KISS principle?

[fla4fun]

I really think it depends on how often you go to WDW, your touring style, and what time of year you go, how much planning you really need to do. If you don't go very often (less than once per year) and you want to dine in table service restaurants, then you have to plan a lot more than someone like me who goes 3-4 times per year for a week or more at a time, during the slower seasons, and who doesn't mind counter service dining.

I'm going for two weeks in September, and have no plans at this time. I know the TS restaurants will be busy because of free dining, so for the most part I plan to either eat in my villa (VWL) or eat counter service. I can usually manage a few last minute TS lunch ADR's even during free dining, so if it happens, it happens. I don't really like making ADR's anyway, because it ties me down as far as which park to go to on which day. I prefer to just get up and see where the day takes me. Sometimes I just get on whatever bus happens to come to the bus stop first.

I just came back from a non-Disney vacation that was a lot more planned and structured than I would typically do, and I came back from vacation more tired than I was when I left. I don't like that. I prefer to return from vacation refreshed and rested. So I prefer to wing it, especially at Disney!

 

[irene_dsc]

My planning for our first trip in 13 years (this past April) consisted mostly of familiarizing myself with what rides/shows/parades were in what park, and seeing what the kids were interested in. We then researched what ADR's we'd like to make (we were on the dining plan), which then determined to some extent what park we'd be in that day. Other than that, we really did go with the flow a lot. We also split up a fair amount, me with younger dd who is not as adventurous, and dh with older dd who was more interested in the scarier rides. This allowed us to hit what each kid wanted to do without lots of waiting around. Our cell phones were invaluable...allowed us to call and say "where are you? When are you done? Okay, meet us here..."

DH laughed and rolled his eyes at all my dis-ing in months prior to our trip. Once we were there he was glad of my knowledge, though!

That sounds a lot like what we did - it was my first trip to WDW ever, and dh's first since he was a kid. So, figuring out what we really wanted to do was the biggest hurdle, because the last thing I wanted to do was to wander around aimlessly trying to figure it out when we were there! Plus, since we did the dining plan, I planned ADR's for almost every day, plus a babysitter for one night.

The planning of ADR's went so well that dh has conceded that researching places to eat for future vacations might be a good idea - he had always pooh-poohed that concept before.

 

[paintnolish]

I really find that the full KISS makeup is a bad idea in FL's heat and humidity of summer. Actually, though, I've heard Gene is a big WDW fan!

 

[eliza61]

Do you feel like we do? With all the start here finish there park hopping, ADR- making moving around based on best days touring plans etc., we feel like it is just better to avoid the over-thinking it and just keep it simple.

What works for you?

We don't do plans anymore and absolutely ADORE it. I don't think I could get my family to go back. I will say that we don't go during super busy times so that makes a difference.

Last May, we did a "whatever bus comes first" trip. basically whatever park bus came to our resort first that's the park we did for the day. the only rule we had was no same park back to back. Maybe because during the rest of the year my kids are scheculed to the max with school activities, after school activities, church activities etc etc that making them follow a schedule on vacation just seems like another form of work.

I think if you are not a super planner, these boards can be a little intimadating. So many people post "do rope drop", "do TGM", "have a spreed sheet" that if that's not your style you start panicking. They tell you horror stories of people they know who didn't have a plan and had a horrible time, it's enough to cause you to hyperventilate.

Go with what works for your family, enjoy Disney leisurely and with whatever floats your boat. It is very, very possible to enjoy Disney without a "D-day invasion" type plan. We do it all the time

 

[autumnpalm]

I find the vacation to be much more relaxing when it is planned, actually. I think I'm probably in the middle of the road when it comes to planning. We plan our park days according to things like crowd levels and EMH, we make our ADRs for the daily TS restaurant, plan in advance any special tours or arrangement (such as birthday cakes), and then we follow one of the UoG's general touring plans. Planning so extensively may not work for some people, but as we don't get to go to Disney very often, I like to pack in everything possible. I think if we visited more frequently we would be a little more laid back, because there wouldn't be so much pressure to fit everything in.

We're leaving the on 23rd and while all of our ADRs are made, I still have to order a cake, finalize the touring plans, figure out transportation routes before we get there, call the resort to make a room request, etc. So still quite a bit left to do!

 

[Aliceacc]

I also think a lot of it has to do with how often you go to WDW.

Those of us who haven't been there often or in a long time are probably more prone to plan a bit obsessively. There's so much I want my kids to see, yet I don't want to do the whole commando thing-- it's a tough combination without some advance planning.

But those of you who go all the time can afford to skip something major, knowing you can always catch it next time.

 

[gourmetgirl]

My DH's favorite thing to tell people is the only problem he has with our Disney trips is that I don't plan frequent enough restroom stops. He has to spend too much time holding it.

Seriously, the last time we went was DH's first time EVER! I was a CM years ago so I know the parks and felt it was my duty to make sure that he saw as many of the "basics" as possible.

