Underrated Disney World Experiences
We’ve already shared some of the Walt Disney World experiences we believe are overrated, but what about the underrated rides, restaurants, and hotels?
Well, you’re in luck, because there are a ton of them! In fact, our list of underrated experiences is longer than the overrated ones. Just like the overrated list, this list is based upon quality exceeding hype, price, or wait times.
Just like the “overrated” list, this topic is inspired by our Facebook page, where commenters haven’t been afraid to share conflicting opinions on what we review and deem things “overrated” or “underrated.” Just like the underrated list, this list does not take into account any of your opinions we’ve read; it only contains our opinions.
One pitfall with a list like this is conflating things for which we’re nostalgic with things that are actually underrated. Despite our nostalgia-driven love of some attractions, many have flaws or are low-rated for good reason. We’ve tried to keep those attractions off the list. After all, it’s about underrated experiences, not a list of the “Best Stuff for Embracing Nostalgia.”
We’ll start with attractions, which we should honestly revise and expand upon a bit. When we originally wrote this list, Flights of Wonder, Great Movie Ride, Stitch’s Great Escape (no joke!), and Ellen’s Energy Adventure all made this list. We’ve had to remove all of those attractions from the list in the last year. Nonetheless, many of our sleeper hits remain…
Attractions
Country Bear Jamboree – After my opening statements about avoiding nostalgia, this might seem like an “interesting” first pick. It’s not. Country Bear Jamboree has a lot of nostalgia attached to it, but it has even more quality attached to it. I’ve long been of the opinion that Country Bear Jamboree is an extremely intelligent show, and its irreverence and sharp humor make it an easy pick here.
Maintenance-wise, it’s in much better shape than most other “classic” attractions, and although there are occasional issues with audio levels, it’s arguably in better shape than newer attractions like Soarin’. If you’re the politically correct type who can’t look past a few wry jokes by singing bears as they parody stereotypical Southern life, Country Bear Jamboree probably won’t be for you. Those who enjoy irreverent and clever humor will enjoy Country Bear Jamboree.
Impressions de France – We think that Impressions de France is the best film in all of Epcot. That wouldn’t be saying much if only including the World Showcase, but that also includes Future World…which includes The Land pavilion. Impressions de France doesn’t have the same “experience” that Soarin’ has, but it does have a beautiful, chills-inducing score, a new digital projection that’s free of debris, and breathtaking visuals.
Even though the substance hasn’t been updated since 1982, it still feels fresh (with the exception of a few dubious outfit choices of folks in the travelogue). I don’t expect anyone else to agree with us that Impressions de France is better than Soarin’ (which admittedly has its own excellent score, visuals, and is a really fun experience), but the fact that the two can even be reasonably compared makes Impressions de France, which rarely plays to more than half-full theaters, underrated.
We’re such big fans of Impressions de France that we actually did a trip to real-world locations in France from the film, and one of our bucket list travel goals is to visit every location in the film. We’re halfway there!
Gran Fiesta Tour – The attraction that replaced the cult-favorite El Rio del Tiempo doesn’t receive much love. It rarely has a line, and the fan community doesn’t seem to care for it. With the exception of the excellent El Rio del Tiempo music that is now gone, I think Gran Fiesta Tour is a better and far less-dated experience.
It weaves culture together with Disney characters to make for an enjoyable and more dynamic experience. Normally, I wouldn’t be thrilled with the “toonification” of an attraction, but Three Caballeros, a film that itself blends culture with animation, works perfectly here. The addition of the Audio Animatronics figures at the end are also a nice touch.
Monster’s Laugh Floor – Monster’s Laugh Floor (can’t include that “Inc.” or else we have an acronym that isn’t very family friendly! ;)) doesn’t draw a lot of guests (since the shows are so long it often comes close to filling up its seating area) and it’s not at all popular with Disney fans. It seems most people take issue with its location rather than the substance of the show, though.
Substantively, we think the Laugh Floor fires on most cylinders, with guest interaction that usually works, and humor that appeals to a wide range of audiences. It’s repeat-ability is high, as the jokes change depending upon the audience. We can understand shy guests not liking this attraction due to uneasiness about being picked on, but otherwise, we think Monster’s Laugh Floor isn’t praised nearly enough for its great humor and interactions.
