Planning a vacation to Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort isn’t quite the same as it used to be for many people.
From Disney Park Reservations ahead of time to attempting to book the perfect Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane reservations at the perfect time and everything in between, planning the perfect magical vacation can be lots of hard work.

In a recent Reddit post, User U/Candid_Development44 shared their experience coming back to Disneyland Resort and said “it just didn’t feel the same.”
Related: Disney Announces Long-Awaited Return of Minnie Van Transportation
The Guest mentioned that they missed the spontaneity in their days at the Disney Parks and it almost felt as if they were “rushed along” because of new additions like Disney Genie and Lightning Lane.
“We like a certain degree of spontaneity in our days at the park, which felt almost impossible. The scheduling system is not easy to abide when you go to the park without months of notice. A lot of the day was spent tied to our phones watching wait times and restaurant availability. The lines were impossible, stand still for 15 mins at a time, slow, while we watched gobs of LL ppl walk on. People around us were bitter and angry, trying to get explanations from cast members who remained silent. Overall, we felt like we looked longingly at restaurants where we used to be able to eat, and sadly had to rule out rides knowing the wait times would be longer than posted. It felt like someone else planned the trip for us and we were just rushed along. I realize we’re prob in the minority with the spontaneous thing.”

Many Disney Guests have complained about the lack of spontaneity in their trips to the Disney Parks, but others have said they enjoy the planning stages beforehand and that it allows them to enjoy more of their trip and experience more attractions and experiences as a result.

Disney California Adventure has plenty to offer Guests as they walk the roads Walt had in Hollywood, enjoy a hand-dipped corn dog at Award Wieners, check out the new Marvel-themed land in Avengers Campus, where they can meet Spider-Man, Loki, Ant-Man, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, and so many more characters. Don’t forget to check out the glowing lights in Cars Land and ride Radiator Springs Racers. And of course, you have to ride WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: MISSION BREAKOUT. Rock on the Silly Symphony Swings as well, and go catch Jack-Jack on Incredicoaster!

At Disneyland, there is so much for Guests to enjoy! Now that the mask mandate has dropped for fully vaccinated Guests, Guests can enter buildings without a face covering if they so choose. Walking up to Sleeping Beauty Castle is always a dream, especially when you get to go inside and relive the story of Aurora and Maleficent. Riding classics like “it’s a small world”, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, The Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Splash Mountain, and more will have you feeling the magic, and craving a churro! Toontown is currently gearing up for a massive change which will be revealed in 2023 with the reopening of the land, and the debut of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Plus, now at Disneyland, Guests can enjoy Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for some blue milk, or green milk, and ride Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler’s Run.

More On Disney Genie and Lightning Lane
Disney Genie was recently added to the My Disney Experience app, which is a new way for Walt Disney World Resort Guests to plan their day. Disney Genie is meant for those who are unsure on what they should do while at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and gives them a variety of specifically catered options. On top of that, Disney Genie also has a Disney Genie+ feature. For $15.00 per day per Guest, you can skip the long standby queue by making a Lightning Lane reservation (new FastPass) and returning at that time.

At each Disney Park, however, there are some attractions that Guests would need to purchase a separate Lightning Lane ticket for if they wanted to skip those lines. Those Walt Disney World Resort attractions are:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom)
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (EPCOT)
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
- Avatar Flight of Passage (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
- Expedition Everest (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)

Disneyland Resort has this available as well, but at $20.00 per day and only three attractions in the “a la carte” section of pay per ride at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. Disneyland Paris also has a pay-per-ride system with Premier Access, and now, it seems that the Disney influence is traveling to more local-based theme parks, which can end up driving up the cost of the theme park experience for Guests looking to spend less than they would at Disney.
Do you think planning a trip to Disneyland or Walt Disney World is still worth it? Let us know in the comments.
Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. Or what about Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district! No matter what Disney Park you’re heading to, you’re sure to have a magical time!