If you had a negative experience traveling to Disney, can you share why?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m just not interested in competing against SAHMs who have time to learn all the hacks and systems. I’m busy, so it sounds like way too much work.

I work full time and know most of the good hacks - it’s really not that hard. It’s just like planning a regular vacation. Most of the actual “work” is time on the phone getting LL’s when you’re actually there.

Not 100% sure why you tried to make this a SAHM vs. working mom issue.

I don't understand PPs point about working/not working but there are some serious Disney fanatics (of all types) a newbie is up against and it can be very overwhelming for a first time visitor to get up to speed which sucks the fun out of a vacation.

I do. Disney is a perfect for vacation with a SAHM with a lot of time on her hands. A woman who is type A and doesn’t have an outlet for it. I see HS classmates who are SAHMs taking Disney vacations and it’s perfect for them.

You would be shocked at how many childless adults are Disney addicts then. You clearly don't understand the fan base.

It's perfect for anyone who is type A, loves to plan, and has time on their hands to do all that planning - not matter of they have kids or not.

Sounds like a horrible way to vacation!

DP. I don’t think the amount of planning for Disney is really much different from the amount of planning you’d do for any vacation where there are a lot of different activities and you have to choose between them and maybe know in advance which you prioritize. The real issue is that there is so much to do in a limited time period so you have to plan, if you have preferences. It’s not like there’s some place just like Disney, but requires less planning. And the Genie+ app actually is quite easy to use.

About the only “trick” you really need is to understand that you need to get right online at 6:59 for those few super popular rides, or plan to “rope drop” them. You can have a perfectly great time even without that. But just like you wouldn’t expect to waltz into the hottest restaurant on your vacation with no reservation, you do have to plan if you want to ride the most popular rides.

This is a terrible analogy. When I go on vacation there are maybe one or two activities I need reservations for and I can get those reservations (or know I haven't gotten them) weeks in advance, and plan around that. I'm not spending my vacation trying to get reservations for the things I want to do.

It’s an active vacation with lots to do. If you don’t like fast paced, action packed, multiple experiences offered such that you can’t possibly do them all, then it’s not for you. My family would be bored sitting on a beach all day with little to do.

Beach vacations can be active. Kayaking, swimming, walking, wander for food, see local history and sights, charter a boat, fishing, live music, parks, different beaches mean different character, shops, sunset, family
Football/frisby/whatever. None of that I have to wait in line for. I can call the day before and make a reservation without worry nothing being available. I don’t have to get to at 7 to do it.

I just don’t get posts like this. If you don’t like Disney, you don’t go. I don’t jump on Antarctica Travel Forums and tell people that there are better ways to spend their time/money, and how horrible the Drake Passage is and who really wants to go to a continent made of ice? Some people dig it. Some people don’t. The only thing I get out of your post is that you somehow need people to know that your way is better. It’s not - it’s just different.

This isn’t a Disney Travel Forum. It's a post on a Travel Forum asking why people don’t like Disney.

Actually OP asked for experiences where people’s kids didn’t like Disney (she herself was a Disney fan). And then we get this screed about how active beach vacations are better. It was pretty pointless.

Akshually what happened is someone claimed that Disney vacations are just like any other vacation because you can’t expect to walk into a popular restaurant without reservations.

I have friends who like Disney and if you like Disney too that’s great, but it’s weird to me to act like the only difference between Disney and other vacations is that there are more things to do on a Disney vacation.

umm that’s exactly one of the main differences between Disney and any other kind of vacation. there are hundreds of things to choose from.

No, there are hundreds of things to choose from to do on a normal vacation. On a Disney vacation, there are hundreds of things to wait in line for.

Right. Because nobody ever waited in line to see the Sistine Chapel or rushed to save a beach chair at 630am anywhere. You can walk into everything with no reservations, tickets, or waiting.

