Breaking the "Theme Park Commando" Habit

[becca-becca]

One of the purposes of joining DVC was to not have to do "commando" type park touring anymore.

I am trying to make our touring plans for 12-20 to 12-26 (in three weeks). I am trying to take into account the crowds, of which I have no clue, having only been in January. We are trying to see all the special Christmas things and still ride main rides and still "relax" at the AKV. Somehow, I only think this is possible if there are more hours in a day than I have! How do you all change your mindset? How do you plan for a very crowded time?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I don't know. See? Wasn't that helpful?

I'm SERIOUSLY going to try to break the habit (15 years in the making) next week at SSR. I'll let you know how it goes.

I've never been obsessed with planning anything like some of you guys. I made my FIRST ADRs EVER for next week. I've never believed in the planning part because I'm on vacation (so shoot me but that's the way I feel). I have, typically, run my family around the parks like a crazy man trying to ride rides and see shows ever since I first set foot in the MK about 15 years ago.

I swear I'm gonna break the habit next week. I swear I am!

My name is Bob and I'm a commandoholic. There. That's a first step...

 

[dianeschlicht]

Well, first off, one way to break the commando habit is to NOT go during an extra busy time like the Hoildays! The crowds will be horrendous during that week, so commando planning is probably in order if you are thinking you want to do all the park stuff. Secondly, I'd say a 6 day stay isn't really enough to truly relax either unless you plan not to do parks at all.

We find we break the commando habit by arriving at a park before it actually opens for the day. We tour liesurly until the crowds develop, and then we go back to the resort or change parks, or do something else.

Since you are staying at AKV, there are a LOT of great things to do at the resort that make it almost like a park. Since you already know crowds will be impossible that week, I'd probably make your ADRs and plan your park hopping around that. If you only do parks early and late in the day, you wont notice the crowds so much.

 

[dvcbnd]

Hi, as a commando holic myself it can be done.
We weened ourselves off the parks slowly. For ex, our past trip was park-free for the first time in eleven years and although it felt strange, it was a truly relaxing vacation. Our trip prior to that one, we only visited two parks in two days and took breaks during the day. Although, we did take advantage of the EMH's and left after midnight.
We our planning to visit a couple parks again during our next trip, but I think that we've trained ourselves enough to take them on in a more relaxing manner.
It's a whole new style of vacationing and we love it.

 

[WDWLVR]

We broke the commando habit by picking just one thing each day that we had to do. We'd then get an early start (after having breakfast in the room) to accomplish that goal (for example this past September it was Toy Story Mania). Then the rest of the morning is spent doing whatever. If something has a short line we'll do it, if it has a long line and we want to do it we do but nothing is a must do except for that one thing. Then we head back to the resort to relax in the afternoon. We'll usually go out for dinner (and this might be the only ADR's we do) and head to a different park for the evening.

 

[Tinkerbellcrafter]

Since you know you are DVC, you are coming back...that is what helped us! Also, we always have one more trip planned before we go on the current one. We do late EMH and take breaks during the day....DD and I will leave DH in the park and go back to the pool or other activities at the hotel....sleep in a couple of days. Get to your favorite parks early...we skip MK early EMH because there is nothing there in the am open that we are particularly fond of. We do like to leisurely wander Main Street...same with EPCOT and World Showcase. Pick your highlights and must dos...use FP...have a great trip!

 

[Tara]

I think that for a chronic commando type like myself, it takes a couple of factors:
1) Having a bunch of trips under your belt already. ("a bunch" is a relative term - your bunch will be different from mine)
2) The knowledge not only that you'll be back, but you'll be back.

On the most recent trip (last week at VWL), I think I really broke the habit, though. I will admit that the serene atmosphere of VWL helped quite a bit - it was magic enough just sitting in the room sipping some hot chocolate and listening to the music from the water parade drift in through the open balcony door. Or watching the fog rise off Bay Lake in the morning.

I had been saying that I really wanted to take it easy on our trips from now on and I don't think my husband really believed me until we were at the CA Grill. He realized I was for real when it was fireworks time while we were having dinner at CA Grill and I didn't care if we went out to watch them or not. (Left it up to our 7yo - he wanted to stay inside and color!)

What I didn't expect is the effect my laid-back attitude would have on my husband. He was suddenly open to doing things he normally wouldn't want to, like standing to watch a show in front of the castle or a parade. (It helped that we lucked out on some great viewing spots immediately before the castle lighting show and Spectro.) Let's just say that he was much less prone to grumpiness on this trip.

