I Had No Idea.....

[Lexi'smom]

It started with a simple choice to take my daughter to Disney World. I got a few different quotes for a few different weeks, trying to find the better price. I made my decision, booked the trip, paid my deposit, sent in a check for the balance. At that point I thought I was done with it until I had to make ADR's. A month or so ago my sister told me she had found this great website with lots of info, so I just googled.

I had absolutely no idea that there was so many things I didn't know. Theme park stategies, fastpasses and how to use them, tips and tricks, free dining, discounts, croud levels, I could go on and on and on. Needless to say, I feel a bit tense. I just wanted to take a Disney vacation with my daughter, visit the parks, & have a good time together. Not check web sites everyday hoping to qualify for discount, trying to get the best price for flights, searching for that car rental deal so we have a bit more freedom, what park what day what ride first.

Is it all as crazy as it sounds? I've even added a night & changed our flight, just for that extra full day. 8 nights 7 day parkhopper w/ dining, and a plan to go to Kennedy space Center. Can anyone tell me if this is enough time, I can't add anymore, I can't afford it, and we won't be doing a trip like this one for a very, very, very long time if we ever do.

I might not have booked this trip had I known I was going to feel so stressed out just trying to plan it. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited, but I didn't want to go into what is supposed to be our vacation of a lifetime feeling so stressed.

AM I THE ONLY ONE, OR ARE THERE OTHER 1ST TIMERS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE?

[Tygger7]

First of all, take a deep breath and relax. And welcome to Intercot!! It'll be okay. :mickey:

It sounds like you have things under control, so don't panic. Here are some general things we do that help us make the most out of our trips.

1. Stay onsite and use Disney transportation. (Sounds like you already have this covered.) Last thing you need to do is have to worry about driving to and from the parks...let the Disney drivers worry about that, and relax with your family.
2. Develop a plan of attack. Plan your park visits based on where you'll be eating as much as possible. This saves a TON of time, trust me. Decide which attractions are most important to your family and hit those first.
3. Fast Pass. Use the Fast Pass system to maximize your time at the parks.
4. Don't be afraid to ask questions! Disney Cast Members are always happy to give advice and help. I always end up having questions and have found that the hotel front desk is a great place to get help.
5. Don't try to do everything in your first trip. Do as much as you can, but relax and enjoy yourselves. Savor every moment.

Hope this helps relieve some of your stress. I'm sure you'll get similar feedback from others here on Intercot, but remember...you'll be in Disney World...what else matters!!:party:

[SBETigg]

It doesn't have to make you crazy. I wouldn't search all over looking for better deals and get frustrated over it. Accept that you pay what you'll pay and it will be an incredible vacation whether you plan a little or a lot. There's so much information out there. Some of it can be helpful, but it can easily put you on overload.

You have plenty of time scheduled for a great trip. Even if you just showed up at a park, picked up a map, and tackled it without knowing a thing in advance you could have a great time. It's not worth stressing over. There will be crowds. There will be lines. You may not get to do everything there is to do. But having a great trip with your daughter is all it comes down to in the end, and that will happen whether you ride everything or only a few things.

The only solid tip you need to know is that table service dining books up well in advance. If there are any special restaurants or types of restaurants you want to visit, it's good to know and make Advanced Dining Reservations as soon as possible within 180 days of your trip. (and even if you don't, no stress- there is plenty of great counter service dining at WDW, too). Best wishes for a magical time.

[Jasper]

I agree that there are times when too much information can be as bad as too little information.

The most important thing to remember is to do what you and your daughter want to do and what you feel comfortable paying for and then let go of the rest.

Since you say you are already at the limit of how much time and money you can or want to spend then just tell yourself to ignore anything that may cost more money or time.

Also remember this, no one but you will ever know how much time or money you have spent. When I see someone walking down Main Street at the Magic Kingdom I am not thinking "gee I wonder how long she will be here or I wonder how much she is spending." Rather I am thinking "I am glad she could be here!"

Finally, if reading the website(s) is going to drive you crazy regardless of what you try to do then just don't come to the web site(s) anymore. Granted, we love to have as many different people here as we can, but if it is not good for you then we also understand that as well.

Good luck!!

[vamaggie]

First of all :welcome: !

