Loss of spontaneity

I am the Disney Fanatic in our house. We haven't been to DW with the kids since 2007. I keep trying to get the husband to go and he keeps telling me to wait.

But last week he said we should take the money we have been saving to go to DW this fall and paint the house next year. But I told him no it was to late we should go for fall of next year. I can't believe I said that.

But we love the dinning plan love eating at DW its part of the fun of the trip. And with reservations opening up 6 months in advance and free dinning opening up weeks ago. It seemed so late for that.

And with the new fast pass system it seems like you need to do some prep time to figure out what days you want to do what.

Does anyone else feel this way?

Go have fun!

I feel like it is a huge pain the rear to plan a trip to WDW these days.

We have some friends that just went to WDW for the very first time. They said it was most aggravating vacation to plan and then deal with once there they have ever been on. They hated having to plan every day to such detail. Plus they thought it was outrageously expensive. They said they will probably never go again.

I had to laugh at the video that Disney e-mailed me about setting up the fastpasses. More spontaneity for you! Yeah, right!

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Originally Posted by Lizzie

I am the Disney Fanatic in our house. We haven't been to DW with the kids since 2007. I keep trying to get the husband to go and he keeps telling me to wait.

But last week he said we should take the money we have been saving to go to DW this fall and paint the house next year. But I told him no it was to late we should go for fall of next year. I can't believe I said that.

But we love the dinning plan love eating at DW its part of the fun of the trip. And with reservations opening up 6 months in advance and free dinning opening up weeks ago. It seemed so late for that.

And with the new fast pass system it seems like you need to do some prep time to figure out what days you want to do what.

Does anyone else feel this way?

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Me.

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Originally Posted by 1DisneyNut

... they thought it was outrageously expensive. They said they will probably never go again.

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I'm hearing this a lot from a lot of casuals. Even some more Disney fanatics I know come to my desk to complain about price and FP+ once they start the planning process. A few have put off the trip for a year or two they say.

*Fifteen years ago*, I said there was a "loss of spontaneity" with the implementation of the original FastPass system. You had to plan your days around the attractions you wanted, on top of dining reservations.

For our upcoming trip in September, I'm *not* really looking forward to setting up our FP+s.

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Originally Posted by DizneyRox

I'm hearing this a lot from a lot of casuals. Even some more Disney fanatics I know come to my desk to complain about price and FP+ once they start the planning process. A few have put off the trip for a year or two they say.

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We are in the putting off a trip category. For the first time since 2000, we have no trip in planning.....not even next year. We are planning other destinations.

I think it all depends on your outlook and also when you go. I went to the morning of the Rock Your Disney Side with 0 FP+ reserved. We might go tomorrow and I have 0 FP+ reserved. We do not usually go at the during the busy summer season because we are local and tend to avoid the parks when the weather is at its hottest.

I used to be obsessive with my Disney planning. I had a spreadsheet and pre-planned ADRS, park days etc. Now unless something is a "we can't live without it" meal. I seldom reserve anything very far in advance. I might do it a month or two in advance or very often a day or two in advance. Do you always get your first choice, no but there is always an option that works for us.

FP+ has worked for us pretty well. I've booked things and changed them numerous times even within the same day.

My biggest complaints on FP+ isn't the scheduling as much as technological issues with the app/web site.

I do know how you feel, but I'm inclined to say go for it anyway! We just got back from a trip a few weeks ago that we booked only a few months in advance. I was really worried because we were well inside the ADR window and the FP+ thing was a whole new factor. You know what? We ate everywhere we wanted to, even BOG and Ohana, and we rode everything we wanted to ride. We also had spontaneous days where I didn't book any meals or any FP and those worked out great too.

I will admit that the planning was a little more stressful, and it was kind of weird having such a scheduled day, but it all worked out and we had a really great trip!

I think a lot of hesitation in going is with a family of six living in WA its an expensive trip. There are certain places I really want to take the kids to eat. And its way past the 180 day mark. And with my kids swimming every day is one of the things they look forward to on vacation. So where we stay and what the pool is matters.

I wished that adrs were only booked three months out about the same time as your fast pass reservations.

I also ponder our third youngest is 43 1/2 inches and the youngest is 42 1/2 inches and maybe if we wait they can experience sm and then there are only 2 rides we can't go together.

Back before the whole free dining, book 180 days out x get table service if you are lucky thing, we used to have relaxing vacations. We had table service twice a day. That went down to one table service a day. Finally, to avoid the hassle altogether, we just did counter service with the occasional table service. It is sad really because we always viewed dining as an attraction in itself.

Now they want to start down the same path with attractions? Not with me. I can only hope the penny pinchers at the top see all the complaints and rethink their billion dollar waste of money.

We have found that, on our last trip (Dec 2013) that is a bit of a let down. We have been to WDW over 20 times since our first trip in 1984. We have adjusted to all the changes, updates, etc that have taken place over the years.

We found that the rides, if you did not get a FP had super, super long waits. I think this was a result of people making FP reservations 60 days out. I think that will be the norm as time goes by since it appears that all rides have FP options?

We had been to WDW about 5 times this time of year (the first full week after Thanksgiving) and we came home after this trip feeling exhausted, frustrated, lost even. We did not get to do all the rides, as we usually do, because the non FP wait times were ridiculous. I felt like a newbie and the trip felt overwhelming:mad:

We are going to try again;) and hope this vacation turns out better than the last. Keeping our fingers crossed we have a better experience:mickey:

DD and I just spent a day going over park hours, show & parade times and planning for our Dec trip. I realize with a trip in Dec planning is essential but it was a bit overwhelming. I did not enjoy it as much as we have in the past. I think knowing that we have to schedule FP's in advance puts pressure to make good choices when you are used to being able to make some last minute dinning changes, etc.

We were just there Spring break of 2013 and for a day trip last summer but it looks like everything has changed again and so I am not sure what to expect.

After a two year Disney hiatus, I am going back!!!

I will just have to adapt to the new system....
I just keep hoping that by the time I get back at the end of this year, they will keep tweaking it to make it better.
I'm sure they do not want long lines for attractions all day...less people spending...

Julie:mickey: