Unpopular opinions about the parks?

[BlakeW39]

To clarify my initial point about Yeti not being very important to fix: I think maintenance and show quality are extremely important. But I would have the yeti be very low on the list of things to fix, even if we were limiting out maintenance priorities to show elements in Expedition Everest.

Broken effects in Everest that add more to the experience than the yeti include:
- The steam effect in the train at load
- The fog effect higher up the mountain before the twisted track

And I do want to display my credentials a bit regarding the yeti: I went on the ride dozens of times (maybe around 100 times?) prior to the yeti going into perminant B mode.

I was in high school and had just gotten my first WDW annual pass about six months before Everest opened. At the time, my friend group would go to the parks to primarily do the thrill rides. So after Everest opened, we would rope drop DAK and do a couple of laps on the ride while waiting for our fastpass window, and once the Ling got a little longer, would lap the ride in the singles line. We would typically do 8-10 rides on Everest per visit. (As an aside, we would do the same with Mission: Space, before the Green Team version of the ride opened, it had a single rider line and we would do a lap every 15 minutes!)

Anyway, I guess I am saying that my opinion of the yeti comes from having experienced the ride many, many times with it working and afterwords. Seeing it a video is not the same thing as seeing it in the ride.

They did seem to fix the steam in the loading area when it got refurbed… it’s been working when I’ve been there the last few times. As for the tunnel steam, it would be fun to see but it supposedly caused issues with the sensors…

I do agree that the Yeti is comparatively not a big issue. Bigger issues include things like the fact that every last one of the RoR animatronics have been broken on and off recently.

HARD disagree on all of this. But I guess that's what this thread is for.

Agreed, but at least Guardians is a good ride. So many of the replacement and new rides have been mediocre like Tron, all of Toy Story Land, Smuggler's Run, 7DMT, etc. Even the Mickey ride, while "OK" replcaced a favorite and was a lazy route to a "new" ride.

you shoulda seen my other takes on this thread.... heheh

I do agree GOTG is better than most of the other attractions we've gotten lately... the ride system and music are great, and the pre-show effects are good, but the on-ride effects are bad imo. I'd place it below Rise personally

 

[waffleboots]

Peter Pan is not worth the wait
Wishes > Happy Ever After
As someone who didn't want Starbucks to take over the bakery I have to admit they did a good job

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

Peter Pan is not worth the wait
Wishes > Happy Ever After
As someone who didn't want Starbucks to take over the bakery I have to admit they did a good job

If you’re referring to the Boardwalk Bakery, I am also happy they didn’t really change anything, but I wish they went through the effort of recentering the sign. They just removed the Bakery and replaced it with Deli, so the deli doesn’t fill in its fair share of the sign. Personally, I don’t have an issue with Carousel Coffee, but I do wish it incorporated a little red into the tile work. Or at least some color to bring in the Coney Island theme…

Peter Pan isn’t worth the hour long wait, but oftentimes the actual wait is like 5-10mins. It’s almost always posted at 45 or 60 mins, but sometimes the standby queue is completely empty…

 

[waffleboots]

If you’re referring to the Boardwalk Bakery, I am also happy they didn’t really change anything, but I wish they went through the effort of recentering the sign. They just removed the Bakery and replaced it with Deli, so the deli doesn’t fill in its fair share of the sign. Personally, I don’t have an issue with Carousel Coffee, but I do wish it incorporated a little red into the tile work. Or at least some color to bring in the Coney Island theme…

Peter Pan isn’t worth the hour long wait, but oftentimes the actual wait is like 5-10mins. It’s almost always posted at 45 or 60 mins, but sometimes the standby queue is completely empty…

I was actually referring to the main street bakery in Magic Kingdom. Was worried about the change when it took place.
LOL my wife and I both noticed the wonky sign on the Boardwalk Deli. Can't believe they left it like that. I haven't had a chance to get to Carousel Coffee, it opened about 2 weeks after my last stay at the Boardwalk.


Good point about the posted wait times.

 

[fizzieee]

Fireworks are overrated as well as night time shows.

I will add two controversial ones. The train and the Peoplemover are the worst two attractions at MK.

You had me in the first half, but I can't get on board with the second half. The train nor the Peoplemover aren't better than the Speedway? Aladdin's carpets? Really?

 

[FettFan]

Unpopular Opinion: despite Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest, Animal Kingdom still loses a LOT of ground to Busch Gardens in the themed zoo concept.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Unpopular Opinion: despite Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest, Animal Kingdom still loses a LOT of ground to Busch Gardens in the themed zoo concept.

Counterpoint: the only thing Busch Gardens knows how to operate better than Disney are parking lot trams.

