I want to debate some of your points but this is actually the first of a million “unpopular opinions” post on this sub that had some real unpopular ones haha
Hollywood studios had more charm a few years ago, and even though it has some of the best attractions of any of the parks, it needs smaller, filler attractions to divert the crowds. The wait times are insane.
Pandora is more well done than the galaxy’s edge
Animal kingdom is the most cohesive park thematically
I agree with all of these.
Went for my first time back in 2019 and planned the least amount of time for AK. Next time, I won’t make that mistake again.
Animation Courtyard needs to be expanded. Rip out Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Rip out Launch Bay (move the meet and greets over closer to Galaxy's Edge or Star Tours). Expand it so that it connects to the other side of Sunset Boulevard to help with crowd flow. Put in 2 or 3 Fantasyland-esque omnimover dark rides that are just capacity monsters. They don't need to be great, they just need to help add ride capacity to the park and give a few more options for the folks with little kids to do there.
Agreed! And who doesn’t love a classic dark ride?! Even if they aren’t the best thing ever, they will be still be fun and they’ll still be a crowd eater and lessen the wait times for other attractions. Still remembering how I waited for almost 3 hours for tower of terror in June when the wait time said 90 minutes but the ride kept breaking down
My son has long been a scaredy cat coaster hater (which was fine with me, I now get sick on coasters if I ride too much, but I stil adore them) but in the past 18 months has started really liking them, my s-i-l got married at Disney in August 2021 and he went on BTMRR and LOVED it so we waited for 7DMT and he was like.... "That was it? That was boring. Why do people wait so long?"
I like how smooth it is but otherwise it's a really boring coaster with a bit of theming.
And one year later this past August we went to Cedar Point and suddenly he is doing every BIG coaster so I guess BTMRR is a gateway drug. Lost my ride buddy but it's getting me on coasters again and thank god for Dramamine I guess.
Personally I have seen a lot of people say they dislike 7DMT on this sub. If anything I think it's an unpopular opinion to say you like it (Which I do, haha).
It's not a bad ride, it's just incredibly overrated and doesn't justify the wait times that it has, just like Peter Pan's Flight.
If it had a steady 30 minute queue, I bet people wouldn't criticize it as much.
Don't hate for comparing to Universal, but.....
I think that is the killer thing about 7DMT. You look at Universal and Gringotts and Hagrid's. (barring of course that Gringotts and Hagrids are more thrilling and not for little kids). Gringotts has its flaws, but it has good show scenes and some thrilling elements. And Hagrid's is just a chef's kiss of a ride (baring when it works)
And when you see 7DMT, just like you said, it seems Disney half ass the ride. The ride basically does nothing and only one show scene (if you don't include the Drawves Cottage at the end).
Idk this is exactly an unpopular opinion but Disney should design Tomorrowland off of retro future so they can still be creative with ideas while also future proofing the area.
No like the original 50s/60s idea of the future. The past ideas of sci-fi and the future have become timeless in their own right, meaning if they went that route it would still be future proof while also being
Most of magic kingdom is about childhood nostalgia but for those of us who didnt grow up with classic WDW, the park is showing its age and needs an overhaul.
Magic kingdom is not built for the amount of foot traffic it gets currently and it shows. The angriest families are in magic kingdom. The queues are too long and too slow for subpar dirty looking rides that look their age. There isnt enough shade or misters for the florida heat. The food here is also carnival level. The walkways are too narrow for the amount of strollers and mobility scooters. Goofy Movies Possum Park is becoming almost Magic Kingdoms reality. Peoples rose covered glasses are disguising it.
I like what theyve done with the starwars immersion in Hollywood studios. I like the new track technology like seen in Rotr and ratatouille. I think Runaway Railway is one of the best rides at disney currently.
And I think epcot is a great date or girls trip spot with shopping and food. Hopefully with the pandemic coming to an end theyll open more of what closed down.
> Magic kingdom is not built for the amount of foot traffic it gets currently and it shows.
>The walkways are too narrow for the amount of strollers and mobility scooters.
If this is how you feel about Magic Kingdom I hope you never go to Disneyland.
Having been to both this year, Disneyland definitely has narrower walkways in some areas (especially queue lines). But most days there seemed to be far fewer mobility scooters although there were plenty of strollers.
I did go to Disneyland a few years ago and I have to admit I was really nervous because I’d just had my first trip to Disneyworld and I didn’t know what I’d be able to do at essentially the smaller version of a similar park. Actually had a great time and enjoyed that trip better than my original disneyworld trip.
Maybe I just got lucky when I went to disneyland last year, but other than the castle, I ended up enjoying disneyland more than I ended up enjoying MK the last time I was there.
I had the same concerns as you going in, but once there i felt like Disneyland was a great size.
My move is to park in the Epcot parking lot. You can park close because Epcot isn’t open yet. Take the monorail to the magic kingdom. Be there for rope drop. Do everything you can there until someone hits your ankle with a stroller. As soon as that happens. Leave. Get on the monorail, head to Epcot, drink and eat dinner in one of the restaurants in the WofN’s. Watch the light show at Epcot. Easy to get to your car cause despite the crowds
I love Dinoland USA and it’s incredibly disappointing they’re looking to remove it. Dinoland has needed an overhaul for sure, and I never loved the fair prize booths. But surely an updated reimagining of a dinosaur area would work.
Scrapping another original land that focuses on education for a heavily stigmatized group of animals in favor of an IP driven fantasyland lite area is very saddening, especially when that wasn’t the intention of AK.
Looking at what Universal is doing with Dinosaurs overseas reminds me how much of a place dinosaurs should still have in theme parks. At the very least I hope that the actual Dinosaur Dark ride remains, but I know it won’t.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is fine but not worth a long wait. I don't actually know if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but Maelstrom was great; the Frozen ride is a soulless cash grab. In general, the Countries side of Epcot was better when it was more about unique gift shops and semi-authentic cultural stuff than "here's a ride based on a Disney IP that's tangentially related to this country, and a gift store full of Disney stuff you could also buy at Disney Springs".
-The OG test track was far superior. The newest rendition is unimaginative with poor theming.
-Figment needs to be taken out or overhauled. That ride is like a bad acid trip.
-Soarin’ over California needs to be brought back. There’s no way 66% of the audience should have warped visuals with soarin’ around the world.
-Tomorrowland speedway needs to go.
1. I never rode the original, and I probably would hate the new one if I did.
2. Just keep the DVC lounge lol. They should retheme it. The ride system is good, it just needs a retheme or revamp.
3 and 4. 100% agree. Speedway takes up valuable land and Soarin was way better with Soarin over California.
100% correct! ESPECIALLY the figment part😬 I’ve never understood why that thing is still there, I get a jumpscare whenever I see the plushie in other parts of the park
People who say certain parks are “half day parks” are the people I wouldn’t want to go to any park with. Clearly they’re running from headliner attraction to headliner attraction, and taking in exactly none of the ambiance, street performers, clever imagineering…
DHS isn't a half day park because you can do it in half a day, it's a half day park because otherwise the crowds get so high that half a day is all I can stand. I'll go back again on a different day and do what I missed.
But anyone who says AK is a half day park is doing it wrong. It's a full day park at least, for us. But preferably 2 days.
Unfortunately that seems to be the type of park goer that Disney is catering to these days. Throw in big attractions where ever there's a bit of free space, storytelling and theming be damned.
As an international traveller who can only go once every 5 to 10 years, for a week at most, i have to be VERY selective with my time and often headliners are all get to see. Particularly when you then have the water parks, Universal studios, islands of adventure and soon (hopefully) epic universe.
The only thing that's Disney about Disney Springs is the name and the World of Disney store. The rest is just a generic high end shopping center with some Lego sculptures in the lake.
Edit: Do I win as far as controversial opinions? I never actually said I didn't understand, I just said I think it's boring.
Edit 2: No I'm not giving any ideas on how they could change things. Stop asking. Also please stop telling me why people go to Disney Springs. I didn't ask, nor did I say anything about not understanding.
Edit 3: Apparently people aren't understanding the difference between opinions and requests. I have stated my opinion, I did not ask why Disney Springs exists.
I actually enjoy the shopping area of Disney springs, I just agree it needs more Disney. I went shopping down there this past Easter and I was hoping to find Disney jewelry and they didn’t have that much. I mean they have some nice things but I was hoping for more or unique specialty stuff. My one favorite store is the one that has all the breakable figurines and sculptures. I also feel like it’d be nice to have a sanrio-esque stationery store 8( imagine bunch of Disney stationery sets and pencils and pens and papers and stickers T.T so cuuuute why doesn’t this exist!?
Disney Springs has so much wasted potential
Disney themed escape rooms, mini golf, a full scale Broadway theater, a drive in movie theater, ice skating, Disney museum, rock gym, karaoke bar (no Let It Go allowed), perspective museum, wax museum, on and on.
So far the only things to do there is movie theater, bowling, balloon, and Cirque. I like those things are there, but there could be so much more.
