Worst advice you got

[BarbieGal457]

To get the cheddar cheese soup at Le Cellier! I was so excited but in the end it was just too overpowering for me and I love cheese! Obviously that is personal preference but it just wasn't for me. Thankfully my boyfriend loved it and finished it so it didn't go to waste.

Also, this past trip I had to go in a knee-high cam walker for an injured foot. EVERYONE who knew I was going before my trip to get "the card" so I could cut to the front of the line. Some I would tell that isn't how it worked but eventually I gave up and politely nodded along. Honestly Disney was mostly manageable in the boot!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I heard they are in the process of building a monorail from the Orlando airport to Disney World.

We heard this same thing on our first WDW trip in 1987. Still waiting!

I can't think of any bad advice we've ever been given. I read all 8 pages of this thread looking for something. I guess it's because people have never given me advice, just asked! So I hope I'm not anyone's "worst advice".

 

[LetsTalkWDW]

"Take DME to/from the airport! It's so convenient!" Nope. There is nothing convenient about sitting on a bus for an hour waiting for it to load, not getting your luggage until 7 hours after check-in, or getting picked up 3 hours before your flight home so that you can sit on the bus some more to wait for it to load at various resorts. After renting a car on our last trip and seeing how convenient THAT is, I feel like a fool for buying into the DME myth for so long.

I guess you can file this one under YMMV. I've always had great experiences with DME. Never waited more than 15 minutes for the bus to leave. Never had a problem with the luggage delivery, mostly because we arrive fairly early and have to go to the parks anyway because the room isn't ready.

I had rented a car several times in the past. Last time I rented, I drove to MK on our first day pulled into a parking spot and as we were exiting the vehicle a young couple decides to park next to us taking the door off the rental car in the process. They had no insurance and wanted to pay cash. I can't tell you how much that messed up our vacation. Finally got everything straightened out months after we returned from WDW.

 

[ammag]

I feel guilty for finding these threads so entertaining, mine was that animal kingdom is nothing but a small zoo, and to skip it. They said trust them, (they live in FL) not to bother. So happy I knew better!

I was also told that the monorail and the busses are so filthy and dangerous I should avoid them. Seriously???
She and I live in NYC the subway is much dirtier, even if the monorail could use am little love.

 

[bbjunkie]

But, most people go for a week, so Monday is always busier at MK of the weekdays because it's more often the first day of a trip than any other day of the week not including SAt and Sun.

I'm not sure if it is true or not that "most people go for a week," but even if it is, everybody's week can start on a different day.

 

[sunflare]

I'm not sure if it is true or not that "most people go for a week," but even if it is, everybody's week can start on a different day.

This ^. My weeks usually start Wednesdays or Thursdays, because that's when it's cheapest to fly.

 

[prudence64]

Mondays are the busiest day at MK.

 

[Jfsag123]

I think the worst advise I have heard recently is to wait to take kids until they are older. I have heard so many times that DS (2.5, almost 3) will not remember this trip so what is the point? The magic is so real for little kids and I can't imagine waiting to take him. We will have the pictures and memories to share with him. Plus, we will go again.

This is exactly what I was going to say. My DS was the same age as yours when we took our first family Disney trip (2 months away from 3). Lots of people told me I should wait until he is older, that he wouldn't remember it and wouldn't really enjoy it. Guess what? He had the time of his life. Fell in love with the rides and characters, came home singing the songs. The look in his eyes when he met THE Mickey Mouse made it worth every penny. And he remembers plenty. He will still reference things that happened on that first trip and they are stories he didn't get from a photo or from us telling him. BONUS: His admission and meals were free! Enjoy your trip!

 

[OKW Lover]

Mine has to be when a TA told me it would be a waste of money to buy books like The Unofficial Guide because they don't help.

That's funny. I would have said the exact same thing since the info here on the DIS Boards and WDW Info is much more current than any printed book can be.

 

[OKW Lover]

Here is the list:

1. "Go to the second parade, the first one is too crowded." Totally wrong - both parades are crowded. Sure, the 1st one is more crowded, but the ride lines are walk on or near walk on during the 2nd parade because everyone either went home after fireworks or are watching the 2nd parade or are still in line to meet Anna and Elsa.

2. "Rent a car and drive to the parks every day, it is much more convenient." Not sure how taking a bus (or if staying at a park resort, taking a short walk) is less convenient than driving in, parking miles away and still taking a bus, boat or tram to actually get to the park.

3. "Don't do any table service, it takes too much time." Of course, because waiting in line for 20 minutes for chicken nuggets, searching for 5 minutes for a place to sit down then taking 25 minutes to eat saves you so much time. I'm perfectly content with taking an hour and 1/2 (or an extra 40 minutes if you are keeping score at home) out of my day to sit in comfort with my family talking about how much fun we are having while being served and actually eating something somewhat good for you.

1) Its always been our experience that the second parade is less crowded than the first. Note that this is different than saying that the second parade isn't crowded though.

Overheard a woman looking at the Walkaround The World bricks outside the Magic Kingdom... "Oh my, look at all the people that died building this place." That was 4 years ago and I'm still laughing.

We refer to the granite monoliths in front of Epcot as the tomb of the unknown tourist.

 

[Alexsandra]

1) I have to agree with the park hoppers being a bad idea, especially with young kids. You loose half your day park hopping when you could just be enjoying the parks.

2) Bringing everything you would ever need with you in your luggage and overpacking. The resorts have washing machines and you can find or order anything you need once in Orlando. I shipped diapers, wipes and baby food from Garden Grocers when my kid was a baby/toddler so I would not have to carry them in plane. What a blessing that was. The same goes with carrying too much stuff to the park.