Both of them could stand to add some new animal exhibits. It's been well over a decade since either of them have done so.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Well Dinosaur has dinosaurs... which are awesome so I probably prefer it too



now this... I am interested to hear your justification

DLP Pirates is awesome. Very atmospheric in its long tunnels. But MK Pirates isn't shorter because of budget cuts. But because the Imagineers cleaned upbthe story and tightened it. And just like movies, rides too improve with tight editing that cuts out anything that doesn't drive the plot forward. Plus the fort is a better, more immersive, introduction than seeing the boats float by on an elevated canal in the middle of the room.

I do enjoy DL Pirates the way I enjoy the extended versions of Lord of the Rings: if only because the extra minutes allow you to linger on in a world you love.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Unpopular Opinion: despite Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest, Animal Kingdom still loses a LOT of ground to Busch Gardens in the themed zoo concept.

Busch is great and DAK is severely underbuild compared to Busch. But there's no contest in terms of atmosphere, theming, beauty. I'll take DAK every time over bare steel coasters and a paid safari.

 

[Chef Mickey]

HARD disagree on all of this. But I guess that's what this thread is for.



you shoulda seen my other takes on this thread.... heheh

I do agree GOTG is better than most of the other attractions we've gotten lately... the ride system and music are great, and the pre-show effects are good, but the on-ride effects are bad imo. I'd place it below Rise personally

Rise seems to always have broken elements, particularly Kylo but agreed, better effects at full operation. Guardians could have better visuals but they are solid and the scale really hits hard. The planets could look better but I think they figured you’re zooming by anyway.

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

Rise seems to always have broken elements, particularly Kylo but agreed, better effects at full operation. Guardians could have better visuals but they are solid and the scale really hits hard. The planets could look better but I think they figured you’re zooming by anyway.

It is the fastest WDW roller coaster after all…

 

[SteveAZee]

I think this is an unpopular opinion... I don't really need new stuff (attractions, restaurants, etc) IF instead they simply kept everything already there clean and working.

 

[Mireille]

I think this is an unpopular opinion... I don't really need new stuff (attractions, restaurants, etc) IF instead they simply kept everything already there clean and working.

I pretty much agree. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy when new things arrive and they're good, but like... Guardians is not what makes me want to go to Disney World. I look forward to riding Tron for the first time, but what really makes me want to go back are Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, Peoplemover, Carousel of Progress, Pirates and Haunted Mansion. Hell, I'm looking forward to Country Bears more than Tron.

 

[celluloid]

I think this is an unpopular opinion... I don't really need new stuff (attractions, restaurants, etc) IF instead they simply kept everything already there clean and working.

This is exactly why so many just go to Tokyo Disneyland now. More bang for your buck and it is kept the way it is meant to. Depending on where you fly from, the cost of the flight evens out to potentially saving money on a WDW onsite vacation.

 

[PiratesMansion]

This is exactly why so many just go to Tokyo Disneyland now. More bang for your buck and it is kept the way it is meant to. Depending on where you fly from, the cost of the flight evens out to potentially saving money on a WDW onsite vacation.

On a vaguely related note, that's why I don't even bother with WDW anymore. For me, at this point it's too complicated and expensive to be fun (not helped by their maintenance, which is simply the worst in the world).

While it can be debated whether or not, say, Disneyland is better than WDW (for my purposes and touring style it is; others' mileage may vary), it is indisputably EASIER to experience by degrees of magnitude, and sometimes that's all you need. Seriously, it is so much easier to actually do things at every non-WDW park complex, and it's only underreported because the park fandoms are often split off from each other and insular. And for all that people love to freak themselves out about TDR crowd photos or run to excuses about airfare/etc, it's actually very easy to do what you want to do at Tokyo Disney if you have a remotely coherent plan, and once you get over there, literally everything is cheaper! Whereas WDW often seems to be evolving in a way where there's a 50/50 chance that any plan you come up with will actually work out the way it's supposed to and a 50/50 chance that there will be some nonsense occuring outside of your control (but often VERY MUCH within Disney's control) that will completely muck everything up. And the more things you as a guest and Disney as a company have to keep track of, the easier it is for problems to occur.

Or maybe there will be a workaround for whatever the new complicated system is, but it'll be $30/person/day or something like that. Much less of that at the other parks.

Making the parks more and more complicated to visit does NOT make them better, but boy does Disney have some execs that seem to think that what WDW in particular needs is more complexity!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Making the parks more and more complicated to visit does NOT make them better, but boy does Disney have some execs that seem to think that what WDW in particular needs is more complexity!

The complexity is by design, because every problem now has a monetary solution.

Visiting WDW can be a breeze!...if you spend enough.

 

[Smugpugmug]

This is exactly why so many just go to Tokyo Disneyland now. More bang for your buck and it is kept the way it is meant to. Depending on where you fly from, the cost of the flight evens out to potentially saving money on a WDW onsite vacation.

Flights for me are in the $2000 range so definitely not cheaper than WDW. I can't wait to go next year though. Even with the ticket price increases it really isn't that bad price wise.

