Anyone feel like a good chuckle...

[littlbugmom]

If we were going to spend thousands on this trip, there would be no excuse for not being prepared.QUOTE]



I planned our first trip in '05. I'm a planner so, I went to the Disney website. I had no idea how much information that website DOESN'T have! These boards and others like them are sooo much better but at that time, I had no reason to think I needed to be as obsessed with the planning as I now know I need to be.

I had only met a handful of people who had been to WDW. When I asked them for tips, they said vague things like, "it can get pretty crowded" "Use the extra hours" "definitely get a stroller" and one lady told me to be sure to make reservations because some of the restaurants fill up. No big deal, right?

For this trip, I knew we had to be better prepared but still didn't know how much better! A friend turned me on to this board last year but I thought over a year ahead was too far in advance to plan so, I shelved the board until I was ready to get down to planning.

In December, we asked my sister in law. She's a VETERAN WDW VACATIONER. My dh had to put in for his vacation days the year by the first week of January. We wanted a good week to go. My sil, who goes to WDW every single year and at different times during the year, told us that the week of Thanksgiving isn't too bad and that the crowds are pretty light.

Imagine my horror at finding out that out of the ENTIRE YEAR we had to choose from, we picked the 3rd most crowded weeks.

NOW I know better!!
I'm reading reading reading!

 

[raph_b]

When I booked our very first trip for last year I had no clue. I did a lot of searching on google, mainly just to see what our resort was going to be like. And of course came across this lovely board, and that's when I first heard about "free dining". I wasn't sure if I should even believe it, but I called on the day everyone was posting about. I was not looking forward to planning my days around where we were eating. I was not looking forward to planning any of it at all, it just seemed a bit crazy to me. But anyway, I got the free dining added and went ahead with a plan & adr's, the whole jazz... Thank god I found this place! And for this next trip I absolutely couldn't wait to plan everything again!

In summary -- I came here as an anti-planner and ended up converted! And now I can't imagine it any other way.

(By the way -- when I tell people we are eating at Disney for free and did last year as well, they look at me like I am totally full of it.)

Exactly what happened for me - except this year

 

[cntrygal]

WHen i booked our first trip to disney, i did it on my lunch hour at work, ran to the travel agent(the only one in town) at lunch time, with no preplanning involved. I had gotten mad at work that morning when i was told i couldnt use any of my vacation days that summer(all i had wanted to do was take a 4 day weekend), because i had taken a week off in may when my mom passed away. I had plenty of accumulated time, just wasnt being allowed to use it. Thankful the travel agent told me about the dining plan and asked me if i wanted her to make dining reservations I had no clue what she was talking about. Luckily she pointed me to the direction of passporter guidebook and gave her a few ideas of ones we liked. The 180 day had already went past, but she secured us great meals, including the castle.. If it hadnt been for her i would have been clueless. Of course after reading that book, (and a few others) i learned about allearsnet, i did some more exploring and found a ton of other information. I ended up going back to the travel agent and giving her tons of advice. I have since helped so many plan there trips. I even now have friend of friends call and ask for help. I cant imagine going with out planning ....... all by planning drives my 17 yr old crazy......we are doing the deluxe dining plan for our upcoming trip.... he keeps saying why cant we just wing it and eat counter service meals , "i like chix tenders"...... well he can just skip some of my 24 adr's or stay at home

 

[littlbugmom]

NOW I know better!!
I'm reading reading reading!

Wanted to add that as much as I'm reading and researching for this trip, I will still be clueless compared to so many others. I'm starting to feel pretty good about my planning but I'm sure I'll make mistakes that I'll end up learning from.

 

[Lavazza]

We didn't make any reservations and were seated at every restaurant except LeCellier last month.

We even managed a walk up at Askerhaus in Norway for the princess dinner. Whether it was being in the right place at the right time, we still had dinner with all the princesses without a reservation.

It can be done.

 

[kmjmom]

I find myself constantly quoting the Disboards to my friends. Some look at me like I have two heads but I bet they secretly go home and check it out! I can't believe what I have learned from these forums-it's impossible to fathom!! Thanks Dissers!

