Why dont people plan?

[srauseo]

As others have said, it depends on your expectations. If your vacation will be "ruined" because you didn't get to go to that restaurant, or that museum, or that show, then you better do your research. Disney is not the only place that requires advance planning. When I went to Chicago for a trip I knew there was a restaurant a Top Chef winner had opened. I really wanted to go there for our anniversary dinner. I looked into it and found out that they were booking out three months in advance! If I hadn't looked it up we definitely would not have been able to go if I only called a week in advance like I would do for a "normal" restaurant. Even some museums require advance tickets. That said, if I didn't care I obviously could have found somewhere else nice to eat in Chicago, even as a walk up, I'm sure.

I don't think the planning is always necessary for Disney. I know I could go and still have plenty of fun without ADRs or FPs. But if it's your one-in-a lifetime trip and you want to make sure you hit the highlights, then yes. And it's hard for me to have sympathy for people who don't figure that out - at Disney or anywhere. It's like those old AT&T commercials - "you should have called, first". I don't like to waste my time - that's worth a few minutes on the internet or a quick call to see if my favorite local restaurant is really busy before I drive down.

 

[momimouse27]

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.

The highlighted portion is what I think drives me a bit nuts. It's when I hear friends or family complain because they had an awful time or they had to wait in line forever because they didn't know about FP before hand. Especially when I offer to help or give info to them and they brush me aside saying they'll do it themselves, with the full knowledge that them 'taking care of it' means that they'll book the room, look at a map and buy some tickets. If they're laid back and roll with it- fine, but 9 times out of 10 those people come back complaining about everything. Depending on when you go, you can completely wing it, but it's possible you'll end up hating WDW because you didn't do homework.

I am-in referencing Jules' post above- a middle of the road planner. I make sure right off to get my resort room booked, start making ADR's and get my days sorted out from the crowd calendar. But, with exception of eating, I don't plan anything at all about our day. My husband and daughter make FP for the thrill rides, but other than that....nothing. 10 years ago my husband and I went to London for a week. I bought guide books, did research, and planned everything. I made sure I knew all I could know. I don't feel like that's overplanning, per say. I think that's being aware and gathering the info you need to keep from being disappointed when something you want to do or see is closed or non operational, etc. I guess my point is that in any vacation situation, knowledge of what you're in for gives you the power to maximize your experience.

If you're the kind of person who can do anything on the fly and have fun, I think that's great. For myself, I look at it like this...if I do the work at home to ensure my enjoyment at the park, then once my vacation begins, I won't have to worry about the planning anymore because I already did it.

 

[Hikergirl]

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.

This is exactly how I feel too. I am going back to WDW with dh this fall for F&W and its requiring way more planning that I like too do. I am trying to take a couple do nothing but what we feel like when we wake up days, but I'm stressing that we won't be able to. Its really taking the fun out of the anticipation of the trip for me.
I can totally see why first timer, or others in general don't plan. I know there are people who love doing it and thrive on it, I am so not one of those people.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

We just got back from our 4th year in a row trip, and our 'year 1' trip was planned/booked about 45 days out. We pretty much didn't know what to expect (it had been 23 years since I was last there). I would hope that if these people book again next year, they would do some research.

By planning it out (and sometimes I wish I didn't have to since it can be draining), we can fit SOOOOO much more into our trip. Every year we get more and more planning. I like to relax on vacations, but sadly Disney isn't a relaxing vacation for me, but it is still so worth it!

I find Disney very relaxing simply because I've worked so hard at planning in advance!
And especially now with fp+, and only one pre park opening ADR, DH and I even get to sleep in!
For me the planning is so worth it!

 

[JimmyV]

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.

Funny. I look at it exactly the opposite. One could say "many do and many don't". Or..."some do and some don't". Or..."many do and some don't." Or..."some do and many don't." I don't get a qualitative comparison out of any of those. At least, none was intended.

I know people who fit the OPs description too.

Then I guess it isn't really "all" then, is it? You have concluded that these people are a drop in the bucket. Classic.

All the examples you give above are pretty much non issues for most people.
Almost everyone goes to WDW expecting lines.

Yes. Almost all guests go to WDW and have a great time riding a very diverse # of things.