There are very, very few other vacations where every element of the vacation is oversubscribed. Even if you end up waiting at the Sistine Chapel and are then running late, as per your example, you will still be able to sit down for dinner at a nice restaurant in Rome. Every single sit down restaurant doesn't book up 60 days out. And the next day you can do hundreds of things that aren't oversubscribed at all, so it's just one day of crowds. I also don't have to refresh an app hundreds of times per day to schedule each activity or walk a half mile to talk to customer service when something goes wrong.

there are no other vacations where the entire point is to choose from 100s of options within a defined space that you buy a single-entry ticket to. it’s FINE if that is not your thing - but silly to act like maybe there is something just like Disney that is better than Disney. If you’re here to make detailed comparisons between theme parks, that’s more on point. but do not go to Golden Corral and complain it’s not KFC.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m just not interested in competing against SAHMs who have time to learn all the hacks and systems. I’m busy, so it sounds like way too much work.

I work full time and know most of the good hacks - it’s really not that hard. It’s just like planning a regular vacation. Most of the actual “work” is time on the phone getting LL’s when you’re actually there.

Not 100% sure why you tried to make this a SAHM vs. working mom issue.

I don't understand PPs point about working/not working but there are some serious Disney fanatics (of all types) a newbie is up against and it can be very overwhelming for a first time visitor to get up to speed which sucks the fun out of a vacation.

I do. Disney is a perfect for vacation with a SAHM with a lot of time on her hands. A woman who is type A and doesn’t have an outlet for it. I see HS classmates who are SAHMs taking Disney vacations and it’s perfect for them.

You would be shocked at how many childless adults are Disney addicts then. You clearly don't understand the fan base.

It's perfect for anyone who is type A, loves to plan, and has time on their hands to do all that planning - not matter of they have kids or not.

Sounds like a horrible way to vacation!

DP. I don’t think the amount of planning for Disney is really much different from the amount of planning you’d do for any vacation where there are a lot of different activities and you have to choose between them and maybe know in advance which you prioritize. The real issue is that there is so much to do in a limited time period so you have to plan, if you have preferences. It’s not like there’s some place just like Disney, but requires less planning. And the Genie+ app actually is quite easy to use.

About the only “trick” you really need is to understand that you need to get right online at 6:59 for those few super popular rides, or plan to “rope drop” them. You can have a perfectly great time even without that. But just like you wouldn’t expect to waltz into the hottest restaurant on your vacation with no reservation, you do have to plan if you want to ride the most popular rides.

This is a terrible analogy. When I go on vacation there are maybe one or two activities I need reservations for and I can get those reservations (or know I haven't gotten them) weeks in advance, and plan around that. I'm not spending my vacation trying to get reservations for the things I want to do.

It’s an active vacation with lots to do. If you don’t like fast paced, action packed, multiple experiences offered such that you can’t possibly do them all, then it’s not for you. My family would be bored sitting on a beach all day with little to do.

Beach vacations can be active. Kayaking, swimming, walking, wander for food, see local history and sights, charter a boat, fishing, live music, parks, different beaches mean different character, shops, sunset, family
Football/frisby/whatever. None of that I have to wait in line for. I can call the day before and make a reservation without worry nothing being available. I don’t have to get to at 7 to do it.

I just don’t get posts like this. If you don’t like Disney, you don’t go. I don’t jump on Antarctica Travel Forums and tell people that there are better ways to spend their time/money, and how horrible the Drake Passage is and who really wants to go to a continent made of ice? Some people dig it. Some people don’t. The only thing I get out of your post is that you somehow need people to know that your way is better. It’s not - it’s just different.

This isn’t a Disney Travel Forum. It's a post on a Travel Forum asking why people don’t like Disney.

Actually OP asked for experiences where people’s kids didn’t like Disney (she herself was a Disney fan). And then we get this screed about how active beach vacations are better. It was pretty pointless.

Akshually what happened is someone claimed that Disney vacations are just like any other vacation because you can’t expect to walk into a popular restaurant without reservations.

I have friends who like Disney and if you like Disney too that’s great, but it’s weird to me to act like the only difference between Disney and other vacations is that there are more things to do on a Disney vacation.

umm that’s exactly one of the main differences between Disney and any other kind of vacation. there are hundreds of things to choose from.