 

[bytheblood]

Good on you for trying to help them out.

Anytime somebody tells me that they are going to WDW, I try to help them maximize their time and money and get the most from their trip. Some people think I am nuts, too - oh well!

 

[keylimepie]

I havent went to Disney since i was 10, and were it not for being pointed towards this board from a girl on another board, I would have had no clue on ADR's. I am so glad I was. Dh was skeptical until I told him some stories abotu restaurants being booked the whole week people were there or 3.5 hr waits. He Still doesnt liek the plannign of the days, so i amde a few that were free for us to pick a park from those that were good for the day, but he gave into the restaurants and getting there at rope drop. He finally gave into rope drop when i told him that midday we coudl go back to the resort and relax for a few hrs, that it didnt mean we had to stay at the park all day.

 

[Mickey_Man]

Really, do most people buy books when they are going on a trip somewhere? We just bought road maps.

Ummm............we do...

My brother is just like what everyone else is describing. He and his wife went to WDW before they had kids and thought it was just boring - they didn't want to ride the Dumbo ride or go see characters. We asked them about all of the "adult" things to do there - drinks at a lounge, parasailing, riding the mountains, downtown/pleasure island, etc. Their response was that it wasn't all bad - they really liked the Back to the Future ride!

Needless to say DW won't talk WDW with them ever again!

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

Last year I picked up the 2007 Birnabaums Disney Dining Guide. It only lists one restaurant that you must make an ADR for, and on the 180th day. It was CRT. Most of the other restaurants it said the reservations were recommended. A few, mainly the signiture restaurants, said reservations strongly recommended. Oh yeah, Le Cellier was not strongly recommended. Maybe some of the "clueless" people are trying to do research by getting guides, but still don't have the most accurate information. Granted that was 2007 guide, and I have not read the 2008 guide.

Those of us on the boards know that before the DDP, you could make PS's (that's what they USED to be) the morning of the day you wanted that restaurant. They even had phones in SSE for this purpose. I believe you touched 55 to connect with Disney Dining. Since the DDP started, you had better make ADR's BEFORE leaving home. It's getting harder and harder to obtain them. I am not saying anything against DDP, it's just fact. Birnbaum's has clearly not taken the popularity of DDP into consideration....yet.

So the planning that most of us do is becoming more and more necessity.

 

[asmit4]

I know this might sound odd, but when it comes to up to the minute travel info? I don't trust books. By the time they are printed they are out of date, and you only have that company's/writers opinion.

Being on the DIS or other boards like it give you a myriad of opinions and thoughts on 1 topic in a matter of minutes.

DW can change tomorrow...they can up prices, close rides...this stuff can't be found in a book. You have to have the up to date info that is up to the minute and even working to think ahead.

The DIS boards and others like it (like tripadvisor boards) are up to the minute on changes. You can get details from people on location today. Now that is worth it's weight in gold, way more than 12.00 book written last year for this years print.

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

I know this might sound odd, but when it comes to up to the minute travel info? I don't trust books. By the time they are printed they are out of date, and you only have that company's/writers opinion.

Being on the DIS or other boards like it give you a myriad of opinions and thoughts on 1 topic in a matter of minutes.

DW can change tomorrow...they can up prices, close rides...this stuff can't be found in a book. You have to have the up to date info that is up to the minute and even working to think ahead.

The DIS boards and others like it (like tripadvisor boards) are up to the minute on changes. You can get details from people on location today. Now that is worth it's weight in gold, way more than 12.00 book written last year for this years print.

We collect the Birnbaum Guides, so we can enjoy them in years to come to see what was new when. For up-to-date info, it's either here or Deb's allears.

 

[Finally08]

Ummm............we do...

My brother is just like what everyone else is describing. He and his wife went to WDW before they had kids and thought it was just boring - they didn't want to ride the Dumbo ride or go see characters. We asked them about all of the "adult" things to do there - drinks at a lounge, parasailing, riding the mountains, downtown/pleasure island, etc. Their response was that it wasn't all bad - they really liked the Back to the Future ride!

