You won't believe my all-new, super-controversial, click-baiting approach to WDW planning

I have two trips to plan for 2020 and initially I felt very frustrated by how difficult Epcot and DHS are to plan — there’s the nonsense of ROTR boarding groups, the hideous FPP tiering, and the known-unknowns of MMRR and Ratatouille.

But then I realised something. It is perfectly possible to have an amazing WDW vacation without riding ROTR at all! I know this because most of the people on this site have actually done that. We’ve (mostly?) all been to WDW before and we all (yes?) had a great time when we went. And ROTR wasn’t even a thing.

As it happens, I’ve been on ROTR three times. (Actually, I’ve been on it six times, but three of those it broke down and I was evacced off it.) And, yeah, it’s quite good. The big docking bay with all the stormtroopers in is impressive. And the storage room with the two AT-ATs in it is kinda cool.

But, d’you know what? If you don’t ride it — if you make zero attempt to ride it (no getting up at 5am, not waiting in long lines) — you can still have an awesome time at WDW.

What’s partially shaping my thinking is that I’m taking a friend with me this year. He’s never been. So all of it is new and exciting to him. And he has different priorities to me, which means I’ll do things I haven’t done before, which is exciting for me.

So, yeah — you can take your ROTRs and your MMRRs and your Ratatouilles and your panicked attempts to get FPPs for them, or BGs for them, or whatever the hell it will be. I’m off to Typhoon Lagoon — where I’ve never been — and I’m riding Splash Mountain and laughing all the way round and I’m watching my friend’s face when he sees Main Street for the first time.

And it’s going to be great!

Know what the highlight of my December trip was? Seeing Up! A Great Bird Adventure. Why? Because I’ve never seen it before and because I love animals. And, despite what everyone says, I think it’s kinda cool. And kinda funny too.

And that was the highlight. Not ROTR.

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How dare you, sir!

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I know you’re joking, but I’m going to take the bait anyway.

I for one am sick to death by the FOMO, herd mentality that WDW somehow inspires in anyone who touches it. Including and especially me.

I mean, seriously: what the hell is wrong with people that they’ll get in a 90 minute line for FEA or PP? Have you seen the photos of WDW during New Year’s? The four hour (and more) line for FOP? It’s just not rational. It’s insane.

There is so much to see and do at WDW. People — yeah, me — need to chill the fudge out. And I’m starting the New Year the way I intend to live the whole of it.

FOMO be gone!

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I was absolutely joking! If you’ve done it 3 times, and you know you’ll get more enjoyment out of other attractions (or sleeping) with that time, then by all means skip it.

That’s the right philosophy for everyone, and it’s why a frequent visitor will enjoy the trip more than the one time only visitor. No pressure to do everything.

Edit: and I only ride PP with FPP. I’m not waiting standby for that. 90 minutes for FEA is even crazier. I would have waited longer for Maelstrom than I will for FEA.

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I hope I’ll never be that guy. “Oh IllumiNations was SO much better than HarmoniUS. What a shame you never saw it.”

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Forgive me, but what does PP stand for?

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But…but…it is the same ride. :slight_smile:

I think the FOMO thing takes a while to get past. There are stages…like stages of grief, only different…where you have to come to a point of acceptance.

(But…I can still try to get everything I want!)

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Peter Pan

My justification for doing back to back trips. (Don’t tell my husband.)
Went to Disneyland in March, so when I got to the World in August, I wasn’t itching to ride Soarin’ or TSM. And I didn’t end up riding Soarin’ at all because the waits were stupid and I couldn’t get a FP. I got to ride FOP three times, so if I had to skip it in a few months, so be it.
Hollywood Studios is madness! I wasn’t even going to waste my time on it this trip. But I do want to ride SDD again since I only got one ride. If I am able to snag BG for Star Wars rides - great. But I’m definitely not going out of my way, waking up at 4AM etc., to do so.
I did snag an ADR at Oga’s, so if nothing else it will have to do. I DO want to ride Mickey & Minnies, but again - not going to do anything drastic to make it happen.

