Has anyone regretted going to Disney Florida?

ForthethingsIdo · 2024-02-09T06:49:07+00:00

I feel I want to take my child but am so put off by the crowds and queues. I’ve read people often stand in queues for 60-90min to ride. Is it really worth it? Thank you

Heatherbell1978 · 09/02/2024 06:52

Just place marking! It is my idea of hell but I feel like I might have to give in at some point so keen to hear responses!

Bladwdoda · 09/02/2024 06:55

As above. I really hate the sound of it all, but a part of me wants to do it for the kids. I wonder how people like me (non Disney lovers) find it.

Tiddlywinkly · 09/02/2024 06:56

How old is your child? It affects what rides they can go on, how much they can tolerate all the walking, travel and waiting, if you can go at a cheaper time of year, if they'll remember any of it etc.

GiddyUpJingleHorse · 09/02/2024 06:59

We went for two weeks last august. Far too hot and I just don’t get the whole Disney thing. The rides are fun but yes the parks are very busy. Food dreadful. And driving in and out of the parks each day I didn’t like the area. This makes me sounds so miserable I know but I was glad to come home 😂

foodtoorder · 09/02/2024 07:03

Not sure anyone ever regrets it!
It's a magical place even with crowds. Some queues were over 120mins or longer but there is an app that tells you queue times while you are there so you can make the most of your time. Eat lunch in the queues, take something to pass the time in queues.
You will never see or do everything in one day in one park.
There are 6 Disney parks and the best value ticket is the 2 week one as you can pick and choose.

I think there is a planner on the website and you can see which dates are quieter. Def look at Florida state school holidays also and go outside of that.
Do lots of planning/research to be prepared! There is so much to see and know. Have a look at Disney world Facebook groups, lots of people providing info and tips.

If you aren't sure maybe look at it as a once in a lifetime trip for the kids.
It's nice for adults too though.

Whatineed · 09/02/2024 07:04

I went onto that Disney forum and learnt a LOT. They have graphs on how busy days at each park are, loads of fantastic tips on how to do Disney properly (the frozen bottles of water in the polystyrene car cool box was a life saver.)

I made a spreadsheet of the days we were there and what we were doing. We alternated parks with water parks and Nasa/beach trips, and stayed in a private villa with pool to get a break from the crazy every few days. It made such a difference.

MajorMorgan · 09/02/2024 07:06

I hate the whole thought of it but have never felt able to express this before as most people seem to think it's amazing. I've always felt slightly guilty that we will never be going. I don't want to save up an extrortionate amount of money for something I don't want to do. Sorry , I'm not really answering your question but I am glad I'm not alone.

CreateHope · 09/02/2024 07:07

@Heatherbell1978 believe me, you really don’t! My kids have survived to nearly adulthood without a whiff of Disney. It’s not compulsory 😄

Tiddlywinkly · 09/02/2024 07:11

We saved up and took them at 7 and 9. Great ages (for us). We went for 10 days in May, taking 3 days of term time leave.

As you know, it is not a cheap holiday. We wanted to be on site and get early access and the cost of the Disney hotel was worth it for us as the park is huge, but a villa offsite etc is always an option, but you'll need car hire, parking etc.

Do I think it was worth it? I have great memories of going at 12, but it was a sweaty, stressful, expensive holiday (for me) that I promised myself I would do for my kids when I was a kid. They enjoyed it, but I think they would have been just as delighted with a few days at Euro Disney tbh.

Everyone is different though. My sister's family love all of it 🙂

ChimChimeny · 09/02/2024 07:12

Use this to give you the "quietest" times to go as per PP American school hols is much more important than ours

https://wdwprepschool.com/disney-world-crowd-calendar/

you can see historic wait times in www.thedibb.com

We've been at busy times and less busy,never regretted it but always maxed the fast pass/genie plus systems to reduce queuing as much as poss (and happy to pay for it to do so!)

Disney World 2024 Crowd Calendar (best times to go)

2024 Best times to visit Walt Disney World. Looking for the best time to visit Walt Disney World in 2024? Our

https://wdwprepschool.com/disney-world-crowd-calendar

sawnotseen · 09/02/2024 07:13

I went as part of a month long tour of Florida. I thought I would hate it and only went for the kids .... but I bloody loved it! So much so, we took the kids to Disney Paris the following year. It's bonkers. We went in September/October and the queues were not too bad. It might have helped knowing that we were only there for a few days then off to Captiva, Sanibel, the keys...

ChimChimeny · 09/02/2024 07:15

Also a few days at Disneyland paris isn't exactly cheap, for 3/4 days it's about hAlf what we spend on Florida so I'd rather pay more Nd go for 2 weeks!

MummyDummyNow · 09/02/2024 07:17

Going somewhere where I'm advised to eat lunch standing whilst standing in a queue and to make a spreadsheet beforehand is not my idea of a good holiday 😂

Sorry OP not helpful!

