We absolutely love Walt Disney World and go back every year for our family vacation or a solo trip; however, recently there are some issues that we just can’t ignore.
We hope that by bringing them to your attention, you will be aware of the issues and have a plan if you come across them during your Walt Disney World vacation.
Crowds Are There
When Walt Disney World Resort reopened in 2020 we saw extremely low crowds at the Disney Parks. Part of this was due to limited capacity but a lot of it was because Guests just weren’t traveling.
That isn’t the case anymore. We have seen in 2022 that the normal crowds levels we are used to are out the window. Typically January and February see extremely low crowds overall, but this year we have seen some of the biggest yet.
Is this because everyone is finally traveling or is it the new norm? We aren’t exactly sure. Disney is hoping that many of us just won’t notice the large crowds, but it is something we just can’t ignore.
Being aware of the larger crowds will help us be prepared. We can choose to have more Resort days instead of Theme Park days or we can look at ways to be ahead of the crowds. We have suggestions HERE to help you avoid the crowds. Use these to help overcome this problem.
Less Entertainment Options
Even though Walt Disney World has been bringing back entertainment to the Disney Park such as the Festival of Fantasy Parade in Magic Kingdom and Indiana Jones: Epic Stunt Spectacular in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there is still a lot of entertainment missing for the Disney Parks.
A big miss that we just can’t ignore is Fantasmic in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney has said that an updated Fantasmic will be coming in 2022, we are still anxiously awaiting for it. We miss having a nighttime show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and feel like this is something we just can’t ignore.
We also miss both the Citizens of Main Street in Magic Kingdom as well as the Streetmosphere in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These shows bring a magic and atmosphere to the Parks that we can’t help but notice they are missing.
It is great to have so much returning, but there are still some big gaps when it comes to entertainment. Make sure you know this going into your vacation.
Construction Everywhere
We know that Walt Disney’s dream was that the Parks would always be changing, but with that change means construction and it is hard to ignore.
Over in EPCOT Guests are surrounded by construction walls throughout the old Future World as EPCOT transforms to the four neighborhoods.
Excitement is real around what EPCOT will look like when it is finished, but until then it is hard to just ignore all the construction. Disney does a great job at trying to limit the impact on Guest experience, but sometimes it does happen.
Be aware of what construction is happening before your trip so you will know ahead of time if something will be impacted by it.
Long Wait Times
As we mentioned before, crowds are back in Walt Disney World and with that means longer wait times for rides throughout the four Theme Parks. Even though Disney would prefer that we don’t notice the longer waits, it is something that has been an issue as we started 2022.
There are tips and tricks that we have out there for riding the top rides at all four Theme Parks with low waits (check it out on How to Disney). We also have an overall post HERE about how to wait less in line.
Use these tips to help get yourself ahead of the crowd and spend less time in line overall during your Walt Disney World vacation.
Genie+ Is Confusing
To help Guests with long wait times, Disney is offering Genie+ as a solution. Although we appreciate the system, there is no ignoring the fact that it is confusing overall.
The first part that is confusing is that there are three separate parts of the system. Disney Genie is a free version, Genie+ is $15 per person per day and Individual Attraction Selections are specific rides not included in Genie+ that cost extra to use the Lighting Lanes (actual line to get to the ride).
Each of these features are separate making it even harder to keep track of and use throughout your Disney vacation. There is learning when you can book each of them from 7 am to the 120 minute rule. It is a lot to figure out.
We realize that Disney wants us to love the system; however, we still feel like there are some issues that need to be fixed before we jump on board. Check out our post on frustrations HERE.
Things Are Different
Finally, Disney doesn’t want us to realize that things are still different from the way they were prior to 2020. Even though Disney has done a fantastic job of trying to bring back everything as we remember it, it is hard to ignore some of the changes.
First of all, character interactions are still very different. Disney has slowly started to bring back more and more character meet and greets but as of this post they remain distant. No hugs and no autographs.
At beloved character meals, the interaction is also different as Guests are just being allowed to move closer to the characters for pictures compared to having to remain seated. We are still waiting for some characters to return. Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom is waiting for Winnie the Pooh and friends to return and Cinderella is still having a royal ball without any of her friends at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Some dining locations are still not opened or have adjusted their serving style from buffets to family-style.
Even though these are major differences, it is hard to ignore the fact that things just aren’t back to normal and they might not be.
Be aware of what is different and embrace the new experiences and opportunities or try something new.
It is great to see Walt Disney World constantly updating and adjusting to make the Guest experience as best as possible; however, sometimes it is hard to ignore the issues that come alongside with the changes.
We hope bringing some of these issues to your attention will help you prepare for them and help you have a magical vacation to Walt Disney World.
