My friend is clueless

[julluvsdisney]

I found the dis last yr right before my trip in may but before that I had no clue! I went on my honeymoon for 10 days in 2007 and had no ADRs. We got lucky though since we didnt really have any preference and there was just the 2 of us we were able to get into a good ADRs. But we were not in a FD time period. Had I known back then what I know now my honeymoon would have been a little better food wise! My upcoming trip has been planned based on all the knowledge I learned here! I have lecellier ohana cm CRT a fantasmic package a mama melrose. If I didnt come on the dis I wouldnt have any of those! Some people are very uninformed, but whats really sad is when you tell them the deal and they still ignore you! Too bad for them!!!

 

[MHSweb79]

Good for you. Hey, my coworker still thinks she can get into the castle, Chef Mickey's, 'Ohana, Tusker House, and Crystal Palace, as walk ups, if they 'wait long enough'. She says no way will Disney turn people willing to pay away and she's not the least bit worried about getting her group of 16 in anywhere they want to eat. Again this is the week between Christmas and New Years

Just think, these are 16 people who WON'T be in front of you in line after this trip! There are ways to cull the herd..........

 

[HappyontheLake]

This is my first time to use ADRs -- I had never heard about them until my last trip to WDW (12-06) but it was early in the month so we still got to eat where we wanted (was able to make Ressies at the front desk of AKL).

Fast Passes are the only way to go!

This trip (3 nights the end of spring break after a 4 night Dream cruise) we are doing the DxDDP and I sat at the computer for almost an hour with multiple windows open (so I could look at menus and maps for locations) and plan it all out. We are doing 2 days of Epcot and 1 day at Animal Kingdom. Figured out point usage between regular TS and Signature, Buffet Breakfast at Boma 2 mornings and 1 breakfast at Tusker House. Also lunch at Coral Reef and the Royal Banquet in Norway. Dinner at Sanaa and Dinner at Jiko rounds it out. Still need to figure out if we will do QS for the last lunch or a TS.

Blessings, Carla

 

[luvmy2babies]

Oops, double post

 

[luvmy2babies]

All I can say is Thank Goodness for this site. I think it does say 180 days on Disney's website, but I watch planning video after planning video (those free ones they send) and always see them talk about taking your children to character meals, but all I hear them tell you is "be sure to make a reservation before you leave home". That's a real understatement.

I only knew our dates in August (found out August 23rd) because I was planning a trip around my daughter's fall break and didn't get the school calender until orientation. When I realized it would be Thanksgiving week, I was excited because we'd have more time, but scared after reading about the 180 days. I made our ADR's that night and feel very fortunate to have gotten what I did. I got a Chef Mickey's breakfast, a Crystal Palace dinner, an Akershus dinner, a Tusker House breakfast, a 1900 Park Fare dinner (Thanksgiving Day) and Hollywood and Vine Breakfast (though that one seems to be easy to get). I even got them at times I wanted and was able to schedule them around the time we normally eat our meals.

Now??? There's not a reservation to be had at those places at those times except H&V. And when I looked for CRT, the only thing available was 9:45pm. And trust me, you don't want to see my children in a restaurant at 9:45pm. I'm happy cuz we got Akershus and 1900 Park Fare though.

I don't understand the logic of spending that much money on a vacation not to plan. I admit I am amazed at all the planning involved, but I'm having a good time doing it.

 

[eliza61]

I have been hounding one of my friends to get her ADRs for their upcoming Christmas trip.She said she wants to go to Chef Mickey's and maybe a princess meal. She told me to bug her and maybe she'll actually do it. But Come On!!! It's so easy. Why is she not doing it? I think I'm done saying anything. It bugs me that she isn't taking this seriously. I spend alot of time on Dis and finding out new places to go and things to do. I can't even tell her some of those things because she just doesn't seem to want to know. Her vacation is only 5 days and I feel like she is going to miss out on soooo much.

Ok, who's vacation exactly is it? She's not doing it because it's not that serious for her and you know what? that's perfectly ok.

How do you know she's going to "miss out" and for full disclosure I hate that term because what you are really saying is "becasue she doesn't vacation the way I do it can't nearly be as fun"

first time I went to disney, I had spread sheets, ADR's (PS's back then) and rope drop and it was the most miserable time we have ever had. It took 3 full years before I could convince my family to go back.

