Helping a friend plan a trip - any advice?

[Tink9721]

Hi everyone!

So, my best friend and her boyfriend (late 20's/early 30's) are going to WDW in January for 4 or 5 days, the week after New Year's. Nothing's booked yet, but they're staying on property. Neither one is a Disney expert. She's been once as a kid, and once a few years ago for a very short trip. Her boyfriend has never been. I was originally planning on mostly staying out of it, but she asked for advice and when I was talking to her tonight and mentioned booking fastpasses, she said "what's a fastpass?" so I think she needs a little help

My friend is super excited to have my help, but I'm trying to help them plan without overstepping and making sure I'm planning it like "their" trip and not "my" trip. She said she doesn't want to be rushing around too much and doesn't care about doing everything; she's just happy to be going. And I don't think her boyfriend really has expectations, but I don't think he'll want to rush around either.

She's already told me some of her "must do's" and she's going to do some research with her BF to see what things he wants to do. I helped her set up an MDE account and she installed the app so she can play around with that. Her number one request was eating at BOG, which she didn't think she'd be able to do, but I already scored a lunch reservation for her and she's ecstatic and thinks I'm magical for pulling that off so fast

So does anyone have any advice for helping someone else plan a trip? I've only ever planned for my trips with my mom, which is easy because I know our touring style and I know what we both like. My game plan is to have them research on their own, answer any questions, help them book fastpasses/plan for their must do's, and then let them go from there.

To make this even more fun/complicated, my trip may be overlapping with theirs by a couple days, so for the first time I'll be adjusting my own planning to allow a little park time with friends Lots of new territory for me here!

Thanks guys!

 

[dawnnikol]

It pains me when I hear someone is going to DW and has NO CLUE about basic things, like FP. I mean, it's not a secret! Some people just roll that way though. A friend went at the end of May for her honeymoon, stayed on property, and had no idea what her and new husband wanted to do on their trip. I gave them basic info: watch the Disney video to get an idea of rides and book FP, perhaps plan which day you want to be at which park (since no PHer), download the app.

She ended up with a few dining reservations and stuck in a lot of long and hot lines, but she didn't want to plan anything else, so that's what she got. /shrug I wish you the best of luck! This is why I plan our trips, because everybody else in my family would be "let's get there and see".

 

[Klayfish]

My suggestion would be to help educate them on the workings of WDW, but then let them make their own decisions on how to plan, what to plan, etc... Tell them all about MDE, FP+, etc....and how they all work. I would then stop short of doing much "planning", as their style may not be like yours. If they specifically ask for planning suggestions, I'd offer but also be clear that the suggestions are just based on my own style, and may or may not work for them. I know it sounds like straddling the fence, but because there are an endless variety of ways to "do" WDW, I'd rather just educate someone on the "what" and let them decide on the "how".

 

[Isabelle12345]

I agree!
One of my friend’s sister is planning a last minute Disney trip and she had no idea what fastpass was!
And even no idea there were 4 parks and what they were (I mean, her flight tickets were already booked and when I asked her what her plans for the parks were, she told me... well I am going to DW, what should I know?)
She got her tickets at 21 days and was shocked that I couldn’t get her the best times for FP... at least if she had given me 30 days I could have worked with it! At least I managed to get some of the best ones at MK but the other parks are trickier...
If you are willing to spend that amount of money, shouldn’t You at least get some info before booking?
IMO, your plan sounds good: help them make some reservations and assist with FP but let them do some research and figure out what they like!

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

I agree.

Give them a quick WDW 101 tutorial. Introduce them to a few websites and YouTube videos and then leave the rest up to them. Let them in a few tips and ticks ie. getting in line for headliners a few minutes to park close or check for ADRs the day prior for cancellations or maybe even the advantages of rope drop if they are early risers but leave the actual layout and planning of their trip for them to figure out.