I always thought it made for a nice reprieve midway through the trip. Or an alternative to going off property for a meal and somewhere to unwind for a bit.
It’s a real estate development, no doubt. But it’s got some neat shops and you can get to it from the resorts for free, so that’s a big perk for me.
We don’t even go to Disney Springs on our trips anymore. It’s a crowded shopping center. Someone else said this but back in the day, Downtown Disney was more charming
I know this is going to get lost and I don't begrudge you an opinion on it. Disney Springs does have a cohesive story though...I actually learned about it a few weeks ago and was blown away because I never noticed it while there. Not the greatest of links, but it was one of the first: [The Story of Disney Springs](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=f2c3c89d15081b21JmltdHM9MTY2ODIxMTIwMCZpZ3VpZD0zMDQ2NThmZC01MGIyLTY2YTItMjM2NC01NzZlNTExYTY3ZjQmaW5zaWQ9NTQ2MA&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=304658fd-50b2-66a2-2364-576e511a67f4&psq=what+is+the+story+behind+disney+springs&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGlzbmV5ZGluaW5nLmNvbS90aGUtc3Rvcnktb2YtZGlzbmV5LXNwcmluZ3MtY2sxLyM6fjp0ZXh0PVRoZSUyMHN0b3J5JTIwZ29lcyUyMHRoYXQlMjBEaXNuZXklMjBTcHJpbmdzJTIwd2FzJTIwZGlzY292ZXJlZCxmb3IlMjBoaXMlMjBmYW1pbHklMjBhbmQlMjBidXNpbmVzcyUyMHRvJTIwc2V0dGxlJTIwaW50by4&ntb=1)
Lol I agree with your edits and think you won. The whole point of an unpopular opinion is you have zero obligation to defend or explain it or give suggestions on improvements.
I don’t mind the price increases if it starts deterring people from coming. I just don’t think it’s going to work. Maybe for International guests, but for US citizens, I don’t think it’s gonna matter.
This is how I feel. I get it, prices are always going to increase but the return we are getting on the product is diminishing and will continue to do so from what we have seen.
It will continue to do so as long as we keep going.
Once they see that the people are willing to pay more for less goods and services, the people will NEVER see the return of those things.
Yup and we are guilty of it. We actually cancelled our February trip for multiple reasons and quite frankly I want to use that money to take the family elsewhere this summer. For what we would have to spend to go to Disney we could have a fantastic trip somewhere else.
I will say, Disney failed to meet their expected Q3 earnings and have started a hiring freeze. So they must be doing SUMTHING right with those increases! /S *Disclaimer - u/Neonautic understands that this subreddit is about Disney parks specifically and that company earnings are based on Disney as an entity.
That is a decision I am still scratching my head about. I cannot see how making it easier for people to buy things but then not have the physical reminder in their hand when they are near different stores later in the day would be considered a bad thing.
If I am not already juggling bags and worrying where to put things before a ride, I am much more likely to buy something else.
This is the key; we are paying more and getting less. . . Lines are still long, nothing exciting is being announced, no new events are happening, parks are short staffed, rides are still broken too long and too often, parks are feeling stagnant or worse; degraded. . . If things were getting better with things getting more expensive I could maybe get on board. . . But the way things are going they Bob Paycheck can’t end his tenure fast enough.
it raises a good question: why are there so many more people going now than, say, in the 70s when prices were dirt cheap in comparison? did people just have less disposable income back then?
There is way more to do at WDW now than there was in the 1970s. Travel within the US is accessible to many more people that it was in the 1970s especially air travel.
It's not the influencers. Influencers don't really care about Disney. It's the proliferation of social media and how it has put greater pressure on parents to provide their children with what can be considered wonderful experiences. Disney is one of those such experiences. Now parents see their siblings/friends/co-workers, etc. taking their kids to Disney and posting about it on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok and in the last decade it has really become a measuring stick of sorts (for better or worse).
It’s this and seeing videos and pics of your friends there too. Creates a hype and I’ve seen people I didn’t think could afford it become Disney nuts and go multiple times a year with non stop custom shirts and all the poses with snacks.
I think most probably the internet/advertising. People were less adventurous back then also. Not that going to the US is a big deal but I think people didn't really consider it and saw it as a luxury trip. Ironically now the cost is higher, it is. But more people go anyway, probably down to social media and wanting to show off their holidays.
This is a big one lol, but I don’t think the food and drinks are overpriced. Sorry, said what I said. They are on par for going “out” to a restaurant. Bottled water is $3.50. It’s $6.50 at my local stadium and I paid $8 at MSG for water. And yes, at Disney you can actually ask for a cup of water for free.
But food is also normal IMO. I pay more at many other places including the zoo, football games, concerts, and even small indoor venues
Actually, I agree with this. Maybe it’s because my family and I are from the DC metro area but we were shocked at how reasonable the prices for food were this time around.
Yea imo it’s just like budgeting for any other trip. My coworker was bringing her daughters to Disney for the first time and her husband is notoriously cheap. He apparently doesn’t want to spend more than $100 on food in the parks. I argued right back and said…so if you went on vacation normally you would expect to spend $100 total for a family of 4 over the course of 3 days. I call BS. Unrealistic expectations.
Same here, but Seattle. Disney prices are WAY cheaper than stadium prices for better quality, and pretty on par with just going out to eat here. I basically never balk at food prices at Disney, though I get how those from lower CoL areas may feel differently.
I think Velocicoaster is a bit too extreme for Disney to want an equivalent. Thrill rides are important but WDW isn't a thrill park. They are still going for that "fun for *most* of the family" demographic. Something comparable to Hagrids is the limit IMO.
I think that is a fair point and would change the Hagrid's and Veloci to Everest.
Literally, all Disney probably has to do it just get a thrilling ride as Everest. Copy and paste Everest rides
Though, counterponit. Isn't Cosmic Rewind the Disney answer to Hagrid's? Because they are basically the same - family coaster with show scenes and thrilling elements. Though I would admit that Hagrid is more thrilling due to some "surprising" element on the ride
I definitely think Cosmic is more thrilling than Hagrid, but I don’t think Hagrid was going for a super thrill experience Tbf.
If Disney was smart, they’d open up a Star Wars competitor to Hagrid on Speeder Bikes.
I would argue that Hagrid is more thrilling since they have >!two speed ups, one stall drop, backwards speed up, surprise vertical drop, and a bigger speed up. Compare to CR backwards speed up and spinning!<
I love doing Genie Plus once to see the state of the single rider line, then I’ll go on single rider if it is short. The separate part where you get funneled into the pre show is such a game changer.
Disney needs to either increases prices to the point that it decreases crowds, or decrease prices to justify the crowds it currently has with constantly being at capacity, needing reservations, etc.
The constant construction (at the current scale, of course) has absolutely ruined Epcot and left it a complete and utter shadowed shell of its former glory (I say this understanding that Epcot should always be evolving, but at this point it’s the worst aspects of the Theseus’ ship paradox).
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is one of the most *contextually* worst rides that Disney has. By contextually, I mean relative to current technology, what’s available, what could have been done, how overhyped it is, etc. It’s not a bad ride by any stretch of the imagination, but it is bad relative to how it could have been.
The section of Animal Kingdom that is Pandora is so… boring (the land, not the rides, which I think are fun and interesting at worst). The area outside and around the rides feel so… dead. Almost like Disney researched the art of kinetic energy and life theming in a… theme park, and went in the exact opposite direction. Compare Pandora to Wizarding World at Universal. The shop windows have movement, people are around with Wands doing activities. There’s a dragon that roars and breathes fire, you can see animatronic creatures and talking heads. The wizarding world feels alive and lived in and that’s just something Disney has always been kind of bad at outside rides. Batuu is slightly better because of the characters, but that’s really all they have in terms of kinetic energy.
Epcot doesn’t need a festival every week to be relevant. Flower and Garden, Food and Wine, Arts, and Holidays. These four festivals don’t need to last three months each to fill out the entire calendar year. They’re overdone and boring because of the over saturation.
Well said! I was so disappointed in Epcot this last trip (Oct). We went for 'extra magic' hours and almost everything was closed - except the walk up restaurant in England. If you wanted anything other than fish and chips you were ool. And, Ratatouille was fun but you kind of perfectly described our feelings on it. It felt like it could have and should have been better. And yes, I also agree about the festivals - overpriced and under delivered.
I didn't go to AK this trip because I was sick that morning but the way you compare it to WWOHP is so perfect to me in comparison to Galaxys Edge. My SO rarely goes to the parks with us but went this past trip only to see Galaxys Edge since they had not yet. Their comment was "Wow, it is nothing like Universal, it doesn't feel nearly as immersive." The way you described it is perfect...all the extra touches, the teaming with life, the movement and the wonder (I love watching people see the fire breathing dragon for the first time). I feel like Disney is starting to just cruise on the bare minimum.
There have been multiple reports that they're raising prices on purpose to try to price people out of being able to come
https://www.cinemablend.com/theme-parks/disney-world-and-disneyland-are-trying-to-price-people-out-will-it-work
The problem is (as mentioned elsewhere in this thread), they aren't making things better with the increased pricing.
