Why dont people plan?

[TWK]

I thought I had planned really well the first time we went... but you don't know what you don't know. The second trip I was so much more prepared (it was easier too because of FP+, I didn't like the old system that they had the first time we went) I was just talking to a friend about it last night, I didn't about half of the stuff there was to do! I think especially when people have never been or went when they were younger and now are going with their own families... everything is bigger than you expect. It isn't that much work to prepare, but I think people either get intimidated by it all, or they think that they will just wing it because that is what they did years and years ago.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I dont think the newbies have a clue. As others have said I think they just book the vacation and think they will go with the flow so to speak

We just got back last week and on this trip some of the things we encountered
1. Asking us where the friendship boats went and was it free or how much did it cost
2. Asking where the monorail went and how much was it to take a ride
3. Walking up to Be Our Guest and looking at the menu and then going up and trying to get in. this was May 21st, 12 noon and I counted 20 people being turned away

I feel Disney is just getting beyond scheduling, no spontaneity to speak up. I know a disney vacation is expensive but I dont like being dictated to be a constant ride fastpass schedule, adr schedule etc.

Wondering what these people think when they dont seem to accomplish much in a disney day. Do they feel like they dont get their moneys worth or are they just happy to be in the happy to be in Disney World.

 

[MrInfinity]

But this really is the great unknown. Some yes. Many no. I definitely know people who fit the description presented in the OP who were very disappointed with their trips to WDW and have no intention of going back. Recall that in the OP, there were people who didn't know that they could get a FP for 7DMT and were limited to a 100 minute wait. And people who tried to get a same day FP for Soarin' and couldn't, so they too probably had a 70-100 minute wait. And there were people who thought that BoG looked like a really cool place to eat...but they didn't get to. All of these situations were the result of poor or no planning, and all of these situations resulted in long lines and/or missed experiences. And in all likelihood, these people faced the same issues at A&E, TSMM, RnR, ToT, Test Track, just to name a few. It's difficult to imagine that the people who didn't know that they could get a FP in advance for 7DMT got one for TSMM, or knew enough to get up at zero-dark-thirty to make RD. There are lots of different offshoots to this, including:

• That's OK. Our vacation was perfect despite these blips.
• That's OK. Next time we will know better and will plan ahead.
• WDW is a joke. We missed out on lots of the good stuff and we're never going back.

Your post concludes that "all go to WDW and have as magical of times as us who planned", but I don't think that it really is "all". Definitely some. But I know for a fact that there are people who don't find the magic due to long lines and missed opportunities that those of us who plan rarely encounter.

I know people who fit the OPs description too. But they are a drop in the bucket compared to the millions of people that go to Disney World and have a great time. The general consensus of people returning from vacation at Disney World is not how it sucked and they were miserable, but they're sad that it's over, had a great time, etc. They describe the rides they rode and it's usually way less than what I ride but it is not an issue cuz they hadn't set out to ride 5 things by 10am or whatever. If what you're describing is the norm then attendance and prices would be dropping, not the opposite.

All the examples you give above are pretty much non issues for most people. Almost everyone goes to WDW expecting lines. 100 minutes is typical of the flagship ride at Six Flags, and it's typical at Disney World. New coaster opening at Cedar Point this year... know what? The line will be 100 min by midday. And no option to Fastpass it except to pay their upgrade fee, which will exclude that ride. That's life man, if you are into theme parks, you get it.

I know easily 50 families who went to WDW or DL in the last couple years -- some first timers, some who go occasional, and some regulars. They never return from their trips griping about this or that. They'll have an odd complaint or two... like... it was so hot. Or the parades were crowded, or whatever, but overall, the times had are very magical. You can even tell me about the 50 families you know that hate it and it will not change the fact that people are having fun there by the MILLIONS.

I can't believe you actually made the case that SOME have fun there but MANY don't... as if to imply MANY > SOME, or that more people come back dissatisfied than having had a great time. That is classic.

Yes. Almost all guests go to WDW and have a great time riding a very diverse # of things. I am kind of in the middle... some guests ride more than me, but most guests ride less than we do. Of course lines are not for everyone. Theme parks are not for everyone.

 

[skateshome]

I see a family walk thru the tunnel into the Magic Kingdom....don't make it even past the sidewalk and everyone stops and they
open a map.....and I think....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfkkMHieqcI

 

[Angel Ariel]

For all the planners...what do you do with teens? You don't schedule them to hang out with the parents and younger siblings for a whole trip?

