Do people leave Disney World disappointed?

[Anonymous]

I feel like every vacation can be disappointed if that’s the mind set. My last two vacations we had a tour I was looking forward to the most of the whole trip cancelled due to weather. I was disappointed! But tried not to let it ruin vacation. Probably my most disappointing vacation was when we went to Ireland and foot and mouth broke out so they closed all the national historical/cultural sites anc all the national parks! But we could still drive around and look at sheep. And drink beer. I still hope to go back and see the archeological sites.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We went to Disney 20 years ago before kids. We had Park Hopper passes and reservations at one character meal and Victorian & Albert's. We pretty much just wandered around and had fun. Meanwhile my friend with kids had a travel agent with a packed written agenda, which sounded like torture to me.

Now it seems like the only way to go is even more complicated than the travel agent's agenda with various tricks and constraints. Can you go without a carefully curated plan? Have you been disappointed, whether with or without a detailed plan?

Yes, Disney World is awful. Long lines. Heat. Expensive. Kids don't remember anything. Melt downs after meltdowns. And I can't even imagine going there without kids. Why would I ever?

A little prudence when planning could have avoided most of this, but your kids don't remember anything? Maybe they blocked it out because you failed to plan for their needs.

Most Disney trips revolve around the kids, but oh ok let’s blame the parents again. They must not have created a magical enough experience to create a memory. I don’t remember much before 2nd or 3rd grade. Perhaps they don’t remember because they are kids??

[Anonymous]

What kills Disney for me is everyone says you have to check your phone constantly to make plans/reserve stuff. On vacation, I put down my phone and focus on my family and experiences. I just cannot wrap my head around this being fun.

[Anonymous]

I ended up sobbing at Disney, and the staff all rushed over to help me. Gave me some stickers and a bag too. Maybe try having a break down there. I will never, ever go back. Cursed place.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We go without expectations, willing to spend $$$ and are very flexible. We’re disappointed every single time. Mostly because it’s too packed in the streets and the lines are too long. Everything else is nice, but we just don’t like being human sardines. We always go middle of the week in the low season.

+1
I’m admittedly not a Disney person, but I just don’t understand spending that much money to wait in so many lines and be packed in like sardines. Even fireworks were made way less enjoyable because it was so dang crowded.

We’ve been disappointed every time we went. And I strongly disagree that it’s not more expensive than other activities.
My kids had more fun at Dutch Wonderland when they were little. I truly don’t understand taking young kids unless it’s the nostalgia of it all. I agree there are some cool rides for older kids/adults that you won’t find elsewhere.

If you spend the extra money, you don’t wait in a lot of lines. That’s the point.

We spent the extra money and there were still lines for the monorail, for the fireworks (no lightning lanes for that but I guess we could have spent more there and then you get a reserved spot), for everything. It left me feeling like a giant sucker at the end of the day with the constant paying to skip the line. The system of getting spots on rides had us always on our phones trying to make an efficient plan and that’s just not desireable to me.
Honestly if I went again I would really spend money and do the VIP tour and really get around the lines and planning.

I went to WDW five times last year and didn't wait in lines more than 20 minutes but perhaps a few times. Plenty of times I hit the parks in the evenings and can easily knock our four rides in an hour. I purchased a pass for Guardians but that's it.

I do spend a lot of time on the app, finding dining reservations and special event reservations. But I generally don't have a problem avoiding most lines for rides. I also go enough that I don't care if I skip a ride when its busy.

You made five separate trips to Disney, or in one vacation, you went five times? If it’s the former, I assume you live in Florida?

No, we had season passes for a longer trip and wanted to get our money's worth. So did several of the major events, although not everyone went every time I went. So yes, five times. We did the Halloween party, Mickey's, and Jollywood Nights (which was great the night I went), plus the second week after opening at Epic Universe.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I didn’t go with my DS, he was into Legoland so we did that in California and Florida, and also did Universal Studios.
I went as a kid, and have little memory of it, except that we had a lot of ride tickets left over and my mom was upset at my dad because it was wasted $.

