Here's a Strategy....Relax!

[5Hfan]

Love Fort Wilderness in general....

The camp fire, the pool area, outdoor activities, fireworks on the beach...

Great place if you like the outdoors...

thank you both for the helpful suggestion, looking into it!

 

[5Hfan]

Maybe then avoid the thread instead of trying to make some point....

As far as a previous post...you can stay on-site with 5 people for under 3 bills in peak season at POR...

how am I going to find some strategies avoiding threads???

for all I knew the post was going to be "relax", they've added 200 fastpass+ kiosks so there are no more long lines snaking through the park at rope drop?

Thank you for the POR suggestion.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

Say what you want, planning for Disney (as well as going) is not a relaxing situation.

A relaxing vacation is a cruise for example, where you make the original reservation, possible air fare and then you just show up and enjoy. You don't need to get up at 6 am and plan where you will eat 6 months from now like I had the pleasure of doing this morning.

All I'm saying is that the planning necessary has become a bit of a drag, and now with fast pass plus, its even more so. I can't listen to that podcast (without trying to stick a knife in my ear) , so I'll admit I don't know what their opinions were, but I'm not going to blame people who say the magic is a bit ruined for them.

Disney is very relaxing and I planned my meals for June a couple of days ago in the middle of the day and got good times at the places I wanted.

I have yet to experience the FP+ from the planning stand point (we've done it on a day trip to Animal Kingdom), but it seems like it will save me walking from one side of the park to the other to get fast passes.

 

[JanaDee]

Disney is very relaxing and I planned my meals for June a couple of days ago in the middle of the day and got good times at the places I wanted.

I have yet to experience the FP+ from the planning stand point (we've done it on a day trip to Animal Kingdom), but it seems like it will save me walking from one side of the park to the other to get fast passes.

Disney probably is very relaxing if you know you'll be back next week or in the very near future, since you live in FL.

 

[RayRay13]

Disney is very relaxing and I planned my meals for June a couple of days ago in the middle of the day and got good times at the places I wanted. I have yet to experience the FP+ from the planning stand point (we've done it on a day trip to Animal Kingdom), but it seems like it will save me walking from one side of the park to the other to get fast passes.

That to me is the best part. We don't have to get up early to get the paper passes so we can sleep in and take advantage of the late EMH.

 

[RayRay13]

Why would you want to go to Disney if you know you will be frustrated? You don't have to go...

 

[ConvenientTruth]

Disney probably is very relaxing if you know you'll be back next week or in the very near future, since you live in FL.

Disney is what you make of it....

If it is not relaxing, then why go?

 

[JanaDee]

Disney is what you make of it....

If it is not relaxing, then why go?

Again, that is easy for anyone that lives within close proximity to say.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Let me say this: Value is a relative term. Whenever you book a vacation, you take inventory as to what is valuable and what is less valuable. You look at everything and you judge as to what is best for you and your family's vacation.

For instance, I will probably NEVER stay off-site at Disney. The reason why is because I value the ability to pre-plan everything: Fastpasses, EMHs and Dining- especially dining. I'm not trying to save money with the DDP, but I want to be able to have it all planned ahead of time.

Oh, and the real reason why we are going in a month is because of one feature: Memory Maker! See, my DW is a scrapbook designer and pictures are extremely important. Now THIS feature IS a money saver because we will take about 40-50 pictures per day. It's her passion. Let me tell you: we were on a Carnival cruise ship and took pictures. Our PICTURE bill was almost $600! (Thank God we don't drink alcohol!)

But getting back to paying on-site, I can save money by going off-site, but I don't think I would have a better time. So we've weighed our options and believe that we will pay a little more to have the kind of vacation that we will value.

On the other side of the spectrum, we only stay at value resorts. We never stay at resorts that are moderate or deluxe. The reason why is because if our room is clean and there's a bed, we are all good. We probably spend a total on one waking hour in the room, so we don't see the value of paying more, with one exception: The buses. When we are to go back to the resort, the bus situation can be hectic and tiring. But is the ability to get on the bus quickly worth the money for a moderate resort? To us, no! But that's our decision!

