Disney Is Better Than Ten Years Ago

Disney complainers are nothing if not repetitive.

For as long as I can remember, certain “fans” have complained that the good ole days have gone forever.

Nothing is the same now, and it’s somehow made Disney a worse experience.

They say this as Disney reports record profits and has staged a stunning post-pandemic recovery.

I know these complaints are hogwash, and I can prove it.

Here are several ways Disney is demonstrably better than ten years ago.

Advanced Disney Dining Reservations Are Less Stressful

We all remember how Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) previously worked.

Disney allowed people to book reservations up to 180 days in advance, which sounds unbelievable in hindsight.

If you weren’t there for the horror show, you may think that nobody did it. You’d be wrong.

Many of the most popular restaurants booked not just at the 180-day window but even a few days before then.

According to the arcane rules of ADRs, a guest could reserve tables for the entirety of their vacations.

So, people would awaken on the morning of their 180-day window to discover sold-out restaurants for several days.

I remember I once couldn’t book Be Our Guest Restaurant until day seven of our trip. Days 180-185 had already sold out!

Due to the ridiculousness of the setup, I often knew what I was eating in six months but not what I’d have for dinner that night.

In the 2020s, Disney switched to a more reasonable 60-day ADR reservation system. And it’s better.

When park officials had downtime during the pandemic, they re-evaluated many daily operations.

Everyone identified inefficiencies in the dining system, which Disney systematically restructured.

I’ll discuss a crucial change in a couple of sections – you can probably guess which one – that made all the difference.

So, Disney fans no longer need to think about where they’ll want to eat on vacation six months from now. It’s liberating.

The Disney Skyliner

Disney deserves all the credit in the world for this particular addition.

Before 2019, guests could choose among three forms of travel at Walt Disney World.

All of them are free, but each one has its limitations. The most popular of them is the monorail.

At this point, Disney is the foremost monorail company in the world, and I hope the company remains that way for decades.

However, monorail maintenance isn’t easy due to the lack of major manufacturers in the world today.

Also, building out a monorail line would prove expensive. It’s a cost Disney isn’t willing to spend.

So, the monorail remains limited as a marvelous form of transportation that will take guests to two different theme parks.

For the others, you’ll need to take the bus system, which can be mercurial at the best of times and maddening at the worst.

In between, you can sneak in a few scenic boat rides to and from three of the parks, but only a few hotels participate.

That’s why the introduction of the Disney Skyliner revolutionized theme park transportation.

Now, we can ride a gondola lift directly to the entrance of two theme parks as well as several Disney hotels.

Even better, the Skyliner is almost constantly in motion, making it the most efficient, reliable form of Disney transportation.

At this point, the only real complaint about the Disney Skyliner is that it isn’t available everywhere. Please expand it soon, Disney!

Less Reliance on MagicBands

I recently asked whether you’re still using MagicBands, and I was happy to learn that many of you said yes.

You’re shameless tourists like me who love all things Disney and want to go all-in during a park visit.

Still, Disney doesn’t make you do it now. Since the company moved away from MagicBands, it has also changed its app.

Now, you can do virtually everything with your smartphone that previously required a MagicBand.

That’s an essential change for budget-conscious consumers and those who simply don’t like the way a MagicBand feels.

I’m not quite with the latter group. However,  I understand the philosophy. I’ve tried using an Apple Watch, but I kinda hate it.

No matter why you’re not a fan of Disney’s most famous wearable, the good news is that you no longer need it.

You can unlock your room door with My Disney Experience and enter the parks via MagicMobile.

Also, you can use Google Pay or Apple Pay for purchases.

These are the main reasons why you’d need a MagicBand. So, they’re no longer essential to a theme park visit.

That’s in stark contrast to a decade ago, when Guest Services lines were notoriously long as guests tried to get their tech working.

Mobile Ordering

Here’s the most significant change of all, as it impacts the overwhelming majority of guests.

In 2017, Disney introduced Mobile Ordering, which didn’t go well at first.

The tech proved a bit inconsistent, which was aggravating. More importantly, few people wanted to use it.

Disney tried everything it could to coax guests. Their minds were made up, though. People just weren’t interested.

Then, during the pandemic, everyone suddenly appreciated the value of digital dining, almost out of necessity.

Suddenly, Disney guests not only used Mobile Ordering but actively preferred it.

Nowadays, everyone knows that they can order exactly the food they want, customized as they prefer.

They can even signal Disney when they’re ready to pick up the meal, making it the most efficient means of Disney dining imaginable.

This has revolutionized eating at Disney. I’m not being hyperbolic.

As Mabel Pines would say, “Everything is different now.”

You no longer stand in a long line to order, hoping the Cast Member hears you correctly.

The new Disney with Mobile Order has created a night-and-day difference with the dining experience.

More Public Rest Spots         

For as long as I can remember, Disney fans begged and pleaded for more sitting areas inside the parks.

Disney officials ignored these requests for decades, but something changed during the planning of the new EPCOT.

Suddenly, management warmed to the idea of creating hangout areas at the parks.

Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland closed for the body of a year.

When it returned, the modern version was much more exploratory in nature, encouraging guests to stick around.

Soon afterward, World Celebration Gardens opened at EPCOT, and it’s the place that changed everything.

Rather than encouraging guests to scurry from attraction to attraction, Disney suddenly reversed course.

World Celebration Gardens offers ample outdoor seating and even charging stations, thereby encouraging guests to sit and recharge.

I mean that literally and figuratively. And if you’d prefer to be indoors, EPCOT added CommuniCore Hall & Plaza as well.

Within this building, you can sit and soak up the atmosphere.

This sort of rest spot was something previously reserved for small sections of the World Showcase. Now, it’s a widespread practice.

Disney’s adoption of more rest spots at parks has improved the theme park experience significantly.

Security Is Much Easier Yet Safer

I know that many of you are nodding your heads right now.

Not that long ago, guests aimlessly stood in line for an extended period while waiting to enter the parks.

Disney’s security team dutifully checked every bag, and they closely checked anyone who set off the alarm.

The reason for the delay had nothing to do with them. Disney used an antiquated but reliable security system at the time.

Recently, the parks added scanners akin to the ones at airports.

You no longer need to wait patiently for the people in front of you to complete their security clearances.

The updated system allows guests to walk through without pausing, presuming they don’t trigger the alarm.

The security guards know everything on your person and can quickly identify threats.

However, you’ll pass through security exponentially faster now, getting you in the park almost immediately.

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Feature Photo: Disney