Any other dvc folks frustrated with VACATION PLANNING NOW???

[Longhairbear]

yes, we didn't want to deal with the Fast Pass business. So we stayed at OKW but went to Universal, then used our points for a DVC Dream cruise, then stayed at AKL and went to a water park.

We liked Universal way more than we thought we would, and it encouraged us to go off site more.

That's our plan too. We haven't been back to WDW in years. But there is a good reason to stay at our beloved Wilderness again , now that Diagon Alley is opening at Universal. We also thought it would be good to marinate some steaks in the morning, and then go to the Kennedy Space Center for the day, and then come back and grill dinner. We've never used the grills at Wilderness, and thought it's about time we did.

 

[Sammie]

Not frustrated at all, love it all, Fastpass+, the Magicbands, booking early saves me from frustration when I get there.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Definitely not my favorite thing and detracts from our Disney vacations. But other than the previously mentioned attractions you really don't have to book FP that far in advance. However do be aware that when people talk about easily switching during the day they are visiting they most likely mean for the MK and to a slightly lesser degree of success at AK and DHS for the top tier attractions. Tier 2's are not bad but if that's not what you are looking for just be aware that there's potential for problems at the smaller parks. And Epcot has so few tier 1 rides it's very difficult. Overall MK is the easiest to book late and switch most easily.

 

[tjkraz]

95% of the angst and frustration attached to MDE is self-inflicted.

 

[edk35]

95% of the angst and frustration attached to MDE is self-inflicted.

Please elaborate

 

[tjkraz]

Please elaborate

See Erionm's reply...post #3.

The only attraction you are almost forced to plan far in advance is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. That may still be booking up several weeks in advance due to demand. Frozen Meet & Greet is also still in high demand.

Worst case, plan one day at Magic Kingdom well in advance to reserve these options.

Other than that, Toy Story Mania will sometimes book up about 12-18 hours in advance (e.g., by 6pm you may find all FPs gone for the following day.) But you can still wait until well after your trip has begun to choose a Hollywood Studios day and secure FPs.

The other two parks you could make FP reservations same day and not have a problem. I wouldn't recommend waiting until after noon to try and pick them. But if you decide the night before, reserve FPs then. Or do it while riding the bus to the park.

The biggest problem with MDE is people THINKING they need to plan everything weeks in advance...and stressing over that perceived need. It really is not necessary.

 

[nkosiek]

See Erionm's reply...post #3.

The only attraction you are almost forced to plan far in advance is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. That may still be booking up several weeks in advance due to demand.

This is definitely true. Have it booked for our second day of an 8 day trip and after finally talking to everyone going I tried to book it for anytime before 5pm on the last day (we'll be getting picked up around 5:30 via DME). Now, granted it was on Friday June 27th that I tried booking for August 4th but nothing has shown up for anything before 5pm. It is frustrating to think that one has to plan rides or face a minimum of 1.5 hours of lines more than 34 days out. Yes, I know under the old system if you didn't get there for a FP early you might not get one, but never did that involve planning 34 days out.

 

[Brian Noble]

Can I book fast passes to the POPULAR RIDES closer to the time?

We were at BLT for the first week of April this year. We planned the first half of the trip fairly well in advance. But, the second half we did mostly the night before. Some of the most popular things only had availability a bit later in the day, but that wasn't really a problem.

Note that this was before A&E and 7DMT opened, so I can't speak to those two. But, I did e.g. get a mid-morning time on Test Track the day before, and all three mountains for an evening hopping *to* MK the night before.

 

[Bribrittmom]

Yesterday we decided to go 3 weeks from yesterday! DHS 's Frozen fireworks convinced us there was a reason to go! FP+ for the Dwarf mine were out for Saturday and Sunday, but we got 9 ish ones for Friday, which is great because we arrive at MCO at 4. We were able to get TSMM for Saturday at a reasonable time since we will go to a water park that morning, and did fine with Sunday's passes as well. I got 1 dinner ADR that we wanted, there are CS restaurants we like in MK & AK, so did not try for any there.

