If you want to beat Disney at its own game, it takes a bit of advance planning, but it certainly can be done! Hitting them in the wallet can certainly work in your favor- and in favor of all guests in the long run. Yet, flexibility is key if you really want to walk this out. And one more thing: you've got to be willing to make a sacrifice or two. But I believe it is more than worth it. How? Read on.
Today would begin the Walt Disney World portion of our trip. This would be the day I finally got to experience my most anticipated new attraction in any theme park: TRON Lightcycle / Run at the Magic Kingdom. Now, that pesky Virtual Queue would become a problem as we were off property staying at Universal Orlando Resort's Dockside Resort. How could we beat the system?
From a financial standpoint, we were saving well over $140 per night by staying at Disney's competitor and for a much nicer experience than All Star Sports. (Two bedrooms and a breakfast table, chairs, a microwave, and a refrigerator.) But it all came at a price: We had to use Uber to get to and from Universal to Disney. Thankfully, that was inexpensive, about $25 more or less each way depending on the time. The more expensive price than Uber was when it came time to book an attraction that getting in a virtual queue was a necessity.
We narrowed it down to two attractions: TRON and Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind. We were not going to Florida and missing either one of these. Then we prioritized the new Magic Kingdom E Ticket at Number One, so that if we missed riding the first day, we had another one to try again. But here's how we beat Disney at its own game.
A great spot for breakfast and a happy son!
The night before, we scheduled our ride for 6:15am the next day. Now, it's not like waking up at 5 minutes before that necessary 7:00am time slot to get on your phone, but there were unexpected benefits to being up that early. But we had to be up early anyway, so what was an additional half hour? Nothing.
After doing a bit of research, we decided our landing spot would be the Grand Floridian. Our plan was to arrive early, walk around a bit, and be on our phones at the needed time in hopes of securing a spot in the queue. Next, we would stop to have breakfast at the Grand Floridian Cafe before taking the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. It was ambitious, but it ended up being the perfect plan.
We arrived at 6:35. This allowed of plenty of quiet time with no one around to walk through the resort and the grounds, taking plenty of photographs with the lovely glow of early morning. It was peaceful and beautiful as the rising sun changed the landscapes every few minutes. We set our phone alarms for the correct time so that we didn't have to watch the clock and could enjoy the serenity. After snagging an early boarding group, we enjoyed a terrific breakfast at a leisurely pace.
With a short monorail ride, we entered the Magic Kingdom and queued left for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We have a family joke that has been going one for over a decade now. Our youngest daughter loves this coaster, so whoever rides it must send her a photo of the ride when she's not with them. Quick photo and playful text sent, we walked right on for two successive rides on the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness. Still fun after all these years. Imagineer Tony Baxter and team sure knew how to create an instant but enduring classic.
Speaking of Mr. Baxter, Tiana's Bayou Adventure was not open, but a quick walk by left me wondering what would be in store for guests who loved the original Splash Mountain. I'd soon have my answer. My thoughts on this Princess and the Frog makeover are here.
Not the best version but still never missed.
In any Disney castle park, Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the best attractions to be found. The truncated version of the California original is in Florida, but it is still a must-see adventure every visit for us. The attraction was in tip top shape. From the multiple Audio-Animatronics to the volume of the sound effects, everything worked terrifically.
One thing I just love about visiting the Magic Kingdom is that the guests do not shout out dialogue or sing the attractions theme song and disturb other riders. In Florida, it seems people are a bit more respectful of others who paid way too much to experience things only Disney used to create. Passholders and regular visitors to Disneyland would be their reputation a favor by following similar standards.
It was time to ride TRON. I couldn't wait. The walk to Tomorrowland seemed like an eternity- even longer than it takes Disney to build something new unless it is a DVC location or a brand new hotel. Priorities, people, priorities.
Oh, the thrill of experiencing a brand new attraction for the first time! Now, I'm a person who watches all the YouTube videos, partially out of curiosity and also because I know the in person experience will greatly differ than what can be seen on a computer screen.
When the attraction debuted at Shanghai Disneyland, I was so jealous. When it was announced for Florida in 2017, I was thrilled. When I finally rode it for myself seven years later... I was truly disappointed.
A view from the queue.
After having just ridden Islands of Adventure's most popular roller coaster, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, I couldn't help but make the comparisons. Yet, on its own, TRON disappoints- and it kills me to say it. The queue to the ride is terrific. It should be as it carries the visual look of the movies. The build up is great with the voiceovers and the idea of a thrilling race across the Grid. So far, so good.
