Do you know someone who didn't enjoy their disney trip??

[kasey1988]

A girl I work with just returned from 2 full weeks at disney, staying at AKL ( I was beyond jealous!) . Anyways she asked me lots of questions before going about dining, resort, parks etc and seemed excited for her trip. Now that she is back she says it was just okay, and "I guess it is something everyone should see once" with a very not impressed tone. I guess I can just wonder how people can't enjoy disney and not want to go back! I guess the only reasons I can think that hinders her enjoyment was that she was there during presidents week, so the wait times were insane. They also didn't start the day in the parks until lunch time and was back at the resort by 3-4pm, meaning they seen next to nothing. Anyone else ever know someone who didn't enjoy disney??

 

[Figgy1]

A few people. I offered to help them plan their trips but they declined. Same story slept in missed more than half of everything no adrs so cs or lousy last minute choices. One family did the dining plan with no adrs and complained they couldn't find any place to eat! LOl I offered to help. A little planning goes a long way!

 

[JIMINYCR]

Excessive wait times and crowded conditions surely can put a damper on a first timers trip. I've had relatives and friends go during crazy times and listen to their frustrations upon returning. I always encourage them to return during a more manageable time of year. Although thats getting harder to find.

 

[epcotisbest]

Had some friends who actually came back and said "There just wasn't anything to do." Not worth arguing with logic that flawed.

 

[Allygator]

Yes my husband! But I have to admit this past march it was our (he didn't go) first time staying on property and the dining plan. I have gone many times before (he only went once) and it was always about the rides from opening to close and he didn't enjoy it. So this trip in September we will be at the wilderness lodge with deluxe dining and I am praying that he really enjoys it.

 

[zurgandfriend]

My in-laws; their idea of a great vacation is to sit at the beach and bake in the sand. To each there own.

 

[plaz10]

Yep. But all of the people who "didn't enjoy themselves" did not do their research and did not listen to my instructions.

They went to the parks later in the day - they couldn't get any walk up dining - it was too hot - too many people.

They didn't utilize FP, didn't get to parks early (or stay late), didn't make any ADRs, etc...

The uninformed will not see how great things are

 

[ImagineerDude]

I don't know how but we have survived without ADRs on our past 8 trips. I know people that just go to be with their families and anyone I take have the general complaints, too hot too crowded etc. But I honestly don't know anyone that utterly HATED it.

 

[luv]

Everyone used to rave about their Disney vacations. Last few years, I hear more of what the OP described. "Well, we went to Disney World" kind of thing. Lots of complaints about long lines and heat, not a ton of enthusiasm for the parks or Disney at all. Like they got it checked off their list and are glad to be done with it. And I see the faces of those planning a trip while they listen to the non-flattering review.

Ticks me off...and not at the people coming home, but at Disney who should not have let things slide this far.

 

[93boomer]

Yes, a couple we know went years ago with their two teenage sons. They hated it Said their boys liked Sea World better?? They never went again no matter how much we tried to persuade them to give it another chance. So glad we are not like that!

 

[WDW 3]

Yes! Bought a one week package that included tickets to WDW, SW & US, rental car and condo.
Didn't have time to wait for anything fun because the had to rush off to something else with all those tickets and parks to fit in to 7 days. Spent so much time driving from the condo, parks and grocery stores and probably thought they were saving money eating at the condo. Probably not 7 full days because of travel
Some travel professionals (present company excluded) should stay out of the Disney vacation planning!

 

[Figgy1]

Yes! Bought a one week package that included tickets to WDW, SW & US, rental car and condo.
Didn't have time to wait for anything fun because the had to rush off to something else with all those tickets and parks to fit in to 7 days. Spent so much time driving from the condo, parks and grocery stores and probably thought they were saving money eating at the condo. Probably not 7 full days because of travel
Some travel professionals (present company excluded) should stay out of the Disney vacation planning!

I got dizzy just reading that post! I've done the rent a house thing and it can be fun but you must organize and know your way around the area! You must also have more than a week to make it worth while not including travel time!

 

[bethymouse]

My sister in law hated it! But, she was 8 months pregnant at the time! They stayed @ GF for goodness sake!

