Lessons Learned - What will you do differently when planning your next trip to WDW

[msk]

Not so much what i would do differently but what I learned on accident and will do next time on purpose. Before arriving I decided to take screen shots of all my dining reservations and my FP to share with my family. While in the park we accidentally hit something and my fast passes disappeared. Customer service on main street was able to restore everything using my screen shots.

 

[provencio]

Relax and go with the flow... planning is a blueprint guide but leave room for change and the unexpected.

 

[MamaBelle4]

We did the DDP one year, and it was nice to not have to worry about buying our meals and also made ADRs much easier, but we still left with a couple of QS's left over which we thought we could convert to snacks. While it seems that it is possible, the locations at where you can do it are limited and it was more of a headache then it was worth. You will DEFINITELY get enough food to eat with the DDP, but like others have said, I don't always want a desert with my meal (or similar). With our ADRs I would order things that I might not otherwise (after all STEAK at mama melrose is pretty good) because of price (or other reasons). I think the value of DDP (or any of the Dining Plans) is not having to carry the cash/credit cards around for meals, and knowing that if you do spend all your money elsewhere, that you still have a meal. Dollar for dollar though, I think most folks will save money by NOT doing the DDP, the value is more likely in the convenience that it "Could" provide (your mileage may vary). We tried to "Maximize" the plan and probably still didn't save money.

We did the CRT in November 2014 (when we had the DDP above) and I have to say, for 2 Table Services (per person) I really did expect more. The portions were small and while it was all you could eat, you had to wait for them to bring back more food. The Princesses were typical but if you weren't there and ready for them the moment they were ready for you, they would move on quickly. Even if you were ready for them, you could tell they were being rushed to get to everyone. I understand that they have a lot of folks to get to, but we paid for our service too.

Did you do this straight?

We drive from NE Pennsylvania and it's about 15 - 16 hour drive (if we go straight through) but we are also towing the 27' camper. We typically leave the evening after work, get below DC traffic (hitting DC traffic late in the day so it's not too bad), then pull over in a truck stop (remember we have a camper with us, you could do a "Hotel") for the night. Get up next AM, grab a hearty breakfast and continue the next day. Typically getting about an hour out of WDW (Fort Wilderness), spending another night in a truck stop/rest area, Then roll in the next AM.

I understand you don't like the drive. We have Laptops, tablets, iPods etc.. to keep the kids (DD10, DD18 and her BF21) occupied. Sadly, I am the only one willing to drive the Truck with the Camper. DW would if she had no other choice. I am hoping that the next time we go if the BF21 comes with us he can step up and do some driving. We will have to get him out for some practice though. But the cost savings and the fact that the DW abhors flying, this is our best option.

How do you guys go down that quickly?? Seems like it took us 17+ hours and we are south central PA. Is there a route I'm missing?

 

[peg110]

I think you are mis-understanding (at least me). I cannot get to the fort in 15-16 hours. Not even close! I might be able to if we could drive NON-STOP (not for gas, not for bathroom, not for food) all the way.



According to google maps (which considers time of day and current traffic/construction) it shows me that I can get there in about 16 hours (going through DC, yeah, right!). Again, that would be non-stop.

Since the DW won't drive the Truck towing the trailer. We usually leave early evening (after work/school) and get about 6 hours down the road (to get below DC during the slower times) Then stop for about 6 - 8 hours so I can rest. Next day, up and get breakfast and drive until we are about an hour (or so) from the fort. Another couple hours of sleep. Then up early to get into the fort early. Going home, it's more of a sprint. Last time we actually left late evening and made a dash for the Georgia border. Once in Georgia, spent several hours in the rest stop just over the border. Got up next day and made the long dash home all the way. I was tired at the end of that, but I'd rather get it done that way.

If you can make the trip in 17+ hours from South Central PA then I suspect you have a good auxiliary tank (I have none) and someone else that can drive too. If you don't have either of those things... My hats off to you to make such a trek in that time.

 

[MamaBelle4]

It says it should only take us 14 hours, driving straight with no stops. I knew it took over 17, but frankly I can't remember what.

I did misunderstand, I thought you were saying that you got down in 15-16 hours and was hoping there was a secret, traffic free, beltway free route I was unaware of, lol.

 

[peg110]

It says it should only take us 14 hours, driving straight with no stops. I knew it took over 17, but frankly I can't remember what.

I did misunderstand, I thought you were saying that you got down in 15-16 hours and was hoping there was a secret, traffic free, beltway free route I was unaware of, lol.

I wish! If you have any.... I'd love to know them. Still waiting on that "Transporter" (Yes, I am a Trekkie too!) to get invented.

