Somebody tell me about their awesome recent trip!

[starjazz]

I'm so weary of all of the negative threads - long waits, bad weather, rude CMs.

We leave on Sunday, and I need someone to tell me how awesome their recent trip was -how their FPs worked out perfectly, and they got lots done, experienced some Disney magic, and enjoyed their time so much they can't wait to get back!

Granted, we've done DLR that last two years, so this'll be our first FP+ experience, but it can't ALL be such a bummer or we wouldn't all still be going, right? Right?!

 

[TippeeCanoe]

I'm so weary of all of the negative threads - long waits, bad weather, rude CMs.

We leave on Sunday, and I need someone to tell me how awesome their recent trip was -how their FPs worked out perfectly, and they got lots done, experienced some Disney magic, and enjoyed their time so much they can't wait to get back!

Granted, we've done DLR that last two years, so this'll be our first FP+ experience, but it can't ALL be such a bummer or we wouldn't all still be going, right? Right?!

Sorry, I can't. Nothing bad happened on our trip, but I left feeling like I got very little back for what I paid. Our fastpasses worked, no rude CM's, we didn't get a lot done due to long wait times and didn't experience any Disney magic. I'd say our experience is the norm now.

 

[alliecat523]

We went in early December for the Christmas party and had a blast. We had a cruise the second weekend of January out of PC and we raced back to the park for a few short hours to enjoy it. We had an excellent time both trips. At Christmas especially as we encountered so many VERY pleasant CMs. My daughter even remarked on how friendly everyone was. Yes, we had some rain during both of these trips, but we just rolled with it and had a blast. If anything, it kept the crowds away. So you get wet. You don't melt.

Our FP+ have never worked out perfectly, but we've always made the most of it. If you go in with a positive, flexible attitude, you'll have a great time!

ETA: for me it's about expectations. I expect I'm going to have to wait in line at some point. I expect I'm going to run in to crowds and strollers and potentially rude people. Disney is magical but it's also the real world. People have bad days and experiences. I focus on having a blast with my daughter. That's not to say every trip is some sort of perfect Disney vacation, but I feel fortunate to be able to go and make memories with my kid.

 

[scrappingbuckeye]

I went Jan 15th - 18th as my daughter's dance team was performing at Disney Springs. We had a great time, the Star Wars fireworks are awesome! Had an awesome yet scary encounter with Darth Vader. I have no complaints at all, no grumpy CM's. I don't live or die by fast passes, we did have mine train fast passes and toy story mania - no issues.

I am always excited about going back - can't wait until March!

 

[starjazz]

Sorry, I can't. Nothing bad happened on our trip, but I left feeling like I got very little back for what I paid. Our fastpasses worked, no rude CM's, we didn't get a lot done due to long wait times and didn't experience any Disney magic. I'd say our experience is the norm now.

This does me no good at all.

 

[sharona]

We went in mid December and loved every minute of it. Stayed at the Dolphin which is a great location. Weather was really great, quite a bit warmer than we had been lead to believe. We had no FP issues ( I got them at 60 days out and we got everything we wanted). Really enjoyed the Christmas decor everywhere and highly recommend a December trip. We rode everything we wanted in all of the parks with not a lot of waiting due to much planning and a willingness to be flexible. Highlights of our trip

Breakfast at Tusker House - our favorite character meal. Goofy was so goofy, covering my DD's face when I tried to take a pic and giving my mom a kiss, and Daisy was very flirty with my 13 year old nephew!

Osborne Lights - Wow!!! So happy we got to see them before they are gone. Incredibly beautiful.

My nephew, who has Asperger's, smiled more in 5 days than I have seen him smile in the past 5 years! We were concerned that it would be too chaotic for him but the WDW CM's were wonderful with him and he had a blast! He was particularly proud of his score on Buzz, racking up a huge number of points after I had tipped him off before we left by pointing him to the DIS thread about how to score big on Buzz.

The Christmas parade!!! So adorable. One of the reindeer came over and tried to eat my DD's light up Elsa ears. My mom (73) got a hug from Alice and the Mad Hatter who are her favorite characters. They saw her big smile when she spotted them in the parade and they came right over to her. She was like a little kid she was so happy.

#1 most magical moment that I will treasure forever - riding BTMRR with my DD13 at night during Wishes. Coming in and out of the tunnels while the fireworks burst overhead, catching a glimpse of the castle all lit up, watching my DD smile and take it all in... I remember thinking to myself "now this is a magical memory".

 

[boBQuincy]

We visited WDW a little over a month ago and had a magical trip! Magical Express had a short wait, one of our rooms was ready when we arrived, transportation was mostly good*, our FP+ all worked as scheduled... Some CMs went out of their way to chat with us and pay special attention to our little princess. Lines weren't bad except MK was getting crowded after people were let in for Mickey's Christmas Party.

