Disney 30 years later

[leslieb66]

Yesterday I was at a restaurant killing time waiting for new tires to be put on. I struck up a conversation with an older woman sitting next to me who told me she had her house for sale and once it sold she was going to surprise her daughter and grandchildren with a trip to Disney. I asked if they had been before and she said just her but it was 30 years ago. I said boy are you in for a big surprise. I started talking with her about Disney now, magic bands, park hopping, reservations, MDE, DME and the wide variety of resorts. I felt awful. She was clearly overwhelmed and had no idea it had become what it is. I asked when she was planning to go, she casually said April......once I explained crowds she changed her mind on that time period. It really got me thinking of the poor people who plan a trip with NO idea of how much thought should go into it prior especially if you haven't been. It's almost sad that what should be an incredibly fun trip may end up being so stressful they leave never wanting to return.

 

[Mom2Minnie]

You probably scared that poor woman. It can be overwhelming from a first timer or a returning guest who hasn't been in a long time but its not impossible with the proper resources. Did you mention any good guide books or the DIS? I have been guilty of this myself though. In my eagerness to tell newbies everything that has changed at the park I fail to mention the good or great things there. Hopefully that woman will still make the attempt to go.

PS: April isn't always a bad time to go crowd-wise. It really depends when Easter falls. We have a trip from April 19-24 and all parks are estimated to be between 3-5s the whole time. April is actually our favorite time to go.

 

[PEC]

Did you talk about the new rides/parks since she last went? If it was 30 years ago she probably only went to MK and maybe EPCOT. Also I have actually talked to people who did not really know about the things individuals here know and they had fun. Did they get to do everything? No. Did they still have fun and arguably less stress? Yes. April also is not a bad time to go if it is late April and not the week before or after Easter. By then most schools have already had their Sping Break.

 

[mshanson3121]

Well sounds like you effectively completely crushed what was something really exciting for her, and ruined what could have been a great trip next month for her family, especially since April can be a great time to go.

I mean, yes, I get that you were trying to "help", but... seriously. You went a bit overboard don't you think? Especially since most of the those things are probably things she needed to know nothing about - Magic Bands, park hopping, MDE etc... those aren't necessary. I think anyone, in that situation, yes, can point out that things have changed, but a) don't point out things that aren't absolutely necessary b) don't go on and on about every little thing that's changed, maybe just touch on a couple key points c) point out all the positive things that have changed!

 

[DisneyFive]

Ouch! Hopefully your conversation wasn't as bad as you make it sound. Did you balance the potential negatives?

We all know the negatives, but we still LOVE going to WDW. Hopefully that came through too.

Dan

 

[cjparker0110]

I would bet that the majority of first timers don't have any idea what they are getting into. Most first timers think of WDW as the MK. Some realize Epcot is there. I don't think too many realize there are 4 parks and 2 water parks, let alone the extras that are all over. This is obvious when you talk to people who don't understand why it could cost a few thousand dollars to take a family to an amusement park. That said, take any chance you get to tell people about WDW. But be sure to tell them the positives!

 

[Jennasis]

So the best thing to do is to NOT tell people about the intricacies of what Disney is now so as not to scare them off?

I think this really points to exactly how over-complicated it has become. If simply telling someone about all that Disney has to offer is overwhelming then perhaps it IS a bit too much.

Hopefully, that lady will do the research and still take the trip.

 

[Hisgirl]

Please don't feel bad over what you said. You told the truth and she needed to know. She clearly wanted her 'surprise' to be a good thing, but without a plan, without ADRs, without knowledge of FP+....it would most likely be more of a constant disappointment....repeatedly hearing,"I'm sorry ma'am we can't seat you without a reservation", "Yes ma'am, the wait is indeed 75 minutes, you read that correct."

They would have been disappointed and most likely she would have been embarrassed that her planned surprise, turned out to be more of a surprise than she meant.

If she wants to go, she is now educated and knows to do her research. She'll be okay. She can get a copy of the unofficial guide and start reading. Again, don't feel bad. You did her a favor. Going to disney on the fly is a bit like saying we're going to hike up Mt. Everest on the fly. Preparation is key to a trip that takes advantage of all points Disney...dining, rides, lines etc.

 

[luvsJack]

Maybe you encouraged her to at least go to the disney site or do some kind of research.

I went to WDW as a teen in the 70's and although my parents took my sons when they were little, I didn't really grasp how much it had changed. Fast forward to 2002 and we went for 4 days with my sister's family. I thought I knew WDW so I didn't even look at the website. They had the rooms so I didn't need to, right? LOL. We had a great time and fell in love but we were also very overwhelmed. We spent most of our time at MK because we couldn't figure out what to do in the other parks!
So hopefully you saved this lady from getting there and being overwhelmed like that. We, at least, had someone wih us to give a little guidance. She won't have that.

If folks visiting for the first time can at least understand the size of WDW and a little something about each park it would help them immensely.

 

[cakebaker]

That's too bad- sounds like this was something she was really looking forward to. I'm not at all sure it was necessary to overwhelm her with the details in such a setting. Without the time to actually explain some of these things, you just come off overwhelming them with details and little or no explanation. Pointing her towards a few guidebooks and internet resources and wishing her well might have been the better option. Hopefully she'll get input from others with a different viewpoint before beginning to dread what she obviously was looking forward to a great deal.

