Magical ? Not so much.

[Magpie]

I don't see that as him throwing his wife under the bus at all. You see threads on here all the time about people trying to make a vacation work for the whole family, not just for themselves. "My teenagers like to sleep in," "my wife can't get going in the morning," "my kids want to spend afternoons by the pool," "I like to resort hop but the rest of my family thinks it is boring." It's not easy, making sure the visit is set up to be fun for everyone: organized enough to "get everything done," but not just a frog march to do only the things the "planner" wants to do.

If the OP's wife said this time she would appreciate a little less planning and a more relaxed pace, how is it disrespectful to refer to that? I think it is disrespectful to insinuate that your spouse's wishes are meaningless and you would ignore them and do it your way anyway.

See, I figure there's a big difference between doing less planning and keeping the pace relaxed and doing no planning whatsoever. If the OP had taken a few minutes to get up to speed, he would have had a better shot at giving his wife the relaxed visit she wanted. You're right - it's definitely not easy to make sure a visit is set up to be fun for everyone! Ironically, it takes a lot of planning.

All of his unimaginative name calling aside, I'd have a lot more respect for the OP if, instead of trying to make excuses, he'd just said to everyone, "Yeah, you folks are right. I should have planned this better! It's a lesson for next time."

 

[TiffanyA]

I just don't understand those condemning him for not planning. Would it have helped? Sure. But people here are digging up old posts to throw at him and inferring things about his respect for his wife. Of course he feels attacked. And in turn attacks back. My advice to him would be to take the high ground. It's just not worth it.

 

[whiporee]

I think the OP wanted to rant that his trip wasn't all he wanted it to be, and to come into the forum and say "Hey all you guys who love Disney? Disney sucks!"

People here don't like that. They tend to debate the point.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

All of his unimaginative name calling aside, I'd have a lot more respect for the OP if, instead of trying to make excuses, he'd just said to everyone, "Yeah, you folks are right. I should have planned this better! It's a lesson for next time."

Id agree that the name calling was a little over the top but why does he have to say "you're right and I'm wrong" when he's not necessarily wrong? Just because people don't agree with everything said doesn't invalidate the experience because plenty of others have expressed very similar concerns.

 

[larryz]

All of his unimaginative name calling aside, I'd have a lot more respect for the OP if, instead of trying to make excuses, he'd just said to everyone, "Yeah, you folks are right. I should have planned this better! It's a lesson for next time."

Maybe he's just saying for benefit of the neophytes that if you don't plan, your trip will suck.

Now please excuse me while I open a window -- the pixie dust is thick in this thread.

 

[Magpie]

Id agree that the name calling was a little over the top but why does he have to say "you're right and I'm wrong" when he's not necessarily wrong? Just because people don't agree with everything said doesn't invalidate the experience because plenty of others have expressed very similar concerns.

I didn't say he had to say it, I said I'd have had more respect for him if he did.

His observations weren't wrong - they were his. And valid. Just as my observations, even where they differed from his, were also correct and valid. Observations are like that - dependent on the person and the place and the moment.

Disney is what it is. It's a hugely popular and insanely complex vacation destination. Fortunately, we have tools to help us navigate the many pitfalls and quicksand traps involved in visiting Disney these days.

It's hard to admit when you've made a mistake. And OP did make a mistake, which in no way makes him "stupid". It's a simple fact that he should have done at least a little planning (because, as I've said repeatedly - whether you're visiting Disney, or Paris, or Japan, knowing what's changed since the last time can only make your trip better). Now that he knows this, and given that he's well aware of the Disboards and all the resources here, he'll hopefully manage the remainder of the days remaining on his ticket better.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I didn't say he had to say it, I said I'd have had more respect for him if he did.

His observations weren't wrong - they were his. And valid. Just as my observations, even where they differed from his, were also correct and valid. Observations are like that - dependent on the person and the place and the moment.

