Lets Learn From Everyones Mistakes (Adult/Solo Style)

ctaci

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
194
I know I am *very* new but this thread is so great but very kid related. I am going sans kiddos with DH March 1st and would like to hear from you guys about what you wouldnt do again, what went wrong, things you wish you had done, things you most certainly would do again, etc. I think this would be so helpful and INTERESTING!

I loved the second or so post in the other one ... "Never go on a Disney vacation with my in-laws." :lmao:

So please please share!!!
 
Wow, where do I begin.

Don't overplan!!! WDW is big, very big and there are far too many variables at play to plan every minute of your trip. A simple thing like catching a bus from one park to another can take up to an hour. I plan my meals and take it from there. What I'll generally do is go to a park in the morning and stay through lunch, then hop to the park where my dinner is booked. I generally like to hop mid-day (its just my style). Those that try to plan each and every move are the ones who end up frustrated at an extra long bus stop or some other variable. I don't know how often I've overheard someone at MK say at 5:45 "well we have a dinner at Epcot at 6pm, guess we better start making our way there"...guess what, not going to make it.

Also, I've learned that if a park has EMH in the morning, it is often the most crowded park of the day (since everyone else shows up at park opening ON TOP of those already there), so I go to another park that isn't doing EMH that day. Also, if a park has EMH at night, that park will tend to be the LEAST crowded the following day (since most people won't go to the same park the next day as they did the night before).

Don't follow the crowds, use fastpass and use the tip-boards. I've been many times and paid attention, memorized the park layouts, transportation, etc...and I don't wait in long lines anymore. Once I rode every ride at MK in just under 5 hours...and have pretty much done that in each park, just by paying attention to where people were and where they were not. Learning all the shortcuts through the parks is a benefit (We were first in line for TSM last year even though we were far back from the rope when it dropped). Riding rides during parades (when everyone else is watching), and having lunch early and riding rides while everyone else is eating lunch at noon. Of course there was the time at Disneyland when a fastpass machine malfunctioned and gave me 50 fastpasses, but that's a story best saved for later.

One other thing, I book my meals at 7am on the first day offered and have never found one to be booked. I eat Le Cellier twice on each trip and always am able to get exactly what I want. If there's one thing to definitely plan, its your meals. I've always got the dining plan for many years now (and many name changes). On my honeymoon, the trip cost $1,200 and we ate just over $1,300 in food.

Ok, I'll stop, for now...
 
Ahh.. Le Cellier -- I wanted to eat there but due to our late planning lunch and dinner were both booked for the entire week we are going!

BAH!

and I was planning to drink it up -- though after reading through this board I had second thoughts. After breastfeeding for almost 18months I drink every chance I get :lmao:
 

I agree with you Joe. Dont overplan. I did that in December with dining. A friend who is a BIG planner had influenced me and then I overplanned not realizing I had. I won't be doing that again :rotfl:
 
I agree with you Joe. Dont overplan. I did that in December with dining. A friend who is a BIG planner had influenced me and then I overplanned not realizing I had. I won't be doing that again :rotfl:

See what I mean. People don't comprehend little things like how big the resort is, how long it takes just to walk from your room to the bus stop, waiting on the bus to show up, the 20 minute bus ride, then the walk from the bus stop to the park gate. Little things like that add up over time and can really put the screws to the best laid plans. If you want to be there for rope drop at 9am, you best leave the room at 8am and I'm not kidding. I find the people who plan WDW down to every detail are miserable when they get there because their plan falls apart within the first few hours of the vacation.

I make my dining ADRs and print them on a business card and laminate it so it fits in my wallet. Then I have all my meals, times and confirmation numbers at my fingertips and waterproof as well.
 
I agree plans go a stray I would take things in stride.I would have basic plan such as rides to go on maybe a land to start in.
 
See what I mean. People don't comprehend little things like how big the resort is, how long it takes just to walk from your room to the bus stop, waiting on the bus to show up, the 20 minute bus ride, then the walk from the bus stop to the park gate. Little things like that add up over time and can really put the screws to the best laid plans. If you want to be there for rope drop at 9am, you best leave the room at 8am and I'm not kidding. I find the people who plan WDW down to every detail are miserable when they get there because their plan falls apart within the first few hours of the vacation.

I make my dining ADRs and print them on a business card and laminate it so it fits in my wallet. Then I have all my meals, times and confirmation numbers at my fingertips and waterproof as well.

I had a problem with getting somewhere one time, and had left plenty of time to get there. It was my first Mousefest. When its that mobbed, I will use my car to get around. Have gone to meet friends in Sept. last year at MK :lmao: and was going to use the monorail and it broke down. Things happen. Allow time :goodvibes Oh! and if you are going to skip an ADR call dining and open that spot up for someone else.
 
I make my dining ADRs and print them on a business card and laminate it so it fits in my wallet. Then I have all my meals, times and confirmation numbers at my fingertips and waterproof as well.
Someone has to much time on his hands:hyper:
Things happen. Allow time :goodvibes Oh! and if you are going to skip an ADR call dining and open that spot up for someone else.

