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

We did Legoland two years ago. It was awful...so busy you actually couldn't enjoy anything. Ridiculous queues, loads of the food places were shut despite it being a school holiday. Even kids saw it for it was.

I’ve been a few times the last time being in 2022 and I didn’t enjoy it as much as they were still requiring prebooking due to covid - said it was to ensure they kept their numbers down, but it was more packed than ever and they insisted we used their new app to get onto rides so we felt we were constantly having to stare at our phones. Disney has always been greedy but it felt even more so this time round. Having said all this I’ve never regretted the trips and would go back time and time again .

Legoland is definitely not on the same level as Disney or Universal. For people who are genuinely interested in the "cult" of Disney Park people, maybe watch some of the documentaries available like The Imagineering Story or Behind the Attraction on Disney Plus. The history of why Walt Disney designed the parks the way he did does provide a lot more context.

When developing rides, they don't just pick a designer and stick it up, they consider the story and meaning of everything. Joe Rohde's approach to Everest (and basically everything in Animal Kingdom) shows the attention to detail. A lot of people wouldn't notice the detail, but that's sort of the point - it makes everything more immersive without you realising.

Legoland is definitely not on the same level as Disney or Universal

I'm sure. I can imagine that as theme parks go it's going to be the best out there but busy places and queues and lots of walking around just will never be a desirable holiday for me!

There's always Europa Park and Trips drill to visit instead... 😅

We went in the 80s a couple of times pre DS and twice when DS was 7/8, in the late 90s. We all loved it and have so many wonderful memories. All our planning was done using a Disney handbook as it was pre Internet. We've stay in and out, in was definitely best, and never hired a car. We found most of the time the transportation was part of the fun. We've been in Feb, May, Sept and Nov and luckily had great weather every time. Queues weren't really an issue.
However, there is no way I'd go now as it sounds far too manic and madly expensive to consider but glad we had the opportunity to enjoy it when we did.

I did military style planning because my family wanted to go, and I was OK about it, but if I was going, I was going to do it once, and do it right. Not come home and feel like I'd stood in queues for most of the day, feel like I'd been ripped off, not seen enough and uncomfortable etc.

Florida is basically a swamp, the heat can be overwhelming which can drain your energy. I'd preplan for any holiday where I was going to be active with small kids in that environment rather than find myself in an unpleasant situation.

So VIP passes were booked where possible, private beach huts in the water parks, late evening tickets, I signed up for restaurant coupons, joined websites to take advantage of offers etc.

It's a very active holiday if you are trying to get multiple parks into one trip. You wouldn't plan a mountain hike without the correct equipment, clothing and food, I didn't see it any different to be honest.

We returned with the best memories of a luxurious stay, without any discomfort or feeling of being ripped off, and because I'd planned quiet relaxation days around our pool we were rested too.

We went as part of a larger holiday to Florida.
It is a theme park. People go on about the Disney magic, but that is all it is. Animal Kingdom is a zoo with theme park rides.

What we liked:
The castle at Magic Kingdom looks good and does make it seem more special.
I liked the old fashioned rides from the sixties. They did feel different and a step back in time.

What we did not like:
Lots of the bigger rides are fun, but honestly no better than a decent theme park elsewhere.
Some of the rides are really a bit crap. Jingle Cruise for example - go on a boat that takes you around water as a few animatronic animals like elephants appear, lots of tableaus of camps and deer, and animals noises. The fun is supposed to be the cheesy commentary. It was like seventies children's TV fun.
Some of the rides have a lot of attention to detail, some really do not. The Winnie the Pooh ride was shockingly thrown together.
The rampant consumerism. It is all about trying to make you spend money.
The food is expensive and so unhealthy. Worse than UK theme parks, unless you spend hundreds of pounds on sit down meals.

If you get excited about the idea of spending hundreds of pounds having a mediocre meal with several women walking around and talking to you dressed up as a princess, then you will love Disney. Otherwise only go if you are going to Florida anyway.

By the way I am convinced there are Disney influencers popping up whenever anyone talks about the theme parks saying how wonderful everything is.

You can go online and watch youtube videos of most of the rides. So this is the Jingle Cruise which gets high ratings as one of the better rides.

Jungle Cruise is a cult classic, like the Tiki Room and It's a Small World, it's not a beloved ride because it's particularly good. A bit like how the Bubbleworks ride used to be viewed in Chessington. It's just a nostalgia thing for a lot of people.

Disney definitely don't need to use influencers - there have been hugely active message boards covering Disney Parks for over 20 years!

But the Tiki room and Small World were good. I enjoyed that. And I had no nostalgia about that. Jingle Cruise is just a bit crap.

