Disney requires too much planning? Are they shooting themselves?

[DisLiss]

Honestly, I think it has every bit as much to do with people's expectations as with a lack of planning. Too many people expect perfection in order to feel happy. They are not happy with the little things. They are made miserable by any wait or inconvenience. And they have this idea in their head that Disney can magically insure that they won't have to deal with anything so bothersome as long lines or wait times to eat.

I think that even when people know that it will be crowded---very crowded, and they know that fastpasses and ADRs exist, they can still have a miserable experience if they think having those things will eliminate wait times, because they don't. Nor will it eliminate rain, heat, high priced items/experiences, other people behaving poorly, illness, etc. yet if they experience any of those things, they think it was a ruined trip and they wasted "all of that money" and therefore it's all Disney's fault.

Even when DH & I were there in 2000 and 2002, right before free dining came into existence, when you could still just decide in the morning where you wanted to eat and easily make a reservation, and even wait for a table with no reservation if you wanted to, we still heard so many people complaining that they made a reservation and yet they couldn't immediately be seated a table. We always go in September (but not labor Day weekend), so it's typically a quieter time, and yet people would be griping about wait times.

Some people will never be happy, and when you pair that up with them spending a bigger chunk of change on vacation than they might typically, it's a recipe for complaints, whether they planned the trip or not.

I also think that on the flip side, some people convince themselves that they can go during the busiest times of years and their planning will somehow change that. It will help, don't get me wrong, but peak & holiday times are still peak and holiday times.

Plus, we unfortunately live in an age where moaning and groaning about everything that doesn't go perfectly in your life is the thing to do...especially on the internet.

 

[mekay1012]

I think some people love it and some hate it. My brother and I went the same week last year. Didn’t plan it that way, but that’s how it worked out. He hated it and complains about how crazy busy it was, etc. We were there the same time and I don’t think it was all that busy. I think the difference is that I had planned and researched the best days to cost the different parks and he didn’t. The planning made all the difference in how we experienced it.

 

[Arielfan98]

I also suspect the amount of planning is determined by expectation/personal feelings. To clarify, I am saying that parents who don't like WDW but are only doing it for their kids probably don't care enough to plan it out. After all, why would they put a lot of time into something they only are doing for their kids? I've met people like this (co-workers, professors, etc.). True story, my professor told me she went to MK only because her daughter wanted to go and blamed Disneyfor being so magical she was persuaded to pay $5 for water. Seriously? You have your own conscious mind, either bring enough water for yourself or accept paying $ for water. Also, everyone in my class piped up and said EPCOT was far better for older crowds (especially grumpy non-Disney fans). If she had done her research she would have brought enough water for the day or known to ask for a free water cup. If she had done her research she would have known there is more to WDW than MK, and potentially enjoyed EPCOT/another park more.

 

[Scrappingjen]

The planning is intimidating to a newbie. My Kids are 16 and 14 we have done Disneyland and Disney cruises but June will be our first trip to Disney world. I felt like I could not handle the planning the heat the whining when they where young. We have watched family's headed to WDW at the airport coming and going. We saw the exhaustion in their faces coming home and put it off until this year. People who know me are shocked we have never been.

I am still a little scared for this vacation, excited but also worried. We have FB and ADR. I have our mornings booked with FB and afternoons open to do what we choose, to help with the heat and crowds. I am not a fan of either but who is?

Normally we cruise so I know what's going to happen, I know the crowds I know the islands ect but Disney World is a whole new beast. I hope I have realistic expectations and Disney out does them. But at the end of the week its just a vacation.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The planning is intimidating to a newbie. My Kids are 16 and 14 we have done Disneyland and Disney cruises but June will be our first trip to Disney world. I felt like I could not handle the planning the heat the whining when they where young. We have watched family's headed to WDW at the airport coming and going. We saw the exhaustion in their faces coming home and put it off until this year. People who know me are shocked we have never been.

I am still a little scared for this vacation, excited but also worried. We have FB and ADR. I have our mornings booked with FB and afternoons open to do what we choose, to help with the heat and crowds. I am not a fan of either but who is?

