What was the best year to visit WDW?

[Tom]

I first wanted to say early 90's, for the reasons others stated.....MGM was open and the other two parks were thriving. I was also a pre-teen, and not yet jaded.

But I need to go with 1994, because that's when ToT opened - my favorite Disney attraction, and the pinnacle of WDI mastery.

 

[englanddg]

I toss my vote to 1994 as well.

 

[Tinkerbella16]

1992 because that was the year it all started for me! I remember it like it was yesterday at only 6 years old.

Also really loved 1994 and 1995. We would just walk up and eat anywhere we felt like it at the time! We did every character breakfast... Chef Mickeys, Ohana, WL had a character breakfast in Artist Point, the Aladdin themed character breakfast at MGM, Cape May Cafe, Crystal Palace. I loved those years! The parks were never crowded and the characters roamed freely. What a difference from today!

 

[JasonDeyoung]

I loved the 90's, I was still to young to really remember the 80's and the early 2000's were pretty good as well. But I love every day at Disney

 

[Missymoe4]

Yeah, late 80s to early 90s. EPCOT Center was fleshed out, MGM Studios was fresh, interesting and showed promise. Magic Kingdom was what it always was. The resorts and crowds weren't over the top and you could plan trips during periods that truly were ghost towns.

Too early into the 80s and you don't have MGM Studios, and EPCOT Center didn't have a lot of attractions it would see later. Too much into the 90s and you get into the upcoming, in my opinion, downfall. EPCOT Center becomes Epcot, or worse yet, Epcot __. Cool, original attractions start to disappear, such as World of Motion, Horizons, Wonders of Life, Journey Into Imagination, yada yada yada. Then there's the whole Era of the Wand(TM), the paving over of the reflecting pond and raising of the sail. Characters begin their invasion (e.g. The Three Caballeros). Hollywood Studios is much ado about nothing and sinking fast... BAH goes up. Though ToT was a killer addition.

No, mid-80s to mid-90s was the sweet spot, IMO. Unless you go back to '71 for the opening of MK. A bit barren perhaps, but cool in its own right... Just as '81 was for EPCOT Center.

How sad...I totally forgot about the Reflecting Pond until you mentioned it. I'm happy you did!

 

[BrianV]

I'm guessing 2018-19 or whenever it is that Star Wars land opens...

If it has to be in the history, I'd say right when Epcot opened. (1981?).

 

[Missymoe4]

I would say between 1988 - 1992 for me. Maybe it was because I was still a young girl, but I remember the magic of the Kingdom being simply awesome. I loved Epcot and the classic rides, the development of MGM and the explosion of new hotels.

My family stayed at the Contemporary back when it was awesomely cool. They had a 24 hour massive game room (where the Wave restaurant now it) and a grill that stayed open really late (like until 2 am) actually cooking food! The place was a buzz. My brothers and I would make friends with others in the game room, and after the MK closed, we'd meet back there to play skee-ball, air hockey, etc., and talk about our day and munch on treats.
I simply loved the atmosphere the Contemporary had back then, and much the same for the entire Disney complex.

 

[PoorSkippy]

I would say between 1988 - 1992 for me. Maybe it was because I was still a young girl, but I remember the magic of the Kingdom being simply awesome. I loved Epcot and the classic rides, the development of MGM and the explosion of new hotels.

My family stayed at the Contemporary back when it was awesomely cool. They had a 24 hour massive game room (where the Wave restaurant now it) and a grill that stayed open really late (like until 2 am) actually cooking food! The place was a buzz. My brothers and I would make friends with others in the game room, and after the MK closed, we'd meet back there to play skee-ball, air hockey, etc., and talk about our day and munch on treats.
I simply loved the atmosphere the Contemporary had back then, and much the same for the entire Disney complex.

Ditto about the new hotels. Also, the trip-planning videos from that era were the best!

 

[BrianV]

Ditto about the new hotels. Also, the trip-planning videos from that era were the best!

Interestingly I almost wrote before that I long for the days when there were only three and then four hotels. The place seemed simpler. Everyone used the monorail every day to get everywhere (except at the golf resort). The arcade at the contemporary was indeed amazing and they even had a movie theater showing classic disney films.

I'm sure it's just because that was my childhood memories that that time was my favorite. Right up until Epcot opened and for a few years after.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I think I would say the mid to late 90's. The park hopper ticket came along, ToT at MGM, "New" Tomorrowland, and the original Fastpass was born!!