Living with the Land – I know nothing about, and have absolutely no interest in, gardening. Yet I find Living with the Land to be a highly underrated experience, and one that weaves together elements of a traditional attraction with some “edutainment” components.
If even my curiosity is piqued by the experimental horticulture techniques showcased in The Land greenhouses, then just about anyone should find it interesting. Living with the Land is a testament to human ingenuity, and it’s a shame that more people aren’t interested in experiencing this relaxed boat ride.
Walt Disney Presents – Highly regarded in the fan community, Walt Disney Presents (formerly One Man’s Dream) is often overlooked by normal park guests despite being in a high traffic area. If you haven’t given it a chance because you assume it’s a dull museum, commit 10 minutes to it on your next trip.
You’ll likely find yourself spending a lot more time inside as you pore over the many interesting pieces that have made the Disney empire what it is today.
Dining
Sanaa – We’ve been praising Sanaa as one of the most adventurous and under-appreciated restaurants at Walt Disney World for the last couple of years, and we’ve received feedback from a number of readers who have given it a chance and have loved it. It’s relatively easy to get same-day dinner reservations at Sanaa, and it’s not uncommon to have a 75% empty restaurant if you’re there for lunch.
Due to the lack of other guests, our service at Sanaa has always been phenomenal, and we regularly receive appetizers or desserts “compliments of the chef.” If you only try one new experience as a result of this list, Sanaa should be it.
Contempo Cafe – Often taken at face value–and overlooked as a result–because it doesn’t have much in the way of theme besides “basic food court with monorail overhead” and is a loud place to eat with Chef Mickey’s next door.
If you can deal with the mall food court vibe and potential for a loud meal, Contempo Cafe is a great spot for a counter service lunch at Walt Disney World. The menu is deep, varied, and mostly made to order. It’s lower volume as compared to other counter service restaurants also means that entrees are more ambitious. We often sneak away to Contempo Cafe during our Magic Kingdom days, and it’s been a long time since we’ve had anything less than a good meal here.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater – Years of poor reviews have placed Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater on many “Worst Of” lists. However, a substantial menu overhaul improved the quality of food at Sci-Fi, to the point where it’s now one of our favorite themed restaurants at Walt Disney World.
While we don’t think the food here is underrated (it’s fine), we do think people don’t give the restaurant enough credit. The ambiance at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater has always been great, which is an important criteria when choosing Walt Disney World restaurants, so by that measure along Sci-Fi is highly underrated.
Hotels
Animal Kingdom Lodge – When it comes to Deluxe Resorts, the Epcot resorts and the Magic Kingdom resorts seem to get all of the love. Due to its location out near Disney’s Animal Kingdom (park), not as many people are interested in Animal Kingdom Lodge. This is crazy! Animal Kingdom Lodge has some of the nicest themed rooms (Sarah’s favorite on property) and has incredible dining options in Jiko, Sanaa, Boma, and The Mara.
The beauty all around the lodge is incredible, surpassing even Wilderness Lodge (except at Christmas). For a couple interested in a relaxed, resort-oriented vacation, Animal Kingdom Lodge cannot be beat.
Old Key West Resort – Old Key West resort has large rooms, lush grounds, and a relaxed atmosphere. Despite all of this, it (along with Saratoga Springs Resort) is one of the least popular resorts at Walt Disney World, and one of the first to be heavily discounted. Sarah understands why, as she dislikes the sprawling size of this resort and its theme.
I strongly disagree. To me, Old Key West feels like a “resort” rather than a hotel. Its mature vegetation and design adds to the feel that you’re in the “town” of Conch Flats, making it a fun environment to explore. I can understand that it’s not for everyone, but it does not deserve to be so unpopular.
That’s it for the list! Part of me regrets leaving off some borderline favorites like Columbia Harbour House and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, but I think many of these favorites are fan-favorites in general, and aren’t really underrated as a result. That, or maybe I want the quiet upstairs at Columbia Harbour House to remain quiet, so I don’t want to share that little secret with too many people! 😉 In any case, there are a ton of things at Walt Disney World that can be viewed as underrated, so no reasonably concise list can be complete!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts…
What do you think is underrated at Walt Disney World? We’d love it if you’d share your thoughts on anything at Walt Disney World that you believe is overrated, whether that be attractions, restaurants, hotels, or something else entirely! What do you agree or disagree with on our list?
