Back from 8/26-9/1 trip: UNscripted trip w/UNexpected results!

[CrabbyPatty]

Just a quick report to share on our recent Sunday August 26th through Saturday, September 1st trip to WDW - our third trip.

Our trip was fairly loose and free-wheeling in that while we had an ADR for each day, and a general idea of what we thought we wanted to do - basically, we just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves!

It was nice because if a bus was a bit late - no problem. If a park was crowded, we hopped over to another. If we wanted to ride Buzz 4 times in a row, we did it, rather than worrying about "strategies" for the best way to maximize every minute at WDW. If the crowd seemed to be surging one way, we went the other way. MK seems quite a bit busier than other years in late August, so we ended up spending more time in Epcot and really enjoyed the World Showcase.

We lucked into some good things - showing up for Nemo at AK at the last minute got us great seats right by the railing for the second tier. We got the "cowboy" experience on the Great Movie Ride. We happened upon Mary Poppins, Alice, Pooh, Tigger, Chip n' Dale, Peter Pan just as we were walking around, with hardly any lines. We spent an absolutely hilarious 30 minutes talking with the folks at the Boutiki in Poly (we had time) and my DD ended up ringing up a sale behind the counter along with the manager. We went swimming at 10:30 at night and got snacks at Roaring Fork afterwards. We happened upon the glass bridal carriage at GF, being pulled by these darling little miniature ponies led by footmen with white wigs (think Versailles and Marie Antionette) as the bride/groom waved from the carriage. We got a really great table at Hoop-De-Doo (we'd booked Category 3, but the attendance was light that show so everyone sat on the lower level and our seats were pretty darn good).

Now I realize that nothing in that list above is the ultimate magical pixie-dust filled experience, but it was for us. If we had planned to see some of the things we did, we would have driven ourselves crazy by trying to be in the right place at the absolutely right time. IMHO, sometimes you need to step away from the planning and just enjoy the journey.

 

[GovieMom]

It was so refreshing to read about your laid-back style of touring! After all our agenda-based trips in the past, only DH and I are going next month, and that is exactly how we plan to do it. There's something to be said for taking time to smell the roses. You just proved it!

 

[Jiminy'sGirl]

We are taking our 5th "family trip" in November and we are now in relaxed mode as well. We have done our must-dos many times by now, so enjoying the small details is wonderful. However, we never seem able to take a "resort day..." I plan one, but we always wake up and want to hit a park, even if just to get a certain snack or find a certain character!

Your trip sounds heavenly!

 

[Andrewsminustwo]

I enjoyed your report as well.....my husband and I are also going next month without the kids for our anniversary and I cannot wait to take in all the things I am sure I never saw in all our trips because it was always "for the kids" and they didn't want to look at the flowers or go into little shops.....sitting on a bench, eating a dole whip, watching the people go by.....sounds fabulous to me!!

 

[Raenstoirm]

That is always how we tour. I cant imagine being scheduled down to the minute like some people do! We book an ADR at the late EMH park for dinner and go where the wind takes us until dinner (since we attend every late EMH anyway it works out perfectly).

 

[Kerrio929]

This is our plan for our NOV/DEC trip. We have 1 ADR each day and will plan our park for that part of the day around them but that's it. We will do our best to see and ride as much as possible but over scheduling just isn't for us

 

[bfamily5]

This is soooo us! As most of the other PP's we are heading down for our anniversary, without the kiddos and I am looking forward to a more relaxed style! A glass of wine and some people watching, sounds divine! I still have an idea of where to head when we first get through the turnstyles..but I want us to slow down and enjoy!!

 

[dburg30]

Sounds awesome! This Dec will be our first REALLY laid back trip! We had a few kinda laid back ones, but this one WILL be laid back.. No plans at all.. we are DVC so heck we may not even leave the resort!! (yea, that wont happen )

 

[RubySlippers]

This is our favorite way to tour! It is now the ONLY way we roll! LOL! We have had some of our most magical times this way!

 

[arlsdimples]

It sound as though you had a wonderful time. I enjoyed reading your post.

This is the way we tend to vacation in Disney as well. Honestly the best memories on trips are the unexpected ones. Our favorite trips also tend to be the ones with the most minimal last minute planning. We book ADR and do evening EMH but other than that and a few must do's it's where the wind takes us. We're laid back and prefer it that way. Daily life is full of crazy run around timed to the second schedules, this is a vacation from that nutty life.

 

[missoverexcited]

Sounds great!!

 

[Irishlisa]

Just a quick report to share on our recent Sunday August 26th through Saturday, September 1st trip to WDW - our third trip.

Our trip was fairly loose and free-wheeling in that while we had an ADR for each day, and a general idea of what we thought we wanted to do - basically, we just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves!

It was nice because if a bus was a bit late - no problem. If a park was crowded, we hopped over to another. If we wanted to ride Buzz 4 times in a row, we did it, rather than worrying about "strategies" for the best way to maximize every minute at WDW. If the crowd seemed to be surging one way, we went the other way. MK seems quite a bit busier than other years in late August, so we ended up spending more time in Epcot and really enjoyed the World Showcase.

