Is it possible? A "relaxing" Disney vacation?

[OasterP]

We are taking our first family trip to Disney World this coming September. It will be my husband, myself and our son (who will be turning four that month). I love planning and am very much looking forward to this trip, but I've been almost overwhelmed reading everyone's plans and fast pass + woes and issues. We've obviously never used fast pass, so I won't miss the old way.

It seems as though most people have their day planned down to the hour. So far we don't have any "must do" rides, but I'm sure we'll come up with some. We do have some "really want to try" snacks though! And I really hope to get an ADR to Tusker House one of the days that we are there.

Is it possible to just go and kind of have a casual time? Or does the huge number of people in the parks just make that impossible? We are going to have a rented car to be able to come and go as we please, so hopefully we can avoid too many huge meltdowns. At this point my son doesn't really know anything about Disney, except the characters, so has no real expectations. He's not a risk taker kid at this point, so I don't see roller coaster type rides in his future, but my husband loves them.

So is it possible to kind of just have a loose plan?

 

[kerplop]

Our first trip was really laid back, to the point most Disers would have had a heart attack at how we showed up late, only did 6-7 rides (most of them not headliners), ate counter service wherever we happened to be, caught a show, and took a ton of pictures of nothing in particular. We were more ambitious our second time around, but honestly I think it's possible - and though I don't care for FP+ it does make it easier to get a later start. You can sleep in, maybe make a breakfast reservation somewhere and schedule your FP+ for late in the day. Other than having to schedule what park for FP+ and table service dining, you can do whatever you want really. It's all about your attitude and expectations.

 

[quandrea]

We are taking our first family trip to Disney World this coming September. It will be my husband, myself and our son (who will be turning four that month). I love planning and am very much looking forward to this trip, but I've been almost overwhelmed reading everyone's plans and fast pass + woes and issues. We've obviously never used fast pass, so I won't miss the old way.

It seems as though most people have their day planned down to the hour. So far we don't have any "must do" rides, but I'm sure we'll come up with some. We do have some "really want to try" snacks though! And I really hope to get an ADR to Tusker House one of the days that we are there.

Is it possible to just go and kind of have a casual time? Or does the huge number of people in the parks just make that impossible? We are going to have a rented car to be able to come and go as we please, so hopefully we can avoid too many huge meltdowns. At this point my son doesn't really know anything about Disney, except the characters, so has no real expectations. He's not a risk taker kid at this point, so I don't see roller coaster type rides in his future, but my husband loves them.

So is it possible to kind of just have a loose plan?

Yes! Just don't try to do everything. You can't and won't. We go for long tris which allows for down time. I would suggest having a sense of where you want to be each morning, afternoon and evening. I always find being there early is good. We break around lunch time for a meal, a swim and a rest. The evening might be some more park time or shopping or even dinner and a movie. Plan the down time and enjoy it. I can't imagine touring all day with my little ones. They really enjoy the less structured time.

Figure out what you'd like to do, make a rough plan and enjoy.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

A WDW vacation is truly a "the magic you make, is the magic you take," type of vacation. It can be as hectic and crazy as you'd like, and as calm and casual as you'd like.

Over all the years we've been going, we've had our fair share of both. On our honeymoon, my wife and I ran like lunatics all over the parks. When I was younger and went with my family, and now that I have my own kids, we tend to focus more on being more leisurely, hitting the rides we like, and enjoying a lot of the rest of the property.

So, in short, the answer is, "yes," if you want a casual vacation, then you can certainly have one at Disney. Look through some books and find the rides you think you'd like the most and lock those in with your FP+, and then take in all the wonderful sights, smells, and sounds that Disney has to offer, at your leisure, during the rest of your stay.

Most of all, have fun!

 

[disneyhorselover]

Absolutely!!

I have never actually been able to do it myself (I plan to, then get there and need to see EVERYTHING...again ) but there is no reason you can't.

Figure out how crowded it will be at the time of your trip, adjust your expectations accordingly, and go with the flow!