Spot on review!! Thanks. I enjoyed this post even more than the Overrated post!
We love the Peoplemover and Carousel of Progress (though they are much more about nostalgia for us too). My kids 11 and 3 love Hall of Presidents and glad to see CBR made the list. We loved it when we stayed last year for 12 days. Great picks, so I will be sure to add some of the restaurants that we haven’t tried yet next year!
I think, in addition to Impressions de France, O Canada should be added to the list. It’s tucked way in the back of the pavilion, so I think it’s a bit overlooked when it comes to the average tourist. It’s the most recent film in World Showcase (if not all of Epcot). It blends classic Disney technology (Circlevision) with an updated narration from Martin Short and a new rendition of the classic theme song sung by Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila. Even though it got a fresh coat of paint, it still manages to honor the original movie by keeping classic scenes such as with the Mounties circling and the Bay of Fundy.
I also want to add Restaurantasaurus to the underrated list. Not as a restaurant (I haven’t actually eaten there), but because it is so chock-full of little details and backstory for the Dinoland area. It tells of its history as the original Dino Institute, how it evolved and grew over time, and how its role changed to intern dormitories as the new (current) Dino Institute was built. There are many references to the interns on the outside of the buildings: lawnchairs and a cooler on the roof, dinosaur toys scattered around, etc. The exterior theme of the hodge-podge of buildings is extended throughout the interior of the restaurant as well. The first time I went into Restaurantasaurus I just wandered around, taking in many of the wonderful details. In the main area: Newspaper clippings, pictures and fossils from dinosaur digs and discoveries around the world. In the vehicle repair bay: an engine hoisted in the air, supplies on shelves and oil handprints on the walls in the shape of dinosaurs. In the room shaped like the Airstream trailer: a jukebox and other knick-knacks. In the packaging/shipping tent: shelves of boxed and half-boxed dinosaur bones from the Dig Site, in the process of being shipped out. I honestly can’t do it justice by trying to explain it on a blog comment. My favorite details are in the main room. There’s a bulletin board on the wall to the left of the main ordering area. In it there are newspaper/magazine clippings of stories about the Time Rover and the Dino institute, along with announcements by the interns who called this area home (Volleyball on Thursday at 7!). There’s also a classified ad that reveals Dr. Seeker’s first name (Spoiler: it’s Grant). On the other side of this wall there’s a picture of Walt with the dinosaurs from his diorama for the World’s Fair/Disneyland. It’s really a nice touch. So, while it is often overlooked as merely a restaurant for getting YADB (has that acronym caught on yet?), it plays a vital role in telling the story of Dinoland and tying everything together.
I’m with you on O’Canada, but probably not on Restaurantosaurus. We still haven’t eaten there, and it looks neat, but I think the whole Dinorama backstory is bogus.
I agree with most of what you said! I also think the Great Movie Ride should not get rid of the classics. The only way my son knows about a lot of these movies is because of this ride! I would like a little update, and not just including clips at the end! Just don’t change it too much. I am really over the tour guide shtick. It almost hurts my ears! LOL!
This list makes me want to be at WDW right now! I think you are spot on here, minus Caribbean Beach and Saana which I have yet to visit so I have no opinion. I will have to add Saana to my next trip! Also, I love OKW…but it’s my home resort so I am admittedly biased 🙂
What do you think is the worst attraction on property if you don’t think it’s SGE? Just curious.
Worse attractions off the top of my head:
Magic Carpets
Barnstormer
Primeval Whirl
Triceratops Spin
Captain EO
Almost anything in Innoventions
Lights, Motors, Action!
Backlot Tour
Disney Channel Live
I’m sure there are others.
Can’t argue with any of the bottom five listed…at least if you have kids the others hold some merit.
Thanks for the France Rec. saw it yesterday for the first time and its really good! I also like the film in China but this is even better.
I think for me it’s a tie between Primeval Whirl and Captain EO.
Several of the rides you mentioned are favorites of my children! The day will come when you realize seeing Disney through your child’s eyes is more magical than anything you’ve ever experienced! And what a wonderful day it will be! Love your page!!
tom, you’ve covered the rides, the restaurants, and the hotels, and quite well i might add. now, how about the lists for the most over and underrated BARS?
