Fan's Guide: Walt Disney World (Travel Channel)

[agdbeanie]

So last night I finally got around to watching this show that I set the DVR to record a few days ago. I must say that it has been one of the most enjoyable WDW related shows on the travel channel with the exception of Great Hotels (Samantha Brown is just so hilarious in the way that she experiences things-it reminds me of myself).
The people on Fan's Guide all claimed to be MAJOR Disney fans and they did seem to know a lot of fun info. Personally I didn't learn anything new, but it was enjoyable to watch people that feel the same way about WDW as myself. :lol:
The people on this show seem like they would really fit in well on these boards, so here is my question:

Are any of the fans featured on "Fan's Guide: Walt Disney World" members of this site?

 

[netenyahoo]

I wish they would make a new Fan's Guide show to show how other families or individuals plan their vacation. None of the families they show really portray how my family would do things.

 

[chancellor]

Is this the one where the family staying at AKL had printed schedules for what they were going to do each day? I made my wife watch that to prove that there are people even more obsessed with trip planning then I am.

 

[TheOneVader]

Actually, the dad of the family who went to Animal Kingdom does in fact go to these boards, but I don't know his name or if he's been on in a while.

Now about the show, I personally didn't care for it. I didn't learn anything (No surprise there). And also, we're a lot different on our vacation. We don't sleep until 9AM and then get massages. We get up at 6AM so we can beat the crowd, and I think that's what true Disney Freaks do as well. Also, IIRC, the people who lived IN ORLANDO said they go to Disney World ONCE A YEAR. If you're a Disney "Expert" and you live in Orlando, you would go a hell of a lot more than once a year.

 

[lebeau]

Is this the one where the family staying at AKL had printed schedules for what they were going to do each day? I made my wife watch that to prove that there are people even more obsessed with trip planning then I am.

It is that show and I showed my wife a clip of the minister giving hand-outs to his kids for the same reason.

 

[lebeau]

Actually, the dad of the family who went to Animal Kingdom does in fact go to these boards, but I don't know his name or if he's been on in a while.

Now about the show, I personally didn't care for it. I didn't learn anything (No surprise there). And also, we're a lot different on our vacation. We don't sleep until 9AM and then get massages. We get up at 6AM so we can beat the crowd, and I think that's what true Disney Freaks do as well. Also, IIRC, the people who lived IN ORLANDO said they go to Disney World ONCE A YEAR. If you're a Disney "Expert" and you live in Orlando, you would go a hell of a lot more than once a year.

I enjoyed the show, but it was slightly misrepresented. Most of the people featured were not what you would consider experts - at least not around here.

A lot of the show was very clearly staged to make a point. I think the honeymooning couple who slept in and got a massage were their to represent all of the non-theme-park/adult things Disney has to offer. And I had to chuckle at their conversation about buying tickets that don't expire because 1) the suggestion is outdated and 2) it was very fake.

I would like to see a version of this show with some real Disney experts (perhaps from these boards!). But the show I got was plenty enjoyable as long as you don't get bent out of shape about the fact that very few people except the minister and his family knew anything much about WDW.

 

[rshell68]

Hee hee I've shown the AKL family to my husband also. He thinks I'm an over planner when I whip out my Passporter (which we really don't need anymore but I like the pocket pages). The only part I didn't like was the married couple watching Illuminations. They just happened to have a water front seat for them?! WHATEVER!

 

[bhg469]

Yeah that guy is dave i forgot his username, he tried to explain what those planners were for, i thought it was bad. anyone who overplans a trip ruins it.

 

[psuchad]

And I had to chuckle at their conversation about buying tickets that don't expire because 1) the suggestion is outdated and 2) it was very fake.

Not to mention that a Disney Expert would not wait in line to buy tickets.

 

[ConstanceIrene]

Fan's Guide: Walt Disney World

I get a kick of the AKL family from Minnesota. The father prints up schedules for the whole family so there's never a question as to where they're going next. When you watch the show, take note: as soon as they finish the sunrise safari, they all ask questions like "Where are we going next?" and "Are we going to do Kali?" Does anyone read their schedules?


They do, however, seem like a very nice family that believes in the magic!

 

[lebeau]

Not to mention that a Disney Expert would not wait in line to buy tickets.

How very true!

 

[lebeau]

I get a kick of the AKL family from Minnesota. The father prints up schedules for the whole family so there's never a question as to where they're going next. When you watch the show, take note: as soon as they finish the sunrise safari, they all ask questions like "Where are we going next?" and "Are we going to do Kali?" Does anyone read their schedules?


They do, however, seem like a very nice family that believes in the magic!