 

[Christine]

I've found that a ton of people are just not information seekers. I don't get it. I'm going on a group trip with my family. Some of them haven't been to Disney in over 20 years. I've been telling them all sorts of things and they are very appreciative of what I'm doing, but I'd like them to get some basic understanding because it's hard when they don't even understand what you are saying. I've sent videos, simple summaries of things, and I'm not sure they are even reading them.

 

[sponica]

Maybe I'm in a different camp here, but I cherish those memories of my first trip where we had no clue what we were doing. Sure we waited in lines we didn't need to wait in, but I think our brains went "it's disney, there are going to be lines"

I survived a trip in 2014 where we bought tickets AT THE GATE...and had no idea the FPs had switched to digital. Guess what, we still had fun....although our drinking around the world showcase probably helped.

I think having a top 3 to 5 must dos is a good starting point. Most of my trips have been spontaneous(ish) so I do a lot of winging it.

 

[Searc]

It pains me when I hear someone is going to DW and has NO CLUE about basic things, like FP. I mean, it's not a secret! Some people just roll that way though. A friend went at the end of May for her honeymoon, stayed on property, and had no idea what her and new husband wanted to do on their trip. I gave them basic info: watch the Disney video to get an idea of rides and book FP, perhaps plan which day you want to be at which park (since no PHer), download the app.

She ended up with a few dining reservations and stuck in a lot of long and hot lines, but she didn't want to plan anything else, so that's what she got. /shrug I wish you the best of luck! This is why I plan our trips, because everybody else in my family would be "let's get there and see".

None of us had any idea about WDW when we went for the first time, either. Everyone starts somewhere and by asking a friend who is familiar with WDW MONTHS ahead of her trip, OP's friend is doing exactly what would be suggested here.

 

[Spaghetti Cat]

Headliners are headliners, don't let them slack. Make sure they get their MDE, hotel, and admission by 70 days before or so, and be there to choose FPs when it's time (because you know what's great right? ). Meaning they'll also have to select park/day. The rest of it can be "their trip", they don't HAVE to use the FREE fastpsses or go to the chosen park. They will thank you.

 

[YawningDodo]

I agree with the others who have said to just give them some ideas on how everything works and then leave them to it. Let them "slack" and let them "mess it up" if that's what they choose to do. Some of my fondest early Disney memories are of wandering around without a clue as to where we were or what was going to happen next. The Living Seas was a glorious revelation to me as a child mostly because it suddenly loomed out of the darkness in front of us after my mom had trekked us all over Future World at night and had gotten me so turned around I had no idea where we were--and because I hadn't read a thing about the pavilions at Epcot before we went.

So yeah, just give her the tricks and tips. I think the big things for a newbie to know these days (and I might be missing some--and I'm definitely repeating earlier posters!):

• FP+ at 60+ days (or 30+ if they're offsite), why it's useful, and the strategy for booking later FP+ first (if she wants details, you can go deeper into which attractions are most popular/hardest to get)
• Refresh strategy for FP+ on the fly
• Checking MDE each night for any last minute dining reservations for the next day (if they want TS but want to keep the pre-planning loose)
• Pros and cons of rope drop
• Pros and cons of afternoon breaks (or late starts/early evenings to catch up on sleep)
• Late evening strategy (getting in line for a headliner right before close)
• Galaxy's Edge--if only to let her know that it's new and that no one really knows how it's going to be in terms of crowds and flow during her trip

Other than that, I'd stick to just answering their questions and providing help they've specifically requested. They may ask you to help make more ADRs or arrange their FP+, but if they don't...eh. Just let them do their thing and plan it themselves, even if they do it "wrong" as a result.

 

[Klayfish]

Maybe I'm in a different camp here, but I cherish those memories of my first trip where we had no clue what we were doing. Sure we waited in lines we didn't need to wait in, but I think our brains went "it's disney, there are going to be lines"

Yep. It was certainly a somewhat different place, but the first trip DW and I took there together was 2003. I hadn't been in about 15 years and DW had never been. We walked to the ticket booth, bought tickets, grabbed maps and started exploring. We had a wonderful time!!

