What would you do differently?

[TN Traveler]

Being a travel agent that sells alot of Disney, I have people ask me alot "What would you change about your last trip to Disney? what would you do differetnly?" So w/that in mind, think of your most recent trip to Disney and answer that question. Other than the weather or the crowds, what would you change about your last trip? Why?

I have 2 things I would change. First, I would start my vacation at Disney instead of trying to save money and not stay onsite the first night. Knowing that it takes 14 hrs to drive from Nashville to Orlando, we decided to stay at an off-site property our first night in Orlando instead of at POR where we were going to stay the next 6 nights. BIG mistake. We ended up at this rinky dink hotel in 2 double beds for 5 people w/an air conditioner that didn't work! We were miserable and didn't sleep worth a toot. When we go back we will arrive at the resort around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, get settled into our room, enjoy the resort, maybe take the shuttle to MK for the fireworks, have a good dinner and a good nights sleep so our first "real" day at Disney can get an early start and be rested.

2nd thing I'd change is I would go ahead and spring for the pictures that are taken at the entrances to the parks. Especially into MK. We don't have one picture of our family at Disney....have pictures of the girls, pictures of me w/the girls, pictures of DH w/our girls, but not one picture of all of us!! 15 rolls of pictures and not one single picture of all of us!! At the time I just couldn't justify the $10 for the pictures but now as I look back, I wish I would have bought at least one picture at MK and one at AK.

So what's on your list?!

Karen........aka TN Traveler

 

[newholidayx2]

go with just DS
go for 2 wks

oh ya - thats what Im doing!

 

[Princess Glenda]

We went in May 2004 and this May we are doing a repeat trip. 1. I agree w/ the OP's thoughts about onsite vs. offsite when you arrive. We spent the first two nights offsite last trip and are staying onsite the whole trip this May. 2. Lengthen the stay so that we have more time to play. 3. Make LOTS more PS. Last trip I made a handful, but this trip our dining is really planned out and we will have more time to relax and rest during our meal time.

 

[EEyorelover22]

1. Make sure Cirque isn't dark during out vacation!!
2. Make sure DS stands in line at MGM with Darth Vader. He's upset his sister has a professional pic and he doesn't have any.

 

[Evil Queen]

Hoping to arrive the afternoon before going to the parks. We normally arrive the same morning we are going to hit the parks (we are only 3 hours away) and this just makes us exhausted.

Went ahead and reserved the room for the extra night, the only thing that will blow it if the older boys can't get that night off from work. Then we will leave out about 4:00 a.m. and tough it out.

Not expect too much from DS 8. The first trip for him he was willing to try almost every ride, next trip many things he refused, but the real kicker the rides he enjoyed previously he wouldn't get on too many of them. I told him there were many rides he didn't have to do, but I did HOPE for some compromise, but I won't force him to do anything. But I have decided if he doesn't do much this trip, I will probably not plan another trip for 2-3 years when I think he will be morre willing to ride more rides. Not as a punihsment for him, but he gets bored when we have to take shifts on rides, and he is waiting in the wings.

We are also trying more little trips, after our 6 dayer in Sept., I want to see if this works out better for all of us. Going so often I may not feel like there was so much he/we missed and am hoping as he gets used to it more he will want to try more rides (or at least go back to loving the ones he did on the first trip).

 

[MagicKingdom05]

What I'm doing differently this trip is staying onsite (CBR) instead of offsite. This way I can decided when do go to the parks and when to go back to the room, not the hotel van schedule.

 

[WDWLVR]

Last trip we did OKW because we had heard so much about how big and wonderful the rooms were. Nice resort, but we prefer our Boardwalk home so come June that's where we'll be staying!

 

[fan4life]

I Agree with getting the pictures when you enter the parks!
We don't have alot of Family Photos from our trip.
I think i read somewhere you can buy those photos they take of
you on line now. Does anyone know if that is correct?