At least in the paper FP days, they could secure their own FP at whatever park they felt like heading off to. I have no intention of seeing my DS between 7 AM and midnight once he and his friends are old enough to enter the parks on his own. That's the way it was for my brothers and me. Fortunately, for us, it predated all FP.

When we took family vacations that were just the 4 of us..my parents, my brother and I...they were family vacations. That included Disney. We did some of what my brother wanted, some of what I wanted, some of what everyone wanted...but the family stayed together. But it was just the immediate family, not extended family, and it was before the age of cell phones.

 

[maltdizzy]

I see a family walk thru the tunnel into the Magic Kingdom....don't make it even past the sidewalk and everyone stops and they
open a map.....and I think....

To be fair, after 6 years of living in L.A. and going to DLR monthly, I can't find my way around MK at all...nothing is where I'm use to. Even knowing where the attractions are in the park (I mean I've been going to MK since the '70's) doesn't help because I never take the right path.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

When we took family vacations that were just the 4 of us..my parents, my brother and I...they were family vacations. That included Disney. We did some of what my brother wanted, some of what I wanted, some of what everyone wanted...but the family stayed together. But it was just the immediate family, not extended family, and it was before the age of cell phones.

I was thinking about that too. Even with my grown son we still pretty much stay together. Occasionally we babysit while my DS and wife go out on a date night but overall we have always gone as a family and stayed together. I did split off from them to try to cancel my BOG reservation while they went to see A&E and I felt I'd missed out. That said, I do find the less I plan the less I spend. For instance I've been in he computer all weekend planning my upcoming September trip and I've cancelled all but 2 of my ADRs and I've pretty much decided not to book a room onsite. We are just going to enjoy being there.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I love planning my vacations, and yes Disney is different, but I disagree with the idea expressed here that only at Disney is there a marked advantage to those who plan a lot and far in advance. A few examples off the top of my head: When we went to Germany...

If your goal was to do something exclusive, then your German vacation met your personal goal.

My goal isn't the same. To me, vacation = freedom. My goal is something closer to Easy Rider, but with hotel rooms.

The first time I went to Germany, all I planned in advance was a Eurorail Pass. I didn't even book a solid return flight, just a standby pass! We just hopped on trains, and read about each destination on the way using a generic guide. When we arrived, we easily found a low budget room, or hopped on an overnight train.

The freedom was divine! One of very best nights was the night we saw an absolutely spectacular opera. A big part of the appeal was how utterly unexpected the experience was. I love spontaneous vacations best of all.

Disney World doesn't seem to value freedom very much anymore, and, IMO, the appeal it once held. To me, the best part of WDW was the ability to discover the unexpected.

I absolutely mourn for kids who watch ride videos before they get to WDW.

To me, this HoP quote now seems a bit ironic, "What makes us American is a shared spirit—a spirit of courage and determination; of kindness and generosity. It is a spirit grounded in the wisdom of the generations that have gone before us, but open to the unimagined discoveries and possibilities on the horizon that lies ahead.

 

[Pmlocke]

I really don't think we can place blame on any one in this instance. Is it Disney's fault that you didn't plan ahead for your vacation. Is it the unsuspecting travelers fault for thinking they could just walk right into a park that averages more than 100,000 visitors daily and think they can walk up to any ride and get on or walk in and sit down for dinner. Well actually, yes, it's both their fault. Our first visit in 1987 we were suprised to find it almost impossible to sit down and have a nice meal without having to wait for 2-3 hours for the next reservation. We learned our lesson after that. I do think that Disney should stress more forcibly that you need to plan ahead for a happier vacation but even after sending out the planning information and with multiple web sites, how can a person not understand that they have to do some sort of planning? I don't think we will ever see a commercial on television, "Don't forget to plan your vacation or you will have a horrible stay". It could be arrogance like a good friend of mine who went for a week and would not believe me when I told him about advance dining reservations or fast passes. When they got home they swore they would never return. We ran into a young couple on their honeymoon this past February with the young bride in tears. They had no idea the cost of everything, including eating and had run out of money with four days left. I took them into the concierge at the hotel, explained what was going on and bought them the dining plan. Planning can be, to many, a burdon while I rather like it. I don't think I will ever see a day when I enter this site and don't see multiple complaints because someone didn't know. I can only hope that more people will find this and other sites, read what others have gone through and start making necessary plans before they spend a lot of money and wind up having a bad stay.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I see a family walk thru the tunnel into the Magic Kingdom....don't make it even past the sidewalk and everyone stops and they
open a map.....and I think....

