Do your homework!

[MusicMouse]

Even if you don't want to plan your day right down to the "bathroom breaks", you have to admit that having the information in your head ahead of time can help you to avoid many pitfalls and take advantages of opportunities that many other vacationers wouldn't think about. While I LOVE to plan, I am not opposed to changing it when something comes up. When we went to DHS last year during our first family vacation to WDW I was ready at rope drop to race over to Toy Story Mania and grab our Fastpasses. When we got to the Hat my DS3 saw Goofy and Pluto and got all excited about getting to meet them. We ended up stopping to see them, Donald & Daisy, and Eeyore & Tigger. When my boys gave Goofy and Pluto big hugs, it was so magical! (Afterwards, of course, we ran and grabbed those Fastpasses )

 

[juliebug1997]

Even if you don't want to plan your day right down to the "bathroom breaks", you have to admit that having the information in your head ahead of time can help you to avoid many pitfalls and take advantages of opportunities that many other vacationers wouldn't think about. While I LOVE to plan, I am not opposed to changing it when something comes up. When we went to DHS last year during our first family vacation to WDW I was ready at rope drop to race over to Toy Story Mania and grab our Fastpasses. When we got to the Hat my DS3 saw Goofy and Pluto and got all excited about getting to meet them. We ended up stopping to see them, Donald & Daisy, and Eeyore & Tigger. When my boys gave Goofy and Pluto big hugs, it was so magical! (Afterwards, of course, we ran and grabbed those Fastpasses )

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I guess I look at it different than most. I am only 3 hours away and don't look at it as "vacation". I go to often for it to be a vacation. That is one reason I don't plan. I know what parks I am going to. I know where I want to go in those parks. That is it... I do the same for Universal. Sometimes I just go for 2 hours and leave. Universal, sometimes I just go for one of their concerts and not the park per-say. I don't always make a day of it. I have been in Orlando for a week so far and have yet to spend an entire day at the park. I will also be back for 3 more different weeks.. so to me, I don't need or want to plan, other than what park and where in that park & what friends I am meeting......

 

[minnie mum]

I guess I look at it different than most. I am only 3 hours away and don't look at it as "vacation". I go to often for it to be a vacation. That is one reason I don't plan. I know what parks I am going to. I know where I want to go in those parks. That is it... I do the same for Universal. Sometimes I just go for 2 hours and leave. Universal, sometimes I just go for one of their concerts and not the park per-say. I don't always make a day of it. I have been in Orlando for a week so far and have yet to spend an entire day at the park. I will also be back for 3 more different weeks.. so to me, I don't need or want to plan, other than what park and where in that park & what friends I am meeting......

I hope you realize just how jealous you have made sooooooo many of us!

 

[WheelCEO]

I guess I look at it different than most. I am only 3 hours away and don't look at it as "vacation". I go to often for it to be a vacation. That is one reason I don't plan. I know what parks I am going to. I know where I want to go in those parks. That is it... I do the same for Universal. Sometimes I just go for 2 hours and leave. Universal, sometimes I just go for one of their concerts and not the park per-say. I don't always make a day of it. I have been in Orlando for a week so far and have yet to spend an entire day at the park. I will also be back for 3 more different weeks.. so to me, I don't need or want to plan, other than what park and where in that park & what friends I am meeting......

3 hrs away here as well and I have yet to "plan". From what I read, I'm prett lucky. I have never made an adr and have never had an issue getting into any restaurant on site.

 

[The_Alice]

You know I think though we are to blame for a lot of that. For example these boards and forums. All they time we basically tell people exactly how the should be planning and enjoying their vacation and when it doesnt fit them, they walk away thinking "it must be me".

I was a perfect example of that. when I first started reading here every one and their mother and I mean everyone was telling me that if I didn't do ROPE DROP, I was doomed to never ride any rides, I would be waiting in lines forever and I wouldn't get every thing done. We still say that and we use that exact language. You know we do.
So of course I turn into the "clock nazi" forcing my family and kids to be at the parks 30 minutes before hand, even when they were crying that they didn't want to be there.

by the 3rd day my dh literally snatched my spreadsheet out of my hands and threatened to stay in the resort with the kids.