Second: Breathe!!! Breathe!!!! This is a great site to get information and advice but don't get bogged down by too much. We are going in Nov and it is our 3rd trip and we still have not seen/done everything!!! I would not even try to "do it all"--you will make yourself and your DD crazy!! Go to the WDW site and order the custom maps (I think there is still a link at the top of these boards too). They are really cool and will help you an DD find out what you want to see at each park. Make a "Must See" list at each park and go from there.

Third: Ask questions here--the folks on these boards are a wonderful help and will answer any question (even if it seems crazy/odd to you--believe me, I''ve asked some doozies!)

The most important thing IMHO is to enjoy the moment and not worry about what you are not doing--enjoy what you are doing(even if that is just standing in a line w/ DD and chatting!)

[sgdisney]

I agree with the others... relax and plan as much or as little as you like. A lot of Intercotees are a bit, um, dare I say obsessive about their WDW planning, me included, but for us the plan of attack is part of the fun of it all. And welcome to Intercot!

[LauraF]

Don't worry - WDW = fun. It's really hard to have a bad time. :mickey:

It helps to know your priorities. For example:
Do I want to see characters or could I care less?
Do I want to do more rides or more shows? Combo of both?
How many parks do I want to go to? On what days?

Having visited umpteen times, I know what to avoid and what to seek out, based on my travel style and personal preference. If this were my first trip I'd be overwhelmed by info too!

[Cozfamilyof6]

Like the other posts.....just enjoy and don't worry about what you will do or won't do during your trip. With 8 days and 7 nights you will have plenty of time to see quite a bit and if you just tell yourself to stop, and enjoy the dance and not worry about knowing the right steps... you'll be fine.

My husband and our 3 children (5, 2 and 2) went last year and it was the first time for all of them (about the 12th time for me, my parents always took me as a child). I was so worried about planning the perfect trip for them, but on thefirst night as we walked from our room at the Boardwalk Villas to our dinner reservation at the Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club, I realized that no matter what we saw or did, it was the perfect vaction. And you know what - it truly was.

Good Luck!!

:mickey:

[Madame Leona]

Just relax and have a good time. There will always be too much information out there and too many opinions that don't match yours, follow your gut. Disney is so huge, I'm pretty sure you could spend a month there and not see everything. You will have fun. It's a vacation after all.

[disneymom2000]

You won't actually understand the excitement until you are there. We have all been first-timers and have accumulated information each trip. Trust me - know one knows it all. I have been there 6 times at a week each time and still haven't seen everything. If you plan too much, you will be too stressed to enjoy because you will try to follow your schedule too tightly. Pick a couple of things that are most important to you, like things you would really like to see and how to get around. You didn't mention when you were going. If it is late August be prepared for crowds and heat. If it is early Sept to mid-Oct the crowds are much less but there is still a lot of humidity. Not knowing how old your daughter is I can't give definite do's for rides and shows. One thing you might want to know, that if you are staying on property and you buy anything in the parks, you can have it delivered up to the day before you leave to your resort room. That way you don't have to carry a lot of purchases around the parks with you. Have fun - that's what it is all about.

[Jeff]

and we won't be doing a trip like this one for a very, very, very long time if we ever do.

I remember saying the same thing before our first trip as a family back in 1997. We have been back 13 times or so since then. ;)

Even with a good guide book with a regimented plan you can't do it all. Don't even try!!! Just have a great time.

[disneynarula]

The best advice I can give is to make a simple schedule. Decide what parks you want to do which days.

Then prioritize what attractions you want to see. For example, I have to ride Splash Mountain but would like to ride Jungle Cruise if there is time.

Another rookie mistake is running from one side of a park to another hopping on attractions willy nilly. This can make for very tired feet. Look at a map and decided what attractions you want to go to in a particular area and do those and then move to another area.

WDW has a really neat planning tool on their website. You can create a customized map and intinerary. It is a free service and it can really give you some idea how to tackle the parks.

