What's your theme park goal??

[PrincessDana]

Just wondering what everyone's goal is when they return to the parks. ----Is it to revisit favorites or see something new??

Our second trip will be in October and I'm trying to decide between seeing the things we missed back in June or concentrating on doing all the things we loved the most.

Hopefully I can strike a happy medium in there somewhere.

What's your take on this??

 

[Bill From PA]

Each park has its 'Must Do' attractions and we hit these first. Next, anything new, if not a 'Must Do' is seen/ridden. Before each trip to WDW I'll dig out the old guide books and maybe get a new one to mark what we've missed. This includes restaurants and Pubs as well as rides. Regardless, every year there's a few things on the itinerary that go un-done, leading to the next trip!


Bill From PA

 

[#1MMFan]

Interesting question, and not one I've seen before! I think it's a mixture of both. This is our ninth time and we still haven't seen everything. Truthfully, we have probably seen 80% of what we'd want to see, but we are still open to suggestions. My mum and sister like to do the same favourite attractions again and again and relax and shop and eat, etc... I like that too, but I also like to push to go to a few newer things, or revisit things that we didn't like so much in the beginning. For example, we hadn't been to The Land or The Living Seas since 1996 until two trips ago. We had written them off as boring. Boy, did we enjoy them when we returned to them. And they're on our hit list for this trip! So, you see it's a mixture of both. The main thing we do is RELAX and soak up the atmosphere of being in our favourite place and knowing what to do. It's totally different when you have experience behind you!!!

#1MMFan

 

[tigger71]

well, when I went for the 2nd time, there was still much to see that I didn't see the first time. For example, at Epcot, The first time I went I thought I saw just about all of it, the second time I discovered many surprises as I had more time to wander around the countries.
I think you will strike a happy medium, just hit the favorites and don't hesitate to walk through something you may not have spend much time in the past.
Plus, I heard at TOT ride they changed the sequence a little bit!

there is just so much to disneyworld, plan on checking out something totally new to you, like a water park, a bar at pleasure island, a resort you'd like to see.
Have Fun!

 

[kilee]

Oh gosh, pretty much by the end of the first day I am already planning our next trip. I doesn't seem like we ever can do it all. Usually we hit our favorites every trip (Haunted Mansion, all the parades). However, we try and make sure we add a few new things to each trip. Even if it means a new place to eat or shop. On our last trip we began exploring the resort restuarants more. That opens up a whole new world.

 

[Micca]

A recent goal was to knock-off the commando style touring and that has been achieved Next, I'd like to try some different restaurants as we always seem to end up at our favorites every time. I also would consider some kind of tour.

 

[pouncingpluto]

Very cool thread. I've been to WDW more times than I know, because I was born in Florida, and my parents started taking me there before I was a year old.

So, needless to say, I've seen a lot of WDW and have lots of favorites. However, I definitely like to have something new and interesting each time I go. Last time my firsts were: AKL, the new Hester and Jester area, and Pleasure Island.

Next month, I'm planning a few more new firsts: staying at Coronado Springs (last part of the trip), Typhoon Lagoon. Also, I know my family went to Hoop De Do Revue and stayed at the Poly (will be first part of trip) when I was a kid, but I barely remember either of them, so it'll be great to experience them through grown-up eyes. We may also explore the Boardwalk one evening, which I've never done.

WDW is just so expansive, there's always either something new to see or at least something to take more time at, if you glossed over it previously.

 

[NancyIL]

There are must-sees that we do every trip, but also like to catch the ones we missed the previous time. I feel the same way about WDW restaurants.

 

[carene]

There are lots of MUST DO's that we have to do on our next trip--all the things we missed out last time!!(LOL)

This includes: ( just ones i can remember)
Rock and Roller Coaster
Test Track
Winnie the Pooh ride
Aladdin's magic carpet ride
Primeval Whirl

Will add as my memory serves me.

Carene

 

[rajak73]

Our goal is to Have a great time! Haven't been dissappointed yet. Last time we were there in '98, had 4 day park hopper, went 4 straight days, by 4 day could care less about walking or how long the parks were open! This time, taking 7 days for 5 day hopper passes. Staying onsite too, a first. Also taking DS and his GF after they graduate HS. GF has never been to anything remotely like WDW so we are looking forward to her reaction. Above all, I'm not going worry about parks hours, couldn't tell you what time the parks closed the last times we were there, we just enjoyed the experience.