Normally we cruise so I know what's going to happen, I know the crowds I know the islands ect but Disney World is a whole new beast. I hope I have realistic expectations and Disney out does them. But at the end of the week its just a vacation.

I wouldn't worry so much about the exhaustion you've seen. Lots of things can contribute to that such as heat, how much they did, etc. I was pretty much dead to the world when I got back lol--the level of planning in no way contributed to that. We just did a lot of stuff, walking, etc.

Have fun!

 

[Spencer Wright]

My first reflex is to answer the title of the thread with an absolutely unequivocal yes. However, I found other trips/activities are quickly catching up, in terms of the planning needed.

We live outside of Philadelphia, and my father had never done the Old City things (i.e. Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, ect), so I took him around. Of the about 4 things we did, maybe three required timed tickets, which I did in advance. If we showed up with nothing planned in advance we may have been out of luck. I see a lot of tourists in the city who do not have a structured plan, and end up drifting around (I try and offer directions when I can). I also know people who take cruises a lot, and are complaining the spontaneity and ease of planning is in serious decline.

I think WDW is in the stratosphere in terms of how much planning is involved, especially booking things SO far out, but other things are not as easy as they used to be either.

 

[skylock]

Disney World is not like Six Flags, where you can just go. It takes so much more than that.

You used to be able to just go. I don't know what has happened to the place.

 

[Woody412]

It’s not so much that Disney requires planning, but rather the crowd levels dictate that you need to plan some aspects of the trip in order to do certain things that you want to do. The only thing Disney is guilty of is providing a product that is in extremely high demand. The crowds, and the level of planning needed to beat them, will only start to ebb if Disney lowers the quality of their product (which nobody wants) or raises their prices into another stratosphere (which also nobody wants). I, for one, enjoy the planning aspect of a Disney vacation. So much so that I’m turning into one of THOSE people. The ones who enjoy planning the vacation more than the actual vacation.

 

[wcw57]

asking this question about planning on the DISboards is akin to going to a Catholic church and asking if Jesus was a swell fella......the responses are skewed and your demographics are all wrong.

We are here (mostly) because we are either obsessed, obsessive, or enjoy planning.....

I am old. I remember being well-read on WDW before I went but I didn't have to have a reservation to get on a ride (and only a few of the restaurants)....I miss the spontaneity.

I am not a big fan of trying to figure out my vacation days by the hour...........

 

[disneyinthespringtime]

“I am not a big fan of trying to figure out my vacation days by the hour...........”


I found that was exactly what I did like about our trip - that all the thinking and deciding was already done so we could just follow the plan and enjoy.

 

[mister morrow]

it honestly depends on who the family is and when they're going.

here on the disboards, it is normal for people to plan what they're doing hour-by-hour. to my family that seems nuts; we're a family of 6- we go during premier season and go with the flow.

that being said, of course we book ADRs and FPs as soon as we are able to, but sometimes planning can just be too much. i don't see the point in making novel-length itineraries when you're supposed to be on vacation enjoying yourself. disney never goes the way you expect it.

now for the newbies, yeah it is very foolish of them to do zero to minimal planning considering the size of disney and the abundance of entertainment available.

 

[sunnybunnies]

Five of us went to MK for one day in late May -- last minute trip. Purchased tickets a week in advance. Got an ADR for a later dinner at BoG. Got morning FP+ for all three mountains (took a few days of searching a modifying). Thanks to reading/planning ahead from this board, I knew that we should probably rope drop Peter Pan if we didn't want to get stuck in a huge line later. After those three FP+, we just used the MDE app to schedule a next FP and a next FP and a next FP (etc.) for whatever was available next that we might like, which made it feel somewhat spontaneous. Went on 7DMT right after dinner (stayed for evening EMH and got to ride twice) when the line was shorter. The planning made everything so smooth and we got to ride/see everything we wanted without feeling pressured or hectic. Still kept some spontaneity and had a great time!

