Obsessed to disappointed?

[JimmyBean42]

I might be the only one here but Spaceship Earth. I was trying hard not to fall asleep during that ride but when the seat turned backward to view the "night sky", I could not resist...

You aren't the only one. My wife finds it extremely boring and my sister-in-law did legitimately fall asleep on the it. Personally I love it but had to drag people on it for years. But my dad and my 4 year old son love it so at least I have them to go on it with me.

 

[bjs1228]

Well, we just returned from a trip last week where I booked two prepark ADRs in MK so we would have a good shot at riding 7DMT (couldn't get a fp at 30 days out) & both days the ride was down!! On the Wed, it was down for a while in the morning. I gave up and went to do other things so I wouldn't waste time. Last Friday, it was down until about 15-20 minutes after park opening. We were able to ride it then. Still, I had visions of at least one ride before park opening like many quests have reported. It all worked out, but what luck!!

 

[MrsHull]

Maelstrom was a big disappointment. We didn't know it was there my first two trips when I was a kid and then skipped it because I thought it would be to scary on my son's first two trips. We went on it last time (possibly with a FP+) and it was incredibly underwhelming. We kept expecting to get wet, but there was barely a splash.

 

[ArwenMarie]

The Anna and Elsa meet and greet which was not easy to get! It was probably the lowest-quality, most-rushed M&G we have ever done. Really felt like they were just processing people as fast as they could.

 

[georgina]

Have you ever become fixated on an elusive attraction/meet and greet/adr, etc only to have it not pan out? My planning is going so well but I am obsessed with getting into Trader Sams for a drink and I don't think it's going to happen. Not really earth-shattering (obviously) but I really want it (said in an obnoxious whiny shrill voice).

I think this happens with a lot of things we build up great expectations for. I have had it happen with movies a lot - people say how great it is and I am expecting more than what it is. We had a bit of a let down with 7DMT last year, but have ridden it since and enjoyed it for what it was.

Someone else mentioned spending $800 for one ride, which in my opinion is setting yourself up for disappointment. We have thoroughly enjoyed both Harry Potter lands at Universal.

 

[PoohsHunnyBee]

Mission space - orange level. It was boring and tame for all the hype.

Personally, I agree; it's not intense in any sense of the word for me. However, my husband who happily rode any and all other rides multiple times will never go on it again. He didn't need the "barf bag", but he felt terrible for hours afterward.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

Have you ever become fixated on an elusive attraction/meet and greet/adr, etc only to have it not pan out? My planning is going so well but I am obsessed with getting into Trader Sams for a drink and I don't think it's going to happen. Not really earth-shattering (obviously) but I really want it (said in an obnoxious whiny shrill voice).

I go into a trip realizing it won't be perfect and I won't be able to do everything I want. My two favorite rides are Soarin' and Pirates of the Caribbean. Didn't realize until after booking my trip for July 11-19 that Pirates will be closed for refurbishment. At first I was real upset but then I realized all the other rides I will enjoy going on. Just make the best of it and realize that there will be plenty to do to make your trip great!

 

[Lisaloo]

The Anna and Elsa meet and greet which was not easy to get! It was probably the lowest-quality, most-rushed M&G we have ever done. Really felt like they were just processing people as fast as they could.

This makes me lol. I was doing fast passes a couple of weeks ago and felt serious FOMO about the A&E fp. I don't have a Frozen fan in my crowd, but all the frenzy surrounding it made me want to join in and grab a spot. Mob mentality. I didn't do it because my teenage boys would stage a mutiny.

 

[PiperMickey]

I was pretty disappointed in Ariel's Grotto. My DD loved it because she grew up on The Little Mermaid, but to me is was just the Nemo ride with animatronics instead of video/aquarium.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

Definitely Toy Story Midway Mania. We knew that there was a lot of hype and it was many people's favorite ride but when we got off, I couldn't help but wonder why people like it so much.

Agreed. Rode it once but not again. I would wait 20-30 minutes, but not any longer. And for me not worth spending a FP+ pass on. I would rather use it on ToT, RR Coaster and Star Tours.

Other rides that I thought were overrated or just average for me:

Maelstrom
River Rapids Ride at AK, liked it but way too short
Mission Space

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

saw Spaceship Earth mentioned a few times, I love the ride. I try to ride it multiple times.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I think I am the first to post this, but I was very disappointed in Osborne Lights . I saw a television special on it a couple of years before we went and for months I imagined my family with big smiles on their faces, standing amongst the glowing lights and the falling "snow." Instead, we spent our walk to the lights shoulder to shoulder with other guests, being rammed by strollers, listening to angry, frustrated parents yelling at their children, and trying desperately to hang on to our little girl and not lose her in the crowd.

The lights are pretty cool, but the magical effect was ruined by the horrific crowds.

 

[Tess]

Your experience may be different, but about a month ago, we went to Trader Sam's on a Sunday evening and got right in with no wait. My husband really wanted to check it out. I was afraid after hearing and reading about the crazy wait times.

