Is Disney worth it?

[Trackerway]

I have a friend whose kids are begging to go to Disneyworld this summer. She asked me for advice, though I don't know why since I've never been to Disneyworld!

So I wanted to ask you guys. Is Disney really worth it? Some people have told me it's not all it's cracked up to be. What do you guys think?

Thanks.

 

[Kona Lovers]

It's a great family vacation destination, but a lot depends on what personal preferences are. While some have told you it's not all it's cracked up to be, our ds and dil love it, as do our good friends who won't miss an opportunity to stay a week in Orlando with or without their grandchildren. I would say for those with kids still at home, it would have the makings for a great family time and great family memories. Hope this helps, and I'm sure others will give you a lot of information as well.

Marty

 

[Carl D]

I'm sure you'll find the stragler that says they don't like it, but 99.9% of the people will say it's amazing.

You really can't imagine until you've seen it...
48 square miles, 4 major theme parks, a couple minor theme areas, 2 major water parks, entertainment area (part soon to be closed for rehab), around 20 major themed resorts (truly worth a day of your time just to visit- They are mind blowing.), fishing, para sailing, boating, tennis, 5 championship golf courses, 2 world class spas, a pro race track (you can drive your own race car), several convention centers, many restaurants (around 200 including counter service), and the list goes on.
It's actually it's own "district" all by itself, including fire department, and many other services.

 

[kapish]

Yes. It is worth it. Doing some advance planning would help too.

 

[Steamboat Bill]

I have a friend whose kids are begging to go to Disneyworld this summer. She asked me for advice, though I don't know why since I've never been to Disneyworld!

So I wanted to ask you guys. Is Disney really worth it? Some people have told me it's not all it's cracked up to be. What do you guys think?

The key words here are her kids vs some people...I personally think the kids should win this one!

 

[bnoble]

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a kid in grade school who wouldn't think WDW is the best place in the Universe. Teens (and some tweens) will find it a little slow if they're accustomed to thrill parks.

Adults fall into three camps: kids at heart who love it too (and even go without their kids sometimes), parents who enjoy watching their kids have fun (but don't really have fun themselves), and parents who grit their teeth and grumble about the crowds/heat/cost the entire time.

I'm a kid-at-heart. It's hard to know what you'll be until you try it.

 

[bocamike]

It's magical!

 

[falmouth3]

Of course it's worth it. If not, why would so many people go, and return year after year?

Now, whether it's worth the extra bucks to stay in a Disney resort, to me it's not, but others think it's mandatory.

 

[CAROLW]

I love it but my kids weren't crazy about Disney. When we went last spring my ds and dd were 5 yrs old. We went at the end of April and it was very HOT. We ended up only going to 2 parks cause the kids complained so much when they were there.

We stayed at Marriott Horizons and the kids had so much fun at the pools there and that was probably the reason. While we were in the parks all they wanted to do was go back to the pool.

We enjoyed the Disney restaurants we ate at. Did the Cinderella Castle Lunch, and the Brunch at Chef Mickeys, Mickeys Backyard BBQ, etc.

Having said that we are planning to take them back again next Spring. They will be 7 yrs old then and I hope will enjoy the parks more at that age. I am hoping to stay at one of the DVC's. I love Disney and I can't understand why my kids didn't get it. Maybe they were too young.....

 

[rickandcindy23]

Rick and I go every year, at least five weeks per year. We love Disney, everything about it.

Little kids get tired of all the walking. It is very important to rent or bring a stroller, even for smaller kids who have outgrown them. We walk an average of 6 miles per day at Disney, and for little legs, that feels like twice that, which is why they tire so easily.

 

[Icc5]

West Coast Vs. East Coast

I have a friend whose kids are begging to go to Disneyworld this summer. She asked me for advice, though I don't know why since I've never been to Disneyworld!

So I wanted to ask you guys. Is Disney really worth it? Some people have told me it's not all it's cracked up to be. What do you guys think?

Thanks.

#1 Everyone should go to Disney at least once in their lifetime especially as a kid whether a big grown up kid or young kid.
We actually prefer Disneyland (we are West Coast) but loved Disney World too both times we've been there. Are children have been to Disney about 10 times and each time they didn't want to leave until closing. That says it all.
Bart

 

[gretel]

My sons are 8 and 10 and still love Disney. We go every year (and during their preK years went several times), and they never get bored. They prefer Magic Kingdom. They enjoyed the other parks but they love the "mountain" roller coasters, Buzz Lightyear ride, etc. The nice thing about it is that they can go on every ride in the park. They don't love crazy big roller roasters or 3D movie-type rides, so they didn't enjoy the Universal parks at all.

There is something for every kid, which park depends on the kids' likings. It is certainly worth it at least once.

 

[lprstn]

ok she said DISNEY LAND (CA) not Disney WORLD (FL)

Firstly if I had my choice I would go to Disney World over Disney LAND, however both are a great experience for kids, especially when you envolve them in the planning experience. Also if you are going to CA DisneyLand there is so much other cool stuff to do in that area that the kids would NEVER be bored (only if you did not involve them in the fun of planning). Its definately a must do at least 1 time trip.

