8 Glaring Disney World Red Flags You Absolutely, Positively Should Not Ignore

Planning for a Disney World trip can be like preparing for the Super Bowl of vacations.

It’s exciting and magical, but it can come with its fair share of challenges. For example, if you’re not paying attention to some glaring red flags, you might end up frustrated on your vacation — and that’s the last thing we want. We also know that it’s the last thing you want after spending all that money on your trip! So let’s talk about them!

As we were saying, there are some glaring Disney World red flags that you absolutely cannot ignore!

Crowds Swarming Around Quick-Service Pick-Up Windows

So, picture this: You’re just ravenous after running around Magic Kingdom all morning, and you finally get that amazing Mobile Order notification telling you your food is ready. But then, you walk over to the restaurant, and you see that there’s a sea of people crowded around the pick-up window. This is a big red flag!

Mobile Order pickup window in Columbia Harbour House

If there are tons of people waiting to grab their food, your meal probably isn’t coming out anytime soon either. Those crowds probably indicate that there’s a bottleneck in the system, meaning you’re better off waiting it out elsewhere or planning your food breaks for off-peak times.

Cast Members Herding Guests for Fireworks

If you’re trying to score a prime fireworks viewing spot in front of Cinderella Castle and suddenly, a Cast Member is suggesting you mosey on down Main Street or find a better spot elsewhere, you should trust them.

This is definitely one of those red flags you’ve gotta pay attention to. They’re not just being polite. It’s their subtle way of saying the hub is jam-packed and you’ll likely end up with a less-than-magical view. Plus, staying put might mean you’ll miss out on other areas that actually have space.

Cast Members About Ride Downtime

Here’s a biggie that too many people overlook. You’re in line for your favorite ride, let’s say Rise of the Resistance, and it breaks down. Then you hear a Cast Member come on the intercom with carefully worded phrases like, “We encourage guests to leave the line…”

They’re not just being vague to keep you guessing. They’re politely telling you to run for the hills. This is your red flag to bail, because when they start choosing their words this carefully, the downtime is probably going to be a while.

When Cast Members are stationed outside of ride

Likewise, if you see more than one or two Cast Members standing outside a ride and it looks like they’re stationed there, that ride is probably closed. Of course, you can always go up and ask, but more than likely, you’ll be told the ride is closed.

A line of Cast Members in front of a ride means it’s closed

A line of Cast Members almost always means a ride is closed.

Consistently Increasing Prices

Okay, Disney World is exactly cheap (we all know that at this point LOL), but lately, the constant price hikes are going up, and it’s not slowing down. So, if you’re seeing the announcements of all the new attractions and lands coming to Disney World in the next few years, it’s a safe bet that even more price increases are on the horizon.

Construction walls for new Monsters, Inc. land

Now, this is a red flag specifically for budgeting your trip. You might want to adjust your expectations or save up a little more before committing to that next Disney vacation. No one wants to be caught off-guard when they realize Mickey premium bars require a sizable investment.

Les Halles line stretches past L’Artisan des Glaces

If it’s around lunch time and you find yourself hungry and located in the France Pavilion, you might think you could just on over to Les Halles to get a bite to eat. Here’s a red flag: if the line for Les Halles stretches out past L’Artisan des Glaces, you’re in for a very long wait.

Les Halles is also one of the counter service restaurants in EPCOT that doesn’t have Mobile Order, so the only way you can eat there is to wait in line to order at the counter. You might just want to duck on over to Crepes À Emporter instead and grab a crêpe.

Ride with general low wait times suddenly having a high wait time

Some rides in Disney World rarely have long wait times, but then suddenly their wait time will jump up really high. This is a sign that the ride could be having some difficulties and may very well close soon.

For example, Tower of Terror usually has relatively short waits, but if you see that wait time skyrocket, it’s probably having issues, which could mean only one side is running or that the ride will close soon.

Seeing a ride has just reopened

If a ride has been down and you notice that it’s just reopened, this is a red flag because that means everyone else has just noticed that it’s reopened and are heading to get in line for that ride. This could make wait times right after a closure pretty high.