Planning a Disney World Trip in 2022? Here Are 18 Key Things to Know

by Leap on March 10, 2022 43 Orlando

Planning a Trip to Disney World in 2022 - Pinterest We frogs loved hopping around the Disney World theme parks in 2021 — and we have no doubt the magic will call us, and many other families, in 2022!

As the party continues for the big 5-0, and more and more opens at "The Most Magical Place on Earth," there's so much to look forward to!

While there's lots of excitement on the horizon, including the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (May 27), it's important to note that there are still changes in place around the resort that you should be aware of before your trip. And perhaps the most exciting news of all — traditional character meet and greets have returned! Without further ado, here are the key things you need to know.

18 Key Things to Keep in Mind If You're Visiting Disney World in 2022 and Beyond

1. Know the Latest Updates on Health and Safety Measures

Recently, Disney World amended its policies a bit — as of April 19, 2022, face coverings are optional for fully vaccinated guests in both outdoor and indoor locations, as well as on enclosed Disney transportation, including Disney buses and monorails. It is recommended that guests who are not fully vaccinated continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations, including attractions, theaters and enclosed transportation. Temperature checks have been phased out and distancing measures are being reduced or eliminated across the resort (say goodbye to plexiglass partitions on rides!). That said, you should read up on all of the health and safety protocols in place before you go for the latest information.

2. Nighttime Spectaculars Have Returned!

Hip, hop, hooray! Two all-new nighttime spectaculars, "Disney Enchantment" at Magic Kingdom and "Harmonious" at EPCOT, have debuted for Disney World's 50th Anniversary Celebration. "Wonderful World of Animation" and "Disney Movie Magic" have also returned to Hollywood Studios.

3. Entertainment, Shows and Character Greetings Have Returned!

Planning a Trip to Disney World - Princess Greeting

The Festival of Fantasy parade has returned, and Fantasmic! is slated to reopen in 2022, as well. Character dining experiences are continuing to reopen, including Hollywood & Vine, Tusker House and Storybook Dining at Artist Point.

And there's exciting news! Traditional character meet-and-greets has begun to return in phases, as of April 18, 2022. That means hugs, autographs and high fives with your favorites are back!

Likewise, a modified "Celebration of Festival of the Lion King" has returned to Disney's Animal Kingdom! "Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage" and "Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular" have returned to Hollywood Studios, along with Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom and Turtle Talk with Crush at EPCOT. Plus there are more on the way! A reimagined "Finding Nemo — The Musical" at Animal Kingdom returns to the stage in 2022.

4. More and More Restaurants Are Reopening

While more and more restaurants are reopening, and capacity is increasing, there still isn't quite as much availability as there was pre-COVID-19. For this reason, you should absolutely make dining plans in advance and reservations for table-service restaurants, so you're not left with tired, hungry tadpoles. Advance Dining Reservations can be made 60 days in advance. And don’t froget about Disney Springs (where we’ve spied the most dinner availability when we’ve checked). More options are slowly rolling out, so keep an eye out! Additionally, be sure to check menus in advance — some menu offerings have been modified.

5. Mobile Order Is a Must-Do

While it's not required, Mobile Order is all but a must-use for quick-service restaurants — and some restaurants exclusively use Mobile Order. With the limits mentioned on the table-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants are in more demand than ever, and wait times are up since the parks have reopened. No one wants to spend more time in line for a hot dog than for a ride! Thankfully, with Mobile Ordering at Disney World, you don't have to. It's pretty easy to set up Mobile Ordering using the My Disney Experience app, and we've got a full guide to walk you through it. (Psst ... on the app, you can also check table-service restaurants near you for walk-up availability!)

6. Capacity Is Going Up in the Parks

When the resort reopened, Disney World initially capped its park attendance at 20 percent. That limit has continued to increase as more guests hop back to the parks.

7. Park Reservations Are Still Required

Planning a Trip to Disney World – Kids dressed in EARidescent outfits

Even so, Disney World implemented a Disney Park Pass reservation system wherein you needed to reserve the park you plan to attend on each day of your vacation. As more people have returned to the parks, it has become very important to book your park reservations earlier, especially if you want to visit around holidays and weekends. We cannot stress this enough — Park Passes can fill up quickly, so it's essential that you purchase your tickets and reserve your Park Passes as early as you can. At this point, the Disney Park Pass reservation system is set to be in place until early 2024.

