We’ve found ourselves with an abundance of time to really ponder all things Disney.
Let’s start out at Magic Kingdom!
While every Disney fan has their own opinions, we actually think some of these less popular beliefs are, like it or not, probably true! So let your curiosity get the better of you and check out these unpopular (yet true) Disney World opinions.
There are some controversial thoughts being discussed on the interwebs and we want to address a few of them!
1. Pineapple Dole Whip Isn’t For Everyone
While we definitely feel Pineapple Dole Whip lives up to its hype (and everyone should try it at least once!), it’s possible some of us might prefer other cold treats more! (Hey, we told you we were going to get pretty controversial up in here!! Right off the bat, dropping Dole Whip on you! :D)
Pineapple Dole Whip
It’s true, Pineapple Dole Whip is very sweet…but also acidic — maybe even too much so for some people. That’s why we prefer ours swirled with vanilla soft-serve — the richness of the ice cream really helps to balance out some of the fruity tartness!
Pineapple and Vanilla Swirl Dole Whip at Pineapple Lanai
Some of our DFB team members have preferred the Coconut Dole Whip served in the Kakamora Float at Aloha Isle when available — and now you can just order a Coconut Cup with your choice of just Coconut or Coconut AND Dole Whip Pineapple Swirl (aka our dream Dole Whip) for $4.99!
Kakamora Float We LOVE You
Some people just don’t like Dole Whip in general and might prefer soft-serve or a scoop of good ol’ ice cream instead. Whatever you prefer, Disney has a cool treat for you that’s sure to please.
Check out the new 50th anniversary Dole Whip float!
In Fact, Many Guests DON’T Love These Other Iconic Snacks
If you think not enjoying Pineapple Dole Whip is a crime against Disney-kind, brace yourself for these other popular Disney World foods that a lot of people don’t actually like. The Jumbo Turkey Legs at Magic Kingdom are iconic. But while these gargantuan hunks of salty meat are extremely popular with some folks, for others they’re a hard-pass.
Jumbo Turkey Leg
Some people think Mickey Pretzels are way too salty or Churros are too hard. Disney aims to please a range of preferences, but they don’t always hit the mark with everyone.
Don’t feel bad if you aren’t totally over the moon when you eat one of Disney’s most iconic foods — just keep snackin’ until you find the perfect treat that makes your heart go BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Learn how to recreate some of your favorite Disney snacks at home!
2. Disney ISN’T Too Expensive
I can see you’re headed for the comments section right now, but hear us out. It’s a very popular opinion that the Disney parks are waaaay too expensive these days, and you don’t hear many people arguing the opposite. Prices keep going up and it’s getting harder and harder for some families to justify spending so much money on a vacation.
EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival
Even Disney World’s most-economical resorts are costly for many families on a budget, with value resort rooms going for well over $100 per night most times of the year. Park tickets go up annually, as do food costs and souvenir prices.
But keep in mind: Disney doesn’t arbitrarily choose the prices they charge. They choose them based on empirical data — they charge what people will pay. It’s basic Economics 101 — supply and demand.
Snack prices are changing!
Over the past several years, Disney has consistently raised prices, yet crowds have still increased. So, if you look at the actual DATA — Disney’s not too expensive. As long as those $74.99 Spirit Jerseys, a $1,000 Luxe Ear Hat, and $100+ holiday after hours tickets keep selling out, Disney’s priced their goods and services appropriately — at least according to the law of supply and demand.
$1,000 EARS!
Now, you could argue that Disney should build a 5th gate instead of just incessantly raising prices. That way they could welcome more visitors and make even more money while keeping things a little more affordable. And perhaps they will. They did buy more land not too long ago.
But even if a 5th gate does come to pass, it’s unlikely Disney will ever be any cheaper than it is now. Prices have rarely gone down, historically. But if it’s what your family loves to do together, you can try to cut spending on things “back home” to save up for your trip!
Save Those Pennies if You Want to See Cinderella Castle!
And don’t forget to look for deals before you book! There are often room discounts or special offers you can apply to your trip that will save you some money. Also, try to avoid traveling during the busiest times of year (which usually means the holidays, summer, and spring break) — prices on park tickets and rooms in the off-season are generally less expensive!
Click here for more info on Disney World discounts and deals!
