10 days in the parks, some observations

[kandb]

Thanks for the heads up about the monorails. I don't like them to begin with and definitely won't be going on them if they are roasting inside. Doesn't sound like much fun being in a super crowded, confined space monorail with a bunch of sweating people, especially when they break down a lot. Disney should be fixing them instead of building the new sky transporters they are building at AOA and CBR. People who are paying top dollar at the monorail resorts are going to realize all that extra money to stay at "monorail" resorts, just isn't worth it.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

I still love Epcot, but it needs the updates that were announced during g D23 desperately. When test Track goes down, everything else is a mess. the park needs more attractions, and it needs people eaters rmoe than it needs e tickets!

I found this to be true of DHS too. Probably stating the obvious here, but my 1/2 day at Studios in July was a washout because the 6 pm Indiana Jones experience was canceled halfway through due to weather. This meant that my FP for Rock n Roller was useless, because everybody in the audience got the compensation FP and many more ended up at the roller coaster than the FP system had accounted for. I didn't even try to get on ToT after that--just headed home.

We just got back from a second summer trip--10 days too!--and I kept praying the late afternoon storms would hold off until we'd used our FPs (I finally got to ride ToT after dark! Loved it!).

 

[Tomh]

I found this to be true of DHS too. Probably stating the obvious here, but my 1/2 day at Studios in July was a washout because the 6 pm Indiana Jones experience was canceled halfway through due to weather. This meant that my FP for Rock n Roller was useless, because everybody in the audience got the compensation FP and many more ended up at the roller coaster than the FP system had accounted for. I didn't even try to get on ToT after that--just headed home.

We just got back from a second summer trip--10 days too!--and I kept praying the late afternoon storms would hold off until we'd used our FPs (I finally got to ride ToT after dark! Loved it!).

Sadly, many times we found fastpass to be a joke. Waiting for 30 minutes plus is not fast. Waiting for near an hour with fastpass for a ride that you already waited a half hour for, and had it break down as you were boarding, there aren't words for how disappointing that is. Way too much time wasted on one ride.

 

[Tomh]

Mobile Ordering . . . . well, I like it, and I don't like it lol.

It is easier than messing around on the line. Sadly, at Cosmic Rays, we stood in a line to get into the restaurant, because there was no signage, or CM outside to let us know that we didn't have to wait if we were using mobile ordering.

I found the preparation time to be quick, and there was little to no line to pick up our order. This allowed us to find our table, get condiments and such, and be ready to eat when our order was done.

The downsides . . . we used it 3 times. All 3 times, there was something missing from the order, or something made wrong. Also, we purchase a number of Disney Gift Cards before our trip, to pay for the vast majority of our food, and souvenir purchases. There is no way to pay for food ordered using the Mobile Ordering system with a Gift Card, all must be paid for by Credit Card. I HOPE that this is something they change soon. I can deal with double checking the order to make sure it is right, and the rest of the experience is great, but I really prefer to be able to pay with the gift cards, since we buy those at a discount, we save some money that way.

 

[Tomh]

Rivers of Light .. well, I finally saw it.

The good . . . the show is visually beautiful. The projections are bright, and clear, the fountains are lovely, and the floats (though they are only used for a brief period) are beautiful.

The bad . . . seating is limited, the benches do get pretty hot, and the show just kind of falls flat. As others have said, there doesn't seem to be a cohesive story, which is very surprising coming from Disney, as they are all about the story. This seems a bit like a hodge podge of bit pieces, and technologies just thrown together with some music. I wonder if the bits that had to be removed from the show are the cause of this, however, it doesn't really matter what the cause is. The effect is a show that doesn't quite stand up on it's own.

I'm not sorry I saw it, but I doubt that I'll spend the money for the dining package, or use a FP for it again. In no way is it as compelling as the much older Illuminations show at EPCOT, or Happily Ever After. I can only hope that at some point, they will work out the issues they had with this show, and update it. I feel as though this show is capable of being much more than what it has become!

 

[erin1715]

I have to say one of the cuts I noticed on our most recent trip (end of July/beginning of August) happened during Illuminations. On previous trips, there were CM's stationed around the lagoon and when people would try to inevitably stand up on something (wall, bench, etc) to see the show, the CM would immediately ask them to get down. But on our most recent trip there was no CM to be found, and thus people were standing up on the walls all over the place. Not good for safety reasons.

