Lost guests due to insane planning requirements?

[Mambo Junkie]

I just went through and checked for the next 3 mornings, party of 4. I came up with O'Hana (2 times), 1900 Pak Fare, Akershus, Garden Grill, Chef Mickeys, Tusker House. Lots of good stuff.

ETA: I'm currently waiting for an evening Tiffins, but they haven't posted the hours yet (September)

 

[Constance331]

Apologies from a newbie, but, what does RD mean? And, how does it relate to FP+ when it comes to getting into top-rated attractions?

I'm really trying to pick up the lingo, but these abbreviations are overwhelming me! I wish more posters would just spell stuff out at least occasionally - it would really help us newbies.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

Apologies from a newbie, but, what does RD mean? And, how does it relate to FP+ when it comes to getting into top-rated attractions?

I'm really trying to pick up the lingo, but these abbreviations are overwhelming me! I wish more posters would just spell stuff out at least occasionally - it would really help us newbies.

RD = Rope Drop

There's a list of shorthand terms on the board somewhere. I'm sure someone will direct you to it. You'll pick things up as you spend time here.

Edit - here's the thread for abbreviations and such...

http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-list-of-common-abbreviations.1660743/

Edit 2 - many posters will adjust their use of shorthand when responding to newer posters, and most if not all are happy to answer questions if you run across one you don't know.

 

[lovethattink]

Apologies from a newbie, but, what does RD mean? And, how does it relate to FP+ when it comes to getting into top-rated attractions?

I'm really trying to pick up the lingo, but these abbreviations are overwhelming me! I wish more posters would just spell stuff out at least occasionally - it would really help us newbies.

It's like learning a foreign language. You'll catch on in no time!

At RD the lines (called queues at Disney) are very small. You can cover way more attractions in standby queues that 1st hour the park is open than any other hour in the park.

 

[IrishNYC]

I have a friend taking her two kids (3 and 7) for the first time. She was very, very excited when first telling me about it. I spent a fair amount of time with her helping her plan and she's using a travel agent. I did tell her that she should be ready at the 180-day point to snag popular places.

Well, she's at about five-month point and just called me. They decided to get the DDP (against my advice) and she's panicky because there are very, very few dining options available. And places that are open have ridiculous times (3:30 for dinner). Her joy and excitement have turned into frustration and dismay.

I told her not to let food drive her vacation and that where they eat or didn't eat won't be what they remember most, etc. etc. She's high stress and this is really getting to her.

Yes, she should have listened to us. Yes, she should have planned better.

But this system that Disney created has this person who is EXACTLY their target customer for vacations, merch, movies, and more, now kind of ticked off at the company for creating a stressful situation. I explained that this is how planning for WDW is now and at least she's somewhat knowledgeable and just imagine how it is for the folks who start thinking about the trip just a month ahead of time. I told her she was still ahead of the game because I've prepped her on FPs.

Nothing new here, but it was just a first-hand glimpse for me into how the way WDW has structured itself has resulted in a magical element of a vacation (the anticipation) being stressful and unpleasant for a potential repeat park goer. Now I hope they'll have a magical time, but I could see all this being enough for them to say the heck with it in the future.

I think it's advice like yours that gets people into this "frenzy" that "nothing" is available. I'm not picking on YOU, other than that you're the one that posted it this time, but rather, the general attitude of frequent repeat visitors.

I can tell you from experience that we put off planning our first trip to Disney with DD because of the overwhelming "helpful advice" I had gotten from frequent visitor friends. It was just too much to deal with, and seemed like such a chore that I wouldn't have enjoyed anything once we got there. Pre FP+ it was "you have to get there at rope drop and run to the ride you want to ride most!" Well, no thank you. That was enough to put me off. Then there was the ADR planning, the "you have to eat here" advice. One friend had two huge binders full of plans, maps, routes, etc. Yuck. "Don't get the dining plan!" We like to have everything paid in full, no worries. I don't want to play the "put your money on gift cards" game, either. I don't care that I spend more money with the dining plan, and I think especially for the first time visitor it's a great way to budget yourself, regardless of whether it costs more. To me, there is no one more off-putting than an "expert" that tells you your wants are wrong.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

I think it's advice like yours that gets people into this "frenzy" that "nothing" is available. I'm not picking on YOU, other than that you're the one that posted it this time, but rather, the general attitude of frequent repeat visitors.

