WDW Commando Club

[AirGoofy]

I'm not doing MNSSHP this time. It's a budget trip. We went a couple of years ago and thought it was fabulous. Got a great pic of headless horseman. Also the imagineers did a great job with the lights on Main Street. Everyone should do it once.

What's a budget trip? We have never met a budget yet.

A lot of the reason we haven't done waterparks is we tend to also go in the fall, at Christmas and not really waterpark prime time..

We have done WPs to try them, but not returned. We have Splashin Safari (Holiday World) 30 miles away and their WP rivals WDW.

My name is Angela and I AM a Disneyholic

We are lucky as the only treatment for this condition is more trips to WDW.

Yep, forget the maps. . . if you don't have the park layout memorized before you arrive I would question your true mommando-ness!

Absolutely memorized. Although, I tend to get turned around at DHS sometimes.

I'm afraid to report that I failed as a Disney Commando during my solo trip a few weeks ago. I had the big spreadsheet and it never left my pocket. I totally went with the flow and how I felt at the moment.

All in all, it was a very relaxing, non-commando trip. Who knew that you could have fun by slowing down.

Commando can still be spontaneous and slowed down. We never run for rides or other stuff like that. No apologies needed.

 

[AirGoofy]

1. Disney in January is the best way to commando! You don't get slowed down by heat or sun! You can accomplish way more when you're cold, because you walk faster to stay warm! Also, we always go in January (leaving in 2 days, actually!!), and we can walk on most all the rides with no lines, no waiting! This means we can frequently ride something 3 or 4 times in a row without waiting more than a few minutes.

Never been in January. We've been in September with no crowds. It is fun walking onto the rides with no wait.

Nice We are charter card members and we try to pay it off every month, since we usally have a trip planned with 0% for 6months we can hold off up to a certain amount if it's a tight month

So far we have cashed out at least $2500 in reward dollars since it started, that's like free money I love it when they do the 3x or 5x promo's, we make sure we bang it in

We use ours to buy MNSSHP tickets.

While I know that I could plan my trip down to the minute with the proposed new system, I'm not sure I like it either. I let dining dictate most of our schedule. We'll see how this all works out. It could be several years before any of this even comes to fruition.

We do this as well as we don't do park hopper.

 

[AirGoofy]

50 pages skimmed and I haven't seen this trick offered yet. How many do single rider lines? Yes, we ride separately, one parent goes first and waits at exit for each child, but you beat the line. Also, sometimes 1 dd doesn't want to ride and will hang with other parent in exit shopping area while other parent and other child ride single rider.

 

[AirGoofy]

WOW I just read that when Star Tours reopens it will have over 50 random destinations They are making a Galactic Passport to keep track of the destinations visited

I wonder how long it will be before someone has done them all,

We did 3 trips, one where Darth Vader uses the force to stop the ship. That was really cool.

It's so hard to be a commando and a DVC member! Most DVC members slow down in the parks or skip the parks etc. We are the total opposite. My poor brain nearly exploded today with planning. We can change our DVC reservations for our Dec. trip in 2 days. This morning I went into overdrive trying to come up with a plan! Most DVCers wouldn't take into consideration making rope drop when deciding on what resort to stay at! Thinking about BWV my husband was like..well we could leave early, skip the boat and walk to be at the front of the pack at DHS. Thinking well..how would rope drop be from the international gateway? We went over the transportation times and possibilities from every dvc resort to every park haha. We need an intervention!!!!

We have slowed commando since being DVC, as we do one commando day at the park and one day at the resort. But, we pick which parks based on where we are staying. When we do BLT, we are doing MK, MNSSHP, and Epcot. When at BWV, we do DHS and Epcot. We don't do AK very often.

There's no show, Ron, but the kids go into the storytime area and interact with Rapunzel as a group and dance with her. Seems more fun than storytime with Belle, but we didn't go in (just watched part of it from a distance- those lines are long!)!

We waited an hour at lunch time in October for Rapunzel. DW went to get lunch and all 4 ate while we waited in line.