Then I feel sad for you, because my niece treasures the memory of learning to read maps when she was 3, thanks to Disney.

She learned spatial reasoning before she could read words thanks to the pictures.

By the time she was five, she had the maps memorized, but she still grabbed one upon entering MK. It was one of her favorite things to do at WDW. Some folks need to see the castle to know they have arrived, she had to hold a MAP in her hand.

She equates those maps with the power of knowledge. If she knew rides, she could pick one. If she knew the way to a desired ride, then she had the power to get there.

Success was powerfully reinforced with a big reward!

Now that she's a teen, and thoroughly knows the layout of WDW and US in her head, she loves the maps for entirely different reason. Old maps prove that Minnie's House and the Pooh playground really existed.

 

[21stamps]

That's exactly how I feel. My boss is going to take her family and she doesn't have no ADR's or fast passes. I told her that I plan 1 year in advance and she stares at me like I'm crazy. Everyone that I talk to thinks I'm crazy when I tell them that. Now my boss is trying to make ADR's 2 weeks from her trip and cant find no openings. I feel so bad for her. If she would have told me before I would have help her.

She will though. You don't need to book a year in advance to get them. Fortunately, I learned that people completely overbook dining reservations, and then cancel just before they get charged.

 

[21stamps]

Then I feel sad for you, because my niece treasures the memory of learning to read maps when she was 3, thanks to Disney.

She learned spatial reasoning before she could read words thanks to the pictures.

By the time she was five, she had the maps memorized, but she still grabbed one upon entering MK. It was one of her favorite things to do at WDW. Some folks need to see the castle to know they have arrived, she had to hold a MAP in her hand.

She equates those maps with the power of knowledge. If she knew the way to her desired ride, then she had the power to get there.

Success was powerfully reinforced with a big reward!

Now that she's a teen, and thoroughly knows the layout of WDW and US in her head, she loves the maps for entirely different reason. Old maps prove that Minnie's House and the Pooh playground really existed.

I've been to our zoo and our theme park hundreds of times, we're pass holders to both- I still use both apps, and occasionally a zoo map.

 

[Pesky]

Sometimes it is the "you don't know, what you don't know" and sometimes it is choice. My sister thinks I'm crazy for all this advanced planning. But she would be perfectly happy with nothing but counter service and winging it. WDW is definitely geared more towards obsessive planners but as long as you go in with realistic expectations, you can have a great time without planning. It's the time you marry unrealistic expectations and no planning that creates issues.

 

[Davey Jones II]

But this really is the great unknown. Some yes. Many no. I definitely know people who fit the description presented in the OP who were very disappointed with their trips to WDW and have no intention of going back. Recall that in the OP, there were people who didn't know that they could get a FP for 7DMT and were limited to a 100 minute wait. And people who tried to get a same day FP for Soarin' and couldn't, so they too probably had a 70-100 minute wait. And there were people who thought that BoG looked like a really cool place to eat...but they didn't get to. All of these situations were the result of poor or no planning, and all of these situations resulted in long lines and/or missed experiences. And in all likelihood, these people faced the same issues at A&E, TSMM, RnR, ToT, Test Track, just to name a few. It's difficult to imagine that the people who didn't know that they could get a FP in advance for 7DMT got one for TSMM, or knew enough to get up at zero-dark-thirty to make RD. There are lots of different offshoots to this, including:

• That's OK. Our vacation was perfect despite these blips.
• That's OK. Next time we will know better and will plan ahead.
• WDW is a joke. We missed out on lots of the good stuff and we're never going back.

Your post concludes that "all go to WDW and have as magical of times as us who planned", but I don't think that it really is "all". Definitely some. But I know for a fact that there are people who don't find the magic due to long lines and missed opportunities that those of us who plan rarely encounter.

Good post. Again, it comes down to expectations. Some people seem to think that they'll be able to do everything they want, even if they put in minimal or no planning. Then they are inevitably disappointed. With a little research, it should be clear that you can't have it both ways. Either plan in order to optimize your trip, or expect to miss out on some things.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

She will though. You don't need to book a year in advance to get them. Fortunately, I learned that people completely overbook dining reservations, and then cancel just before they get charged.

My extended family started going to WDW almost when it opened, and have been a great many times.

Many of the STILL don't want to be tied down to preplanned meals.

These are folks who've dined almost everywhere on property a number of times, so it isn't ignorance that drives us!

