No more commando--how do you do it?!

[MrsNick]

Maybe we can start a support group (Commandos Anonymous) for those of us who are attempting to stop the insanity!

Sensei, please help me to see the light.

To the poster who mentioned relapse - you are so right. DH and I went with another couple who have never been there before on a long weekend, and I ended up playing tour guide in the parks.

The sunny side to this is that next time DH and I go, either by ourselves or with same couple, I won't have to show anyone around, but can just go with the flow.

 

[jdvm]

Guaranteed cure for commando-itis:
1. Make a reservation at a DVC one bedroom unit (or bigger)
2. Buy a package of small candles (tea lights)
3. Buy a bottle of very nice champagne
4. Buy some REALLY nice bath gel
5. Chill the chamagne
6. Fill the jacuzzi with warm water and
7. Add the bath gel
8. Light the tea lights and turn all other lights out
9. Pour two glasses of champagne and take the by the tub
10. Tell your partner you're going to be a bit late making it to the park

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

10. Tell your partner you're going to be a bit late making it to the park

Sounds great! But what do we tell the five year-old?!

 

[athenna]

Guaranteed cure for commando-itis:
1. Make a reservation at a DVC one bedroom unit (or bigger)
2. Buy a package of small candles (tea lights)
3. Buy a bottle of very nice champagne
4. Buy some REALLY nice bath gel
5. Chill the chamagne
6. Fill the jacuzzi with warm water and
7. Add the bath gel
8. Light the tea lights and turn all other lights out
9. Pour two glasses of champagne and take the by the tub
10. Tell your partner you're going to be a bit late making it to the park

Ooohh, I'll have to remember this list when I take my 1st ever romantic trip to WDW in Oct
My entire life I've always gone w/family and/or friend but have always dreamed of the romance that can be found at WDW. Your list inspired me!

 

[byoung]

I agree you relax more now. I know I will return soon.

 

[bags6490]

Have another baby!!! Having a 1 and 2 year old has MADE us (former comandos) slow down. There, problem solved!!!

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

It just happened gradually.

The one thing I did do...I looked for things I'd never done in each park and made my focus on doing those things...plus anything that I perceived of as a must do. So by focusing on hitting the schedules (and it was mostly things with a schedule) that forced me to start skipping things and to start sitting around and wait for things. There are still plenty of things I haven't seen or that I've seen only once and would like to catch again...like the Jammitors.

In any event I went on a commando trip last June and I was amazed at just how draining it is. And yes traveling with newbies or rarely goes will turn a trip into a commando trip in a snap.

 

[jdvm]

Sounds great! But what do we tell the five year-old?!

well. for one, lock the bedroom door and close the blinds to the patio (yes, kids are unbelievably nosy) and if they keep knocking at the door, we tell our kids that if they do it one more time they're not going to a park for the rest of the trip. Go for it

 

[jade1]

AP did it for us also. Go in the night of arrival and get a few things done right away. Maybe stay late and then sleep in, lounge at the pool and go somewhere that afternoon. RFP (Reserved Fast Pass) would help a lot also, whats the hurry if you have Splash at 3, BTM at 3:30 and Space at 4?

 

[MrsNick]

AP did it for us also. Go in the night of arrival and get a few things done right away. Maybe stay late and then sleep in, lounge at the pool and go somewhere that afternoon. RFP (Reserved Fast Pass) would help a lot also, whats the hurry if you have Splash at 3, BTM at 3:30 and Space at 4?

Ooh, how do you get Reserved Fast Pass (and is that different from regular fast pass?)?

 

[rocketriter]

With so many parks and so many attractions, you'll feel less commando pressure if you add a couple of days to each trip--even if it means slightly fewer trips. Now that DVC makes it easy for us to stay 7 nights, we know we won't miss a favorite activity if we take our time or come back to the hotel for a swim.

 

[Ms. WDW]

Ooh, how do you get Reserved Fast Pass (and is that different from regular fast pass?)?