Now let's look at when we go to US/IOA (which we also go pretty often.) We NEVER stay on-site. We always try to find the cheapest thing we can sleep in from Hotwire when we go. Why? Because the value in staying on-site doesn't outweigh the cost to us.

But watch this: When you stay on-site at the US/IOA resort, you get that FOTL access. For the rest of us, you either pay more or you stay in those lines. And we can complain about the lines if we want to- (I've seen 3,4 and even 5 hour lines before at US/IOA.) But if we do, it's kind of silly because if it was really that big of a deal, I could have just paid the extra money and stayed on-site. Or pay for the FOTL access.

So what do we do when we stay off-site at US/IOA? Simple- we come to rope drop and ride the rides we really want to ride first. And that's the same thing I would have done if I was to stay off-site at WDW.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I planned my meals for June a couple of days ago in the middle of the day and got good times at the places I wanted.

But last I checked, its only February .

Try making a change to your plans in the middle of your vacation. Or waking up in the morning and deciding you want (or need) to do something totally different than you decided the February prior, four months before you even travelled. You may not find Disney so relaxing at that point.

 

[Magpie]

Again, that is easy for anyone that lives within close proximity to say.

I don't understand this...

If it's not relaxing (or at least, invigorating and exciting), then why go? What does proximity have to do with anything?

For me, planning a Disney vacation is VERY relaxing. I just book my flight, pick my resort, pick the park of the day using EasyWDW, choose my FP+ and perhaps add in a dining reservation. Then all I need to do is show up!

I don't have to worry about getting from the airport to my resort. I don't have to worry about anything my whole trip, other than being at the right park on the right day. And if I miss a FP+, no big deal.

Now, in a couple of weeks, I'll be going to London with my daughter. I have to take a bus to another city, then get on a plane to Amsterdam, and another plane to London. Then I need to navigate the subway system to get from Heathrow to our hotel, which involves changing subway lines once. Before we leave home, I need to organize our week's activities, including buying tickets and arranging to meet a friend on a particular day. Our hotel room is smaller than you can possibly imagine, if all you've experienced is the spacious luxury of a Disney Value resort.

Compared to a Disney vacation, visiting London is INCREDIBLY complicated. And with the five hour time difference, it's going to be exhausting, too.

I have to learn about tipping customs, and subway payment options, and where to find food, and how to get out to the "Harry Potter Studio Tour" on time, and how the money works, and to be careful crossing the street, because the cars are coming from the opposite direction you'd expect, and on the Street View, I don't think I understand their traffic at all. There's wiggly lines painted on the road, everywhere!

I've never printed so many maps in my life.

Give me a nice, simple, relaxing Disney vacation any day!

 

[RayRay13]

....Give me a nice, simple, relaxing Disney vacation any day!

Indeed! I have never had a problem changing plans on the fly even if I make them a few months out.
No matter what I say though it seems there are those who strongly disagree with my position. I had no idea how offensive enjoying my vacation would be!

 

[5Hfan]

Why would you want to go to Disney if you know you will be frustrated? You don't have to go...

"don't go" isn't a helpful strategy either, thanks. The point is we want to go, so what strategies can we use to make our experiences the best they can be???? While "relax" is a great mantra for life, it really isn't a "strategy" as far as planning IMO. Sorry you feel attacked, seems like your OP was attacking anyone who doesn't vacation exactly as you do.

 

[5Hfan]

So what do we do when we stay off-site at US/IOA? Simple- we come to rope drop and ride the rides we really want to ride first. And that's the same thing I would have done if I was to stay off-site at WDW.

which is what we've always done, and picked up fast passes along the way. Now we can rope drop for the privilege of standing in line to try and book fast passes if there are any left. So instead of rope dropping to ride and knowing fast passes will be there, we are rope dropping to *hope* for fast passes and not riding...just wondering if there are any strategies to make that experience any better, because at face value it seems not worth it.