Sha right about ADRs. If you're a food lover use the restaurants help plan your trip.pixiedust:
 
I had a problem with getting somewhere one time, and had left plenty of time to get there. It was my first Mousefest. When its that mobbed, I will use my car to get around.



That is one advantage of staying at BW or BC, you can sort of plan for two parks as they are a short walk away.
 
Someone has to much time on his hands:hyper:


Sha right about ADRs. If you're a food lover use the restaurants help plan your trip.pixiedust:

Not really, its just business card printer paper is all. More than once I've had my ADR lost and needed that number, and more than once has my little card got soaked to the point of being unreadable. Meals are important, especially at a place like Le Cellier, no missing your resie there. :thumbsup2
 
Oh! and if you are going to skip an ADR call dining and open that spot up for someone else.

Hmm, is there a thread on here for if you know that you don't need an ADR that you can transfer it to someone else on the boards?
 
Hmm, is there a thread on here for if you know that you don't need an ADR that you can transfer it to someone else on the boards?

You can't actually transfer an ADR to another person...but I have seen people post when they're getting ready to call and cancel. Its a good chance that if both people call at about the same time that the other may be able to pick one up, a chance at least. Those theads are usually over in the dining forum of these boards.
 
We just got there last Christmas holidays and the experience is really wonderful. We loved eating breakfast at Chef Mickey's and if you have kids with you they will definitely enjoy the place. Make a plan and organized it, try new places/rides that you haven't done before, that will be exciting for the whole family.

Have a safe trip coming. :)
 
You can't actually transfer an ADR to another person...but I have seen people post when they're getting ready to call and cancel. Its a good chance that if both people call at about the same time that the other may be able to pick one up, a chance at least. Those theads are usually over in the dining forum of these boards.

You can transfer ADRs!! :thumbsup2 I used that thread in December to give an ADR away, as well as receive two. I called Disney Dining, gave them the name and number of the person I was giving it to, and they transferred it. I got the confirmation number for the two I received, called Disney Dining, gave them my info, and they transferred it. I'm paranoid. I had to do everything myself!! :laughing:

This is my first trip without kiddies. I have absolutely no idea what we're going to do with all the extra time not meeting characters and riding the carousel and race cars over and over and over...and over!!
 
Well, I spent my honeymoon there almost 10 years ago, and the most memorable things were usually the silly, unplanned events. Like being in our room at GF, hearing some strange music, looking out the balcony window, and seeing the parade of lights thing on the lake (don't know if they even do that anymore). So we quickly run down to the docks, and find ourselves standing there right in front of Narcoosee's and all of their windows, watching the parade, barefoot, wearing little more than our bathrobes! :angel:

However, the best planned moment, maybe because even the wife didn't know about it, was dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table. It was brilliantly planned (if I do say so myself) for time and seating location, and allowed us to enjoy the fireworks show right from our table! pixiedust:
 
--New tip that works if you have an Iphone.
Download the park maps Apps. Lots of information on them. I found it easier than folding and unfolding maps all the time.
I use my phone for all the different reservation times and a vague outline of trip plans. Like what times the parks open and where we want to head to that day. Nothing too complicated, but it does put everything in one place.

--Go back to the room in the middle of the day--nap or whatever.

--bring your own coffee!
 
If you like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage or two in your room, bring some from home!!!! You can save a ton of money from just wrapping a bottle or two in bubblewrap or you could do what I have done for my "adult trips" and that is buy some little 2 oz mini bottles from the liquor store. They are usually plastic, so not much worry of them breaking.. toss a few into a ziplock baggie in your checked luggage and toss a few into your quart sized ziplock baggie in your carry-on and enjoy on the flight before you arrive!! Arriving at The Happiest Place on Earth is really even happier with a buzz...LOL

But as was mentioned earlier...lol Overdrinking is a no-no...lol nobody likes a sloppy drunk at Disney, and if you are solo it could be dangerous to get too intoxicated.
 
--New tip that works if you have an Iphone.
Download the park maps Apps. Lots of information on them. I found it easier than folding and unfolding maps all the time.
I use my phone for all the different reservation times and a vague outline of trip plans. Like what times the parks open and where we want to head to that day. Nothing too complicated, but it does put everything in one place.

How is the 3g coverage at the parks and at the resorts? In March will be the first time I'll be going with my iPhone. I remember having some dead spots when I had Verizon.
 
How is the 3g coverage at the parks and at the resorts? In March will be the first time I'll be going with my iPhone. I remember having some dead spots when I had Verizon.

I didn't have any problem, although I'm with AT&T. The only time I noticed that I didn't have coverage was when I wouldn't want it anyway, like coming out of show when I would check the time I would notice that there wasn't coverage. The park map Apps would work on an ITouch also, so to use those you wouldn't need coverage--unless you want to use the links they have to wikipedia.
 





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