Does anybody have a family member who HATED WDW?

[Eyore4Ever149]

Its been fun reading everybodies tales....and its good to know that others have converts in their family.

I think Im just getting worried cause the trip is getting really close now. Last time we did some PS, but no character breakfast's- I have one at Crystal Palace our first real day there. I have a full day planned at MK, but with the attitude of anything can be changed, we arrive on a Wed, after checking in, eating, whatever we feel like we are going to go over and ride Mission Space- DH favorite ride- after that we are free to roam, or ride MS again
On Thursday (which I later realized is EMH at MK) we plan to do MK, starting with a character breakfast, lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern, and then dinner ressies and a carraige ride back at our resort. I figure if MK is too crowded we can just hop to another park at that time.
Friday I have a cruise to see Wishes booked (along with 8 other DISers) but no requirements on the rest of the day.
I have us booked on Sat morning pre-park opening for the Segway Tour at Epcot and thats about it. I probably have some other meal stuff planned- have to go check my notebook, but nothing that makes us feel obligated.
I really want to get on a water mouse this time, and I just love the looks of the PO FQ pool- cant wait for big 'ol 30 year old butt to slide down that dragon's tongue!!

I think the biggest key is reminding myself to not go all out all the time.

The car rental was a brand new decision, after reading enough on the transportation boards, I hated cancelling my sedan ressie, but a rental car should be great and make snap decisions easier. Like- Its 2pm and I want to take a brake, but the bus takes so long we wont have much of a break if we try and take a bus back to the resort- now we can do that much faster.

Sorry Im so long winded! But another thing that I think will help is that I now know what WDW is- and like another poster I wont be so shocked when getting from resort to park requires more than a golf cart-LOL.

 

[arazamataz]

All our trips have been off season.We took are ds to look at colleges and had our 1st in season trip in Aug 2002. I said I would never go back. We stayed at universal for 3 day's and passes where great. When we moved to wdw and I never was ready for the crowds and the fast pass. Well ds is in college in Orlando and we figured out the Aug 03 and April rush. Get ps's
get fast pass early and take you time. We went on every ride
and did alot of swimming. The later in the night at MK , close to parade/fireworks , the easier it was to get on rides. Ok we love wdw and we just make adjustments. IT'S A VACATION HAVE FUN!:thewave:

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

arazamataz

THAT IS SUCH A COOL WAVE YOU HAVE!!!!!!!

Yup- DH isnt allowed to yank me around the parks again, I think thats why hes sitting back and letting me do all the planning, so far I pick the dates, got an AP, found the codes, got the discounts, got the plane tickets, arranged transportation, got PS's.....LOL I just know Ill have fun this time!- I better!!!

 

[Tiggerkeeper]

My SIL, but then she went in the middle of July...how much more sweltering and crowded could you get!?! But with a little planning even July can be fun! The bad thing is it was the first vacation my nephews, age 10 and 12, had ever taken. The boys loved the trip but said she and dufus-dad complained the whole time.

Dufus-dad, "knew everything Disney" but had never been to the parks. The only thing SIL like was WL!

Glad we weren't on the trip with them!

 

[jaletu2000]

Meganbear!

Our first trip onsite we went the last week in May - with Memorial Day right smack in the middle of it. Was the best vacation ever. It changed my kids and DH's minds about Disney.

We had gone in June - third week - the trip before this one and man! did we ever get hot. The weather in May is hot but not that hot! And it was really crowded too.

I think you'll discover great weather and smaller crowds. Wish we could go early in May but the DS's are in school.

You're doing it right - have a great time!

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

You're doing the right thing by renting car....you get more options and waiting for the bus in the hot weather can be such a drag.

My DH and I had a less great than usual experience on our last trip to WDW but there were several reasons:

1. we left my dogs with a family friend, which was a mistake as she kept calling us over little things and made us feel guilty when they were a little hard to handle.

2. The heat in September of 2002 wss enough to make me develop a very unfortunate rash that made it impossible to walk or go to water parks. That said, we spent alot of time at Downtown Disney.

3. We didn't bring a rental car so we couldn't resort-hop the way we usually did.


Anyway, your advance planning is the way to go. Also, start an exercise routine before you go...you won't be as tired or swollen!

 

[capnho]

I do a lot of walking, and I have a few suggestions on keeping your feet from hurting. I wear a step counting pedometer, and on a typical day in a Disney park I usually get 15,000-18,000 steps. It takes me a bit over 2,000 steps to go a mile, so that's between 7-9 miles.

