Overrated Disney World Experiences
Some things at Walt Disney World are overrated. While we love most restaurants, rides, and hotels at Walt Disney World, we don’t love it all. These experiences might still be “good,” but they are overrated in the sense that their quality doesn’t live up to the hype, price, or long wait times. Because of that, in some cases, the listed experiences might be things we really enjoy…they just have wait times, prices, or hype that are too high in relation to the quality of what is offered.
Price and wait times are pretty easy to gauge since they’re objective. Hype is more difficult, as it requires a knowledge of what other people really like. We read forums, comments on social media, and listen to a number of podcasts, so we think we have a pretty good idea which Walt Disney World experiences are typically held in high regard by other fans.
This topic is one that was actually inspired by our Facebook page. Folks commenting there aren’t afraid to share opinions on what we review. We frequently read your comments that certain restaurants or hotels are “overrated” in response to our reviews, so we figured that we’d put together our list of “Overrated Walt Disney World Experiences.”
This list does not take into account any of your opinions we’ve read; since many of you frequently disagree with us (which is great–we love the open dialogue of this site and although we happen to like our opinions ;), we hardly think our opinions are the definitive word on anything) and because “overrated” is widely subjective based upon personal tolerances, financial circumstances, and wait-tolerance, we’re really hoping for some feedback from you on what you think is overrated at Walt Disney World!
With that, let’s dig into the list!
Dining
Le Cellier – Four or so years ago, I think this would have been a controversial pick. Then, Le Cellier was a great value on the Disney Dining Plan, while offering some excellent appetizers and good (albeit slightly over-buttered and over-salted) cuts of meat. It was difficult to land an advance dining reservation at Le Cellier, but not impossible.
Over time, buzz increased and reservations became more difficult to land. Disney made changes to the Disney Dining Plan and, eventually, to Le Cellier’s status at dinner. Finally, Le Cellier became a two-credit restaurant for lunch, too, making it a full-time Signature Restaurant. It also moved to a lunch/dinner menu, removing many cheaper options that were popular with those paying out of pocket. By now, I think the perception of Le Cellier has soured with many Disney fans.
For the last several years, we’ve been saying Le Cellier, while good, doesn’t live up to the hype. Now, much of that hype is gone, but it doesn’t live up to its status or price points. If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan and want a great meal from a Signature steakhouse in the Epcot area, you’d be crazy to go to Le Cellier over Yachtsman Steakhouse. The latter has excellent cuts of meat wonderfully prepared, the former is good but isn’t worth the price (either in real money or Dining Plan credits), wait, or effort to secure reservations.
Chefs de France – Chefs de France has never had the same buzz as Le Cellier, but it has long had similarly high price points. If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, Chefs de France is a great value…meaning it’s a poor value for those paying out of pocket. Regardless of how you’re paying, you might want to skip Chefs de France, which doesn’t offer cuisine worthy of France.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe – My opinion of Pecos Bill has improved a bit since our original review of it, but this is mostly due to me developing a greater appreciation for the theming. I still think the food is inferior to Cosmic Ray’s, and its toppings bar is approximately the same. Yet Pecos Bill is frequently hyped as one of the best counter service restaurants at Walt Disney World, while Cosmic Ray’s nary draws a mention. I get why some people dislike Ray’s, but Pecos Bill is nothing special and certainly isn’t deserving of the hype it receives from the fan community. At best, it’s the #5 counter service restaurant in the Magic Kingdom.
Disney Dining Plan – Okay, it’s not a restaurant, and I’ve already shared this in my Disney Dining Plan Review, but I think this bears repeating as many times as possible. Despite getting less and paying more on a yearly basis, people continue to absolutely adore the Disney Dining Plan. A big part of this is because it’s cleverly marketed as being “free,” which savvy Disney guests know is not actually true. While still useful in some circumstances and for some guests, as a whole, the Disney Dining Plan is overrated.
