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!
I agree with all of your grievances. Having just returned from our first post-pandemic trip, we experienced most of them first-hand. Our 2019 trip felt like a warm hug. This trip felt like work. But I have to say, I put way more work into planning in 2019. Fast Pass and dining reservations, virtual queues – it had been 22 years since our last visit and there was a huge learning curve. This time, we relied solely on Early Entry for line skipping. And, since our experience with food at Disney is never good, we relied on counter service and snacks in order to waste as little time as possible on food.
My biggest beef with Disney, and the amusement park industry, is paid line skipping. Lightning Lanes create a class system that, in my opinion, has no place in an otherwise unifying environment. How much quicker would lines move if we all stood in the same line? How much less frustration would we feel if we didn’t have to watch so many privileged people stream past us? For the high price of admission, a guest should be able to easily accomplish everything they want to do without paying extra.
We bucked the system by staying at a non-Disney on-site hotel and taking advantage of Early Entry every day of our trip. That meant getting up at 5:30 AM and exhausting ourselves, but we did it all. We slept when we got home.
We used MEARS airport transportation. It wasn’t well marked at the airport and we had to drag our luggage around the airport looking for it. We waited in line for awhile before boarding. The on board video was horrible. Not a welcoming experience. Our hotel’s bus service to the parks was stellar, though. And the MEARS return trip was fine.
We splurged on a party. One and done. Jollywood was a terrible bang for the buck. There wasn’t enough time. We managed to see 2 shows, ride 5 rides and eat a pretzel. Missed the fireworks waiting in line. We couldn’t fathom spending more money the special food and drinks. No time for disco. And forget about standing in long photo lines. Pet peeve: I don’t care that it’s Christmas, the only song I care about singing at a Nightmare Sing-Along is “This is Halloween.” How could they skip that one???
We’ll be back after the current wave of projects is completed.
My biggest complaint is we don’t renew our annual passes every year because my wife wants to go other places. She’s not wrong, but still! 🙂
IMO, 4, 6, and 8 are all related. You buy LL because the hype and vloggers give you FOMO and who wants to get caught in 60+ min lines with small children on vacation? But then you want to get your money’s worth, so you check your phone to make sure you get to your LL at the start of the booking window so you can get back on your phone to book your next LL. And the rushing from LL to LL kills the spontaneity. And IMO, it’s the shows, characters, dining, peoplemover, etc that round out a day at Disney and make for a great overall experience.
I can agree with this list on so many levels. We’ve been to WDW 3 times. The first time was a quick pop in while we were visiting friends in Florida. Back then we had 1 kid, who was free and we could buy tickets last minute. It was a great spontaneous trip. The second time, it was 6 years later with kid number 2 in tow. We got on the Magical Express, had our 3 free Fastpasses, saw characters without issues, and my husband said: “We’re definitely coming back.”
Well, that return trip 4 years later cost considerably more than either of our 2 trips before and that was with staying off site. I had to account for transport to and from the airport, plan dining early and that’s not even counting all the mornings I got up at 6:30am to deal with the mess that was Genie+. Everything was more crowded, more expensive and stressful and we left that trip with my husband asking what Tokyo Disneyland charged in comparison…
While I miss things like Magic Express, to me the biggest thing that actually makes me rethink trips is heat. I think Disney has got to start building with shade in mind. I might wax poetic about how innovative or not they have been recently or the relative pros and cons of mobile services, but I don’t plan trips around those things. Heat, on the other hand, is absolutely a deal breaker in certain situations (hottest months, traveling with elderly relatives, etc.)
We went in November for our 44th anniversary. The online check in made it necessary to make a special trip to the front desk to get celebration pins. Nothing was said upon arrival about the event that brought us there and paying $8000 for a 5 day stay.
Yes, we will go back, but with the removal of Magical Express, baggage service from the airport, delivery of packages from the park to resort, we are driving an RV to stay onsite. No park days, no dining plan but we will use transportation to resorts to enjoy dining if we wish. We will also have a car to explore Seaworld and other off-property things. We can have leftovers in the camper.
You know I do have to wonder if DCL isn’t partially growing because of the increasing expense and work of going to Disney World. Lot easier to put the phone down and account for expenses with the mostly all in experience of DCL. And honestly, while DCL is more expensive than mainstream cruise lines depending on your family’s typical WDW budget you can get a lot of bang for your buck on DCL. And lately I hear more “magical” stories coming out of DCL.
I was wondering this as well. I’ve heard nothing but positives regarding DCL. I prefer dry land so have not done one.
My biggest and only complaint about WDW is when I have to leave and go back home.
Well, gosh. You said it all. Hit the nail on the head. No notes! From 10 to 1, all valid, sadly.
Thank you for including the DAS piece. People still perpetuate that it is “skipping the line” (it’s not- you just wait elsewhere) and the stories we have heard firsthand from friends is heartbreaking and disturbing. Even though it does not affect everyone, allowing dignity for others should.
I think most able-bodied guests would prefer to let a few bad apples cheat the system vs. the mess that’s happening now — with disabled people being interrogated and made to feel inhuman. There has to be a better way.
