Slightly OT: Do you ever panic when you hear of friends...

[Karenj2]

... That are on their way to WDW, and they didn't consult you??

A friend of mine (on Facebook) posted that he's packing to head to Disney World today, and in my head I was like, "But you didn't consult the Budget Board, or the Family Board, or use TGM - how are you ever going to have a good vacation??!! Don't hate it because your're uninformed!!"

I didn't realize how much I've come to depend on this website (and others) to make sure that my vacations run as smoothly as possible, and that I don't overspend on things.

 

[gracie1]

I don't think just because he didn't get advice from disboards or you that his vacation is ruined. I have been to plenty of places where I just packed and went and had a great vacation!

 

[pooh2001]

When we went to WDW our first time in 2002, as a family - I had not been there since I was a teenager (long ago) - I should have bought a better guide book, like the Unoffcial Guide to WDW and read these boards.
We were so lost our first day at MK. It was a hot humid day in June.
We had been up since 5 am and finally found Cosmic Rays for the A/C and some food.

I wish I had read DIS'ers advice on the do and don't

Since then we have been back 4 times. Our next trip is June 2012 - yes that hot hazy humid rainy WDW days, But we are seasoned pro's now with the advice from these boards and our trails and tribulations we have experienced in the past.

So yes - I am sorry to hear your friend did not have the common sense to read at least some advice from these boards.
But, live and learn.
We did

 

[luvmy3]

Don't get me wrong I love the DIS, but I think you are giving it way to much credit. People can go to WDW and not do any research and enjoy it, or they can find info about WDW in many other places other than the DIS.

 

[Acklander]

I went for 3 or 4 visits before the Internet was even invented and managed to have a good time. And even now, I read through the boards to get an idea of what's going on or what's new, but I don't actually plan anything out or make schedules - I just have an idea of what to look out. Don't worry - us non planners manage to have a blast. As a matter of fact, reading about some of the melt downs people have on these boards about things like towel animals, or not getting picked for something, or not having a specific view or whatever I'll stick with my non planning habits.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

i kind of do this. many of my friends do consult me--but i wonder if they really take my advice. last year a co-worker of mine came back from florida and said they'd never go back to wdw because they went for one day and only got to ride one ride. why? i can be done in the mk in 3 hours have lunch, on to the next park for a few hours, go back to the resort, change, eat dinner and finish at another park in the evening. i do the best i can, but they'll live and learn. disboards are very valuable to me and my 3 trips per year. everyone gripes about spending, not being able to sit down at restauraunts and not having enough time?? not us--we plan.

 

[Karenj2]

Oh, I know... The post was mostly in jest. Mostly.

The last time I heard those words from someone, it was my BIL, who lives in California. They didn't bother doing any research, because "WDW is just like DL", and ended up having a terrible time, because the lines were long, they didn't know how to use the Fast Passes, expected to be able to walk into any restaurant and get a seat. I think they got on two rides total each day. They hated it, and I was irked because I had warned them that it wasn't the same as DL, but they didn't listen.

In retrospect (having traveled with them since then), I'm glad that they won't be clamoring to come with us when we go back...

The guy who I was referring to in my original post will do just fine - he's a laid back kind of guy.

 

[lovehoney]

I do this. When I hear someone is going I automatically want to make them detailed trip plans. I try to control myself but it is hard. I just remind myself that even though I find so much fun in planning not everyone is like me.

I just hope they discover the magic for themselves!

 

[angierae]

My sister's inlaws live in FL, and they've pretty much done everything down there except Disney. She keeps saying as soon as her cancer treatment reaches a point where she can get away for a few weeks, (she has metastatic lung cancer) they'll go back and "do disney" this time.

Except I know that for her, that means going for one day to MK while staying with her inlaws, and she won't have ADRs and she'll complain about how much a one-day ticket is, and she'll hate it.

But she won't listen to me, so I have washed my hands of it.

 

[Suz D]

... That are on their way to WDW, and they didn't consult you??

A friend of mine (on Facebook) posted that he's packing to head to Disney World today, and in my head I was like, "But you didn't consult the Budget Board, or the Family Board, or use TGM - how are you ever going to have a good vacation??!! Don't hate it because your're uninformed!!"

I didn't realize how much I've come to depend on this website (and others) to make sure that my vacations run as smoothly as possible, and that I don't overspend on things.

Yes! I know exactly how you feel. I think it's because we love it so much that we want everyone else to love it too (perhaps to justify going so often? LOL!) When I hear someone is going and they haven't planned it isn't so much that I think they won't have a great time, but that they may have been able to vacation more smoothly and less expensively.

