How to Un-Commando the Disney Vacation?

lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
DisneyDebNJ said:
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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Dining's emphasis on reservations and the packaged products show that "popularity" can easily be manipulated.
 
bethymouse

bethymouse

Well-Known Member
Disney marketing folks are true geniuses. We're not "forced" into doing anything, but I always look for those "discounts". I am definitely "roped" into a sense of "savings" when it comes to "free" dining or 30% off room rates, etc...:eek: They know what they're doing, and most of us are "buying" into it. Look at DVC.:eek:
We all have choices, but most of us Disney fans already know how to "stop and smell the roses" so to speak.;)
 
epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
I have said it many times before...slowing down and enjoying the experience is the best thing we have ever learned at WDW. It is for us quality over quantity.
And it has made a world of difference. We don't rush, we take in shops, shows, restaurants, architecture, landscaping, people watching and quiet moments away from the crowds.
We do not let ADRs determine our schedule, or even get obsessed with planning.
Our basic strategy is to enjoy the resort, take in DTD and go to a park that is not an extra magic hour park for smaller crowds. We also determine which park is best to go to each day, which is easy to find out with a little research online. And we travel at less crowded times of the year.
We also never wait in line for something more than about 30 minutes...there are just too many other things we could be doing instead.
We used to believe we had to do as much as possible to make it worth the money. Now we know you can't do it all and the money is much better spent savoring the moment then trying to cram more into the moments we have.
How you tour the parks, or manage the vacation as a whole, is entirely up to you.
Personally, we have never had anyone make us rush to do anything at WDW...we used to choose to do so...now we choose to relax, linger, enjoy.
Like Robert Frost said, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
 
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
bethymouse said:
Disney marketing folks are true geniuses. We're not "forced" into doing anything, but I always look for those "discounts". I am definitely "roped" into a sense of "savings" when it comes to "free" dining or 30% off room rates, etc...:eek: They know what they're doing, and most of us are "buying" into it. Look at DVC.:eek:
We all have choices, but most of us Disney fans already know how to "stop and smell the roses" so to speak.;)
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Well said Beth, good job!
 
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
epcotisbest said:
I have said it many times before...slowing down and enjoying the experience is the best thing we have ever learned at WDW. It is for us quality over quantity.
And it has made a world of difference. We don't rush, we take in shops, shows, restaurants, architecture, landscaping, people watching and quiet moments away from the crowds.
We do not let ADRs determine our schedule, or even get obsessed with planning.
Our basic strategy is to enjoy the resort, take in DTD and go to a park that is not an extra magic hour park for smaller crowds. We also determine which park is best to go to each day, which is easy to find out with a little research online. And we travel at less crowded times of the year.
We also never wait in line for something more than about 30 minutes...there are just too many other things we could be doing instead.
We used to believe we had to do as much as possible to make it worth the money. Now we know you can't do it all and the money is much better spent savoring the moment then trying to cram more into the moments we have.
How you tour the parks, or manage the vacation as a whole, is entirely up to you.
Personally, we have never had anyone make us rush to do anything at WDW...we used to choose to do so...now we choose to relax, linger, enjoy.
Like Robert Frost said, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
Click to expand...
Exactly! TOO many times when my son was little, we rushed through parks, meals, tours, etc. By the time we headed to our resort, we were dog tired, physically and mentally exhausted. I truly understand what some are saying (we were the same way back in the day) but there is a choice. See, I'm not a naysayer, but understand how others feel. We have always scheduled a down day, every trip. It allows us to stop and smell the roses, as @bethymouse so eloquently stated. Truth be told, I have never been influenced in any way, shape or form in my vacation choices, just viewed my time at Disney as the icing on the cake, to each year (and did my very best to plan a vacation chucked with memories) Despite the wait times, inavailability of our fav restaurants, discounts or not, I made the best of it. I mean absolutely no disrespect what-so-ever, but we all have a choice :) Make the BEST of your vacations, make memories. It's all good!!
 
