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Credit: DisneyThe discourse over Disney Parks has heated up over the last few years. After the pandemic shut down the theme park industry, the reopening of beloved destinations like Walt Disney World (Orlando, Central Florida) featured many changes Guests still aren’t happy with today. And for one Guest, the pressure of planning a Disney World vacation has come at a price.
From Disney Vacation Club to water parks like Blizzard Beach, a Deluxe Resort to a Value Resort, flights to Orlando International Airport to the currently suspended Disney Dining Plan, there are many facets to a Walt Disney World vacation.
Last year, CEO Bob Chapek was ousted from his position as head of The Walt Disney Company, with former CEO and Chapek’s predecessor, Bob Iger, stepping back into the role to steer the House of Mouse back into the good graces of fans, shareholders, and the stock market.
But, Iger would inherit Chapek’s, albeit short, legacy. Guests have been divided by new elements of the Disney Park experience, like the “FastPass” replacement, Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane, and the Park Pass reservation system. These, teamed with the heightened cost of tickets, food, hotel stays, and merchandise, have caused upset with even the most diehard Disney Resort fans.
With Disney Genie+ and virtual queues getting Guests up at the break of dawn to secure some semblance of a plan for their vacation, Disney World has been challenged by fans who find the pressure of the 7 a.m. bookings just too much. And it is partially this which has seen one Guest’s Disney vacation plans derailed, causing a rift between her and her family.
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Per a Reddit post on the popular AITA subreddit, the user Better-Role-1844 asks if her planning and rules for an upcoming trip to Disney World warrant her sisters falling out with her. The post states that each year she and her two sisters take a vacation to a random location, and this year was her choice. She selected Disney World for 10 days and went on to say that the costly trip took a while to book and plan. The user says:
Well, we are leaving in a week and I have created a set of rules for the trip. For example, no sleeping in past 8 a.m. (rope dropping ), wear sneakers only (due to a lot of walking), etc.
I sent my sisters this list today so they could know what to expect. They didn’t take it too well and said that I was being very overdramatic and that this wasn’t needed. I told them that this definitely was needed to get the best experience out of Disney world. We got into an argument over it and now they are saying they no longer want to go on the trip.
She goes on to say she didn’t think she was being overdramatic, and with over 2,300 comments, other users have very mixed feelings on her vacation rules, opening up a discussion on the changes and the need to plan for a Disney World trip in 2023. One comment from ItsMeNikki said:
I love me some Disney, but the parks have become a capitalist dystopian nightmare. If every minute of the trip to the park isn’t planned out, you don’t really get to “max out” the experience without paying out the nose.
The user is, of course, referencing the polarizing Disney Genie+ system and the a la carte Individual Lightning Lane Selections, which allows Guests to pay a variable price for speedier access to their favorite attractions.
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Commenters were quick to point out that Disney World vacations now start long before 8 a.m., saying how booking virtual queues and operating Disney Genie+ is “an awful chore.” Another user outrightly said they “refuse to go back,” with many echoing their thoughts, saying a Disney World vacation just isn’t a “vacation” anymore. Another comment from OK-Entertainer-9328 reads:
Everything about Disney has always sounded like a miserable hellscape, even when I was a kid. It sounds even worse now when people say that you need to reserve rides at 7am?! Like wtf.
That said, some supported the user, commenting how each person experiences Disney World differently and defending them against comments saying there are better ways to spend money for a vacation. This comment by way of activelurker777 sums up thoughts on this side of the camp:
You have to strategize to make the most of your visits to these very expensive parks. OP is smart to make the plan. NTA.
With over 2,000 comments and 5,000 upvotes, it’s clear that this issue is not uncommon and is something that actively plays a part in a potential Guest’s eventual enjoyment of their Disney World vacation. The number of factors that come into play when planning a trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth feels endless, and at the end of the day, each person does Disney differently, so what matters to some — whether that’s riding attractions, seeing characters, or drinking around World Showcase — may not matter to someone else.
What do you think about setting rules for a Disney World vacation? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
Walt Disney World Resort boasts four theme parks: Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park. It also features two Disney water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, and the retail and recreation area, Disney Springs. A valid ticket, as well as a Park Pass reservation, is needed to enter each Park and Park Hopper hours begin at 2 p.m. daily.