As they say "Misery Loves Company" so go right ahead and share!
And, since we are sharing, here is what happened to us when we shared our recent trip with another couple (their first WDW trip) in February.
This trip was for his 60th birthday and he loved everything. They are great friends with whom we travel often and normally have wonderful trips. After months of careful planning, arranging, and scheduling, I felt we had picked the 'best of the best' for their WDW experience. However, the wife found things to complain about everyday. She likes slower-paced more laid-back vacations and definitely did not like being told which place we were going next.
Believe me, I did not have a set-in-stone itinerary. I knew which park we were attending morning and evening, which rides/attractions we wanted to take/see, and which was the best time of day and order in which they should be ridden/seen. I also appreciate the importance of allowing variable rest breaks and optional dining times/places with PS for all to allow for appetite and/or plan changes.
All necessary tickets/passes/vouchers (Q&C and VK) were purchased well in advance. They were sent copies of the suggested itinerary weeks before the trip color-coded, by day and time with breaks, meals, and optional activities included. (Yep, I am a would be
travel agent). Yet each morning and continually throughout the day they would ask where are we supposed to go today? or what do we do next? or when are we supposed to eat?
Our itinerary included (among other things): A 9:55 am PS for CRT
breakfast (the hostess gave him a set of engraved champagne glasses for his birthday something I had never read about before and found to be unique ); Segway tour; HDDR (they opted out on this one): Carriage ride (another opt-out); Illuminations cruise; 2nd level train station seating for Spectro parade; Wishes cruise (another opt-out); fireworks view table for dinner at California Grill; dinners at Boma, BlueZoo (opt-out), Wolfgang Puck (opt-out), Artists Point (opt-out); lunches at Chefs de France, Morocco, Mama Melrose, HBD; afternoon tea at Grand Floridian (opt-out); and tickets for Cirque - front row, second level.
We bought Fun-In-The-Sun park passes which entitled us to everything WDW for 30 consecutive days including Disney Quest & Pleasure Island. We walked into DQ and, when she realized everything was virtual, immediately said nope, this will give me a headache
and that was that. We went to PI and after 10 minutes she decided this was too young for us (we are in our late 50s) even the comedy club.
We had a 'Magical Moment' at MK that went TOTALLY unappreciated. On their first morning at WDW (a Sunday) we arrived early for CRT and headed to the ropes at Tomorrowland. Space Mountain was not an option "no dark and bumpy rides! so we were going to do Buzz Lightyear. Another couple (cousins from southern Florida) joined us for the day so we were six. A CM scurried by and saw the Today is my birthday
button her DH was wearing. (I made sure he got one at each park all week). He stopped to talk with us for a moment. Finding I was the designated tour guide for the group, he asked my name, which ride we were taking first, then thanked us for coming to WDW and went on his way.
When we got out of BL, we turned toward the castle when I heard someone calling my name. I was startled to see the same CM rushing toward us waving Fast Passes. Boy, you guys are hard to find. Here are 6 passes for Space Mountain. You can use them anytime today. Enjoy! and he was gone. Ever been given free FP, much less chased down by a CM to do so? Now THAT was special. Instead of being appreciative, her reaction Well, I certainly am not riding that. Bummer attitude. In deference to her, 3 others opted out as well, so the 2 of us choosing to ride SP walked along the now 1½ stand-by line until we found a family of 4, then gave them the extra FP. They were ecstatic and gave us hugs. So we shared the Magic!
On the morning we went to AK, I even talked my way into our being chosen as the first family of the day :thewave: (got the CM to include the couple in front of us and six others in line behind us to make 12). We were the first to ride the Safari and the CM himself gave us a special tour instead of the usual driver-telling-the-story. I know how special this was because DH & I stayed concierge at AKL on our last trip just to have a special guided tour, and this one was ALMOST as good as that. Her reaction? I really didnt appreciate you volunteering for us to be rushed so much. I could have done without practically running to catch a ride in a bumpy jeep.
Grrrrr!
It was at that moment I decided to make no more decisions the rest of the day. When asked I simply said, whatever you would like to do, this is your day, you choose. Mind you, I did not say this rudely, but with a smile
and I really meant it. I did not want to be viewed as an obsessive ogre. My DH knew how much prep work I had done. He had also learned through our past trips, that we were saving a lot of walking, line standing, time and frustration by following the itinerary. So he cringed when I turned the day over to them.
