BabybetterDisney
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2018
- Messages
- 514
1. Keep expectations low.
2. Keep expenses low.
3. Practice before you go.
1. KEEP EXPECTATIONS LOW
People expect to have a good time when they vacation, but the expectations are super high when the vacation location is the great Disney World. That is one of the biggest causes of a failed Disney vacation, where people go and cannot enjoy the trip because of the hot weather, the long lines, getting sick during the vacation, disliking the rides or the food, or having things go wrong: lost luggage, lost kids, lost toys, lost fastpasses because of weather.
It is extremely important to accept the possibility of things going wrong beforehand and not let it bother you anymore than necessary, and when things do go wrong, figure out how to best salvage the situation. For example, if the kids get sick so that one cannot visit the parks, one can still walk around the hotels somewhat. All the Disney hotels are extremely beautiful. If an important item is lost, immediately purchase a replacement via Amazon one day shipping or at the parks. Budget a sum of money for such emergencies instead of letting such problems put a damper on the trip. What do you do if you pay a lot of money at a restaurant that has great reviews only to find that the food is barely edible? Such problems are rare, but if it were to happen, be mentally prepared to deal with it, say buy some snacks later to supplement an inedible dinner. The trick is, don't let it get you down when problems come. Even if the WDW trip isn't perfect, it will still be amazing if you focus on the positive.
2. KEEP EXPENSES LOW
This rule only applies if money is a concern, or even if it isn't, it is often helpful. Sometimes people save money for years and splurge on one big expensive first time Disney trip. This is often a problem because money raises expectations and increases the chance of disappointment. The financial pressure of "I spent so much money that if I am not super happy every minute I am going to be depressed!" will block a lot of fun out of people. So if you can afford a 9 day trip, only book a 5 day one. If you can afford a deluxe hotel, choose a moderate or value instead. (But don't stay off site without a car.) I've heard of people who are used to the Contemporary picked Pop one time to please the kids and ended up thinking it wasn't bad! That way, you can take a look around with no financial pressure of "is this worth it?" Even if you think some of it isn't worth it, it's not a big deal, you didn't pay much anyway. After you have been to WDW at least once, you know the ropes a little bit, then you can come again and book the vacation of your dreams.
3. PRACTICE BEFORE YOU GO.
A Disney vacation is a usually a big deal in terms of money and time commitments. So before you plan something this big, do something similar that's a lot smaller to work out the bugs in your system. That is, drive/fly to the closest town with an amusement park and spend a few nights there in a hotel. Even if the amusement park is very close to you and you can just stay home and drive there, it's a good idea to spend time in a hotel instead (can be a cheap one) because it will show you which things you wish you had packed and which things you probably don't need. It will also give you an idea of what kind of rides your kids or yourself like so that you can play your Disney days better. If you have already taken the family to such trips in the past, then this advice doesn't apply to you. Generally, going on vacation is a different lifestyle than normal living. It's a good idea to try it out first to see what you need to make your trip most pleasant and least problematic.
Why I offer the above advice
I have gone to Disney World every year for 8 years now. One year everybody was sick the entire time. A few times my special needs child wandered off. The last 2 years, I carried a baby and a big stroller by myself on and off the buses. Once my son left his beloved toy at Epcot on the last day and we didn't have time to get it back. Last year, Hurricane Irma came and kept us in the hotel room for 2 days, and my son lost his Avatar Flight ride fast pass. He ended up standing in line for an hour for it later. I've paid for water for $5 that's normally $0.30 per bottle, and a tiny hotdog for $8 with nothing in it -- not even ketchup. The first time I stayed at the Polynesian's Club Level, the toilet had a bunch of large grayish brown spots under the water line. I had never checked into a hotel room with an unclean toilet in my life, even if it's a one star hotel. I took a picture to show the concierge lady, and she steadfastly refused to even look at it. She just ordered the maid to come clean it. The maid came and worked on it for half an hour and told me it could not be cleaned. That's just what I guessed she said; her English was too incomprehensible though she was very nice. So we checked out with the toilet still unclean and "uncleanable."
With so many problems, why do I keep going? Because Disney World is the best place in the world! We love every minute of being there, whether I'm on a ride or just walking around the parks or the hotel, be it All Star Sports or the Grand Floridian. You can feel the genius and ambition of Walt Disney everywhere, and the place is truly magical!
2. Keep expenses low.
3. Practice before you go.
1. KEEP EXPECTATIONS LOW
People expect to have a good time when they vacation, but the expectations are super high when the vacation location is the great Disney World. That is one of the biggest causes of a failed Disney vacation, where people go and cannot enjoy the trip because of the hot weather, the long lines, getting sick during the vacation, disliking the rides or the food, or having things go wrong: lost luggage, lost kids, lost toys, lost fastpasses because of weather.
