Thank you to this board, but our upcoming group trip will be one and done!

[serenitynow]

I’m a serious planner. I have each day of vacation planned, from rope drop, to restaurants to 2 hour midday break ... on and on. It took me about 5 years to realize that some of our best memories have come from the unplanned mishaps that always occur on every trip. Especially for the kids. They love to remember the crazy times, like the time we got stuck on the Small World ride for 45 minutes, missing our lunch reservation at BOG and mom (me) had a crying meltdown.

Or the time a guy tried to jump over the front of my ECV in front of Cinderella’s castle, falling onto the ground. My 4 year old thought the guy had hurt me, so he jumped on the poor guy pounding him with his little fists of fury, screaming “that’s my mom” until 3 cast members pulled him off the man. As a result of his public spectacle, he got a free Mickey Bar and a chance to meet Cinderella. He thought he was really hot stuff that trip.

I still plan obsessively, but I accept that The Plan will go off the rails at some point and that’s okay, too.

 

[KenHutch]

Well I wish you the best of luck on your trip and I do hope you have fun. Be careful about Disney thou back in the dawn of time (2006) I took my daughter on a one and done trip. She's now 19 and I am planning trip #6, And we have a family of 8 so I understand the planning. For food the 2 girls do the planning. For rides they do 90% of the planning. They like it,

 

[Farro]

I guess with 2 of us we are just lucky with planning.

First, I love it. All the researching, planning, etc. makes it feel like my trip is months long!

Second, this upcoming trip is weird as it's still tentative due some personal stuff. My ADR day is in a few weeks and I have zero plans outside of our first night. I'm not worried, I'm sure we will find places to eat as plans firm up.
For fast passes, I should know more about status of trip by then. I'll just plan my parks days around the fast passes I can get.
Weird planning this time for sure, but it's going to be more of a go with the flow trip and I'm not nervous at all. But I am looking forward to trip in 2023 when I can be a full time planner again.

Third, we always, always change plans while we are there. Cancel a dinner, book somewhere else. Move fast passes (outside of FOP, couldn't move that one). Wait in lines, do rope drop, skip rope drop, etc.

We go every 3-4 years.

Hope your trip goes well OP!

 

[paisleys]

I do miss the days of being able to just go, no fast passes and walking into any restaurant for a reservation. However, those days are gone due to the enormous crowds. Before FP+, there were a few trips where we were lucky to get on anything. Now we have three guaranteed rides and use the time around that to get others in. One trip, the only ride we got on was because a woman came up to us to give us their paper fast passes (Pan!!) as she said they couldn't take the crowing anymore. Arriving at MK was a race to whatever paper fast pass we could get --that was hopefully not at 11PM. It's nice to walk in and enjoy the sights instead of frantically trying to secure paper fast passes. Yes, it's a pain to have to get stressed out on the app 60 days out but better a pain then than while inside the park with your family. I love using MDE.

 

[LSUmiss]

I guess with 2 of us we are just lucky with planning.

First, I love it. All the researching, planning, etc. makes it feel like my trip is months long!

Second, this upcoming trip is weird as it's still tentative due some personal stuff. My ADR day is in a few weeks and I have zero plans outside of our first night. I'm not worried, I'm sure we will find places to eat as plans firm up.
For fast passes, I should know more about status of trip by then. I'll just plan my parks days around the fast passes I can get.
Weird planning this time for sure, but it's going to be more of a go with the flow trip and I'm not nervous at all. But I am looking forward to trip in 2023 when I can be a full time planner again.

Third, we always, always change plans while we are there. Cancel a dinner, book somewhere else. Move fast passes (outside of FOP, couldn't move that one). Wait in lines, do rope drop, skip rope drop, etc.

We go every 3-4 years.

Hope your trip goes well OP!