No, there are hundreds of things to choose from to do on a normal vacation. On a Disney vacation, there are hundreds of things to wait in line for.

Right. Because nobody ever waited in line to see the Sistine Chapel or rushed to save a beach chair at 630am anywhere. You can walk into everything with no reservations, tickets, or waiting.

I’ve been to the Sistine Chapel and plenty of beaches and never waited in line or rushed to get a beach chair. If you hire the right guides you never wait.

As a PP pointed out above, you can have misfortune traveling and get things screwed up. Disney is one of the few places where things we consider a misadventure that requires a pivot is…just how things are done on a good day.

We went to Disney once. It was fine. No one has any desire to go back.

You can also hire a guide at Disney and never wait.

Is that still true? We had one when we did Disney in around 2011 and it was worth every penny, but I’d thought that whole thing was over now

Actually I can see the company (World Class VIP) I used is still going strong. Much cheaper than the official tours and it was really great, I recommend if you want a completely stress free, though more expensive, way to do Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

Lol that you think there isn’t much to do in Paris or Rome. Everyone prioritizes on vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

DP but I guess maybe the difference between you and some of the other posters here (including me) is that I don’t think of Disney as a place where there’s so much to do that if I can’t do the thing I want then it’s all fine because I’ll do something else (like eating in a different restaurant in Rome). My family doesn’t care about characters or parades or Disney restaurants. All we wanted to do was rides, and if we couldn’t do them or had to wait for hours, then that wasn’t fun for us. Which maybe just means we aren’t the right people for Disney!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just not interested in competing against SAHMs who have time to learn all the hacks and systems. I’m busy, so it sounds like way too much work.

I work full time and know most of the good hacks - it’s really not that hard. It’s just like planning a regular vacation. Most of the actual “work” is time on the phone getting LL’s when you’re actually there.

Not 100% sure why you tried to make this a SAHM vs. working mom issue.

I don't understand PPs point about working/not working but there are some serious Disney fanatics (of all types) a newbie is up against and it can be very overwhelming for a first time visitor to get up to speed which sucks the fun out of a vacation.

I do. Disney is a perfect for vacation with a SAHM with a lot of time on her hands. A woman who is type A and doesn’t have an outlet for it. I see HS classmates who are SAHMs taking Disney vacations and it’s perfect for them.

You would be shocked at how many childless adults are Disney addicts then. You clearly don't understand the fan base.

It's perfect for anyone who is type A, loves to plan, and has time on their hands to do all that planning - not matter of they have kids or not.

Sounds like a horrible way to vacation!

DP. I don’t think the amount of planning for Disney is really much different from the amount of planning you’d do for any vacation where there are a lot of different activities and you have to choose between them and maybe know in advance which you prioritize. The real issue is that there is so much to do in a limited time period so you have to plan, if you have preferences. It’s not like there’s some place just like Disney, but requires less planning. And the Genie+ app actually is quite easy to use.

About the only “trick” you really need is to understand that you need to get right online at 6:59 for those few super popular rides, or plan to “rope drop” them. You can have a perfectly great time even without that. But just like you wouldn’t expect to waltz into the hottest restaurant on your vacation with no reservation, you do have to plan if you want to ride the most popular rides.

This is a terrible analogy. When I go on vacation there are maybe one or two activities I need reservations for and I can get those reservations (or know I haven't gotten them) weeks in advance, and plan around that. I'm not spending my vacation trying to get reservations for the things I want to do.

It’s an active vacation with lots to do. If you don’t like fast paced, action packed, multiple experiences offered such that you can’t possibly do them all, then it’s not for you. My family would be bored sitting on a beach all day with little to do.

Beach vacations can be active. Kayaking, swimming, walking, wander for food, see local history and sights, charter a boat, fishing, live music, parks, different beaches mean different character, shops, sunset, family
Football/frisby/whatever. None of that I have to wait in line for. I can call the day before and make a reservation without worry nothing being available. I don’t have to get to at 7 to do it.

