Why Don't People Research?

[T-i-double-g-err]

Have to admit...I am up to date on all the other activities you mentioned, but waking Tink????? Please enlighten me!

I didn't know about this one either until I saw the thread below:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=969952

Give it a read.

 

[LIFERBABE]

While I am an avid planner and researcher, I think it is best to leave those who arent in the dark.

You can still have a great WDW vacation without it and most non planners are not even aware that they missed so much. Why add to the hysteria of eating in the castle and waking Tink, when it is definitely not doable for the average person that knew nothing the day before.

Sometimes this board adds to the mania that is WDW and innocence is lost along with all the best secrets.

I enjoy being a part of this community, but we Disers are definitely not average and the way we can be most helpful to others is to give them this website addy and not fill their head with visions of sugar plums (CRT, Sci-Fi etc) that are not gonna happen this trip.

 

[Marimar]

I didn't know about this one either until I saw the thread below:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=969952

Give it a read.

Thanks!

You too philaround!

 

[Tina]

This thread reminded me of the woman and her granddaughter that were on the DME bus with us on our way back to the airport after a week in the World. We were chatting with the driver about what a great day we had the previous day at Typhoon Lagoon and how great the weather had been. The woman chimed in and asked "How did you get there?" We told her we took the bus. "What bus?" she asked. I found it very hard to keep a straight face when I told her that the Disney Tranportation system will bus you to all of the parks in WDW. She looked me in astonishment and said she didn't know they had buses. They spent the extra money to stay at the Contemporary so they wouldn't have to rent a car.

I also have a co-worker who is about to embark on a nightmare trip to WDW. I had helped him plan the perfect week to go for this first trip with his daughter. He had booked a 4 night stay for 12/17-12/21 and explained all of the ins and outs of ADRs, etc. A couple of weeks later, I noticed on the office calendar that he had the week between Christmas and New Years marked off. He decided to change his dates. He has made no arrangements other than his hotel booking (POFQ). He has no ADRs and no idea what he's doing. I wish him luck and can't WAIT to hear about his grand adventure!

 

[Lulu's Mom]

I am been to Disney many times without planning a single thing. I only became interested in planning once we had been there done that with the rides and wanted to do more, things like dinning, enjoying resorts and the little things that are overloooked.

The times that we have gone without planning were still fantastic. We always ate a CS since we did not want to eat TS. Crowds were not a big deal becuase we just fiqured that there would be crowds. We actually had a really great unplanned trip over Presidents Day weekend in 2004 and this was with our 5 month old.

So I would have to say that people can have fantastic trips without all the planning, especially if people are going to enjoy the rides in particular.

 

[JodyTG]

At my former job, I was known as the Disney World guru. Whenever someone was planning a trip, they'd always ask for tips. A few of them took my hints and advice and had a great trip. One of them did not and had a lousy time.

You have to at least know a little bit with a place that large.

 

[nbodyhome]

I don't expect people to plan down to the smallest detail - for me, that takes a lot of the fun out. But I do research the hotel I will stay in, some of the activities I'll be doing, the transportation and hours of places I want to see. I think that is the minimal that anyone should do, unless they have no problem arriving somewhere with absolutely no plans, and being okay just completely winging it. I could certainly go to Disney for a week - including Disneyland, as I live in Orlando - without any plans. But I know the place well, there is nowhere that I have to eat, and no attractions I have to see (well, I'd like to go back to DL during the Haunted Mansion Holiday!) For the latter, that would mean me checking what the HMH dates are. That, to me, is something to do to make sure I see what I want during a vacation.

I just am surprised to see people spend so much on the dining plan, and have absolutely no plans in place - not only no plans, but no thoughts on where they might be eating, etc. Or not knowing they are in a garden wing, instead of a tower of the Contemporary. I do think Disney does pretty well on the dining plan - because not all guests even use all of their credits.

Denise

 

[HoneyMooner]

This will be my first trip to Disney and I had NO clue about ANYTHING before I got here... but that is why I found this board among others. Our vacation is nicely planned out to do everything we wanted to do. I wouldn't imagine going somewhere the very first time and not planning. Thanks to you experts, I'm well on my way.