Every time corporations remove our ability to CHOOSE, we lose our liberty. Liberty is a precious thing, it shouldn't be lightly tossed in the trash.

 

[Jules76126]

I just read all the pages of this thread which in and of itself deserves a prize. The commonality that I see is that there are three distinct groups. Uber planners - who love the researching and the planner from booking their room, to researching what ADRs they should make, to getting the perfect FP. The middle of the road planner - plans so ADRs and maybe a few FP but would much prefer to go at their own pace and change plans day of as needed, and the wing it planners - those who don't want/need to plan their entire vacation and are perfectly happy with going with the flow.

I would say that I fall with somewhere between uber planner and middle of the road. But I am a planner by nature. I think that researching vacations is half the fun and makes the time past quicker. But I know some people think that it is pure torture. I am currently in the midst of planning two trips - one to Europe and the other to WDW. My Europe honeymoon trip is a little more relaxed. We are going to Paris and London for two weeks. We are planning out what must see attractions that we want and making any advanced plans that we need (booking trains for day trips outside the city, booking travel between the two countries, etc). This way we have less to worry about when we arrive as well as the fact we can pay with US dollars if we book on line. Other than that, we will just go with the flow when we arrive. We will plan our meals around what we see that looks good. And we always build in an afternoon cocktail break.

Now WDW is a whole different beast. I am currently planning a Bachelorette party there. I have taken the lead on booking hotel, DME, buying our park tickets, as well as arranging ADRs and FP+. I actually needed to scale back a bit as I was over planning for the group I am going with (they are not Disney Fanatics and I realized I would run them ragged). I realized that we needed a little more flexibility. So I canceled all my lunch ADRs and only made dinner ones. If we want to do TS for lunch, we can just check MDE and see what is available. We also will have hopper passes so it will make seeing things easier. If we decide that we need to cancel or change something, then so be it. The bridesmaids are also planning nighttime activities. I gave them some suggestions (Jellyrolls, Trader Sams, Citywalk) but am leaving that park of the planning up to them.

Moral of the story is variety is the spice of life. It's okay if you could never imagine not staying onsite and booking ADRs 180+10. And its also okay if you only want to eat QS our entire stay. Do what makes your family happy. Working as a CM, I saw way to many people doing things because they had to and plenty of meltdowns ensured which was no fun.

 

[Magpie]

I see a family walk thru the tunnel into the Magic Kingdom....don't make it even past the sidewalk and everyone stops and they
open a map.....and I think....

If it's your first trip (or your first in quite a while), a map is a very good thing to have. Especially if you're trying to get to your FP rides!

I'm not sure why looking at a map is a bad thing, or in any way indicative of poor planning...

I do like the song, though!

 

[Magpie]

Every time corporations remove our ability to CHOOSE, we lose our liberty. Liberty is a precious thing, it shouldn't be lightly tossed in the trash.

No one's infringing on your liberties. Corporations are simply offering a product/service which you can choose to partake of, or not, as you prefer.

For example: If my local ice cream shop decides to offer only the three most popular flavours instead of the 25 they used to offer, they aren't stripping me of my god-given right to have 25 different flavours, and they are not striking a blow against Freedom and Justice for all. They're just changing their business model. (Maybe they'll go to a pre-ordering, reserved time for pick up system next, with upcharges for special limited edition after hours icecream! )

Neither ice cream shops, nor theme parks, are "essential services". No one is hurt if they don't purchase an ice cream cone or a ride on a roller coaster.

Liberty is not being "tossed in the trash" here. Disney is not trying to take away your Freedoms.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

It's the time you marry unrealistic expectations and no planning that creates issues.

Agreed, but it also kind of the opposite.

Planners feel anxious when they face the unexpected, then they sometimes take it a step further, and rationalize those feeling with a kind of superior smugness.

But what they fail to consider is the disadvantage of prepaying for meals 45days before their flight takes off. Disney's collecting interest on a vacation you haven't even STARTED! And if you can't make it? There are no automatic refunds.

Disney steadily marches towards non-refundable policies: expiring tickets, non refundable DDP credits, no show fees, and the biggest prepaid windfall for Disney - the Disney Vacation Club!

 

[NORMA MUNOZ]

Tell her to have hope. She can Che I her app every day as some people cancel at the last minute. Ordinarily, 1 or 2 days before you're going to be there, reservations open up. May not be your first choice but at least it's a choice.
ETA: there is always Skippers.

Yes. I did tell her that yesterday and she told me that she doesn't have time to be in the computer. Oh well. Thanks!