We used to do that too & I also enjoyed the planning. But, like you said with 2 ppl it’s much easier. I realize how cumbersome it can be now when I travel with a group and/or try to change plans with a toddler in tow.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Sorry you are having negative thoughts about what should be a wonderful experience. As DVc members We go to WDW once or twice a year but out of 14 days we might hit the parks one day, go to early entry for AK to get in avatar and safari early, go to Hollywood with a fast pass for a couple things and then end up at Epcot for dinner and soarin. We rarely bother with MK unless we are going to the Christmas party one night. We go to top of Bay Lake for fireworks one night. But for those that haven’t been there much I understand how you think it’s important to see everything. We just enjoy the resorts too much.
As for Universal please beware thAt the express pass, unless it has changed, does not work for most Harry Potter rides, and the lines can be very long especially during peak periods like when you will be there. So it’s not perfect by any means. We were there the day before thanksgiving a couple years ago with early entry and express pass. We were there about 10 hours overall and spent half that time waiting for rides. While it was a fun day I would not do it again for a very long time.

 

[JakeAZ]

As for Universal please beware thAt the express pass, unless it has changed, does not work for most Harry Potter rides,

Thanks for the reply. Yes your way of visiting Disney does sound relaxing. Unfortunately we don’t have that luxury of time and frequency.
In the end, we will be OK, but I believe it will be because I stressed out and planed things, not in spite of.

Regarding Universal EP. It now works on every ride in HP, except Hagrid’s.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As for Universal please beware thAt the express pass, unless it has changed, does not work for most Harry Potter rides

It has changed and actually a while ago in terms of news not necessarily in terms of when a person's trip was.

July 2017 HP rides were added including Hogwarts Express.

Hagrid's however (which just opened this year) is not included in that but that is a new ride. I suspect eventually they will add it.

 

[ktlm]

OP- I totally agree with you. I can not even imagine trying to plan out WDW for a group of 12---- we find it to be a huge hassle with just a group of 3. I have 2 sets of friends that were going to be first timers that cancelled their trips because they found it too overwhelming with the ADRs 6 months in advance, but particularly the FPs 2 months in advance. I know another 2 families that cancelled their trip because of the FP tiers and arguments between their kids. One family said that they had been before and the kids had fought between TSM and RNRR when they booked them, and then they continued to fight the entire day at DHS because of which Tier 1 had been booked in advance-- when the kids started fighting again over which one to book this trip - the parents just cancelled the trip.

We go to DLR a lot more than WDW now. We were going to both every year. We all prefer the flexibility of DLR, especially DH. He now prefers DLR and that is saying a lot because he loves EPCOT WS. We cancelled our WDW trip this year, and I don't know if we are going next year.

 

[JakeAZ]

OP- I totally agree with you. I can not even imagine trying to plan out WDW for a group of 12---- we find it to be a huge hassle with just a group of 3. I have 2 sets of friends that were going to be first timers that cancelled their trips because they found it too overwhelming with the ADRs 6 months in advance, but particularly the FPs 2 months in advance. I know another 2 families that cancelled their trip because of the FP tiers and arguments between their kids. One family said that they had been before and the kids had fought between TSM and RNRR when they booked them, and then they continued to fight the entire day at DHS because of which Tier 1 had been booked in advance-- when the kids started fighting again over which one to book this trip - the parents just cancelled the trip

This doesn’t surprise me at all. Shockingly, kids like different rides! With HS tiers, you’re better off just flipping a coin on your FP day for your tier 1. And you better hope you get an early FP because this pic could be your day!

A random October weekend. Can only imagine what things will look like around the holidays. Especially after ROTR opens.
2.5 hours for jungle cruise?!?

 

[SaintsManiac]

This doesn’t surprise me at all. Shockingly, kids like different rides! With HS tiers, you’re better off just flipping a coin on your FP day for your tier 1. And you better hope you get an early FP because this pic could be your day!

A random October weekend. Can only imagine what things will look like around the holidays. Especially after ROTR opens.View attachment 445108
2.5 hours for jungle cruise?!?

Not a random October weekend. Columbus Day, fall break for many southern schools, Canadian Thanksgiving.

 

[JakeAZ]

Not a random October weekend. Columbus Day, fall break for many southern schools, Canadian Thanksgiving.

Fair enough, but still awful. Especially for the family that didn't know they had to start planning 180 days in advance.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Fair enough, but still awful. Especially for the family that didn't know they had to start planning 180 days in advance.

