10 Disney Experiences You May Want To Skip

When it comes to Disney World, there’s too much to do and too little time. Trying to spread your vacation out into four different theme parks – and possibly the two water parks – it’s hard for us to accept that there will be things we won’t have time to do. For a Disney vacation, prioritization is key. Pick the attractions most important to your family and make sure you do those first. However, there are a number of attractions you may want to skip completely. We hate to say it, but some of Disney’s attractions are outdated and might be a waste of your preciously scheduled vacation time. Here are ten Disney attractions you may want to skip!

10. Living With The Land

EPCOT has most of my all-time favorite attractions – and also some of my least favorite. Living With The Land is located in the Land section in the pavilion where Soarin’ is housed. It’s a simple little boat ride that gives guests a little behind the scenes tour of the greenhouse at EPCOT. It can be interesting to learn about the plants, but if you’re not the least bit fascinated then move on. Though it’s relaxing, I felt that it was very boring and a waste of twenty minutes.

9. The Hall of Presidents

If you’ve never been to the Magic Kingdom, skipping the Hall of Presidents is a wise choice. Like Ellen’s Energy Adventure, the animatronics are quite dated. For extreme history buffs, you might enjoy this attraction. However, with the addition of the new Fantasyland expansion there are more attractions worth your time. MK is the busiest of the parks, and why shouldn’t it be? It has Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad (they do love their mountains!), the new Seven Dwarves Mine Train, the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. That’s not even the full list of rides and I didn’t even mention the character meetings and shows.

8. Ellen’s Energy Adventure

This ride is wonderful when it’s extremely hot or it’s raining. You get to sit down in an air-conditioned building for over an hour. It’s great for resting your feet, but the 45 minute ride can be a bit much. With so many other attractions and shows at EPCOT, it’s hard to justify an hour for one ride. The animatronics are dated and the ride itself is not thrilling. In that same amount of time, you could have ridden Soarin’ and Test Track and gotten yourself a giant pretzel.   (Ride closed August 2017)

7. Primeval Whirl

Found in Dino Land U.SA., Primeval Whirl is the typical carnival coaster. You can go down to your local county fair and ride the exact same thing although it will have a different motif. It’s jarring as it slams you around quick turns. As an adult, I was thrown all over the place so I have to wonder how well kids can handle the sharp spins. When I got off, I was dizzy and bruised up from hitting myself against the back and side of the car. Save yourself the injury and ride DINOSAUR instead.

6. Stitch’s Great Escape

This used to be Alien Encounter, but I guess the Alien franchise was getting too dated or the attraction was too terrifying for kids. I was lucky enough to ride it and yes, it did terrify me as a child. However, I’d still choose it over Stitch’s Great Escape. The ride was simply painted friendlier while the basic workings are intact from the previous ride. Of all the things Disney could have done with Lilo and Stitch, this ride misses the mark. It’s boring and takes a long time to complete. I think this ride doesn’t really know what it wants to be. It’s part walkthrough and part stage show. It appears poorly thought out and a quick way to incorporate the film into the park. Don’t waste your time on it unless you really, really love Stitch. (Ride closed January 2018)

5. Swiss Family Treehouse

This is a walkthrough attraction based on the Disney movie, but in 2015 how many of us have even the slightest clue about the film? It might be a classic, but kids these days want more Cars, Frozen and princesses. The younger generations might not appreciate this attraction as much as the older generations who grew up with the Swiss Family Robinson. Since it’s a walkthrough, it’s great that you can choose your own pace. There’s so much walking at the Magic Kingdom already that you may want to opt for a different activity than climbing around a treehouse.

4. Tomorrowland Speedway

A couple years ago, I reluctantly waited in a 40 minute line to ride passenger in one of these cars. In less than five minutes, it was over. The Tomorrowland Speedway is like your average go-cart racing attractions. You drive your car around a course (don’t worry, the car is secured to its own lane) and that pretty much sums it up. It can be great for kids who want to take a crack at driving, but for the adults who fight traffic everyday we’d rather not be reminded of our everyday lives. The better use of your time would be Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin because in a way you do control your car and you get to shoot targets! It’s fun, colorful and air-conditioned!

3. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

Like Ellen’s Energy Adventure, this is great for getting out of the heat or rain. Considered a Disney classic, some Disney enthusiasts don’t want to skip this attraction. It’s understandable, but just because something is a classic doesn’t mean everyone will like it. Romeo and Juliet is a classic but how many people really enjoy reading Shakespeare? My problems with the Carousel of Progress have to do with the outdated animatronics, the repetitive nature of each scene, and the length of time it takes. To me, the ride drags on for hours. This one is definitely not for hyper children because it can be pretty boring since it doesn’t suit their interests. For adults, it might be of more interest. Just don’t plan your day around it.

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2. Jungle Cruise

Another MK classic, the Jungle Cruise always seems to have some problems. It gets closed for renovations frequently, and every time I have ridden it the ride has gotten stuck for a couple hours. The animals are all animatronics, but if you head over to the Animal Kingdom you can ride the Kilimanjaro Safari with real animals! The Jungle Cruise has caused trouble every time I tried to ride it, so I’ve given up and go Kilimanjaro Safari every time. It’s real animals and the drivers are always very knowledgeable and fun!

1. O Canada!

Found in the Canadian pavilion at EPCOT, O Canada! is an 18 minute film about, you guessed it, Canada. It’s tucked away in the pavilion and I only happened to stumble upon it by chance. While the waiting area is air-conditioned and seated, that’s about the best part of it. It’s great for a little rest but the film shows you the highlights of Canada’s nature and architecture. I think you’d get more out of the Canadian pavilion if you walk around and explore it. Grab a bite to eat, watch one of the musical acts and talk to the wonderful Canadian cast members who work there. It’s always more interesting and personal to hear what natives love about their country rather than spend twenty minutes watching a film.

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