unblieveable!

[grimley1968]

Keep in mind that most of us in Dis are probably not normal. I mean come on, even when we're not at WDW, we're still thinking, talking and writing about it.

So it's almost to be expected that most of us are going to do a fair amount of planning. I couldn't imagine going to WDW without lining up some ADR's and at least having a general plan of which park we're doing in the morning and which park in the evening. But for the vast majority of "amateurs", they're probably not making ADR's, they're not wondering if Tour Guide Mike is better than Touring Plans and they've never heard of a crowd calendar. These are also the same people who, instead of getting a FastPass and seeing/riding something else in the meantime, will stand in the standby line for 90 minutes to ride Soarin'. Hey, if they're happy, who am I to judge?

Amen to the bolded sentence.

There are some people on here (and I'm one of them to an extent) who way over-plan. I get into over-planning when I'm not there, just because I enjoy thinking about it. But that plan generally goes out the window when I'm actually there, except for the ADR's and the general rules of thumb about using FP's, crowd patterns due to EMH, etc.

 

[badblackpug]

Threads like this always come up and always make me laugh. We are not uber planners. The 1st trip we took we did no planning at all. We had a hotel. (POR because that was available) and park tickets. We planned our vacation over 4th of July. We had no dining plan, no ADR's, and decided what park to go to when we woke up in the morning, and we did not get up early. We ate mostly counter service and did walk up to a few restaurants. (including CRT which we got!) We had such a great time we have gone back every year!

In 10 years we have NEVER seen a rope drop. We have never used a touring plan. We go to a park and we wander the park and we stop and see whatever interests us. If the kids want to ride something again, they do. If they want to stop and stare at a performance or a parade, we do. Now our planning extent is ADRs. I cannot imagine sticking to any type of strict schedule on vacation. We do enough of that in our daily lives.

We always have a great time.

 

[katemarcail]

My in-laws did this with their kids roughly a decade ago on the theory that it was just another King's Dominion, just a little larger, so what's the big deal? At least they stayed on-site (contemporary - which has got to be the deluxe that LEAST fits their personality but whatever) but they went in the summer, slept in, wouldn't do fast pass because they "didn't want to pay for it," and generally checked off the list of what NOT to do. They still complain about the lines and heat and lines and expense and the lines. Well ... no duh.

But, on the good side, that's one less couple that will be crowding up the park and one more vacation site that belongs to DH and I alone. So it's not all bad.

And wow, is the OP's friend in for a huge surprise ...

 

[mattsdragon]

Not everyone is "crazy planning lady". We make very few plans (what park on which day, and maybe an ADR or two). We just go and do what we feel like doing.

I've seen too many people post on here how their vacation was "RUINED" because the wait for Soarin' was 2 hours. The average for unofficial guide, TGM, Passporter and Birnbaums said it would only be an hour and 45 minutes.

I exaggerate, but you get my point.

 

[marcyinPA]

I have friends like this. They never plan trips in advance. They've been to WDW several times now, always stay at the WL, never with a discount or a code, and never have ADRS. They don't make an itinerary, don't look at the park hours ahead of time, and generally don't obsess about anything!

They always have a very magical trip!

I know people who over plan, over think, and over obsess, and have an awful time.

I guess there is no right or wrong way...but just to enjoy your trip regardless of if you plan it or wing it!

 

[leebee]

When we go to Disney World, we really don't have much of an itinerary. The only actual planning we do in advance is dining reservations, and that is usually just for one reservation per day. If we have reservations in a specific park, then we definitely will be in that park, at least part of that day.

We don't get up at a specific time, just when we wake-up and get going (we usually don't even leave the room until around 10am, then we eat breakfast and then we go to a park). We come back to the room at whatever time of day or evening we feel like it, and we go to bed for the night whenever we get tired. If we are not tired, then we might go to a park or DTD in the evening.

I think if families want to have a specific itinerary, that's great, if it works for them, but it's not for us.

