Why dont people plan?

[rwdavis2]

Are you comparing all Disney restaurants with LONG JOHN SILVER'S???

No, I'm sure the poster is just saying that most WDW restaurants are average, at best (I agree). And none of them are worth planning your vacation around unless the best restaurants in your area are on the order of Long John Silver's. Or you want to do character meals or something special.

 

[Love Tink]

No, I'm sure the poster is just saying that most WDW restaurants are average, at best (I agree). And none of them are worth planning your vacation around unless the best restaurants in your area are on the order of Long John Silver's. Or you want to do character meals or something special.

You don't get to decide what other people want out of their vacations. A lot of people - especially people with kids - get very excited about themed restaurants that the family will enjoy and remember. It doesn't have to be some sort of fine dining experience to be special. My kids have loved places at WDW like Sci Fi, Biergarten, T Rex, San Angel Inn - not because of the food as much as the experience.

But seriously, I routinely see people on here who plan vacations to WDW where they don't even go to the parks. Are the pools THAT amazing? No, not in my opinion. But obviously they are for some. I see people who plan whole days to "resort hop," i.e to go around and look at hotel lobbies. That sounds like torture to me. But I see it often enough that it obviously appeals to a certain percentage of visitors. So maybe let other people make their own decisions about what they consider important or fun on their vacation.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I really can't relate to the "let's just show up and see what happens" vacationing style. That being said, for a first-timer, it is hard to imagine the level of planning that it takes to optimize a WDW vacation. Without the experience, it's quite unfathomable. The mind naturally rebels against that much work and regimentation -- "hey, this is supposed to be a vacation, not a military campaign!" Even though the parks are hot now, it doesn't bode well for their future. I think a lot of first-timers will have a bad time, and vow never to go back.

If someone asks for your help planning their WDW trip, I would say just give them the basics, then say something like "I could give you a lot more information if you want to really get the MOST out of your trip. But that's up to you. I don't want to overwhlem you with too much info." Most will say "no, thats enough, thanks." Only the most hardy will want to continue on that journey with you.

 

[Takket]

I remember many many years ago Le Cellier was a place you got got a reservation for on day 180, or you didn't go. My wife wanted to bring her dad there really bad and made the reservation. The night of our meal we checked in and were sitting by the podium waiting to be seated. Some guy sauntered up to the podium and said "How soon can you seat 10 for dinner?" I literally had to stop myself from bursting out laughing. The CM let him down easy and after we left we had a good laugh with the CM over it.

 

[lennyd]

I dont think people realize how far in advance you have to pl;an a trip to Disney, im on the comp 180 days out 6am making my dinner reservations , and 60 days in advance at 12 midnight (now that has changed to 7am thank god I cant get some sleep)and you have to stay on top of things or you will fall behind for your next trip , because the rules change from yr to yr, I often said am I the only guy up this late securing fastpasses and dinners??????????

 

[maltdizzy]

I hate meticulously planned vacations, really takes the fun out of such a diverse resort when you have to plot out what park you need to be at what hour of what day for rides and food. And people (including here at DIS) make planning a competitive sport. No very relaxing. Heck, we never even book our trips 180 days in advance.

We could deal with the ADR's, there are NO must-eat places for us at WDW (must, if not all, never live up to the hype), so substituting or being inventive works just fine when we want. I've never had memorable food at WDW (though the context often makes up the difference).

But FP+?!?...picking my rides two months out? And dealing with longer lines throughout the rest of the park because others had to do the same? Who thought up that torture?

There is definitely a reason we find ourselves traveling more to Universal, back out west to DLR, north to Cedar Point, or abroad.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

When we first went to Disney when my older son was 3, we stayed off site and it was sort of a thrown together type of trip, because my hubby had a conferance in Tampa...so we stayed in Tampa for a few nights and then moved to a hotel in Orlando...The only thing I had planned was 1 ADR to Crystal Palace and that was it. We didn't really plan anything, but this was also going back almost 7 years so a lot of things were different. Then when we went back when my son was 5, he was just Diagnosed as being on the spectrum, we also stayed off site, but we were lucky if we got to go on 3 rides a day...I had no idea anything like the DAS/GAC existed and it was a really hard trip, we were ready to leave by the end of it. Then I had my 2nd son in July 2013 and we decided to plan a trip back to the world but this time stay on property at the contemporary so we had access to the monorail, and I spent hours upon hours learning everything I could! Seriously 2014 was the BEST TRIP EVER! It was so awesome in fact that I was super sad to leave and when we got home I wanted to start planning our next trip to Disney which was going to be in 2015...we even got to stay at the Grand Floridian in 2015, bc I did more research and was able to get a fabulous deal there! 2015 was even better than 2014 and NO ONE wanted to leave, lol...my older son who is on the spectrum kept saying he was going to miss the palm trees lol...we weren't able to go back this year but I am starting to plan for 2017 and I listen to all kinds of news information regarding Disney so when its time to book our trip or book our ADRs or FPs...then I have a handle on how to do things. Now this is just me, I am an obsessive planner, because we pay all this money to Disney for our trips and I want to get the most I can out of it. When we were staying off site I was not very knowledgeable and didn't really know any better. But after a certain amount of bad trips then I started to get obsessive about it because you need to plan things out to be able to see and do all the things you want. A lot of people don't really like to plan or like to be more spontaneous, but Disney has it now where spontaneous is really not an option anymore if you want to do certain things.

