Does anyone else miss the spontaneity

[magicbob]

I think it's a difference between the planners and the non planners. Even before FP+ or FP- (not to date myself but I've been to disney many times BEFORE fast pass existed) we always chose our parks well in advance. My father would make a calendar and print it out for all of us so we would know. He would base it on hours each park was open and where we were eating.

Wait maybe I was trained to do it this way.

I'll date myself even more... when I first started going to WDW, we didn't have to plan which park to go to because there was ONLY the Magic Kingdom!

And the only ADR we ever made was for King Stefan's Banquet Hall (former name of Cinderella's Royal Table). You couldn't get in there for dinner without a reservation and you had to plan that in advance by showing up at the restaurant THAT MORNING to make your dinner reservation for that night.

Ah, the good old days.

 

[Luckybee]

Yep, me too. I just enjoy planning a vacation by nature -- it's not just Disney, but I'm always very into planning out details of any trip. If I'm in Europe, for example, I like to have a guideline of what things I'm hoping to hit in a particular day. That doesn't mean that stuff is planned down to the minute or anything, but I find it useful to have a general itinerary. I hate the alternative of the group sitting around debating what to do next, which wastes time (that's what bothers me on vacation, when we just waste time getting nothing done).

Personally, I find it odd when regular visitors to WDW complain about the planning. If you have been there and know what to expect, what is the big deal about having some things scheduled? You probably already know what rides you want to ride, how many days you want to spend at each park and what you basic daily schedule (in terms of when you will get to the park/eat/leave) will be.

I don't really get the "we'll decide on the fly what park to go to" mentality -- if you know you are going to visit Epcot 2 days in the vacation, does it matter that you commit to it being on Mon and Thur of the week as opposed to "spontaneously" going on Tues and Fri? What exactly will cause you to want to go to MK today as opposed to DHS? But different strokes and all....

However, I get the planning can be daunting for someone unfamiliar with WDW, as it's a lot of information and one might not be able to anticipate what they want to do or how much time things require.

We are not Disney regulars in that we only go every few yrs or so. Our last trip we had 7 days in Orlando before doing other parts of Fla and did 4 days at the parks. We had no idea prior to going which parks we were going to do and when and decided the night prior or morning of. It went something like this ,

" what do you feel like today"
"lets hang by the pool for a few hrs"
or
Rides, or walking around?
lets check out Epcot for some of the food and maybe hit a couple,
or
Lets walk around AK and see the animals

To me it is much more pleasant to book based on what I feel like rather than by what is now becoming my self imposed schedule. On a holiday. Have . To . Keep . Reminding. Myself. This . Isn't . Work.

Its very easy imho to decide the morn I wake up what I want to do...this isnt work(or at least it wasnt). Now with kids I expect it would be more difficult but for dh and I the current situation is a bit much. the idea that we're going to have to book rides in July for Sept imho is just nuts, with the alternative being much longer lines. While I can see some advantages to FP+ I think the 60/30 day booking windows were way too long but thats just me.

 

[kastoney]

I don't miss the spontaneity because I still have it. With the exception of an Anna and Elsa FP for my daughter I have zero intention of making any other FP or ADR prior to our September trip. This will be our 3rd with the FP system and I always make FP ressies the day of. We wake up in the morning, see where we feel like going, and go from there. If a ride has a long wait, we come back later, if a TS restaurant is full we find one that isn't, pretty simple and relaxing really. I know I'm in the minority on this one, especially on the dis, but I come on here to build my excitement, know what my options are, and use that to fuel special, not prescheduled moments. More power to everyone with extensive touring plans and spreadsheets, I'll save those for work ; )

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm in your camp too. I deal with way too much scheduling and too many deadlines at work. I would just like to go with the flow more when I vacation.

This is us too. Don't get me wrong - I do plan; I've always planned. And I enjoy it. But I like to pick and choose what I plan and planning and scheduling to me are two completely different things. Knowing what park(s) you are doing on what day and having a wish list of things you want to do is not quite the same is having to commit to what day and time you are doing everything. It is one of the main reasons we don't bother with table service more than once or twice a trip now.

It has also added a lot of extra planning time for this trip that I hadn't anticipated; neither had I anticipated how long it would take me to make our FP reservations because the website/app tells you what it thinks you want and you have to pick that and then shift everything one by one so you can put in the times that you really wanted.

I appreciate that it is possible to make reservations the day of and to make changes on the fly for some. But a report of being able to do this during a crowd level 2 week is not really a fair indication of how it will be for the person trying to do the same during a crowd level 8 week.

 

[china mom]

I know a lot of people disagree but I have found that FP+ make it easier to be spontaneous. In the past, we took collecting FP- very seriously. Handled like a military operation. We would get to the park at RD so that we could get AFP to Soaring. We had a runner who keep and eye on the time and would race across the park to collect the next set of FP- as soon as our window opened up.

This was back in the day when you could return any time after your window opened up so we would spend the evening using all those FP- we had collected.

