What Was The Worst Year To Visit Every Disney World Park

Disney Adventurer

Dumbo The Flying Elephant Magic Kingdom Disney World

Disney Parks are constantly changing, and because of this they have good years, and they have bad years. So we are examining what was the worst year to visit every park at Walt Disney World.


Out of fairness, we are not counting temporary changes made due to the COVID19 pandemic, as if we did the answer would be 2020 for every park.

Magic Kingdom: 2004

Liberty Belle Coming Down the Rivers of America Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom expanded on a pretty consistent ant basis since it opened until the early 2000s. It got a constant stream of new attractions and rethemed ones, but that all ended with the downturn in tourism that happened following 9/11. The Magic Kingdom was hit the worst, with many attractions closing permanently due to this or becoming seasonal, leading to the all time low in 2004.

Jungle Cruise Python Magic Kingdom Disney World

This year saw the closure of classics like the Timekeeper, the seasonal operation of attractions due to the lasting effects of 9/11, and the opening of arguably the worst Disney attraction of all time, Stitch's Great Escape. It is only fitting that the worst year for the Magic Kingdom literally saw its iconic Cinderella Castle covered in toilet paper for a day.

Epcot: 2020

Epcot Future World Christmas Decorations

We aren't talking about pandemic Epcot, we are talking about prepandemic Epcot. The Epcot that featured half of the park behind construction walls (I'm sorry, progress walls), and no notable additions to replace them.

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure Construction Epcot Disney World

Its a bit unfair to call this Epcot's worst year as the park is really in transition into its new theme, but it isn't fun to visit amid that transition. Maybe this wouldn't have been the worst year had Remy's Ratatouille Adventure opened as planned, but it probably still would have been the worst year to visit the park. Half of Future World is closed, and the park just looks depressing in its current form.

Disney's Hollywood Studios: 2017

Dorothy Scarecrow Tin Man and Cowardly Lion Wizard of Oz Scene Great Movie Ride Disney World

Disney's Hollywood Studios recently underwent a transition similar to the one Epcot is in the middle of, and similarly their worst year was in the middle of this transition. 2017 was when they lost much of what remained of the original theme of the park, including the Great Movie Ride.

Hollywood Boulevard Disney's Hollywood Studios

Massive sections of the park were lost to make way for additions from Star Wars Galaxy's Edge to Toy Story Land and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. These all ended up being great, but this was a period where the number of significant attractions in the park dropped into the single digits and no new ones opened to replace them.

Disney's Animal Kingdom: 2014

Donald Duck Mickey's Jingle Jangle Jungle Parade Disney's Animal Kingdom

Disney's Animal Kingdom is the most difficult park to assign a worst year to. It really has changed remarkably little since it opened with the exception of new additions. There is only one former ride in the history of this park and remarkably few lost major shows. 2014 was chosen as the worst year really as it is when Disney's Animal Kingdom lost the most.

Camp Minnie Mickey Entrance Sign Disney's Animal Kingdom

This was when most of the changes to the park that ended up bringing Pandora World of Avatar began. Unfortunately, this also meant the end of Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade, alongside the closure of Camp Minnie Mickey. Luckily the land's main attraction, Festival of the Lion King, found a new home in the neighboring Africa. But the loss of a land, and the permanent loss of a parade in the park, makes this the worst year to have visited Disney's Animal Kingdom in.


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