Top 10 Guest Complaints About Disney World
Walt Disney World fans have a lot of complaints, which we “celebrate” on this most glorious of holidays with a Festivus airing of grievances (followed by the final tradition, the feats of strength). There have been many guest unfriendly changes that are unsurprisingly unpopular, including cutbacks, price increases, delays, nickel & diming, and more.
It’s impossible not to notice this. Many complaints we hear from readers are prefaced with “I’m normally a fan no matter what who defends Disney, but…” or “I don’t normally complain, but…” There have been far fewer fans offering defenses of unpopular decisions with the rationalization that Walt Disney World is a business. There’s also less knocking of those who air their grievances as “so-called fans” and much more agreement and acknowledgement of Disney’s shortcomings.
So in honor of Festivus, we’re going to air the biggest grievances fans have with Walt Disney World. A lot of this list has actually changed, in large part because Walt Disney World has made several positive changes in the last two years that largely restored the guest experience and on-site hotel perks to its 2019 status. (We said largely, not completely.) Nevertheless, some ‘greatest hits’ still remain. Here’s a rundown of the “top” 10 complaints we hear from fans, including some of our own commentary about where we agree and disagree…
10. DAS Dehumanization
Disney overhauled Disability Access Service (DAS) at Walt Disney World last year to combat abuse, misuse, and proliferation of the program’s use–with issuances of DAS tripling from 2019 to last year. The changes almost immediately decreased DAS dramatically, due to a spike in denials.
The new system has has had direct impacts for disabled guests as well as indirect ones for all guests, resulting in lower wait times and faster-moving lines (see Is Lightning Lane Multi Pass Still “Worth It” at Disney World?). That has come at a cost to disabled guests, and many of those impacted by the changes have been vocal in sharing their stories.
We’ve heard from countless guests who have had incredibly negative, invasive, humiliating, and dehumanizing experiences with the new DAS application process. We continue to receive reader comments and messages with regularity, and see viral social media posts about DAS once every few weeks. None of these are glowing reviews. Some are heartbreaking.
Although the crackdown on DAS was necessary, the heartbreaking stories of DAS denials have made clear that a more flexible and humane approach is needed. The word that has been used repeatedly to describe the interview process is interrogation. While this process is stressful for Cast Members, there’s got to be a better way of handling the process that feels less adversarial. Even if the DAS reduction is needed, there’s absolutely no excuse for making the process this dehumanizing.
DAS making this list is nevertheless somewhat surprising. Unlike other entries that apply to everyone, DAS is used by a subset of guests. However, it’s a highly sensitive subject that is very personal since it is, quite literally, make or break for some guests trying to experience Walt Disney World.
This is far and away the most common complaint cited when people say they’ve stopped visiting Walt Disney World, period, in the last year-plus. That’s especially sad, as many of those families are the people who needed Disney in their lives the most.
9. Stuff Still Missing
Walt Disney World is largely back to normal ~5 years after the COVID closures. However, the list of what’s still missing is way longer than it should be. And there are some true headscratchers on that list, too.
For example, Jedi Training Academy was absolutely adored by guests, and was a ‘magical moment’ for so many kids and their families who had the chance to participate. The ‘citizens’ in both Magic Kingdom and DHS were the heart of entertainment in their respective parks, and great welcoming acts to both.
This was such a popular topic that we followed up with Big Little Missing Things Walt Disney World Needs to Bring Back with a lengthy list of how the guest experience has been eroded with these cuts. That garnered over 100 reader comments and guess what? It was NOT a bunch of fans saying: “Nah, I’m good. I hope Walt Disney World continues to offer me less while charging more!”
In a vacuum, it might be possible to rationalize or explain away so much of Disney’s lethargic pace in resuming normalcy. However, once you step back and look at the totality of the circumstances–especially as compared to their competitors and in light of the prices being charged–it’s all much less forgivable. For the purported leader of the theme park industry, they’ve sure been doing a lot of following.
8. Death of Spontaneity
We’ve extolled the virtues of spontaneity at Walt Disney World for years–cautioning against overplanning. Much to the consternation of many readers, this site is vehemently anti-spreadsheet. (I’ll admit, it’s an odd position for a planning blog to take.) But there’s a reason for that, beyond the simple fact that the best laid plans of mice and humans often go awry.
