Hope this is helpful but please remember: These are MY personal observations & experiences. Your mileage may vary.
Returned a few days ago from a 2-wk DVC stay.
Hoped for the best-Prepared for the worst. Was nervous heading in with all the changes since last trip.
~ 3rd Solo trip ....Have visited annually w/family since '72 & weekly '14-'18 w/family (while living near Mickey & Gang)
Purpose: R&R; report back to fam about current state of WDW.
Had the luxury of my own pace & time.
So I did it my way: NO "Must-Do". NO GENIE or LL. NO rope-drop. NO EH. NO mobile-ordering. NO Magic Band. MINIMAL phone use.
*** My visit is not comparable to traveling with others or the family w/ kids needing/wanting to experience certain attractions or events in a certain way.
I've seen & done it all for 50 yrs so had ZERO priorities other than BEING there, smelling the roses & seeing if the MAGIC was gone as I feared.
I had purchased a 10-day tix (No PH)
1st week (MK, AK, Epcot):
~Manageable crowds; extremely happy & helpful CMs...MUCH improved from our weekly visits pre-Covid...A sense that CMs valued their jobs & guests. Excellent weather. So many guests seemed relaxed & chatty. SMILES everywhere! (In FLA, temp & humidity matter, especially after a looong day)
In particular, the parks & loos were cleaner than I've experienced in last 10 yrs. WELL DONE, Custodial CMs
2nd week (MK, Epcot & DS):
~EXTREMELY crowded, same GREAT CMs, HOT HOT HOT...No question more folks arguing, losing it with each other, kids & other guests.
Attractions:
1st week: Walked on 75% of attractions I chose.
2nd week: Walked on 20%. It was obvious I wasn't getting on many with those crowds.
Wasn't willing to wait longer than 15 minutes Stand-By & didn't.
Food:
1st week: Walked-up for every QS meal in parks & resorts. Never more than 10 min wait. MO pick-up rarely seemed much faster.
Scored a ressie day before at preferred time Cape May Buffet. (YES! I love it!)
2nd week: It was REALLY obvious with those crowds that I was going to starve. LOL! Even MO lines were out the doors. Lines at EPCOT F& G Festival booths were ridiculous. They really need to sell drinks & food separately. Trust me. Few were there for the food.
(It was fine for me...Visiting many resorts for different meals & a walk-around is part of every visit)
Scored a ressie day before AGAIN at Trail's End.
Transportation: Bus, Boat & Monorail only
For both weeks, never waited longer than 20 min (during a big thunderstorm) & most were 10 min wait or less
(A great improvement over many years of experience pre-Covid)
Some thoughts:
There are more changes in the wind. The Morocco Pavillion is in limbo as Disney negotiates a new contract. A CM I recognized from past visits sadly said it looks like some of World Showcase may be losing authentic cultural sponsorship under Chapek. CMs may still be brought here, but cultural authenticity of the nations represented may be "Disneyfied," which IMO would be a great loss.
The ongoing "MALL-ification" continues. Main St, USA may soon resemble Main St in the 1970s (ugh) instead of the 1910s if they continue to remove the gingerbread & other architectural hi-lites of that era. At DS (aka MALL of WDW) & Epcot, the same is true. Raglan Rd is easily mistaken for any generic restaurant having given up its Irish Pub frontage.
For me, theming is crucial to an immersive experience. Sorry, current design Imagineers... This trend toward replicating what I can see anywhere every day is very disappointing.
Of every change imposed on us now, for me the biggest one is the RESERVATION SYSTEM. I don't know why crowds now are worse than I experienced in 50 yrs of visits, including every major holiday & high season. We've heard lots of theories.
What I do know is THAT destroys any chance of spontaneity in one's daily experience, whether you buy PH or not....
ALL of Walt Disney World is NOT available to you every day. Your experience is much more limited.
It starts to rain so hopping to AK when more animals might come out? Can't go. The kids are dying to get back to see MK fireworks one more time before going home instead of Harmonious? Nope. Had a great time at HS (always MGM to me) & feel like going back next day? Sorry. No availability.
IMO, the increased restrictions & limitations on what you can & cannot do during your visit demands a DECREASE in tix prices.
MAGIC:
YES! YES! YES! It IS still there if like me, you have few expectations, have been there/done that & are NOT on a schedule trying to please everyone in your group every minute of every day.
Main St & Dapper Dans & Calvalcades & Castle & Parade & Pirates & Flag Retreat. The animals & atmosphere of AK. The gorgeous flowers & gardens & Figment & food & World Showcase...It's there. And I had a wonderful time. In that bubble.
My fam & I will return. Our DVC is one big reason.
But I can easily understand why the 1st time visitor or those returning & visiting with a group on crowded days won't be able to enjoy WDW as I have done for the prior 50 yrs.