Disney is what it is. It's a hugely popular and insanely complex vacation destination. Fortunately, we have tools to help us navigate the many pitfalls and quicksand traps involved in visiting Disney these days.

It's hard to admit when you've made a mistake. And OP did make a mistake, which in no way makes him "stupid". It's a simple fact that he should have done at least a little planning (because, as I've said repeatedly - whether you're visiting Disney, or Paris, or Japan, knowing what's changed since the last time can only make your trip better). Now that he knows this, and given that he's well aware of the Disboards and all the resources here, he'll hopefully manage the remainder of the days remaining on his ticket better.

I guess I'm still trying to figure out what this unforgivable "mistake" that was made. The only real issue was not understanding the overall insanity of the FP+ system and even if he'd gone on Disney's website and read up on it how would it have changed his experience? With his ticket could he have even made arrangements 30 days out?

People with lots of experience with FP+ have commented on the difficulty in finding the kiosks and many people have also expressed frustration with the CMs at the stations just wanting to cycle people through so again not so much on the OP.

 

[Magpie]

I guess I'm still trying to figure out what this unforgivable "mistake" that was made. The only real issue was not understanding the overall insanity of the FP+ system and even if he'd gone on Disney's website and read up on it how would it have changed his experience? With his ticket could he have even made arrangements 30 days out?

People with lots of experience with FP+ have commented on the difficulty in finding the kiosks and many people have also expressed frustration with the CMs at the stations just wanting to cycle people through so again not so much on the OP.

Well, he would have understood FP+ and how to use the kiosks, for one. He might have also had some idea the kind of crowds he was about to walk into.

Knowing what to expect is most of the battle won already.

"Yep, we're arriving at 11am. It's going to be rough! First thing, we'll stop in at Guest Services and see if we can book a sit down meal of some sort for this afternoon or evening (I love Table Service Roulette!). Then we'll amble over to a kiosk, book some fastpasses for later in the evening, and focus on alternate activities like Mickey's Philharmagic for now. Maybe I'll even download the app, so we can check wait times while we're deciding what to do." (For the record, I've never actually downloaded the app, but lots of people seem to swear by it.)

When you're only two adults, you can have a marvelous time being spontaneous. But you need to know what you're walking into. Deliberately closing your eyes and going in blind is a mistake, especially at Disney.

(I never said he made an "unforgivable" mistake, btw. It was just a mistake. Mistakes happen. We all make them.)

 

[Angel Ariel]

Yeah, you folks are right. I should have planned this better! It's a lesson for next time."

He may not have used those precise words, but I certainly got the impression from his posts that yes he agreed some of his experiences would have been different had he planned, and he *has* said he will approach the next trip differently. That doesn't appear to be enough.

 

[Magpie]

He may not have used those precise words, but I certainly got the impression from his posts that yes he agreed some of his experiences would have been different had he planned, and he *has* said he will approach the next trip differently. That doesn't appear to be enough.

Clearly I got a different impression (though yes, I do recall him saying he's planning to use up the remaining days after all). I hope you're right, and I do hope he has a completely different, and more positive, experience on his next trip! But if all he ends up with are more pictures of cigarette butts and garbage, then he'll know that Disney's not the right vacation destination for him any more.

 

[mshanson3121]

Id agree that the name calling was a little over the top but why does he have to say "you're right and I'm wrong" when he's not necessarily wrong? Just because people don't agree with everything said doesn't invalidate the experience because plenty of others have expressed very similar concerns.

I think she's referring specifically to the FP+ complaint. Which really is his fault. A few minutes of quick research, or even asking a CM for help would have completely changed that issue.

But the others, no, aren't things that were right/wrong, his fault etc....

 

[ArwenMarie]

All of his unimaginative name calling aside, I'd have a lot more respect for the OP if, instead of trying to make excuses, he'd just said to everyone, "Yeah, you folks are right. I should have planned this better! It's a lesson for next time."

