Is 2015 The Year To Skip WDW?

[JZCubed]

We have a trip booked for Sept 2015, but we may be waffling a little. In light of all of the construction at MK in the hub, a possible rehab at Soarin, the Maelstrom closure, construction walls at AK, the re-imagining and closing of practically half of HS, Downtown Disney in a shambles...... Is this the year we should skip going to WDW? We have always wanted to go to Disneyland and with 2015 being their 60th anniversary, would this be the time to go to California until WDW gets put back together?

Everyone has a different situation, life circumstances, and feelings.

My family just returned from Disney. Was all the construction unsightly - Yes. But there was still more things that we could have done that we did not do. Crowds will continue until at least those walls come down.

Rides, attractions, and entertainment will always have something that needs to be updated, renovated, or simply maintained when just about anybody is staying at Disney World. Haunted Mansion was closed for nearly our entire vacation, so we used a precious FP+ to make certain that we were not disappointed. We were pleasantly surprised at the ferocity of 7Dwarfs (although I say it's more like Big Thunder, while my wife says Barnstormer). Moreover, the Frozen Sing-Along was a far better experience for my family over The American Idol Experience (despite current road congestion), and new Lion King Theater is looking marvelous.

Funny, while we have just returned from Disney World, I am making plans for our longest stay for this coming summer. Main reason to have an extended stay is to accommodate daughter now that she's in school (instead of 2x each year). Anyway, with all the best laid plans, I am still not able to squeeze in any more without my family mentioning that the vacation was not a vacation.

We have resigned ourselves to not being able to see everything on a given Park day or even the entire vacation. My wife & child demand pool time. I demand at least one table service meal together (we often drop the child at Camp, which she prefers, while the Mrs. & I dine at Signatures).

Mother Nature has graced our child with a growth spurt (and classmate who recommended Tower of Terror) that now allows her access to Space Mountain & Everest so that the entire family has more adult-style thrill rides to chose from over Dumbo / Magic Carpets / Astro Orbiter / Tricera-Tops, etc. I guess what I am really saying - Disney has plenty of thrill rides that must first be conquered before pool time is even possible. But my family will, someday, also go to Universal when our child is tall enough (over 48") to enjoy thrill rides along with her parents. It's OK to want and skip Disney World - there are other resorts at or near theme and thrill parks; Hershey is an early morning ride for us. Of course, there are vacations without thrills.

Like the Carousel of Progress, I am a product of Flushing, NY (1964-1965). I have always loved the animatronics of this kitschy icon, and the Country Bears, and Tiki Room, Hall of President (not so much). Fortunately, my family likes these too (maybe because I like them). We also love the Broadway-style shows that tell the longer story in 25 minutes. Flights of Wonder, Living with Land, or even Voyage of Little Mermaid, along with nighttime spectacles, 3D-movies and comedies of Laugh Floor & Turtle Talk can fill in the time in a generationally appropriate experience for an entire family.

A ride closure here or a construction wall there has just given my family a reason to walk along a different path within what we continue to believe is the happiest place on earth (despite my belief that the Signatures are declining). We can certainly be happy in other places too, but if that's you waiting for a drink at the bar, I'd be glad to buy yours too. Plenty of families are happy and safe in places other than Disney World and that's all any of us really want.

Happy New Year!

 

[kapoof]

My issue is with magic band, fast pass plus disaster. We are focusing more on dcl for our disney fix.

 

[Suvadoo]

Right, just speculation for now, but only a matter of time before Indy, Lights Motor Action, and others will be cleared out paving the way for something new.

2015 just seems like a good year to try something new like Disneyland. Maybe by 2016 a lot of this construction and re-imagineering will have settled down - until they decide to tear apart something else.

I think you are being overly optimistic in thinking the construction will be done in 2016. I believe Fantasyland took 7 years to complete and Avatarland isn't expected to be completed until 2017, at the earliest.
As far as DHS, maybe Disney will have announced construction plans and walls may have been erectedby 2016, but I'd be stunned if anything were completed any sooner than 2019.

But I aggree with Kapoof, the FP+ disaster is my biggest complaint.

 

[Laketravis]

I'm beginning to wonder if the lack of announcements for major improvements and status is because Disney learned a lesson from the "New Fantasy Land Expansion"; did they figure out that giving guests a timeline for improvements resulted in a substantial number of visits being postponed or cancelled?

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm beginning to wonder if the lack of announcements for major improvements and status is because Disney learned a lesson from the "New Fantasy Land Expansion"; did they figure out that giving guests a timeline for improvements resulted in a substantial number of visits being postponed or cancelled?

Interesting theory. You might be right on that.

 

[Hopefully]

Right, just speculation for now, but only a matter of time before Indy, Lights Motor Action, and others will be cleared out paving the way for something new.

2015 just seems like a good year to try something new like Disneyland. Maybe by 2016 a lot of this construction and re-imagineering will have settled down - until they decide to tear apart something else.

You need to do what is right for you and your family. It seems from your post you are pretty negative toward WDW right now, so a break may be good for you.
We just returned from our 2014 trip and had a wonderful time, even with construction walls. We are not negative about them, but rather looking forward to the future. Our 2015 trip is already booked.

My issue is with magic band, fast pass plus disaster. We are focusing more on dcl for our disney fix.

We LOVED the Magic Band and Fast Pass +. It worked wonderfully for us. In my view it is a great improvement. But then again I see a half full glass, not a half empty one.

 

[DISNEYD14]

We loved Magic Bands and FP+ too but there was a lot of construction when we went in October. It didn't seem to bother me though, except the closure of Affection Section in AK
We actually loved FP+ and MB so much we booked 2 trips next year despite constructions plans (of course this was my first knowledge of Soarin being closed) Any ideas when and for how long?