That's us, too. Always, always have a wonderful time, always go back. In fact, we are going back TOMORROW!! What am I doing, playing with my friends on the Disboards?? I need to PACK!!

 

[sam_gordon]

and enjoy the meandering with the most amazing man in the world.

But I'm not there with you.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I do know people who go and wing it and have a fantastic time. It is all about people's personalities. If you are not uptight, anal or require details to a T, it is totally possible. People do it all the time.

I agree..my first trip as an adult was done winging it and we had a great time. Some people are into the whole itinerary thing. I am not...I see all those touring plans and spread sheets and I cringe.

 

[piperdown]

I do think what will determine if OP's friend has a good time is her attitude and expectations. I can't imagine going on any vacation, let alone WDW, without some basic knowledge. Even those DISers that choose not to plan have the necessary knowledge to accomplish the things they wish to accomplish.

When I started my planning process in March, I had not been to WDW in 20+ years. I'm not normally a big planner, but I wanted this experience to be all it could be. I knew there were 4 parks, and the basic layout of 2 of them (the only 2 that existed when I had last been to WDW). I knew nothing about ADRs or EMH or touring plans or fast passes, but I had the internet. I googled every unfamiliar term I found on the WDW website. That's how I discovered this board.

I can honestly say, had I not planned and researched, we would not have had nearly as good a time as we did. DH (who prior to the trip was getting a little frustrated with my planning) actually thanked me around Day 3. DD was thrilled she never had to wait in any of the 1+ hour lines. I allowed for flexibility (late morning/pool day) because I had enough information to figure out work arounds for most situations. We ate at some wonderful restaurants because I learned about ADRs and researched the various choices.

There's choosing to not follow an itinerary, but then there's choosing to be ignorant.

 

[mamaLori05]

I do know people who go and wing it and have a fantastic time. It is all about people's personalities. If you are not uptight, anal or require details to a T, it is totally possible. People do it all the time.

that would me my family!! We plan our resort, the dates, and MAYBE 1 TS meal. That is it!! We pick the park we want to go to in the morning when we wake up, sometimes even just by seeing which has the shortest bus line. We ALWAYS have a magical and wonderful time. I've never left feeling like we didn't see enough.

I did the whole planning thing one trip and we found that to be miserable for us. I made all the TS ressies, had which park which day which area to start in and everything. We ditched that plan after the second day (of a 10 day trip) and canceled all the TS ressies we had made. We didn't like having to stop what we were doing because we had a ressie, or go hungry because it wasn't time to eat yet. We also didn't like how much time we spent at the TS ressies. We wanted to quick eat at the CS and get back to the fun. It was more of a pain and took some of the magic away when we followed a plan and went to certain areas at certain times. For our family of 4 it was more magical and relaxing just to go with the flow. All the planning isn't for everyone. Doesn't mean they will have a lousy time

 

[stichy]

She's not going to get the best vaule out of her vacation but some people are very spur of the moment. Last year we decided to go to the Dominican Republic a week before the trip.

 

[Art 1]

She'll be fine. Too many make too many plans.

A buddy of mine, his wife and 3 children came down to WDW. My wife and I met them at HS and then at EPCOT. It was ridiculous the schedule his wife had planned out. Be here at this time, eat here at that time, now it's time to get an ice cream, now this show is starting. I don't know how they had any fun, they certainly didn't get to see the little things.

 

[ohanaMAMA]

wow. I am surprised at how many posters felt the need to be catty. sheesh. I am not "crazy planning lady" nor am I "anal" or "pushy" this board can sure get nasty in a hurry. I am actually surprised I wasnt flamed for my typing mistake in the title. how sad. Our vacations are PRECIOUS to us. We save all year for our trips. If I didnt plan well, we wouldnt get as much bang for our buck! Im not talking about minute by minute spreadsheets here.. just a little organization and forethought.

my friend IS the type that will be MISERABLE because her kids wont get to eat with Pooh and friends. She will come home ranting and raving about what a waste of time and money WDW is. She will be shocked at prices,crowds and without a little education will miss out on the magic. She called this afternoon and asked me how much she should budget for "ride tickets. When I gasped and told her the rides were included in the ticket price.. she got quiet and then said "Maybe you could come over tommorow and help me get a little plan going?"

