Pete was right on the money with his article.
I understand that WDW is an expensive vacation and that for some people they can only go infrequently or maybe just once and that they push to do as much as possible....
But trying to see everything or most things at WDW is impossible in a week long trip. And it just puts stress on everyone in the group. WDW can be stressful with the crowds. Add the self imposed stress and you are in for a bad time. It really is sad to see peopel pushing through the parks and knowing/seeing they are stressed and NOT having fun. THAT is a waste of time and money. Missing a ride on Space Mountain may disappoint but having the whole group stressed out most/all of the vacation is a real shame.
Some of our best memories are just wandering around and taking our time. Taking the time to talk to the CM. Turning an Ooops into something special. Our first trip to HS was a mistake.

We had our plan which is not real detailed but we try to go to a park with early EMH. We were headed to AK from AKL but the bus just was not there which is very strange because the bus from AK to AKL is pretty quick. A HS bus showed up and I asked the driver if there was early EMH at AK. He said no but it was at HS. Ok I say. Change of plans! Lets go to HS.....
We have never been to HS at that point. We ride over there, get off the bus and there tain't nobody around.....
Hmmmmm...
We get to the gate and there is a huge group of CM gardeners.

We look at them. They look at us.

We talk and find out HS is NOT open for early EMH but AK should be.

Rah Roh.
The CMs had been cutting some flowering bushes so they handed all the girls in the group fresh cut flowers!
We went back to the bus stop wondering how the heck we were gong to get from HS to ANYWHERE since the buses where not running to HS.
A van pulled up with a CM. Turns out he was a bus manager and he asked us what was up.

He took our group back over to AK and on the way we had a wonderful conversation about WDW and the WDW bus system.
Some people on the DIS would have b...hed and moaned about the bus driver reading an expired schedule. He had the schedule from the previous week which had ended the day before. The driver made a mistake and it led us to flowers and being chauffeured to AK.

We got to AK a bit later than planned but we still had to wait for the opening parade so it was no big deal.
I am glad the bus driver told us wrong. We had a great little experience. Someone pushing to do this and that would very likely have wigged out ruining the CM's day as well as their own. We really enjoyed our slight changed of plans that let to the side trip.
Slow Down. Look at the flower. Look at the detail. Talk to the CMs. Smell the flowers. Have some fun.
Later,
Dan