Disney mom panel

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Thats the job... Better to answer easy questions theyve been asked a million times than get hard complicated ones. Sure, some people are intimidated by the Disney process and want to have answers come from "the so called experts". ( who make blunders ) Or they are too lazy to do the research themselves or they are clueless as to how to find info. Some of the questions even posed here are easily found by a search and have been asked over and over and over. Sometimes its hard to find a new and interesting query in any of the categories.
 

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
The majority of the questions posted to the panel are redundant...the answers can be found on the website. Am I crazy? Do the majority of visitors do zero research? How can the panel members not go crazy with stupid questions?
Hey I was told by many folks here that people shouldn't have to do research to go someplace. lol. ;) I don't get it either, you drop wads of money on any vacation and you don't even check hours of operation??

It's a good thing, some of the answers I think could be a little better but all and all, they do their best
 
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Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Hey I was told by many folks here that people shouldn't have to do research to go someplace. lol. ;) I don't get it either, you drop wads of money on any vacation and you don't even check hours of operation??

It's a good thing, some of the answers I think could be a little better but all and all, they do their best
Back when I grew up there was no internet and info at your fingerprints. Now it's all there in seconds.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Hey I was told by many folks here that people shouldn't have to do research to go someplace. lol. ;) I don't get it either, you drop wads of money on any vacation and you don't even check hours of operation??

It's a good thing, some of the answers I think could be a little better but all and all, they do their best
I may be one that said something like that, but it was in reference to going to a theme park. I went to Europe a few years ago and there were months and months of research about places to go, specific places to see, ways to get there, reservations, etc., however, no one should have to do that much work to go to a amusement park on steroids. It is a place to ride rides, overeat, walk until you drop and go home. It should not require anymore then minor planning. Cost has nothing to do with it, some of the simplest of things can be expensive. Disney has brainwashed everyone into thinking that a rose by any other name doesn't smell like a rose. So they can make things beyond complex and everyone thinks that it is all worth it. To me it's not.

WDW used to be like that all I had to know is where my ticket was, and where WDW was located. Make a simple reservation at a close by hotel, plan which route to take and how much money to take (a guess with backup). That was it! Having experienced both then and now, I can truthfully tell you that then was a lot more worth it then now. There maybe more to see, but the stress level is actually higher then working. One goes back to work to rest up from vacation.
 
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eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
I may be one that said something like that, but it was in reference to going to a theme park. I went to Europe a few years ago and there were months and months of research about places to go, specific places to see, ways to get there, reservations, etc., however, no one should have to do that much work to go to a amusement park on steroids. It is a place to ride rides, overeat, walk until you drop and go home. It should not require anymore then minor planning. Cost has nothing to do with it, some of the simplest of things can be expensive. Disney has brainwashed everyone into thinking that a rose by any other name doesn't smell like a rose. So they can make things beyond complex and everyone thinks that it is all worth it. To me it's not.

WDW used to be like that all I had to know is where my ticket was, and where WDW was located. Make a simple reservation at a close by hotel, plan which route to take and how much money to take (a guess with backup). That was it! Having experienced both then and now, I can truthfully tell you that then was a lot more worth it then now. There maybe more to see, but the stress level is actually higher then working. One goes back to work to rest up from vacation.


See for me the place is moot. Yes when I went to great adventures I did research. Where to eat? Price of places to eat, operating hours, etc etc. So I'm different, NOT knowing causes me way more stress than doing some ground work.
Now as you may know I'm late to the wdw game so I can't play the "then vs. now" game. Heck, I'm going to see a Broadway play with friends next month and we're looking at where to eat etc and the play isn't until the end of February. I'm reading reviews, checking menus, finding out if reservations are needed
I guess "minor" is in the eyes of the beholder, with the web, vacation planning can be a breeze.

I agree that stress is rarely worth the cost, but my opinion is that it's not Disney that induces the stress. I remember some one mentioned that your day was ruined if you miss your dinner reservations. Really?? Ruined?? We've missed many a dinner (granted before you got dinged for it), usually because we were over ambitious and the kids had a meltdown and yet still had a great night.

