The One Thing You Wish You'd Known...

[ElizabethDarling]

That's amazing! But now I want to know what shops if that works with the DDP....

That's amazing! But now I want to know what shops if that works with the DDP....

Yes please tell us the shops that it works for! What a great tip!!

 

[BAMLuvMickey]

I wish I had known that our first trip would not be our only trip. I went into it thinking it was going to be a once in a childhood thing for DD. So we went all out - it was our first big (not on a shoestring budget, staying on a family member's floor) family vacation. We stayed in a deluxe, got the dining plan, went to a character meal every day. If I knew then that that trip would "connect" with DH, and we'd plan to go every 2-3 years after, I probably would have calmed down a bit. we went at a leisurely, but brisk pace. It was SUCH a PERFECT vacation for us, but I wish I had known then that we'd be back just 2 years later. I would have stopped to smell the roses more. Let DD sit and take in the whole parade, not just snippets while DH and I darted in and out of shops. I wouldn't have been so die hard about HAVING to get into O'Hana, so much so, that we ended up with a 9:30 ADR, an hour past DD's normal bed time!

But coming back from that vacation, I remember on our flight back home thinking how I hadn't even raised my voice once that entire week, that DH and I got along exceptionally well (during a time when that was NOT the norm) and that THIS is what being a family was all about - enjoying ourselves together.

Bonus tip: I wish that I had known when I got back that not everyone else would be as enthusiastic about Disney as I was. Not everyone who has ever been had an awesome of an experience as we did and not everyone WANTS to go back. My sister doesn't even get it... and thinks we're nuts for spending $$$ to go back to the same place, stay in the same hotel, go to the same parks again and again.

Your bonus tip is spot on. When i told my half sister we were going again and taking my mom(we have different mothers) as a surprise she said "i can't believe you're forcing her to go to that dump."!!!
Srsly? Forcing? No. I will give her the option a few days before the 45 day mark. If my mom says no then ok, I'll take her off the reservation..
SECOND: THAT DUMP???!!! REALLY???!!!
My sister only went once, completely spur of the moment(no wonder she had a bad time)...

 

[AJ1983]

Last time I went to Disney I wish I had known how boring we would find our Carnival cruise...we both agreed after we would rather have had an extra 8 days at Disney!

We are going in October for 2 weeks (9 days at Disney) so we will be able to do more at a slower pace. Last time we had 3 days to do everything-just NOT enough time, even though we had a wonderful vacation and were able to accomplish quite a bit,thanks to the low crowds in May.

 

[JandD75]

Wish I'd known that the key to a great vacation is BALANCE. Pre-planning, finding the lowest prices for everything, packing nutritious snacks and bringing in our own cold drinks saves us money. Having a plan for touring saves times and arguments. But remaining an A-type once we get to the parks is a recipe for disaster. It's a vacation, not a project to be completed for the boss. I've found that when we set foot in the parks, we have the most fun when we open ourselves up to whatever is happening. We can stop and enjoy the Jedi training, watch a would-be king or queen try to pull the sword out of the stone, get splashed somewhere, and then go back to our touring plan. BTW, this is the ONLY way we are ever surprised by something we didn't know about!

 

[lisagyo]

That's amazing! But now I want to know what shops if that works with the DDP....

You'll get them on the DDP! They were printing on our quick service receipts last weekend, I ended up with a few extras on our last day so I walked around World of Disney passing them out to people with big piles of stuff in the check out lines!

 

[disneydotlee]

1. Read about the parks before you go. There is so much more to them than the rides.

2. Do not wear new shoes. Use the most comfortable ones you have. If you are buying new ones, break them in well. I never walk as much at home as I do at Disney!

 

[Aliceacc]

Do not give any ride, attraction, meal or show the power to " make" your vacation. You will only have as good a time as the least happy member of your family. So if that means missing 7dmt for some time inAC or a meal or whatever, do so. Sure, you'll miss the ride. But you'll all enjoy the vacation.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

1. Definitely be ready to follow the whims or your kids when they are little. This was tough for me as a huge planner, and when my 3 year old just wanted to spend an hour walking the balance beam (aka curb) or splashing in a fountain, I started to freak out. I mean - we were supposed to be going to *insert ride name here* NOW! But when your child is grinning and giggling, you just can't mess with it. Grab a drink and a seat and enjoying watching it in action. They are only little for such a short while.

To expand on this a bit: have a plan for accomplishing your agenda. I remember my son and I (a 5 year old) were going head to head over the fact that I thought he should be doing Small World while he wanted to play on (Mickey's Starland) playground. We can do a playground anywhere! So, I backed off, and said, "Fine. We take turns. You can play as long as you like. Then it's MY turn". Worked like a charm and we just cruised through Disney World. He got what he wanted and I got what I wanted.
Tip # 2 - Get to the park early, get a lot done, then cut out after lunch and go rest, swim, whatever. Go back later. A lot of people have left, and it's easier to get on the rides.

 

[jlay68]

Check your Fast pass plus times closely. I assumed the window for all attractions was 1 hour. We found out (too late) that the window for some attractions (Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Hollywood Studios) is only 10 minutes and missed out on that fast pass.

 

[craedaisy12]

The less you have planned the more fun your day can be. Can feel less rushed. When the FP+ was limited to 3 my family and I got them spaced pretty well n knew how we would move about the parks to do them but when we didn't have much time for the next one, we would sit and people watch. It was wonderful.

 

[DisneyDahling]

Mine are family centered:

1. Definitely be ready to follow the whims or your kids when they are little. This was tough for me as a huge planner, and when my 3 year old just wanted to spend an hour walking the balance beam (aka curb) or splashing in a fountain, I started to freak out. I mean - we were supposed to be going to *insert ride name here* NOW! But when your child is grinning and giggling, you just can't mess with it. Grab a drink and a seat and enjoying watching it in action. They are only little for such a short while.

2. Your mood, as a parent, really shapes the vacation. If you are tired or hungry or rude to others, the rest of the group will see it may well follow your lead. Never forget you are all here to enjoy the park and each other!! Disney is full of magic if you keep your eyes open to see it

I completely needed to see this! I am planning our trip for next our October with our Son, who will be 4.5 at the time. I've been agonizing for awhile about what to do when he melts down or doesn't find something as amazing as I find it. Thank you thank you thank you jezebel73

 

[mortimor]

Keep your party fed and watered and realize that curve balls are going to change your plan each and every day. I am a total control and commando freak when it comes to disney.

Within the last year, things have happened that have both forced and blessed me to see the big picture. When I start to stress about where we need to be or the next thing on the schedule, I remind myself to take a breath, relax and realize that it is a family vacation and everyone needs to be happy. In the end, it is just a vacation and to spend time worrying about the things that are outside of your control will only bring unneeded stress and burden to you and those that are with you. Planning and the daily schedule will always be one part of WDW that I truly love and enjoy, I just learned to roll with the punches.

 

[Nolie]

Our first trip is this fall. I am a planning queen and my husband was getting worried. Yes I have things planned but that is just going to be used as a guide. What my children want to do will be top priority. Even if it means I miss a FP booking or whatever. I am travelling with a 2 year old 7 year old and 10 year old. I can plan all I want but must be willing to throw caution to the wind and rip up the plan.