 

[Christine]

Yep. It was certainly a somewhat different place, but the first trip DW and I took there together was 2003. I hadn't been in about 15 years and DW had never been. We walked to the ticket booth, bought tickets, grabbed maps and started exploring. We had a wonderful time!!

You could kind of do that then. My first trip was in the mid-70s! Then one day in the very early 90s, then mid 90s with kids. That's when the planning sort of started and even then, it was really nothing in the scheme of things. I think the FP+ and the very advanced ADRs have taken it up a notch. You can only hope that the "newbies" have a good frame of mind and are okay with wandering. I hate to see someone spend a ton of money to go to WDW, be unaware of what is required, and totally burn out over 90-200 minute ride waits, walking in circles, and not being able to get a meal or even know where to turn to get one and end up eating hamburgers and fries. I mean, that's great if that's what you like, but I've heard too many stories of people showing up and coming back scorned, in a bad mood, and never going again.

 

[Tink9721]

Thanks everyone! I'm definitely going with the approach of guiding them a bit, but ultimately letting them decide what's important for them and what's not. I'm definitely helping them book FP's when the day comes, but I'm not doing it for them - I want to make sure they know how to work with the app so they can change FP's and make same day FP's on their own.

Maybe I'm in a different camp here, but I cherish those memories of my first trip where we had no clue what we were doing. Sure we waited in lines we didn't need to wait in, but I think our brains went "it's disney, there are going to be lines"

I survived a trip in 2014 where we bought tickets AT THE GATE...and had no idea the FPs had switched to digital. Guess what, we still had fun....although our drinking around the world showcase probably helped.

I think having a top 3 to 5 must dos is a good starting point. Most of my trips have been spontaneous(ish) so I do a lot of winging it.

I just know that this isn't a trip they'll be able to afford again anytime soon, so I want them to enjoy it and get as many of their must do's done as they can. My friend said on her last trip they didn't plan at all, and ended up rushing from attraction to attraction trying to do too much and it wasn't very fun. I don't want it to be like that for her again.

Headliners are headliners, don't let them slack. Make sure they get their MDE, hotel, and admission by 70 days before or so, and be there to choose FPs when it's time (because you know what's great right? ). Meaning they'll also have to select park/day. The rest of it can be "their trip", they don't HAVE to use the FREE fastpsses or go to the chosen park. They will thank you.

Headliners aren't always important to everyone though. And I know what's great for ME, but that's not necessarily what's great for them. That's why I'm letting them decide what their top priorities are, and then helping them make a plan to get those done.

I hate to see someone spend a ton of money to go to WDW, be unaware of what is required, and totally burn out over 90-200 minute ride waits, walking in circles, and not being able to get a meal or even know where to turn to get one and end up eating hamburgers and fries. I mean, that's great if that's what you like, but I've heard too many stories of people showing up and coming back scorned, in a bad mood, and never going again.

Yup, that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Especially for her boyfriend, who I think is pretty much going because she wants to go. I don't want him coming out saying "all we did was wait in line, I don't ever want to go again." And I know she didn't have a great experience on her last trip because of the lack of planning/waiting in too many lines/running around trying to get things done with no plan. They've been saving for this trip, and probably won't be able to go again for a long time, so I want them to enjoy it as much as possible.

 

[Oneanne]

Recommend that she start to follow some of the online resources, like 'Living By Disney', 'AllEars' or 'Disney Food Blog' on Instragram. She'll see some awesome posts/stories.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Hi everyone!