There are a few other “near misses,” but I just couldn’t bring myself to add them to the list. For example, Liberty Tree Tavern is pricey for what amounts to American comfort food…but it is all you can eat, so it’s not overrated if you’re really hungry. California Grill has a lot of buzz in the fan community, and while we prefer a few Signature Restaurants to it, it doesn’t disappoint. Other restaurants that in some ways disappoint seem to compensate for their disappointing elements somehow. Dining is probably the most divisive aspect of Walt Disney World vacationing, so we’re curious to hear what you believe is overrated.
Hotels
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – As Walt Disney World’s flagship resort-hotel, there’s a certain amount of cache that comes with a stay at the Grand Floridian. As a flagship resort, the Grand Floridian works. It’s the most elegant Disney-owned Walt Disney World hotel, has some excellent dining options, and is conveniently located on the monorail. As the “best” Disney-owned hotel at Walt Disney World for the money, it doesn’t work for me.
The exterior is gorgeous, but it the interior is dated. Fans of the hotel will argue that the Victorian theme is inherently dated, but that’s not what I mean. When the resort was designed, the Victorian theming was seemingly “given a modern twist” (I put this in quotes because it’s how Disney describes so much of the theming around Walt Disney World). Unfortunately, the modern twist is no longer modern, but instead seems incredibly dated. Much of what is present in the Grand Floridian reminds me of the design of an affluent Kentucky house, circa-1991, not timeless Victorian beauty.
Beyond that, its price is out of touch with the amenities offered, even considering that you’re paying a premium for it being an on-property hotel. If price were no issue, I would prefer staying at any of the Epcot resorts or Disney’s Polynesian Resort. The one group to whom I’d recommend the Grand Floridian above all else is anyone who places a value on being surrounded by other well-off guests. Even then, why not just stay at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando?
For hotels, that’s the only one at which we’ve stayed that I consider overrated. Every other hotel at which we’ve stayed I’ve enjoyed for different reasons. (Note: this one is my opinion, not our opinion. Sarah loves the Grand Floridian and doesn’t at all consider it overrated.)
Attractions
Toy Story Midway Mania – Based upon past Facebook discussions, I suspect this will be a divisive one. Some on Facebook have called it a glorified Wii game, others have considered it the best attraction at Walt Disney World. For us, it’s neither. It’s a fun attraction that offers way more in terms of interactivity (and strategy) than the Wii game by the same name, but it doesn’t even come close to being a classic Disney attraction in terms of quality. It’s superficial and lacks the longevity of other classics. It’s overrated in terms of its wait times. I suspect this is primarily a result of a serious attraction imbalance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, not a true reflection of its popularity.
Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster Starring Aerosmith – Although the pre-show and queue help spruce it up, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster is basically an unthemed rollercoaster in the dark. It’s fun, but it’s not 90-minute-wait fun, nor is it the caliber of experience you’d expect from Disney. It’s a thrills for the sake of thrills attraction. Not that there’s anything wrong with that in general, but there is something wrong that at Walt Disney World.
Primeval Whirl – Not exactly a beloved attraction among the fan community, and not exactly having long waits, Primeval Whirl is still overrated. As long as a single person visits Primeval Whirl each day, it will be overrated, as that’s one guest too many. Primeval Whirl is the biggest eyesore in Walt Disney World, and it’s arguably more tacky than areas of Disney California Adventure that were demolished for not being up to Disney theme park standards.
Some people rave about Dinoland, claiming that it’s misunderstood and that its backstory makes it incredibly clever. It’s not clever. Its backstory is lipstick on a pig. Just as a landfill would not be appropriate for a Disney theme park (no matter what story attached) because it is a landfill, a roadside carnival with off the shelf attractions is not appropriate in a Disney theme park because of what it is. Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a lot greatness, but absolutely none of that is attributable to Primeval Whirl or Dinoland.