I know you didn't ask for advice, but your post got me thinking...
I think if you want to go non-commando AND see the holiday stuff AND ride the main rides AND navigate/avoid the very heavy holiday crowds, something has to give. I'm thinking it's going to be very difficult to accomplish all those things at the same time. You have to either be content to be there when the parks open and do very short bursts of commando touring before the heavy lines form, then do some of the special shows (not caring if you get a good spot or not) and then do off-park stuff, rest in your room, swim if the weather allows, etc. If you want to ride "all the main rides" (which ones are those), even with a solid FP strategy, you're going to end up spending a considerable amount of time in line. (Last weekend, the Saturday before T'giving, the wait for BTMMR was 65 minutes in mid-evening. The wait for Buzz was 75 minutes. Splash was just as long. The waits will be that long, if not 2x that, while you are there.) So IMHO, if you have to give something up it's the number of rides you want to experience. The rides will be there on any trip but the holiday stuff won't.

 

[ldo]

The 20th will be fairly light crowds (big travel day), but starting the 21 on, it will really pick up---beyond what you could imagine. Plan to go to the parks early in the AM--and do EHM if you have a PH--so you can avoid that park later in the day. Grab a few FP and do commando style in AM, then, relax---I wold then go back to AKV, eat lunch and go to pool, or hang out for a while, then head back later in the evening--or, leave for a different park and grab a FP (if any are left) and just walk around, go to a show and enjoy the decorations.
With crowds, getting there early and doing a semi-commando tour for the 1st 3 hours is really key--and NOT doing rides after lunch save A LOT of frustration waiting in line--we do this every Christmas and/or Easter and it makes for a good day. It is also nice to tour the other resorts and enjoy their decorations.

 

[Tara]

I think that for a chronic commando type like myself, it takes a couple of factors:
1) Having a bunch of trips under your belt already. ("a bunch" is a relative term - your bunch will be different from mine)
2) The knowledge not only that you'll be back, but you'll be back.

On the most recent trip (last week at VWL), I think I really broke the habit, though. I will admit that the serene atmosphere of VWL helped quite a bit - it was magic enough just sitting in the room sipping some hot chocolate and listening to the music from the water parade drift in through the open balcony door. Or watching the fog rise off Bay Lake in the morning.

I had been saying that I really wanted to take it easy on our trips from now on and I don't think my husband really believed me until we were at the CA Grill. He realized I was for real when it was fireworks time while we were having dinner at CA Grill and I didn't care if we went out to watch them or not. (Left it up to our 7yo - he wanted to stay inside and color!)

What I didn't expect is the effect my laid-back attitude would have on my husband. He was suddenly open to doing things he normally wouldn't want to, like standing to watch a show in front of the castle or a parade. (It helped that we lucked out on some great viewing spots immediately before the castle lighting show and Spectro.) Let's just say that he was much less prone to grumpiness on this trip.

I know you didn't ask for advice, but your post got me thinking...
I think if you want to go non-commando AND see the holiday stuff AND ride the main rides AND navigate/avoid the very heavy holiday crowds, something has to give. I'm thinking it's going to be very difficult to accomplish all those things at the same time. You have to either be content to be there when the parks open and do very short bursts of commando touring before the heavy lines form, then do some of the special shows (not caring if you get a good spot or not) and then do off-park stuff, rest in your room, swim if the weather allows, etc. If you want to ride "all the main rides" (which ones are those), even with a solid FP strategy, you're going to end up spending a considerable amount of time in line. (Last weekend, the Saturday before T'giving, the wait for BTMMR was 65 minutes in mid-evening. The wait for Buzz was 75 minutes. Splash was just as long. The waits will be that long, if not 2x that, while you are there.) So IMHO, if you have to give something up it's the number of rides you want to experience. The rides will be there on any trip but the holiday stuff won't.

 

[Michelemouse]

I think the length of the trip makes a difference. We tend to go for 2 weeks at a time, so it gives us time to see all of the highlights plus get some real relaxation time in at the villa. With 6 days, during one of the busiest times of the year, when there are so many special, holiday things to see I think we'd be doing the "commando" thing too.

 

[SSRFred]

Actually you are going at a perfect time to break the commando habit. Christmas is..oh just a little bit different than going in January.
Unavoidable long line waiting times are the perfect deterrent to the commando life. At some point you will ask yourself, do I want to wait on line for two hours to ride Soarin' again or do I want to go back enjoy the various amenities of the resort.

 

[RumpleMom]

Plan one ADR for each day, then work your day around that meal.

Ask each family member for 1 must-do each day, then try to accomplish those, anything else is gravy. You have to have a good attitude about this method.

