Updated Sept. 22, 2024
If time is a constraint for your vacation, you may be wondering what things to skip at Disney World, and why. After all, if you are forking over the money for even a short length Disney World vacation, you will want to get the most out of your time and not miss the best attractions.
So, what can you skip at Disney World? While we can’t answer the questions directly for you, we can tell you the things we skip at Walt Disney World when time is short and why. Hopefully, this guide will help you decide where to spend your time in the parks and resort hotels.
Things to Skip at Disney World 1: The Enchanted Tiki Room
Hear me out on this one. We know this was one of Walt Disney’s favorites, but we still skip the Enchanted Tiki Room when time is short at Disney World. Part of this may be because the edition of this attraction with Lago from Aladdin ruined it for us.
The Enchanted Tiki room opened with the Magic Kingdom park as a copy of its Disneyland counterpart. The original Tiki Room was a technological marvel, with animatronic parrots and other birds putting on a show for guests.
At one point, the original Tiki Room fell “under new management” with the bad guy parrot, Lago, from Aladdin running the show. After years of operating as this guest-hated version, a fire broke out and a refurbishment was needed.
Today, Lago has been removed, and the attraction has been returned to its original glory, and yet we still skip it. The show runs about 12 minutes long, and can be great for getting into the AC for a break, but we prefer to sit down for a meal, or use those twelve minutes to wait in line for a ride we love.
The Enchanted Tiki Room can be repetitive, with songs that get stuck in your head for the rest of the day. In the end, once you’ve seen this attraction, you will probably want to use this time for other Disney things.
Things to Skip at Disney World 2: Country Bear Jamboree
Another thing to skip at Disney World is the Country Bear Jamboree. The Country Bear Jamboree is an opening day attraction that Walt Disney had a personal hand in. During this 16-minute musical revue, a cast of audio-animatronic bears sing songs and put on a show.
This show is cute with some comedy thrown in, but with all the amazing things to see and do at Magic Kingdom, it is worth skipping when you’re short on time.  Â
Unfortunately, the animatronics have seen better days, things feel a bit dated, and the bears have been known to be a bit overwhelming for some children.
Things to Skip at Disney World 3: Frozen Ever After
Frozen is one of Disney’s modern masterpieces inspiring merch, a second movie and thousands of little girls to dress up as Elsa and Anna for Halloween. With such a beloved movie, the ride created in its likeness should be just as well thought out, right? Well, many fans would disagree.
The ride has guests boarding a boat to Arendelle and taking a tour of the world of Frozen. It is full of animatronics of the beloved characters complete with favorite songs from the movie.
However, if you’ve ever boarded the boat to Arendelle on Disney’s Frozen Ever After, you’ve probably felt true disappointment. The lack of storyline leaves hardcore fans underwhelmed and even the animatronics fall a bit short when mixed with the lack of direction and storyline in this ride. Just look at Taryn’s expression during her first ride below. And she’s a fan!
Frozen Ever After brings in the second longest lines in the entire park of EPCOT, and to be honest, for most guests, it is just not worth it. The experience is just fine, and it would not be on our skip list if it continually brought in 10 minutes wait times instead of 60.
There is one caveat here: parents of die-hard Frozen fans will probably need to wait it out and endure the short attraction. We suggest boarding first thing in the morning or using the Lightning Lane.
Disney World Things to Skip 4: Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros is a boat ride found deep inside the Mexico Pavilion of the World Showcase. The ride features the Three Caballeros from their respective films in hand drawn scenes of Mexico as they look for Donald Duck.
This ride is beautiful from the hand drawn animation to the colorful show scenes, and offers a relaxing boat ride. It almost never has a wait and can be perfect for avoiding a rainstorm or stepping out of the Florida heat.
This ride is one of the Disney World things to skip for us though. The reason is quite simple. Once you’ve seen it, it becomes a bit boring and outdated. We prefer to spend our time perusing the many shops, shows and eateries inside the World Showcase.
Things to Skip at Disney World 5: The Barnstormer
The Barnstormer is a kiddie coaster located in the back of the circus area in Fantasyland. In the ride you board a stunt plane with none other than Goofy as your pilot. And of course, the ride is just how you’d expect it to be with Goofy driving!
The experience is fun and quirky, so why do we skip it? At this point in time, we don’t have kids in our group, and with such a limited hourly capacity, this ride can have surprisingly long wait times. Additionally, the unloading and loading takes more time than the ride itself does, not to mention the cramped quarters when cast members cram 2-adults into seating built for children.
Things to Skip at Disney World 6: Journey Into Imagination with Figment
Next up on our list of Disney World Things to Skip is Journey into Imagination. Unfortunately, in today’s era, this ride is on the skip list for many.
When EPCOT opened, Journey into Imagination was a fan favorite classic dark ride featuring Figment and a character called the Dreamfinder, and a beloved score of music.
This ride seemed to get a bit lost on its way to multiple refurbishments, one of which removed both Figment and the Dreamfinder. Eventually, Disney relented to fan pressure and added Figment back to the ride, but his insertion fails to follow any rhyme or reason and can become a bit annoying.
This ride is bright and colorful and at times a bit loud, and is often enjoyed by children. We instead choose to skip this ride and the sights, (and smells,) as well as the painfully and comically outdated Image Works labs at the exit of the ride.
Today, the Figment character remains a beloved piece of EPCOT history, but he also stands for all EPCOT used to be, and what it is no longer.
Things to Skip at Disney World 7: Character Meet and Greets
You may have just read the headline and are in shock that we have included character meet and greets on our list of things to skip at Disney World. But, hear me out. I have a good reason!
Character meet and greets at Disney World are a planned affair with schedules and lines. This is in large contrast to Disneyland where seeing characters tends to be a more free flowing and spontaneous experience.
In Disney World, character meet and greets bring long waits, which we choose to skip. But, we do not skip characters all together. Instead, we do a character dining experience. This way we can see all our beloved characters and enjoy a delicious Disney buffet at the same time, killing two birds with one stone without waiting in lines.
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Things to Skip at Disney World 8: Kali River Rapids
Kali River Rapids, located in the heart of Animal Kingdom, is a top ride to skip for many guests. The experience is a wet and wild trip down a whitewater adventure, but it’s one that leaves you drenched and schlepping across the park in wet shoes. Since Disney World can be cool in the late fall or winter when we often travel, we have never ridden this ride.
However, even summer travelers will often skip this ride despite the heat of the Florida sun. For many, walking around drenched for hours is just not appealing. As a result, this is one of the most skipped rides at Disney World.
Why It May Make Sense to Skip Things at Disney World
On a short trip, you just can’t do it all. By strategically skipping certain things at Disney World, you can maximize your time, reduce unnecessary expenses, and create a more enjoyable and efficient experience.
We hope that by sharing the list of things we commonly choose to skip at Disney World, we’ve offered insight on how you can create your own list. While we have nothing against the rides we’ve outlined, in the end, it comes down to how much time you’ll spend in line waiting for an attraction and whether it’s worth your time for the enjoyment you’ll receive.
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