Is there such a thing as an overrated bar?! 😉
I’ve always love the gounds and the atmosphere of CBR. I think it’s downfall is that it is the only moderate to still have full size beds.
Your list makes me want to go back to Florida RIGHT NOW! I love all the tidbits and details you teach me. I do have a small request though….when you write up these lists that include restaurants or attractions from all throughout WDW, would you please put a footnote about its location? I am not as frequent a visitor as you, and I want to know exactly where to look for these amazing things! 😉
Livin’ With the Land is one of the most puzzlingly wonderful attractions at WDW. I can’t say I love it for nostalgia because I never experienced it as a child. It’s simple, but so enjoyable and feels distinctly “Disney”. I always have to drag my wife to go on it. “Who wants to watch lettuce grow?”, she says….I DO!
Oh man, I love Living with the Land. It’s not a Disney trip unless we do that ride! I also love Flights of Wonder. I had heard that they might be getting rid of that show, though. I hope that rumor isn’t true! Overall, really great picks.
OK Tom, you’ve talked me into seeing Impressions de France on my next trip in three weeks! I’m also glad you mentioned “Flights Of Wonder”, always one of my favorite little secrets. I actually really liked “Sounds Dangerous” while it was around too, but you didn’t hear that from me.
I just can’t get on board with the Caribbean Beach Resort.
We stayed there once in 2009 and I regretted it the entire trip. We rented a car and were in Jamaica so the transportation/size were not really an issue, I just got kind of a cheap motel feel from it- room decor to food court.
I suppose I’m glad we were able to cross it off our list of staying at as many Disney resorts as possible, but it is my least favourite by far.
I do agree the Monster’s Laugh Floor and Gran Fiesta Tour are underrated. Gran Fiesta Tour is one of my favourite Epcot attractions and I can’t quite put my finger on why. I think it has to do with the smell of the water, the music, the colours and the novelty of it all.
We are also big fans of Sanaa although I am not sure I would call it underrated- I have never heard anything but great reviews!
With regard to Sanaa being underrated, beyond our own anecdotal experiences, we eat there frequently because it’s a restaurant that often offers a 40% off Cast Member discount, so a college friend of ours who is a CM takes us there. That 40% off discount is only offered at restaurants that are unpopular (other restaurants on the list include Olivia’s, The Wave, Kouzzina (breakfast)), so that’s my basis for including it. Most reviews I’ve heard have been pretty positive, too, but it still remains an unpopular restaurant.
Fair enough!
It may be a good thing it is under the radar of the average WDW visitor because if it were wildly popular I could see it going the way of Le Cellier and gradually transitioning to a signature.
I agree with almost all of your choices here… although I can’t comment on the hotels since I haven’t stayed at any of them. You’ve inspired me to check out impressions de france. Also- I love monster’s inc laugh floor… we had a great time there on our honeymoon. Stich’s great escape I think is awesome, so I guess I’m in the minority there.
One thing I will add to underrated experiences at Disney World is Philhamagic. I adore Philharmagic!
We love PhilharMagic, but I’m not sure I’d classify it as underrated. Every time we see it, it’s close to full.
Carribean Beach Resort is my favorite Disney Hotel by far, and I def agree with the Country Bears Jamboree. When we were there in December we were the only people in the whole theater to see the Country Bears. I couldn’t believe it, but we enjoyed our solo show. The guy working it even took our picture in front of the big finale since no one else was there to disrupt. Great list.
THAT. IS. AWESOME.
Never have been in an empty show of CBJ. Now I’m hoping for it to happen! 🙂
I love this list (even though Stitch is on it).
Your restaurants are pretty dead-on. We loved Sci-Fi, but didn’t have the best gluten-free option (for our daughter) this last time. Regardless, the atmosphere and Attack of the 50-foot Woman was enough to keep us coming back. Kona dinner is great (especially the Pan-Asian noodles) and you can’t beat the location. Sanaa is on my must-try list for next trip, but this post simply hammered that choice home.