1. Walk before you go on vacation: if you're not in shape to walk, your feet and legs are guaranteed to hurt. Carve out 1/2 hour from your day and go for a walk a month or so before going on vacation.

2. Wear comfortable socks: getting comfortable, broken-in shoes is kind of a no-brainer, but socks are almost as important. I like Thorlos, which are padded in the heel and the toe, and absorb moisture to keep your feet dry. You can get them at most sporting goods stores.

3. Take a rest during the day: no one feels great if they are on their feet for 12 hours. Go back to your resort, use the pool, take a nap and then go back to the park. You'll feel refreshed and your legs will be rested.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[robinb]

It sounds like you are not into "commando mode", so I don't think that the Unofficial Guide will be for you. It will have you crossing from one side of the park to the other in an effort to get to the next stop. Instead, I highly recommend Tour Guide Mike's site: http://www.tourguidemike.com/ which is an on-line automated vacation planner. It has tons and tons of really good information on when to go to the parks, where to watch the parades and fireworks and touring plans of each park. All the information is tailored to exactly when you are going. I found his Christmas and New Year's information indispensable and I thought I knew a lot about WDW! I got a discount for it through www.mousesavers.com back last fall.

Your plan looks great, except for your MK day. I think you'll spend too much time at sit-down restaurants, waste the EMH time and come out to

Unfortunately, there is really no way to get around all the walking you'll do at WDW. I would recommend that you make sure that you wear comfortable, well broken in shoes. I bring 2 pairs or shoes: sneakers and Teva sandals (Pretty Rugged style). If you insist on buying new shoes, I like New Balance shoes. I wear the running shoes, but people swear by the walking shoes at WDW. Just get them soon and wear them around town until you go. I also wear Dr Scholl's Women's Sports Insoles in my shoes after a painful bout of plantar fasciitis. The are half insoles that cup my heel and keep my feet happy . I alternate shoes so my feet don't get stuck in the same shoe the whole time and rub in the same places. I also bring band aids, neosporin and special blister band aids into the park with me in my bag. If I start to feel a rub, I slap on a blister band aid. Blisters can really, really ruin a vacation. My sister once had to borrow a wheelchair from our resort (OKW) because she was not used to walking so much and her feet were too blistered to walk more than a few feet!

 

[dmonroe]

There's one thing that we do that really helps to break up the day when we don't want to go back to the resort for "down-time". (we usually don't go in peak season, so we don't often head back to the resort mid-day with the shorter park hours) Anyway, we like to have lunch at a table service restaurant. It's a really great way for us to catch and break and kind of wind down for a little while.

 

[Disney-Kim]

I just wanted to agree with what the other posters have said.

Your mindset is different this time and I think that will help.

Take breaks and don't worry if you don't see it all.

We have stayed at the POFQ, good choice. Its very small compared to some of the other resorts and easy to get around. Plus its completely refurbed. You will really enjoy it !!

Making PS's for your dinners was good idea too. one less thing to worry about.

I think if you take it slow and enjoy the small nuances of WDW you will have a 1000% better trip.

 

[Vivianne]

The opposite happened to me. My first trip was for our honeymoon April'86. We had a great time. I didn't even prepare for it. My DH just got a package through a local travel agency. (I lived in another state). I loved it! No pressure, I just took everything in stride at a slow pace.

On subsequent visits, somehow, I took a faster pace. I wanted to take everything in and wound up exhausted with blisters on my feet. Still no real planning.

This visit in May will be different for me. It's vacation after all! I've done more planning and research which saves money and I've found lots of valuable info from this site. After all, it's about being with your family and enjoying your surroundings.

 

[zippehsmom]

My DsS and his mother, step dad and little brothers went to Disney last summer, and he said they did not like it. Well they only went to MK, didn't get there until like 11 am. They went on one of those timeshare packages. The total amount time they spent in Orlando was from THur afternoon to a monday morning and 2 of those days they were in Daytona.

Well needless to say my DsS went on and on about how much fun we had when we went in Aug. 02, but I spend almost 2 years planning this trip, we were there for 2 weeks and had a great time. (Thanks to the DIS, Mousesavers, Deb's site and a mountain of guide books)

I think that it definitely depends on what you go in expecting and if you make plans.

zippehsmom

 

[blowinbubbles]

Hi! Just found this topic and thought I'd respond, although I've commented on this in another thread!