 

[mikesluss]

yes when they take your picture at anypark they will hand you a plastic credit card looking thing that they scan and it has a number on it keep it with you at all time because then if anyone else takes your picture you can hand them the card and they will scan your card then you can check them out online once you get home Now you wont be able to get the special deals at the parks only ,But you dont have to wait in line just to see if you or someone else has their eyes closed or whatever

 

[SaraMc]

I Agree with getting the pictures when you enter the parks!
We don't have alot of Family Photos from our trip.
I think i read somewhere you can buy those photos they take of
you on line now. Does anyone know if that is correct?

Yes they do. The first time you get your photo taken they will give you a card that says Photo Pass. Everytime a Disney Castmember takes your photo make sure to hand them your card. They swipe it and you can either check out your photo's at the Photo shops in each park, or like me at home. You also can email them to anyone for free!


The only problem with it is if the CM's camera doesnt work right, you may not see your photo's. We had pic's with Minnie in the big tent in Toontown fair. But they are not on our card now. Even though we swiped it and everything.

Sara

 

[keith-atl]

We went in May 2004 and this May we are doing a repeat trip. 1. I agree w/ the OP's thoughts about onsite vs. offsite when you arrive. We spent the first two nights offsite last trip and are staying onsite the whole trip this May. 2. Lengthen the stay so that we have more time to play. 3. Make LOTS more PS. Last trip I made a handful, but this trip our dining is really planned out and we will have more time to relax and rest during our meal time.

I third that staying offsite a night or 2 before going on site was the worse mistake I made. Spend the extra money and stay onsite even if you do offsite stuff

 

[disneyfan67]

I'm popping for the family photos this time also! I got one at Epocot of my wife and I in 2002 but never one with the whole family. This year we are going to get one at MK with the whole family and maybe at AK also. Who knows I might get one at each park! LOL! Wouldn't that be cool to have all of those hanging on the wall at home for everyone to see?

 

[Nolcrest]

Our arrival day will definately be spent enjoying our resort.

I think I'll try to be more relaxed about getting up early in the morning to grab breakfast to then be at the park at opening. I may still get up early but I'll skip the food court and grab a bite on our way into the park.

 

[Stitch Inside]

Start training earlier for the big event. We spent a day at the local zoo Saturday to see how DS (16 mo.s) will handle getting in and out of his stroller (he loves to walk/run on his own sometimes). He did wonderfully when we placed him back in his stroller. We were expecting fits. And there were no complaints from us about sore feet or backs.

 

[Kimberle]

Absolutly nothing!

If we got it *right*, we'd have no excuse to go back!

(see my tag) hee hee~~

 

[martha46]

2nd thing I'd change is I would go ahead and spring for the pictures that are taken at the entrances to the parks. Especially into MK. We don't have one picture of our family at Disney....have pictures of the girls, pictures of me w/the girls, pictures of DH w/our girls, but not one picture of all of us!!

Remember you can always ask another WDW visitor to take a picture of all of you! And then "pay it forward".

Some of our best shots have been taken that way. And they are always a pleasant surprise as we review our pictures!

 

[ljones]

Either stay @ Pop instead of ASMo, or take the car to every park except MK

The buses to ASMo, while we had our own bus except when coming from the HDD, were infrequent. At one point we saw 5 for Port Orleans, 6 for Pop and not 1 for ASMo. When 1 did show, another pulled up on the other side of it, blocking in the first bus, so we had to wait even longer for that bus to load before we could set off, Arrrrrrrrrrgh!

 

[Stitch Inside]

Next time we eat at Cape May we will drive to the Y/B Club instead of taking the monorail to Epcot and trekking through there. Is there parking at the Board Walk for other resort guests who want to eat at the Board Walk restaurants or hang out late into the night at Jellyrolls?

 

[PolyAddict]

1. No EMH, only EEH this trip.

2. Only 1 PS, we don't eat enough to justify sit down $ with 2 kids considered adults that eat nothing.

Michele

 

[iluvallthingsdisney]

I would have gotten myself in better shape. You do so much walking in WDW, I am going to start a walking exercise regiment to get myself to walk 4 miles a day comfortably, about 2 months before our next trip.