Before the pandemic, a visit to Walt Disney World was largely defined by orderly queues, cheerful visitors, and environments so meticulously maintained that reality itself seemed to vanish. That illusion is starting to fray. Reports of worsening guest behavior are mounting, and for many fans, the damage feels more than cosmetic.
Across social media, longtime visitors describe a shift in atmosphere. The tone, they say, has grown more impatient and confrontational, with more arguments in lines, increased frustration over mobile orders, and in some cases—outright destruction of property.
Since 2020, Disney guests have complained about a rise in entitlement and disrespect. Now, incidents of vandalism are becoming harder to ignore.
Damage in the Final Days of a Classic
The latest case occurred on Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom, an attraction that opened nearly 54 years ago and is scheduled to close permanently in July. Rather than a fond farewell, the land’s final weeks have been marked by defacement. Guests reportedly wrote their own names over the “Tom” and “Becky” signage that has long been a staple of the area.
With the island slated to be replaced by a new Cars-themed expansion, it’s unclear whether the park will repair the signage before the land shutters for good. Meanwhile, recent visitors have reported other signs of general disrepair throughout the island.
“Guests happened to the queues. Disney needs to do some repainting, but that’s way beyond normal wear and tear. Some of the damage straight up looks like people were picking away at a spot that was slightly broken,” one fan noted, referencing widespread damage in other parts of the park.
A Pattern of Guest-Inflicted Damage
This isn’t an isolated case. Earlier this month, a tree at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was wrapped in protective netting after repeated instances of guests carving into its bark. At Toy Story Midway Mania, fans have shared images showing peeling graphics, broken panels, and damaged wall sections—far beyond what most consider normal wear.
Even newer attractions haven’t been spared. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which replaced The Great Movie Ride in 2020, showed signs of damage by 2024. Guests spotted holes in the queue walls, with tape used to cover the damage.
In 2023, graffiti was found on the Hollywood Studios overpass along Victory Way, near signage for the ESPN Wide World of Sports. Disney removed it quickly, but the incident marked a rare instance of visible vandalism outside park gates.
And the trend extends beyond Florida. Earlier this year, Disneyland Resort’s freshly updated Haunted Mansion queue drew criticism when fans noticed damage just weeks after reopening.
Disney has not commented publicly on the rise in vandalism. Still, the growing number of reports has prompted concern among fans, who worry that both infrastructure and park culture are deteriorating. As Disney looks ahead to major expansions and rethemes, the challenge may not only be what gets built—but how long it can stay intact.
Have you noticed a surge in guest-inflicted damage at Disney parks?
There is no supervision of kids when they get older it’s worse
I see them pull the flowers out by the roots
Jump on flowers etc parents see them but do nothing
That’s how is starts