Keep in mind though had is in the eye of the beholder. You don't have to plan 180 days. It's not an all or nothing. All Disney says is they take reservations for food beginning 180days in advanced. But I know that you mean people plan for what feels like forever and you wouldn't want to be up against high wait times.

Last weekend, which I'm assuming that's when the photo was taken but please correct me if I'm wrong, was up against a holiday because earlier this week was Columbus Day. And if you look right now wait times aren't bad really.

In terms of Holidays while no one can guess how long a wait will be you will know it will be busy, comes with the territory of traveling during times that fall on a Holiday.

 

[Tattylou]

Go to Disneyland next time - way easier, less planning

 

[disneyinthespringtime]

#1 I think the only way I could do a large group vacation is if they agreed to give me their top 3-4 things for the trip and then relinquished control to me to work it out. Would have been miserable trying to check and recheck and recheck plans with everyone.

#2 What surprised me was how much more relaxing actually being on the vacation was after all the planning. I knew almost each hour what our plan was (even if the plan was “relax” or “now look for whatever FP comes up” ) and then we just followed it. No arguing over which restaurant or should we go home now vs stay or where should we go today. That I loved.

 

[JakeAZ]

Last weekend, which I'm assuming that's when the photo was taken but please correct me if I'm wrong, was up against a holiday because earlier this week was Columbus Day. And if you look right now wait times aren't bad really.

Yes that was last weekend, so it was a holiday weekend. But I am going during a holiday week. I made that clear in my post. I am frustrated with the planning I have to (yes, have to) put in for a trip during spring break.

I also mentioned I could have booked the trip for a less crowded time (like today with low wait times), but that wasn't possible with all the school schedules we had to coordinate around. Also, we wanted to make sure we went after ROTR was open.

Just for information, some of the times for our ADRs are not available anymore. Yes, there are still some similar times at some of the restaurants, but not the ones we wanted (and a half hour or 45 minutes later / earlier might not work when trying to coordinate with a parade). Also, we don't want to eat dinner at 7:30pm with small kids. So, if I waited we'd be out of luck. Not for the meal in general, but for what we wanted. Remember, I was booking the 1 sit down meal per day for the group to meet up. Either a reservation for 12 or two for 6 each.

I understand my situation isn't everyone's. Planning for 12 is harder than planning for 4. Planning for off times is easier than a holiday week. I get it.

But it's very hard to coordinate with the unknown. Meals with parks, with fastpasses, with hours that will most likely change 4-6 weeks before arrival.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes that was last weekend, so it was a holiday weekend. But I am going during a holiday week. I made that clear in my post. I am frustrated with the planning I have to (yes, have to) put in for a trip during spring break.

I also mentioned I could have booked the trip for a less crowded time (like today with low wait times), but that wasn't possible with all the school schedules we had to coordinate around. Also, we wanted to make sure we went after ROTR was open.

Just for information, some of the times for our ADRs are not available anymore. Yes, there are still some similar times at some of the restaurants, but not the ones we wanted (and a half hour or 45 minutes later / earlier might not work when trying to coordinate with a parade). Also, we don't want to eat dinner at 7:30pm with small kids. So, if I waited we'd be out of luck. Not for the meal in general, but for what we wanted. Remember, I was booking the 1 sit down meal per day for the group to meet up. Either a reservation for 12 or two for 6 each.

I understand my situation isn't everyone's. Planning for 12 is harder than planning for 4. Planning for off times is easier than a holiday week. I get it.

But it's very hard to coordinate with the unknown. Meals with parks, with fastpasses, with hours that will most likely change 4-6 weeks before arrival.

Oh no don't get me wrong I totally get where you're coming from. I'm just saying there's a difference between had to and 180 days.

But yes your situation is more difficult than I'd say most because of the number of people you're looking for.

I've never suggested in this thread (and I know you're speaking more general here) going at a different time because I get it you go when you can go it is what it is (taking kids out of school aside which is a whole 'nother topic lol).