 

[lennyd]

stirling, why dont you try the animal kingdom, savana room , I think your kids will love to see wild animals right outside your window, only negative is that if you dont have a rental car you will have to take the buses to the parks.

 

[MariMama]

You don't get to decide what other people want out of their vacations.

Isn't that the entire point of this thread?

 

[StirlingSilver83]

stirling, why dont you try the animal kingdom, savana room , I think your kids will love to see wild animals right outside your window, only negative is that if you dont have a rental car you will have to take the buses to the parks.

Its funny that you mention this bc this year both my kids are older and I have convinced myself that we don't really "need" a monorail resort anymore, lol...since I have convinced myself of that AKL is our number 1 pick, my toddler is going through this phase where he absolutely LOVES giraffes, lol, and my older son loves animals in general. We always drive down to Disney, so the car/bus thing is not a problem...I really want the bunk bed rooms because I think the kids would love it...The Savannah view room really depends on the price difference between the other view with the bunk beds. I figured we would like to have a Savannah view room, but we don't really "need" that type of view bc we are staying at AKL so I am sure there are other places around the resort to view the animals, lol...but if there is not a huge difference in the prices for the upgraded view we might just do that one, lol...The other resort we are considering is WL...again because they have a bunk bed room, lol...but its all up in the air right now until Disney releases the 2017 packages, lol

 

[cdnjason]

There are many people that see the TV ad, and then start planning their trip. It is amazing, but if you ever see their TV ads, they are geared for people that would be making reservations and traveling in the next couple months. Look at the fine print the next time one is on.


So, please do not get me wrong. We have been DVC & AP holders for quite a while. I have easily spent over a year of my 47 year old life on vacation in Orlando, mostly at Disney. IMHO, you have to have a plan to enjoy it.


However, to the causal (or even worldly) traveler, who would think how much planning is needed? With 36 resorts providing over 30,000 rooms, and tens of thousands of more rooms provided off-site by hotels, timeshare, home rentals, etc. who would think getting room would be difficult.


By my count, there are about 285 restaurants on property (everything from a pool bar to an ice cream shop, to the bakery on main street). Who would think that you could not get a reservation at one of the 100 or so sit down restaurants (estimated from the 100 restaurants that accept Tables in wonderland).


So, yes, we plan our trips like they are going out of style. We do everything in our power to lower our wait times (arrive at rope drop, carefully schedule FP+, etc.) We also do everything in our power to save money while there (DVC, AP, TIWL, etc.) We also do what we can on our way in and out. For example, we live 8 hours away by car. Depending on the trip, often we will leave after work/school and drive to about 2 hours outside Disney, then stop for the night, often staying a hotel cheaper than it would be in Orlando, or on points (again less points than Orlando). Depending on our vacation, we may also do a similar return trip, staying in the parks most of the day, and leaving after dinner.


One of my perks at work is sometimes we get a recognition, and one of the things I can get for my recognition are gift cards to Landry Restaurants (Rainforest Café and T-REX). Again, a free meal.


As many people have said, no place else on the planet requires this level of detail. I had a trip to Las Vegas last month that all came up within 2 weeks. My co-workers and I had no issues finding a place to eat, seeing the various sites, etc. And while much had changed in the 10 years since I had last been there, so much was also the same.


Sadly, we have had friends and family that have booked and went to WDW without ever talking to us. Then all we hear is “How can you like it there? One day we only we did 4 rides! Great Adventure is better.” Attempting to explain that planning a trip and arriving on December 27th, then sleeping in each morning and getting to the parks by lunch time, was like talking to a wall.

As a fellow DVC/AP member, I share your enthusiasm. You raise very valid points. Folks like you and I are the exception, because we are dedicated to planning our WDW trips. And, it requires more attention than one would consider reasonable. So, it makes sense that most have no clue before their first trip to Disney.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

Does that apply to FP+, too, or just to ADRs?