Yes I'd like to know about that too. See, I'm a recovering "Commando" person. And this next trip is suppose to be just DH and myself. I am sooooooo worried that I'll "take off" and drag him all around like I usually do. I'm haveing withdrawals now since I don"t even have my "spreadsheet" done with all the plans!!!!

One question - how do you manage to get on all the attractions if you wander into the parks later. Seriously now, if all the Fast Passes are gone how do you handle it???

 

[psu4glory]

never realized there was such a thing as a "reserved fast pass" process.....i would LOVE to know about that, too!

 

[pouncingpluto]

One question - how do you manage to get on all the attractions if you wander into the parks later. Seriously now, if all the Fast Passes are gone how do you handle it???

You don't get on all the attractions. You get on some of the attractions. That is the key philosophical difference between being a commando and a former-commando.

But if getting on the most popular rides is important to you (like it is to us... RnR, for example, is my favorite ride, and I like to do it on every trip), you can always go to the park at opening but then leave at lunchtime to relax for the afternoon.

 

[WDWLVR]

Here's how we do it now.

Breakfast in the room. One of the reasons I love DVC. We can start the day at our own pace.

Get to the park we want for the day early and enjoy it before the park gets too crowded. When the crowds start showing up we leave.

Mid-day break. Maybe it is going back to the room for a light lunch or maybe we'll stop someplace else (Kona Care, Beaches and Cream, etc.). Then relax in the room. We really aren't pool people but do enjoy a good book or people watching from the balcony. If we are doing a real late night (like MVMCP) might even take an afternoon nap.

Back to the parks. Maybe not the same one we were at in the morning. We're relaxed so can enjoy the parks. Sometimes having dinner in the park (LeCellier is a favorite) or sometimes before we go over (like going to Cape May Buffet).

The key to planning is to decide what are the 4-5 things that are "must do" for us. Maybe it is a new thing maybe not. Once we have those done everything else is just gravy and fun. We find that we really see so much more this way then when we tried to do commando - or at least it seems that way.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Ditto WDWLVR.

I third (fifth?) the benefit of APs - makes 2-hour park visits possbile.

The only "commando" habit I can't break is wanting to be in the parks at rope drop. Of course, we might leave 3 hours later for our PM break, but I still get a thrill out the opening ceremonies.

One thing I haven't seen yet: doesn't anyone get a small bit of "been there done that" about some of the rides / attractions? Of course, PotC, HM, TMRR, etc. are 'every trip' rides. But last trip I found it difficult to work up enthusiasm for Jungle Cruise, Buzz and so on. Which, of course, helps the anti-commando attitude.

 

[pouncingpluto]

Definitely. Which is why I am totally fine with not doing every ride every time and some things only every few years.

 

[lsutigger2]

Thanks everyone. This has convinced me that I'll be okay.
DH and I are going for a short trip - three full days. DH is going to play golf on two days. We have park passes for one day. On the golf days we will do something else - maybe Boardwalk, DTD, eat somewhere new, a new resort, etc etc. I know there are lots of things to do. So I've decided to wait and get AP's in November when we'll be back since we don't have plans for 2007 made yet. AP's will push that issue and we'll be making plans soon enough!!

Anyway, I was concerned about what to do on the golf days. I'm so stressed now that two days of relaxing sounds divine!

Like the Little Engine That Could, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

I'll let you know when we return!

 

[Lesley]

For us I think its just that we got older and had kids. Now the kids take so much energy and the parks take so much energy and we just can't commando any more. Plus we've done the "big stuff" so many times now that we enjoy finding things we didn't see before....and once you've been there so many times it becomes harder. For new experiences we need to "stop and smell the roses" so to speak.

I can see us returning to commando mode when the kids are older...but as long as we have anyone in the under 6 category its not going to happen.

 

[jade1]

never realized there was such a thing as a "reserved fast pass" process.....i would LOVE to know about that, too!

Theres not, I said it "would" help, its a rumor. Check the "rumors board" under "paying for fp in 2006". It would be nice.