Just back - and won’t be returning to Disney…
 

…for a good long while, at least. Don’t get me wrong, the place still gave us both the warm and fuzzies, and the CMs were wonderful as always, but it was also exhausting, heaving, confusing, frustrating (mainly thanks to very inaccurate wait times and the appalling management and function of Genie+), understaffed, often more unkempt and uncared for and - most of all - so, so, SO expensive, compared to what we have come to expect from all our previous visits from 2007-2019.

Conversely, we found Universal - aside from horrific QS experiences in US - an infinitely more positive experience, so much so that we upgraded both our tickets to APs (had only planned on doing this with one) and are starting to plan for a return to Orlando in October. We will not be buying Disney tickets, though, and as I said, don’t plan to for the foreseeable. We might pop to Downtown Disney or some of the resorts for the “Disney feel”, but that will be it. No parks.

Never thought I would be saying this, but there it is.

It is our last day tomorrow, we did Disney and Seaworld. I agree the costs have been extreme and whilst it is 'nice enough' it doesn't justify the cost. It cost me £20 for four ice lollys today !
Seaworld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens - wow they have gone to the dirt since we last visited in 2015.

We plan to come back to florida in 4-5 years and do Universal and then head off to St Petes or something but Disney has had our one and only family visit.

We’re here now and I have to agree. Crowd levels are horrific. We’re used to September pre-Covid and these crowds don’t compare. Genie plus is terrible and has not enhanced our experience other than being able to purchase LL for ROTR. The merchandise is also really expensive and I don’t know that we’ll buy much.
That said, it’s still Disney. POFQ is a beautiful resort and I’m sleeping in a gloriously comfy Disney bed 😂. The rides are still amazing. We’ll more than likely book for next September and see how things are then.

We are going to Disney our next trip the first time in 3 years and only because we’ve a 4 and 6 year old with us i have booked al our days we’ve 1 day at EPCOT and the other 13 over the 3 parks
We were in sea world Busch and universal in November and February this year yes a bit busier than we’ve seen but not manic and we didnt find them gone to the dirt both SEA World and Busch were beautiful in November we just dont do water parks
But would we do Epcot when food & wine is on thst to us really is the pits it’s awful now especially at weekends
We are going with the attitude the world has been not the same the last 2 years so it’s going to take thst to get back so we need to go with the flow

Its such a shame that the Disney Magic is fading, i have been going since 2001 and have been lucky enough to go 13 times. My last visit was 2015. I'm booked to go next September but having read up on all the changes it seems Disney is going in the wrong direction. Getting rid of Magical express/ Upping food costs dramatically & Merch / No fast pass (now paid Genie +) / confusing Apps / No Park hopping. It seems there doing there best to squeeze as much money out of paying customers.

Oh dear, I am bracing myself for a ‘different’ experience to what we have been used to when we go in August.

Here in Australia I would absolutely love to be able to get an ice lolly for £5. You've not seen expensive until you've tried living in Sydney

We are going in October with family that have never been, Myself and dh hasn't been since 2015 and ds 2018, so things are going to be different for us anyway. I have told the family it is going to be busy and expensive, so they are expecting that, hopefully we will still have a great family holiday. 😊

We go august and are a mixed group of seasoned Disney visitors and first timers. I fully expect to be disappointed in comparison to previous visits and am hoping that those who have nothing to compare it to will therefore not notice.
This trip is costing a small fortune and if it hadn’t been cancelled in 2020 I wouldn’t go but it’s so difficult when others have been looking forward to it for what is 3 years now.
I’m hoping, as others have said, it may not be as good but we will still have a great time

I listen to Christian o Connell breakfast show from Melbourne and when you hear some of the price’s for things I am shocked at how expensive it must be to live in Australia.