Just Back, Some Observations.

[Disney Debbie]

Maybe have pedestrian only lanes so that those without strollers can walk without stoller pushers running up on them, .

I actually think this is a good idea except in reverse. Have a stroller or wheelchair lane - especially during park closing. I posted on the "have you ever lost it at Disney" thread about my day of pushing my mother in a wheelchair - and that was in June when the crowds aren't even close to as bad as Easter week. It was amazing how people would just step in front of us like she wasn't there - I believe a lot of them really didn't see her because they aren't looking down. But in the line for Fantasmic I was trying to do as a previous poster did and leave room in front of her chair so I wouldn't hit anyone and people took that as an "invitation" to step right in front of her - to the point that a man actually STRADDLED her legs! (which was when I lost it!) Finally we found the wheelchair lane to the side and you talk about a life saver! For us - and for that idiot man!!

The only way I would go during Easter week is if it was the absolutely only time I COULD go! And I'm not flaming the OP - but if you want to be able to get to the park at 10:30 and still ride things - you need to go a different week. We're going in two weeks and according to the Unofficial Guide that should be a 4 out of 10 for crowd levels. So what a difference 2 or 3 weeks will make! We never make a PS before the day we get there - and we never have problems with that - but we never go Easter, Christmas or 4th of July!

I disagree with the opinion on the FP. I think FP is the best thing ever!

I completely agree on the food prices - but that's not going to change! At least the food is much better quality then it was years ago when it was still overpriced!

 

[luvthatduck]

1 - If you don't want to deal with strollers then don't go to WDW. Try Vegas.

2 - If you know its going to be crowded and don't take a few minutes out of your hectic schedule to make a P.S.....then tough luck.

3 - If you think that park food is too expensive, then plan ahead so you don't have to eat there.

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for people who whine about things they have control of.

A-freakin-men. Crowds at Disney World? Oh, the humanity!

 

[SDFgirl]

Here is something about stroller complaints I'll never understand. I push a stroller at Disney. I'm walking with my stroller down a walkway. You suddenly walk directly in front of me, or just walk out into the walkway without looking. I bump into you. You give me a dirty look like it's my fault.

I know what you mean. I don't have kids, so I don't push a stroller. But, I have seen people walk right into strollers and then be cranky when it hits them. I'm sorry, but at a place like Disney, you've gotta expect that you'll get bumped and jostled a bit. No matter whose fault it is, I just think, "It's Disney World," and laugh it off.

 

[JJsmama]

Sorry you had a bad trip. We just returned as well and had a fabulous time. We were on a different schedule than you (OP) though. We were at MK every morning at 6:50, went in at 7:00 and had two hours practically to ourselves.

We only went back at night once though--since we were expecting the crowds and wanted no part of them with our kids in tow. We ate at LTT and just managed to squeeze out through the Main St. shops before the parade started.

I agree about the PS. We would have been SUNK without them.

If you go at peak time again, do the morning thing.

 

[DebIreland]

But in the line for Fantasmic I was trying to do as a previous poster did and leave room in front of her chair so I wouldn't hit anyone and people took that as an "invitation" to step right in front of her - to the point that a man actually STRADDLED her legs! (which was when I lost

Oh my God! I hoped I had read that wrong and went back to see you really did say that a man straddled her legs. I feel sick at that level of ignorance. My late father was in a wheelchair for many years and whilst we never had to battle the crowds at WDW (thank the Lord!!) we experienced many interesting scenarios throughout those years. The rudest ever was one day in a cafe with my Dad, sitting, chatting enjoying our coffee, two women walk in and sit at the table next to us carrying many shopping bags. After fussing and sighing for a few minutes one of them comes over and says to *me* (not even directly to my Dad) - "could *he* move his wheelchair a couple of feet so I can fit my shopping bags on that floor space? Geez, those things [wheelchairs] take up a lot of space". Luckily my Dad was a witty (and sarcastic!) man and said "I can get them to put me outside if you like. Maybe they can tie the wheelchair to a pole with a leash so I don't roll away. Would that suit?". Thankfully people are by and large kind and respectful. Then of course you have the other extreme i.e. people who, upon seeing someone in a wheelchair, offer a ridiculously wide super happy smile at the 'victim' and/or utter the words "awww, you poor love", even if the wheelchair-bound person is evil personified. lol!

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I said it before and I'll say it again. I think it's utterly ridiculous to suggest "pedestrian only" lanes. I have witnessed people not in stroller/wheelchairs/ECVs cut each other off, bump right into each other, etc. Should we also have a "can't see past the end of my nose" walkway so people who simply don't watch where they are going won't hit other people? Please.