I definitely can say that I wasn’t as excited leading up to my last trip due to all of these factors and I’m definitely not as openly recommending Disney World to people as I would in the past unless I’m certain they’d enjoy it. Disneyland Park itself on the other hand I couldn’t stop singing its praises after returning a couple of years ago. I think I’ll always prefer Disney World as a destination due to its size and there are even other parks I may classify as a favorite over it just due to theming preferences, but Disneyland as an overall experience can’t be topped, at least in the U.S.
I am not sure which is worse at nickel and diming its customers – Airlines or Disney Parks. The parks/resorts have been the main profit area of Disney for the last few years, and keeping the company afloat as Disney+ and movies have had some bad years. To achieve the record profits, Disney has been providing less, and costing more – both in terms of park tickets and resort prices going up far more than inflation, but also in charging more for things that used to be included – fast pass to lightning lanes, magic bands no longer being included, to discounted, to now full price. You add in the cuts of included services like magic express or merchandise shipping to your room, and cuts to park hours like extra magic hours, Animal Kingdom closing early, and party season at MK taking out half the evenings between August and Christmas. The staff are overworked and under-paid and need more respect from management.
There is a line between being a most profitable company being run by MBAs and an entertainment company providing magic to its customers. It feels too often that the Disney parks experience is now the former, rather than the latter.
Tom, sorry it was actually called the Festival of the Loin King, not the Loin king dining package.
Here are the details: The Tier I Festival of the Lion King Signature Dining Package (lunch or dinner at Tiffins Restaurant, priority VIP seating at Festival of the Lion King, and a safari tour) is $99 per adult and $49 per child ages 3-9 (tax and gratuities not included).
The Tier II Festival of the Lion King Signature Dining Package (lunch or dinner at Tiffins Restaurant and priority reserved seating at Festival of the Lion King) is $74 per adult and $29 for children ages 3-9 (tax and gratuities not included).
The Festival of the Lion King Signature Dining Packages
The changes in DAS don’t bother me at all, as I knew people that were taking advantage of the program. Fortunately we don’t talk much anymore. And I as others definitely saw others taking advantage of the system.
As for cut backs, I miss the loin king dining packages. Having great seating, a ride on safari without having to wait long and a great meal.
DAS being changed doesn’t necessarily bother me. It needed to happen. I don’t think some fans realize just how bad it was. And there’s the practical reality that there simply was not a way to make the changes and only have them impact the scammers. Just wasn’t realistically feasible.
However, the changes did not need to be implemented in such a way that it made the process dehumanizing and humiliating. The reports of the application process feeling like an “interrogation” are widespread, and it sounds to me like an “un-Disney” process.
I don’t even remember the Lion King dining package–sounds cool! I do remember Harambe Nights and some kind of dining event with that–never did it, but it sounded fun!
I agree with changes to DAS. My last visit someone with a motorized scooter brought 10 family members with them to the front of the line.
One family member should stand in line and when they meet, family should regroup.
Bold of you to assume that the people who are affected by this decision aren’t actually disabled…
* Amputations
* Arthritis
* Cerebral Palsy
* Muscular Dystrophy
* Spinal Cord Injury
* Stroke
* Asthma & Respiratory Conditions
* Diabetes
* Fibromyalgia
* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
* Lupus
* Crohn’s Disease / Irritable Bowel Syndrome
None of these conditions qualify for DAS now…but please continue with your complete lack of empathy or compassion…
Great list. Thankfully I still love Disney and don’t feel there are many other places that can compete with it. What is really rough right now are the ticket prices. It’s just SO expensive. Last time we did the 3 park deal where you don’t go to Magic Kingdom and it saved us a lot.
To be fair, universal ticket prices are also insane.
I will say one way to cure a lot of the issues with WDW is just to suck it up and go when it’s not that busy, which significantly improves the trip from an enjoyment standpoint, without long lines, more spontaneity and lower prices. However most ppl just aren’t able to pull that off or aren’t willing to go when it’s hot (understandable). I really don’t understand the Jedi training thing! Like why is that not back.. do they not want Gen alpha to like Star Wars??
“…do they not want Gen alpha to like Star Wars?”
If the plan is to not forge new fans of Star Wars, they seem to be doing a bang-up job!
Joking aside, I did read something at one point indicating that both Star Wars and the MCU do have issues drawing younger generations. Could explain why Disney is doubling-down on other franchises.
An interesting parallel to the Disney parks situation is the Las Vegas Strip. Contrary to the YouTube video hyperbole, Vegas is not “dead”. However, the number of visitors is way down.
If we ask people about Las Vegas, we will hear very similar comments. Overall, the quality and service keeps going down while the costs keep going way up. And fees; endless fees.
I recently watched a video from Bright Sun Films about a visit to the Circus Circus. Wow was that bizarre. The most glaring thing was the fact Circus Circus is a massive resort and almost nobody was there. Entire areas were completely empty. Even the casino areas had tiny few players or no players at all. When the channel host went to check into his room, he found Circus Circus had no check in desk. He had to check in using a kiosk. Absolutely nobody is going to like that. And during his visit, he didn’t see any service staff at all anywhere at the resort. The only employees he did see were people pushing timeshares. The whole resort has become a sad joke. When the channel host told his Uber driver he was going to Circus Circus, the driver literally laughed at him. It all sounds like a parody from a South Park episode.
