Best Strategy=No Strategy and Go Cheap!

[kmorey303]

I've had my fair share of Disney trips under my belt, and I have to say that my favorite strategy when it comes to touring, is having none at all! Last year was our first experience with FP+ and I absolutely loved it. We were able to use MDE with little or no issue to edit FP selections and were really able to do and see just about everything we wanted on top of waiting in character lines and pin trading!
We choose QS dining because we get decent variety, no TS meals that tend to take longer, no tipping and it's slightly less expensive. We stay value resort, because really we spend most of our days in the parks, but when we don't, we use DTD and explore our resort!
I think sometimes new forum readers can get intimidated by the questions, strategies, and schedules. Sometimes they may think this is just the way Disney works and they have to be prepared (like in peak season, which I've experienced twice!). But honestly, enjoy the trip, live in the moment. I had the most magical vacation last year with my girls and DH, and we had no plans but to experience the magic that is Disney.

 

[SmithSmith]

You're tempting me to adopt your style of touring. It sounds fun!

It's nice to know impromptu touring is possible under MM+. Thanks!

 

[kataEbi]

We are absolutely the same way (for the most part). Though I understand why this isn't the best strategy for all. Families make things a lot more... complicated and if it's your "once-in-a-lifetime" trip, that also plays a part.

As young-er adults (U-30) w/o kids, we like to enjoy it as a VACATION, not a rigidly timed schedule of events. Casually walk anywhere we want, hit any ride we want, decide on the park the day before, change parks if we find one to be less busy, etc. I'd probably offend someone if I said out loud that we've slept in til 11am/not been at a park before noon before. We just don't have fun if we're so extremely tied down to something. We try and go on weeks of 7/10 or less.. and even then, FP+ seems to always have at least some availability.

We also go value, the bed and shower is pretty much the same and we spend our time in the parks. Money saved on the room gets us extra days/nights at the parks, dinners, etc. We do a fair share of TS mainly because we've not found much good in a lot of the CS places. Always so packed with people, cant find tables... for a few bucks more each, I'll pay for a seat and a better meal (because we saved elsewhere). Going to DTD and other resorts for dinner. There's lots of the 'World that people never even see.

Even if this style doesn't apply to you... be sure to take a moment to look around. Enjoy yourself, it's a vacation at the happiest place on Earth.

 

[fla4fun]

I'd probably offend someone if I said out loud that we've slept in til 11am/not been at a park before noon before.

You don't offend me. I am on vacation. That means I get up when I want and go to bed when I want. If I want to get up early I do. If I want to sleep in I do. My trip last month, I don't think I was ever out of the room before 1pm - and I was so rested and refreshed when my trip was over!

It's totally possible to have a no prior plans trip, even with MM+. Obviously, the fewer people in your party, the easier it is to get last minute FP+ if you want to - as a solo, I haven't had any issues getting day of FP+ once I decide which park I want to visit that day. I also prefer quick service to table service, for both cost and time savings. As far as the resort goes though, if I am planning to spend a lot of time at the resort, I generally go mod or deluxe and save the values for the quick, park intensive trips (although I am spending 10 days in a Cars suite at AOA later this month - so go figure!).

I know there are a lot of people who like to plan, and I understand that. I think a plan is a good thing if you are an infrequent visitor who wants to make the most of every minute. But for those people who visit a lot and don't feel the need to schedule every minute, it's possible to have a great trip without the plans too.

 

[marissamayhem]

I completely agree. I usually plan like crazy for every trip (my disney excitement needs an outlet after all!), but once I'm there, most of the plans go out of the window and we end up just doing what we want. There are just too many variables for my husband and I, that sticking to a schedule never really works. It's either raining on a water park day or we wake up for rope drop exhausted and up crawling back into bed.

I think doing research, finding out what rides/dining is must-do, and planning specific times for that is really all the planning anyone truly needs most of the time.