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Lack of Knowledge of Guests
It seemed to me that more and more people do not do research before they go to WDW. We do lots of research on new rides, when to visit certain parks, the best times to rides certain rides, etc.. One guy left the parade yesterday because he said it started at 3:45 and it was 3:50. He said if they post a time they should stick with it. We were have way down the parade route. Maybe he was joking but i don't think he was.
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Yes, it's unfortunate that, in this time, when so much information is available with so little effort, that folks do not put more effort into planning their trips. Some folks decide to go on the spur of the moment. Some truly do not understand (until after they arrive) the scope of Disney World. Some prefer to be spontaneous. And, despite the best planning efforts, we were all first-timers one time or another and we each need to make those rookie mistakes and get better on future trips.
Linda aka: Faline
INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning,Trip Reports and Disney Camping
[email protected]
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I was thinking the same thing!
I remember our first trip, and I'm surprised, looking back that we saw anything, I had NO IDEA just how much planning I really should have been doing.
Disney is bigger and more complicated than a trip to your local theme park, which is what many people compare it to, before they go of course.
Heather aka ibelieveindisneymagic
INTERCOT Staff
Engaged at the castle!
My Disney Home is POFQ
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I will say, that when I have informed guests of parade times, that the posted "start time" is *where the parade steps off*. Not when it will be *at* your location. Parade step-off time is at 3:00, you're sitting in Liberty Square? Parade will be here around 3:10
Former WDW Magic Kingdom Cast Member (2001-2010): Main Street Parades/WDWRR Engineer/Conductor; Frontierland Attractions; Tomorrowland Attractions
Last: Sep '14 (Coronado Springs)
Next:Oct 2015: MNSSHP
Have you ever dreamed the dreams of the children...?
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My husband works with a woman who hates WDW and does not understand why we keep going back. She didn't plan their trip with their kids, just went, and was surprised by long lines and not being able to eat where she wanted, when she wanted. "Oh the crowds." Even at somewhat crowded times, it's really not terrible for those of us who know how to plan. So I just shake my head and say she doesn't know the real WDW.
Sherri
Next: Aulani Celebration 10/2018 (50th)
Past Stays: Contemporary, GF, Poly, BC, POP, POR, Dolphin, AKL Kidani, BLT
1990 August Honeymoon- GF
Delighted Disney Return Guest since 1981, DVC (BLT) since 2014
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During our October trip we met another UK family who were nearing the end of their holiday. They had the quick service meal plan but didn't fully understand where and how they should use it. They had about 36 meal credits left because they were unaware that they could use them at the parks and had paid out of pocket instead. I felt really sorry for them and I just wish I had met them sooner so I could've explained the system to them.
As previous poster's have said - the first time visit to Disney World is mind boggling - you have no idea of the sheer scale of everything until you get there!
Jo
Next trip Sept 2014 - POFQ
Oct 2011 - POFQ
Oct 2009 - POFQ
April 2008 - off site
Nov 2006 - CBR
March 2005 - Disneyland Paris
Oct 2004 - AKL
April 2003 - off site
Dec 1997 - off site
June 1995 - Disney California
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I agree with the comment that we were all those first timers at one time. I think back to our first trip when our oldest DD was a baby. It wasn't the first trip for DH and I, but we hadn't been since we were much younger and didn't appreciate all there was to do.
There are two ways to react to a first time, not planned out WDW trip. Either, "We're never doing this again!" or "I'm going to figure out how to make the next trip even better!"
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Our very first trip was back in 1997 - before Fast passes and during the summer crowds as well. I didn't even know that Disneyworld was "more than" Magic Kingdom. I just always thought of Magic Kingdom when I heard the word "Disneyworld". LOL. Boy were we in for a shock. Didn't get to the parks until around 9;45am - we were those people standing in the middle of the street with our maps trying to decide what we wanted to do because we didn't know what was there. Oh man.......I'm surprised we ever came back! haha. Next trip was in 2008 and I was a planning machine and had it locked & loaded a year in advance. It was awesome. Planning is so important (in my humble opinion) to at least get a sense of what is there at each park. Otherwise - it can be overwhelming. Anytime I hear someone talk about going to Disney I'm the first to chime in about what they should do ahead of time.
