We hated Walt Disney World and we're never going back.

[Atomicmickey]

Ahem. Now that I have your attention!:lol:

What do you say to people when they say this to you? I've run into
a bunch of folks over the years who say this.

Inevitably, what it comes down to is, they went at Christmas or Spring Break or 4th of July, and they did little to no planning.

They get overwhelmed by the crowds, they have young children that melt down and they have no contingency plan. Don't know to go to the pool in the middle of the day. I've talked to people who walked into the parks without ever even looking at a map of attractions!

Whenever someone says to me that they're going, without being rude, or "fannish", I try to give them a couple of simple tips to help make the vacation work for them.

But, for some, it's too late. They've already blown it! I feel badly for them, but whaddayagonnado?

I just ran into a family who said this to me a couple of weeks ago, and thought it might make for interesting chat here. Ah, if only we'd talked before they left.

 

[MousDad]

I would guess that 90-95% of the people who attend at peak season, with kids, for their first time, without much advanced planning/knowledge, have this exact response.

 

[ThinkTink721]

My mother-in-law says that she loves to visit WDW, but when she is there, she acts like she is having a miserable time & complains about almost everything.
When she returns home, she starts talking about booking another trip. :veryconfu
This makes no sense to me.

 

[NewfieFan]

Friends of mine were headed down that very path. They called me (at least they were looking for some advice) and wanted me to come up and help them decide where to stay and what to do! They're going the end of June and this was only two weeks ago that they started to look into it. They knew absolutely nothing!!! They didn't know where they're staying or how many days they even want to spend at the "World". They never knew they needed ADRs for any TS restaurants (and they are the type of people that like to enjoy a nice meal). The husband didn't want to do AK b/c a friend of his (who's never been) told him it was just a zoo! They heard Epcot was boring and didn't know if they should even bother to go! Let me tell ya I had my work cut for me on this one!!! I didn't even know where to start with 'em. They told me after I left that if I hadn't come up they would have had a horrible trip b/c they would have showed up and knew nothing!

It blows my mind but there are people that travel that way... they just don't research and then they have a bad trip b/c of it!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Each to their own, wont affect my visits.

 

[sublimesting]

Ahem. Now that I have your attention!:lol:

What do you say to people when they say this to you? I've run into
a bunch of folks over the years who say this.

Inevitably, what it comes down to is, they went at Christmas or Spring Break or 4th of July, and they did little to no planning.

They get overwhelmed by the crowds, they have young children that melt down and they have no contingency plan. Don't know to go to the pool in the middle of the day. I've talked to people who walked into the parks without ever even looking at a map of attractions!

Whenever someone says to me that they're going, without being rude, or "fannish", I try to give them a couple of simple tips to help make the vacation work for them.

But, for some, it's too late. They've already blown it! I feel badly for them, but whaddayagonnado?

I just ran into a family who said this to me a couple of weeks ago, and thought it might make for interesting chat here. Ah, if only we'd talked before they left.

I saw your thread title and glanced over at your name and thought "How can soemone with a name like AtomicMickey hate Disney...What Happened to them!?!?"

People get my Disney spiel whether they like it or not. I can rammble for hours and hypothetically plan their trips for them while their eyes glaze over....even if they aren't planning a trip.
Although this damn near backfired on me this month as my wife's friend and her completely hateful, loud-cussing, ANGRY, man's man of a husband, decided they should accompany us on our next trip to take their beloved daughter. She even told my wife that her and the daughter and my wife Micki can go to the parks etc. while I hang out with Tom. , her friend should know better, I am like a little kid at Disney not a disgrutnled human. ANyhow, I don't want to share it with anyone as it is my wife and my special place.

 

[hwdelien]

I've never had anyone say they were never going back to me, but I have had 2 that came back telling me that they liked it, etc. but next time they'd rather go to the beach or something. "The Beach"? Are you serious? I enjoy the beach for about 3-4 hours (but I'll usually stay for a day). But come on, once you swam for a few hours and/or fished and/or played in the sand, what else is there to do. I'm too old to sit there drooling over the bikini babes.

But, having said that, after a week of WDW we come home feeling well sated and more than a little worn out and usually talk of doing something different next vacation. I know, I know, it's sacrilege! Then 30-45 days later we're planning our next trip. There is no place on earth that is as much fun.

