Rumors of Light (ROL discussion thread)

[Paigevon]

I've been out of pocket trying to get all my work assignments finished before we leave next week.

This however made me recall a conversation I had this afternoon


I was picking DGD up after school today and started talking to the mom of one of her friends. Melody had told her friend she was going to Disney and her friend had told her mom. Seems they are going next week too. On Wednesday. They have never been. They have not bought tickets yet and they are staying off site. They are tagging along with her ODS's band trip. So needless to say they have made no plans whatsoever. Though she does at least realize they need to book FP. She plans to look at those this weekend.

I told her to call me if she needed any help or while they are there if she needs something. I panicked a bit inside thinking of going for the first time with no plans at all but I didn't say anything. I figured it wouldn't do much good to overwhelm her with info about planning when it's too late to do much. As a first timer I keep thinking they'll never know what they are missing and they'll have a good time just being there.

But I did twitch a bit inside just thinking about it

Oh my goodness.. I hope they have a magical, wonderful time!


This makes me realize... where would I be if I didn't start googling "First Disney trip 5th birthday" for ideas and find so many helpful sites, and this (or should I say "dis") board..

 

[Jfsag123]

So, last time I was here, @Jfsag123 and I were going to start a group and @dachsie was having issues with her reservation - did everything work out?

That's how good we are. We don't even need to do anything and the stuff just works itself out. Either that or we've just gotten so used to things being messed up that we've resigned ourselves to not having any alternatives. So either one of those...

 

[dachsie]

Um, I just got an email from Disney telling me that I can make my fastpass selections, so maybe I'll do that tonight. What do you think? I don't want to rush into anything, I mean, I leave a week from this morning so maybe I can think on it a while, figure out my options...

I dunno, maybe there will be one available for Rumors of Light

 

[dachsie]

So, last time I was here, @Jfsag123 and I were going to start a group and @dachsie was having issues with her reservation - did everything work out?

Yea - they fixed it. DME had booked me twice

 

[dachsie]

I've been out of pocket trying to get all my work assignments finished before we leave next week.

This however made me recall a conversation I had this afternoon


I was picking DGD up after school today and started talking to the mom of one of her friends. Melody had told her friend she was going to Disney and her friend had told her mom. Seems they are going next week too. On Wednesday. They have never been. They have not bought tickets yet and they are staying off site. They are tagging along with her ODS's band trip. So needless to say they have made no plans whatsoever. Though she does at least realize they need to book FP. She plans to look at those this weekend.

I told her to call me if she needed any help or while they are there if she needs something. I panicked a bit inside thinking of going for the first time with no plans at all but I didn't say anything. I figured it wouldn't do much good to overwhelm her with info about planning when it's too late to do much. As a first timer I keep thinking they'll never know what they are missing and they'll have a good time just being there.

But I did twitch a bit inside just thinking about it

I cant imagine going anywhere on vacation without some planning, especially Disney

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Hi all! We took off for a bit, only to come back and find out that things have been moved to May?! Oh dear, it's quite interesting how things keep getting pushed further and further back! I wouldn't be surprised for my October trip to arrive and find out that they are still pushing it back to a possible Christmas opening! LOL

 

[elmoandzoey]

Since crowd predictions have been so off for the last few days I have to ask if this is normal (we never went with FP+) in place. I have made FP+ for all parks by now and while I was able to scored everything I wanted, I was able to get all of them with times before noon (with the exception of 7DMT which I got for 4pm). I book 30 days out since we stay off site and I can make TSMM FP+ for 11am for both our DHS days?

 

[Puffin]

Is there any chance of a soft opening or public try-out for Rivers Of Light before the official opening?

 

[TheFloatingBear]

I've been out of pocket trying to get all my work assignments finished before we leave next week.

This however made me recall a conversation I had this afternoon


I was picking DGD up after school today and started talking to the mom of one of her friends. Melody had told her friend she was going to Disney and her friend had told her mom. Seems they are going next week too. On Wednesday. They have never been. They have not bought tickets yet and they are staying off site. They are tagging along with her ODS's band trip. So needless to say they have made no plans whatsoever. Though she does at least realize they need to book FP. She plans to look at those this weekend.

I told her to call me if she needed any help or while they are there if she needs something. I panicked a bit inside thinking of going for the first time with no plans at all but I didn't say anything. I figured it wouldn't do much good to overwhelm her with info about planning when it's too late to do much. As a first timer I keep thinking they'll never know what they are missing and they'll have a good time just being there.