SSR had a studio or a 1 bedroom, we went with the studio, have used all but 6 of our 2014 points now!

I hope you are as lucky as we were in getting the things you want to do!

Bobbi

What is TSMM?

 

[nkosiek]

What is TSMM?

Toy Story Midway Mania!

 

[tjkraz]

Yes, I know under the old system if you didn't get there for a FP early you might not get one, but never did that involve planning 34 days out.

On behalf of the millions of people who avoid rope drop like the plague, having to plan ONE day at WDW several weeks in advance is no great imposition. Combine it with an ADR for CRT, BOG or Crystal Palace...which we've been forced to schedule 6 months out for many years now.

 

[Longhairbear]

On behalf of the millions of people who avoid rope drop like the plague, having to plan ONE day at WDW several weeks in advance is no great imposition. Combine it with an ADR for CRT, BOG or Crystal Palace...which we've been forced to schedule 6 months out for many years now.

This is going to come across as being a snide remark, so sorry in advance. But, having to book ADR that far in advance at any location at WDW is the really big reason we order groceries and cook in our villa.

 

[Sur]

My two options- book ADRs, FP+, grocery delivery, etc. FAR in advance OR deal with meltdown, endless fidgeting, frustration, agitation while there. I couldn't be more thrilled to plan FAR out. I have two with disorders (one of which is my spouse). Life used to be mellow, long ago. Aaah, the good ol' days.

 

[mouseclick1]

My biggest frustration right is that Disney changed their park hours and EMH evenings for July just last week, less than 2 weeks before our trip begins. I didn't mind the planning way ahead, which is what Disney seems to expect now, but for them to make such last minute changes is unacceptable. We are there for a full week and now there are no scheduled MK EMH evenings during our entire stay.

I have now canceled a dinner at Narcoossee's because it was planned around the EMH, and have a late 7 Dwarves ride FP which I can't change to an earlier time or different day. This means that there is no way I'm going to be able to get that 4th FP on that day, which I didn't think I would need because there was supposed to be a EMH.

Not to mention that the EMH that was originally scheduled during our stay was a huge influence on my booking BLT for 3 days of our trip. I now wish I would have just stayed put at BWV, which is where we will spend the first 4 nights. Because we are DVC staying on points and not cash paying customers, it's impossible to move things around at this point.

I sent an email Disney, but have only gotten the "we will get back with you" email so far. I do not see the sense in setting up a system that highly encourages you to plan everything way ahead of time if Disney can make changes at the very last minute like that.

 

[tjkraz]

This is going to come across as being a snide remark, so sorry in advance. But, having to book ADR that far in advance at any location at WDW is the really big reason we order groceries and cook in our villa.

FWIW, we're the same way. We eat far more meals in our villa than we do at TS restaurants during a typical 7-10 day stay.

Problem is the restaurants only accommodate a small percentage of all park guests in a given day. Disney can afford to offer the 180 day reservations and still see things fill up from the long-term planners.

I do think ADRs are much better than any first-come, first-served system or even short term reservations. Some are still nostalgic for same-day restaurant bookings at Epcot. Dealing with that sort of uncertainty...and the waits to book...would be awful, IMO.

Still my unwillingness to map out our full trip 6 months in advance has surely caused us to spend less on dining. But it appears Disney has plenty of others who have filled the available slots at many restaurants.

 

[disneynutz]

The ADR cancellation fee also keeps us from dining with Disney. I'm sure that it has increased their bottom line but for people who didn't abuse the system it changes things.

We came off of a delayed flight and made the mistake of booking a ADR at Grand Floridian Café on the first night of our stay. We got to the restaurant in time but we were exhausted and asked if they would let us cancel our reservation or move it to the next night. We were told that we could cancel for $20 and they would not let us move it.