On a side note: Have to take your word on the last line. My job is ridiculously stressful, add that to my late husband owning his own business. Lol Disney is a walk in the park in comparison to being a small business owner. I have friends who have their own eatery. Nothing but stress.
 
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Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
See for me the place is moot. Yes when I went to great adventures I did research. Where to eat? Price of places to eat, operating hours, etc etc. So I'm different, NOT knowing causes me way more stress than doing some ground work.
Now as you may know I'm late to the wdw game so I can't play the "then vs. now" game. Heck, I'm going to see a Broadway play with friends next month and we're looking at where to eat etc and the play isn't until the end of February. I'm reading reviews, checking menus, finding out if reservations are needed
I guess "minor" is in the eyes of the beholder, with the web, vacation planning can be a breeze.

I agree that stress is rarely worth the cost, but my opinion is that it's not Disney that induces the stress. I remember some one mentioned that your day was ruined if you miss your dinner reservations. Really?? Ruined?? We've missed many a dinner (granted before you got dinged for it), usually because we were over ambitious and the kids had a meltdown and yet still had a great night.

On a side note: Have to take your word on the last line. My job is ridiculously stressful, add that to my late husband owning his own business. Lol Disney is a walk in the park in comparison to being a small business owner. I have friends who have their own eatery. Nothing but stress.
I will grant you that in this time and age it is almost fantasy to think that someone from this country does not know someone that has been to WDW, or at the very least heard about the place with a hint of the complexity and need for planning. That I will give you. They must have just crawled out from under a rock. That said, however, I still maintain that a theme park is nothing more then an enhanced amusement park and many people would never have had the thought cross their minds that it requires all that is involved.

It also depends on what they are attempting to do. If they are staying onsite then at some point they have to make a reservation and the anvil will come dropping down on them. If they are like me that stay offsite and this is their first trip, I think it is ridiculous to think that it would even occur to them. I have very satisfactory trips with minimum planning and "research". If someone by now doesn't know what a Disney Park is all about, then they rank high on the oblivious scale.

As far as Disney not inducing the stress. Seriously? Every new requirement that Disney has come up with in recent years is only to benefit Disney. They have placed requirements of precision on everyone that visits now and that is not a common thing for any entertainment venue. I was a small business owner and I totally agree that there is a lot of stress involved, but, it is expected stress. It is trying to stay relevant and most of all dealing with employee's that are going to be left on their own while I am sorting through the Disney maze. It is added stress that shouldn't be there in an entertainment venue. It wasn't always that way, but it is now and almost all the most stressful things are to make Disney more money and to confine you to a place where they can vacuum your wallet dry. As much as I have loved the place over the 37 years that I have been going there I can tell you that it worked OK early on when there were only two parks, but those parking lots were full, full, full. It has been a popular destination practically since it opened, but it was also fun. There were no restrictions other then having a ticket to get in. I hang on for the nostalgia but no where near as often or for as long as I once did. It just isn't that much fun anymore and doesn't have a chance of being relaxing. I suppose you could just hang out at the resorts and never go to a park, but you can get that experience from any 4+ star location in the country. They have always been called a "mouse trap", but it never has been more true then it is today. You ride that magic bus in from the airport and you have just become their property.
 

Chi84

Premium Member
I will grant you that in this time and age it is almost fantasy to think that someone from this country does not know someone that has been to WDW, or at the very least heard about the place with a hint of the complexity and need for planning. That I will give you. They must have just crawled out from under a rock. That said, however, I still maintain that a theme park is nothing more then an enhanced amusement park and many people would never have had the thought cross their minds that it requires all that is involved.

It also depends on what they are attempting to do. If they are staying onsite then at some point they have to make a reservation and the anvil will come dropping down on them. If they are like me that stay offsite and this is their first trip, I think it is ridiculous to think that it would even occur to them. I have very satisfactory trips with minimum planning and "research". If someone by now doesn't know what a Disney Park is all about, then they rank high on the oblivious scale.