It’s that one of the biggest complaints we hear from Walt Disney World visitors is that the experience is too scripted, and there aren’t enough opportunities for spontaneity. No one likes to hear this (and obviously we wouldn’t say it directly in response to anyone airing post-trip grievances), but part of this is, frankly, their own fault. You absolutely do not need to plan down to the minute or hour; there are ample opportunities for spontaneity–but you have to allow for it.
However, part of this is Walt Disney World’s doing. They have crafted a massively complicated and complex vacation destination that lends itself to an inordinate amount of pre-planning and structure. The good news is that we’ve heard this much less lately. With park reservations gone, Park Hopping rules lifted, and pent-up demand continuing to exhaust itself, today’s Walt Disney World has more opportunities for spontaneity than the Walt Disney World of two years ago.
7. Boring, Bland & Basic
One of my biggest worries for the future of Walt Disney World is a lack of bold bets and creative risks. More decisions by analytics, fewer by real people. Less that’s interesting and unique, more that’s beholden to brand deposits and dictated by accountants.
It seems to be seeping into the parks. Just look at the World Celebration Gardens or CommuniCore Hall! Or listen to the music chosen for new entertainment. Design based on popular public park styles; decisions driven by Disney+ marketing targets or viewership data.
Walt Disney World is a business and always has been. It’s also innovative and imaginative, an ambitious endeavor built not by MBAs and accountants, but by creative visionaries–it should be treated as such by those who now lead it.
The good news is that things are trending in the right direction. Walt Disney World’s track record on recent resort reimaginings and room redesigns has been really good–much better than the dark days of 2017. Projects like Test Track 3.0, Beak & Barrel, and even Starlight Night Parade demonstrate that Disney’s still got it–and hopefully the tide is turning thanks to new leadership at Imagineering.
6. Cutbacks & Charges
Nickel & diming (or cutbacks and upcharges) is an unsurprising entry on this list. Want a MagicBand? That’ll cost you! Bread to start your table service meal? Prepare to pay extra! Evening Extra Magic Hours? Upgrade resorts! Want to see a parade or stage show? It’s behind a paywall.
Of course, the most obvious of all is the switch from free FastPass to paid Lightning Lanes. What was once available to everyone increased in price to $16 with Genie+ and has skyrocketed since. Multi-Pass can cost as much as $45, and if you want Lightning Lane Premier Pass on a peak season day, add another 0 to that price. Ouch.
I’m not a fan of nickel & diming. I don’t want to give this major grievance only cursory treatment, but there’s just not a ton I can add here that hasn’t already been said. There are arguably some scenarios–like cutting back on plastic waste with MagicBands or hiring enough housekeepers being nearly impossible–where some of this is understandable.
By and large, it’s just a way to improve margins. It’s an effective approach because each is minor in isolation, but there’s a reason why “death by a thousand cuts” is a saying. The totality of these cost-cutting measures has become very noticeable. I’m reminded of it just about every time I order a counter service entree, and the portion is smaller and lower quality.
5. End of Disney’s Magical Express
Speaking of cutbacks, we still hear from readers holding out hope that Disney’s Magical Express will return. We share this, and guess who else does? The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which runs Orlando International Airport (MCO). If you don’t believe me, check out Will Disney’s Magical Express Airport Shuttle Ever Return? That recent post covers the very real possibility of DME returning, as part of an initiative by MCO.
Although its spiritual successor is still operated by Mears, it’s just not the same for many fans that Walt Disney World does not offer airport transportation. (The luggage handling is also a very big deal to some people, which caught us by surprise.) It made Walt Disney World feel all-inclusive, like they “took care of you” from the moment you stepped off the plane until you left to return home.
Honestly, I still cannot make sense of Disney’s decision to kill off Magical Express. It’s gotta be one of those things that somehow makes sense on a spreadsheet, but is doing incalculable damage in the real ‘World. I firmly believe the beancounters got this one wrong, and its long-term consequences to the company will far exceed whatever money they saved.
Eliminating Disney’s Magical Express is short sighted and will cost the company hotel stays, visits to other theme parks, meals outside the resort complex, and more. One of Walt Disney World’s greatest strengths was its bubble, and the company has voluntarily punctured that. The captive audience that was viewed as advantageous for years is gone–and at a time when Walt Disney World’s #1 competitor keeps growing and getting stronger. Make it make sense.