The Barnstormer – I can’t imagine anyone will argue with this pick. It’s not overrated because fans love it, but because of often-long wait times. There’s no reason to fixate on this one, except to point out that it’s the only Fantasyland attraction on this list. That might come as a surprise to some. Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid just misses the list because its wait times are expected to subside, Snow White’s Scary Adventures no longer exists, and Peter Pan’s Flight isn’t too bad early in the morning or with FastPass, which is why none of those attractions made the list.
There are a few other attractions that just miss (Soarin’ is not worthy of its standby waits or early morning dash, but FastPass allows those waits to be skipped; Fantasmic! is overrated when compared to Disneyland’s version…but is that a fair comparison for people who only visit Walt Disney World?) making the list, but those are the big ones. Although we’ve come close to blurring the line between just plain “bad” and “overrated” with a couple of these attraction picks, it’s important to remember that there is a difference. With the exception of Primeval Whirl, which is just so awful that no matter what it’s “rated,” it’s overrated, these are all overrated due to reputation and/or wait times.
Make sure you check out our list of experiences at Walt Disney World that we think are underrated! For Walt Disney World trip planning tips and comprehensive advice, make sure to read our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide and related articles. For updates on Walt Disney World, the latest news, discount information, and tips, sign up for our free newsletter!
Your Thoughts
When first working on this list, I hoped to include some experiences outside these main three categories. Unfortunately, our frame of reference for an “other” category is not thorough-enough to do it justice, and I won’t include things we haven’t personally experienced (for example, Wild Africa Trek looks overrated due to its price, but we can’t be certain of that as we haven’t done it). With that said, we’d love it if you’d share your thoughts on anything at Walt Disney World that you believe is overrated, and what you agree or disagree with on our list!
Do u have a Disneyland/California Adventure list as well? I was there in June and I’m curious about which attractions seemed overhyped to you there.
I’ll have to make one. I figured this would be a popular topic, but NEVER expected it to be this popular! 🙂
I can agree with Le Cellier for sure but we have always payed OOP and never did the Dining Plan (I don’t need a dessert with every meal Disney), we use Tables in Wonderland and it still is an OK cut of meat for prime cut prices we spend our money at Shula’s Steakhouse instead. Pecos Bill’s on the other hand is a childhood favorite and will always be my favorite counter service at the Magic Kingdom. I love it’s theming and menu as simple as it is and I find Sony Eclipse annoying! As far as rides and attractions I can take or leave Primeval Hurl, if there’s a 5 min wait or less ill do it, same goes for Dinosaur. After riding Indiana Jones in Disneyland I can’t help but think we got short changed with Dinosaur……
I can’t comment one way or another on many of these… never eaten at Pecos Bill’s, never been to GF, never eaten at Le Cellier or Yachtsman…
I have previously commented on RnRc… miss the CM picking up the guitar!!
As far as Fantasmic and TSMM… my husband and I went on our Disneymoon last September. I had seen F! several times prior, but TSMM was new since my last WDW trip. My husband had never been to WDW in his life (*gasp* blasphemy, I know!). We both got a lot of enjoyment out of TSMM, but we enjoy video games and a little friendly competition. I definitely agree that is it not a “classic” attraction, and in 5 or 10 years it will definitely be showing its age. I would say we enjoyed TSMM as much as Buzz at MK. I think they both have outstanding queue theming, especially for both being entirely indoor queues. Do I think TSMM (or Buzz for that matter) is worth 60+ min wait time?! No way Jose! Even in September, an off-peak season, TSMM had a 90+ min standby time. That is insane. That ride is not worth 90 minutes you will never get back of your life.