But I did twitch a bit inside just thinking about it

I'm sure some of the band activities will take up some of the trip too. Hopefully, it won't be quite as busy as we've heard it's been this week! I'm sure they will have a magical time just being there, like you said, but like I was saying previously, it's tough when it "feels" super crowded and it's tough to walk around! Hopefully things will quiet down a bit! I'm guessing you may get a call this weekend, lol!

 

[jlundeen]

I've been out of pocket trying to get all my work assignments finished before we leave next week.

This however made me recall a conversation I had this afternoon


I was picking DGD up after school today and started talking to the mom of one of her friends. Melody had told her friend she was going to Disney and her friend had told her mom. Seems they are going next week too. On Wednesday. They have never been. They have not bought tickets yet and they are staying off site. They are tagging along with her ODS's band trip. So needless to say they have made no plans whatsoever. Though she does at least realize they need to book FP. She plans to look at those this weekend.

I told her to call me if she needed any help or while they are there if she needs something. I panicked a bit inside thinking of going for the first time with no plans at all but I didn't say anything. I figured it wouldn't do much good to overwhelm her with info about planning when it's too late to do much. As a first timer I keep thinking they'll never know what they are missing and they'll have a good time just being there.

But I did twitch a bit inside just thinking about it

I'd also have a very hard time not spewing out information at them...people who have never been to Disney just have no idea what it is.

But, since they are going with a huge group, maybe there is someone doing overall planning that will including them in the major stuff... I only hope they don't come away thinking it's just a big, crowded, and expensive tourist trap.... (that was what I thought before we ever went - way back in the early 80s...)

 

[dachsie]

Is there any chance of a soft opening or public try-out for Rivers Of Light before the official opening?

It's anyone's guess at this point.

 

[beesly]

Um, I just got an email from Disney telling me that I can make my fastpass selections, so maybe I'll do that tonight. What do you think? I don't want to rush into anything, I mean, I leave a week from this morning so maybe I can think on it a while, figure out my options...

I got an e-mail this morning suggesting that I book the Family Magic Tour since I'm traveling with a little one.

 

[asbyrneva]

I've been out of pocket trying to get all my work assignments finished before we leave next week.

This however made me recall a conversation I had this afternoon


I was picking DGD up after school today and started talking to the mom of one of her friends. Melody had told her friend she was going to Disney and her friend had told her mom. Seems they are going next week too. On Wednesday. They have never been. They have not bought tickets yet and they are staying off site. They are tagging along with her ODS's band trip. So needless to say they have made no plans whatsoever. Though she does at least realize they need to book FP. She plans to look at those this weekend.

I told her to call me if she needed any help or while they are there if she needs something. I panicked a bit inside thinking of going for the first time with no plans at all but I didn't say anything. I figured it wouldn't do much good to overwhelm her with info about planning when it's too late to do much. As a first timer I keep thinking they'll never know what they are missing and they'll have a good time just being there.

But I did twitch a bit inside just thinking about it

I feel you! Sis-inlaw called me March 1 about her upcoming trip MARCH 17th! with her DH and 2yo daughter for 1 day in MK at the beginning of spring break. She didnt even have MDE set up (going for work meeting so at least she had tickets). I grabbed her phone set her up and told her what to try to FP to try for and had to get there at RD. They were planning to arrive at noon! ugh My husband said he could see me shake/twitch!

My niece loves stitch and she had at least scheduled ohana for breakfast. Luckily since she is only two it wasn't like they were going for any of the mountains - she saw Minnie her absolute favorite! Did Belle and Pooh and even got peter pan. They did go at rd and were ready for the crowds

 

[princessekrus]

They did go at rd and were ready for the crowds

This is what I tell people to do when they are going without a plan, and it's too late to really tell them what I would tell them otherwise. If you at least get to rope drop, have a coupld of ADR's, you can be pretty successful in those first hours, and it will feel like you did a lot of things before it gets too crowded. Most of the people I know going are going with little kids, so the mountains are usually less of an issue.

I helped my neighbor last year who was taking his daughter on a daddy-daughter trip. He was great. He listened to everything I told him, and they had a fabulous time. He is now a pro Disney planner... he went back six months later with two of his friends and their daughters for a group daddy-daughter trip. Then there are the other friends I have helped, who don't listen to a thing I say, and come back saying it was hot, crowded, and we had to wait 2 hours for space mountain. Ummm... which is why I told you to get there before 1pm, and to make fast passes.

You can lead a horse to water, etc. etc..

 

[figmentfan423]

This is what I tell people to do when they are going without a plan, and it's too late to really tell them what I would tell them otherwise. If you at least get to rope drop, have a coupld of ADR's, you can be pretty successful in those first hours, and it will feel like you did a lot of things before it gets too crowded. Most of the people I know going are going with little kids, so the mountains are usually less of an issue.