Perhaps the best strategy out of this thread is to simply go stay onsite at Universal? well or just not go.

 

[RayRay13]

"don't go" isn't a helpful strategy either, thanks. The point is we want to go, so what strategies can we use to make our experiences the best they can be???? While "relax" is a great mantra for life, it really isn't a "strategy" as far as planning IMO. Sorry you feel attacked, seems like your OP was attacking anyone who doesn't vacation exactly as you do.

No.

 

[GotLabradors]

My DH has been reading these threads over my shoulder every now and then. His take on some of the people is that they turn their WDW vacation into a manic episode. I told him that some of the people on here are "hyper-strategists" because they're afraid they're going to miss something on their trip. He's never been to Disney and that's kind of putting him off. I have promised him that I will not be like that. My goal is to make him fall in love with the magic that is Disney.

 

[Magpie]

which is what we've always done, and picked up fast passes along the way. Now we can rope drop for the privilege of standing in line to try and book fast passes if there are any left. So instead of rope dropping to ride and knowing fast passes will be there, we are rope dropping to *hope* for fast passes and not riding...just wondering if there are any strategies to make that experience any better, because at face value it seems not worth it.

Perhaps the best strategy out of this thread is to simply go stay onsite at Universal? well or just not go.

It actually doesn't have to be like that.

You arrive at rope drop. Walk to the your first ride, keeping an eye open for cast members with tablets. When you see one standing by themselves, walk over and book your FPs for the day. There WILL be plenty left.

If you don't see one, ride your ride, and then head for your next ride. Somewhere along the way you'll find a cast member.

Basically, as the OP put it, relax.

By the way, as far as I'm concerned, staying onsite is the way to go, for both Disney and Universal. Larger families can stay at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. Some of the moderates sleep five as well.

And, if after you've looked at all your options, it still doesn't seem "worth it", then yes, the answer is, "Don't go." Plan a trip somewhere else where you do feel that you're getting value for your money. It's a big world, and Disney's only a small, very optional, part of it.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

which is what we've always done, and picked up fast passes along the way. Now we can rope drop for the privilege of standing in line to try and book fast passes if there are any left. So instead of rope dropping to ride and knowing fast passes will be there, we are rope dropping to *hope* for fast passes and not riding...just wondering if there are any strategies to make that experience any better, because at face value it seems not worth it.

Perhaps the best strategy out of this thread is to simply go stay onsite at Universal? well or just not go.

Again, if that's the best way to get the most value, then go for it! It's all up to your judgement. See, value is relative to your very own judgement, so if staying on-site at Universal for the length of your vacation holds more value than staying off-site at WDW, that's the vacation that you have selected.

But if I was to stay off-site for a WDW vacation and really wanted to make sure that I rode a ride, I would FP one ride, or just quickly get to the standby line and ride it as soon as I get to rope drop. Other than that, I have no other strategy to give you because I always stay onsite.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

But last I checked, its only February .

Try making a change to your plans in the middle of your vacation. Or waking up in the morning and deciding you want (or need) to do something totally different than you decided the February prior, four months before you even travelled. You may not find Disney so relaxing at that point.

I've done it in the past and had no effect on how my vacation turned out. I rarely plan where I am going each day (may do so more this year because of FP+) and tend to go with how I am feeling that day. I take the good with the bad and focus on the fun rather then frustration.

 

[Magpie]

My DH has been reading these threads over my shoulder every now and then. His take on some of the people is that they turn their WDW vacation into a manic episode. I told him that some of the people on here are "hyper-strategists" because they're afraid they're going to miss something on their trip. He's never been to Disney and that's kind of putting him off. I have promised him that I will not be like that. My goal is to make him fall in love with the magic that is Disney.

Make sure then to take time out for the street shows and spontaneous moments that come up! What sold my husband on Disney wasn't the rides, it was interactions with people like the Bell Ringer in Fantasyland (who embarrassed the living heck out of our then-13yo on his birthday).