You seriously expect that? Come on, no one is going to do that.

I thought the general pile-on in this thread was disproportionate to what the OP wrote originally. I think he got the message.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

This sort of argument has gone around and around since the beginning of FP+.

You do know you could have gotten better fastpasses and moved your fastpasses to times and attractions that better suited you.
No I didn't know that.
A little research could have told you that.
I shouldn't have to do research to know that. It should be explained at the outset.
Everybody knows you have to do research.
I didn't know it because Disney didn't bother to tell me. I shouldn't have to do that much work to drop in for a day visit.
Well, now you do.
But Disney didn't tell me that. I shouldn't have to do research to have a good time.
You would have had a good time had you done the research. It was up to you.
But it shouldn't be. I shouldn't have to do research or ask for help just to get on a few rides. I want to walk up to rides and get on when I feel like it, just like I used to do.

And over and over and over and over.

 

[Magpie]

You seriously expect that? Come on, no one is going to do that.

I thought the general pile-on in this thread was disproportionate to what the OP wrote originally. I think he got the message.

Aw, I've done it! Lots of times.

Here, I'll do it right now... I was poking the OP with a pointy stick, knowing full well, based on his previous posts, that he wouldn't react well. I behaved badly. I didn't have to give him hugs, I could have just left things where they stood with my first post to him. And I should not have been nearly as entertained as I was when he got all "not mad" and started in with the name calling. Baiting other people is not how nice people entertain themselves.

So you're absolutely correct. The pile on was disproportionate. I shouldn't have taken part.

I need to better follow this sage advice:

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Well, he would have understood FP+ and how to use the kiosks, for one. He might have also had some idea the kind of crowds he was about to walk into.

Knowing what to expect is most of the battle won already.

"Yep, we're arriving at 11am. It's going to be rough! First thing, we'll stop in at Guest Services and see if we can book a sit down meal of some sort for this afternoon or evening (I love Table Service Roulette!). Then we'll amble over to a kiosk, book some fastpasses for later in the evening, and focus on alternate activities like Mickey's Philharmagic for now. Maybe I'll even download the app, so we can check wait times while we're deciding what to do." (For the record, I've never actually downloaded the app, but lots of people seem to swear by it.)

When you're only two adults, you can have a marvelous time being spontaneous. But you need to know what you're walking into. Deliberately closing your eyes and going in blind is a mistake, especially at Disney.

(I never said he made an "unforgivable" mistake, btw. It was just a mistake. Mistakes happen. We all make them.)

Disney's website doesn't give any instructions on how the kiosks work. They simply state that there are FP experts there to assist you and answer your questions. According to the OP that wasn't the case so even if he's looked at Disney's website as many suggested nothing in his experience would have changed outside of knowing that you go to the kiosk and not the rides which is a minimal part of the issues.

 

[WIcruizer]

Disney's website doesn't give any instructions on how the kiosks work. They simply state that there are FP experts there to assist you and answer your questions. According to the OP that wasn't the case so even if he's looked at Disney's website as many suggested nothing in his experience would have changed outside of knowing that you go to the kiosk and not the rides which is a minimal part of the issues.

Actually, OP said their were CMs at the kiosks. He just felt they didn't explain it well. I understand, as this was my experience the first time I used FP+. But you know what? We kept asking questions until we DID understand.

Also, it really doesn't matter how much detail on FP+ is on the Disney website. A simple Google search would provide a wealth of information from this site and many others.

Shouldn't really matter to me, unfortunately it's a pretty big pet peeve of mine. Blaming others for your own mistakes, which is essentially what the OP is doing.

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

I feel badly for anyone that goes to disney and does not enjoy it. I know I would be upset as well. It's not a cheap place to visit and I would hate to feel that I wasted my vacation time. It is true that the disney website and planning videos do not tell the whole truth. Or the commercials or the marketing pieces they send on the mail. I have a friend going for the first time, and they are almost ready to cancel because it feels overwhelming to them. Day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute must be planned and accounted for. FP, ADR, ROPE DROP, BUS SCHEDULE, BEST PLACE TO VIEW FIREWORKS, BEST PLACE TO VIEW PARADES AND SHOWS. It's a lot.


