30pm and it seemed like there were twice as many people for the Party as there had been throughout the day. No FastPass system and there were long lines everywhere. It’s a money grab for Disney and they sell WAY too many tickets to it.
The Dining plan. It’s just me and my husband and it just doesn’t work well for us. Our appetites always do weird things when we’re on vacation so often times we aren’t eating as much anyway and we end up feeling frustrated that we fell we have to plan so much of our food ahead of time. My husband is also a bit of a picky eater, and tends to avoid the most expensive stuff on the menu. The value for us isn’t there.
However, I know some people really enjoy it- we have good friends that go to Disney all the time, and they swear by it. They plan their trips around free dining, and they love planning out all their meals and working it for all it’s worth. I don’t get it, but I’m happy they’re happy.
Your #3 is my #1! Had a lady throw her mocha in my face because we wouldn’t move from our prime viewing spots.
Sorry but the Rainforest Cafe is my favorite restaurant! It may not be for some of you, but I love it! We live in Ohio and there are no Rainforest Cafe’s here, so it is a treat to go there in Orlando!
Your #3 is my #1! Had a lady throw her mocha in my face because we wouldn’t move from our prime viewing spots.
We first ate at Chef Mickey’s in 1978 and 3-tines after that. As I got older eating at the buffet was not appealing. We chose Ohana over the next few trips. This year we had breakfast at Ohana and tried the breakfast at Garden Grill at Epcot. The kids (great grands first time) loved both. With exception of the sweet abresd, juice nd potatoes, it’s the same menu. Epcot was also very entertaining for the boys.
Hey Tom, don’t waste your time trying breakfast at Chef Mickey’s! It is loud, chaotic, subpar food and the characters are in such a hurry. We do lots of character meals on our trips, but this was by far the worst one ever. The dishes even looked dirty.
The Disney Memory Maker was a one and done for my family. I think it has a TON of potential for big groups, or people who love character photos, or… can’t think of other reasons at the moment, but I still think it can be great. It just wasn’t a hit for my family. I could put that $169 to better use at a nice restaurant, or more snacks throughout the trip.
Dessert Parties: I think we did almost all of them last year and the only one I enjoyed was the Frozen one. In general, the desserts are Costco type treats which are just blah. The drinks are alright but it is just not worth it in my opinion. Even the one on the boat was just alright.
Chef Mickeys is almost a must-do for us. The food isn’t so great but with the buffet, there’s usually something there that’s edible. But the kids live seeing the characters. When we stop going there it will definitely be the best nd if an era for us.
One place I can’t do again is the Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom. With a few exceptions, I find the dining at MK to be a little weak, but this place is the worst. Bad food, grumpy wait staff and it always seems like they are running behind schedule on their reservation list. This could have changed as I probably haven’t been there in over 10 years, but the thought of eating there makes me lose my appetite.
BE OUR GUEST!!! This was by far one of the experiences I was looking forward to the most in November and it was so disappointing. It is so not worth 2 Dining Credits a piece and the food was in my opinion horrible and not described well on the menu. I ordered chicken and it said on the menu that it had some sort of sauce on it and it came with green beans and fingerling potatoes. It came with absolutely NO sauce and the waiter said they use thw word sauce “liberally” and the green beans were full of capers which was not on the menu and I despise capers! The chicken was fatty as well. Then you get a trio of deserts(no choice) in little sample sizes and they just weren’t good. Our waiter was fantastic and offered to get me something new, REALLY fast he said. I said no thank you and tried to make the best of it. There menu is very limited and I think they are trying to be to fancy with it and it just isn’t good. Even the bread was bad. Cool place, but definitely not worth the hype of the 2 dining credits. Especially when Jungle Navigation/Skipper Canteen is in the park(which is fabulous!)
I will NEVER, EVER eat at Tusker House again. The characters were wonderful, but the food was inedible and the service left me wanting to leave a $.01 tip. My grandson & I ended up having bread for dinner, so we had to spend more money for something actually edible. We booked it for dinner and the Light show ticket but I am so glad we were on a dining plan. I would have felt even more ripped off if I had paid cash for the slop, sludge they serve. And no, it is not the African influence, I’ve eaten at Boma & the food is delicious. In the future I will simply get a fast pass or wait in line.
We have done the Deluxe Dining plan the last couple of times down. Going with quick service dining plan from now on. Just can’t see taking time away from the rest of the park to sit down and waste an hour or two eating dinner. Quick serve and right back out. Never again with dinner at Cinderella’s table or Be Our Guest. Food was meh. And don’t ask the dishes. The grey stuff. No taste. Never again will we eat dinner at Tusker House. God awful food. I have been during the two weeks that straddle Easter. Never again. Matter of fact we will avoid any holiday because of the crowds.
Please be advised don’t ever spend the money for the Halloween firework viewing at tomorrow land. We tried it this year and the view was terrible. The only thing worse was the desserts served. It was cheap quality at best. We spent close to $500 for the experience and it was not worth it. Next year will watch the show from Main Street.
The desert party was incredibly underwhelming for us too. It as sub par food at best.