I'm very grateful, though. And I hope you find the MAGIC you're looking for, too.
Returned a few days ago from a 2-wk DVC stay.
Hoped for the best-Prepared for the worst. Was nervous heading in with all the changes since last trip.
~ 3rd Solo trip ....Have visited annually w/family since '72 & weekly '14-'18 w/family (while living near Mickey & Gang)
Purpose: R&R; report back to fam about current state of WDW.
Had the luxury of my own pace & time.
So I did it my way: NO "Must-Do". NO GENIE or LL. NO rope-drop. NO EH. NO mobile-ordering. NO Magic Band. MINIMAL phone use.
*** My visit is not comparable to traveling with others or the family w/ kids needing/wanting to experience certain attractions or events in a certain way.
I've seen & done it all for 50 yrs so had ZERO priorities other than BEING there, smelling the roses & seeing if the MAGIC was gone as I feared.
I had purchased a 10-day tix (No PH)
1st week (MK, AK, Epcot):
~Manageable crowds; extremely happy & helpful CMs...MUCH improved from our weekly visits pre-Covid...A sense that CMs valued their jobs & guests. Excellent weather. So many guests seemed relaxed & chatty. SMILES everywhere! (In FLA, temp & humidity matter, especially after a looong day)
In particular, the parks & loos were cleaner than I've experienced in last 10 yrs. WELL DONE, Custodial CMs
2nd week (MK, Epcot & DS):
~EXTREMELY crowded, same GREAT CMs, HOT HOT HOT...No question more folks arguing, losing it with each other, kids & other guests.
Attractions:
1st week: Walked on 75% of attractions I chose.
2nd week: Walked on 20%. It was obvious I wasn't getting on many with those crowds.
Wasn't willing to wait longer than 15 minutes Stand-By & didn't.
Food:
1st week: Walked-up for every QS meal in parks & resorts. Never more than 10 min wait. MO pick-up rarely seemed much faster.
Scored a ressie day before at preferred time Cape May Buffet. (YES! I love it!)
2nd week: It was REALLY obvious with those crowds that I was going to starve. LOL! Even MO lines were out the doors. Lines at EPCOT F& G Festival booths were ridiculous. They really need to sell drinks & food separately. Trust me. Few were there for the food.
(It was fine for me...Visiting many resorts for different meals & a walk-around is part of every visit)
Scored a ressie day before AGAIN at Trail's End.
Transportation: Bus, Boat & Monorail only
For both weeks, never waited longer than 20 min (during a big thunderstorm) & most were 10 min wait or less
(A great improvement over many years of experience pre-Covid)
Some thoughts:
There are more changes in the wind. The Morocco Pavillion is in limbo as Disney negotiates a new contract. A CM I recognized from past visits sadly said it looks like some of World Showcase may be losing authentic cultural sponsorship under Chapek. CMs may still be brought here, but cultural authenticity of the nations represented may be "Disneyfied," which IMO would be a great loss.
The ongoing "MALL-ification" continues. Main St, USA may soon resemble Main St in the 1970s (ugh) instead of the 1910s if they continue to remove the gingerbread & other architectural hi-lites of that era. At DS (aka MALL of WDW) & Epcot, the same is true. Raglan Rd is easily mistaken for any generic restaurant having given up its Irish Pub frontage.
For me, theming is crucial to an immersive experience. Sorry, current design Imagineers... This trend toward replicating what I can see anywhere every day is very disappointing.
Of every change imposed on us now, for me the biggest one is the RESERVATION SYSTEM. I don't know why crowds now are worse than I experienced in 50 yrs of visits, including every major holiday & high season. We've heard lots of theories.
What I do know is THAT destroys any chance of spontaneity in one's daily experience, whether you buy PH or not....
ALL of Walt Disney World is NOT available to you every day. Your experience is much more limited.
It starts to rain so hopping to AK when more animals might come out? Can't go. The kids are dying to get back to see MK fireworks one more time before going home instead of Harmonious? Nope. Had a great time at HS (always MGM to me) & feel like going back next day? Sorry. No availability.
IMO, the increased restrictions & limitations on what you can & cannot do during your visit demands a DECREASE in tix prices.
MAGIC:
YES! YES! YES! It IS still there if like me, you have few expectations, have been there/done that & are NOT on a schedule trying to please everyone in your group every minute of every day.
Main St & Dapper Dans & Calvalcades & Castle & Parade & Pirates & Flag Retreat. The animals & atmosphere of AK. The gorgeous flowers & gardens & Figment & food & World Showcase...It's there. And I had a wonderful time. In that bubble.
My fam & I will return. Our DVC is one big reason.
But I can easily understand why the 1st time visitor or those returning & visiting with a group on crowded days won't be able to enjoy WDW as I have done for the prior 50 yrs.
I'm very grateful, though. And I hope you find the MAGIC you're looking for, too.
