More generally speaking, anyone (in a Disney context) who doesn’t have some kind of not-generally-known knowledge that improves the touring experience.
What I mean by “puts one over” is, for example, when someone in Forum or chat is recounting an instance where he or she observes a family having a meltdown or some other unpleasant experience because he or she didn’t know about some kind of trick to shorten a wait or get a reservation. I’m not talking about times where the someone being observed is having a red-faced fit at some cast member, or is bellowing about the towering injustice of whatever minor inconvenience he or she is experiencing. I mean the run-of-the-mill family which, for any number of perfectly valid reasons, didn’t plan their trip like Eisenhower did the Normandy invasion, and is having a visibly unpleasant time as a result.
Ahhh… TY. I had a friend text this week to tell me their family was going to DL and had PH, park res and asked what else they should think about. I told him where to go online to prepare and learn about all the virtual ques. We toured w/ them one other time at DL so they know some and used MaxPass effectively but things have changed. He also asked about DAS b/c he has a nerve condition that makes standing for any length of time unbearable. He hates asking for help but I told him that’s what DAS is meant to do.
And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with planning one’s trip like Eisenhower did D-Day. In the words of Jefferson, it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. @OBNurseNH planned her family’s trip, by comparison to my degenerate touring style, to such a degree. Her WDW time is much less frequent, and comes at a much greater monetary cost, than mine. Her family does well with the structure. It makes sense for her to plan that way.
At no point, either in this trip report or in person, did she demonstrate any triumphalism over people waiting in line, or looking forlornly in the window of some restaurant. First off, it’s just not in her nature, but I also can’t imagine where she’d ever find face-ing someone like that enjoyable. I’ll go out on a limb further and say that’s why her trip report was so appealing.
When we went to Homecoming on Friday the 2nd, their (likely Open Table-based) reservation system had eaten the reservation she had in MDE, and that sent to host into a tailspin of frantic tablet-tapping.
I happen to know the general manager (I’ll freely admit from spending many, many hours at the bar there), and he’s very good at his job. So I bipped inside to where he was standing near the kitchen, mentioned the general scene of higgledy-piggledy unfolding outside, where it was also starting to rain, and within seconds he was on the radio telling the host to send them inside and to a table he had. Did I enjoy the hell out of being able to do that? Certainly. Am I overly smug about how much I enjoy telling this story? Absolutely. Did it come at a cost to anyone else? Absolutely not. It was Homecoming’s fault the reservation went missing.
I agree, when we were traveling at great distance and expense I was very planned and structured. Now it’s much more relaxed; driving over for half a day is a very different trip.
Equally important, though, is focusing on the plan as a means to and end, not and end in itself. If the plan doesn’t go off with micrometer-measured precision, so what? I’ve had any number of very enjoyable times, and met some people who became friends, when I had to divert from what I’d originally intended to see or do.
All my WDW besties came from chat, but it could be that I just haven’t met some of y’all yet.
I moved over here mostly bc during the pandemic it was just hard to be on chat. I was so depressed and there was so much doom amd gloom. Then the parks reopened and all the chat was about people going back and lots of in park news and I hated reading about it bc I thought they were reckless and nuts and was angry at myself even for not being able to ignore the risk and have some fun too. I felt like I had nothing to add and didn’t matter anymore bc all my knowledge was now irrelevant in this new world. And then they changed the chat format. That was pretty much the nail in the coffin for me as it became harder to follow and visually gave me a headache.
The forum is much easier to build connections, get to know people, and experience things with each other. I also love being able to acknowledge a post without having to use words.
And okay maybe my reservation hoarding and switcheronie did it too.
When I originally made our reservation it was for 5:50pm. I thought this would afford us a longer relaxing day at the resort with some beforehand and afterhand shopping at DS.
But then Disney announced the return of fireworks. And I knew that the only time we would be able to see Epcot Forever would be that night. And so 5:50pm was going to be tight.
So I set up res finder and added the 3:50pm ressie, but kept both. If we struggled to get ROTR on our first HS day, I was holding on to our HS ressie for that day. The plan was to change to EP park ressie if ROTR success on HS day 1. Which became a thing and I changed up the plan.
So on the day of the Homecomin ressie, I did the bump-and-run of the 5:50pm ressie and kept the 3:50pm one. At some point this confused the (terribly sophisticated and never malfunctioning) MDE. And when we arrived at the hostess stand their system showed only the 5:50 while my MDE showed the (retained) 3:50
In any case, it was swiftly and easily resolved. But MDE and I were to blame, methinks.
THIS. You absolutely CANNOT attach your trip satisfaction with any one particular outcome. Weather happens, rides break down, people get tired or grumpy, appetites wax and wan. You have to be ready to make a change and find joy and magic in that adaptation. Otherwise you’re going to come away very, very disappointed.
But…but…but…how can you generate the High Post Count that is the true and eternal measure of one’s grace and character if you can’t answer the same question over and over because the venue in which you communicate has a search function?
I thought of you when I wrote that! Your trip is this week?! Finally! Did I see your good friend is going to be able to make it? I hope you have a great time.
I shared my 2018 itinerary in another thread the other day. It is fully color coded by park and resort, and included all of our ADRs as well as our FPs. It definitely LOOKS like I planned for Normandy.
In practice, we completely ditched an entire half day at AK (sorry @OBNurseNH) because friends we met up with were able to add us as guests to a DVC event at EPCOT that night. It was well worth ditching the plan for lower EPCOT crowds and an amazing view of the fireworks. We were also able to completely skip rope dropping EPCOT the next morning and sleep in.
The other major change was calling an audible when my ds was losing steam on our DHS day. It was fully intended to be a full park day but he was toast. I was able to slide our dinner ADR earlier to lunch and took him back to relax and swim while dd stayed by herself.
For me, planning is the framework of figuring out the possibilities… and to be honest I know the plan so well by the time we are there, that I don’t need it on paper.
The beauty of the plan is in the research and the possibilities, and that frees you up to ditch the plan on the fly as options, needs, and situations change
Well I will definitely prep the speech Ike never gave:
“My family did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to this trip it is mine alone.”
I felt called out and like I needed to respond. Chef is 80/20 last I heard and my college friend is definitely spending a day at Epcot with me. I can’t wait, but I’m also insanely nervous now. I know it will all be fine once I’m there though.
I felt called out and like I needed to respond. Chef is 80/20 last I heard and my college friend is definitely spending a day at Epcot with me. I can’t wait, but I’m also insanely nervous now. I know it will all be fine once I’m there though.