I don't know where you come up with this. I don't pretend to know the numbers or percentages. But I am certain that it isn't "none" or "all" in either direction.

 

[maltdizzy]

This is exactly how I feel too. I am going back to WDW with dh this fall for F&W and its requiring way more planning that I like too do. I am trying to take a couple do nothing but what we feel like when we wake up days, but I'm stressing that we won't be able to. Its really taking the fun out of the anticipation of the trip for me.
I can totally see why first timer, or others in general don't plan. I know there are people who love doing it and thrive on it, I am so not one of those people.

Unfortunately that's just to way it is, we can choose to adapt or go elsewhere (I do a mix of both).

While uber-planners benefit from current WDW setups, it's not their fault. All of this is Disney trying one way or another (not necessarily "trying their best") to accommodate and coordinate record crowds.

Thankfully, we are flexible, we don't have to eat anyone in particular (there are always tables at Tokyo Dining and Marrakesh) and we will find time for all rides, even if at EMH, RD or closing. If you want to make a kid confident he's squeezing in as much as possible...get in a hour-long line 5 minutes before closing. As noted before, 60-120 minute lines are common at all theme parks.

All I can say is if you like it a little less rigid, that's where Disneyland is better. FP+ is non-existent, you can walk back and forth between both parks, and except for a few holiday periods, ADR's are easy to get (plus the two parks have as many rides as all four WDW parks). I think the competitive planners get appointed there are no trophy conquests ("you got Blue Bayou ADR's?...oh...so did everyone else"). But the crowds are there too.

 

[JimmyV]

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

Give me Mickey Bars, or give me death!

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I find Disney very relaxing simply because I've worked so hard at planning in advance!
And especially now with fp+, and only one pre park opening ADR, DH and I even get to sleep in!
For me the planning is so worth it!

Yes I agree. I also enjoy the planning a lot...I get a little bummed (tiny bit) when everything is all pretty much set. Then again there is always tweaking to do etc.

Then the trip arrives and everything is in motion and it is so easy and relaxing! They key is planning for the people you are with and not just for yourself. I would probably just keep going going going but I build in plenty of downtime and pooltime and everyone has a lot of fun and they really like asking "what's the plan today? What's next?" and getting excited for it.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

The last visit, we did BBB, met princesses, ate in castles, did MK

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!

all you need is a smart phone and the app. I made my Skippers Canteen reservation while riding on the bus that morning to MK.

 

[Magpie]

The last visit, we did BBB, met princesses, ate in castles, did MK

all you need is a smart phone and the app. I made my Skippers Canteen reservation while riding on the bus that morning to MK.

And if you don't have a smart phone, you can just stop in at Guest Services on your way into the park. One of the cast members will be happy to make a same day ADR for you. And you never know, you might get lucky and land a recently cancelled ressie for something! (If not, there's almost always room at Skippers Canteen and The Liberty Tree Tavern.)

 

[tlmadden73]

Again I'm just wondering how this happens. There are so many resources out there. I feel that you have to plan to make the most of your trip.

1) A lot of people just don't LIKE to plan ..

2) A lot of people think they are the only people in the world (look at how many people are shocked when popular restaurants have a long wait time .. at dinner time .. on a Friday night).

3) They may be from a town/city where they don't need to plan. In my town, I can pretty much go to any restaurant, any time I want without having any sort of wait time. It is just not that populated.

4) A lot of people are just used to going to their local Six Flags or whatever and not worrying about planning .. they decide to go that day .. they drive there, show up and go on rides and eat at restaurants. So they think that should work here.


Really . .it is the same people that show up to the airport and don't have their shoes off when they step up to the line, don't have their toiletries in a clear bag and are shocked when they can't bring their pocket knife on board.

 

[tlmadden73]

Having to plan your meals 180 days out and having to plan which parks and which rides to go on and the order to do them 60 days out is quite a task and distracts considerably from the vacation experience. I greatly prefer the original fastpass system of getting them each morning and then throughout the day. It worked if you understood them and we could wing it each day.

