Do your homework!

[Feckless]

I've been to WDW twice as a kid (I was there the week it opened in '71 - empty, BTW! No lines. LOL) and went with my family in the summer of 2009. I did all the research and the touring plans, made the ADRs and looked at projections for crowds for each day of the trip. We stayed off site. Every day my DD (then 8) would ask me, "is this a rest day?" I didn't want to be one of those moms screaming at her kid's in the park, "I spent hours planning this and spent a fortune and you are going to have FUN, ******* it!!!!" However, the temptation was there. LOL. That being said, the only day that was a disaster was the day in the International Pavillion at Epcot because I DIDN'T plan that day. Although the plans were hard on the kid's on times, we really did get to experience most everything in the days we were there.

Last holiday was a Cuban AI, and we had a fabulous time. I want to do WDW one more time before DD is a teenager, so we are doing it again spring 2012. This time, I am going to be waaaaaaaay more relaxed, and take a different view of the touring plans altogether. Now that the pressure is off to see everything, we can just focus on getting FPs for the main things. We are also staying on site, and I am getting passes for each day of the holiday but not stressing if we use them all, or use them up, KWIM? I am also only doing a couple of ADRs unless we luck into free dining plan. I really didn't like how the ADRs I had last time locked us in to the park. It was a way bigger deal to park hop when you had to find your way back to the rental vehicle at the end of the day! I am also spending hours in the pool this time, so that I can really have a vacation myself.

Haven't booked yet, but I'm going to soon... Doing some more research as to crowd levels, and also the historical times for free dining then taking my chances! Any tips welcome!!!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

My parents have been going to WDW since it has opened, so we've learned by doing.

Back then, ADRs weren't really necessary, and of course, they didn't have FP yet.

When they added FP, my father quickly learned how to use it and minimize our wait time. I think it is his favorite thing about WDW...

Since I was 10 years old, I have been the researcher in the family!

I saw Pooh inside Crystal Palace, so I went online and found out you could make character dining reservations (I think my parents knew about this but didn't want us to find out... ), so I had my dad book us advance meals for our next trip (then Donald's Safari Breakfast, Hollywood & Vine when it was Minnie & friends, Crystal Palace, and Coral Reef!).

Since then, I've been the planner... I'm a member of two different Disney forums, subscriber to MouseSavers and AllEars, and I read guidebooks for fun (I recommend Unofficial Guide! I read through some guides and laugh at the information!). My poor parents and sister would be lost without me!

But... I recently received the ultimate compliment from little sis. I am the Disney fan in the family, and while she likes WDW, she's not crazy about it. This past week, she went to Carowinds with her friends and she told me, "It wasn't very much fun... they walked slow and they didn't do any research... it's not like going somewhere with you! It made me excited for Disney World, though!"

 

[ZoZo]

I do think it is crazy that Disney reserves all the tables in their sit-down restaurants and leaves no ressies open for walk-ups. I am a planner but really I don't know where I'll want to eat in 6 months.

I agree! I would venture to say that most people don't know that it's even possible (much less a good idea) to make dining reservations in advance, much less six months in advance! Although I'm grateful to be one of the lucky people "in the know," I don't necessarily feel it's fair to those who don't know that.

 

[katvdm]

It's kind of like jazz improvization. You don't pre-determine every note you're going to play, but you DO need to know the tune!

This is exactly how I feel

 

[dragonfly57005]

It's kind of like jazz improvisation. You don't pre-determine every note you're going to play, but you DO need to know the tune!

exactly!

Do you need one of those personal maps that has your own tour lined up on it to the minute? No, but it is nice to be aware of how the park operates: FP, fireworks, parades, characters.

 

[soulmates]

I agree, do your homework. Why would ANYONE spend $$$$ to go to Disney World and NOT know how it all works? Research is to YOUR advantage!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I agree that most would be better served by learining a bit more about their vacation destination. IMO, there is no excuse for not understanding (or at least being aware of) the WDW fast pass system before you arrive.

As for the table service restaurant situation - free dining has ruined that for us. We have always traveled to WDW during low volume seasons. We were always able to eat where we wanted, when we wanted. Since the introduction of free dining, we are forced to eat at counter service restaurants.

There is no need to plan out the "best park" during the off season. Every park is great in September - every day. We travel then for a relaxing vacation. We go with the flow. We plan nothing. So now we eat at counter service restaurants.

We don't mind - better to eat at counter service than become slaves to a dining schedule put together 6 months ago. We are going back in September this year. We will make no reservations. We will be just fine.

To each their own.