This time, I've eased up a bit. I've planned less time in the parks (we're going in February so shorter hours) and more time for us to really explore the resorts (which we didn't to at ALL last time). I still have a plan, but I've built in some laziness along the way. I will also keep more of my plan to myself so that it has a more spontaneous feel. And honestly, if we miss an attraction here or there - it'll be okay.

 

[mobster75]

...but my DD 10 1/2 and DS 9 were happy to spend 1 1/2 days at Typhoon Lagoon doing things like surface scuba diving.

Isn't that "snorkeling"??

 

[eliza61]

I also think a lot of it has to do with how often you go to WDW.

Those of us who haven't been there often or in a long time are probably more prone to plan a bit obsessively. There's so much I want my kids to see, yet I don't want to do the whole commando thing-- it's a tough combination without some advance planning.

But those of you who go all the time can afford to skip something major, knowing you can always catch it next time.

Very true, we seem to always end up there at least every other year so it does lay off the pressure to "do every thing" or "get the most of the money" type of mentality.

I just remember the first time we went, I had read all these post about how it was absolutely necessary to do rope drop or you would not get any thing done, so of course I drag my poor family out of bed to be at the parks every day at park opening and we were miserable. plus it didn't seem that we got any thing more done than we would have by getting up an hour later and taking our time.
I kept thinking "I must be doing some thing wrong" because every one here was yelling rope drop, rope drop, rope drop.
Then last August, I remember the mom who was literally bullying her kids into riding the Haunted mansion because another touring plan site said, that day was the best day to tour MK. Poor kids were crying that they didn't want to go on and she was yelling at them about how much money they spent on this trip and how they had to do "every thing" according to plan.
Now I tell first timers to take into consideration their families habits and don't blindly follow the crowd simply because every one says you must follow TGM or other advice.
OP,
I guess my point is that If your family works well with the KISS stratergy, then you can still go to wdw and have a great time. Maybe try 1/2 & 1/2. leave 1/2 your days unstructured and see what magic can happen.

 

[Laurie222]

Isn't that "snorkeling"??

You can snorkel at Typhoon Lagoon, which most people do. You can also "surface scuba" for a charge (you cannot scuba dive because certification is required). While the amount you pay is a little pricey ($20), there are less people doing it and the amount of time in the water is longer (15 minutes for DH, 30 minutes for DS9; amount of time depends on how fast you go through your air tank). It was a great experience for the kids to learn how to use the tank, air regulator, etc., in a relatively safe environment and still have cool things to look at. They loved it so much, they went back two days later while I did laundry at our hotel (I made up for it by going to DTD later in the day to shop with a friend who was also there and left her family back at their hotel )

 

[troynkasey]

I've tried to plan things and then we feel rushed. Now with a two year old...there isn't much planning because we eat when she's ready, go back to the room when she's tired, ride what rides she wants...o.k. you get the drift. We still make some ADRs for meals we for sure want to do, but it's not daily and it's only the ones we know sell out.

My best advice is get an idea what you want to do and maybe a rough "plan" of how you want to attack it. We take this approach and then run with it. The first time my wife and I went (pre-married) we grabbed the first bus that came every morning until we had hit 2 or 3 of the parks and wanted to go to a specific park. It made it much easier and kind of a fun little game we played each morning to guess which bus came. Plus...it added a little twist to the morning...

I will say though...I do have a rough idea of how I want to attack the park by using TGM to tell me how to avoid lines. So I'll try to keep that in mind, but nothing is set in stone...

 

[bluwater]

It's not really a vacation with all of the planning/following the plan/risking total-failure if you don't follow the plan. But, for Disney, it seems necessary to plan and follow.

I find the ADRs to be most annoying. There have been quite a few times that I have been enjoying myself and relaxed, only to look at the clock and see that I need to be at X restaurant in X minutes. (sigh).

I wish there was a better way. I'm always tempted to go with no ADRs...but people scare me too much after reading these boards. I think we did a no-ADR visit last Easter and I don't recall problems...but i also didnt really have dining expectations and we just ate what we were passing when hunger struck (OOP).

 

[luvmyfam444]

I've never been a scheduler - wish I was - but when we went a couple years ago on the Dining plan I made us a schedule - and my MIL about fainted! it was as specific as the time we were to be awake on which days, what time to leave the hotel, etc. It went extremely smooth that trip - making it to all our ADR in plenty of time.

Several months later we went back w/my family & noone wanted to split up & my bro & family couldn't make up their mind - I'd say you need to figure out what time to see what shows (@ MGM) or you'll miss them if you end up waiting all day - they just stood around like the Buzzards on Jungle Book - "what do you wanna do - I dunno what do you wanna do?" it drove me CRAZY!

NOw since we don't have the dining plan we won't have any ADR we won't really be on a schedule other than knowing the time to be up & out for the day. We will have an idea of where to go first & where to end up for naptime (in the A/C) so there will be a little bit of thought into the day.

 

[Carlyzmom]

I agree with bluwater. It terrifies me to not make ADRs. I sure would hate to get there and starve to death!!