I can tell you from experience that we put off planning our first trip to Disney with DD because of the overwhelming "helpful advice" I had gotten from frequent visitor friends. It was just too much to deal with, and seemed like such a chore that I wouldn't have enjoyed anything once we got there. Pre FP+ it was "you have to get there at rope drop and run to the ride you want to ride most!" Well, no thank you. That was enough to put me off. Then there was the ADR planning, the "you have to eat here" advice. One friend had two huge binders full of plans, maps, routes, etc. Yuck. "Don't get the dining plan!" We like to have everything paid in full, no worries. I don't want to play the "put your money on gift cards" game, either. I don't care that I spend more money with the dining plan, and I think especially for the first time visitor it's a great way to budget yourself, regardless of whether it costs more. To me, there is no one more off-putting than an "expert" that tells you your wants are wrong.

I used to mistakingly send people to this site. OOPS!! Now I send them to easywdw. I think he explains things in a way that people can grasp.

 

[Momof2Singers]

I have a friend taking her two kids (3 and 7) for the first time. She was very, very excited when first telling me about it. I spent a fair amount of time with her helping her plan and she's using a travel agent. I did tell her that she should be ready at the 180-day point to snag popular places.

Well, she's at about five-month point and just called me. They decided to get the DDP (against my advice) and she's panicky because there are very, very few dining options available. And places that are open have ridiculous times (3:30 for dinner). Her joy and excitement have turned into frustration and dismay.

I told her not to let food drive her vacation and that where they eat or didn't eat won't be what they remember most, etc. etc. She's high stress and this is really getting to her.

Yes, she should have listened to us. Yes, she should have planned better.

But this system that Disney created has this person who is EXACTLY their target customer for vacations, merch, movies, and more, now kind of ticked off at the company for creating a stressful situation. I explained that this is how planning for WDW is now and at least she's somewhat knowledgeable and just imagine how it is for the folks who start thinking about the trip just a month ahead of time. I told her she was still ahead of the game because I've prepped her on FPs.

Nothing new here, but it was just a first-hand glimpse for me into how the way WDW has structured itself has resulted in a magical element of a vacation (the anticipation) being stressful and unpleasant for a potential repeat park goer. Now I hope they'll have a magical time, but I could see all this being enough for them to say the heck with it in the future.

It has been a long time since we did the dining plan, so I don't know how it compares, but I would keep checking, something will pop up for her, it takes time and effort, book something that everyone would enjoy as a backup and go from there. We had to do it, and it turned out great. Like one poster said, focus on the fun you have, not what you didn't get. And I do agree, its too much planning...and does take the fun out of it sometimes.

 

[JimmyV]

I disagree with the bend of the question posed in the title of this thread. Perhaps you missed that part??

So let me see if I have this right. The OP has a personal friend whose frustration is leading her toward being a non-returning customer, and you, who have never met this person, disagree with the possibility that this person might actually be so frustrated as to never want to go back. And you base this on.......? In order for the OPs thread title to be capable of disagreement, then there must be exactly zero people in this world...zero...none...zilch...empty set...who will be one-and-done guests who will be lost due to the frustrations that accompany planning complexities. If so much as one person is lost, then the thread title is true and cannot be disagreed with. Perhaps you missed that part.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

So let me see if I have this right. The OP has a personal friend whose frustration is leading her toward being a non-returning customer, and you, who have never met this person, disagree with the possibility that this person might actually be so frustrated as to never want to go back. And you base this on.......? In order for the OPs thread title to be capable of disagreement, then there must be exactly zero people in this world...zero...none...zilch...empty set...who will be one-and-done guests who will be lost due to the frustrations that accompany planning complexities. If so much as one person is lost, then the thread title is true and cannot be disagreed with. Perhaps you missed that part.

