akdeputydog
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
- Messages
- 192
Hi all -
Well it seems I forgot to mention some things in my first post I had wanted to which might help the newbies when planning. Keep in mind I am a neurotic planner...love to plan and research a trip. For me that is at least half of the fun and (yes patting myself on the back)...I've been planning our trips for 12 years this way (most overseas) and they have all come off perfectly. Probably a lot of luck involved but planning does help.
SO I did lots of research to "do" this trip "right" since I wasn't sure when we would ever get back to WDW.
1) My resources:
I used UG, TGM and ridemax
I read passporter and Unofficial Guide (several times), and dis boards daily
It all paid off. One question may be though is can you plan a great trip without these....absolutely. You don't have to spend the money. I am glad I ddi and could but I think much of the info I gleened from those paid services can be found right here on the boards with vigilant reading and asking questions.
UG was most helpful to me in planning when to go on our trip by looking at crowd levels. I will say I was mad when not longer before this trip I planned for a year for weeks with 4-6 crowd levels went to crowd level predictions of 7-8s everyday. Did not make sense to me and it was wrong. I think historiical info is better than predictions. The tourplans help me with ideas but the tour plans never really fit us given we have a 5 yr old who loves trill rides and the Dumbo type too. I think they would fit lots of folks though and nice format how they print up.
TGM - hated it at first. Thought the info was old and it was so hard to move around in it, BUT I came to like it. I primarily used TGM to learn the small things like intersting trails to take at AK, or the best seats for a particular show or where to stand to view parades or fireworks. I like that info he provided and it helped me write my cheat sheets for the parks instead of hauling a guide book around.
Ridemax - overall I think it is great. I prepared plans for each full and half days we were in the parks because I knew what I wanted to accomplish each visit. Did we deviate some. Yes. Also the times ridemax said we'd be at one ride and finish and then at the next...never accurate...not off miles but no way unless the park is EMPTY and then maybe or you run to everything and low crowds. Overall I loved the way it can be customized and the format and it provides good plans. The show times were off to so you have to be somewhat flexible. I gathered much of the same info (ie the order to ride rides) from dis boards so don't fret if you don't have ridemax but it is pretty cool.
Overall I guess I would not resubscribe to them if going back because I think I've got it and much of the info can be gleened from other places but it does work well and I like how you can make a schedule so it is cool and useful, just if folks don't want to spend the $$ don't fret - reading dis boards and asking Qs will get you much of the same info.
2) Our touring plan and style -
Here's a break down of the time we spent in parks to start with:
Island of Adventure - a half day + an almost full day
Universal - one full day
Animal Kingdom - PM EMH and a full day, plus Sunrise safari and another hour to ride Everest again
DHS - half day AM with RD and another full day
Epcot - half day AM at RD, half day 11-4 and a full day w/RD
MK - two full days with RD and an evening for parade and fireworks
I had cheat sheets I made up. One with ridemax and my tweeked ridemax alternative plan and important info like ADRs, Disney visa photo info etc.. and then a page with info I collected from posts over the year...ie interesting facts, hidden gem/secrets, where to sit in shows/rides.
We took a quasi commando approach. For the RD days we were there 10-15 min before RD and zoomed to the headline attractions. After that we tried to work our way thru the attractions according to Ridemax and that were slow loading and popular. We allowed time for characters, snacks and sit down meals. With MK we did Adventureland and Frontierland one day then the next started with BBB 8:15, Fantasyland, 11:45am lunch at CRT then Tomorrowland. Worked great. Knowing what needed to be ridden early was critical and worked. We would grab fastpasses in teh am to ride the ride later. Only splash mountain did we grab a fastpass and just ride later when it was warmer. I did not wear my pedometer every day but did a couple of full days and those clocked over 5 miles one day and about 4 one day. Our most walking day was probably about 6mi.
3) What we carried into the park and bag used:
OK I was overprepared on this front too. I took down to FL the baggalini messenger bag, a fanny pack and one of those little sack backpacks with just the string straps (have no idea what they are called), and a little camera bag. What did we use - daily we used the fanny pack. My tall lean hubby wore it and when he rarely did not I threw it over one shoulder like a purse. A few days I also used the little backpack thing (for video camera and princess dress/change of clothes). We packed light. In the fanny pack we carried pin lanyard w/pins, small autograph book and pens (fat purple pen and black retractable Sharpie), camera with extra memoray card and battery, key to the world cards, ID, tickets, photo pass, bandaid and small neosporin, small blister thing like body glide, small purell and my cheat sheets (and a couple of days a small tube of sunscreen). Sounds like a lot but actually quite compact. Fanny pack was not t-tiny but average, not huge. Weather was perfect so no need for ponchos/sweaters/umbrellas. We drank from water fountains or bought a bottle and refilled at waterfountains. A few days I carried a fruit snakc inthe pack but DD rarely wanted it. Our kid is a great and easy traveller so we don't have to take a lot for her.
4) Shoes -
We had no blisters! I was prepped with blister treatment, bandaids and things like body glide but did not use them. DH and I wore Columbia sandals that can get wet and has little support but comfy velcro straps and cushy sole. DD wore land's end sandals.
Hmm - maybe I will think of more and there will be a part 3 but these are some areas I recall being discussed a lot on the boards.
