Disappointments?

[Chuck S]

Beaches and Cream!

UGH! Long wait for food, crappy service, really bad burgers and greasy fries and onion rings!

I don't get the fascination!

Our experience has always been good at Beaches and Cream, but I think Olivia's at OKW has the best burgers.

Sci-Fi is pretty much off our list, fun atmosphere, lousy food.

And Tony's at MK used to be one of our fav's, but the last time we ate there a few years ago, it was awful.


In 2007, we decided to go to Food & Wine to see just what it was all about. The food booths were expensive, though the salmon at the Canada booth and the escargot at the French booth were good, we could have had a nice sit down meal for lunch compared to what all the samples cost that day. So we won't be doing F&W again anytime soon.

I think Mission Space is a somewhat disappointing ride. I love the sensations, but it is just too short, it needs to be a few minutes longer. Stitch's great Escape, to me, is fine, when you consider the target audience is likely NOT adults. One ride I've never been one at WDW is the Tomorrowland Speedway. I grew up in CA, so Autopia was great when we were young, but it also doesn't appeal to me as an adult.

 

[MonorailMan]

It is always a different perspective from a local. I find myself much more critical of different things living here than when you're on vacation.

Without a doubt though, my worst experience has always revolved around Disney transportation(monorails are always good though)

I was here in June 2008 and was staying at ft wilderness. The family I was with insists on "doing everything disney" so they parked their car and wouldn't drive it all week...omg I was gonna die! First of all, at park opening, they had one launcher(33 passenger) and one cruiser running. We waited(and I literally checked my watch) over 45 flippin minutes to get a cruiser after the dinky launch came to take not even a quarter of the line to MK! Now that I work in watercrafts I asked how that happened and the only answer I got was "it never should have" There should always be 2 cruisers on that route.

The other bad experiences have revolved around the busses. Honestly the only time it's ever worth it to take the bus was coming back drunk from PI. That said I was forced to use them and omg did it take FOREVER to get a bus from the park to the campground.

As for attractions, I was here as a CP when Stitch opened and I said omg this ride is pathetic! Bring back ETE! I laughed at all the people waiting in line for 2 hours for such a horrible attraction. Now there is rarely a line even during busy times. How am I not surprised?

Just to comment on something - I went to california grill in December 2007 and loved it. I do agree that being disappointed can depend on a lot of factors, but I also just want to point out how inconsistent so many things across WDW are. That's the major problem. You can go somewhere or do something and have a fantastic experience, then go back 2 weeks later and it's completely changed. I think they tried to make things more consistent by making everyone take the Disney basics class last year, but ultimately, a lot of things come down to individual CMs, be it management or front line, and sometimes it is circumstances beyond anyone's control. After all, some people want a refund because it's raining...

As far as parking the car and leaving it in the lot for the entire stay--I have to completely agree with that. My car reminds me of my regular boring life at home, so I would probably leave it parked. Now that I'm entirely familiar with the WDW trasportation systems (gee.....it only took me 25 years to learn it ), it's just too convenient for me.

Our experience has always been good at Beaches and Cream, but I think Olivia's at OKW has the best burgers.

Sci-Fi is pretty much off our list, fun atmosphere, lousy food.

And Tony's at MK used to be one of our fav's, but the last time we ate there a few years ago, it was awful.


In 2007, we decided to go to Food & Wine to see just what it was all about. The food booths were expensive, though the salmon at the Canada booth and the escargot at the French booth were good, we could have had a nice sit down meal for lunch compared to what all the samples cost that day. So we won't be doing F&W again anytime soon.

I think Mission Space is a somewhat disappointing ride. I love the sensations, but it is just too short, it needs to be a few minutes longer. Stitch's great Escape, to me, is fine, when you consider the target audience is likely NOT adults. One ride I've never been one at WDW is the Tomorrowland Speedway. I grew up in CA, so Autopia was great when we were young, but it also doesn't appeal to me as an adult.

I thought Mission: Space was pretty great....but you're right--It is a bit short. Plus I'm still mourning the loss of Horizons. The last 2 times I was at WDW I noticed there was never a wait to get on M:S. The only wait time I've had for it was the time it took for the ride ahead of us to clear out. Do people not like this ride?

The Tomorrowland Speedway is one of the few rides I haven't been on either. The others would include the Magic Carpets in Adventureland and the Tomorrowland Rockets. (I think I've been on Dumbo, but that was almost 20 years ago.) They all look like fun, but you can go on similar rides at amusement parks. Although......I bet the view you get from the rockets is pretty great.

 

[rudetreehill]

You're right... we rarely talk about disappointments on the board! Okay, here we go:

Restaurants: I thought the food at the sci-fi drive in was pretty horrendous, and I'm not what anyone would call a picky eater. That place is all about the setting. Plus the service, at least on the day I went, was horrendously slow, especially considering there were only about 10 "cars" full at the time. Hollywood and Vine... two words: Never again. Loud, bad, awful. And what do we have to do to get a decent food place at the Magic Kingdom? Do they assume that everyone has kids who won't want a decent meal?

Hotels: This isn't so much a disapointment with the hotel as with something ABOUT the hotel, and that's Port Orleans: Riverside. Now I love that resort, think it has gorgeous landscaping, etc. But it's crazy that they didn't use some kind of softer material ont he walkways outside the rooms. Every time somebody walks by with their drag-along suitcase or foot-stomping child, it fills the room with sound. That's really my only complaint about that place... obviously, since, unable to swing Wilderness Lodge in March, I'm staying at Riverside.

