Max Rebo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2006
- Messages
- 446
Hello friends, new and old! It has been several years since I have posted on this site, but as my family is planning a potential 2018 visit to Disney World, I figured it was time to check in.
I’ve been lurking on the boards for a few weeks now. And one thing that I have learned is that there have been A LOT of changes since our last visit to WDW in 2010.
With that in mind, I decided to compile my own list of “The Top 11 Changes Since My Last Disney World Visit,” with a few comments and questions along the way. In reverse order, here they are:
11. DHS Construction: Backstage Tour? Gone. LMA? Gone. The big hat? History. Construction walls all over the place? Yep. Once TSL and SWE are up and running, this will likely be at the top of my list of changes, as DHS will be a whole new park. For now, the main change is that there are fewer attractions to visit at DHS. (Though none of the closed attractions were must-sees for us.)
10. Frozen takes over Norway: The Maelstrom is no more, and World Showcase is now a bit more IP-driven. I’m generally OK with it. Old rides need updates, and as a fan of Frozen, I am excited to experience FEA. It would seem that one of the biggest impacts of this addition is that the Epcot rope-drop crowd is now split 3 ways, instead of 2. It seems like this would be a good thing. I’m curious to know if this assumption is accurate.
9. Star Tours updates: Judging by my user name, I’m clearly a big Star Wars fan. So obviously, I’m excited to see the updates on the attraction, which were made shortly after our last visit. Also, as this attraction is rumored to be shut down after SWE experience opens in 2019, this might be my only chance to experience it.
8. No nighttime parade at MK: My first trip to WDW was during “Magic Music Days” in the late 1980s, when my high school band got to march in the evening parade at Magic Kingdom. As such, these parades have always been a key component to a visit to Magic Kingdom. I had loosely planned on catching the parade from deep in Frontierland on my next visit, but it doesn’t look like this will be an option.
7. New Soarin’: Soarin’ is arguably my favorite attraction at WDW. I am excited to see the updates. I have seen the new movie on YouTube, and I am impressed. I love the sites featured (most of which tie in to Disney in some way), and I’m thrilled that the same music is used (new arrangement.) The “world” theme is a better fit for Epcot.
6. No more Dumbo Dash: Back in 2010, a large contingent of the MK rope-drop crowd headed straight to the flying elephants, and lines stayed long all day. Now, Dumbo has a new home over in Storybook Circus, capacity has been doubled, and it seems like wait times are scarecely a problem. Question: Is Dumbo still the icon it once was?
5. The rise of projection shows: Back in 2010, I recall there being some very basic projections that were included in Wishes, but it was generally a fireworks-only show. Now, with both HEA at MK, as well as the Star Wars Galactic Spectacular, projections are a key component to the show. As far as trip planning goes, this makes location much more imporant for these shows. It used to be, you could get a pretty good view of the show from anywhere in the park. Now, you really need to be in front of the castle or the Chinese Theater to see the projections. (Which look phenomenal).
4. Cost: Like everything else in the world, Disney World is getting more expensive. On our last two trips, (2007 and 2010), we were able to fly to Disney both times. But with ticket prices AND airfares up, this is no longer a possibility. If we go in 2018, we will be driving. Not a huge problem—we can get there in a day. And I’m actually excited to see what opporunities might be created by virtue of having a car on site.
3. New Fantasyland: Construction was just beginning when we were last at WDW. Now, there’s a whole new land to explore. 7DMT is near the top of our must-sees, as is VoLM. Maybe we’ll try LeFou’s Brew. One thing that is interesting to me, however, is that VoLM doesn’t seem to be popular as you might think, for a new attraction. Any theories? Ride quality? Location?
2. Pandora: The biggest change at WDW this year rates No. 2 on my list. Aside from adding new attractions, this addition completely reshapes AK touring strategy. Back in 2010, the touring strategy always started with figuring out the best way to do the Safari and EE. Now, there are whole new factors to consider.
1. FP+: This changes so much of the way I think we will visit WDW. And really, it’s not just FP+, it’s the whole MagicBand/MDX system. More planning is now required, but it will be nice to have 3 guaranteed FPs when you walk into the park. The days of designating one person in our party to be the “FP runner,” and of hoarding FPs all morning to be used in the afternoon, are over. Now, so much of your trip can be managed with your smartphone. I will admit to being a bit intimidated by the new system, but I will give it a chance before I cast judgment.
