In this article DIS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT
It’s said to be “the happiest place on earth.” But some travelers aren’t thrilled about what it takes to pull off a trip to Walt Disney World these days. Top restaurants can be booked solid months in advance. Timeslots for new attractions can go within seconds of coming online at 7 a.m. And then there’s the lingo: To avoid lines, FastPasses are out, and Lightning Lanes are in. There’s also Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ (the latter costs extra), Individual Lightning Lanes (not to be confused with regular Lightning Lanes) and photography services like PhotoPass and Memory Makers. To some Disney super fans, mastering the system is all part of the fun — not to mention a way to reduce waiting times in the parks. But for casual parkgoers, strategizing for a stay can be overwhelming. “It’s insane how much work has to go into planning a Disney vacation,” said Andrea, who asked that we not use her full name because she works in the travel industry. “I would need a vacation just from planning my vacation.” She said she joined several Disney groups on Facebook to get planning tips: “Oh my goodness — what a rabbit hole.” Other travelers turn to Disney-focused YouTube channels, blogs and message boards, where fans trade tips on saving money, hotel pools and navigating the new rule changes. A post last week on one message board read: “We have been to WDW plenty of times but not the last couple of years and all the new changes are confusing me [to] no end.”
watch now
Those changes are, however, part of Disney’s continual quest for improvement, a company representative told CNBC. “We are always listening to our guests and continue to make updates to improve their experience, which includes rolling out new ways to make planning easier and simpler, now and into the future,” Disney spokesperson Avery Maehrer told CNBC. For now, planning a trip to Disney World is like “an Olympic sport,” Andrea said, adding that many of her friends turn to a Disney travel agent in the end. “But even that is cumbersome and confusing,” she said.
‘So incredibly complicated’
Jonathan Alder, CEO of the travel agency Jonathan’s Travels, organizes African safaris, wine tours through France and trips to remote parts of Patagonia. But he said Disney World vacations require the most complex planning of all. “The problem is the system is so incredibly complicated that it requires its own doctorate to really understand,” he told CNBC.
Jonathan Alder was recognized as one of 21 “travel masters” by Robb Report this year. He said he goes to Disney World about “once a month.” Source: Jonathan’s Travels
Alder lives in Winter Park, Florida — not far from Walt Disney World — and has visited the parks more than 100 times, he said. Travelers who miss the old days of wandering around without a schedule can still do that, he said — but at a cost. “There are those that understand the system and those that just go,” he said. The first group approach planning like “it’s a science,” and the second “get very little out of their day.” The latter group can still have a great time, he said, but they will spend a lot of it waiting in lines. They may leave thinking food at Disney World is a “cheeseburger and a hot dog … which could not be farther from the truth,” he said. Walt Disney World comprises four theme parks, two water parks and dozens of themed hotels, plus a shopping and entertainment area called Disney Springs. The entire complex is set on more than 40 square miles of land — roughly twice the size of Manhattan, Alder said.
Alder said planning a trip to Walt Disney World is a science. It’s “stupid to say it like this, but it truly is.” Joseph Prezioso | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Alder said the pandemic ushered in many of the changes that are befuddling travelers these days. Before Covid, restaurant bookings opened six months before a visit. Now it’s two months, which has made reservations harder to get, he said. “People just weren’t very good at planning six months in advance,” he said. “Two months out is a different game. Almost everyone is like … I’ve got to be on this.” Shortening that booking window was a response to customer feedback, according to Disney.
How to plan a Disney World trip
Alder recommends booking hotel accommodations first, namely Disney’s Boardwalk or Beach Club Resort, because of their proximity to the parks. They aren’t the most luxurious resorts, he said, but that doesn’t matter because logistics are more important. “At Disney World, your feet are your best transportation,” he said. From there, visitors should tackle restaurant reservations because “amazing restaurants fill up super fast.” His top restaurant recommendations in Disney hotels are Victoria & Albert’s in the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (note: children under 10 aren’t allowed), California Grill in the Contemporary Resort and Topolino’s Terrace at the Riviera Resort. He books those restaurants for dinners, along with Epcot’s Takumi-Tei and Monsieur Paul, but recommends booking lunches in the parks. “I highly recommend sit down lunches. I think the quick-serve thing is a terrible idea,” he said. “That air-conditioned, sit-down break is what keeps your stamina up.” For casual meals in the parks, he recommends the following — some for the food and others for the ambiance: Magic Kingdom: The Diamond Horseshoe, Liberty Tree Tavern or Tony’s Town Square
Epcot: Garden Grill Restaurant, Connections Cafe
Hollywood Studios: The Hollywood Brown Derby, 50’s Prime Time Cafe, Sci-Fi Dine-In
Animal Kingdom: Tiffins, Yak & Yeti Next, book park reservations based on where lunch reservations are secured, Alder said. That’s especially important because “Park Hopper” tickets no longer let travelers “hop” from park to park at will; ticket-holders can only change locations after 2 p.m.