Also, I HIGHLY recommend Tusker House breakfast....delicious food and I'm sure your son will love the characters there-plus all the kids participate in a parade around the restaurant with the characters, lots of fun.

 

[heidijanesmith]

I am a type A planner, commando touring all the way. Our first trip was planned to the minute. Of course it did not work that way and I had to go with the flow sometimes.

There is a happy medium in there, some general planning and going with the flow as well.

A minimum planning for us is:
1- which park on what day
2-restaurant reservations per day
3-FP+ choices, arriving at rope drop and hitting any rides that we must do 1st thing as we like to minimize our waiting in line as much as possible.
4-Any special tours, cruises booked prior

My sister will not plan ahead of time, sleeps in, hangs out at the pool most days and goes on few attractions. This is the way she vacations and loves it this way. She enjoys her WDW vacation as much as I enjoy my planned WDW vacation.

Find what style of touring works for you and your family. You can have a great time at WDW no matter how you tour.

 

[dixiegirl]

You absolutely can have a relaxing vacation. Schedule the things that you decide are "must do" items for your family whether attractions, shows, or restaurants. Otherwise, keep your schedule flexible and just enjoy. DH and I used to do a more commando style but now much prefer to have some flexibility. Just keep your expectations realistic and you will have a fabulous time.

 

[mulan1123]

I went with friends in November (they are like veterans and it was my first visit). The most planning we did was our ADR's before the trip. We didn't even plan any FP+ until the morning of (we made them while waiting for the bus), and it worked out fine for us.

Our first full day was at MK, and didn't make any FP+ until we got to the park using the MDE app.

So I would say, you can have a relaxing day without planning everything every minute! But it does depends on how you and family like to have everything planned vs go with the flow!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

We are taking our first family trip to Disney World this coming September. It will be my husband, myself and our son (who will be turning four that month). I love planning and am very much looking forward to this trip, but I've been almost overwhelmed reading everyone's plans and fast pass + woes and issues. We've obviously never used fast pass, so I won't miss the old way.

It seems as though most people have their day planned down to the hour. So far we don't have any "must do" rides, but I'm sure we'll come up with some. We do have some "really want to try" snacks though! And I really hope to get an ADR to Tusker House one of the days that we are there.

Is it possible to just go and kind of have a casual time? Or does the huge number of people in the parks just make that impossible? We are going to have a rented car to be able to come and go as we please, so hopefully we can avoid too many huge meltdowns. At this point my son doesn't really know anything about Disney, except the characters, so has no real expectations. He's not a risk taker kid at this point, so I don't see roller coaster type rides in his future, but my husband loves them.

So is it possible to kind of just have a loose plan?

When in September are you going? If it is the slow time, then my answer is YES! We go during slower times, and all I do is plan out which park we will go to on each day. I use a crowd predictor (I like easywdw.com but there is also touringplans.com) to decide which park we will do each day. If you want any table service meals, make those ADRs. Get educated on how FP+ works so you'll be ready for that. Then just go and have fun!

Don't try to do everything and don't get upset when you can't do everything. Remember the point is to have a fun and enjoyable vacation. If you only do 1/4 of the rides and stuff someone else does, but you enjoy yourself, then the vacation is a total success!

 

[PrncessA]

Absolutely! Our first trip was inspired by the DisBoards, but we relaxed as well. We took a complete day off from the parks, although we did find that didn't work for us. Didn't really tour the parks on a touring plan, although we did adhere to the rule, "If you want to tour Fantasyland without waiting, tour early and efficiently!" We were "lucky" to spend our first MK day on a day that was cloudy and rainy. We were able to ride everything in Fantasyland as many times as we wanted, with little to no wait. It did get crowded as the morning wore on, we just left the park and went back to the hotel to relax. Our kids were 4 and 2.

One of our best days was spent sitting in DHS relaxing. We didn't do all the shows, which you do need to plan for if you want to see them, but we had a nice relaxing, fun day.

