Boy, did I get a lot of crap from people who traveled with us...

[3redheads]

...about getting up early and following a "plan". They are now calling me the Drill Sgt.

Why don't others understand the importance of planning and hitting the parks early??

I should have let them sleep in and try the parks on their own

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

Been there, done that.

We let them sleep late sometimes, then it was OUR fault for not making them go earlier....

You can't win.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Although that's what so great about Disney. If you want to sleep in, relax and slowly see the parks or lay by the pool, you can do that. If you want to get up early, run around like maniacs seeing and doing anything and everything, you can do that as well. We change it up, depending on our mood!

 

[*Fantasia*]

...about getting up early and following a "plan". They are now calling me the Drill Sgt.

Why don't others understand the importance of planning and hitting the parks early??

I should have let them sleep in and try the parks on their own

They didn't have to follow your plan. They could have slept in if they wanted to. Maybe they just wanted to take it easy and just go with the flow...wherever the wind takes them rather than someone planning their days. I take Disney seriously..but in a fun way. I am happy to go just the kids and I, this way, no one complains of how we do it.

 

[Tinkim]

We had this problem last time we went with another family also. My DH was very exasperated with them because they were very slow and wanted to stop in every gift store and get every autograph no matter how long the line was and the little ones kept wandering off. My DH was partial to saying "pick em up and put em down" (meaning their feet) so we could at least accomplish something. There is a fine line between wanting someone to experience the magic of Disney and wandering around aimlessly which we can't stand. The next trip we go on, I have already told them to feel free to spend some time alone as a family and do what you want to although I have a feeling that won't happen as much as we think because she feels like she doesn't know the park well enough or know all the ways to make the most of the time we spend in the parks. She thought their first trip would be a "once in a lifetime" and she had crammed a lot of must-sees into four days that I knew wasn't going to happens without serious meltdowns but now she realized once was not enough and hopefully the next trip will be more relaxed for all of us. We definitely have two different touring styles and different priorities. My DD7 has had the same autograph book for 2 trips now and I am not standing in line for half the day to get autographs but that is something that is important to them. We got really frustrated waiting for autographs, waiting outside of every gift shop, and stopping to find her DD who had wandered off. Hurry up and wait was the theme of that trip. All I can say is that now armed with that information we can make the best use of our time even if it means splitting up. We are probably a tough family to go to WDW with and I recognize that but we can't help it!

 

[minkydog]

We are a laid-back, "wandering aimlessly" type family. Your "plan every minute" style would definitely set me off. We don't usually go with other people because it changes the family dynamic so much. next time you go, be sure you are very explicit about your touring style so they can decide whether they want to adhere to your plans or strike out on their own. I know if you tried to get me up early, I'd have to bean you.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

See, now I don't have a problem if friends and family want to stop and enjoy the little details of the parks, or get every possible autograph...that's part of the fun for many people. My problem is the whole group standing in a circle, staring at each other, trying to figure out where to go next without hurting anyone's feelings who might want to do something different! Ahhhgggggg!!! In-Laws!!!!! Lets make a decision and go somewhere, ANYWHERE!!!!!!!

 

[annabelle]

We're going with the in-laws this summer... 11 of us ages 1-63... we'll have a few strollers PLUS an electric wheel chair. No commando rushing here out of default.

I think we'll divide and conquer though and have the boy cousins do Buzz, Tom Sawyer, etc.. .and the girls do princess stuff.

I think the biggest thing with traveling in big groups is knowing everyone's expectations.... so that way everyone knows what to expect going in. Hopefully that will prevent any confusion/hurt feelings/let downs/frustrations, etc. etc.

 

[Tinkim]

We are a laid-back, "wandering aimlessly" type family. Your "plan every minute" style would definitely set me off. We don't usually go with other people because it changes the family dynamic so much. next time you go, be sure you are very explicit about your touring style so they can decide whether they want to adhere to your plans or strike out on their own. I know if you tried to get me up early, I'd have to bean you.

That was the interesting thing. I didn't get them up early. They wanted to get up early and go. I didn't have to have every minute planned . . . they wanted to "see everything" watch the parades and get on the rides and see the shows but they also wanted to stand in line for every autograph and look through every gift shop. They seemed disappointed at the end of the day by the things they missed and even more at the end of the week with the things they didn't get to do. I think they wanted it both ways . . . to be able to stroll leisurely through the park and also to "do it all." Can't have it both ways though. When I went just my own kids last time we saw all the parades, shows, did the rides we wanted and had time to build a potato head or throw pennies into the fountain or look for hidden Mickeys or play in the water jets at Epcot. I think I sounded like a commando who plans every minute of the day but I'm really not.

 

[palmetto]

We are a laid-back, "wandering aimlessly" type family. Your "plan every minute" style would definitely set me off. We don't usually go with other people because it changes the family dynamic so much. next time you go, be sure you are very explicit about your touring style so they can decide whether they want to adhere to your plans or strike out on their own. I know if you tried to get me up early, I'd have to bean you.

I tend to be the exact same way. I'm not interested in the parades or shows, and the rides are okay, but they're not why I go. I'd hate it if someone were trying to rush me along to see all that they wanted to see, when all I'd want to do is find a nice shady spot to sit and watch people walk by while I rested my feet. The uberplanned thing would just stress me out, and aggrivating my panic disorder isn't my idea of a fun vacation.