I am glad I went, but I would not go back. There are genuinely amazing places to go that would cost the same amount as Disney.

Also be aware you have to queue to meet characters. You get 2-3 minutes with a character. Talk to them, take a photo and get a hug. Some of the costumes and wigs are good, some are pretty poor. This video has a compilation of meet and greets. Although it does not show the large queue to meet them.

We went in 2018 when our children were 11 and 13 so tall enough to go on everything but not bothered about queuing for hours to meet the characters. We also went to Universal which I preferred, mainly because of the Harry Potter stuff. I think we are all glad we went and experienced it but have no desire to go back. My youngest is a thrill seeker but is happy with Alton Towers or Thorpe Park. Personally for me the best bit was NASA and seeing the Space Shuttle but then I am of a certain age and I'm not sure younger people who wouldn't remember it would be that interested.

My friend had bedbugs in her room. Luckily she didn't bring them home.

Florida itself is brilliant and I would highly recommend exploring the state.

I've just googled when this is and it seems to be different times each year - our options are July, or first two weeks in April (2025 or 2026).
I'm going to get it wrong, aren't I? 😬

Never regretted it.
Have gone there a lot and have forsaken diy etc to go.
It is Not just for kids as there is so much to do for everyone.
Food isn't dreadful as many people say but food in parks mainly fast food/ expensive but it's best to book restaurants in Disney springs or Disney hotels where food is amazing. Orlando has thousands of restaurants to choose from so I find it bizarre when that comment is made! You can get amazing food just like you can in uk in London or other cities if you are prepared to pay for it. If you want McDonald's every day it's not going to be great.
It is busy but some people go and have a massive plan but we have been going for 30 years and still haven't seen everything. Some of the car parks are as big as a small town.
There are a lot of experts out there who have been once!
It changes every year too.
It is an expensive holiday hot busy etc but you can have an amazing time if you properly research it and listen to people who have been a lot.
We went when we didn't have kids and loved it, went with the kids at all stages and we all loved it and now kids grown up would still go depending.
Also you can go to Orlando/Florida and not go in one theme park and still have an amazing time as loads to do outside parks.

It definitely seems to be 'cool' on here to say you hate WDW, a bit like Center Parcs!

We went in 2019 and loved it, best holiday we've ever had and DH isn't a Disney fan and I'm not exactly a theme park lover! It's not your average park and I'm not sure what people mean when they say it looks dated and run down?

It obviously isn't 'crap' because people wouldn't go would they? But obviously nothing is for everyone.

We went in August with a 4 & 6yo. We didn't queue for hours for anything (maybe an hour max?) but definitely no 2 hour queues for 2 minutes rides! We just planned well, used fast passes and just accepted that we couldn't go on everything.

I don't know anyone who's been who didn't love it and is selling a kidney to go back 😂

We are going back this summer and can't wait!

I went years ago but I'd never take my kids. I was so excited to go inside the magic castle, I thought it would be amazing - then found inside was just plasterboard walls with a crappy looking restaurant. The rides were as you'd expect I guess - but I was just as happy with the rides at Chessington.

Btw don't overanalyse it. It's a holiday. But some people do knock it and they have been once and are now Orlando/Florida experts.
The food isn't unhealthy. There is loads of unhealthy food but loads of healthy choices too depending where you choose to eat or what you choose to buy.

If you can afford it the theming in the Disney hotels is amazing. Not cheap plaster board. A lot of the furnishings etc are sourced from country hotel themed on etc.
we have stayed at poly, animal kingdom, Coronado springs, boardwalk and many hotels off site.
All four hotels had amazing theming. It wasn't cheaply done.

The food isn't unhealthy. There is loads of unhealthy food but loads of healthy choices too depending where you choose to eat or what you choose to buy

Totally agree with this! I always think, how can allllllll the food be awful?? We had great meals in and out of the parks, some not so good, but ultimately it's up to you where you eat.

Don't want fast food, don't eat in fast food restaurants.

The food is unhealthy unless you pay hundreds for sit down meals. And it is worse than UK theme parks. But Florida food can be pretty unhealthy generally.
Even turkey legs which are one of the healthy options, are smothered in butter. I mean lots of kids would love it as lots of kids love junk food.

This isn't true as you can buy healthy food in supermarket.

I mean according to this pretzels at Disney are about 1,000 calories and cupcakes just over 1000 calories each. There are no calorie counts on menus.
https://touringplans.com/blog/calories-dont-count-at-disney-but-if-they-did/

You see a lot of very fat people at Disneyworld.