We lucked into some good things - showing up for Nemo at AK at the last minute got us great seats right by the railing for the second tier. We got the "cowboy" experience on the Great Movie Ride. We happened upon Mary Poppins, Alice, Pooh, Tigger, Chip n' Dale, Peter Pan just as we were walking around, with hardly any lines. We spent an absolutely hilarious 30 minutes talking with the folks at the Boutiki in Poly (we had time) and my DD ended up ringing up a sale behind the counter along with the manager. We went swimming at 10:30 at night and got snacks at Roaring Fork afterwards. We happened upon the glass bridal carriage at GF, being pulled by these darling little miniature ponies led by footmen with white wigs (think Versailles and Marie Antionette) as the bride/groom waved from the carriage. We got a really great table at Hoop-De-Doo (we'd booked Category 3, but the attendance was light that show so everyone sat on the lower level and our seats were pretty darn good).

Now I realize that nothing in that list above is the ultimate magical pixie-dust filled experience, but it was for us. If we had planned to see some of the things we did, we would have driven ourselves crazy by trying to be in the right place at the absolutely right time. IMHO, sometimes you need to step away from the planning and just enjoy the journey.

I am so happy to hear this. In the past we have taken the same approach to WDW. For some reason for our upcoming trip I have put pressure on myself to plan every minute of it. After reading your report I feel better about taking each day as it comes. Thanks!!!!

 

[pepe of ohio]

Glad to see that some have caught on that you don't have to plan every minute ....it's vacation folks.... Relax, what you see and do without driving yourself and family crazy makes everyone want to return to WDW....

We don't even have ADR's during our stays and we eat just fine and don't have the scheduling clock ticking that we have to be here or there at such and such a time ..... But if it's your bag to plan and plan and plan some more .... Go for it but we'll take the unplanned trip every time!

 

[Melissa8905]

Thanks so much for sharing this! Your way of touring WDW is exactly how we're doing it in October. A few ADR's, one MNSSHP and nothing much else planned. Your report just reinforced our non-plan

 

[castleri]

Part of our family is the "go with the flow" contingent and we usually have a wonderful time and ultimately see and do everything we want to with no stress in a relaxed fashion. One part is in the "be there for rope drop and be at sertain places at certain times with ADRs every night". They are usually exhausted at the end of the day and sometimes just a tad uptight with each other if something doesn't go just right. We learned the hard way to just say to them "we'll give you a call when we get to the park and see if we can meet up" It has made things sooooo much better for all concerned. Our next trip in a couple of weeks is shorter than usual so DS has tried a little planning so it will be good for his DD age 4. It consists of which park which day - that's it.

 

[stites1]

Thanks! Glad you had a great time letting the magic just happen. Great advice.

 

[Cyrano]

Just moving this to the Trip Report board

 

[luvlumpy]

Thanks for sharing! Love that you got all that unexpected magic. It's the best kind!!!

 

[CrabbyPatty]

Thanks for the replies! Glad to hear that in this world of "It's October but I'm scheduling what time I'm going to eat my corn muffin at AK in April" that some of us are on the "slow track"!

In looking back, I think the trip also taught me that this style of touring allows everyone in the group to do the things they really WANT to do instead of the thing they should want to do at WDW.

For example, Sis really wanted to do It's a Small World since it was closed in 2010 when she was last there. So, that was the first thing we did when we arrived at MK on Sunday afternoon. Fantasyland was PACKED with double strollers covered with rain ponchos and crabby toddlers and parents alike, but we stood in line for 15 minutes and did the ride. Then we hopped over to Epcot because we would have had NO joy in trying to make the "magic" happen in MK that day.

Throughout the trip, I kept on asking my 11-yr-old DD if she wanted to ride Dumbo, but she never did, so we didn't. But the kid really wanted to do the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA) and so we rode it ..... twice! We were at MK one night and all these people were stalking their claims on the curbs of Main Street waiting for the parade, which was starting in an hour and a half. At first we thought something else MAJOR was happening, and asked a CM what all the people were waiting for!

We ended up walking around AdventureLand, did a few rides with no wait, sauntered over to Tomorrowland and DD wanted to do TTA. Sis and I could not believe how excited DD was to go on this ride, and we ended up riding it again another day, with the same response from DD. So, go figure.

 

[FloridaDreaming]

This is exactly what we are doing in 8 days. I've made zero plans. We don't have one ADR booked. There's a couple CS restaurants that we've never tried (like Backlot Express at DHS) so, I'm excited for those new experiences. I couldn't even tell you what parks we will hit on any given day. I've made note of the park hours for the week and that's about it. It could be that we get on whichever bus pulls up first.
We've been lucky enough to have APs this past year and this will be our 4th trip this year so, I'll just be happy enough to sit on a bench and people watch. With some sort of wonderful treat, of course.