Biggest Misconceptions

[hpriamson]

This thread (and the comment above in particular) reminds me of this post from last year, where a self-identified travel agent and lifelong WDW fan was shocked and outraged about all the things that had changed at the park that she hadn't looked into before her first trip in a few years. It seems to me that a travel agent would take the time to find out if the things that were most important to her were stioll there. Some of the things that took her by surprise were:

• The price of parking had gone up
• Parking for the Magic Kingdom was at the TTC instead of the park gates (she remembered the old parking price, but not the location)
• Full, unfolded strollers couldn't go on the parking tram
• There was construction going on
• The entrance to the castle passageway wasn't open all the time
• You have to line up for character meets in specific locations, and you can't always get the FP you want for them
  
• During busy periods, you can't save tables in quick-service restaurants
• Chicken nuggets and pizza weren't served at every restaurant she went to
• She couldn't get last-minute ADR's for table service
• ADR cancellation policy and no-show fee
• No pixie dust (FP's, free desserts) on her birthday
• The closures of Pleasure Island, the Adventurers’ Club, Toon Town, and the McDonald's Fries wagon
• They didn't refund her non-refundable tickets after she complained about the above

Thank you for this! I've been reading that thread (and other linked threads from that) off and on all afternoon! It's the funniest thing I've ever seen on these boards.

 

[rmm7e]

It's not necessarily an impossible situation.

If they DID happen to ask about a FP to a popular attraction later in the day (let's say Soarin',) it
is very possible that those FPs were "all sold out."

If they did that a time or two, it would lead to the impression that all FPs were "sold out."

Even if your hairdresser was making up that it happened to them, it is now very real for some attractions weeks in advance, due to FP+ advance booking.

Excellent point. I don't know if she meant "out" or "sold out" because they went to Universal as well where they bought FOLs. Maybe she wasn't referring to money. I know she said she liked the way it was done at Universal better.

 

[azdisneymom]

They had the QS dining plan. She referred to them as coupons, and that they had to give coupons for their meals. Um, no.

This is how the meal plan works in Disneyland. Very strange, not many people use it.

 

[elaine amj]

This thread (and the comment above in particular) reminds me of this post from last year, where a self-identified travel agent and lifelong WDW fan was shocked and outraged about all the things that had changed at the park that she hadn't looked into before her first trip in a few years. It seems to me that a travel agent would take the time to find out if the things that were most important to her were stioll there. Some of the things that took her by surprise were:

• The price of parking had gone up
• Parking for the Magic Kingdom was at the TTC instead of the park gates (she remembered the old parking price, but not the location)
• Full, unfolded strollers couldn't go on the parking tram
• There was construction going on
• The entrance to the castle passageway wasn't open all the time
• You have to line up for character meets in specific locations, and you can't always get the FP you want for them
  
• During busy periods, you can't save tables in quick-service restaurants
• Chicken nuggets and pizza weren't served at every restaurant she went to
• She couldn't get last-minute ADR's for table service
• ADR cancellation policy and no-show fee
• No pixie dust (FP's, free desserts) on her birthday
• The closures of Pleasure Island, the Adventurers’ Club, Toon Town, and the McDonald's Fries wagon
• They didn't refund her non-refundable tickets after she complained about the above

Thank u for the best entertainment of the night. I read the ENTIRE thread (loved the fries debate) and then followed some of the links to other troll threads. When I got to the "eat farts" one, I started snorting so loud I woke up my hubby and then I proceeded to laugh so hard I couldn't tell him what was so funny! Certainly more than I ever have reading ANY forum thread. Everyone's right (sorry for not believing u guys) - that is definitely the best of the best on the Dis (or any forum!!). Kudos to some awesomely witty DIS'ers!!

 

[scrapquitler]

I think there are still a large number of guests each day who believe it's something you have to pay extra for.

Well since many many people have a lot of Six Flags experience, and at Six Flags (and at Universal, unless you are staying on site) the fast pass type thing IS something that you have to pay extra for, it's not a really far fetched idea to people that they might have to pay for something like this. I know that my brother went to WDW without doing any research and he thought that -- he had never been to Disney but has been a Six Flags season pass holder for years...

 

[Reddog1134]

went to WDW without doing any research

And there's the root of the problem for most people.

 

[PrincessV]

Yes, but - don't you have a wealth of info in your head to draw upon? So while you can go for a day and not have a set plan and have a great time - you still have many strategies you employ as you spend that day. You know what moves fast and slow, when a crowd is too big and where your favorites are...

I'm not disagreeing with you, rather I think I'm refining your point - which is to say that with a little experience under one's belt and planning from past trips, one can "wing it" really successfully on future trips. It is not requisite that EVERY trip be planned.

Yes... but I rarely use that experience, lol! I visit with my 12yo son, who is the most easy-going kid I've ever met; totally unlike me. He'll happily wait 3 hours in a line and do nothing else because THAT's the thing he most wants to ride/do/see/eat that day. We have our limits: I flat-out refuse to wait more than an hour in any line, and he's miserable most of the day if I insist on an early morning to take advantage of lower crowds. So we often wind up touring like the uneducated masses, arriving late, trying to snag whatever FPs we can, waiting in lines and walking up to restaurants without ADRs. My knowledge base is pretty useless those days lol!

But here's the thing: that's still usually a fun day for us. If anything, the new norm of needing to plan everything has brought me full-circle back to the pre-FP, pre-ADR days and I'm finding that I actually enjoy the time more! Of course, I realize it's easy for me to say that because if we don't get to something we really wanted, it's still there, a 2-hour drive away for some other weekend. I'd rarely recommend that approach to folks doing the one-time-visit vacation. But it's still a misconception among some of my Disney friends, who despite all evidence to the contrary, are convinced I can't possibly be having any fun by not planning.