 

[Mikie]

We are sporadic, not annual visitors, so we're always picking when to go. We time it based on kids ages (go when someone is still free, or just before they hit adult prices) and we waited for 2014 so new fantasyland would be complete. I think 2015 is definitely a "skippable" year as we wait for Avatarland to open and give us a couple years space from this recent trip. If we were annual visitors, though, the current constructions and closures wouldn't scare us away - we still left exhausted and not having seen "everything" as usual!

 

[DisneyFive]

We have a trip booked for Sept 2015, but we may be waffling a little. In light of all of the construction at MK in the hub, a possible rehab at Soarin, the Maelstrom closure, construction walls at AK, the re-imagining and closing of practically half of HS, Downtown Disney in a shambles...... Is this the year we should skip going to WDW? We have always wanted to go to Disneyland and with 2015 being their 60th anniversary, would this be the time to go to California until WDW gets put back together?

We have a trip planned/booked for Sept 2015, but...

What's going on in the HUB, and when is it slated to be over?

I would hate for Soarin to be under refurb this coming September! It's my favorite ride. This is not confirmed right?

Dan

 

[RamieGee]

We are sporadic, not annual visitors, so we're always picking when to go. We time it based on kids ages (go when someone is still free, or just before they hit adult prices) and we waited for 2014 so new fantasyland would be complete. I think 2015 is definitely a "skippable" year as we wait for Avatarland to open and give us a couple years space from this recent trip. If we were annual visitors, though, the current constructions and closures wouldn't scare us away - we still left exhausted and not having seen "everything" as usual!

Agree with a lot of this^.

When we go in '15...

(1) My Kids are only 4 & 7 once. It's the sweet spot. I'm not going to miss it.

(2) We still can't do "everything" - even with all the mentioned closures and construction, I'm confident we won't be twiddling our thumbs wondering what to do to pass the time.

The new Fantasy Land was behind walls under construction last time we were there in 2012, so now we're excited the be able to see it.

When we go back in 2018, there will be more new to see (and more construction), and the kids will experience it in a different way since they'll be older.

 

[GWhitten98]

We have been two back to back years, and although the construction did not really affect our trip we are planning on taking a break. We have agreed there are other things we want to do while the kids are small and back to back trips will not be norm for us so it seems that 2015 might be a good year to skip. I am waiting to decide on late 2016 or early 2017 for our next trip.

 

[Zhaan]

If we didn't have an annual pass we would probably be skipping next year.

 

[johde]

My trip to Fl. January 2-11 so I'm not technically skipping 2015. That being said, I've considered going back to Disneyland for my next Disney trip. I went in 2011 when DCA was torn up. I really enjoyed Disneyland and would like to go back and see the new Cars Land. Going right now when there's nothing new seems like a good time to go again.

 

[DisReno]

Well, we just got back in October and aren't going for 6 years-we are planning on going in 2020 for our 30th year anniversary, making it a two week trip with a cruise. All of the current projects will be done, but I'm sure something else will be renovated.

We just decided we wanted to wait until there were a lot of changes. We will go to Disneyland once or twice for our Disney fix.

In the meantime, we will use our DVC for Hilton Head and Hawaii, since we want to try those. We want to go to Yellowstone, and an Alaskan cruise.

So, there is plenty to do in the next six years, and I know we will be ready for WDW in 2020!

 

[kaytieeldr]

My issue is with magic band, fast pass plus disaster. We are focusing more on dcl for our disney fix.

My issue is with magic band, fast pass plus disaster. We are focusing more on dcl for our disney fix.

Hmmm... yeah, you said that...

 

[verleniahall]

Just letting everyone know, we got the 2015 Planning DVD yesterday and it still really hypes up the Indiana Jones Experience

 

[DisneyFive]

After four years in a row, 2014 was our year to skip. We did a RCI cruise instead, just last week.

2015 might be our "last hurrah" for a while, since our oldest will be in 8th grade, and I don't expect to be able to pull her out of school once high school starts.

I just hope that there aren't a lot of major refurbs happening. However, having done WDW as much as we have, we can go with the flow a little more now, and aren't dying to get on any one particular ride. I would be super bummed though if our top fav's weren't running (Soarin, RnRC, TOT, BTMR, EE, SM)

Dan

 

[patty57]

Pretty sure no 2015 for us. Too much construction in the parks right now...walls everywhere. Feeling a little Disneyed out right now. On the positive side, we had a few great dinners at Jiko, Flying Fish & Artist Point, and I didn't dislike MBs or FP+. The Wild Africa Trek was amazing. Still...enough Disney for me for awhile. The pool construction at WL didn't finish when it was supposed to, so the beach area had huge construction walls and equipment, the hot tubs never opened, the overlook was closed, the nature trail was closed, the seating area right off the lobby was closed, the back of the resort was covered in tarps and scaffolding, the pool opened-closed-and opened again with no heat, slide wasn't functioning, lots and lots of construction workers and equipment and noise. It's probably the first time I was ready to leave my resort. I know the construction didn't bother everyone at WL, but it definitely bothered us.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think it's a good year to skip if you are going to skip one.

We don't have any 2015 trips planned right now but I'm sure we'll be in Orlando at least once this year. I could see us going to MK for a day (along with UOR) but I'm feeling pretty done with the other three Disney parks for now.

I'm looking forward to the changes at AK, even the night show, so that will be a draw whenever that is done.

 

[kapoof]

Hmmm... yeah, you said that...

Hmmm yea double post....it happens.