I hadn't thought of that. How funny. I remember thinking that transition was kind of a victim of editing. They go do the Sunrise Safari and then head to Fesitival of the Lion King. On the way there, they are talking about letting their breakfast settle or something. But I don't recall having seen them eat anything.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they were instructed to have that conversation about what they were going to do next. It seemed kind of forced - as did much of the "experts" interactions. (The question the son asked the guide on the Safari was a hoot.) Still, it was funny that they contradicted themselves so heavily.

 

[RedBaron]

Actually, the dad of the family who went to Animal Kingdom does in fact go to these boards, but I don't know his name or if he's been on in a while.

Now about the show, I personally didn't care for it. I didn't learn anything (No surprise there). And also, we're a lot different on our vacation. We don't sleep until 9AM and then get massages. We get up at 6AM so we can beat the crowd, and I think that's what true Disney Freaks do as well. Also, IIRC, the people who lived IN ORLANDO said they go to Disney World ONCE A YEAR. If you're a Disney "Expert" and you live in Orlando, you would go a hell of a lot more than once a year.

I did enjoy the show (helped me to get my Disney fix), but thought the same thing about the massage couple. I guess when I am there I am not interested in having a spa treatment as I can get that a few blocks away from my house. I also like to get up early and enjoy the parks. And I also agree that if I lived in Orlando or nearby in Florida I would have an annual pass and would enjoy the parks many times in a year.

 

[lebeau]

I did enjoy the show (helped me to get my Disney fix), but thought the same thing about the massage couple. I guess when I am there I am not interested in having a spa treatment as I can get that a few blocks away from my house. I also like to get up early and enjoy the parks. And I also agree that if I lived in Orlando or nearby in Florida I would have an annual pass and would enjoy the parks many times in a year.

Just thinking about having an annual pass and being within driving distance of WDW... <insert Homer Simpson noises>

Yeah, I'd be there any time I wasn't obligated to something else.

 

[rainfully]

Not to mention that a Disney Expert would not wait in line to buy tickets.

EXACTLY WHAT I SAID!!! For that reason and others I found it hard to watch the show. I mean... come on... who stays on site and then goes to the gate to buy their tickets?! Even many off site hotels you can purchase your tickets in the lobby! :lol: Sorry but that just really bugged me!

 

[agdbeanie]

I don't see anything wrong with getting a spa treatment at WDW if you're there for a long trip. If you're only there for a weekend, I would spend all my time in the parks, but if you're there for a week, why not experience some of the other things that Disney has to offer? They probably have nearly the best of everything, so it wouldn't be the same massage or whatever you could get at home unless you live in a huge city that also has some of the best of these offerings.
I thought it was neat that they tried to show how different types of people choose to experiece the parks. I did think that the lady crying at Illuminations while she video taped it was a little cheesy (no offense to anyone who might do those things). I didn't understand why they made a point to show the girl making PS at Prime Time, but they didn't show them eating there.
About the breakfast thing, they put a little blurb at the bottom of the screen mentioning that breakfast at Tusker House was included with the sunrise safari.

 

[agdbeanie]

EXACTLY WHAT I SAID!!! For that reason and others I found it hard to watch the show. I mean... come on... who stays on site and then goes to the gate to buy their tickets?! Even many off site hotels you can purchase your tickets in the lobby! :lol: Sorry but that just really bugged me!

Maybe that was staged for the show. They were the only one's that they showed buying tickets. Everyone else probably did what we do.

 

[tk421-sw]

Well, IM sure Disney said, you have to show this and this and this, and thats why stuff like the spa got in there. Dang, I would have tried to get corinne and I on there! That would have been fun! Oh well! Maybe next time!

 

[lebeau]

I don't see anything wrong with getting a spa treatment at WDW if you're there for a long trip. If you're only there for a weekend, I would spend all my time in the parks, but if you're there for a week, why not experience some of the other things that Disney has to offer? They probably have nearly the best of everything, so it wouldn't be the same massage or whatever you could get at home unless you live in a huge city that also has some of the best of these offerings.
I thought it was neat that they tried to show how different types of people choose to experiece the parks. I did think that the lady crying at Illuminations while she video taped it was a little cheesy (no offense to anyone who might do those things). I didn't understand why they made a point to show the girl making PS at Prime Time, but they didn't show them eating there.
About the breakfast thing, they put a little blurb at the bottom of the screen mentioning that breakfast at Tusker House was included with the sunrise safari.

I should have guessed. I was on the treadmill at the time and couldn't read those little pop-ups

 

[Jekyll Baker]

I was a decent show, especially 1) for those "not in the know" and 2) just to get a quick Disney fix. However, it seemed VERY scripted and made me feel like, if these people are experts, then I (and most everyone here in the forums) are demi-gods