That's my list. What am I missing?
I’ve been lurking on the boards for a few weeks now. And one thing that I have learned is that there have been A LOT of changes since our last visit to WDW in 2010.
With that in mind, I decided to compile my own list of “The Top 11 Changes Since My Last Disney World Visit,” with a few comments and questions along the way. In reverse order, here they are:
11. DHS Construction: Backstage Tour? Gone. LMA? Gone. The big hat? History. Construction walls all over the place? Yep. Once TSL and SWE are up and running, this will likely be at the top of my list of changes, as DHS will be a whole new park. For now, the main change is that there are fewer attractions to visit at DHS. (Though none of the closed attractions were must-sees for us.)
10. Frozen takes over Norway: The Maelstrom is no more, and World Showcase is now a bit more IP-driven. I’m generally OK with it. Old rides need updates, and as a fan of Frozen, I am excited to experience FEA. It would seem that one of the biggest impacts of this addition is that the Epcot rope-drop crowd is now split 3 ways, instead of 2. It seems like this would be a good thing. I’m curious to know if this assumption is accurate.
9. Star Tours updates: Judging by my user name, I’m clearly a big Star Wars fan. So obviously, I’m excited to see the updates on the attraction, which were made shortly after our last visit. Also, as this attraction is rumored to be shut down after SWE experience opens in 2019, this might be my only chance to experience it.
8. No nighttime parade at MK: My first trip to WDW was during “Magic Music Days” in the late 1980s, when my high school band got to march in the evening parade at Magic Kingdom. As such, these parades have always been a key component to a visit to Magic Kingdom. I had loosely planned on catching the parade from deep in Frontierland on my next visit, but it doesn’t look like this will be an option.
7. New Soarin’: Soarin’ is arguably my favorite attraction at WDW. I am excited to see the updates. I have seen the new movie on YouTube, and I am impressed. I love the sites featured (most of which tie in to Disney in some way), and I’m thrilled that the same music is used (new arrangement.) The “world” theme is a better fit for Epcot.
6. No more Dumbo Dash: Back in 2010, a large contingent of the MK rope-drop crowd headed straight to the flying elephants, and lines stayed long all day. Now, Dumbo has a new home over in Storybook Circus, capacity has been doubled, and it seems like wait times are scarecely a problem. Question: Is Dumbo still the icon it once was?
5. The rise of projection shows: Back in 2010, I recall there being some very basic projections that were included in Wishes, but it was generally a fireworks-only show. Now, with both HEA at MK, as well as the Star Wars Galactic Spectacular, projections are a key component to the show. As far as trip planning goes, this makes location much more imporant for these shows. It used to be, you could get a pretty good view of the show from anywhere in the park. Now, you really need to be in front of the castle or the Chinese Theater to see the projections. (Which look phenomenal).
4. Cost: Like everything else in the world, Disney World is getting more expensive. On our last two trips, (2007 and 2010), we were able to fly to Disney both times. But with ticket prices AND airfares up, this is no longer a possibility. If we go in 2018, we will be driving. Not a huge problem—we can get there in a day. And I’m actually excited to see what opporunities might be created by virtue of having a car on site.
3. New Fantasyland: Construction was just beginning when we were last at WDW. Now, there’s a whole new land to explore. 7DMT is near the top of our must-sees, as is VoLM. Maybe we’ll try LeFou’s Brew. One thing that is interesting to me, however, is that VoLM doesn’t seem to be popular as you might think, for a new attraction. Any theories? Ride quality? Location?
2. Pandora: The biggest change at WDW this year rates No. 2 on my list. Aside from adding new attractions, this addition completely reshapes AK touring strategy. Back in 2010, the touring strategy always started with figuring out the best way to do the Safari and EE. Now, there are whole new factors to consider.
1. FP+: This changes so much of the way I think we will visit WDW. And really, it’s not just FP+, it’s the whole MagicBand/MDX system. More planning is now required, but it will be nice to have 3 guaranteed FPs when you walk into the park. The days of designating one person in our party to be the “FP runner,” and of hoarding FPs all morning to be used in the afternoon, are over. Now, so much of your trip can be managed with your smartphone. I will admit to being a bit intimidated by the new system, but I will give it a chance before I cast judgment.
That's my list. What am I missing?
