WDW Commando Club

[onnawufei]

DH and I go psuedo-commando I guess. (So we're only half wearing undies? I'm not sure how that works.)

So far we've gone to Downtown Disney first before doing any park stuff. That's pretty chill for the most part, the only time frame we're working with are our ADRs. We also grab maps to the parks, which is the important thing.

That night we pull out the map to the park we're going to the next day and go over the rides. I'll circle the rides I want to go on and put question marks by the ones I'm thinking about going on, and he'll do the same. Then the next morning we haul our butts out of bed, grab breakfast at the hotel and are off to the park before I'm all that awake. More than once I've been drinking coffee while waiting for the bus, and fighting sleep on the way to the park. But once I'm there the energy kicks in.

We almost always make rope drop, but I think we've missed it a couple of times. And like pretty much everyone else we hurry to the rides that are going to be crowded later. (Epcot involves hauling butt to Soarin, riding it, then grabbing a fast pass to ride it again.)

I've never understood why people say you can't get everything done in a day. Granted, we don't have kids which I know gives us time that families don't have, but we've never had a problem with getting everything we wanted to do done.

The only thing that slows us down now is that between our first and second trips my body decided it'd be fun to develop fibromyalgia, so we do have to take more breaks so I can sit down. But if at all possible I just rest while waiting for a parade or in a long line, and I encourage the DH to do things I don't want to do (like go on the more intense version of Mission Space) while I take a break.

 

[sejejoemmiev]

Does anyone have a link to detailed park maps with all the rides, CS locations, TS locations, etc?? Does anyone have a link to show times in the parks?? Not fireworks/ parades but the special shows like Beauty and the Beast etc.??

 

[Dayton Flyer]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

My wife and I are semi-commandos. We spend hours and hours before we go planning which parks to go to on which days. We agonize over when to leave to maximize our fun. Do we do the Park Hopper or the Water Fun and More when it comes time to buy tickets? (We stay offsite now, but have done onsite several times and loved it).


My wife makes sure that we get to the parks an hour early every day, despite my usual grumbling (I like to sleep). We are usually the first people in the queue for one of the turnstiles into the parks. One day, we even got picked as the MK opening family, which was awesome! But it also precluded me from ever being able to grumble about getting up so early ever again. As someone else earlier in the thread mentioned, though, "i can sleep for free at home."

When we get into the parks, we have the first three hours or so through lunch usually planned out. Just like everyone else, we hit all the E-ticket rides, picking up the big FP attractions, and so on. I don't think that's a secret to most by now.

Then by early to mid afternoon and we've hit all the big stuff, we usually will decide what to do for the rest of the day according to what we're near, what we feel like, whether or not a T-storm is coming in, how the kids feel, etc. Just make sure that you are not expecting to be able to come back and knock off Soarin' in an hour or something. Not gonna happen. All the smaller attractions come later, but in no particular order. And if we can't do them when we want to, we'll usually FP the bigger ones and ride something with a smaller line nearby.

It works every time, and this August we'll be going for our 5th time... this'll be the 3rd time we've been during a big crowd season. The first time we went on our honeymoon, in early November. The second time, we took my parents and went in early February.

I'm sure more stuff will come to me as far as planning goes, but that's the major stuff.

 

[Figment1990]

My name is Lisa and I'm an OCD Disney vacation planner....

I should have known I was doomed when my dad used a clipboard to plan our very first WDW trip in 1990 when I was 12. I got to go through the Fodor's and circle the rides I wanted to try. My parents analyzed and agonized over the resort and decided on the Poly due to it's proximity to the TTC... I guess it was inevitable that I would evolve into the WDW Planner I am today.

Excel spreadsheets, index cards, circled attractions on maps - check check check! Once DS was born, I added possible nap places, ride lengths with FP notations (not that I need them anymore), family bathroom locations, possible meals for DS at various restaurants....

My spreadsheet accounts for travel time between destinations, typically includes words like 'rest' (commando-style of course - rest is just a code word for: DS/DH nap while I shop/spa/visit the pool bar/etc), all ADR ressie numbers, the EMH parks for each day, parade times, and the weather!

1st rule in going commando according to me: Know your party and plan accordingly. You can go go go all day if you tailor it to your party. I.e. collect tickets and send one runner, be sure to tell everyone where you are headed and where they should be headed and where you will meet them. Take your cell phone and text each other if needed.... I tend to sometimes walk ahead of my party to grab fastpasses along the way (like for Buzz lightyear or Winnie the Pooh), while they head towards the next attraction.