*transportation to Studios was backed up due to the final year for Osborne Lights but Disney was working to handle that. The line for the boats to the resorts was long, maybe a 2-3 boat wait so we walked back to Boardwalk but it was a nice walk at 70 degrees.
Bring some magic with you and it will be a great time!

 

[lovethattink]

I'm at WDW very often. Live closeby, but we also stayed for 3 nights this month. Here's my TR which is kind of continuous and very Star Wars centered http://disboards.com/threads/star-wars-year-round-light-side-or-dark-side.3466651/

The only negative we encountered on our recent stay was dh's mb didn't work for the door. It was easy to fix and required a brief stop at the desk to fix at our resort.

There were so many positives. My favorite was when the First Order Stormtroopers stopped at my son and said "the resistence will crumble". It's something he will never forget because they rarely stop and usually keep on walking their patrol.

 

[starjazz]

Loving it. Phew! Keep it coming folks. Let's keep this place positive!

 

[scoutie]

I went a year ago in crowded, hot August. We used Fast Pass Plus, and we had a great time. We did everything we wanted to do, and more. We entered the parks at rope drop, and took advantage of the parks when they weren't as busy, and then used fast pass plus to walk on 7DMT, Space Mountain and waited mere minutes to see Anna and Elsa (and that was when the wait times were three hours). Because of these boards, looking at Touring Plans, and reading The Unofficial Guide to Disney, I don't think we waited more than 15-20 minutes for anything. I'm not somebody that usually goes back to the same place on vacation, but we had such a great time that we will be going back for our third time in March. I personally know two families who recently went to Disney and they had a miserable time. It was because they didn't know what to expect, they refused to look into planning, they didn't do any research, went to the parks later in the day, and they didn't understand fast pass plus. It sounds like you're going in with a good attitude, know what to expect, and are willing to put some time into planning your experience. You will have a great time!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Our last trip wasn't our best, but it was still awesome. We got to see the Osbourne Lights a few times, saw the NYE fireworks show at Epcot, saw the nw Star Wars fireworks 3 times (Wow!), cheered on the runners in the WDW races, rode Soarin' before it went down for the refurb. It really was an amazing trip. The only things that didn't go well were no fault of Disney's.

 

[bearybubba]

My husband and I went for a week during the Wine and Dine 1/2 marathon weekend in November and we had an absolute blast! No problems with our MB, including FP+. We used our 3 in the parks and then went on rides with the shorter waits. We didn't do our usual 'commando' style touring and we had the best time! Went to the 1st MVMCP of the season. No Disney magic, but we made our own. I left satisfied with the memories we made.

 

[loves to dive]

I go twice a year, I live in Georgia so it's only about a 7 hour drive for me. My last trip was the last week in September for F&W, I went solo. Obviously, since I go twice a year there has to be something they are doing right, right? I had tea at the GF, which I do every trip, some will complain the price is too high and the tea is not great but I love it. It reminds me of playing grown up with my Mom and having tea in our living room with no boys allowed. I stayed at YC, which I have to visit even if I'm not staying there, I had booked a standard view which got bumped up to a garden view before I got there and when I got there got bumped up to a water view looking right across the lake at BW, didn't ask for or pay for it but loved it. It was Dapper Dan day at HS while I was there and it was great fun walking around the back lot and see all these people in their retro clothes, the CMs were great with interactions with them. I was there for F&W and without fail, met great people at every seminar and lunch I attended, had no problems with people drinking too much and enjoyed all the food way too much. Since we go so often, we don't do the whole mad FP and ADR dash, we book our FP the night before and if we want ADRs we either book them the morning of at the park or go to the desk at the resort and book them there for us it's fun to try new things. It rained most every day since it was September but I was prepared with a long clear raincoat like the CMs wear, water proof flip flops from Clarks which had lots of padding, I played in the rain and embraced it. I might have stood in a line or two but again, since we've been going for long we remember long before there was such a thing as FP and kind of enjoy the lines. I have another trip booked for the first week in March, this time with my grown son for F&G.

 

[starjazz]

I'm reading on easywdw.com that waits are very small over the past week or so. Loving that news!

 

[sharona]

My husband and I went for a week during the Wine and Dine 1/2 marathon weekend in November and we had an absolute blast! No problems with our MB, including FP+. We used our 3 in the parks and then went on rides with the shorter waits. We didn't do our usual 'commando' style touring and we had the best time! Went to the 1st MVMCP of the season. No Disney magic, but we made our own. I left satisfied with the memories we made.

