Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in 2023 Is Less Than It Has Been: A Review of a Less Happy Place
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I’ve been going to Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom for decades. My family has been going since the park opened. I’d reckon I’ve been more than the average bear. And I have to say, that reviewing the most popular theme park in 2023, I’m surprisingly disappointed. Here’s what I think and whether I recommend the park any longer.
Featuring Jenn the Travel Girl
Featured Article:
CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/business/disney-world-universal-orlando-attendance-down/index.html
source
Nothing is the same. The magic is dropping if not gone. They are nickel and diming everyone for everything. Long lines. Rides down all the time. Woke policies. I say this as a lifelong Disney fan. My son basically grew up in the Disney parks. We had annual passes. We were there every time we could go. I had a DVC membership. Sold it. I don't care if I ever go back….
WTF people can bring DOGS into the park????????????????????????
I am only a few minutes into this video, but I am very surprised at the number one thing that was not mention is that they do not address the crowds by ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls that is the number one reason why we are not Visiting Disney ever again! Why aren’t you saying that they have gone completely and utterly WOKE that is why the crowds are down like I say I’m only halfway into this video, but I am shutting it down because you are not addressing the real issues
One thing that affects ride wait times is the lightning lane system. When loads of people are paying to cut you in line your wait times go up. I am not necessarily against a line skip system but they have to be managed properly, Disney's system is a bear to use and so cheep and used so much that it clogs up lines especially the long lines. When it was free it had an easier to use system but essentially meant "wait an hour or use this app" and people didn't complain because it was a "free extra" even though it was an extra step to getting a slightly shorter wait at the expense of a long line for everyone else. If it were made more expensive so fewer people would get it or removed entirely then stand by time would be reduced as fewer people would be cutting. Same number of people would ride but instead of having some wait 15min and some wait an hour or more everyone would wait 30-40 min. I also miss how some of the magic of Disney was that the lines themselves were part of the attraction, now you are either in them too long and get annoyed or else skip them entirely.
Obviously this is not the only factor but it is a pretty big one.
We hit Epcot this weekend. First time in maybe 5 years. We still love it. BUT I agree some things are not as good as they used to be. The bathrooms clearly aren't being kept up. The A/C has been turned up a bit. Lots of construction but I knew that going in. The Moana area looks pretty cool whenever that opens up. I miss the old night time show but the new one is ok. Maybe they are working on it but one of the small lakes looked awful. Lots of weeds and muck. Crowd was thinner than it used to be at this time but I was happy about that. Part of the reason we let the passes expire was the crowds getting to big.
All a sign of and the result of the financial crisis that Disney is facing
This just breaks my heart hearing this. I have been to Disney World 4 times, the last time in the parks in 2011 and it was the best trip! I went to Orlando in April and just went to Univerisal and did go to Disney Springs only this time, but I do want to go back to Disney World but hearing this just makes me sad what this company is turning into. I hope it turns around!
It's the same as it was a few years ago. It has pros and cons. For me the biggest con is the crowds and lines which makes now a better time than in the past few years.
I can't help but to think that this is a bit of cleverly disguised anti-Disney propaganda based upon politics.
Went a couple of weeks ago and this time around it had somehow just felt like another theme park. Definitely not the most magical place on earth. Parks and where we stayed at Wildernesses Lodge absolutely in need of attention to details. Cast members on both fronts could use some moral boosting as well. Some didn’t seem like they wanted to be there.
Usually when we are done with our week long stay we can’t wait to come back as soon as we can afford it again. This last time however, I’m thinking of taking the thousands spend at Disney and going somewhere else for our big summer vacation. It’s too bad.
All that sugar laden food & packets of poison may be why many people do not want to go to the Parks ….
Disney has nobody to blame but themselves for their decline at their parks and their movie failures. Disney has allowed greed, politics, political correctness, along with their WOKE and LGBTQ agendas to destroy the company.
