So much this!!!
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I like this.
I’ve always called it repeat day but that doesn’t really cover the omissions that creep in.
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We always make our last day the ‘one last time’ day no matter if it is a character, ride, or food. Great suggestion!
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These sound much nicer than mop up day…
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I thought a “mop up day” was called having another trip already booked.
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100%
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- Don’t assume the Cast Members know more than you, so you won’t want to slap them in the teeth when they give you some incorrect info.
- Foot Glide is more important than you think.
- Pray for rain, don’t dread it. Bring gear, and have a BLAST in the rain.
- Minimum two pairs of walking shoes, and extra socks. Addendum to this: After about 3 days, I noticed my feet hurt more while just standing in line than walking.
- Kids’ feetsies and leg muscles will probably wear out sooner than yours. Don’t drag them around and be miserable on a vacation that is supposed to be super fun. Have breaks. They’ll be happy just having your full attention in a fun setting whether it be in a line for a ride, or just playing in the pool, or trying some new foods, or just sitting on a bench in the sun sharing a Pineapple Swirl and watching a parade.
- Disney Transportation runs on their time, not yours. Uber/Lyft can save you a bunch of stress if you’re a planner that wants things to happen timely. Example: Just because you want to make rope drop and assume you should be at the bus stop 30 minutes prior to to the time you’d like to leave, doesn’t mean that 50 ppl won’t have the same idea, and you might have to wait for the NEXT bus. And it also doesn’t mean that any of the buses will be on time.
- A nice word to a Cast Member can go a long way for your mental health, and theirs. You’re going to see some real jerks, I guarantee it. Don’t be one of them. A few things will probably go awry - roll with the punches. Show your kids how to handle things properly, even though you are planning gruesome, gruesome, murders worthy of a Stephen King novel. If you see someone being a jerk to a cast member, go out of your way to let them know that not everyone is a piece of trash. You’re going to be surprised at how many people in the world think they are the only people in the world, even though they are surrounded by thousands of other people. It’s truly remarkable.
- Enjoy the family time to the fullest, and let your kids make some kids’ decisions on the fly - steer them away from bad decisions after a while, but let them be kids, and enjoy them being kids. Better not blink, because they won’t be kids anymore.
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Reminds me of a UOR trip years ago when my then 5 y/o nephew got all excited about riding Minion Mayhem every time we walked in the park because that was the first thing he recognized … “Look, it’s the Minions ride”. We rode it way too many times that trip and all my touring plans for Studios got messed up … but he had a blast and we all enjoyed seeing the look on his face.
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You have a lot of detailed suggestions; a list to which I cannot really add. I’ve been going to WDW since 1975 (when it was nothing but the MK, CR, and Poly. I was 16 and went with my aunt and uncle. There were no LLs or FastPasses - everything wa standby and you had to pay for each ride as you went with tickets. Having been many times since, this is how I plan a trip:
- Select your dates, You need at least 1 day per park and preferably 2 for MK, EP, and DHS.
- Rough out which parks you want to do on each days, and which days will be no-park days. How many no-park days will depend on the composition of your party - also the season. Unless it’s mid summer,I can usually do 3 park days in a row before I want a no-park day (in my 20s, I could do 5 days in a row, but never in the summer)
- Once you have your park days planned, consider what ADRs you might want. Call (or use the website) within the first few minutes on the first day you are eligable to make ADRs.If it’s one that you really want and it’s not available on your first choice day, try for other days, and adjust your master plan accordingly. You mighty have to do this a number of times to get everything you want. If you plan on just using QS restaurants, skip this step.
- Understand how LLs (and whatever they are using when you are going), determine which (if any) you want to use. They’ve already changed the system since my last visit, so I can’t be of much help here.
- Plot out what you hope to accomplish each day. A touring Plan can help you do this.
- Maybe the most important - Have a plan, but necessarily an hour by hour itinerary. I have found predicted crowd levels and wait times often do not reflect the reality of when you’re there. ASSUME YOU WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS ON THE FLY. The more you research ahead of time, the easier it will be to flex on the spot.
There is so much more I could say, but I’ll leave it at my basic approach.
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