Need advice from NON-Commandos--how do we do it???

[susy]

We are usually first at the turnstile, quickly do all of our must-sees , eat an early lunch and head back to our resort for pool time ( by noon).

This trip we are looking to do something diffrent. We will have my mom and her DH along and don't want to run my mom ragged.

We will be at WDW Labor Day weekend , arriving on Fri and leaving on Monday, staying in 2 rooms at POFQ.

We will be driving up Fri morning and heading straight to Epcot (probably arrive around 9:30 or so). We have a PS for lunch at Biergarten.
Saturday we have an early Ps (8am) at AK
and Sunday, we plan to do EE at MK. This works out because we are all early risers.

We don't really have plans in the evenings, except for a Ps at Boatwrights. We will probably eat the other dinners at the food court.

Okay.... so I think we are good on arrival times-getting to the parks early-BUT HOW do we get into a relaxed state of mind to truly enjoy ourselves and not get into the old pattern of running from here to there in crazed fashion???? Help!

 

[Mish]

Just remember this won't be your last trip. We always take our time because I figure if we miss something we will see it next time we are there. My family likes to take our time and leisurely walk around. I never feel like we are rushing (DH is a different story). We leave our room by 9:00 a.m.. We also go for 8 or 9 days and in value season. Have fun !!!

 

[sarahsmom73]

I agree! We went with the mind set that we wouldn't be able to see everything and it was just fine. When dd got tired we took a break.. She is an early riser by nature so it was no big deal to get up and go in the morning..

No.. We didn't get to do eveything, but then again I would need weeks and weeks to do it! But.... We had such a great time that now we are going back for Christmas 2005!

 

[erinch]

we try to stop and notice the "little things" along the way. When we get to AK, while everyone else is rushing for PS's, we stop and watch the incredible "tree things" and notice all the little paths. We try to pay attention to the details---and the faces of the people around us. At AK they have a kids safari thing they can do, where they get a little passport book and stamps at various stations; we took the time to do that last time.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Originally posted by susy
We are usually first at the turnstile, quickly do all of our must-sees , eat an early lunch and head back to our resort for pool time ( by noon).

Boy, does that describe the way I used to be! You know what I did one trip to really "shock" myself out of it? I went out to the bus stop of my resort and just got on the first bus that came along. DH had even bet me I couldn't do it! So I called him on my cell phone from the bus. It was such a great feeling. Come to think of it, that wouldn't work if you have your own car (duh!)
I guess other than that, just the constant reminder to myself that this won't be our last trip eventually sinks in and you slow down. Good luck!

 

[Mortlives]

I know how hard it is to not want to do everything now, I suffer from that syndrome myself. What I have learned to do is let DH, who is not a type A personality, decide what we're doing. Since you have a very short time in which to do things, maybe it would help, psychologically, if you decided when you're going next. That way, you can just say to yourself, "If we don't get to it this time, we will in just xxx days/weeks/months" whatever.

Have a great time. POFQ is a very nice resort.

Kungaloosh!
Morticia.

 

[webmomom]

We never do the commando style at WDW. since you and I live in South florida we know basically we can get back as often as our bank accounts lets us.

Once we did do the commonado thing with SIL and BIL. They had never been; wanted to see everything; only had 2 1/2 days. I will tell you I will never, never do that again.

We walk around and enjoy all of the little details. Neither of us are what you would call ride junkies. We don't have to ride anything. just being at WDW is enough for us.

If your Mom has never been, and you have I would just show her the things that you like and if there is a next trip you could explore more.

Have a great time

 

[susy]

Thanks!! well, we have all been to WDW many times. This is our third trip together in two years and we were all just at the WL last Thanksgiving. My mom likes to take her time ...I'll just have to modify! any more ideas on how to relax?

 

[canda]

I am an ex commando. I did not think I would ever get back to WDW. Since my last commando mission, I have been back 3 times. I could not believe at how much better WDW was by being laid back. I still rode every ride that I wanted to ride. I saw every show that I wanted to see.

For example, I list out what attractions at MK, that I have to see.
lets say, POC, SM, BTMR,HoP,PP,WP,SM,BL...etc. and I just go in a circle until I see them all. There was always time to shop, and see side attractions along the way. Not to mention riding favorites over again.