I am in a wheelchair out of necessity. I am very careful at the parks and keep an eye out for others. If I accidently bump into someone I apologize. If you are in front of me and come to a dead stop and I hit you, don't give me the dirty look.

WDW will never be so segregated as to seperate the walkers from the ECV/wheelchair/stroler users. Never.

Like I said on another thread, prompted by the same poster, this is 2005. I will not sit in the back of the bus. Everyone is just going to have to grin and bear and try to get along.

 

[Disney Debbie]

I feel sick at that level of ignorance.

I think calling it ignorance is kind! It's just plain self centeredness! AND RUDE!

LindseyDunn-I'm not in a wheelchair so I obviously can't understand what that would be like all the time. But I don't think the person who suggested that meant to offend or stigmatize. I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone by suggesting doing it in reverse - w/ a wheelchair lane instead of a pedestrian lane. I just know how grateful I was for it when we got to use it to go in Fantasmic. It would have been nice when leaving the park when it's jam packed with people. My mom was in the chair because she had a bad knee (that she had operated on the next month) and it hurt her to run into other people (or actually have other people run into her!)

 

[sweetheart2576]

We just got back too sort of. It was a last minute trip due to a meeting my hubby had in Palm Bay, and we decided to disney on the side for 3 days. We stayed offsite(in Kissimmee, wont do that again)Well we have never been during peak season and I must say I love August's value season. It was crowded so we only decided to do MK, I knew it would be crowded but WOW! We were able to ride everything we wanted to except POTC. Oh and for the first time we seen a gator near splash mountain. Security was there and wouldn't let anyone walk over the pathway leading over to the bridge for splash mountain.(in the water where the liberty belle boat goes) We used fastpasses when possible(SM,Buzz,BTMRR) Splash mountain was a long wait. Another one was Mickeys Philharmagic(my favorite). My only gripe was the wait for Philharmagic. It was 70 minutes(well worth though). My gripe is the ratio of FP to standby. The CM told us that there were seating for 500 in the theater, of that only 100 are standby and the otehr 400 are fastpasses. It would be nice if they allowed 200/300, but oh well. All in all we had fun, and miss it already even though we only ended up doing one day rather than 3, but that just means we get to go back this summer.

 

[88Keys]

I am an evil stroller user!!

Actually, the problem is not those who stop suddenly in front of the stroller or the ones who are not paying attention -- it is the ones who "slalom" around the strollers while everyone is walking at a reasonable pace. That is a constant problem when I am at the parks.

As for PSs and the angry comment about people having no one to blame but themselves if they don't make PSs months in advance -- I wish we could all be perfect and know where we want to eat in 3 months. I don't even know what I am going to have for breakfast. Part of the fun of vacations is spontaneous dining discoveries -- finding a restaurant that just seems appetizing when you pass it. Oh well. Meantime, it is hard to get PSs because many folks (and you know who you are) double and triple book meals to cover any whim and meanwhile we are eating burgers at a diner because nothing is available. I am going end of April and tried very hard to get CRT for my DDs (3 and 5). Needless to say, I was unsuccessful and I couldn't help feeling cheated when I saw posts that week from folks who wrote that they got 3 mornings of CRT and were going to wait until they got there to decide which one they would use. Sigh.

 

[civileng68]

I am an evil stroller user!!

Actually, the problem is not those who stop suddenly in front of the stroller or the ones who are not paying attention -- it is the ones who "slalom" around the strollers while everyone is walking at a reasonable pace. That is a constant problem when I am at the parks.

As for PSs and the angry comment about people having no one to blame but themselves if they don't make PSs months in advance -- I wish we could all be perfect and know where we want to eat in 3 months. I don't even know what I am going to have for breakfast. Part of the fun of vacations is spontaneous dining discoveries -- finding a restaurant that just seems appetizing when you pass it. Oh well. Meantime, it is hard to get PSs because many folks (and you know who you are) double and triple book meals to cover any whim and meanwhile we are eating burgers at a diner because nothing is available. I am going end of April and tried very hard to get CRT for my DDs (3 and 5). Needless to say, I was unsuccessful and I couldn't help feeling cheated when I saw posts that week from folks who wrote that they got 3 mornings of CRT and were going to wait until they got there to decide which one they would use. Sigh.

