The 'Planning Backlash'

[estherhead]

The only thing I've ever locked in on a trip to DC is specific tours of the White House, the Capitol, Supreme Court. I think this would be comparable to arranging ADR's. The majority of our time in DC has been spent visiting the Smithsonsian Museums and the various monuments; none of which has required any advance reservation times. As a matter of fact, we decided which Smithsonian to visit when we were on the sidewalk. I would compare that to being a the bus stop at a WDWresort. All DC required was a priority list of must-do's and a few reservations, but it was never to the extent that WDW currently suggests.

But it has 18 million visitors for the entire city. MK has 18 mil in one theme park. One should expect to have to plan more to do that effectively. You can visit WDW with no plans. People do all the time. And they often report having fun.

People on here have stated clearly that one thing they hate about fp+ is being locked into which park on which day. I'm simply saying that other vacations to popular destinations also get you locked into things if you want to make the most of your trip. But huge blocks of time are left open for spontaneity.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm sorry for what seemed like a personal barb there. You have not discounted people's opinions. I was generalizing in response to my overall frustration with this topic.

It's all good

I do have to say that people DO have a problem with what park/day. They want to do whatever they want whenever they want with no lines spontaneously. They don't want to be locked into a certain park on a certain day 1-2 months ahead. That's exactly what is being protested. And my point is 18 million people visit MK each year. 18 million people visit DC each year. If you want to do the really cool stuff at either, you have to lock that in via the computer months in advance.

While I agree that people are protesting being locked into their plans 1-2 months ahead, I disagree that *only choosing park/day* is responsible for that "locked in" feeling - which is what my contention was in my last post.

From many (if not most) of the protest comments I've read in this thread and others on the DIS, it is FP+ and ADRs (with the current no-show policy) that are making people feel "locked in.". Many of those comments that I've read here have specifically said something along the lines of "we used to decide on a park/day ahead of time, but if we woke up that morning and decided to go to a different, we could and we would have the same opportunities as every other guest entering that park that day."

That type of a comment, to me, does not say that choosing a park/day is what's making them feel locked in, but that the fact that opportunities are potentially less if they change their plans at the last minute (with the expensive ADR cancellation policy and FP+) is what's creating that feeling.

ETA: As to the bolded - I don't think most people on the DIS are looking for,or expecting, 100% spontaneity and no lines at all. I think that is a quite a large simplification of what many here have posted as their issues.

 

[Suvadoo]

But it has 18 million visitors for the entire city. MK has 18 mil in one theme park. One should expect to have to plan more to do that effectively. You can visit WDW with no plans. People do all the time. And they often report having fun.

People on here have stated clearly that one thing they hate about fp+ is being locked into which park on which day. I'm simply saying that other vacations to popular destinations also get you locked into things if you want to make the most of your trip. But huge blocks of time are left open for spontaneity.

The major tourist destinations are in a very small area of DC, which would be comaprable to WDW. So this argument doesn't fly.

Yes, you can visit WDW with no plans as long as you are willing to wait in long SB lines for headliner attractions. This argument has been made on several occasions.

 

[JimmyV]

You can visit WDW with no plans. People do all the time. And they often report having fun.

I guess that depends on your definition of "fun". If one shows up at DHS at 10:00 a.m. with no plans and wants to ride the three biggest headliners, on a typical day, that will take approximately 3.5-4 hours with lunch thrown in there somewhere in the middle. So if riding 3 rides by 2:30 is one's idea of fun, then...hip, hip hooray! But what I hear from rookies who take this approach is: "We hated Disney World. Can't understand why you go so often." The folks on this board don't do that. They plan. Obsessively. And they quickly lose sight of how WDW presents itself to the rest of the world. And the unsympathetic response is usually: "Get on the train or go home."

 

[minimemom]

We went to Disney 15 years ago and I could not believe the changes and how far ahead I had to plan our day. That being said, we never waited more than 15 minutes for any rides, so it was nice!

 

[erc]

They need to stop replacing rides and start adding rides. There is empty real estate around the existing four parks. I can't imagine the amount of money they make in these parks, yet the Magic Kingdom acreage has stayed pretty much the same since 1971?

 

[Angel Ariel]

They need to stop replacing rides and start adding rides. There is empty real estate around the existing four parks. I can't imagine the amount of money they make in these parks, yet the Magic Kingdom acreage has stayed pretty much the same since 1971?

I don't disagree with the overall premise, but MK isn't where they need to add rides. They've got plenty there for now. AK is getting some new ones with Pandora. Epcot and DHS are the ones most desperately in need of rides.

 

[Mikie]

I don't disagree with the overall premise, but MK isn't where they need to add rides. They've got plenty there for now. AK is getting some new ones with Pandora. Epcot and DHS are the ones most desperately in need of rides.

Ditto, and except for the unfinished new acreage underway at AK, MKs New Fantasyland is the largest expansion ever (land wise and I guess attraction wise) in one if the existing parks.