This!!! I think this was our recipe for a great trip too. Of course this is easier to do on trip #5 than it is on trip 1 or 2. If you have already seen it/done it, it's so much easier to relax and enjoy everything which makes for a wonderful trip.

 

[fla4fun]

I just returned from a 11 day trip on Friday. It was great! I think the highlight of the trip was at Epcot. I was walking up to the bus stop just as the bus to my resort was pulling away. Of course, I was disappointed, but I was prepared to wait for the next bus. The driver circled the lot and came back for me - said he didn't see me until he started to move, and didn't want to leave me behind!

Otherwise, my FP+ worked fine, my resort room was very clean and everything worked, I had a great room location and view (even though I booked this particular trip through a third party) and all the CM's I interacted with were very friendly. Transportation just seemed to click time wise - I don't think I ever waited more than ten minutes for a bus. It was a great trip and I can't wait to go back in a couple months.

 

[disneymd33]

There are many negative reviews on the internet, but you have to play the stats since people are more inclined to complain than compliment. I always remind myself that for every negative comment you see, there were 20 positive experiences that went unreported. With those numbers, Disney is shooting 80% or better, which is Hall of Fame stats for just about any sport. Also remember that people are more inclined to remember the past as the "glory days". Think of 'In my day politicians were honest...' yet we all know that politicians were NEVER honest. Plato tells us that.

I have a trip coming up shortly as well so I have been on the Dis more than usual. Of course, I've come across my fair share of the negative comments as well but try to ignore them! I know that no matter what happens, my time in Disney with my family will be better than a day at work. Each of the magical moments we have experienced in the past were special because they were unique; if they were to be replicated they would no longer be special. I do not go down there expecting a CM to make a magical moment for me. My magical moment comes from my daughter's face when she sees Mickey for the first time, or holding my wife's hand during the nighttime fireworks.

I hope this helps calm your nerves for Sunday. Keep everything in perspective and just enjoy your trip! The magic will find you!

 

[lovethattink]

I went a year ago in crowded, hot August. We used Fast Pass Plus, and we had a great time. We did everything we wanted to do, and more. We entered the parks at rope drop, and took advantage of the parks when they weren't as busy, and then used fast pass plus to walk on 7DMT, Space Mountain and waited mere minutes to see Anna and Elsa (and that was when the wait times were three hours). Because of these boards, looking at Touring Plans, and reading The Unofficial Guide to Disney, I don't think we waited more than 15-20 minutes for anything. I'm not somebody that usually goes back to the same place on vacation, but we had such a great time that we will be going back for our third time in March. I personally know two families who recently went to Disney and they had a miserable time. It was because they didn't know what to expect, they refused to look into planning, they didn't do any research, went to the parks later in the day, and they didn't understand fast pass plus. It sounds like you're going in with a good attitude, know what to expect, and are willing to put some time into planning your experience. You will have a great time!

Glad to see your research paid off! 15 to 20 minutes to wait for anything is a dream come true at any time, but especially during the heat and humidity of August!!

 

[Pixiedustaway]

We went a few months ago and had a fantastic time! Other then super hot weather we had so much fun. Got on the rides we wanted, saw the shows, went in the pool. We had some great character interaction. Used our fp + went on soarin' twice. Really no issues. But it was stupid hot but we were prepared because I looked at the weather before we left.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I went over Easter Week 2015 - one of the most crowded weeks of the year - and it went really well! This was a high school softball team trip. They participated is Disney's Spring Training at the ESPN sports complex. Here is what I posted right after I got back:

Crowd levels on my three park days were 10 out of 10 (MK), 10 out of 10 (EP/HS) and 9/8 out of 10 (AK/HS)! I used the Touringplans.com Crowd Calendar (which underestimated the crowds at 7, 7, 5/5) and TP's touring plans. I had 3 day park hoppers. I made my FP+ reservations on Saturday (just 3 days before) for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I got everything I wanted (including 7DMT) at close to the times I wanted. When we arrived on Monday, my roommate decided she wanted to tour with me, so I spent about 30 minutes getting FP+ for her too. I was able to get her FP+ for everything I had. I got overlapping times for all the rides except for 7DMT (she had to ride it a couple hours later than I rode it) and Mission Space (again I got her one for a couple hours later than mine).

I do not have a smart phone or ipad. I made all my selections 3 days ahead of my visit and my roommates selections 1 day before our first park on my computer. I did not attempt to change any FP+ in the parks. I did visit the FP+ kiosks to get a 4th FP+ in MK and to check 4th FP+ availability in Epcot.

Monday: After an overnight bus trip, we arrived, had a pool day, napped, and spent the evening at DTD. Had lunch at AS-S food court and dinner at the House of Blues inside bar.

