WDW return-trippers: What will you do differently this trip?

[mom2minniemouse]

Humor me. LOL! I'm "planning" a trip that is most likely 23 months away. LOL! (I just came back two weeks ago yesterday. I am seriously need of a 12-step program. LOL!)

For those who have had at least one trip to WDW and are planning to return:
What are the top 5 things you hope to do differently on this return trip?

Mine would be:
1. Avoid evening EMHs like the plague and get our butts outta bed for the a.m. ones. We were just WAY too tired this trip.
2. Take my resort pictures the day we get there, not the night before we leave. LOL! I forgot to take many photos this trip and am having to have a buddy of mine take them for me when she goes in Oct. LOL! I ran out of sunlight the last night and left for the airport at 3 a.m. I've been kicking myself for two weeks now!
3. Diversify my ADRs more. I had a lot in the same parks two days in a row and we ended up with 2 1/2 days of AK and hardly a full day in MK.
4. Bring a backpack! With a DD who pin trades AND does autographs, we have -- sad to say -- outgrown our fannysacks.
5. I won't book any breakfast ADRs except for Chef Mickey's. Seriously, how many Mickey waffles and scrambled eggs can one eat? LOL! Chef Mickey's was just SOOOOOO tasty compared to, say, Ohana for breakfast.

 

[bamabelle]

I need that 12-step program, too!

Last trip, we took a back-pack style cooler with a few snacks, waters and our misty fans. Even in the sweltering heat in July, we didn't drink much out of the cooler, instead opting for drinks in the park. We also didn't eat the snacks much either. So, we will:
1. Not take the big backpack cooler or the misty fans.
2. Not take a wallet with cash in it--we will charge everything to the Key to the Kingdom and settle up the night before we leave.
3. Not stress out about ADR's. We found most places could sit us regardless of an ADR.
4. Not do the Spirit of Aloha dinner--a big disappointment to us.
5. Eat counter service for more dinners and TS's for lunches.
6. Bring back at least a half dozen cheese danishes from Capt. Cooks at the Poly.
7. Not pin our shiny, new pins on our lanyards. They get too heavy and we lost several brand new pins when the back fell off.
8. Not leave Animal Kingdom without seeing every square inch of the park.
9. Use the pool every afternoon before dinner and go back to the park with EMH.
10. Not take any other kind of shoe but Crocs. If it is winter, we will take socks for our crocs. The most comfy Disney shoe by a landslide.
11. Not stress about our kids not wanting to pose with characters.
12. Not stand in line for more than 40 minutes for any ride. Fastpasses are a must for the most popular rides.
13. Not forget to ride "Its a Small World." I can't believe on my son's first trip to WDW, we forgot to ride IASW. Throw the flames, I deserve them!

That is all I can think of right now. We are shooting to go back next July or October. I can't wait and my son is already asking if we are going to Mickey Mouse's house tomorrow! This trip will be a surprise for them, though. I am not telling until the night before we leave! I know, wishful thinking!

 

[disneypharm]

No commando style sight-seeing!
No waking up early!
Take breaks during the day
More swimming

 

[jwfla422]

GO to Seaworld..

That's what we did in July, stayed at SSR by DTD but didn't go to the WDW parks (our season APs were blacked out). We thought we'd try something different, LOL!! And we had a great time!!

 

[AnninIowa]

1. Go in cooler weather...CHECK! We're going in February!!
2. Do NOT wear flip-flops! Wear comfortable-even-if-they-are-ugly shoes.
3. Get off Disney property...CHECK! We're going to SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.
4. Allow TWO days to tour Epcot - one for Future World and one for World Showcase.

 

[TinkNH]

1. From my DH..bring more than one pair of shoes--it POURED one day and he had wet feet for 3 days..last time he laughed at me for my 4 pairs!
2. bodyglide
3. return to hotel for a nap and possibly a swim everyday
4.more relaxed style of touring this trip..going to let the DD be the decider..we will go and do what she wants this trip..as it is all about her this time
5. bought ponchos in advance, saved $$
6. wear said ponchos on the river rapids ride in AK so as not to be all wet and miserable the rest of the day

 

[mamacatnv]

Limit ADR's - too restrictive

Get more sleep

Do as many A.M. EMH's as possible and avoid the Eve EMH, sleep or swim

Have more patience - do not haul across the park because we are too impatient to wait in a line for an attraction.

Take the time to get a good spot and sit and wait for the parades and fireworks.

Remember to take our sunglasses off for pictures

Take more pictures of the scenery

Slow down to see the small details that make Disney what it is

Pin trade our hearts out

 

[Family Fun Mom]

1. Stay longer. We were there 8 days last time. Next time I want at least 10 days, mostly for reason #2...

2. Take a day off to rest. Too much commando touring left me completely wore out by our last day. My hubby ended up taking the kids to the MK while I slept. I missed out on the whole day and didn't even care (then, I do now) because I was seriously that tired.

3. No dining plan and only a handful of ADRs. We had the plan last time, which really is great if restaurants are a part of the magic for you and we enjoyed it very much, but we had to plan every day around our TS meal. Too structured for us, I won't do it again.

4. More time at Epoct. We only rode Soarin and briefly walked around WS. I am dying to see the rest of it.

5. Use our car. As fun as Disney transportation can be, standing on a crowded bus full of sweaty, smelly people after walking miles and miles isn't worth it. We'll try our own car and see how that goes.

6. SLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWWW DOOOOOOOWWWWWNNNNNNNN! Stop and smell the roses and soak up all those details that make Disney the magical place that it is

 

[Katy Belle]

1. Make ADRs for restaurants IN the parks. We never wanted to leave to go to resorts. Our trip in Dec. has only one non-park TS ADR.

2. Do Disney Quest. With 3 video game junky boys, I know I'd regret skipping it again.

3. Plan to split up more. DS6 is still young and interested in some stuff the others are not. I know that, I WILL plan for it.

4. Two rooms at the hotel! We need our space! Two toilets, two tvs, alone time for DH and me. Money well spent.

5. Have kids write down their MUST SEES.

Fun thread!
Katy

 

[MScott1851]

1. Sleep later. Good grief, we've been five years in a row, we've seen it.

2. Go to the pool more. We didn't even go to the one at WL last year.

3. Eat what I want and not worry about getting my money's worth on the DDP.

4. Get more Photopass pics of me and DH.

5. Actually spend time in Epcot and AK LOOKING instead of "RIDING"

 

[kkymmy]

1. Remember that there's always another day.
2. Let my friends decide (neither of them have ever been before, and I have)
3. Spend some time seperately doing what we want to do
4. Never underestimate the time we'll need to do things, and not worry about clockwatching
5. Have a set day or two for taking cameras out....can save time at security lines and stuff if we dont have to take bags to carry cameras.
6. Don't be afraid of acting like a kid...cos that's what Disney is all about!

 

[alicenwonder99]

I always say the same thing after every trip:

Ride Dumbo more!!! That stupid elephant ride always has such a long line, and my kids just love it. We are staying at the CR and we are planning on going to MK for 3 EMH mornings. If I don't ride Dumbo at least twice with the kids, then I'll vote myself for Worse Mother of the Year (well, at least we go on IASW, unlike Bamabelle...lol )

Another thing is I plan to head back to CR every afternoon to swim with the kids. The kids love swimming in the resort pools, and we never find enough time to do that.

I'd really like to split up with the kids for an hour or two during this trip. I like having that one-on-one time with the kids. I think about doing it every trip, but it never happens.

Mary

 

[dixiedizfan]

Spend time exploring the resort (AKL).

Not worry about which aisle to enter in a theater show such as Philharmagic or Country Bears ... even if we're clear at the end, front or back, we'll still be able to see it.

Take time to explore the nooks and crannies of the park.

 

[mrsltg]

We're going to leave the kids with the grandparents!!!

We're going on a tour and doing other stuff that's a lot more difficult with the girls. I can't wait another 95 days!!!

 

[ksjayhawkfan]

We wont go commando style again
Hit morning EMH
Take time to enjoy what we are doing
Swim more
Not worry about what we missed since there will always be next time
Go during cooler weather

This time will be a totally different experience than our first trip. Our first trip it was me, dh, ds and dd. This time we will have the almost 3 year old with us

 

[WaltD4Me]

On my next trip I plan to......

1. I'm NOT a morning person, but no matter what, I'm going to make it to the Opening Ceremony at MK. (I try every trip, but haven't made it yet and I want to see it just once!)

2. Spend more time in the World Showcase. I love watching the performers in the different countries and looking around and exploring WS, but every trip we only manage to make it to 2-3 countries, I want to really take my time there this time.

3. Get over to the West side of DTD. We always go to DTD, but I've never made it over to see what is on the West side.

4. Do the "calmer" version of Mission Space. Even though I always thought it looked like a very cool ride, because I get motion sickness, I've stayed FAR away from Mission Space, but I think now with the non-spinning version of the ride I'll be able to handle it.

5. Eat at Kona Cafe at Polynesian...I've always wanted to try this place and we've just never made it.

 

[solgent]

We just got back from our first visit in nearly 7 years.

We DID take it slow and had rest days to sleep in and enjoy the pool and do something special in the evening, like Cirque de Soleil. We had a fabulous time. But the short length of our trip (5 nights) plus the off days to relax meant that we had to skip Epcot.

Therefore next time, keep the same pace but
1) Stay longer
2) Go to Epcot

 

[yaddo121]

Last time was rough so this time I hope to do a few things differently....

1.) Actually use a babysitter so Dh and I can have one night out on our own (we had talked about this last time but never brought it up while we actually at Disney LOL! After the trip there was a lot of, "Oh you wanted to use a babysitter? I didn't think you would!...Well, I didn't think *you* would!)

2.) Take more pictures, especially of DS at different places, on rides, etc.

3.) Lower my expectations ride-wise...just because last time we ended up riding maybe one or two things at each park as a family and I was let-down by that. This time I plan on just enjoying being *in* the park and not really expect to ride much even though DS will be a few months older.

4.) Use the play areas and Toontown for some down time....DS will be walking this trip so hopefully we can use the playareas for a stroller break rather than having to go all the way back to the hotel.

5.) Spend one full day at resort...swimming, taking a nap or two, etc.

 

[chrisn]

We are going to take it easy. Do sort of a best of the best tour. Very laid back hitting our favorites and not over doing it. Browse the countries a little and hit the Adventurer's Club in PI. We're also not overdoing the sit down's this trip so that should leave more time to stop and smell the roses. We'll see how it works out.

 

[cvrap]

Sorry this is off the subject, but JWFLA422, where did you have that great pic with Mickey and Minnie? Thanks!!