Help me help my friends

[RachelEllen]

Knowing I love Disney, some friends of mine have come to me for help. They are not theme park fans, but they have two boys, ages 4 and 8, and just got a last minute vacation week. So, they figured they would cross this off the bucket list.

They told me their budget, and I suggested they book a wilderness cabin Monday through Friday (4 nights), do two theme park days, and one relaxing day. (I found an available package online) They decided to book their four nights Wednesday through Sunday, off property, and get four days of park tickets so they can "do everything"

They are really nice people and will not blame me if things don't go well, but, already their plans sound like a hot, frustrating experience to me. I suggested they either get up early for rope drop, only get their hearts set on one or two rides, and then just leave before the kids are totally done in. Otherwise, I'm afraid they will burn out. If that doesn't sound good, I suggested they arrive much later in the day, have their heart set on no rides in particular, and stay for fireworks and parades.

Anyhow, I have a phone call scheduled with the mom to suggest specifics. I have very little experience with last minute trips or staying offsite. I'm a total planner with the fast passes and dining done months in advance. Can I get some advise from folks on how to advise?

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

I'd suggest a few guidebooks and let them read through it and decide what works best for them. Everyone vacations differently and nobody is going to follow anyone else's expectations of how to do Disney. I'd just suggest that they not overplan and make a list of three to four things they absolutely want to get done, and then work out the rest after that.

 

[mousehockey37]

Yeah, they don't sound ready for this yet... I'd tell them to a wait a year or two... This isn't a fly-by-night operation to patch a decent trip together, esp. when you don't know what you're doing, even with your help OP.

 

[pitpat]

When are they going?

why only "get their hearts set on one or two rides"? They can probably still get FPs for good rides and if they hit RD, knock out others.

I would probably suggest 2 days at MK (split into left / right to make it easily manageable) and then pick whichever 2 other parks interest them most (maybe HS if they love star wars).

 

[mousehockey37]

When are they going?

why only "get their hearts set on one or two rides"? They can probably still get FPs for good rides and if they hit RD, knock out others.

I would probably suggest 2 days at MK (split into left / right to make it easily manageable) and then pick whichever 2 other parks interest them most (maybe HS if they love star wars).

The part that worries me is "last minute vacation week". Depending on when this week is (is it like 2 weeks from now? a month? when?)... There's so many variables to have to consider. It just sounds bad right now and I'd honestly, to help them have an enjoyable time, tell them to try another time. Go somewhere else this year, and work with the OP or TA to have a better planned WDW trip.

I know I'm not going to have the most popular opinion on this, but there comes a point that I'd say: "No, this isn't a vacation you can wing at the last minute. It's not like a last minute vacation to the beach, there's a lot more that goes into it."

 

[RachelEllen]

OP here. The trip is definitely happening.

I suggested heart set on one or two rides since my experience with kids that age is that you can exhaust yourselves with trying to get stuff done and sometimes having very little agenda beyond the first few hours can make for a nicer day overall.

My first suggestion, in the context of wanting to see all the parks was Epcot first day, then HS, then animal kingdom (and plan on making it a short day) and finishing up with magic kingdom. I checked with a crowd calandar and this wasn't a particular bad way to do things. Plus it does avoid all the EMH parks.

I also told mom to get a MDE app to get an account and start thinking about fast passes. She wants suggestions on what rides.

Like many people, she's having trouble wrapping her head around having to decide on sit down meals or not so far in advance!

Coincidentally, we are in the parks too with a group of 7. It's tiring enough with all the planning we've done. I really wish she had decided to stay on site (and fort wilderness is so nice and relaxing) and just done two parks. But, considering two days at magic kingdom is a good idea.

For people that stay off site, is a mid day break just not feasible? Would you ever consider a monorail resort lunch or early dinner reservation for a break? Just trying to think outside my usual planning method.

