Where Do You Stand on These Disney Debates?
Some Disney arguments are impossible to settle. But they sure are fun to discuss. Who doesn’t love talking about all things Disney? It’s an ideal way to pass the time between Disney vacations. So, what are some of the divisive topics? I’ve assembled a few today so that you can pick a side. Here are a few Disney debates for you to discuss with your friends.
Would You Rather Spend Downtime at Your Hotel or Disney Springs?
During a Walt Disney World vacation, you can’t spend all of your time at the parks. I don’t care if you’re a triathlete. At some point, fatigue sets in after a few straight days. Plus, you will occasionally want a break from the crowds.
The debate is where you’d like to spend your downtime. Should you head to Disney Springs and engage in a bit of retail therapy? Maybe you’d like a meal at one of the exceptional restaurants here. You might even want to do something unusual, like a VR gaming experience or bowling or a new movie.
Alternately, you may prefer to relax at your resort. When you stay at an official Disney hotel, the amenities are fabulous. Some of the resorts operate restaurants on a par with anything you’ll find at Disney Springs. Plus, the swimming pools are great, and anyone who wants to watch a movie can participate in Movies Under the Stars.
Which of these options is better? The answer somewhat depends on your personality and the place where you’re staying. Moderate and Deluxe Tier resorts feature better amenities than Value Tier ones, but a homebody won’t care. Those of you who like to unwind at the hotel will prefer that option to Disney Springs.
My answer to this debate is actually both. I leave blank spots in my itinerary so that I can shop at Disney Springs. And I also intentionally plan a resort day when I’m spending six or more nights at Walt Disney World. This strategy helps me reboot in the middle of the trip. Plus, I can get caught up on my laundry at the Disney hotel where I’m staying.
Do You Like Water Park Trips during a Disney Visit or Not?
This debate shares similarities with the previous one. The question of downtime causes a great deal of discussion among Disney fans. Everyone wants to get the most out of a vacation. Should that include a water park day?
To me, the answer depends on whether you regularly frequent a water park. Like, do you have one in your area? If so, have you visited this place in the past three years? And did you have a good time? Another factor is whether you plan to swim at your resort pool.
The answer to these questions will drive your decision, as will the length of your trip and your kind of admission tickets/annual passes. Some of them include water park admission, too. When the option is free, you’re more inclined to partake, right?
For fence-sitters, the vital point involves the quality of Disney water parks. Both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are in the conversation for the best (and most popular) water park in the world. But I’d still only recommend a water park visit when you’re at Walt Disney World for at least a week. That’s what my family does. We’ll check out one of the water parks during a long vacation but never a short one.
Do You Prefer to Visit Disney in the Morning or at Night?
Are you an early bird, always getting the worm? Or are you a night owl who doesn’t much care for worms? The question of when you’d rather visit Disney reveals a great deal about your behavior, although you may be someone who mixes things up during a vacation. Maybe your job requires a 5 a.m. (or earlier) alarm. Then, when you’re off for the week, you may prefer to see the fun side of midnight for a change. Well, you’ll find plenty to do at Walt Disney World no matter the hour.
Still, I’m a firm believer in the idea that you’ll make this decision based on your most memorable Disney day(s). Once a park strategy works well, you’re likely to repeat it. Why mess with success, right? Even so, you have a lot to consider.
During the mornings, you can beat the crowd, so to speak. At Rope Drop, you’re one of the first people to enter the park. You have a rare opportunity to experience your favorite theme park while it’s least congested, an addictive feeling. The drawback is that the sensation dissipates quickly as more guests enter the park.
A nighttime visit works inversely. You’ll start with a lot of park guests surrounding you at dinner time. Then, a few more will trickle out every minute until the park closes. In my experience, those last 45 minutes are when the magic happens. You’re most likely to get on your favorite rides without waiting, which is spectacular.
Plus, you can take advantage of the generosity of cast members. Disney’s unwritten law is that as long a customer is in line for an attraction, they get to do it. Yes, this means that the best time to ride something like Slinky Dog Dash or Avatar Flight of Passage is in the final hour that the park is open.
My family has found a way to take both approaches. We’ll arrive in time for rope drop but then leave the parks after lunch. Most analysis indicates that the crowds are most significant in the afternoon, which leads to diminishing returns about how much you can get done anyway. So, we go somewhere else and recuperate. Sometimes, we even nap at the hotel (or pool) to get our energy back.
Then, we’ll re-enter the parks after dinner and stay until closing. It works very well for us, but we accept that we aren’t going to sleep much at Disney. That strategy won’t work for everybody.
Do You Prefer Quick Service or Table Service Meals?
I’ll acknowledge in advance that the correct answer here is to mix the two options. Sometimes, you want to grab-and-go. In other instances, you’d rather savor a lovely meal in a lovingly themed Disney restaurant. And yes, almost everyone who visits Walt Disney World eats both kinds of meals. We’re talking about preferences here.
In a perfect world, would you rather eat quickly to maximize your park time? Are you more of a “stop and smell the roses (at Be Our Guest)” person instead? I totally understand both sides of the argument. After all, convenience is a driving factor in all theme park decisions. You select your next attraction based on what has the most reasonable wait-time, right? So, why wouldn’t you do the same with your meals?
In fact, Quick Service dining has become even more appealing in recent years. Park officials have gradually rolled out Mobile Ordering, which has streamlined the process. More than 20 Disney restaurants allow you to pick your meal long before you reach the restaurant. Presumably, Disney will eventually add most of the Quick Service restaurants to this program, which could tip the scales even more.
Despite all of the advantages of Quick Service, I have a clear favorite here. I’m a Table Service restaurant aficionado. I’ve eaten at most of the ones at Walt Disney World and generally dine at them at least twice per park day. For me, it’s a combination of self-awareness and admiration.
The self-awareness stems from the fact that I’m eight-years-old every time I enter a Disney theme park. I forget to pace myself because I want to see and do everything possible. A few hours later, my body reminds me that I haven’t been eight-years-old in a loooooong time. Table Service meals that take an hour or more allow me to recuperate.
As for the admiration aspect, that’s simple. Disney’s Table Service eateries embody the most fabulous ideas in restaurant theming. Each visit, I appreciate new details that blow my mind. I sometimes annoy servers because I’m so busy looking around the place that I forget to look at the menu. When I’m at Walt Disney World, I vastly prefer Table Service meals. It’s not even a debate for me.
So, there you have it. These are some of the most controversial Disney debates and topics. Where do you stand on each one? Feel free to tell us on our Facebook page!
