Am I expecting too much?

[VSL]

I love WDW, and just being there gives me a fuzzy, gooey feeling inside.

However, my BF's auntie went for a first trip last year and really felt that she had spoilt it a bit by doing too much research into some of the rides and stuff.
Planning is intelligent, but maybe try to avoid reading about what happens inside rides, and specifics. Just know the best times to be at certain places and stuff.

And try not to expect anything - Disney is wonderful, but it is not perfect, and the people around you there will all be only human too.

 

[carolfoy]

I think you'll enjoy it more by having so much research done already. So many people go and expect to walk into every table seating restaurant, walk onto every ride etc. At least you know some good hints and tips already and you'll have a rough idea of your must-do's and could-miss's so relax, enjoy, let the magic find YOU. You won't be disappointed.

 

[eeyore45]

I went last Oct, and had way too high of expectations, even dd 9 talked about it not being as good as our July trip... we went through some of our disappointments (she stubbed her toe so hard she couldnt walk!! I fell and had to rent an ECV 2 sprained ankles - then the crowds were higher than I expected...etc etc)

BUT the one thing I wish we'd done was go back to the resort and enjoy the view... to sit and do nothing around the pool... We did soarin 5 times, and loved each and every second, but it did eat up a lot of time!!

Another thing I stressed over was lines, in the FP lanes - my mom would see me getting anxious, and she started "timing' those terribly long lines - and we'd still only be there 15 - 20 min!! So from now on I tell others to think about timing things, it looks a lot longer than it really is!!

Also, walk down the MK look at the castle, look around at the shops of Main Street, and all the people, it does bring a tear to my eye as well...

In July because of the planning we did more, and enjoyed it too - we saw some of the "bands" at Epcot because of the planning...

We went to Great America, and then compared the two - never again GA!! Just 5 attractions at WDW, a show and a parade gets more magic in our hearts - so that's our expectations now!!!

 

[mickeymousemom]

Okay, I haven't read all the posts, but Mel back on page one has some great advice. Here are my thoughts:

Disney is a truly wonderful, magical place. I can't say that I can put my finger on exactly what it is, but its there. The magic is just there. Maybe its because I know the man who designed(well, not personally of course!) it and what his intentions were. Walt wanted theme parks where families could bond and even the adults could feel like kids. Yes, not everything there is perfect, and you'll have days where you run into rude guests(this happens every trip for us), see more than you want to see, and maybe not even like the food at a specific place. But for the most part, WDW is clean, the CM's are wonderful(you'll never find that at other parks) and they know how to spread the magic. My whole family loves this place. I cry when I get there, and I cry when we leave, and I'm not the only one by far. How many people do this at other theme parks??? With all that said, you need to expect that not everything may be perfect, but thats okay. For me, even if things don't go perfect, I'm still at Disney. As alot of people around here might say, "A bad day at Disney is better than a good day at home"..or work....etc. I truly hope your trip is as magical as it can be(my suspicions are that it will be). Just remember, don't go commando...take your time and enjoy the atmosphere and take in all the details WDW has to offer. Thats a great thing about these parks, there are SO many details you can take in, if you just look. Don't worry too much about your expectations being too high. Disney IS a wonderful, magical place, with an atmosphere that no other park can claim. Take your time, utilize fast passes(sounds like you'll be there during Spring Break time) and don't let any crowds bother you. One tip...if you don't use EMH nights(which can be horribly crowded), be aware of what park had a late night then go to that park first thing in the morning. It should be a little less crowded. I can't stress enough to not let the crowds bother you. If you have to wait in line, WDW has some interesting queue lines that are quite enjoyable in themselves. At any rate, don't worry....go and have a wonderful, magical time!

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

So, how was it? Did WDW live up to your expectations? Hope you had a great time.

 

[Melwood23]

I had been planning my first trip since WDW opened in 71. I swore I would get there before my 40th birthday.

My first trip was in May 2000, just 4 months shy of my 40th.


Was I disappointed...nope. So what if I ran up to Tigger screaming "TIGGGGERRR!!".

WDW is one of the few places I can act like a kid, and not feel embarrassed.

 

[Stitch65]

My husband had never been to disney before he married me (boy was HE in for a lot of vacations! ) and he was very cynical. He thought it was an over-glorified Six Flags. First night, I drag him down to DTD and in about 10 mins he was skipping, yes skipping, down the street singing disney tunes. He's a convert now!

