The following might come as a bit of a surprise. These experiences at Disney World have one thing in common. They are all overrated. First off, I want to be clear that I actually love most of these things. This is not an effort to bring anything, or anybody down. It’s just a bit of help for vacation planners who feel any of these is especially important to their enjoyment of Disney World. Hopefully that makes sense. I’ll explain more as I go.
Peter Pan’s Flight
Okay, I love this ride. The design is so special and unique, I love flying over London and Neverland. The transitions are so clever and I love flying around and through Captain Hook’s ship. HOWEVER…
If you have kids, don’t listen to me. It’s great. They’ll love it. To be clear, I’m not saying anyone shouldn’t ride it, but if you are an adult, there are plenty of better options considering the ridiculous wait times for this one and how short the experience actually is. Also, the cast members, in my experience, are consistently below the Disney standard. As neat as this attraction is, I don’t know how it got to be so overrated.
Dole Whip
Again. LOVE IT. Don’t hate me. Dole Whips and Citrus Swirls are a favorite way to cap off my time in Adventureland. They are overrated, though. What I don’t get is how common Dole Whips are now in relation to their growing hype. They are no longer a treat exclusive to one place. They’re not only all over Disney World, but you can get it at your local Fro-Yo joint. The thing that really lands Dole Whips on this list is the level of merchandising that is now associated with it. If you are a guest in Adventureland, Animal Kingdom, Epcot (sometimes), or the Polynesian Village and you feel obligated to buy a Dole Whip, don’t be.
Disney Dining Plan
I should say the Free Disney Dining Plan, though I really think both are overrated. I’ve tried to figure out who the Dining Plan is really for and I figured out, it’s for Disney. Some people swear, that it can make sense to use the dining plan, but nobody has been able to explain it to me. I’m not a fan of the plan because paying for meals is already so easy with the MagicBand. The Dining Plan overcharges for what you get and creates the dilemma of ordering what you want vs. getting your “money’s worth.” The “Free” plan comes at the expense of other promotions that save more money than the plan’s value. It’s just a raw deal in my opinion.
Star Wars
Okay, time to make some enemies. Here’s the thing. Star Warsis cool. It’s certainly more popular than Avatar. The new Galaxy’s Edge is supposed to be awesome and the hotel they’re building sounds so amazing that over-hyping it sounds like a literal impossibility. In the meantime, Haven’t we had enough Star Wars? Does anybody else have Star Warsfatigue? Galaxy’s Edge is over a year away and there is so much Star Warsat Hollywood Studios the past few years. The thing of it is, that it just feels like filler in a park already short on attractions. It’s time to give fans a break and allow anticipation to build while Disney showcases some other popular franchises.
Drinking around the World Showcase
This is another fun thing. I’m not against it. It’s a time honored tradition since, probably 1982. It’s only that it’s gotten a tad out of control. Epcot is a family park and I’m not a fan of the reputation it’s getting. Mature, fun loving adults should absolutely be able to enjoy international libations on a figurative journey around the globe, but when it becomes just an excuse to get drunk at Disney, then your just kind of ruining it for everyone else. As Epcot continues to develop more family friendly attractions while promoting alcohol consumption at seasonal festivals, It’s important to be mindful of our surroundings and not drag down what is mostly a very positive experience..