Has going to WDW gotten too complicated?

[deerislemaine]

We also don't do too much planning. Part of what we love about staying onsite is that we can be flexible. We do make a couple reservations for character meals. Other than that, we decide day-to-day what we want to do. I like to play golf about 3 times a week, and I usually don't make a tee time until just before I want to head out. I can always find some group to join, and then I don't mess up my family's plans.

We tend to go with the flow and enjoy what's available. We also call dining reservations the day of and have gotten lucky with where we want to go. We actually prefer not to be tied down to reservations too much.

Our situation is also different because we normally go for 10 days at a time, so we can shuffle what we want to do depending on waits and weather. I'm planning a short trip in May for SWW with just my son (age 13), so we'll see how a shorter trip works where we have a lot things that we want to do.

 

[SnowWhite2]

..... Especially since we find Disney food has definitely regressed in quality from what it used to be. No need to spend the extra bucks on mediocre food. We now have some really fantastic off site places we like.

DITTO

I feel the dining plan has dumbed down the food at WDW so we have found great off site places too. Now our "new adventures" are not in the park but in finding off site meals.

 

[arthur06]

Plus - I think people are far more particular than they used to be - and have very high expectations.

Expectations should be very high, if you ask me. I know this is posted in a DVC thread, but it really not just limited to DVC.

If I was paying cash and paying a rack rate to get "free dining" and taking my wife and 2 kids. It is easy to spend $2,000 or more for a week at Pop or one of the values, and over $5,000 for a week at GF or Poly. Spending that kind of money I would have high expectations.

The only thing that we really worry about for our trips is we try to make about 2 dining reservations and the rest we just take our time and enjoy whatever comes. We could spend a whole day, especially during F&G, just walking around Epcot and just popping in and out of shops and looking at all the flowers.

 

[dianeschlicht]

As far as ADR's go you aren't going to walk up with 8 people and get a table between 5-7pm at any good restaurant during peak season. You can probably call reservations and get a table at some restaurant but probably not the one you want. Part of our trips is to regroup at the end of the day and have a good meal together.

As I said earlier, we did walk up right at 5:30 to Jiko, Artist Point, and Turf Club and got right in, even with 8.

As for knowing which park to go to when....THAT is the real knowledge that pays off the best. Our strategy is to go to the park that had EMH the day before. That means that most people aren't going to plan on that park the next day, and at least the morning crowds will be very low. We have followed that strategy for a long time, and even in crowded times, we never seem to have horrible waits for rides. Often we don't even need to get fast passes.

 

[Figment2]

I travel with a group of friends (ages between 25 & 70). Although there may be only 8-10 of us actually staying on property, we automatically make all our ADRs for 20 so we have to do some pre-planning. Once we find out who of our local friends will be joining us we downsize the reservation. Even the meals we plan are subject to change. We like to do breakfast (not too early so definitely need an ADR) or early lunches. We cancel/change (if we can) ADRs as our trip wears on Since our long trip is during the Food & Wine festival we spend a lot of our time grazing. For a 10 day trip we may only have 3-4 ADRs.

I can't remember the last time any of us did rope drop and our idea of evening entertainment is to sit and relax in the Bellevue Lounge or go to Kimonos for kareoke.

Our trips are becoming more and more laid back. Last October we spent the bulk of our trip in EPCOT and I think we went on Soarin once. Did we have a great time - YES! We just love being there.

 

[WDWMom]

I'm not WDW mom, but we too have gone to not making ADRs the last two trips, and we've not had any trouble as long as we know we need to go at "off" times to our favorites. For example: We show up at Teppan Edo right near the end of the noon serving times (3-4). For the resort venues, we show up at the earliest time. For example: We love Artist Point and Jiko. We went to each at 5:30 and got in right away at both. We also did Turf Club in January with a group of 8 with no reservations at 5:30 and got right in.

I refuse to plan my meals 6 months in advance! I also refuse to plan my ride schedule in advance! We have learned how to work the system, by going to the parks early and doing the popular things right after rope drop. We've been able to make a game of getting on TSMM 3 times in a row and be done with it by 10:00. I certainly hope they don't ever get a ride reservation system up and running, because I'd probably have to find somewhere else to vacation. To me it isn't a vacation if I have to run by such a rigid schedule.

That's pretty much what we do too, Diane. We never know what park we are going to on any given day until the night before and we only spend 2-3 days at the parks anyway. When we are ready to eat, we find the closest restaurant and go it. Never a problem. Usually eat at odd times, and like Diane said, the food has gotten so generic we don't bother much. I'd rather eat in my room and do the cooking. Tastes much better.

