Strategies for 2 couples, no kids...

[rcyannacci]

The magic of the WDW vacation planning DVD! I was recently talking to one of my good friends about our upcoming Dec. trip to WDW and she seemed so interested that I lent her my copy of the latest DVD. It worked like a charm! We had lunch today and all she could talk about was how to plan the trip.

So, we will be two couples, no kids heading down to WDW around the 2nd week of December. My DH and I have been a number of time, and while our friends have been to Disneyland, they've never made it to Florida.

Who has experience traveling to WDW with another couple? How do you negotiate where to go when? (I don't want to be too bossy since we know the place so well, but I also want to be able to share some expertise.) Do you take time off from the other couple to do different things, eat at different restaurants, etc.?

Woo hoo! I love the idea of sharing WDW with other people. Until I have my own kids to take, this feels like the next best thing!

 

[Yensid_MD]

I would discuss and agree on some things that you want to do together as a couple. Could be dinners, Surf lessons at Typhoon Lagoon, PI etc. Outline those first. Then those are your agreed times to hang out together and it is also an easy way to make sure you have alone time as a couple. I would not do power Disney trip, but make sure that they know about all the cool stuff.

Also share when you will be in each park, what you are thinking about doing. Then you won't feel like you are telling them what to do, but if they show up on the bus with you, great.

Have you vacationed with them before? Are they the sleep in type, or early risers? Remember that everyone approaches vacation differently.

When we go to the beach with another couple they like to eat out, where I enjoy the opportunity to cook a nice meal not having just having arrived home from work.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

My wife and myself have been to WDW the last 2 years in December with my cousin & wife and had a blast. It was there first time at WDW so we had a great time showing them everything there was to do around the world. Now they are hooked on WDW and can't wait to go back again. How many days are you going to be there ? We always go for a min. of 10 days ,so we are able to take it really slow. I would recommend doing MVMCP and The Candlelight Processional at Epcot. The dinner package for the CP is a great deal also. We always asked what the other party would like to do since we had been there so many times, but 9 times out of 10 they wanted us to pick where and what to do. WE tryed to always take a break in the afternoon back at our resort so we could stay out late at night.

Something you might want to thing about is doing the Hoop De Doo show and maybe a character b'fast or dinner. We did Chef Mickeys for b'fast and we all had a blast. It is really fun to go with another couple who have never been to WDW before.

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

DH and I went to WDW last year with another couple (no kids on either side) and I cannot stress enough the need for some alone time. This other couple, dear friends of DH and me, were sort of clingy. If we decided to do something, they would change their minds and want to join us. As much as I love them, I could have happily pushed them into the Seven Seas Lagoon by the end of the trip.

Do things together, but pleasepleaseplease remember to schedule some time away from them. For your sanity and I'm sure theirs.

With that said, we did have a great time (with the exception of a few moments). Plus, now you can have pictures of you and DH taken together!

 

[las3888]

We went with another couple, no kids a few years ago. I think we made some mistakes, and here's a few notes about what I learned.. We did alot of planning in advance - made PS for all of our dinners in advance, decided what days we were going to what parks, had pretty good ideas of where we wanted to stop for lunch (or at least a few options were set aside) etc. The good - no negotiating over what to do every minute, every day, every meal...we had a plan that we had all come up with together. The bad - our plan was probably too aggressive (the other couple had never been to WDW and we were only there for about 4 nights). I felt like they needed to see as much as they could, plus they wanted to see Universal, so in all, we just had too much planned. I personally don't mind a fast pace, but they are 'take a nap in the middle of the day' kind of people, which I had no idea about. While we had plans, I think they should have spoken up and scheduled some down time during the middle of the day so they could re-energize. I think they were exhausted by the end of the trip, and they tease me about it now, but at the same token, I wish they had spoken up more at the time, because we could have adjusted plans mid-stream. Another little thing that makes a difference is that I walk alot and walk fast (as does DH), but they are really slow-paced people. They didn't complain at the time, but they now again tease me for walking so fast that they couldn't keep up. I know it sounds like a stupid thing, but just be careful of those types of little things. I think for me, and maybe for other Disney freaks out there, Disney is such a great place, and I just want to share all of my favorite things with newcomers, but it's really more important to almost take a back seat and let the others drive (after all, you KNOW you will be back, but they might never go again). OH and another thing is that we did have an afternoon off (doesn't sound like much, but we weren't down there very long either). They took a nap and DH and I went to the factory outlet mall. I think it was a welcome break on everybody's part and in hindsight, we should have probably planned more alone time.

Good luck with the trip and have a great time! Where are you staying?

 

[rcyannacci]

Originally posted by las3888
Good luck with the trip and have a great time! Where are you staying?

We still have to sit down and talk finances, but it will either be a value or moderate resort, leaning toward PO.

Thanks for all the advice!