The next trip I realized my disney vacations are not about some imaginery quota we have here on the dis. If I don't get to ride TSM, it is still possible to have a magical time. I feel like the people here have some magical number that must be meet in order tohave a succesful vacation.

I am not saying one has to plan obsessively, nor am I saying, if you don't do these specific things your trip will be awful. Heck, my DH wouldn't know what Rope Drop was if it bit him. What I am referring to are the people who have an honestly bad experience b/c of not doing at least some research, or even watching the planning DVD before leaving. Then they come back and wonder why so many people waste their time and money, how awful and overpriced everything is, how all they did was stand in line etc. etc. etc.

Maybe it's the CM in me, but I hate to hear that. I really do. And no, if someone said, "I didn't ride Soarin'..." I wouldn't launch into them, b/c you know what I have NEVER ridden Soarin', nope not once. I also think Pooh is overrated, and I haven't ever done it either. Shocking.

I don't have a mental "quota". I plan what parks on what days and a smattering of ADRs, after that it's anyones game. DS wants to go on HM 4 times in a row, Ok by me. I've been here enough that I don't feel I am missing something else.

I guess the whole point is please don't paint with a large brush here. Not everyone you quote fits into the commando role. And not everyone bemoans someone who doesn't know about FP or ADRs or thinks if you miss an E-Ticket you shot your vacation in the heart. I love WDW and I hate to think of anyone having a bad experience there.

 

[MoonFaerie]

You know I think though we are to blame for a lot of that. For example these boards and forums. All they time we basically tell people exactly how the should be planning and enjoying their vacation and when it doesnt fit them, they walk away thinking "it must be me".

I was a perfect example of that. when I first started reading here every one and their mother and I mean everyone was telling me that if I didn't do ROPE DROP, I was doomed to never ride any rides, I would be waiting in lines forever and I wouldn't get every thing done. We still say that and we use that exact language. You know we do.
So of course I turn into the "clock nazi" forcing my family and kids to be at the parks 30 minutes before hand, even when they were crying that they didn't want to be there.

by the 3rd day my dh literally snatched my spreadsheet out of my hands and threatened to stay in the resort with the kids.

The next trip I realized my disney vacations are not about some imaginery quota we have here on the dis. If I don't get to ride TSM, it is still possible to have a magical time. I feel like the people here have some magical number that must be meet in order tohave a succesful vacation.

Or people could use their brains and find the happy medium. There IS an option in between "What? Universal and Disney aren't the same thing?!?!" and "clock nazi" vacationing. Our trip coming up, we picked 4-5 things at each park that we really want to do. We'll hit those first, to make sure we get them done. Then we'll just do whatever we want the rest of the day. That still requires at least some planning though. For example, one of DH's requests is Fantasmic. As of right now though, there are only 3 showings the week we are there, so we have to know which nights it's showing. Or Wishes. Over 1/2 the nights we're there is MCMVP. If we want to see Wishes from inside MK, we either have to pony up the cash for MVMCP or go to MK on a non-MVMCP night.

 

[delmar411]

I'm willing to bet that if a person came back and said they had a wonderful vacation but did not ride TSM, soarin, Test track or Pooh, every one here would turn around and say...

"You missed so much", thus making them feel like their now wonderful vacation was suddenly "less then" instead of simply saying "Glad you had a wonderful vacation"

I'd bet a paycheck we would do it.

One of my favorite memories at disney happened last year. I met a young mom at Epcot who was in front of the area by Mission space and test track. Her two daughters were splashing in the water spray and she was watching them, we chatted and she said they had been there about 75 mins because her girls where having such a marvelous time.

I honestly can't imagine anyone of these boards ever doing that. Sorry but I really can't imagine anyone here doing that. each and every one of us would have "hearded" our kids out of there becasue we could not or would not "waste" that amount of time. In our minds that is wasted time that could have been used on an attraction. I applaud that young mom for being able to realize not all magical moments need a time clock attached to it.

