Was it a movie?
Or, perhaps a restaurant?
A person, place, or thing?
Regardless, at one point in time, there’s been something that you finally decided to experience – all because of the hype, the talk, the social media posts, the rave reviews.
You’re all in.
Ready. Ready for the experience of…a lifetime. Or, so everyone says…
And…the expectations – your expectations – are simply too high. You want it to be great. You expect it to be great. But, it’s just not
Maybe it was almost great. Maybe it was just okay. Maybe something went wrong.
Maybe it was just plain bad.
This doesn’t mean that your Disney World Vacation won’t be great, or meet your expectations – but if it’s your first trip or years since your last, then you may want to take some time to manage your Walt Disney World expectations.
After all when we hear the old Disney tag line “The Happiest Place on Earth”, well…you expect that to be the case.
With that said – let’s take a look at a few factors that if ignored can crush your Walt Disney World Vacation expectations.
When You Go
Crowds and heat have the ability to dramatically affect the joy of your Walt Disney World Vacation. It’s no secret that the Florida summers are brutally hot – you’re outside and walking a lot. The heat can zap you physically and emotionally.
In a similar vein theme park crowd levels can impact your ability to enjoy the Walt Disney World theme parks and attractions. No, you’re not likely to find days when the parks are practically vacant, but at many points, throughout the year there are fewer crowds than for example the Christmas holidays – when the Magic Kingdom may actually close due to capacity.
Sure, it’s a given that work and school schedules may reduce the dates that you can visit Walt Disney World, but if you have a choice then keep these factors in mind.
Where You Stay
For a variety of reasons we recommend staying on Disney property at a Walt Disney World Resort, but that’s a whole different subject.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels are split into three basic classifications – Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Although, the pricing structure may not always reflect these labels.
Here’s what you need to know expectation wise – there is a huge difference in the quality and amenities of a Value Resort versus a Deluxe Resort.
Does that mean that Value Resorts are bad?
No, not at all – but depending upon your travel experience and lifestyle preferences – a Value Resort may fall way short of your expectations. If you’ve traveled the world and are accustomed to staying in 4 and 5-star resorts, then bedding down at Disney’s All-Stars Resort is probably going to fall short of your expectations.
Does that mean that a Disney Deluxe Hotel is the end-all, be-all, best in the entire world?
No, and if you go in expecting that then it’s possible you’ll end up being disappointed.
Where You Eat
Walt Disney World has some great dining opportunities in regards to both setting and food. Unfortunately, the popularity of many restaurants far exceeds the ability to accommodate guest demand. A prime example of this is Magic Kingdom’s Be Our Guest Restaurant. If you’re in the park and think you’re going to casually walk up for dinner, or decide to make a reservation a day in advance, then you’re likely to be sadly disappointed, as Be Our Guest is often booked solid the moment that the 180 advance reservation window opens.
How Much You Spend
It doesn’t take much investigation to realize that the overall price point of a Walt Disney World vacation is high. For many guests, the price of a Disney World vacation doesn’t measure up to their expectations of value. This may be associated with the previous topics mentioned – accommodations and dining.
Yes, it’s easy for a family to drop a couple of hundred dollars on a character breakfast – and for that price you may be expecting to share a table with Mickey Mouse and Cinderella…well, that’s not going to happen.
At Walt Disney World you are paying – and paying a lot – for an experience. From the theme parks to resorts and dining, we firmly believe that it is an experience like no other, but proper planning, execution, and management of personal expectations should be taken into account. We fully acknowledge that not everyone feels this way, or will ever feel this way.
We think that Walt Disney World works. By that, we mean that anyone can arrive blindly and still experience “magic”. However, acknowledging and acting on the factors that go into planning a Walt Disney World Vacation can raise your level of satisfaction. Our key belief is that when it comes to your Walt Disney World Vacation – everything matters.
Do you have a love for travel – especially all things Disney – and are interested in beginning an exciting journey as a Disney focused travel advisor?
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