Now we don't plan anything. We're going to the world next year for a family reunion and it's killing me because I'll be forced to eat at a specific time.

When we go, we don't do rope drop, we rarely do ADR's and believe it or not we manage to have jsut as much fun as anyone else.

Chill, it's her vacation not yours.

 

[eliza61]

That is soooo sad. Why don't people just listen? My sister said if she's got to do that much planning than it's not a good vacation. How stupid!!! I think it will make it all the more exciting. I've gone for many years with my family as a teen and in 2008 with my DH and girls. We missed out on alot of stuff just because we walked around clueless. I had just discovered Dis and only had a few things that I knew about. Crowd levels were low so we were very lucky. But I never even knew about half of the restaurants available.It's sooo sad that people are so pig headed that they just don't want to listen.

Why is it stupid that some one doesn't like planning? My every day life is so full of schedules and time constraints why would I want to punch a clock on vacation?

Actually we love "wandering around" even when my kids were younger, we felt the real magic was in watching them splash in the water pool in Epcot. Sure, it meant we may not have rode Test track 12 times but big whoo. We love wandering back in the gift shop in France instead on making a 20 yard sprint ala Shane Victorino just so we can get on Soarin 3X's

So for all of the pig headed people like me who can have fun without having a plan that rivals the D-day invasion of France, believe me despite what you think, we manage to feed ourselves and have a good time.

I think it's much worse to call some one pig headed and label their plans stupid than it is to miss a few restaurants.

 

[princessmom29]

Why is it stupid that some one doesn't like planning? My every day life is so full of schedules and time constraints why would I want to punch a clock on vacation?

Actually we love "wandering around" even when my kids were younger, we felt the real magic was in watching them splash in the water pool in Epcot. Sure, it meant we may not have rode Test track 12 times but big whoo. We love wandering back in the gift shop in France instead on making a 20 yard sprint ala Shane Victorino just so we can get on Soarin 3X's

So for all of the pig headed people like me who can have fun without having a plan that rivals the D-day invasion of France, believe me despite what you think, we manage to feed ourselves and have a good time.

I think it's much worse to call some one pig headed and label their plans stupid than it is to miss a few restaurants.

Yes, but you KNEW going in that you wanted to do that and what that ment. You KNEW you weren't going to be able go with no ADR and eat at CRT or CM. You KNEW not getting there at rope drop ment you wouldn't be riding the headliners multipe times. The person the PP was referring to is inisting that she can plan nothing, make no adrs, and still eat character meals and do all the big rides. That is stupid. If lke going without a plan and accept the fact that it means you woun't be doing all those things you can have a really great trip, but if you plan nothing and go in expecting it all you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[whitney6494]

Yes, but you KNEW going in that you wanted to do that and what that ment. You KNEW you weren't going to be able go with no ADR and eat at CRT or CM. You KNEW not getting there at rope drop ment you wouldn't be riding the headliners multipe times. The person the PP was referring to is inisting that she can plan nothing, make no adrs, and still eat character meals and do all the big rides. That is stupid. If lke going without a plan and accept the fact that it means you woun't be doing all those things you can have a really great trip, but if you plan nothing and go in expecting it all you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Exactly...trying to help someone understand that they won't be able to do certain things and eat at the places she thinks she can just walk right up to and get in. Letting her know that the wait in the Fairy line can get to be 90 minutes long. You did it so you know. But others don't know...they have no idea. Just spreading what I do know and hoping she'll listen. And btw she finally did and booked a character breakfast. Thats all I hoped for. And...she asked me to put together a list for her of things her young children would like to do at each park.She saw the light and realized it was time to start planning(a little). I'm glad you enjoy your time without the schedules BUT you obviously know your way around disney.I wish I had someone to tell me certain things before I went long ago.

 

[joviroxx]

I dont fret about people that don't listen. I figure, if they have a great time their way, cool! If they have a terrible time, 1 of 2 things will happen. They WILL do more research and/or planning for next year or they will just not go back. The latter works for me, less people at Disney!! But really, enjoy your trip and don't worry so much about others. We aren't all alike and if they really are disappointed, well, that's their issue to deal with!

 

[aubriee]

Ok, who's vacation exactly is it? She's not doing it because it's not that serious for her and you know what? that's perfectly ok.

