Boston Globe Article: WDW trip planning

[Mickey&Mouse]

There are still ways to do the things you want if you buy tickets at the park. You can use rope drop and the time towards park closing to ride headliners. And there are lots of good restaurants that take walk ups. But you would need to do the planning to know how to take advantage of those things too. You can have a magical trip without planning, but it is likely going to be more enjoyable with planning.

Planning definitely helps in the grand scheme, but it's the distinctness of *over-planning* involved with the FP+ system that's the crux of the matter for a lot of people (myself included). As far as the last-minute visitors, I still view them as entering the park at a disadvantage with respect to the headliners.

This occurred for us two times. Once in Feb 2014 for a one time visit (when only on site had pre-booking) and our December trip.

Tickets were bought at pretty much the last minute (night before and 2 days prior, respectively).

We did not feel disadvantaged at all.

I'm happy to hear that you didn't feel disadvantaged at all during your trip. Others haven't or won't feel the same unfortunately. I'm hoping that the friends we're meeting up with during our May trip will have good luck with the headliners at the last minute.

 

[Jing]

In theory, wouldn't the non-planner not know the headline attractions or "best" restaurants?

Actually, the dissident in me kind of wants to plan a non-planned visit - no ADR, no FP+, no tickets, no touring plan - just show up and see what happens. I chunk a good deal of my plans once I get there anyway since I am a Type A planner and a Type B vacationer. But in reality, I will wait for a blog or news feature about the totally unplanned totally spontaneous disney adventure.

 

[Cormoran]

Planning definitely helps in the grand scheme, but it's the distinctness of *over-planning* involved with the FP+ system that's the crux of the matter for a lot of people (myself included). As far as the last-minute visitors, I still view them as entering the park at a disadvantage with respect to the headliners.

I love planning my Disney vacations. I am already planning my next DLR vacation. But I agree with you, WDW now requires a level of planning that is absurd, if you want to experience headliners without waiting in long SB lines. I alos agree about the last minute visitors being shut out of attractions.

At the 60 day mark, I had everything for our trip arranged. At 45 days, I found out 2 more people were joining us and they wanted me to make the arrangements. The Disney website was acting up ( big shock) so I couldn't purchase tickets. I tried accessing the site 8 times the first day. Anyway, I ended up having to call Disney and relying on them to make the arrangements for me. I found this incredibly frustrating.

Prior to FP+ our friends would've arrived, purchased tickets at the gate, and we would've pulled FP's while we explored the parks. Very simple, but not anymore.
Here's another thread that talks about a last minute visit:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/taking-the-fun-out-of-spontaneous-visits.3392858

In theory, wouldn't the non-planner not know the headline attractions or "best" restaurants?

When I'm in the parks, I hear CM's and other guests talking to neophytes about headliner attractions. There are also billboards throughout WDW that advertise the headliners. I really don't think it's a deep dark secret.

 

[Alfalfa]

There are also billboards throughout WDW that advertise the headliners. I really don't think it's a deep dark secret.

As well as much of Orlando.

 

[Cormoran]

As well as much of Orlando.

Yup, I've never seen a billboard advertising FP+ for EO or Figment. Have you?

 

[Cormoran]

Based on this reader feedback, I don't think the Disboards posters are representative how some guests regard WDW vacation planning:
Anyone who is scheduled for a colonoscopy should read this article. It will make the procedure a pleasant alternative compared to a Disney trip, and probably cheaper.They actually have a lot in common.

Here's another comment:

After reading this, I am so, so, so happy I never had children...The Normandy Invasion had less planning involved for chrissakes...

 

[rwdavis2]

Even before all the latest changes I told people a trip to WDW was similar to a Mt. Everest Expedition in that:

1. It requires a planning.
2. It requires money. A lot, which is why you do #1.
3. and Stamina.

 

[srauseo]

Even before all the latest changes I told people a trip to WDW was similar to a Mt. Everest Expedition in that:

1. It requires a planning.
2. It requires money. A lot, which is why you do #1.
3. and Stamina.

I agree. Even before the new FP, I still had a spreadsheet. For me the new FP just takes some guess work out of it (i.e., I couldn't guarantee what times I would get with Legacy FP). But even on our last trip in August we still made some spontaneous changes. We didn't plan to eat at Spice Road Table - just walked in at dinner time. Didn't plan to do ETWB twice but my husband wasn't with us the first time and I wanted him to see it so we walked in with no wait around 9:30. Rode Haunted Mansion twice, because we walked by and the line was short. Didn't plan to eat at Flying Fish - just walked in around 8:30 one night because we didn't feel like staying at Studios for Fantasmic (the walk over to Boardwalk and our meal there ended up being one of my favorite nights on this past trip). The funniest was my mom deciding in the middle of dinner that she wanted to ride Test Track. So we sent her over to the single rider line and then met her at the bus stop heading back to the hotel.