3) Taking an afternoon break, especially in the cooler months is. It is sometimes more tiring to bus back to the resort, put the kids down to nap and then bus back later than just finding a quiet spot in the park or letting the child nap in the stroller. My kids did not want to go back to the resorts so I had to contend with mega fits each afternoon. I learnt quickly that the best solution for my family was planing a TS for lunch so we could get out of the sun and enjoy a nice meal in an air conditioned restaurant. Then find a shaded area and/or watch a parade. In the summer months it might be appealing to back to the pool but it is not more relaxing.

 

[luvmy2babies]

Issue is likely people pass off what works for them as if it's fact. Here's mine.

You can’t possibly take two children to Disney by yourself. That’s crazy." Nobody is there with us in the trenches day to day; so we’ll do our vacations that way too. After 4 trips, I’ve concluded if it’s crazy I don’t want to be sane.

Along the same lines, “Leave your son at home. Don't take him until he's 5. He will probably be unhappy and he won’t remember it anyway.” Here he is at 2.5, his 2nd trip. Look how miserable he looks.

 

[LadyRayado]

I too got the "don't take your toddler" lecture. Several times. But he's been five times now and loves it, so clearly I didn't listen.

When I was younger, our TA told my parents to stay offsite because it was cheaper. It was terrible advice for us - too much hassle with three car seats, a rental car, driving back and forth, parking, fees, etc. Just not worth it for us.

Probably the "best" bit of bad advice I got though was to skip the Halloween party because of the terrifying haunted houses and really scary, gory costumes (I'm pretty sure she was thinking of Universal's Horror Nights).

 

[hallen4]

This is exactly what I was going to say. My DS was the same age as yours when we took our first family Disney trip (2 months away from 3). Lots of people told me I should wait until he is older, that he wouldn't remember it and wouldn't really enjoy it. Guess what? He had the time of his life. Fell in love with the rides and characters, came home singing the songs. The look in his eyes when he met THE Mickey Mouse made it worth every penny. And he remembers plenty. He will still reference things that happened on that first trip and they are stories he didn't get from a photo or from us telling him. BONUS: His admission and meals were free! Enjoy your trip!

My mother told me this same "advice" when we were planning our first trip with my then DS3 and DD1.5, they had the best time. One of my favorite memories is of the look of wonder on my son's face when he saw the castle for the first time and his whole fantasy world became real...BEST. THING. EVER. My son still talks nonstop about his favorite rides (Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain). We will be going again in October and now my kids are 4 and 2 and I can't wait to have those same moments. Glad I didn't listen to mom.

 

[smiths02]

Here are my "miserable" 2.75 year olds (We were told to wait as well)

 

[BuckeyeBama]

So true! Many folks don't know this. One trip last two weeks of August (we were off site, went for 15 nights) we made a couple trips to Target & bought hoodies! We needed them in the evenings, as well as in many attractions and restaurants.

In August, in Florida?

 

[BuckeyeBama]

This is exactly what I was going to say. My DS was the same age as yours when we took our first family Disney trip (2 months away from 3). Lots of people told me I should wait until he is older, that he wouldn't remember it and wouldn't really enjoy it. Guess what? He had the time of his life. Fell in love with the rides and characters, came home singing the songs. The look in his eyes when he met THE Mickey Mouse made it worth every penny. And he remembers plenty. He will still reference things that happened on that first trip and they are stories he didn't get from a photo or from us telling him. BONUS: His admission and meals were free! Enjoy your trip!

I agree, but be prepared. My boys have been every year of their lives from infancy and they do not remember their first 7 or 8 trips to WDW at all. We have the pictures and show them, but they have no recollection. They did when they were younger, but those memories have faded for them. Thankfully, they have not faded for me or my wife. Those trips were amazing.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Worst advice - "The wait time is low at Stitch's Great Escape, let's go check it out."

And that it would be totally worth the wait.

 

[Magpie]

I guess you can file this one under YMMV. I've always had great experiences with DME. Never waited more than 15 minutes for the bus to leave. Never had a problem with the luggage delivery, mostly because we arrive fairly early and have to go to the parks anyway because the room isn't ready.

I had rented a car several times in the past. Last time I rented, I drove to MK on our first day pulled into a parking spot and as we were exiting the vehicle a young couple decides to park next to us taking the door off the rental car in the process. They had no insurance and wanted to pay cash. I can't tell you how much that messed up our vacation. Finally got everything straightened out months after we returned from WDW.

Same here, except for one time when we just missed the bus to Pop Century, so did have a long wait (40 minutes, I think?), but that still didn't put us off using DME. Renting a car can be a hassle and we appreciate the money we save by using DME. Also, these days we always use carry-on, so there's never any worries about luggage delivery - our luggage is right there with us. I really like watching the little videos in air conditioned comfort, as the bus whisks us off to our resort. We've done the trip enough times now, we have a routine of pointing out sights along the way like the Gaylord Palms.

The last couple times we've walked right onto the bus, and had almost no wait - just 10 or 15 minutes. (Which means I've probably jinxed myself now!)

 

[happymommy]

In August, in Florida?

Yes! Late August can actually be really nice weather (with a few pop up afternoon storms, but they blow over). After the rain, it can cool down! It's much better than July (when I'll never go), and my kids don't go back to school until after Labor Day, so the crowds are much less the last week of August than other times we go. I'm going again Aug 29-Sept 5 this year!