 

[DfromATX]

This topic has come up before and I'll say it again, some people are just grouches!

But, Disney is not for everyone... I know, I know... hard to believe, but it's true.

 

[SAV]

Yep, Our neighbors took their 6 yo son down and came back and said they had a terrible time. So I asked them if they did this or that(I spent a couple of hours talking them thru everything to maximize their time) and the answer was "No". They didn't do anything that we said and even sold a day that was left on their passes to some time share deal for $20 for the 3 passes with a day left on them. Even though we told them there would be a lot of walking and the parks were huge so expect it, they complained about the walking.

At one point, the mom told the dad and son to go get in "that line" not having a clue what that line was even for. That's how clueless they were.

 

[GenerationX]

A co-worker took his wife and three kids. First day, they go to AK. Fine. First ride, they go to Dinosaur. Fine. Rather than going separately or doing the baby swap, they decide to let their 3 year old daughter who is barely tall enough to ride and is afraid of the dark ride with them. Not so fine. Daughter was traumatized and would not ride anything indoors the rest of the trip.

 

[Sloan]

I figured that like most are saying here, anyone who did not enjoy it just did not do it 'right' - they had a bad plan or no plan, went at the wrong time of year, etc., but I proved myself wrong. I took a girl I was dating for what I thought would be a fantastic trip - during the Food & Wine Festival, dinners at Cali. Grill, Jiko, the Festival Signature Dinner at Citricos (the one for 10 people in the Chef's Domain with the winemaker there with us - incredible food, etc.). I made sure to let her help control the pace of our days, took time out to enjoy the ambiance where appropriate, let her select attractions, etc.. She's from France, and had never been to any Disney park before, so I was convinced this would be an excellent introduction. We even did the French Regional Lunch at the former Bistro de Paris where she got to speak French with other natives for hours, we drank a wide variety of great French wine, and she admitted that even the bread seemed very authentic.

At the conclusion of the trip, having had a great time myself, I was sure that I would have a Disney convert, but no! She made it clear that she would not want to return, and that I should not book future Disney trips, since she thought it was a waste of time and money. Naturally, that was a relationship that could not last (I even went to France with her for a couple weeks and had a great trip, thinking that after I did 'her' trip she would reconsider and let me take her back to Disney, but her attitude about it did not change.)

 

[Bob Saget]

So just to be clear: As fans we get upset if friends, co-workers, etc insult or mock us over our Disney obsession, and question why we like to go so often.
Yet we mock others, call them "grouches", or claim they "just don't do it right" if they don't enjoy Disney as much as we do.

 

[Bob Saget]

Said their boys liked Sea World better??

What?? How dare they! Those delinquents should've been put up for adoption right then & there.

 

[docnabox]

I have known many people that visited WDW and absolutely hated it and for varied reasons. Heck, my mother absolutely despised every moment we spent there and probably regretted the first trip we ever took when it first opened because I was hooked from them on. She despised the commercialism and even way back then felt like it was a rip-off. My Dad was not much better and I can remember him taking a survey at the TTC during park closing many years ago. He was asked, "what was your favorite ride today?" His response was that he had not been on it yet. Since it was after midnight (yes, that was back in the days when it was a regular thing for the MK to be open to 1 AM nightly during the summer,) the CM look perplexed and asked him what he meant. He told her that his favorite ride at WDW was the tram ride back to the car because he knew that meant he would not have to come back for another year.

But I have had friends, family and patients that absolutely are miserable. Some just can't handle the cost of things and don't like the feeling of a white gloved hand reaching into their back pockets to grab handfulls of cash. Other hate the crowds and standing in line and don't consider any experience there worth any type of wait. Most now seem to hate the hectic pace and imperative needs for advance planning. I always tell people that a successful trip to WDW requires advance planning on par with that with which the Allies planned the invasion of Normandy and for some that just stinks. Some people do like to just relax and not have their days planned out from sunrise to the wee hours of the morning having to worry about parades and ADR's, FP, EMH and the like. Given that this is only to get worse with the new MM+ and FP+, I have given up on those folks and actually am starting to see where they are coming from to a degree.