I dunno. After a couple of disappointing trips (lack of walk in TS with free dining, crowds, the loss of Legacy FP, I was all about the planning. I read this board like a fiend, planned the vacation of our dreams, had all the right ADRs and FP+, and it was one of the most stressful things I'd ever been through, all the way from the anxiety of waiting for the windows to open to make reservations, to worrying about changing hours (December) to the execution (I was armed with printouts of all the reservations in case MDE or the magic bands malfunctioned); about 3 days into vacation I was still stressed (wanting everything to go smoothly) and my family was miserable. I felt that to deal with the system that Disney was designing, I HAD to do all these things in order to have the best vacation all the hard earned (and spent) money could buy. To the point where I was on the fence with never coming back to WDW. That bad. The bottom line is, I love Disney World, my family loves Disney World, and we're going to do it our way, stress free, to have the most MAGICAL vacations all the hard earned (and spent) money could buy. There's no right or wrong; it's about your experience and if it makes you happy. If it does, regardless of what strategies you employ (or not), you'll be back, again and again, on your terms. Get Disney; don't let it get you.

 

[CAS239]

It all depends on what you want to do while at Disney. If you want to stick to a strict itinerary, eat at multiple restaurants in the parks, do dessert parties, etc..then you'll need to plan far in advance and have everything mapped out.

However, you don't have to. To have great days at Disney you don't have to plan months in advance. I think it's INSANE people select their restaurants 6 months in advance. I don't know what I'm having for dinner tomorrow, let along pick what restaurant I want to eat in at what park and whatever time.

As annual passholders, we don't plan our trips out more than 30 days in advance. It's usually about a 15-30 day window before we go where we pick fast passes and maybe ADR's. We rarely eat inside the park, we don't do dessert parties, we really don't do anything or care to do anything where we would have to plan months in advance. All the while having really no issue picking any fast passes we want, and have been able to get reservations at restaurants when we do want to eat inside the park.

So you can definitely do Disney without months of planning if you want to. However if you're the type that needs to eat in the park every day and have a bunch of plans, planning far in advance is just the way of Disney now. It's whatever route you take

 

[Starclassic]

All of my trips have been planned in under 5 months and I've had the time of my life every time! The ONLY exception has been BOG reservations. Never had a problem getting anything else I've wanted after booking (usually around 4 month mark)...including very popular ADRs and FP+. I was also pregnant during our last trip and we were literally switching nearly everything around WHILE there. That trip really made me sit back and realize you can have a great time at WDW with hardly any planning in advance at all.

There's no need for your friend (or anyone) to stress over planning a Disney trip because it should be an awesome and fun time, and in my opinion, you should try to be reserved in how much information and help you give to her. I've found when frequent visitors give advice to newbies, it seems to overload and stress them out easily. Tell her to just relax, and they'll have a fantastic trip no matter how much or how little they plan in advance.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I know there are a few meals I want to make sure we do.
BOG
Fantasmic
Castle meal
One in Epcot not sure what one yet I am choosing between two.
And one BBq one at the fort wilderness cabins (not sure what one yet chr's or the show.)

I am doing two parties, and maybe a dessert party too not sure yet. With what I know we want to do + the FP+ we will want. I know I need to plan but I am willing to do it to make this trip the best. Since it may be 5-10 years before we go back.

 

[Srbright]

...
Well, she's at about five-month point and just called me. They decided to get the DDP (against my advice) and she's panicky because there are very, very few dining options available. And places that are open have ridiculous times (3:30 for dinner). Her joy and excitement have turned into frustration and dismay.

Yes, she should have listened to us. Yes, she should have planned better.

But this system that Disney created has this person who is EXACTLY their target customer for vacations, merch, movies, and more, now kind of ticked off at the company for creating a stressful situation.
...

FWIW

1) it seems like you are projecting your unhappiness that she didn't follow your advice onto the situation. The ADR system doesn't care if you have the DDP plan or not. Unless she had planned on eating every single meal off property then the ADRs (or lack thereof) are not altered by her having the plan or not.