[MIMIROX]

:thumbsup:My 2 cents...
No matter what you end up doing just be in the moment and have fun.Sometimes you just need to sit down and enjoy a mickey icecream or a cold drink in a shady spot.You will have a great time whatever you end up doing:mickey:

No Worries

[Tink#64]

:welcome:

So glad you're here! Now relax and just enjoy! I didn't find this site until a few months before our fourth trip & I was still amazed at how much info is out there that I didn't know about. There is just a wealth of information about WDW! This web site is by far the most informative that I have seen. Between the discussion boards and all the info under the "Info Central" tab - you can find out pretty much everything you need to know about WDW! Do you have a guide book? If you're a reader you might want to pick one up. I get a new one when planning each trip. I try out different ones, but I'm an admitted, obsessive, Disney planner! And I love it! They usually have some of the different guide books at the local library if you don't want to purchase one. If it's not a surprise visit for your daughter, she may enjoy Birnbaum's for kids. Great pix so she can get an idea of what to expect. Don't stress too much, our first trip was very different from our fourth, but each one has been wonderful! Relax and enjoy the magic!:magic:

Have a great trip!:mickey:

[IloveJack]

First of all, it'll be okay!:mickey:

My first trip was with my family for my high school graduation. We knew nothing about all the things you've listed. All we knew was that we'd booked a package through WDW, and we'd be visiting a park a day. Let me tell you, we had a blast! It was such a great trip. We learned things while we were there, such as about Extra Magic Hours (which didn't go by that name then), bus transportation between places, etc. We were clueless about many of the discounts and other things that I wouldn't miss now. We were just a family visiting WDW for the first time, and enjoying ourselves. So don't worry, you'll have a great time, even if you don't use any of the tips you'll find here or elsewhere.

Having said all that, I've been 3 times since, and have used Intercot and other Disney boards (sorry Intercotees, didn't know you existed 8 years ago!) to load up on info. I, and probably most of the people here, are obsessive about planning. But that tends to come with the more trips you take. You learn by doing, and you'll learn a lot by just being there.

And lastly, just a warning... we also thought that first trip would be our only trip for a very, very long time... I was back with my brother and a friend 2 years later... and then the next year. And then after graduating college, getting married, and finding a job, I was back this summer. And hopefully will return next year. So have fun and do all you want, just know that the Disney bug is a contagious little guy.

[gueli]

Again, Welcome.
Relax.
Plan as much as you want. You can go to the parks and just enjoy yourself.
Do your self a favor- either purchase or use your library- the unofffical guide & the offical guide are great resource material. But they are just that- resources. Use them as you see fit. Don't let all the planning drive you nuts.
Relax- deep breath- the world is a wonderful place.
The only thing you need to do on vacation is enjoy yourself.
As to your question about enough time/Kennedy Space center.
Kennedy is about an hour to 1 & 1/2 hours away (just in drive time,each way). It is a very nice & cool place to visit. It can take from a few hours to all day. The last time I went, the food there was not great.
As to enough time at disney- Be wary of getting burnt out on the 1st day (by tring to do too much). Take breaks. There is noo need to be running from attraction to attraction- unless that is what you want to do. There is no need to spend more than you are comfortable with.
Remember - its a vacation- relax- have fun
Good Luck

[KylesMom]

I might not have booked this trip had I known I was going to feel so stressed out just trying to plan it.

I hope after reading so many positive posts that you've changed your mind and are no longer having second thoughts about taking your daughter to the happiest place on earth.

Eight Disney vacations ago, we were where you stand now. I had found Intercot in 1999 while planning our first vacation (we'd only been there on our honeymoon, staying off-site), and I was overwhelmed with where to stay, if we needed a car, would 8 days be enough, could we handle a 27-month old in the heat, etcetera. We, like you, said it would probably be YEARS before we went back to The World.

Obviously we had the most magical time imaginable (with only one ADR planned-Chef Mickey's at the suggestion of Intercotees) and have made it a reality to return each year. It truly is a magical place, and whether you're an obsessive planner or a "fly by the seat of your pants" person, as long as you let the magic happen, it will.

I truly would recommend getting a guide book for yourself - and if she's age-appropriate, for your daughter as well. I figure she must be a bit older if you're contemplating going to Kennedy Space Center (which we did last year). We give DS, who is 9, some decision-making power, letting him pick which attractions he wants to visit, as well as letting him pick a few of our table service dining locations.

There is no way you will be able to see and do it all - but with just a small amount of planning, you can have the vacation of a lifetime. :mickey:

Oh, and one last thing . . . Welcome to Intercot!