There is some planning that I feel is essential to a "relaxing trip". You need to have an idea of the park/parks that you want to visit each day. If you want to eat at a TS restraunt, do make an ADR. Know the few "must ride" rides and just plan around them. We didn't use FastPass than many times when we went and we were fine.

 

[wuzzy6]

I think it's all what you make of it. If you want to go and have a relaxed time, then I think you absolutely can do that!

We make a lot of day trips, but in March, we're going to be staying on-site for a few days during the kids' Spring Break. We have our FP+ selections made, and we have a couple of ADRs. So, generally speaking, we know which parks we'll be at during certain times. For example...

We check-in at our resort in the morning - leave everything will bell services and do whatever we'd like. We have FP+ starting at 2:15 through 6:00 pm at DHS, but no other "restrictions." We are free to do whatever we want - we don't even have to go to DHS if we don't want to! We can go swimming at the pool, go to any of the parks, pick a cool new restaurant to have lunch - really, anything! We will be there during a very busy time, but I'm not stressed about it at all.

Everyone is different, and everyone "does Disney" differently. If you want to relax and just go with the flow, then do just that!

 

[mm1971]

We are taking our first family trip to Disney World this coming September. It will be my husband, myself and our son (who will be turning four that month). I love planning and am very much looking forward to this trip, but I've been almost overwhelmed reading everyone's plans and fast pass + woes and issues. We've obviously never used fast pass, so I won't miss the old way.

It seems as though most people have their day planned down to the hour. So far we don't have any "must do" rides, but I'm sure we'll come up with some. We do have some "really want to try" snacks though! And I really hope to get an ADR to Tusker House one of the days that we are there.

Is it possible to just go and kind of have a casual time? Or does the huge number of people in the parks just make that impossible? We are going to have a rented car to be able to come and go as we please, so hopefully we can avoid too many huge meltdowns. At this point my son doesn't really know anything about Disney, except the characters, so has no real expectations. He's not a risk taker kid at this point, so I don't see roller coaster type rides in his future, but my husband loves them.

So is it possible to kind of just have a loose plan?

Yup. All of our trips are part planned and part "wing it". We usually book some of our meals and plan a few specific park days, but most of the time we are pretty loose on the planning. We do rope drop one day only and the rest we will do evening magic hours if we feel like staying late. We always get park hoppers so that is a factor as well.

It looks like our next trip we have free dining and the new FP+ so we will need to plan a little more than usual, but we still won't plan every detail. We enjoy being together and we get done what we get done. If we miss something, we'll add it to the must do's on the next trip whenever that may be.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[rwdavis2]

....
A minimum planning for us is:
1- which park on what day
2-restaurant reservations per day
3-FP+ choices, arriving at rope drop and hitting any rides that we must do 1st thing as we like to minimize our waiting in line as much as possible.
4-Any special tours, cruises booked prior
.....

This is pretty much how we do it (pre FP+ though) although we get there at park opening. With a 4 year old you will be limited on the number of popular attractions he can ride so that alone will make your day more relaxed.

We have never planned park time down to the hour or in a hard and fast order and we rarely have a wait longer than 20 minutes. We go at lower crowd levels.

I always likened a WDW vacation like an Everest expedition because it requires: planning, stamina, and money.

 

[redhotariel]

