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Credit: Disney / CanvaThere was a time when just walking down Main Street, U.S.A. felt like stepping into a dream. The music, the smells, the wide-eyed wonder—it was all there. But lately, something feels… off. The magic hasn’t completely vanished, but it’s definitely harder to find. You might assume it’s all Disney’s doing—maybe the ticket prices, or the Lightning Lane confusion—but truthfully, some of the most significant problems come from the guests themselves. And no, it’s not always intentional.
Let’s dig into three things slowly chipping away at the Disney experience—and why Disney isn’t really to blame.
Disney Isn’t All About Families Anymore
Disney World was once the go-to vacation spot for families. Think matching shirts, strollers parked outside every ride, and kids lighting up at their first Mickey hug. But over the past few years, the demographic has shifted.
There’s a growing wave of adult-only Disney fans. The family-first atmosphere isn’t as central as it used to be, and with that shift comes different priorities. So what’s changed?
1. Influencers Are Everywhere
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—Disney influencers. They’re filming everything from castle walk-ins to churro bites, often with complete tripods and elaborate poses. Again, Disney didn’t ask for this—it just happened.
Social media turned the parks into stages, and suddenly, everything is content. That shift has created a ripple effect. Regular guests are constantly dodging someone’s camera, and quiet moments now feel like photo ops. It’s harder to immerse yourself in the magic when surrounded by people trying to create a moment rather than enjoy it.
2. Phones Are Ruining the Moment
It’s not just influencers. Everywhere you look, phones are out. Guests record entire fireworks shows through a screen, FaceTime their friends while waiting in line, or scroll social media instead of taking in the details around them. Disney’s app-centric system didn’t help—guests are practically required to be glued to their phones to navigate the parks.
But beyond that, we’ve become a culture that doesn’t know how to be present. Some of the magic gets lost when everyone’s staring at a screen instead of looking up.
3. Guest Behavior Has Gotten Worse
This one’s hard to ignore. Since the parks reopened after the pandemic, guest behavior has been a growing issue. The sense of basic respect has slipped from fights breaking out in line to guests climbing on rides for photos. Cast Members deal with more aggression than ever. While Disney does its best to enforce rules and keep things magical, it’s the guests themselves causing many of the problems.
And that shift in tone? You can feel it.
The Magic Isn’t Gone—But It’s Different
Disney World still can be magical. But it takes a little more effort to block out the noise (and phone screens) around you. The experience has evolved, and while Disney gets blamed for a lot, not everything wrong with the parks is on them. Sometimes, we—the guests—need to remember what we came for in the first place.