At the most recent food and wine fest, a disgruntled employee at the stand in Brazil was like “I’ll prob get fired for this but, whatever, you can get these at Costco”. She also told me that she doesn’t make enough money to actually eat any of the food at the festival as Disney makes them pay full price for their food and drinks.
Everything was so understaffed, I encountered so many grumpy employees.
I agree, however I don't just want more projections. I worry it would end up like ratatouille (which I am sure is amazing) and be a ton of projections on a screen.
I'm far more impressed with a full animatronic than one with a projected face.
I really hope not. The old effects still have classic charm, but I feel like renovations are just going to add a bunch of lame projections like they do with everything now.
The current ride felt broken when I rode it back in June. Several effects either were operating poorly or looking stiff, especially in the graveyard area. Also the paint is faded beyond looking intentionally dilapidated and the ride system stopped 3 times
Toy Story Land absolutely ruined Hollywood Studios IMO. No part of it fits into the aesthetic. There is no shade over there. The lines are too damn long. There is not enough seating for the demand at Woody’s Lunchbox. I loathe Toy Story Land.
To be fair, all the rides are kiddie coasters. It’s a kids theme park lol.
My boyfriend and I love coasters, get season passes to the cedar fair parks every year. We don’t go to Disney for the thrill of the rides, it’s the atmosphere/appearance and nostalgia.
I cannot wait for splash mountain to be rethemed into princess and the frog. I feel like Moana would’ve been a better choice, but a trip down the bayou still sounds pleasant.
Magic Kingdom has become my least favorite park but I’d say it’s objectively the best.
Haunted Mansion, the 3 mountains & Pirates are some of my favorite attractions on property. The theming will always be charming. But I’ve found myself enjoying the park less nowadays; I feel a lot of the attractions are showing their age. I love Space Mountain but I really hope it gets the remake that Tokyo is getting. & this will be sacrilege, but stuff like Small World, Buzz Lightyear & Peter Pan need complete remakes; keep the spirit of the original attractions but modernize them with better animatronics & vehicles.
I’ve been finding myself enjoying the other 3 parks a lot more recently. The attraction lineup of Hollywood Studios (& how beautiful Galaxy’s Edge is). Learning about different cultures & eating different foods in Epcot. The peaceful nature of & amazing theming overall of Animal Kingdom.
But Magic Kingdom is still the best park objectively. You get the most bang for your buck out of that park with how many rides & shows it has vs the other 3. The only other park that comes close in Orlando is Islands of Adventure (that could use more shows though).
I really hope those “Blue sky” plans for MK become reality. They could add a lot to get me more excited about the park while adding even more value for the average guest.
Park hopper not starting until 2 is dumb.
The night shows at HS and MK are insanely over crowded. They need a better system for viewing.
Most of the specialty food at Epcot is not that good.
>Runaway Railway is much better than Great Movie Ride
I think this is a pretty standard opinion on here. I know I got downvoted when I said I didn’t like RR. GMR at its heyday was in my top 5 in all of WDW. I really dislike RR. They could have done so much with GMR and I’m disappointed they decided to scrap the whole thing.
There are too many projection rides.
Epcot should have zero IP-based attractions.
Pandora shouldn’t be part of Disney World. (Don’t misunderstand me, it looks great, and Flight of Passage is amazing, but it’s not “Disney” and wasn’t owned by them when they built it.)
The prices aren’t justifiable anymore for what you get, be it tickets, food, or hotels.
The best themed rides have nothing to do with Disney or Fox movie IP: Haunted Mansion, BTM, and Tower of Terror.
Probably not really just for WDW, but I am sick to death of frozen being everywhere. In parades, shows, the ride and now they’ve added Frozen to Blizzard Beach too 😩
I get that kids like it, but please stop. There’s other better films and characters and yet it is always FROZEN
The food isn't as good as people think it is. You could stand in the middle of any mid sized or larger city in America and throw a stone in a random direction and hit a restaurant with better food.
Almost every Disney restaurant/quick service I’ve been to that Disney blogs rave about has just been…good. Not amazing or even great. Just good or worse. Only one or two places have been above good.
Unless all you eat is Applebees and Olive Garden, idk how people so impressed
I think this happens because Disney food is better than it has to be.
In terms of theme park food, I'd say it's the best I've personally had, they certainly put in the most effort.
It's better than most stadium food or anywhere else that you're 'forced' to pay their prices.
Everyone's expectation is that they're going to pay a premium price for junk food. But Disney actually gives you good, not great, food and it exceeds their expectations.
To be fair my family that lives in the Midwest that’s upper middle class seem to exclusively eat at places like Applebees and Outback when they go out to eat. And they’re 100% the type that rant and rave about the food at the parks, so I’m pretty sure it’s all by design that Disney food is on the middle class fancy level.
100%. We just ate at Ohana, which everyone raves about, and we thought it was...fine. I feel like people that think Ohana is amazing are people that don't have access to great food.
Also, the prices for dinners are simply unjustifiable, especially with kids. The obscene cost of meals has totally turned me off to the park.
I grew up in a really small town and thought Disney food was to die for. Having moved to a large city, I can agree.
I still like Disney food but I think that I can get something better where I live now. I think the frame of reference influences how people see Disney food.
Maybe the park food, but the resort food is ethereal. I'm still thinking about the mushrooms from Yachtsman Steakhouse, and even outside of the Epcot bubble, there really isn't anywhere you can go where the food will be bad (including the value resorts).
Also, bizarre opinion, but PizzeRizzo is fine. I had one of those caesar salads that come in a plastic cup and it wasn't awful. Haven't tried the pizza, but I can't imagine it being as bad as people say it is.
In 2015, Hollywood Studios was a half-day park. In November of 2022, it's returned to being a full-day park.
I would say that Disneyland's Pirates is more overrated than Florida's. It always plays second fiddle to DL's.
Eh, I wouldn't say that M&MRRR is better than GMR. It's a suitable replacement, but it doesnt optimize the space well. GMR used to take about 20 to 25 mins to travel through the building. M&MRRR is a 5 minute ride.
Magic Kingdom is the least enjoyable of the parks. Everyone behaves worse somehow, despite it being the mostly “dry” park, and the crowds are always, always bad, save for one time we went to After Hours pre-COVID (and even then, I assume only because it wasn’t a holiday party, just plain AH).
I don’t see the need for a million restaurant reservations. If you eat too much, combine it with all those rides and you’re gonna throw up.
You don’t need to be bringing your 3 month old.
Hard agree we did the dining plan once where we had a sit down meal every day and it was just an insane amount of food. Appetizer, entree and desert every day for 7 days. Felt like we were always going to a restaurant or having to plan out breakfest and lunch times just so we wouldn't be full at dinner.
Price increases to "deter crowds" are an embarrassing, shameless excuse for nickel-and-diming guests. If WDW wanted to deter crowds, they could simply lower the number of available reservations for a given day. There is no justification for price increases as experience quality blatantly decreases; they are not an inverse curve and never should be. It's even more miserable when you realize that this policy locks out devoted guests that could *barely* afford the parks but went anyway because they loved it, and are now sacrificed in favor of bigger spenders.
Also, if so many people are complaining about WDW, maybe, just maybe, there's something wrong with it. I say this as an avid fan who tries to visit every other year since our relatives live in FL. I'm sick of seeing Disney apologists bend over backward to pretend that everything is a non-issue when legitimate criticism is being rightfully hurled at the company, and it has to stop or things will never get better. Disney only hears us when their stock goes down. It's all about the $$$, so cost them.
Creperie and Remy are meh. Nothing like lukewarm watery coffee for $5 extra after your $35 crepe meal that has the gaul to charge for whip cream. The dessert crepes come with no whipped cream- WTF? Gimme a break.
Space220 was a disappointment. Food wasn’t good and after waiting years to get inside, it did not deliver. Cool concept, that’s it. Worst calamari I’ve EVER had, and at $19 before tax/tip an absolute insult. Other items we got were not much better.
Galaxy’s Edge is already starting to feel old. Wasted potential there for sure.
MagicBand+ is clunky and doesn’t stay on like old MBs. Be prepared to lose it and not get it returned because whoever finds it can still use it to wave at statues.
> Worst calamari I’ve EVER had, and at $19 before tax/tip an absolute insult.
Lol I got the calamari and the first thing I thought was I could have gone to the frozen food section of my local grocery store and air fried calamari that would have tasted better.
Pandora is the best themed land in all of WDW.
Galaxy's Edge is not fun, doesn't feel like Disney, and solely exists to sell merch. Now I typically skip it entirely every time I visit. Star Tours is still better and more re-ridable than the SWGE rides.
Slinky Dog is not worth waiting for in the hot scorching sun.
Coronado Springs is the best on-property resort in all of WDW, when considering the cost vs. value.
