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Rookie mistakes....
- Thread starter draybook
- Start date
ColoradoEquestrian
Active Member
I ran my poor husband into the ground because I thought going gangbusters from open-close for a week was brilliant. I kept telling him "we can sleep when we get home" -- the joke was on me, by day 5 I was exhausted and irritable. I have learned that there is no way to see everything in a week, and I missed so many cool details in the rush to check it all off the list.
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ColoradoEquestrian
Active Member
Yes! Last week we received a PIN code and, after promising to slow down this time around, we are now booked for a December visit
Can't wait to check out the many things we missed!
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PMC0849
Well-Known Member
Making too many lunch ADRs. We made all of ADRs 4-6 months before we left, really when we had no idea what we would want to do on each day. Having these reservations kind of handcuffed us. Our next trip we either tried walking in to sit down places, or just had quick service lunches. Worked much better!
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12_Ears_Dad
Well-Known Member
Well we don't have the budget for our group to stay on property. Guess we are just going to have to make the best of it. We have a 6 bedroom house on the outskirts of Davenport that we rented for 950$. I understand the benefits of staying on property, but i would have to think there are some benefits to staying off property. For one, having the comforts of home on vacation (verses being cramped up in hotel rooms.. even Disneys biggest rooms cant compare to a house..) Cooking breakfast at home before we leave.. and if we ever had to come back it's listed on google as a 15 min drive(of course i know traffic can make that much longer). It can take some people a hour or more to get back to there resorts at Disney...or so ive read.
So any tips for us staying off property, since this is a rookie mistake or so DisneyShe posts it to be?
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wendyphant
Active Member
Just booked our first trip as a family today. But came in 1995 with parents and BF. Being Brits we didn't understand or appreciate July 4th !!! Never seen so many people in my life. 180 min wait for splash mountain for it to be closed dupe to lightning just as we were getting on.
But the rookie mistake had to be BF deciding 3pm at the castle was a good time to get on one knee to propose !! I ran off after all a choice between a diamond ring with wedding proposal or a six and half foot mouse.........mouse wins everytime.
I did return to him after the parade and did say yes but as a Brit am never going to wdw on just 4th again
But the rookie mistake had to be BF deciding 3pm at the castle was a good time to get on one knee to propose !! I ran off after all a choice between a diamond ring with wedding proposal or a six and half foot mouse.........mouse wins everytime.
I did return to him after the parade and did say yes but as a Brit am never going to wdw on just 4th again
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MissingDisney
Well-Known Member
Google may say 15 mins but keep in mind that's' point to point' in best case scenarios. That doesn't include the driveways in, finding a parking spot, riding the trams, walking to the gates, clearing security, getting through the park gates, etc. Leaving and coming back sounds easy enough but it takes time. Just plan with this in mind.
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bee
Well-Known Member
The decision to stay on- or off-property is totally personal and varies from person to person, group to group, etc. When DW and I lived in Florida we usually stayed offsite because we drove the 2-5 hours to get there (we lived in different places in the state so it varied) and saved a lot of money staying at places like the Clarion LBV. Now that we live several states away we prefer to stay onsite when it's just us so we can take advantage of DME and resort transportation. A value studio is plenty of space for the two of us. But when we meet the in-laws, for instance, we tend to stay in off-site villas or suites so we have more space. They still live in Florida and have a car to pick us up from the airport and APs to get free parking at the parks. It really comes down to what is important to you: space, location, budget, length of stay, being "in the bubble," how much time you want to spend in the parks, transportation, and meal options such as cooking your own food are all factors to consider.
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DisneyGigi
Well-Known Member
For me it was a rookie mistake. I would rather be in the middle of the magic the entire time and we are hardly ever at the resort so we don't need a lot of space. Coronado is perfect size for us. It may not be a mistake for you.
Have a great trip!
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MissingDisney
Well-Known Member
First trip was at ASSp....during the College Cheer Competition week. Never. Ever. Again.
Attempted to escape the madness by hanging out in the food court area for awhile with the kids, have them color, walk around, etc. Who knew the Superbowl was on and the food court had been transformed into a college bar/gym!?!?. Alcohol was everywhere and girls were flying through the air. It was crazy!
Attempted to escape the madness by hanging out in the food court area for awhile with the kids, have them color, walk around, etc. Who knew the Superbowl was on and the food court had been transformed into a college bar/gym!?!?. Alcohol was everywhere and girls were flying through the air. It was crazy!