Needless to say DW won't talk WDW with them ever again!

Ahh well maybe adults that are planning vacations do a better job, especially if vacations are a regular part of life. We never really had any growing up, my mom was poor. My first trip to Disney I was 14, my sister was 19 - and she was the one who funded the trip! She's been a huge dis fan for many years, but I know for our first trip we (and a few for her after that - she goes pretty much, yearly) we flew by the seat of our pants with no clue.

I did do my homework by the time I was planning a vacation for my own family ....but I was already 30 at the time and had google at my fingertips.

 

[pjcinderella]

We only make ADR's for Mickey's backyard BBQ when we go in July & Dec. All our other character dining is always done once we are there and see when we want to eat somewhere. We never have a problem getting a reservation when we want it. Last July we got Crystal Palace at and were actually picked for the family of the day for the dinner opening so I would say it worked out! We like to just go w/ the flow not have a detailed plan to follow and just calling in the same day or day before has worked for us.

 

[Davey-D-99]

I don't trust books. By the time they are printed they are out of date, and you only have that company's/writers opinion.

Before I found the DIS, I bought the UG book. I thought it was somewhat helpful and informative.
However, the one great thing about it was that it pointed me here to these boards. I found the DIS through the UG.

 

[livie1205]

ok is everyone sitting down? my neighbors were telling us they were going on vacation soon to take their dd8 to wdw and they are just driving down and going to one of the resorts and walking in to get a room and so on.......! OMG I almost fell over...I just walked inside wrote down this website and a few others down on a piece of paper along with free ddp dates and said to look it up but DONT DO THAT lol I hope they take the advice so their dd is not sad when they dont have a good vacation....

 

[honeymo78]

Someone asked earlier how guests are supposed to know to make ADRs. At least recently (past 10months or so), everytime I call disney regarding my room reservation, I am asked at least twice per call whether I have made any dining reservations and would be happy to give me information about dining options and how important ADRs are -and I'm not on the DDP or DxDDP.

Maybe I'm just the exception but someone has told these CMs to continually ask about ADRs, I can't imagine that this step is skipped for all/most of the first timers or those who haven't visited in several years.

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

In 2000, I took my nieces (14 and 17). I gave them a copy of Birnbaum's (which they never opened) and planned the trip because they wouldn't. I was the official "tour guide" since I was the expert. They only wanted to go on each attraction ONCE. They were BORED! After we would finish something, they looked at me and said "what are we doing next?" After about 6 times of this, I handed them a guidemap and said "ya'll tell me".

Needless to say, it was a working trip for me.

The next year, I took a friend that had never been and WANTED to go. She and I had the best trip, were perfectly in sync and a few years later she was my Bridesmaid at my Disney Wedding!

Some people you just can't force to "get it". And some people do right as soon as they get on ME.



Their loss!

 

[Hollymom1229]

I have a friend who prior to this January had only been to MK once for one day. She was the forerunner of the "you're going again?" club. This January I invited her along with me for a quick 5 day trip, only 3 park days. She agreed for the trip to follow my plan. As we walked onto every ride for the first 2 hours in each park because we'd been at rope drop, ate great meals, and were still able to take time to relax and have fun she became a believer. She now wants us to go on another joint trip and bring along the husband's too.

If only every doubting newbie could hand over control and go the first time with an experienced WDW vacationer, there'd be a lot less disappointed people.

 

[planitdad]

Got a call last night from friends going the same week in Aug. during free dining. I am the planner in our family and have been asking DW if they have booked yet and stressing the importance, etc.

Well, last night they decided they better book, but now all that's available is FW cabins for free dining. Not in the budget so guided them to POP w/ room discount.

Told them all about FP, EMH and stressed the keep calling each a.m. for ADR that may open up. Kept it positive, emphasizing the advantage of flexibility not having ADR's adds, while inside I am

We have a full schedule of ADR's - can I let them use one of ours? We are family of 4, they have 3. We are on DP, they are not. Don't want to offer this if it is against any rules.