If anyone knows about change on the fly and plans made and whatnot it's those of us who have decided to go to Disney during a hurricane. We were there during Irma. Somehow we got very lucky because the days the parks were closed were our Universal park days so we didn't have ADRs or FPs impacted. Don't know how that happened but it was sheer luck. We changed up our arrival day and added an extra day so we could still use all of our Universal park days. But you're not going in official hurricane season so it's a lot less likely you'd have something of that magnitude happen. But boy was it stressful having planned for nearly 2 years only to watch in the few days before the trip the darn hurricane coming in closer and closer and the path near constantly changing.

I get it don't worry

 

[ktlm]

This doesn’t surprise me at all. Shockingly, kids like different rides! With HS tiers, you’re better off just flipping a coin on your FP day for your tier 1. And you better hope you get an early FP because this pic could be your day!

Their last trip, they thought the battle between the kids was over by a week or two after the booking of FP+ and before the trip, but when they got to DHS the ride that they didn't FP (as well as the one that they did) had a really long line all day and they couldn't pick up another FP for it, so they had a whiny kid all day that was still mad at their sibling. They said they aren't spending thousands of dollars to be extremely stressed out 60 days before the trip; have their kids fighting for weeks before the trip; and then to have a least one day of the trip where the kids continue to fight the whole day.

 

[ktlm]

If anyone knows about change on the fly and plans made and whatnot it's those of us who have decided to go to Disney during a hurricane. We were there during Irma. Somehow we got very lucky because the days the parks were closed were our Universal park days so we didn't have ADRs or FPs impacted. Don't know how that happened but it was sheer luck. We changed up our arrival day and added an extra day so we could still use all of our Universal park days. But you're not going in official hurricane season so it's a lot less likely you'd have something of that magnitude happen. But boy was it stressful having planned for nearly 2 years only to watch in the few days before the trip the darn hurricane coming in closer and closer and the path near constantly changing.

Yeah- we went through that with Matthew- although we didn't "decide" to go during a hurricane- the hurricane decided to form and aim towards Florida while we were there. It stunk, Luckily we had booked 3 MNSSHP, because we lost 2 of them which were cancelled on Thursday and Friday. MNSSHP is our favorite, so if we had not gotten to go at all that one would have been a heartbreaker. We lost our BOG reservation that I had been up before dawn to get too. We lost our 1900 Park Fare too. Plus there was the stress of spending a few days watching a hurricane amping up and wondering if it was going to hit and how hard. Because we had been going to WDW every year for about 9 years at that point, it was not that big a deal to lose those things--- not good--- but not like we lost them on our first trip, or our only trip. I can't imagine the people that worked for years to get to take their kids to WDW, planned everything in detail- and then had their plans crushed by the hurricane. Planning on the fly at WDW is not fun at all. Having been on just adult trips before DD was born, it is a lot different when you are planning on the fly for 2 adults (or just adults), than when you have little kids who have their hearts set on things.

DLR has managed to do it right with Max Pass (except you do have to pay for it by day). Still one at a time like the old system so there is plenty of availability the day you are in the parks, but booked from the phone.

 

[Kaleidodad]

Well I wish you the best of luck on your trip and I do hope you have fun. Be careful about Disney thou back in the dawn of time (2006) I took my daughter on a one and done trip. She's now 19 and I am planning trip #6, And we have a family of 8 so I understand the planning. For food the 2 girls do the planning. For rides they do 90% of the planning. They like it,

This was my family in 2014: going during SPRING BREAK with very young kids, with my parents tagging along too, was going to be our big one-and-done splurge. But of course I/we loved it so much, including so much of what the OP takes issue with (vacation planning is my thing), that now we're a family that always has our next WDW trip in the works.

I will say though, that while I really love "The Process" and micro-managing every detail for 180+ days, we did use a TA for that first trip (and other multi-family trips since) and that really helped take a lot of stress out of it. Our TA was an expert at getting those ADRs and FPs and really set up some nice daily itineraries that helped us have the perfect vacation for that moment in our lives.

You can't hope to see everything in a single trip because you can't KNOW everything before you've been through it a couple times. Just make a good plan and try to stick to it -- unless you decide to change your mind at the last minute (or a day ahead if ADRs are involved), which will work out just fine too. And if you love the vacation but still hate all the planning, enlist a TA for your next visit.