I just love the feeling we get when we first see the castle, or the globe at Epcot. I have so many wonderful memories of Disney, I'm getting all fuzzy inside just typing this post!

May 5th cannot get her soon enough for me!

 

[DeirdreTours]

My family has been to Disney 6 times over the last 10 years. Obviously, we enjoy going-- but I think this thread does grossly overstate what the Disney experience is. It is a commercial venture with plusses and minuses. Some people are charmed and delighted by it, others really are not. The Dis boards presents the opinions of people planning Disney trips-- so, of course we have positive feelings about the experience (else why would we be going?).

I have had some very good vacations at Disney (and a couple of rather bad ones), but I wouldn't describe them as "magical" (magical vacations for me have been the volcano park in Hawaii, exploring the tiny hill towns in southern Spain, or walking the streets of Paris in the spring).

And, I certainly would not describe the food as exceptional. What it is for us is a trip that the whole family can enjoy on different levels with a lot of walking, entertainment and activity. The service has declined a bit over the last 10 years, but not to the point of ruining our trips.

 

[Mo-Yo]

Don't flame me everyone....but I believe DW can be over-hyper...I also think It may not be right for every one. IMHO it is best to set low expectations, to plan well and to go and enjoy your family.

I loved MK as a kid. I was totally awestruck.

But in the early 90's DH and I lived in Orlando on a Navy salary. When family visited, we took the pilgrimage to Disney. What we found was oppressive heat, long lines, closed attractions and a lot of stress over the amount of money we were spending.

My brother-in-law and I chanted this mantra as we plowed through the crowds getting my young and overwhelmed nieces on to Dumbo and Peter Pan..."Be our guest, be our guest...put your patience to the test."

I liked EPCOT and really liked Universal Studios. The crowds were lighter there, the weather nicer, the value per dollar seemed greater.

That said...we had monkeys...three of them, and I started thinking we would go back. I started researching online...I bought the UNofficial guide (Extremely Honest IMO), and we went back in 2003.

We got a great deal on a cabin in FW, so we had a quiet place to retreat when/if we got tired or overwhelmed. We cooked many of our own meals. We enjoyed our time together...and we loved Disney. Though we did have a "not so great day" at AK. My husband cried when we left.

I stalked the boards for a while, and we went back again in Dec. 2005, stayed at POR and did the dining plan. We loved trying restaurants...and POR was a great resort. We had a ball.

We'll probably go again next spring and stay in a pool home. I love planning vacations to DW - and anywhere else - in my head. I love hammering out the details and escaping from the day to day in my imagination before I go. But Before I go I always try to take a deep breath, and say I planned, I dreamed, now I am going to have fun whether the destination in my head is the same as the one I pictured or not.

No place is perfect. DW is a theme park and a business, but it is one of a kind and it is a terrific place to relish family and life and the creativity and imagination of others.

It will be what you make it. Have fun.

Mo

 

[Nancyg56]

The conversation the OP had with her DH could have been the same as the one I had with my DH. I had been "stalking" the boards also, bought the guide books, planned the ideal touring plan.....you get the picture. Well, he had a friend who took his DD to the world, did no research, and was furious when the little girl did not want to leave the pool, and was overwhelmed in the parks. They have not gone back. My DH was afraid that I would have the same expectation for our little DGD, and crash if she could not "rise to my expectation".

Well, I think that thees boars can fill you with expectations that cannot be met on every vacation, but there is also practical advice to keep you grounded. I would suggest that you let the magic guide you, and if that means that you don't see everything or hit every attraction, well you have wonderful magical moments to fill your heart. I would also suggest that you let your family help you in your plan. I have an aquaintance whose kids have never watched the parades, or stopped for a street show because that take away from ride time. They go every year, but cannot stand in a line to meet a character if that is what they want to do that day.

Anyway, have a wonderful time with your family, and remember that you can always go back.

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

Don't flame me everyone....but I believe DW can be over-hyper...I also think It may not be right for every one. IMHO it is best to set low expectations, to plan well and to go and enjoy your family.

I loved MK as a kid. I was totally awestruck.

But in the early 90's DH and I lived in Orlando on a Navy salary. When family visited, we took the pilgrimage to Disney. What we found was oppressive heat, long lines, closed attractions and a lot of stress over the amount of money we were spending.

