Changing focus of trips?

[Carl'n'Ellie'sDad]

A strategy we've developed -- I was slower to embrace it than DW -- is to go to a park for a few hours just for character photos and such. We'll go to Kona Cafe for breakfast then hop on the monorail for a few hours to get pictures. We're going to try the same for DHS on Father's Day. With two kids, commando-style every day is just too much effort, and this allows Daddy to leave the SLR behind on our "full days" at the park.

Culli -- your little one might have our DD-not-quite-3 beat -- she'll have 29 days in Orlando on three trips just before her third birthday. She was not that laid back on her first trip at 11 months -- she screamed whenever we left characters, especially the Pooh characters at Crystal Palace. Think we kept Piglet at our table for 5 minutes!

 

[Sammie]

our plan is the same as Mike's nothing is planned except dinners and even those get cancelled and rearranged at times. The only definite is sleeping in.

 

[HsvTeacher]

After being members for two years, we're at that point. Our APs expire on June 15, and we've decided not to renew them this year. We're looking forward to enjoying everything the resorts have to offer and not going to the parks. We want to be able to take pictures, enjoy some good food, take a boat ride or two, and just relax.

 

[sarahk0204]

It will change the first time you (pick any ride or show for example) and realize that it is ok if you decide not to wait in line to do it because it will still be there to be enjoyed the next time you visit. Once this happens, believe it or not, you and your family will then start to enjoy Disney even more.

That was us this past trip in December. Normally, we need to hit every park at least once. We didn't even make it to AK this time, and we weren't even concerned. We'll get there in June, so no worries!

 

[helenk]

I still like to go to the parks, there are just certain attractions that I really love going on. But I have pretty much stopped the commando style touring. Unless I travel in the summer I have stopped doing the early EMH. I sleep in a bit, get my exercise done and then hit the parks. I enjoy taking some of the tours that are offered. I enjoy sitting and people watching, and if the line is too long for an attraction, I'll skip it knowing that I will be back again soon. I actually sit out on my balcony and enjoy my coffee and enjoy the "feeling" of being in Disney. I go to the pools more often too.
I can honestly come home from a Disney vacation now and feel relaxed.

 

[WDWBlue]

Anyone find the focus of their trips changing since becoming DVC members? I used to be all about the parks. Now I could care less. The parks are now something to do to pass the day. My focus during the planning stages is on resorts and food. If I am eating at Epcot, I assume I'll hit some rides. But I definitely don't plan the meals around which park I want to hit.

We're not there yet, but I actually can see us planning a trip in the not so distant future where we say on-site for a week and don't hit the parks at all. The intermediary step was spending a night there two weeks ago prior to leaving on the Disney Cruise. We flew in a day early and stayed at BLT so we could make sure we reached the bus in time. Although there was a momentary wish that we could run over and hop on a few rides, we felt as though seeing the fireworks from the bridge connecting the CR and BLT was enough Disney magic for the night.

We typically hit the parks early and are back at the resort by noon. Then back to the parks in the late afternoon or early evening. If we miss something, no big deal; we'll get to it another day or another trip. Much easier touring.

 

[minster22]

Our focus is similar to many of you here....enjoying the gorgeous resorts and surroundings with a sprinkle of park time mixed in. This does depend somewhat on who is on the trip....when my best friend and I go we sit at the quiet pool at BW for hours reading and then maybe have a spa treatment before dinner at the Flying Fish. With my adult son and DH , a little more park time, definately time at ESPN watching our Red Sox and/or Patriots (we watched the 2004 ALCS there....it was an electric atmosphere!!) and some golf for my son. Resort store shopping is always fun....wish there was more resort specific merchandise though.DVC has allowed us to truly enjoy all that WDW has to offer!!

 

[wildernessDad]

We have to plan our time around dinners because of this 180-day-in-advance-reservation-thing.

But we don't get up at the crack of dawn to be at a park at rope drop. We usually sleep in and get there (park) when we get there. But, it is a rare day for us when we are not at a park.

 

[WDWMom]

We have been members for 13 years and been going to WDW for 17. Long ago our vacations stopped being about the parks. And it's never been about the food On our last trip of 10 days, we spent 2 in the theme parks and one at BB. The rest was spent around a pool somewhere enjoying the FL sun. We actually come home from our vacation refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of Michigan's winter/spring.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

My son was 3 when I purchased DVC, I loved DIsney and I knew it would be a big part of our leisure time as he was growing up, and being only 2 1/2 hour away DVC really made sense for short trips when school was out. Now the both of us really enjoy DVC more than ever but now it's about going to the outlet malls, exporing new Orlando restaurants and enjoying all that the resorts have to offer. We really relax and unwind with DVC, we share it by bringing friends and family with us and we've had so many wonderful times over the years. This June for my son's graduation we're bringing his friends and we will do one day at the parks, one day at the waterparks and the other 3will be in Orlando, doing other things which our Disney timeshare still affords us the ability to do!

We have weekday yearly park passes now rather than AP's, and it's just to do the rides we love or to hang out at Epcot, our favorite park!

 

[dianeschlicht]

The only planning we do is a few ADRs and enough to make sure we go to the park that had EMH the day BEFORE! That usually means a low crowd the next morning. We hit that park from opening until around noon, and then we head back to the villa and do "resort" things or just chill.

Any ADRs we have (and those are getting to be much fewer than they used to be)are planned around for the rest of our day or evening. We have found a few off site places we like to eat, plus we always make a couple of dinners in the villa.

We are morning people, so getting up and going to the parks early is what works best for us, and we have the added benefit of lower crowds.

In the evening, we will often head over to Epcot or to whichever nightime show we want to see. We sometimes just go pick up a movie from Community Hall and just watch that if it's bad weather. TV is not that great at Disney.

 

[photobob]

The only planning we do is a few ADRs and enough to make sure we go to the park that had EMH the day BEFORE! That usually means a low crowd the next morning. We hit that park from opening until around noon, and then we head back to the villa and do "resort" things or just chill.

Any ADRs we have (and those are getting to be much fewer than they used to be)are planned around for the rest of our day or evening. We have found a few off site places we like to eat, plus we always make a couple of dinners in the villa.

We are morning people, so getting up and going to the parks early is what works best for us, and we have the added benefit of lower crowds.

In the evening, we will often head over to Epcot or to whichever nightime show we want to see. We sometimes just go pick up a movie from Community Hall and just watch that if it's bad weather. TV is not that great at Disney.

I started to do a long explanation of what we do and then I read this thread and all I really need to say is "Ditto." This is exactly what we do and how I decide to got to which park on which day. Our touring style isn't a great deal different but it is done in a MUCH more laidback style and feeling than before DVC!