Going to Disney without any reservations or fast passes

[figment13]

Does anyone still go to Disney without making any reservations for restaurants or don't use the fast pass system? We usually just go to relax and take each day as it comes. We see what we can and we eat wherever.

 

[Lynne M]

I haven't been to WDW since FP+ was implemented, but you're describing my vacation style to a T. I get up in the morning and go to whatever park I feel like doing that day.

I've used, oh, maybe 8 fastpasses total in 30+ WDW trips. I might use FP+ if I'm going with someone who really wants to ride a specific ride, but otherwise, I won't bother. Same goes for ADRs.

For me, 'planning' is making hotel and air reservations.

 

[nkereina]

The go with the flow style of touring is definitely a nice and laid back one, but for those people who are planning a once in a lifetime trip or may only be able to afford to go once every 5-6 years, it's not optimal. I'd imagine the people who skip ADRs and FP+ are those who go every year or multiple times a year.

 

[GlennN]

My wife and I are anal planners. We use ADRs for at least one meal of the day (usually dinner, unless we are doing a character breakfast). I still am leery about FP+, but I guess it should (in theory) benefit planners like me. I do have all of my FP+ reservations set up (did that on the first day we could, of course). Counting down to our trip!

 

[Corsetopia]

I'm actually kind of scared not to use the new FP+ system because I've read on other threads that without using them, you might not get to ride on any of the new rides. Not sure if that's true or not!

As for ADRs, when DH and I went to WDW by ourselves, it was super easy to get into restaurants without a reservation, with minimal wait time. I actually preferred it that way! However, since we're going with our entire family this year, we made our ADRs early for one TS meal a night to guarantee we get a table.

 

[asmit4]

Does anyone still go to Disney without making any reservations for restaurants or don't use the fast pass system? We usually just go to relax and take each day as it comes. We see what we can and we eat wherever.

This sounds HORRID to me I'm a planner- It's ALL planned!- Parks, food, FPs, etc etc.

 

[ghtx]

This sounds HORRID to me I'm a planner- It's ALL planned!- Parks, food, FPs, etc etc.

Ditto. Plenty of my life is unplanned, but not my trips to WDW.

 

[Supparo]

My last trip (this past May) was all unplanned.

I did however add fastpasses in the mornings while grabbing a cup of coffee/while eating breakfast once we had decided where we were going to go.

No restaurant reservations either which I never did in my past trips and I have to say it was quite nice not having to worry about where I needed to be at any given moment!

 

[srauseo]

I have done both types of trips.

When my Mom and I went on a trip together we had no reservations other than our room. We went with the flow, park hopped a lot, and walked into restaurants without ADRs (i.e., sat at the bar!). We had a great time - mostly because we didn't have any expectations.

When I've gone with a larger group, especially with first timers, I go into full on assault-on-the-parks mode. Our upcoming trip is one of those: group of 8, with two kids on their first trip. I've been right on top of scheduling ADRs and FPs. I've got my spreadsheet. And I'm loving every minute of it. On this trip there are expectations about what we will see and do so I'm trying to ensure we accomplish as much as possible but still have down time and lots of fun!

Your level of planning has to be in line with your expectations. If you expect to ride all the headliners with minimal waits and eat meals in nice restaurants at regular meal hours, etc., and meet lots of characters, you need to commit to a certain amount of advance planning. That's the nature of the beast.

 

[saskdw]

Does anyone still go to Disney without making any reservations for restaurants or don't use the fast pass system? We usually just go to relax and take each day as it comes. We see what we can and we eat wherever.

No one on DIS would be, but I'm sure there are lots of people who don't know any better that just book a trip and show up. We'll never know how it worked out because they won't report here.

 

[asmit4]

No one on DIS would be, but I'm sure there are lots of people who don't know any better that just book a trip and show up. We'll never know how it worked out because they won't report here.

Actually we DO know how it works out. Ever go on a yahoo comments section about ANY sort of disney anything???....Nothing but a bunch of people who complain about the cost being too high, the lines being 2 hours or more, how they couldn't get into any restaurants to eat blah blah blah.