Attractions: My biggest disapopintment here has less to do with the attraction than with Disney's decision regarding it. I was a HUGE fan of Alien Encounter. It scared me each and every time I saw it, and I experienced it a lot. I know, I know, too scary for kids and even some adults. But you know what? Not every attraction -- even in the Magic Kingdom -- has to be for kids or people whose idea of excitement is Peter Pan. That's a lesson that Disney has been slow to learn: Thrill rides are a crucial element of the theme park experience for many members of many families. That's why more and more people take a day away from Disney to go over to IOA (I do whenever possible). Even Everest, which is a fantastic attraction, isn't exactly a heart-stopper for most coaster fans.

 

[rosiep]

I have always wonder if people who use public transportation in their daily lives are more apt to think that Disney transportation is good.

I always found Disney transportation to be very good...but I think it's because I used to take public transportation EVERYWHERE. I think had I only been used to driving everywhere I would be impatient with the system.

I didn't learn to drive until I was 30 ( owning a car in NY was just not worth it) at any rate, when I moved to Portland the first time I put the kids in the car and went grocery shopping I thought I'd died and gone to heaven...(imagine grocery shopping in NY: 2 kiddies, 3 flights of stairs, and a stroller).

 

[Chuck S]

I have always wonder if people who use public transportation in their daily lives are more apt to think that Disney transportation is good. .

We don't really have any public transporation available here in Seguin, and I like the Disney buses just fine. We really only drive to the parks now because it is more convenient with Mom's wheelchair, and the buses have a 2 chair limit. We still take the bus to the MK, the wheelchair parking at the TTC is not convenient at all.

 

[rudetreehill]

First thing that comes to mind is the boat ride in Mexico. Boring! And the Astro Orbiter thing in MK? Totally not worth the long wait.

Interesting thread!

I don't even want to know what this says about me, but I love that craptacular little boat ride in Mexico. Seriously. Like, love to the point of it being a must-do on each trip. Maybe just cause it IS so craptacular! (Even after the recent renovation)

 

[MonorailMan]

I don't even want to know what this says about me, but I love that craptacular little boat ride in Mexico. Seriously. Like, love to the point of it being a must-do on each trip. Maybe just cause it IS so craptacular! (Even after the recent renovation)

Good. I thought I was the only one. I could actually ride it 3 or 4 times in a row. It's relaxing, it feels like an older classic attraction, and who can resist that "Disney water ride smell"?

I thought it was hilarious when my friend and I got off the ride, and he said in his usual emotionless tone, "I'm not going on that again".

 

[MonorailMan]

I'm not sure if this would count or not since it's not owned by Disney, but here goes: The Royal Plaza Hotel. There's really nothing wrong with it per se (unless, of course, you stayed there during the hurricane damage renovation a few years ago), but it just doesn't feel like you're in Disney World when you're staying here. Not to me anyway. Its rooms are decent.....and you get to make your own Mickey waffles in the Giraffe Cafe breakfast buffet ......but it still felt very separate from WDW. Not to mention the wait for the bus to the MK was about twice as long as the posted time.

If I'm not mistaken, this place is the unofficial Gay Days hotel, isn't it?

Edit:
Oh yeah, I forgot to add that the best thing about staying here is that you can literally walk to Downtown Disney in a matter of a few minutes.

 

[rosiep]

I'm not sure if this would count or not since it's not owned by Disney, but here goes: The Royal Plaza Hotel. There's really nothing wrong with it per se (unless, of course, you stayed there during the hurricane damage renovation a few years ago), but it just doesn't feel like you're in Disney World when you're staying here. Not to me anyway. Its rooms are decent.....and you get to make your own Mickey waffles in the Giraffe Cafe breakfast buffet ......but it still felt very separate from WDW. Not to mention the wait for the bus to the MK was about twice as long as the posted time.

If I'm not mistaken, this place is the unofficial Gay Days hotel, isn't it?

Edit:
Oh yeah, I forgot to add that the best thing about staying here is that you can literally walk to Downtown Disney in a matter of a few minutes.

I've stayed there and and there were some things I really liked about it..the rooms were spacious, it has room service (love me some room service) and it is close to DTD like you said. The buses however were more difficult to navigate and some of the pick up spots at the parks were in the middle of nowhere! In the end I think I much prefer staying on site at Disney..CSR has decent room service and is affordable so from now on I think I'll stay there.

 

[PghLybrt]

Not sure if it counts but i am still dissapointed that they got rid of those lemon bars with the waxy coating. Sure they were gross but as a kid I loved them!

 

[MonorailMan]

The buses however were more difficult to navigate and some of the pick up spots at the parks were in the middle of nowhere!

Ohhhhh yeah. I remember waiting for about 45 minutes for the bus to pick us up at Epcot to take us back to the RP........only to realize we were waiting in the wrong pick-up spot. When we finally found the right spot, which was about 100 yards away, we waited another half hour before the bus finally came. We got the spots mixed up because 2 of the pick-up spots were similar--Like one was "A-12 and the other was "12-A". I'm slow sometimes. There's no reason to be messin' with my head with numbers and letters.