Tagged: walt-disney-world

Disney World Attendance Is Way Down, but Don't Blame Politics

On the Fourth of July at Walt Disney World in Central Florida—a day when crowds are usually shoulder to shoulder—the pathways were shockingly clear. Wait times for most rides were 30…

What You Must Reserve in Advance at Walt Disney World—and When Bookings Open

Even when the economy sags and disposable income drops, Disney's theme parks usually find a way to increase revenue. In the company's last financial quarter, despite a sharp collapse…

Hate Using Disney's Genie+ Ride Reservation System? Hire a Concierge to Do It

When you hear people complain about how unpleasant and cumbersome a trip to a Disney theme park has become, one of the first things they'll complain about is Genie+.The paid ride…

Disney's Galactic Starcruiser, the Luxury Star Wars–Themed Hotel, to Close

Walt Disney World in Florida has announced that its infamous Galactic Starcruiser hotel will close its doors at the end of September, just 18 months after opening. The troubles with…

Disney World to Make Big Changes—But Will They Make Visiting More Pleasant?

Bob Chapek, the unpopular former CEO of the Walt Disney Company, had the misfortune of presiding over the entertainment giant throughout the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under his…

Disney, Stung By Harsh Feedback, Backtracks on Parking Fees and Park Hopping

On Tuesday afternoon, Disney Parks did something it pretty much never does: It gave money back. At least a little bit. Without warning, the Florida resort backtracked and announced…

4 Signs That Disney Parks Are in a Lot More Trouble Than People Think

In November, the proverbial wishing star really came through for Disney fans. The company's boardroom power struggles culminated in the abrupt firing of former CEO Bob Chapek. Many…

Go to Disney Parks for Free Any Day of the Week—the Streamer Army Will Take You

This week, a staggering new price increase took effect at Walt Disney World in Florida. Now if you want to spend a single day at the world's most popular theme park, Magic Kingdom, it…

Walt Disney's Private Corporate Plane, "Mickey Mouse One," Goes on Public Display in Palm Springs

This unlikely homecoming was more than a half century in the making.The private corporate plane purchased by Walt Disney in 1963, has gone on public display at the Palm Springs Air…

Disney Raises Prices Again! Even Die-Hard Fans Now Turning Against Poor Quality

Disney quietly raises theme park prices nearly every year—but this year, it hits differently. The price of tickets for multiday Walt Disney World parks admission, which used to start…

How to Get to Walt Disney World from the Airport Now That Magical Express Is Gone

As Frommer's has diligently reported over the past few years, Disney has been doggedly slashing customer benefits in an effort to squeeze more profit out of its parks. One of the…

Fully Revised for 2022, Our Guide to Disney World, Universal, and Orlando Is Now on Shelves

In July 2020, months before Covid-19 vaccination was available, grateful crowds tearfully swarmed back into the theme parks of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Nothing, it…

Disney's New Star Wars Hotel Slammed As "a Galactic Failure"

For years, Americans have watched the price of a Disney vacation climb upward, and yet the parks remained packed. When it came to Disney charging luxury rates, it seemed the sky was…

Can a Computer-Literate Great-Grandmother Figure Out Disney World's Genie+?

Disney's parks did not emerge from the pandemic unscathed. They're in a period of drastic change. As thousands of the brand's biggest fans return to theme parks after several years…

Cirque du Soleil's New "Drawn to Life" Is the Best Show at Walt Disney World

At the end of 2017, French-Canadian entertainment juggernaut Cirque du Soleil closed La Nouba, the family-friendly acrobatics spectacular that played on Walt Disney World resort…

Look Inside Walt Disney World's Swan Reserve Hotel

In early 1990, when Florida's Walt Disney World cut the ribbons on the 1,509-room Dolphin and the 756-room Swan hotels, the resort made architecture history. The two towering…

Disney's Pay-to-Skip-Lines System Launches: 10 Crucial Discoveries from the Reactions

Last updated: October 22, 2021Walt Disney World, the resort destination that is home to four of the 10 most popular theme parks on the planet, has changed the way guests get to the…

Make The Delicious Drinks, Cocktails, and Mocktails from Disney’s U.S. Parks

LeFou’s Brew at Magic Kingdom, Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshakes at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Frozen Sunshine from Beaches & Cream at Disney's Beach Club—Disney certainly knows…

Walt Disney World's First 50 Years—Through the Lens of Orlando's Newspaper

Nowadays, Florida's Walt Disney World—the most popular theme park destination on the planet—cultivates its global image through heavyweight marketing, synergistic sister brands, and a…

Walt Disney World’s 50th Birthday Is an Anticlimax—So When Should You Go?

In 2021, Walt Disney World in Florida turns a half-century old. On October 1, 1971, Walt Disney's brother and business partner, Roy, dedicated the East Coast version of California's…

Disney Officially Kills FastPass, Will Charge Extra to Use the New "Lightning Lane"

FastPass is dead. Long live FastPass! For a generation, Disney's iconic FastPass was a famous signifier of the company's premium product and its generosity with its customers. For no…

The Prices for Disney's New Star Wars Hotel Are Out of This World

Disney’s groundbreaking Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel sounds like the coolest idea in hotels since pillows. Starting next spring, the new luxury hotel, which was recently…

As Disney World Strips Away Its Perks, What Will Replacing Them Cost You?

This week, it was confirmed that Disney Parks will receive a $580 million tax break from the state of Florida to relocate about 2,000 key workers from Southern California, where the…

Going to Disney Is Different Now. Someone Should Warn You About These 10 Things

The return of travel brings the return of reassuring old habits. Just as some people feel incomplete until they can root for their favorite baseball team in person again at their local…

Disney World Guts Guest Benefits at Its Hotels: Why Would You Stay Now?

From a value standpoint, it's already a highly debatable decision to stay within the borders of Walt Disney World at a Disney-owned hotel. Those properties easily cost at least twice…