Also, I am thrill ride fanatic and do at least 3 to 4 amusement parks with my kids a year... and Disney and Universal rides are FAR above any rides that I have been to at any other parks (although some rides are quite similar) so its well worth me going back to every year.

 

[lvhmbh]

I don't like it! That said, I ended up going over New Years (very busy time) and taking g-son and friends daughter to he parks. We went early in the morning and NO I didn't grumble. I took a book and read while they did the rides and things. We went to two parks one day but found out that you couldn't get on things later in the day. The kids had a great time and I'm glad I took them. Please adults, remember that kids are people too! We had several mannerless adults push in front of the kids to order food, etc. I held my temper but it was close. Linda

 

[Lisa P]

I've always really enjoyed it and it's worth it to me. My kids have loved it sometimes, not so much at others, especially as older teens - then Universal was more to their liking. DH wouldn't miss it a bit if we never returned; he just goes to please me.

That said, we have quite a lot of friends who've loved it and gone back as much as they could reasonably afford... but no where near 99% :rofl: We also have quite a lot of friends who think it's terribly overpriced and definitely not worth the premium paid for Disney admissions vs alternatives. Most of them have been there more than once for their kids' sakes, not at the busiest of times and they did a reasonable amount of advance planning. So the more common reasons that people may not care for WDW don't really apply. But they simply didn't think the prices - admissions, food, souvenirs, everything is expensive there - were worth it to them.

While there is so much available to do on a WDW vacation, you can only be in one place, doing one thing at a time. If you spend lots of time waiting in lines, eating at sitdown restaurants, hopping between the parks/water parks and running from park opening to park closing, it can seem like you spent a small fortune on upgraded admissions but didn't really end up doing most of what you'd expected. All the hype online and in commercials adds to unrealistic expectations. First-time WDW visitors, even with advance planning, often get overwhelmed and end their trip exhausted and more broke than they'd planned.

IMHO, there's really no way to know if someone else will think it was worth it or not. If your friend decides to go for it, they'll have the best chance of having a terrific time if they'll research ahead with a good guide book that offers tourplans, avoid peak crowded periods and lines, and make sure they budget for a little more expense than whatever budget they think they'll need. (The Mouse is a Master at separating people from their money. ) They need to aim for a small handful of "must-do" attractions at each park and take the slower pace - whatever the "weakest link" in the family group can handle. Everything else they get to do is icing. Bottom line: When it comes to WDW, time spent planning is time very well spent!!!

 

[Holly]

I honestly think that WDW is a much better value than a lot of these beach amusement parks, Six Flags, etc. They aren't cheap either, and at least Disney does it right. We were very impressed at the quality of the shows, the crowd, and the Disney folks that we interacted with. They charged $2 for a bottle of water as opposed to other places that double that just because you are a captive audience, etc.

We are going back this Thanksgiving, and I can see us going there every couple of years for a long time. The key is to try and relax and not try to do everything.

 

[nydvc]

We love it. I think in general most people do. We are DVC menbers so I guess we are bias.

 

[Present]

Disney / Orlando is fun...

but forget about it in the summer. The heat, humidity and the crowds are just too much. Seriously if you are going to spend a small fortune at Disney who wants to deal with all that? Tell your friend to avoid Disney around holidays, and from May til Oct and she will come away with a completely different perception of Disney. It can be a fun, magical place at the right time of year!

 

[bookworm]

but forget about it in the summer. The heat, humidity and the crowds are just too much. Seriously if you are going to spend a small fortune at Disney who wants to deal with all that? Tell your friend to avoid Disney around holidays, and from May til Oct and she will come away with a completely different perception of Disney. It can be a fun, magical place at the right time of year!

I think this sounds exactly right. We went at New Years and felt we never wanted to return. From what others have said, Disney can be a lot of fun at the right times. However, I am a little leary of Disney advertising which makes kids believe that it is really "the happiest place on earth" and fills their minds with unrealistic expectations. Also, I wonder if parents don't begin to feel that they are depriving their children if they decide not to go. As kids beg and beg, parents give in, whether or not they can afford it. The recent thread on stay-cations reminds me that great family times can be had in many unexpected places.

 

[Mel]

As others have said, we have a great time when we go, but we avoid the high-capacity days. That would be major holidays, summer vacations, and spring break (particularly when the local kids are off). These times have bigger crowds, and longer waits. If they can go at a "slower" time, the parks may open a bit later and close a bit earlier, but you still end up on more rides.

The advantage I see to Disney over many other parks is the attention to detail. At Six Flags the thrill rides may be great, but Disney has a variety of "levels" of rides, plus all the other entertainment. When you look at the price of tickets for almost any other form of entertainment, the price of Disney tickets doesn't seem so high after all - it's just the whole vacation gets expensive. Even that can be reduced if you don't insist on staying onsite. And with kids the other advantage of being offsite is the ability to escape the "magic" for a while.