We do random things like that at WDW. I don't have a schedule or some master plan. We do a lot of puttering, playing and people watching. It goes against DH's commando style but I like it and so do the kids. We still do everything everyone wants to but enjoying the little things is something we want to do and WDW isn't going anywhere.

I don't think doing your homework = planning, though. Knowing about FP and ADRs doesn't mean you have to utilize them, but not knowing about them and then being upset that no one force fed the info to you...well that doesn't make sense to me.

 

[bumbershoot]

A colleague of mine insisted I borrow her Disney planning book, 2011 edition ( even though I told her I found the Internet a much better source of info).

I still took it and started reading from it... It suggested that people arrive early to the MK, in order to make sure to book ''an early dinner at CRT, because it's usually fully booked at 10 AM''.

You can be certain I didn't continue reading.

Many people will use this renowned publisher's planning book at face value, which would lead to situations as described in this thread.

Not those people's fault.

OK, what book?

So of course I turn into the "clock nazi" forcing my family and kids to be at the parks 30 minutes before hand, even when they were crying that they didn't want to be there.

by the 3rd day my dh literally snatched my spreadsheet out of my hands and threatened to stay in the resort with the kids.

Huh. We've gone the other way. I told my family repeatedly that they would have a better time if they would just GET UP in the morning. They continued to not do it. One time at Disneyland I said "OK, I'm going, I'll meet you later" and DH thought I was being passive aggressive, insisted that I wait, they got up, we were late, they were sleepy, it was rotten.

So instead of me ignoring what I want, we had lots of talks about it, and now if I want to get somewhere and they are sleepy, I GO.

And since then they've gotten up and they have *experienced* just how much more they can do if they just stinkin' GET UP, they come along with me. Now this experience has been at DLR.

At WDW there was some slowness b/c, despite putting days off into our calendar *just as requested by hubby and son*, the SAME hubby and son insisted on going to the parks nearly every day...which then exhausted everyone so we couldn't get there when I wanted us to get there. And...we missed out. We WANTED to get there early, get things done, then go back to the resort to ENJOY the resort...and we didn't do it. And we were disappointed.

In September it will be our second WDW trip...and we are going to actually follow the very good plan we had put in place for December but didn't do. And it will be so awesome!

I'm willing to bet that if a person came back and said they had a wonderful vacation but did not ride TSM, soarin, Test track or Pooh, every one here would turn around and say...

"You missed so much", thus making them feel like their now wonderful vacation was suddenly "less then" instead of simply saying "Glad you had a wonderful vacation"

I'd bet a paycheck we would do it.

One of my favorite memories at disney happened last year. I met a young mom at Epcot who was in front of the area by Mission space and test track. Her two daughters were splashing in the water spray and she was watching them, we chatted and she said they had been there about 75 mins because her girls where having such a marvelous time.

I honestly can't imagine anyone of these boards ever doing that. Sorry but I really can't imagine anyone here doing that. each and every one of us would have "hearded" our kids out of there becasue we could not or would not "waste" that amount of time. In our minds that is wasted time that could have been used on an attraction. I applaud that young mom for being able to realize not all magical moments need a time clock attached to it.

I don't think we've been reading the same posts or trip reports.

People end up having those conversations *accidentally* and in "real" life, when people are *excited* to talk to those who just returned. You mention something you loved, they didn't ride it. Whoops. That isn't an on purpose thing.

And I don't think that everyone here would do that *at all*. Now, 75 minutes is a lot, and I think that many of us would grow tired of just sitting there, but that isn't "move along b/c we have a schedule", it's "we're a family and none of us should monopolize everything like this".

But we have certainly sat for an hour or so at California Adventure (again with the DLR examples) while DS ran and ran and ran some more in the water play areas at bug's land. He had a total blast. I had planned for the possibility of it, in that I brought his bathing suit and a change of clothes down to underwear...but I forgot a towel and a second pair of shoes, whoops. There were SO many parents just glaring at us as their kids begged to go in and play and laugh with the kids in there, but theyhadn't planned for it, so couldn't/wouldn't do it. And I HIGHLY doubt that everyone who glared at us during that hour were disboards members. We've since done the same sort of thing again.

