Make or break ride?

StarlitNight05

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 6, 2016
I've been struggling with the idea of an early 2018 trip thinking of my dear California Screamin being out of commission. Early 2018 especially scares me with the possibility of water rides being down and/or Pirates for the redhead renovation.

So that got me to thinking... What are your make or break rides? Meaning rides that you'd reschedule (or delay) a trip if it weren't up during your stay?
 
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Once I’ really set my dates, I don’t think I’d reschedule for anything being down. I mean, I’d always be able to catch it the next time. But, I’m extremely extremely bummed when we miss Haunted Mansion or Jungle Cruise on a trip.
 
Once I’ really set my dates, I don’t think I’d reschedule for anything being down. I mean, I’d always be able to catch it the next time. But, I’m extremely extremely bummed when we miss Haunted Mansion or Jungle Cruise on a trip.

I agree, Disney does not give me the kind of notice to plan my trips around ride closures. Once our flights are booked the trip is happening.
However Haunted Mansion is possibly our most mission critical ride.
 


Haunted Mansion

It was my DD and my very favorite at WDW and I struggled awhile when planning our recent DL August trip. Our most ideal week to come was the last week in August, but knew that HM would be closed that week due to the Halloween overlay (we booked before it was announced but based on history knew we'd miss it). I went back and forth of coming mid August just for that one ride.

We ended up keeping the last week for our trip as it really did fit int our our schedules the best (and DH thought I was nuts for considering moving our dates for just one ride). We could have even made it work with our dates since we were in LA over HM's last weekend before closing, but the logistics didn't make sense to drive to Anaheim from LA for a day, then return to LA...and then we'd have an empty Disney day as we would have used our park ticket. i.e. HM last day was Aug 27. We were in LA from Aug 24-28...and Anaheim Aug 28-Sept 1.

I must admit that it almost 'hurt' walking by it and not being able to go in, but we still had a fantastic trip and I tried not to focus on it too much.
 
There's no ride that would cause me to cancel a trip. That being said, there are a few rides that make a trip feel 'incomplete' when they're closed. PP, POTC, HM, DLRR in DL and Soarin' and (unfortunately) ToT at DCA.
 


BTMRR for me and HM for my wife. She was really bummed when HM was down our last trip during the end of August. We knew it was going to be down but still.
 
CS or ToT/GotG

I'm in the exact same boat; we are hoping to go in the Spring (April) but rumours of Screamin' being down and construction along the pier has me too nervous to commit. I'm hoping we get some clarity soon. I'm even considering the possibility of a Summer visit:sunny:
 
When a lot of things coincide to be down. And those will be down unless Disney cancels or revises their plans. Prob w/ POTC is it is such a big loader that's gonna affect the park crowds when down. If those are your deal breakers reschedule. But realize your alternatives! If this time of year is it & your alternative is that time of year 2019 you might come up against SWL. Miracle I'm sure if they open it early 2019 but still. (Just FYI, no opening dates beyond "2019" at this point.)
 
CS or ToT/GotG

I'm in the exact same boat; we are hoping to go in the Spring (April) but rumours of Screamin' being down and construction along the pier has me too nervous to commit. I'm hoping we get some clarity soon. I'm even considering the possibility of a Summer visit:sunny:
I love Summer! Full hours, full schedules, everything open, afternoon pool breaks with lots of time to return to parks. Crowded yes, but imho not any more than any other given day now.
 
I would reschedule for Pirates or Haunted Mansion. Although I have two first visit 40" kiddos and Big Thunder and Splash Mountain are all they can talk about so at this point I might consider a change for those.
 
Big Thunder for me, Pirates/Peter Pan/Indy for my wife, any ride for my 9yo because everything is a tragedy at 9.
..... The tragedies only get worse as they get older, hahahaha. At any rate, just wanted to thank you for the giggle this morning--it's been a tough week teen-drama-wise, and it's always nice too be reminded that kid-drama is nearly universal, and often over things that seem relatively minor to their adults. My daughter would have thought any ride down during our trip was a clear tragedy as well, especially at 9! :)
 
There's many rides that would leave me feeling like "something is missing" if they were closed during a trip, but nothing that would make me completely reschedule a trip.

I miss Splash when it's closed. I miss Grizzly. I really missed the train! I missed Tom Sawyer's Island. I've been sad to miss the Jungle Cruise.

But nothing that would make me reschedule a vacation. I plan/buy things to far out for that to be a consideration, unless (big unless) it's a long refurb with known dates.
 
We wouldn’t reschedule either, but dds vote for most missed ride would be BTMRR and mine would probably be Pirates. We ride each of these multiple times a trip... so that would be rough if either was closed.
 
HM for DD, Indy for DH, and RSR for me. That being said I would never reschedule because one of those will be down.
 
For me those rides would be BTMRR and RSR. Like others, often the trip is already booked when I learn the rides will be down, but I've never cancelled a trip over it. One time, though, I did add an extra day to a trip which was supposed to be the day RSR came back up from a refurb. It did re-open that day but I admit I had some worries.
 
We rescheduled for Indy several years ago. It was our boys' favorite ride and a big highlight of preparing for the trip was that the youngest was tall enough to ride. Making a big deal about him being tall enough to ride a ride that was closed would have been a problem. Other than that, we haven't rescheduled.

ETA: I think the more frequent you go, the less important specific rides become because you can always ride it next time. I can see a ride being a big deal for a once in a lifetime trip, or very infrequent visitors.
 

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