 

[Carl D]

Tell your friend to avoid Disney around holidays, and from May til Oct and she will come away with a completely different perception of Disney.

Maybe I'm not reading this right, but are you saying to avoid WDW May to October?

September is perhaps the slowest time of year at WDW. I don't even like it because it's sooo slow.
October is my absolute favorite time of year, mostly because of the Food & Wine Festival and Halloween Party. Crowds and weather are also reasonable.

Some posters may laugh at a 99% favorable rating for Disney, but it's not the #1 vacation destination for nothing.
When you asked if it is worth it, I answer with a resounding YES.
That's not because of the dollar figure divided by the number of fries you get with your burger, but rather the incredible memories a WDW can deliver.

 

[laxmom]

Unfortunately we are one of those families that has no choice but to go when every other person in the world goes; summer and holidays. I discovered a great tool years ago to make our trips painless. I bought an Unofficial Guide to DW and used the touring plans for our spring break one year and our summer trip the next. Yea, it meant getting up early and touring rides in a specific order but we were done by 1pm and back at our resort napping or swimming. We'd go back to the park that night for the fireworks/shows. The longest we waited in line was 20 minutes and we used fast passes 1 time in 2 trips. Our kids thought we were on a scavenger hunt for the next ride and would get off one and say, "what is next!?" We had a great time!

We are leaving a week from today and are using UG again. So, going during busy times can be painless if you do a little prep and stick to a plan. We won't be doing parks every day but have other activities planned to give us a rest day between because of the heat. I'll let you know how we make out.

Is it worth it? Yeah. It is. The memories with our kids are priceless and the smiles and laughter? Well, they are so worth it all.

 

[DanO]

Do It!! Everyone needs to do Disney At least once. For us, We go every year at least once sometimes twice. Wouldn't bother me at all if the kids didn't go, wife and I love it there.

 

[tombo]

Most people here seem to love Disney. I have been about 10 different times through the years and I personally hope to never go again. As my kids got to their teenage years they too felt that Disney rides were boring. They wanted the looping, high, fast roller coasters with your feet swinging free and decided that the only ride at Disney with enough adrenaline stimulus was the Tower of Terror.I too love thrill rides and we all started liking Bush Gardens in Tampa best of all the theme parks in the area. In the Orlando area we like Universal Islands of Adventure, and Sea World is a favorite no matter how old my children become.

I am glad we went to Disney many times when the children were young because we loved seeing the joy they had at Disney on the rides and when they saw Mickey, Minnie, and friends. I have never been when it wasn't prime summer season or spring break. Yes, I will never forget the sheer wonder and excitement they had at Disney, but I will also never forget the signs saying your wait time from this point is 1 hour as sweat ran into my eyes on 98 degree days. I remember getting to the park at opening time and running to Space Mountain to try and ride it before the lines got too long. I remember getting 4 burgers, 4 fries, and 4 drinks for over $40. I remember arriving at 9 am and leaving at 10 pm to try and do all the rides and shows in one day as each and every day had been comitted to a different park (Disney, MGM, Sea World, Universal, Universal Islands of Adventure, Bush Gardens). I remember the kids mad because they weren't tall enough to reach Mickey's hand and thus banished from the ride their sibling could ride. I remember dragging the youngest child who wanted to go back to the resort from ride to ride because the oldest child didn't want to leave until they had done everything. I have many great and many not so great memories of Disney.

That being said you as a rite of passage must take your children to Disney when they are too young to enjoy it. Then you must go back when they enjoy it but are too young to ride many of the rides. Then you have to come back when all of the kids are big enough to ride all the rides. And finally you have to keep going until they have found parks like 6 Flags and Busch gardens and they no longer want to go to Disney. Then by the time you have reached a concensus thrill park the whole family loves (if you love thrill rides like we do), the kids get too old to want to vacation with mom and dad very often. We are at that point and will never go back to see Mickey until we do it to be good grandparents.

It is worth it for at least one trip to the Magic Kingdom, but for some once is more than enough.

 

[Carl D]

As my kids got to their teenage years they too felt that Disney rides were boring. They wanted the looping, high, fast roller coasters with your feet swinging free and decided that the only ride at Disney with enough adrenaline stimulus was the Tower of Terror.

This is a valid point, AND this is exactly what distiguishes Disney from the competition.

When Disney builds something, whether it's an attraction or a resort, they will send a team if imagineers to research the subject. When they built the Animal Kingdom Lodge, there was a team living in Africa researching all the design and details for the resort. Everything is as authentic as possible.
In many cases they have brought craftsman from the native countries to construct and paint the buildings, just because it would capture more of the authenticity.

Now, how does this relate to building less thrill rides? Well, many Disney attractions are highly themed, slow rides. . They are well thought out, and they all tell a story.
As the imagineer of Disney's Expedition Everest put it on the Travel Channel (paraphrasing) "Anyone can put up a metal frame and build a fast roller coaster. That's not what we do."

Perhaps I'm not expressing myself well. You sort of have to experience the different style of attractions at Disney to get the flavor.