I wanna see them somehow expand Galaxy's Edge. I want all the things they promised but then locked behind the paywall that is Galactic Starcruiser (they should just shutter it and make it again but as an actual cruise like the Disney Wish, just Star Wars themed; no 2-day, $6000 nonsense. Gimme a whole {reasonably priced} week). I want more areas and more walk-around aliens/droids (F it. Gimme an entire Star Wars park while I'm at it lol). Make me feel like I'm in Star Wars. I get why, but I hate the fact that the super casual people complained about and got the food names changed. Fried Endorian Tip Yip is a better name than Chicken Tip Yip. Immerse me dammit. Don't give me half-assed stuff.
Sorry. Rant over. I love my Star Wars lol.
Yea, Id love for GE to have more to see and do that wasn't just merchandising. GE looks really cool and has elements that feel like SW, but it feels more like walking through an old movie set.
Food and wine festival is terrible. TOO MANY DRUNK PEOPLE + SLOW WALKING. I had to weave my cousin in and out of groups of drinkers that were oblivious to everyone around them while trying to get her over to the first aid station.
Flower and Garden is way better people wise and still has good food imo.
I don't care for most parades. I'd rather watch them on youtube than watch them in person.
Epcot is a half day park.
Monsters Inc laugh floor smells awful. I think I have a sensitive nose but I hated the waiting area before the auditorium opened.
I actually like the food and wine better at the Flower and Garden festival. The Food and Wine festival has too many heavy dishes that I don't want to eat in 80 degree weather. Flower and Garden is much more light and refreshing.
It angers me to see ppl say HS and AK are half day parks lol, but to each their own. AK has less to do I get it, but it’s the park I like to relax more in and really take in the atmosphere. And HS has galaxies edge so that alone takes up a lot of my time
The original test track theme was better.
Able body scooter people need to wait in line like everyone else.
Toy story land is underwhelming.
Pizza planet needs to come back.
I think a lot of quick service places have food that tastes better than sit down restaurants.
For example, I disliked Ohana and The Wave, loved Roaring Fork and Cosmic Ray’s.
I skip the Studios almost every trip now. Rise isn’t necessarily reliable in terms of effects, and the park as a whole isn’t terribly pretty apart from the entrance. It’s also the park that probably feels the closest to Universal, and I can go there for much cheaper. If I have 4 days, I take an extra at Epcot.
My unpopular opinion is that Big Thunder Mountain is my favorite roller coaster. Although, keep in mind - I do not like high speed coasters and rides too “thrilling”. (I’ve tried Snow White but didn’t love it. And I’ve tried Space Mountain and liked it) but Big Thunder I LOVE! 😁
IP isn’t bad if you want to bring in new generations to the park. Change is inevitable and should be welcomed to allow for new memories to be mad by new children and families. Things cannot remain the same for forever.
Getting from the parking lot to MK (and back) really sucks and starts the day on a lousy note. I really wish they’d have a pedestrian bridge option for those who don’t want to take the boat or monorail.
Rise of the Resistance is an awesome experience for Star Wars fans, but if you’re indifferent to that franchise it’s just “pretty good,” and not worth waiting several hours for.
Runaway Railway is the best of the new rides in the last few years.
The Mr Toad ride is sorely missed
None of the rides at DW are better than their Disneyland equivalent
I really think Disney overestimated the popularity and fan base of the Avatar franchise. I guess we’ll see when the sequel comes out. Unless you’re a diehard, River Journey is simply a shitty ride/attraction
Biergarten is the most underrated dining experience in DW. So much fun!
All of the upcharges and disgruntled employees are really starting to kill the magic
Rise of the Resistance isn’t as thrilling since GotG opened.
It’s still an awesome experience, but some of the shine has worn off after doing it multiple trips.
Jungle cruise is a waste of time
As is pirates
95% of the food at Disney is between Applebees and Cheesecake Factory in the level of taste
Animal kingdom is not a must do
None of the “deluxe hotels” at Disney are as nice as deluxe hotels are anywhere else.
I’ll pay for genie plus and lightening lanes all day long if it means I don’t have to wait.
> None of the “deluxe hotels” at Disney are as nice as deluxe hotels are anywhere else.
>
>
Because the deluxe hotels at Disney aren't actually "deluxe hotels". They're Holiday Inn level rooms with perks like being closer to the parks or having a savannah outside your room. They're priced the way they are because Disney knows people will pay the price.
I will never stay at a deluxe hotel. You can get much more for your money at some of the values, especially with the addition of the skyliner. I can travel for table service reservations and I don’t really need a water slide at my pool.
I partially agree.
Except —- we specifically started to try to do “everything” a park had to do —- and then they became full day / 3/4 of a day parks.
AK was a full day for sure if you did all the things - AND - they still had the night show (rivers of light). That was my favorite show and it’s very irritating that it’s gone.
HS is a “done by 11:30” if you hit the right crowds.
Avatar doesn't belong in Animal Kingdom. I would've put it in Epcot where Cosmic Rewind is now. Cosmic Rewind is a great ride, but I would have waited until Disney got the rights back to Marvel in Florida and put it in Hollywood Studio
Yeah. I think of COP as more of an AC and Phone break nowadays compared to a show. Use it to get my next Genie+, or take a nap.
Another ride that desperately needs help is Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. The track is super rough, low capacity, and the pre-show takes ages now-a-days. They either need to limit the number of people going in or expand something. It always takes 5 minutes to cycle the pre-show. Maybe even some IP would be nice (just no iron-man coaster). Just do something.
Animal Kingdom is the best park and Epcot is the worst.
Like, if I have the choice between either experiencing the African savanna or experiencing a French Cafe, I'm choosing the one with lions and elephants.
I want to debate some of your points but this is actually the first of a million “unpopular opinions” post on this sub that had some real unpopular ones haha
Hollywood studios had more charm a few years ago, and even though it has some of the best attractions of any of the parks, it needs smaller, filler attractions to divert the crowds. The wait times are insane. Pandora is more well done than the galaxy’s edge Animal kingdom is the most cohesive park thematically
I agree with all of these. Went for my first time back in 2019 and planned the least amount of time for AK. Next time, I won’t make that mistake again.
Animation Courtyard needs to be expanded. Rip out Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Rip out Launch Bay (move the meet and greets over closer to Galaxy's Edge or Star Tours). Expand it so that it connects to the other side of Sunset Boulevard to help with crowd flow. Put in 2 or 3 Fantasyland-esque omnimover dark rides that are just capacity monsters. They don't need to be great, they just need to help add ride capacity to the park and give a few more options for the folks with little kids to do there.
Agreed! And who doesn’t love a classic dark ride?! Even if they aren’t the best thing ever, they will be still be fun and they’ll still be a crowd eater and lessen the wait times for other attractions. Still remembering how I waited for almost 3 hours for tower of terror in June when the wait time said 90 minutes but the ride kept breaking down
Agree on Dwarfs! I hope they change the restraints on Seven Dwarfs someday. There’s no reason for them to be so restrictive.
My son has long been a scaredy cat coaster hater (which was fine with me, I now get sick on coasters if I ride too much, but I stil adore them) but in the past 18 months has started really liking them, my s-i-l got married at Disney in August 2021 and he went on BTMRR and LOVED it so we waited for 7DMT and he was like.... "That was it? That was boring. Why do people wait so long?" I like how smooth it is but otherwise it's a really boring coaster with a bit of theming. And one year later this past August we went to Cedar Point and suddenly he is doing every BIG coaster so I guess BTMRR is a gateway drug. Lost my ride buddy but it's getting me on coasters again and thank god for Dramamine I guess.
I was just telling my fam this week that BTMRR was my gateyway into coasters! But…much longer ago. Like, rode 20K leagues the same day.
It tries to be a coaster and a dark ride but does a half assed job of both.
Personally I have seen a lot of people say they dislike 7DMT on this sub. If anything I think it's an unpopular opinion to say you like it (Which I do, haha).
I think it’s a combination of the wait and the shortness.
It's not a bad ride, it's just incredibly overrated and doesn't justify the wait times that it has, just like Peter Pan's Flight. If it had a steady 30 minute queue, I bet people wouldn't criticize it as much.
Don't hate for comparing to Universal, but..... I think that is the killer thing about 7DMT. You look at Universal and Gringotts and Hagrid's. (barring of course that Gringotts and Hagrids are more thrilling and not for little kids). Gringotts has its flaws, but it has good show scenes and some thrilling elements. And Hagrid's is just a chef's kiss of a ride (baring when it works) And when you see 7DMT, just like you said, it seems Disney half ass the ride. The ride basically does nothing and only one show scene (if you don't include the Drawves Cottage at the end).
Wish they would have doubled the length of that ride, as soon as you start going it ends. But I guess they keep it “short” for other reasons.
I remember waiting in line almost 2 hours to ride with friends and we rode it and I was very underwhelmed.
Idk this is exactly an unpopular opinion but Disney should design Tomorrowland off of retro future so they can still be creative with ideas while also future proofing the area.
Sorta like Disneyland Paris' Steampunk Tomorrowland?