 

[SarahC97]

Last October we went to Epcot for the first time since 1991 and it just made me sad! Future World just looks worn down and it definitely needs help. I totally agree with you!

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Leaving MK is now a nightmare since Happily Ever After Started and I don't know why. It wasn't like that when we were there in March.

 

[erin1715]

Leaving MK is now a nightmare since Happily Ever After Started and I don't know why. It wasn't like that when we were there in March.

I'm wondering if its because they had the back lane open behind Main Street? When we went in Nov. 2016 they had that behind the scenes back road open for traffic flow and I noticed when we went this summer it was closed.

 

[**Courtney**]

Leaving MK is now a nightmare since Happily Ever After Started and I don't know why. It wasn't like that when we were there in March.

From what I understand, more people watch from Main Street since it is the best view with the projections. With Wishes, you could have a good view in more places in the park. Makes sense that the crowds would be worse. Also, I'm sure more people decide to leave right after since they are already almost to the entrance, as opposed to being throughout different parts of the park.

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

I'm here now too! I'm staying at BLT and have also found it a pain to get to Epcot and back. It takes forever. I would much rather ride a bus.

Also, has anyone else noticed that you go thru security to get on the monorail from your hotel AND then when you get to Epcot they lump you in with all the bus people and you go through security AGAIN!!! That doesn't happen at MK. Why at Epcot? Lots of people seem perplexed as to why we need to do security twice!!

 

[Gillbob316]

Went to Epcot with a friend last Sept for Food & Wine. Her 1st time, my 5700th time. She hated it. I was baffled... Haha. I've loved Epcot for years, as has most everyone I've ever gone with... But with time to reflect on the experience, I kinda get it.

Aside from Frozen and Soarin, It's kind-of all dated 80s educational rides. Even Mission Space and Test Track can feel dated in many ways. (Hopefully Mission Space is a little better since the refurb, have yet to see it). I dislike the "new" Test Track myself... it's all green grids and nothing to see now. Furthermore the interactive features on both Test Track and Spaceship Earth both broke down that day, which I'm sure didn't help her perception of the park feeling dated.

I think she was also dissapointed in the lack of IP's, past Frozen, which was the first thing we rode (since we had to rope-drop it and all) I know there are some people who LIKE that Epcot doesn't have IP's... but... to someone going to Disney World for the first time, it can somewhat create a Disney-less Vaccuum, it seems.

And food & wine's crowd levels, I believe, didn't give her the best picture of world showcase either. I have many memories of a casual laid back trip around the world, but the festival made it a lot more hectic, and added lots of standing in snack lines. So all and all, she didn't really seem to grasp why we had come there, and was even somewhat angry/resentful with me for it at the time... but... whatever. *Shrug* It's a year in the past now.

But she loved Not-So-Scary, so at least that's something, haha.

POINT IS Yeah... Epcot could use some updates and new things to do and see. To the uninitiated, who don't have the built-in nostalgia some of us Disney Nuts do... it can be bland.

Oh, and don't take a first timer on a crowded food and wine day.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I still love Epcot, but it needs the updates that were announced during g D23 desperately. When test Track goes down, everything else is a mess.

Magic Kingdom has an amazing new fireworks show, but the crowd in the hub and main street is worse than I have ever seen at this time of year. additionally, the mass exodus directly after it overwhelms the transportation system.

HOR-RI-BLE!!!!! Worst we've seen in 20 trips, including one at Christmas. IN-SANE, and even unsafe at times. Felt like amateur hour, with CM's not being able to get RUDE guests to listen to their directives like "for safety reasons you must stand up". Not ok.

Flights of Passage is amazing. Pandora is amazing.

Things were just sloppy. The disney Experience is not there!

This is the only thing I don't agree with -- was not our experience Aug 7-17.

 

[Tomh]

HOR-RI-BLE!!!!! Worst we've seen in 20 trips, including one at Christmas. IN-SANE, and even unsafe at times. Felt like amateur hour, with CM's not being able to get RUDE guests to listen to their directives like "for safety reasons you must stand up". Not ok.





This is the only thing I don't agree with -- was not our experience Aug 7-17.