So I really disagree that none of us would just let a kid play where they were...because I for one have done it! (though b/c I had done my homework I knew it was a possibility and brought stuff to make it easier for us to do it)

 

[katvdm]

I can't believe that there are still people out there who don't plan!!

We are coming from South Africa for our first ever, once in a lifetime Disney Holiday in September and I am sure that I am driving DH kind of nuts (albeit in an appreciative way!) with all the planning!! We have all our ADR's booked (although I am hopeful that Fantasmic can be changed soon ), i have joined touringplans after getting the WDW with kids and WDW "bible" books, have been frequenting the awesomeness of DISboards numerous times a day, making excel spreadsheets and word documents, showing the kids you tube videos - makes me sound a little crazy actually!!

I am sure that all of this effort will not go unrewarded for our 14 night trip We still have a lot of flexibility for each day, but knowing what park we plan to be in and that we have our ADR's booked (so we don't have to be searching for places to eat) is a big relief to me.
That last thing i would want is to spend so much money on this trip, and to not be able to do as much as possible due to a lack of preparation on my behalf.

Finally, nothing gets the excitement building like planning!! Now, if somehow I could plan to make the time go faster.......

 

[gerk77]

My DH and I plan all of our trips not just WDW. We research whether we are going on a cruise, traveling my car or plane. We find that planning for the trip adds to the excitement. Last year we toured NYC before our cruise. If we didn't research we wouldn't now that we needed to get to the Statue of Liberty early in the morning. It worked out that we were on the first boat in the morning to Liberty Island. When we arrived back to Battery Park and the lines to Liberty Island were wrapped around the park our traveling companions thank us for the leg work that we did and how it saved us hours of waiting. Research pays off.

 

[kamik86]

My first trip I was 22 (turning 23 during the vacation). My DH was 25 and it was his first trip too. I didn't know anyone who had gone before except my sister that hadn't been in over 15 years at that point. I didn't know about these boards either.

I booked the trip under 90 days from when we left.

However I did research on the disney website. I found out that I couldn't get 7 day non-hoppers and use them for 6 days. I found out about fastpass and how to use it, that their were four parks and got maps to each. I planned ADRs although since I had the DxDP not nearly as many as I should have (we did some counter service and left some credits unused so I'm sure we didn't break even). I didn't know that I had to get a fastpass or hit Soarin early, so I didn't get to go. Didn't know what Star Tours was so I skipped it so I never got to see the old version. I did do TSM though. I missed alot of shows and alot of things in HS in particular. Missed whole sections of MK (all of frontierland and toontown as we just didn't get to those areas) and there were countries in Epcot that we barely went in either. However we had a great time.

Next trip I brought 7 family members, the sister that hadn't been in 15 years and 6 that had never been. I discovered the disboards, booked enough and better places to eat etc. They did no planning at all. Seriously my mom went to DHS and asked if the tower of terror was the castle. She had a friend in Flordia she was supposed to meet at the castle at a certain time and when we got to MK was freaking out about having to figure out how to get to the castle. (BTW we entered on the right side, then crossed over to the bathrooms on the other side passing the main way down mainstreet. It was in front of the bathrooms that she said this) Most of the people here had at least a good time (except my dad but I don't think he wanted to go either.)

I think there needs to be a happy medium. You must either have a general understanding of what is there or a guide to bring you that you will listen to (those that had the least fun were those that listened least... I know my family and what people would like so those that listened had fun!) I have never planned the order of rides in a park. My last trip which was the best we didn't stick to the schedule as much and my DH was much happier. Rain at AK? ok go back to the resort and hang out... Dont want to go all the way back for Boma? Ok I'll get online and see what is available.. This is how we are planning to do our next trip too.