I also visited in my mid 20s, a group of us just decided to go, with little planning. I don’t remember much of that visit either - it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t amazing. I didn’t leave disapppointed.

I don’t really understand the mystique of Disney. I travel internationally for work, and my DS often accompanied me. It’s hard to see how Disney World could ever top these experiences.

Now it has to top those experiences instead of merely not being disappointing? It's another type of trip. There are different types.

Or at least be equivalent? I guess it isn’t for me, and my DS didn’t care either.
It doesn’t seem worth the hassle at all.

Does your son prefer stroopwaffels in a park instead by chance?

He’d eat them, in a park or anywhere else. But what’s the reference?

A poster on another Disney thread said that her child much preferred eating cookies in a park in Europe over going to Disney. As I recall, much of the appeal wasn't the cookies (or the park or Europe) but getting to play with a local cousin. No such cousin at Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I didn’t go with my DS, he was into Legoland so we did that in California and Florida, and also did Universal Studios.
I went as a kid, and have little memory of it, except that we had a lot of ride tickets left over and my mom was upset at my dad because it was wasted $.

I also visited in my mid 20s, a group of us just decided to go, with little planning. I don’t remember much of that visit either - it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t amazing. I didn’t leave disapppointed.

I don’t really understand the mystique of Disney. I travel internationally for work, and my DS often accompanied me. It’s hard to see how Disney World could ever top these experiences.

Now it has to top those experiences instead of merely not being disappointing? It's another type of trip. There are different types.

Or at least be equivalent? I guess it isn’t for me, and my DS didn’t care either.
It doesn’t seem worth the hassle at all.

Does your son prefer stroopwaffels in a park instead by chance?

He’d eat them, in a park or anywhere else. But what’s the reference?

A poster on another Disney thread said that her child much preferred eating cookies in a park in Europe over going to Disney. As I recall, much of the appeal wasn't the cookies (or the park or Europe) but getting to play with a local cousin. No such cousin at Disney.

But Lindsey Graham was there!!

You could see Minnie Mouse and Lindsey all at the same character breakfast.

https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/29/lindsey-graham-at-disney-world-during-shutdown/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like every vacation can be disappointed if that’s the mind set. My last two vacations we had a tour I was looking forward to the most of the whole trip cancelled due to weather. I was disappointed! But tried not to let it ruin vacation. Probably my most disappointing vacation was when we went to Ireland and foot and mouth broke out so they closed all the national historical/cultural sites anc all the national parks! But we could still drive around and look at sheep. And drink beer. I still hope to go back and see the archeological sites.

This is OP. I had a tour cancelled on my last vacation also, and it was disappointing, but I am mostly okay with that because I didn't cause it and couldn't have predicted it, so we pivoted to something else that was also fun.

I think the thing that's bothering me about Disney is it seems like you theoretically can control it all, but then controlling it all is all on me. I don't want that pressure and stress. I travel for freedom from having to be so scheduled all the time and Disney seems like setting myself up for failure.

I know I could create a packed minute-by-minute itinerary for Chicago, for instance, but I never would because I'd be in a bad mood all the time. Maybe "in a bad mood" and "stressed" are what I really mean by disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kills Disney for me is everyone says you have to check your phone constantly to make plans/reserve stuff. On vacation, I put down my phone and focus on my family and experiences. I just cannot wrap my head around this being fun.

Really? I see people on phones constantly on vacation. Looking for directions, finding out where to go and how to get there, taking videos, photos, etc, finding information about what they are seeing. You're just a Luddite, everyone is always on the phone. Unless you're on a sedentary beach vacation zoning out doing nothing which isn't what everyone wants to do either.