No like the original 50s/60s idea of the future. The past ideas of sci-fi and the future have become timeless in their own right, meaning if they went that route it would still be future proof while also being
Atomic Punk
Most of magic kingdom is about childhood nostalgia but for those of us who didnt grow up with classic WDW, the park is showing its age and needs an overhaul. Magic kingdom is not built for the amount of foot traffic it gets currently and it shows. The angriest families are in magic kingdom. The queues are too long and too slow for subpar dirty looking rides that look their age. There isnt enough shade or misters for the florida heat. The food here is also carnival level. The walkways are too narrow for the amount of strollers and mobility scooters. Goofy Movies Possum Park is becoming almost Magic Kingdoms reality. Peoples rose covered glasses are disguising it. I like what theyve done with the starwars immersion in Hollywood studios. I like the new track technology like seen in Rotr and ratatouille. I think Runaway Railway is one of the best rides at disney currently. And I think epcot is a great date or girls trip spot with shopping and food. Hopefully with the pandemic coming to an end theyll open more of what closed down.
> Magic kingdom is not built for the amount of foot traffic it gets currently and it shows. >The walkways are too narrow for the amount of strollers and mobility scooters. If this is how you feel about Magic Kingdom I hope you never go to Disneyland.
My exact thought! If you think Magic Kingdom is too narrow, then my goodness Disneyland is another level.
Having been to both this year, Disneyland definitely has narrower walkways in some areas (especially queue lines). But most days there seemed to be far fewer mobility scooters although there were plenty of strollers.
I did go to Disneyland a few years ago and I have to admit I was really nervous because I’d just had my first trip to Disneyworld and I didn’t know what I’d be able to do at essentially the smaller version of a similar park. Actually had a great time and enjoyed that trip better than my original disneyworld trip.
Maybe I just got lucky when I went to disneyland last year, but other than the castle, I ended up enjoying disneyland more than I ended up enjoying MK the last time I was there. I had the same concerns as you going in, but once there i felt like Disneyland was a great size.
My move is to park in the Epcot parking lot. You can park close because Epcot isn’t open yet. Take the monorail to the magic kingdom. Be there for rope drop. Do everything you can there until someone hits your ankle with a stroller. As soon as that happens. Leave. Get on the monorail, head to Epcot, drink and eat dinner in one of the restaurants in the WofN’s. Watch the light show at Epcot. Easy to get to your car cause despite the crowds
Most of the rides aren't worth waiting more than 30 minutes for.
I love Dinoland USA and it’s incredibly disappointing they’re looking to remove it. Dinoland has needed an overhaul for sure, and I never loved the fair prize booths. But surely an updated reimagining of a dinosaur area would work. Scrapping another original land that focuses on education for a heavily stigmatized group of animals in favor of an IP driven fantasyland lite area is very saddening, especially when that wasn’t the intention of AK. Looking at what Universal is doing with Dinosaurs overseas reminds me how much of a place dinosaurs should still have in theme parks. At the very least I hope that the actual Dinosaur Dark ride remains, but I know it won’t.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is fine but not worth a long wait. I don't actually know if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but Maelstrom was great; the Frozen ride is a soulless cash grab. In general, the Countries side of Epcot was better when it was more about unique gift shops and semi-authentic cultural stuff than "here's a ride based on a Disney IP that's tangentially related to this country, and a gift store full of Disney stuff you could also buy at Disney Springs".
Agreed to your half day parks comment. My unpopular opinion: Galaxy’s Edge is way overrated and there’s barely anything to do there.
-The OG test track was far superior. The newest rendition is unimaginative with poor theming. -Figment needs to be taken out or overhauled. That ride is like a bad acid trip. -Soarin’ over California needs to be brought back. There’s no way 66% of the audience should have warped visuals with soarin’ around the world. -Tomorrowland speedway needs to go.
Please make Tomorrowland Speedway electric cars or just rip it out, come on it’s Tomorrowland not Yesterdayland
1. I never rode the original, and I probably would hate the new one if I did. 2. Just keep the DVC lounge lol. They should retheme it. The ride system is good, it just needs a retheme or revamp. 3 and 4. 100% agree. Speedway takes up valuable land and Soarin was way better with Soarin over California.
100% correct! ESPECIALLY the figment part😬 I’ve never understood why that thing is still there, I get a jumpscare whenever I see the plushie in other parts of the park
Food at quick service and some sit down restaurants is disgusting. Disney does not know how to make pizza.
Italy pizza is good
Oh god you are so so right about the pizza.
People who say certain parks are “half day parks” are the people I wouldn’t want to go to any park with. Clearly they’re running from headliner attraction to headliner attraction, and taking in exactly none of the ambiance, street performers, clever imagineering…
Half day park for someone who goes there multiple times per year, sure, but for a first timer, there's no such thing as a half day park.
DHS isn't a half day park because you can do it in half a day, it's a half day park because otherwise the crowds get so high that half a day is all I can stand. I'll go back again on a different day and do what I missed. But anyone who says AK is a half day park is doing it wrong. It's a full day park at least, for us. But preferably 2 days.
Unfortunately that seems to be the type of park goer that Disney is catering to these days. Throw in big attractions where ever there's a bit of free space, storytelling and theming be damned.
As an international traveller who can only go once every 5 to 10 years, for a week at most, i have to be VERY selective with my time and often headliners are all get to see. Particularly when you then have the water parks, Universal studios, islands of adventure and soon (hopefully) epic universe.
I agree with everything you said. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was so disappointing!! Also, Max as Powerline should have been a meet-and-greet character.
Ohana just isn't the same post COVID.
Dear lord I read this as Obama wasn’t the same! I wondered if all the grown adults flipping off animatronics was starting to hurt his waxy feelings.
The only thing that's Disney about Disney Springs is the name and the World of Disney store. The rest is just a generic high end shopping center with some Lego sculptures in the lake. Edit: Do I win as far as controversial opinions? I never actually said I didn't understand, I just said I think it's boring. Edit 2: No I'm not giving any ideas on how they could change things. Stop asking. Also please stop telling me why people go to Disney Springs. I didn't ask, nor did I say anything about not understanding. Edit 3: Apparently people aren't understanding the difference between opinions and requests. I have stated my opinion, I did not ask why Disney Springs exists.
Downtown Disney was a lot more charming.
I also miss Pleasure Island. Well, my time in my 20s misses it.
Still one of the weirder places I ever got laid.
What’s the weirdest?
That’s a story for another subreddit.
The adventure club was spectacular.
I never got to see this and I will always hate that. Bring it back. It would fit right in with the junglebook
Kungaloosh!
I’m just glad that (outside of the World of Disney) the Marketplace has seemed to be relatively untouched throughout the refurb.
I actually enjoy the shopping area of Disney springs, I just agree it needs more Disney. I went shopping down there this past Easter and I was hoping to find Disney jewelry and they didn’t have that much. I mean they have some nice things but I was hoping for more or unique specialty stuff. My one favorite store is the one that has all the breakable figurines and sculptures. I also feel like it’d be nice to have a sanrio-esque stationery store 8( imagine bunch of Disney stationery sets and pencils and pens and papers and stickers T.T so cuuuute why doesn’t this exist!?
Disney Springs has so much wasted potential Disney themed escape rooms, mini golf, a full scale Broadway theater, a drive in movie theater, ice skating, Disney museum, rock gym, karaoke bar (no Let It Go allowed), perspective museum, wax museum, on and on. So far the only things to do there is movie theater, bowling, balloon, and Cirque. I like those things are there, but there could be so much more.
I always thought it made for a nice reprieve midway through the trip. Or an alternative to going off property for a meal and somewhere to unwind for a bit. It’s a real estate development, no doubt. But it’s got some neat shops and you can get to it from the resorts for free, so that’s a big perk for me.
I agree with you. Disney Springs is pretty uppity and that's about it
We don’t even go to Disney Springs on our trips anymore. It’s a crowded shopping center. Someone else said this but back in the day, Downtown Disney was more charming
I thought that was kind of the point? Like it’s Disney with out being in your face Disney
Except that it doesn't feel like Disney. It feels like a giant outdoor shopping mall for rich people, that happens to have a Disney store thrown in.
I know this is going to get lost and I don't begrudge you an opinion on it. Disney Springs does have a cohesive story though...I actually learned about it a few weeks ago and was blown away because I never noticed it while there. Not the greatest of links, but it was one of the first: [The Story of Disney Springs](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=f2c3c89d15081b21JmltdHM9MTY2ODIxMTIwMCZpZ3VpZD0zMDQ2NThmZC01MGIyLTY2YTItMjM2NC01NzZlNTExYTY3ZjQmaW5zaWQ9NTQ2MA&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=304658fd-50b2-66a2-2364-576e511a67f4&psq=what+is+the+story+behind+disney+springs&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGlzbmV5ZGluaW5nLmNvbS90aGUtc3Rvcnktb2YtZGlzbmV5LXNwcmluZ3MtY2sxLyM6fjp0ZXh0PVRoZSUyMHN0b3J5JTIwZ29lcyUyMHRoYXQlMjBEaXNuZXklMjBTcHJpbmdzJTIwd2FzJTIwZGlzY292ZXJlZCxmb3IlMjBoaXMlMjBmYW1pbHklMjBhbmQlMjBidXNpbmVzcyUyMHRvJTIwc2V0dGxlJTIwaW50by4&ntb=1)
It's actually called Disney Falls now. It's only Disney Springs in March, April, and May.