 

[DancingBear]

I'm the planner in the family, and I always ask around to see what each person in the group absolutely doesn't want to miss, whether it's an old favorite or something new (I always clue them in as to the new stuff). So, we make sure to hit all of those "must-dos." Then, I make it a point to make sure that we do a couple of different things on each trip---not attractions, but, for example:

Illuminations Cruise
Golf on a different course (have done Palm, Magnolia and Osprey Ridge)
CA Grill for MK fireworks
Meal at Boma and wandering around AKL
Character meal
Hoop de Doo or Luau
Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
FW visit, including petting zoo, lunch at Trails End, and renting water mouse

Still on my list for future visits:

Golf at Eagle Pines and Lake Buena Vista
Winter/Summerland mini golf
Cirque de Soleil

 

[Hayley]

Do you think you'll be able to make other trips in the future? If so, try to take the most relaxed approach as possible. My family is very laid back about what rides and attractions we get to and what we don't. I mean, if we never get to something, we just say, we'll get it next time. I know that this is a real luxury, and it isn't realistic for some people, but if you can, try to just go with the flow, and you will have the most wonderful trip!

With restaurants, we have a few favorites that we always want to hit, but we always make a point of trying something new.
Have a great time!

 

[JJS2K3]

Haven't been to WDW since '90 but when we were there last I had a picture taken with Snow White and DW thinks it is one of the best of me. We'll be looking for Snow again so I can get another taken and have 'Then & Now' pictures. Same with a few other photos of each of us.

Chefs de France and the Living Seas restaurants still stand out in our minds so we'll be going there.

It was packed when we went last time and it was hard for us to properly see the Epcot fireworks so I booked an Illuminations cruise this time

Cinderella's Castle was closed for some kind of repair so we'll have to check that out.

The first time I saw IASW was at the NY Worlds Fair in '64/65 and it's hard to believe it's still around, so we have to do that one for old-times sake.

There was no Animal Kingdom back then. DS was new and it wasn't very big or all that good at the time. There was PI but no Downtown Disney- I think they called it Lake Buena Vista Shopping or something like that.

In some ways it'll be time for reminiscing and in others it'll be likr going for the first time.

 

[carone0318]

We are DVCers and when we go to Disney, we already know when we are going back. This really makes a difference when it comes to how you tackle the parks and such. We also have the luxury of saying, oh we will hit it next time. We always have a favorites that we must hit. I personally don't feel like I am in Disney World until I step foot in MK, so naturally it is our first park to go to. Our children are little, dd (6) and ds (2), I love experiencing Fantasyland with them, but I know that as they grow that those rides will change. This past June was the first time dd was tall enough to ride Splash Mtn, BTM and boy did she love it. So, now they are must dos for us and this yr she may just be tall enough for SpMtn. DS may just make it for the Barnstormer, so as my kiddos grow, so will our must dos.

One thing that I do try to do each trip is sign dd up for something intereactive. She has done the Wonderland Tea Pary, Cooking with Chef Drew. I think this yr I may let her go to the GF spa for her "1st" manicure and pedicure. I am thinking about it, but I must say that we are doing the 3 night cruise before we go to the World, so that might constitute her interactive activity. When ds gets a little older, he will have his turn doing the same fun things.

 

[Fizban257]

I'm coming up on my fifth trip and we've decided to make a concerted effort this time to see more shows, parades, and fireworks displays. We've never seen SpectroMagic, or Tinker Bell fly during the fireworks, and I've somehow never seen the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. We've always focused so much on the rides that we were oblivious to some truly magical shows/events that we are determined to experience this time around. And we're already planning another trip for 2005 so we can keep at it!

 

[DancingBear]

Hey, Fizban, we're practically neighbors!

Another "stop and smell the roses" thing we do more now that we have visited several times is take in the streetscape entertainment, like drummers in AK, street characters in the Studios, and Dapper Dans on Main Street.

 

[skiwee1]

We revisit all of our favorites many many times! We also plan at least one new meal experience. Last time was HDDR. This time it's Mickey's BBQ. We always take our time and enjoy everything. We get to the parks about 10 am and leave early and return to the resort for a dip in the pool. Sometimes we go back out later to view fireworks. Since staying at the Poly we have found that we like hanging out at the resort better then the parks! We spent half our days at the Poly pool last time. We plan on doing that this trip too.

 

[Horizons16]

Happy and wise is the one who knows how to blend old and new...

 

[Lucky4me]

It used to be a goal to see it ALL or die trying.
Then it became a goal to see our favorites and whatever is new. Now if we miss a few things, no big deal.

I realized something on this last trip. The less people in your group, the more you can see and do in a a day. I usually vacation with a few familes in tow, around 10 people or so. It seems like no one is ever on the same bathroom schedule, meal schedule, etc. When it's just me and dd we FLY through those parks!

 

[PrincessDana]

I feel so special---I finally started a thread that made it to the second page. WOO-HOOO!!