3. There Aren’t Enough REAL Thrill Rides at the Disney Parks
There’s a reason Disney refers to its parks as theme parks and not amusement parks. Disney’s strength lies in its unique ability to tell a story and capture our imaginations. But the parks still get knocked quite a bit for being too kiddo-friendly.
Space Mountain
Nearby parks such as Universal Studios and SeaWorld have much bigger and badder rollercoasters than Space Mountain or even Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Many of the attractions in these parks are geared towards adults, and they’re also way more intense.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Disney is currently working on two new coasters, TRON Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT, so at least there’ll be a few more options for thrill-seekers relatively soon!
TRON: Lightcycle Power Run in Shanghai Disneyland
And we can’t leave out Rise of the Resistance which has also majorly upped Disney World’s ride game!
But at the end of the day, Disney World’s rides are generally geared to be more family-friendly — which was Walt’s original vision for his parks in the first place. He wanted something that families could do together. So while Disney is adding a few more thrill rides, you’ll continue to see the majority of their parks populated with family-friendly attractions.
Check out these ride tips to kick your next trip to Disney Work up a notch!
4. Some Disney Parks Aren’t All-Day Parks
Many guests devote several days of their trip to Magic Kingdom and sometimes EPCOT, while Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios often end up with the short end of the stick.
Epcot
But in recent years, Animal Kingdom has added PANDORA: the World of Avatar — which is particularly enjoyable at night with everything lit up, and the brand new daytime spectacular, KiteTails.
Animal Kingdom also takes part in Disney World’s holiday celebrations with the Merry Menagerie winter puppets and the breathtaking Tree of Life holiday projections. But it still isn’t necessarily enough to keep all of us around for a full day.
Tree of Life Awakenings — Winter Edition
And even though Hollywood Studios has Rise of the Resistance along with the rest of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to explore, it’s still not a full day’s worth of activities for some guests.
We’re definitely down for arriving at the park for rope drop to get the full experience, but the chances of us staying until closing are pretty slim since we likely got up before 7 AM!
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
So, even though Magic Kingdom and EPCOT often account for several days of a guest’s Disney World vacation, leaving less time for Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios…we kinda get it. Kinda. It all really depends on how long your trip is and what other stuff you’re trying to get done.
Tower of Terror
If you want to make a trip to Disney Springs or a Disney World waterpark, you might have to sacrifice some park time. And since it usually takes longer to do everything you want in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, it makes sense to us that guests are hesitant to cut their days at these parks short.
Cinderella Castle
But keep in mind Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have really stepped up their games lately and if you haven’t visited the parks for the last couple of years, you might want to reconsider your half-day plans for these parks!
We may not all agree on EVERYTHING about Disney World, but we certainly hope that we can still be friends after talking about four rather touchy subjects today! Group hug, everybody! After all, everyone is entitled to their own unique opinions about Disney — even if they aren’t what people like to hear!
How to choose the right Disney World tickets for YOU!
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Citrus Swirl > Dole Whip. FIGHT ME ;D
One of my favorite recent DFB articles. All though Hollywood can be enjoyed during a short day, and despite Toy Story, it’s certainly an older kids park because of the thrill type rides; it has actually surprised us and turned into a favorite for our family. Ok, perhaps each day we go is our favorite 🙂
The biggest thing Disney has done that I think is wrong is lock people out of fastpasses who don’t stay at the resort. It’s one thing to pay the parks. It’s a whole other to pay $300 a night for a very very basic room like Caribbean Beach. But you’re forced to or else you won’t get a good Disney experience.
Great article! My thoughts:
1) Dole whip, as are many other snacks, are not fav’s for everyone. Not everyone likes pineapple in general. I agree with mixing it with soft serve to balance/soften it out. But all of these snacks, and even the bracket competitions is about the majority of visitors.
2)Expensive is a relative term and is frequency related. If you plan on going once, you can save up for it and splurge. It becomes more expensive the more frequent you visit. The outlays tend to change as some who go infrequently may stay at the GF and those that go more regularly will go to value/moderate resorts. And guess what, every year new families have kids and take their first trip to Disney. So demand will always be there for initial trip families that are taking their special first trips.