 

[progroupie]

I guess since I started going to Disney before the age of the internet and what not I never really understood all this planning and research. It's definetly changed things a great deal for first time visitors. When I was a kid we never planned in advance, other than planning the actual trip and getting hotel reservations.
We still don't plan much but that's because we know what we're doing at this point and when I was a CM living in the area my family was able to come and visit me so often that we were okay doing things spur of the moment because we knew we'd be able to do it again soon if we missed anything. I'm sure I would feel differently if we were still planning actual vacations to Disney like most people.

It's hard to say if things are better now than they were when people went strictly from guidebooks and word of mouth when it came to information. Although I do think the ADR situation is totally out of hand. But that's probably more of a DDP issue than anything else.

 

[TandLMommy28]

My favorite example is a roommate from college. First of all, she drives down to Orlando 3-4 times a year to do one day at Disney and pays full gate price each time (but that's another story, I'm sure there has to be a better way to do this).

Then I asked her if she'd doen the Seas with Nemo and Friends because her daughter is really into fish. She had just got back from Epcot. She said she had never heard of it and was it in one of those buildings? Because there were so many buildings in Epcot and she just didn't know if people were allowed to go in them! Sigh... What on earth do you do all day at Epcot if you don't think you are allowed in any of the buildings??? Oddly enough, she said they had a wonderful day so I guess it was OK.

 

[RMulieri]

I agree..SOme people spend months researching which ereader, or smartphone to buy but they think nothing of booking a trip to Disney or anywhere else that costs alot more and never research a thing.It really is astounding.I get the whole "I am on vacation" mindset.But I can't fathom going on a trip without having a clue as to what is there .I am not talking about planning every second , I am talking about knowing there a 4 parks, what transp options are available, knowing that universal and Harry Potter are NOT part of disney etc

 

[TandLMommy28]

One of my favorite memories at disney happened last year. I met a young mom at Epcot who was in front of the area by Mission space and test track. Her two daughters were splashing in the water spray and she was watching them, we chatted and she said they had been there about 75 mins because her girls where having such a marvelous time.

I honestly can't imagine anyone of these boards ever doing that. Sorry but I really can't imagine anyone here doing that. each and every one of us would have "hearded" our kids out of there becasue we could not or would not "waste" that amount of time. In our minds that is wasted time that could have been used on an attraction. I applaud that young mom for being able to realize not all magical moments need a time clock attached to it.

I'm a planner. No, I guess really I'm a researcher. When I prepared for my last trip, I spent hours a day on this site. I didn't want to miss anything important or face a disaster that could have been averted. I planned obsessively but not in a "10:00am Pictures in front of castle. 10:02am Bathroom break. 10:07am FP Peter Pan" sort of way. I wanted to know everything that had gone sour for anyone else and learn from it. So I learned about dollar store ponchos and moleskin and extra shoes and wicking socks and the rules of reusable mugs and all that kind of stuff. I knew about finding meet and greet times, and how to use FP and Photopass and looked over the maps of each park enough to have a general idea of where we were going. I *DID* have a mental list of all the things I wanted to do in each park each day (i.e., on our half day at MK, we our goal was to explore Fantasyland and possibly Toon Town if we had time before Wishes).

But there were no clocks. No hard and fast time tables. We just went. I didn't burden my family with my mental checklist, I just tried to remember so we didn't miss too many things I thought someone in our family would enjoy... And do you know what my son's favorite thing was? The puddle he found after it rained. The PUDDLE. Thousands of dollars and he found a PUDDLE. ANd he splashed his heart out in that thing for at least half an hour. It sure wasn't on my list of things I wanted to do, but I surely didn't stop him so we could 'make good time'.

There is definitely, definitely a happy medium between not knowing which park the castle is in and planning every minute.

In the end, people know i love Disney and they ask me for tips. If someone is going and doesn't ask for my advice, I don't give it.

