Credit: DisneyFlorida locals recently advised visitors about whether Tampa or Disney World was the better holiday choice and what factors should influence that decision.
The Walt Disney Company has spent a lot of money to ensure that it is one of the foremost competitors in the field of theme park entertainment. And it has achieved this goal in no uncertain terms. Irrespective of any recent criticism, its numbers speak for themselves, and it still owns some of the most visited parks worldwide.
While a Walt Disney World vacation is a dream come true for most fans and guests, it would seem that’s not necessarily the case for all Florida locals.
Now, The Walt Disney Company does its best to make sure that Florida locals have special perks at the Central Florida Disney Resort that other guests from different states and countries can’t necessarily avail. For example, there are special Florida resident tickets that are much easier on one’s wallet.
One example is the special Florida Resident Discover Disney ticket with which locals can experience the Disney Parks for just $59 per day. There are also special Florida Resident Annual Passes available.
Now, despite this, it’s worth noting that not every Florida resident might want to take advantage of this offer. Recently, a Florida visitor took to Reddit to ask locals, “I’m in tampa for work and have Saturday and Sunday off. Would it be better to drive up to disney world and check it out or explore tampa ?”
While for any visitor to this website the answer might seem obvious, locals had a different take.
One commented,
Went to UCF for college and live in Tampa now. Last time I went to Disney, i swore I wouldn’t come back until my kids forced my hand. Lines were downright depressing, even the worst rides in the park were at 50 minutes min. If you’re in the area, I’d recommend going to Universal instead. Flip side of the coin, Tampa is a cool city with lots to do but you’ll need to drive a lot.
Another suggested that unless the OP was a serious Disney fan, the trip may not be worth the trouble, especially considering how much planning went into making a Disney vacation successful in this day and age.
They wrote, “Unless you’re a serious Disneyphile, I’d look for something local. Drive time to Disney would probably be at least 90 minutes each way. The drive will be on I-4, the corridor of death. You have to try to reserve what park you want to go to and what rides you want to go to ahead of time. It’s just not a terribly fun unplanned day trip.”
A third agreed with this view. They explained that the OP should only do Disney if “you are prepared to plan properly. The folks in this sub who complain about disney are the ones who suck at disney.”
The guest continued, “They have an app and signs for lines. If it says 50 minutes, skip it and come back later. It’s the best people watching in the world. They have a fandom for everyone. Sure it’s expensive but only because it’s popular.”
What would you suggest to a visitor to the Sunshine State? Tampa or Disney World? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!