I was referring to garbage strewn about, bathrooms where pretty much all of the paper towel machines were either broken or empty, where none of the soap dispensers were working, lines that were unmanageable, well outside of the queue areas, with guests trying to cross the line, and the line running directly across areas where guests needed to walk, with no CM's there to direct things. I'm not saying we didn't have fun, but I am saying that the magic isn't what it used to be, and I don't think it is because I am losing it, I think it is because staff levels are not what they need to be, and it has reached the point where it has a noticeable effect on guest experience.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I'm here right now and totally agree with the fireworks show I really loved to new show but I felt it was ruined a bit due to the mass amount of people it was packed at8:30 and they were sending even one down the by pass to came to main street to see it. I thought it was supposedly low crowds so whats it going to like in the busy season.

We were in Disney last week and our HEA fireworks experience was also ruined by the massive crowds in the hub.
It was CRRRAZY. We showed up at 8:30 and it was already packed. Got a decent spot which was the first line behind a yellow line, there was a break in front of us where you weren't allowed to stand, with more people ahead. (We were lined up with the Plaza Ice Cream Parlour)
Cast members were constantly telling people to keep on walking and not block the area in front of us.
Do you think most of them listened? Nope! At some point a 6ft tall man with a child on his shoulders stood right in front of several little kids at the start of the fireworks. Cast member eventually asked him to move, but this person kept trying to come back. I could not concentrate on the show at all as there was someone constantly walking by and stopping and this one poor cast member who just kept saying: no stopping, keep walking... that's all you could hear. He would get 2 people to move and 5 others would stop. It was chaotic and annoying. We were so disappointed as it was impossible to just take the fireworks in.
In my opinion Disney should have roped off the area where they don't want people to stand.

The other thing we noticed - we often waited in excess of 25 min with a fast pass + for an attraction. It's almost as if Disney is giving too many out, or maybe something else isn't working. The ride did not break down, you could see the FP line to get in was super long! I know it can take 10-15 min. But took us 1/2 hr in a few instances and not for FOP.

Also experienced less enthusiastic cast members this trip. To the point it was noticeable.
This was our 5th time in WDW since 2012 and we still loved it, but also noticed a few things have taken a turn for the worse. Hope it was just bad timing and not where things are headed.

 

[Tomh]

We were in Disney last week and our HEA fireworks experience was also ruined by the massive crowds in the hub.
It was CRRRAZY. We showed up at 8:30 and it was already packed. Got a decent spot which was the first line behind a yellow line, there was a break in front of us where you weren't allowed to stand, with more people ahead. (We were lined up with the Plaza Ice Cream Parlour)
Cast members were constantly telling people to keep on walking and not block the area in front of us.
Do you think most of them listened? Nope! At some point a 6ft tall man with a child on his shoulders stood right in front of several little kids at the start of the fireworks. Cast member eventually asked him to move, but this person kept trying to come back. I could not concentrate on the show at all as there was someone constantly walking by and stopping and this one poor cast member who just kept saying: no stopping, keep walking... that's all you could hear. He would get 2 people to move and 5 others would stop. It was chaotic and annoying. We were so disappointed as it was impossible to just take the fireworks in.
In my opinion Disney should have roped off the area where they don't want people to stand.

The other thing we noticed - we often waited in excess of 25 min with a fast pass + for an attraction. It's almost as if Disney is giving too many out, or maybe something else isn't working. The ride did not break down, you could see the FP line to get in was super long! I know it can take 10-15 min. But took us 1/2 hr in a few instances and not for FOP.

Also experienced less enthusiastic cast members this trip. To the point it was noticeable.
This was our 5th time in WDW since 2012 and we still loved it, but also noticed a few things have taken a turn for the worse. Hope it was just bad timing and not where things are headed.

Just a few years ago, there was a huge problem with the crowds in the hub area, so Disney expanded the hub area, which worked out fine enough, but then they updated the fireworks show. This new show pretty much has to be viewed from the hub / Main Street USA area, so everyone crowds into those areas, and suddenly, the problem is worse than it was before they expanded the hub. During our trip, we saw the entire hub area come to a standstill, where literally the entire walkway was just full of people, and it did no good for the CM's to tell them to move, because there was nowhere that they could move to.