It is totally possible to have a "relaxing" vacation. At least "relaxing" for Disney that is. It will probably be tough because you have a 4 year old. But that is simply because it is a child's paradise. Like it has been mentioned have a "loose plan". Start by picking your parks by the days you want to go (take advantage of EMH or don't, go with low crowd parks (or not) its entirely up to you). Once you figure out where you are going and when plan from there. Pick the rides/ attractions that you are most excited about get FP+ for those, so f you chose you have the opportunity to make sure you see them. Then figure out your snacks and where you really want to eat, etc. Plan it as much or as little as you'd like. If you prefer to take a leisurely stroll and take in the surroundings by all means. If you want to run around and catch all of the rides you can do that too. You may find that your idea of "relaxing" will change by the day. At MK ride the Peoplemover (TTA) its a good ten minute ride and it just takes you around, ride the train it is a great way to see everything and be off of your feet! Take pictures, eat snacks, hang out on a bench, catch a few longer rides or shows. And if you really want to relax take it out of the parks. Go explore a resort, or hang out at Disney's Boardwalk or Downtown Disney. They are all accessible by Disney Transportation so if you don't have your own car they are no harder to get to than the parks. During the day a majority of people are in the parks so this will be a bit less busy and a bit more "slow-paced". All in all it is possible, totally! Just keep it relaxed!

 

[Kat913]

Sooo excited for you - There's nothing like a first trip! You will have a great time whether you relax or go at warp speed-whatever you are comfortable with. Our September trip was by far our shortest wait times (We've been in Nov, Jan, April & Sept.) so you should be able to take it easy & enjoy yourselves. We are taking a summer trip for first time this summer (Aug 16-23) and am a little nervous about summer crowds & the heat, but still excited to be going back!
Have a magical time!

 

[Pakey]

I've planned and been on 25 WDW vacations (each at least a week long) in the past 15 years. I've been in slow times, spring breaks, 4th of July, and even one Christmas vacation. I've been during free dining periods. I've never had a touring plan and I've done one rope drop in all of those vacations and I've never done a morning EMH. I have been to a few evening EMHs but they were not planned. I do make ADRs for character meals and any meals that really mean a lot to me or someone in my party. I prefer to pay out of pocket rather than any dining plans so that flexibility remains high. I do look at crowd predictors and avoid going to worst parks but I don't necessarily care if I'm going to best park.

I would classify us as 10% planned, 90% wing it.

With the exception of the Christmas vacation, I have never regretted going with no plans. I have never left WDW feeling like my vacation was ruined because I didn't get to ride xxx or meet character yyy. I have never felt angst because we had to wait in a standby line. The vacation where we took our 4 year old grandson for his first time is a perfect example. He was afraid of everything with noise and except for a few rides, everything was too noisy for him. So we spent the entire week in the play areas, at the pool and meeting characters. It was still a fun week.

 

[OasterP]

Thank you all - it makes me feel better!! I'm definitely one that needs to at least have a general plan, but I was just hoping there were ways to keep some flexibility - I'm glad there is!

We have season passes to Hershey Park and I know that sometimes our son is in a great mood and sometimes not. And there are days he wants to ride nearly everything and days he won't ride much. He is NOT an adventure kid as far as rides. He rode his first very tame roller coaster this summer with his father ( I don't ride many rides, but love going), and he came off and informed me he did NOT have fun. He will be older though so we'll see.

I really just want to make this trip a great time that he will love (even if he doesn't remember long term). If he stays similar to how he is now I can see him wanting to spend a lot of time playing on the "playground" areas, and I want to be able to let him do that if that is what he needs.

Luckily I just asked my husband what rides (if any) he KNEW he wanted to ride at this point and he said Tower of Terror - that was it. He's easy to please.

I am SO excited! We are there starting September 24th. We will be there eight nights at least, and I know we will spend some days not at the park. We do hope to do MNSSHP!

 

[JimmyV]

So far we don't have any "must do" rides, but I'm sure we'll come up with some. We do have some "really want to try" snacks though! And I really hope to get an ADR to Tusker House one of the days that we are there.

Is it possible to just go and kind of have a casual time? Or does the huge number of people in the parks just make that impossible? ... So is it possible to kind of just have a loose plan?