Impressions de France is fantastic. Besides the full immersion into the incredible music and images, I love talking to the cast members who host the attraction. They always seem to have an overflowing pride for France. Discussing the film and country with them is one of my favorite things to do in all of WDW. (and it IS better than Soarin’ – there, i said it)
Living with the Land (and the Behind the Seeds tour) is one of my favorites. It rarely has a line, but I would gladly wait in one for this attraction. It is a great balance of information and effects and seeing (and even holding!) a 9-pound lemon is worth the price of admission.
Finally, Hall of Presidents. Brings me to tears every time. I mean, who can resist this story, the animatronics and Morgan Freeman? I submit that no one can!
Anyway, great post. Thanks for taking the time to do it!
The mickey pumpkins in LwtL are also pretty awesome!
100% agree with Sanaa.
We celebrated my wife’s 50th birthday with lunch at Sanaa after a CM at the Animal Kingdom Lodge recommended the place. The restaurant was only about 25% full when we arrived. The decor was perfect and the view of the savannah was great.
We had the lamb kebabs for appetizer. My wife had the choice of two entrees (beef short ribs and pork chop) with basmati rice. I had the sustainable fish in curry broth. The kids had the angus burger with naan bread. The food is definitely for the more adventurous at heart and may not appeal to every palate but definitely worth it.
After one of the best meals we’ve had at WDW the CM’s brought out a complimentary birthday cake and sang for my wife.
Grade: Decor: A+. Food: A+. Service: A+. Highly recommended.
I’ve really been wanting to try the beef short ribs. They sound so good. Maybe next time.
Based on your score, I assume she liked them. Right…?
Except for Stitch, I agree with your attractions list. I agree even more with the statement that Impressions de France is better than Soarin’. People rave so much about Soarin’ that it drives me mad. It is enjoyable but I feel that the France film is better (even without the scents). The music for Impressions de France on its own makes a grand statement (you already know that).
Even though I really do feel that SGE gets ‘dissed’ a bit too much, I almost didn’t include it because I didn’t want its presence to invalidate the rest of my list in the eyes of readers. To be clear, I don’t love it, I just think it’s not the worst attraction ever.
Glad to hear others agree on Impressions de France being superior to Soarin’!
While SGE is not terrible from start to finish, the animated portion at the end in which Stitch scales the Cinderella Castle is fingernails-on-a-chalkboard awful. I allowed our readers at LeBlog to vote me into the attraction this past December, but I will most likely never go in again.
No, it’s by no means a brilliant attraction, or even a moderately intelligent one. It’s often vilified as the worst attraction ever in the history of Walt Disney World, and I just don’t think it’s that bad. It’s far from being on our Must-Do list.
Good call on Flights of Wonder. My husband has gotten into birding over the past year and, while these wouldn’t count for his list (sigh, yes there is a list), I still thought that he would enjoy seeing the birds. I think I ended up enjoying it more than he did! I was so charmed by the whole thing, even the cheesy tour guide character.
He did not enjoy the Hall of Presidents. Apparently he had to go to the restroom the whole time and thought I would be mad if he left mid-show. Is it just me or does the George W. Bush AA not look a thing like him?
As far as this list goes, does he just have to see the bird to cross it off, or is it more complex than that? Are there any rules (do birds in captivity even count?). Just curious!
I don’t think George W. Bush looks that accurate, either, but it doesn’t help that he’s recent and we’ve all actually seen him (at least on TV), so we know exactly what he actually looks like!
He has to either see it or identify its… Call? Song? I’m not down with the bird lingo. Only birds in the wild “count”. It all started when he got The Big Year at the Red Box (Owen Wilson, Jack Black, Steve Martin are competing birders). He gets Birds of North America from the library and next thing I know he’s off birding in the Wisconsin Dells with my Grandma. Now I’ll always ask him what the names of birds are and he knows, like, every bird. It’s bizarre. But I still have him beat on Disney bird character identification.
I agree with probably 90% of what you said and even what I wouldn’t necessarily say is “underrated” I’m willing to give you because we’ve either never experienced the attraction (Impressions de france) or stayed there (AKL). Old Key West is our home DVC resort and we love it for exactly the reasons you state. I love that I don’t feel like I’m staying in a hotel.
You absolutely need to see Impressions de France. I would say it’s your civic duty, but that doesn’t exactly apply here! 😉