Then, they began to enforce the return window and you know what?.. we just about stopped using FP altogether because we didn't want to be tied to being in a certain land at a certain time.

With FP+, we can be more spontaneous. We can choose our FP the night before or even the morning of. We can take our time getting to the park since we don't have to race to TSM to grab a FP, we can choose and move around FP on a whim depending on where we are at the time.

Nope, FP+ has actually helped our spontaneity.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

In one word, YES. We never planned beyond a general idea of which park and that was usually based on avoiding the EMH park of the day. Sometimes it was based on the weather.
Never made reservations. Didn't use fastpass plus on our trip the first week of this month.
Never felt that was all so necessary. Now I guess Disney has made it so. As I said earlier this year -- or even late last year -- Disney has created a demand for something you didn't know you needed.
More power to them and to those who like to work it that way.
Not for us for many reasons, big and small.
Love Disney. Don't love some of the recent changes. Yes, I'm a dinosaur.

 

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

Absolutely! I made this point last year. We've been 10 times now, so in theory each trip should become more relaxed! But it doesn't, we planned parks times, dining reservations, which order to do rides, where we'd have lunch! Unfortunately, lots of restaurants book out months in advance!

 

[kbelle8995]

Yes. I miss it. The thing that I don't like about FP+ is that it feels like there is no way you can do anything else. I spent the whole time looking at my phone. I never used the FP- system all that much. I maybe picked up one and that was it.

With the new lines and the FP+ times there wasn't much time to do anything else. At least that day

If I have to make a FP+ reservation for the bathroom, I'm canceling my pass.

 

[china mom]

....If I have to make a FP+ reservation for the bathroom, I'm canceling my pass.

But, hasn't there been at least one time when it would have been nice to have a FP for the bathroom and skip the SB line

 

[alicat8]

I appreciate that it is possible to make reservations the day of and to make changes on the fly for some. But a report of being able to do this during a crowd level 2 week is not really a fair indication of how it will be for the person trying to do the same during a crowd level 8 week.

This exactly. If I could go in the "dead" times (realizing that they don't really exist any more, but still-summer is summer!) I'd be all about keeping it open and going with the flow. But I know what lines in august without FP are like, and I don't want to take a chance of not getting any good ones, so plan plan plan, I must!! Maybe once we get there and the planning is done, it won't be so bad. We'll see.

 

[2Tiggies]

This exactly. If I could go in the "dead" times (realizing that they don't really exist any more, but still-summer is summer!) I'd be all about keeping it open and going with the flow. But I know what lines in august without FP are like, and I don't want to take a chance of not getting any good ones, so plan plan plan, I must!! Maybe once we get there and the planning is done, it won't be so bad. We'll see.

I'll let you know. Check out my ticker. I am expecting crowds

 

[Kellykins1218]

I LOVE planning every second of our trip. Making dining reservations ahead of time and knowing exactly which park we'll be attending on what day makes it a much more relaxing trip. Everyone knows what to expect. I think it's wonderful!

 

[Marilou]

My friends and co-workers have always playfully teased me about my planning for WDW vacations.

We only did ADRs one year ..... definitely NOT our style!

Our plans may have seemed rigid to many non-WDW people but they were just a basic blueprint.
Like alot of people we planned:
1) Our first park of the day based on EMH (avoiding a park as an off-siter or going TO that park as an ON-siter)
2) A basic plan for the first few rides
3) sometimes 1 person would dash to a major ride like Toy story , Soarin etc to snag FP for later for the group

but then from there, we enjoyed spontaneity based upon FP availability.
and let me tell you ....... we rode EVERYTHING
and never ever waited in a line more than 20-30 minutes (with the exception of rope drop)

We haven't actually BEEN to WDW since the implementation of FP+ but our trip is 33 days away so we have planned
1) First park of the day based on EMH
2) specific plan for the first few rides
3) lunch CS location before or after park hopping
4) Second park with our 3 FP+
5) Hypothetical plan for 4th etc FP+
6) Dinner CS location (often based on FP+ location)
7) Night show/fireworks/parades for specific nights {with the understanding of weather potential and having to postpone to another night}

And since we feel the necessity of the more strict plans...... we even planned EXACTLY when we will go see shows like Lights Motor Action and Indiana Jones etc.

Dont get me wrong.... I do enjoy planning!
But I guess I'm feeling apprehensive that if we dont MAJORLY plan ...... that we will miss out on stuff.

I'm trying to keep an open mind......but time will tell

 

[Wyatt's Grandma]

I agree completely. We've been going to Disney since it opened in FL. The Treehouses were the best! I've never had to plan like this year. Our flight leaves in 4 hours and I may come to love FP+ but as of now I know that not all of us will be able to see the GD's meet A&E. I've been trying day and night to get the elusive passes and so far only have 2. We can't eat at BOG, lunch or dinner. I got everything else I wanted but the amount of time I've spent planning is ridiculous.
My work involves long range planning for a variety of clients, so yes, I am a planner. We can't book over six months out because of my SIL's schedule so 180+10 is out for us. All this makes me long for the "good old days". Yes we waited in line but so did everyone else. Not having every step planned in advance felt more "magical" to me.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I did feel like we were running from appointment to appointment on our last trip in November, with FP+ (no FP-). Add in the ADRs and it really felt like that. It also felt like a lot of "Hurry up and wait!"

