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Picking up on my last post because I have so many more thoughts to share for those of you who are complete Disney World novices.
I want to talk about one of the more recently added “extra costs”called, Genie+. The extras may not always be worth it but, potentially make your experience marginally better. With the re-opening of the parks and social distancing requirements we said good-bye to the FastPass+ shorter que system. It was replaced by what we know now as Genie+. Genie+ costs $14.95 per person per day and on average allows you to use a Lightning Lane for for quick entrance into attractions. On average it has been said guests make up to 2-3 selections but, theoretically the selections are unlimited. Essentially, this is the same advantage we were given with FastPass+ but instead selections are made day-of and the service is now paid versus complimentary. The good news is the system works well for the most part. On busy park days, even the length of time in a Lightning Lane can be long which was not unusual for FastPass either. The truth is though for the extra money it doesn’t really feel like you are getting something extra. The purchase of Genie+ requires you to use the app on your phone quite frequently throughout the day. The criticism I hear the most frequently is, “I feel like I have to be on my phone a lot”. When you are on vacation with your family, intentionally trying to unplug from the world with the attention this service requires does not help. At the end of the day, Genie+ is a small price to pay for a marginal improvement in your experience. Genie+is a little bit of a sore subject and even though it’s not great not all hope is lost. There are a lot of details that make Walt Disney World great. I want to focus a little more on that now.
So let’s break down each park one by one in order of my most to least favorite.
The four parks that make up Walt Disney World Resort are Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. I also just want to clear up a point of confusion, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not found in any of these parks. It’s down the road at Universal Orlando and I will talk more about another time. I really believe that no visit to Walt Disney World is complete without visiting all 4 parks but, I’m here to go on record and say that EPCOT is the best all around park.
Yes, I said it and I stand by it.
Why, though? The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT) has something for everyone. There is no debate that EPCOT is for foodies with year round festivals that all have some component of food. The only problem is having a full stomach when you have made it halfway around the world. Surprisingly, my children love EPCOT. I think this has to do with all of the open spaces and details that are on their level like the German Pavilion Garden Railway. Some might argue that there are a lack of attractions but, I think there are just enough that you can actually accomplish them all in one day.
Next up is Magic Kingdom
Although I have to admit that it’s a close call between Animal Kingdom. Magic Kingdom checks all the boxes: endless attractions for a variety of age ranges, shows, parades, fireworks, and all the yummy snacks. You could easily spend two days in Magic Kingdom to really see and enjoy everything there is to offer. For this reason, I find it can be a little overwhelming, there is pressure to “do it all”. Also, I often feel the food options are lacking and find myself eating before and after I leave the park and bring in my own snacks. If you are driving into the Magic Kingdom for whatever reason I also find that navigating the Transportation and Ticket Center feels like a huge waste of precious park time. We have to cross our fingers for consistent Monorail operations or timely ferry arrivals. If you are staying on property transportation will take you directly to the main gate. I would rather take a bus to Magic Kingdom than drive any day of the week.
Park 2A is absolutely Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom has a little bit of everything: rides, animals, shows, beautiful walking paths, and familiar Disney characters. It’s not like your average zoo. Again, Animal Kingdom has food options that are more refined and reflect the themes of the different park lands. I never leave Animal Kingdom hungry but, I do sometimes leave feeling like I didn’t get to see it all. It is the largest of the four parks and to be honest the walking can wear on you after a few days. Currently, the best show in all of WDW is there, A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King. This show is broadway-quality and absolutely not to be missed. I cry every time I see it and the whole family always enjoys it.
Finally, we have made it to Hollywood Studios.
Although it is currently the busiest of the 4 parks, that is probably the main reason it ranks the lowest on my list. Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge appeal to a massive fan base and are the next level of theme park immersion on Disney property. However, this park overall lacks continuity. By now you can tell that good food is a sticking point for me. I have a few restaurants I really enjoy here but, my children don’t enjoy them as much and for our family full bellies = happiness.
Again, I hope that sharing my honest perspective has been helpful to set your expectations properly for your first or long awaited next visit to Walt Disney World. I will never tire of my home away from home and look forward to their efforts of always striving for progress the way Walt intended.