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Maybe it’s because we’ve been going to WDW since it was synonymous with MK. Maybe it’s because several of us have ride issues (no drops or nothing spinning). Maybe because we live and work in areas of the country with practically no people.

I’ve yet to ride FOP. Still haven’t seen the new Soarin, haven’t done SSD or even stepped foot into SWL and never been in 7DMT. Rarely use more than 2 or 3 FPs a day. 30 min is a loong line wait.

Yet I’ve enjoyed every visit. I don’t agree that the way we tour is THE way to tour. I do think different visits might require different touring strategies. And yet I think what always applies is one caveat I first saw at Touring Plans back when books were the thing: zig when everyone else is zagging.

Or perhaps it’s the other way around? :crazy_face:

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As the self-identified FOMOm around here, I resent your insinuation that one might enjoy themselves more if one just chills the eff out and does what’s easy cause it’s all fun. How totally irrational!

Ok now for the serious part… I really dont get 7dmt and sdd waits. Why? I’ve never ridden either but from what I hear they are nicely themed kiddie coasters. Fun, but not for 2 hours in line and an early am stampede.

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I didn’t even mean it that way, it was never some spectacular headliner that you’d wait in line for. It just was supposed to be related to Norway instead of an opportunity to sell merchandise. You didn’t miss much.

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SDD is more than a kiddie coaster IMO. We quite enjoyed it. It terrified DD5 who loved 7DMT.

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We’ve been able to go a few times since 2014 and this will be the first time at HS, last year was the first time at Epcot. Although we’ve been to AK this will be our first time riding EE and FOP during DAH!!! Our trips have been short and my kiddo young when we started so there was no way to even try to do everything and the trips were always great! In fact i surprised my kid the first trip (she couldn’t read yet) and purposely took the long way around to avoid the teacups because I didn’t want to ride…she rode them on the trip we took with her cousins! This will be our longest trip and we are doing 2 DAH, 2 reg park days, a water park day and Cirq du Soleil. No RD’s. We plan on riding same day FP at HS and I’ll save all the SWGE stuff for a solo trip. For me missing out just means I’ll go back!

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Say hello to SWGE. It’s a mall.

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If you close your eyes (ok, and plug your ears) it’s the same actual ride still, isn’t it? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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This is very true by Disney coaster standards. It is way below Six Flags coasters but wilder than 7DMT or Barnstormer

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Good to know!!

I agree, I think Disney is amazing at playing the FOMO card. And I think parents get double the FOMO because we don’t want to see our kids miss out either. My DD6 has a good friend who went on SDD last year and talks about it a lot. Of course now DD6 absolutely HAS to go on it. DD9 has been watching vlogs bout MMRR opening, and of course HAS to go on that. And, DS11 is a huge star wars fan (I understand, I also have been since I was a child, and I can assure everyone that his Star Wars priorities are the same as mine at HS) so he HAS to go on RotR. Three impossible rides are priorities. It isn’t likely everyone will walk away from HS happy in this situation. I am trying so hard to explain to them that we will try within reason, but in the event we don’t get to do a ride or attraction we cannot let it spoil our whole vacation or even that one day. I’m trying so hard to keep pushing the idea that these rides are fun sure, but not NECESSARY. I am very worried about HS, because our last trip to that park five years ago was horrible due to my son’s reaction to his Jedi Academy being rained out. At the time, it was the only way to meet or see Darth Vader in the parks. We had a split day between HS and EP that day, neither park was enjoyed. The only way for me to prevent that this time is to teach my kids (and myself/husband) to adjust our attitudes and expectations based on the situation. It is what it is, but I mean you’re still at Disney so why get mad?

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I agree, but some of the comments may have been for an earlier version (the first try when it changed from Flights of Wonder) which was pretty cringe-worthy. The one in December made me happy again.

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