My MIL is suddenly an expert on all things Disney.

[deegack]

FIL insisted that you had to pay extra for fastpass, you could walk to "disney world" aka Magic Kingdom from any Disney hotel and you had to pay extra to use the buses.

 

[Dismom55]

I am enjoying this thread very much, and suspect several getting a laugh at how others either are know it alls or refuse to be open minded or just plain clueless. I have not been to WDW near enough to be considered an expert, but read enough to know enough when someone is simply trying to look smarter than they are. So when I started the particular position that I am in right now, we had a know it all volunteer in the office and I was telling of a past WDW vacation and he informed me that there were 5 parks at WDW. Shocked, I asked him how so? I listed MK, AK, DHS and Epcot, then asked did he mean DTD at a 5th, nope he said Universal was the 5th Disney park. Imagine that, both Disney and Universal would be surprised to learn that!!! He continued to argue with me that he knew more than I, tho he had never been out of the state of Ohio and probably never will.

 

[1971DBday]

For all of the educated/non-educated disney people out there....we are watching National Lampoon's Vacation right now and remember the Griswalds show up to "Walley World" and it 's closed for "refurburbishment" for two weeks....obviouslly they didn't go on the DISboards!!!!!


Everyone is different and everyone does Disney different! To each their own. I have listened and not listened to tips from the DISboards. Some have slapped me in the face, while some have lead to hidden magic memories or new tips.

 

[ToddyLu]

My Brother and SIL got back from WDW with their five children and before leaving asked for a few pointers. She basically wanted to know when they should do the water park and Epcot.


Weeeelllllll, let's see you're leaving Friday ( she was asking me the Sat before), it is EASTER weekend and F&G, you have no ARDs...ahhhh no, AK would be your best bet that Saturday and then leave Epcot for a week day...blah, blah, blah. I of course whipped out my park hours APP on the Iphone to give her up to date park times and wrote down the appropriate FP rides (you, know the run don't walk ones).

It took an hour for the hair on my back to lay back down and for my right eye to stop twitching...but I did it with a smile and grace and then called DH on the way home.

They had a great time-you don't know and don't miss what you don't know right?

When they walked up to CRT for lunch and found out there was no table for 7...the CM just told them to come back in an hour and check. They did and low and behold there was a table....

Yep, my brother could find a $20 bill on the floor at a casino.

 

[ToddyLu]

All I could think about was...this man, my brother, father of 5 is from the same DNA as me...and yet doesn't plan his Disney trip with an excel spreadsheet.

 

[danetter]

We went to Disney the 1st time in 2008. I had been before then back in 1990 with my mom/dad/sister/brother. My SIL that has family that lives just a few miles from Disney had told me for years when we got ready to take our kids to Disney let her know and her family could get us free tickets. The catch was we had to be standing at the ticket window at a specific time. Needless to say I didn't bother even telling her about when we were going. Although I had no clue whatsoever I knew I shouldn't trust her on getting free tickets. Heck, I didn't even know about Disney having the 4 parks. I knew about MK and Epcot only. Didn't even know about onsite resort. The last time I had been there with my mom/dad we stayed offsite and drove to the park. I went to our local travel agency and booked and then came online looking for any Disney website I could find. I found lots of helpful do's and don'ts including to try not to drive I-4. My SIL found out 2 nts before we left to go to Disney and began telling us things to do and how to get there. Guess what, I-4 was how she told us to get there. We told her about the alternate route and for all those years she has gone to see her family every year sometime more than once and living there for a year herself claimed she never even knew an alternate route. She didn't know about free dining or room specials. Also I AM definitely glad I didn't take her word for free tickets because I would have been and if I had found out I couldn't and had to spend that extra time inline trying to buy our tickets for the week and with us only taking so much spending money, more than likely we wouldn't have taken enough money with us. I really think she was trying to be that SIL from you know what and though she could make our 1st trip to Disney the most miserable trip ever. However, I booked through our travel agency got online and found the Disboards and other wonderful Disney sites that has helped my family have 4 amazing magical vacations and the 5th coming up in 4mths.

 

[MK2010]

I have a coworker planning a trip to Disney this summer. Keep in mind, that while I have only been 4 times in my life and absolutely don't know everything, I have a three ring planning binder with me every night at work that I pour over planning and adding new info to. I have touring plans from 3 different companies, character touring plans, menus for every restaurant in the park, a list of 4 or 5 big websites, this one, Allears, WDWmagic, etc. she is insisting on going in July. (She hates the heat and hates crowds.) Can't afford to stay onsite, but is sweating the price of a rental car. (I get not wanting to stay onsite- but the price you pay is a rental car - or stay at WBC like we are and use their shuttle), and hasn't made any ADRs. She says vacation shouldn't be scheduled. I get that. I can understand. But honestly when you are going in July and every crowd calendar says the parks are going to be a 9 out of a 10, You'd better figure out which days are the best to visit each park and figure out some sort of order of rides so that you don't spend the morning at DHS meeting characters and then can't ride TSM, RNR, or TOT without at least a 2 hour wait. Just sayin'. I don't think you have to have every ride scheduled down to the second (I do, but it isn't necessary!), but I think a plan never hurts, you can always deviate from a plan, but its awful hard to deviate from, "Let's do whatever!"