 

[Twinklee]

I think doing your homework is a necessity for a first timer. We didn't do any planning for our first trip, just depended on my sister, who had been there twice before, to be our leader. Well, that was a big mistake. We missed soooo much that first trip. Since that first trip I have become a compulsive planner. So compulsive that I wrote lists for every day of what we were doing and in what order....which worked out very well. We missed the big crowds and managed to do everything we wanted to do.

Dh and I are going by ourselves this fall and the only planning I'm doing is to have a list of what is going on in each park, each day since we always try to skip the parks on the day they have early openings. We have been so many times that we know what rides to hit early, what rides will be less crowded in the busiest part of the day, how to use fast passes, etc. I'm hoping to ditch the commando touring this year and take things easy....if I can convince my hubby. lol

We don't even have ADRs for our trip. One reason is that dh and I can't agree on restaurants(he's a meat and potato person and I like to try new things. Second...I went twice in 2009, once with my dh and dd and then I took my mom on her first trip 3 weeks later. In those two trips I ate in about 8 different sit down restaurants and one of the best things I had to eat in those two weeks was a toasted sandwich from the cs in Norway. If we decide we want to eat in a sit down restaurant this trip we'll either call and make ADRs early in the morning before we go to the parks, or try to get walk ins. I know we'll have to be flexible in where we eat, which is no biggie.

I guess my point is....I know what to expect because of previous trips, all the past planning I've done and all the advice I've gotten here over the years. I can't imagine going to WDW without at least a little planning, especially for first timers.

 

[benolathe]

Well, I look at this from a completely different standpoint. Obviously, WDW is lacking in their dining opportunities compared to the number of visitors. It should not be such a hassle for people to get something to eat. WDW should have the capacity to feed their visitors. Regularly making guests angry is not a good business practice.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, I look at this from a completely different standpoint. Obviously, WDW is lacking in their dining opportunities compared to the number of visitors. It should not be such a hassle for people to get something to eat. WDW should have the capacity to feed their visitors. Regularly making guests angry is not a good business practice.

It depends on which Disney values more..... not making those unprepared guest angry...... or facing the possibility of running additional restaurants that have empty tables at certain times of the year. I think they LIKE having them fully booked so they can plan and staff properly.

 

[juliebug1997]

It depends on which Disney values more..... not making those unprepared guest angry...... or facing the possibility of running additional restaurants that have empty tables at certain times of the year. I think they LIKE having them fully booked so they can plan and staff properly.

Disney cannot prepare for every guest who is going to get mad. Especially if their only excuse is "I paid a lot of money for this vacation." Well you know what? I did too, but I opened up a book and I read things online. I didn't even find this board until after my December trip last year but I still knew I needed some ADRs and I knew how FP worked. And you know what else? I booked for December in October and I still managed to get most of the ADRs I wanted including Tusker House, CRT and HDDR.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Well, I look at this from a completely different standpoint. Obviously, WDW is lacking in their dining opportunities compared to the number of visitors. It should not be such a hassle for people to get something to eat. WDW should have the capacity to feed their visitors. Regularly making guests angry is not a good business practice.

There is actually no shortage of food - there is food everywhere you turn at WDW, and most comes with very little waiting involved. But the table service restaurants do get booked, just like good restaurants in our home towns. It all comes down to choices and the sacrifices that we are willing to make. My family is not willing to sacrifice our relaxed vacation schedule for a gaggle of meal reservations, so we eat at counterservice restaurants. But we don't blame Disney for our choice.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would never show up at a restaurant on a weekend night around 6:30 and expect there to be a table waiting for me.

I don't even think Disney should hold back tables for walk-ups. If they do that, how many would be the right number? They are never going to make everyone happy. Why should I call ahead to make an ADR, only to be told the ADR's are all gone, only to find out they held some back for the people who DID'NT plan ahead.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Disney flames insanity and irrational behaviors with it's dining options. There is nothing wrong with waiting for a table. Somehow though they have convinced people that they have to book almost 4 months out to eat when that is just not true. YOU CAN find service you will just have to wait. I know the "popular" places book quickly but seriously how many times can you eat at the same place? We all have our favorites but I myself like to add a few new things to the list for each visit.

As for doing your homework- Fastpasses are not a new thing. I think the dad in the OP's must have been oblivious. By the first day of your trip I would think you would know what a FP was. Especially because the times for Stand- By and FP are posted at all the rides!

In the end though it's about us the consumer and if we keep allowing them to do this to us ( making ADR's) then they will. I know some places should have reservation for example character dining or Victoria and Alberts's but I can't really see why you would need one for anywhere else. Le Celler is good but it's not that good.