[Disney Doll]

Planning is a personal choice. I think everyone should go into a Disney vacation well-informed, but some people (DH may put me into this category) :blush: do plan too much. I like the planning and that's part of my fun, but I try not to over do it. Know which park you are going to on what day, make ADRs, and have a list of must sees. Other than that just go with the flow. It's not a vacation if you are stressed.

[Marilyn Michetti]

First of all WELCOME TO INTERCOT!! You can ask us anything, anytime.

Next, along with all you've already read, let me add, RELAX! This is going to be a breeze. None of us knew much our first trip.

Get a Birnbaums or Passporter at any bookstore, sit down with a marker and a pad of paper, and make notes.

Just remember, if you miss out on a restaurant, you'll still find something wonderful to eat. Ask questions with any CM in any park, and check the activity boards to see what's going on that day.

Lastly, we expect a full report when you get back.

HAVE FUN !!!!!! This is DISNEY !!!!!:mickey:

[richardsa98]

KNOWLEDGE CAN BE DANGEROUS!!!:)
For your first time, go, relax, eat when and (hopefully) where you want, look at anything and everything, and enjoy it as if you can't ever return! But don't kill yourself trying! All the great information these boards have are addicting and overwhelming:thumbsup: Just make it a magical trip for you and your daughter....Then once your hooked and you inevitably plan your next trip (whether 1 or 10 years from now) you will know where to come for advice...
Enjoy:party:

[septembergirl]

Even with a good guide book with a regimented plan you can't do it all. Don't even try!!! Just have a great time.

I agree. You may be able to do more with a plan but that doesn't mean you'll have a better time. I would suggest checking out a couple of WDW related podcasts (like WDW Today) if you are that type of person. It's an easy way to learn a lot of info.

Unless you are a person who just hates theme parks, you WILL have a great time. You do not HAVE to ride any certain ride or eat any certain meal to have fun at WDW.

Pay no attention to the obsessive compulsive planners. We are ill and cannot control ourselves, spending entirely too much time on the websites of other Disney obsessed folks. This is our idea of fun. :blush:

Relax and enjoy yourself and mostly enjoy the time with your daughter. :cloud9:

[Magic Smiles]

We did out first trip in 2000. Went it totally blind, picked a package for 1 week stay out of a travel brochure. We ended up staying at the POFQ. Even though we knew nothing about WDW we loved every minute of our trip. Before we left to return home, we had already decided that we would return one day. We returned 4 years later for 2 weeks armed with all kinds of information. I have to say, I enjoyed our first trip much more not knowing what to expect. I found that on our 2nd trip we missed too much of the scenery and atmosphere as we just seemed to dash from one thing to the next. Since then, we take our time and yes, we do go with a very short list of things to see and do that we have previously missed, but never schedule our every day nor every move. We do always purchase the park hopper option as this allows us to hop from one park to another during the same day if required, as we never know until the night before which park we will visit the following day. This upcoming trip for 16 nights we have finally booked our first ADRs for a total of 4 ADRs and that has stressed me out.
No matter how long your trip is, you will never see everything. There always seems to be something new to see and do.
We also go off site and visit the other parks and places in Florida.
Don't stress out over your plans, you will have a great time just being in WDW. Have a great vacation.:mickey:

[LoriMistress]

I completely understand. We all were first timers. My first trip to WDW as back in November 2003 for our honeymoon. (DH had only been to MK once.) I did all the planning and it can be very overwhelming. I'm planning our second trip to WDW this December and I think I'm twice as excited and anxious/nervous about our trip.

Here are several tips/suggestion:

1. You're not going to see everything on your first trip. There are many people who've been to WDW countless times and still haven't seen everything on WDW property. Believe me.

2. Be at the parks before opening! Hit your Must Do's first, and use FP to your advantage. It may take a while, but once you've got the system down; you'll rarely wait in line for anything.

3. You don't need to rush everything. Stroll through the parks; don't rush.

4. If you made ADRs, arrive at least 15 minutes before your ADR. Arriving 15 minutes earlier can make a huge difference.

[FaithTrustPixieDust]

I know exactly how Lexi'smom feels! It can be very overwhelming when you see how much info is out there. Keep in mind, those of us who read and post on Intercot are often somewhat obsessed. :yay:

Everyone has their own vacation style. My in-laws HATE to plan, even something as simple as making a dining reservation. They prefer to just show up and wander around, riding whatever rides they can and not worrying about the things they didn't get around to.

