There are a LOT of things fans love about Disney World — many of the attractions, the tasty food, the amazing Cast Members, and more.
Magic Kingdom
But there are also some things that fans don’t love as much or at all. And there are areas where fans think things at Disney World could be different and possibly better — perhaps more thrill rides, a change in certain experiences, or something else? Recently we reached out to our trusty DFB followers via Facebook to see what things they would change about Disney World if given the chance, and here’s what they had to say!
We had a TON of readers respond to our question on Facebook, so first we want to send a big “thank you” out to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts with us. The specific question we posed to our fans was: If you could change ANYTHING about Disney World, what would it be? Here’s just a peek at what some of them had to say.
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
One fans encapsulated a lot of complaints into an overarching change — it seems the change they’d like is actually LESS CHANGE! One commenter said they wish they could change Disney’s “constant need to change things that aren’t broke.”
They specifically mentioned things that have changed recently like the elimination of the FastPass+ system, the introduction of Disney Genie+, the changing of classic rides and experiences, changing Extra Magic Hours (which we now have different versions of through Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours), and more.
EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth
They noted that they felt like some of these changes have taken away parts of the magic they used to feel when visiting the parks, and it’s something we saw echoed in many other complaints about several of those specific things.
Click here to read about 10 changes coming to Disney World (some of which have already arrived)!
Prices
By far, the item that seemed to be mentioned the MOST in the comments was price. Many noted that they were not pleased with some of the price increases they’ve seen in the parks for everything from bottles of water to park tickets and the cost of resort hotel stays.
Another said they’d change it so that Disney would be more “cost friendly” so more people could get the chance to feel the magic. One specifically mentioned the Star Wars hotel and making that more affordable (spoiler alert: the Star Wars hotel AIN’T CHEAP).
Between Tickets, Snacks, Hotel Stays, and Merchandise — You Can Spend a LOT on a Disney Trip
Quite a few mentioned that they can no longer afford to stay at the hotels they used to stay at, or that the prices simply have gotten too expensive for their family to justify. One even said they’re “amazed at how drastically prices have risen over the last several years for tickets and resorts.”
One put it simply by saying they’d change the “fact that you have to take out a second mortgage to go.” 😂Like we mentioned above, the cost of a Disney World trip, particularly for larger families, is something that was mentioned time and time again in the comments.
EPCOT
It’s true that a trip to Disney World can be incredibly expensive, and we have seen a number of price increases hit everything from Annual Passes to holiday events. But you can save some money on your trip if you take advantage of special deals and discounts or use some of our budgeting tips. We’re constantly working to try and find discounts and deals you can take advantage of, so be sure to check back with us for more details on that.
Do Disney World-owned hotels really have the best perks? Click here to see our thoughts!
Crowds
Others mentioned the crowds as something they’d change. One said that the Park Pass reservation system helps a bit with this (at least in theory) as it can help manage the amount of guests in the park.
Even though the Park Pass reservation system continues to be in place, we have seen some LARGE crowds in Disney World, particularly on big holidays. So keep in mind that the Park Pass system doesn’t necessarily equal low crowds, it simply equals crowd control. How high Disney sets that crowd level and Park Pass capacity limit, however, is up to them.
Crowds
One said that they’d like to change crowds so people “learn what is personal space” and don’t breathe down their neck or stand close enough to smell their sweat.
Crowds
As we approach the holiday season, dealing with crowds can be a big issue. If you’re planning to visit Disney World during Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or another part of the holiday season, be prepared to deal with larger crowds and bigger lines.
Click here to see how to avoid holiday crowd burnout in Disney World!
Magical Express
Some mentioned Magical Express and how they’d bring it back, along with luggage transfers. One commenter said that these features are what really encouraged them to stay in Disney World’s resort hotels as it was so easily to hop off the plane and make their way to the resort, without having to worry about the bags.
Disney’s Magical Express will conclude its service at the end of 2021
At the end of 2021, Disney’s Magical Express will be discontinued. In 2022, guests who are arriving at Disney World will need to figure out their own transportation arrangements. Mears, the company that operates the Magical Express, will be introducing a new service called Mears Connect that fans will be able to take advantage of in January of 2022. In many ways, it is meant to be a replacement for the Magical Express.
Click here to learn more about the service that will replace the Magical Express.
Genie+
Though discussed a bit above, several commenters specifically mentioned Genie+ and the fact that they have to pay for this new FastPass+ replacement system. One said that they’d like to see the return of a system that allows guests to reserve rides in advance of their vacation so they don’t have to wake up early while on their trip to make those Lightning Lane selections.
Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane
As you may already be aware, Disney Genie+ is the paid FastPass+ replacement system. It allows guests to make 1 Lightning Lane selection at a time for the select rides that are included in it. Guests have to pay $15 per ticket per day to use Genie+. In addition, select popular rides are available through Individual Attraction Selection (pay-per-ride). For those, you’ll have to pay for each ride INDIVIDUALLY to skip the standby line. All guests can make their first Genie+ Lightning Lane selection at 7AM on the day of their visit, and Disney World hotel guests can make their pay-per-ride selections (max of 2 per day) at 7AM as well — hence the reference to the early wake-up time.