I hate having to have to think that far in advance, but at the same time (and the reason people like making those advanced reservations) is that it gives comfort that you won't have to deal with long wait times once you are there. Personally I would like to plan in advance and KNOW I won't have to wait once I am there rather than the opposite. But I also think that the advanced reservation system (and knowing things get sold out within seconds) creates an artificial demand and "panic" to grab those high-demand items.

I wonder if they could just have everything be same-day reservations since everything is done via the app.
Wake up in the morning .. make your fast passes and ADRs at 7:00 AM along with everyone else that is going to a park that day. You can pick your park that morning and decide what meals you want based on your FP times right then and there .. quick and easy.

The problem is . .there would be just as mainly people complaining that they have to plan their day at the last minute, or don't want to do that EVERY morning of their vacation.

There is no pleasing everyone.

 

[CS Torkelson]

Personally, until I got into it, I had no idea how much preparation and planning I would need to do after scheduling our first family trip to WDW. I'm sure people who do no investigation and planning ahead have a terrific time at WDW also, but they surely have no idea how much more they could have enjoyed their trip, had they done some research and planned more carefully.

 

[FirstTimeDisneyVisit]

People probably have no idea they have to plan. Our first trip we had no idea bout ADR'S and fast pass ! we went to each restaurant and they would say the same thing over and over again. You need an rsvp. Now for fast pass i thought we had to pay for it ! so we waited till our last day there at MK and i was ready to splurge on FP ( here in Nj we pay for Fp at great adventure ) when the Cm looked at me and said its free i thought they where crazy . I had to visit another Cm and again was told it was free and they even showed us how to get a paper fast pass ! my GOD ! we waited in every line that week with no FP . we made the best out of it and have a story to tell every time we advise others to plan. We over plan every trip now and love every minute of it

 

[MrInfinity]

Funny. I look at it exactly the opposite. One could say "many do and many don't". Or..."some do and some don't". Or..."many do and some don't." Or..."some do and many don't." I don't get a qualitative comparison out of any of those. At least, none was intended.

Then I guess it isn't really "all" then, is it? You have concluded that these people are a drop in the bucket. Classic.

I don't know where you come up with this. I don't pretend to know the numbers or percentages. But I am certain that it isn't "none" or "all" in either direction.

Are you just trying to create an argument? I didn't say none or all. You did. You don't have to pretend to know the numbers-- I know you don't know them. But we are human and all have our opinions. If you think the majority of guests are going to WDW and returning disgruntled or whatever, hey that's your belief I respect your right to it!

I'll stand by my point that almost all guests go there and have a great time -- that's why they go. Crowds keep increasing, prices keep going up. You've gone many times... although you have your complaints, hopefully it is an overall magical experience to you else you wouldn't have spent thousands of dollars going again and again. Do a few end up with a problem trip? Of course. But by far the general experience is one of fun family vacation, not of disappointment. Smile and ask 100 random people in Disney World "are you having a good time today?" And I'd guess the yes answers will vary between 90 and 100.

 

[21stamps]

People probably have no idea they have to plan. Our first trip we had no idea bout ADR'S and fast pass ! we went to each restaurant and they would say the same thing over and over again. You need an rsvp. Now for fast pass i thought we had to pay for it ! so we waited till our last day there at MK and i was ready to splurge on FP ( here in Nj we pay for Fp at great adventure ) when the Cm looked at me and said its free i thought they where crazy . I had to visit another Cm and again was told it was free and they even showed us how to get a paper fast pass ! my GOD ! we waited in every line that week with no FP . we made the best out of it and have a story to tell every time we advise others to plan. We over plan every trip now and love every minute of it

This is what is confusing to me. And what I didn't believe until your statement.

How did you not know?

Disney emails you, they send you magic bands, they show you on MDE, and they send you booklets.

I'm so curious to know how it's possible.

 

[CS Torkelson]

I hate having to have to think that far in advance, but at the same time (and the reason people like making those advanced reservations) is that it gives comfort that you won't have to deal with long wait times once you are there. Personally I would like to plan in advance and KNOW I won't have to wait once I am there rather than the opposite. But I also think that the advanced reservation system (and knowing things get sold out within seconds) creates an artificial demand and "panic" to grab those high-demand items.