8. Events Are Still Hoppening, and Modifications Are Slowly Being Rolled Back

Planning a Trip to Disney World - Food and Wine Festival

While Disney's two biggest events, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party were canceled for 2020 and 2021, many more events did take place in 2020 and 2021 and will be taking place in 2022. Of course, Disney World is also throwing "The World's Most Magical Celebration" for its 50th anniversary. Though Disney After Hours Boo Bash and Disney Very Merriest After Hours took over in 2021, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party will be making a boo-tiful return in 2022 (and we'd expect Mickey's Verry Merry Christmas Party to return as well). The Disney on Broadway concert series (EPCOT International Festival of the Arts) and the Garden Rocks concert series (EPCOT International Flower and Garden) returned to the festivals in 2022.

Keep in mind that Park Passes may fill up early for special events. Hotels also fill up around these dates, so we'd highly recommend booking your stay in advance if you plan to attend.

9. Park Hopping Has Returned (With Some Modifications)

Park hopping has returned — with some stipulations. You need to make a reservation for the park you plan to start the day in, but you're free to hop to another park at 2 p.m. (provided there's availability). To date, there has only been one day when park hopping wasn't available (on the very first day of Disney World's 50th-anniversary celebration at Magic Kingdom), but you'll want to keep this in mind during busy times such as the holidays.

10. All of the Disney World Resort Hotels Are Now Open

Planning a Trip to Disney World - Moana Room at the Poly

All of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels have reopened! Disney's Polynesian Village Resort reopened with its new Moana-inspired rooms, followed by Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney's Port Orleans Resorts (helloooo beignets!)

Additionally, some resort hotel services have been suspended. Club-level service is temporarily unavailable. As of Jan. 1, 2022, the Magical Express has retired. Third-party services, such as Mears Connect, will offer paid transportation to and from the airport. As another alternative, you could rent a car (which you can do through Undercover Tourist!).

Again, we highly recommend booking as soon as you have your dates set, especially if it's during a traditionally busy time such as holidays, summer and spring break.

11. Water Parks Are Slowly Reopening

Disney's Blizzard Beach reopened March 7, 2021, with health and safety measures in place (read all about the experience in our Blizzard Beach guide). Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon reopened Jan. 2, 2022 — the first time it's been open since 2020! (Currently, Blizzard Beach is closed for annual refurbishment).

12. Extra Magic Hours Are Going Away and a New Early Theme Park Entry Benefit Is Here

Early Magic Hours haven't been hoppening since the parks reopened, but now there's a new Early Theme Park Entry benefit that hotel guests can take advantage of. The new Disney Early Theme Park Entry benefit allows on-site hotel guests and guests at select off-site hotels to enjoy 30 minutes of early entry to ANY theme park, EVERY day. Deluxe and Villa resort guests also have access to Extended Evening Hours at select parks on select nights. (Note: Early Theme Park Entry can be extended to one hour during busy peak periods.)

13. FastPass+ Has Retired, and Genie+ Has Emerged from the Lamp

Planning a Disney World Visit - Slinky Dog Entrance

Disney has retired FastPass+, its skip-the-regular lines service. In its place are Lightning Lanes, which guests can pay to access using the all-new Genie+ service. Similar to Disneyland's former MaxPass system, the add-on covers 40+ attractions and can be purchased same-day. (No more getting up early 60 days in advance to snag your spot!) You can also purchase your ticket with Genie+ included for the length of your trip.

As of June 8, 2022, Disney Genie+ service will no longer be available to purchase as an add-on to new tickets, and will only be available for sale on the day of your visit via the My Disney Experience app. If you have multi-day tickets or annual passes, you will need to purchase Genie+ each day. If you have already purchased tickets with Genie+ prior to June 8, your ticket will still include Genie+! When Genie+ is available on a day-to-day basis, it will be subject to availability. Undercover Tourist will continue to sell tickets with Disney Genie+ service included until June 8, so book your tickets now in order to guarantee Disney Genie+ availability for the duration of your trip!