 

[AirGoofy]

Ok Commandos.....Who else is already planning their 2012 trip? I am!!! I've already made a list of ADRs for next summer!!!

Waiting on my waitlist right now to make plans. Only 1 trip planned to WDW this year.

We have been trying to get to DTD and have ice cream at Ghiradelli's after a QS dinner. This year we have built that in after EMH at MK in the morning and breakfast at Crystal Palace, then back to the resort for some "down time" and to DTD at night. It seems like a good plan, but it might be tough to have that much time out of the parks...

We include a day at DTD in our trip. That can be commando as well. We did the Characters in Flight balloon ride last year. Fun!

 

[KJay]

I would like to officially join the WDW Commando Club! I'm part-way through reading the whole thread- I think I'll be done later today (provided people stop coming in to my office ). My sister and I are getting set for a long-time dream: a sisters only trip, without children!! We are both true commandos, often times held back by the slower-moving offspring....

 

[jmm476]

I would like to officially join the WDW Commando Club! I'm part-way through reading the whole thread- I think I'll be done later today (provided people stop coming in to my office ). My sister and I are getting set for a long-time dream: a sisters only trip, without children!! We are both true commandos, often times held back by the slower-moving offspring....

Yay! I was flamed on another thread for wanting to go without children, so glad to see I'm not the only one that feels that way. I have a much better time going with my best friend than with family! DH and step-daughter just aren't as into WDW as I am. But I did just have a baby in December, so I'm already trying to make her into the Disney-holic that I am so I will be able to have more fun on future family trips.

 

[AirGoofy]

Remember, when the Going gets Tough, the Tough go Shopping!

We did that one year at DHS. It was "cool" one evening, and since we didn't want dds to get sick, we had to purchase new jackets for everyone at DHS.

I like the new policy - seems like there are a lot of empty tables at sig and character dining places because people don't show up. And that's not fair to those who really wanted to make a res, but couldn't get one.

I'm sure I would get flamed for that on most boards, but I think most commando's agree that if you make plans, you stick to them (for the most part)!

I like the policy as well. Make an ADR, change it if needed, but open the time up for others who want to go.

Is it possible to be commando if staying at Fort Wilderness?
.

As answered, you can commando from anywhere. I like the boat ride from FW.

Here's alittle money saving tip, not sure if all areas are doing this, but check your local supermarket sales flyer, all the supermarkets here are offering $10 off next purchase if you buy $100 of Gift Cards Dozens to choose from including Disney.

And some extra Disney Rewards as well.

, I never bothered looking at the transportation forum, but here's what I found on this thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2573200

I'll start with this one.....(thanks MagicBus)

Bus & Monorail Park to Park Transportation

From MK to:
AK, bus from TTC
DHS, bus from TTC
Epcot, Monorail from TTC

From Epcot to:
AK, bus stop #5
DHS, bus stop #9
TTC/MK, Monorail

From DHS to:
AK, bus stop #7
Epcot, bus stop #7 in the Charter lot
TTC/MK, bus stop #11

From AK to:
DHS, bus stop #15
Epcot bus stop #13
TTC/MK, bus stop #14

There is also boat transportation between DHS & Epcot.
__________________

They will also do extra buses at park closing to take people from one closing park to another with EMH.

Thanks for the welcome!
Does anyone have a strategy for the MK evening parade, Wishes, or Illuminations during peak crowd levels? During our last Spring Break trip, the crowds were insane on Main Street for the electric parade and Wishes. Leaving the park afterwards was not enjoyable. I know we could stay late, but it may be tough with the early EMH rope drops. I'm leaning towards going to the back of the castle, going on some rides, and waiting for the crowds to thin before leaving.

Catch it on the bridge to tomorrow land. There is a good seat. If you really don't want to fight the crowd, then just go all the way back to the main street train entrance, watch from there, and be first to exit the park.

Yay a bunch of commandos. My husband thinks I'm crazy, but he does enjoy the results.

My only confession - we don't always make the rope drop, but that's only b/c we are already eating breakfast inside the park before it happens. or
.