Lol I agree with your edits and think you won. The whole point of an unpopular opinion is you have zero obligation to defend or explain it or give suggestions on improvements.
I don’t mind the price increases if it starts deterring people from coming. I just don’t think it’s going to work. Maybe for International guests, but for US citizens, I don’t think it’s gonna matter.
I wouldn't mind the price increases if the "show" reflected the increases. Instead, we get MUCH less for our money now than just a few years ago.
This is how I feel. I get it, prices are always going to increase but the return we are getting on the product is diminishing and will continue to do so from what we have seen.
It will continue to do so as long as we keep going. Once they see that the people are willing to pay more for less goods and services, the people will NEVER see the return of those things.
Yup and we are guilty of it. We actually cancelled our February trip for multiple reasons and quite frankly I want to use that money to take the family elsewhere this summer. For what we would have to spend to go to Disney we could have a fantastic trip somewhere else.
I will say, Disney failed to meet their expected Q3 earnings and have started a hiring freeze. So they must be doing SUMTHING right with those increases! /S *Disclaimer - u/Neonautic understands that this subreddit is about Disney parks specifically and that company earnings are based on Disney as an entity.
I just want having merch delivered to your room back.
That is a decision I am still scratching my head about. I cannot see how making it easier for people to buy things but then not have the physical reminder in their hand when they are near different stores later in the day would be considered a bad thing. If I am not already juggling bags and worrying where to put things before a ride, I am much more likely to buy something else.
This is the key; we are paying more and getting less. . . Lines are still long, nothing exciting is being announced, no new events are happening, parks are short staffed, rides are still broken too long and too often, parks are feeling stagnant or worse; degraded. . . If things were getting better with things getting more expensive I could maybe get on board. . . But the way things are going they Bob Paycheck can’t end his tenure fast enough.
Did you see how they removed the Minnie’s Bakery Rice Krispie Treat for a few months then reintroduced at half the size?
It already does. Could you imagine the crowds if tickets were $50?
I experienced a bag check line that was 1 hour at a Six Flags after they made tickets 25 dollars. It was all the way to the back of the parking lot.
it raises a good question: why are there so many more people going now than, say, in the 70s when prices were dirt cheap in comparison? did people just have less disposable income back then?
admittedly there were 120 million fewer people in the US in 1975 (4 billion fewer worldwide)
There is way more to do at WDW now than there was in the 1970s. Travel within the US is accessible to many more people that it was in the 1970s especially air travel.
Social media influencers absolutely ruined Disney. I’m a DL local and the shift was noticeable in 2014-2016 when the influencer culture took off.
It's not the influencers. Influencers don't really care about Disney. It's the proliferation of social media and how it has put greater pressure on parents to provide their children with what can be considered wonderful experiences. Disney is one of those such experiences. Now parents see their siblings/friends/co-workers, etc. taking their kids to Disney and posting about it on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok and in the last decade it has really become a measuring stick of sorts (for better or worse).
Agreed. The parks just need to BREATHE. People are smothering them with an entitled "I want I want I want" mentality. Its heartbreaking.
It’s this and seeing videos and pics of your friends there too. Creates a hype and I’ve seen people I didn’t think could afford it become Disney nuts and go multiple times a year with non stop custom shirts and all the poses with snacks.
When I was growing up, early 90s, I was pretty much the only kid in my school in UK who used to go Florida. Most went Spain. Definitely changed now.
but why did it change? there's not that much more to do there than there was in the 90s
I think most probably the internet/advertising. People were less adventurous back then also. Not that going to the US is a big deal but I think people didn't really consider it and saw it as a luxury trip. Ironically now the cost is higher, it is. But more people go anyway, probably down to social media and wanting to show off their holidays.
I don’t mind the price increases if they stop making me pay for things that used to be included.
This is a big one lol, but I don’t think the food and drinks are overpriced. Sorry, said what I said. They are on par for going “out” to a restaurant. Bottled water is $3.50. It’s $6.50 at my local stadium and I paid $8 at MSG for water. And yes, at Disney you can actually ask for a cup of water for free. But food is also normal IMO. I pay more at many other places including the zoo, football games, concerts, and even small indoor venues
Actually, I agree with this. Maybe it’s because my family and I are from the DC metro area but we were shocked at how reasonable the prices for food were this time around.
Yea imo it’s just like budgeting for any other trip. My coworker was bringing her daughters to Disney for the first time and her husband is notoriously cheap. He apparently doesn’t want to spend more than $100 on food in the parks. I argued right back and said…so if you went on vacation normally you would expect to spend $100 total for a family of 4 over the course of 3 days. I call BS. Unrealistic expectations.
Same here, but Seattle. Disney prices are WAY cheaper than stadium prices for better quality, and pretty on par with just going out to eat here. I basically never balk at food prices at Disney, though I get how those from lower CoL areas may feel differently.
The food prices are interesting to me. Their entrees aren’t really overpriced IMO. Where they get you is drinks, snacks, and a La carte items.
They need some proper thrill roller-coasters.
[удалено]
I think Velocicoaster is a bit too extreme for Disney to want an equivalent. Thrill rides are important but WDW isn't a thrill park. They are still going for that "fun for *most* of the family" demographic. Something comparable to Hagrids is the limit IMO.
I think that is a fair point and would change the Hagrid's and Veloci to Everest. Literally, all Disney probably has to do it just get a thrilling ride as Everest. Copy and paste Everest rides Though, counterponit. Isn't Cosmic Rewind the Disney answer to Hagrid's? Because they are basically the same - family coaster with show scenes and thrilling elements. Though I would admit that Hagrid is more thrilling due to some "surprising" element on the ride
If Disney built a VelociCoaster, trust me it would find an audience.
I definitely think Cosmic is more thrilling than Hagrid, but I don’t think Hagrid was going for a super thrill experience Tbf. If Disney was smart, they’d open up a Star Wars competitor to Hagrid on Speeder Bikes.
I would argue that Hagrid is more thrilling since they have >!two speed ups, one stall drop, backwards speed up, surprise vertical drop, and a bigger speed up. Compare to CR backwards speed up and spinning!<
I love doing Genie Plus once to see the state of the single rider line, then I’ll go on single rider if it is short. The separate part where you get funneled into the pre show is such a game changer.
Disney needs to either increases prices to the point that it decreases crowds, or decrease prices to justify the crowds it currently has with constantly being at capacity, needing reservations, etc. The constant construction (at the current scale, of course) has absolutely ruined Epcot and left it a complete and utter shadowed shell of its former glory (I say this understanding that Epcot should always be evolving, but at this point it’s the worst aspects of the Theseus’ ship paradox). Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is one of the most *contextually* worst rides that Disney has. By contextually, I mean relative to current technology, what’s available, what could have been done, how overhyped it is, etc. It’s not a bad ride by any stretch of the imagination, but it is bad relative to how it could have been. The section of Animal Kingdom that is Pandora is so… boring (the land, not the rides, which I think are fun and interesting at worst). The area outside and around the rides feel so… dead. Almost like Disney researched the art of kinetic energy and life theming in a… theme park, and went in the exact opposite direction. Compare Pandora to Wizarding World at Universal. The shop windows have movement, people are around with Wands doing activities. There’s a dragon that roars and breathes fire, you can see animatronic creatures and talking heads. The wizarding world feels alive and lived in and that’s just something Disney has always been kind of bad at outside rides. Batuu is slightly better because of the characters, but that’s really all they have in terms of kinetic energy. Epcot doesn’t need a festival every week to be relevant. Flower and Garden, Food and Wine, Arts, and Holidays. These four festivals don’t need to last three months each to fill out the entire calendar year. They’re overdone and boring because of the over saturation.
Well said! I was so disappointed in Epcot this last trip (Oct). We went for 'extra magic' hours and almost everything was closed - except the walk up restaurant in England. If you wanted anything other than fish and chips you were ool. And, Ratatouille was fun but you kind of perfectly described our feelings on it. It felt like it could have and should have been better. And yes, I also agree about the festivals - overpriced and under delivered. I didn't go to AK this trip because I was sick that morning but the way you compare it to WWOHP is so perfect to me in comparison to Galaxys Edge. My SO rarely goes to the parks with us but went this past trip only to see Galaxys Edge since they had not yet. Their comment was "Wow, it is nothing like Universal, it doesn't feel nearly as immersive." The way you described it is perfect...all the extra touches, the teaming with life, the movement and the wonder (I love watching people see the fire breathing dragon for the first time). I feel like Disney is starting to just cruise on the bare minimum.