Tuesday: We rope dropped MK at 6:55 AM. We walked on Space Mt, Buzz, Peter Pan, Little Mermaid, Small World, Haunted Mansion. Then I used my FP+ for 7DMT at 9:00, waited 30 minutes for Jungle Cruise at 9:15. Next we used FP+ for Splash, had a snack, then FP+ for Big Thunder. While my roommate used her FP+ for 7DMT, I went to Heritage House FP+ kiosk and got FP+ for 8:00 PM for Pirates of Caribbean. By this time it was 12:00 noon. We had lunch at Columbia Harbor House, left the park at 1:00 PM, went back to resort. It was so crowded by this time we could barely move!

We caught the bus from All Star Sports to ESPN complex for our daughters' 4:00 softball game. We had an hour long game delay due to rain. Once the game was over we booked it back to MK. The Hub was INSANE!!!! So many people! We rode Pirates, watched fireworks from the backside of the castle, had dinner at Pecos Bill's and staked out a planter box to sit on in Frontierland. We rested there and watched the Main Street Electrical Parade. Then we left. Didn't have to wait long for the bus and we got seats!

Wednesday: Daughters had an 8:00 AM softball game so rope drop was out. After the game and some shopping at the ESPN store, I ran over to Epcot for my 11:20 Mission Space FP+. My roommate was supposed to meet me over there but she fell asleep and missed all her FP times! Next, I used my FP+ for Test Track. **This was a critical strategy error on my part! In retrospect, I should have made my FP+ for Soarin' and done the Test Track single rider line. TT single rider line was a 20 minute wait. Soarin' was a 120 minute wait the entire time I was at Epcot. Needless to say, I did not ride Soarin' this trip.**

Then, I had a couple hours until my 2:00 FP+ for Spaceship Earth. I snacked and sipped my way around the World Showcase for lunch, enjoying all the special Flower & Garden topiaries, exhibits, food stands and entertainment. It was lovely! I saved all my Dining Plan snack credits just for the F&G food kiosks and it was worth it!!! Taco de Pastor & blueberry pomegranate margarita in Mexico, Kung Pao chicken bun in China, burnt ends brisket with hash in USA, seafood civiche in Morocco, La Vie en Rose Vodka slush in France, a Spa Water at Urban Farms...YUM!!! After I rode Spaceship Earth, I checked the FP+ kiosk for a random Soarin' opening. They didn't have Soarin', but they did have EO, Nemo, Turtle Talk and Imagination. I didn't feel like riding those. I went back to resort for a nap.

That evening I met the softball team at HS at 7:00 PM. While they waited for ToT, I went to One Man's Dream. I have never seen it and was glad I stopped in. Then we had dinner at Fairfax Faire (chicken & ribs) and watched the 10:00 Fantasmic. We had great seats in the middle section. The 8:30 show was standing room only at 7:45 and at capacity at 8:15. The 10:00 show still had one empty section when it started!

Thursday: We rope dropped AK; they opened the park at 7:45ish. We had no FP+ reservations at AK. We went straight to EE and rode twice, then we walked on Dinosaur. After that we walked on K. Safari. On our way there, we passed Kali River Rapids (a 10 minute wait), but we didn't want to get soaked so we skipped it. We took the train to Rafiki's Planet Watch/Conservation Station (something I'd never done), then watched Festival of the Lion King at 11:00 AM. We had lunch at the Yak & Yeti counter service place (very good!), then saw Tough to Be a Bug after a 20 minute wait.

At 1:00 we headed over to HS to use our FP+ reservations. We rode Star Tours with FP+. My roommate was recently discharged from the hospital. She had no issue riding rides, but after the first day, the walking did her in so she used a scooter. I got to see all the ins and outs of the scooter loading procedures. At Star Tours they had a snafu, forgot about us and started loading other scooter folks. After about 30 minutes my roomie finally said something (nicely of course) and they gave us a guest recovery FP which we used to ride Toy Story Mania. Then we used our last two prescheduled FP+s to ride RnRC and ToT. We got seated for the 5:30 Beauty and the Beast Show at 5:00. We finished HS with a drink at the Tune In Lounge at 50s Prime Time Café. We thought about seeing a couple more shows or riding the Great Movie Ride, but she was ready to call it a day.

At 7:00 ish, I caught the bus to Epcot where I met some other team parents in the World Showcase for dinner, drinks and Illuminations. I had the barbacoa tacos and a Dos XX from Mexico. We staked out a spot in front of Italy and relaxed until the show started. Afterwards, they headed to MK, but I went back to the resort. I was pooped!

Friday: Our team bus left at 8:00 AM.

All in all, I got all the FP+ rides I wanted at the times I wanted. And I felt like I got to see and do everything I wanted to do (except Soarin') with very little wait during one of the most crowded weeks of the year. It was a very successful trip!