I would like to do one more commando mission though.
I would like to go by myself, without spouse and kids and try to breaksome record.

 

[Kimberle]

We've never been "commando's", never will be.

What's on my "must see/do" list?
Nothing, absolutly nothing.

Of cource, we have things we want to do, CRT, Chef Mickeys, few rides.

What is my "itinary"?
Other than a few PS's for dinner, nothing.

We like to come and go as we like. If were're up early, great, if not, well, that's great too. We are on VACATION!!

Disney's not going any where. It will still be here! Test Track was open for 3 trips before I mosseyed over to ride it! Ya know what, it's still going to be there for our next trip!! We still haven't seen Illuminations or that show at MGM. Eventually, we will. Maybe this trip, maybe not.

Relax! Stop long enough to feed the fish! (get food from those quarter food feeders on the docks and throw it into the water. My dd laughts so hard watching the fish eat.)

 

[bubba's mom]

i had planned 2 days at MK for our first family trip....thanks to a little storm called CHARLEY, we had to cut it to 1 day. now, being this was our family's first time (ds is 5 1/2), i was more than a little upset. but, instead of following my itinerary, i had to think fast and make alternate plans. we managed to do our priority things (plus some extras) and we "commadoed" MK in one day! ds had a blast and loved it!! even tho i had to change our schedule, i know i will be back another time to do what we missed....(there were quite a few attractions rehabing and BTMRR had a computer glitch, so we had to use our FP somewhere else!) but, even tho it was a long day (8am-10:30pm) we did it and had a great time!!!! ...there's always tomorrow.....

 

[bigtinkfun]

Hi!

Hmmm, kind of a tough question from my standpoint, because I am a total non-commando, and always have been. Since I've never had to reform from a commando to a non-commando, I've found it kind of hard to come up with ways to explain my way of doing the parks in a relaxed manner, because it just comes naturally to me. (I hope that makes sense.)

Fortunately, you do seem to have received quite a few responses from ex-commandos.

I thought about your questions and here is what I have come up with, regarding my own approach, that may be helpful:

1) I never, ever do Early Entry anymore. I used to do Early Entry, then a few years back, while standing in line for half an hour with a bunch of other tense, restless people, I took a look around at all their stressed, competitive faces and thought, "What on earth am I doing here with these wound up folks? I'm on vacation! I should be relaxed, enjoying myself, unwinding. Instead I'm out here, jockeying for position with everybody else, waiting for the park to open so I can run like a whippet to the most popular attraction! If I'm not careful, I'm gonna have my game face on in a minute!" So I went and took a seat on a park bench and waited till the park had opened and everyone had hustled inside and then I went in. And never did EE again. In fact, I avoid whatever park it is that has EE that day. The EE mojo is really stressing.

2) Most days, I go out to the bus stop and just get on whatever bus rolls up next (unless it's a bus going to that day's EE park). If I get to a park and discover I'm not having a good time, I go out and get on the transport to another park. Or I go to a resort and have lunch and then go to another park. Basically, I just meander.

3) Every 15 minutes, unless I'm on a ride, or on line for a ride, I take a break and have a seat. I watch the birds that hang out in the parks, I watch kids, I have a Dole Whip, I close my eyes for 5 minutes and bask in the sun. I think about absolutely nothing. I find a 5 minute break 3 times an hour keeps me calm and centered.

I think most folks who go commando are worried that they won't get everything they feel they ought to out of their vacation. So they run around and wear themselves to a frazzle and don't get the one thing they out to get: rejuvenation.

One thing you might want to consider is letting your mom and her husband set the pace on this trip. And if you feel the commando urge coming on, just say to yourself, "This is not my trip, it's theirs. I'm just along for the ride."

Just my .02 cents worth. Hope you can find some use in it.

 

[bethzfl]

I'm recovering. With it being just days before the trip, I'm going over plans and worrying about lines... waits.. etc. But I just decided I'm gonna wing it. The first bus that pulls up (unless it's EE like the above poster says), we're hopping on it! I did make a few Ps's though.. (we were turned away from Le Cellier without one last year ) Good luck with your trip!

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Ummmmmmm......isn't this your 10th trip in less than 3 years??? No offense, but if I knew I were going this often, I wouldn't worry about if I got to see everything!