If any questions don't hesitate to ask.
Well it seems I forgot to mention some things in my first post I had wanted to which might help the newbies when planning. Keep in mind I am a neurotic planner...love to plan and research a trip. For me that is at least half of the fun and (yes patting myself on the back)...I've been planning our trips for 12 years this way (most overseas) and they have all come off perfectly. Probably a lot of luck involved but planning does help.
SO I did lots of research to "do" this trip "right" since I wasn't sure when we would ever get back to WDW.
1) My resources:
I used UG, TGM and ridemax
I read passporter and Unofficial Guide (several times), and dis boards daily
It all paid off. One question may be though is can you plan a great trip without these....absolutely. You don't have to spend the money. I am glad I ddi and could but I think much of the info I gleened from those paid services can be found right here on the boards with vigilant reading and asking questions.
UG was most helpful to me in planning when to go on our trip by looking at crowd levels. I will say I was mad when not longer before this trip I planned for a year for weeks with 4-6 crowd levels went to crowd level predictions of 7-8s everyday. Did not make sense to me and it was wrong. I think historiical info is better than predictions. The tourplans help me with ideas but the tour plans never really fit us given we have a 5 yr old who loves trill rides and the Dumbo type too. I think they would fit lots of folks though and nice format how they print up.
TGM - hated it at first. Thought the info was old and it was so hard to move around in it, BUT I came to like it. I primarily used TGM to learn the small things like intersting trails to take at AK, or the best seats for a particular show or where to stand to view parades or fireworks. I like that info he provided and it helped me write my cheat sheets for the parks instead of hauling a guide book around.
Ridemax - overall I think it is great. I prepared plans for each full and half days we were in the parks because I knew what I wanted to accomplish each visit. Did we deviate some. Yes. Also the times ridemax said we'd be at one ride and finish and then at the next...never accurate...not off miles but no way unless the park is EMPTY and then maybe or you run to everything and low crowds. Overall I loved the way it can be customized and the format and it provides good plans. The show times were off to so you have to be somewhat flexible. I gathered much of the same info (ie the order to ride rides) from dis boards so don't fret if you don't have ridemax but it is pretty cool.
Overall I guess I would not resubscribe to them if going back because I think I've got it and much of the info can be gleened from other places but it does work well and I like how you can make a schedule so it is cool and useful, just if folks don't want to spend the $$ don't fret - reading dis boards and asking Qs will get you much of the same info.
2) Our touring plan and style -
Here's a break down of the time we spent in parks to start with:
Island of Adventure - a half day + an almost full day
Universal - one full day
Animal Kingdom - PM EMH and a full day, plus Sunrise safari and another hour to ride Everest again
DHS - half day AM with RD and another full day
Epcot - half day AM at RD, half day 11-4 and a full day w/RD
MK - two full days with RD and an evening for parade and fireworks
I had cheat sheets I made up. One with ridemax and my tweeked ridemax alternative plan and important info like ADRs, Disney visa photo info etc.. and then a page with info I collected from posts over the year...ie interesting facts, hidden gem/secrets, where to sit in shows/rides.
We took a quasi commando approach. For the RD days we were there 10-15 min before RD and zoomed to the headline attractions. After that we tried to work our way thru the attractions according to Ridemax and that were slow loading and popular. We allowed time for characters, snacks and sit down meals. With MK we did Adventureland and Frontierland one day then the next started with BBB 8:15, Fantasyland, 11:45am lunch at CRT then Tomorrowland. Worked great. Knowing what needed to be ridden early was critical and worked. We would grab fastpasses in teh am to ride the ride later. Only splash mountain did we grab a fastpass and just ride later when it was warmer. I did not wear my pedometer every day but did a couple of full days and those clocked over 5 miles one day and about 4 one day. Our most walking day was probably about 6mi.
3) What we carried into the park and bag used:
OK I was overprepared on this front too. I took down to FL the baggalini messenger bag, a fanny pack and one of those little sack backpacks with just the string straps (have no idea what they are called), and a little camera bag. What did we use - daily we used the fanny pack. My tall lean hubby wore it and when he rarely did not I threw it over one shoulder like a purse. A few days I also used the little backpack thing (for video camera and princess dress/change of clothes). We packed light. In the fanny pack we carried pin lanyard w/pins, small autograph book and pens (fat purple pen and black retractable Sharpie), camera with extra memoray card and battery, key to the world cards, ID, tickets, photo pass, bandaid and small neosporin, small blister thing like body glide, small purell and my cheat sheets (and a couple of days a small tube of sunscreen). Sounds like a lot but actually quite compact. Fanny pack was not t-tiny but average, not huge. Weather was perfect so no need for ponchos/sweaters/umbrellas. We drank from water fountains or bought a bottle and refilled at waterfountains. A few days I carried a fruit snakc inthe pack but DD rarely wanted it. Our kid is a great and easy traveller so we don't have to take a lot for her.
4) Shoes -
We had no blisters! I was prepped with blister treatment, bandaids and things like body glide but did not use them. DH and I wore Columbia sandals that can get wet and has little support but comfy velcro straps and cushy sole. DD wore land's end sandals.
Hmm - maybe I will think of more and there will be a part 3 but these are some areas I recall being discussed a lot on the boards.
If any questions don't hesitate to ask.