 

[DisnutDave@work]

Boy oh boy, do I sympathize on this one!! DW and I are planners too. We used to really tour "commando" style until we joined DVC, which changed things for us. Now we don't feel the need to rush around and see everything, because "there's always next time."

BUT when we have family join us, that changes. They DO want to see everything; or at least we'd like to make that a possibility. But they don't want to be part of the planning. I too have been referred to as the "drill sgt." They think it's funny that we call in advance to make priority seatings at restaurants, and are a little annoyed that those are done ahead of time. But nobody ever wants to wait anywhere else! And they hate backtracking and moving fast to avoid lines. But they hate the lines!

On the last family trip, I told DW okay, that's it. I won't give any direction on where to go. Guess what? Everyone stared at me after every attraction and said "Okay, Dave- what's next?"

In the end, you have to remember that they are family and/or friends, THAT'S what's important. If you have the luxury (as we do) of knowing that you'll be back for trips of your own, it's best to try to plan things in a way that you think will make them happy. That's what WDW is all about. If they can't see everything, at least they see what they can, and enjoy doing it.

Happy Planning!

 

[Tinkim]

Dave ~ I guess that was my point. I couldn't seem to make them happy. They wanted me to plan what to do but they wanted to "stop and smell the roses" so to speak too, which is fine but that does take away time to do other things. I don't have a problem with enjoying the little things, in fact, that is one of the things I look forward to the most. Disney is in the details. But they seemed aggravated with me at the end of the day that they had missed certain attractions. I felt like I couldn't win and keep everyone happy including my kids who felt like the waiting outside the gift shops and autograph lines was a form of torture. I wanted everyone to have a great time and a memorable vacation but it was impossible to keep everyone satisfied.

I don't know why I keep coming back to this thread. I am worried I guess that you all think we are these park "Nazis" that made it impossible for our friends to enjoy the parks and that is not the case. I just feel like I did my best to keep everyone happy and I found that very difficult because of these unrealistic expectations that everyone had. You want to get every autograph in the park and look at the merchandise in every gift store then go for it but understand that you are going to stand in lots of lines and give up some of the times it takes to go on rides. We are nice people really!

 

[3redheads]

Wow, I'm not the only one. Thanks for the responses. Let me just clarify that the only thing that my SIL kiddingly objected to was getting up early. We made time to do everything. Once we hit the major attractions, we took it all in. We went to 5 parks and saw all of the major attractions and were home by 5pm.

My MIL loved it all, but SIL would kid about getting up early. Many times, I told them we could change the plans...

 

[missypie]

I just couldn't go to a Disney park with another family. Heck, we won't even go to the State Fair with another family!

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I tend to be the exact same way. I'm not interested in the parades or shows, and the rides are okay, but they're not why I go. I'd hate it if someone were trying to rush me along to see all that they wanted to see, when all I'd want to do is find a nice shady spot to sit and watch people walk by while I rested my feet. The uberplanned thing would just stress me out, and aggrivating my panic disorder isn't my idea of a fun vacation.

Ditto here Palmetto.

 

[CamColt]

LOL!
We are very early people by nature. Our neighbors, who we brought on a trip with us are very late people.
I warned them ahead of time why its so important to get to the parks early, and about having a plan of where to go, etc... I even told them they didnt have to come with us everywhere if they didnt want to. While we joke about the "running to Dumbo asap" rule, we came back from the trip with them saying what a great job I did as a "guide". In fact after our first morning(about 4-5 hours) at AK we were leaving the park. The DH said to me "Geez, if we were here alone we would still be in the hotel figuring out what to do today", LOL!
Luckily this family got it...although the last morning they decided to sleep in and go mini golfing, while we were at the MK 15 minutes before opening.

 

[loriandmatt]

Ahh you dear kindered spirit.....this is exactly why my husband and i have decided that we will never again vacation with anyone other than our immediate family unit (me, him and our kids) when the vacation destination is WDW. We get it, they don't and their lack of getting it drove us crazy. (and i am sure we drove them crazy too!!)


- lori

 

[John Dobbertin]

Lots of great posts here. We go early to the Parks, exit about 11:30 for a good meal. Rewards for being early are huge. We normally have experienced at least four major attractions in the first one-hour. Try that between 11 & Noon. Those I feel really sorry for are the groups entering about 11 a.m., picking up their Park guide, opening it and saying: "OK, what shall we do first?" Good luck. WDW costs too much per-day to "lounge in the hotel" & miss the WDW prime attractions. Lounge at home & save $$.

 

[SammieG]

I think its quite difficult for families to understand that other families do things in a different way to them.

We cant bear being up and out early in the morning.. to us that is completely stressful and not a vacation. Of course I totally respect people who do like to be up and out and plan their days to a milli-second..but that is NOT for us.

We have a 18 day trip coming up next week and I have not made ONE PS yet!! How will I know where I want to eat and at what time!

If I was with a family that didnt want to go with the flow like us, that would ruin our vacation!

 

[John Dobbertin]

SammieG -- If you're at WDW for 18 days, you can afford to take your time! We go for five-weeks at a stretch. Boy do we lounge!! But what about the folks who are there "5-nights-7 days"? Can the kids really go back to their schoolmates & say: "Nope, we didn't do ToT or Space Mountain. We slept." That's like going to Paris & not seeing the Eiffel Tower!