Disney 2023

 One thing we LOVE about Disney is the constant innovation and every trip is a different experience. One thing I struggle with at Disney is change. Okay, I said it. I love Disney but gosh, these last 3 years have really been a trip on the spinning teacups. 

New Things I LOVE!

• Pop Century: the renovations over the past few years that incorporate a fold away bed and upgraded both beds to queen size really makes the resort work so much better for all the adult children we have. Folding the bed away helps me relax and not feel like the room is stuffed full. The bathroom design  with the sliding door that allows one person to shower, another to be changing or getting ready privately, and the rest of the party to be in the main room are very nice for a large family. The skyliner (gondola to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios) seals the deal making this my resort of choice. Pro Tip: There are 5 value resorts but only two have standard rooms on the skyliners path: Pop Century and Art of Animation. These are more expensive than All Stars but well worth the added expense.
• 
  Guardians of the Galaxy amazed us all. I have heard from others that if you struggle with being motion sick this ride will wreck you. It swivels while in motion. I have seen the first movie, and liked it. A Guardians fan would lose their minds. There are a variety of songs that randomly play so each ride is unique. Pro Tip: right now you have to get on the app and try to get in the virtual queue at 7 am, The only way to do 7 am is if you are staying on property and for 2023, have a reservation to the park. These spots are taken in SECONDS. Have several people in your party logged into the app clicking refresh, one person can get it for all once they are ¨in¨. There is a second opportunity at 1 pm if you miss the first one or are not staying on property. You have to be inside the park with the ride you want to join the queue    

• Tron is great, I was impressed until I road Guardians of the Galaxy :-) Still a solid ride and my husband that gets motion sick did fine on the ride other than his anxiety that it might be bad. He would describe it as a faster, smoother Space Mountain with less drops. He preferred it over space mountain. He struggles with slight sickness on Star Tours or Pandora.
• Ratatouille was adorable and I really liked it. We were able to use our early park entry to get their quickly with a reasonable wait. I will continue to ride it and it is much better than the ¨little kids rides"at Magic Kingdom. It is not a thrill rides so older kids may be annoyed with the wait. There are so many things happening quickly that you could ride it a lot to see new things. The motion on this ride is similar to Toy Story Mania. Pro Tip: Place short travelers in the front because I was annoyed with looking at the people (in my own family) in front of me in our cart and I am 5´6¨
• Reservation changes while traveling are very easy on the app if you work to understand it. Pro Tip: We planned our dining very late. Only weird times were left, so we were checking once we arrived and a lot of new times were available. Grab any dining you can get then make changes on the go.
• Parking at the resort is FREE AGAIN!!

Changes that made me look like Eeyore

• Old Fast Pass...oh how I miss you. For those of you Disney diehards that have been around for 25 years of repeated Disney trips we have seen quite the ride wait evolution. In the beginning, there was a race across the park with family theme park tickets for the whole party to grab a fast pass that you would come back for with no wait. This was AMAZING, well it was for those of us that were efficient and felt we were Disney Ninjas. I suspect it was great because most people were not utilizing it. Then the fastpass went online allowing a lot more people to plan, it also allowed people to plan in advance and limited the ¨good passes¨. Then, no passes...now this wild Genie+ option that comes with a fee that limits participation. I feel like my clients are paying enough and it frustrates me that there are added fees. Pro Tip: You need to make your plans on your app before you go, familiarize yourself with it and you will have a lot easier trip making and changing plans as needed throughout your trip.

• I have missed the dining plan. It was a big part of our vacations because Disney has some amazing meals as well as entertainment/character meals that are a set fee that is pricey for many families. The dining plan is returning in 2024 but it will be pricey and with other increases it won´t be affordable for all. Pro Tip: price out your next trip with and without the dining plan to decide if the convenience is worth it to you. If you have teens it will be well worth it to let them loose and not worry about feeding them or being ¨fair¨.
• Magic Bands were free for years and allowed for the convenience of charging privileges, park tickets, dining and resort stay verification for early or late hours. Now you have to purchase one for those conveniences. Otherwise you rely on a phone app that will have limited battery life and or apple wallet for your ticket. It is just inconvenient after experiencing the perks of the band. Pro Tip: you can always use your previous bands on new trips.

As we look ahead to our next Disney Vacation we are reminded of the evolution of all of our Disney favorites. What do you love and what do you miss?

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