Melinda
Trips:
Offsite - June 1997
WL - October 2008
POFQ - April/May 2010
RPH - Universal - May 7th-11th 2014
POFQ - Sept. 27-30, 2014 (just the two of us!)
Royal Pacific Hotel - Universal - June 27th - July 1st, 2015
POFQ - Sept 2017
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I'm very fortunate. I like to plan, especially vacations, so I get free reign planning WDW. I think it's part of the fun. My wife is not a planner, and my kids are, well kids, so I make all the plans, keeping them as flexible as possible to account for moods and such, and then gently "steer" them where we need to go, giving them options to make it feel like they are making decisions and adding input. Quite diabolical actually.
It's taken a few trips to get it right, but the key to any plan is to be flexible. You don't want one rainstorm or one ride breakdown to ruin the whole trip.
Viva Darth Macho!
APR '98: Wilderness Lodge, 9 days, Honeymoon
OCT '99: Coronado Springs, 8 days, Halloween
AUG '03: All Star Music, 8 days, Summer Fun
AUG '10: Port Orleans Riverside, 10 days, Summer Celebration!
AUG '12: Pop Century, 14 days, My Dream Trip!
AUG '17: Hoping!
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Nobody will believe this, but a few years ago we were at WDW and some people from our hometown called us and said they had just arrived at All Star Sports for a week. They knew we were the "disney experts" from home and wanted to meet up with us because they had never been to WDW, nor did they do ANY research at all. They were an older couple with three grandkids. We were at Animal Kingdom and told them to catch the bus that said "Animal Kingdom" and meet us there. We waited for hours and they never arrived. When we got back to the AKL, I finally got them on the phone and they said they went to Animal Kingdom and played putt-putt golf all day!!??!!?? Come to find out they took the AK bus to Blizzard Beach and got off at the first stop. They spent the day at Winter Wonderland golf thinking it was AK!!! I SWEAR ITS A TRUE STORY. We did manage to help them the next few days and they had a good trip.
My first home is in Coastal Georgia, 30 feet from the saltwater marsh, and 3.5 hours from WDW!My second home is the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort!CR,Poly,GF,BC,BW,WL,AKL,Dolphin,Swan,DL,CSR,POFQ,C BR,POP,AS,Vero.
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i figured it was something on a lot of people's bucket list that they did because either everyone else was doing, or the kids wanted it. They were doing it to get it done, not for the same reasons we do, and hence take less time planning and getting ready for it.
I think even I might have overestimated how easy it was going to be to do everything on my 3rd trip. All my trips later and still haven't nailed everything. All the more reason to keep going, right?
Last Ride Ridden - Test Track
Last Eatery Visited - Tangerine Cafe
July 1984 (off WDW)
June 1995 (off WDW)
July 2005 (Pop Century)
April 2008 (offsite)
Feb 2009 (All Star Music)
Feb 2010 (POP)
Sept/Oct 2010 (Sports)
Jan/Feb 2012 (ASMovies)
Sep/Oct 2013 (offsite)
Feb 2015 (POFQ)
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I think there are just two groups of people who go to Disney, us (the Disney fanatics who plan to a tee, I even have an idea what I'm going to order at the restaurants) and them ( those who just wing it). I think for newbie's without a plan Disney can be frustrating and that's the few that end up hating Disney
Dec.11-18, 2021 Port Orleans Riverside
Jan. 25-Feb. 1, 2017, Port Orleans Riverside
Oct. 29-Nov.4, 2014-Yacht Club
Dec. 17-23 2011-Wilderness Lodge
Dec. 20-30, 2008-Pop Century
Dec. 25,2005-Jan.1, 2006-Coronado Springs
Jan. 1-7, 2003-All Star Movies
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with the multitude of sites and wealth of info available, planning a WDW vaca should be fairly easy. As veterans, we know that some amount of planning is necessary to really enjoy our time @ WDW. But those who don't/won't plan, are the ones that you will hear say..."I'll never go back", or "I don't understand what you see in that place", or, "for the money I paid, I didn't get to do much". We do not plan each moment of each day on our visit to the World. But we do plan for those dinner shows we don't want to miss or the restaurants we definitely want to eat at. We also offer our advice and expertise to our friend who ask us and sometimes to strangers in the parks that look like they could use a little help.
