Had a great day at MK yesterday!

[Rwsm2011]

You would be suprised my how many people show up with no knowledge or planning. When I worked at Disney you found this more often than not. I'll never forget one day an older gentleman came up to the parking tram at Epcot asking if this would take him across the parking lot to Magic Kingdom. He had no idea how big this place was. Then when the Cast member explained to him about how all 4 parks are spread out and you would have to take various modes of transportation to get there, his face lit up in surprise and said there are four parks!!??? He had no idea. A lot of people just show up lol

Our neighbor is down there right now. She had no plans. It was a large group with her 3 grown children, their spouses, and 3 grandkids. They were even planning on doing Jedi training and had no clue that they had to register early! Thankfully I talked to her daughter the night before they were leaving and gave them a "plan". It was hard to give them a really good one because I didn't know how into characters, etc they would be. But it helped because she sent me a text with a picture of her nephew at Jedi training and I noticed a post on FB from his mom about how she couldn't believe they had to get there an hour early just to get signed up! So glad I was able to help though. That would have been a miserable trip with no warning.

 

[maxiesmom]

Sounds like you accomplished a lot!

The bathrooms seem to always be a disaster. I remember going in the early 90's and amazed at how clean they always were.

They were very clean in October. Not a single one was a disaster. Being on these boards makes me hyper aware as it always seems to come up. Maybe I was lucky, or maybe you all were unlucky.

I find it appalling that the bathrooms end up that bad to begin with. What is wrong with people? Most of us use a restroom multiple times a day, it shouldn't be that difficult to "go" without making a mess. I get more angry at my fellow guests than at Disney. It shouldn't be necessary to have someone cleaning each restroom every single minute the park is open.

 

[Moxiepup]

They were very clean in October. Not a single one was a disaster. Being on these boards makes me hyper aware as it always seems to come up. Maybe I was lucky, or maybe you all were unlucky.

I find it appalling that the bathrooms end up that bad to begin with. What is wrong with people? Most of us use a restroom multiple times a day, it shouldn't be that difficult to "go" without making a mess. I get more angry at my fellow guests than at Disney. It shouldn't be necessary to have someone cleaning each restroom every single minute the park is open.

Agreed!

Ironically, I think it's the germaphobes that cause a good percentage of the mess. I've read where some people hold their kids above the bowl to go, so that they won't touch the seat where "other" people have been. Others hover. People... when ya don't sit on the seat, you splash, and THAT is what causes the mess! If everyone just sat, there wouldn't be an issue. It's just the back of the legs. Private parts don't touch where you sit, unless you're doing something incredibly wrong (in which case you need more help than these forums can give you...) I've seen toilets that look like a duck has been splashing around in there. How does someone even do that?!

 

[BayouQueen]

With smart use of FP + on a solid 8-9 crowd day, we were able to ride 13 rides from 9am-10pm, only 2 were stand by, eat a qs lunch, ts dinner (Skipper Canteen was by far the best meal on property) and watch Wishes. We even scored a miraculous same day SDMT about 6pm for 9:05pm!!

DaisyJ, do you remember what you ordered at Skipper Canteen? We're going this May, and I want to make sure we order what's best there.

 

[DaisyJ]

DaisyJ, do you remember what you ordered at Skipper Canteen? We're going this May, and I want to make sure we order what's best there.

I ordered the Nellie Nile Noodle bowl with chicken and DH got the head on shrimp with jasmine rice. He said it was delicious. I had kungaloosh for dessert and DH had the Quicksand, I think? It was rice pudding with some kind of curd and mango.

Be forewarned, the noodle bowl is served in what I would consider a bowl to feed the whole table at home! I couldn't eat the whole thing, but it was delicious. We also had falafel.

 

[MommaBerd]

There is an appetizer called Orinoco Ida's Cachapas that is *very* good, too!

 

[laracroft]

Band kids FTW.

As a former band kid and the proud dad of a drum major, I may be a little biased.

Band parent of 2 and I concur! LOL

 

[BradChristian]

Heartbreaking when I hear stories of those who pay so much money and come away with NOTHING!

I had a coworker who went for ONE day... they went with a another couple who had a child about the same age as their 7-year-old son.

She had been counseled on 'how to do' Disney by two different people. We even helped her get FastPasses set up for SDMT, Peter Pan, and Space Mountain to ensure that they would have at least 3 rides as they were going during a busier season on a Saturday. They stayed at Art of Animation for some reason... I would have rather stayed off site and been able to go two days! I digress...

However - upon going to the park to the other couple's son decided that he was going to be a meltdown all day. Instead of sending the other couple back to the resort to recover... They instead just walked around the park all day... saw the FoF Parade and LEFT! They did not do ANY rides, and I'm pretty sure they aren't like me in enjoying finding the details by walking around the park.

By my calculations... One day tickets plus a Disney resort cost them over $1000 to watch a parade, and while I know that is one hell of a parade... What a waste!

 

[GatorGirl]

Band kids FTW.

As a former band kid and the proud dad of a drum major, I may be a little biased.

DD is there now with her band. They are really a good bunch those band kids, no line jumping, rude behavior etc. Of course the band directors also put the fear of God in them too but most of them are smart, nice intelligent kids.....proud Mom of a french horn player! Biased here too - DH was a jazz major in college lol

 

[cole4/25]

But, at least most of the music kids I saw were pretty well behaved. Much better than the Dec groups!!!

Good to hear - my son & his HS band was staying there just last week!!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

DD is there now with her band. They are really a good bunch those band kids, no line jumping, rude behavior etc. Of course the band directors also put the fear of God in them too but most of them are smart, nice intelligent kids.....proud Mom of a french horn player! Biased here too - DH was a jazz major in college lol

Good to hear - my son & his HS band was staying there just last week!!

My DD and her softball team will be there in 2 weeks. The 4 coaches travel with the girls in a herd at the parks. The whole group is very well behaved or else!

 

[Disney_traveler]

To all the band parents/alumni/chaperones....330 ish days until we chaperone ours to their "every 4 years" band trip. Yay!

 

[Dbktmc]

We discovered WDW is so much more fun without kids.

There was an older gentleman at lunch who asked me if people actually have fun at Disney World? He said they had been there since opening and hadn't ridden anything.

My husband and I traveled to Disney together for the first 12 years of our marriage before we had kids. Disney was our favorite vacation spot! I'm glad that you had so much fun!!

I feel bad for that older gentleman. Unless you "research" Disney before you travel I think that most people walk away disappointed in the vacation. I have had numerous coworkers and friends go to Disney without a plan. I never want to push my ideas on them and many of them do not seek advice. Almost every single one of them come back telling me that they hated their vacation and don't ever plan on going again. While I understand that Fast Pass+ works for most of us, I don't think that it works for the majority of people that I know. They don't know how necessary it is to schedule 60 days out and, even if they do, they don't know what rides to choose. Add to that the fact that dining reservations need to be made 180 +10 days out it can be overwhelming. I know that a lot of people say that it is the fault of the people traveling to Disney but I'm not sure that I agree. Anyways, I hope that he and his family found a way to enjoy the parks. The parks are amazing if you just take the time to slow down and enjoy them!

 

[mamamelody2]

We discovered WDW is so much more fun without kids.

I am hoping to discover this same thing when my husband and I go in November just the 2 of us. Can't wait!!