The last time I went, it was a family trip in 1986 and things were very different. The class ticket ride system was gone and you just got a universal pass (there was only MK and EPCOT) and everybody waited in the same lines unless you were handicapped. And since we were staying off-site and pinching pennies, there was very little planning for us to do. Dad did book us reservations for some sort of country musical review (my memory is very fuzzy about details, but did the Country Jamboree used to be a meal, or did the Woop-Dee-Do Review used to be located in the MK?), but that was the extent of pre-planning for Disney. I do know that I devoured a guide book, though, and had memorized the layouts ahead of time so I knew where everything was and the best routes to reach them.
I can't help but wonder if folks from my generation and older, who had similar experiences, assumed it's still like that. It was certainly a shock to me to learn just how much things had changed in those 30 years and how much more complicated it had become. But all I needed to do was mention my trip to a couple of friends to learn that I had a lot of homework if I wanted my trip to go smoothly. My gut says that anyone who go without plans were warned the same way but deliberately chose not to make anyway, either out of stubbornness ("I like to wing it!") or laziness. So long as they understand what they're in for by doing this and adjust their expectations, I'm sure they can still have a great time. However, again my gut says that most get a rude awakening and complain during and afterward about wait times and being unable to eat where they want.
Just yesterday I had a friend ask me to share some tips on how I'm my plans because she knows someone who wants to plan a surprise trip in 6 months. First of all, I explained that keeping it a surprise would be tough if it's planned properly, and that the surprise would probably be negative without those plans because who wants to sit in long lines all day? I pointed her to this forum, recommended reading the 2017 Unofficial Guide, and also reaching out to an affiliated agent for assistance. That's what I did and now I've got booked reservations to all the Signature restaurants on my list and all the Fast Passes (except FOP because no luck, dang it!). Do those things and you could have a recommended walking path arranged to best take advantage of ride locations, Fast Passes and wait times, and dining locations. The more time and energy you save by avoiding backtracking or dashing about to make inconvenient diners, the more time you'll have to relax and enjoy the moment, which is sort of the point.
WDW is not like Six Flags--it's not an amusement park, it's a THEME park, and it's still the biggest and best in the world. Like Mordor, you don't simply walk in.