If anything goes wrong it's either because they didn't plan enough or too much!

 

[larryz]

I feel badly for anyone that goes to disney and does not enjoy it. I know I would be upset as well. It's not a cheap place to visit and I would hate to feel that I wasted my vacation time. It is true that the disney website and planning videos do not tell the whole truth. Or the commercials or the marketing pieces they send on the mail. I have a friend going for the first time, and they are almost ready to cancel because it feels overwhelming to them. Day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute must be planned and accounted for. FP, ADR, ROPE DROP, BUS SCHEDULE, BEST PLACE TO VIEW FIREWORKS, BEST PLACE TO VIEW PARADES AND SHOWS. It's a lot.


If anything goes wrong it's either because they didn't plan enough or too much!

It almost makes joining a large tour group a good idea -- let them do all the planning and you just follow them around the parks, singing, laughing, chanting...

 

[WIcruizer]

Day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute must be planned and accounted for. FP, ADR, ROPE DROP, BUS SCHEDULE, BEST PLACE TO VIEW FIREWORKS, BEST PLACE TO VIEW PARADES AND SHOWS. It's a lot. If anything goes wrong it's either because they didn't plan enough or too much!

Well, that's the problem. I don't believe every minute must be accounted for. There are some people who feel the need to do that, but not many. We thoroughly enjoy our trips, and never plan in detail. I'll admit, that's much easier the more often you go.

But the thing is, it's no different than any vacation. It's 2015, there is a wealth of information at our fingertips, either we choose to use it or we don't. For example, the last cruise we went on I did the research on the ports, excursions, airfare, hotel night before, getting to/from the port, how dining works, etc. I don't mind doing the research, in fact it's fun for me.

However, once that work is done, I'm done. On any vacation, WDW or otherwise, I am not going to obsess over doing something wrong, missing something, etc. It is VACATION. Relax and have fun.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Walt Disney World is enormous, chances are you have a finite amount of time there, and you are sharing it with thousands and thousands of your fellow travelers - and they all want the same things that you want, for the most part. If you stay a week and you want to get the most out of it, the best views, the least waiting, the most popular restaurants, then you HAVE to be on top of it. but you do not have to plan every single minute of every single day if that is what you do not want to do. If you want the BEST fireworks view you have to plan that. If you are good with just seeing the fireworks and you don't care about the crowds, the view, the ability to get out of the park fast afterward, that kind of thing, you don't have to plan for it. If you think you are going to be able to walk up to a character meal and get seated within a few minutes, that probably isn't going to happen because lots of other guests want that character meal too.

However, there will always be some things you can relax about, without having to have strict planning for every second of every day. Have some counter service instead of trying to book restaurants for every single day you spend in the parks, for instance.

Disney thinks its planning setup is advantageous for most customers. If you want that character meal you have the chance to get it without having to show up at the restaurant before it opens to get in line. If you want to do rides without waiting long, even in the most crowded situations, you can book three of them ahead of time. It's another question as to whether Disney makes that information available to everybody who might visit in a sufficient manner. I do think that if you say "Let's go to the MK today" and you don't have any plans, you are totally at the mercy of attendance that day. If it's high, you won't be getting on rides without waiting and you won't be walking into restaurants (and possibly not getting into restaurants inside the park at all). the big difference is that the same thing no longer applies to everybody. Some guests have ADRS and some have fastpasses, they won't have to wait. I know there are some Disney fans who say they'd like to go back to the way it was before any of the wait-reducing tricks - no fastpasses, no ADRs, etc. - because they consider it "fairer" since not everybody can have a fastpass or an ADR for everything they might want.