F! was, well, Fantasmic. Considering it’s the only nighttime ‘spectacular’ as HS, I enjoy it. Is it worth standing in line for 1.5 hours prior, sweating, and drinking your beverage for lack of nothing else to do, and not being able to get a refill for fear of losing your place in line? I don’t think so. Imagine all of the ride time you could get in, knowing everyone else in the park is waiting for the show?! My husband was not enthused about the show, perhaps because I basically described it as Mickey + boats + princesses + fireworks. I might have emphasized the princesses too much for his liking. After the show was over, he thought it was really great. But we both enjoyed Wishes much more than F! Definitely overrated. I am interested to see the west coast version, hearing several comments that it is a better show!
If someone described Fantasmic like that to me before I had ever seen it, I probably would have been blown away by the actual show, too!
I’m not too critical of WDW’s Fantasmic because I think it’s still a decent show (when working right), but after having seen Disneyland’s, I have little desire to see WDW’s again.
What’s funny about Le Cellier these days is that everyone thinks it is overrated and, yet, you still can’t get a reservation there.
I could not agree with you more about Captain EO, my fiance actually fell asleep during it. I was so disappointed that it replaced “Honey, I shrunk the audience”. Hope that they change it back soon. Another place I think is over rated is “Coral Reef”. I had been so excited to go since that restaurant was featured in so many classic 90’s sitcoms. When we went they sat us at the same table as another family as far away from the fish as humanly possible. Not my idea of a romantic dinner. Looking forward to the underrated list.
A lot of people will agree with you on Coral Reef. I’m not one of those people, but I can understand the criticism. It’s important to go there early to request a seat close to the tank. Otherwise you’re in for disappointment, especially if you’re a child of those glorious 90s TV shows! 🙂
Well the bf and I are in the small camp of people who love Primeval Whirl. That ride is so jarring that both of us and up in a fit of giggles. We would be terribly upset if that ride were to leave. Also, we love Toy Story Mania, and with 90 minute wait time we got a fast pass and waited 3 minutes total. That is a ride/attraction that I could do multiple times in a visit.
Gosh, my husband and 11 year old son LOVE Primeval Whirl! My 6 year old just can’t wait until he’s tall enough to ride it!
We’ve always loved dining at WDW and we’re willing to pay the big $$ to do it without the dining plan. But something seems to be changing – restaurants we’ve loved in the past, we found terribly disappointing this last time. Brown Derby, Coral Reef and Chef Mickey’s – we had disappointing food at all.
And surprisingly, without even having ADRs, we walked into Nine Dragons twice and had awesome meals. And, surprisingly to us, Prime Time Cafe helped us get in without an ADR and we had a delicious meal!
And I have to admit…while I’m the only one in my family who will say this…I love both Captain EO and Carousel of Progress. I lived near DL when Captain EO first debuted so it’s nostalgic to me. Carousel of Progress?…well, not sure why I love it!
But we ALL love the People Mover! Maybe because it’s so relaxing after so much walking!
Loved reading everyone’s comments!
You’re missing the most over-rated experience on property; Test Track. Although RnR is a close second.
The New Fantasyland is easily the most over-hyped. I have heard a lot of disappointment from casual fans who were expecting more.
Not a Cosmic Ray’s fan at all. Couldn’t drag my family back in there after two bad experiences. I have seen some fans rant about Pecos Bills. But not enough to where I would consider it over-rated. Now Dole Whips, those are over-rated.
Dinoland can’t be over-rated. Everyone hates it. It borders on being under-rated because people hate on it in excess. Yes, it doesn’t belong in a Disney park. Kids still love it.
AoA isn’t really beloved by many. Over-priced? Sure. Over-rated? I don’t see how.
F! and Soarin’ should have made the list as well. Very over-rated. But at least they got dishonorable mentions.
There is certainly a small group of people who love Captain Eo more than they should. But I don’t think that makes it over-rated. It makes those people fanatics.