 

[RachelEllen]

The part that worries me is "last minute vacation week". Depending on when this week is (is it like 2 weeks from now? a month? when?)... There's so many variables to have to consider. It just sounds bad right now and I'd honestly, to help them have an enjoyable time, tell them to try another time. Go somewhere else this year, and work with the OP or TA to have a better planned WDW trip.

I know I'm not going to have the most popular opinion on this, but there comes a point that I'd say: "No, this isn't a vacation you can wing at the last minute. It's not like a last minute vacation to the beach, there's a lot more that goes into it."

It's next week. As in less than a week away. Originally they were going to do universal, and I strongly suggested Disney instead for their kids ages (older one isn't a potter fan). At that point they were only going to do two park days, so I'm not sure how it turned into four. I think they just looked at the price comparison between onsite with two park days and offsite with four and went with the latter.

 

[pitpat]

I like AK, but would consider 2 MK days a better use of their first time there (or if they don't care about Star wars, skip HS). The new Main Street opening makes things easier. Also having both be boys makes things easier.

If they are on Main St. by 8:30 for a 9 opening and head to either Adventureland/Frontierland or Tomorrowland they can get a lot done. FPs for the Mountains or hit them first. Buzz and Space first thing are easy then Speedway.

At Epcot get either TT or Soarin FP and ride the other first thing.

Jedi Training is kind of a pain, but doable.

Do the boys really care about table service meals? Probably not. Keep it simple.


http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showthread.php?34406-Fall-2016-Cheat-Sheet-Touring-Plans
these Cheat Sheets and maps are very helpful.

 

[glassslippergirl]

Last minute and offsite trips are totally possible and can be quite enjoyable. If staying offsite makes a trip a "hot mess," then all our trips are messes, and we keep coming back for more.

I'm going to assume they bought their tickets already. So on you call, walk them through setting up a MDE account, linking tickets, and making FPs. If they don't have tickets, suggest they buy at least one month before their trip and go through this process.

They won't see everything, but they can visit each park, which I think is a better option on a first trip. Help her plan which day for each park. Then, help her prioritize best rides to FP. Suggest that they plan a longer day in parks for their MK day-- there's just a lot to do there. Their DHS day can probably be a short day with down time at the hotel. Explain the benefits of RD. Quick breakfast in the room, then off to the parks. Suggest the mid-day break strategy so that they can see the nighttime shows in at least a few parks. It is possible. Driving takes just as long as WDW busses; in most cases, it's faster. MK is the exception because of the TTC step.

YouTube is a person's best friend in this situation. Watch some ride videos to plan must sees. Depending on how soon the trip is, will they be driving? Can they use some of the drive time to watch ride videos and plan their must-sees.

I'd also suggest that they avoid TS to save time. Maybe a character dining in park if they can get an ADR. I wouldn't do resorts for dining. This way she doesn't have to wrap her head around her dining options. CS options are fine. They can look at a few menus and decide best choices for CS and hit the ones that are most convenient based on where they are. Suggest eating a little off of meal times to save time in line. As they are staying offsite, eating offsite is also an option. Choose restaurants around the hotel for a few meals. You can even call the restaurant on the way back to the hotel for a mid-day break, pick up lunch, and take it back to the room. We love doing this-- so convenient.

Honestly, I don't see why people are so down on this trip. This forum caters to uber planners, which most people are not. It's a trip to WDW, not to outer space. It will be fine.

 

[amberpi]

I often make fp and adrs that far in advance - I might just have an opportunity to get 3 days away. It can be done and can be awesome. Just get her to get some reservations and she really can wing the rest.

 

[mousehockey37]

It's next week. As in less than a week away. Originally they were going to do universal, and I strongly suggested Disney instead for their kids ages (older one isn't a potter fan). At that point they were only going to do two park days, so I'm not sure how it turned into four. I think they just looked at the price comparison between onsite with two park days and offsite with four and went with the latter.

OMG.

Last minute, off site trips are fine. IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!

In 2014 we booked a split-stay DVC vacation for a week less than a month out, and we did everything we wanted to, as well as ate where we wanted to... why? We knew what we were doing.

