Thoughts on different touring philosophies

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Well, sometimes I am commando. Sometimes though, I think I would add the category of total glutton lol. Or, some kind of strange hybrid commando/food/resort. I can go a very long day in the parks, then finish each day with a signature meal, while staying at a mod/deluxe.

 

[Lisaloo]

DH and I are both commando tourers. Have been for years. We have a pool and take other relaxing vacations so we have always been drill sergeants at the parks and spend minimal time at the resort. We are doing it completely opposite this year. No RDs, a few ADRs, fast passes we may or may not change and 2 days of VIP touring. We will be spending more time at the resort because we won't be up every day at the crack of dawn. We even got a cabana so we don't have to have a plan of action on waterpark day.

 

[aVASTGrl]

Well, sometimes I am commando. Sometimes though, I think I would add the category of total glutton lol. Or, some kind of strange hybrid commando/food/resort. I can go a very long day in the parks, then finish each day with a signature meal, while staying at a mod/deluxe.

Now that is my kind of touring!!

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Now that is my kind of touring!!

The food is half of what keeps the husband coming back to Disney! haha

 

[loves to dive]

I'm sort of spontaneous resort type. I don't do rope drop on purpose, if I happen to be up and ready to go, I'll go to the park. I book FP the night before and usually only end up using one. I only book one ADR in advance, tea at GF and then either book ADRs the night before or if I think I want to eat TS go to guest services in the park and see what is available where. I have an AP but before I did I always had PH. Until last year I always stayed in deluxe but have lately been doing short 4 or 5 night solo trips and have gone split stay, one or two nights in a value or mod then move over to deluxe. Usually travel with my DS ever since he was 3 now with DS and DIL, only stay in deluxe when they are with me. We (I) never actually tie ourselves down to anything. If we want to go back to the resort to rest or swim we do. If we want to ride rides, we do. I've never looked at a crowd calendar in 32 years of going, if a park is too crowded I just hop on over to another one. I love going to the parks but don't have to ride rides, don't mind waiting in a line if I do want to ride a ride.

 

[kiford]

We don't fit into any of the categories. We stay on property at a deluxe, eat almost exclusively at TS, normally sleep in late, sometimes stay out late, sometimes come back early, sometimes come and go to the resort throughout the day, never use the pool, book FP+ and maybe use them and maybe not, ride some of the rides multiple times if the lines are short enough, sometimes only go on one or two rides and spend the rest of the time wandering around, do spend lots of time at the parks, sometimes are spontaneous and sometimes fully plan the day.

I really don't think that you can categorize into three small, simple categories even assuming some overlap between. There are as many styles of touring as there are visitors. Even our touring style isn't the same from day to day or between visits. And each one is equally enjoyed.

 

[Imaginique]

I'm commando, my husband is spontaneous, and our five year old is resort. This last trip made me crazy! I like to be up and at the park early, and those two wanted to sleep in. We missed some of our FP due to their slower pace. I promised them I would try to be more relaxed, but we came home this week and I felt like we got barely anything done. Considering we don't go to Disney often, it was a rough touring time for me. LOL

 

[Choozee]

We are the resort type. Sure we go for the parks but we love the resort ADRs and the naps and the pools. We used to be commandos but my feet hurt now just thinking about it. I have decided that this year I'm not going to need a vacation after my WD vacation. I'm gonna take it easy and enjoy it

 

[M&MGirl1]

Commando all the way. In fact, there's a vicious rumor circulating amongst my extended family that our next trip in December was booked immediately after I checked my spreadsheets after our June trip and realized with just a few more park days we could knock out all the attractions AND restaurants we have yet to do at MK..... But, that (like my hidden folder of Disney planning related spreadsheets) is completely unsubstantiated.

 

[soniam]

We are commando. However, sometimes we stay at Deluxe and sometimes mod. We like to do some lunch or dinner ADRs, preferably every other day to give the appetite and stomach time to recover. Character meals are great, because it allows you to multitask: eat and meet characters. Plus, a nice air-conditioned ADR gives us a chance to cool off and rest, so that we can continue hitting the park without taking too many rest breaks. We eat breakfast in the room or while getting to the park and like to hit the park at RD, preferably AM EMH. If it's MK or Epcot, we usually go until regular close. At AK and DHS, we usually finish up before the day is over, so we head back to the hotel and swim or do a date night or I get a massage. I always use Touring Plans and never change the park that we have planned for the day. If it rains, we just poncho up and soldier on. Anyway, as adults, we never get a chance to play in the rain anymore. I always book FP+ 60 days out and ADRs 180 days out.

 

[Jing]

We plan like commandos but rarely stick to the the plan. Hubs and I are such free spirits (read "obstinate"), that we don't even like to tell ourselves what to do! We are the people who's ADRs you snag the day before, but also the people you wish would hurry up and eat already.