14. MagicBands Are No Longer Free, but There Is Less Need for Them in 2022

MagicBands are still available for purchase to all, but they are no longer provided free for resort hotel guests. Disney has brought some of the functionality of MagicBands to an all-new service called Disney MagicMobile. Disney MagicMobile provides a contactless way to access MagicBand features such as theme park entry through your iPhone, Apple Watch or other smart devices. Guests can create a Disney MagicMobile pass through the My Disney Experience app and add it to their smart device’s digital wallet. Just like a MagicBand, MagicMobile works by holding or tapping your smart device near an access point. Digital room keys will continue to be available through My Disney Experience. You can also use Disney MagicMobile for Genie+ access to Lightning Lane entrances, validating Early Theme Park Entry access and more — anything that your MagicBand can do!

15. Now, More Than Ever, You Need to Plan Your Time in the Parks

It is perhaps more important than ever to have a plan when visiting the parks. At the very least, have all of your family members decide at the outset which rides are most important so that no one is left disappointed. If you want more direction than that, we frogs have added new Disney World park plans that take into account these changes to help you plan your best day.

16. Know the Latest Ways to Make Reservations for In-Demand Rides

Planning Your Disney World Visit – Remy's Ratatouille Adventure

A virtual queue was the only way to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, but Boarding Groups are temporarily closed for this particular attraction. But virtual queues are here to stay! Remy's Ratatouille Adventure used a virtual queue upon opening before transitioning to standby, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will open with a virtual queue when it launches May 27.

17. As Soon as You Know You're Going, Book the Trip!

This goes for hotel reservations, park reservations and tickets. It's doubly true if you will be visiting during a holiday, peak times or major events, such as Disney World's 50th anniversary. With limited capacity and demand increasing, you need to book as soon as you feel comfortable doing so.

18. Consider Travel Insurance

While Undercover Tourist has a generous 365-day refund policy, in these times, you may want even more peace of mind. Our travel insurance offers reimbursement up to 100 percent for pre-paid, non-refundable tickets if you cancel or interrupt your vacation for a covered illness, injury and more. You'll find it as an easy add-on in your cart before you purchase!

While this is a lot to consider, we think the benefits of a fabulous Disney World family vacation are toadally worth it. Have a tip you think other vacationers would benefit from knowing? Share it in the comments below!

Keep hopping!

Tags: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, Walt Disney World

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May 6, 2022 at 10:31 p.m. Amanda Tuffley Says...

We are a family of 4. 2 adults and 2 children.

One of my daughters are currently going through chemotherapy treatments and as long as everything goes well???? we are planning on the week of July 4th getting four day theme park with water park option. This will be our once in a lifetime experience and just want to be absolutely sure on how to fully make the best of it !! i need some examples on what to do and where . also can we use the water park pass on diff days ?

May 11, 2022 at 4:19 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Amanda!

We're actually going to be posting a complete guide with tips about maximizing your time at Disney World real soon, so keep hopping back! You can go to the water park either on its own separate day or combine it with a theme park visit day.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Apr 10, 2022 at 8:15 p.m. CV Says...

Bringing a family of 8 with a baby in the Fall for Halloween. Dates are flexible, but there is some confusion as to whether we can really make it happen at this date (we are told we are late). Contemplating whether to ditch or press forward (and we are FL residents). Any thoughts on this? Specifically want the after hours events........TIA

Apr 11, 2022 at 8:10 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi CV!

We still don't know the dates for the Halloween special event, so you are not too late with planning your trip! For now, we'd suggest you narrow down a tentative timeline and look into hotel and theme park reservation availability in the meantime. Last year, Disney After Hours Boo Bash took place on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. While we don't know if it will be the same days of the week, we hope it gives you an idea of what to expect. Keep hopping back for Halloween announcements!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Feb 8, 2022 at 8:24 p.m. Paul Says...

We are coming in Apr. I have heard that service levels are lower than usual due to staff shortages. Is this true? Hiw bad is it? What is the local outlook?