BeckyWithTheGoodHair010101 · 09/02/2024 07:19

We went last year and we loved it! I wasn't expecting to love it as much. It's totally magical even with the queues. If we went again we would get the lightning lane passes to beat the queues. I can't wait to go back.

theleafandnotthetree · 09/02/2024 07:25

Not me personally but a friend of mine went and didn't particularly enjoy it, she found the while excess and waste of it (including things like food waste etc) really off putting. TBF, I think that may be US culture in general rather than just Disney. But she also mentioned the heat, the crowds and the crankiness. They are a wealthy family so it wasn't the end of the world, they have had some great holidays in Europe, but I remember her saying she'd have been very disappointed if this was their one big trip of a lifetime kind of thing or if they had to save like mad or sacrifice other thjngs to go.

PieAndLattes · 09/02/2024 07:26

I’d go to Disneyland Paris for a few days and see how you feel then. My DD loved it (age 9) but my DS (age 7) was really bored with it after day 2. My DD absorbed all the ‘magic’ but my DS was much happier getting a McFlurry in the McDonalds!

Bladwdoda · 09/02/2024 07:27

theleafandnotthetree · 09/02/2024 07:25

Not me personally but a friend of mine went and didn't particularly enjoy it, she found the while excess and waste of it (including things like food waste etc) really off putting. TBF, I think that may be US culture in general rather than just Disney. But she also mentioned the heat, the crowds and the crankiness. They are a wealthy family so it wasn't the end of the world, they have had some great holidays in Europe, but I remember her saying she'd have been very disappointed if this was their one big trip of a lifetime kind of thing or if they had to save like mad or sacrifice other thjngs to go.

This is my worry. Me and my son don’t cope well with lots of time in noise and crowds and my DD is terrible at anything where she has to queue and wait. I think I’d spend the whole time over stimulated managing 2 kids who can’t cope. for a normal holiday that would be fine but for one that costs so much….

theleafandnotthetree · 09/02/2024 07:27

MummyDummyNow · 09/02/2024 07:17

Going somewhere where I'm advised to eat lunch standing whilst standing in a queue and to make a spreadsheet beforehand is not my idea of a good holiday 😂

Sorry OP not helpful!

Exactly this! Even when people love it, there's about a thousand provisos about right hotels, right times, queuing systems, etc. Sounds more like war planning than holiday planning. Fuck that.

Repts · 09/02/2024 07:28

I'm an adult who's gone twice and absolutely loved it! There's so so much more than just the rides but I've never been in school holiday times (I went in May and September previously) and the queues were absolutely fine (have waited in longer queues in Thorpe Park tbh!). It can get pricey with the food, yes, but there's so many ways to make it slightly cheaper if you want. I loved it and have only been with adults, so I imagine it would be even more great to experience with your child! It's on my bucket list if my husband and I ever have kids (but I'd definitely avoid school holidays and need to pick the right ages!). I'd also recommend a couple days in Universal if you can whilst you're in Florida!

spriots · 09/02/2024 07:28

I went as a child and it was far from my favourite holiday - I did enjoy it but I didn't love it. But as a child I didn't really like rides..

I am inclined to take my kids to Billund instead for Legoland, Wow Park, lalandia etc instead

MorningMinion · 09/02/2024 07:32

theleafandnotthetree · 09/02/2024 07:27

Exactly this! Even when people love it, there's about a thousand provisos about right hotels, right times, queuing systems, etc. Sounds more like war planning than holiday planning. Fuck that.

Show quote history

Yes, exactly. I am absolutely not spending my own precious time doing an amount of planning that sounds appropriate to invading a country, and then eating lunch while queueing for 90 minutes for a ride.

MalewhoisLaffinalltheway · 09/02/2024 07:34

Been three times and hated each one, but felt obliged due to not wanting my wife to deal with kids on her own. Due to go this July, but now the kids are old enough I've opted out of the theme parks and will happily find myself something else to do for four days in Orlando.
Honestly, the queueing, rip off prices for food etc., I can happily do without. 2+ hours queue for a ride that lasts 10 mins at best, nah, not for me.

rookiemere · 09/02/2024 07:36

We went when DS was 8 and genuinely enjoyed it a lot more than I thought we would.

We had jetlag so we would get up early and be at the parks for opening time. Because of the way the fast passes worked I could rush round and get them for the next ride when DH and DS were on a ride, but the first couple of hours 8-10am were very quiet anyway.

We don't really like crowds so we didn't watch the parades, preferring to do the park until lunchtime then go back and enjoy the lazy river at our hotel or go to mini-golf (DS was obsessed at that age).

It's so expensive now though because of the exchange rate, I doubt I would go again.

MegBusset · 09/02/2024 07:37

We did Disneyland Florida pre kids and honestly I was underwhelmed, it all seemed pretty dated and not really much better than a UK theme park. Loved Universal Island of Adventure and Florida in general though. This was out of school holidays (September) and queues were fine tbh.

Then did Disneyland Paris with the kids, in August and again was underwhelmed except this time with ludicrous queues in 30 degree heat, stood in line for 90m for a ride that lasted less than 90 seconds (the Toy Story slinky ride) and really did think ‘what am I doing with my life?’

having said that, I know people who love it and go back year after year. So YMMV!

Chanxex · 09/02/2024 07:40

I don’t regret it as I can tick it off the list but it was incredibly underwhelming. We didn’t find it at all magical, it was hot, busy and a bit run down. The kids didn’t enjoy it that much either. By the third day or so they started moaning that they didn’t want to do to another park.

we then spent a week on the gulf coast which they loved and their abiding memory of the holiday? Segway’s on Anna Maria island.