Rule #2 - hide your Commando plans from anyone in your party who would freak if they knew you had written down which rides you wanted to ride and in what order. If you are a true WDW travel specialist, you can disguise the planning as "disney magic" that you always just happened to be in the right place at the right time, that favorite random character (like Mary Poppins) just happened to appear where you were, had little to no waits, and didn't feel totally exhausted mid-day b/c you had alternated between a/c and non-a/c attractions.

We're flexible, especially to avoid meltdowns, but we don't "waste time" saying "what's next" when we have big groups. When it's just us three, we have a little more flexibility and spontenaeity because there's no group consensus to achieve or re-laying where we are headed next.

Oh - my new favorite "commando" planning site: Steve Soares live entertainment listings! Google it and bookmark it!

To make all you fellow commando's laugh - I once went on a cruise (yes, planned the excursions in advance), but they didn't leave the little cruise ship newsletter that outlined the entertainment and movies and events for us each day until late the night before. It drove me CRAZY! I would make my DH come back to the cabin to check if it was there, so I'd know what I was doing the next day. Ironically, I do like cruising, b/c there is a lot to do and HA HA, I like being entertained non-stop on vacation.... imagine that!

 

[Disney Commando]

On our last trip I had my finest commando hour ever (it only took about a hour to do).

We got to MK at opening 9am got our pic with Daisy & Picnochio ( the other characters there we already had many pics with). Then we got on the horse drawn trolly with a added bonus The Dapper Dans were on board singing, we got off at the castle and took the double decker green bus back to the entrance (we were the only ones on board) While we were on the bus I noticed the Mayor of Disney & The Fire Chief were out and about, So when we got off the bus we went over to where they were I got a pic shaking hands with the Mayor (I told him I voted for him, he liked that), Then my DS got his pic with The Fire Chief (he let him hold the ax)

When we got up to the castle, My DW & DS went to Storytime with Belle, I went to get FP's for BCR, of course using the dock path for qiuckest route there, on the way back I hit the shooting gallery I remembered that it was free in the early morning (got that off of a tip & fact list that I consider the Disney Bible the holder of the list is a DisBoard Member,IMO it is better than any book you can buy, I consider her as a friend and I'll get more into this at a later time)I shot 3 games and back to the DW & Ds at storytime.

Now although most of this was on my list, without doing the bus I might not have seen the Mayor or Fire Chief, so the point I'm trying to make is be prepared to go off your agenda, be aware of your surroundings, take a chance, it could lead to a great experience

 

[blondietink]

We have always been commandos ... from morning EMH's in one park until evening EMH's in another park. We did not want to miss anything! However, this all changed when we becme AP holders. Then it was like, what the heck, I'll be back soon so if I miss it this time I will catch it next time.

 

[Disney Commando]

I'm alittle confussed on this My next trip will be Dec 5-11 a blackout week, but they offer the free DP for Dec 10-21. Now since I will be there on the 10th & 11th do they give it to you for your whole stay, I'm thinking I should really look into this, it could pan out

 

[tweedlemom]

We only go once every 2-3 years, so we make the most of our time at WDW. We get up super early, hit the EMH rope drops, ride as much as we can in that first hour. Break for lunch/pool midday then back to the parks for the night. We are tired by the end of the trip, but we know we won't be back for awhile so we savor the commando touring style!

 

[BEANTOWNDR7]

I am the commando as far as planning the trip (booking all reservations) and getting an idea where and what we are gonna do each day. But as soon as we get into the park we usually just play it by ear. However, my wife and I usually like to push the limits with our kids, so if the park is open late and the kids are fading, we usually give them a Coke and it perks them up for several more hours.

We know, bad parents but we try to squeeze has much in as we can. The kids know beyond Disney they don't ever get Coke to drink.

 

[ntsammy5]

it by ear. However, my wife and I usually like to push the limits with our kids, so if the park is open late and the kids are fading, we usually give them a Coke and it perks them up for several more hours.

FWIW Red Bull works better!

 

[Disney Commando]

Since there are alot of commando's out there, I'm thinking we should start The WDW Commando Club for those who do WDW commando style or would like to. Where you will not be put down for trying to accomplish as much as you want to do in a day or trip and get the most out of WDW

 

[CLPClarinet]

many young adults from my generation know "commando" by a different definition. It makes me laugh whenever people say they're doing Disney "Commando Style"

I'll just leave this here:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=commando



Should we share tips for the chafing?

 

[Disney Commando]

many young adults from my generation know "commando" by a different definition. It makes me laugh whenever people say they're doing Disney "Commando Style"

I'll just leave this here:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=commando



Should we share tips for the chafing?

Looks like I'm showing my age now I was wondering why some were talking about underwear ealier in the thread

The Old School meaning is: a soldier specially trained to carry out raids (definition sounds alittle harsh)

I guess commando style whould fall somewhere inbetween the 2, underwear would be a option

 

[CLPClarinet]

It's OK not to wear underwear, just don't wear white pants or khakis and then do Splash Mountain!