 

[Alesia]

If you're ever again in that situation, leave it at, "Things have really changed a lot. You might want to pick up a guide book."

Trying to educate anyone on all of the intricacies of planning a trip in the time it takes to get new tires is bound to be overwhelming.

 

[mshanson3121]

So the best thing to do is to NOT tell people about the intricacies of what Disney is now so as not to scare them off?

Yes and no. It's fine to tell them that Disney has changed and takes more planning today - but really, that's as detailed as you need to get. To sit there and throw all of that at a person in a short time frame, especially an older person who might get easily overwhelmed at such planning requirements - no. Don't do it. Chances are you'll do far more harm than good. You'll just completely overwhelm and discourage them, and possibly even turn them off completely. The best idea would be to suggest they pick up a tour guide, explore the Disney travel website, or talk to a travel agent, and then point out some of the great things about Disney and tell them how much you enjoy your trips, with proper planning.

 

[Networth]

I would just refer them to a website and let them do their own research at their own pace but just explain to them Disney has grown a lot over the years you may want to read this or that before you plan your trip etc.

I know for my own family when I was explaining they got a little overwhelmed so I showed them all the changes in steps. My parents had not been for awhile before last year.

 

[JanaDee]

So the best thing to do is to NOT tell people about the intricacies of what Disney is now so as not to scare them off?

I think this really points to exactly how over-complicated it has become. If simply telling someone about all that Disney has to offer is overwhelming then perhaps it IS a bit too much.

Hopefully, that lady will do the research and still take the trip.

I agree.

 

[luvsJack]

I think that those of us that know disney well have to realize that you can have a great trip without FP or ADRs and without planning every day. Like I said we were overwhelmed but none of that was the problem.

Direct a person to the site and suggest a guide book but mostly just say You will love it! There is so much to do! And talk a little about each park.

I have a coworker going soon and I still am not getting him to understand that these are not carnival rides. He is kind of stuck on the cost though so I think he tunes the rest out lol.

 

[Ambear]

So the best thing to do is to NOT tell people about the intricacies of what Disney is now so as not to scare them off?

I think this really points to exactly how over-complicated it has become. If simply telling someone about all that Disney has to offer is overwhelming then perhaps it IS a bit too much.

Hopefully, that lady will do the research and still take the trip.

People can totally explain the intricacies of a disney vacation. However, projecting your own frustrations about it onto someone else who has never been (or in this case hasn't been in a very long time) is probably something to be discouraged. There's ways to explain something complicated so as not to scare away or overwhelm. If this woman left thinking she doesn't want to even go to Disney anymore, it was probably explained with a negative tone. She should have walked away thinking, this can still be fun but maybe I need to look into some parts of the trip more.

I don't tell people who've never been to universal that it sucks cause people can be so damn rude there. I say that the atmosphere is different from Disney but the rides are super cool!

 

[Alesia]

So the best thing to do is to NOT tell people about the intricacies of what Disney is now so as not to scare them off?

I think this really points to exactly how over-complicated it has become. If simply telling someone about all that Disney has to offer is overwhelming then perhaps it IS a bit too much.

Hopefully, that lady will do the research and still take the trip.

No, the best thing to is to NOT vomit information all over them.

Imagine that you were excitedly telling a stranger that you were planning a trip to China. Would you rather they say:
"I've been to China quite a few times. You'll love it! It's a really great place to visit, but it can be overwhelming. You might want to pick up a guidebook. I really like "The Lonely Planet China"
-or-
"China is huge! And the pollution is out of hand. And it's not easy to navigate the streets, so I hope you're good with directions. And make sure you pack a lunch if you need to go to a bank, because you're going to be there for a few hours. Oh, and public transportation is more crowded than you can possibly imagine, but then again, so is everything else. And the food is not going to be what you expect, either..." And on and on and on.

 

[kbelle8995]

Don't feel bad. I used to do this too. But now, no way. Disney is much too complicated now to go into too much detail. You can point someone to a guidebook but if they are not interested in research they won't bother. It's a no-win situation.

Most people hear you have to reserve a more popular ride and they are out. What I tell them is that for the most part WDW is better if you do some planning or at least get the lay of the land. You have to read your audience and see where they fall.

 

[FigmentIsTheBest]

I find WDW to only be overwhelming if you allow it to be.

You can show up and enjoy your visit even without Advance Dining, Advance FP.

I know, a scary idea, but entirely doable. No need to obsess. Just relax and enjoy.

You will still get on rides, still have too much food to eat, still have a great time.

Especially if it is your first time.

Too much planning can lead to much disappointment.

 

[JanaDee]

People can totally explain the intricacies of a disney vacation. However, projecting your own frustrations about it onto someone else who has never been (or in this case hasn't been in a very long time) is probably something to be discouraged. There's ways to explain something complicated so as not to scare away or overwhelm. If this woman left thinking she doesn't want to even go to Disney anymore, it was probably explained with a negative tone. She should have walked away thinking, this can still be fun but maybe I need to look into some parts of the trip more.

I don't tell people who've never been to universal that it sucks cause people can be so damn rude there. I say that the atmosphere is different from Disney but the rides are super cool!

If I had someone telling me all the details about Disney with a cheerful, positive attitude, I'd say thanks for the info, but that is too much work for a vacation. I'm going somewhere that isn't so hard and complicated to visit.