Rate your recent trip!

[starjazz]

With all of the ups and downs discussed here, I'm just curious to see if there's any consensus among current disboards users about how their trips are going. I know most of us in here are Disney fans, but with the recent changes, experiences change too. If you've been in the last couple years, I'd love to see your feedback.

 

[pachuta24]

If you plan well and know what you're doing, it is a magical experience. Be prepared for small hang-ups (ride goes down, etc.) and don't get upset when they do.

 

[taythecray]

Our trip the first week of January was an amazing one! Honestly it was a perfect first trip experience-wise, just a few hiccups. The weather was really chilly and the pools closed early so we were bummed we never got to experience them, then crowds at MK were crazy our first day. Not bad enough to ruin our day, but enough to realize we had to cut a lot out. Everything else (transportation, food, resort, CMs) was magical <3

 

[starjazz]

Early results appear positive - 9:3 ratio above average.

 

[larryz]

I would have selected "other" in that while our trip went smoothly, MBs worked as advertised, the whole MDE preparation and execution went well, our ADR locations let us in early, the food was good, we didn't need all our FP+s, every cast member we saw (except one) was cheerful, helpful and friendly, and we had a great location in a resort we liked... it was all due to deliberate timing and choices on our part.

We gamed the system and it worked well for us.

So the right answer for me would have been. "We had a good time but only because we knew exactly what we were doing. I pity the fool who goes to WDW who doesn't."

 

[DoingDisney]

I would have selected "other" in that while our trip went smoothly, MBs worked as advertised, the whole MDE preparation and execution went well, our ADR locations let us in early, the food was good, we didn't need all our FP+s, every cast member we saw (except one) was cheerful, helpful and friendly, and we had a great location in a resort we liked... it was all due to deliberate timing and choices on our part.

We gamed the system and it worked well for us.

So the right answer for me would have been. "We had a good time but only because we knew exactly what we were doing. I pity the fool who goes to WDW who doesn't."

A VERY KEY point, if you are going in January, and the lines are short, parks are empty, and service is great ... well, yea its January. If you had this experience in July, now THAT would be something worth talking about.

 

[bcrook]

How about I had a great time with Friends in spite of Disney. The planning going into the F&W trip was exhausting and time consuming. Being a seasoned veteran, I know how to create my own magic at Disney. I do view the Disney management as an obstacle now, that is simply trying to drain me of my resources. The thing that stunned me the most was Epcot: They cordoned off several nice shady spots and placed some tables around for enjoying food. The problem: it was for premium F&W pass holders. That ticket was an additional $100.00 per person. When shade becomes a hard ticket item, I really start to wonder what's going on. It's not like I'm a freeloader, I already bought an AP, DVC, Tables in Wonderland, and use a Chase Visa.

 

[DoingDisney]

How about I had a great time with Friends in spite of Disney. The planning going into the F&W trip was exhausting and time consuming. Being a seasoned veteran, I know how to create my own magic at Disney. I do view the Disney management as an obstacle now, that is simple trying to drain me of my resources. The thing that stunned me the most was Epcot: They cordoned off several nice shady spots and placed some tables around for enjoying food. The problem: it was for premium FW pass holders. That ticket was an additional $100.00 per person. When shade becomes a hard ticket item, I really start to wonder what's going on. It's not like I'm a freeloader, I already bought an AP, DVC, Tables in Wonderland, and use a Chase Visa.

wow ... thats all I have to say to that .... wow.

 

[Jessie Tanner]

it was all due to deliberate timing and choices on our part.

 

[smellyia]

For us, last Fall break 10 days with MNSSHP, F&W, and a portion at USO, it was fabulous. Waits weren't "low" but we toured early and utilized FP's and FOL later in the day for rides or concentrated on parades, shows, food, and swimming in the afternoons. Worst wait was maybe 30-40 minutes total and I can't even remember what for and it was a whim that we had extra time bc our touring had worked out so well that we decided to kick back enjoy the line and just chat as a group. I knew going into everything costs, crowds, and weather, and planned accordingly. With all my planning the best part was nothing was as bad as I envisioned based off of reports on here so if anything boards help immensely in making the conscientious tourist plan for the worst and getting a whole lot better! I didn't even use up my whole budget. Can't wait for October this year!

 

[IWRBIE]

Other than getting soaked on PotC, it was perfect.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

So the right answer for me would have been. "We had a good time but only because we knew exactly what we were doing. I pity the fool who goes to WDW who doesn't."

I agree, but I don't pity them. If they don't spend some time preparing for their trips (to WDW or anywhere else), I am not going to spend any time sympathizing.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

The thing that stunned me the most was Epcot: They cordoned off several nice shady spots and placed some tables around for enjoying food. The problem: it was for premium F&W pass holders. That ticket was an additional $100.00 per person. When shade becomes a hard ticket item, I really start to wonder what's going on. It's not like I'm a freeloader, I already bought an AP, DVC, Tables in Wonderland, and use a Chase Visa.