2) This person isn't Disney's target visitor. I don't know what Disneys target is but if going there has caused this much anxiety then she isn't in the target demographic. Seems like people with the best experience are the 6+ month planners and the last minute planners. The 6th month planners fill most of the spots and the last minute people take what's left because they are happy to be there.

For us, we have never had the occasion to not have a place to eat. 2-3 times per trip we make last minute reservation changes. TeppanEdo instead of via Napoli. Tony's town square instead of Columbia harbor house. Coral Reef instead of rose&crown.

Stacy

 

[cobright]

Here's what would frustrate and annoy at least one potential disney guest, paying for a vacation and not knowing where I'll be having dinner on any particular day.

Complain about the adr system if you don't like to plan ahead but when you spend this much money on something it seems better to have more control and not less. You wouldn't pull $8000 out of the bank and just roll into a used car lot hoping you like the cars they have.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

So, with 10 minutes before I turn into a pumpkin, I decided to check the reservations to see what someone kindly dropped for tomorrow. Poof! There was an 8 and 9:15 am Akershus, an 8:10 amd 9 am BOG, O'hana (I think 8:10), Park Fare, dinner, Park Fare all for 4 people. There was an Akershus dinner as well (both around 6) CRT Thursday at 1:00. Point is, don't despair. People change their minds all the time.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Saw plenty of people at WDW looking at maps, deciding what to do next, not based on planning, so need for planning does not appear to be impacting number of visitors.

One of my fav things to do is actually look at the maps. I already have looked at the maps online and through google maps but I just like looking over them physically. I also use it to actually read through what they have and it can pass the time while I'm waiting for someone to go on a ride I don't want to go on. I know what rides I want to go on and this upcoming trip I've gone over EVERY place to eat at all 4 parks to see what places actually interest me and what I think my husband and in-laws might be interested in.

That being said there is a difference if a family spends a majority of their time trying to figure out what ride they want to go on and what place to eat and that creates an argument or feeling of wasting their time but just because someone is looking over the map and says what do you want to do next doesn't mean they haven't done any planning (We'll def. be that family that looks over the map but it will be over 2 years worth of planning).

ETA: I actually kept my maps from WDW and USO from my last trip in Sep 2011 (the other times I believe the maps have gotten lost or were thrown away over time). I generally keep maps, brochures, and travel magazines from my vacations as sort of a memory tool/keepsake.

 

[Planogirl]

The trouble is that the once in a lifetime guest that Disney seems to value so much might think that they need to book the very best since they often also assume that they won't be back. I see this sometimes. These newer travelers hear that it's almost mandatory to eat in the castle and go to a certain dessert party and so on. They fall into that "have to do it" trap and then go a little nuts sometimes trying to plan it all. It can be stressful but it's understandable and it goes way beyond looking at maps.

I even see it with more seasoned travelers. You see long threads with people fretting over when a ride will open or when can they get that ADR for that interesting new restaurant. Some seem to enjoy the chase but I don't think that everyone does. A few oddballs like me prefer to relax for at least part of the trip. Yes, it can be done but it's so easy to be lured into that chase...

 

[goopysolelady]

DD decided last week on a spur of the moment trip July 7-13. She was able to get all but 1 Fastpass for their family of 4 she wanted and had no problem booking dining at their favorite spots. The key is being flexible with times. Late lunch/early dinner after a filling breakfast is no problem with all the snack options available in between.

 

[SplashMo]

My advice is not to do the dining plan. However, if you need to then plan your vacation based on best days in the park. Obtain FP+ and then book meals in the parks you will be visiting. In particular Epcot.

I think the worst is a Deluxe hotel (if you feel you must spend time there to get your moneys worth) and followed by the dining plan where you accept meals way outside the normal times and in parks you are not even scheduled in that day...

 

[PantherPete]

The premise of the OP here reminds me of the Yogi Berra quote "nobody goes there anymore, it is too crowded."