4. Too Much Screen Time
Refreshing for better Lightning Lanes. Mobile Order for counter service restaurants and Merchandise Mobile Checkout to buy stuff. Checking Walk-up Waitlist for new table service availability. Looking at wait times and showtimes. Joining virtual queues. Reading restaurant menus. Playing the MagicBand+ mini games or the DuckTales World Showcase Adventure.
For years, we’ve said that Walt Disney World leans too heavily on technology (ironic, since it’s something the company is objectively awful at) and not enough on tactile experiences. To paraphrase my favorite Walt Disney quote, “it’s people that make the dream a reality.”
The best memories are formed as a result of interpersonal moments, and so much emotional resonance is derived from guests connecting with Cast Members. Even if people can’t put their finger on it, so much of what differentiates and defines the appeal of Walt Disney World is the ‘little things’ that connect them to other people and the environments around them. Big new rides get people to take the trip, but it’s the myriad little things and those connections that convince them (even subconsciously) to return.
While we don’t agree with all of the specifics that new technology is “bad” (it isn’t!), like many fans have done, we agree with the generalized sentiment that spending a day at Walt Disney World now nudges guests towards spending way too much time with their faces buried in their phones.
New features are great in isolation, and benefit the company by improving efficiency and cutting costs. However, the totality of all of this amounts to Walt Disney World effectively leaning into its weakness and away from its strengths. And that’s worthy of a pretty big ‘grievance,’ if you ask me.
The good news is that Walt Disney World recognizes that guests constanting looking down at their phones ‘breaks the spell’ of the communal theme park experience. Their solution to this is smart glasses that reduce screen time. Wait, what?!
3. Maintenance & Unexpected Downtime
This had been a growing complaint for the last few years, to the point that it was close to #1 on this list last year. It’s still far from perfect (hence the #3 ranking), but it’s improving! Attraction downtime is still higher than its historical average, but numbers are moving in the right direction. It’s still possible to get really unlucky–or lucky–as breakdowns are always a fact of life at theme parks.
Honestly, this is going to take time for Walt Disney World to fully address this issue. Remember how we warned of the loss of institutional knowledge with the furloughs and layoffs back in 2020? Well, look no further than this for the “fruits” of that short-sighted decision, as maintenance departments have been decimated and have far fewer years of tenure.
Sadly, there’s no easy fix. It’s not simply a matter of properly staffing those departments again. When you lose a bunch of old-timers with decades of experience in legacy systems and proprietary technology, you can’t just hire some fresh-faced kid off the street and expect the same results. This was always a risk when baby boomers started retiring en masse, but 2020 really accelerated it and caused a lot of damage all at once.
For its part, Walt Disney World disputes that there’s been increased downtime and maintenance issues in the last few years, but it is well-documented (and true). It’s also patently obvious to just about anyone who visits regularly now vs. back in 2019 and earlier.
2. Disney Turning Its Back on Middle Class
That Disney is turning its back on middle class Americans has been a common refrain for years, but it has skyrocketed to #1 or #2 in 2025. This is no surprise, as Walt Disney World is Worried About Its High Prices took the spotlight this spring and was an incredibly hot topic, spawning a whole series of posts.
We took that a step further in Is Walt Disney World Too Expensive for Middle Class Americans? by digging into data. That covered the average costs of a Disney vacation, typical consumer spending on travel at different income brackets, and more.
Then just last month, the topic turned to how the Rich Rescued Walt Disney World from a Spending Slump. That was again prompted by data showing that higher income consumers were continuing to spend big on travel and leisurely, whereas there’s already been a slowdown among the lower classes. That Disney continues to do well, according to its CFO, thanks to the company targeting guests in “higher income deciles.”
This is not a huge shocker to anyone who has been paying attention, but it’s still a bit of a gut-punch. There have been no shortages of examples of Walt Disney World aiming upmarket and pricing out the middle class. The most obvious of these is, quite simply, price increases. Those alone have put a Walt Disney World vacation out of reach for more and more Americans. But there’s also the proliferation of pricey upcharge offerings, VIP tours, After Hours events, Lightning Lane Premier Pass, and more.
Disney is arguably among the most distinctly American companies, and it’s something of a bellwether for middle class Americans as a result. At its heart, Walt Disney World is a middle class vacation destination. America’s middle class families from the middle of the country have, historically, been Walt Disney World’s bread and butter!
