Has going to WDW gotten too complicated?

[dianeschlicht]

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.

I think that is exactly what some of us are saying though. You really don't HAVE to do all those things if you follow the simple process of going to the park that is not having EMH that day, and that had EMH the day before.

I don't use any of those things like TGM etc. I do use the fast pass system, but that's about it.

 

[quirty30]

I think it's only as complicated as YOU choose to make it. I do make ADR's somewhere around my 180 day mark, and I obviously have to peruse the WDW website to get an idea of which parks we'll visit on each day. And in the months in between, I make various changes, tweaking things here and there. Sometimes we get down to WDW and I cancel some ADR's and we do something altogether different. I love my DVC and my AP and the fact that I don't ever feel like we have to go commando...we are totally not morning people. I don't think we've ever seen a rope drop in over a half dozen trips the last 2 years. In order to avoid the crowds at the parks, we frequently spend the afternoons at the pool or shopping at Downtown Disney. We know there is always going to be another trip and a chance to check out things we miss.

I do think people who visit less frequently do benefit from websites like Touring Plans and Tour Guide Mike. I just don't feel the need OR have the desire to be that analytical about our visits.

 

[paeskie]

The planning phenomenon is two-fold in our family.
First, it gives me a way to feed my obsession leading up to the trip, and to be actually doing something while I am dreaming about Disney.
Second, my DH gets really stressed out waiting in lines, especially for food. If I do my planning right, we all can be much happier on our trip because there is less standing and waiting.

 

[NCRedding]

Well see this is what I'm talking about. I have absolutely no idea what this 2 table service credit thing is. Is this something I need to know about to get a Le Cellier reservation? Plus a lot of these things seem to change a lot. For example, when you can make a reservation for where? You really have to stay on top of these things or you could miss out big time. I know I read the boards everyday and still have trouble keeping up. What about the poor fellow who has no clue about these boards or planning ahead. I wonder how many people have missed riding TSM by not knowing they have to be at HS at rope drop to get a FP. And that is just one example. Don't get me wrong we still love WDW and our DVC ownership and I have no solutions, but it sure is complicated.

I didn't see if this was answered for you earlier. The dining plan made Le Cellier a signature restaurant for dinner so in order to eat there on the dining plan, you have to use two dinner credits per person. I agree with the PP who said this will probably make Le Cellier easier to get an ADR for as people will think about whether to spend two credits to go there.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

As far as eating, restaurants and ADR's, I agree to some degree, it was easier because there were so few options that it was pretty much decided for you. The only trips I really completely plan out to the last minute are family reunions, we travel with a party of 9 to 11 and you just can't stop by and get a table.

When it's just a few of us, I'll make an ADR for somewhere I really enjoy eating, and yes hype and all I love Le Cellier, have loved it since it opened but I like eating dinner there at 8:15 so I typically never have a problem getting in!

I also live 2 /12 hours away and I now more than ever eat outside of Disney, and having a car is the key to it. We have several really good, close to Disney Orlando restaurants that put Disney to shame, same price but better choices and quality. I also started looking at restaurant like at the Dolphin, love Todd English's Blue Zoo. Other than that, I love to cook and use my villa kitchen to whip up the rest!

As far as the lines, I'm a Disney product of the 70's and 80's, 60 minute lines, no shade, we did it, hated it but did it none the less. Now with FP, a villa to take breaks, pm & am EMH's and many Disney trips under my belt, I seldom wait in lines more than 15 minutes. The parks have improved mobility in my opinion, at least for me!

I miss some things from the old days, but I find its better now! I make it work to suit me not the other way around because Disney isn't catering to me!

 

[Chellymouse]

It's kind of funny to find this thread as DH and I were just talking about how DVC has changed how we "do" Disney. We do still make a few ADRs because we have a few places that we do like and don't want to miss or spend 2 hours waiting for a table. We also will plan ahead if want to do a tour or something special, but anymore, we just go with the flow and do what we want. If we were still going every 12-18 months and paying cash for a rack rate and not always knowing when we're going back, it might be a little different. The only other time we do any planning of any consequence is if we are bringing company so that we make sure everything they want to do, they can.