2018: A Bad Year to Visit?

[JohnneyB]

At our house, it seems that we are always planning our next Disney trip. Disney World is in the running for 2018, but with all of the closures, construction, and transition, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to wait two or three years until more of the major projects currently under construction are complete. I would definitely welcome your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[Farro]

Well, we are going later this year and then not again until 2021. But we are fine with that as we will travel plenty between.

We went in 2014 and Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom seemed to have construction everywhere! It was the HUB in MK and I can't remember what it was in AK, but there were fences up all over. We still had a BLAST!

If you can wait, do it. If not, you will still have a great time!

 

[theone74733]

Looking at your list of vacations in your signature block, looks like to haven't been since Summer 2011. There are several new things to see since that time even if you are waiting for Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land to complete. The list includes, but not limited to:

• New Fantasyland (ex: Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride)
• New Soarin'
• Frozen Ever After
• Happily Ever After fireworks
• Pandora
• Nighttime Animal Kingdom (Rivers of Light show, safari at night, etc.)

Also, the new lands for Hollywood Studios are at least a year away and the first year will be brutal since everyone is going to make this their first priority. If this is a "one and done" type of vacation, I would probably postpone until 2021-2022 during the 50th anniversary since Epcot is getting a lot of attractions as mentioned in D23 today. However, one thing is that WDW will always be changing with new attractions to keep up with neighboring theme parks. For me, a trip every 2-3 years keeps me interested and new attractions pop up to make it feel like I am never getting bored with WDW. Since 2011 was your last trip, I would try to go either later this year or next year and schedule another trip during the 50th anniversary.

 

[flortlebap]

I've noticed major construction SOMEWHERE every year since 2012, so I wouldn't let it put you off.

It's such a huge resort that there's bound to be ongoing construction at any one time.

 

[Darcy03231]

It depends. Is this a trip you'll only take one more time? If so, I would wait. If you tend to visit frequently and know you will be going again in the future, I would go ahead with my plans to visit in 2018.

 

[Disneylover99]

Life is too short to wait for anything. Go sooner, rather than later.

 

[BalooFan]

I have come to expect constant change at WDW. I also seem to have a knack for traveling to WDW right before new attractions open! If you wait a few more years, there will likely be more major projects on the horizon. You may get to see the new attractions, but you may miss out on old favorites are being replaced by something new. With regard to investing, I have often heard "don't try to time the stock market." I have the same attitude toward WDW - I don't try to time it. I would go in 2018.

 

[sharonabe]

At our house, it seems that we are always planning our next Disney trip. Disney World is in the running for 2018, but with all of the closures, construction, and transition, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to wait two or three years until more of the major projects currently under construction are complete. I would definitely welcome your thoughts. Thanks!

At this point, there will be major construction and closures until 2021 when all the 50th anniversary projects are slated to be complete. If you wait until there isn't much construction, you'll never go. If you wait until 2021, you'll be fighting major crowds wanting to experience all the new stuff too.

As someone else said, life is too short. You never know what might come up to prevent another trip. Go now and enjoy what is there.

 

[JohnneyB]

Thanks everyone. Great advice all around, and I really appreciate it. I have neglected to update my signature. We were at Disney World in June of 2015. We tend to go every two to four years. I actually look forward to the things that are new and the changes. (We were at Disney Springs a couple of weeks ago, and it looked great!) Planning the next trip has turned into a hobby for me. Here's the thing: I just don't want to see a construction wall or a "Pardon Our Progress" sign at every turn, and with DHS down to about four rides, I guess I'm a little bummed. With that being said, evenings at the Animal Kingdom may make up for it.

I guess all of this means that I have more homework to do. Thanks for allowing the verbal processing!

 

[KimBean]

Well, we are going later this year and then not again until 2021. But we are fine with that as we will travel plenty between.

We went in 2014 and Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom seemed to have construction everywhere! It was the HUB in MK and I can't remember what it was in AK, but there were fences up all over. We still had a BLAST!

If you can wait, do it. If not, you will still have a great time!

We are the exact same plan. Went dec 2014, going nov this year, and not going back until 2021. There was construction then, there will be construction this time, and I'm sure next. LOL!

 

[Gophers]

Never a bad time to go to Disney World. There's way to much to do and see and the feeling that are family has when we go is truely priceless.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Toy Story Land should be open sometime next summer, so you'll have that if you go late in the year. And Pandora just opened.

Or you could visit Disneyland Resort. If you haven't been there since 2000, there's a lot of new goodies, including the DCA expansion. Cars Land!

 

[LilyWDW]

I'm going... May of 2018. I don't mind the construction. That just means there will be something else I can visit at another date. I'm already planning for a trip around 2021 or just after. But I'm not going to wait until then if I don't have to!

 

[anomamatt]

Even if you waited until 2021, something new would be around the corner. Go when you can. And go often. ;-)

 

[CAS239]

If you go every 2-4 years then I'd go as late as you can in 2018 to go after Toy Story land has opened. Then go again around 2021

 

[wdw&sonny]

Life is too short to wait for anything. Go sooner, rather than later.

You have very few opportunities for being at WDW with your family.

 

[newestkg06]

We went in 2015 and planned on 2018 as soon as we left Then, heard Star wars was opening in 2019, and now all the new awesome stuff (TRON!!!) much later. We're still going in 2018, and we're going to have a blast. The new stuff just means we have to go back (2021?).

I'm also sort of hoping people put off their trips for Star Wars and 2018 is less busy!

 

[L_MD]

I've been planning for Spring (April) 2018 for awhile. I'm a bit worried that Epcot (Future World at least) will look like a mess, but hopefully a lot of that construction won't ramp up until late 2018/early 2019 so I actually think I'm going at a good time to see some stuff before construction gets REALLY bad.

I don't care much for Toy Story Land or Star Wars Land, so I'll go right before that stuff opens, people can go nuts at the new places, and I'll return after the craziness dies down!

 

[SaintsManiac]

We have 3 trips planned between November this year and October 2018. Then we will take at least 2019 off to go elsewhere on vacation. Not sure if we'll return before 2021.

As others have said go when you want to go. Life IS short and anything can happen! DH isn't as big of a Disney fan as me or DD, but even he agrees that we should get the passes, use up our rewards and just go have fun before the chaos of Star Wars Land begins

 

[Princess_Kirky]

There is no bad time to visit! Go when you can. Yes, HS is a bit under construction but you can take in some shows and the few rides and then hop over to another park for the evening. We spent plenty of time there meeting characters and watching the Star Wars shows. We had a huge Star Wars fan with us. It's nice to be able to move at a leisurely pace.