Regarding the PS thing you are right! Spontinaity (sp) is the fun of it. I like knowing that I could be in teh parks and randomly decide where we want to eat. I can't tell you 90 days from now where I will want to eat and more importantly, what time. YOu see, when you get to the parks, your pS completely controls what you do that entire evening, regarding which parks to be in, whereas without that, youcould do whatever you want. I dont think all of the PS would be full if those reserving them didnt make 10 PS and only go to 1. If you use them, then great! That's what they are there for.

Not that two wrongs make a right, but because I pay good money for my vacation and want to eat when I want, what would discourage me from making PS at 4 places each night so that when I'm there I can just choose? If we all did this, the policy would have no choice but to change.

I do know for a fact that at the end of the night, the number of PS's not used is staggering.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Regarding the PS thing you are right! Spontinaity (sp) is the fun of it. [...]

Well, no flames intended, but it's a cold, hard fact that WDW is not the place for spontaneity. It is a very complex system, with a zillion different choices of things to do, see and eat, and has 10's of thousands of people there, all trying to do the same thing you are - have a fun time. Honestly, it takes time, effort and planning to achieve your goal - either that, or you need to lower your expectations waaaay down.

However, you might find more of your needs met if you try a less busy time of year. I know they are harder to come by lately, but there are times when rides are walk-on or have short lines, restaurants don't require PS and there aren't really any crowds. That type of environment will facilitate your spontaneity - at least as much as anyone will ever get at WDW.

Be well!

PS. There's a few great quotes from the Unofficial Guide; I can't remember them all exactly, but here's the basics:

"Spontaneity and self-discovery work about as well at Walt Disney World as they do on your tax return."

"You can always tell the ones who are hoping for spontaneity; they're the ones standing in the middle of the pathway, looking about with a stunned expression at the long lines, the amazing crowds and the restaurants with no more open tables."

 

[88Keys]

Hey there....

I am well aware that one can not be very spontaneous in WDW (and I am very familiar with UOG) --- but deciding what quarter-hour you are going to eat and what type of cuisine 3 months before hand seems a bit much -- and we were being chastised by another poster for not doing so. One of the things the UOG mentions is to cater your plan to your own whims -- if you don't want to go on a specific ride, then don't. That is not the case with food -- very little chance for whims (even turkey leg lines are long). I have no idea if my DDs will want to eat at Boma on April 22 at 6:50, but that's what I got (feel free to meet us there -- we will be at table 13 with a 6:56 reservation to wash our hands). The reservations, however, are not the problem -- I actually have fun putting food plans together, having accepted that I can not beat the system. What bothers me is that you used to be able to go to Epcot first thing in the morning and make reservations, and that has become much more difficult since many folks double and triple book. I refuse to do that -- I am a nice guy.

 

[TSR6]

Never take a CM's word as gold when asking if something will be open or not. Before I left, someone said a CM told them they would not be running the stund show at MGM all week, well, it ran all week long.

I saw the stunt show, pictures to come soon, and it was great. They did mention that not everything make work perfectly yet. The only flaw was that a guy who was supposed to catch fire did not. Also the lady who introduces the show stuttered on her words alot and was a little over the top for me personally. (if you go to the show, sit up on the top row and you can watch Catastrophy Canyon from overhead, pictures to come soon).

Officially... The stunt show really wasn't open, it was just a sneak peak so that the CM's could have experiance actually running the show with guests for when it actually opens.

They did the same thing with Soarin. It's one thing to constantly press buttons all day. They needed to practice actually loading and unloading guests into the ride, thus they did a "sneak peek" to give the CM's some experiance.

 

[minmate]

Thanks to the OP for taking time to post your insights from your previous trips. I (and many others here) take great appreciation in being able to read first-hand accounts in the hopes of being able to learn something from them for our own vacations.

I can, and will incorporate thoughts from your post into my own vacation... from making being prepared to find a "magical yet 'firm' way" to assert myself should I encounter a less-than-magical CM (such as your monorail experience), to making sure I am prepared for the crowds and PS situation. My expectations will settle more closely to the reality of the crowds and situation (and should the crowds and chaos be less, well -- lucky me... I'll be that much happier then!). So, once again, thank you for providing a well-meaning post meant to help others think about how to get the best from their vacations.

