fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

My daughter and her husband took us to Disney World last April. In 1989, I took my daughter and son, aged 7 and 10 there.

The first three pictures are from 1989. This was during the height of tourist season on a beautiful, mild summer day. Note the sparce groups of people. The next two are from 2023 on a hot April day at the Star Wars area. I tell everyone walking around at Disney World is like when a concert is over and you're with 30,000 people all struggling to get out, except the Disney World crowd never thins out. Disney World is light years beyond any amusement part and the technology used in their rides is astonishing but I'll never go back to those massive, noisy crowds and hour+ waits for rides (to say nothing of the exorbitant prices for everything).

The last three are the Space Station restaurant, a Crowned Heron outside our Kidani Village hotel room and an after-thunderstorm photo of EPCOT.

(Download)

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I wouldn't spend fifty cents on Disney. I was just offered free tickets to a 4d showing of the new Raiders movie. I turned them down. My family has visited Disney World several times. I stayed home.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I wouldn't waste a dime on Disney World any where or Disney Land.
I took my children to real castles, real rafting trips,real small plane rides, real lakes and mountains among other places.
They have all commented that what they know now, those were far more memorable and fun than any Disney product could ever offer and no hour plus lines.

gwilliams6

Well this old fella who has seen and covered the world as a photojournalist ,still can feel like a kid at a Disney Park. I have been many times to both DisneyWorld and DisneyLand with family, friends and at our NPPA board members' annual meetings (National Press Photographers Association) we held at DisneyWorld back in the early 90's.

That was the cheapest as the NPPA paid for lodging, tours and food costs, and Disney hosted a reception where they served us unsuspecting folks alligator and some folks thought it was some of the best tasting chicken they had ever eaten, LOL.

A funny aside from that NPPA board members meetings at DisneyWorld. Disney took us on a few private backstage tours, and it was a few weeks when Wheel of Fortune was taping some shows from there. While we toured them setting up for a show taping and met host Pat Sajak, it was funny that these top photojournalists that had covered every major figure around the world from Royalty to Presidents and other world leaders, and had covered war conflict, refused to leave the set and move along until they had a chance to met co-host Vanna White, which we did when she finally arrived, LOL .

The current costs now are just outrageously high, unless you get some special deals, and even then I will likely stay away, except in the winter months when kids are in school, that cuts the crowds down some. Disney still packs them in since the pandemic is mostly lifted and with their 18-month long 100th year of Disney celebrations.

Still a dream trip for young kids, and still the #1 USA destination for honeymooners, really, look it up. For this 71 year old photographer, been there, done that several times. My bucket-list places are natural sites and destinations nowadays.

Cheers and best to you.

Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

You two would have been the guys that ruin the experience for their kid with s nonstop *itchfest about how expenseive everthing is.

Sure it is, we know that going in so what is the point of whining about it? Our kids have traveled a lot in Europe and seen a few castles. We were also Disney Vacation Club members for several decades, so we had the luxury of knowing when to go and when to stay at the resort, or even better, when not to visit at all.

I am also certain that they would have positive comments about both experiences/

Also, after moving to Colorado we adopted 8 more kids, none of which had been out of the state before coming into our home. Now they have been all over the United States and seen things that they never would have otherwise.

The point is, it's all relative. I feel bad that your experiences with Disney were less than stellar but our family has had many more postitive than negative experiences.

gwilliams6

If I had young kids and they really wanted to go there, I would find some deals and spend the money for them to go once if possible. I would not deny my kids the fun I have had there, even if they dont realize in advance they also will get very tired there by each day's end, LOL.

For me nowadays, I know there are special passes, but I just dont want to deal with those lines and costs anymore, even as much as I would love to see that Star Wars experience as I am a huge Star Wars fan.

Cheers and best to you.

Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

I hear you GW. If fact, my wife and I are now 65 and no longer want to deal with it either so last year we sold our Disney timeshare for a tidy sum of money.

If the company wasn't such a financial behemoth, they might have issues because the other driving force for the sale of DVC was ever increasing ticket prices and the biggie for us, they stopped the Disney Express which was the free bus service from Orlando International.

Ironically, the dad story is true and was a reoccurring issue, but I could never figure out why they would try to guilt a small child into having a good time. That trick never worked and for the most obvious of reasons.

Anyway, our first biological child was born in 1989 so I really enjoyed the old-school pics.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice photos, and the last one is my favorite.

I have been there twice in the past, but I wouldn't go back now.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

When asked, I tell people "To me, what makes a great vacation is being at an aesthetically beautiful or intellectually stimulating place (think, Yosemite or Smithsonian), great entertainment and world class dining." Disney World provides all of those, many times over.

I also say, "What makes a terrible vacation is crowds, noise, long wait lines and unreasonable costs." Disney World provides those, just as much.

We went in 2023 largely to give my granddaughter the Disney experience as others here have done. I enjoyed the good and never once griped about the bad or let it ruin the vacation for us. Again, when asked, for me, the bad outweighs the good and my chief observation between 1989 and 2023 is that Disney World is no longer "America's Amusement Park" but has instead become "Wealthy America's Amusement Park."

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

THEY can keep their woke agenda to themselves.

Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

Again, when asked, for me, the bad outweighs the good and my chief observation between 1989 and 2023 is that Disney World is no longer "America's Amusement Park" but has instead become "Wealthy America's Amusement Park."

You are not wrong. Disney has become an elitest park.

After we adopted 8 more kids, it became a lot more difficult to do those family vacations. It was yet another reason for selling DVC. At one time we had hoped to pass the timeshare onto one of the kids but none of them are/were in a position to afford the maintenance fees so it was time.

Ironically, the company that we went through is comprised of ex-Disney employees and we had to wait in line to get the paperwork done. This suggested to me that we weren't the only ones dumping their memberships.

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

Yup. There's a lot of difference between Disney 1989 and 2023. Many of the above comments about never wanting to go to Disney ever again are well-founded, and likely have to do with the thinking and directives of Disney management, catering to the woke crowd...things like: The announcements and greeters can never again say "Welcome Boys & Girls" but must now refer to them as "Children."

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

I have to agree with you and preferring the natural sites and the real edifices of the world. About four years ago my wife and I drove from Pennsylvania to South Dakota and into Wyoming. The beauty of the country was so much more enjoyable and stimulating than the artificial things of Disney, which we have visited several times. Seeing Mount Rushmore (even undergoing renovations), Crazy Horse Mountain, Devil's Tower, the Badlands, plus other places and the land along the drive, was more enjoyable than being at Disney and Universal Studios.

This year we made it to Hawaii for our 50th anniversary and a few years ago we flew to Alaska. So much beauty in our country and around the world, we will be doing some more traveling to natural sites in the future.

black mamba

My wife and I used to go over there once a year. Sadly, we'll never go back. The crowds were beyond huge and even though we had express passes, it became where it was no longer enjoyable. In addition to that, we witnessed 2 outright brawls between two different groups. Who needs all of that BS.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

ATIC bound.