Assuming that Test Track 2.0 ever gets its “issues” worked out, I don’t think it’s overrated. We were definitely disappointed by New Fantasyland, and I believe it was over-marketed. Don’t know why I didn’t consider it for this list…I was thinking of individual attractions, but I obviously expanded the dining section to include more than just restaurants. In any case, I commented on New Fantasyland here: http://blog.touringplans.com/2013/01/03/2012-disney-awards/
Dinoland (and by that I actually mean Dinorama, I guess) is loved by a lot of people, shockingly. Just search for “Dinorama backstory” on Google and you’ll see what I mean. The one result that won’t turn up (at least in the first few pages) of a search there is an episode of WDWRadio that praises Dinorama and its backstory. (Can’t find a link to it, unfortunately.) While a lot of people may hate Dinorama, a lot of people love its “rich backstory.”
Excellent point on Captain EO fans being “fanatics.” That made me chuckle.
I think it’s unfair to truly evaluate New Fantasyland until The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opens. I think having a huge construction site the middle of the area hampers the experience.
I haven’t experienced TT 2.0. So I can’t comment there. Fantasyland is more over-hyped than over-rated. As it has officially opened, I feel it’s totally fair to judge it without waiting for a ride that won’t be opened until at least a year after the official opening (sorry, Ray).
Dinoland’s back story is definitely over-rated. I too have had people try to explain to me how this overly complex backstory justifies the existence of Dinorama. But as you correctly point out, that argument doesn’t hold water.
But while I have heard people rave about the backstory, I have never heard anyone gush about the land itself. I have heard many people (myself included) complain about it.
I’m probably splitting hairs distinguishing between the backstory and the area itself. I just find it weird to think of Dinorama as over-rated when most everyone hates it.
Glad I elicited a chuckle. My work is done here. 😉
I’m looking forward to your underrated list! I hope it includes the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (or People Mover)…I have no idea why, but I enjoy riding that.
I also love Living with the Land, and it’s totally underrated!
Le cellier is overrated. ESP now that it is 2 credits. But where is the best best place to get a steak at in disney world? I love fantastic tho! I am going to dw in October-will it be a 3 hr wait then? I did the Hollywood and vine res Lin 2009 and I thought the food was awful!!!
My husband and I went in Oct. 2012, and decided last minute after dinner at The Hollywood Brown Derby, to see Fantasmic. We weren’t going to because our dinner ran too late to get in line early, but we ended up RUNNING in right at 7pm (when it starts). Because we were late, and they were just trying to get the straglers hurried in and seated, they put us in the area reserved for people with the Fantasmic dinner package. We ended up with really good seats and NO wait! Might work for you.. 🙂
I think a lot of these are spot on! We’ve dined once at Le Cellier and did love it, but the prices are out of control and we’ve never been to Yachtsman before so I can’t compare. My husband and I also think Brown Derby is overrated…I know most won’t agree, but we just did not have great food there for what the cost was (and we were on the DxDDP, not worth our 2 credits!).
Hate Primeval Whirl. Hate it. I kind of agree with another person about the Finding Nemo show…but I’ve only seen it once so I can give it another shot, just thought it was really long. Peter Pan’s kinda on my list, the wait times are too long for that short ride..and I know you can get a FP, but I never want to “waste” mine on peter pan, so I always wait stand by, therefore making it long.
Astro Orbiter’s…ugh. Those things do not fit 2 adults in them, I don’t care what other people say, what the CM’s working the ride say, they don’t. And we are not big people. I basically squished my husband’s leg to death while riding, got dizzy b/c they go a lot faster than you think, and then got claustrophobic while riding back down on that hot elevator with 25 people in it. Not a good experience. Probably would’ve been a lot more fun with just one person per rocket…
Also, my brother thinks the NEW Test Track is overrated! :O Say it isn’t so! I haven’t been yet, but he actually likes the old one better. Says there is no story to this one, it’s “not actually that cool to build you car”, and that the best part are the neon lights. I hope I don’t feel this way too!
