How To Avoid Disappointments In Planning Your WDW Vacation.

[real mad hatter]

Well that last thread was so interesting about " Planning Your Disappointment " ...Here's my question to all you Disney professional planning people..For those who are going for the first time to WDW, what advice would you give to avoid any disappointments.??..Now apart from the obvious..Booking your ADRS ( If req ) and other stuff..What have you came across that you'll make sure it doesn't happen again.?.Heres my wee tip..On our first visit in 2004, we had a great viewing spot for Spectro Magic..So there I was, camcorder in hand..Lights..Camera..Action......Plop..No I didn't drop it..About 2 mins into filming, my battery died on me....Where's my spare battery???...In my resort room.....Never again....The spare cam battery goes with us in Mrs Hatters bag..So to you all...Hit me with your best shot..( Sorry Pat )

 

[93boomer]

I always make sure I have all kinds of meds like Advil, tums, Imodium, etc. because they are expensive if you have to buy them there or if you need them in the middle of the night! And plain saltine crackers for tummy aches!
Ps we have done the battery thing too!

 

[CtDisneyGuy33]

I think the best advice is to be ready to go with the flow. It seems no matter when you go you are going to run into issues with crowds, possibly weather and ride issues, so go with the flow and be ready for it. Its great to have a plan or ADR and fast passes, etc, but plans change at Disney, so just be ready.

I think more people are disappointed when the "great plans" they make are foiled by something out of their control. Thus, its vacation, roll with the punches.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

Be Flexible (and not in a @figmentfan423 / @LuLaSue way)
Nothing causes meltdown quicker than something you haven't planned for happening and it can throw out your entire day/vacation if you are that planned up .

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

My other piece of advice would be to try and go more than once with a different group dynamic (if you can afford/are able to do it)
We have been just us 2 . With my mother/father and with mother/father/brother and nephew.
Each Trip was completely different and gave us a unique persperctive on things from both young and old.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I concur with Mr. Ferret! Granted, we always go with a very specific itinerary in hand, but we use it as our guideline, and depart from it whenever the whim strikes.

To avoid disappointments here are some specific tips:

1 - Don't be disappionted because you left something important at home. Make a packing list well ahead of time, check it twice, and follow it as you're packing. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in this case. Yet keep in mind that unless you've forgotten prescription medication or the like, there is little that you can't buy at WDW if you've forgotten it.

2 - Don't be disappointed that your Disney experience just isn't what you thought it would be. Know what you're getting into. Consult park maps. Research the attractions and how fast their lines build. Be aware of the crowd levels for the time you are traveling, and the amount of walking and waiting you'll have to do, and prepare for it (mentally and physically) ahead of time. Understand how much everything costs at Disney World, and start saving for the trip well in advance.

3 - Keep necessary supplies with you so each day you won't be disappointed by a "touring interruption": a first aid "mini kit" with band-aids, blister pads, ointment and headache medicine; hand sanitizing wipes for snacks and meals on the go; copies of all of your ADRs and room/ticket information in case there's a Magic Band issue.

4 - Don't be disappointed by some of all of your companions wearing out or melting down. Build frequent rest breaks, naps, and "unplanned" blocs of time into your schedule.

5 - Don't be disappointed that your companions are not all "on the same page." Share all that you know about the parks, attractions, flight experience, etc. ahead of time and let everyone weigh in on -- and become invested in -- your plans.

 

[Dubman]

Try to be at the gate for rope drop! I have been with alot of first time visitors and have been nicknamed the "Disney Boot Camp" man.. You will be surprised how much you can get done before Noon! Everytime we go with newbies, they end up thanking me when all is said and done.

Example..

Get to Epcot at rope drop.. Send 1 in your party (the quickest one)to test track for fast passes and the rest of the group heads to Soarin(make sure the person you sent has everyones park tickets to get fast passes). Meet the rest of the group at Soarin for the standby line. When you get off Soarin ride Living with the Land, Finding Nemo and if so inclined Imagination.. By this time your fast passes for test track will be good. Before you get on Test Track get a fast pass for Mission Space (if necessary).. After test track go to Ellens Energy Adventure. Then your fastpass for Mission Space should be ready.. We have done this many times and have always been done by noon. These same ideas can be used for all the parks.. You need only send 1 person with all the park tickets to get fast passes, no need for a party of 6 people to all stand in line together to get them..

