Answering More of Your Basic Disney Questions

Tourists have a seemingly endless list of questions about Disney theme parks.

From time to time, MickeyBlog tries to answer a few of the biggies. There’s nothing fancy about the way we do this.

I check a search engine or AI and identify a few of the topics people ask the most.

So, it’s time to answer more of your basic Disney vacation questions.

Are Disney Theme Parks Worth the Cost?

This is one of those subjective topics where everyone has an opinion.

I’m not someone who likes to argue a point with folks who have already made up their minds.

Realistically, if you’re reading a site named MickeyBlog, you like Disney and know the answer to this question.

Let’s say that you’re asking so that you can respond to a friend, family member, or acquaintance, though.

My response is simple. Disney has remained the top paid tourist destination in the world for many years now.

Tourists vote with their wallets on this topic, and what they say is quite clear. People love Disney.

If they didn’t, Disney’s theme parks division wouldn’t be listing record profits on their earnings reports each quarter.

The funny part is that the entire debate has occurred across multiple generations now.

Even when guests were paying a quarter a ride at Disneyland, you could find articles suggesting that Disney had grown too expensive.

The engagement trap still existed in the 1950s. It just so happened to come in the form of newspapers, television, and radio debates.

Here’s a 1994 article that mentions a four-year decline in attendance, with pricing listed as a potential culprit.

People have made this same argument since before most of us were born, yet Walt Disney World and Disneyland’s attendance remains steady.

So, yes, most tourists think that Disney theme parks are worth the cost.

How Far in Advance Should I Buy Tickets?

This is a great question, and the answer is multifaceted.

You don’t need to purchase a Disney ticket in advance for standard admission. You can buy it when you arrive at the park.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this strategy, but it’s absolutely possible.

So, you’re probably wondering what the advantages are to purchasing tickets ahead of time.

The main ones involve pricing and sellouts. When you plan ahead rather than show up at the gate, you’ll get a look at admission ticket costs.

Disney employs a kind of surge pricing system where the cost fluctuates depending on demand.

Dates that are more popular, such as Fridays-Sundays and holidays, cost more than less trafficked times like January and September.

When you know this information in advance, you can plan your trip around dates when tickets cost less money.

The savings don’t stop there, either. Other amenities such as Lightning Lane will cost less on these dates as well.

Then, we have another important consideration. Disney tickets rarely sell out…except for the end-of-year holidays.

 

If that’s when you’re planning to go, you should understand that the days during Christmas Week almost always sell out at Magic Kingdom.

This statement applies to the other Disney parks as well. And that’s not the only sellout consideration.

Tickets for after-hours events such as Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party typically sell out.

In fact, Halloween Night 2025 sold out LAST MONTH!!! So, you do take a sizable risk by waiting.

The safest play is to speak with a MickeyTravels agent to discuss your options.

They offer their services for free, and their Diamond Earmarked status demonstrates that they are literally the best experts for Disney vacations.

How Does Lightning Lane Work?

Hoo boy. That’s a loaded question. Back in the day, we had something called FastPass.

Initially, FastPass came in paper form. Guests would take a FastPass to an attraction entrance.

Then, the system would recognize the FastPass and grant the guest passage into the shorter, quicker FastPass queue.

More than a decade ago, Disney switched to a digital FastPass system. At that point, you booked FastPasses on your phone.

You would use the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app to reserve FastPasses for your visit.

Then, Disney killed the FastPass system and replaced it with a new system. We currently call it Lightning Lane.

With Lightning Lane, you can skip most of the line at Disney’s most popular attractions.

Your Lightning Lane reservation authorizes you to enter the Lightning Lane queue, which is the same thing as the now-defunct FastPass queue.

Basically, a Lightning Lane gets you on a ride MUCH faster than would happen if you just stood in line.

However, Disney charges for Lightning Lane. So, you must pay to use this service.

That’s a change from FastPass, which had been a free product.

Is Disney a Good Place to Celebrate Something?

When I populated the latest list of questions, this one cracked me up. Like, I know that some people ask it, but the answer is self-explanatory.

Disney may be the BEST place in America to celebrate something. I’m neither joking nor exaggerating.

In fact, I speak from experience here. I’ve spent several birthdays and anniversaries at Disney theme parks.

My wife isn’t happy on her birthday unless the day begins with Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo & Stitch at ‘Ohana.

You may wonder why we’re so emphatic about commemorating special occasions at Disney.

Well, the answer is simple. They give you a button to wear around the park!

That may sound silly, but a shocking percentage of Disney guests will notice your button.

Let’s say that you’re celebrating your birthday at Disney. Dozens of people will wish you a happy birthday!

You will never feel more seen in your life than when you sport a button at a Disney theme park. I’m dead serious.

What’s the Difference between Disneyland and Walt Disney World?

The cheeky answer is 2,300 miles, but that’s probably not what you’re wondering.

For whatever reason, people confuse Disneyland and Walt Disney World all the time.

To many folks, “Disneyland” is a blanket term that identifies all Disney theme parks.

Alas, that’s imprecise terminology. When people refer to The Happiest Place on Earth, they’re speaking of Disneyland Resort.

That’s the world’s oldest and most iconic theme park. In fact, it turns 70 years old in a matter of days.

Conversely, Walt Disney World is The Most Magical Place on Earth. You’ll find it in Orlando, Florida, whereas Disneyland resides in Anaheim, Florida.

Weirdly, both of them are in Orange County, though.

Which attractions are closing soon or being refurbished?

Okay, I fully understand why you’re asking this question, as you’ve undoubtedly heard about all the changes occurring at Disney right now.

As Disney’s American theme parks plan a decade of expansion, various attractions are closing or undergoing refurbishment.

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, DinoLand USA will close within a year. When that happens, DINOSAUR will shut down permanently.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios recently closed Muppet*Vision 3D, but you haven’t seen the last of The Muppets.

They’re transitioning over to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, where they’ll replace Aerosmith. That re-theming will start later this year.

At EPCOT, Test Track technically qualifies, but its re-theming will finish in a matter of days. So, you will be able to ride it again within the month.

At Magic Kingdom, the Rivers of America will close soon, which also means the end of Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat.

Also, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will undergo technological modernization starting in August.

At Disney California Adventure, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! will close to make room for new projects like Avatar and Coco.

So, there is definitely an unusual amount of attractions undergoing changes right now.

I’d strongly encourage you to keep reading MickeyBlog so that you can learn about additional closures and re-openings as soon as they’re announced.

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Feature Photo: DVC