As far as Disney not inducing the stress. Seriously? Every new requirement that Disney has come up with in recent years is only to benefit Disney. They have placed requirements of precision on everyone that visits now and that is not a common thing for any entertainment venue. I was a small business owner and I totally agree that there is a lot of stress involved, but, it is expected stress. It is trying to stay relevant and most of all dealing with employee's that are going to be left on their own while I am sorting through the Disney maze. It is added stress that shouldn't be there in an entertainment venue. It wasn't always that way, but it is now and almost all the most stressful things are to make Disney more money and to confine you to a place where they can vacuum your wallet dry. As much as I have loved the place over the 37 years that I have been going there I can tell you that it worked OK early on when there were only two parks, but those parking lots were full, full, full. It has been a popular destination practically since it opened, but it was also fun. There were no restrictions other then having a ticket to get in. I hang on for the nostalgia but no where near as often or for as long as I once did. It just isn't that much fun anymore and doesn't have a chance of being relaxing. I suppose you could just hang out at the resorts and never go to a park, but you can get that experience from any 4+ star location in the country. They have always been called a "mouse trap", but it never has been more true then it is today. You ride that magic bus in from the airport and you have just become their property.
If there were only 2 parks, would you have continued going there for 37 years? My first trip was in 1984, and I love all the additions and changes. I don’t find them all that stressful though.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
If there were only 2 parks, would you have continued going there for 37 years? My first trip was in 1984, and I love all the additions and changes. I don’t find them all that stressful though.
Well, whatever works for you. If you don't see the difference in guest requirements since 1984 there is nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. To answer the first part, I would have to say yes. I became a WDW super fan on that first trip in 1983 and made many trips back before the 3rd park was opened. I suspect if it was as much fun as it was back then I would still be going with just the two. A whole lot of the changes that have been made were not improvements and MK is still the #1 park in popularity and with the exception of Tomorrowland there really isn't a lot different as far as attractions are concerned, but the requirements to see those attractions has become much more demanding than they were back then.
 

Chi84

Premium Member
Well, whatever works for you. If you don't see the difference in guest requirements since 1984 there is nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. To answer the first part, I would have to say yes. I became a WDW super fan on that first trip in 1983 and made many trips back before the 3rd park was opened. I suspect if it was as much fun as it was back then I would still be going with just the two. A whole lot of the changes that have been made were not improvements and MK is still the #1 park in popularity and with the exception of Tomorrowland there really isn't a lot different as far as attractions are concerned, but the requirements to see those attractions has become much more demanding than they were back then.
That’s fair enough. It’s not that I don’t see a difference; I just don’t mind it. We found a way of adjusting to the current “requirements” that works very well for us. We often visit water parks In the morning and then do theme parks or resort dining in the afternoon and evening. It’s nice to have FastPasses and ADR’s in place. Animal Kingdom is our favorite park and Disney Springs has some of our favorite restaurants.
 

Kingdom Konsultant

WDWMAGIC Board Sponsor
Premium Member
WDWMAGIC Sponsor
I stopped counting the number of times we had clients tell us that they read something that the Moms Panel posted when answering a question and the information was absolutely, totally wrong! I've been sending people to Disney destinations for well over 20 years...what do I know? lol

Pam
 

Doug Means

Well-Known Member
When i do my research for something i feel like i don't know much about (when travelling to WDW) i first read through the mom's panel to see what they say. I have also asked questions there. then i found out they are basically force fed the answers they say in a general way. but i still read over the general style answers they have already gave then go to other places to find out. But the best place i go for answers is the TA i use. but i've never found wrong info on the mom's panel.
 

Jedi Stitch

Well-Known Member
To be fair to all of us at one time never new how much we needed to know to vacation at WDW. My first trip, I called the MDE help line to figure out the reservation and FP+ things. That was just the tip of the iceberg. I still didn't understand it. Like our first Sit down meal. They scanned our magic band, we ate, we left. The waitress ran us down, because she thought we were dining and dashing. I thought she scanned us and we were done. we didn't know there was an actual bill that we had to authorize at the very end. Not under standing the gratuity still needed to be paid. The meals wee part of the DDP, and paid. Also any add ons like Alcohol drinks and such.
 

Raineman

Well-Known Member
I knew the panel is mostly pandering BS, but I applied a few years ago, just for the trip to WDW for the training and the supposed free 3 person, 4 day trip for the panelists families. :D
 

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