When I think of my best memories from previous trips, they nearly all involve a spontanious occurrence or some kind of interpersonal experience. Very few are ride-based.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think that we are the Lazy resort/ accidental Commando/ half baked Spontaneous types. We are "that" family. The one that refuses to go home from a WDW vacation needing a vacation from the vacation. We try to hit RD becasue we tend to wake early anyway, have a really good idea which direction we are heading in and what we want to so, but will drop the plan like a hot rock if something better comes up, and the biggest part of our planning is spent on where to eat. ( We love to eat!!!)

WHen my little DGD was 4, we planned the first big family vacation in years, and it was geared to experiencing Kady's first trip to Disney. My husband was horrified after hearing the battle plan I had come up with...I was new to the DIS, new to Disney after so many years, and since we were in th process of renovating, I spent every afternoon on the computer planning planning planning. My DD had warned me we would never do everything in one visit, but I was determined, and so when DH took one look at the massive spreadsheet I had created, he asked me to come up with Plan B. WHAT????? His coworker had taken the family to Disney, and the little one was a mess! She was afraid of the characters, overwhelmed in the parks and only wanted to swim. The guy was mad at a 4 YO and never went back. My DH was afraid I had placed the same responsibility on my DGD, and was not having that. I tossed the whole shebang, upgraded our rooms to Club Level, and never looked back. WE have alwasy accomplished what we wanted to do, had a ball doing it, and found that it is possible to manage a great park experience, plenty of resort time, and dining all at teh same time.

 

[Minniesgal]

Hate Commando we are all about the resorts, in fact debating no park tickets for our next trip.

 

[Eastern]

I think commando style is for your younger years. You have less money and more energy. I used to be that way. Now I am old and resort style.

 

[lustergirl]

For me, "commando" is someone rope-dropping, making rides the top priority, park-hopping, FP-ing as much as possible, and/or closing down the parks every night. Doesn't really have anything to do with resort choice and dining philosophy. Someone who stays at a value resort or off-site, brings own food, avoids expensive sit-down meals, etc. would maybe fall under the "budget" category.

I stayed at AS Sports last trip and wouldn't consider myself "budget category." People stay at all levels of resorts and still can find ways to cut costs.

 

[Vylette Rose]

We definitely fit the "resort philosophy". For us, Disney as a whole is the experience! We tend to vacation for 12-14 days, and over the course of that will have several TS meals, at least one water park day, many afternoon pool days, DTD, and often, at least one but sometimes two, resort days. FP+ has been the biggest killer of enjoyment that we have had at WDW; this idea that I have to have a park day planned 60 days out, makes zero sense to me! We don't like to plan for tomorrow, let alone that far in advance.

 

[mort1331]

I think at different times we have been in all 3 categories. When I travel with one of my dd and not the whole family, then I am commando. Last year when we all went together and had the 4day4park pass we were resort with rd. We were there for 8 nights and only did 4 days in the parks, very different vacation, but one we did love for different reasons. For us it depends on who is going and how long. When the wife goes this next march break with both girls and her sister and son it will be a forth category, Chaos. |They dont have any planning, will not rd and will be willy nilly..oh well.

 

[Shmily01]

We were definitely commando our first two visits. But we now probably fit into modified commando. We go in with a plan and usually hit the parks hard the first few hours. We take a break in the heat of the day. We plan ADR's for the late afternoons and then have a leisurely evening. We plan on utiliziing FP+ in the afternoon/evenings. We sometimes close down the park sometimes not. Depends on our mood. We usually stay at value but splurged this year for a moderate. We will see if it will draw us back from the parks more.

 

[MataHari22]

A few examples of touring philosophies:

Commando - the main focus is the theme park experience, which typically includes spending as much time in the parks hitting as many attractions as possible, spending a minimal amount of time at resorts/hotels, spending a minimal amount of time eating, and getting the most bang for the buck from those expensive park tickets. Tend to stay off property or, if on property, at value resorts as a common focus is getting the greatest amount of park experience for the least amount of money.

I would say I'm a modified commando. I spend as much time in the parks as I can per day, without a mid day resort break, and try and see as many attractions as I can, but at a leisurely pace and with relaxing shows mixed in, not really any thrill rides, and at least one long table service meal a day. Though health reasons have made me take my touring at a slower pace, I don't do a resort break day, either, and I no longer go to the parks on the day I arrive or the day I leave. I have stayed at all levels of resorts, though I don't think I'll be able to afford deluxe again, I always stay at a WDW resort. It's not necessarily getting the greatest amount of park experience for the least amount of money, but rather, getting the most out of the money that I do spend. Since I don't work anymore, I can "relax" and sleep in late if I want when I am home.

 

[tsme]

We are the resort type. We love staying at the deluxe resorts. We hit RD, enjoy table service restaurants, finish by the afternoon & head back to our resort to relax. We even like to throw in a resort only day. I love the feel of the resorts, so nice & relaxing & I love to people watch.