Friends who don't plan

[jjarman]

DH and I were at a wedding this weekend and I was talking with a co-worker of his and her husband about their recent quick trip to WDW. I think her husband had a seminar or something and they just went to the parks half a day for a couple of days. They did get to stay at The Beach Club which they loved. Of course they did no planning. They went to MGM and Epcot mostly but didn’t ride any rides! Not ride any rides? I can understand if you don’t like rollercoasters but no rides. They did ride Star Tours but that was it. They wanted to ride Soarin’ but the line was too long. They said they should have used that Fastpass thing but didn’t. I was nice. I didn’t freak out on them. I just commented that we use Fastpass all the time and it really is a good thing. They went to MK one day but it was so crowded. I didn’t catch what time they went but either they were exagerrating or it was at parade time. Again, no rides. I decided not to even ask about where they ate. I know they would not have made ADRs. I did volunteer to help them next time if they take their son who is 1 now. I told them I would point them to some good websites to help plan their next trip. I know it was a trip planned around a seminar but they did not planning and didn’t like it. Oh, yeah. The wife, who loves monkeys, said they didn’t go to Animal Kingdom. They didn’t think they would like it. I gently told her how we didn’t like it the first time we went which was in June but the next trip, in March, it was much nicer and I felt they would really like it. (Shaking head)

 

[disnut8]

Same with me. I have a friend who went down with his wife, two kids, and his father. They only wanted to do Disney World and their touring style with the father's was completely different. He wanted the parks from opening to closing. With the kids, my friend needed a break. They only had one car. I said I'd help with the planning. He thanked me very much for the offer but said his dad had everything worked out.

First off, the father had to stay at a Howard Johnson. Not onsite which would have been much easier. The cheapest Howard Johnson they could find was at Universal. They drove the one car with all of them to Disney World every day. They got there at park opening and by mid-afternoon the kids were dragging. The father wanted to stay, my friend and his family want the pool and relaxation. They push it to the max, went to the hotel when they could, and then never returned to the parks because the drive to and from there was prohibitive. They hated it and will never go back.

Even my husband told his friend that their plan was basically stupid. He's a good friend so we didn't hold anything back. Those kids will never experience another Disney World vacation because the adults were brain dead.

 

[cleo]

To each their own.

My parents went to Disney twice without doing more than 2 or 3 rides each day. They loved it. Not that they don't like rides, they just felt like wandering around those two trips (which, by the way, were their first and second visits ever). No harm done.

They came with me once and we hit all the Best of the Best. They loved it. Did they love it more than the times they wandered aimlessly? Nope. To each their own.

I sometimes think there are Planners and there are Wanderers. I wouldn't want them to change my touring style, so I don't try to change theirs.

 

[MushyMushy]

I have a friend who went last summer. I'd offered her all my handwritten plans and a copy of the Unofficial Guide. She was grateful, but in the end didn't follow one bit of my advice. When she got home, all she did was complain about this, that, or the other.

I'd say, "Did you make ADRs like I suggested?"

She'd shrug and say, "No. How am I supposed to know where I want to eat in advance?"

I'd ask, "Did you use fastpass when possible?"

She'd say, "It was too inconvenient to have to go back to that ride later."

I'd say, "Did you get there when the park opened?"

She'd reply, "I can't get up that early."

And then she'd go on and on about how crowded it was, how hot it was, how long the lines were, and how she couldn't get in any restaurant!

To each their own, I guess.

 

[iloveboardwalk]

I went to Disneyland when I was very, very pregnant. I walked around the parks and didn't do a darn thing but enjoy being there.

My parents have an AP to Disneyland and go quite often (live in SoCal) and many, many times they just go to people watch. They do like Soarn' though.

 

[kennancat]

I have a friend who went last summer. I'd offered her all my handwritten plans and a copy of the Unofficial Guide. She was grateful, but in the end didn't follow one bit of my advice. When she got home, all she did was complain about this, that, or the other.

I'd say, "Did you make ADRs like I suggested?"

She'd shrug and say, "No. How am I supposed to know where I want to eat in advance?"

I'd ask, "Did you use fastpass when possible?"

She'd say, "It was too inconvenient to have to go back to that ride later."

I'd say, "Did you get there when the park opened?"

She'd reply, "I can't get up that early."

And then she'd go on and on about how crowded it was, how hot it was, how long the lines were, and how she couldn't get in any restaurant!

To each their own, I guess.

Next time she starts to complain, sigh, shake your head, roll your eyes, and say, "gosh, it's too bad you didn't listen to me." Hopefully that will stop the complain-fest

 

[MushyMushy]

Next time she starts to complain, sigh, shake your head, roll your eyes, and say, "gosh, it's too bad you didn't listen to me." Hopefully that will stop the complain-fest

She knows! I do the "I told you so" dance all the time. (we're like that... I wouldn't do that to any other friend)

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

We tend to overplan even just for a day trip to one of the parks. It always annoys my husband, so we did it once his way. This was in July. We ended up being at all 4 parks in one day, and getting to ride only one or two rides at each park. At the end of the day, he was like, "Why am I so tired when we didn't really get to DO anything?"

Should have listened to me. We do it my way now.

 

[ZPT1022]

YES! I am definitely the Disney expert in my family and my social group but they don't always listen. That or the people who are like, But I like the Official Book (Birnbaums). Nothing wrong with it but supplement it please. My aunt took her family and asked me for advice. I try to start off slowly so as not to overwhelm the uninitiated. I recommended checking out allearsnet as I find it easy to navigate and with good, trustworthy info. She was overwhelmed! I was like, that is NOTHING. Good thing I didn't send her here huh? And she is no stranger to the computer and internet so it wasn't that. Oh well I guess.

 

[jonestavern]

DH's family is into spontaneous something fierce.
1st trip, DBIL, DSIL, DFIL, DNieces7 & 13, DNephew7 all stayed in the (then) under massive re-do Nick & rented one van, no planning.
We stayed @ OKW. We are no longer commando, but, both DH & I are obsessive planners & like to have a rough strategy & are flexible, do early openings etc
While the rest of the family did not complain on the Feb '05 trip, this past November, at an adults only trip, they stayed with us at the BCV & we made a few ADRs that involved them--and they loved it! We gave them a few tips the afternoon they arrived, then a few more each day. We gave them the option of traveling around with us or going it alone, they did a bit of both. Very enjoyable, & they've got a trip planned for the Half Marathon in 2008! We will be giving them the UG for DBIL's birthday this spring & a Passporter. They did ask about which WDW properties to stay at & how to make ADRs. I think we have some planning converts here!

Jean