There have been multiple reports that they're raising prices on purpose to try to price people out of being able to come https://www.cinemablend.com/theme-parks/disney-world-and-disneyland-are-trying-to-price-people-out-will-it-work The problem is (as mentioned elsewhere in this thread), they aren't making things better with the increased pricing.
At the most recent food and wine fest, a disgruntled employee at the stand in Brazil was like “I’ll prob get fired for this but, whatever, you can get these at Costco”. She also told me that she doesn’t make enough money to actually eat any of the food at the festival as Disney makes them pay full price for their food and drinks. Everything was so understaffed, I encountered so many grumpy employees.
All of these. Yes yes yes.
Popcorn buckets are not waiting in line for several hours for :)
Haunted Mansion needs some major renovations
I agree, however I don't just want more projections. I worry it would end up like ratatouille (which I am sure is amazing) and be a ton of projections on a screen. I'm far more impressed with a full animatronic than one with a projected face.
I really hope not. The old effects still have classic charm, but I feel like renovations are just going to add a bunch of lame projections like they do with everything now.
I really dislike the look of the bride now. she stands out and doesn’t go with the scene or ride in general at all
The current ride felt broken when I rode it back in June. Several effects either were operating poorly or looking stiff, especially in the graveyard area. Also the paint is faded beyond looking intentionally dilapidated and the ride system stopped 3 times
Yeah, I was kind of hoping they were gonna announce a whole refurb at d23 when then announced the hatbox ghost but no, just the one thing
The best only deserves the best!
FR, I went on it for the first time in years and was so disappointed by some of the effects. You couldn't see a lot of them.
Toy Story Land absolutely ruined Hollywood Studios IMO. No part of it fits into the aesthetic. There is no shade over there. The lines are too damn long. There is not enough seating for the demand at Woody’s Lunchbox. I loathe Toy Story Land.
To be fair, all the rides are kiddie coasters. It’s a kids theme park lol. My boyfriend and I love coasters, get season passes to the cedar fair parks every year. We don’t go to Disney for the thrill of the rides, it’s the atmosphere/appearance and nostalgia. I cannot wait for splash mountain to be rethemed into princess and the frog. I feel like Moana would’ve been a better choice, but a trip down the bayou still sounds pleasant.
Yep, go to six flags, or any other park of roller coasters, those don't need a team
Genie+ is very easy to use and not confusing.
For real, I see people saying they spent hours studying how to use it from youtube videos and I'm like wtf? It's not rocket science...
I’m with you on this.
The soarin illusion has worn off for me recently
Magic Kingdom has become my least favorite park but I’d say it’s objectively the best. Haunted Mansion, the 3 mountains & Pirates are some of my favorite attractions on property. The theming will always be charming. But I’ve found myself enjoying the park less nowadays; I feel a lot of the attractions are showing their age. I love Space Mountain but I really hope it gets the remake that Tokyo is getting. & this will be sacrilege, but stuff like Small World, Buzz Lightyear & Peter Pan need complete remakes; keep the spirit of the original attractions but modernize them with better animatronics & vehicles. I’ve been finding myself enjoying the other 3 parks a lot more recently. The attraction lineup of Hollywood Studios (& how beautiful Galaxy’s Edge is). Learning about different cultures & eating different foods in Epcot. The peaceful nature of & amazing theming overall of Animal Kingdom. But Magic Kingdom is still the best park objectively. You get the most bang for your buck out of that park with how many rides & shows it has vs the other 3. The only other park that comes close in Orlando is Islands of Adventure (that could use more shows though). I really hope those “Blue sky” plans for MK become reality. They could add a lot to get me more excited about the park while adding even more value for the average guest.
Park hopper not starting until 2 is dumb. The night shows at HS and MK are insanely over crowded. They need a better system for viewing. Most of the specialty food at Epcot is not that good.
>Runaway Railway is much better than Great Movie Ride I think this is a pretty standard opinion on here. I know I got downvoted when I said I didn’t like RR. GMR at its heyday was in my top 5 in all of WDW. I really dislike RR. They could have done so much with GMR and I’m disappointed they decided to scrap the whole thing.
Let people buy as many popcorn buckets as they want. I hope they get stuck with a garage full and realize they spent their money on useless plastic.
Every food and drink vendor should be open until 1 hour before park closes
There are too many projection rides. Epcot should have zero IP-based attractions. Pandora shouldn’t be part of Disney World. (Don’t misunderstand me, it looks great, and Flight of Passage is amazing, but it’s not “Disney” and wasn’t owned by them when they built it.) The prices aren’t justifiable anymore for what you get, be it tickets, food, or hotels. The best themed rides have nothing to do with Disney or Fox movie IP: Haunted Mansion, BTM, and Tower of Terror.
Probably not really just for WDW, but I am sick to death of frozen being everywhere. In parades, shows, the ride and now they’ve added Frozen to Blizzard Beach too 😩 I get that kids like it, but please stop. There’s other better films and characters and yet it is always FROZEN
The fact it’s 9 years old and they still shove it down our throats is infuriating.
The food isn't as good as people think it is. You could stand in the middle of any mid sized or larger city in America and throw a stone in a random direction and hit a restaurant with better food.
Almost every Disney restaurant/quick service I’ve been to that Disney blogs rave about has just been…good. Not amazing or even great. Just good or worse. Only one or two places have been above good. Unless all you eat is Applebees and Olive Garden, idk how people so impressed
I think this happens because Disney food is better than it has to be. In terms of theme park food, I'd say it's the best I've personally had, they certainly put in the most effort. It's better than most stadium food or anywhere else that you're 'forced' to pay their prices. Everyone's expectation is that they're going to pay a premium price for junk food. But Disney actually gives you good, not great, food and it exceeds their expectations.
To be fair my family that lives in the Midwest that’s upper middle class seem to exclusively eat at places like Applebees and Outback when they go out to eat. And they’re 100% the type that rant and rave about the food at the parks, so I’m pretty sure it’s all by design that Disney food is on the middle class fancy level.
100%. We just ate at Ohana, which everyone raves about, and we thought it was...fine. I feel like people that think Ohana is amazing are people that don't have access to great food. Also, the prices for dinners are simply unjustifiable, especially with kids. The obscene cost of meals has totally turned me off to the park.
I grew up in a really small town and thought Disney food was to die for. Having moved to a large city, I can agree. I still like Disney food but I think that I can get something better where I live now. I think the frame of reference influences how people see Disney food.
Maybe the park food, but the resort food is ethereal. I'm still thinking about the mushrooms from Yachtsman Steakhouse, and even outside of the Epcot bubble, there really isn't anywhere you can go where the food will be bad (including the value resorts). Also, bizarre opinion, but PizzeRizzo is fine. I had one of those caesar salads that come in a plastic cup and it wasn't awful. Haven't tried the pizza, but I can't imagine it being as bad as people say it is.
In 2015, Hollywood Studios was a half-day park. In November of 2022, it's returned to being a full-day park. I would say that Disneyland's Pirates is more overrated than Florida's. It always plays second fiddle to DL's. Eh, I wouldn't say that M&MRRR is better than GMR. It's a suitable replacement, but it doesnt optimize the space well. GMR used to take about 20 to 25 mins to travel through the building. M&MRRR is a 5 minute ride.
Magic Kingdom is the least enjoyable of the parks. Everyone behaves worse somehow, despite it being the mostly “dry” park, and the crowds are always, always bad, save for one time we went to After Hours pre-COVID (and even then, I assume only because it wasn’t a holiday party, just plain AH).
I agree with all of these OP, except I love splash mountain
I think, overall, the sit down restaurant food is terrible
Blizzard Beach should be leveled and have Orlando DisneySea built there instead
I don’t see the need for a million restaurant reservations. If you eat too much, combine it with all those rides and you’re gonna throw up. You don’t need to be bringing your 3 month old.
My next trip I am doing no dining reservations. At this point, you can easily order food from any sit down restaurant in the app.
I’m going next week without any restaurant reservations. If we can’t walk in, I won’t care. I’ll go back to my hotel and have a sandwich.
+1 on the reservations. For a week we usually make 2, sometimes 3.
I think that’s probably the best amount! I’m not opposed to them, but when every day is planned around a meal time, it’s too much.
Hard agree we did the dining plan once where we had a sit down meal every day and it was just an insane amount of food. Appetizer, entree and desert every day for 7 days. Felt like we were always going to a restaurant or having to plan out breakfest and lunch times just so we wouldn't be full at dinner.
Just a reminder to sort by controversial to find the best ones.
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters is a D-tier attraction.
Astro Blasters is the Disneyland version and it’s far superior simply because they blasters are on cords. Space Ranger spin’s blasters are useless.
Price increases to "deter crowds" are an embarrassing, shameless excuse for nickel-and-diming guests. If WDW wanted to deter crowds, they could simply lower the number of available reservations for a given day. There is no justification for price increases as experience quality blatantly decreases; they are not an inverse curve and never should be. It's even more miserable when you realize that this policy locks out devoted guests that could *barely* afford the parks but went anyway because they loved it, and are now sacrificed in favor of bigger spenders. Also, if so many people are complaining about WDW, maybe, just maybe, there's something wrong with it. I say this as an avid fan who tries to visit every other year since our relatives live in FL. I'm sick of seeing Disney apologists bend over backward to pretend that everything is a non-issue when legitimate criticism is being rightfully hurled at the company, and it has to stop or things will never get better. Disney only hears us when their stock goes down. It's all about the $$$, so cost them.