I just don’t get posts like this. If you don’t like Disney, you don’t go. I don’t jump on Antarctica Travel Forums and tell people that there are better ways to spend their time/money, and how horrible the Drake Passage is and who really wants to go to a continent made of ice? Some people dig it. Some people don’t. The only thing I get out of your post is that you somehow need people to know that your way is better. It’s not - it’s just different.

This isn’t a Disney Travel Forum. It's a post on a Travel Forum asking why people don’t like Disney.

Actually OP asked for experiences where people’s kids didn’t like Disney (she herself was a Disney fan). And then we get this screed about how active beach vacations are better. It was pretty pointless.

Akshually what happened is someone claimed that Disney vacations are just like any other vacation because you can’t expect to walk into a popular restaurant without reservations.

I have friends who like Disney and if you like Disney too that’s great, but it’s weird to me to act like the only difference between Disney and other vacations is that there are more things to do on a Disney vacation.

umm that’s exactly one of the main differences between Disney and any other kind of vacation. there are hundreds of things to choose from.

No, there are hundreds of things to choose from to do on a normal vacation. On a Disney vacation, there are hundreds of things to wait in line for.

Right. Because nobody ever waited in line to see the Sistine Chapel or rushed to save a beach chair at 630am anywhere. You can walk into everything with no reservations, tickets, or waiting.

There are very, very few other vacations where every element of the vacation is oversubscribed. Even if you end up waiting at the Sistine Chapel and are then running late, as per your example, you will still be able to sit down for dinner at a nice restaurant in Rome. Every single sit down restaurant doesn't book up 60 days out. And the next day you can do hundreds of things that aren't oversubscribed at all, so it's just one day of crowds. I also don't have to refresh an app hundreds of times per day to schedule each activity or walk a half mile to talk to customer service when something goes wrong.

there are no other vacations where the entire point is to choose from 100s of options within a defined space that you buy a single-entry ticket to. it’s FINE if that is not your thing - but silly to act like maybe there is something just like Disney that is better than Disney. If you’re here to make detailed comparisons between theme parks, that’s more on point. but do not go to Golden Corral and complain it’s not KFC.

DP here. This is exactly the issue. Disney is Golden Corral.

I started a post earlier about where to eat in Disney and most of the recommendations are freaking BUFFETS. Just sigh. I don’t want to go to a buffet where I can select from a wide variety of average stuff. I want to go to Michelin stars (or at least a Ruth’s Chris on New Year’s Eve.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

Lol that you think there isn’t much to do in Paris or Rome. Everyone prioritizes on vacation.

So because you have to spend some time the day of, vs say the week before suddenly it's completely unbearable? Seems a bit of an overreaction.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just not interested in competing against SAHMs who have time to learn all the hacks and systems. I’m busy, so it sounds like way too much work.

I work full time and know most of the good hacks - it’s really not that hard. It’s just like planning a regular vacation. Most of the actual “work” is time on the phone getting LL’s when you’re actually there.

Not 100% sure why you tried to make this a SAHM vs. working mom issue.

I don't understand PPs point about working/not working but there are some serious Disney fanatics (of all types) a newbie is up against and it can be very overwhelming for a first time visitor to get up to speed which sucks the fun out of a vacation.

I do. Disney is a perfect for vacation with a SAHM with a lot of time on her hands. A woman who is type A and doesn’t have an outlet for it. I see HS classmates who are SAHMs taking Disney vacations and it’s perfect for them.

You would be shocked at how many childless adults are Disney addicts then. You clearly don't understand the fan base.

It's perfect for anyone who is type A, loves to plan, and has time on their hands to do all that planning - not matter of they have kids or not.

Sounds like a horrible way to vacation!

DP. I don’t think the amount of planning for Disney is really much different from the amount of planning you’d do for any vacation where there are a lot of different activities and you have to choose between them and maybe know in advance which you prioritize. The real issue is that there is so much to do in a limited time period so you have to plan, if you have preferences. It’s not like there’s some place just like Disney, but requires less planning. And the Genie+ app actually is quite easy to use.

