It’s not always pixie dust and fairy tales at Disney World.
Magic Kingdom
That means that when you’re planning for a trip to Disney World, it’s always better to go in with your eyes wide open. So while Disney has some amazing experiences, rides, and food, there are a couple of brutal realities that no one really talks about, but you need to know!
As we said, Disney World is magical, but there are some brutal realities that you need to know about. Let’s go over some of them now!
“Magical” Doesn’t Mean “Perfect”
As you can imagine, the word “magic” gets thrown around a lot when people talk about Disney World, but here’s the truth — not everything is perfect. You’ll find that rides break down, shows get canceled, and sometimes the “magic” is just not there.
Space Mountain is notoriously closed.
For example, imagine that you’ve been gearing up for Space Mountain all day, only to find out it’s temporarily closed right when you get there. Or that you’ve been setting aside time to catch that your favorite parade, just to have it get rained out.
Rainy day in Disney World
To be sure, Disney tries hard, but the reality is that things can and do go wrong. So, just be ready to roll with the punches because even Disney World can have an “off” day.
The Pressure to Have the “Perfect” Day Is Real
Even us “Disney pros” have had this happen to us — You think you’re headed for quite literally the best day ever, but instead, you end up feeling like you’ve run back-to-back marathons.
EPCOT
For some reason there’s this insane pressure to hit every ride, catch every show, and make every meal reservation on time, and let’s not forget the stress of making sure your story on social media is on point!
EPCOT
Take it from us that trying to squeeze everything into one day can make you feel more like a drill sergeant than a relaxed vacationer. This may sound like a spoiler alert, but you’re probably not going to be able to do everything at Disney World during your trip, and that’s okay!
Not All the Rides Are Worth the Hype
There’s no question that Disney rides, especially some of the OG ones are S-Tier legendary — Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion. That being said, not all of the rides at Disney World live up to the hype.
Pirates!
There are a fair number of the classic rides that are more about nostalgia than actual thrills. Sure, it’s cool to say you rode “it’s a small world,” but don’t expect it to be a mind-blowing experience.
“it’s a small world!”
It’s cute, it’s classic, but is it worth a 100-minute wait? Probably not (and we happen to love it’s a Small World). In the end, just be prepared for some letdowns, and don’t be afraid to skip a ride if it doesn’t do it for you.
You’ll Spend More Time Waiting Than Actually Doing
If no one has ever told you this before, just know that Disney World is basically the kingdom of queues. Waiting in line is just a fact of life here. Whether it’s for rides, food, or even bathrooms, you’re going to spend a lot of time standing around.
Crowds at Magic Kingdom can be a lot
You’ll find that the wait times for popular rides can be well over an hour, and that’s on a good day. It’s one of those brutal truths you just have to accept if you want to experience the magic. Make sure to pack extra patience with you because it’s a necessity.
You Will Walk More Than You’ve Ever Walked in Your Life
We hope you’re ready to rack up some serious steps. Disney World is HUGE, and unless you’re planning to park yourself on a bench all day, you’re going to be on your feet.
Animal Kingdom
We’re in the parks all the time and it’s not uncommon to hit 20,000 steps (or more) in a single day. Another fact of life here at Disney World is that your feet are going to ache by the end of the day.
©Amazon
Our best recommendation is that you wear comfortable shoes. They’re going to become your best friends.
What Shoes Should You Wear in Disney World? Click Here!
Your Phone Battery Will Die
Between all the selfies you’ll take with Cinderella Castle, checking all the wait times, making dining reservations, navigating the park, and updating your social media, your phone battery doesn’t stand a chance.
Magic Kingdom
By mid-afternoon, you’ll most likely be on the hunt to find an outlet or wishing you had packed a power bank.
©Amazon
So make sure you’re prepared by bringing your own power bank and/a power strip, because nothing kills the magic faster than a dead phone.
Best Phone Chargers for Disney
The Weather Can Ruin Your Day
Last up, Florida weather can be both unpredictable and downright brutal. It might rain seemingly out of nowhere and leave you drenched from head to toe, or the heat and humidity might make you feel like you’re walking on the surface of the sun.
Rainy Day at EPCOT
And don’t think winter will save you because it can get surprisingly chilly. The weather is a wild card that can turn your magical day into a miserable one if you’re not prepared. Pack accordingly, check the weather forecast constantly, and be ready for anything.
Tropical Storm Debby at Animal Kingdom
There you have it — a couple of the brutal realities at Disney World. Did we miss any that are on your list? Go ahead and share them with us down in the comments, and keep it here at DFB for all the latest Disney news and more!
The Disney World SECRET We Shouldn’t Be Telling You
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A few years ago we met up in Epcot with a group of friends—we’re residents; they came from PA. Everything they did was pre “scheduled” for them. The “Frozen” ride broke down, so they wasted about 2 hours hanging around the area hoping it would be open. We suggested going to Mexico for the boat ride in the meantime….no, it looks like they might open up ….and no, it didn’t.
Which is why we always “played it by ear” even when we lived in PA and only came once a year. So glad the people running it then weren’t obsessed with knowing who filled each and every available seat and when
I just came back from a week there at the end of August and the heat 100% did me in. And then we logged about 25k steps a day. And we also rope dropped early park entry every day & did after hours parties & events. I was trying to squeeze every experience out of the trip. I need a more casual plan for next time!
We are going in November. We have tickets to the Christmas party that Friday we get there so that takes care of our MK time. Then we go Epcot Sunday and HS on Monday and then (due ot park hopper tickets) AK at some point. We try to do everything but we know we can’t because of shut downs or whatever. But the weather doesn’t bother us. We take ponchos and stay in the parks. We went one year and my son and I got on about 4 rides in an hour due to the rain and people leaving the park, giving us plenty of time to rides, missing lines.