Click here to see everything you need to know about Genie+ and Pay-Per-Ride.
Phones & Planning
While some guests might enjoy all of the planning and technological gadgets you can use to create your perfect day in the parks, some mentioned that they’d change those things about Disney World. They noted that they feel like Disney is a place you can’t visit now without serious planning, and that guests have to be much more skilled in technology to really make their way around the park. Others also noted that they don’t like the current reliance on phones and would change that.
Another shared that they’d change the “level of battle for everything,” mentioning how they feel that you really have to really get up early 60 days before your trip to snatch those hard-to-get dining reservations, make Mobile Orders in advance so you don’t get late return times, deal with rope drops, etc.
Rope Drop Crowds
One shared that they’d take away Park Passes and also change it so that park hopping can take place all day long (not just starting at 2PM as the system currently allows).
Some shared that all of this planning just adds on too much stress for what is supposed to be a vacation. Another shared that they “miss being able to live in the moment,” and that having to constantly use their phone and plan makes them feel like they’re “micromanaging” every part of their day.
Sometimes You Need to Take a Breath and Just Enjoy the View
We’ve actually heard this complaint mentioned a few times (in this post and others). There is certainly quite a bit of planning that goes into a Disney World vacation now between purchasing park tickets, making Park Passes, getting your hotel reservation, getting dining reservations, booking Mobile Orders, and (if you choose to use it) making use of the free Disney Genie planning service or paid Genie+ FastPass+ replacement service. And a lot of that planning makes use of technology — primarily your phone, especially when in the parks.
It’s easy to get so caught up in making your next Genie+ pass, booking dining, checking wait times, etc. that you truthfully just forget to enjoy the park around you. There are a few things you can do to help alleviate SOME of this. If you can, book those dining reservations well ahead of time so you don’t need to worry about that during your trip. Also, consider booking those Mobile Orders first thing in the morning so (again) you aren’t stressed about it later in the day. Consider designating one person to be the “phone/wait times/etc.” person for the day and switch off with others so everyone gets the chance to be phone-free for a bit.
So Beautiful!
And, most importantly, remember to take a break and stop for a second to really soak in all of the magic and beauty around you. Consciously put away your phone in those moments and just look at the people and sights around you. It’s not always easy, but making these little efforts can make a bit of a difference.
Click here to see the 16 DFB videos to watch today to start planning your 2022 Disney World vacation.
More!
We got a TON of other comments mentioning a bunch of other things as well. There’s no way we could include them all here, but let’s go through a few of them! One noted their desire for the return of Pleasure Island and the old Downtown Disney feel.
Pleasure Island Logo
Another said they’d like more snack/restaurant options that allow you to simply walk up to the window and place your order. One person said they’d want monorails connecting every resort and park.
Others mentioned their desire to bring back some classic rides or classic versions of rides like Journey into Imagination. One suggested creating a vintage land with all the old rides, including Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and more!
©Disney
Another wanted to very specifically make everything 25% larger — walkways, rides, restaurants, etc. and they’d add on another park. Go big or go home, right?!
One said they’d reduce the influence of IP/Disney movies in the parks and resorts and stick to Disney being “an escape from the real world.” On the flip side, one said they’d want MORE Disney movie-themed restaurants.
One said they’d like to turn down the heat and humidity in Disney World during the summer. SAME, friend. SAME.
Sunny day on Sunset Boulevard!
Some had unique ideas like changing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to have several areas themed to different lands in Star Wars (like Hoth and Coruscant). One wanted to bring back SpectroMagic or the Main Street Electrical Parade to have a nighttime parade in Magic Kingdom.
And (of course) there were a few mentioning or agreeing with a comment about bringing back Malestrom to EPCOT (there’s always one).
One shared that they’d like to be able to use their MagicBand to pay for items even if they’re not staying in a resort.
Galaxy’s Edge
Other things we saw mentioned:
- Bring back the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
- Create an adults-only Disney week or weekend
- End fees for parking at the hotels
- Better toilet paper!
- More parking garages
- Add a Pizza Planet restaurant in Toy Story Land
- Extend park hours
- Add more forms of transportation
- Move Disney World closer to [insert place you live here]
- Add a ride to every EPCOT World Showcase country
- And MUCH more!
Tree of Life looking pretty!
That’s a look at what our readers had to say in terms of what they would change about Disney World. Now, we turn that question to you — what would YOU change about Disney World? Tell us in the comments below — we’d love to hear from you!
And, as always, stay tuned for more Disney news!
Have feelings toward Disney Genie changed? See what our readers had to say.
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I would lower the ticket prices back to where they were in 1971.
Your article proves that no matter what Disney does, a large group of people will be upset. One paragraph says people want to schedule Fast passes 90 days out again. Another paragraph says people hate having to make dining reservations 60 days out.