I wonder if they could just have everything be same-day reservations since everything is done via the app.
Wake up in the morning .. make your fast passes and ADRs at 7:00 AM along with everyone else that is going to a park that day. You can pick your park that morning and decide what meals you want based on your FP times right then and there .. quick and easy.

The problem is . .there would be just as mainly people complaining that they have to plan their day at the last minute, or don't want to do that EVERY morning of their vacation.

There is no pleasing everyone.

I found FP planning challenging as well. We didn't make it to some of ours because we didn't know enough about traveling through the parks. We'll do better next time!

 

[tlmadden73]

I found FP planning challenging as well. We didn't make it to some of ours because we didn't know enough about traveling through the parks. We'll do better next time!

True .. that is the other "untold story" of doing this FP+ planning.

As a veteran to the parks (and just having a good memory and sense of time and distance) I was able to make my FP's (FP+) with no problem on my last two trips. I just knew (without having to consult boards like this or pay for "touring plans") that getting all my Fast Passes in close proximity (time and distance) would be a good thing for my day. (And it was). But that is ONLY because I had been to WDW many times before.

I feel bad for the people who make FPs without looking at the map (or knowing the true distance between things) and having their Fast Passes scattered in all corners of the park one after the other. Whew!

But I still find it loads better than the old paper FP system where the "veterans" knew they had to rush to TSMM at Rope Drop to get their paper ticket .. while people (like myself in the past) .. wandered by Toy Story Mid-day (not realizing you needed to do this mad-dash), wanting to check out this new ride and ending up NEVER going on it because the paper tickets were gone and standby was 90 minutes plus. Only because of FP+ was I finally able to go on this ride years later. My family was able to sleep in and calmly get to the park at 9:15 and just went directly to a ride we wanted to go on right then (instead of wasting time running to a ride you didn't intend on going on until later).

The difference now? The Mad Dash can be done wherever you happen to be at 7:00 AM 60 days in advance.
But you STILL need to KNOW about the possibility of a favorite attraction having FPs sell out quickly.

 

[CS Torkelson]

True .. that is the other "untold story" of doing this FP+ planning.

As a veteran to the parks (and just having a good memory and sense of time and distance) I was able to make my FP's (FP+) with no problem on my last two trips. I just knew (without having to consult boards like this or pay for "touring plans") that getting all my Fast Passes in close proximity (time and distance) would be a good thing for my day. (And it was). But that is ONLY because I had been to WDW many times before.

I feel bad for the people who make FPs without looking at the map (or knowing the true distance between things) and having their Fast Passes scattered in all corners of the park one after the other. Whew!

But I still find it loads better than the old paper FP system where the "veterans" knew they had to rush to TSMM at Rope Drop to get their paper ticket .. while people (like myself in the past) .. wandered by Toy Story Mid-day (not realizing you needed to do this mad-dash), wanting to check out this new ride and ending up NEVER going on it because the paper tickets were gone and standby was 90 minutes plus. Only because of FP+ was I finally able to go on this ride years later. My family was able to sleep in and calmly get to the park at 9:15 and just went directly to a ride we wanted to go on right then (instead of wasting time running to a ride you didn't intend on going on until later).

The difference now? The Mad Dash can be done wherever you happen to be at 7:00 AM 60 days in advance.
But you STILL need to KNOW about the possibility of a favorite attraction having FPs sell out quickly.

So much to learn! Thanks for the tips.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

People probably have no idea they have to plan. Our first trip we had no idea bout ADR'S and fast pass ! we went to each restaurant and they would say the same thing over and over again. You need an rsvp. Now for fast pass i thought we had to pay for it ! so we waited till our last day there at MK and i was ready to splurge on FP ( here in Nj we pay for Fp at great adventure ) when the Cm looked at me and said its free i thought they where crazy . I had to visit another Cm and again was told it was free and they even showed us how to get a paper fast pass ! my GOD ! we waited in every line that week with no FP . we made the best out of it and have a story to tell every time we advise others to plan. We over plan every trip now and love every minute of it

I remember the glares from people in the standby line as we were walking past them in the FP line in 2001. I kept wondering why they seemed so sour. Then I heard a man tell his kids, "they paid extra for that." I smiled at him and told him it was free for anyone with a ticket. I could have knocked him over with a feather.