So, my best friend and her boyfriend (late 20's/early 30's) are going to WDW in January for 4 or 5 days, the week after New Year's. Nothing's booked yet, but they're staying on property. Neither one is a Disney expert. She's been once as a kid, and once a few years ago for a very short trip. Her boyfriend has never been. I was originally planning on mostly staying out of it, but she asked for advice and when I was talking to her tonight and mentioned booking fastpasses, she said "what's a fastpass?" so I think she needs a little help

My friend is super excited to have my help, but I'm trying to help them plan without overstepping and making sure I'm planning it like "their" trip and not "my" trip. She said she doesn't want to be rushing around too much and doesn't care about doing everything; she's just happy to be going. And I don't think her boyfriend really has expectations, but I don't think he'll want to rush around either.

She's already told me some of her "must do's" and she's going to do some research with her BF to see what things he wants to do. I helped her set up an MDE account and she installed the app so she can play around with that. Her number one request was eating at BOG, which she didn't think she'd be able to do, but I already scored a lunch reservation for her and she's ecstatic and thinks I'm magical for pulling that off so fast

So does anyone have any advice for helping someone else plan a trip? I've only ever planned for my trips with my mom, which is easy because I know our touring style and I know what we both like. My game plan is to have them research on their own, answer any questions, help them book fastpasses/plan for their must do's, and then let them go from there.

To make this even more fun/complicated, my trip may be overlapping with theirs by a couple days, so for the first time I'll be adjusting my own planning to allow a little park time with friends Lots of new territory for me here!

Thanks guys!

I think you already have a great plan. Let their "must-do's" guide the planning, teach your friend how to use the website and app and let them make their own FP+ reservations based on their "must-do's". I think the most valuable thing you can do is teach them how to use the app - how to check their plans, modify FP+, check bus wait times, etc. If they can use the app effectively while onsite, they're golden.

 

[BarlowFamily]

As a newbie, a Touring Plans subscription was my best friend. I could pick what our family want to do and let the program work for us. I agree about not wanting them to spend all this money, come home and feel like all they did was wait in long lines. When people tell me they didn't enjoy their WDW trip, I ask about their park plans and think "yeah, trying SDD at 1pm with no FP would frustrate me too."

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would give them the basics and not overwhelm them. I would go over FP+, rope drop IF they want to partake in it, ADR's IF they want to make more than just BOG, midday breaks and transportation around the parks. It's their first time. They don't need to know everything.

Our first trip in 2003 we bought tickets at the gate and just showed up. We had a great time. Most people I know still buy a same day ticket at the gate and just do whatever and most say they love it and some say they hate it but the ones who say they hate it just hate theme parks in general. You can still be spontaneous and enjoy Disney. I plan out our trips but I know my way isn't the only way.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

To expand slightly on what I’ve already posted....

One thing I think is super important for people to grasp is the size and scope of WDW.
47ish square miles is a good chunk of real estate. A lot of folks think they’ll be walking around a Six Flags within walking distance to another six Flags. I believe once the size of WDW is comprehended people are more realistic with their “plans” or lack there of if they so choose.

 

[BalooFan]

My game plan is to have them research on their own, answer any questions, help them book fastpasses/plan for their must do's, and then let them go from there.

I think your approach is great. Let them do the research and come to you with questions and assistance. Most WDW veterans believe that their touring strategy is best, but it is really just what is best for them. Let your friends determine what they want to do and how they want to do it and when they ask, help them make it happen!

 

[mustinjourney]

in my experience with newbies -- I usually ask them if they will want to sleep in or get up early. If sleeping in, then you know not to make an FPs before 10 am...and possibly not till 11 am.

If they are interested in rides -- then I tell them what are the hardest FPs to get -- so if they will want to ride those -- they should try and book those ahead of time.

i have also had friends that just told me they were fine with me logging into their MDE and booking what I thought would be appropriate and they were happy to have a general touringplan pre-made for them.

I do agree that if you can show them how to work the app -- then that is the biggest help -- particularly at magic kingdom where it is pretty easy to get day of fastpasses after your initial 3.

I think it is also helpful to give them basics about disneyworld transportation and reasonable expectations about how long it takes to get from one place to the next.