 

[adennis0421]

This was our first trip with our son (2y/o), so I've learned a lot. Next time I'll plan fewer ADRs. They took up so much time and I hated having to be somewhere at any given time. I even cancelled a couple along the way. I will keep Trail's End though. Loved it!

I would probably leave the parks earlier, rest and relax at the hotel, and go back in the evenings. We tended to wait until our son was already tired, and he fell asleep on the way to the bus/monorail a couple of times. Waking him up to get him out of the stroller was a nightmare!

Did you guys use PH's? I have them added now but wondering if I should cancel them. I am traveling with my two ds's (8 and 4) and my DH and his parents. I'm thinking that the odds of us park hopping are slim.

 

[mamabunny]

I will not go to the park on our arrival day again. I have done it twice and it just doesn't work well for us, especially when we are up at 4am to make a flight. Also, I will not go without PHs. It took this trip to make me realize the benefit of PH. I cannot spend a whole day in Epcot, AK, or DHS. I will plan for down time. Getting up early/ going to bed late is just too exhausting!

This.

We have been getting up in the middle of the night (literally) to get to the airport to be on the first flight out. Then, arriving at WDW before noon - and because we have the better part of a day... feeling obligated to run around like crazy people all over, trying to make ADRs and make it to that first "kiss goodnight". The last two times we did this, we didn't make it - wound up crashing early at the resort, everyone falling asleep in their clothes.

I don't like to fly in on the last flight, but I will never burn out on my first day again like that.

 

[crazymomof4]

It says it should only take us 14 hours, driving straight with no stops. I knew it took over 17, but frankly I can't remember what.

I did misunderstand, I thought you were saying that you got down in 15-16 hours and was hoping there was a secret, traffic free, beltway free route I was unaware of, lol.

I live in NJ just across the river from Phila. In 2005 we made it down in 14 hrs total driving. DH drove from 4pm til about 9. Then I drove til 2am. We stopped to sleep 2-8am. Back on the road, eating breakfast in the car. We checked into POP at noon! We've never been able to repeat this. I think there were 2 reasons for this great time. We got past Baltimore and DC freakishly fast..... instead of the frustrating crawl that 95 usually is. And.... as I said, I drove from 9pm-2am. haha Beyond Richmond the traffic was sparse and I got behind a tractor trailer who was clipping along at a good pace, and I just followed in his wake.
Previous to this, we never made it down anywhere near that fast. We drove down for 2 more trips after that one and it also took us waaay longer. Now we fly, mainly because of the horrible Baltimore/DC traffic! We are going to Colonial Williamsburg in April and we're leaving at 3am to avoid said crawl!!
If anyone DOES have a secret to getting past Balt/DC faster... PLEASE share!

 

[peg110]

Did you guys use PH's? I have them added now but wondering if I should cancel them. I am traveling with my two ds's (8 and 4) and my DH and his parents. I'm thinking that the odds of us park hopping are slim.

For us, Park Hopping is a waste. These parks are large enough and offer enough to occupy our full day. Again, that is us, and YMMV. Even the "Smaller Parks" (as some refer to DHS, DAK, and Epcot) tend to have enough that even if we leave early, we schedule "Down Time" at our accommodations (hotel, campground, condo, wherever we are staying), DTD or other local attractions/malls, etc... The value of PH for us just isn't there. That being said, we will probably become AP holders this year and with that you get Automatic Hopping privileges, so maybe our view may change.

If anyone DOES have a secret to getting past Balt/DC faster... PLEASE share

Yes... AVOID IT.

Okay, but seriously, we will leave from home (Wilkes-Barre PA area) After work/school (ideally about 5:30 but almost always about 7PM) towing our camper. We are hitting beltway in the evening when traffic isn't near as bad. Alternatively, one could take the Longer in distance (but often quicker in time because of the beltway) route down I81 picking up I 95 down in South Carolina.

We haven't taken that route down, but have taken routes avoiding the beltway on the way back. Google Maps has been pretty good to me on my android phone.

 

[dreiwhit]

For us, the next time we go we will:
1) Skip the Animal Kingdom and have either a 3rd day at MK or a down day. For us, AK was kind of a "meh..." park.
2) Have a full day prior to going to the park instead of the half day we had last time.
3) Skip Fantasmic at HS and end the day earlier. Out of the 4 of us, only my daughter liked it.
4) Go to the attractions we missed last time and the ones we really liked. Some of the rest we'll skip.

 

[Scooterbritches]

There are several things I would like to not do on a WDW vacation. Sometimes circumstances make it so I can't avoid certain things, but these are the things that have driven me crazy.