I think for us next time I will actually space out the FP+s. Back-to-back felt rushed...we didn't have time to just meander and ride those third-tier rides, snacks, etc.

The other thing we do which seems to help us is having our ADRs for lunch in the parks. It gives us a nice break in the middle of the day to cool off and relax. Then for dinner we can do whatever, QS at the pool or hotel or park or wherever we are. It gives us room for the day to fall apart without trying to hustle to a dinner ADR. And I'll be honest, part of this change is because of the no-show policy for ADRs now. I never deliberately missed a dinner ADR, but we tend to go off plan as the day goes on and there is no way I am paying $40 bucks penalty! If we feel like TS, you can get stuff last minute.

As far as pre-planning, it's definitely become a bit over-the-top, but next time I think I will probably just do it once and then leave it. I'll probably end up changing things once we are there anyway.

Anyway, I do think you can still be spontaneous at WDW but in order to be that way you have to be flexible and be ok with eating wherever and riding whatever.

 

[Seeker615]

I agree OP.

Most of us are tied to schedules all year round. Vacations should be about winding down and spending quality time together.

I don't want to have to pre-plan every aspect of my trip. I don't want to have to wait in a line to make a reservation to skip another line! I don't want to be tied to my phone either when I am on vacation. I spend enough time on rest of the year.

I know free dining has impacted the restaurants and that is why you have to plan so far in advance now.

I hope things get more streamlined as the system gets tweaked. Right now it just doesn't sound like fun to me.

 

[Brian Noble]

I just wish that we did not have to plan what park we were going to 6 months in advance.

You don't.

We went during Spring Break---very busy. We planned the first half of the week in advance, but for the second half, we just chose parks the night before. Still plenty of FP+ and ADR opportunities available.

 

[disneyfan55]

I agree OP.

Most of us are tied to schedules all year round. Vacations should be about winding down and spending quality time together.

I don't want to have to pre-plan every aspect of my trip. I don't want to have to wait in a line to make a reservation to skip another line! I don't want to be tied to my phone either when I am on vacation. I spend enough time on rest of the year.

I know free dining has impacted the restaurants and that is why you have to plan so far in advance now.

I hope things get more streamlined as the system gets tweaked. Right now it just doesn't sound like fun to me.

I agree. Not the fun it was up to I'd say 2003 or so.

 

[PlutoMars]

I never have equated a trip to WDW with spontaneity but regardless one can be as spontaneous as they would like at Disney. People do it all the time but it does come with tradeoffs especially the busier times of year.

But when I think about having to make ADRs 6 months in advance at Disney for a desired restaurant, I compare it to other trips I have made and having to book in advance:

1. Alcatraz in San Francisco. You cant be spontaneous and show up at the dock in summer and expect to be able to get a ticket.
2. Popular luau in Maui. I had to book 3 months in advance.
3. Staying in a property onsite at the Grand Canyon in the summer. I had to book a year in advance.
4. I am going to NYC in a few weeks and have been trying to snag a ticket to see Jimmy Fallon and Tonight show. havent been successful. Being spontaneous means I will now need to wait in long lines if I want to have a chance of getting a ticket.
5. Same with certain Broadway shows in NYC.

The list goes on. Wherever you go, spontaneity comes with a tradeoff especially if you hit popular travel spots in their high seasons.

 

[mom2rtk]

I never have equated a trip to WDW with spontaneity but regardless one can be as spontaneous as they would like at Disney. People do it all the time but it does come with tradeoffs especially the busier times of year.

But when I think about having to make ADRs 6 months in advance at Disney for a desired restaurant, I compare it to other trips I have made and having to book in advance:

1. Alcatraz in San Francisco. You cant be spontaneous and show up at the dock in summer and expect to be able to get a ticket.
2. Popular luau in Maui. I had to book 3 months in advance.
3. Staying in a property onsite at the Grand Canyon in the summer. I had to book a year in advance.
4. I am going to NYC in a few weeks and have been trying to snag a ticket to see Jimmy Fallon and Tonight show. havent been successful. Being spontaneous means I will now need to wait in long lines if I want to have a chance of getting a ticket.
5. Same with certain Broadway shows in NYC.

The list goes on. Wherever you go, spontaneity comes with a tradeoff especially if you hit popular travel spots in their high seasons.

Nobody is asking for complete spontaneity. It's all a matter of degree. The items you listed would be the equivalent of booking ADRs and special outings like a fireworks cruise.

Maybe you'd like to book your time to enter the ocean on the beach? Maybe you'd like to tie yourself into a specific time to be at a given shop in New York?

I actually love planning certain special things in advance. It's filling in between those special appointments with more time commitments that turns it into a negative.