Sure signs of not planning

[dobtia]

I will throw my family under this bus...today we are vets for DisneyWorld and always have a great basic plan.....however......

Our first trip we decide that 4th of July at MK will be awesome. We head down with a basic understanding and no plan. We had an 2 year old at the time. As we head out of MK we realized that there was whole ToonTown area.....we messed up so much that first trip....our others have been great.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

I laugh at those who laugh at us who do not plan.

Wake up and decide which park to attend....every time I go and you know what....never feel like I miss anything or overwhelmed.

ADR....maybe one or two, but have never had a problem playing it by ear and finding someplace to eat. I would rather play it by ear then to have a meal time dictate my daily schedule.

Feeling bad for those kids who parents who don't plan....don't...I still feel it is a better option then those who over plan and drag their small children from place to place....make them sleep in their strollers in the parks (in the 95+ degree heat), because you don't want to leave and miss something.

 

[kamik86]

Yikes! I didn't even think of that. There I was thinking gosh it is odd going without looking at a map online first. I see exactly what you are saying! As I have admitted before I am such an over planner, but so is DH so it totally works for us. Most people would HATE to travel with us. We do try to be flexible once there we just go overboard in the on preplanning.

On our second trip I had to do this with DH. Because he was insisting Soarin was over by test track (where Mission Space is) and would not believe me or agree to follow me until I got a map to show him I was right.

 

[wookiebeck]

There was an anecdote from someone here at DIS a while ago that basically went;

"I just got back from Disney World last night. I don't know why everyone raves about it. We were there for four days and there were only a few shops, restaurants and a big arcade".

Turns out they got on the bus for DTD every morning.

 

[BuzzBelleMom]

After our first trip, my friend decided to take her daughters to WDW with her mother. She wanted to eat in CRT, so I told her she needed to call first thing in the morning at the ADR mark.

That day I received an angry phone call: why did I tell her to be up at 6am CT when the reservations place was NOT yet open and it was only a 90-day ADR, not 180?!

After a few minutes I had figured out the problem: she had tried to make the dining reservations in California, but she was planning to go to Florida.

And then her mom decided that she needed brand-new shoes to show off in WDW, despite my friend telling her that was a BAD idea, and ended up needing a wheel chair...

 

[pepe of ohio]

After our first trip, my friend decided to take her daughters to WDW with her mother. She wanted to eat in CRT, so I told her she needed to call first thing in the morning at the ADR mark.

That day I received an angry phone call: why did I tell her to be up at 6am CT when the reservations place was NOT yet open and it was only a 90-day ADR, not 180?!

After a few minutes I had figured out the problem: she had tried to make the dining reservations in California, but she was planning to go to Florida.

And then her mom decided that she needed brand-new shoes to show off in WDW, despite my friend telling her that was a BAD idea, and ended up needing a wheel chair...

All I can say... Usually you can't teach stupid !

 

[JamiLeigh]

There was an anecdote from someone here at DIS a while ago that basically went;

"I just got back from Disney World last night. I don't know why everyone raves about it. We were there for four days and there were only a few shops, restaurants and a big arcade".

Turns out they got on the bus for DTD every morning.

NO WAY!

Even if you aren't a fan and do no research, wouldn't you be suspicious if you didn't see a castle?

 

[kimlooman]

Holy cow I was just stating something I thought was funny and felt it relevant to the topic on this site. Never again. Why do people have to be so rude? It is fine if you disagree but you don't have to put down others. I will take my name off of here and not use this again.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

I witnessed a man asking a cast member at the Grand Floridian Desk if they have any maps/guides for Universal Studios! Just about burst out laughing...

Why is that funny? Almost every other hotel in the area has Map and guides for every attraction in Orlando so it does not seem off to ask the hotel you are staying at for maps to other local attractions.

 

[flyslyw]

If you ask a cast member where the Shrek meet & greet is.

 

[DisneyDiva8401]

I do have to say....just because you don't have ADR doesn't mean you don't plan. We very rarely eat TS meals at Disney, not for a lack of planning, but we would rather grab a bite at QS whenever we are hungry and be on our way rather than have to plan a day around one meal. And we did start at adventureland and work our way around, but that was long before the expansion and many other things. Always managed to get it all done . Just because people plan differently doesn't mean they don't plan at all. So long as you know what to expect upon arrival...

 

[pumpernickel]

Lots of snobbery in this thread.

 

[pumpernickel]

I witnessed a man asking a cast member at the Grand Floridian Desk if they have any maps/guides for Universal Studios! Just about burst out laughing...

Why is that funny? Almost every other hotel in the area has Map and guides for every attraction in Orlando so it does not seem off to ask the hotel you are staying at for maps to other local attractions.

And how does that mean the guy didn't plan?

 

[Shanan]

I hear Le Cellier is a great restaurant. Let's try it tonight.

Seriously I heard that while walking into Epcot. I worked hard not to burst out laughing

 

[DISzy]

At 2:30 in the afternoon at HS, I overheard, "someone said that this toy story ride is fun. Wonder if there is a long line."

 

[Hollymom1229]

I have run into those who literally had no clue what they were doing at WDW and you know what, part of my fun has been helping them. On my solo trip I helped a family that was hopelessly lost in AK find their way to Kilimanjaro Safaris, on the walk I explained Fast Pass to them. They were so grateful and asked if I was an off-duty CM. On that same trip I heard a woman tell her family she was pretty sure if they stayed on the Epcot monorail it would take them to the MK. I spoke up and she and her family joined me for the lovely boat ride to the MK as the MK monorail was down. She was also grateful, and said "this place can be overwhelming."

While I'm not an over planner, I make sure I have ADRs at my must eat restaurants, I know which parks are likely to be the most crowded, and from there I just kind of go along doing my own thing. Of course, I've been many times so I know enough to get by at all times.

 

[DisneyDad64]

I had a couple yesterday walking past the bus area heading away from MK looking for the "parking lot". I pointed across the water and mentioned that they would have to take the monorail or ferry to get to the TTC. They didn't remember how they got there in the first place...

 

[fbb]

I bought a Birnbaum guide book

 

[Muddypaws]

I bought a Birnbaum guide book

LOL! I did the same thing before our first trip and quickly realized my mistake!

 

[Cuchman]

Oh, I have some good ones for this thread.
Let's start with this one.....
Years ago I was on my shuttle bus back to the airport (back before magical express) and I heard this young couple with two todlers lamenting the fact that they wandered around Disney World (meaning MK) for days and didn't see Mickey the whole time. Their kids were disappointed they didn't get to take photos with him. They were entirely unaware of the fact that he lived permanently in toontown.
I tried to explain it to them but the dad was adamant that Mickey wanders around the park and they just missed him. Oh well!