[WonderlandsMostWanted]

Welcome!

Another thing to bear in mine while reading everyone else's obsesive planning worries, is that most of us who plan like this, have actually been there before!

For me, part of the fun about planning, is that I'm thinking about being there, in places I've already been, doing things I've already seen, or have always wanted to. It makes it almost tangible. The more I plan what I'm going to do, the more I remember where I've been. It's like being able to vividly day dream with a bunch of people at once, because as we read read a one sentance post about Casey's on Mainstreet, we can see it in our mind's eye. We can smell the hot dogs, and see the cast memember nearby with a huge bunch of bright colored, shiny Mickey ballons. We can see the castle at the edge of our periferal vision, we can remember looking down at the street, seeing the tracks and the curb as we wait in line, seeing people lining up waiting for the parade, feel the excitement in the air, here the music on the loud speakers, etc. All that pops instantly in your head from ONE SENTANCE!! It's great to be able to bring yourself back there like that. It's part of the reason we obsess the way we do!!

That said, we've already had such a wonderful time, we're constantly trying to out-do our last incredible trip to Disney World every time we go back! Trying to top the amazing time you had last time, does require some planning!

Do I think you should worry about planning your first time too much? Absolutely not. The first time I went back as an adult, (well, late teens, early twenties anyhow) my dad and I just went. We walked through and if we saw something we wanted to do, or look at, we did it. We made one dinner reservation at a restaurant that we really wanted to eat at, and we did counter service meals the rest of the trip. We didn't have a schedule so we were never "late", we didn't have a plan that got thrown off by unavoidable outside influences, we never felt like we were missing anything, because we hadn't set ourselves with unrealistic expecatations of what we could do. It was wonderful and perfect and is one of the best memories of my life.

Everyone is comfortable at a different pace. Everyone wants slightly different things out of their trip. What's right for others may just not be right for you. Don't feel like you have to "keep up with the Jones' " so to speak. You have a plan: "take my daughter do Disney World" You have your package, you have your flight, you know where you're going and when. You know you're going to be there with your daughter, and it's going to be amazing. Really, those things are all you need.

If you want to plan obsessively, save it for your next trip. The only thing you should even consider figuring out sooner, is if you want to eat at table service, (sit down and have waitstaff bring your food/buffet style) restaurants. If you do, you will need to make reservations, as soon as possible (up to 180 before your trip.) If it's you and your daughter, and you don't care about "fancy" dinners and are happy walking to the counter, grabbing something to eat, and walking your own food to a nearby table, don't even sweat it.

Now relax, take a deep breath and smile. You and your daughter get to go to Disney World together. When you see the look on her face the first time she sees the castle or meets Mickey (doesn't matter how old she is,) nothing you've read anywhere is going to matter to you anymore. :cloud9:

[mickey&missy]

First, :welcome:

Second, I promise your going to have fun! You don't have to stress over it, really. As many posters have said, to a lot of us here on intercot the planning and the anticipation are half the fun:secret:. It really is up to you. You can be the person standing there with a list saying "ok, its 3:30 its time to ride Space Mountain, its in the schedule!" You can go with no plan and wing it. Or you can go in between those 2, which is what I prefer to do. I know ahead of time what park we're going to go to that day and have an idea of what rides etc. That way we can do whatever and if something changes it doesn't throw a whole plan out of whack. When we went in 2005 we really had no plan and sat at breakfast in the mornings saying "ok, what are we going to do today!?" I hated it and I felt like we missed a lot of stuff we wanted to see because of it.

My biggest advice is not to try to do it all. You can't, and you'll exhaust yourself trying!! You'd have to stay there for like a month to see and do everything and I'm not sure that would even be enough.

Stay on site, use WDW transportation, use fastpass, make adr's and come here and ask any questions you have!

Happy planning!! :pixie: :mickey3:

[Lexi'smom]

I never imagined I would get so many reply's to my moment of sheer panic. I have been put at ease by all of you, and I can't thank all of you enough for all of your kind and reasuring words. Lastly let me add, intercot is much better than the other web sites I have been visiting...and the people...much nicer.