The current trajectory doesn’t change until that group says “enough is enough” and pulls back on spending and splurging. That tide is already turning, hence the first post indicating that Walt Disney World is worried about its high prices.
To end this on another positive note, “Cool Kid Summer” felt like a direct response to that, as did the flurry of aggressive discounts that made it possible to take a Walt Disney World vacation (at least with regard to resorts and park tickets) for 2019 prices. Judging by the deals already available for 2026, we’re going to see a return of 2019 prices once again!
1. It Didn’t Feel Like a Vacation
A common complaint from fans giving up on the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that “it feels like homework.” The Walt Disney World version of this isn’t quite as concise, but boils down to the trip not feeling like a vacation due to all of the above complaints about screen time, technology, and everything you need to know or do over the course of the trip.
This is one we’re hearing more and more, and it breaks our hearts. This is mostly for obvious reasons–hardworking people are saving for months, spending and splurging thousands of dollars on an expensive vacation to Walt Disney World. It should be one of the most memorable and magical experiences of their lives, and be better than they even could’ve dreamed of. They should come home feeling like Disney treated them like they and their vacation was important.
As a WDW training manual once put it: “Every Guest on our entire 42 square miles of property is a VIP whether they are visiting the Magic Kingdom for a day or vacationing in our resort-hotels for a week or more…Remember that 99% of our guests are great people with everything going their way and having the time of their life. They are the easy ones to serve. Your real challenge will be that tiny 1%…the guests who are hot, tired, hungry, confused, frustrated and perhaps missing their luggage, ticket books or cameras. Or perhaps all of the above. They may not be very understanding and it may be up to you to turn their day around into the positive kind they came here to experience.”
It was always the case that many visitors to Walt Disney World were fulfilling a contractual obligation as parents and taking their kids on rite-of-passage trips with zero intention of ever returning again. But one of the things we loved most about running this blog was hearing from ‘The Grinches’ who told us after those trips that they didn’t expect to even enjoy Walt Disney World, but unexpectedly fell in love with the place. It was like a Hallmark movie about Disney come to life.
Those messages are now few and far between. As much as this breaks my heart, it also worries me. A lot of people point to culture wars, politics, or Universal as being Disney’s downfall. Honestly, I don’t buy into any of that–I think it’s all massively overstated. What worries me much more is that current leadership is benefiting from inertia and a longstanding reputation that they are not doing enough to nurture. That they have lost sight of the Disney Difference.
There will always be a large percentage of visitors who are one-and-done, but current trips should forge future fans. These diehards are the lifeblood of Walt Disney World, unpaid brand ambassadors who spread the good word and convince skeptical friends and family to take trips. It doesn’t seem like that’s happening nearly as often as it was even in 2019. Let me ask: even if you’re continuing to visit, are you still as enthusiastically recommending Walt Disney World to family and friends? Or does your advice now come with asterisks?
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
Have any grievances of your own to air about Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our airing of grievances? Any questions we can help you answer? 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!
Tom,
Disney, Universal, Knotts, Six Flags all have greedy execs who are focused on putting money in their pockets rather focusing on people. Will you do a blog on the differences in how each provide the best experience possible. All have rides, all have high prices for food and parking. With the perceived downtrend/decline of Disney, perhaps another park/amusement business is now better than Disney and therefore where we should be going to to spend our vacations/amusement dollars?
Has Disney been surpassed by one of the above in the overall guest experience? Thank you in advance.
Oops. Forgot to address the complaint so many of us agree with you about…the weather. MK used to have a lot more green space with more trees and benches. These areas provided a way to rest in the shade and take a break. By cutting back on these spaces and the increase in pavement there is nothing to absorb the heat or the water during rainstorms. I don’t remember the flooding in MK that we now see after a rain. Adding more green areas would be better for the environment and provide a respite from some of the extraordinary heat we have experienced recently.
So many of your observations are spot on and your blog has helped me navigate the new WDW in recent years. It has always been the extra unexpected touches that made it special in the past. I remember our first onsite stay and the surprise of the electrical water pageant. Just a bonus piece of entertainment. Or bumping into a costumed face character on Main Street. These extra touches helped explain the high cost. One thing that I do not see discussed much is that Annual Passholders will still need to make park reservations after January 9, 2024. I keep checking and so far it looks like we will still be required to make park reservations. Any idea why? Thanks in advance.
