I Had a Frustrating Experience at Disney World, and I Know I’m Not the Only One

Disney World is certainly The Most Magical Place on Earth, but there are times when it doesn’t feel so magical.

That notoriously finicky Florida weather means you might suddenly find yourself in a rainstorm without any warning. Sometimes your favorite ride is closed. Sometimes you can’t get a dining reservation for a restaurant you really want to eat at. And you know what? That’s okay — even frustrating things can happen to you in Disney World.

We’re going to preface this by saying that when you find things frustrating, you might want to do a quick mental check by reminding yourself WHERE you are. Now, that won’t always work if you’re feeling particularly stressed by a situation while on vacation, but Disney has a way of turning nearly every frown upside down. Let’s take a look at those frustrating moments we often have to deal with in Disney World.

A ride breaking down multiple times

We’re sure everyone has been on a ride that has broken down. You were likely evacuated and then told to check back later to try and ride it again. Well, we’ve had a situation where this has happened multiple times, on Rise of the Resistance in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

We boarded the ride twice, got all the way to the part where you’re on the ride vehicle, and it stopped…twice. It took three times to finally get a full ridethrough, which ended up wasting a great deal of our day.

Having a family member afraid of the Skyliner or Monorail

Let’s say you’re staying at a Skyliner or Monorail hotel, but then you discover one of your family members is afraid to ride the Skyliner or Monorail. The next thing you know, you’re having to use Uber or Lyft to get to the parks.

Of course, this could have been solved by asking family members ahead of time if they have issues with any transportation system, in particular, and booking a stay at a different hotel.

Bringing a big group and no one wants to do the same thing

When you bring a big group to Disney World, it’s a good bet that not everyone will agree about what they want to do. Finding rides, restaurants, and shows that can please a whole group is nearly impossible.

Instead, consider splitting up and letting everyone go off and do their own thing. You can always meet up later. That way, everyone gets to have the vacation they’d like to have.

Standing in the rain waiting for transportation

Many of the Disney World hotels (value resorts, we’re looking at you) offer bus transportation to the parks and Disney Springs, but the bus stops don’t have any kind of covering or weather protection at all.

That means when it rains, you’re stuck outside in the rain waiting for that bus to appear. There’s not much you can do about it, but this is why we always tell you to keep rain gear in your day bag.

Seeing miserable children

Is there anything more frustrating than seeing kids who are miserable in Disney World? Many of the time, you can tell that they were just pushed way too hard and have hit their limit (we know that feeling, too). Parents tend to want to do as much as possible during Disney vacations, but that often means the vacation stops being fun at some point for the kids.

Don’t underestimate the power of a midday break for both you and your kids. Trust us, you’ll enjoy your trip much more if you just take a few moments to relax during the day.

Kids on shoulders during the fireworks right in front of you

Trying to get a good view of the Happily Ever After fireworks in Magic Kingdom is already frustrating enough, but it becomes even more frustrating when you’ve staked out your spot and you’re watching the fireworks and suddenly, a child is hoisted over someone’s head right in front of you, blocking your view.

We understand wanting your kids to see the show, but if you must hold them, keep them at your own eye level so that other people can enjoy the fireworks, too.

Trying to take the Monorail after the Magic Kingdom fireworks

When the fireworks are over in Magic Kingdom, trying to get to the Monorail station is a lesson in futility. There are so many crowds of people trying to catch it that it’s extremely stressful and frustrating.

We recommend heading to the Monorail station either just before the fireworks end or well after. If you choose to wait it out, enjoy some time in the shops, pick up some snacks at Main Street Confectionery, or relax on a bench and watch the world go by.

Not seeing all the characters at a character dining experience

You book a character dining experience with the expectation that you’ll get to meet all the characters present for that experience, right? But sometimes, it just doesn’t work out like that. Granted, most characters do try to make it to each and every table to give you some quality one-on-one time, but sometimes something happens and you have to leave your meal without meeting everyone.

Imagine going to a character dining experience with Mickey and not getting to actually meet Mickey. Well, that’s happened to us, and it’s frustrating, to say the least. However, we did get to meet many other characters, so we’ll still call it a win. One thing you can do, though, is bring the issue up to a Cast Member, who may try and get that character to quickly come by and say hello, if possible.

So, yes, not everything at Disney World is unicorns and rainbows, but it’s really about turning lemons into lemonade, right? So, it’s okay to feel frustrated, but don’t let that dictate how the rest of your trip works out. You’re in Disney World, after all!

Check back with AllEars again soon.