I have a good friend who didn't understand our Disney obession. They decided to go one time and agreed to let me help plan it. Now they are AP holders and go several times a year. I don't take the credit for that, but more give the credit to making plans in advance. It's so nice to have someone just give you the tips instead of spending days and days doing research (unless you LOVE that kind of thing...which I do )

Yep, I totally get where you're coming from.

 

[rockundergirl]

I have felt this way. But to be honest I'm yelled at all the time for feeling this way in general. I feel like i can't go a week without hearing about one of my friends doing something willynillie. I get calls like this. " Hey Jean we bought a house. OMG congrads!, i say. Yeah its huge, we got something called an interest only loan or something... Idk... but he payment is only 800.00 a month , so now we can also get two new car loans... yippee . I say.. Oh well you know you are not paying any of the principal down on the house right... JEAN WHY CAN'T YOU EVER JUST BE HAPPY FOR ME FOR ONCE!"

I find that people just want to feel good about what they do regardless of how they do it.. So your friends will go to disney and wait on lines and not get to see as much as you. oh well ha ha

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I am guilty of this. My good friends wanted to go to WDW for a very long time. After hearing about my great vacations (nice weathe,r LOW crowds, great food, and great rates) they bit the bullet and booked a trip. I let her know that I was there to help if she needed it. But when I heard she booked a trip during the 4th of July week, got the deluxe dining plan, and refused to make ANY ADR's I went into panic mode. They refused any help but they did make a list of all the resturants they wanted to go to (not ADRs just a list). They were able to get a few TS meals (out of 21 for each person). They didn't get to ride many of the rides and they didn't know about fastpasses. Now they spent over 10K on a horrible vacation and they will never return.

 

[riley2008]

OP- I know EXACTLY how you feel! Just last night my husbands coworker was sharing that they got a GREAT deal at "Port New Orleans" for a room that will hold their family of six; said "a suite I think". (Their family is the 2 parents, 18yo, 14yo, 3yo and an 18month old) I tried to correct him, but alas no go. He was so excited about this deal because last time for their one night stay they had to get two rooms at ASMovies for their then group of 5 (before little ones) and this is cheaper than two rooms!

I just wrote down a couple of websites, including this Dis and suggested a little more research about where they'll be staying. (They'll still have fun no matter how small the room though.)

 

[kristenrice]

I have a friend from work who is taking her first trip to WDW in about 3 weeks. She has been consulting me for about 2 years and has really taken a lot of my advice. I know that she is getting a great deal (her hubby is military) because we sat down together and crunched all kinds of numbers.

Now, she has been so impressed with my "expertise" that she gives all kinds of people my number when they want to go to WDW. I don't mind because it is always fun to plan vacations with someone else's money. Unfortunately, I am an uber-planner so I am always planning my vacations 1-2 years in advance. Some of my friends have called me saying that they want to go in about 2 months! The best one was the co-worker that "heard I know some tips to save money at WDW". I asked when she was going and she said, "I leave in 2 days!". Not a lot I could do for her at that point other than keep to myself how much she could have saved (off of her "deal") had she called me before she booked.

 

[jenny105]

Yes because I am a TA and that means they didn't book through me. They are no longer friends in that case!

 

[bookworm75]

I also have the "Disney expert" reputation at work and have had many Disney planning lunches paid for by grateful coworkers. Almost all of them have had awesome trips, even if they didn't plan it like I would. I try not to be over the top, it is their vacation and I won't make any reservations for them but will give them tips that I have learned. I always point them to this site and then let them do their own thing.

My family, on the other hand, constantly makes fun of me for being a planner. This naturally extends to Disney trips. My parents even went with us once and then came back home to complain about how I planned everything down to the minute and picked the most expensive restaurants. Technically I only plan ADRs and park days, but evidently even that was too much for them. They refused to make their own plans for dinner, saying they would just go with us even after numerous attempts by me to explain that they didn't have to do anything they didn't want to do.

I have decided to no longer share anything about my happy place with my negative relatives. I have plenty of supportive coworkers to discuss Disney with!

But to answer your question, I guess it depends on who is going without talking to me. If they were a jerk to me about Disney, then I don't feel so bad when they don't have the best time.

 

[mdrob214]

I actually used to. But not anymore.

Too many times I've offered up information--taken the time to type some of it out and everything. And those to whom I've given it don't follow it, anyway! Now, I only offer information if someone asks. And that's pretty much limited to websites where they can find information. If they look at those websites first, and still have questions, I'm happy to answer them. I've just realized that most people I know just aren't into planning a WDW trip like I am!

 

[QVCshopper]

Nah, I don't care. I will help if someone actually makes an effort to ask me; otherwise, I just say have a nice trip! We have been so much that we know what to do and don't really plan much out ourselves. I do scope out the best snacks to purchase on the meal plan, though!