Personally, I love that we didn’t need to decide tides until the day we visit each park. That way if we needed extra time on the morning, we could plan around it. Previous trips we felt like we had to maintain a set schedule. So much more relaxed this trip.
Please Share this with The execs at Disney. They are Killing the Magic!
They priced out the typical family with 4 kids. The magic is gone. Died with corporate greed.
Oddly the one that resonated with me the most was a simple fix: please upgrade your toilet paper, Disney.
I would reanimate figment and get a new person to play the scientist on the figment at EPCOT
I’m a disabled veteran and you would not give me my veterans discount when I went to buy my tickets with my veterans identification please respond
Would love to see a Rapunzel ride.
It’s amazing how many of these come down to either bringing back old things or taking away new things. If Disney fans ran the place, it’d gone out of business decades ago because nothing would have ever changed.
I can’t think of one good change Disney has made. We have to pay for fast passes that used to be free. Magical express is gone. Tickets are more expensive. Meal portions are smaller. Less services in general. Still requiring mask inside. If it weren’t for the DVC points I would totally avoid Disney. Maybe it’s time to sale the points.
I’d do away with all this digital crap and go back to the way things were pre – pandemic.Not everyone is digitally savvy. I don’t want to spend my vacation constsantly on my phone, I still want my perks and freebies as they were. Now they cater to those more well off pricing many people out. It wasn’t broken so why “fix it”?
Adults only times for sure. I don’t know why people even bring infants and toddlers unless they are the youngsters to older children and it’s a family trip. The sea of strollers, the screaming and crying because they are hot, tired or hungry. I feel so miserable for them. My daughter’s first WDW vacation was at 4-years-old and she doesn’t even remember it! DCL accommodates adults w/o children. Wish the parks could do the same every now and then.
I honestly wish they would bring back the Minnie vans. They were so convenient and I loved hearing the stories from former cast members about the parks. I don’t trust some of the Uber drivers I’ve seen and frankly the buses are a joke. Please please Disney, bring back Minnie vans! Also the perks for annual passholder now are a joke. I’ve been one for over a decade and now I’m getting less perks now than ever before. And to pay for parking at the resorts when your a passholder? Ridiculous!
If I could change anything it would be to get rid of Genie+, Fastpass+, Maxpass and go back to same day paper fastpasses. So people don’t have to have their faces in their phones all day and fast passes are fair for everyone. But that’s just me….
Return of free FastPass, & the Dining Plan which includes adult drinks, and up the Quality level of all Food.
We all enjoyed the Way it Was….Now, Not so Much Oh Yea….Brink Back the Free Dining Promo. !!!
I would like Disney World to stop feeling like the only thing they are interested in is money. With the deletion of the Magical Express, the elimination of the Fast Pass (replacing it with a very expensive, very poor option), and the increase in the pricing for the park tickets, it seems like they are forgetting about the customers that keep them in business. I do like the fact that Disney Vacation Club members have more perks, such as special pricing for annual passes. I understand that there is a petition calling for the removal of Bob Chapek as CEO of Disney. I think that would be a good move. He seems like he is a businessman only and that he doesn’t care about the people and whether or not they can afford to go. Walt Disney founded Disneyland as a place that he wanted all families to be able to go to. I realize that costs have to go up to cover expenses, but it just seems like the costs are going up all at once and more of the magical aspects of Disney World, such as the Magical Express and Fast Pass system are being replaced by paid programs.
Vincent, you’ll need to reach out to Disney directly on this. Hopefully they can help you out.
Vincent, I don’t believe Disney provides a veteran’s discount. They only provide discounts to Active Duty and retired military and those tickets have to be purchased at a military base MWR travel office.
For me it would be smaller crowds and bring back the Fast pass! As a Floridian and an annual passholder we were spoiled during the pandemic by no lines and the ability to walk around without bumping into people. It made the experience more enjoyable. Fighting against BIG crowds is stressful!!
I agree with many people about the cost of a DIsney vacation. I used to love staying on site and the perks this offered. Now it seems all the Disney company is concerned about is how to squeeze more money out of their guests. They are no longer concerned about customer service just about making money wherever they can (charge for airport transfer, charge for parking at resort, charge for fast pass, charge for genie app then charge again for ride line fast pass, raise ticket prices, raise food prices. Etc. etc. to infinity and beyond. Walt must be turning over in his grave. I believe he intended his company to help families find a place to escape and relax and have fun. Not financially drain families pockets , and stress parents with all the technological planning required for a vacation and strain on their wallets Disney should reduce prices and build another major theme park in the middle of the country to reduce crowding. They’ve made more than enough money off of families to do this. Hire a new CEO with families in mind, and not concerned with how to squeeze more money out of us. I love what Disney used to stand for and provide I just don’t think I can afford it anymore
I love the idea of a Vintageland with classic old ride brought back, but Disney really needs a Marvelland. I love them as a girl dad, but the Princesses are everywhere and there is so little for boys. Most parks areas are great for both sexes, but most boys are not into Princesses. Star Wars helps that some, but Marvel would balance it out a little more. And we know many girls would love it as well!