3) I think Disney has slowly over the years started to add some more thrill to their rides. Walt based the parks on younger children so Universal level thrill rides weren’t feasible. BUT, as they get older and Disney wants them continually coming back, you have to offer more. Plus give something for the parents to enjoy thrill with their children as they mature. Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy shows they are listening to the customer.
4) All day parks, have become over the years, complaints again of those who are regulars. Our first trip way back tried to include as many first time experiences as possible. No disrespect but we don’t do Swiss Family Tree House anymore. Or Rafiki’s Planet Watch or Carousel of Progress. So the less we do in each park, shortens our day and brings in the need for Hoppers. Now we can shorten a stay by a day/2 by combining the ability to get the most out of what we, as a family, want in ea park.
So many of Disney opinions, mine included, revolve around the frequency of trips by us crazies. For a majority of people going say 3x/yr, staying at the GF for a week each time isn’t financially feasible . But there are enough first timers that occur every year to keep the demand up and hence, the ability to charge what they do. The beauty of Disney and what keeps us coming back is the new experiences including the food/drink! Redesigns, additions, and even subtractions keep the parks fresh and desirable to keep coming back!
2 ways to look at it Chad. If you feel the prices are high, then its a perk to have 60 days advance access to make your FP reservations. If it was a free for all say 45 days before for everyone to access FP, then there wouldn’t be an incentive to stay in the park resorts right? Me personally, I feel if you stay at resorts you should get a perk of additional fp quantities. Stay at a moderate get 4 fp, stay at a deluxe, maybe you get 5 fp. While the rooms/resort are nice say GF, nightly turndown service with chocolates and monorail access doesn’t justify over $900/nt peak season right? Give me more for that price beyond turndown service!!
Thanks for this. FWIW,
1) I really like Dole Whip, but honestly it’s overpriced and overhyped. It really is incredibly easy to make at home, and you can taste just how much fresher and tastier it is when you make it yourself. I also think SeaWorld’s version is a bit better. I also think turkey legs are gross.
2) For super thrilling coasters, Disney parks just aren’t the place to go. The SeaWorld parks, particularly SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, have coaster nerd level roller coasters. Universal is pretty good too, but understandably Disney stays away from the ones that’ll make you pass out or throw up.
3) I also find it weird that the same people who complain about how crowded Disney parks are also complain about how expensive it is. Think about it a second. DFB is spot on about this being basic economics. I frankly wonder why Disney doesn’t charge a bit more, but the current situation is likely to put a stress on current pricing. I predict super discounts on rooms and packages if even half of the proposed restrictions and closures end up going into effect.
4) DHS was not even a half day park when ToyStory land and Galaxy’s Edge were both under construction. But if you go to any of the 4 WDW parks with small children, especially infants or toddlers, even AK or DHS on a slow day is easily a full day park. But by myself I would never go rope drop to fireworks. It is a matter of perspective.
1. I simply don’t like pineapple so I’ve never tried the Dole Whip. Also don’t like coconut so not interested in that flavor either. I do love the Mickey pretzels though!.
2. Our last trip was 8 years ago & we can’t afford to go back. I’ve been unemployed for pretty much that whole time & unable to find a job (which doesn’t help). Also, since my grandpa passed away 12 years ago, my aunt is the only other family member interested so that last trip was just her & I.
3. If all I wanted was thrill rides I’d drive to Six Flags a couple hours away & it would be a heck of a lot cheaper. I enjoy Pirates as much as Rock’nRoller Coaster. My issue is more that I’m not interested in Star Wars or Avatar or whatever they tore out Universe of Energy to make.
4. Full day park or not, there’s always something to do at WDW.
I used to think some of the parks weren’t full-day adventures. That’s when my goal was to hit every attraction. Now that I’m older (and wiser?) 🙂 I have absolutely no problem enjoying at least a full day at every park. There are so many more things to do and see than just riding the rides.
Animal Kingdom? I could easily spend three full days there taking tours, special events, performers, marveling at Pandora and it’s attractions, the animals (yes – animals!) and oh yeah, all the rides, the food, the people watching, the food (did I mention the food?), etc. etc. etc.
The same for all the other parks. I can (and have) planned out schedules that turn every park into a two to three day fun-packed adventure! Magic Kingdom and Epcot? Even longer. Just the “drink around the world” tour of Epcot is a full day (plus the hangover!).