About the only “trick” you really need is to understand that you need to get right online at 6:59 for those few super popular rides, or plan to “rope drop” them. You can have a perfectly great time even without that. But just like you wouldn’t expect to waltz into the hottest restaurant on your vacation with no reservation, you do have to plan if you want to ride the most popular rides.

This is a terrible analogy. When I go on vacation there are maybe one or two activities I need reservations for and I can get those reservations (or know I haven't gotten them) weeks in advance, and plan around that. I'm not spending my vacation trying to get reservations for the things I want to do.

It’s an active vacation with lots to do. If you don’t like fast paced, action packed, multiple experiences offered such that you can’t possibly do them all, then it’s not for you. My family would be bored sitting on a beach all day with little to do.

Beach vacations can be active. Kayaking, swimming, walking, wander for food, see local history and sights, charter a boat, fishing, live music, parks, different beaches mean different character, shops, sunset, family
Football/frisby/whatever. None of that I have to wait in line for. I can call the day before and make a reservation without worry nothing being available. I don’t have to get to at 7 to do it.

I just don’t get posts like this. If you don’t like Disney, you don’t go. I don’t jump on Antarctica Travel Forums and tell people that there are better ways to spend their time/money, and how horrible the Drake Passage is and who really wants to go to a continent made of ice? Some people dig it. Some people don’t. The only thing I get out of your post is that you somehow need people to know that your way is better. It’s not - it’s just different.

This isn’t a Disney Travel Forum. It's a post on a Travel Forum asking why people don’t like Disney.

Actually OP asked for experiences where people’s kids didn’t like Disney (she herself was a Disney fan). And then we get this screed about how active beach vacations are better. It was pretty pointless.

Akshually what happened is someone claimed that Disney vacations are just like any other vacation because you can’t expect to walk into a popular restaurant without reservations.

I have friends who like Disney and if you like Disney too that’s great, but it’s weird to me to act like the only difference between Disney and other vacations is that there are more things to do on a Disney vacation.

umm that’s exactly one of the main differences between Disney and any other kind of vacation. there are hundreds of things to choose from.

No, there are hundreds of things to choose from to do on a normal vacation. On a Disney vacation, there are hundreds of things to wait in line for.

Right. Because nobody ever waited in line to see the Sistine Chapel or rushed to save a beach chair at 630am anywhere. You can walk into everything with no reservations, tickets, or waiting.

There are very, very few other vacations where every element of the vacation is oversubscribed. Even if you end up waiting at the Sistine Chapel and are then running late, as per your example, you will still be able to sit down for dinner at a nice restaurant in Rome. Every single sit down restaurant doesn't book up 60 days out. And the next day you can do hundreds of things that aren't oversubscribed at all, so it's just one day of crowds. I also don't have to refresh an app hundreds of times per day to schedule each activity or walk a half mile to talk to customer service when something goes wrong.

there are no other vacations where the entire point is to choose from 100s of options within a defined space that you buy a single-entry ticket to. it’s FINE if that is not your thing - but silly to act like maybe there is something just like Disney that is better than Disney. If you’re here to make detailed comparisons between theme parks, that’s more on point. but do not go to Golden Corral and complain it’s not KFC.

DP here. This is exactly the issue. Disney is Golden Corral.

I started a post earlier about where to eat in Disney and most of the recommendations are freaking BUFFETS. Just sigh. I don’t want to go to a buffet where I can select from a wide variety of average stuff. I want to go to Michelin stars (or at least a Ruth’s Chris on New Year’s Eve.)

It's an amusement park. The food is secondary, or even lower priority for many. If you don't want to meet a character don't go to a buffet meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

Lol that you think there isn’t much to do in Paris or Rome. Everyone prioritizes on vacation.

So because you have to spend some time the day of, vs say the week before suddenly it's completely unbearable? Seems a bit of an overreaction.

You are so wrong. I don’t want to be on my phone during vacation. I usually don’t even activate my cell abroad. People are on their phones too much already. Vacations should not involve screens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

Lol that you think there isn’t much to do in Paris or Rome. Everyone prioritizes on vacation.

