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Post by Adelard of Bath on Jan 31, 2024 16:08:28 GMT -5
I just noticed the Taco Bell Logo under your name No relation other than I love it! |
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Post by dlwdwdvc on Jan 31, 2024 16:23:24 GMT -5
That’s good enough for me ! Cause I agree !
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Post by MinnieMom on Jan 31, 2024 16:43:45 GMT -5
On most days, Disney can be fun with just about no planning. OTOH, Disney is almost more fun for me if I do some planning to maximize time there.
Booking a basic trip on the Disney website is fairly easy. It's also likely the most expensive way to do Disney, but there's that old trade off between time and money again.
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Post by baymaxfan on Jan 31, 2024 18:41:35 GMT -5
For almost any non-Disney park, you buy tickets, show up, and go on rides. We were there in December and this is how we did it. We were standing in front of Pecos Bill's watching the noon parade go by (picked our spots five minutes before it started) and we said "Hey you know what sounds good for lunch, Liberty Tree" so I got on my phone and did a reservation for right after the parade was done. The entire trip, everywhere you look it says "get the Disney app!" I was in the park and the screen on my phone pretty much said, "Want to ride Tron? Try getting a VQ at 1pm" so at like 1:05 I shrugged my shoulders, thought I might as well, and it worked. I'm not saying it always goes like this, but we didn't plan anything, and I don't feel like I got screwed out of anything. If I went and I was dead-set on eating at a certain place on a certain day right after leaving a certain park and doing certain things, well that would be a different story. Maybe we'll agree to disagree. I still feel that if you are going for the first time or only go once in a blue moon, there is a tendency to want to hit as much as possible. In order to do that, lots of planning is necessary. The fact that you even know Liberty Tree exists and what type of food they serve is because of your experience. A newbie would need to search for the various restaurants, look at menus, caucus with their travel party, realize they can make a reservation, and then do so. Many people either don't want to plan or are too disorganized to plan. Believe me, I'm glad not everyone plans or things would be even more difficult at WDW. I was always shocked at how many people didn't know what or how to use paper fastpasses even years after the system had been around. After many WDW trips, I don't have eat a certain places and don't need to go on every ride. Even if I can't get on my favorite ride, it's no big deal. I know I'll be back again and again and again. That is not true for everyone. |
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Post by fuzzylogic on Jan 31, 2024 20:24:40 GMT -5
I still feel that if you are going for the first time or only go once in a blue moon, there is a tendency to want to hit as much as possible. In order to do that, lots of planning is necessary. Ok, what I think you're describing here is "what a Disney pro says a Disney noob needs in a Disney trip". You know all these things... but nobody who's going early in their life is thinking about this like you are here. I think a few stories will go a long way. When we started going to WDW again it was circa 2010. We were young adults with young kids... and had moved back to the east after years in the west where we'd spent our days at Disneyland. In that trip to WDW after years of not having been there, what do I recall? I'll tell you. It's not how many rides I got on. It's not that I skipped a line with FastPass, or how I had to plan plan plan. When we went early in the 2010's I remember... ...sitting on the beach at the Poly, watching this thing come thru the lagoon with music, lights, and I was thinking on how this sounded remotely familiar. Now I hadn't been to WDW since the 90's, and as a kid in the 70s and 80s... but I was watching this parade and it ate into me. Fast forward a few weeks, after I'd poured thru my photos from long ago, I'd found it -- me, early 80s, on the beach at the Poly, with the water pageant in the background. Eureka! That was it!! I was there. I looked thru those photos... of me in the Sky Tram that went from Tomorrowland to what is now the Rapunzel tower... and thought back. Wow. That tune stuck w me all those years to where it bugged me so much that I couldn't place it in 2010 and I had to dig thru my Kodaks till I found the connection. ...we went to the Tiki Room. And Oh My... the memories that came back. Keep in mind we'd spent the 90's going to DL where they had Zazu and Iago running "Under New Management" so when I got back to WDW and heard the oriignal track that I grew up with, I was, well, quoting their lines along with them in my head right from the [tap][tap][tap] wake up Jose. It's things like this that make Disney successful, magical and memorable. Nowhere in there are connections about how I got on Space Mountain with this or that Fast Pass. That's not what Disney is. That IS what Universal and Six Flags are (I'd been to SF Magic Mtn so many times, which is, BTW a mecca of roller coasters). You go to those parks and come home not having ridden Hulk, Millennium Force, Superman, or Goliath that's a shameful return. Cuz as a TEEN, that's why you go to these parks. To brave the best of the best rides. But Disney is not about just the thrill. Disney captures that family memory that you will have forever. It involves family, vacation, and love. SO many people talk to me about Disney. Probably same for you too! When they do, do you tell them about how you have to do this or that Genie + thing and [blah][blah][blah] they tune you out... Or do you tell them why you go again and again? What you fell in love with as a kid, or even an adult kid. WHY DO YOU GO? Surely it's not cuz you can ride Space Mountain with a Fast Pass or you can manipulate Genie+ to get on 12 rides.. Maybe bring up what makes Disney special to you. I've shared a few things that make it special to me. I'll add that my kids absolutely love going, and I adore that I can turn them loose to go play in a world of parks with a self-contained transportation system, and they all know how to safely get around and find their happy place too. When you talk Disney -- is it really a "planning stress"? Mine never was. I plan because I like to. Not because I have to. I just love it there. Serously. There is no required planning. Put me there tomorrow -- with nothing -- and I'd have a wonderful time. Everyone should plan as much as they like, and hopefully find that connection to Disney that my family and I did, which never involved planning, at all.  