We usually take a trip to WDW every year. It seems like there are more and more “after hours” events that charge a separate admission for hours that used to be included in a normal 1-day admission. As I gaze into my crystal ball I see the day coming that “In order to handle crowd demand and provide a better vacation experience for everyone”, WDW is going to go to a split day admission so that they can charge to separate day admission for what used to be a single day.
I’m at the parks now, for a week. I haven’t been since 2017 at Christmas and I can say things have changed, and mostly not for the better. Disney is a business and can make whatever decisions they want to in order to maximize profits. But in doing so they’re sucking the magic out of the experience. Not totally of course, but it’s like being nibbled to death by ducks. Instead of the unique products they used to have for example, everything is now licensed. Jewelry is Pandora, the candy store is Mars, the “bakery” is Starbucks. I can get those things at my local mall or corner store. Adding mouse ears doesn’t make it unique. I remember when they actually made candy in the candy kitchen for example. I suspect their margin is higher licensing to Mars, but it’s a lot less interesting. Boring is a good term. Everything is becoming generic. With Mickey ears. As a baby boomer I am certainly not their target demographic. Add to that I’m a solo traveler and they’d just as soon I stayed home (getting ADR for one is a topic all on its own). I never used to feel that way and I’ve been going for decades. Add to that the insane pricing, loss of perks, reduction of service, and huge amounts of planning needed and I may just vote with my feet. Not that I think Disney will care…
My biggest gripe is all of the ride downtime that occurs daily. Stuff happens but this amount of routine downtime is inexcusable. You can’t plan for it.
Tom, Another interesting discussion of where Disney has missed the mark. The elimination of Magical Express was absolutely short-sited – Disney gave away an “easy” competitive advantage. Jedi Training was always a family highlight and a major disappointment when it was canceled. The lack of imagination when it comes to renovations is a head scratcher for sure. It is obvious, there are lots of opportunities for Disney to make small changes that would have a major impact on guest perception. One last comment, since it is time for airing grievances, love your site, but it has WAY TO MANY ADS, the experience of your site is negatively impacted by the over-saturating. We all know it’s nice to get paid, but just like our collective sustain when Disney nickels and dines us, the number of ads on the site is a bit heavy handed. .
“One last comment, since it is time for airing grievances, love your site, but it has WAY TO MANY ADS, the experience of your site is negatively impacted by the over-saturating.”
This is a known problem and one that I’m actively working on getting addressed. The network increased the density of ads at some point in the last two months, and I’ve been going back and forth with them about getting reduced. (It’s not like I’m blameless–I went from manually reviewing everything to “auto-optimize,” which I guess is just code for “more.”)
In any case, you should’ve already seen a slight drop in density earlier this week and a bigger one will come shortly after Christmas or NYE. I’ll assess at that point and go from there. I know it’ll still be “too many” for some people because any ads are too many, but I agree that striking a better balance is necessary.
Comparing a one-man small business to a multi-billion dollar corporation because you don’t like seeing ads is certainly a choice. It’s also not “nickel and diming” since you are paying exactly $0 to access all the free content Tom provides.
Tom, don’t apologize for how you monetize your website! Maybe it would be annoying if readers were paying to access your content and it was still flooded with ads but since it’s totally free I think it’s a very fair tradeoff. Merry Christmas to you, Sarah, and baby!
My biggest complaint with Genie+ is not the cost, but the fact that you have to wait until 7 AM to book your first ride, rather than booking 3 rides in advance like you could with Fast Pass. I liked having the 3 booked rides as a starting point for our day and we could be spontaneous from there by booking 1 FP at a time. It looks like that is coming for Genie+ in 2024, so that’s great to hear.
My other biggest complaint would be the busses and the boarding of the passengers with scooters. I understand why you need to board the scooters first, but it’s extremely annoying when you wait in line for up to 20 mins and then a large family shows up just as the bus arrives and they get priority boarding because one of them has a scooter and it bumps your family or someone else to the next bus.
Really? Of all the things that can be complained about? Waiting for a handicapped family to board first? Trust me they wish nothing more in the world to not be handicapped or have an handicapped family member and wait a few extra minutes like you !
You clearly misunderstood my post. I have no problem waiting for someone with a scooter to board the bus first and I understand why they do. What bothers me is when you have families show up just before it arrives with a scooter and their whole family skips to the front of the line. This happens all the time and it can result in other families who were ahead of them having to wait for the next bus. Busses typically only come every 20 mins, so yes, this is a gripe of mine.