Feb 9, 2022 at 12:56 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Paul!

If you hoppen to be visiting before Easter (April 17), and even the week that follows Easter, it will be "spring break season" so you will likely experience elevated crowds. You can check out our Crowd Calendar to see our expected crowd levels.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Jan 5, 2022 at 7:41 p.m. Kelly Says...

We’re going Feb. 28-March 5 and really hoping to get the new MagicBand+ that lights up, etc., before we go! Any word yet on the release date?

Jan 5, 2022 at 3:46 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Kelly!

We still haven't heard any announcements about the MagicBand+ release date, but we'll update once we know!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Jan 4, 2022 at 5:34 p.m. Linda Self Says...

Myself and family are due to visit from the UK after a delay of two years . Our first visit I will have problems walking and standing for long periods as am awaiting knee replacement any helpful suggestions please

Jan 4, 2022 at 1 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Linda!

For potential mobility issues, we'd highly suggest renting a wheelchair while you're at the parks (and you can hop over to our guide about Using a Wheelchair at Disney World for more info and tips). Disney World does offer a DAS (Disability Access Service) program — however, it's designed to help guests with needs beyond limited mobility. That said, Disney assigns DAS on a case-by-case basis, so it couldn't hurt to check with guest relations to see if they can arrange DAS or alternative accommodations for you. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Dec 28, 2021 at 6:52 p.m. Sheila Says...

I just returned from WDW (December 2021) and I would like to add a “19th key thing” to know before you go. Do not expect to take home any really cool souvenirs commemorating the 50th Anniversary. I spent the day at MK (for my birthday) but couldn’t find a t-shirt anywhere! There were a few 50th anniversary clothing items that only fit XS, S and 3X women. Each store blamed the low/no supplies on shipping delays. No magnets, souvenir/history books, mugs or drinking glasses....which were standard purchases in years pass (I also visited during the 20th & 40th anniversaries). What they did have in stock was overpriced for the quality. I was very disappointed that there wasn't better planning to have items available just 10 days before Christmas. This was a big marketing mistake! On a brighter note: shopping was somewhat better at The World of Disney at Disney Springs. While they still didn’t have much selection for 50th anniversary items (still no mugs, magnets, t-shirts or books), they did have some really nice commemorative shopping bags ($3.00 for a large, $2.00 for a small) as well as other items that I found more interesting and worthwhile than what was at the MK park. Some of the popular items have a purchase limit (e.g., only 2 tins of peppermints per person), but at least I was able to buy some nice commemorative gifts.

Aug 21, 2021 at 7:59 p.m. KTeach Says...

Hi- we are traveling to Disney World this winter. My son has a cognitive impairment and will wear a mask only for a brief time (is vaccinated). I’m wondering if you have any info on if they will allow him indoors at all- if nothing changes with the mask restrictions?

Thank you.

Aug 23, 2021 at 10:48 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi KTeach!

Currently, there are no exceptions for face mask policies (though these have been changing as CDC recommendations change, so we'd recommend continuing to check back!).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Aug 20, 2021 at 3 p.m. Tracy Says...

Am I reading everything correctly, if you don’t have a mobile device, you cannot get around WDW Resort? My parents do not own a smartphone, nor do they want too, so now have to stay at home,I guess. I have tried looking for an answer, but all I keep coming across is, you need a mobile device, for rooms, attractions and food! Any advice?

Aug 20, 2021 at 10:49 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Tracy!

It is definitely possible to go without a smartphone - the experience would just be a little different! You can enter the parks using a physical Keys to the World card (as well as your hotel room) and standby lines remain available. The one aspect they might be left out of is accessing a virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance, which we would recommend they chat with Guest Relations about during their trip to see what options may be available to them. Smartphones are a definite enhancement to the trip, but it is still possible to go without :) We hope this helps!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Jan 5, 2022 at 1:08 a.m. AIMEE DELEPHIMNE Says...