Things I learned from reading the board:
1. Try to get FP+ for the rides we want to do that have the longest waits.
2. Any rides with long waits (or that tend to run out of FP+ early) -- lines are shortest/easiest at rope drop or the last hour before closing.
3. Use Touring Plans to find ADR reservations and use the MDE to find and modify FP+ (keep looking and modifying and you usually get close to what you want).
4. Check out the resorts (on non-park days) -- fun activities for the kids. Don't miss the deluxe resorts while you are there.
5. Dole Whips are yummy.
6. 1900 Park Fare has a great character breakfast to visit when you are not on a park day (not feeling rushed) and the food is superb.
7. Watching the MK fireworks from the Poly beach on a non-park day is less crowded and more comfortable.
8. Boma's dinner buffet is full of interesting and healthy options. A great experience!
9. Renting a surrey at the Boardwalk is fun! Ample Creamery and Beaches and Cream, also on the Boardwalk, have unique ice cream options.
10. If you have a reservation for a meal at a resort, you can park there for free and use WDW transportation to visit other resorts/resort areas.

 

[KellyHonos]

Very interesting question you present here. I honestly think from a business stand point, WDW would ultimately want their first-time guests to fall in love with their parks because that means more money in their pockets down the line. But, on the other hand, Disney knows that at the end of the day, even if people visit and don't return, there will forever be first-time visitors to make up for those who won't return. They also know that their parks have die-hard fans that will foot the bill no matter what. So, yes they probably care, but no, they don't really have to that much, because their parks for better or worse will continue to generate $. Especially now that Star Wars is getting a bigger presence. The star wars franchise has dedicated fans who may not give a flying fart about anything Disney-related, but go just to see Galaxy's edge. So I think that at the end of the day, Disney is going to be just fine, with or without the time first timers that hated their visit and won't be returning.

The real crowd they don't want to piss off are the AP's and the die-hard fans (like myself). I think both of these groups have a special interest and dedication that other visitors may not have, at least from their first visit. Once they get on the bad side of people who make it a point to come, no matter what, that's what they will start seeing issues. I know Pete has been asking "when will too much be too much" in terms of ticket prices and meal prices. He's been asking that for years. I don't even know what a ticket costs to get into the MK, I don't care, I just book my trip and I pay what I owe. Not because I'm made of money or anything, I book what I can reasonably afford, but I'm saying that I'm not going to just not go because the ticket prices are going up. I love going to Disney, and at the end of the day, they're a business and they're trying to make a profit. But, I guess we all have our bottom lines and if there ever was a day where I just flat out couldn't afford to go, then I guess that would rule me and other people in the same situation out. The day that that happens (if it does) will be a really sad day.

And one last note--I often tell people that if you're looking for a REAL Disney trip, don't expect to sleep in and relax all day. Disney is an experience, not a vacation. Of course you CAN make it relaxing, but to get the full experience, you're going to be walking a lot, standing a lot, sweating a lot, yawning a lot, but with that you'll also be smiling, laughing, making memories, seeing things you don't see in your everyday life, eating yummy meals, so on so forth. Part of the fun for a true Disney fan IS the planning. I've changed my dining reservations 2x now, just because I find out new information and find new things being reviewed and I end up changing my mind. If someone is looking for a relaxing week in the sun, you can certainly do that in Disney World, perhaps at the resort pools and what not, but why spend that money when you could just easily go to the beach? Point is, planning is part of the fun. Some first time visitors may not really know or grasp that, and I would say that if that isn't their cup of tea, they're better off not coming back and spending their money elsewhere. Everyone spends their Disney trips differently, so I'm not saying that if you lay out at your resort pool that you're wasting your $, i'm just making the argument that you could do that elsewhere for a lot less. I go to Disney for the experience.

 

[YesterDark]

I love planning a Disney Trip, it's nearly as fun as going.

I think what most people do, whether you're a newbie or a planner is plan too much. Personally, the way I plan things is you set up ADRs and FPs as anyone would. But the biggest part of my itinerary is plan around breaks and downtime. I don't fill in RideA at 1pm and RideB at 2pm. I fill in Chef Mickeys for lunch and head back to the park. That way you can stop and smell the roses so-to-speak. You'll enjoy your time much better I think.

Especially if you have young children like I do.