Yes, really!
This is certainly not across the board and a distinct minority, but since you are incredulous about this being brought up, I have seen first-hand multiple times this perk being gamed. Fully coordinated with “extended families”, with fine-tuned communications via cell phone where 10-15+ “extended family” members (I’m being generous) come from seemingly nowhere to perform “Just in Time” loading with the handicapped scooter family member. Ford or GM could learn a thing or two from this crowd. This is annoying because the rest of us who have patiently waited their turn in the bus line are forced to watch while up to 40% of bus capacity is immediately taken.
Seriously?!? Yes. But along with everyone else, I just quietly deal with it. I fully understand where the OP is coming from — it has nothing to do with handicapped scooter riders but rather those willfully gaming the system for their personal gain.
Thank you, Br17! It’s good to know I’m not the only one who sees this happen.
I think a lot of people fail to see how seemingly “small” things add up quickly to Disney’s target market. I’m willing to pay a premium for a vacation that is less stressful for me. I should note that doesn’t mean not pre-planning (I loved that part!!), but the things like free magic bands and magical express. Now I have to plan on how everyone is getting to/from the airport, how we will manage luggage with kids and grandparents, who has a magic band, does it still work, and what I learned when I was there 2 weeks ago is that now in the parks/resorts you can only find magic band+, which costs more for features we don’t need and requires charging every night which is just one more thing we have to remember. While any one of those doesn’t seem like a big deal, the sum of all those ‘one more thing to remember’ equals Disney world is no longer easier or more convenient than planing any other trip. My disney trip 2 weeks ago took as much planning as my trip to Hawaii, and I mean the annoying parts of planning (reservations, travel, logistics, etc). Definitely makes me think about future trips.
Hilarious! I loved the humor in this article….”half dozen improvements” as though you are trying so hard to give Disney creds when you know deep down the math doesn’t add up with only 6 improvements over dozens of negatives. Spot on calling out leadership riding the coat tails of a brand those before them created, and to which they’re running into the ground….sounds like a Sears rerun to me.
Interesting, I’m wondering if the monorail at WDW is having issues. We were there Monday and little one loves pointing out the monorail…we never seen it go by. We were going to go to MK after the Olaf hunt but the monorail line was snaked down around the ground floor and a monorail never went through Epcot the 2.5 hours we were there. We just left and went home instead of going to MK to spend more money for dinner and such….cause you know Disney doesn’t think APs and DVCs spend money.
My Disney fanatic friend was at MK on Sunday and the monorail wasn’t arriving so they walked to GF and the line there snaked through the lobby. It took the monorail an hour to arrive at GF. She sent me pics.
Spot on with the Chapek AND Iger short sighted gains with long term brand damage. And who the heck wears skinny capris to a business conference when they’re a panel speaker and in their 70’s?! Iger!!!! He doesn’t take anything seriously. In Florida we have business casual and it usually means whatever you’re wearing throw a blazer over it, but what he was wearing as CEO and at a world conference….nope, checked out and riding the waves to retirement and doesn’t care! I bet he’s expensing out the cost of his yacht dockage to his Disney expense account….being reimbursed means more to him.
I don’t think it’s a matter of trying hard to give Disney credit–it’s trying to be fair rather than only pointing out positives or negatives. In this case, I don’t think the improvements (which are mostly just undoing damage they’ve done to themselves) offset the negatives, you’re right. But I do think it’s important to call out both. To do otherwise is biased one way or the other.
Interesting observation about the monorail. I have seen A LOT on social media about ridiculous lines for the monorails at the resorts recently–some winding through the lobbies. I assume it’s peak season crowds and too much demand–but I wouldn’t rule out that plus issues (it would make complete sense).
I’m really worried about the Poly tower putting too much strain on the monorail. I hope they have a plan for that, but sure doesn’t seem like it.
Surprising as it may seem, I’m not on social media at all (i dont know what those strange tiktokers are doing or saying) and I only follow 1 Disney blog, yours (not sure if it is a feather in your cap or not) and I have one Disney fanatic friend, Nicole who I rely on for a lot of my in-park tricks and tips while there….she is on speed-dial-texts. I rarely use MDE and never G+ or LL but have gone 100s of times due to proximity, AP and DVC so my observations are always just raw, run of the mill happenstances. So little one never pointing out “hey mom it’s the blue monorail” and such means something is really off.