I'm going to take a slightly different approach from the "Of course you can have a loose plan" advocates. They are right, of course. But only within reason. A "loose" approach is best accomplished when one has already "been there, done that" and has no high expectations for what they accomplish in a day. Or if one knows that one is going to be going back again and again in the future. But as you state above, while you do not have any "must do" rides yet, you expect that you will come up with some. So here is where I would verge away from the "of course you can" advice. If your list of "must do" rides includes those that do not develop long waits, then you an be as free as a bird. But if your "must do" rides for your four year old begin to include things like Enchanted Tales with Belle, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Dumbo, Toy Story Mania among others, it really does help to do some planning. That is, of course, if line minimization is at all a priority. If you don't mind sauntering in to a 50 minute line for each and every attraction, then you don't need any plan at all. Just get in the queue, and ride the ride. You might only get to ride 6 or 7 things in a day, as one poster noted above. Many people view that as a tough return on investment given how expensive WDW is. Others find it to be a perfect day. You have to choose.

So my advice would be to get yourself hooked up with a Line Predictor website such as Touring Plans or Undercover Tourist, or Disney's own "My Disney Experience". Take a look at actual and predicted wait times for the rides that you think you will be interested in. See how they change from morning to afternoon to everning. If you find yourself a bit put off by the length of some of those wait times, then a bit of planning is really the only way around the situation.

I know that you will have a young child so this example may not apply directly to you, but the concept is the same: At Epcot, it is not unusual for both Test Track and Soarin' to have waits in excess of an hour within an hour of the time the park opens. If you do no planning and simply walk in to Epcot "loosely", and you want to ride both of those rides, you could easily spend 3 hours just doing those two things. If you planned, you might have gotten a FP+ for one, and arrived at park opening for the other, and done both attractions with a total wait time of less than 20 minutes. So planning saves 2 hours and 40 minutes. Is it required to plan? No. Does it pay off in time saved? Yes.

Same goes for meals. Many popular places will book full well in advance of your arrival. If you are fine just grabbing a burger at any counter service restaurant, there is no need to plan. But if you think that taking your son to Tusker House is a real "must do" event, then plan for it. Getting a table as a "walk-up" is not impossible, but it can be very, very difficult.

You don't need to plan to the minute. Indeed, I think that first time visitors can't do that even if they wanted to. Doing that really requires an understanding for and appreciation of WDW that no first time visitor possesses. But I know many people who have come back from their first visit and said: "We never got to do the following 7 attractions because the lines were too long", and then they rattle off the 7 most exciting, popular ones. And all they would have needed to do in order to do those 7 things was a bit of research and planning. The same people who will tell you that you do not need to plan are the same people who would respond to a thread by a first-timer who returned, had a miserable time, and complained that they didn't get to do some of the most popular attractions, by saying that that poster should have done some research and planning! Planning is fun. But there is no need to overdue it.

 

[d1gitman]

it absolutely can be relaxing...with that being said, it took us a few trips before we started to 'relax' we found the first 3 trips very hard to break the mindset of "gotta see it all, gotta do it all". If you can keep from having that mindset, you will be well on your way to a more relaxing time.

the second tip I would recommend is to plan your day based on your family style...meaning if the majority are early or late risers, work around that. also, with a 4 yr old, you may want to try and avoid marathon days. they are tough enough for adults, let alone youngsters.

next thing is to be prepared for the unexpected and roll with it. we took our son when he was 4 yrs old. While in the middle of epcot he started crying. when he calmed down, he told us he was sad because he missed Buster, our dog. He eventually came around and all was well and Buster became a part of that trip for our son.

 

[amym2]

We've had a wonderful, relaxing vacation at WDW... but on that trip, we didn't do any parks (well except for TL).

I used to be a mega-planner for WDW vacations, but then we joined the DVC, and since I knew we would be back many, many more times, I learned to loosen up. It is certainly possible to go and have a good time without FP, but if there is anything you really want to ride (ToT is a good one), it's worth it to research and get the FP. Like you said, your son won't know what he's missing and your DH doesn't seem to have any expectations, so it's just you who needs to deal with the "we didn't get to this" feeling.

That said, if you want to eat any TS meals, you should get an ADR. Definitely get one for Tusker House.