How do you know she's going to "miss out" and for full disclosure I hate that term because what you are really saying is "becasue she doesn't vacation the way I do it can't nearly be as fun"


Now we don't plan anything. We're going to the world next year for a family reunion and it's killing me because I'll be forced to eat at a specific time.

When we go, we don't do rope drop, we rarely do ADR's and believe it or not we manage to have jsut as much fun as anyone else.

Chill, it's her vacation not yours.

My problem with my coworker's plan is that she is taking 16 people and think she can walk into any restaurant she wants. She is taking 8 kids with them and is telling them that they're going to be eating with the Princesses, the Fab Five, and Stitch. She plans on sleeping in late every day and thinks that everyone will be staying home because it's the Holidays, so the parks will probably be empty (yeah, she told me tonight that everyone stays home for Christmas, so the parks should be empty that week). She plans to keep 16 people together and happy with absolutely no plans made.

I'm an AP holder and go to WDW at least four times a year. I go often enough that I make very few plans, but since I'm not fond of most CS restaurants I do make ADRs at 180 days out, so I can get into my favorite restaurants. I very seldom keep all those ADRs because my plans change from day to day down there. However, I have the dining number programmed into my phone and know enough about Disney to be able to make plans on the fly. My coworker has not been in over 20 years and thinks she can walk into restaurant and get in with no problem. If she wanted to eat CS meals it'd be no problem, but she wants character meals and refuses to believe that you can't get in as a walk up. The kids going with them range in age from 14 y/o to 5 months. Those kids have been promised a meal in the castle and other meals with the characters. Those kids are the ones I feel sorry for.

It's one thing to be familiar with WDW and having the knowledge to make plans on the fly. It's a totally different ball game to go down there knowing nothing, except that they have some character meals you want to go to and assuming you can get into those meals with no problem and someone telling you that the week between Christmas and New Years is so busy that you need to make some ADRs.

 

[dixonsontour]

Could you lend her a book like the unofficial guide - maybe seeing it it black and white will help?

I always remember a story on here of a Dad with two little girls all dressed up at akershus and him making a huge scene because they couldn't get in (no adr). How awful for those girls - hope your co worker realises and doesn't subject the grandkids to something like that.

 

[eliza61]

My problem with my coworker's plan is that she is taking 16 people and think she can walk into any restaurant she wants. She is taking 8 kids with them and is telling them that they're going to be eating with the Princesses, the Fab Five, and Stitch. She plans on sleeping in late every day and thinks that everyone will be staying home because it's the Holidays, so the parks will probably be empty (yeah, she told me tonight that everyone stays home for Christmas, so the parks should be empty that week). She plans to keep 16 people together and happy with absolutely no plans made.

I'm an AP holder and go to WDW at least four times a year. I go often enough that I make very few plans, but since I'm not fond of most CS

It's one thing to be familiar with WDW and having the knowledge to make plans on the fly. It's a totally different ball game to go down there knowing nothing, except that they have some character meals you want to go to and assuming you can get into those meals with no problem and someone telling you that the week between Christmas and New Years is so busy that you need to make some ADRs.

Then all you can do is tell her how it is. Tell her how to keep the castle meal with the kids. Why feel sorry for them? They will be at Disney. I just don't get these attitudes that "if you don't do XYZ" then you won't have fun.
I'm going for my family reunion, so far 20 people. I'm pretty much the only one who is a disney freak. We've hired a TA though so one person won't be responsible for the plans and many people have stated they plan to sleep late and hang out at the pools. Is that what I would do on a disney vacation? No probably not. Does it mean they won't have fun? They'll have a blast.

If she doesn't want to listen to you, hey that's perfectly acceptable. It's her vacation.
I've had coworkers and relatives who go down there and pretty much deal with each day as it comes. they don't know their "supposed" to be at rope drop. they don't know the park hours, 6 months ahead of time and surprisingly they have a good time.

Hey look at it this way, if she comes back and starts whining you can say "I told you so"

 

[basketlacey]

We have a trip tentatively planned for next year with 11 people (could possibly grow to 13). I don't think they will want to do onsite with free dining because they won't want to be that scheduled. We are going just our family of 5 and this will be our first onsite trip in several years. I have ADRs each day and a loose plan for us to follow. But trying to do this same thing for 11 people makes my hair stand on end. I LOVE Disney and so do my kids. My dh is happy to let me do the planning and he will go along with whatever everyone wants to do. But you start throwing other families in the mix and the dynamic changes pretty quickly.