Bill

 

[edk35]

My biggest frustration right is that Disney changed their park hours and EMH evenings for July just last week, less than 2 weeks before our trip begins. I didn't mind the planning way ahead, which is what Disney seems to expect now, but for them to make such last minute changes is unacceptable. We are there for a full week and now there are no scheduled MK EMH evenings during our entire stay.

I have now canceled a dinner at Narcoossee's because it was planned around the EMH, and have a late 7 Dwarves ride FP which I can't change to an earlier time or different day. This means that there is no way I'm going to be able to get that 4th FP on that day, which I didn't think I would need because there was supposed to be a EMH.

Not to mention that the EMH that was originally scheduled during our stay was a huge influence on my booking BLT for 3 days of our trip. I now wish I would have just stayed put at BWV, which is where we will spend the first 4 nights. Because we are DVC staying on points and not cash paying customers, it's impossible to move things around at this point.

I sent an email Disney, but have only gotten the "we will get back with you" email so far. I do not see the sense in setting up a system that highly encourages you to plan everything way ahead of time if Disney can make changes at the very last minute like that.

I saw that on another board. VERY FRUSTRATING.

 

[edk35]

The ADR cancellation fee also keeps us from dining with Disney. I'm sure that it has increased their bottom line but for people who didn't abuse the system it changes things.

We came off of a delayed flight and made the mistake of booking a ADR at Grand Floridian Café on the first night of our stay. We got to the restaurant in time but we were exhausted and asked if they would let us cancel our reservation or move it to the next night. We were told that we could cancel for $20 and they would not let us move it.

Bill

We eat very few TS meals anymore at Disney. In my opinion...the food has gone down in quality in recent years and the cost has gone UP UP UP. When we have our van with us...we head out a few times a week to grab lunch out in town. I usually make 2 ADR's the entire trip. We tend to eat at some of the better CS places......not the typical burgers/chicken tender places though.

 

[edk35]

FWIW, we're the same way. We eat far more meals in our villa than we do at TS restaurants during a typical 7-10 day stay.

Problem is the restaurants only accommodate a small percentage of all park guests in a given day. Disney can afford to offer the 180 day reservations and still see things fill up from the long-term planners.

I do think ADRs are much better than any first-come, first-served system or even short term reservations. Some are still nostalgic for same-day restaurant bookings at Epcot. Dealing with that sort of uncertainty...and the waits to book...would be awful, IMO.

Still my unwillingness to map out our full trip 6 months in advance has surely caused us to spend less on dining. But it appears Disney has plenty of others who have filled the available slots at many restaurants.

We don't cook in the villas other than making quick breakfast type things..... but I know a lot that do that now. There are ONLY a couple of TS places we feel are worth still going to. We have far more disappointing meals anymore.

 

[hjgaus]

I sure am!!! We decided to just go in Aug. and use our 150 points instead of putting them into RCI since they expire the end of Aug (that's another story). OMG… I am so overwhelmed with the planning planning planning. We are NOT getting AP's instead we are getting 4 day military discounted park passes with water parks so we have 4 regular park days and 4 water parks and more days. Now I have to decide which days of our trip we will be going to which parks in order to secure those coveted FAST PASS reservations. Then figure out which days we will be at the water parks in order to ONCE AGAIN SECURE the coveted fast passes on the regular park days. . We were at Disney last March and August and for the first time in MY DISNEY GOING YEARS… (which happens to be a lot) I am COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED. I almost feel like THROWING IN THE TOWEL and placing the points in RCI.

Can I book fast passes to the POPULAR RIDES closer to the time? Will I lose out if I wait? What are the chances of me getting good times on have rides if I switch something the day before???

Hang in there ..... it will all be okay!!
Thanks for this thread so I can see what I will be working with in a few months!!
We are going during the roughest time of year (Christmas & New Year's Eve)
so ANY suggestions are helpful.

Thanks