1) I would go with only like minded people or alone....I went once with my most best friend, but she enjoyed things like Enchanted Tiki Room and bands playing on the midway. And she wanted to do those things during prime times when ride lines were at their shortest. Uggh! I thought I was going to die! I'm a ride person and I totally felt like I didn't get my money's worth! I could have been more assertive, but she's my bestest friend in the world and I didn't want tension. I'm sensitive to other people's desires not to tour with a commando, but commando's also have desires for their vacations too! I don't go to WDW with the expectation of it being relaxing. I can go on a beach vacation or cruise if I wanted that. I go to ride rides and to do it efficiently avoiding long waits in lines.

2) I will never again go with a large group. I went once with my daughter's cheer team and their moms. Everybody walking the park wondering what to do next. Only the more assertive ones got their way. Someday I actually hope to do a solo trip. There were a few times when I got to break away from the group and it was glorious! I guess the biggest problem I've had in the parks is going with assertive, yet disorganized people and feeling like I don't get to do what I want to do.

3) I do not like PH. I feel like it takes too long to get from park to park and I don't want to spend my day transporting. I would only do this if I had limited days on my vacation and I wanted to hit the highlights of a park so I could fit two parks in one day to conserve on vacation days. If I get done at the park I'm at early, so what? I can go back to my room and read and relax.

4) I've never been to Epcot with anyone that had the patience for that park. I've mostly been with my kids and they were always bored there so I didn't feel like I could spend a lot of time there. Someday I'd like to do that park alone where no one is dictating how long I get to stay.

5) No ADR's!!!! I've read trip reports where it felt like the entire report was making it to the ADRs. It seemed like they didn't do hardly anything in the parks. I hate being tied to a schedule that is not my own.

I do love FP+ because its so nice to be able to plan your day out and not have to have a runner go get a paper FP. Just advice for others that I've read that miss their FPs because they don't feel like that ride at the time. Please cancel your FP so someone else can have it!

 

[peg110]

2) I will never again go with a large group. I went once with my daughter's cheer team and their moms.

My daughter's Marching band went to WDW and I was a chaperon. For us it wasn't bad. You were responsible for 3 - 8 kids (depending. The average was 4). Except for specified events (as we were there to march in the parade) and specified periodic meeting times, the kids were allowed to do what they wanted (in the park we were at) as long as they were in PAIRS. The Chaperons could also do what they want. Since most everyone had a cell phone, the kids had their chaperons number and vice versa. So for us it wasn't too bad. As a chaperon you could stick with some kids or with other chaperons or go it alone. It wasn't too bad for us.

Now if you have younger kids who need an adult presence it's a bit of a different issue. But I can still see why the groups can be a PITA.

4) I've never been to Epcot with anyone that had the patience for that park. I've mostly been with my kids and they were always bored there so I didn't feel like I could spend a lot of time there. Someday I'd like to do that park alone where no one is dictating how long I get to stay.

I am with you on this. My DW and kids don't really care too much for this park. I like it and would like to spend a full day there to explore. But alas, they too get bored and barely tolerate going to it. I'd like to make it around the world showcase one of these days, but I guess I will have a while to wait before I can do that.

 

[Sinders99]

I will not lug a big DSLR around.

I will not plan late nights and then early mornings, at least for the trips with my teenager. We prefer late nights...so we'll just sleep in.

That's about it.

As a first time visitor and photographer who'll be visiting in September 2016 this is something I've really really really struggled with. To bring the Nikon D750 + lenses or not?? In the end someone very wise asked me "are you going to take pictures or enjoy the experience?". Of course I'm going for the experience. So I'm leaving my DSLR at home and have instead spent the money I was going to spend on a new lens on a new smaller, lighter, basic mirrorless camera kit. We'll have memory maker as well so I'm pretty confident I've found a good balance.

 

[happymommy]

We stopped doing so many table service meals, and have a much better time now! Most trips we do at MOST one sit down meal. We enjoy so many counter service places, and I don't know when we'll feel like eating usually. I'd prefer to snack anyway.

I don't like being tied down to an ADR. Only one we usually get (but didn't last trip) is Sci Fi since my DD likes it there (and it's reasonable with decent food).

We don't get up early. We make most FP+ for the afternoon. If we want to sleep in, it is vacation after all.

We do park hop. I enjoy going from one park to another, but many folks don't. I can only stand about 3 hours at a time in the MK, as it does get crowded. Plus you can't get a beer there, LOL. We tend to hop over to Epcot from there via the monorail and enjoy dinner at WS.