Avoiding lines
Perhaps more than anywhere else, this is where “you need to have your game plan,” said Alder. The free FastPass program, which reduced waiting times on select attractions, ended in 2021. In its place came Genie+ (pronounced “Genie Plus”), a service available through the My Disney Experience app that costs from $15 a day per person, according to Disney’s website. It allows visitors to book “Lightning Lanes,” which assign a time window for guests to access shorter lines on attractions.
The My Disney Experience app recommends itineraries, shows ride waiting times and lets visitors order food at some restaurants. Matt Stroshane | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Genie+ has “made everyone’s life even harder,” said Alder. Unlike the now defunct FastPass program, visitors can only book attractions “on the same day, and now there’s a charge.” It also doesn’t secure spots on the newest rides, such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (“the greatest ride probably ever made anywhere in the world”) and the highly anticipated Tron Lightcycle/Run attraction, set to open Monday. Visitors can’t walk up and get in line for either ride, said Alder; rather, they must enter a “Virtual Queue” (which is free) or purchase an “Individual Lightning Lane,” according to Disney’s website. Virtual Queues open at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., and bookings go fast, Alder said. “You have, I’d say, a good 15 to 20 seconds, if you’re lucky, before the ride is gone,” Alder said. Doug Polzin, who has been visiting Disney World annually for around two decades, said at 1 p.m. “you look around the park and everybody is standing still” on their phones. “Then you hear an audible ‘yay’ or groan from the crowds,” he, and his wife Lana, told CNBC. Individual Lightning Lanes, which are one-time purchases that usually range from $9 to $15, also typically sell out in the morning, said Alder. These allow riders to book a ride time for attractions that aren’t available under the Genie+ service, and only two can be used per day, according to Disney’s website. “Individual Lightning Lanes are much easier to get if you are staying at a Disney property as at 7 a.m., they open up for hotel guests only” he said. “From the minute that park opens, all guests are able to purchase it, and it’s usually gone, if it wasn’t already, in moments.”
Alder said rides to prioritize are Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Pirates of the Caribbean, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After. He called the Star Wars attraction “game changing,” saying fans “will be crying” when they see it. Source: Jonathan’s Travel
If all that sounds like too much, Alder said, visitors can book a private VIP tour, using its privileges to go on the most popular rides in all four parks in one day. However, the service runs from $450 to $900 an hour, and has a seven-hour minimum. After acknowledging this goes beyond most budgets, he said “if you are financially able to do it … it is worth every single cent.” Though Disney does not disclose park attendance numbers, Polzin said: “The parks feel busier now than they’ve ever been.” He said on his last visit he spent about 80% of the day on the Disney app trying to secure shorter lines for his family on their favorite rides. “The only time you’re not on your phone is when you’re on a ride or shopping,” he said. Is it worth it? “Absolutely,” he said.
What’s happening at other parks?
Disney’s other theme parks — known as Disneylands — are smaller, with just one (Shanghai, Hong Kong) or two parks (Anaheim, Tokyo, Paris) in total. Because of that, planning visits to those parks isn’t nearly as complicated, said Alder, adding that the exception is California’s Disneyland, which operates much like Disney World. Australian Phoebe Morris said she didn’t bother booking restaurants before her visit to Tokyo Disneyland last month. “Restaurant slots open up one month in advance for certain restaurants, and by the time we realised it was too late,” she said. Despite this “we were able to eat in other locations that allowed us to walk in.”