We are long time Disney Nuts and will continue to be so while being, almost, exclusively off-season visitors and DVC Members.
10. We liked the article and are EXTREMELY excited about the possible pre-purchase of L-Lanes. Not knowing the actual implementation of the policy; I would hope that it would be for 1 specific day at a time, and I could live with one trip on each L-Lane enabled ride per day. We are no longer ‘rope-droppers’ and would benefit and enjoy actually being able to use the offering. It would be really nice to dedicate one or two days to riding the rides that we normally skip while still being able to enjoy watching the other people in the parks and riding on the rides that we always look forward to.
3. We normally ignore the I-Phone and just do our thing when it is the two of us. On the other hand, I have repeatedly seen where food ordering with the I-Phone when we are with our kids and their kids makes having a walk-up counter lunch possible when the parks are crowded.
9. thru 4 , 2 and 1 – Ignored and not worth the hassle of the resulting worry and subsequent lost enjoyment.
Dave
Great article as always Tom. I agree with your point on the spontaneity being the fault of travelers who over plan. I’m married to an engineer who’s big on spreadsheets and will use them for vacation planning. However, it’s possible to be spontaneous because we were able to do it and just simply let our kids run around open spaces at the hotel during down time. Those moments will be a lasting memory in my mind. As far as WDW “not feeling like a vacation,” I can agree with that
sentiment for the most part. In the 90s and 2000s, it really felt like the cast members went out of their way to make your trip magical. The nickel and diming of everything has really made this place feel like it’s catering to the richest people in the world and not the middle class which is as you said Disney’s bread and butter. I really hope things change for better soon.
You nailed it all. Great job.
Magical Express is huge for us. It set the whole vibe. You landed in MCO and we’re now on Disney vacation time! The outside world didn’t exist. You got your luggage tags and FREE bands in advance to get you excited. Once they started charging for the bands, then +bands, it felt like VHS/DVD/BluRay repurchases and being repeatedly overcharged, with none of the pre-trip hype. We don’t need car seats, but so many families are juggling kids and stressed at the airport. Throw in multigenerational trips with grandparents who aren’t tech savvy and freaked out by Ubers, ME was a godsend for those parties, and so fun! Themed buses with movies playing, seeing other resorts on the way to your hotel. The anticipation!
I’m an early riser, but 7 a.m. VQs sucks! It’s a LOT of pressure to get that for your group on vacation. I have always gotten it, but it’s stressful as the head planner to know that your entire extended friends and family are counting on you getting it!
The park hours need to be extended. The never-ending up charge parties at MK and HS screws up the crowd dynamics in the parks. Yes, there’s strategies WE know about from experience and reading blogs, but lots of folks are totally screwed with parks closing early for Halloween parties in August-October and parties November-December. At LEAST make Epcot and AK open later with rides or shows to keep folks around.
Get more seating in the parks. Global warming trends in FL make it unbearable to go there in summertime. Am I hallucinating that I remember canopies with misters to protect you from the sun and keep you cool in line? Why is it acceptable and expected to eat on top of trash cans in Epcot? Gross! Toy Story Land, to me, trumps any AK heat. That slope leading to SDD puts you right in the trajectory of the full day of sun. It’s killer.
Yes, you can get a Dixie cup of water for free — after waiting in lines, in the sun. Why aren’t there bottle filling stations? Even our grubby local Six Flags has them placed outside every bathroom hut.
Where’s all the characters walking around? We hardly see the Toy Story soldiers, Storm Troopers, and others milling around.
Why can’t both water parks be open at the same time anymore? BS on lifeguard/CM shortage four years after C19. Come on!
Goodwill has eroded. We’re DVC and love the resorts, but after 2024, we’re saving for Aulani and probably won’t be back in the parks until 2028. What’s the draw? No new rides, existing rides are breaking down, no new shows after Luminous, AFAIK. I think D’Amaro is a windbag. Put up or show up or resign and move to greener pastures. Blue sky my ass.
“What worries me is that current leadership is benefiting from inertia and a longstanding reputation that they are not doing enough to nurture.”
That sums it all up right there.