Lucky us... ALL of us, who have found a place like the DIS where so many different viewpoints can be expressed so that we can all have an advantage... if we so choose... when going to such a complex and fun destination as WDW!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I guess I am just one of those really regimented people who actually CAN plan where and what to eat three months from now. Or 7 months from now, as the case may be. But I can't make PS's until 3 months out. But if they would let me I could book it all right now! I read on another thread (restaurant forum, maybe?) that they are cracking down on multiple PS's for the same time on the same day at different places. Since I am not in my 90 day window I haven't tried to book anything, let alone double book anything, so I don't know.

On the issue of a dad getting four Fast Passes using his little kids' tickets, that is actually a SUGGESTION that I read somewhere. One of those little tips to help you get the most enjoyment from your trip. UOG or another planning guide, perhaps. I guess the point is everyone with a ticket is entitled to a Fast Pass, regardless of whether or not they are personally going to use the pass. Double edged sword sort of thing - great if you have four passes to ride something, bad if your are behind the guy with the four passes!

I am not one who does well in crowds. I was THRILLED that there were no crowds in January, but the weather was absolute crap on two of our four days. Everything is a trade-off!

Food at Disney is expensive for what you get. BUT like the OP pointed out, this is simply theme park mentality. Last Friday we went to the botanical gardens and paid $3 each for 20 oz. sodas. I think they are CHEAPER at Disney! Earlier this month we went to the zoo. 2 chicken strip baskets (with only 3 small strips and some fries in them!), a cheeseburger, and 2 small drinks cost me $20. I thought I misunderstood the cashier! I started to say "I handed you a TWENTY." until I looked at the stupid receipt and saw the total was like $19.63!

I thought we were the only ones "missing" something about Innoventions. We walked through but didn't spend any time because it looked like something we would find at the State Fair! Glad to see we have company!

Thanks to all who have posted their experiences. I have done my best to plan for low crowds without making my DS a raging truant. I really hope we enjoy October!

 

[polkadotminnie]

We were also there this past week. (Note: We went the same week last year, but Easter was later then so it wasn't a problem.) It was a zoo down there this week. I won't go Easter week again. We were bumped from the preferred room that we had paid for at ASSP because they over-booked. They refunded the difference. I wanted to move to another resort but everything was full. We went to MK on Thursday (for those of you who doubted me... we were the first ones into MK on Thursday morning besides the band who was there practicing.) We did the Speedway, teacups, PP, Stitch, Buzz, and Pooh before our 8:20 CRT breakfast. We then did Philharmagic and left MK. We went to see turtle talk at EPCOT. It was great 10 min. wait only. TT was 135 minutes. We went to MGM and ate at SCI-Fi. We went back to MK at night for a few more rides. The only reason we got to do so much was that we were at the gate at 6:30 AM. We did TL on Friday. It was crowded to but not unmanagable. Crush-in-Gusher was loads of fun. On the bright side POP was a great resort-good buses and great mousekeeping!

 

[NeverEnufWDW]

I'm not sure where everyone got the idea that I suggested you make PSs months in advance. If you read my original reply - I did not specify WHEN the PSs needed to be made. One can make a PS the night before or at Guest Relations as one enters the park. People are always cancelling PSs so the situation is fluid.

If pointing out that the OPs complaints are things that can be dealt with / avoided makes my a flamer - then so be it.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

You know, it's funny. Some people hate PS because they say they won't know what they are in the mood for 90 days in advance. Me and my hubby make all of our signature and table service PS 90 days in advance. When we get to Disney we know ahead of time where we are going and get psyched about it.

I like to know ahead of time so I know what I need to get in the mood for

 

[crazymomof4]

If I ever had any doubts about whether or not taking the kids out of school to go during the "off season" was the right choice, you have just extinguished them!

I have heard the crowds can be bad but you've just created a vivid picture in my mind and I know that I could just not deal with that!

 

[DAWGPOUNDAJ]

Thats a shame to hear about the PS situation. I had not known of the novelty of PS until my husband and I started planning our upcoming honeymoon trip for this May. We had the same problem that another poster mentioned, we have NO idea what we will be in the mood for months in advance! Because of that reason we only made 4 PS ressies (mostly for character breakfasts b/c that we will be in the mood for ANY day) so we would not have to worry about the hassle of cancelling them once we are at Disney, and so we could be sure that we would not accidentally skip them.

Im not sure if someone has suggested this (I have not had a chance to read all the replies yet) but is it possible for a restaurant to cancel a PS if they are 15 minutes late or more? This way someone else waiting to be seated in the non PS category can get seated. If someone else is early for their PS they can simply wait for their appointed time to come up while the other person, who has been waiting longer, is seated.



You may wonder what that was all about? The happy dance of luck so May will not be like this! LOL