In your opinion what is the most overrated thing in WDW?

[Sparkly]

this comes with a caveat due to price. It is every Disney resort and throw dining into that too. Someone asked to price out a 2BR for them on Disney property because they heard great things. Copper Creek was $1,244/nt without tax, almost $1,400/nt with tax. Other DVC were a bit cheaper, but not drastically. Now, these people have money which is magnitudes more than us. They were not being snide when they asked, but they asked how we could go so often at those rates. I told them the same thing I tell everyone. We stay offsite in better than Disney accommodations for less than the price of a single night staying on Disney property. Yes, all the naysayers that are All Disney will say it is not the same, but I beg to differ while saving $1,000s. Of course they throw out that an AS Studio is about the same price but that argument is hollow compared to a 2BR/2BA, full kitchen, dining room, living room, balcony. But hey, they won't have any of it. I did warn them the drawbacks of staying offsite. At first, they couldn't believe it but when I showed them what they get, the prices, they went for it.

You know, we started off staying offsite in a nice 3 bed 2 bath condo, but moved onsite because we wanted to. That's our decision and we enjoy the parks of onsite as much as we did the space of offsite.

 

[BigredNole]

I will help out as much as I can. Some people don't care about their hard earned money. As for the 60-day FP window, that is easily done staying offsite. Book a throwaway campsite with APs. I still save money staying offsite and buying APs. Book that $60 campsite for 1-night, book all my FPs, then cancel that campsite inside the 30-days. There was not a single FP or attraction I missed going this route. Comparing my 14-night trip to comparable WDW accommodations, I saved $7,000. Comparing it to the cheapest AS resort, I saved $800. I don't know about everyone's financial status. They may wipe themselves with $100 bills. Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury and if I did, I still would save money knowing how much work it took to get to that point.

 

[mousehouse23]

Book that $60 campsite for 1-night, book all my FPs, then cancel that campsite inside the 30-days. There was not a single FP or attraction I missed going this route.

Can you actually make FPs for your entire trip by doing this? Wow.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Can you actually make FPs for your entire trip by doing this? Wow.

Yes it is and can get pretty controversial on the boards.

 

[Rich M]

Can you actually make FPs for your entire trip by doing this? Wow.

Seems like a lot of people do this since there is an entire board just for that topic and it is a lengthy one.

 

[Wdw1015]

Soarin’
Was so excited to score a FP for it our first trip only to look at each other and say “That was it?”. Thought it was boring and way overhyped.

 

[phinz]

For me it's the new Test Track. It's boring (especilally on queue), doesn't have the humor of the old one and is just one big General Motors ad.

I also found Journey of the Little Mermaid highly lacking. It's just a set of vignettes, doesn't really feel like it has that much of a plot line, and the suspension of disbelief doesn't happen when I can clearly see the floors we are traveling on. I want to be immersed, something Disney was always so famous for, and it doesn't come even close to doing that.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Yes it is and can get pretty controversial on the boards.

I cannot believe that is a thing. While I would probably do the same thing if I were one who stayed off property, its crap like that which causes people to basically say screw this and vacation elsewhere.

If the level of planning needed continues to increase, as it apparently is, then WDW itself will become overrated!!

 

[BigredNole]

Can you actually make FPs for your entire trip by doing this? Wow.

Partially. With APs, you can only make 7-days worth of FP selections within a 30-day period. If you have an onsite reservation, that moves to 60-days. If anyone wants to complain about it, there is nothing broken with this system. It is a system that is 100% permitted by WDW. There is nothing against WDW policy about purchasing an AP. There is nothing against booking a campsite at WDW. There is nothing against booking FPs with your AP and campsite reservation. There is nothing wrong with canceling your campsite reservation up to the cancellation date. What people have issue with is others not wasting $1,000s like they are.

 

[Rich M]

Partially. With APs, you can only make 7-days worth of FP selections within a 30-day period. If you have an onsite reservation, that moves to 60-days. If anyone wants to complain about it, there is nothing broken with this system. It is a system that is 100% permitted by WDW. There is nothing against WDW policy about purchasing an AP. There is nothing against booking a campsite at WDW. There is nothing against booking FPs with your AP and campsite reservation. There is nothing wrong with canceling your campsite reservation up to the cancellation date. What people have issue with is others not wasting $1,000s like they are.

Seems like these is something broken in the system. Seems like there should be some options for AP holders then to have to book a campsite and then cancel it. Seems like people who pay that much for an AP should get some sort of a perk too just like people staying on site.

 

[Tomservo]

For me it's the new Test Track. It's boring (especilally on queue), doesn't have the humor of the old one and is just one big General Motors ad.

I also found Journey of the Little Mermaid highly lacking. It's just a set of vignettes, doesn't really feel like it has that much of a plot line, and the suspension of disbelief doesn't happen when I can clearly see the floors we are traveling on. I want to be immersed, something Disney was always so famous for, and it doesn't come even close to doing that.

I agree about Test Track. Especially now that we went to Disneyland in July and got to experience Radiator Springs Racers. Similar type of ride, but much better theming and way more fun than Test Track (especially the current version).

 

[kagmypts]

Staying onsite. There are plenty of nice offsite resorts within a few minutes of Disney.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Staying on site. There are plenty of nice off site resorts a few minutes from Disney.

We are starting to plan for next August and I figured offsite probably wouldn't be too much cheaper than onsite (market forces and all that!) and my jaw really dropped seeing the difference. This included Universal hotels.