The price of a one-day ticket at any of the Disney World parks may seem high but has anyone tried to go skiing lately? In my opinion, WDW is a lot of bang for the buck. I live in Colorado and can’t justify buying a one-day ski pass.
Ashley sorry to hear you haven’t been back, hope your luck changes and you can manage to get back! Looks like you are keeping your magic going by following the great people here at DFB who commit their time to keep those even unable to go, there in spirit.
So many people who have never watched the movie Avatar loved the land. Same with Star Wars, don’t have to be fans or really know much about them to enjoy the lands and food and amazing technology. FWIW, Universe of Energy is currently being converted to Guardians of the Galaxy :Cosmic Rewind, an indoor/outdoor roller coaster with worlds first backward launch.
Keep the Disney spirit going!!
1. Dole whip – yuck! And I love pineapple.
2. I agree with Chad about Fastpasses, but its not worth it to stay in Disney for 60 day advanced reservations. I stayed there once when Caribbean Beach was brand new (no FP reservations back then) and the value of the hotels are not worth paying double or triple than staying off site. I still have a great time and I get FPs 30 days out and then try for new ones when I use them or just suck it up and wait.
3. The expensive part of a Disney/Universal trip is the park tickets. Flights to Orlando are pretty reasonable, and staying off site is much cheaper. I use my timeshare and my yearly maintenance fees are equal to maybe 2 nights at a disney hotel room, yet I have a huge 2 bedroom 2 bath condo with full kitchen, living room and several pools for the week. Disney vacations end up costing what any other average vacation is (for us anyway) since the cheaper flights and accommodations balance out the expensive park tickets and meals.
4. Magic Kingdom is a half day park for us since my kids are adults now. MK is very little kid geared, and I only go there to ride a few of our faves and walk around the park. I actually get a bit annoyed at the rude parents of little ones pushing their strollers through crowds of people and running over people’s feet, which seems to be a given at MK. My only MK day this year will be to go to MNSS Halloween if they are actually open by then.
Every person/family has their own faves and ways they like to experience the parks, so no opinion is wrong!
BEFORE Star Wars was there, we spent a whole day at Hollywood! We were there in January of this year, got there at 6:30am, left at 10:15pm!! Love every inch of it.
Same with Animal. We enjoy just sitting a bit and watching people, sites, sounds, smells…….. Epcot is the one we did 1/2 day.
But could go to each park, 2 full days, EVERYTIME WE COME (just can’t afford it:)
I don’t think the Disney parks are expensive at all. Here in the U.K. our theme parks are a bit rubbish in comparison and it can cost £50 a day there – no themeing, long queues and only a handful of rides.
I wouldn’t go to a U.K. theme park now and will save up my hard earned cash for Disney and the Florida sunshine!
I can’t stand pineapple, so traditional dole whip is not my thing at all. Love the lemon one though!
I’m one of the people who doesn’t love the dole whips! I’d much rather just have a regular ice cream! I also agree about animal kingdom and Hollywood studios being “half day” parks. They are my least favorite! Magic kingdom is a two day park for me! And I could spend a full day at Epcot – half day riding the rides and another half day (or more) walking around all the countries and eating! And I don’t like big roller coasters, which is part of the reason I love Disney so much, so not complaints there from me!
We have never spent an entire day at Epcot. Besides Mission Space and Turtle Talk, we usually only go to the Epcot restaurants, which are great. For us, Animal Kingdom will likely always remain a “morning park,” unless they seriously expand the rides (Avatar Land is boring and unnecessary. sorry, it’s true). But we have always stayed entire days in Hollywood Studios, long before Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge. When we visit, we focus on the rides, and we don’t have kids, so we likely have an entirely different agenda than most folks.
You know, that’s the beauty of opinion pieces. You chose what you like and filter the rest. I love dole whip, especially when they add spirits, but dislike hot spices in my food. So I read your reviews and filter down to my own interests. I don’t read anyone else as not interested, your reviews are the most balanced. Good job and don’t allow anyone to tell you otherwise! 😁
Disney can be too expensive and too crowded at the same time. You shouldn’t confuse expense (a value proposition) and affordability. I would love to and cloud book another trip today, but the level of service compared to what we spent in December makes it a tough sell. The Cast Members were doing their best, don’t get me wrong, but there just not enough of them right now to keep up with the crowds.