bethymouse

bethymouse

Well-Known Member
DisneyDebNJ said:
Exactly! TOO many times when my son was little, we rushed through parks, meals, tours, etc. By the time we headed to our resort, we were dog tired, physically and mentally exhausted. I truly understand what some are saying (we were the same way back in the day) but there is a choice. See, I'm not a naysayer, but understand how others feel. We have always scheduled a down day, every trip. It allows us to stop and smell the roses, as @bethymouse so eloquently stated. Truth be told, I have never been influenced in any way, shape or form in my vacation choices, just viewed my time at Disney as the icing on the cake, to each year (and did my very best to plan a vacation chucked with memories) Despite the wait times, inavailability of our fav restaurants, discounts or not, I made the best of it. I mean absolutely no disrespect what-so-ever, but we all have a choice :) Make the BEST of your vacations, make memories. It's all good!!
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AMEN SISTER!:D
 
S

Susan Savia

Well-Known Member
It wasn't until we began going for two weeks each trip that we slowed down. We are always at rope drop and we always take our time inside the parks. We stopped having ADRs a few years ago which made our time in the parks even more easy going.
 
erasure fan1

erasure fan1

Well-Known Member
I don't think Disney policy forces the commando style, but it sure makes it more tempting to do so, especially for the new or infrequent guest. I believe with age comes wisdom. We have gone enough to know what we like and how to use all the tools to work a trip to our liking and slow things down. We still like to plan, we just do it in a different way. Our planning now is geared more around slowing things down. Now its more about planning what resort we want to visit on our off day or what new restaurant we might want to try, is there a certain snack we haven't had...
 
George

George

Liker of Things
Premium Member
I've fantasized about removal of ADRs and FPs, but I realize it is just fantasy. I don't dislike them so much that I don't go, but they don't fit my personality. Neither does commando style. I do like showing up at rope drop, which is easy for me because I get up early anyway and once the parks are crowded I take it easy.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
DisneyDebNJ said:
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
Click to expand...

Really? You don't think your # of days in the parks is influenced by their pricing structure? Or that if you took the DDP plan the # of meals you ate in a sit down resturant?
 
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
flynnibus said:
Really? You don't think your # of days in the parks is influenced by their pricing structure? Or that if you took the DDP plan the # of meals you ate in a sit down resturant?
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No I don't. The days I vacation, is what my schedule allows, I've only done the dining plan twice in over 20 trips. Im sorry, Flynn, I'm not influenced by nothing but my choices
 
Stellajack

Stellajack

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?
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Before one can "un-commando the Disney vacation", one must first 'commando' the vacation. Our first trip was at a casual pace; no rope-drops and only 1 ADR (50's Prime Time). At the next visit, we went loaded with ADRs, touring guide, 'Early Entry' lists (yes, it was changed to 'Character Caravan' and later to 'Extra Magic Hours'), etc.

We CHOSE to ramp it up so that we could enjoy favored attractions multiple times on our visit. Now we don't see ourselves as 'commandos', just more efficient at touring and enjoying the parks.
 
DVC4bestvacations

DVC4bestvacations

Well-Known Member
The last 2-3 WDW vacations we didn't use the "camando" method. Guess what we weren't struck by lightning leaving the parks!

Have we missed attractions YES

I don't find enjoyment spending my day chasing Fastpasses. I wish but know they will never do away with FP's

I don't like that the DDP makes it impossible to plan dinner on the fly. I don't know where or what I want to eat 6 mos from now.

We will be visiting during the christmas holidays this year. The plan is to be in the parks early out by 11am and back late in the day.
 
DVC4bestvacations

DVC4bestvacations

Well-Known Member
epcotisbest said:
I have said it many times before...slowing down and enjoying the experience is the best thing we have ever learned at WDW. It is for us quality over quantity.
And it has made a world of difference. We don't rush, we take in shops, shows, restaurants, architecture, landscaping, people watching and quiet moments away from the crowds.
We do not let ADRs determine our schedule, or even get obsessed with planning.
Our basic strategy is to enjoy the resort, take in DTD and go to a park that is not an extra magic hour park for smaller crowds. We also determine which park is best to go to each day, which is easy to find out with a little research online. And we travel at less crowded times of the year.
We also never wait in line for something more than about 30 minutes...there are just too many other things we could be doing instead.
We used to believe we had to do as much as possible to make it worth the money. Now we know you can't do it all and the money is much better spent savoring the moment then trying to cram more into the moments we have.
How you tour the parks, or manage the vacation as a whole, is entirely up to you.
Personally, we have never had anyone make us rush to do anything at WDW...we used to choose to do so...now we choose to relax, linger, enjoy.
Like Robert Frost said, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
Click to expand...

Could not have said it better!!!!
 

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