Did Disney World live up to your expectations on your last visit to the parks? It’s a personal question that can be answered in many ways, and there’s no easy answer!
Disney (and the world) are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has changed a lot of things in the parks and resorts! On the other hand, many people have expressed disappointment since the parks reopened in 2020. There’s a lot to discuss here, so let’s talk about it!
We asked our readers on Facebook, “What’s something in Disney World that turned out to be DIFFERENT than what you were expecting?” We got lots of responses, so we grouped the answers into two categories: “Better than you thought” and “Worse than you thought.”
Better Than you Thought
These responses varied from hilarious to endearing — we loved reading them! To start, one of our readers was happy to report that the (somewhat infamous) It’s Tough to Be a Bug attraction was better than they expected!
This attraction has earned a reputation for being a little scary (it’s dark, and there are some special effects), but one reader told us that instead, they ended up laughing through the show!
Speaking of attractions, a few readers told us they were pleasantly surprised by the new attraction in EPCOT: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure! Admittedly, we feel like Disney kind of missed the mark on the marketing end of things, and many people seemed to like this ride more than they thought they would.
Remember what it was like visiting Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the first time? If you don’t know anything about the land beforehand, seeing the floating mountains and unique foliage can come as a huge surprise!
Know what else can be pretty mind-blowing? Spaceship Earth! One of our readers said, “I was floored to find out there was a ride inside.” We have to agree, it’s pretty incredible that Imagineers fit an entire attraction in there!
Finally, this last response is pretty relatable. One reader simply answered the question “What’s something in Disney World that turned out to be DIFFERENT than what you were expecting?” by saying “How addicted I became after my very first trip in 1999.” Same.
If You Think You’re a Disney World Expert, Read This.
Worse Than you Thought
Unfortunately, not everything in Disney World can live up to our expectations! One reader pointed out that they were disappointed by “The lack of availability of food if you didn’t have a reservation at a restaurant.”
Disney World attractions are fickle machines, and they can break down or close unexpectedly at any time! Between the recent spurt of ride evacuations and temporary closures, some readers told us they were surprised by how often Disney rides stop, break down, and close!
This next response shouldn’t come as a surprise — it’s no secret that a trip to Disney World continues to rise in price each year! Many people were surprised by the cost of everything from hotels to park tickets to food to merchandise! The sticker shock is real, people.
Disney’s new KiteTails show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened to very mixed reviews. Some people loved it, while others were underwhelmed.
Our next situation might sound a little familiar. One of our readers told us that they were surprised at how long they had to wait for a bus back to their hotel at the end of the night! When the parks close each night, those bus station lines can get very long, very fast!
Finally, we had a few people tell us they were disappointed in Disney’s 50th Anniversary celebration. The event debuted with lots of merchandise, but many people were hoping for some more special events, characters, and shows.
Disney has earned a reputation as a company that goes above and beyond for its guests, which can be seen as a blessing and a curse!
Why Everyone is So Upset With Disney Right Now
If Disney fails to live up to people’s high expectations, they’ll leave feeling disappointed. No one said running a theme park was easy!
Do you agree with our followers’ opinions? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments! We love to discuss all things Disney, so stay tuned for more news and updates!
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What’s something in Disney World that turned out to be different than what you were expecting? Let us know in the comments!
I didn’t expect to find such long lines, even in the supposedly “slow” season of late January. It robs the parks of both enjoyment and magic!