 

[WDWMom]

As I said earlier, we did walk up right at 5:30 to Jiko, Artist Point, and Turf Club and got right in, even with 8.

As for knowing which park to go to when....THAT is the real knowledge that pays off the best. Our strategy is to go to the park that had EMH the day before. That means that most people aren't going to plan on that park the next day, and at least the morning crowds will be very low. We have followed that strategy for a long time, and even in crowded times, we never seem to have horrible waits for rides. Often we don't even need to get fast passes.

We don't necessarily do that but have found out several times that we'd be at a park (say EPCOT) and it was dead, then come to find out someone else was at HS and it was packed. Maybe we are just lucky, but I think that some strategy we are using that we don't know about it working for us After 20+ trips in 16 years we've learned something.

 

[Disneywedding2010]

I plan which resort I'm staying at, book airfare, book ME, make a few dinner ADRs, and plan what parks on what day but that's about it. I'm not a morning person so I don't do the AM EMH. However, we make a point to do the late night ones when they are available.

 

[Laurabearz]

We have been doing the same thing, and we usually get to do everything we want as well. Especially since we find Disney food has definitely regressed in quality from what it used to be. No need to spend the extra bucks on mediocre food. We now have some really fantastic off site places we like.

OOOooOooooOoh where do you go offsite??

We make a few ADR's mostly because the kids like the places and I rather just be sure we have something...

I read a bit about the whole booking ride times online and that seems like an epic fail...

As long as they dont make me book food and wine booth times....

 

[cman]

As I said earlier, we did walk up right at 5:30 to Jiko, Artist Point, and Turf Club and got right in, even with 8.

As for knowing which park to go to when....THAT is the real knowledge that pays off the best. Our strategy is to go to the park that had EMH the day before. That means that most people aren't going to plan on that park the next day, and at least the morning crowds will be very low. We have followed that strategy for a long time, and even in crowded times, we never seem to have horrible waits for rides. Often we don't even need to get fast passes.

But if I remember right you said it was January which is not peak season. Go at Christmas time, or any another peak time, without an ADR and 8 people and you won't get a table at 5:30. Most likely 9pm is when you would end up eating.

I think the point I was making is that it depends on the season. Peak season requires a different level of planning than low season.

I agree that having the knowledge of things like avoinding EMH is key. But I would consider that a form of planning in itself.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think the point I was making is that it depends on the season. Peak season requires a different level of planning than low season.

I agree that having the knowledge of things like avoinding EMH is key. But I would consider that a form of planning in itself.

Oh, I do know that holiday time would be a different animal.

OOOooOooooOoh where do you go offsite??

Our favorite is Bahama Breeze! There are 3 locations, but we like the one on Vineland because it's easy to get to.

 

[keishashadow]

I think my main concern is that if you DO NOT do these things you are really going to be left out in the cold, so to speak. I know I've a had a real hard time getting some dining reservations (like Le Cellier).

Many people I know can't imagine booking a vacation 11 months ahead of timefor many of us it's old hat, along with the disney drill of ADRs, touring plans, etc. I'm a type A type and the planning (and revising) is half the fun for me, although the last few years I've winged last minute summer trips and still had a great (albeit different) vacation experience.

imo, DVC owners are overall less stressed when visiting due to familiarity and tend to not sweat the small stuff (as to a specific ADR or even if a ride is down for refurbishment) as we know we'll be baaack

 

[kmk1180]

Not necessarily. We never plan or do ADR's and we always eat where we want. Never once had a problem.

Agreed.

Plus - I think people are far more particular than they used to be - and have very high expectations.
PLUS - I think some people just LIKE to make things more complicated!
Not in offense to anyone - but some people no NOT like to live on a whim so they plan their vacation to be completely unexpected. - that takes a little bit of the magic out of it!

I am interested how you are able to eat where ever you want without ADRs. This was my primary complaint on our last trip in January, a so called low season. The restaurants were packed. We did have ADRs but wanted to change some last minute (day of) and were not able to get near several restaurants. I think that having to book meals 180 days out is ridiculous, but like others have mentioned, if you don't, you're left out in the cold.

Really? Wow we've had the compete opposite experience.
We've gone in Jan a couple times and have great times.
Low crowds, Easy ADR's night before or day of.
Like Jiko without ADR's 10 minute wait at most, walk up to Crystal Palace with less than 5 minute wait.
Call and get day of Wishes Dessert Party with less than 2hrs notice.
Signed up for tours day of.

Ride?s Wow, this Jan we hit the whole park and didn't have a single ride more than 5 minute wait.

Character meet and greets? Big 5 at EPCOT's character spot with less than 5 minute wait.

Jan is a great time to go without need to plan in advance.

