I too am feeling all the same things as above. I just bought DVC last year and if it weren’t for that I think I’d be scaling back trips significantly. Now at least I have less pressure to “do everything” since I will be coming back every year. However I’ve been thinking alot about it, and I pretty much refuse to shell out extra money for G+ and ILL. I think that I’ll probably be sending an email pretty soon as well!
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I strongly dislike the new G+ system and my interest in my upcoming trip has lessened significantly over the next month. That said, as another poster above pointed out, there were lots of complaints about the FP+ system too (though I wasn’t one of them as I liked the FP+ system).
Isn’t the real issue here that demand for WDW is very high and instead of adding substantially more supply with many new attractions, WDW has tried different ways to divide a pie of supply that is too small? In which case, any way of allocating the limited number of rides is going to upset people either in terms of price, wait times, or, most likely, both.
From 2000-2010 WDW built almost nothing and then since 2010 the new stuff trickled in slowly with the construction of new attractions taking way too long. See Universal for the right way to expand and add attractions.
HS: Toy Story Land and Galaxy Edge are very nice starts for HS, but is now mostly shows and headliner rides. HS needs at least 6 new mid tier type rides.
Epcot: A mess. Too many attractions/pavilions closed or removed. Rat and soon Guardians are great additions, but more attractions are needed at Epcot too. Very pathetic that it was a better park in 1982 than it is now.
AK: DinoLand needs a couple more attractions and another land (Beastly Kingdom???) is needed. One major addition (Pandora) in 20+ years is not nearly enough.
MK: I can’t think of any major ride additions in past 25 years other than 7DMT, JotLM and Winnie the Pooh. And we lost Snow White’s Scary Adventure, Mr. Toad’s, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Alien/Stitch. So gain 3, lose 4. Demand has gone way up over 25 years, but ride (as best) hasn’t changed much.
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I was just having this convo with DH. Looking at someone else’s stats on how many more people are going to WDW since the early 00s and while there are new attractions those really came at the loss of other attractions. And what is expansion is minuscule compared to the increase in attendance and cost. So you’re paying way more than inflation for more crowds and therefore can get less done. What Disney really needs to do is take a page from Universal and add some theme parks. With Volcano Bay And Epic park they gave the right idea. Disney is sitting on so much land I don’t understand why there have been no new parks since the 90s!
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It seems as tho there’s a staffing problem.
Similar to the restaurant you’ve been waiting 30 min to get seated in. Only to see half the tables unoccupied. You ask the server about a local sight seeing activity and the server is from the town 40 miles away.
The manager is running the cash register when you pay your bill. He tells you the year round population doesn’t supply enough employees for all the local businesses.
And this was before covid.
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I agree with all of your post except this part. I think Disney needs to focus on adding more to the existing parks before adding a 5th gate. I haven’t done the math, but I suspect each of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure have more rides than each of Epcot, HS and AK.
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Well lets do the math….lol. Are we counting only rides or attractions
USF has (counting Shrek cuz the seats move but it might have closed by now) 10 rides and if you count the slide in Fievels play land 11. But if you add the major shows like Bourne there are 14 major attractions plus the two playgrounds and street shows, nighttime show and a parade.
IOA has 18 rides and then adding major attractions/shows 20 plus the three playgrounds, street shows, and the nighttime castle show
AK has 9 rides counting ittbab adding the three big stage shows and the major walk thrus 14 major attractions plus one playground and plus the little stuff which they’ve begun adding back some of it. This seems pretty similar to USF overall but there are more rides there.
DHS has 9 rides as well but adding major shows/exhibits 15 total attractions so again similar overall to USF but more shows/exhibits than rides.
Epcot has 9 rides and 6 shows/movie so 15 again plus the aquarium and a nighttime show. So similar overall again to USF but more show/movie heavy.
But IOA is the clear winner. And the fact that the two parks are next to each other is also helpful. Plus I’m pretty suspicious that what’s replacing fear factor is a ministry of magic…at least I hope so and hopefully there’ll be a ride.
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Universal is accustomed to fitting new attractions into smaller spaces. But if Disney wants to continue keeping the open space environment and have attractions spread out, they would indeed need another park.
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I very badly want the once popular rumor Lord of the Rings park
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Also Volcano Bay > BB and TL
VB has 12 slides(or types because I’m not counting each of the body slides or the single tube slides that have 4 from the same platform) and two types of “rivers” plus the wave pool
BB 9 slides in my way of counting but really the three tube slides in the back probably should just count as 1 to compare it better, one river and one wave pool
TL has like what 8 slides (counting each water roller coaster sep), lazy river and surf pool.
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I’m not sure this is true.
At Epcot for example … At one point there were additional countries “planned” for World Showcase. I remember the signs up in the 80’s at a few places in World Showcase. I suspect there is also room in Future World to add 1 or 2 new pavilions and to use space in existing pavilions.
At MK, something could be added to the former Stitch space, and I recall reading at one point that there in an expansion area in Adventureland for a long rumored Fire Mountain attraction. I suspect there may be other expansion areas or opportunities to repurpose less used areas for new attractions.
I also suspect DHS and AK have potential expansion opportunities (and a portion of Dinoland like the former Primevil Whirl space and the carnival games area) could be used for new attractions).
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Sure, I can understand that.
But would those alone be enough to make the impact that is needed. 
Well, they have to start somewhere.
The thing about Disney guests. They aren’t expecting the super-thrill coasters (that are also expensive). A few expensive rides like ROTR are needed to keep up with Universal. But, the majority can be run-of-the-mill rides with mucho theming. A bit more involved than a carnival ride but nowhere near a Six Flags ride. So, while every new attraction has an expense, we aren’t talking major money.
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We need a few more “Dumbo” rides and by “Dumbo” I mean like the movie was cheap and successful and helped keep Disney afloat so they could make things like Fantasia. NOT Like we need more spinners! lol
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Fair point. I think that is right, but a 5th gate should come after the existing parks (especially Epcot and DHS have more attractions).
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That can be their Dumbo while the 5th park is their Fantasia. ;-).
I really love dark rides. Some simple dark rides would please me.
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I agree. I’d especially love to see some dark rides added to HS and World Showcase.
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100% for WS. Like travelogue dark rides would be fun. I’m sure if they wanted to make everything marketable to kids they could find Disney movies to coordinate like a Mulan ride in China and Big Hero 6 in Japan.
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Does anybody go to Disney for the atmosphere besides my family?
Epcot is our absolute favorite park. On some previous trips we have visited Epcot every day. I think we rode one ride there last December.
We try to plan a visit to more than one resort each trip. Several restaurants. Been to WinterSummerland several times.
I guess I don’t get this ride only fascination.
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I like both. But yes my love in epcot has zero to do with rides. I spent four full days there and park hopper one evening my last long trip. Every time I walked into world showcase I felt a relaxation and joy I feel in no other WDW park. I love the live entertainment there and am siked about more returning.
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I think it is more an aversion to standing for way too long in lines. Doing other stuff plus two lines twenty minutes each is VERY different than doing other stuff plus two lines two hours each.
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