spontaneous

[Markstudy]

Disney Magic is so popular that it squashes one traditional vacation joy-
the desire to be spontaneous

what do you think?

I thinks its funny....most of my friends that like to be "spontaneous" are the one's that will change plans at the last minute if something better comes along.

Disney doesn't Play That. Pretty funny actually to watch my friends squirm.

I'm fine with planning, but to those that hate it what tricks do you use to stay happy

 

[PrincessKitty1]

DH and I are pretty spontaneous at WDW. We live close enough to go for 6-8 weekends/year so we know if we "miss" something, we'll see it eventually. For example, we've never seen Fantasmic despite 4 years of annual passes, but we know we'll get to it someday.

We do usually make ADRs for dinner but we frequently cancel them.

I'm sure we would feel differently if WDW was a once-in-a-lifetime (or even a once-a-year) experience like it is for so many people!

 

[Markstudy]

We live close enough to go ...so we know if we "miss" something, we'll see it eventually. For example, we've never seen Fantasmic despite 4 years of annual passes, but we know we'll get to it someday.!

That's too funny. I live close also but plan longer trips just like I still live in Michigan. But the one thing I've never seen is Fantasmic also

You make a good point... if we miss it, we'll see it on another trip.

 

[El Nebuloso]

I think it's pretty funny that I know where I'l be having dinner months from now, but not where lunch will be tomorrow

 

[fla4fun]

I make very few ADR's in advance of my trips, because I never know which park I'll be in which day. Sometimes I just get on whatever bus shows up first. I do call the night before or the day of sometimes and just ask what's available. But I'm OK with CS if there's nothing I'm interested in.

I can see the Contemporary from my driveway, and I still take long Disney trips too. My trip this week (checking in today ) is a short one just to take in the Christmas stuff , but I'll be there for two weeks in January. Not one ADR booked for either trip (although I'm staying at BWV in January, so I can always eat in if nothing else) and I plan to wing it.

The question is: can a person survive on Dole Whips alone?

 

[Northstar]

I'm fine with planning, but to those that hate it what tricks do you use to stay happy

Counter service. Ice cream cones for lunch. And we just take ourselves off property if we feel the need for a nice restaurant dinner and Disney Dining can't fit us in.

 

[disnut8]

Doing things that aren't "normal". If I had to rely on a sit down breafast at 8:00, lunch at noon, and dinner at 6:00, I wouldn't last very long. Sharing a soft pretzel or a hot dog gotten from a cart to tide us over to a "real" meal. Not planning on what we are going to eat until our stomachs say they are hungry. Not planning what park will will see on what particualr day until we wake up that morning. Because if you do and it's raining hard or someone doesn't feel well, what are you going to do? I do some planning but most of the time we just fly by the seat of our pants.

 

[eliza61]

Our last 3 trips we didn't do any planning outside of picking our resort.
We love it. We usually only do 1 adr (out of a 7 night stay) and always eat at least one TS a day. I enjoy waking up in the morning and saying "what should we do today" Since my family & I usually visit every 16 months or so, there is no pressure to "have" to do a certain park or ride. We haven't made rope drop in 6 years now and love it.

I think unless you go at Thanksgiving or Christmas, the biggest misconception about DISNEY is that you have to have every day or meal planned to the second in order to have fun.

 

[Puncek]

We do usually make ADRs for dinner but we frequently cancel them.

Us too!!! We only have the pleasure of going once a year (since we are up in NY) but if make a ADR for someplace and don't feel like going, we will sneak in someplace else! I'm concerned though, because from what I've read, you can't do that too easily anymore - it used to be that you could walk up to a TS in any park and put your name on the list, or call the Dining Line while you were walking to the restaurant to make an ADR. We did this quite often, especially while walking around World Showcase...

 

[fairestoneofall]

We make family trips every other year. We make very few ADRs (only our must-eats) and eat counter service the rest of the time. There are many things we haven't seen, mostly because our DD has Villain fear issues (so Fantasmic is out for right now). We take it easy, relax and have a good time. I plan. I obsess. But I just go with it once I'm there.

 

[eliza61]

Us too!!! We only have the pleasure of going once a year (since we are up in NY) but if make a ADR for someplace and don't feel like going, we will sneak in someplace else! I'm concerned though, because from what I've read, you can't do that too easily anymore - it used to be that you could walk up to a TS in any park and put your name on the list, or call the Dining Line while you were walking to the restaurant to make an ADR. We did this quite often, especially while walking around World Showcase...

I think it also depends on when you go. I wouldn't try it during free dining since that is a popular promotion and usually packs them in. You also can't do it during prime eating times. Trying to walk up to a restaurant at noon or 6:00 pm is pretty much out. We were there during Jersey week and we were able to get TS every day without adr's but we always checked dining in the morning when we finally decided on a park.