There were just two of us. It was around 9:30. We sat at the bar and had drinks and appetizers. It was an enjoyable evening. I'm definitely glad we went. There were actually a few other empty seats in the bar...mostly at the bar. I think all the tables were occupied.

We went on a Tuesday night a couple weeks ago--like you, we were really geeked to go. We were told our wait was going to be one hour (didn't care--we had planned that wait into our evening) but in reality it was more like 30 minutes. We grabbed a drink from Captain Cook's and sat at the tables on the marina dock while we waited. Time passed very quickly as we visited with guests at the Polynesian and our beeper soon summoned us inside. We stayed long enough to share an Uh Oa then left. Frankly, we had more fun on the dock and with a drink from Tambu then wandering the grounds.

Trader Sam's was cute, we enjoyed it and the folks who allowed us to join their table (no seats at the bar and the only 2 seats available was with this group of 3 young ladies); but it would not be a regular haunt for us. Frankly, the cost of those drinks, while yummy, is rather prohibitive for lengthy stays and after you have seen the antics once--it is same old, same old. I really do miss the Adventurer's Club. . .

All of that said--we will probably go back in the fall and experience it with our daughter and son-in-law because they are excited to visit.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think I am the first to post this, but I was very disappointed in Osborne Lights . I saw a television special on it a couple of years before we went and for months I imagined my family with big smiles on their faces, standing amongst the glowing lights and the falling "snow." Instead, we spent our walk to the lights shoulder to shoulder with other guests, being rammed by strollers, listening to angry, frustrated parents yelling at their children, and trying desperately to hang on to our little girl and not lose her in the crowd.

The lights are pretty cool, but the magical effect was ruined by the horrific crowds.

Bummer. They are my favorite thing at WDW. But I will agree with you, the crowd level makes a huge difference in the enjoyment level. When it is too crowded, I just want to get out of there.

 

[whiporee]

Bummer. They are my favorite thing at WDW. But I will agree with you, the crowd level makes a huge difference in the enjoyment level. When it is too crowded, I just want to get out of there.

Me, too. It's one of my favorite things, but if there are too many people there, it's no fun at all.

I think a good time to go is either as the park closes, or during Fantastic and the buildup. The cord seems to thin out a lot during Fantasmic.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Bummer. They are my favorite thing at WDW. But I will agree with you, the crowd level makes a huge difference in the enjoyment level. When it is too crowded, I just want to get out of there.

Totally agree with this, we visited on a Thursday night last year and it was our single favorite experience ever at Disney. We must have spent 90 minutes just taking it all in.

We happened to be at DHS the very next night, and when we exited the Frozen sing along it was insanely packed. You couldn't even move, and eventually the crowd just trampled through stroller parking. Crowd management is essential for the lights.

As for something I was disappointed in, BOG dinner by far. I stalked this ADR dozens of times daily and was through the roof when I got it. The food was awful, I stopped eating my shrimp for fear of food poisoning and my Dad couldn't get through his meal (This never happens, lol) when we were done we all went to Caseys for hot dogs. It was not just a disappointment, it was the worst meal of a trip that included dinner at Chef Mickey's

 

[SaintsManiac]

Maelstrom was a big disappointment. We didn't know it was there my first two trips when I was a kid and then skipped it because I thought it would be to scary on my son's first two trips. We went on it last time (possibly with a FP+) and it was incredibly underwhelming. We kept expecting to get wet, but there was barely a splash.

We still laugh about this kid in our boat when we rode it. At the end he shouted, "THAT'S IT??"

 

[HatBoxSteve]

Seven Dwarfs Mine Cart...2 minute ride with 30 seconds of animatronics, so terrible. All that time and work for a beautiful façade and line for a lackluster ride =(. It was supposed to be the rollercoaster version of Splash Mountain with combination dark ride/thrill ride, it was neither.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My husband's first cruise was for our honeymoon on Carnival. I had such find memories as a kid on these that I inadvertently hyped it too much which caused him to set the bar far too high.
He was quite disappointed and swore of Carnival. We did try it again several years later and it
Was better for him (because now his bar was really low). Then we went on Disney and it was what he expected out of Carnival the first time.

To me--Carnival was the bee's
Knees after sailing on the Emerald Seas. Seemed so much more fancy fancy in my young opinion. I still think their newer ships are good. But I can see why he thought I was describing a very posh experience. Because as a teen, it was to me. Lol.

I have since learned to be careful in "selling" my experiences to him.

As for me-
I like Soarin', but I don't get the love for it.

 

[Jeannie in NJ]

I will run very far AWAY from Anna and Elsa. I just don't get the whole Frozen. I have 4 nieces under the age of 8 (plus a 4 year old nephew) that live just down the street and you know what song they perform at every single get together. I love my nieces but hate "that" song. At least when they are over at my house , it they are being rowdy, I just have to say "Who wants to watch Frozen?" and my son will supervise them all up in the upstairs tv room.