Im so relieved. I love my friend and I want her to see the Magic that we see at WDW. I plan to help her get the basics. Learn about Fastpass, a little bit of orientation and see if I can help her work her schedule around the different shows and parades.

 

[d1gitman]

wow. I am surprised at how many posters felt the need to be catty. sheesh....

well, all i can say is when you start a thread titled "unbelievable" and criticise a person for how they do something and state that you walked off 'muttering', one could easily jump to the conclusion that you might be a bit overbearing on the planning and possibly butting in to someones vaca.

However, based on this post, it sounds like you know your friend pretty well and that she might be open to suggestions. Hopefully you can part some DIS wisdom on her.

 

[Suellen]

We just had the best trip ever on this premise. Though we do know the number of parks and what the names of them are.

 

[TandLMommy28]

I think there is a difference between going without a touring plan and not even knowing that California Adventure is on the other side of the country. I am just picturing this poor family driving around central Florida looking for "that California thing."

Winging it is one thing. Being completely uninformed about something you are committing that much money to is entirely another.

 

[mousermerf]

I'm totally in the "they're screwed" group. As many have said - it's one thing not to overplan, it's another to have no plan whatsoever.

I had a friend from CA who went to WDW while I was living in CA and I convinced her to read some guidebooks, learn about transportation, dining, etc..

And it all apparently fell out of her head the second she set foot in WDW. I got text messages for the first two days of all kinds of basic stuff and ridiculousness that if she had read the books she claimed to i can't believe she was really that clueless. She had been to DLR frequently but her mind still couldn't wrap around the idea of WDW and massive complex entity that it is.

She kept trying to treat it like a daytrip to a local park - despite being there for a week.

I had long ago sworn off trying to bring people to Disney who didn't look at it in the right light, and then swore off group-touring of any sort due to the group-think that ruins every group tour ever, and now finally i've sworn off trying to educate people about WDW in general. They simply wont accept it until they are there and seeing how it plays out for themselves.

If it's on or two open minded friends i can guide through the gates myself to give them a feel for the place that's one thing, but everyone else is on their own and i don't want to bang my head against a wall anymore when i hear they didn't get any FP's or ride much of anything.

 

[Fantasmic23]

soooo. I have a friend who just decided YESTERDAY to take her family to WDW in TWO WEEKS!!!! I told her that if she insisted on going so soon that I would help her try to get an itinerary hammered out. her response?

"nah.. its a vacation. we'll just wing it"



then she was like " there's what 3 parks. Disneyland, that zoo thing and some california adventure?"



I just walked off muttering.

I'm all for people "winging it", but wing it in the right place! "That Zoo Thing" ... I love it! Now and forever, that's what I'll call Animal Kingdom. Magic Kingdom will simply be "Where The Castle Is", Epcot will be "Home of the Giant Ball" and HS will be "The Place With The Hat". The two water parks will simply be ... "Those Two Water Parks".

 

[semisweetcocoa]

I say let her do as she pleases. Some people don't need to be burden with all the planning and they just want to enjoy themselves as they go along. My first trip I had no plans nor read any post regarding disney and I enjoyed myself just fine. Its her time and money.

 

[squirrel]

I'm glad she realized that she would be lost with out some help before her trip.

I hope she listens to your recomendations and has a great trip.


I'm trying to help my cousin. She doesn't know if she wants to go to Mexico again or try WDW. I'm trying to find her deals on WDW. Now Disney came out with Free Dining for the time she is thinking of going. When she decides, I told her I would help with dining and other things she will need to know.