 

[mamacatnv]

I must say that when we went in 99/00 having never been, we were clueless. The trip was my MIL's idea, she booked the hotels back in like 1993 or 94, she paid for the hotels for all of us so no thought was ever given by us as to where we were going. She booked a couple of dinners and one character breakfast for our group. We saved our money, packed our bags, rented a car and jumped on a plane for Florida. We were DL veterans so it didn't occur to us to think about planning.(DL is much easier to navigate given it's smaller stature) We showed up totally innocent, unaware and naive. We had a really good time but could have done so much more. ie on New Years Eve our son was having anxiety attacks(didn't recognize them at the time, now we know) the Y2K thing was huge, WDW put flashlights in our hotel rooms on the 31st (just in case) and there were "hidden" generator type lights all over the place (just in case). Needless to say, we opted to stay out of the parks on New Years Eve since everytime we tried to get on a bus to go our son puked! Had we know all of the options we would have spent the day doing other things, touring hotels, boating, camp fire at FW etc..... We spent the day swimming, which was okay, but...... We didn't know any of this stuff existed. I am pretty organized and can't really say why it didn't occur to me to be more informed, but we weren't. The ease of the internet has made trip planning so much easier.

I am sure there are lots of folks out there who are just like I was the first time around. Each to their own, some people plan some do not, some are organized some are not, that is what makes us all different. Planners have lousy vacations also and non-planners like me above can still have a great time despite total ignorance.

With this trip, my first decision was finding a hotel and it sno-balled from there. I was researching hotels, then I found this board and a few others and have been obsessed ever since. We are not planned out to the minute, we only have a few ADR's for the places we wanted, a couple of dinner packages, (we opted to not do the dining plan, but feel we made an educated decision based on our family dynamics) and we know a ton. We have a plan of attack for the parks and New Years Eve, there are some must do's and some if we have time, energy or inclination. We are excited and can hardly wait to leave.

 

[Becky2005]

So true but I still have to say my mouth must have dropped open when we went to CRT and I know a walk-up for 4 got in! So, it *IS* possible and this was in July no less. (Of course, *WE* were late to our PS - which is what it was back then! and they still got us in - we were late to *every* PS though one way or another!).

As we were waiting to check in and I hear the hostess? ask the guy with the headphone/mic - whatever "Do we have room for a walk-up for 4?" and he nodded yes - I kept wondering if this particular family knew just how much Disney Magic they happened to get that day (the family wasn't standing there so must have been calling from somewhere. I got the impression they were at the front gate with another CM though seeing if they could get in since we had a before park opening seating - from the snippets I heard on my end)

 

[WaltD4Me]

Ya know, I don't really get it either, but I have just decided some people just aren't planners.

When we went to Disney there were 10 of us...I did ALOT of planning and pretty much eveyone thought I was nuts, my sister even said "You don't have to plan for us, we like to fly by the seat of our pants."
My brother made fun of me endlessly before we went, but was thrilled once we got there and even admitted my planning made for a fantastic trip.

This same brother though went to New York city for a short 4 day sightseeing/shopping trip 2 weeks ago and planned NOTHING. I can't imagine not planning for New York City either. I actually found a thread of New York tips here on the DIS and emailed it to him and he printed it out and wound up following every tip...but if he had to find the info himself? Nope, he wouldn't have had any info.

I think some people think Disney is "just an amusement park" so what is the big deal? I think alot of people don't realize til they get there how BIG it is and how a little planning would have made for a better trip. And some people just plan ole' don't want to be bothered doing "work" to go on vacation!

 

[mrzrich]

It never fails, every time I'm there, while waiting to babyswap with my DH, I meet some mom waiting with her baby and I ask her if she's going to swap to. They NEVER know about baby swapping. Most of them look at me like I'm crazy.

I get a lot of those crazy looks....ever try to give a fast pass away? People are afraid to take them from me like I'm a lepper or something.

I'm starting to think its me!

 

[ashresiren]

I'm taking hubby to WDW for a surprise getaway in March. Only our meal reservations will be planned. Everything else will be on a whim. Let the fun begin!

