So my DH (all in jest), gave a friendly warning to my travel buddy for next week’s trip - just a little jab about my type A Disney approach, all in good fun.
I was quick to remind him of some of my shining liner moments - you know the ones… when most of your travel party thinks you’ve lost it, but then everything just falls into place and the magic just happens.
One of my favorites was getting everyone up and out for a PPO BOG. So much grumbling about setting alarms and getting moving the next morning, but man the family reactions as we walked into an empty MK, at our breakfast, and made it on to 7D all before that park opened… I had their full confidence the rest of the trip.
Would love to hear other’s stories of how you flexed your liner knowledge!
I have that same liner story with PPO BOG. Breakfast, 7DMT 3 times before open, carousel, Pooh, Dumbo, IASW, PP, and met Gaston by the time the park was open an hour. Ha
My favorite part about being a liner is that my DH, who is usually very alpha male and opinionated, says “we’ll do whatever you say because you’re the one who knows what you’re doing” on every disney trip.
Since we went together for our first trip, he learned quickly that I knew what i was talking about lol.
He has also figured out that if I’m questioning something (how to get from AoA to chef mickey’s) he’ll go “why don’t you ask your disney internet friends” and usually I’m like yea i already posted it!
My other proud liner moment was when HS still had the tiers for FP in January 2020 and my wife thought I was crazy swiping and walking away from Star Tours. Then when I started grabbing FPs for rides we actually wanted to ride she fully understood. The youngest two and I did AS2 4 times back to back with no more than a 5 minute wait with just grabbing FPs.
Mine was from our most recent trip. I don’t really impress DH or my kids because my version of Disney is all they know. But my sisters joined us on this trip. They have both been several times and have even used TP, but one of them said to me as we walked out of a closed HS one night after a post-park close reservation at Oga’s that it was the most magic she’d ever felt. Being in a park alone.
My parents waited 3 hours for FOP a few months after it first opened because they ignored my advice. When they came with us, they thought I was crazy making us get to AK for 7am (8am EMH) but when we were off FOP before 8am and there was already a 2 hour wait they were impressed. Even more so when we rode 3 more times with FPs.
Typical family vacation has me planning well beforehand and dh griping about all the time I put into the planning. Once we are at WDW and reaping the benefits of the planning…he is grateful and thanking me throughout the trip.
My first Liner moment happened when we went to WDW in 1997 with my family. I had read The Unofficial Guide and was very familiar with all the tips and tricks (such as they were at the time - no FP, personalized touring plans, etc.!).
On our first day at MK, we were headed to Space Mountain first thing. None of us having ever stepped foot in the park before that day, my family was awed as 14-yr-old me said, “follow me,” and we took the Tomorrowland Terrace shortcut, bypassing the hub. I have had a reputation among them ever since.
My husband brags about my Disney skills to other people, which I feel pretty good about. I’d say it’s either getting three trips on 7DMT thanks to a BOG PPO or scoring BG3 after a truly absurd amount of “boarding group boot camp”.
My PPO of BOG didn’t work out like that. I had 2 6YO daughters and one of them wanted a biscuit. Like, REALLY wanted a biscuit. We had more food than you can shake a stick at and she started crying because she wanted a biscuit. Of course, we had everything delayed and didn’t get to do anything because we took too long because she was crying. Over. A. Biscuit.
One way I had flexed my knowledge was that I had studied the maps very intently so when we first got there and everyone goes straight for the maps, I told them we didn’t need one. When they said they wanted to go on a certain ride, I just told them to follow me.
This is both me. We married at 40, but DH had never been on a non-camping vacation before me. (He’d stayed in hotels, but not for vacation) He grumbled about the first hotel stay, but only the first. So, neither DH or DD know anything except vacationing with mommy.
As far as the map, I learn it and navigate in the beginning. Then we switch to single-file to make crowds easier, and he goes first.
I have a sort of opposite example, but it shows my families expectation. One vacation, the 5 months beforehand were super-stressful. Our renter moved out early, we prepped the house for sale (lots of work), sold it to the most insane people my realtor agency had ever seen and then the house we’d had a standing offer for 5 years went on the market (ignoring our standing offer). I would have figured out dining during that 5 months - but I didn’t. We were driving from Vegas into AZ in the middle of nowhere and DH turns to me and says, 'Where are we eating?" I had to say, “I have no clue.” Super stressful.
Oh man! I remember doing that shortcut with my dad the year that Buzz opened. I was about 14 or 15 and had planned everything. Adults were in awe (and here we are today)
I have driven in this area many times and there are only a few towns I will eat in, so I have to plan in advance where we’re stopping! Which is to say I can relate.
My son recently told my husband about something that was updated in the park. My husband said, “How did you know that?” and my son replied, “Mama. So it’s probably right because she knows everything about Disney.”
I’ve probably had my share of Liner moments - as well as my share of fails.
I know my wife appreciated when I scored CBR for a net daily rate of $75 on one trip due to nabbing the latest discount and them stacking a construction rebate on top.
I know my kids appreciated when I took advantage of a FPP tier glitch one year and was able to book multiple Tier 1’s in EPCOT one day.
I think my recent favorite, now that my kids are older and I think more aware of tactics was when we went to MNSSHP 2 summers back. About 35 minutes before the parade was set to come through, I walked my family up to a spot in the hub and shifted them over until they were exactly where I wanted them to be.
I could tell my son was giving off the “what’s the big deal with this spot vs the one I randomly stopped in, dude?” vibe. But then a few minutes later some CMs walked over and installed poles and ropes right next to us, then made everyone else move back behind a line in the pavement.
I pointed out that spot meant NO ONE could be in front of us or even next to us- and the parade would slowly work around the hub and come RIGHT at us. Great for photos! They were suitably impressed.
Ds15 and I were walking somewhere and he wanted me to hurry up, so he told me, “Mom, make believe we are at Walt Disney World and you want to get to a ride!”
(and here we are today)
