Disney World changes…like a LOT.
EPCOT
We’re getting new attractions, restaurants, and offerings in the parks, not to mention the technology updates and merchandise and everything else. It’s to the point where if you haven’t been in five years, you might not even recognize parts of the park! And Disney World gets criticized a lot for the changes they make, but what are some changes that fans actually like? Today we discuss.
Recently we put out a poll on Twitter to see what our followers think are some actually GOOD changes that Disney World has made in the past few years. We got quite a few responses!
What's a recent Disney World change you actually kinda sorta like?
— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 29, 2021
And honestly, some of them were pretty shocking. So, without further ado, here are the most popular answers!
Cavalcades
One that was mentioned quite a bit was the addition of character cavalcades to the parks when they reopened. Now, instead of heading to a dozen different meet-and-greets around the park or staking out a spot an hour in advance for the parade, you can see your favorite Disney pals riding through the parks intermittently!
The flotillas are a great addition to Animal Kingdom
Now, the Festival of Fantasy parade is officially back in Magic Kingdom, but there are still several cavalcades that have stuck around in the park as well! Be sure to check the daily showtimes in the My Disney Experience app to see when you can catch them.
Festival of Fantasy Parade in Magic Kingdom
Plus, the cavalcades have been really great for the other three parks that didn’t have parades before the pandemic.
Pixar Pals Motorcade
We definitely don’t mind if Disney wants to keep these in rotation!
Mobile Ordering
Over the past few years, Mobile Ordering has become very big in Disney World. Now, instead of walking up to a counter and ordering your food, you can place your order through the My Disney Experience app on your phone. You simply select a pickup time, choose what you want to eat, pay through the app, and voila, your food will be ready for you when it’s time to eat!
Mobile order is a lot more common in Disney World now!
This service was optional before COVID hit, but now it’s pretty mandatory in quick service restaurants both at the parks and resorts. Some places still don’t have it available, but it’s generally regarded as the easiest way to get your food. But what if you have dietary restrictions, want to pay with cash, or aren’t using a smartphone? Don’t worry, they’ll usually have a register open just for you!
Learn all about Mobile Order here!
Mobile Checkout
And speaking of things that you can do on your phone, many of our readers noted that they love the new Mobile Checkout feature that is being offered in some Disney World gift shops. Instead of waiting in line at the registers, you can scan and bag your items yourself!
It’s offered in several stores now!
It’s not available in all stores yet, but you’ll find it in some of the big ones like Creations Shop and World of Disney. It can be a HUGE time saver if you’re visiting on one of those particularly busy days.
Changes in Security
If you visited Disney World pre-pandemic, then you know how tedious security could be, with individual bag checks for every single guest. If you hopped in the wrong line, you could be stuck for quite a while waiting to get into the park.
The new security is all over Disney World!
Thankfully, when the parks reopened, they swapped over to high-tech scanners instead. Now, you simply walk through with all your belongings. If the scanner beeps, you’ll be pulled to the side for an individual search, but otherwise, you’re good to go! It saves SO much time.
Updates in EPCOT
In the past few years, EPCOT has had some BIG changes. The entire middle of the park has been under construction for the park-wide transformation, and so far, we’ve gotten quite a bit of excitement out of it. First of all, there’s a new gift shop, the Creations Shop, along with an updated version of Club Cool.
There’s a lot going on in EPCOT!
The France Pavilion got expanded to include La Crêperie de Paris and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and Space 220 arrived next door to Mission: SPACE. And on top of all that, the entrance area got a makeover, complete with a glowy new makeover to Spaceship Earth. Our readers were pretty vocal about how much they’ve enjoyed EPCOT’s “glow up,” so we can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future.
Disney Genie+
Okay, okay BEFORE you get out your torches and pitchforks and start rioting — we were actually shocked by how many of our followers answered this one! Several readers said that they preferred it to FastPass+ and that they were glad the old system was gone.
Disney Genie+ has arrived in the parks!
Some also mentioned the Individual Attraction Selections, noting that it was a good way to get your must-do rides done. And others shared that they like not having to plan so much in advance — nowadays you can book your ride choices day-of instead of 60 days before your trip. If you’re a last-minute kind of person, it might be right up your alley. (Of course, if you can get past the price tag.)
Lightning Lanes are the new FastPass lines
So those are some of the changes that our readers actually LIKED in Disney World recently. We’ll make sure to keep you updated with any more changes that come soon, so stay tuned to DFB!
Click Here to Learn About MORE Changes in Disney World!
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
What change did you actually like in Disney World? Tell us in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Yes to security changes, yes to fun non scheduled cavalcades. Yes to pre-covid mobile ordering, no to covid mobile ordering and trying to plan when you’ll be out of line. You’ll actually be hungry, etc. Lightning Lane wouldn’t be so bad if it were a new change by itself. (And not in combination with Genie+ and complete elimiination of FastPass) But it being the final whopping straw in the Disney’s Quest to pay more for less, plan every minute for you, and being the 876th thing in 3 years that fit those.
The security changes are so overlooked! I used to never bring a bag when I went to Disney and just stuff everything I needed in my pockets to skip bag check and get in the park faster, which worked but meant I had to only take essentials (phone, wallet, keys) and was rarely prepared for things like unexpected rain storms (not to mention not having a water bottle and having to stop every five minutes at the water fountains!). Being able to just casually walk through the scanners is so nice. I think I’ve been flagged maybe once? And even then I think it was because I was too close to the person in front of me haha. Such a small quality of life improvement, but it really does help.
Surely I was not the only one who overwhelmingly preferred FastPass+ to Genie!
There were multiple advantages, including…
— advance planning in rhe comfort of your home
— arriving with Fastpasses in hand and listed on a printed sheet.
— *nohing* needed to be done the day of — just enter the park and use the FP entrance to each FP+ ride
I would have GLADLY paid for FP+. All they had to do was ask! Bun NO WAY I’m paying for Genie+