 

[dizcraze1]

Everyone is so funny! I knew I was one of the few crazies out there but I never realized there are a TON of us! Our first trip was 2 years ago and I had everything planned, mapped, highlighted, and narrowed down to the very minutes of the day. A friend told me about disboards and I was on them everyday for HOURS, literally, researching and gathering info. I can honestly say that if it weren't for this site, a lot of the things we did our first time never would have happened because that info just isn't out there. Our actual trip was pretty smooth thanx to all my hard work beforehand and I am SO thankful I did plan as well as I did. The only thing I couldn't plan out was MNSSHP because I had no idea what to expect until I got there. And lack of planning made me irritable and cranky because the crowds were phenomenal that night. We missed a lot of stuff, since there is so much to see and do, but we went back last year, again with a plan of attack, but with whining kids that were "hot" and wanted to "go back to the hotel and swim". Are you kidding!!!!!!!!?????? I did not spend all this money to come to WDW to swim in the hotel pool..I can do that at home for much, much cheaper! So my husband and I forged on with them in tow, NO MATTER WHAT. MNSSHP was MUCH better 2nd time around since we knew what to expect and what to avoid. I know, crazy commando mom. This year, just my husband and I are going for our anniversary and my birthday, so we are planning to be a little more relaxed and less commando, but unfortunately, that just isn't something I think I can do. Oh well.......

 

[Fastcars]

It has been couple years ago but on our last day at the World we wanted to go back and do all the things we enjoyed the most. This included all the major rides in all the parks. We started in AK did couple of attractions there. like the SAfari and Dinoland this was before EE. Drove back to the TTA rode monorail into MK and did the mountains there and maybe couple of the other attractions. OVer to Epcot on the monorail to ride TT and MS. There wasnt Soarin so we walked over to the International Gate and rode the boat over to DHS to do HTT and RNC. By this time we where all out of gas but did make it back to MK for the last fireworks show of the evening.
One of the best days of touring our little family of 4 every did.

 

[Rekenna]

I would love to be a Commando, unfortunately my family won't allow this. Although, I believe I have a kindred spirit in DS4, he walks around the whole time at WDW with his mouth open and doesn't speak most of the day.

I am a planner and do secretly Commandoize our day without family realizing.

Something I like to do is make my color spreadsheet shrink it down to pocket size and print on card stock, if you are really careful you can get it down to the size to fit in your lanyard pouch.

If I had my way I would not sleep at Disney, the beds aren't that comfortable anyway!

I try to buy autograph books and small toys for the boys at home before our trip-cheaper and saves time at the parks!

Getting ADR's before rope drop is good too, you can get into the parks before they open, eat and already be in the park while others are still at the entrance.

Having our own vehicle also helps with commandoing, I truly appreciate Disney's Bus Service-but we love our van.

Having your room really organized helps in the morning allowing you to get to RD extra early! Also, unless you need it to wake you up-take showers at night.

I really enjoy reading everyone's strategies, thanks for creating this post.

 

[3smithboys]

Something I like to do is make my color spreadsheet shrink it down to pocket size and print on card stock, if you are really careful you can get it down to the size to fit in your lanyard pouch.

I have been known to do this...as well as laminate the cards and put them on a ring...

(It's truly a sickness I know...)

 

[Disney Commando]

One thing I do that might be crazy is, when I plan out the days events I list what I call Trophy's to pick up when around about the parks. I usally list around 10 a day, the more I collect during the day, the closer I am to completing everything planed.

My favorite Trophy's are pressed pennies, there is a website Presscoins.com that lists all the locations of the machines and the designs for each one (penny, quarter and there is now 1 Dime one)

Also I like to collect Transportation Trading Cards, they had these my last 2 trips, not sure if they still have them, my wife is there now so I should know soon. These are free a total of 18 altogether, it is hit and miss since it is a option for a Transportation CM to have them, but worth the venture. Most bus driver's had them, I found the best place to get the monorail ones was at the Epcot station & GF. You have to ask the CM if they have any, like I said it is a option for them so alot don't. If they have them they usally will give one to each child, but I have found some really cool CM's that will give you a few different ones.

I have managed to collect 2 full sets, it is a great keepsake, since you can't buy them in a store. I'll let you guys know in the next few days if they are still doing them, from DW

 

[Rekenna]

I forgot to mention, a true Commando must be in good shape. Make sure to practice walking before your trip. I always start in on my treadmill, when I have a hard time going I think of Disney and that helps with my workouts. In fact I need to start training right away, I will begin tomorrow!