FWIW, the tables/chairs are still there and available at no charge.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Although I voted for "it was perfect," that was because I experienced all the descriptors, some due to my own good planning.

If the trip had really been perfect, we would have been staying in a villa at GF for 14 days with the platinum plan.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

How about I had a great time with Friends in spite of Disney. The planning going into the F&W trip was exhausting and time consuming. Being a seasoned veteran, I know how to create my own magic at Disney. I do view the Disney management as an obstacle now, that is simply trying to drain me of my resources. The thing that stunned me the most was Epcot: They cordoned off several nice shady spots and placed some tables around for enjoying food. The problem: it was for premium F&W pass holders. That ticket was an additional $100.00 per person. When shade becomes a hard ticket item, I really start to wonder what's going on. It's not like I'm a freeloader, I already bought an AP, DVC, Tables in Wonderland, and use a Chase Visa.

That's... just incredible. Wow. We were regulars at F&W when we lived in Orlando (7-10 years ago) and have talked about going back for this event, but with everything I'm hearing about it, I doubt we will.

 

[smellyia]

How about I had a great time with Friends in spite of Disney. The planning going into the F&W trip was exhausting and time consuming. Being a seasoned veteran, I know how to create my own magic at Disney. I do view the Disney management as an obstacle now, that is simply trying to drain me of my resources. The thing that stunned me the most was Epcot: They cordoned off several nice shady spots and placed some tables around for enjoying food. The problem: it was for premium F&W pass holders. That ticket was an additional $100.00 per person. When shade becomes a hard ticket item, I really start to wonder what's going on. It's not like I'm a freeloader, I already bought an AP, DVC, Tables in Wonderland, and use a Chase Visa.

I was there during fall break and did F&W. I saw the cordoned off places but they didn't seem to impede our ability to have a great leisurely tour of F&W with shade and tables at every spot we went to even on Saturday night. If anything I thought they added tables that aren't normally there for those areas.

 

[msb578]

I agree, but I don't pity them. If they don't spend some time preparing for their trips (to WDW or anywhere else), I am not going to spend any time sympathizing.

I hear you, but it's also hard to substitute for actual experience. For example, I feel like I know WDW pretty well. But when I recently went on my first Disney Cruise, I pretty much got walloped by all the stuff I didn't know. I thought I had prepared well for it.

So I think it's possible to try hard to plan, yet still come up short the first time around.

The WDW portion of the trip, during Marathon weekend... that was pretty close to perfect.

 

[DoingDisney]

I hear you, but it's also hard to substitute for actual experience. For example, I feel like I know WDW pretty well. But when I recently went on my first Disney Cruise, I pretty much got walloped by all the stuff I didn't know. I thought I had prepared well for it.

So I think it's possible to try hard to plan, yet still come up short the first time around.

The WDW portion of the trip, during Marathon weekend... that was pretty close to perfect.

I think this is particularly problematic when Disney adds paint the picture of a trip you don't really have to plan. Right ? Its all about you just walk up to the front counter and tell them what you want to do and *poof* you are set.

I know our first trip we had NO idea of the need to plan, we just booked it and showed up. Now this wasn't a problem under legacy FP, or when the parks were a little less crowded (though I think the crowding is also a function of FP+), lines were shorter, FPs didn't need to be planned etc. So we had a great time. But if I had done the same and hit larger crowds or lines etc ... I imagine I wouldn't have been nearly as pleased.

 

[revdon64]

Our last trip was our first during the Christmas season, and we probably won't go that time of year again. That's not really because of Disney though. Because we were away from home ten days at the beginning of December, and because I spent six days after that in the hospital after surgery, Christmas just didn't have that same kind of special feeling to us this year. We loved the decorations and all the special Christmas stuff that we experienced on this trip, but somehow being on vacation detracted from experiencing the Christmas season for our family. As far as WDW goes, we were a little disappointed in the lack of great stuff to see/do during the Christmas party and the stale cookies/cold cocoa. We were taken back a bit by crowds larger than we expected for that first full week after Thanksgiving. But mostly it was a fun trip. We had good to great experiences with CMs, ate really well, and did just about everything that was on our agenda.

 

[Lady Hiss]

Waiting until our trip us over before I vote (going home next week after 14 day trip). So far, I'd vote 'meh'. The magic just isn't here. I saw a Walt Disney quote on a wall at HS last night: something about how he wanted people to not experience the same world they do outside of Disney world, but wanted them experience a world removed from the real one. I don't think that's the current philosophy of the Disney Parks people. One example: 3 different CMs who have told us that they can't wait til the end of their shift. That didn't make us feel particularly happy or magical - more like 'Gosh, I'm sorry you have to work so hard and almost feel guilty for adding to your work load by being here'.

I'm sure I'll be told that I need to make my own magic. We've been doing so, but Disney doesn't deserve the credit. I'd say it's 90% 'meh' and 10% 'Magical'.

Hoping the next few days help me change my mind!