nighttowll
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1,818
May I suggest you look into the dark side. It wouldn’t require any preplanning at all. You could sleep in or not as you desire. No dining reservations needed, no ride reservations needed. Super easy and would fit your parents expectations of just showing up without a real plan or any prior commitment. Plus very easy to go to and from the resorts for pool time, afternoon breaks, or to catch up with the group later or leave early.
If you guys are set on Disney, I still wouldn’t panic too much. I planned a last minute trip for January this year. I think it was about 75 days out, so just before FP window opened. I was able to get us all the ADR we wanted at the times we wanted including CRT and a 8:00 PPO BOG. I was also able to get us all the FP we wanted as well. We used refresh to get more while in the park and never waited for anything. This was during a very crowded time of the year. You can definitely do a last minute trip. There are also a lot of non-waiting no need to schedule attractions people don’t think about that you guys can enjoy: The animal trails at AK, shows and movies, stage shows, parades, street performers, the scavenger hunt games at MK and Epcot, touring the country pavilions, the small aquarium at Epcot, touring the resorts, visiting Disney Springs, pin trading, the innovations pavilions, window shopping, snack and meal breaks, and of course the nightly shows each park offers. One of our favorite things to do is to sit down with a snack and watch the Jedi training. Those little kids are so cute and funny fighting the evil Sith. It’s completely line free anytime entertainment. No advance planning needed.
In the end, if you think it’s too much. Be honest with your parents. Tell them you don’t want to go or don’t want to plan it under these conditions. Let them plan or not plan it as they see fit. It isn’t worth trying to force something if you are going to end up completely stressed out. Maybe you can show them new maps of all 4 parks, so they can understand better how many attractions there are now. You could also download the app and show them the current wait times, so they see that you aren’t being over dramatic about the need to make plans or show them all the non existent dinner options on the app. These things may help them understand better. Hopefully, with a little work, you guys can come to some kind of compromise. If not, you have to decide if it is worth it to go or not under their conditions. Personally, if they are paying, I’d take the free trip and whatever we do we do, and I wouldn’t worry about the rest. Like I said before there are plenty of non waiting things to do, and you can use refresh to grab same day FP as long as you aren’t picky about what you ride. You’ve got to look at this as a family vacation with a little Disney on the side. The point being to enjoy spending time with your family no matter what or how much you are doing. Instead of looking at it as a Disney vacation I’m taking with my family. If that makes sense. Because unless you change their minds, that’s what you will be getting.
If you guys are set on Disney, I still wouldn’t panic too much. I planned a last minute trip for January this year. I think it was about 75 days out, so just before FP window opened. I was able to get us all the ADR we wanted at the times we wanted including CRT and a 8:00 PPO BOG. I was also able to get us all the FP we wanted as well. We used refresh to get more while in the park and never waited for anything. This was during a very crowded time of the year. You can definitely do a last minute trip. There are also a lot of non-waiting no need to schedule attractions people don’t think about that you guys can enjoy: The animal trails at AK, shows and movies, stage shows, parades, street performers, the scavenger hunt games at MK and Epcot, touring the country pavilions, the small aquarium at Epcot, touring the resorts, visiting Disney Springs, pin trading, the innovations pavilions, window shopping, snack and meal breaks, and of course the nightly shows each park offers. One of our favorite things to do is to sit down with a snack and watch the Jedi training. Those little kids are so cute and funny fighting the evil Sith. It’s completely line free anytime entertainment. No advance planning needed.
In the end, if you think it’s too much. Be honest with your parents. Tell them you don’t want to go or don’t want to plan it under these conditions. Let them plan or not plan it as they see fit. It isn’t worth trying to force something if you are going to end up completely stressed out. Maybe you can show them new maps of all 4 parks, so they can understand better how many attractions there are now. You could also download the app and show them the current wait times, so they see that you aren’t being over dramatic about the need to make plans or show them all the non existent dinner options on the app. These things may help them understand better. Hopefully, with a little work, you guys can come to some kind of compromise. If not, you have to decide if it is worth it to go or not under their conditions. Personally, if they are paying, I’d take the free trip and whatever we do we do, and I wouldn’t worry about the rest. Like I said before there are plenty of non waiting things to do, and you can use refresh to grab same day FP as long as you aren’t picky about what you ride. You’ve got to look at this as a family vacation with a little Disney on the side. The point being to enjoy spending time with your family no matter what or how much you are doing. Instead of looking at it as a Disney vacation I’m taking with my family. If that makes sense. Because unless you change their minds, that’s what you will be getting.