I sure hope Disney continues to change course. Otherwise, they will be the Circus Circus of theme parks.
I actually read something about Las Vegas recently along these lines–totally forgot about it until you just mentioned this!
The general gist of what I read was that, broadly speaking, Las Vegas casinos realized they could make more money on a lower volume of high-rolling guests. That previously, the whales had subsidized lower costs for everyone else–but several of the top casinos pivoted to chase only the most lucrative clientele, abandoning the middle class. (Sound familiar?)
I’d hazard a guess that there’s more to it than that. And that a secondary consequence is the downmarket casinos and hotels are now worse off, too. That would also parallel what we’ve seen with Disney and Universal reporting strong results, whereas the cheaper/regional amusement parks are getting hit by a slowdown.
I feel kind of blessed that I did not start visiting Disney World on a regular basis until after the parks re-opened in 2020. Because of this, my perspective more closely mirrors that of new families and guests who are experiencing what is there for the first time, and…while there are still some entries on this list that sting a little? If not for this blog, I wouldn’t know what I was missing, really. From my point of view, the experience has just improved every time I go as stuff was re-added or tweaked to be better. So, while many of the comments on your blog are talking about how nice things were back in the ‘good old days,’ I just keep thinking about the magical experiences I’ve had in the now.
Which…isn’t the point of Festivus, I know. (If I’m a Grinch of Festivus, does that cancel out and just make me optimistic? Optim-us? Oh, wait…) I’d certainly love it if Disney continued to improve, and the (re)additions on this list would make me quite happy. But I’m still glad to be a newer guest discovering what Disney has, versus missing out on what Disney doesn’t.
Being the “Grinch of Festivus” has certain understated stupidity to it (another Seinfeld reference, not a dig). I like it.
As for the substance of your comment, you nailed it. Frame of reference matters so much. I would agree that there’s been consistent and considerable improvement since 2020. If fans could put blinders on and look only at those years, almost everything has gotten better during that timeframe. The DAS change is the only brand-new development in the last couple of years, and obviously, that only negatively impacts a small portion of guests. (To the contrary, it positively impacts everyone else via lower Lightning Lane utilization.)
I wish they’d put actual mini-fridges back in the hotel rooms. Even the “deluxe” resorts can’t afford a real fridge (as opposed to a “beverage cooler”) I want to be able to put milk, yogurt or leftovers in the room and know they’ll be kept at a safe temperature. Even the less expensive hotels outside of WDW have real fridges!
This is such a pet peeve of mine. Not to mention, I’m sure many people don’t realize they’re not refrigerators and store food, medication, and bottles in them as if they were.
I second the lack of mini fridges as one of the things that most annoys me about Disney hotels. I also recommend staying at the Swan, which does have real mini fridges, or at least they did as of last January (Dolphin probably does too, but I haven’t stayed there). You still get early entry, extended evening hours, 7 day advance LL booking, and walking to Epcot and DHS. But you get a mini fridge and lower prices over theming, magic band access to your room, and charging in park purchases to your room.
Go to Universal…they have real refrigerators and don’t treat disabled people like garbage. And deluxe resort guests get fee unlimited express pass.
“They should come home feeling like Disney treated them like they and their vacation were important” really hits the nail on the head for my family. We vacationed at WDW from our honeymoon in 2001 every year (minus 2020) up until 2024. But between the higher costs, nickel and diming middle class guests and our experience that the Cast Members (and we are huge fans of Cast Members and respect them deeply) are not as invested in delivering the world class Disney difference any longer, we are taking some time off from visiting WDW. We feel like we are paying much more for a diminished experience and that makes us sad because we have always considered WDW to be our special place.
Spontaneity is essential. Weather related challenges, rides that go down, kids that need to de-stress or are just hungry sooner than expected and who therefore disrupt all planning. So, we learned to tack and find serendipity in that over the years. (To my surprise, what I had first thought was a one and done visit to Disneyland for older kids when we lived briefly in SoCal, then a one and done WDW trip for the youngest when we moved east has become a habit for the family.) Now there’s a grandkid. To make spontaneity work for me, though, means being up to date in how this complex system functions. One resource for me, in addition to experts like you (thanks!), has always been the wonderful, generous cast members. I have chatted them up about plans when they don’t have a long line to serve. Say thank you. For some, I’ve written a great review. At resorts, I’ve asked for paper for that purpose, so that I can be specific about how wonderful the cast member was for me.
My recommendation come with asterisks because I am a planner by nature and WDW feeds into that for me and I feel accomplished at the end of every day. I realize that other people are not that way, and they get overwhelmed very quickly. I’ve honestly stopped inviting people to go with me because no one can keep up except my SIL! She’s the only one I do hardcore Disney with now. Other than that, I’m solo and loving it.