I remember a time, not that long ago, when the park was open until 12:00, with 3 hours of EMH after that, and crowds were manageable enough to wander into the hub 20 minutes before wishes, and sit to watch it. Now, you have to show up 30 to 45 minutes before Happily Ever After just to get into the hub, and you stand, without an inch to move, in heat and humidity that is stifling, and the park closes at 10. Good luck getting out of that crowd if you should need the bathroom, and heaven forbid anyone has a medical emergency in that mass of people.

For those going soon, do keep in mind that the old Fast Pass area near Crystal Palace is no longer reserved. It is open to all guests, and, at least when we were there, is a bit less crowded than the hub area, with a pretty good view.

 

[Tomh]

Leaving MK is now a nightmare since Happily Ever After Started and I don't know why. It wasn't like that when we were there in March.

I think it is 100% because the new show HAS to be seen from the front of the castle to get the full effect of it, since it so heavily relies on the projections, and the lack of an evening parade just before the show to disperse crowds throughout the park some. When we had Wishes, you could watch from Fantasyland with a good view, and even from Frontierland / Liberty Square with a decent view. In addition, just before the show, many guests were in Frontierland, and Liberty Square already for the parade, so quite a few would either watch from there, or head back to Fantasyland to watch Wishes, and then might try to hop on another ride, or just slowly meander their way out of the park. Now, there is no parade to draw people to Frontierland or Liberty Square, and the new show is much much better from the front of the castle, so the crowds start concentrating there well before the show. When the show is over, everyone is already at the entrance area of the park, so there is a mass exodus.

I'm here now too! I'm staying at BLT and have also found it a pain to get to Epcot and back. It takes forever. I would much rather ride a bus.

Also, has anyone else noticed that you go thru security to get on the monorail from your hotel AND then when you get to Epcot they lump you in with all the bus people and you go through security AGAIN!!! That doesn't happen at MK. Why at Epcot? Lots of people seem perplexed as to why we need to do security twice!!

Yes, I completely don't get the point of that foolishness. I understand the security check points being moved to the resorts, and TTC. It is smart bringing the monorails into the security envelope, and equally as smart moving the bag check / screening area farther away from the front gates of MK. However, I don't get why guests whom have already gone through security screening either at the resort, or TTC, would then have to be screened again before entering EPCOT. That serves no purpose, and wastes resources. They ought to put up some fences, or walls, and deliver those guests from the monorail directly inside the security perimeter at EPCOT. One bag check should be enough, it shouldn't be necessary to go through it in two different places.

Went to Epcot with a friend last Sept for Food & Wine. Her 1st time, my 5700th time. She hated it. I was baffled... Haha. I've loved Epcot for years, as has most everyone I've ever gone with... But with time to reflect on the experience, I kinda get it.

Aside from Frozen and Soarin, It's kind-of all dated 80s educational rides. Even Mission Space and Test Track can feel dated in many ways. (Hopefully Mission Space is a little better since the refurb, have yet to see it). I dislike the "new" Test Track myself... it's all green grids and nothing to see now. Furthermore the interactive features on both Test Track and Spaceship Earth both broke down that day, which I'm sure didn't help her perception of the park feeling dated.

I think she was also dissapointed in the lack of IP's, past Frozen, which was the first thing we rode (since we had to rope-drop it and all) I know there are some people who LIKE that Epcot doesn't have IP's... but... to someone going to Disney World for the first time, it can somewhat create a Disney-less Vaccuum, it seems.

And food & wine's crowd levels, I believe, didn't give her the best picture of world showcase either. I have many memories of a casual laid back trip around the world, but the festival made it a lot more hectic, and added lots of standing in snack lines. So all and all, she didn't really seem to grasp why we had come there, and was even somewhat angry/resentful with me for it at the time... but... whatever. *Shrug* It's a year in the past now.

But she loved Not-So-Scary, so at least that's something, haha.

POINT IS Yeah... Epcot could use some updates and new things to do and see. To the uninitiated, who don't have the built-in nostalgia some of us Disney Nuts do... it can be bland.

Oh, and don't take a first timer on a crowded food and wine day.