 

[dyna]

Like a few others has said I'm glad not everyone knows all I know about disney. Yet it does surprise me the number of ppl who travel blind without a clue. Myself if they that clueless I'm not wasting my time on them cause they not gonna listen.

OH and way back in 98 we booked our disney visit thru AAA and the travel agent kept telling me I could find out when I got there with most any question I asked her good thing I was doing my homework or we'd have been clueless as well.

YEAH just wait till you get there then ask )

 

[magentadreamer]

I wouldn't say I've planned my trip I would say I've researched it. I have made several ADR's. I have an outline of what we will be doing. But it's not set in stone. What I love about this board and others is the amount of tip sharing that goes on. At first it actually paniced me I was like OMG OMG it's 5 months to go and I've not done this this and this. Then I chilled out and realised that with the tips and info I've found on here I was going to have an even better trip. Coming from the UK this might be the only time I get to go to WDW. I also realised that I'm not going to be able to see EVERYTHING but I do know now after researching I'll be seeing the high lights that me and my DD will love and remember for a long time and might be able to sneak back and visit in the future..........

 

[WillCAD]

I wouldn't say I've planned my trip I would say I've researched it. I have made several ADR's. I have an outline of what we will be doing. But it's not set in stone. What I love about this board and others is the amount of tip sharing that goes on. At first it actually paniced me I was like OMG OMG it's 5 months to go and I've not done this this and this. Then I chilled out and realised that with the tips and info I've found on here I was going to have an even better trip. Coming from the UK this might be the only time I get to go to WDW. I also realised that I'm not going to be able to see EVERYTHING but I do know now after researching I'll be seeing the high lights that me and my DD will love and remember for a long time and might be able to sneak back and visit in the future..........

I know a few folks from the UK who have managed to go to WDW multiple times.

With all the tips you pick up online, and all the research you do, you might just be able to afford more trips!

But even if you can't, the research will allow you to get more out of your upcoming trip without feeling rushed or paniced.

 

[DeterminedOne]

I think what happens is that some people really do plan, but they use the Disney website as their reference. And of course the Disney site doesn't tell you to make ADRs ahead of time or you may not get a table. As far as I am aware, nowhere on the site does it tell you that the restaraunts don't hold tables for walk ins. They don't tell you that WL shares a bus with GF - stuff like that. They don't tell you anything that's going to make you question a trip to Disney. So if people aren't aware of other resourses like this site or the UG they aren't getting the whole story.

 

[mjkaferle5]

If everyone were to do some good advanced planning then the advantages you gain from doing your own planning would disappear.

In other words, we need others not to plan so that our planning is worth the effort!

 

[waltdisneyworlddreamer]

Planning is essential at WDW! But, it's also half the fun for me. DH gets onto me for me being so obsessed with it. My response is always, "The place is 47 square miles! You can't go down there with a game plan or you will waste a lot of time traveling and deciding what to do". I still remember the first time I went with my parents. We had never read anything about WDW, no brochures, guide books, nothing. We just knew we were going. At that time, it was only MK and EPCOT, but we still had no clue about anything. It was funny because when we got out of the car in the parking lot we thought we were there. It took us a while to figure out that you had to get on a ferry or monorail. We got in lines for things we didn't even know what it was. I remember getting in line for Spaceship Earth. We were going, what's this? Is it a ride? I don't know but there's a lot of people in line for it I guess we'll try it. I would say that is part of the reason my parents don't like WDW now. Oh well, I'm glad the magic captured me. It was the first place I went when I got married. I couldn't wait to get back!

 

[Mary626]

I have about 50 guests coming for my wedding next april, and I keep trying to explain to my guests that WDW is completely different then Disneyland.. You Can't walk from one theme park to another.. Most of my guests dont even know there is more then one park!! I've been trying to explain all sorts of things to them.. like staying at an on-site hotel and how big and spread out WDW is... If I try to tell them about making dining reservations they look at me like I'm crazy.. Nobody is listening to me so far!!

I'm sure I'll hear about it if they have a bad time though..