PS pro tip... That connection will not come from "having to master Genie+" or paying someone to give you a CLASS on it like this article says you need. LOLOL. |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Jan 31, 2024 21:22:34 GMT -5
After many WDW trips, I don't have eat a certain places and don't need to go on every ride. Even if I can't get on my favorite ride, it's no big deal. I know I'll be back again and again and again. That is not true for everyone. This is absolutely true. I guess when wife and I started going as adults, we would plan all the restaurants and stuff. Now it's no big deal. |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Jan 31, 2024 21:27:20 GMT -5
...sitting on the beach at the Poly, watching this thing come thru the lagoon with music, lights, and I was thinking on how this sounded remotely familiar. Now I hadn't been to WDW since the 90's, and as a kid in the 70s and 80s... but I was watching this parade and it ate into me. Fast forward a few weeks, after I'd poured thru my photos from the 80s, I'd found it -- me, circa 1984, on the beach at the Poly, with the water pageant in the background. Eureka! That was it!! I was there. I looked thru those photos... of me in the Sky Tram that went from Tomorrowland to what is now the Rapunzel tower... and thought back. Wow. That tune stuck w me all those years to where it bugged me so much that I couldn't place it in 2010 and I had to dig thru my Kodaks till I found the connection. This is fantastic, this is how I roll. I still tell wife about how the skyway used to come down where Rapunzel is now, and the bedroom scene in Peter Pan queue used to be the bathrooms for the area. She acts interested and says, Really? I don't quite remember exactly where they came down in Tomorrowland. I don't want to cheat and look it up. |
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Post by tomandrobin on Feb 1, 2024 9:09:21 GMT -5
Funny timing of this post....
As most of you know, my wife owns a travel agency that specializes in Disney travel. From a travel agent perspective, its a nightmare trying to explain to WDW newbies all the things you need to do and learn for their Disney vacation. Just last night, I went with her to a new clients home to go over there May WDW vacation. (Yes, my wife makes house calls with clients. That's why she is the best!) This vacation is for a family of 4, plus the grandparents. She (and I) spent two hours going over the app, genie, lightning lanes, virtual queues, park hopping, dining planning, etc. The look of confusion on her clients faces said it all. But at the end of her visit, they mostly seemed to get a grasp of everything.
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Post by johnb on Feb 1, 2024 11:15:40 GMT -5
"the app, genie, lightning lanes, virtual queues, park hopping, dining planning, etc."
That is a lot for a first time visitor. It almost requires a calendar, a checklist, video tutorials and a spreadsheet. For a vacation.
I use the Notes app on my phone to keep track of what needs to be done--reservations (airfare, airport parking resort, dining, parks) and I'm on autopilot for VQ and LL once we're in WDW.
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Post by brp on Feb 1, 2024 19:33:27 GMT -5
Fut at the end of her visit, they mostly seemed to get a grasp of everything. So, a couple of hours versus "two to three days. Albeit this was with a expert in this area, but the same information is available on the internet, although it would take longer to digest without the help of someone as knowledgeable as Robin. Still not multiple days.
Cheers.
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Post by brp on Feb 1, 2024 19:35:23 GMT -5
Changes in the last few years completely alleviated the need to plan. No more Dining at 180, FP+ at 60 or 30, etc. You just pick your hotel, buy your tickets and go. Booking on the Disney site is super easy. An ADR is easier than using OpenTable to book around home. I've got like 8 trips thought of for the upcoming year and I've got literally nothing planned. There just isn't anything to plan any more. I booked my hotels and some flights, which you'd do anywhere. That's it! A couple months out from each trip I'll reserve some restaurants, and I can't think of anything else there is to do. Booking a non-Disney trip on Expedia, Booking, or any of those is way more difficult and -- harder to change. It's interesting how Disney cut all the planning out and made it so easy, but ppl are still able to monetize the need to plan. Good for them! Basically this. Really the level of understanding of all the options has increased. The actual amount of real planning involved has decreased substantially.
Cheers.
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Post by bakerworld on Feb 2, 2024 9:54:33 GMT -5
IMO, it was more stressful planning a trip to the Outer Banks than Disney. But that might also be 7 hours in a car with 3 kids without stopping. Of course, taking a 4y into a public bathroom isn't a 'walk in the park' either. Needless to say my kids learned bladder control from an early age.
