How to Un-Commando the Disney Vacation?

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Sneezy62

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
An interesting series of comments came up on another thread pertaining to Disney's perceived loss of sophistication. One of the thoughts was that Disney needed to de-commando the parks by eliminating FP, ADRs ect.

How do you force yourself and your family to slow down and enjoy the little things in park or out?

What Disney policies or practices do you think make it harder to slow down and take it all in rather than scheduling and planning your entire vacation in advance.

Going more often so that you don't feel like you are missing things is one way but many of us can't either because of distance, finances or simple enjoyment of non-disney vacations.

Do you think Disney policies are more to blame or is it more the fault of the consumer?

Is there just too much to do? Is it too crowded? What are your thoughts?
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
*in my best Dr Phil voice*

"If you want to slow down then, you need to slow down!"

It is really no more complicated than that, but you have to realize that slowing down comes at a cost. You can not always do the obligatory "everything" and take the parks at a slower pace. You have to have primary, secondary, etc targets and be willing not to do this or that. You can also not show up on a random day in June and expect to eat at a restaurant that is so popular people are willing to make reservations at 6 months in advance.
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
It is easy to slow down after you've done things enough. You say, "If we don't ride Soarin this trip, we'll get to it next time." So you go where you want, when you want and you do whatever you feel like doing.

If you want to get up early and race to Soarin, you do. If you want to sleep in, spend hours at the pool and then go see IASW, Mickey's Philharmagic and ride Space Mtn, you do that.

Make all your ADRs 6 months ahead of time...or make none. You can almost always find a restaurant to eat in. If you can't, you eat fast food, offsite or in your room.

You can stay offsite and save yourself a bundle of cash.

I've done plenty of both kinds of trips and they're all good. :)
 
M

moonwishes2013

Active Member
Was just there, we did not feel rushed at all, we had a list & got most of everything done that we wanted except for MK, FL was just to crowded for our taste, so we just skipped it. When everyone in our party was ready to go back to the resort we went.
To each his own, what works for 1 family might not work for the other.
 
muteki

muteki

Well-Known Member
We've actually accomplished this the last couple trips and really I think the key is accepting that you don't need/can't do everything. It's amazing what you have time for when you don't have to work in FPs/ADRs etc for every attraction/dining location on the map.

Getting up early, and taking a break at the resort in the afternoon helps out tremendously too.
 
Nubs70

Nubs70

Well-Known Member
Sneezy62 said:
An interesting series of comments came up on another thread pertaining to Disney's perceived loss of sophistication. One of the thoughts was that Disney needed to de-commando the parks by eliminating FP, ADRs ect.

How do you force yourself and your family to slow down and enjoy the little things in park or out?

What Disney policies or practices do you think make it harder to slow down and take it all in rather than scheduling and planning your entire vacation in advance.

Going more often so that you don't feel like you are missing things is one way but many of us can't either because of distance, finances or simple enjoyment of non-disney vacations.

Do you think Disney policies are more to blame or is it more the fault of the consumer?

Is there just too much to do? Is it too crowded? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Start the day off with Fruit Loops & Ludes
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
I disagree that frequency enables slowing down. Ive been to plenty of places only once and know i missed stuff. Attitude plays a role but there is more. Part of the issue is the high cost and the desire to "get your money's worth." Others are design. Small scale, interstitial attractions and experiences are not only rarely created, many have been removed altogether. Why slow down when so much is just repetition? Same merchandise. Same fake, self referencing details.
 
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
Sneezy62 said:
An interesting series of comments came up on another thread pertaining to Disney's perceived loss of sophistication. One of the thoughts was that Disney needed to de-commando the parks by eliminating FP, ADRs ect.

How do you force yourself and your family to slow down and enjoy the little things in park or out?

What Disney policies or practices do you think make it harder to slow down and take it all in rather than scheduling and planning your entire vacation in advance.

Going more often so that you don't feel like you are missing things is one way but many of us can't either because of distance, finances or simple enjoyment of non-disney vacations.

Do you think Disney policies are more to blame or is it more the fault of the consumer?