So because you have to spend some time the day of, vs say the week before suddenly it's completely unbearable? Seems a bit of an overreaction.

You are so wrong. I don’t want to be on my phone during vacation. I usually don’t even activate my cell abroad. People are on their phones too much already. Vacations should not involve screens.

There is no rule that vacations do not involve screens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I’m just not interested in competing against SAHMs who have time to learn all the hacks and systems. I’m busy, so it sounds like way too much work.

I work full time and know most of the good hacks - it’s really not that hard. It’s just like planning a regular vacation. Most of the actual “work” is time on the phone getting LL’s when you’re actually there.

Not 100% sure why you tried to make this a SAHM vs. working mom issue.

I don't understand PPs point about working/not working but there are some serious Disney fanatics (of all types) a newbie is up against and it can be very overwhelming for a first time visitor to get up to speed which sucks the fun out of a vacation.

I do. Disney is a perfect for vacation with a SAHM with a lot of time on her hands. A woman who is type A and doesn’t have an outlet for it. I see HS classmates who are SAHMs taking Disney vacations and it’s perfect for them.

You would be shocked at how many childless adults are Disney addicts then. You clearly don't understand the fan base.

It's perfect for anyone who is type A, loves to plan, and has time on their hands to do all that planning - not matter of they have kids or not.

Sounds like a horrible way to vacation!

DP. I don’t think the amount of planning for Disney is really much different from the amount of planning you’d do for any vacation where there are a lot of different activities and you have to choose between them and maybe know in advance which you prioritize. The real issue is that there is so much to do in a limited time period so you have to plan, if you have preferences. It’s not like there’s some place just like Disney, but requires less planning. And the Genie+ app actually is quite easy to use.

About the only “trick” you really need is to understand that you need to get right online at 6:59 for those few super popular rides, or plan to “rope drop” them. You can have a perfectly great time even without that. But just like you wouldn’t expect to waltz into the hottest restaurant on your vacation with no reservation, you do have to plan if you want to ride the most popular rides.

This is a terrible analogy. When I go on vacation there are maybe one or two activities I need reservations for and I can get those reservations (or know I haven't gotten them) weeks in advance, and plan around that. I'm not spending my vacation trying to get reservations for the things I want to do.

It’s an active vacation with lots to do. If you don’t like fast paced, action packed, multiple experiences offered such that you can’t possibly do them all, then it’s not for you. My family would be bored sitting on a beach all day with little to do.

Beach vacations can be active. Kayaking, swimming, walking, wander for food, see local history and sights, charter a boat, fishing, live music, parks, different beaches mean different character, shops, sunset, family
Football/frisby/whatever. None of that I have to wait in line for. I can call the day before and make a reservation without worry nothing being available. I don’t have to get to at 7 to do it.

I just don’t get posts like this. If you don’t like Disney, you don’t go. I don’t jump on Antarctica Travel Forums and tell people that there are better ways to spend their time/money, and how horrible the Drake Passage is and who really wants to go to a continent made of ice? Some people dig it. Some people don’t. The only thing I get out of your post is that you somehow need people to know that your way is better. It’s not - it’s just different.

This isn’t a Disney Travel Forum. It's a post on a Travel Forum asking why people don’t like Disney.

Actually OP asked for experiences where people’s kids didn’t like Disney (she herself was a Disney fan). And then we get this screed about how active beach vacations are better. It was pretty pointless.

Akshually what happened is someone claimed that Disney vacations are just like any other vacation because you can’t expect to walk into a popular restaurant without reservations.

I have friends who like Disney and if you like Disney too that’s great, but it’s weird to me to act like the only difference between Disney and other vacations is that there are more things to do on a Disney vacation.

umm that’s exactly one of the main differences between Disney and any other kind of vacation. there are hundreds of things to choose from.

No, there are hundreds of things to choose from to do on a normal vacation. On a Disney vacation, there are hundreds of things to wait in line for.

Right. Because nobody ever waited in line to see the Sistine Chapel or rushed to save a beach chair at 630am anywhere. You can walk into everything with no reservations, tickets, or waiting.