Disney parks used to be pristinely clean almost like visiting Singapore. Last time I was at a park was years ago at Animal Kingdom and there was trash everywhere, people walking around everywhere with alcohol. We couldn't get over the amount of alcohol both in little kiosks all over the park and people just in general walking around with beer cans and open containers. It was not a traditional Disney experience. The animal stuff is poorly designed compared to say Busch Gardens where you get great views of the animals. The app stuff is so tedious it defeats the whole purpose of unplugging and having a fun, park experience. Nobody wants to have to download an app to 'enjoy' their experience.
They used to have really strict dress and grooming rules for their staff. I volunteered at Epcot years ago with the Master Gardeners (during the annual flower and garden festival) and we received a huge manual ahead of time of their standards since it would seem like we worked there and we had to fit the look of other staff. Clearly all of that has gone out the window. Be as sloppy and messy as you want to be seems to be the standard these days.
what condiments did they used to have?
There are a few things that seems to be looked over (skipped) in this part. It´s a nice video and good points, but one point is that security takes longer in the rides and people do NOT pay attention to the instructions and they dont move in lines. People keep looking at their phones all the time. When not needed, put it away and look up, enjoy the looks and feelings of the park. After Covid people rushed to the parks and the lines were so crazy and vacations were held outside normal times. This has not done that people were there on other times (dates) then normal so the staffing is harder when you staff up to the busy times but it´s not the same busy times as it used to be. I will give that the parks rely alot on the phone system, but I was there in october and the staff was helpful in any way they could to assist when the app was having one or two hickups. The salad bars.. Yes there was a Global pandemic and with the American way of people going to court over every little thing, would you want to open up to people blaming Disney for spreading disease when you dont have the same staffing as before to keep it clean every second. There are other parks that just go all in and back to normal let´s not learn a damn thing. But I believe the magic will come back but it will take some time.
Wasn’t it Bob Chapek that put prices up and took perks away like the Disney Magical Express coach service?
go woke go broke
On the other hand, my wife just became a travel agent and in her Disney training it was some kind of attendance milestone they were projecting for late 2024 and they had to back it up to January 2024 because, apparently, attendance has been just so good…
It is showing how poorly Disney is treating it's workers, and cutting all kinds of things that used to be special and now are not. The quality that you used to get is just not there anymore and people are noticing. With the prices they charge, there is no excuse for the park to be dirty and for things to be showing rust and worn off paint or for so many things to be broken down. It is beginning to be more like a local carnival rather than Disney. They are charging huge prices, but failing to provide anywhere near the quality they used to. And that nonsense with the phone! It is now as much hard work to go to the park as it is to go to your regular job! When I go to the park, I want to leave the phone and computer and detailed schedules outside! Once upon a time, you could walk in the front gate, and decide what to do. Today, you have to micro manage your trip, plan every detail and keep to a rigid schedule. That's not fun for adults and especially not fun for kids. I will not be going again. I can find better entertainment to spend my money on.
They are hiring whoever applies for a job. You cannot be picky if you are short on candidates.
Biggest issue is they got rid of their most popular package deals (that average families typically use). They severely restricted 'park hopper' passes, removed flight/resort/park deals, killed off meal plans, totally borked the fast pass system…its like they didnt want average people to be able to afford to go; like you should just pay more for less cuz its Disney. This was not Walts vision for the theme parks; his vision was to have a vacation for the working class family.
When I retired out of the military some years ago, I took my family to Disney world for a week's stay. We went 'full bore' on all the packages at the time: flights, parks, meals, character meets, fast passess, pictures, etc. (no longer available now). The amount it cost us for the full monty for 7 days then was less than the cost of only getting 2 nights at just the Star Wars hotel today. Thats whats wrong with Disney Parks.
Parasites like Iger literally ruin everything they touch. I wish Disney was ran by people that didn't hate their brand/customers.
Boycott all things Disney. They need to go bankrupt so they can go back to what they used to be before woke.