Since you haven’t been and can’t comment on Wild Africa Trek I will say that, in my opinion, it is overrated. It’s a fun experience and the lunch is great, but it’s definitely not worth the $200 you pay to do it. I would recommend it if it was half the price or less. There are other options – you can drive down to Busch Gardens and do an animal tour (where you can actually get close and feed the animals) for less than a quarter of the price.
Thanks for the feedback! Price is the reason I’d consider it overrated. In pricing out comparable experiences, Wild Africa Trek would basically have to include a hippo ride to make it worth the money.
My brother is working in AK right now doing a Professional Internship. He is one of the CM’s that works at the kids stations throughout the park, holds animals at the entrance to the park, and stands in front of some of the animal exhibits. He can get the Wild Africa Trek for…1/2 off!! So my family and I are doing it in April. I would never do it for full price!
I’m 50/50 on the list. I’ve loved the duck in Chefs de France (and love seeing Remy), I think the Grand Floridian is gorgeous, and don’t mind Primevil Whirl for all it’s kitschyness. What’s missing: Test Track. Oh my Goofy, Test Track. Guess what kids? Going through hot and cold and bumps is indeed as boring as it sounds. And then you get what, a short mildly fast ride? All for 100 minutes. I happy they fixed it, made it fun and Disney, and called it Radiator springs Racers.
But you’re dead on about Disney World Fantasmic (give me Peter Pan over Pocahontas any day) and Pecos Bill (where the onions taste like how Pirates of the Caribbean smells for some odd reason…)
Great list! I’d add:
1) Carousel of Progress – What an outdated, broken-down snooze. Fans need to have their heads examined. Must be a nostalgia thing.
2) California Grill – Great view, but everything else is mediocre. No theme, no character. Just go to a fancy restaurant at home and save your Disney Dollars for Jiko.
3) Magical Express – Nice to save some $, but prepare to be treated like cattle and to stop at 3 resorts before yours. Also accept that you’ll be forced to leave Disney 2 hours before you need to, due to Disney polices.
Carousel of Progress? I guess I could see that based upon the fan community, but I totally disagree. I love it. I’m probably one of the people over-hyping it, if anything! 😉
It is one of our favorite attractions. I remember ridding it a few years ago when Space Mountain was broken down and had its lights on so we could see the entire track.
The Carousel of Progress combines the two things that made Walt Disney tick: nostalgia and a commitment to progress. No attraction better reflects the man. And that’s not even mentioning the historical importance of the show, having premiered at the famed 1964 World’s Fair. You don’t get any more classic.
Overrated as per the fan community is exactly what I mean RE the Carousel. They talk about it as if it’s a can’t miss attraction, but it really doesn’t make much sense at all in today’s context. That said, I think with new animatronics and a final scene that actually depicts today’s version of the future, it could be great. I just feel like Disney is letting a classic attraction wither on the vine and using Walt’s legacy as the excuse.
Oh no! I love Carousel of Progress. But yes, I totally agree it’s just a nostalgia thing – I grew up with it from a young age and we’d go each year when we visited Disney.
Interesting list. I’d disagree with RnRCoaster, although I see your logic. But I think it’s a really, really fun ride and I think Disney needs more rides in general.
Your thoughts on Primeval Whirl match my own perfectly. I just filled out a survey from Disney about Animal Kingdom today. I should have cut-and-pasted your comments, they fit so well. For such a beautiful, awesome park to have such a travesty in it as Chester and Hester is mind-boggling.
Couldn’t agree more about Le Cellier. My wife and I had heard all the hype about it, and tried to get reservations there in 2011 and could not, so ended up “settling” for Yatchsman. We both loved it and couldn’t imagine how Le Cellier could be any better. In October we went back to WDW and I got reservations at Le Cellier and I was totally let down. It was definetly a great meal, just no where near as good as Yatchsman. We both wished we would have chosen Yatchsman again.