There are very, very few other vacations where every element of the vacation is oversubscribed. Even if you end up waiting at the Sistine Chapel and are then running late, as per your example, you will still be able to sit down for dinner at a nice restaurant in Rome. Every single sit down restaurant doesn't book up 60 days out. And the next day you can do hundreds of things that aren't oversubscribed at all, so it's just one day of crowds. I also don't have to refresh an app hundreds of times per day to schedule each activity or walk a half mile to talk to customer service when something goes wrong.

there are no other vacations where the entire point is to choose from 100s of options within a defined space that you buy a single-entry ticket to. it’s FINE if that is not your thing - but silly to act like maybe there is something just like Disney that is better than Disney. If you’re here to make detailed comparisons between theme parks, that’s more on point. but do not go to Golden Corral and complain it’s not KFC.

DP here. This is exactly the issue. Disney is Golden Corral.

I started a post earlier about where to eat in Disney and most of the recommendations are freaking BUFFETS. Just sigh. I don’t want to go to a buffet where I can select from a wide variety of average stuff. I want to go to Michelin stars (or at least a Ruth’s Chris on New Year’s Eve.)

It's an amusement park. The food is secondary, or even lower priority for many. If you don't want to meet a character don't go to a buffet meal.

Oh trust me, I don’t want to meet characters (good Lord, I’m 40) or eat at a buffet. I honestly think there is something deeply disturbing about Disney adults. Disney is something adults should have to tolerate for their kids once, then move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

Lol that you think there isn’t much to do in Paris or Rome. Everyone prioritizes on vacation.

So because you have to spend some time the day of, vs say the week before suddenly it's completely unbearable? Seems a bit of an overreaction.

You are so wrong. I don’t want to be on my phone during vacation. I usually don’t even activate my cell abroad. People are on their phones too much already. Vacations should not involve screens.

There is no rule that vacations do not involve screens.

No, but it is very trashy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just not interested in competing against SAHMs who have time to learn all the hacks and systems. I’m busy, so it sounds like way too much work.

I work full time and know most of the good hacks - it’s really not that hard. It’s just like planning a regular vacation. Most of the actual “work” is time on the phone getting LL’s when you’re actually there.

Not 100% sure why you tried to make this a SAHM vs. working mom issue.

I don't understand PPs point about working/not working but there are some serious Disney fanatics (of all types) a newbie is up against and it can be very overwhelming for a first time visitor to get up to speed which sucks the fun out of a vacation.

I do. Disney is a perfect for vacation with a SAHM with a lot of time on her hands. A woman who is type A and doesn’t have an outlet for it. I see HS classmates who are SAHMs taking Disney vacations and it’s perfect for them.

You would be shocked at how many childless adults are Disney addicts then. You clearly don't understand the fan base.

It's perfect for anyone who is type A, loves to plan, and has time on their hands to do all that planning - not matter of they have kids or not.

Sounds like a horrible way to vacation!

DP. I don’t think the amount of planning for Disney is really much different from the amount of planning you’d do for any vacation where there are a lot of different activities and you have to choose between them and maybe know in advance which you prioritize. The real issue is that there is so much to do in a limited time period so you have to plan, if you have preferences. It’s not like there’s some place just like Disney, but requires less planning. And the Genie+ app actually is quite easy to use.

About the only “trick” you really need is to understand that you need to get right online at 6:59 for those few super popular rides, or plan to “rope drop” them. You can have a perfectly great time even without that. But just like you wouldn’t expect to waltz into the hottest restaurant on your vacation with no reservation, you do have to plan if you want to ride the most popular rides.

This is a terrible analogy. When I go on vacation there are maybe one or two activities I need reservations for and I can get those reservations (or know I haven't gotten them) weeks in advance, and plan around that. I'm not spending my vacation trying to get reservations for the things I want to do.

It’s an active vacation with lots to do. If you don’t like fast paced, action packed, multiple experiences offered such that you can’t possibly do them all, then it’s not for you. My family would be bored sitting on a beach all day with little to do.