 

[WDWMom]

But if I remember right you said it was January which is not peak season. Go at Christmas time, or any another peak time, without an ADR and 8 people and you won't get a table at 5:30. Most likely 9pm is when you would end up eating.

I think the point I was making is that it depends on the season. Peak season requires a different level of planning than low season.

I agree that having the knowledge of things like avoinding EMH is key. But I would consider that a form of planning in itself.

We always go the first week of April because that is our spring break. Some years it is peak season if Easter falls at the beginning or end of our trip. A couple years ago we were at HS and it was dead - walked on to lots of rides. Couldn't believe it because we had heard horror stories from other people all week.

Same with restaurants that week. Walked up and never waited long. Last year we tried House of Blues around 6 and walked right in.

 

[WDWMom]

Many people I know can't imagine booking a vacation 11 months ahead of timefor many of us it's old hat, along with the disney drill of ADRs, touring plans, etc. I'm a type A type and the planning (and revising) is half the fun for me, although the last few years I've winged last minute summer trips and still had a great (albeit different) vacation experience.

imo, DVC owners are overall less stressed when visiting due to familiarity and tend to not sweat the small stuff (as to a specific ADR or even if a ride is down for refurbishment) as we know we'll be baaack

I am a type A personality too with lots of O/C issues. I have learned to surf the DIS and Disney.com before trips so I know when parks are open early or late, what attractions are down and such, but I skip the planning. I have found that I am much happier not being bogged down with plans and then having to deviate from them. Plus we learned early on that our kids were happier going with the flow. Happier kids meant happier mom and dad.


My DSIL can not sit down for long. She has to go, go, go. I don't know how she does it. But her boys are not like that. We can all be at the pool together and she'll be saying "We have ADR's at ???? in an hour, we need to get going." Boys are saying back, they don't want to go, they are enjoying the pool, time with cousins, etc... She doesn't get it.

 

[wbl2745]

Responding to the original question, yes planning a WDW trip has gotten way too complicated, at least for me. I'll grant you that the problem might be me, but we just went WDW the first week of December with my two brothers and our wives. We had a 2 bedroom and a studio at AKV. That was complicated to arrange since we don't own at AKV.

In order to show my brother, for whom this was his first visit, what WDW had to offer I arranged: Illuminations Cruise, Hoop-Dee-Do Review, Candlelight Processional Dinner, Le Cellier, Keys to the Kingdom Tour, and Artist's Point. I was on the phone trying to get the rooms, when 180 days came I was calling and holding to get the dinners and tours. It was way over the top, but maybe the problem was that I was way over the top.

I don't do nearly that much planning for a trip to DLR. On the other side I go to DLR a lot more often that WDW so when I do go to WDW I feel like I need to "do everything," while at DLR I know I'll be back and don't need to do it all.

 

[Lost in Neverland]

I used to be one of those people that carried a bag otherwise known as the trip bag. All of our ADRs, plans for where we were going to be and when plus everything else you could think of lived in it. Well I got tired of planning for months then stressing over if we would get to everything we had "planned on doing". This past trip I decided I was not going to be on a touring plan, nor was I going to get up every day at "O dark thirty" to be at a park to see the rope drop show and I did not care if we had ADRs. Guess what??? We had the most relaxing and best trip we have ever had. NO times to meet, no alarm clocks to set, no feeling so rushed we could not enjoy what we were doing for worrying about being on time for dinner.And we ate at sit down resturants when we wanted without issue. I am sure the ease of going without plans is due to we were there in mid January and I would probably rethink things if I were going at Easter or during the Summer months. I am with the OP most of us ,me included, have made this into a year long planning event just to be on vacation.

 

[dissybroad]

I'm one of those start a binder 15 months in advance types!

I'm a morning person so I go by the adage "You can do more in the first hour than you can for the next three, and you can do more in the first three hours than you will the rest of the day" or something like that.

I go commando, Touring Plans style for the first hour or two until it starts to get crowded then play it by ear and do less "super headliner" stuff for the rest of the day.

 

[Pugsoup]

Agreed. We are trying to book our first trip to WDW and I'm terrified!

 

[WolfpackFan]

Going back to my original question - I guess what really concerns me is not necessarily the planning as much as these "third party" tools I keep reading about - Touring Plans, TGM and a myriad of smartphone apps. I don't use any of these things, but if you read over on the Theme Parks board a lot of people do use them. I am just concerned that if you either don't know about them or don't use them you are going to be at a real disadvantage as far as crowds because so many people do use them. I just know over the last few years every time we go to a park we seem to be stuck in huge crowds. That is what I meant about it getting so complicated - just keeping up with these new things.