It may be a bit late to share this info, but technically only one person in the party needs a "smart phone". All the tickets can be linked to that one person's account in the app. That person then selects which ticket holders want to be included in a lightening lane. We just returned from Disneyland this weekend and that's how it worked there. Currently, DL and DCA aren't offering virtual queues for Rise of yhe Resistance or for Spiderman, but i don't know about WDW. For pictures, the photographers I *think* can still give the picture card to link in the app later.

Jan 5, 2022 at 8:05 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Aimee!

It's never too late to share :) You are absolutely correct that only one person in the party needs a smartphone (and even if no one does, it can still be possible by using Keys to the World cards, though a little trickier if riding an attraction that is using a virtual queue). So if someone does not have a smartphone but is in a party with at least one person who does, they should be fine! As far as virtual queues go, Disney World is currently using one for Remy's Ratatouille Adventure (through Jan. 10), but Rise off the Resistance has switched to standby.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Aug 5, 2021 at 5:10 p.m. Paul Says...

Once my undercover tourist park hopper ticket is used, must it be used on consecutive days? Or can a day be skipped?

Aug 5, 2021 at 3:34 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Paul!

This can vary depending on the type of ticket that you purchased - with park hoppers, there's generally a window of use, and days may not have to be used consecutively within that window. Give us a call at 1 (800) 846-1302, and we'll be hoppy to give you specifics on your purchase! :)

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Jun 29, 2021 at 4:09 p.m. Robyn Says...

Normally, the beginning to mid-December is an ideal time to go because there are less crowds. Do you anticipate that will be the same for this year?

Jun 29, 2021 at 12:48 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Robyn!

It's hard to say for sure what the crowds will look like for the remainder of the year. With things returning to normal and pent-up demand for travel (plus, the 50th Anniversary Celebration going on), it could very well be busier than usual. But it will still likely be less crowded than the week of Thanksgiving and the second half of December.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Jun 20, 2021 at 10:36 p.m. Tammy Baumann Says...

We are going to WDW for the first time September 13-18, 2022. We are looking for a recommendation for dinner that will allow us to watch the fireworks. Thank you.

Jul 18, 2021 at 1:35 p.m. Terry Says...

Just came back two weeks ago. My wife and have been going to WDW for over 30 years. There are now only FastPasses for people with medical conditions in which they can not stand for long periods. This is the first time that we have been to WDW without the FastPass system for everyone. Until Disney returns or puts in a new system sadly we will not return. With 2 and 3 hour wait times for the most popular attractions it makes for a very long day. We calculated that we spent 71% of our time in line at the parks. Even Disney Springs .. 1 hour to get into The LEGO Store and 2.5 hours for The World of Disney. For mask only required on Disney transportation..boat, bus, monorail or skyline ( love the skyline a game changer). But waiting in line for attractions, restaurants or shopping no need. On the 4th of July at Disney Springs there were so many people you could not move.

Jun 21, 2021 at 8:43 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Tammy!

For Magic Kingdom fireworks, three popular restaurants for fireworks viewing are California Grill (Disney's Contemporary Resort — temporarily closed but could reopen after fireworks return), 'Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort) and Narcoossee's (Disney's Grand Floridian Resort). Though they're outside of the park and you wouldn't be able to see the castle projections, the music is usually piped in. If you'd like to dine inside the park, then your best options would be Plaza Restaurant, Crystal Palace or Casey's Corner (temporarily closed but could reopen after fireworks return). At EPCOT, we'd suggest Rose and Crown Dining Room, La Hacienda de San Angel (or La Cantina de San Angel) and Spice Road Table.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Jun 15, 2021 at 4:04 p.m. Steve Says...

Any chance the dates on previously purchased tickets will be extended again? We planned on going in April 2020 and had a 4 day park hopper (purchased thru UT), but obviously that didn't happened. We are going in early Jan 2022 and was hoping they would just extend the date, or should we just use the value and pay the difference in price now? Thanks.

Jul 19, 2021 at 10:44 a.m. Kibi mackay Says...

how are the two girl name

Jun 15, 2021 at 1:04 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Steve!

Please give us a call at 1 (800) 846-1302 — we're hoppy to help!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Jun 15, 2021 at 12:08 p.m. Stephany B Says...