Disclaimer... Not sure how fast pass+ will alter these types of plans in the future.

 

[Spikerdink]

Realize that no matter what, you can't do it all in one trip. I have been going twice a year for close to ten years now, and there are still things that I have not done....and that's what I always look forward to - doing something new each trip!

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

Realize that no matter what, you can't do it all in one trip. I have been going twice a year for close to ten years now, and there are still things that I have not done....and that's what I always look forward to - doing something new each trip!

Make sure you have everthing in order well before you travel

 

[Spikerdink]

Make sure you have everthing in order well before you travel

Yea, yea, whatever!

I will make it work! Somehow.

As long as the wine goes in the suitcase, I can make it happen.

 

[jw24]

For starters, have a plan. It doesn't have to be an exact set schedule of specific times for every ride, every meal, etc but be sure to do the most popular/newest rides first in the morning because the lines will get longer as the day progresses. Most people have said you should head to the parks first in the morning and do as many big time rides as you can, take a break in the afternoon and then come back to the same park in the evening. At the same time, do have some flexibility in case something happens.

Be prepared and always take into consideration about potential worst case scenarios. Have an umbrella and/or poncho if it happens to rain. The weather these days can be really crazy. Always have spare batteries on hand for the camera or before you head out to the parks, put in fresh new ones. (Plus keep the camera away from water at all costs.) Have all your devices fully charged if need be. Have necessary medication/bandages in case of some freak accident like a scrape, stomach uneasiness, Advil, something that can be easily taken care of by a simple OTC medicine. (Bring prescribed medication with you if applicable.) So always have a personal emergency kit on hand.

I do agree that you won't be able to do it all on one trip so there's no need to have a rushed mentality per say. Know your party and their limitations. Take a break if needed or feel free to split up for a short period if certain people want to do certain rides that others don't.

Bottom line is, failure to plan is planning to fail.

 

[rsoxguy]

Realize that there is no such thing as magic, keep in mind that you are going to a theme park that is run by mere mortals, understand that Florida has a tropical climate and the weather will probably be different than "at home", and determine that every day is a gift.

The rest just involves lines and food.

 

[Brandon Bowman]

Were comfortable shoes and bring band-aids and wraps for blisters!

 

[kfergdisney]

Expect the unexpected.
In all the planning, don't forget to have some fun!
Ride rides and do attractions first, shop later.
Don't let disappointment in something small take away from the big picture.
TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES
and....you will not get enough sleep.

 

[Figgy1]

Great ideas all, but my most important 2 are be at the park well before rope drop and remember you can't do everything in one trip.

 

[Figgy1]

ooo almost forgot for a first time visitor read the Unofficial Guide To Disney cover to cover.

 

[lunchbox1175]

I have found that as long as DW is in charge of absolutely nothing, the trip will go swimmingly.

 

[Graham9]

This would be quite a long list, much of which I think has been covered. However, for what it's worth...

Plan each day...but set up a contingency day. Rides/attractions/shows can be weather dependant or breakdown, so some backup plan to catchup anything you missed.

Plan a rest day with nothing (much) scheduled about mid-trip. Use it to catch up on laundry, bit of shopping for anything you may need, take stock on existing plans and rejig if necessary...then head off to a park afterwards, perhaps an easy day followed by some pool time or visit some resorts.

 

[Sans Souci]

Accept you are not going to see it all and prioritize what you want to see.

Realize that it's more than just four parks; there are resorts to explore and recreational activities to try. WDW was intended to be a "vacation kingdom."

Keep an open mind about dining. Oftentimes, we have found a few gems that are excellent, but not popular, due to location or lack of hype.

 

[real mad hatter]

Realize that there is no such thing as magic, keep in mind that you are going to a theme park that is run by mere mortals, understand that Florida has a tropical climate and the weather will probably be different than "at home", and determine that every day is a gift.

The rest just involves lines and food.

....Whit!!!...No such thing as magic....A theme park......Run by mere mortals.....Where is this place you talk of.??....