I would sit at work playing around with the Disney software planning different trips for G&G's. Sometimes I just needed to pretend I was going to Disney. Pre-PC I gather advise from co-workers and I read that Bergbaum Book from cover to cover several years, sometimes in a row.
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Post by baymaxfan on Feb 3, 2024 12:38:30 GMT -5
IMO, it was more stressful planning a trip to the Outer Banks than Disney. But that might also be 7 hours in a car with 3 kids without stopping. Of course, taking a 4y into a public bathroom isn't a 'walk in the park' either. Needless to say my kids learned bladder control from an early age. I would sit at work playing around with the Disney software planning different trips for G&G's. Sometimes I just needed to pretend I was going to Disney. Pre-PC I gather advise from co-workers and I read that Bergbaum Book from cover to cover several years, sometimes in a row. I guess I would ask you if you had never been to WDW, do you still think planning WDW would be easier than the Outer Banks? Maybe you will still say ‘yes.’ Isn’t a trip to the Outer Banks something like 1)make a hotel reservation, 2)drive with stops at Starbucks or any fast food for bathroom breaks and a snack, 3) enjoy? Maybe there is a restaurant reservation or two. I’ve never been to the Outer Banks, but I feel like I could hop on a plane today, rent a car, and make that trip happen right now. Perhaps I’m oversimplifying this and overcomplicating WDW? |
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Post by DrMinnie on Feb 3, 2024 13:02:50 GMT -5
IMO, it was more stressful planning a trip to the Outer Banks than Disney. But that might also be 7 hours in a car with 3 kids without stopping. Of course, taking a 4y into a public bathroom isn't a 'walk in the park' either. Needless to say my kids learned bladder control from an early age. I would sit at work playing around with the Disney software planning different trips for G&G's. Sometimes I just needed to pretend I was going to Disney. Pre-PC I gather advise from co-workers and I read that Bergbaum Book from cover to cover several years, sometimes in a row. I guess I would ask you if you had never been to WDW, do you still think planning WDW would be easier than the Outer Banks? Maybe you will still say ‘yes.’ Isn’t a trip to the Outer Banks something like 1)make a hotel reservation, 2)drive with stops at Starbucks or any fast food for bathroom breaks and a snack, 3) enjoy? Maybe there is a restaurant reservation or two. I’ve never been to the Outer Banks, but I feel like I could hop on a plane today, rent a car, and make that trip happen right now. Perhaps I’m oversimplifying this and overcomplicating WDW? I think for many , a trip to OBX is getting a rental home from Saturday-Saturday. Some rental homes have linen service, which costs extra. Otherwise you bring your own linens and towels. There isn’t pool/beach towels either, so bring those. Then many people cook, and rental kitchens are not amazing. You’re on an island and so if you want it, bring it. The nearest Walmart could be 1-2 hours away and it’s a 2 lane road most of the way. Restaurants may need reservations, but many of them don’t take reservations. So if you’re late, you’re waiting a hour with cranky kids. They also roll up the streets at 9pm, so you need to take care of evening entertainment yourself. We always go with family, which causes other issues. If you don’t like hanging at a pool or doing beach things, there isn’t much to do. Vacations are all complicated. You can plan as much or as little as you like. |
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Post by bakerworld on Feb 3, 2024 14:37:38 GMT -5
IMO, it was more stressful planning a trip to the Outer Banks than Disney. But that might also be 7 hours in a car with 3 kids without stopping. Of course, taking a 4y into a public bathroom isn't a 'walk in the park' either. Needless to say my kids learned bladder control from an early age. I would sit at work playing around with the Disney software planning different trips for G&G's. Sometimes I just needed to pretend I was going to Disney. Pre-PC I gather advise from co-workers and I read that Bergbaum Book from cover to cover several years, sometimes in a row. I guess I would ask you if you had never been to WDW, do you still think planning WDW would be easier than the Outer Banks? Maybe you will still say ‘yes.’ Isn’t a trip to the Outer Banks something like 1)make a hotel reservation, 2)drive with stops at Starbucks or any fast food for bathroom breaks and a snack, 3) enjoy? Maybe there is a restaurant reservation or two. I’ve never been to the Outer Banks, but I feel like I could hop on a plane today, rent a car, and make that trip happen right now. Perhaps I’m oversimplifying this and overcomplicating WDW? The part I liked about Disney is I could do so much from home that upon arrival (post cards in hand = pre cell phones) we were 'good to go' - just had to hit all the items on the list. Since we've never been commando the lists were fairly short, although DH and the kids never felt that way. Hand on my heart, we were out of the parks by 2p. The Outer Banks, "I'm bored. I don't want to go to the beach. Can we do something else?" "No. Go play with your cousins and bake in the sun." Now Disney for DH and I 1) make hotel/DVC/park reservations, 2) drive to airport, & 3) enjoy. I try and remember to do the VQ's but if not we're still fine. Oh, Look, a bar/lounge.... |
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