 

[ToddyLu]

I remember reading a post here on the DIS where someone overheard a couple at Downtown Disney complaining about how it wasn't worth the money to go to Disney because how could someone pay that much to visit Downtown Disney for a whole week?!!! They thought DTD was Disney! I don't care where I go, I want to know as much as possible about it. I just don't want to waste my money, so I will do as much research as I need to so that I feel comfortable once I get there.

You know you would think that they would know there was a big castle..they show it in every commercial...when you didn't see the castle at DTD wouldn't you ask.."hey is there a castle?"..yes, the person you asked would be laughing for months behind your back...but you would at least get to the MK.

I just realy wonder sometimes about people....

 

[aiminator]

The hardest thing to get "old timers" to realize is that there are almost NO walkups for full service restaurants any longer.

We go through this every time one of our relatives comes with us. She remembers the days of walk up and sit down and will not understand that's not the case any more.

The last time I was in WDW was 1989 during the 4th of July. My Dad looks back on those days fondly - walking up to a restaurant during peak dining times and getting seated with minimal wait during a holiday weekend.

I decided that after 23 years it was time for a visit to WDW. I did some research and found I need ADRs and that most people booked these 180 days out. Yeeps! Keep in mind I only booked this trip about 60 days out Luckily I was able to get a bunch of ADRs that I wanted YAY! I am sure people have luck with walking up but I am too much of a scaredy cat to leave that up to chance.

I am so thankful that I stumbled upon disboards to help me with my research. I would have been so disappointed if I never got to eat at a table service restaurant. Thank you thank you disboards!!

 

[SeattleSuz]

All I could think about was...this man, my brother, father of 5 is from the same DNA as me...and yet doesn't plan his Disney trip with an excel spreadsheet.

Ha ha! You use a spreadsheet too eh?

This thread is hilarious!

 

[letthewookiewin]

O.K. This almost made diet coke come out my nose!

I had the same reaction to that post. Well, except it was Dr. Pepper and not Diet Coke.

For all of the educated/non-educated disney people out there....we are watching National Lampoon's Vacation right now and remember the Griswalds show up to "Walley World" and it 's closed for "refurburbishment" for two weeks....obviouslly they didn't go on the DISboards!!!!!

We are driving to WDW for the first time this June and I keep having a nightmare that will happen to us.

 

[aubriee]

I have a coworker planning a trip to Disney this summer. But honestly when you are going in July and every crowd calendar says the parks are going to be a 9 out of a 10, You'd better figure out which days are the best to visit each park and figure out some sort of order of rides so that you don't spend the morning at DHS meeting characters and then can't ride TSM, RNR, or TOT without at least a 2 hour wait. Just sayin'.

This subject comes up alot here on the DIS. There is a poster who usually posts about a conversation she overheard once outside the PORS food court. Apparently the dad had checked them in and came outside where mom and kids were waiting. He had a panicked look on his face and said something like, "Do you know they have four seperate parks and two water parks here? This place is freaking big. What have we got ourselves in for? This place sounds huge!" Apparently they had done no research at all.

 

[mommyrosa2]

A few years back, one of my niece's & her DH decided to take their then 4 year old son to WDW for the first time (mind you neither of them had ever been). She asked me for help since we had a few trips under our belt. First thing she wanted to know? When was the best time to visit (least crowds/best weather), I told her to avoid the summer months and plan around late Oct/early Nov - she chose August. I then recommended that since this was their first trip that she stay onsite for the convenience, transportation, etc.and to plan around a promo like free dining (she and her DH like to eat)...I even priced a vacation pkg for her at a Value resort with FD and she thought it was too much money (mind you, it wasn't but ok). She decided to ignore my suggestions and booked her first trip during the first week in August. She then decided to stay offsite because she said it was "cheaper". When I recommended she buy her park passes thru a discounted place like AAA, she again ignored it, and chose to get her park passes at the ticket window instead. In essence, she didn't follow one piece of advice that I gave her nor did she do any planning herself BUT she had the nerve to do nothing but bash Disney & complain to me about everything when she returned. She complained about how hot it was, how crowded the parks were (mind you, she only ended up visiting MK). She complained how expensive food was and how expensive the car rental was. She said it took forever to get from one place to another and decided that Disney wasn't worth the price she had spent & that they had no desire to go back. I just couldn't help myself so I asked her to share just how much she ended up spending for the week and wouldn't you know she spent almost $1,000 more than the package price was with FD? It really is like someone mentioned earlier....you just can't fix stupid!