Is there just too much to do? Is it too crowded? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
When kids are small, people plan to the teeth.. I think we have all done that. For alot of us frequent visitors, as the kids age, things get a bit more laid back (no need to rush for rope drop, make 7:30am breakfast ressies, etc) I always say, schedule a pool day, nap, then hit your fav park in the evening. The only scheduling we do prior to arrival, is our ADRs and then plan the day from there. We always leave wiggle room, if we don't do a park during the day, maybe hit typhoon lagoon. I don't think either Disney policies or on the fault of the consumer per se, there isn't a parent who walks on Disney soil that doesn't want their kid's dreams to come true so the kids basically decide :) Parents, take it from there
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
since this is the same discussion.. I'll just copy my post here

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I think there are common themes in the replies from @djlaosc , @MichWolv, etc and I think that is 'steerage' to this behavior through the push for 'do it all', 'get your moneys worth', and 'you gotta plan or be screwed'

Long term reservations force you into planning.. which I don't think is bad in some views, but having to plan out everything means structure and pushes people.

The Dining Plan has similar effects.. gotta get our money's worth.. so we gotta plan.. you force more meals then you might not have otherwise.. and missing meals becomes a 'loss' you try hard to avoid.. because again.. you don't want your money going to waste.

The shear cost of the parks forces people to want to get their money's worth.. you've paid for the full day.. you should get your use out of it! In an evil sense.. if you had paid to play.. people would slow down and not feel they need to cram stuff in.

The matching of ticket duration to hotel stay and the MYW program encourages tickets for every day of your stay... the price structure also encourages 'just have tickets for every day'.. so again people feel compelled to be in the parks because they have tickets.

I can't help but think if Disney were a 'pay per experience' and had no actual gate admission.. the mindset would change. (yes I know there are other problems with open gate.. but focus on this influencer angle alone right now).

  • Make it so there is no penalty for not being in the parks...
  • Make it so there is little to gain from doing 'more more more' 'quick quick quick'... by getting rid of 'all you can eat' types of models within a set time frame...
  • Decouple park tickets from hotel stays...
  • Improve the out of park experiences to be unique in themselves...
  • Reduce the costs so you don't feel you MUST get your value...

Now some of these of course come with specific financial reasons to NOT want to do it.. many of these seem counter to what some advocate (like investing in a DTD project instead of a ride..)... but I think if you want to break the commando mentality, its these kinds of steps that are necessary to stop encouraging the 'go go go', 'get my value' mentality.

Because of those contradictions.. I can't see it really happening. But I guess I can still hope and dream :)

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I think the earlier posters in this thread are missing how Disney is encouraging this behavior.. even if subconciously
 
Britt

Britt

Well-Known Member
flynnibus said:
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I think the earlier posters in this thread are missing how Disney is encouraging this behavior.. even if subconciously
Click to expand...

I so dont think it's a subconscious thing. I think WDW wants you to plan like this. You make those ADRs, they KNOW you're going to come in and drop $100 right there (more if you dont have the DDP). They penalize you with $10 fee's if you DONT make it. So you cant just go to the park, get lost in it. You have to make sure you have some kind of alarm set on your phone, or just an eye on the clock.

These crazy lines with 60+ minute waits....the interactive queues that get you to WAIT that long, without making differences to rides that could cut off time (those constantly moving/revolving ones/filling in seats). So you're far more willing to wait for a ride with a 1 hour wait, since you have the interactive queue. The fast pass system which is now super strict on their time frames. Again, not being able to "get lost" in the park....you much keep an eye on your time, if you're to use it.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
DisneyDebNJ said:
I don't think it's a subconscious thing at all, we all have a choice, to do Disney commando style or not. What has always been great for my family, may not be good for someone else's, however it comes down to choice, No?
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Yes - like anything unless you are tied to a specific program you have choices... that doesn't make INFLUENCES any less significant.

There is significance in how a product is structured and sold in terms of how people approach the product and consume it.
 
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
flynnibus said:
Yes - like anything unless you are tied to a specific program you have choices... that doesn't make INFLUENCES any less significant.

There is significance in how a product is structured and sold in terms of how people approach the product and consume it.
Click to expand...
I completely understand how items are sold, I am a marketing specialist, and do understand its basically supply and demand. Regarding INFLUENCES for a Disney vacation, no, I don't think Disney policies INFLUENCE my choices, however, knowing resorts and restaurants I like to frequent are POPULAR, so by Disney's suggestions, I book as far in advance as I can, to ensure OUR wanted choices
 

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