I haven't been in almost two YEARS and I think I'm just going to take it slow and enjoy. (mostly because of the heat and humidity.........oh, how I dread this )

 

[bethzfl]

oops wrong thread. sorry.

 

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by bethzfl
....days before the trip, I'm going over plans and worrying about lines... waits.... The first bus that pulls up (unless it's EE like the above poster says), we're hopping on it!

my $.02...... we were at MK on aug. 12....day before hurricane. we went to EE at MK.....no lines! matter of fact, the longest line we stood in all day was about 45 minutes at Splash Mtn. (had FP for BTMRR).....the strange thing was, the evening was more crowded than the day!...esp. tomorrowland! i'm not sure why, but we waited about 10-15 (or less) minutes for everything--during and after EE. i think we had 1/2 the park (fantasy, tomorrow and toontown fair lands) done by 11:30 or so. i don't know if lines were short cuz of hurricane coming or kids back in school, but i am all for EE now. got thru fantasyland relatively quickly with that EE....i chalk EE up to Fantasyland alone. JMHO

 

[Chicago526]

I've never been "comando", but then, I've always gone at low season for a minimum of 5 nights, so it's never been needed, either!

Since you've been several times, you have the advantage. I would still plan ahead for which park on what day, and make PS's for any place you know you'll want to eat at. But otherwise, just do whatever ride floats your boat at the time. Maybe ask everyone in your family/group to come up with one or two rides that are "must do's" and make sure to do those, and then just do what you feel like for whatever time you have left.

This is how I do it. It works out great! By planing on which parks we go to on a given day, and make a PS (if needed) within that park, I have a loose plan to go by that ensures enough time in each park, but no presure to do SPECIFIC rides. Of course I have my favs that I make sure to get in, but I don't run around trying to get it all in, either.

This next trip will be a little differant, as my BF is comming along and he has never been. I want to give him the "total experiance" so I'm planning a bit more carefully than I might, otherwise. But we have 7 full days in WDW, so we can do tons without rushing. Ahhhh, the benifit of low season and plenty of nights!

 

[susy]

Thanks everyone!!!!! I love the idea of "meandering"-just love that word! and...yes...we've been 10 times in the last few years. Nevermind that DH and I both grew up in FL and have been to Disney soooo many times that I could never try to remember them all.


Really, I don't think any of us has "must dos" that are written in stone. Even my 6yo Ds is "over it". He can sit and color forever at a kid-cot station or spend an hour in ice station cool. I think it 's more of a mind-frame that has to do with our pace rather than actually wanting to ride things(if that makes sense).

The fact that we don't do two parks in one day anymore might help. I think that before I was always thinking about having time to go back to the resort, swim, rest, get dressed and get to another park for a PS. Now that DS can last longer, we just stay as long as we want and then we are done! The BEST day we've ever had at Disney was the day this piciture was taken. We had breakfast at Cape May and spent all day at SAB. We walked to Epcot that evening for dinner-it was so nice!

Oh, well. At least I'm cured of RAD.

 

[rcyannacci]

My two suggestions would be:

-See lots of the shows. This will be a good opportunity for your Mom to sit down and rest. And, most of them are so well produced. I'd schedule everything else around showtimes and then catch the low-line attractions in the vacinity.

- Go to a themed restaurant and enjoy a good meal (Prime-time, San Angel Inn, etc.) . Again, gives you time to rest and regroup, plus you still are surrounded by the magic.

Have fun! I'll be at the POFQ in Dec. Can't wait!!!

 

[Robbiesmommy21]

We just got back from our first trip, ever to anywhere. Before we went while in our planning stage, dh and I sat down and planned what we would do and when. I mean we had a schedual. We get and things were not going to shedual and I found myself, and I think dh too, feeling sad about what we were missing or thought we were missing. 1/2 way throught he trip we finally relaxed. We threw the "plan" in the trash. I think our best day was when we slept in, till 11 , I know 11am. We got last min. ps's for CRT for lunch, so we got to MK at 12:30 had lunch while it rained then watched the parade, played in the arcade and saw Mickey's Phillarmaqic. Then had our ps'ed dinner at LTT. WE had a blast that day. See we had a ploblem that our ds, 4 was tired by 12 with the heat and all of our rushing around. But do you know he was fine that afternoon, and we were there from12:30 till 6. This was the longest we were ever in a park our whole stay. JMO.

Jacqueline