However, I think our family loves AKL and Polynesian too much to venture elsewhere.

 

[mousehouse23]

Partially. With APs, you can only make 7-days worth of FP selections within a 30-day period. If you have an onsite reservation, that moves to 60-days. If anyone wants to complain about it, there is nothing broken with this system. It is a system that is 100% permitted by WDW. There is nothing against WDW policy about purchasing an AP. There is nothing against booking a campsite at WDW. There is nothing against booking FPs with your AP and campsite reservation. There is nothing wrong with canceling your campsite reservation up to the cancellation date. What people have issue with is others not wasting $1,000s like they are.

This clears things up. Thanks for explaining.

I have an AP, but the rest of my family doesn't. We're staying offsite in March, so this is definitely tempting, especially because of FoP. Will Disney automatically send the other three members in my family a Magic Band upon reservation? I think this is the part I'm ethically challenged by. Seems like I'm getting a freebie for gaming the system, when otherwise, we'd have to pay.

 

[Princess_Lisa]

Seems like these is something broken in the system. Seems like there should be some options for AP holders then to have to book a campsite and then cancel it. Seems like people who pay that much for an AP should get some sort of a perk too just like people staying on site.

As a passholder, I get free parking, so really the perks of staying on site I can think of (other than being closer) are EMH, being able to charge stuff to your room with your MagicBand, DME, 60 Day FastPass+ window, and up to 10 extra days head start on ADRs.

• I'd like to see Disney debundle MagicBand charging from room reservations. Just let everyone use a MagicBand to pay for stuff on site. Make it a prepaid/auto pay system where you could deposit a set amount and/or enable it to charge your credit card. This would be good for people who want to budget a set amount (prepaid) and those who just want the convenience (auto pay from credit card).
• For EMH, I would hope that they will eventually extend that perk to passholders also like Universal does for their Early Park Admission.
• For FastPass+, I suggest moving both windows to 30 days and giving resort guests a 30 days plus length of stay window and everyone else a 30 day rolling window. Resort guests would still have a head start, but not as long of one.
• For ADRs, I've never had an issue getting an ADR if I reserve it far enough in advance even well inside 180 days. Then again, I also don't eat at the super expensive resort restaurants.
• Disney Magical Express (DME) is a good perk if you are flying in. Since I live close enough to drive, it isn't of much use for me.

Of course, all of the perks are available to all resort guests. You don't have to stay at a $500-2000/night Deluxe when a campsite or Value will get you the same perks for $60-150/night. The downside to that is you could stay at a decent hotel on 192 for the same price as a campsite or a nice hotel by Disney Springs for the same price of a value. You just lose the perks. You could also stay at the Swan/Dolphin for around $200/night depending on time of year. Parking is an extra $20-30/night which I didn't think about when I booked a stay there. My $156/night room was suddenly $234/night (12.5% Room Tax, Resort Fee, and Parking). No big deal if you aren't driving. They get some, but not all of the perks and are nicer than a Value or Moderate.

 

[Rich M]

As a passholder, I get free parking, so really the perks of staying on site I can think of (other than being closer) are EMH, being able to charge stuff to your room with your MagicBand, DME, 60 Day FastPass+ window, and up to 10 extra days head start on ADRs.

• I'd like to see Disney debundle MagicBand charging from room reservations. Just let everyone use a MagicBand to pay for stuff on site. Make it a prepaid/auto pay system where you could deposit a set amount and/or enable it to charge your credit card. This would be good for people who want to budget a set amount (prepaid) and those who just want the convenience (auto pay from credit card).
• For EMH, I would hope that they will eventually extend that perk to passholders also like Universal does for their Early Park Admission.
• For FastPass+, I suggest moving both windows to 30 days and giving resort guests a 30 days plus length of stay window and everyone else a 30 day rolling window. Resort guests would still have a head start, but not as long of one.
• For ADRs, I've never had an issue getting an ADR if I reserve it far enough in advance even well inside 180 days. Then again, I also don't eat at the super expensive resort restaurants.
• Disney Magical Express (DME) is a good perk if you are flying in. Since I live close enough to drive, it isn't of much use for me.

Of course, all of the perks are available to all resort guests. You don't have to stay at a $500-2000/night Deluxe when a campsite or Value will get you the same perks for $60-150/night. The downside to that is you could stay at a decent hotel on 192 for the same price as a campsite or a nice hotel by Disney Springs for the same price of a value. You just lose the perks. You could also stay at the Swan/Dolphin for around $200/night depending on time of year. Parking is an extra $20-30/night which I didn't think about when I booked a stay there. My $156/night room was suddenly $234/night (12.5% Room Tax, Resort Fee, and Parking). No big deal if you aren't driving. They get some, but not all of the perks and are nicer than a Value or Moderate.

Interesting to know.

 

[Linkura]

I've figured it out. It's the only ride at WDW where the CM's really do use magic and pixie dust to close your lap bars. It's amazing! Everyone wants to wait forever to experience it.

I was sad that they don't do this on the DLR version.

 

[hodad]

The most overrated thing in WDW is Andrew Jackson.

 

[melanielll]

The most overrated thing in WDW is Andrew Jackson.

Because $20 won't buy you much there?

 

[Rich M]

Because $20 won't buy you much there?

Then it should be Ben because $100 barley buys you a ticket to get in the door to a party for a few hours.