It is extremely important to accept the possibility of things going wrong beforehand and not let it bother you anymore than necessary, and when things do go wrong, figure out how to best salvage the situation. For example, if the kids get sick so that one cannot visit the parks, one can still walk around the hotels somewhat. All the Disney hotels are extremely beautiful. If an important item is lost, immediately purchase a replacement via Amazon one day shipping or at the parks. Budget a sum of money for such emergencies instead of letting such problems put a damper on the trip. What do you do if you pay a lot of money at a restaurant that has great reviews only to find that the food is barely edible? Such problems are rare, but if it were to happen, be mentally prepared to deal with it, say buy some snacks later to supplement an inedible dinner. The trick is, don't let it get you down when problems come. Even if the WDW trip isn't perfect, it will still be amazing if you focus on the positive.
2. KEEP EXPENSES LOW
This rule only applies if money is a concern, or even if it isn't, it is often helpful. Sometimes people save money for years and splurge on one big expensive first time Disney trip. This is often a problem because money raises expectations and increases the chance of disappointment. The financial pressure of "I spent so much money that if I am not super happy every minute I am going to be depressed!" will block a lot of fun out of people. So if you can afford a 9 day trip, only book a 5 day one. If you can afford a deluxe hotel, choose a moderate or value instead. (But don't stay off site without a car.) I've heard of people who are used to the Contemporary picked Pop one time to please the kids and ended up thinking it wasn't bad! That way, you can take a look around with no financial pressure of "is this worth it?" Even if you think some of it isn't worth it, it's not a big deal, you didn't pay much anyway. After you have been to WDW at least once, you know the ropes a little bit, then you can come again and book the vacation of your dreams.
3. PRACTICE BEFORE YOU GO.
A Disney vacation is a usually a big deal in terms of money and time commitments. So before you plan something this big, do something similar that's a lot smaller to work out the bugs in your system. That is, drive/fly to the closest town with an amusement park and spend a few nights there in a hotel. Even if the amusement park is very close to you and you can just stay home and drive there, it's a good idea to spend time in a hotel instead (can be a cheap one) because it will show you which things you wish you had packed and which things you probably don't need. It will also give you an idea of what kind of rides your kids or yourself like so that you can play your Disney days better. If you have already taken the family to such trips in the past, then this advice doesn't apply to you. Generally, going on vacation is a different lifestyle than normal living. It's a good idea to try it out first to see what you need to make your trip most pleasant and least problematic.
Why I offer the above advice
I have gone to Disney World every year for 8 years now. One year everybody was sick the entire time. A few times my special needs child wandered off. The last 2 years, I carried a baby and a big stroller by myself on and off the buses. Once my son left his beloved toy at Epcot on the last day and we didn't have time to get it back. Last year, Hurricane Irma came and kept us in the hotel room for 2 days, and my son lost his Avatar Flight ride fast pass. He ended up standing in line for an hour for it later. I've paid for water for $5 that's normally $0.30 per bottle, and a tiny hotdog for $8 with nothing in it -- not even ketchup. The first time I stayed at the Polynesian's Club Level, the toilet had a bunch of large grayish brown spots under the water line. I had never checked into a hotel room with an unclean toilet in my life, even if it's a one star hotel. I took a picture to show the concierge lady, and she steadfastly refused to even look at it. She just ordered the maid to come clean it. The maid came and worked on it for half an hour and told me it could not be cleaned. That's just what I guessed she said; her English was too incomprehensible though she was very nice. So we checked out with the toilet still unclean and "uncleanable."
With so many problems, why do I keep going? Because Disney World is the best place in the world! We love every minute of being there, whether I'm on a ride or just walking around the parks or the hotel, be it All Star Sports or the Grand Floridian. You can feel the genius and ambition of Walt Disney everywhere, and the place is truly magical!
i myself posted a similar thread on the dining board a few months back, because I was seeing hysteria about reservations and people hearing bad things or hearing great things and people scavenging to book or cancel a reservation. When you put so much pressure into things, one minor inconvenience will upset you. I think another great point you made is that price increases the amount of pressure--I totally agree with this. And it's understandable. You spend all this time saving up, preparing, doing your research, booking your reservations and fast passes, so on so forth, and then you get there and find things weren't as magical as you anticipated. It's a crappy feeling. Then not only do you feel disappointed but also you feel ripped off...but perspective is everything. It may be hot, crowded, there may be long lines, you may be tired, but take a look around you--you're in DISNEY! Don't sweat the small stuff! I think reminding yourself how hard you worked to get here and how many days you waited to get here will help humble you in the face of frustration. If something is truly that bad, speak up and talk to a CM or a manager. Usually they're willing to do what they need to do to correct something. They want to see you happy. They want to make sure you're having a magical time...don't sit and whimper to yourself about how your meal sucked or you can't find your size in a shirt. Speak up; if you're kind and show genuine disappointment in something, I'm confident that someone will want to correct it. Don't go into Disney world just thinking that everything will fall into place. For the most part, it will, but don't just settle for defeat when a simple request could turn things around. And if you find yourself needing a break, allow yourself to take a break and regroup. Being around tons of people and noise can cause anyone to go crazy. I could ramble on and on, but the point is, keeping the pressure off yourself will help tremendously in terms of overall quality of your vacation.