Hello! We drive out June 25th For WDW. We are staying at all star movies. Any transportation advice? We will have our own car. Should we use resort buses or drive our car? How early should we arrive at each park? Thanks!

Jun 15, 2021 at 1:41 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Stephany!

Usually the parking lots open and transportation services begin an hour before each of the parks open, so if you want to be one of the early birds, we'd suggest leaving for the parks as early as then. We like the convenience and reliability of having our own car — though if the line isn't too long, we prefer bus over personal car when going to Magic Kingdom because the bus station is much closer to the park entrance (if you drive, you have to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center, and then take the monorail or ferry boat). Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Jun 13, 2021 at 9:10 p.m. Scott Seal Says...

My wife and I will find ourselves in Orlando June 24-28. We don't have Disney tickets or reservations, but were hoping to be able to ride the monorail around to some of the resorts as was possible in years past. Is this possible anymore? Will we need dining reservations or something to pull this off? I really hope this is still a thing that can happen.

Jun 14, 2021 at 2:12 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Scott!

Anyone can still ride Disney transportation. The issue lately has been the inability to park at a Disney Resort hotel unless you're an overnight guest or you have a dining reservation at the hotel. So if you're not entering and parking at the theme parks, you would need alternative plans for parking.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Jun 7, 2021 at 4:06 p.m. Tiff Says...

Hey! We are headed to Magic kingdom this weekend and was wondering if y’all knew the times for the character parades?! Where is the best place to see characters?

Thanks!!

Jun 7, 2021 at 11:15 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Tiff,

The cavalcades don't have any set times, as they hoppen sporadically throughout the day. (In the My Disney Experience app, you can use the search function to look up each cavalcade, and it will show the timeframes of when they may appear.) They still go down the normal parade route, so you can see them in Frontierland, Liberty Square, Main Street, U.S.A and in front of Cinderella Castle. There are also some characters that can randomly pop up anywhere. For instance, you may see Stitch and Buzz Lightyear at the stage in Tomorrowland or the Country Bears atop Country Bear Jamboree, so keep an eye out!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Feb 17, 2021 at 10:41 p.m. lydia zappia Says...

stopped going to disney a while back, but LOVE

Knotts Berry Farm!!! They are really trying hard to keep their guests happy!!! KNOTTS ALL THE WAY!!!

Feb 13, 2021 at 4:12 a.m. Amanda Says...

I agree with the magic being gone. The cast members have gone from saying “we hope you have a magical day” to “your mask is slightly sliding down on the left side. Correct it or we will throw you out. “ Everybody is doing the best we can with trying to keep the masks on the little ones.

Feb 3, 2021 at 11:40 p.m. kami p Says...

February 3, 2021

I am not sure if we are the only ones, but with a recent visit to Disney 1/25/21 to 1/29/21, we have discovered the disillusionment with Disney. We are avid Disney travelers, and feel that Disney had “it” for several years. But this year was different. I understand the abnormal normal, but what I do not understand is the greed Disney has…especially in the times where they are depending on their consumers to keep them out of the hole. Not only have we lost all of the entertainment, but the magic was gone. We stayed at Art of Animation and were hugely disappointed. The main pool was down, dining was poor at best (we had to order a coke and cupcake and wait for over 20 mins to have them bring it to us), the food choices were terrible, the staff was minimal, the cleanliness was questionable, the transportation was awful, the prices were raised and were exorbitant, and the experiences were minimal.

What I do not understand is why the public keeps allowing Disney to operate this way, and not only allows it, but flocks to Disney. The prices go up and up every year, and people keep paying it. We are heading down to the Disney area the end of Feb for a pool weekend of relaxation, and we were ready to stay at a Disney resort, however, has anyone checked out the prices of Disney resorts lately? Since when did Pop Century have a min. of a $200 a night charge? I would never pay $200 a night to stay at a value resort, especially that has no amenities and terrible food!! When are we going to say enough is enough? I think my family is finally saying enough is enough. We will put our money elsewhere to serve the economy better, not a greedy company who keeps giving less and less, but charging more and more for it. The magic of Disney is wearing off fast, and I hope others start to see that… then maybe changes may be able to be made. Disney has no way where the consumer can constructively give criticism. There is no way to voice the publics opinion. Since when did paying $4 for a bottle of water become right?