Now Pecos Bills’ is another story. Of course I do not get the hamburger. I get the BBQ pork sandwich, which is delicious. Cosmic Rays is basically a giant food court with an amazing animatronic extraterrestrial lounge singer. The dining room itself has less theming than any other Magic Kingdom counter service. That’s why I think it gets less hype than the rest.
Never underestimate the importance of an “amazing animatronic extraterrestrial lounge singer!”
When I saw this topic my very first thought was of Le Cellier. It’s good, but nowhere near good enough to match the price and the 6 month advance reservation needed. Yachtsman has better food, better service, and reasonable availability. Spot on with this one, Tom.
I haven’t tried Toy Story Midway Mania yet because a) the wait time is ridiculously long and b) didn’t they just build this same ride a few years earlier in Tomorrowland?
I love Soarin’ but it is in no way worth waiting in the standby line and even the Fastpass line is still a pretty long wait.
I have not been to Disneyland or DCA but I cannot imagine that Cars Land could possibly live up to all of the hype surrounding it. And yes Tom – you, Cory, and Ryan contribute to that hype quite a bit so I fully expect that you won’t agree with me on this one. 🙂
You’re right, I don’t agree with you at all on Cars Land. Cars Land absolutely lives up to the hype.
Overrated can be interpreted inso many way. I agree with your points on rides with long waits, in my book that is anybridenwitha long wait time. If you use fastpass in its current form that make the complaint moot.
I disagree on Pecos Bills to a point. I go off peak and enjoy the atmosphere. I would like to hear your 4 counter services about it.
I also disagree on the GF? IMHO, it has the best theming and appointment end to end of the monorail resorts. I do prefer the Winderness Lodge as it more my type of themeing but the wife digs the GF to be pampered.
Totally agree on Le Cellier and to some extent that same sentiment to Disney dinning in general. I’m sure that will cause a stir but I go quite a bit and find myself not as fired up about eating on property.
Here is my BIG over rated………..Fastpass +/ Nextgen. I hope I’m wrong but it looks to eliminate some of the key reason I got to Disney over some other place, ie Universal. I could into detail but that is for another debate.
Great website, keep it up !
I agree with you on Le Cellier which has long been overrated. i have dined there twice and i can say that I will be more than happy to have the cheese soup at Food & Wine. Plus the tables are way too close together.
TSM is another issue. I love that attraction especially with my kids who are very competitive. Granted, we only do fast pass and only wait in line if we make rope drop. This is easily in my top 10 attractions.
i saw Fantasmic for the first time in October and it is really dull. I can watch illuminations anytime but that show was pitiful and it took forever to get out of the theatre once it was over.
Hopefully, your underrated list will include Maelstrom which I enjoy quite a bit from an atmosphere standpoint.
I love Maelstrom, too, but I don’t know if it will make the underrated list. There have been a lot of problems with it as of late (serious problems) that have really disappointed me.
What problems have you encountered? I, too, have always loved Maelstorm. My last visit was October 2012, and I didn’t notice any issues…but then again, I was riding with a 6 week old baby, a two year old, and a 9 year old…which is just to say my observation skills were not nearly as keen as yours!
That is not good. i haven’t been on it in 2 years and was looking forward to riding it with my wife when we go this weekend (NO KIDS! ).
Afte studying DisneyTouristBlog for months prior to my September 2012 honeymoon (sidenote: I’ve been to Disney appx 10 times in my life, but not for about 5 years… and never without my parents. I needed to brush up on my knowledge) I was determined to ride Maelstrom after reading about the Brickers riding it frequently. About 1 minute into the ride, our boat stopped. About 5 minutes later, the lights came on and a Cast Member came over the loudspeaker to let us know that the attraction had closed and a CM would be with us shortly to escort us. About TWENTY FIVE minutes later, we were escorted from our boat. May I mention that my hubby and I were indulging in “drinking around the world” and this was stop… 5 or 6? I basically ran to the nearest restroom after waiting for so long to get off of the attraction. I would be willing to try it again, perhaps. But I find it discouraging that others are also having unpleasant experiences during this ride.