I helped my neighbor last year who was taking his daughter on a daddy-daughter trip. He was great. He listened to everything I told him, and they had a fabulous time. He is now a pro Disney planner... he went back six months later with two of his friends and their daughters for a group daddy-daughter trip. Then there are the other friends I have helped, who don't listen to a thing I say, and come back saying it was hot, crowded, and we had to wait 2 hours for space mountain. Ummm... which is why I told you to get there before 1pm, and to make fast passes.

You can lead a horse to water, etc. etc..

I'm glad your neighbor listened. My dh cousins planned a last minute trip and I offered to help plan and they said that's why they used a travel agent. They hated it they had the dining plan and made no ADRs. They came back and complained that they ate nothing but burgers the whole week! This was before fp+ but they didn't get one regular fp because they didn't even know it existed until the last day and to top it off they slept in every day. Hey at least I offered to help. They don't know why we keep going back. Hey we tried to help

 

[jlundeen]

I'm glad your neighbor listened. My dh cousins planned a last minute trip and I offered to help plan and they said that's why they used a travel agent. They hated it they had the dining plan and made no ADRs. They came back and complained that they ate nothing but burgers the whole week! This was before fp+ but they didn't get one regular fp because they didn't even know it existed until the last day and to top it off they slept in every day. Hey at least I offered to help. They don't know why we keep going back. Hey we tried to help

As John Wayne reportedly said, "You can't fix stupid!"

 

[beesly]

The weather for the first day of our trip is officially within "extended forecast" territory so I was just enviously checking out the forecasted temperatures for Orlando over the next two weeks. The Weather Channel's site currently shows a "Fire Weather Warning" for Orlando today while here at home we have a "Freeze Warning." When DH and I started planning this trip, we commented that by late April we wouldn't need to "escape" freezing cold weather anymore - boy, were we wrong!

 

[jlundeen]

The weather for the first day of our trip is officially within "extended forecast" territory so I was just enviously checking out the forecasted temperatures for Orlando over the next two weeks. The Weather Channel's site currently shows a "Fire Weather Warning" for Orlando today while here at home we have a "Freeze Warning." When DH and I started planning this trip, we commented that by late April we wouldn't need to "escape" freezing cold weather anymore - boy, were we wrong!

I hear you...we had some pretty good weather (for Minnesota, anyway) early on, and now we just seem to be stuck in the 40s...at least we missed all the heavy snow that many of you guys had earlier this month. Looking at the Orlando weather, it looks like I will go from 40s and 50s for highs here to upper 80s there. How ever will I manage???

ETA: If you see someone with fish-belly white arms and legs, with a RUMORS button in two weeks, it's probably me...we don't get a lot of exposure to the sun over the winter and spring!

 

[ArielSRL]

@jlundeen @beesly Blackberry winter? Or at least, that's what we call it in the South. We are in the 60's during the day and low 40's (38 one night) here and that's definitely not our norm for April. We've already reached the 80's this year.

 

[princessekrus]

I'm glad your neighbor listened. My dh cousins planned a last minute trip and I offered to help plan and they said that's why they used a travel agent. They hated it they had the dining plan and made no ADRs. They came back and complained that they ate nothing but burgers the whole week! This was before fp+ but they didn't get one regular fp because they didn't even know it existed until the last day and to top it off they slept in every day. Hey at least I offered to help. They don't know why we keep going back. Hey we tried to help

I have friends at my children's school, who always introduce me to new people by saying "and if you're planning a trip to Disney, you really need to talk to her." Then people ask how often I go, and when I say sometimes 3 times a year, they look at me like I have two heads. But, I have found several other closet Disney-files, and when we get talking Disney... watch out! For our upcoming trip I helped two other families plan Spring break trips, and they have been nothing but appreciative. But thank goodness I didn't tell them about ROL!!!! I figured since they were new to Disney, I wouldn't burden them with a "there might be more things to plan, but you can't plan them yet, and I don't know what it is or when it will be available." Saved my butt there!

In fact, my Disney obsession saved me from an extremely painful work event of my DH's. We got invited to a very small gathering for one of his colleague's birthdays. I was DREADING It. They are all German engineers, and while they are lovely people, I have NOTHING to talk to them about. They all either have no children or grown children. But then I sit down next to the fiance of one of the engineers... and it turns out that she is a former cast member, and we talk for the next 2 hours, completely ignoring the rest of the group who has absolutely no idea why we are both so excited and talking non-stop.