 

[goofyernmost]

Or people could use their brains and find the happy medium. There IS an option in between "What? Universal and Disney aren't the same thing?!?!" and "clock nazi" vacationing. Our trip coming up, we picked 4-5 things at each park that we really want to do. We'll hit those first, to make sure we get them done. Then we'll just do whatever we want the rest of the day. That still requires at least some planning though. For example, one of DH's requests is Fantasmic. As of right now though, there are only 3 showings the week we are there, so we have to know which nights it's showing. Or Wishes. Over 1/2 the nights we're there is MCMVP. If we want to see Wishes from inside MK, we either have to pony up the cash for MVMCP or go to MK on a non-MVMCP night.

My very first trip in 1983, that was what everyone told me to do. Must see these things first, then whatever else you can get in. So we tried it. Instead of enjoying ourselves we were spending all our time going from "special" attraction to "special" attraction. Cris/Crossing back and forth. We finally decided that it wasn't working, so we just (MK) went to the hub, headed left and started at the first attraction we came to and then the next and so on. We saved time and walking. Turned out we liked many of the things that weren't earmarked as "special" more then the ones that were. That's how we/I have done it ever since.

I can't believe that there are still people out there who don't plan!!

Believe it! I have made 28 trips to WDW from 1550 miles away in Vermont and the only plans I have ever made have been...when I'm going to get there, where I'm going to stay and when I'm going to leave. I have a general thought in my mind about what I want to see once I'm there but it is never cast in iron. If I get to it, I get to it. If not...I'll get through it. I am able to function with a certain degree of planning as well. When I took my extended family there for a family trip, we had meetings to be sure we were all on the same page concerning what we would like and so on. If one wanted to do the Hoop Dee Doo Review and we all wanted to go, they would make the ADR's and we would go. The day, however, was unplanned. Because of the fact that we stayed off-site transportation was a bit more complicated but we all agreed that we would all go to the same park on the same day and after walking through the gate, we would split up into smaller groups or just go off independently. The was, of course, after the obligatory group photopass picture in front of the icon.

 

[chiamarie]

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.

As a local, I REALLY hate the 6 month thing. Do you all make reservations for dinner when you're at home for a restaurant? No? Well if I want to eat anywhere on Disney property then I do. It's so irritating. I think they really need to do away with Advance Dining Reservations. And I am really hating the idea of reserving your fastpasses at home, 6 months in advance too.

There's a point when there is TOOOO much planning going on and taking away from just going and enjoying yourself.

 

[MoonFaerie]

My very first trip in 1983, that was what everyone told me to do. Must see these things first, then whatever else you can get in. So we tried it. Instead of enjoying ourselves we were spending all our time going from "special" attraction to "special" attraction. Cris/Crossing back and forth. We finally decided that it wasn't working, so we just (MK) went to the hub, headed left and started at the first attraction we came to and then the next and so on. We saved time and walking. Turned out we liked many of the things that weren't earmarked as "special" more then the ones that were. That's how we/I have done it ever since.

Well most of our stuff isn't really cross-crossing. Plus we have more than 1 day for each park. It's just DH & I this time, so waiting in line isn't the problem it is when the kids are with us.

Our list:
MK: HM, Philharmagic, Wishes (dinner at CG timed for Wishes), BTMRR, and maybe SM, depending on weather
EP: TT, Innoventions, Illuminations (cruise ), maybe Mission Space, maybe Soarin
HS: RnRC, ToT, Star Tours, Stunt Show, Fantasmic, maybe TSM (it'll depend on FP/standby times, we are NOT getting in the TSM RD stampede)
AK: EE, Nemo, FofLK

I don't think that's really gonna make us feel like we're rushing from thing to thing over a 10 day trip. And if it does, we'll change plans. Since we accomplished way more last time, even with the kids with us, I'm not worried. And by hitting the important stuff first, I mean things like getting FPs, not that we'll pass by other stuff we want to do just to get to the next thing.

 

[mamaprincess]

I am still doing my homework after 8 years. It is always sad to see people standing in 100 minute lines giving us the death stare as we whiz by in the fast pass line. I always say to my family that clearly they didn't do any research. Disney is to expensive to just go with no basic knowledge especially during summer and other school holidays...and with small children, it's a recipe for disaster.