Maelstrom is in DESPERATE need of a large scale refurbishment. I haven’t heard many stories like the one you’ve mentioned, but it doesn’t surprise me at all. There are so many things wrong with that attraction right now that it really shouldn’t even be operating.
Really disappointing for us, as we love Maelstrom.
I agree with you on TSM and Le Cellier (though the cheese soup and maple creme brûlée are DELISH). I’ll agree with you to a point on Pecos Bill’s. Yes, it is YADB (yet another Disney burger), but I did appreciate the efficiency of the self-ordering kiosks and the ambiance of the room that people have mentioned above. I love the Chicken and Ribs combo at Cosmic Ray’s, but having to order from separate ‘bays’ is a pain in the rear if you’re with a party that wants different things.
I’m probably the only one that will do so, but I’ll defend Rock n Roller Coaster. 5 or so years ago I probably would have agreed with you, but over my last several trips I’ve grown in appreciation for the ride. I think calling it an “unthemed rollercoaster in the dark” is a bit harsh. It opened during a time when Disney was in active competition with Universal who was opening a thrills park down the road. If you want to call something “thrills for the sake of thrills”, I think either the Incredible Hulk or Dueling Dragons coasters would fit that bill. Their theme/story is far worse than RnRC’s. The queue for DD was pretty impressive, but that ended when the trains left the station. But I digress. I think RnRC’s theme of ‘a (super) stretch limo taking you from the recording studio, through the streets of LA, to the Aerosmith concert’ is pretty neat. On top of that, there are several cool details that give RnRC that ‘Disney touch’. I like lights in the loading area with the shadows cast by the fans rotating. I can’t explain WHY I like them, I just do. 🙂 Also, one of my favorite things is at the launch: If you watch the open windows across the alley, as the trains launch, the curtains in the windows ‘billow’ from the whoosh of the limos whizzing by. It’s a cool little detail that not many people notice.
On my overhyped list is probably the Jedi Training Academy. Don’t get me wrong, kinds being able to fight Darth Vader is cool, but not worth the equivalent of the TSM dash at opening.
I forgot to mention: Where else at Disney World can you see Steven Tyler flash ‘the shocker’? 😀
Good points about Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster. The launch area is really, really cool.
If there were one attraction I’d be most willing to drop from this list, that would probably be it. I’m not going to drop it, but you do make a compelling argument.
You’re totally right about Jedi Training Academy. I didn’t even consider that one when making the list!
I have to agree with you here….the theming of RnRC is great. And where else in WDW are you going to get a reference to Les Paul?
too bad they don’t have a Cast Member going into the recording studio to pick up the guitar anymore!! That was one of my favorite details about RnRc… the authenticity! (Since it’s fairly obvious that the stars are on a really large screen and not ACTUALLY in studio). I still personally enjoy RnRc… but. I have to admit, as much as I LOVE WDW, I do enjoy some… “other” parks more heavy emphasis on thrill rides. I’m a coaster-lover myself, so RnRc satisfies that craving that I sometimes feel Disney is missing out on. This is why I also love Tower of Terror, it gets me every time!
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with loving other parks for the thrills! I enjoy thrill rides, too. I’d just rather Disney focus on what it does well. In my opinion, Tower of Terror is an amazing attraction because of the whole package and story–very little of its quality has to do with the drops.
Other parks??? There are other parks?
Two words: Tonga Toast. The pineapple macadamia pancakes are far superior, though more plainly named.
Had that for the first time on my last visit too. It was too bready, but the strawberry sauce was awesome! I tried to make it on New Year’s morning… less bread, more bananas… all I can say is try to make it at home and you probably won’t be disappointed. 😉
Fantasmic I enjoyed more at Disney World because of the ampitheater vs crunching into New Orleans Square.
I enjoy both. I probably prefer the more under-the-radar pancakes, too.