Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are not missing out on anything. It’s an overpriced theme park that doesn’t offer much beyond hours in line, heat, terrible crowds, and subpar rides. Food is awful and I will never understand the hype. If you are not a fan of theme parks, there is zero draw or reason to be there. Save your money for places that really matter to you.

This is a person who didn’t plan.

Op you should go, but, you need to research and plan it, makes the experience much better.

Most people do not want to spend months before a trip setting alarms to book specific rides or checking if reservations have opened and being glued to their phone the whole day at the park stalking ride passes.

I never went growing up and I did just fine. Then, when our child was younger, we decided to go one year around MLK day. At that age, missing a few extra days was no big deal. This was during the time of magic bands and fast passes. It was AMAZING! It was never too crowded and we were able to ride rides multiple times (Everest 4 times in a row!). The Magic Express was completely hassle-free and made Disney our easiest trip ever. In fact, we went several years in a row b/c we had a blast! An extra factor was that the "magic" was real to our child at the younger age.

It sounds like a lot of what made Disney so easy back then has changed. I'm not sure I'd want to take it on anymore.

I don't. Never went myself as a kid and have never wanted to, and I don't plan to take my kids. If my inlaws get their act together and take them, as they claim they want to do, that's fine, but I'm not going and I'm not paying for it. I hate lines and I hate Florida. Also literally every person I know who went to Disney this year got covid there.

I actually like Disney just fine, by the way. The kids have watched all the modern movies and quite a few old ones, my daughter has princess gear, etc. I just don't feel any desire to go to a Disney theme park, particularly when it is so expensive. Happy to go to a regular amusement park for a single day, to the county fair, etc. I can stand in lines in the heat there and pay a lot less and only have to do it one or two days a year.

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are not missing out on anything. It’s an overpriced theme park that doesn’t offer much beyond hours in line, heat, terrible crowds, and subpar rides. Food is awful and I will never understand the hype. If you are not a fan of theme parks, there is zero draw or reason to be there. Save your money for places that really matter to you.

This is a person who didn’t plan.

Op you should go, but, you need to research and plan it, makes the experience much better.

NO. You won’t. It’s ungodly expensive. Half the people there are miserable and squabbling with their family. Your choices are interminable lines or figure out whatever godawful Genie system they’ve currently implemented to game the lines maybe. The food is mid but everyone acts like it’s good. It’s hot. If you love Disney, ok, I don’t get it but ok, but no you will never regret not spending the money to go there. It is an overhyped theme park. Just go to Hersheypark.

We took DD when she was 5. It was magical at the time but she barely remembers it..mostly some souvenir she was not allowed to buy.

I have never seen the attraction. Not my cup of tea.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been to Disney and my son is a HS junior now and never showed any interest. Actually, the opposite, he thinks Disney is lame. No regrets here.

He is 16-17. Of course he would think it is lame now.

OP, I would go once. We go often. We travel a lot so it isn’t like we prioritize Disney. My kids also love legos, universal, seaworld in addition to Disney. We don’t go to the local amusement parks.

I always imagine my kids meeting their freshman roommate and they review their childhoods together. My kid doesn’t have to be wonder boy/girl but I would like them to have felt cared for and loved and had some middle class experiences. Also not to feel ‘left out’ when the conversation turns to summers…I loath Disney and all it stands for as a company - I worked for ABC News when they took them over - but still took my kids. It is a quintessential American experience whether you want to admit it or not. I would spend the money and go - even if you feel ripped.

I went once at like age 6 and once in high school and can say that it has never come up in conversation. I actually don't know if DH has ever been, and I have no clue about other friends unless they've recently gone with their kids. The idea that it's this defining moment in one's life and a milestone that everyone needs to hit is really foreign to me. And I grew up UMC in the Northeast. I don't think we'll end up taking our kids (ages 3 and 6) anytime soon because there are so many other places we want to travel to. They have a blast at more local amusement parks. They'll be just fine.

Anonymous wrote:Disney is so overrated and overpriced. I regret going. Total waste of time and money.

Agree. Plus the “fast pass” planning everything and preselecting everything in 15 min increments of time for every ride, meal, and character picture is totally bananas. I actually cannot believe people do this and enjoy it- at all. Disney is just a huge commercial money suck that prays on middle class people

The days of showing up, buying tickets at the gate, waiting in moderate lines just like everyone else to get on a ride, stoping for a character picture as the roam around the park, having a decent meal whenever you are hungry is gone. There is zero spontaneity available if you are doing a Disney. I can think of so many better vacations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are not missing out on anything. It’s an overpriced theme park that doesn’t offer much beyond hours in line, heat, terrible crowds, and subpar rides. Food is awful and I will never understand the hype. If you are not a fan of theme parks, there is zero draw or reason to be there. Save your money for places that really matter to you.

Totally get your opinion on Disney, but “subpar rides”? What?

The rides are essentially glorified conveyor belts where you’re forced into dark tunnels to watch lame animatronics. I also hate the staring at a movie screen while you sit in a chair effect for the others. I like real rollercoasters and Disney doesn’t cut it so the park would never be worth it for me

Huh. I think they have a good mix of traditional rides, dark rides, and VR.

Treat yourself !! Just go!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are not missing out on anything. It’s an overpriced theme park that doesn’t offer much beyond hours in line, heat, terrible crowds, and subpar rides. Food is awful and I will never understand the hype. If you are not a fan of theme parks, there is zero draw or reason to be there. Save your money for places that really matter to you.

Totally get your opinion on Disney, but “subpar rides”? What?

The rides are essentially glorified conveyor belts where you’re forced into dark tunnels to watch lame animatronics. I also hate the staring at a movie screen while you sit in a chair effect for the others. I like real rollercoasters and Disney doesn’t cut it so the park would never be worth it for me

It kind of depends on what the word "magical" means to you.