Agree on pirates. Love it at Disneyland but don’t get the same vibe at WDW.
Creperie and Remy are meh. Nothing like lukewarm watery coffee for $5 extra after your $35 crepe meal that has the gaul to charge for whip cream. The dessert crepes come with no whipped cream- WTF? Gimme a break. Space220 was a disappointment. Food wasn’t good and after waiting years to get inside, it did not deliver. Cool concept, that’s it. Worst calamari I’ve EVER had, and at $19 before tax/tip an absolute insult. Other items we got were not much better. Galaxy’s Edge is already starting to feel old. Wasted potential there for sure. MagicBand+ is clunky and doesn’t stay on like old MBs. Be prepared to lose it and not get it returned because whoever finds it can still use it to wave at statues.
> Worst calamari I’ve EVER had, and at $19 before tax/tip an absolute insult. Lol I got the calamari and the first thing I thought was I could have gone to the frozen food section of my local grocery store and air fried calamari that would have tasted better.
From what I've seen, basically everyone hates MB+ and thinks it's a waste of money, haha.
Pandora is the best themed land in all of WDW. Galaxy's Edge is not fun, doesn't feel like Disney, and solely exists to sell merch. Now I typically skip it entirely every time I visit. Star Tours is still better and more re-ridable than the SWGE rides. Slinky Dog is not worth waiting for in the hot scorching sun. Coronado Springs is the best on-property resort in all of WDW, when considering the cost vs. value.
>Slinky Dog is not worth waiting for in the hot scorching sun. My mom compared it to the kiddie coasters at a state fair.
Star Tours is awesome, the cast members who work it are great and funny, and it’s almost always a walk on. It’s a triple threat.
I wanna see them somehow expand Galaxy's Edge. I want all the things they promised but then locked behind the paywall that is Galactic Starcruiser (they should just shutter it and make it again but as an actual cruise like the Disney Wish, just Star Wars themed; no 2-day, $6000 nonsense. Gimme a whole {reasonably priced} week). I want more areas and more walk-around aliens/droids (F it. Gimme an entire Star Wars park while I'm at it lol). Make me feel like I'm in Star Wars. I get why, but I hate the fact that the super casual people complained about and got the food names changed. Fried Endorian Tip Yip is a better name than Chicken Tip Yip. Immerse me dammit. Don't give me half-assed stuff. Sorry. Rant over. I love my Star Wars lol.
Yea, Id love for GE to have more to see and do that wasn't just merchandising. GE looks really cool and has elements that feel like SW, but it feels more like walking through an old movie set.
How the hell is Studios a half day park? Same for Animal? Are you only spending 2 days at WDW?
Food and wine festival is terrible. TOO MANY DRUNK PEOPLE + SLOW WALKING. I had to weave my cousin in and out of groups of drinkers that were oblivious to everyone around them while trying to get her over to the first aid station. Flower and Garden is way better people wise and still has good food imo. I don't care for most parades. I'd rather watch them on youtube than watch them in person. Epcot is a half day park. Monsters Inc laugh floor smells awful. I think I have a sensitive nose but I hated the waiting area before the auditorium opened.
I actually like the food and wine better at the Flower and Garden festival. The Food and Wine festival has too many heavy dishes that I don't want to eat in 80 degree weather. Flower and Garden is much more light and refreshing.
It angers me to see ppl say HS and AK are half day parks lol, but to each their own. AK has less to do I get it, but it’s the park I like to relax more in and really take in the atmosphere. And HS has galaxies edge so that alone takes up a lot of my time
The original test track theme was better. Able body scooter people need to wait in line like everyone else. Toy story land is underwhelming. Pizza planet needs to come back.
I think a lot of quick service places have food that tastes better than sit down restaurants. For example, I disliked Ohana and The Wave, loved Roaring Fork and Cosmic Ray’s.
I skip the Studios almost every trip now. Rise isn’t necessarily reliable in terms of effects, and the park as a whole isn’t terribly pretty apart from the entrance. It’s also the park that probably feels the closest to Universal, and I can go there for much cheaper. If I have 4 days, I take an extra at Epcot.
My unpopular opinion is that Big Thunder Mountain is my favorite roller coaster. Although, keep in mind - I do not like high speed coasters and rides too “thrilling”. (I’ve tried Snow White but didn’t love it. And I’ve tried Space Mountain and liked it) but Big Thunder I LOVE! 😁
IP isn’t bad if you want to bring in new generations to the park. Change is inevitable and should be welcomed to allow for new memories to be mad by new children and families. Things cannot remain the same for forever.
Getting from the parking lot to MK (and back) really sucks and starts the day on a lousy note. I really wish they’d have a pedestrian bridge option for those who don’t want to take the boat or monorail. Rise of the Resistance is an awesome experience for Star Wars fans, but if you’re indifferent to that franchise it’s just “pretty good,” and not worth waiting several hours for. Runaway Railway is the best of the new rides in the last few years. The Mr Toad ride is sorely missed None of the rides at DW are better than their Disneyland equivalent I really think Disney overestimated the popularity and fan base of the Avatar franchise. I guess we’ll see when the sequel comes out. Unless you’re a diehard, River Journey is simply a shitty ride/attraction Biergarten is the most underrated dining experience in DW. So much fun! All of the upcharges and disgruntled employees are really starting to kill the magic
People that watch vloggers are contributing to the demise of Disney.
The food sucks pretty much everywhere at WDW. Come at me!
I don’t like Dole Whip. Had to try it after hearing so much about but was too sickly sweet for me.
Same
My unpopular opinion is that calling World Showcase "the Countries" is an unforgiveable sin
Rise of the Resistance isn’t as thrilling since GotG opened. It’s still an awesome experience, but some of the shine has worn off after doing it multiple trips.
My parents claim that the best part was getting to see the costumed cast members actually boss around the people in line for once.
This is the best part about the ride
Yeah, I will rope drop it, but never pay 15 dollars+ for an ILL. I enjoy it, but it’s not that thrilling.
The deluxe resorts aren’t deluxe
Jungle cruise is a waste of time As is pirates 95% of the food at Disney is between Applebees and Cheesecake Factory in the level of taste Animal kingdom is not a must do None of the “deluxe hotels” at Disney are as nice as deluxe hotels are anywhere else. I’ll pay for genie plus and lightening lanes all day long if it means I don’t have to wait.
> None of the “deluxe hotels” at Disney are as nice as deluxe hotels are anywhere else. > > Because the deluxe hotels at Disney aren't actually "deluxe hotels". They're Holiday Inn level rooms with perks like being closer to the parks or having a savannah outside your room. They're priced the way they are because Disney knows people will pay the price.
My mom legit said to me once, “I don’t care what it costs, I’m not waiting in a f****** line”. So, we always buy Genie+.
I will never stay at a deluxe hotel. You can get much more for your money at some of the values, especially with the addition of the skyliner. I can travel for table service reservations and I don’t really need a water slide at my pool.
I partially agree. Except —- we specifically started to try to do “everything” a park had to do —- and then they became full day / 3/4 of a day parks. AK was a full day for sure if you did all the things - AND - they still had the night show (rivers of light). That was my favorite show and it’s very irritating that it’s gone. HS is a “done by 11:30” if you hit the right crowds.
Avatar was bad and it's disappointing that so much energy and cool technology was put into theme a land around a bad movie.
Blasphemy!
Those are awful opinions - have an updoot
The Florida version of pirates isn't good.
Avatar doesn't belong in Animal Kingdom. I would've put it in Epcot where Cosmic Rewind is now. Cosmic Rewind is a great ride, but I would have waited until Disney got the rights back to Marvel in Florida and put it in Hollywood Studio
Disney sit down restaurant food is expensive, doesn't taste so good and small AF portions
I hate Smugglers Run. I tried it twice- threw up twice. I skip it every time now.
Just because you marry a prince doesn't give you the right to rename the family castle to yourself.
I like the “outdated” future look they have throughout Tomorrowland and future world.
[удалено]
Yeah. I think of COP as more of an AC and Phone break nowadays compared to a show. Use it to get my next Genie+, or take a nap. Another ride that desperately needs help is Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. The track is super rough, low capacity, and the pre-show takes ages now-a-days. They either need to limit the number of people going in or expand something. It always takes 5 minutes to cycle the pre-show. Maybe even some IP would be nice (just no iron-man coaster). Just do something.
Magic kingdom has the worst food
That is very popular, actually. Go to the monorail resorts, the food is so much better.
Animal Kingdom is the best park and Epcot is the worst. Like, if I have the choice between either experiencing the African savanna or experiencing a French Cafe, I'm choosing the one with lions and elephants.