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SeanWM48
Well-Known Member
my girlfriend got me like this when we did epcot for the first time. wanted to do every big ride and every country. by the end of the day i hated the place. the next year we went back and did just the countries for most of one day, casually going through getting drinks and checking out the shops and some of the entertainment and i loved it. can't rush through to "see" everything. i'd rather see half of it and enjoy myself. also agree there's just no way to do it all in one trip.
also experienced this. ended up cancelling a few reservations last minute because we wanted to do things. i enjoy planning so much that it's easy to get carried away and set up lunches and dinners all over the trip. then i get down there and things happen spontaneously. "handcuffed" is a good way to put it. there is indeed such a thing as over-planning.
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LIMA TIME
Well-Known Member
Our biggest mistake was not "hearing" what our son was telling us
The Mrs and I have been going since we were college, so when we brought the little one for the first time when he was 2 1/2, we said we would do what ever he wanted to since we had been so many time. So day 1 we spent most of the day in fantasyland, which was fine. The first ride we ride was small world, then went on to dumbo, carousel, etc. But for the next 5 days my son kept saying "pandas eat grass." Over and over and we had no idea what he was talking about. We asked where he learned that and he would just repeat it. When we asked him what ride he wanted to do next he would say, "pandas eat grass". Confused we would throw out the name of a ride and he would say yes. It was until we the last day when we rode small world for the first time since day 1, that my son got real excited and said "pandas eat grass". Well my wife and I look over and see the panda eating grass in the Asia section of small world....... My wife asked him, was this the ride you wanted to go, and he smiled and said "pandas eat grass, mommy" anyone with kids knows that while it isn't always easy to know what your kids want, try and hear what they are saying.
The Mrs and I have been going since we were college, so when we brought the little one for the first time when he was 2 1/2, we said we would do what ever he wanted to since we had been so many time. So day 1 we spent most of the day in fantasyland, which was fine. The first ride we ride was small world, then went on to dumbo, carousel, etc. But for the next 5 days my son kept saying "pandas eat grass." Over and over and we had no idea what he was talking about. We asked where he learned that and he would just repeat it. When we asked him what ride he wanted to do next he would say, "pandas eat grass". Confused we would throw out the name of a ride and he would say yes. It was until we the last day when we rode small world for the first time since day 1, that my son got real excited and said "pandas eat grass". Well my wife and I look over and see the panda eating grass in the Asia section of small world....... My wife asked him, was this the ride you wanted to go, and he smiled and said "pandas eat grass, mommy" anyone with kids knows that while it isn't always easy to know what your kids want, try and hear what they are saying.
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12_Ears_Dad
Well-Known Member
Was just going by Google Earth... I understand traffic and such can make the trip longer... It's actually just outside of Davenport close to Orlando border..
Correction, it's the Hampton Lakes development, which is technically still Davenport...
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ninjaprincesst
Well-Known Member
I would agree with them it's a mistake. We did the house thing once , never again. I would much rather be in a value room than deal with the rental car and driving and the cooking thing sounds good until you do it you just lose too much valuable park time cooking and cleaning.
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jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
I refuse to cook or clean on my vacation! My dad was a cheap skate and so our "vacations" where staying at an relatives cabin in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin for free. My poor Mom had to do the shopping, pack up, cook and clean the whole time on her "vacation". That is not fair to anyone. Thankfully I have an amazing husband who also thinks vacations should be for everyone and so no one should have to do any work on them. So staying in a Disney hotel on property where they have everything we need and I do not have to lift a finger is worth the extra money to me. We have 2 girls so we do not need a big house with just the 4 of us. And we all love just being able to hop on the bus and not worry about driving or finding our way around and especially not have to worry about other tourist's driving. My kids are getting old enough now where they can go off on their own if they want and with being on property they can just take the busses. I think the internal transportation is one of the major reasons the Disney is such an amazing vacation place. You truly do not need to worry about anything. I have no problem with anyone staying off site if they like it, but for us, it is not the same type of vacation.
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Nemo14
Well-Known Member
I think your words about your father are pretty harsh. I grew up in a big family and there was no way my father could afford a "luxury" vacation for us, but we didn't mind (nor did my mom I might add). But we kids learned a lot about living within our means and enjoying our time together.
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jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
No, he is a cheap skate. And that is being kind. He could afford a vacation but he values money over everything else. Always has, always will. When my mom was in the hospital dying of cancer he was harassing her saying that she is costing him too much money. He was fully insured and paid under $1000 for her 3 month stay in the hospital. I am in my 40s and know the difference between being frugal and just cheap. Everyone knows how he is with money. His own brother calls him a cheap @$$. He still have not put a gravestone on my mom's grave because he does not want to pay for it(its been 7 years). Still think I am being harsh?
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