A viral TikTok has raised a question we hear repeated often: is a Disney World vacation becoming too complicated?
Like any vacation, a Walt Disney World trip requires advance planning to have a successful experience. In order to manage crowds, Disney allows guests to book many experiences in advance like dining reservations and paid access to shorter lines for popular rides.
Many guests find this process of navigating a Walt Disney World vacation too confusing especially when you consider the cost of a visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth. So what do the experts think? Here's my thoughts on if planning a Walt Disney World vacation is too complex.
Planning a Disney World Vacation?
Get exclusive access to prices on hotel & tickets just for Mickey Visit subscribers. Don't miss our travel hacks newsletter!
Viral TikTok Has Guests Questioning Complexity of Disney World Trips
A TikTok by Sarah Biggers recently went viral as the mom of two explained how her experience doing a first time Walt Disney World trip was too stressful for her family to want to return for a repeat visit. While she was clear that her kids enjoyed the trip, as the planner of the vacation she felt overwhelmed by the amount of reservations she had to plan in advance and how much time she spent on her phone in the parks.
Many commenters on the TikTok agreed, even diehard Disney Adults, stating that Disney has become too complicated along with many lamenting the reliance on your cellphone while at the park.
Some commenters suggested she should have used a travel agent and she followed up stating she did use a travel agent which didn't seem to improve her experience since she still had to make all the reservations herself.
Planning a Disney World Trip Is More Complicated Now
READ MORE- Reasons Why You Should NOT Rope Drop at Walt Disney World
It is true that planning a Walt Disney World trip has gotten more complicated in the past five years. Disney has introduced many changes since 2020 to their theme parks which included a big move to digital planning. So much of your planning whether in advance or in the parks the day of takes place on your cellphone. Not all guests are comfortable with this much reliance on technology and it does take you out of the moment when you're inside the theme parks so I think this is a valid criticism.
There is a lot to navigate for a successful trip to Walt Disney World! It's not quite as easy as just showing up and “winging it” like you might get away with for some other theme parks. This could be why some guests prefer the ease of Universal Orlando compared to Walt Disney World. Their skip the line system is far easier to navigate but that comes with a much higher price tag that's nearly four times as costly as Walt Disney World's Lightning Lane options.
But I also don't think it's fair to compare Walt Disney World to other theme parks as it is such a different experience. The reason you don't have to worry about dining reservations at Universal Orlando is because there's hardly any dining you need to book in advance and honestly, their dining just isn't as good!
Universal Orlando is structured to be a theme park you can visit more spontaneously but that can also be frustrating if you are trying to plan in advance. Those wanting to visit Epic Universe this year can attest to that as Universal has been quite slow in releasing details needed to plan trips to this new theme park.
Any Successful Vacation Takes Planning
Well, first I have to say that any successful vacation requires advance planning. If you are doing a spontaneous trip, regardless of the destination, you may end up missing out on experiences that may have required advance bookings. This could apply to anywhere whether you are going to Walt Disney World, taking a cruise, going to Europe, or even visiting a national park as many require timed reservations in the tourist seasons. I'm located not far from Rocky Mountain National Park and even as a local I have to make sure I pay attention to when park reservations go live for the summer if I want to be able to visit that time of year.
I think the heart of frustration for many guests visiting Walt Disney World for the first time is navigating choices like: hotel options, park ticket options, dining reservations, Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and touring the theme parks.
Of course, that's not an extensive list but those are the basic steps in planning a Walt Disney World trip. Out of all of these that are most complicated, I would imagine dining reservations and Lightning Lane Multi Pass are at the top of the list.
Advance Planning Allows for Better Theme Park Experiences
READ MORE- These Rides Are the Winners for Highest Wait Times at Walt Disney World
I realize that planning a Walt Disney World vacation requires a lot of steps in advance and this is an overwhelming part of the experience. But I would rather do this planning before I arrive rather than trying to “wing it” in the parks! If you have the proper resources on planning a trip, you can get everything you need planned before you arrive. We have some great essential guides on planning a trip including:
- Disney World Lightning Lane Multi Pass 2025- How to Skip the Lines!
- Disney World Hotels Reviews: Pros + Cons of Every Walt Disney World Hotel
- Disney World Dining Reservations: Our 5 Top Hacks to Get a Seat at the Table
I disagree that this advance planning ruins the trip itself. While this advance planning requires more work, all this work prior to your arrival makes your park days more relaxed. I arrive knowing I already have a spot to eat dinner if I made a dining reservation in advance and that I took advantage of pre-booking three advance ride reservations. What more planning in the moment do I need to do? Not much at that point!
Split the Planning Tasks With Your Family
I can emphasize with feeling burdened if you're the one responsible for planning every step of the trip. Vacations require a lot of planning between picking hotels, airfare, and coordinating the day to day experiences. Make a set plan with your family to share the planning process and get everyone involved.
I am the planner for all my family's trips because I love to plan. But I also love hearing everyone's opinions on what we want to do! When it's time to pick our dining reservations, I consult the group and get everyone's opinions. We make it a group effort to decide what we're doing and who's in charge of making the reservations.
You can also share the planning while in the parks as well! Take turns on who is going to check wait times, make new Lightning Lane reservations, and check the park map on their phone. At times I've even been sick of looking at my phone and might tell my teenager it's his turn. This works out well, involve everyone in the process so one person doesn't feel burdened to do it all. And let's face it, that person tends to be the mom! Encourage your family to help and have these discussions before you arrive in the parks so everyone contributes.
Read More Disney Planning Advice!
For more information about the parks and the best planning information for your Disney trip, subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter. We’ll provide you with helpful guides, all of the latest news, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest-priced Disney tickets anywhere.
Planning a Disney Vacation? Get Exclusive Discounts + Free Bonuses
In addition to exclusive discounts for Mickey Visit subscribers, get our free planning printable and guide to make your life SO much easier.
Alas, as a senior, I find the whole process of the Disney trip to not be very much fun anymore. I loved the old fast pass method, and it would be fine if that method were just on phones, but having to make all these reservations and try to get to queues to reserve rides and then often not getting the rides we really want is upsetting. Plus the cost of adding all these lightning lanes is crazy. I long for the days before all that. Not sure we’ll be back again unless maybe when we have grandkids that are going or if we just want to hang out at a festival at Epcot.
Let’s not limit excessive complexity to Disney World. My dad, Tom W Blackburn, then a Disney writer, was given tickets to for the preview opening at Disneyland. It was horribly crowded that day. But after that day the park was a lot of fun. Then after I was married and had kids old enough to enjoy the park it really was the place to go. Now, as seniors, how can my wife and I attend the park and enjoy it with reservations that I gather takes split second timing to obtain and are required for the rides. We have not gone to Disneyland for somewhere around 20 years because of increasing complexity plus large multiple price increases has pretty much made it impossible to attend even if able to master rope drop reservations, etc., that I did not have to deal with in the past. It was fun while it lasted. Wish we could come back for all the new things we have not experienced but it is just too complicated and stressful and expensive for we older people.