Has anyone regretted going to Disney Florida?

[ForthethingsIdo]

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

I prefer paris personally but florida is fine. When I went they had machines at the front of rides you took a ticket and it gave you a time and then you got straight on the ride. Do they not still have this?

You need to plan it like a military exercise, but so worth it. Early to the parks, passes for main rides. We took a break mid afternoon for relax and swim at hotel, then back for parades and fireworks. If you can, stay on site.

If you can go out of school holidays ( ie. with little kids) then imo it’s worth the grief. Check out the UK Dibb forums, they’re a mine of info and great tips on there.

Oh and avoid American spring break !

I suppose that’s the crux of my question, really. People talk about the ‘magic’ etc, but everything else they actually say sounds hellishly mundane eg. queueing, crowds, apps or passes to avoid queueing too much, fast food, eating lunch in the queues, bringing something to amuse children in the queues, saying they’ve queued for longer at Thorpe Park etc.

It’s even difficult to envisage how children enjoy what sounds like a lot of waiting around for a brief pay-off…?

Clearly many do, I’m just interested in what exactly it is that makes an experience that sounds, on the face of it, totally miserable, so magic for many people?

I think DH and I inadvertently went then 😩

I was quite cynical about it but went because when I was around 5-6 I was hugely into Disney and even though my DGPs actually lived in Florida and we visited them every other year, we never went to Disneyworld because it wasn't my DPs sort of thing.

We were there for opening time one morning at Magic Kingdom when one family staying on site gets ushered in on the monorail and gets picked for some sort of special experience that day. I have to admit I had tears in my eyes watching it, it seemed genuinely magical.

Its hard to describe and we've never gone back but we had a great experience without it turning into military planning. Having said that this was 10 years ago and the fast passes work differently now.

The magic is in things like spending time with your children without screens in their faces (not so much now they've changed the Fast pass system to require phones more sadly), seeing their faces as they watch fireworks and West End style shows every day, watching them dance with princesses they think are "real", enjoying food they wouldn't normally eat, experiencing roller coasters for the first time, going on "safari", being "chosen" by a wand at Ollivanders etc.

Its two weeks of suspending belief and forgetting about all the shit that goes on basically.

I've never been to Disney but I really dislike theme parks in general as I feel like at every turn I'm being asked for more and more money. There's no magic in pure consumerism....last time I went to a uk theme park I left feeling like I'd spent the whole day being persuaded to part with cash. Massively took the shine off. Queues just exhaust me as well. It's really not my idea of a holiday. Luckily my kids have never mentioned wanting to go. At a push I'd do euro Disney for a day or two.

I think you have to really love Disney to love the parks.
ive been to the California one and had a nice time but I’ve also had a nice time at Alton towers and it didn’t really feel any more special than that.

It’s difficult to put into words, but the minute you get there you feel like a kid again. Everything is happy, colourful, smells amazing, spotlessly clean. Your reality is suspended and you feel like you’ve walked into another world. Seeing your kids faces when they suddenly spot Winnie the Pooh or other characters. The queues are fairly interactive as well, screens to watch, things going on, you almost feel like the ride has started already in lots of them, so it’s all part of the fun.

Universal is amazing as well, don’t miss that if you are there.

Try legoland on a hot summers day. If you think that is fun perhaps you will like it. I hated legoland when busy and the kids hated queuing so I don't suppose somewhere busier, hotter and bigger would be our thing!

@Comedycook There's no magic in pure consumerism
couldn't agree more. though have to point out that when we went to Efteling it wasn't like this at all. We didn't (feel the need to) buy anything other than food, which wasn't too expensive and really good quality. Off to DLP this summer and expect to be disappointed in this regard.

I remember being there at the height of Frozen and queued up for 4hrs to meet Elsa and Arna 🙈🙈 with my DDs.

I was panicking as my youngest dd was known to throw a tantrum if bored but she was ever so good and seeing her face as she walked in to meet them was worth the wait.

The way they treated her as she was dressed as Elsa after having a fairy godmother makeover was amazing.