That's our strategy. Then, you also get character pictures. We were the first to enter AK one year for Tusker ADR, and were waiting at Safari ride when breakfast was over. We saw the stampeding herd of people rushing the ride as it opened, but were able to walk ahead of them and be first on the ride, then ride again with no wait, and fp for later.

 

[AirGoofy]

I would like to officially join the WDW Commando Club! I'm part-way through reading the whole thread- I think I'll be done later today (provided people stop coming in to my office ). My sister and I are getting set for a long-time dream: a sisters only trip, without children!! We are both true commandos, often times held back by the slower-moving offspring....

Welcome. No flames here - Commando law. I just finished reading thru the 100 pages (all the multi quotes) and am looking forward to some fun here as well.

 

[AirGoofy]

By the way, I included some of my strategies in my trip reports in the signature. I may pull some of those over.

 

[KJay]

Yay! I was flamed on another thread for wanting to go without children, so glad to see I'm not the only one that feels that way. I have a much better time going with my best friend than with family! DH and step-daughter just aren't as into WDW as I am. But I did just have a baby in December, so I'm already trying to make her into the Disney-holic that I am so I will be able to have more fun on future family trips.

Just noticed we're both from Bflo- what are the odds??

 

[Disney Commando]

Wow I can see Norm was bored today

 

[AirGoofy]

Wow I can see Norm was bored today

I did get thru the 100 pages though.

 

[twokids0204]

I did get thru the 100 pages though.

Very very well done sir!

 

[Disney Commando]

I would like to officially join the WDW Commando Club! I'm part-way through reading the whole thread- I think I'll be done later today (provided people stop coming in to my office ). My sister and I are getting set for a long-time dream: a sisters only trip, without children!! We are both true commandos, often times held back by the slower-moving offspring....

You are member #188 , I'm glad you are getting to do a sister only trip I would love to go with just my wife like the old days But my son would never let it happen He keeps up with us, he's a little Commando (guess he gets it from me), but I could do without doing some of the rides a bunch of times in a row, at dinner it's always I want to go on this I want to do that, if he just ate his dinner he would be on something a lot quicker and the gift shops, OK I'm jealous

 

[AirGoofy]

Here are the ones I have implemented over the years.

Prior to arrival.
Pack into as few of suitcases as possible.
Bring groceries and 2 or 3 cases of water.
We leave at 3:00 PM and arrive check in at 6:00 AM at WDW.
Now, I could do the park that day with no sleep, but DW can’t so we eat a resort character breakfast and shopping in DTD or pool time.
After we get into the room, we go to Mass Saturday night, get cold groceries, and are bunkered into WDW for commando raid.
Commando is easiest when staying on property.
Limit the travel time for your character resort breakfasts.
Night swims are less crowded and you get more open pool.

Park Time
No Park Hopper. Stay in one park open to close.
When going to the park, make ADR before park opens.
Eat, get pictures, and be in park waiting at next rope to drop.
Use single rider line at rides when possible.
Schedule early PM TS ADR. Get a rest. Get food. Escape the heat.

 

[Disney Commando]

I did get thru the 100 pages though.

 

[Disney Commando]

One park vs multiple parks in a day

There's nothing wrong either way

Myself I prefer more then 1 park, my reasoning is after the rope drop I head deep into the park and backtrack, getting a ton of stuff done with no lines, somewhere in the day the crowd catches up and the playing field gets way too level for me, this is when I start doing rides that hold a lot of people at once (Monsters Inc, Muppets, Tough to be a Bug, Universe of Energy etc) then we leave the park for a early dinner ADR, I try for the 5pm seating so there is no waiting and it's in and out, I try to make them outside the parks, this makes for a easy slip to another park Once we are at another park it's all fresh again, all new things to do that day, most of the crowd is deep in the park and you can knock out stuff most do 1st.

For us keeping it fresh the key

 

[Disney Commando]

Brian how did you make out on your ADR's

 

[twokids0204]

Brian how did you make out on your ADR's

Got everything I was looking for...

Via Napolli
Kona Cafe
50's Prime Time
Tukser House
Liberty Tree Travern
Le Cellier
T-Rex DTD