 

[castevens]

I haven't really *met* anyone who has said this, although I've read this on the internet before. I agree that it's people who have had an outlier of an experience at WDW, or awful planning. I have been many many times, and I haven't had a fully bad experience yet. Of course, even people who have been there at the same time as me probably have had bad experiences because your vacation is what you make of it. We are always having fun walking down the FP lines while some angry people snarl because they didn't do enough research to plan to be in the FP line

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Some of snarl cause we are grumpy old gits and its what we do

 

[foreverbelle]

i suppose i look at it as not everyone is going to be in love with it as i am. i know that not everyone is going to be as addicted to it as i am. and thats ok. because i may not like where they go all the time. if they were to say to me we hated it. i think well that sucks, i see if there is a reason. sometimes its legit. sometimes its for a stupid reason.....

but whatever it is, i don't let effect my thoughts and views....

 

[mcjaco]

Fine by me. That's one less family in line. :lol:

 

[Lucky]

I've never heard that reaction, but I could understand it from someone who blundered into a holiday or peak period not knowing what to expect or how to deal with it. You could spend thousands of dollars mostly just to stand in lines.

 

[kcnole]

A WDW vacation isn't for everyone. It can be very frenetic, very tiring, and for some people that's not what vacation is about. To them they just want to sit in a relaxing environment, sip on a beer, and do nothing. If they go to WDW expecting that they're going to have a bad time.

There are times of the year when I hate WDW and will not go. For example, the middle of August. Its just far too hot to really enjoy that much outdoor activity. Or New Years, there's just far too many people there. I enjoy Disney when the crowds are light. If I've got to wait in line for over an hour for everything then that's not a lot of fun to me. So had my only experience been one of those trips, I might come back saying I hate the place too.

Luckily it wasn't, and luckily I've learned through these boards the best times to go and how to truly enjoy my trip. So when I hear people say things like this, I ask them why they hated it. I ask them if they'd like some advice on how to have a more enjoyable trip for them. And if they're interested I share. If not, I just say I'm sorry you had a bad experience, it can be a bit overwhelming without a ton of planning and leave it at that.

 

[tink68]

I have heard this reaction and thought the people were crazy. :hammer:But I guess we can't all be crazy for Disney. And like another poster here said, one less family in line. :lol:

 

[Disneybub]

Fine by me. That's one less family in line. :lol:

HaHa Im so glad someone else said it... i dont feel so bad now. :lol:

 

[ThinkTink721]

Friends of mine were headed down that very path. They called me (at least they were looking for some advice) and wanted me to come up and help them decide where to stay and what to do! They're going the end of June and this was only two weeks ago that they started to look into it. They knew absolutely nothing!!! They didn't know where they're staying or how many days they even want to spend at the "World". They never knew they needed ADRs for any TS restaurants (and they are the type of people that like to enjoy a nice meal). The husband didn't want to do AK b/c a friend of his (who's never been) told him it was just a zoo! They heard Epcot was boring and didn't know if they should even bother to go! Let me tell ya I had my work cut for me on this one!!! I didn't even know where to start with 'em. They told me after I left that if I hadn't come up they would have had a horrible trip b/c they would have showed up and knew nothing!

It blows my mind but there are people that travel that way... they just don't research and then they have a bad trip b/c of it!

My sister-in-law & her family have been to WDW multiple times.
They don't know about 80% of the stuff that is available.
They don't do much research, they just go.
When we recommend things, they just shrug it off.
When we recommended the DDP, they said that they don't eat that much - just a quick breakfast, a quick lunch & a sit down dinner :veryconfu

 

[bjlc57]

first RULE OF THUMB.... BUY THE BOOK...

You want people to have a good time: take them BY THE HAND TO BARNES AND NOBLE AND FORCE THEM TO BUY THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO WDW..


and tell them to read it FRONT TO BACK..

and then tell them to do the travel plans IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK.

and tell them that THEY MUST DO EXACTLY AS THE BOOK SAYS TO DO..

call WDW and get the opening times.. GET THERE OVER AN HOUR EARLY.

and FOLLOW THE PLANS.. to a TEE..


and then when they are a head of all the lines and the stuff. and they have seen 90% more then every one else.. tell them to sit back and discuss what rides or attractions that they want to see TWICE in one day..

that's the first rule of thumb.. TAKE THE CROWD OUT OF THE PICTURE.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I use Photoshop for that

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

I would guess that 90-95% of the people who attend at peak season, with kids, for their first time, without much advanced planning/knowledge, have this exact response.

I completely agree.
But fortunately, there are many resources to help them plan...if only they'd look!

 

[Jessie&Buzz]

A friend of mine went with her daughter's hs band over Christmas break (why they picked that time of year I'll never know). She said the crowds were horrible. She would like to go again so her other 2 kids can go but she doesn't think she'll go back again after that. I told her when she is ready to plan and book, she should talk to my sister and myself. We can help her plan everything. I'm curious to see if she does.