We just returned from WDW last Monday, and I can't even *write* the word on this forum for how my husband acted. I mean, I was seriously ticking off lawyers in my mind!

He copped an attitudes with the Mears Transportation Co. at the airport when we first arrived, and it was downhill from there. Check In was chaotic, my h was livid. Then, the first day we went to the park, h stayed in the hotel room. I took the kids to MK, where we were supposed to get our tickets at the gate. *Well*, the computers were down, so I had to purchase tickets on my room card ($200.00) and the CM said that I would be reimbursed. Wrong. . . .my h went to the front desk where he was told they couldn't do that. Uh-oh. . . needless to say, after he threatened to come over the desk, they reimbursed the account and issued our already-paid-for 4-day passes.

So, basically he spent the whole trip in the hotel room, while I and the kids roamed the parks. He tried once or twice to come with us, but ended up fussing at the kids for how they were walking, or complaining, and then left for the hotel room.

*NOW*, I am excitedly starting to plan our *next* trip, *without* my husband! This time we will go for at least six days, so we can take it easy, say, go to the parks until 2 or 3, then spend the rest of the day at the pool! The kids love that, and with no grumpy h, it'll be perfect!

Ann

Poly 1972 (2?)
Poly 1974
Poly 2004!!!!

 

[redfieldmjr]

Couldn't agree more with those posters who have recommended a walking regimen prior to the trip. It has made a huge difference for me in the past . The best trips have been those which have me in walking condition. It didn't take much either, I would take a twenty minute walk around the neighborhod or hop on the treadmill for 20 minutes. Have also found a low sugar/carb. diet a couple weeks before increases my energy level.
Another thing I have done is taken to the hot tub after long days at the park, right before bed. Sometimes I go back and forth from the spa to the pool. In the past I have been there in the summer and have found it very difficult - spent most time at the pool. Now, I go in early Nov. or Dec. - Nov. weather a bit better than December. A nice get away for couples is the Food and Wine Festival in the fall at Epcot.
Enjoy your vacation. Let us in on the details upon your return.

 

[pacercolt]

No, my whole family are Disney Freaks. We have been going since 1995 4 times each year. What more can I say!

 

[jeancbpugh]

I have written a trip report for each Disney vacation I've taken. (been 14 times...sometimes solo...sometimes with family...sometimes a couple of families together...14 times is remarkable considering my DH doesn't like Disney or theme parks). A few of my trip reports have concluding paragraphs that say something like: the Disney magic is gone for us and we won't be going back.

But somehow or other, we end up going again in a year or so. <g> And each trip is different. Our expectations change. Our planning changes. Our priorities change. Our children grow and have different needs and desires.

Just learn from what you did wrong last time, and next time will be better. You wouldn't be reading this board if you didn't feel the pull.

Who was it who said, "I remember my mistakes so I can recognize them when I make them again." @@

 

[blowinbubbles]

Writing a travel report. . .sounds like a great idea! I should do mine before I forget everything, although the majority of it will probably say, "H was a jerk today,". . "What a putz.. . " hehe. .

But seriously, it sounds like a great way to notate what to do differently next time, or to remember things to repeat!

Thanks for the idea!

 

[WIcruizer]

Blowin....with all due respect your husband sounds like a jerk and maybe not father of the year material. He went to WDW with the family but stayed in the hotel the whole time? What did your kids think of that?

I mean that's way beyond being "not a Disney person."

 

[blowinbubbles]

WI, Yep, he can be pretty jerky at times. . .we've been on three vacations with the kids, and he showed his butt on all of them. Of course, this time was the worst!

I asked him today if he would consider going back and trying it again, especially if I could get a better deal, and he said maybe he would after all his houses he's building are done.

Ya know, I think I would love to take my 71 year old mother back to Disney. . she's been commenting on how she'd like to go back! Rent her one of those motorized scooters, and she'd be good to go!

 

[CharlesandCamilla]

My first wife. We lived in Arizona and she'd been to Disneyland a number of times. When we got married she insisted that we honeymoon in WDW. I swear it was all her idea. It was horrible. She hated how everything is in different parks. She hated walking. She hated the humidity. We went in January, she hated the weather. Half way through the third day standing in Epcot she made it clear that she hated me for dragging her to the park. I swore right then and there that my next wife was going to be nothing like her.

And she isn't, we love going to WDW. This July will be our third time together.