Coming back after what will be a 15 year absence.

[chartle]

I little background. In the 2010's I used to be very active on these boards. I believe in certain forums I was one of the top contributors. Where I answered a lot questions like "Can I use one of the days on my multiday ticket to park hop just one day?" and helped with those going on Band Trips.

Our last trip was the last non crazy week before Xmas 2013 which at the time I feel was the end of an era. That week traditional paper fast pass was starting to be phased out starting at AK. My niece was/is a cast member there and she was not looking forward to the confusion. Before that my first trip as a teenager was in 1975, one in 1999 and then 4 or so trips with my family and with my Sons' band. We also went a few years ago without any park days to above mentioned niece for her wedding in the Wedding Pavilion with reception in Cítricos.
Since then my family has all grown up but now I have a DGS 2 and a DGD on the way and the plan is to eventually head back.

Is it going to as magical as I remember? Now everything just seems to be a money grab with Genie +, Lighting Lane give as $300 a day to skip the lines.

I guess I'm trying to ease into to thinking we are going back.

Thank you for your time.

ETA: Ok I guess Money grab is a little much.

 

[gottalovepluto]

No. It is NOT going to be the magic you remember, especially if you keep thinking “this used to be free”. Familiarize yourself completely with the changes and accept them, then decide if you want to Disney.

You can’t get the past back- especially that past. There is magic to be found, even if you don’t pay for extras, but it’s different.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Well, on the one hand, it's absolutely going to be very different - but also very familiar in many ways. The magic of your next trip will be seeing it through the eyes of the next generation - nothing more magical than that!!

Is it expensive? Absolutely. So save, budget, and expect it. Get familiar with LLSP and LLMP so you can select days and attractions you might want to buy it or skip it. Since the last time you were there, it's probably way easier and convenient to snap thousands of pictures of your family while enjoying the parks and the resorts.

In short, it'll be as magical as you want to make it - which is really how it was before! You just remember all the good parts!

 

[chartle]

Get familiar with LLSP and LLMP

I'm so out of it I don't even know what those are. Wait let me take a stab at it. Lightning Lane Single P*** and Lightning Lane Multi P***.

Oh and first trip back in 99 I had a SLR film camera hung on my Hip Pack with a liter of frozen water. It was end of August. I'm not sure what phone I had in 2013. Maybe a Blackberry.

 

[DisneyFive]

Is it still magical? Yes. Is it FAR more expensive? Yes. Yes, there are “Money Grabs” that didn’t exist in 2013, primarily LLMP (the evolution of the paper fastpass) and LLSP (the one or two most popular ride in each park that you either need to purchase separately to reduce your wait or you can wait standby)

 

[NYCgrrl]

ETA: Ok I guess Money grab is a little much.

No, money grab doesn’t go too far .
Nevertheless you’ll still have fun.

I think about where I want to go in the parks more than I did in the past and still haven’t paid for a Lightening Lane; haven’t ridden Guardians yet but have TRON.

 

[danceintherain]

It's different, but so am I.
I haven't found it any less magical recently than I did during the time frame you're familiar with. But, I also have the money to pay for LL as needed. I've gone every few years at least for the last 20ish years. When FP/LL was free, it was getting to the point where it was barely useful. Now, I can pay for it, and know that I'll probably actually end up with a shorter wait time, and can probably get a return time for every attraction on the list, if I so choose.
I do miss the loveliness of stacking 5 FPs for a favorite attraction, but I don't miss running across the park to physically get them.

None of this keeps me from looking forward to my next trip, even when I don't have one planned.