Parks outside of the United States, such as Tokyo Disneyland, are smaller and said to require less planning. Kazuhiro Nogi | Afp | Getty Images
Another parkgoer, Derek — who asked that we not use his full name — called his visit to Shanghai Disneyland last month “a very flexible experience.” He said he needed a park reservation and used an app to navigate the visit, but “I didn’t make reservation at restaurants” nor did he buy any skip-the-line services “because [I] went on a weekday when Chinese children are all at school.” Outside of the United States, Disneyland parks provide a “Premier Access” service, which allows visitors to buy access to a shorter line on one ride, or in some locations, a broader range of attractions, for one fee, according to the parks’ websites. At Hong Kong Disneyland, purchasing this service for eight attractions costs 329 Hong Kong dollars ($42), though costs for the service at Disneyland Paris are considerably higher.
‘Don’t rush it’
“A great Disney trip, if it’s your first time, is seven to nine days,” Alder said. “Don’t rush it.” Alder said travelers need at least four days to visit the parks, but staying beyond this allows visitors to see them at a more leisurely pace. Plus, there is so much more to Disney World than the theme parks, he said. He called Disney World an “amazing spa destination” and said Disney Springs, formerly known as Downtown Disney, has shopping, live music and fantastic restaurants.
Horse-drawn carriage rides, footgolf (a blend of soccer and golf) and princess makeovers for children are all part of Disney’s Enchanting Extras Collection. Mark Ashman | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
It’s complicated, say some fans
- Advertisment - 
Recent Comments
on Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed – and bemused by the fuss
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on David and Victoria Beckham so ‘Charmed’ by Tom Cruise They Have His Photos on Display at Their Home
on Iowa State starting RB Jirehl Brock among latest college football players charged in gambling probe
on Biden to tout bill’s prescription drug prices, energy provisions in pitch to Americans, aide says
on Iowa State starting RB Jirehl Brock among latest college football players charged in gambling probe
on The Rev. Al Sharpton to lead protest after Florida governor’s ban of African American studies course
on Sports World Hails ‘Superwoman’ Lindsey Vonn for Her Grand Comeback Despite Career-Changing Injury
on San Mateo County Community College District sues five companies over role in ‘pay to play’ scandal
on Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed – and bemused by the fuss
on ‘Pokémon Scarlet’ and ‘Violet’ Fan Theories Suggest Legendary Time Travel, Alternate Dimension Plot
on Joe Manchin and Tommy Tuberville introduce bill on name, image and likeness rules for college sports
on Inside the Michael Jordan ‘Air’ movie, plus why NFL, others are buying into the sports film industry
on If you’re a frequent traveler, these wrap tops from Aday will revolutionize your on-the-go wardrobe
on How Does Jack Nicklaus Travel? Exploring the Private Jets Owned by the ‘Golden Bear’ Over the Years
on Hollywood Reporter: Tom Cruise negotiated with movie studios over AI before the actors strike began
on Ford Blue Cruise: US regulators investigate fatal crashes involving hands-free driving technology
on Dozens of boats cruise the Seine in a rehearsal for the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony on July 26
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on David and Victoria Beckham so ‘Charmed’ by Tom Cruise They Have His Photos on Display at Their Home
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Boise State vs. Air Force live stream, odds, channel, prediction, how to watch on CBS Sports Network
on Biden to tout bill’s prescription drug prices, energy provisions in pitch to Americans, aide says
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Carlos Sainz’s Soccer Fanboy Emerges as Spaniard Shares Defining Moment With This Real Madrid Legend
on Biden: ‘At this point I’m not’ planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio, after toxic train derailment
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on Ahead of big sports weekend, dispute with Disney leaves millions of cable subscribers in the dark
on A heavy wave of Russian missile attacks pounds areas across Ukraine, killing at least 4 civilians
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on Army vs. Coastal Carolina live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez Spreads Joy and Sportsmanship to the Youth of Loma de Cabrera
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on Dubai International Airport sees 41.6 million passengers in first half of year, more than in 2019
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on Dave Portnoy: Taylor Swift’s security should ‘drag Kim Kardashian to jail’ if she attends Eras Tour
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports, Serie A announce new TV rights deal; Paramount+ to air over 400 Italian soccer matches
on Cam Newton’s Violent Public Incident Draws Hilarious Reaction From 3x All-Star: “Where Do I Sign Up
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Angel Reese Launches Foundation Dedicated To Empowering Women Through Sports & Financial Literacy
on A weaker dollar, skyrocketing prices and ‘record’ visitor numbers: Good luck in Europe this summer