 

[Dismom55]

I tell people the first trip I read Birnbaum's Guide, still knew nothing, but had a blast, the second trip I did a lot of research online, knew a little and still had a blast, the many trips after I did lots and lots of research online, joined Dis and other talk groups and have a blast each time.

What all these have in common is I did some research and was prepared to learn as I went and knew I would never know it all and prepared to not be prepared and I know to go with the flow, plan what I can and need to such as ADR's and special events, then leave the rest up to the Magic.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I think most of us are at the point where the planning is part of the fun, and we've gotten so used to it and we can't imagine it any other way. I have no doubt people go without planning and love it...what I just don't get is in this era why wouldn't you at least TRY to do a little research? I don't expect people to follow exactly what we do but I get so irritated when people have the same complaints (ie "It was so hot", "We couldn't get in to the restaurant!", "We got so lost trying to use the buses") and all of it could be fixed by planning.

 

[CozumelDisneyFan]

She's been ... I think twice? Once when my DH was a little boy, and once with my BIL's family. They invited her so she could pay for everything.

Anyway, she has been totally enlightening in regards to all the important Disney information I need to know! Since she's not coming with us, she needs to make sure I'm prepared. I just have to share these tips with the DIS. I've been lurking a long time and I can tell you guys are totally clueless!

Chip and Dale's marshmallow roast is a special perk just for people staying in the cabins at Wild Fort.

All the food at the Hawaiian Hotel is terrible and they don't have ANY character meals because there is only one restaurant.

The best food in WDW is at Crystal Kingdom, and you can walk right up anytime.

There is a monorail from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom; they just haven't connected it to the others yet.

The Rainforest Cafe is right in the middle of Animal Kingdom, and it's the only table service restaurant in the park.

There's no other entrance/exit in Epcot, and there definitely aren't hotels, restaurants, and entertainment on the other side of it.

There are no rides or characters in the World Showcase, just shopping and boring educational stuff.

Watching Wishes costs extra.



All I can say is, good thing I found the DISboards!

FIRST-
Bwaaahhh HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA hee hee hee hee HA HA HAHA HA HA HA SNORT giggle giggle gigglt Bwaaahahaha Snort hrmpg

Now that I got thru that... they are always like that, but when the are in the MK, who do they call when they loose their Photo Pass??? International call??!! Hrmph

 

[havingadisneyday]

Anyway, she has been totally enlightening in regards to all the important Disney information I need to know! .... All I can say is, good thing I found the DISboards!

''

Here's you a hug for having to listen to all her "advice".
Maybe you should just bite the bullet and take her with you. Sounds like she needs some pixie dust!

 

[Tinetine]

My MIL and FIL took a trip to WDW about 10 years ago. It ended up costing them 7,000$ for the 2 of them, all star resort, no food plan. ??? I still can't wrap my mind around that amount . They didn't bring back anything !

 

[noahdove]

This is just great!! I love it so much I must add my 2 cents worth. I have a friend who has been to the world more times than I can count. She usually goes with her sister and they do the parks commando style. Get up when they want leave the room and don't return to resort until they have done the park. Let me just add, she has missed so much of the "special" little magical touches.. When I tell her what I have planned she looks at me like I have 10 heads They only get CS meals and then they share them, not sure how they do that, but...that is the way they choose to do Disney. They also have not done any sit down meals at all They don't want to take time out of their days..I must say here, she has a very bad foot from a severe car accident so she lives on drugs all day just to keep going. A few years ago she went with her son and his family and I told her what to do with them, did she??? No,that wasn't in their plans. She also has gone with her daughter and her family and they ususally stay off site and eat in their rooms. As her granddaughters are super pickey eaters and this is the best for them, ok, I get that, but, the girls finally after many trips had breakfast with the Princesses and they were so in awe of the whole thing... I am triple blessed to have this board/threads to search and plan for my not so yearly trip, I don't want to miss anything special for the children I take and so far, I have had many many awesome trips. Including a whole family trip last April where my little granddaughter danced with Prince Charming Talk about a moment to remember, all of us adults had tears and Mia was just so sweet dancing. Keep these stories coming and I will keep on reading..thank you for sharing

 

[wickywinn]

My mil has been two times and, to this day, argues with me that POTC and Peter Pan were not there (last time was 1992). Ummm, pretty sure they were considering they are original to the park!

Nope, I'm just being a know-it-all. There's no arguing. I just get "the look".

How do you miss Peter Pan btw? Pirates: yeah, I can maybe see passing by. Maybe. But Peter Pan?