 

[Jing]

That was my point - if you did no research, you would have to be in WDW or Orlando to know the headliners and prime restaurants. Hotels too, if you want to get on the "deluxe" discussion.

 

[DisneyParkLover]

That's why there is vanilla and chocolate because you just described how I picked out my last car. (well sort of ...it was the prettiest, but I did bargain a bit )

It was definitely spontaneous though since I wasn't in the market for a car at the time but had just stopped in for service.....lol.

Best part of the spontaneity is/was that I am thrilled with it !

That's awesome! That would never work out for me. I would realize down the road that I wasn't really happy with my choice or that it didn't work well for my family. I am a planner by nature. And truthfully, I think the truly spontaneous will still have a good time at Disney because their go with the flow attitude should mean they won't get all wound up if they don't hit all the headliners or if they have to wait in some lines.

 

[goofy4tink]

I note that you are a moderator on this Board. I don't know how one gets chosen to be a moderator, nor do I know who your circle of friends are. But I would be astounded if the vast majority of people you know personally, who have been to WDW, "plan, plan, plan". I am the Disney planner in my family. People at work, church, neighbors, etc. ask me for advice all the time. (And I know that I am not unique in this regard. Lots of people posting here are similarly "the Disney guy/gal"). I give my advice. And without fail, people act on about 10%-25% of it and roll their eyes at the rest. In fact, this past December, around the 10th or so, I was at a business dinner where someone who does a lot of work for me said: "I'm thinking about taking my family to Disney World between Christmas and New Year. What advice can you give me." Sadly, I had to say: "Don't". She and her husband make a ton of money and they could have called and booked a full rack rate room/suite at any Deluxe without blinking an eye had a room been available. But they would have been wasting that money. My advice to her was to start planning a trip for next Christmas, and instead, contact DCL and see if they had any cabins left for a Christmas cruise. Her approach to WDW is far more the norm than "all of the people" that you know. The comments section to the Boston Globe article are not written by a tightly drawn demographic (such as this Board). Those comments are far more reflective of how the man-on-the-street views all of this than a bunch of people who own DVC and/or go 4 times a year, every year. You have to appreciate just how far off the scale the members of this Board really are.

Actually, I'm a moderator on the Transportation board. So, here on this board I'm pretty much just like everyone else..,,well, except for having to really watch how and what I post!
There are plenty of very savvy Disney people out there that aren't here in the DIS. There are many other planning sites that give very good info. They may not have discussion areas but good info any way.
Even if someone is a 'neophyte', there are a ton of books they can buy. If someone is thinking about a last minute trip, then they should look at some kind of info, somewhere. In my experience, it's people like us that make those last minute trips. Those that are new to Disney tend to plan further out.
Is it a simple thing to just go to WDW these days? Nope, not a bit. But it had always needed a certain amount of preplanning. Yes, it's over the top now. And some may find that that amount of planning doesn't suit their family. And yes, some people may very well just throw up their hands in disgust and decide to visit the Grand Canyon. It truly doesn't Impact me, or most of my Disney friends.....from all over the country and the world. If it impacts others, it's up to them to decide if it's worth it.

 

[sharona]

In theory, wouldn't the non-planner not know the headline attractions or "best" restaurants?

Actually, the dissident in me kind of wants to plan a non-planned visit - no ADR, no FP+, no tickets, no touring plan - just show up and see what happens. I chunk a good deal of my plans once I get there anyway since I am a Type A planner and a Type B vacationer. But in reality, I will wait for a blog or news feature about the totally unplanned totally spontaneous disney adventure.

This made me lol. Describes me to a T.

 

[Seeker615]

I think to make the most out of any vacation you have to have some kind of plan and know what you are getting into. Last year my daughter and her husband went to Salem on a whim and really didn't enjoy it. They didn't know where anything was and ended up kind of wandering aimlessly.

I always plan any and every trip even if it is just a day trip. It's good to know the lay of the land and where things are located. I do have a game plan for most days but there is always a lot of leeway in case we see something else we may want to do.

I guess with Disney a lot of people are either going from memory of childhood when things were simpler or just figuring it is a theme park and how hard can it be?

I do think Disney can be a little more complicated. I personally don't find planning ride times six months in advance fun nor do I like planing a place to eat way ahead of time fun either. My parents went recently and were not happy with fast pass plus. They said it made it hard to just enjoy one section of the park at a time. They felt like they were all over the place and worrying about getting to their scheduled rides. I can imagine this could be bothersome for older people or people with a lot of kids. Trying to sway them out of an area to make a ride time could be no fun!

My nephew and his very large family are going to Orlando over Easter break. He is very "go with the flow" and I am very worried about how things will play out. They have not even bought tickets and don't realize how crowded it's going to get. I tried to steer him towards these boards and the Disney sight...I hope he at least looked into things a little. They are excited and I don't want to discourage them so I have kept quiet for the most part.