Is spontaneity really dead?

[DVCOwner]

I guess I am a little of the man out on this one. I have never had a spontaneous visit to Walt Disney World or any of the Walt Disney Parks.

Here is what I did before FastPass or Fast Pass+: First I have to arrange time off from work at least six months in advance) and coordinate that with family and friends that are going. Make sure the grandkids are out of school or it is okay with the school for them to miss a few days. Book a Disney Vacation Club resort for the size group that I have going. If it is the busy time of year this would be done months in advance. Decide how each group is getting to Walt Disney World: flying or driving. Usually book airline tickets well in advance to take advantage of lower fares if you book early. Arrange transportation from the airport to the parks. Plan if we are going to eat some meals in the room so I can bring food items that we need. Look ahead at Extra Magic Hours to see what day we want to go to what park I will go to each day. Etc. Etc.

I want family and friends to get as much out of our vacation as possible; so I have always been a planner.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Fortunately with the old system, you could get more than enough fastpasses in a day to make up for any stinkers you got stuck with.

So you used to only ride a few rides in each park during a day?

 

[draybook]

So you used to only ride a few rides in each park during a day?

If by a few you mean double what we ride now, then yes. It used to be that we actually did so many rides that we had leftover FPs at the end of the day.

 

[COrunner]

We do spontaneous,

Just not at WDW. I think because we both like the planning that goes into a WDW trip. Setting fast passes, discussing hotels/flights/etc and over the years it's kinda of become part of the trip.

But we do trips to Chicago, Vegas, Charleston because getting a flight or driving then the hotel is easy. Tou figure out dinner and sight seeing when your there.

 

[CP_alum08]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I had a feeling it wasn't dead, just maybe not as easy as it used to be. It will be interesting to see how touring changes when FP+ gets "upgrades" through the years.

 

[Smiddimizer]

I think we went to AK on a Monday and waited about an hour for Kali (without FP), only to have the ride close for maintenance when we were on the loading area. I don't think we did standby for KS, just used the FP. I remember being surprised in general at the long wait times at AK.

Last question I promise, was it a busy week? AK has been generally pretty dead in my experience the past couple of years.

 

[Chef Mickey]

If by a few you mean double what we ride now, then yes. It used to be that we actually did so many rides that we had leftover FPs at the end of the day.

Same here. I forgot what the old rules were (might have varied) but I seem to have been able to get 2 fast passes at one time and a third and fourth within 2 hours. I swear, we used to be able to get upwards of 10 in a day if we wanted to and like you, had some left over at times.

Not sure why they didn't keep some kind of functionality for folks like us who can really move throughout the parks. I guess the kiosk to get a 4th and 5th pass are available, but it's a much more laborious process now.

 

[J_Carioca]

Last question I promise, was it a busy week? AK has been generally pretty dead in my experience the past couple of years.

No problem; I don't mind talking about my trips! It was the week of Columbus day. So yes, it was busier than usual but not insanely busy when I think about the whole week. However, AK was about as busy as I'd ever seen it...not sure why.

 

[BJones82]

I must say in reading these forums there is a huge difference in attitude towards MM+ and FP+ than there was a few months ago. I still think you can just run to Disney and do what you want but as others have said just don't expect to get every single fast pass and ADR you want. Based on the fact that you are deciding to go to Disney randomly the night before I am assuming this will not be an issue for you.

That being said I remember the first time I went in 2011 with my now Fiancée and we planned nothing except that we were going a week before hand and hadn't been to Disney World in over 10 years for me and her never. That trip was amazing but I wonder if someone would be able to do it now? With no experience or planning; I think they would because they would not know what to expect so would just be happy to be there as we were. I'll never forget when a cast member at AK corrected me when I said we were going to Disney World tomorrow... He gave me a death stare lol... Oh well we all learn lol...

 

[LoveDiz]

No, I would say spontaneity is not dead. Two weeks ago, my hubby and I took a quick trip to Naples. We woke up one day and the weather forecast called for rain all day in Naples so we decided to hop in the car and head to Epcot for the day. We literally decided that morning! Typically, I am a HUGE Disney planner, book advance fast passes, dining reservations, etc. Since we decided to head to Epcot last minute, I assumed we would just be walking around the park all day (not being able to do any rides) and I thought our only dining options would be counter service. We were pleasantly surprised, when we arrived at the park around 11am that we were able to get fast passes for several rides! In addition, we walked up to a sit down restaurant for both lunch and dinner without ADR's and got tables right away. We were stunned! Granted this wasn't Disney's peak travel times (since we typically go with our kids we go on Spring Break and holidays when the parks are packed), but I think you can still plan a last minute trip and have a great time.

 

[lorreejean]

We recently made a spontaneous trip with our 3 1/2 year old granddaughter, and it turned out well. We only had a few days to plan, and stayed at Ft. Wilderness in our camper. It was Princess Half Marathon Weekend. Only had a day and a half in the parks. There were no fast passes for Anna & Elsa or Seven Dwarfs, both high on her list. So we were there at rope drop for EMH at MK that morning. During the 1 hour we saw Anna & Elsa, rode the Carousel with Lady Tremain and then saw her at the Meet and Greet immediately afterwards, Rode Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and did the Ariel Meet and Greet. Rest of the day was busier, but still a lot of fun.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

You can be spontaneous if you don't do it the way Disney is trying to force you to do it. Disney wants to know, ahead of time, where you'll be every second that you are on property. That way they won't accidentally have more than the bare minimum staff scheduled.

My concern isn't the death of spontaneity. It is the real danger of creating the world's most relentlessly stressful vacation possible.

Day 1: 3 ADRs, 3+FP+, 3pm Parade, Celebrate the Magic, MSEP, Wishes. Day 2: rinse, repeat. Etc.

If you schedule like that for your entire vacation, someone will melt down. That's a whole lot of, "**** it kids, hurry up. We gotta get to XXXX."

 

[DVCOwner]

If you schedule like that for your entire vacation, someone will melt down. That's a whole lot of, "**** it kids, hurry up. We gotta get to XXXX."

But I think that Walt Disney World has been that way from day one. Hurry kids we must get there for the opening of the Magic Kingdom...for extra Magic Hours at....to get a fast pass for...to get place to watch the parade...to get to Fantasmic!...etc.

Disney is just giving you the option of planning ahead for those that want to. Even without FastPass+ I am sure I would be telling everyone "hurry up or the line is going to be to long to wait for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train".

 

[Queenof<3<3]

I've never gone to Disney world where I planned the trip for more than two weeks. I live on spontaneity. Usually it starts with an itch for being there, then commercials, then that one movie that reminds you how magical Disney is then I'm searching for hotels for the same weekend or within two weeks. That's how I work

Edit: I would like to add, I will only postpone a trip if after research I have seen that my initial dates are high crowd levels. Most of the time after doing this for year I already predict crowd levels well, I've never had a problem.