Or skip a park for one day and relax.

 

[becca-becca]

Thank you for all of your advice. My DH, myself and our youngest DD are going to be back in February for 3-4 days, so it helps that I know that. Everyone else in my party probably won't be back for until January 2011.

I am going to try to have as relaxing of a times as possible during Christmas and still try to get some rides in while seeing the decorations and special events. I think we will pick 3 rides out in each park and go from there.

 

[permavac]

I think that for a chronic commando type like myself, it takes a couple of factors:
1) Having a bunch of trips under your belt already. ("a bunch" is a relative term - your bunch will be different from mine)

This was #1 for me too. My DH was never a commando - he was always being dragged out of bed by me to hit the parks After about 10 trips of varying length, we've seen most of everything so that feeling of "desperation" is nearly gone for me. My DH might disagree.

Secondly, I'd say a 6 day stay isn't really enough to truly relax either unless you plan not to do parks at all.

This is #2 for me as well. The shorter trips were always the most unsatisfying ones and I finally realized that I am (personally) incapable of truly benefiting from a trip less than 7 nights long. I think even having passed the first criteria of having a lot of trips under my belt, I would still have the need to do commando if I went on shorter trips, so this one is definitely the clincher for me.

In any case, good luck and enjoy the Christmas decorations! We would like to get down to see those someday too but would probably not do Christmas week - the sound of those long lines scares me!

Terri

 

[janni518]

This may sound odd but...

One of the things that helped us relax and slow down this year was using Tourguide Mike. Knowing ahead of time where the really unmanageable crowds would be and what our options were helped us relax, and just take it slow, and having a plan kept us from trying to run every where frantically trying to fit everything into every day.

 

[pixie08]

I say not to over plan. I know, I know it is hard. We plan to extent...what parks what days and what major dinners we want to have but other wise take it as it comes because as Tara said we know we will be back.

Also we always try to schedule 1-2 days where we do not step foot in a park. We shop, we head to the pool, we hand at the resort, read a book...like a relaxing vacation lol! This helps break up the them park syndrome.

 

[ADP]

We broke the commando habit by visiting the parks a little each day. Not spending an entire day in the parks. We are AP holders thanks to the great DVC discount so strolling in and out of the parks is a lot easier when you have an AP. When you have MYW tickets you feel like you need to get the most out of them since you are using a days worth of admission.

Just visit a park for a half a day and head back to enjoy your resort amenities. It works out really well. Taking the parks in smaller increments each day really is a great strategy.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Plan maybe one or two attractions when you first arrive (when the park opens) and then forget about doing any more rides. When you see lines like 90-120 minutes for Small World, you won't want to wait in any of those lines. Do that favorite attraction, people watch, hit the stores on Main Street early and then head to the other resorts to see the decorations. The longer you try to do attractions, the more you will wind up yelling at your kids and your kids start to cry. You won't mean it, but it will happen.

The crowds get overwhelming and make you crazy.

Hit your pools, play miniature golf (we did that on Christmas Day one year - we played both the Winter and Summer course at Summer/Winterland). Head for the Community Hall to play a little foosball or darts or borrow some board games and have fun.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

Plan one ADR for each day, then work your day around that meal.

Ask each family member for 1 must-do each day, then try to accomplish those, anything else is gravy. You have to have a good attitude about this method.

Or skip a park for one day and relax.

This is great advice - I'm going to try it on our next trip.

 

[mecllap]

"We are trying to see all the special Christmas things and still ride main rides and still "relax" at the AKV." -- Seems like too broad a goal for being there 6-7 days, with your 3 youngsters. One thing the additional crowds add is a lot of time -- more time to get from place to place, more time to get food, etc. as well as more wait time for characters, rides, etc.
You will need to prioritize even more than on your other trips -- what is really most important to each family member (There might a time or two that you and DH could "split" the kids to do something that only some of you want to do, like decorations). Making a plan is always helpful, but be aware, and warn the kids many times, that you will not be able to do everything you hope to do on any one day. Doing ADR's seems like it would tie you down, take up too much time, and maybe not work really well with 3 youngsters (but of course, I don't know them, and maybe they love to eat lots and behave well in restaurants).

For the holiday theme -- put the Osborne Lights at the Studios toward the top of your list, and for resort decs, the Grand Floridian is the best (it's very hard to get around to all the resorts even if you're there nearly two weeks -- at least it was for us one year).

I'd say "relax" and enjoy (but it actually is very difficult to have any time to relax at that time of year-- there's even more to see and do). So, have fun!!!