1974 - Off Property
1975 - Poly
1980 - Golf Resort (Honeymoon)
1881 - Golf Resort
1982 - Poly
1983 - Contemporary
1989 - CBR (10th anniversay)
1998 - CBR (DD 1st trip )
2001 - CBR
2003 - WL
2004 - WL (25th anniversary)
2005 - WL
2006 - WL
2010 - WL
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I work with a woman who "won't ever go back to that awful place." (that made me sick to type!) All because her first trip was at Easter break, they stayed off site, and didn't make ADRS. They tried to go to MK after 10 on Easter and couldn't get in. They ended up at Epcot, but could only see a few things because of crowds, and had to eat CS meals. She came back and wanted to write a nasty letter to Disney because they didnt have a trip like they show in the commercials...that made me laugh.
I don't over plan anything, but I always have some general idea of what I will be up too and if there is something I want to eat, I make an ADR.
Meg
40 trips (plus two to Disneyland, and one to Disneyland Paris) and counting!
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I have a bit of a different take on this--it's true that a WDW vacation requires a lot of planning, which I think is a bit of a shame. Especially with the onset of free dining (and the all-important ADR's!!) spontaneity is almost impossible. In fact, a Disney World vacation is almost becoming too complicated, IMO. But maybe I'm basing my opinion on the memory of being a newbie back in the late 70's when an e-ticket meant getting on an awesome ride (with reasonable lines) and the choice on of onsite hotels was limited to two (therefore staying off-site was more the norm than staying onsite).
Beth
INTERCOT Staff--
Theme Parks and Accommodations
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Originally Posted by MNNHFLTX
I have a bit of a different take on this--it's true that a WDW vacation requires a lot of planning, which I think is a bit of a shame. Especially with the onset of free dining (and the all-important ADR's!!) spontaneity is almost impossible. In fact, a Disney World vacation is almost becoming too complicated, IMO.
You are not alone in your thoughts.
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
CR 74, 7, 11 Offsite 79,80,98,00,8 (2) Sports 94 DD 02 AKL 05, 08 AKLV 8 WL 6, 10 POP 07, 13 Movies 08 CBR 08 Swan 08 POFQ 08,11 CSR 08,13 FWC 09,13 Music 09 SSR-Tree 09 POR 10 12 Poly 10 (2) YC 10, BC 10, GF 10, AoA 13, OKW 13, Dream 11, next fwc 1/2014
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I can top any of the stories here with something that happened just this past Wednesday ... MK was pretty busy, so there was a reasonably long line for the TTA. We had just gotten in line, so we were standing next to the CM holding the flag to show guests where the end of the line was and this woman walks up and asks ... I kid you not ... "This is the train to Animal Kingdom, right?"
Yes ... she thought the TTA would take her to the Animal Kingdom! I have to say, though, I was impressed with the CM's response. He didn't laugh in her face or anything.
Originally Posted by MNNHFLTX
I have a bit of a different take on this--it's true that a WDW vacation requires a lot of planning, which I think is a bit of a shame. Especially with the onset of free dining (and the all-important ADR's!!) spontaneity is almost impossible. In fact, a Disney World vacation is almost becoming too complicated, IMO. But maybe I'm basing my opinion on the memory of being a newbie back in the late 70's when an e-ticket meant getting on an awesome ride (with reasonable lines) and the choice on of onsite hotels was limited to two (therefore staying off-site was more the norm than staying onsite).
Beth, I totally agree with you on this point. In fact, I could have typed it out myself. Awesome way to put it.
Ian ºOº
INTERCOT Senior Imagineer
Veteran of over 60 trips to Disney theme parks and proud to have stayed in every Disney resort in the continental United States! º0º
Next trip:
April 2018 - Saratoga Springs Treehouse
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