How do you react when someone you know wants to go to Disney?

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I'm talking that average person. I have a friend from work who knows I love Disney so she mentioned to me the other day that her parents might want to take a family vacation to WDW this summer. This is what happens when someone says this to me...First my heart drops because they should have booked it months ago. Then I think about how unprepared they are going to be for the heat, the crowds and then free dining pops in to my head and I just about have a panic attack. I feel like I take people's opinions of WDW so personally and have to make sure everyone does it right because I'd be upset if they came back saying they had a bad time because they were unprepared. So that night, I couldn't sleep and had to e-mail her...this is what I wrote to her...

Hi Jackie, You are going to think I'm crazy but you know how obsessed I am with Disney and I want you guys to be able to have the best possible trip and the lowest possible cost if you and your family decide to go this summer. There are some important things you need to know. They have this promotion available where if you go between 8/24 and 9/20, you get the dining plan included in your package for FREE!! That means totally free food! I don't know if that fits the dates you were thinking about but if it does, the offer expires the 22nd which I think is Sunday. BUT since it became available in April, there are very limited rooms available, if any at all. PLUS, with this promotion and the fact that you can make dining reservations 180 days in advance, it will be next to impossible to make any dining reservation which would defeat the whole purpose of have the free plan. And if you don't have dining reservation, you are NOT eating in a sit-down restaurant, especially during free-dining.

SOOOO, what this all leads to is...if you do decide to go during that time, I can try and help you make dining arrangements in some of the less popular restaurants but you'd need to do it soon. OR don't go during that time at all and I will keep you posted if any "general public" package discounts become available. And the dining plan may still be something you'd want to do, it just wouldn't be free...but if you pick the right restaurants, it can totally save you money.

Okay, I have to stop, I could write a book and I'm not even sure you want to hear any of it. See ya!!

-Nikki

Is anyone else as crazy as me when people who aren't like us tell you they're thinking about going?

 

[krismom]

oh yes... I could post a few Emails I've sent out as well! I'm never quite sure if they are glad I'm giving them tips or snickering about how well informed I am. But they all thank me profusely when they return!

 

[stopher1]

I always get happy for them, because it's such a cool thing for us. If I know that they haven't been before, I'll offer to give them some tips if they'd like since we've been so many times and "know the ropes" so to speak - but I don't push. Then if they do ask, I give them all kinds of heads up so that they can have the best possible experience. If they don't ask, I figure they'll regret it later, but it's their choice. No matter if they ask or not, I always tell them to be sure to check out WDW's site online to see how much the world has to offer.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

A coworker went to Disney last year & didn't really want any advice so I didn't give too much. They had an awful time and can't imagine why I want to keep going back. The only thing I can figure is that they did little to no advance planning. I hate to hear people having a bad experience at Disney!

So this year my son's best friends family is going on their first trip and I have sent many emails similar to yours. Even had them over for pizza so I could try to give them some type of touring plan! But my speeches on making ADRs didn't do much good. They are just going to wing it and say they are fine eating counter service if they have to. Their younger son (10) wants to eat with characters & in the 'cars' but I don't think they will have much luck. They are a family of 4 going from 7/5 thru 7/12. I so want their trip to be perfect so they don't think we are crazy!

 

[j-jhall]

I am glad I am not the only one who wants to plan everyones trip so that they enjoy themselves with an organized plan of attack.

I have been told I need to do this for a living, but I reply that there is still so much for me to learn!

Keep up the planning!

 

[justplaingoofy]

All my girlfriends know what a freak I am

so when one of them a couple of years ago with 2 children (ages about 5 & 7) said they were thinking about Disney I was trying to help her. They were going over Columbus Day (early Oct)

-She did not want to get the kids up to go to a park. (her kids could sleep until 10am)
-Didn't want to plan which park they would go to.
-Did not want to plan any adr's (even on the dining plan)

So eventually I gave up.

Needless to say... they hated Disney!
She said it was so crowded and they didn't want to stand in any lines, and hot...They hated the food (because they could only get into counter service meals and were not happy). She said the kids were bored and just wanted to go back to the hotel to swim even though they didn't arrive at the parks until noon The kids were probably bored because if they did not plan or stand in any lines they probably spent the week riding people mover and going to the tiki room.

They did things completely backwards of what most of us would do. But didn't want to take any advice. It was so hard to bite my tongue.

 

[j-jhall]

My brother decided we should have a family vacation to Disney this fall. We had not had a family vacation since 1988 with all of us. Since I am the Disney vet, I suggested to him to let me plan it. Everything has gone so smoothly, but I think they were getting tired of me bugging them to decide where they wanted to eat. We are going during the free dining promotion, so I knew we needed to get our reservations in at the 180 day mark. They couldn't imagine why things needed to be planned so far in advance!

Once my wife and I decided where to eat, everyone jumped in and we are all eating together for every meal, with the exception of one.

 

[justplaingoofy]

My brother decided we should have a family vacation to Disney this fall. We had not had a family vacation since 1988 with all of us. Since I am the Disney vet, I suggested to him to let me plan it. Everything has gone so smoothly, but I think they were getting tired of me bugging them to decide where they wanted to eat. We are going during the free dining promotion, so I knew we needed to get our reservations in at the 180 day mark. They couldn't imagine why things needed to be planned so far in advance!

Once my wife and I decided where to eat, everyone jumped in and we are all eating together for every meal, with the exception of one.

Hope you guys have a great trip!

 

[Chellymouse]

Friends of ours wanted to plan a Disney vacation last summer and we all wound up going together and had a wonderful time! I've had several friends, family and people who are friends of friends and family call or email and even those who didn't "want" any type of plan thanked me and had wonderful times! I just casually mention a few things here and there and most people are very receptive. The ones that aren't.....well....they don't have the greatest times as seen by other posts!

 

[j-jhall]

For the rookies, they just don't realize how much there is to do at The World. The more organized you are and the more research you do, IMHO, the more relaxed you are and the more you see once you get there.

Have a plan, but be flexible.

 

[Sherry047]

For the rookies, they just don't realize how much there is to do at The World. The more organized you are and the more research you do, IMHO, the more relaxed you are and the more you see once you get there.

Have a plan, but be flexible.

I agree! Every time gets even more exciting for me! Each time I go, I have more info, thoughts, and plans on how I want my trip to go! And I can't wait to utilize those plans!

I can't imagine just winging it! That sounds waaay to stressful to me.

 

[tink771]

Friends usually come to me to advise me they are planning a trip and want input. I of course get giddy form them and begin to plan my own next visit!

 

[disneybridetobe]

For the rookies, they just don't realize how much there is to do at The World. The more organized you are and the more research you do, IMHO, the more relaxed you are and the more you see once you get there.

Have a plan, but be flexible.

Ohhh SO true! Even DH doesn't get all the ADR planning. Our last trip (wedding/disneymoon) went so smoothly because I had it planned out. It *wasn't* a coincidence!

 

[bytheblood]

I offer my "services" to them in a polite way, without pushing it on them. Usually, they come back with a lot of questions.

Most people who know anything about me, know that I love all things Disney. When friends or family are planning a trip, they usually come to me and ask me for help, before I can even offer it to them.

 

[Kanga1]

I don't send them e-mails. I give them PACKETS of information that I tell them they NEED to know!! I have it all saved on my computer, so all I really need to tweak to fit their schedule and print it off!

 

[MassJester]

I typically just send them a copy of the unofficial guide and (from time to time) pepper them with questionas about their trip.

However, several months ago, one of my direct reports told me he was going to WDW in a few days. They had no plans, they were just going to wing it.

Needless to say, I summoned him into my office, we pulled together a spreadsheet any we got Disney Reservations on the phone. Whew.

 

[cinderellamom123]

I grill them about their plans and then offer my unsolicited advise. Drives me crazy when people try to wing it or don't do any research. Crazy!