Walt Disney World is doing a great job of opening things up. Fireworks are happening, marathons are on the docket, and there’s the chance that the kiosks might open soon for FastPasses. While these big things are great, Piglet was so right; in life, it’s the little things that are most meaningful and make amazing memories. On my recent visit, there was a Disney towel animal in my resort room on my arrival! There was complimentary fruit water in the lobby on a hot day! And there were towels waiting for us in a basket when it rained! Wow!

The small details that make Disney World stand out are so important, and I’m hoping that all of those special things will not be forgotten. It is those small things that make Disney touch your heart and soul.

Let’s explore the little things that are actually kind of big that I think we should see back in the parks. And I ask you, too: What small things would you like to see return?

Pin Trading

You can still trade pins, but mostly they are located behind a register at the park shops or at the guest services areas at your resort. We miss approaching a cast member and having that social interaction, the experience of how are you? May we see your pin? Can we trade that one, please? It teaches children so much about socializing and trading with a person as opposed to a pin board/cork board. On our recent trip, I did not see much trading. The experience is now reduced and not as “seen.”

Cast Members at Resort Bus Stops

It was like the Hunger Games at our resort bus stop. There used to be cast members who helped out at resort bus station areas. Fortunately, at some resorts, there are some cast members, but not to the extent like it used to be or none at all. When there was full staffing in the past, there were many cast members at bus stops helping with questions and aiding the lines in an orderly and fair fashion. During my recent stay, the buses at more than one resort I was at had no cast members, and the service suffered. As buses approached for pick up, some who had just arrived hopped on aggressively while others who had been waiting one hour (yes, one hour) for a bus to the parks did not get on at all (that would be me) and had to wait for another.

Merchandise Pick Up and Delivery to Your Resort

Purchasing merchandise and having it sent back to the room was a complimentary benefit of staying on property. This service is currently discontinued and Disney also will not forward your merchandise to the front of the park for you to pick up as you exit at the end of the day. I chose not to purchase items because it was too hot to carry around an extra bag. Their loss (and mine).

Small Entertainment

I missed the pianist by Casey’s Corner on Main Street, U.S.A. I missed the pianist in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa lobby. Bring back the little things, too. It’s time.

Extended Hours

While the big item is Epcot needing to open earlier and the parks closing later, we forget that dining could also use more hours. Resort hours have changed their dining locations’ operating hours, and need to reopen for longer times. Some resorts used to have marketplace or quick service food open at 6am; now it is 7am. Some quick service resort restaurants now close at 10pm when they used to be open until 11pm. The resorts are now filling up; there is a need for coffee early and a need for those late night travelers to have an option open at their resort in order to grab something to eat.

We all read about the big things we want to return to Walt Disney World, and yes, some of those big ticket items have returned very recently. The small details also matter and are important, and, in many instances, are what sets your Disney vacation apart from others.

What do you think still needs to be offered to guests staying at Walt Disney World?