Just ADRs, but I'm sure that some of the fastpass hunters can clue you in on prime times to check for fast passes.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Good to know, I wasn't aware of that! Is that for all restaurants?

Unfortunately, yes

 

[SaintsManiac]

I really can't relate to the "let's just show up and see what happens" vacationing style. That being said, for a first-timer, it is hard to imagine the level of planning that it takes to optimize a WDW vacation. Without the experience, it's quite unfathomable. The mind naturally rebels against that much work and regimentation -- "hey, this is supposed to be a vacation, not a military campaign!" Even though the parks are hot now, it doesn't bode well for their future. I think a lot of first-timers will have a bad time, and vow never to go back.

If someone asks for your help planning their WDW trip, I would say just give them the basics, then say something like "I could give you a lot more information if you want to really get the MOST out of your trip. But that's up to you. I don't want to overwhlem you with too much info." Most will say "no, thats enough, thanks." Only the most hardy will want to continue on that journey with you.

A friend of mine asked for tips since we just went. I gave her our favorites and directed her to Kenny's site That way it's out of my hands! lol

 

[Angel Ariel]

But surely those vacations planned around culinary exploration don't include WDW. Restaurants there can be good, and they can be fun, but none of them are excellent in a culinary sense. It's like planning a beach vacation around Long John Silvers.

I disagree with that. We have had excellent food by any standard at Napa Rose in DLR and California Grill at WDW. Neither of those experiences are in any way like Lohn John Silvers, or any major chain for that matter.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Yes. Some events are 2 day notice, so be sure to check the terms. I have been successful in last minute cancellations twice now because: 1) I showed up in person to cancel, 2) There were scores of people trying to get reservations, and 3) the parks were so busy there were practically no reservations anywhere - so my cancellation was welcomed. The first time was December for Akershus - we had eaten at Coral Reef (lunch) for the Candlelight Processional package, and simply were not hungry. I showed up to honor the reservation, but there were so many people trying to get in the manager was relieved. The second time was BOG, and this time the kids were beat, and we just wanted to leave the park. Even while I was standing there switching my reservation over to the other group, I listened to at least 5 or 6 people get turned away. I wish I had had more to cancel.

were you charged for your same day cancellations?

 

[MrInfinity]

Some say... I don't think people realize how far in advance you have to plan a trip to Disney

When really, this should be I don't think people realize how far in advance I plan a trip to Disney.

There is no requirement to plan in advance except for the small subset of people that consider themselves planners. The rest of the world would consider the planning that I or most people out here do... ridiculous, tedious, or something they're just not interested in. Yet they all go to WDW and have as magical of times as us who planned.

I am a planner, it's just how I am. I plan for things. I plan at work, I plan at home, I plan for vacations both Disney and non. But that is a unique character trait of mine which happens to be shared with many of the people out here on the Dis who also like to plan. It's what brings us together. That does not mean the general public likes to plan. In general, the general public does not. This makes me valuable in many ways. Appreciate it. Don't ask why everyone else doesn't plan as much as you... but be glad they don't! Everyone else not planning as much is what allows us to plan and be ahead of them. If they all planned as much as you or I, we would not get on as many rides or do as much with as little waiting as we do.

To wish everyone be as good a planner as yourself is to wish away your own advantage in life. Disney and otherwise.

 

[XXRAINMANX]

Honestly this issue is one of the reasons I'm reluctant to go back to WDW. I loved being able to decide on which park to go to in the morning and decide everything from that point on. We would get standard fasspasses, walk around and enjoy ourselves without having to worry 6 months in advance about what we're doing, did we plan enough time, is everyone going to want food from that restaurant, or eat when I booked 6 months out. Does it conflict with my fasspass options that I can't book for 4 months after I have made dining reservations. Now I get times have changed but part of the fun for us was going to a park and trying to get reservations for the day at a place we haven't tried. It made for new experiences and worse case we waiting an hour for dinner. I miss the ability to relax and do what we wanted. Now it feels like I'm forced into planning every detail in order to attempt to have more freedom in the day.

 

[Davey Jones II]

A friend of mine asked for tips since we just went. I gave her our favorites and directed her to Kenny's site That way it's out of my hands! lol

That's a good idea -- just point them in the right direction. But what is "Kenny's site"?

 

[SaintsManiac]

That's a good idea -- just point them in the right direction. But what is "Kenny's site"?

Kenny the Pirate

I pointed her there, because she was most interested in characters for her little ones.