This trip is in a week...

 

[RachelEllen]

Thanks for all the replies! The hot mess wasn't just staying offsite! It was the combo of 4 parks in 4 days and trying to squeeze it all in. I really appreciate the specific tips!

 

[Capang]

We did a last minute, four parks in for days, for our first trip. It was totally fine. Very enjoyable, we did waaaayy more than 1-2 rides and this was peak season. Our child was 3. It was actually more enjoyable than the next trip we took whic was planned a year in advance. It can be done.

 

[RachelEllen]

We did a last minute, four parks in for days, for our first trip. It was totally fine. Very enjoyable, we did waaaayy more than 1-2 rides and this was peak season. Our child was 3. It was actually more enjoyable than the next trip we took whic was planned a year in advance. It can be done.

Do you have any ideas what made it good? Just it all being new? Or serendipity? Or anything I can suggest?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

What exactly about their plan is a 'hot mess'? Your advice is to go at rope drop and only plan on 1-2 rides, then leave? That seems extreme to me to be honest.

We all do Disney in our own ways. Let them go and figure it out on their own. Make sure she has some of the BASICS down like MDE, the app, booking FPs. You can suggest some places to look into ADRs based on where they plan to be each day and show her how to search for times.

I would just stick to basics and major logistics pitfalls in her plan.

To be honest I try to keep it pretty generic when people ask me for advice. Everyone is so different and there's no right or wrong way to do Disney, so just give them 30,000 foot guidance and let them figure it out.

 

[KalamityJane]

I would connect her to the FP sticky thread on here and how to use it to maximize their FPs (so they can use more than 1 tier 1 in a day for instance). That should help a lot.

ETA: And maybe allears for the menus so she can get a good idea of food options?

 

[CAS239]

They should be fine.

Have them make MDE accounts and set up FPs asap. Look at park hours and avoid parks with EMH if they're staying offsite. Strongly advise them that if they can get up and be at the park 45 min before rope drop, they can get a lot done.

My advice is to get there for rope drop, ride whatever they want, have FP's starting around 11 or 12 when it starts to get busy. If they want to take an afternoon break then they can easily. We always stay offsite and every day we leave the park around 1pm, go eat/shower/nap, then hit a second park around 5pm (with FP's starting around 5/6pm)

If they'll have park hoppers then I'd strongly suggest the same advice in the paragraph above, but instead of FP's starting at 11 or 12, have FP's starting in the afternoon when they plan to return to a park.

 

[LovePug]

One park per day sounds perfect to me! It's exactly what I did my first trip (and most other trips after, actually). We almost always stay offsite and, depending on where they are staying, it's totally doable to leave the park and come back (assuming they have a car). I would just tell them to prioritize what they want to do and try to convey how HUGE the place is so they don't think they can do everything. You probably will fail at conveying the size because, no matter how many times I read it, I was still blown away the first time. If they want TS meals, they need to get those set up, as well as FPs they may want. Tell her to pay attention to the details in the parks and try not to rush from place to place. IMO, those are what set WDW apart from all others. I hope they have a great time!

 

[pitpat]

Something that may help: If the kids don't know something exists, they won't miss riding it.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I don't understand why you think this will be a hot mess. This may not be the super-planned, hard-to-get FP+ and ADR type of trip, but they could totally do one park per day, pick three rides that sound good to FP+ and wing the rest. Yes, if they think they are going to see and do it all, they will be disappointed, but I would suggest they look at the attractions section of each park on the WDW website and pick the rides/attractions that sound most interesting to them and help them come up with a touring plan from there - pick 3 FP+ in each park and then consolidate touring based on what other things they want to do in each section of each park. I, too, would suggest they not make any advanced ADR's. If they set up MDE on their phone, they could make some last minute ADR's while there, but at this point, I think the best thing to do is schedule FP+ and come up with some loose park touring plans. They can always eat QS.