Speaking of the critical importance of research and planning...

[Magpie]

I just saw this posted in a (non-Dis) discussion involving a European planning to visit Florida next month...

However we are staying 6 miles from Disneyland, so we might walk there.

And from an earlier post of his, he's planning to see:

Disney land (Universal world), Cape Canaveral, Keys (wife has a thing for Manatees).

(I pointed out that Disney World is the size of San Francisco, Universal is an entirely different company, and linked him to EasyWDW and AllEars.net.)

 

[minnie mum]

I hope you suggested he also have a good look at a map of Florida. Day tripping to the Keys?????

 

[shanethesaint88]

One day last year, on my off day, i headed over to epcot. Parked the car and headed onto the tram. As we were sitting there waiting for more guests to arrive so we could go, an older gentleman(60s and up) came up to the cast member working the tram and proceeded to ask these questions.
-does this tram go to the MK?
-how long does it take to get there?
-wheres the path to walk there
-when he returns later will it bring him to his hotel
-does he come back tomorrow to go to the other parks.
The gentleman obviously had some hearing troubles because the CM correctly answered his questions but he didnt seem to understand. I felt so bad for him becuase it seemed as if he was on his own. Moral of the story it was a good lesson to learn as a new CM at the time...not everyone knows WDW like you do. A lot of people here snippets of info about it and assume the rest

 

[Cotton's Parrot]

I realize I'm your stereotypical lazy, fat American, and that people in other countries don't drive everywhere like we do, but I could never imagine a situation where I'd think walking 6 miles to Disney was a normal thing to do. I mean, look, we need trams just to get from the parking lot to the front gate!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I'm just hoping he didn't book Disney "Land" as he states in his posts!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Honestly, for a first time visitor, even with research, I think it's hard to imagine the enormity of WDW. I had a DL vet ask me which hotel he could stay in so that he could walk to all the parks and Disney Springs (like you could in Disneyland). Um, none of them!!

 

[SaintsManiac]

In a world where Google exists you have to wonder how some people still remain clueless.

 

[Gracie09]

my fil thought he would stay somewhere close and just walk to wdw. He did this at disneyland in the 80s. We had to explain how big wdw was compared to disneyland (disneyland fits in magic kingdom's parking lot)

 

[Magpie]

I realize I'm your stereotypical lazy, fat American, and that people in other countries don't drive everywhere like we do, but I could never imagine a situation where I'd think walking 6 miles to Disney was a normal thing to do. I mean, look, we need trams just to get from the parking lot to the front gate!

Yeah... that's 9 1/2 kilometers. I live in a very pedestrian-friendly town and do a lot of walking, but I'd still consider that a decent hike. And then to follow it up with a day on my feet at a theme park is a bit much!

 

[maxiesmom]

Good grief! And to think I whined about walking from Jamaica 44 to the front at CBR!

 

[pmaurer74]

walking anywhere in July can be brutal.

 

[GPC0321]

It's hard for people who haven't been to WDW to grasp the size of the place. I think they picture one theme park the size of DisneyLAND or the MK and maybe a couple of hotels surrounding that. A friend of mine who has never been was talking to me about it after we got back from our Easter trip. She was saying it's so expensive, and I was telling her we'd stayed for 5 nights. She said, "Oh, I wouldn't want to go that long. Just a day or two." When I said, "That'd be enough to do just the Magic Kingdom at least," she got this confused look. I had to explain that there are four separate theme parks, 25 resorts, two water parks, the Disney Springs shopping district, etc. Her eyes got really big. LOL.
And even when you say "four theme parks" to some people they think you mean like four sections of one theme park (like Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, etc.) in MK. And you have to explain that these are four very large, separate, stand alone theme parks.

 

[Luvamouse]

In the 80's or 90's, my mom's family was coming from England. They were staying in New England and as part of there two week stay, thought they'd try to get to NY (doable), the Grand Canyon (still haven't made it there at 49) and Disney World in Florida. Needless to say they came back years later several times to go to WDW. I'm not sure if they ever got to the Grand Canyon. In their defense, Google didn't exist and I think they were thinking of the sprawl of Great Britain with the possibility of trains and day-long travel to get to the other locations.

 

[minnie mum]

Some people just don't get it; even when you try to spoon feed them. When we were planning DDs WDW wedding a few years ago, she made up a gift box of info for her future in-laws, who had never been there. A copy of the Unofficial Guide, suggested touring plans for the parks. Recommended park days. A bottle of sun block. A misting fan. You get the idea. So they arrive at POR, and after checking in I hear FIL excitedly talking to MIL : "You're not gonna believe this. We've gotta take a bus just to get to the park. And it looks like they go to other places, too. You ever heard of a place called Animal Kingdom?" When asked, they admitted they hadn't even cracked the guide book. They just thought they'd "wing it".

 

[shanethesaint88]

In the 80's or 90's, my mom's family was coming from England. They were staying in New England and as part of there two week stay, thought they'd try to get to NY (doable), the Grand Canyon (still haven't made it there at 49) and Disney World in Florida. Needless to say they came back years later several times to go to WDW. I'm not sure if they ever got to the Grand Canyon. In their defense, Google didn't exist and I think they were thinking of the sprawl of Great Britain with the possibility of trains and day-long travel to get to the other locations.

I heard a lot from Europeans while I worked at Disnney about not fully grasping the size of the US until they got here. This is a huge country

 

[mshanson3121]

In a world where Google exists you have to wonder how some people still remain clueless.

Believe it or not, there are many people still living without computers and Smart phones

 

[SaintsManiac]

Believe it or not, there are many people still living without computers and Smart phones

My mother didn't have a computer or a smartphone, but she wasn't traveling internationally. I would think someone who is planning to do so would at least go to the library to look some basic information up if they were without their own technology.

 

[IrishNYC]

I heard a lot from Europeans while I worked at Disnney about not fully grasping the size of the US until they got here. This is a huge country

We have family in Ireland that has never been to the US. they've, for the most part, only been as far as London. When we went to visit them about 6 months after 9/11, they asked DH about his experience as a first responder and mine as the one waiting at home for his return. They thought that his role as a first responder had been "quite a few days journey" (he was there when it happened, on duty at the WTC) and how I felt waiting for his "long journey home" (we live 7 miles away). They are well aware we live in NYC, but think it is about the size of the entire US.

 

[2Gma]

Maybe this is one of those "lost in translation" type of scenarios. Disney"land" perhaps is the same as "world" and doing the whole "miles to km" thing has them confused on distance. But in all honesty, this person probably has not done enough research. Could be a rough trip as they try to complete his "must see" list.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Then you must know upper middle class, or wealthy people. My cousins in Ireland, who are in their early 60s, are a nurse and a dairy and sheep farmer. They have neither smartphones nor computers. Their children, tradesmen and farmers, have smart phones, but not computers. We have friends that live in rural England that have only smartphones, their children in London have both.

I have a cousin who's MIL and BIL live in Cairo. The MIL has neither a computer nor smartphone. The BIL definitely has a smartphone, possibly a computer, but maybe not.

Having both (or in some cases either), outside of the US is more of an exception than a norm.

Totally agree!
Also, people may have Smart phones, but can't afford the data plan to go with it!