Disney World changes constantly. Seriously, you’d be surprised how much ACTUALLY changes in the parks on a daily basis!
But outside of the little changes, Disney has made some major shifts over the years. Changes in policy and technology, changes to rides or shows, and updates to how the parks flow in general. But which of those changes were for the WORSE? We’re sharing the things that were “ruined” when they changed in Disney World!
FastPass
First up, we’ve got to talk about the elephant in the room — FastPass. The former skip-the-line system was a complimentary service for Walt Disney World visitors. It started out with kiosks near ride entrances and later switched to FastPass+, which was entirely digital and housed in the My Disney Experience app.
But after the pandemic, FastPass didn’t return. Instead, it was replaced by Disney Genie+ in 2021. The new service starts at $15 per person, per day (but we’ve seen it go up to nearly $40 on busy days), and is a bit more complicated than its predecessor, with multiple features and rules about when you can book your time slots to use the Lightning Lanes.
Many Disney fans agree that FastPass was easier to use and a better experience overall, but we have met a few Disney Genie+ devotees in our time in the parks.
Journey Into Imagination
Journey Into Imagination has seen three different iterations throughout its time at EPCOT, and to this day, many EPCOT fans agree that the first version was the superior version of the ride.
Journey Into Imagination first premiered in 1983 and introduced the beloved characters of the Dreamfinder and Figment. That OG version closed in 1999 and was replaced by Journey Into YOUR Imagination, which introduced the characters of Dr. Nigel Channing from Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Philip Brainard from Flubber, and Dean Higgins from the Dexter Riley films.
The second iteration of the ride was wildly unpopular and closed just a short while later in 2001. When the current ride opened in 2002, Figment came back and reprised his role, but the Dreamfinder was still notably absent. We’ll be interested to see if Disney ever tries to change this ride again in the future!
Fireworks Shows
One of the most controversial questions you can ask a group of Disney fans is, “Which Disney World fireworks show is the best of all time?” We can almost guarantee that you’ll get a mixed bag of answers.
In many groups, you’ll still find people who are distraught at the loss of Illuminations in EPCOT or Wishes in Magic Kingdom. (And probably a few people who miss Rivers of Light in Animal Kingdom, but we’ve not personally met those guys!)
Any time Disney gets rid of one show to replace it with another, there will definitely be dissenters. We saw that quite a bit during the time of the 50th Anniversary fireworks shows in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT.
The Middle of EPCOT
Once again, we’ve got something controversial at EPCOT (are you sensing a pattern here?). Back in December 2023, Disney finally reopened the middle of the park after a massive transformation, and some were disappointed by what was revealed.
Disney tore down the middle of EPCOT a few years back, including the iconic Fountain of Nations, Innoventions, and Electric Umbrella (among other offerings) to make way for a transformed new area called World Celebration. Now, World Celebration is home to new shopping and dining, as well as a reimagined Club Cool, but it’s the center of that area that draws some criticism.
Where the fountain of nations used to be, you’ll find new seating areas and lots of planters and greenery. They make for great relaxation spots and photo ops, but some hardcore EPCOT fans really miss the way things used to be. This one is a bit more divided than some of the others on this list (many on our team like the change!), so we’d love to know your thoughts.
There you go — some of the most divisive changes Disney World has seen over the years. What do you think? Make sure to keep following along for more Disney history!
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What would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments!
I moved down last year (2023) Got my season pass in January. I notice how vastly different Epcot is. I don’t like it. But I go every week now. Prior, I was only going about once every 10 years on average. I definitely miss the old Disney World but it’s hard to remember it because I didn’t get to do everything due to being on a timed limit visit.
The issue of not shipping park merchandise to the hotels has never been brought up by All Ears. Why did it go away? Why is not back yet? It seems like they’re losing alot of money not doing that. No one wants to spend their time at a shop in a park dealing with shipping back home. What if you drove to WDW, you wouldn’t need to ship.
Hi Deanna! The perk of sending your merchandise back to your resort ended during the pandemic and they just haven’t brought it back. We don’t actually know why or if they ever plan to bring it back. Disney hasn’t made any kind of announcements with any information.
Maelstrom, Maelstrom, Maelstrom. And what else? Oh yeah, Maelstrom.
Genie+ is perhaps the most shameless cash grab in the history of Disney. The virtual ques are also really irritating. “Park reservations” are mayhaps the dumbest and most convoluted thing ever and ESPECIALLY for DVC members and Annual Passholders such as us. Disney also used to be a completely family friendly and wholesome place such as Walt envisioned when he first came up with the concept but now many parents aren’t exactly as totally comfortable with the brand as they were when they were growing up. In recent years I’ve seen things in Disney parks, among Cast Members, that I would’ve never dreamed. People can draw their own conclusions as to what those things are.
FastPass+ sucked too. Anything that separates guests into the haves and have-nots is BS. Those OCD folks that need to plan every last aspect of their lives – including what they’ll do for every minute of their vacations, and those that just want to go to WDW for a nice vacation. All spontaneity is lost with the amount of planning Disney now requires. Just get rid of FastPass+, Genie+, and Lightning Lanes. Treat all guests equally.
Yeah I returned to this Disney nonsense and now I have to wake up at 7am to reserve the 4 rides that we want to go on then check my phone all day to see where we need to rush to. I usually take vacations but this is more like a job that I have to pay for.