 

[celluloid]

Flights for me are in the $2000 range so definitely not cheaper than WDW. I can't wait to go next year though. Even with the ticket price increases it really isn't that bad price wise.

I don't know your situation or plans but it depends on those too.

We priced it out after visiting last month.

A family of four, with three-year-old being free and 8 year old being a child's ticket. We spend a thousand for eight days for all of us.
I bought the tickets through the travel service Klook so I even saved sixteen dollars when I decided to go another four day to make our original four day trip an 8 day one.

Onsite in a themed Hiilton Room was 167 a night after taxes. This is a closer resort than virtually any onsite WDW property with superior amenities to any Value and moderate Resort. It is about 250 feet or less from its Resort Monorail Station and there is a Disney bus if you would like the option.

Meals were averaging around 10 dollars per person for us and drinks stayed around 2 dollars USD.

Merch was definitely lower priced and far more unique when you did find something not Duffy or anniversary specific.

Even after flights were around 1500 for each of us, we ended up saving around 500 dollars than what our WDW trip of the same number of days would have been and had a lot more attractions operating properly, and service was literally white glove level.

And we went to another country.

We may never return to WDW again.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I don't know your situation or plans but it depends on those too.

We priced it out after visiting last month.

A family of four, with three-year-old being free and 8 year old being a child's ticket. We spend a thousand for eight days for all of us.
I bought the tickets through the travel service Klook so I even saved sixteen dollars when I decided to go another four day to make our original four day trip an 8 day one.

Onsite in a themed Hiilton Room was 167 a night after taxes. This is a closer resort than virtually any onsite WDW property with superior amenities to any Value and moderate Resort. It is about 250 feet or less from its Resort Monorail Station and there is a Disney bus if you would like the option.

Meals were averaging around 10 dollars per person for us and drinks stayed around 2 dollars USD.

Merch was definitely lower priced and far more unique when you did find something not Duffy or anniversary specific.

Even after flights were around 1500 for each of us, we ended up saving around 500 dollars than what our WDW trip of the same number of days would have been and had a lot more attractions operating properly, and service was literally white glove level.

And we went to another country.

We may never return to WDW again.

I've been to Japan + TDR before and totally agree that outside flights it wasn't super expensive. I also didn't eat at super high end places or stay at 5 star hotels. I actually found an old receipt from a ramen place I went to the other day where a ramen bowl + a Sapporo beer was around 9 USD. The flight is my biggest hurdle since it'll be $2000 minimum for me whereas I can fly to Orlando for $120-300 depending on time of year and airline. I can spend less but it'll have stops and take me forever to get there, which uh...no thanks.

I'm looking at hotels right now and for the time frame I would want to go (November), Hilton Tokyo Bay is around $200/night. That's not bad for a hotel pretty close to the parks. The room from what I see in pictures is pretty nice too. Last time I stayed at an Airbnb nearby for around $100/night (was a super small apartment).

I'm taking my sister who has never been to Japan, let alone Asia before and she's super excited. She doesn't care at all about not going to WDW. Not like anything super exciting is coming to the resort anyway. Meanwhile TDS is getting a humongous expansion that looks awesome.

 

[celluloid]

I've been to Japan + TDR before and totally agree that outside flights it wasn't super expensive. I also didn't eat at super high end places or stay at 5 star hotels. I actually found an old receipt from a ramen place I went to the other day where a ramen bowl + a Sapporo beer was around 9 USD. The flight is my biggest hurdle since it'll be $2000 minimum for me whereas I can fly to Orlando for $120-300 depending on time of year and airline. I can spend less but it'll have stops and take me forever to get there, which uh...no thanks.

I'm looking at hotels right now and for the time frame I would want to go (November), Hilton Tokyo Bay is around $200/night. That's not bad for a hotel pretty close to the parks. The room from what I see in pictures is pretty nice too. Last time I stayed at an Airbnb nearby for around $100/night (was a super small apartment).

I'm taking my sister who has never been to Japan, let alone Asia before and she's super excited. She doesn't care at all about not going to WDW. Not like anything super exciting is coming to the resort anyway. Meanwhile TDS is getting a humongous expansion that looks awesome.

Yeah, Hilton Tokyo Bay is the top choice to stay. You are just as a close as Disney owned. (Hilton now hugs the Toy Story Hotel) It's closer to Disneyland than The Grand Floridian is to Magic Kingdom distance wise. The monorails of course there are much more reliable.

I don't know where you live but here is a hack a lot don't think about to save some dough and sanity if you have young kids or want to break up travel time.

Fly to a city that flies to a city that has major airlines to Asia first. A regional flight then an international flight saved us a few hundred and then had our flight there about three hours less than we would have had to experience had we of flown out of where we originally were going to get at our nearest airport.
.
So for around 700 more dollars, you know you get a lot better time and make some of the 700 back on dining and experience cost. So you may hit near the same situation we did.