[Anonymous]

We have never left Disney disappointed, only wanting more time there and sad to go home because we know it will be a long time before the next visit. The theming is so cute. The rides are so spectacular. The costumes are amazing. The beautiful end shows are so over the top! It’s all so magical compared with other trips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like every vacation can be disappointed if that’s the mind set. My last two vacations we had a tour I was looking forward to the most of the whole trip cancelled due to weather. I was disappointed! But tried not to let it ruin vacation. Probably my most disappointing vacation was when we went to Ireland and foot and mouth broke out so they closed all the national historical/cultural sites anc all the national parks! But we could still drive around and look at sheep. And drink beer. I still hope to go back and see the archeological sites.

This is OP. I had a tour cancelled on my last vacation also, and it was disappointing, but I am mostly okay with that because I didn't cause it and couldn't have predicted it, so we pivoted to something else that was also fun.

I think the thing that's bothering me about Disney is it seems like you theoretically can control it all, but then controlling it all is all on me. I don't want that pressure and stress. I travel for freedom from having to be so scheduled all the time and Disney seems like setting myself up for failure.

I know I could create a packed minute-by-minute itinerary for Chicago, for instance, but I never would because I'd be in a bad mood all the time. Maybe "in a bad mood" and "stressed" are what I really mean by disappointed.

I posted above about winging it when we'd be in Orlando to see family. Schedule things up to a point, and then just be comfortable going with the flow. My kids were just as happy at the hotel pool as they were in the parks, especially when it was hot out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t go with my DS, he was into Legoland so we did that in California and Florida, and also did Universal Studios.
I went as a kid, and have little memory of it, except that we had a lot of ride tickets left over and my mom was upset at my dad because it was wasted $.

I also visited in my mid 20s, a group of us just decided to go, with little planning. I don’t remember much of that visit either - it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t amazing. I didn’t leave disapppointed.

I don’t really understand the mystique of Disney. I travel internationally for work, and my DS often accompanied me. It’s hard to see how Disney World could ever top these experiences.

Now it has to top those experiences instead of merely not being disappointing? It's another type of trip. There are different types.

Or at least be equivalent? I guess it isn’t for me, and my DS didn’t care either.
It doesn’t seem worth the hassle at all.

Does your son prefer stroopwaffels in a park instead by chance?

He’d eat them, in a park or anywhere else. But what’s the reference?

A poster on another Disney thread said that her child much preferred eating cookies in a park in Europe over going to Disney. As I recall, much of the appeal wasn't the cookies (or the park or Europe) but getting to play with a local cousin. No such cousin at Disney.

Haha, thanks for the info, No, not me. I don’t post on Disney threads that are about planning and strategies but this one asked about being disappointed or not so I thought I’d respond.

[Anonymous]

I wish all the haters would do a better job of spreading the word to get attendance down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kills Disney for me is everyone says you have to check your phone constantly to make plans/reserve stuff. On vacation, I put down my phone and focus on my family and experiences. I just cannot wrap my head around this being fun.

Really? I see people on phones constantly on vacation. Looking for directions, finding out where to go and how to get there, taking videos, photos, etc, finding information about what they are seeing. You're just a Luddite, everyone is always on the phone. Unless you're on a sedentary beach vacation zoning out doing nothing which isn't what everyone wants to do either.

DP, and I feel the same way PP does. If I want to be on my phone all day I can stay home. Whether it's a beach vacation, camping in the mountains or museums in the city I only want my phone out to take a quick picture.

[Anonymous]

We went twice. The first time, the kids loved it and the parents liked it a lot. (Around 2012, kids were 9, 6, and 4)

Second time, the kids liked it a lot, but I will admit that the parents were a little disappointed. (Kids were 12, 9, and 7)

Some of it is that that first trip was at "magical" ages. They loved everything, little kid rides, big kid rides, characters, etc. The second trip was fun in that everyone was big enough to ride all the roller coasters, but it felt more chaotic and competitive due to the lightning lanes. I also felt like the food had gotten worse.

So, for our family, two trips were enough.