Great article. You conveniently left out one more point. OVERLY woke policies. Such as taking out boys and girls before the fireworks or calling little girls princesses. …..
I know that’s a big complaint among a very vocal group, but it’s very difficult to view that as a meaningful change at Walt Disney World.
In the grand scheme of things, if one of your biggest grievances is the verbiage of an announcement, things aren’t too bad.
Well, it kinda does matter….Disney lost out on a Brightline stop from MCO due to their woke policies. FDOT and the County isn’t giving into their whims anymore so it kinda matters a big deal.
My most hateful things are the lack of Magic Express plus this stupid Geni. To ask people to get up before seven on vacation is horrible. Then to be on and off their phones all day is equally horrible. They need to put the magic express back and get back the free passes for rides.
Tom, great informative post. Thank you.
What I also don’t believe Disney understands is a business can go down just as fast or faster than it came up. By cutting so much (to me, biggest and in the end, most attributable to their decline is the Magical Express) and not having same “people first” business principle is a real cause of concern to they’re downfall.
Let’s remember one of Walt’s main business principle: “You have to give people what they want, not what you want to give them. ”
Well, current Disney execs and bean counters do not get this. They are mostly concerned about how much goes on their own pockets. and Disney is falling/ losing market share because of it…personal greed/selfishness destroys all businesses.
Almost completely agree (the only quibble is this particular business going down as fast/faster than it came up–nostalgia and sentimentality being what they are, I think this would be a far slower process, but also, a difficult one to undo once momentum starts to head in the wrong direction for too long).
Walt Disney said it best with that and other quotes, but also, WDW needs more leaders like Dick Nunis: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/rip-dick-nunis-defender-of-disney-magic-keeper-of-the-four-keys/
I’m pretty of that tiny percentage who love planning. Not log books or minute but minute but the reading blogs, discussing each day. It builds my anticipation for weeks before each trip and I love it. My wife just thinks I’m weird. Planning new restaurants vs returning ones (but always Boathouse the night we arrive from the a West Coast), what rides to hit multiple times, at night, drinking around the monorail, etc
I don’t think it’s a tiny percentage. There are a LOT of Walt Disney World fans who love to plan to build anticipation and fill the time between trips. It’s not necessarily a bad or weird thing!
My view is that in a perfect world, there’s room for both the planners and those who mostly want to be spontaneous. Right now, the structure of Walt Disney World almost punishes people who don’t plan. Some degree of planning will always improve a trip (just as it does anywhere), but the degree necessary for WDW is just too much and it’s too complicated for the average first-timer.
Regarding weather, obviously it can’t be controlled (ignore climate issues), but Disney certainly doesn’t respond with small changes like covering outdoor queues, fans, etc.
And we know any well ran (or not), is always a function of top down management. Not much more needs to be said.
My son was hired by a store at Disney springs recently. His Disney training (I forget the name of the program), was to sit outside and interact on a computer for a few hours.
My heart breaks with all of this as one of the diehard Disney fans.
You’re 100% right regarding weather and lack of adjustment for it.
This was one reason why I was somewhat looking forward to Imagineering moving to Florida. Having design decisions made by people in Central Florida–rather than Southern California–could make a world of difference when it comes to adjusting for weather.
“[WDW has] crafted a massively complicated and complex vacation destination that lends itself to an inordinate amount of pre-planning and structure” and “it didn’t feel like a vacation.”
My family has long joked that the app is called “My Disney Experience” and not “My Disney Vacation” because going to Disney World is NOT a vacation. It’s an experience, oftentimes a fun one, but one that takes careful and critical planning, decision-making, and execution to make sure that every penny of ROI is realized. Lately, it doesn’t seem that the resources expended (both in terms of money spent and hours spent learning the logistics, rules, and policies) have an acceptable ROI, so we’ve spent our most recent vacations in national parks and in Europe, and we have zero regrets. I’m sure we will get back to Disney sometime but not yet.
“My family has long joked that the app is called ‘My Disney Experience’ and not ‘My Disney Vacation’ because going to Disney World is NOT a vacation.”
LOL–very apt!
Personally, I love traveling and hate vacationing. I’m just not built for it. (I do like spontaneity, but my pace is always set to ‘GO!’ I guess I’m a walking contradiction.)
Regardless, I can also appreciate that not everyone is me. Walt Disney World, as with any tourist destination, needs to be capable of being both an experience/trip and a vacation.