For the rest of the morning in AK we floundered around. When on a whim they decided they wanted to see Lion King, they checked the schedule and found it was to start in 10 minutes. "Oh, we can make it in time. (We were in Asia at the time.) I pointed them toward Dinoland and followed behind. They strolled along, checked their watch and sped up a bit, then a bit more, and then a bit more. When we arrived there was a huge crowed waiting in what was now the stand-by queue. What do we do now? was directed to me. I smiled and said your day your call. She says Well, since we are here, lets wait a few minutes which turned into 10 and then 5 more minutes. And then Well, Im not going to come all the way back here again and I really want to see this so were waiting. I smiled sweetly. Finally we were let in and seated at the top in the back. The show was in progress (groups already named and a couple of songs already sung). How much did we miss? I smiled and said Only a bit. Her next comment was "Whew, it sure is hot up here at the top!" With my biggest smile yet I said "Yes, it is" as I turned on my little battery operated fan.
Oh how I would have LOVED to say - uh, if you plan to arrive BEFORE the show begins you can get seats down lower and see the whole show. But I was the self-control queen of the day!
She loved the show but lamented that she had not seen it from the beginning. They should schedule these things better. Everyone should be seated before they begin. I bit my tongue.
It would have been nice not to have to practically RUN to get here only to have to WAIT all that time and still miss the beginning. By now my tongue was bleeding!
So, now our morning was fully interrupted and we were in Dinoland. Lets go on the Dinosaur ride! Hmmm, she specifically said no in the dark or bumpy rides, but hey, its her day lets go. Upon exiting she was furious. Her stomach was upset, head hurt, and she was dizzy wouldnt talk to anyone except to say (loudly) Im GREEN
I think Im going to throw up. Im done for the day!
Yep, 11:00 a.m. and she was done for the day. The No more rides, no more walking, lets cancel lunch kind of done. We vetoed the cancel lunch things because this was RFC day and no way were our vouchers going to waste (we used 1 VK per couple). Her tune changed by the time we got to RFC where she devoured and thoroughly enjoyed lunch.
Fortunately, I had allowed an open afternoon as we had Cirque tickets that evening. After a restful day at our resort, her spirits were much better. And, surprise, everyone decided to stick to the itinerary Friday morning.
I have to say, my joy for trip sharing suffered greatly due to her overall attitude. Even when we said our goodbyes, there wasn't much enthusiasm from her, just a casual "Thanks for all your hard work planning the trip." Guess I had anticipated "Wow, what a magical time!" or "Gee, I can't believe all the special things we got to do and see!"
However, and this is the UPSIDE,
since their return home, she has been sending me emails weekly telling me how she talks with all her friends telling them the things we did on the trip. And they keep say things like "Wow, we've been dozens of times and never got to do that" or "Boy, you must have had a terrific tour guide to help you get all that done in one week" so her appreciation level seems to be raising daily! She recently sent me a personal thank you card for all the fun they had and for making her DH 60th such a special memory.
My whole point in this long, drawn out message is: WDW is not everyones cup-of-tea which is fortunate for the rest of us! However, even the novice attendee, no matter how unappreciative they are, can come to appreciate the WDW adventure. So, us planners can take heart keep planning and dreaming and sharing our Magical Moments!
SIDE NOTE: She is still a very dear friend and we will continue to travel with them. Her DH has always planned our trips and we play follow the leader. They let me plan the WDW trip because of our many past visits and it was to be their first. I know I could not have done a better job of planning. She just really doesn't like 'amusement park' places. Once she viewed WDW that way it seemed to be like a grain of sand in an oyster.
One more thing: We all abosolutely LOVED the SEGWAY tour at Epcot. If you are 16 or over (and under 250 pounds) you have to try this. Worth every penny ($80 or 85) but you can get a discount through
AAA and Disney VISA (maybe others). Ask about it at WDW-TOUR. Amazing experience!!!!
I read 2ofus post and I am starting to think I have lost my mind. DH keeps telling me not to plan anything to just take it as it goes, then I think he has lost his mind LOL 
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