 

[VandVsmama]

I think that WDW can run the risk of being too complicated for first time visitors. Disneyland requires less planning and has more of the "just show up" sort of thing, but even Disneyland requires a little bit of planning & research ahead of time in order to make the most of your time there. Universal Studios? Same thing on both coasts.

Like another poster mentioned, all it takes is a simple Internet search and you can find literally dozens of Disney travel planning websites, full of suggestions and guides that explain how everything works. Heck, that's why DIS Boards came into being in the first place.

You definitely don't have to plan out every hour of your trip. But if you're going to spend all of that time and effort getting to Orlando, wouldn't it make sense to do a smidge of homework ahead of time to figure things out? It would be no different than going on a trip to Europe, just showing up at the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower in Paris and then moaning and groaning about the long lines to get in...when you could have done a little research ahead of time and taken care of that before you got there.

 

[Goodbye$$$]

Interesting topic given my last (and first) post on this forum. I am planning for the first time but it’s my second trip. Thank goodness my first trip was with an expert who has been probably more than 20 times otherwise, no, I wouldn’t have a clue about FP+ or ADR. Unless there is something I ABSOLUTELY know I must see/do, I don’t plan ahead for other vacations either. I travel for work so finding a place for dinner while on vacation is just another day at the office. Last year I joined my husband on business trips to Japan and Taiwan and I had no idea what I was going to do until after I got there! And that was doing things almost entirely by myself without speaking the language! So yes, I think this trip is requiring far too much planning. So far, I don’t think I’ll be making another trip if I have to do the planning. I just do not have the time for it.

 

[YesterDark]

My first adult trip was with my sister who is a DVC member. She introduced me to ADR and FP stuff (I do a better job now btw!). You have to start somewhere.

 

[Magical2017]

As with many other posters on this thread, I enjoy planning any trip we take. I always research on websites and read guide books because that is something I love. I can see how someone who does not enjoy that would be blindsided by Disney. A person could potentially show up in Hawaii, Europe, or on a cruise, with simply a hotel or cabin reservation, and still have a fabulous time by using just the concierge. It is a bit different with Disney. However, there should be a reasonable expectation that you should visit at least a travel agent or one planning site (or read a small section of a guide book) before spending thousands of dollars to go somewhere for the first time, imo.

 

[arminnie]

I recently helped my sister-in-law to plan a trip with her DH, grandson and the grandson's friend. First trip for all of them. I showed her how to make FPs. They did not plan this trip ahead of time so some of the big rides were not available. They are staying offsite so I gave them the names of restaurants on and off site. They are on a limited budget so spending a lot of time and money on character meals that are hard to get is just not a priority for them.

I told her not to sweat it. They would never be able to do everything on a first trip - so do what they could and enjoy it all. To stop and look around (especially up) and not to worry if the boys (age 8) wanted to stop and play someplace. I wanted to set the expectation of enjoy what you can do and don't fret about what you might be missing. FOP would have been great - but not worth taking hours out of their day.

 

[ZoZo]

I disagree that the average guest doesn't care to know. Quite the opposite. Many expressed the sentiment wishing that they had known. Rather, I think it's more accurate to say the average guest doesn't realize the information is out there or that it's even necessary to look for it.

I totally agree with this! Most folks "don't know what they don't know". They aren't aware of the necessity for even rudimentary planning, much less the extensive planning needed so far in advance of a WDW trip.

I get discouraged reading some of these posts. Those of us here on the DIS are so used to planning, and have such a high level of knowledge about WDW, that we sometimes forget that others don't have that. I hope we have sympathy for those people who don't have enough advance knowledge to plan, instead of listing all of the reasons that they basically "should have known better."

I remember writing a post here on the DIS, after my first or second WDW trip, that I was disappointed to find out during a morning EMH at MK that many rides were closed during the EMH (i had assumed that all rides would be open). I had written the post hoping to let others know about this, so they wouldn't be disappointed like I was. I was very surprised that more than one person responded to my post basically scolding me, saying that I should have done more research ahead of time and found out that half of the rides would be closed (and, basically, that I should have known better). This was a classic case of "not knowing what I didn't know." It simply never occurred to me that the MK might not be 100% open that first hour!