The girls surprised us that holiday as we had planned going back for afternoon breaks but that never happened.

We went 30 off years ago, and found an unofficial guide that was brilliant, you will probably find relevant info on line now. Due to jet lag, we were all awake early, so set off early and arrived before official opening time, but they let us in. My too is to get there early, do not longer and take in the atmosphere, instead, plan your visit and head straight to the attractions that most appeal to you. We went on the flying dumbos, which is no more than a roundabout but with elephants instead of rockets. You will get 2 or 3 rides in before the crowds build up. Then, relax, have a drink and head to where else you fancy. The queues are well managed, but are long on popular rides.

It's a theme park. If you don't enjoy theme parks, you won't enjoy this.

If you enjoy hiking up mountains to areas of outstanding natural beauty, do that instead. I don't, so I won't. But it's really weird that you're ignoring the whole 'theme park' aspect and just focusing on queues and whatnot.

I went to Paris Disney - didn’t think I’d like it, absolutely hated it

I took my DC when they were 5 and 6ish, it was brilliant! They loved it.

We went a few years ago as part of a wider trip to Florida. Only 5 days at Disney as I’m not a lover of theme parks and wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it.

I loved it! It’s so much better than any theme park in the UK. The customer service, the magical feeling (hard to put into words) and all the “extras” beyond the rides - West End quality shows, fireworks, parades, meeting the characters etc. Everywhere we went the staff referred to my daughter (6 at the time) as “Princess” which she loved. We never queued for more than about 20 minutes and the food we had was amazing (including Chinese, Mexican and Indian, so not your standard theme park burger and chips, although that is available too!).

We’re going back this year and I can’t wait!

You don't HAVE to plan it like this. Just go with the flow and you will be fine. But the queues are longer. Some people will appreciate the tips. I went many years ago and stayed off site. Now I would stay on site, and I would get the fast track passes without a doubt.

Oh - and when we went, we had a white Nissan hire car. We were amongst the first in the car park. When we came out there were about a million identical white Nissans. I would now make sure my phone recorded exactly where the car was parked!

Same.

I'd do it for the kids, if it were cheaper.

But the thought of saving and saving and saving....to drag ourselves round a theme park and queue for hours is just

I've been when I was a child. Pretty sure I enjoyed it. Don't remember it being "magical".

I think just the words "Disney World Florida" have taken on a new meaning; a meaning of "yes, I've done it, I've achieved it, look what I've done for my kids" and I think it's greater than the sum of its parts.

Are the parks any better than the Paris one? I have been to both Florida and Paris disneys but I can't really remember.

Obviously the weather in Florida was better. And the whole holiday experience was different - big holiday villa with pool, driving about in a big American car, eating American sweets etc etc.

But actually there were other places in Florida that I remember more from my childhood holidays than Disney.

The world is a big place, I'm just not sure Disney is the be all and end all that some people seem to think.

I thought the same 😂

DH knew a bloke in his 80s who went to a trip to see the big trees in California, trip basically of older guys. It included one day at Disneyland California. The guy said he was furious, said they all were and didn’t want to go.
Said it was one of the best days of his life and he’ll always treasure it. Said it was so clean and everyone was so happy and nice.
It was like 15 years ago. I worry if I go back to Disneyworld they won’t be as nice as they were pre covid.

I honestly love it so much. I was lucky enough to go several times as a teen, again a few times in my 20s and have taken the kids twice. Going back again next year. We go at the very end of the summer holidays once the US schools have gone back and yes it's hot but we all seem to cope fine. I prefer Universal to Disney but both are just so much fun. The rides, the atmosphere, the water parks. We plan our days and make sure we use the Disney app to book on the allowed number of rides per day which avoids some queuing. I can't really articulate why I love it so much but I'd go yearly if we could afford it

Believe me I'm not one of those people who subscribes to having to do things like this! It's actually DH who is pushing it at me as a once in a lifetime but I visited at age 22 when I was travelling and found it quite underwhelming. I've literally forgotten about the whole day😂