I have the built in nostalgia, but I get it .. . . and there is good reason. Journey into Imagination shows no imagination now, it is a joke of a ride, not even remotely close to what was there in the glory days of the 80's. Not only does the ride stink on ice, the after show area is a joke. When the upstairs was open, it was wonderful, now it is a couple of broken stations to mess with pictures, an interactive simon game that mostly doesn't work, largely just an obstacle course to make your way through when leaving. Pixar short film festival is nice, but it pales in comparison to Captain EO in the 80's. Yes, I know that film is old, and past it's prime, but back in the 80's it was cutting edge technology, with the worlds biggest pop star. What is in there now is neither cutting edge technology, or the worlds biggest pop star.

Test Track is a fun ride, but the scenery as you said, is not as good as it used to be, and let's face it, that thing is broken down as often as it is running.

Mission Space is not significantly better now than it was before this refurb. It is an ok ride, but nothing to get excited about. Universe of Energy is . . . gone. Wonders of Life is . . .. gone. Communicore / Innoventions is . . . . gone. The Seas with Nemo and Friends is cute, but mostly geared towards the younger crowd.

Frozen Ever After is a nice ride, but the line is crazy most of the time, and it too is still prone to breakdowns, though I guess not as often as Test Track.

The World Showcase is beautiful, but it has 2 rides, one of which always has an insane line. It has 11 countries with pretty much the exact same merchandise in every gift shop. Canada is what, a stage show that is weak at best, a decent steak house that is way too expensive, and one gift shop. Italy isn't much more than a wine shop and 2 restaurants.

I completely get how EPCOT can be disappointing to people. I LOVE the educational theme of EPCOT, BUT . . . . . they need to present it in a different way. They need to have rides and attractions that are appealing. The park needs to draw guests in, and engage them, and this means IP. Yup, that is what is going to have to happen in EPCOT, and it is fine. If they use that IP to deliver the edutainment that made me love EPCOT, I will be a happy guy. Let Guardians of the Galaxy deliver that message about energy, wrap it up in a comic book disguise, and sneak it in there. Use Inside Out, and any other IP you can think of. Bring IP to World Showcase. If it lures the kids out there, then while they are gobbling up the IP based rides and attractions, there is an opportunity to teach them something about the countries while they are there.

 

[Minnie368]

I completely get how EPCOT can be disappointing to people. I LOVE the educational theme of EPCOT, BUT . . . . . they need to present it in a different way. They need to have rides and attractions that are appealing. The park needs to draw guests in, and engage them, and this means IP. Yup, that is what is going to have to happen in EPCOT, and it is fine. If they use that IP to deliver the edutainment that made me love EPCOT, I will be a happy guy. Let Guardians of the Galaxy deliver that message about energy, wrap it up in a comic book disguise, and sneak it in there. Use Inside Out, and any other IP you can think of. Bring IP to World Showcase. If it lures the kids out there, then while they are gobbling up the IP based rides and attractions, there is an opportunity to teach them something about the countries while they are there.

It should probably be obvious to me, but what is IP?

 

[LMO429]

Agreed, especially on the mono rail thing. They need to run a bus. The switching is a pain. Test track same thing, and they have three big attractions, 4 if you count mission space. And two of those TT and frozen break alot. On the EMH night we were there TT broke and everyone went to Frozen and then that broke. Total waste of our last night.

I couldn't agree more about the bus from the grand to epcot we have stayed at the grand many times but this upcoming trip we are not decided to stay at the Wl you would think at the grand the monorail can not be beat but it was down more so than working the boat is tiny nothing more frustrating than being able to see your resort at the mk but not being able to get to it. They should def run a bus to epcot from the grand for sure ESP for what they charge per night there. This time staying at the Wl copper creek and renting a car taking cabs for the difference in price I'm curious to see how it goes

 

[LMO429]

My family and I just got back from a WDW trip and I have to say, the monorails need a facelift or replacements. We saw more garbage than ever and some of the cars weren't even blowing cold air from the AC vents...it was hot, nasty air. At one point at TTC, a family moved from their car into ours because the car they were in was too hot....problem was that ours was HOTTER!!!!

Disney has to stop promoting the monorail as one of the "perks" of staying at a Disney hotel. It's getting close to a Nyc subway with all the delays and lack of ac not that bad I'm kidding but it's bad and inconvenient enough that we will not be staying on a monorail hotel anytime soon. Unless we rent a car but that doesn't solve the mk issue on a monorail hotel. If the monorail is down the boats need to be bigger the boats fit like ten people it's terrible having to wait for another boat cuz the monorail is not working and the boat fills up in two seconds with not that many people on it