Once on it, I found the lightcycle itself uncomfortable. The ride is very smooth- and incredibly short. The outside portion looks more fun than it is. Certainly, good advertising for the ride, but you don't really have a chance to get used to the ride or the story of the race before it all ends. Let's be honest- fans of the film want to ride in the darkness of the Grid. Why does it begin outside? By the time your eyes adjust to the darkness, the ride is half over. And the whole thing runs about one minute long. One minute.
Beyond the brevity of the ride, I found the indoor visuals lacking. With all their storytelling skills and creative tricks, there should have been a better way to experience the race than how it was done. Will I ride it again? Sure- with other family members who haven't been before, but probably not on my own. I'd consider TRON an epic fail. Wasted potential of what should have been as good if not better than Space Mountain next door.
A much better experience.
Aside from the unnecessary long lines due to Genie+, the Magic Kingdom's first roller coaster remains a very satisfying experience. It is a bit rougher for all the wear and time for a track replacement, but that aside, it reminds Disney fans of the storytelling excellence of the old school Imagineering greats. Great story, compelling setting, and a ride worth the wait. TRON and Space Mountain are like opposite sides of a coin. The older Magic Kingdom coaster is a classic for a reason.
While in Tomorrowland, do what the locals do: Ride the Peoplemover. When I think of the attractions that have been removed at Disneyland but still exist in Florida, this one is at the top of the list. (With my humblest of apologies Country Bear Jamboree!) I could hop on this several times of day and still enjoy it just as much as the first ride. Viewing the Contemporary Resort from the transportation system of the future just feels right. Those Imagineers went out of their way to make sure everything was in theme and the visual intrusions of show buildings were out of the ordinary. You really can't say that anymore.
One big misstep, but a better overall experience awaits in Florida.
Much like Pirates, we do not miss the Haunted Mansion on our visits. The big curiosity this visit would be the addition of the Hatbox Ghost. While I do think the Florida mansion is an overall better experience, the placement of him is just wrong and so is the cartoonish queue. The rest of it, however, I find to be a much better storytelling device to ride through each scene. The Portrait Gallery takes on a whole new feel when you're in your Doombuggy, and the Florida exclusive Library is a real fine addition, befitting the grandeur of the creepy old house on the hill. Again- all of it in fine working order.
On the opposite side of the scale, there were many things not working in the classic It's A Small World. That was disappointing as it is one of my very favorite old school attractions. I just love the sweet sentiment behind it, and I also absolutely love the theme song by the Sherman Brothers. The sound settings were off and some of the dolls did not move. There were burned out bulbs in the finale. It's a broken world after all- just as it is in reality.
After a visit to Ariel's world, we walked to the train station and got off in Frontierland to head to the Jungle Cruise. As is customary, our skipper was really good, but the line had swelled well beyond the normal range due to Genie+ again. What a disaster this money making gimmick has produced. The lines seemed to be at least 50 percent longer because of this change. I hate the new Disney for pulling crap like this. Really.
It's now time for me to give out two awards. The first one goes to the Worst Lunch during our entire trip. Actually it was my worst meal at Walt Disney World ever. The "winner" is Comic Ray's Starlight Café. My hamburger meat was dry. But the worst offense was the bun itself. The entire bun, top and bottom, was so hard that I had to use a bit of force to push my finger into it. To make matters worse, the fries were undercooked. I never return my food- but I made an exception this time.
The second award was for Worst Dinner during our trip. Yes, also to be found in the Magic Kingdom. You've guessed it- Pecos Bill Cafe. We tried to eat in Adventureland- at the Tortuga Tavern actually. The menu looked terrific! But it was closed. The closest thing available was around the corner. And boy, was it busy! Now, the food wasn't that bad- but compared to all of our dinners, this meal was the bottom of the rung. If only Cosmic Ray's was this good...
After our meal, we took a quick ride with Buzz Lightyear and then headed out of the park. We had just been to Disneyland a year before, so we had been on everything we wanted. Besides, there are way fewer attractions at the Magic Kingdom compared to Disneyland. With it getting dark, we wanted to be outside the park before the fireworks. A quick monorail rode out of the Magic Kingdom to the nearby Contemporary Resort. As we waited for our Uber, we watched the fireworks. Almost exactly when they were over, our ride arrived, and it was a short ride home. We beat all the crowds and had a great day- meals aside.
A visit to the Magic Kingdom is still satisfying, but even less so this visit. Maybe the unplanned stop in First Aid had something to do with it. (No story here.) It definitely had something to do with the sub-par eats. But how I long to be in the park for several hours after dark- and at no extra cost. But those were the old days when Guest Satisfaction meant more than the profit margins. Sorry, Walt. Things have changed with the company you built. They are greedy, pure and simple.
Our second day at Walt Disney World would be at my favorite Disney park in Florida: Epcot. And I couldn't wait. The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival was in full bloom. Would it be a good one?
(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
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