 

[saskdw]

Actually we DO know how it works out. Ever go on a yahoo comments section about ANY sort of disney anything???....Nothing but a bunch of people who complain about the cost being too high, the lines being 2 hours or more, how they couldn't get into any restaurants to eat blah blah blah.

No, I don't view Yahoo comments for anything.

 

[KB'sMom]

We've never done dinner reservations - always just do counter service and the food has been fine. We will probably do some FP+ this next trip though - at least for the more popular rides/attractions.

 

[csfed0505]

Since I have little ones and a lot will determine when they are hungry I was thinking of just doing quick counter service. Hmm maybe I should make reservations. Where are some decent price places at MK and Epcot?

 

[GillianP1301]

Does anyone still go to Disney without making any reservations for restaurants or don't use the fast pass system? We usually just go to relax and take each day as it comes. We see what we can and we eat wherever.

This makes me break out in cold sweats.

That being said, I see absolutely nothing wrong with the non planned, take it as it comes approach to WDW, if that's your style. I plan because I like to plan and because it's more enjoyable to me than not planning. What would really suck is being one way (planner or not) and trying to do a trip in the opposite style. No matter which side you're on, that would not turn out well.

 

[Bilierka]

Does anyone still go to Disney without making any reservations for restaurants or don't use the fast pass system? We usually just go to relax and take each day as it comes. We see what we can and we eat wherever.

Q>>>>>>>yikes!!!!!its like the year of living dangerously !!!!!

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

Does anyone still go to Disney without making any reservations for restaurants or don't use the fast pass system? We usually just go to relax and take each day as it comes. We see what we can and we eat wherever.

Some folks love to plan and some don't!! Now- I can go to Disney right now and have the best time ever with no plan!! But- if I have a trip planned well in advanced.....then yes- I will be making plans!!!!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

My best trip was my least planned trip.

 

[JimmyV]

This is not to suggest that un "unplanned trip" is impossible or inadvisable, because, of course it can be done. But it is important to keep in mind the critical difference between "then" and "now", at least as it relates to FP+. In the past, the uber planner and non-planner who showed up at the park at the same time had exactly the same pre-booked adventures--which is to say, none. The uber planner might have had a better idea of what she was going to do first, or the order that she wanted to tour the park. But if she showed up at the Space Mountain FP machines at 10:00 and the non-planner showed up at the same machines at the same time, they each got the same reward. Pre-planning didn't get the uber planner anything that the non-planner couldn't get. Equal footing, if not equal agendas.

But now, with soooooooo many more people utilizing FP+, when the non-planner shows up at the park, the uber planners have already siphoned off a lot of the FPs for the day and since the numbers are finite, once something is gone, it can't come back. The non-planner is no longer on equal footing. That is not to say that the non-planner will get shut out or be unable to do certain things. It is just that their options may be more limited. As long as one goes in with eyes wide open and understands the ramifications, the trip can work out fine. So, for example, if in the past you went with no pre-planning and no agenda, you might have decided upon waking up that today would be a good day to go to DHS. You showed up at 9:30 and decided to get a FP for TSMM. You got in line, and by 10:30 you had a FP for 6:00 p.m. And if you decided not to get a FP and instead got in the Standby line, you waited 75 minutes to ride. Flash forward to today. You wake up and decide at the last minute to go to DHS. You arrive at 9:30 and decide to get a FP for TSMM. You use your phone or kiosk to book one, and you might find that they are gone for the day. You decide to ride Standby, and you will wait the same 75 minutes as before. (At other rides, however, you may find that Standby lines are longer than you remember. So if you were an "I never used FP" person, you might find that your time waiting in lines is longer). You will still get to ride, but your options are more limited. This is simply the reality of the pre-booking FP+ option. If you do not avail yourself of that feature, your options are going to be more limited. Limited to the point of utter disappointment and frustration? Probably not. But only you can determine how much of either you are willing to put up with on your vacation.

As for ADRs, nothing has changed.

 

[kay1864]

Does anyone still go to Disney without making any reservations for restaurants

Of course. Table service restaurants are just fine for many, including me. We recently did a 5-day trip with only one ADR.

or don't use the fast pass system?

Only if I'm a masochist who LIKES standing in long lines...which I'm not.