I am waking up!!

Feb 14, 2021 at 10:37 p.m. CGFNE Says...

Agreed! Our last encounter with Disney was a Disney cruise in Sept 2019. We had to cancel our 2020 Disneyland plans and just rebooked a stay at WDW for 2021. While I understand that things are different, restricted, and entertainment is curbed right now for the safety of all, I don't understand why Disney would charge for services that they do not have right now. We always stay in concierge level rooms at Disneyland, their cruises, etc. so I know what the prices usually are and the fluctuations through peaks seasons, etc. I would think since there are ZERO club level services right now that the prices for those rooms would reflect that, but they do not. Why would I pay for a service that I'm not receiving? I love Disney and would go just for the rides alone, but, not at the same price as pre-COVID, when you also had the ambience (which is really what made things magical), the wonderful Disney cast members (also part of the magic), and the rest of the magic (close encounters with characters, fireworks, the shows, etc.), with ALL of that gone, why pay the same price? If I'm only going for the rides then I expect the cost to be on par with other amusement parks that we used to frequent, Knotts, Six Flags, Universal, Sea World, and any other parks where the primary draw is the rides. I was always willing to pay more for the Disney "magic" factor, but once that's gone, what are we paying for? Again, I don't mind paying, but the pay should match the service and that is not the case right now. I see the business side of the coin, they want to stay open, keep the cast employed (some at least), help the economy, but this isn't the way to go, at least not for fans. I feel like for Disney fans, it's not worth the decrease in quality. It's like having to watch a pro-athlete come back to play too soon from an injury just to sell some tickets and gravely underperform. I'd rather just wait and shell out the bucks when they're back to 100%. I don't want the 50%, sub par, non-magical Disney, I don't want the disappointment of that after so many years of "the magic". I want the magic back just as much as the next Disney fan and I would pay handsomely for it, like I always have, but not like this. After literally growing up with Disney (minutes away from Disneyland), what they're putting out right now is sad. I'm disappointed but also sad for Disney. My daughters quinceanera event was planned at Disney for 2020 and we had to cancel it, that was disappointing, but I don't think I would have wanted her to have an experience any less magical than all of her previous Disney experiences, especially not on such a special day for her. My apologies for the long reply, but I can't wait for Disney to return to the Disney that we all know and love.

Jun 22, 2021 at 7:22 p.m. David Says...

This is going to sound like I work for Disney but I promise I don't. What I do understand is the world of hospitality as a former executive member at a high end country club for five years. The world and everything in it is SO tough right now and complaining about all of these things like waiting 20 minutes for a soda, which could happen with or without Covid, really goes to show your privilege. Every single restaurant, hotel, airline, etc. is dying for labor right now - it's just simply not there. Then once you hire, it's a rush to train and get them on the floor, ride, hotel, etc. It's NOT easy by any means. It's a process - especially for Disney as I'm sure their training is much more significant in order to keep that "magic" that you talk about. For example, did you know that Disney staff is trained to never point with one finger? It's always two or more. It's literally the smallest details that they train their staff for. The ones that are working are doing their very best, I am sure of it. So please just be considerate of the world around you and maybe think about how people are really trying, and Disney, who employs tens of thousands of people globally, if not hundreds of thousands, are trying their best to keep their doors open and provide the jobs that also help keep the economy going and people like YOU who are traveling and trying to enjoy your privileged life while they're trying to put food on the table for their families. That is all.

Jun 25, 2021 at 4:27 p.m. Lisa Says...

Very well said David!

Dec 7, 2020 at 1:38 a.m. Stephanie Embry Says...

Good to know information. Thanks!

Dec 7, 2020 at 1:38 a.m. S embry Says...

Good to know information...thanks!

Dec 2, 2020 at 8:56 p.m. Christie Madsen Says...

I'm looking forward to the 50th celebrations!

Dec 2, 2020 at 4:52 p.m. Amy Gardner Says...

Great information! Undercover Tourist is my go-to site for Disney planning!