My brother-in-law and I chanted this mantra as we plowed through the crowds getting my young and overwhelmed nieces on to Dumbo and Peter Pan..."Be our guest, be our guest...put your patience to the test."

I liked EPCOT and really liked Universal Studios. The crowds were lighter there, the weather nicer, the value per dollar seemed greater.

That said...we had monkeys...three of them, and I started thinking we would go back. I started researching online...I bought the UNofficial guide (Extremely Honest IMO), and we went back in 2003.

We got a great deal on a cabin in FW, so we had a quiet place to retreat when/if we got tired or overwhelmed. We cooked many of our own meals. We enjoyed our time together...and we loved Disney. Though we did have a "not so great day" at AK. My husband cried when we left.

I stalked the boards for a while, and we went back again in Dec. 2005, stayed at POR and did the dining plan. We loved trying restaurants...and POR was a great resort. We had a ball.

We'll probably go again next spring and stay in a pool home. I love planning vacations to DW - and anywhere else - in my head. I love hammering out the details and escaping from the day to day in my imagination before I go. But Before I go I always try to take a deep breath, and say I planned, I dreamed, now I am going to have fun whether the destination in my head is the same as the one I pictured or not.

No place is perfect. DW is a theme park and a business, but it is one of a kind and it is a terrific place to relish family and life and the creativity and imagination of others.

It will be what you make it. Have fun.

Mo

Very well said!! I grew up growing to DL and couldn't wait to visit WDW as an adult. I had this idea of a magical place. Over the years I have learned to love the idea of a Magical Place, but I also know that what makes it magical is not the industry of Disney, but sharing it with those I love. Taking the time to enjoy the great detail in the landscaping, and the imagination of so many people over the years that has gone into the creation of this magical place, makes strolling hand in hand with your child or spouse very magical indeed!

 

[MayButterfly]

I just had to add my.02 in on this. Last November was my first trip. My DH had been 10 years ago and he was more excited about it than I was.. I was looking forward to it but it had never been a dream of mine when I was a kid and I didnt know how I could POSSIBLY interact with a character..I mean it's just a person in a costume, right? lol.. well our first full day there we went to Cindy's table for breakfast..As soon as I saw the princesses come out it was like I was a different person!! I was still shyish/hestitant bout the characters but by the end of the week I was hopping with Tigger and telling him he's Tiggeriffic .. I kept calling my mom and telling her how great it was. I'm a changed person.. I mean we are going back in Sept with some friends. I never thought I would be a "disney" person... but you'll see...
sorry for the long comment! I just had to share my experience

 

[pepe of ohio]

Others may not agree with me, but a problem I see with all the info available online is that our expectations go through the roof when it comes to Disney. It's a wonderful and fun place, but there is no heaven anywhere on earth. It's best to look at it as a chance to have fun with your family. You can't make the magic happen, it just does! So just relax and take your time exploring without "searching" for the magic! It's easier to exceed expectations when they are realistic to start with!
Have a great time! (of course you must figure out a way to do this without letting hubby say I told you so)

I totally agree with this post. Don't force the magic and don't expect all the free hype you read about. Disney is enjoying without even going to the parks. Sit back, relax and take in the scenery of WDW. The different resorts and their themeing, restarants, landscape and detail to beauty are just added magic to a fun filled vacation.

Enter the parks with the same eye, don't rush from ride to ride, you can easily see everything there is and ride without going commando. Sit on a bench in the different lands, look at the buildings but above all, have a relaxing time and have fun. Listen to your body, when its tired and had enough, leave the parks and play at your resort. A dip in the pool, drink in hand, calms the nerves and rejuveninates the soul. Enjoy your first time leisurely so there will be many more after to come.

 

[disneyfreak74]

Magic?????? You bet!!!! I am 32 years old and CRY everytime I walk down Main Street!!!

 

[Mo-Yo]

I am truly happy for those who believe in Disney "Magic," and I do really love going to Disney and to reading about it here.

But, I get a little worried when people promise the "Magic" to everyone. I know from experience not everyone reacts the same way...not everyone gets hooked...not everyone loves Disney unconditionally. So I would rather advise caution than to contribute to what could be a disappointment.

I can't wait to hear what the OP does think after her trip...what her family loved and what could be better.

I hope you have a great (Magical?) time...millions of people do...some don't. I hope it is everything you want it to be...It will definately be what you make of it.