To me, even though every era has it's cons, there are always tons of wonderful pros that make up for it

Are those examples of pros or cons? Before that time every ticket you bought was a park hopper, there was no distinction. ToT... yes! New Tomorrowland... not so much! Then there is Fastpass. The most evil of all things ever introduced at a Disney park. It caused anger that never before existed, eliminated the need for nicely themed queue's and just a general decline in quality because that no longer was the focus. Now is was how fast can one get through the park and set some new land speed record. If there was a better time at all, it would have to be in the 80's. Life in WDW was simpler and more relaxing and overall more fun and imaginative.

 

[mouskateer carrie]

Are those examples of pros or cons? Before that time every ticket you bought was a park hopper, there was no distinction. ToT... yes! New Tomorrowland... not so much! Then there is Fastpass. The most evil of all things ever introduced at a Disney park. It caused anger that never before existed, eliminated the need for nicely themed queue's and just a general decline in quality because that no longer was the focus. Now is was how fast can one get through the park and set some new land speed record. If there was a better time at all, it would have to be in the 80's. Life in WDW was simpler and more relaxing and overall more fun and imaginative.

Sorry I like those things.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Sorry I like those things.

Don't be sorry, that is your right. And you should like most of them since they did represent some activity back in those days. If you never were able to actually experience the parks and the feel of them back when it was simpler, then there is no reason why you should miss them. I do recognize things, especially FP as a part of social change and part of our run like the devil to no place society that we live in. I just also feel that I recognize the damage that it did to overall attitude. Except for the anger that I saw from people that before were, not happy about, but, content standing in line for a ride that my opinion took a turn. Anger has no place in WDW. It was an idea that someone thought would be a positive and for many it was. For many more it just represented an increase in frustration and sanctioned line cutting.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Tickets also didn't expire. Unlike today, where you have to pay for that "option." You could go down, buy a 7-day Passport and use a day here, a day there, come back in three years and use another day... Good times. Now it's all about Disney extracting as much money as they can from you.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I vote for any time pre-Bob Iger. The guy has been a dream for shareholders and a nightmare for the parks, particularly WDW. In a time where that should have been a golden age of expansion and updating, Iger has chosen to squeeze as much as he can from the turnip and worry about the consequences later.

The only thing I give him credit for from a WDW perspective is the Fantasyland expansion, which he messed up by allowing a subpar finished product. The credit I give is the recognition that expansion at MK, particularly Fantasyland, was sorely needed.

Sure, the parks had their problems in the 90s, but at least they showed ambition. New rides, fewer closures, and an eye toward the future. Iger has been standing on the shoulders of these geniuses for a decade.

 

[wogwog]

1971!!! After that people showed up and ruined the whole dam thing.

Got that right Walter.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I vote for any time pre-Bob Iger. The guy has been a dream for shareholders and a nightmare for the parks, particularly WDW. In a time where that should have been a golden age of expansion and updating, Iger has chosen to squeeze as much as he can from the turnip and worry about the consequences later.

The only thing I give him credit for from a WDW perspective is the Fantasyland expansion, which he messed up by allowing a subpar finished product. The credit I give is the recognition that expansion at MK, particularly Fantasyland, was sorely needed.

Sure, the parks had their problems in the 90s, but at least they showed ambition. New rides, fewer closures, and an eye toward the future. Iger has been standing on the shoulders of these geniuses for a decade.

I wholeheartedly agree. I'm not an Iger fan... He totally ran the ship aground, IMO.

 

[joshsprincess921]

The Year of a Million Dreams was fun! My Dad got free Mickey ears, and we had quite a few little "magical" moments happen to us! Also 2000- at EPCOT the Tapestry of Nations parade was cool!

That was fun, we got Mickey ears too and also got a special night viewing of The Lion King show.

 

[Mista C]

My family stayed at the Contemporary back when it was awesomely cool. They had a 24 hour massive game room (where the Wave restaurant now it) and a grill that stayed open really late (like until 2 am) actually cooking food! The place was a buzz. My brothers and I would make friends with others in the game room, and after the MK closed, we'd meet back there to play skee-ball, air hockey, etc., and talk about our day and munch on treats.
I simply loved the atmosphere the Contemporary had back then, and much the same for the entire Disney complex.

I LOVED THAT GAME ROOM!!! That place used to be as much of a highlight of my trip as the Magic Kingdom was! Plus, I was 10 in 1983 when video game arcades were really becoming a big thing. I would wander around that place for hours with a pocket full of quarters. Remember the awesome shooting gallery in the back corner? Also, there was a movie theater there which showed classic Disney movies. I never went into that movie theater but I always wanted to. And yes, the grill was incredible.

 

[Bing Bong]

1989-1997
Even though I was born during that time frame overall it seemed to be a golden age for WDW.

 

[Bing Bong]

I'm guessing 2018-19 or whenever it is that Star Wars land opens...

If it has to be in the history, I'd say right when Epcot opened. (1981?).

1982.