Beach vacations can be active. Kayaking, swimming, walking, wander for food, see local history and sights, charter a boat, fishing, live music, parks, different beaches mean different character, shops, sunset, family
Football/frisby/whatever. None of that I have to wait in line for. I can call the day before and make a reservation without worry nothing being available. I don’t have to get to at 7 to do it.

I just don’t get posts like this. If you don’t like Disney, you don’t go. I don’t jump on Antarctica Travel Forums and tell people that there are better ways to spend their time/money, and how horrible the Drake Passage is and who really wants to go to a continent made of ice? Some people dig it. Some people don’t. The only thing I get out of your post is that you somehow need people to know that your way is better. It’s not - it’s just different.

This isn’t a Disney Travel Forum. It's a post on a Travel Forum asking why people don’t like Disney.

Actually OP asked for experiences where people’s kids didn’t like Disney (she herself was a Disney fan). And then we get this screed about how active beach vacations are better. It was pretty pointless.

Akshually what happened is someone claimed that Disney vacations are just like any other vacation because you can’t expect to walk into a popular restaurant without reservations.

I have friends who like Disney and if you like Disney too that’s great, but it’s weird to me to act like the only difference between Disney and other vacations is that there are more things to do on a Disney vacation.

umm that’s exactly one of the main differences between Disney and any other kind of vacation. there are hundreds of things to choose from.

No, there are hundreds of things to choose from to do on a normal vacation. On a Disney vacation, there are hundreds of things to wait in line for.

Right. Because nobody ever waited in line to see the Sistine Chapel or rushed to save a beach chair at 630am anywhere. You can walk into everything with no reservations, tickets, or waiting.

There are very, very few other vacations where every element of the vacation is oversubscribed. Even if you end up waiting at the Sistine Chapel and are then running late, as per your example, you will still be able to sit down for dinner at a nice restaurant in Rome. Every single sit down restaurant doesn't book up 60 days out. And the next day you can do hundreds of things that aren't oversubscribed at all, so it's just one day of crowds. I also don't have to refresh an app hundreds of times per day to schedule each activity or walk a half mile to talk to customer service when something goes wrong.

there are no other vacations where the entire point is to choose from 100s of options within a defined space that you buy a single-entry ticket to. it’s FINE if that is not your thing - but silly to act like maybe there is something just like Disney that is better than Disney. If you’re here to make detailed comparisons between theme parks, that’s more on point. but do not go to Golden Corral and complain it’s not KFC.

DP here. This is exactly the issue. Disney is Golden Corral.

I started a post earlier about where to eat in Disney and most of the recommendations are freaking BUFFETS. Just sigh. I don’t want to go to a buffet where I can select from a wide variety of average stuff. I want to go to Michelin stars (or at least a Ruth’s Chris on New Year’s Eve.)

It's an amusement park. The food is secondary, or even lower priority for many. If you don't want to meet a character don't go to a buffet meal.

Oh trust me, I don’t want to meet characters (good Lord, I’m 40) or eat at a buffet. I honestly think there is something deeply disturbing about Disney adults. Disney is something adults should have to tolerate for their kids once, then move on.

Presumably a 40yr old would have kids who want to meet characters and that's why they are there. I'm sure there are a few adults too, but "you" want to see characters because that's what your kids want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the discussions in this thread literally prove beyond a doubt now terrible it is to go to Disney. Look at how much work you all describe it being just to go there.

This. Why the hell would I look forward to spending an insane amount of money after spending 50 hours pre-planning the visit. International travel is far easier and cheaper.

I find it hard to believe there isn’t a lot of preplanning involved with an international trip.

Exactly. You don't just show up in Paris or Rome without planning and getting advance museum tickets, tour tickets, etc.

I mean I usually do. I’ve never pre booked anything for a trip except hotels. There’s always plenty to see and do and explore without scheduling ourselves ahead of time. Much nicer to take each day as we feel like.

With Paris and Rome, I do all the pre planning before hand. My problem with Disney is the stress of lightning lanes and genie plus which means you can’t know your ride times until the day of. And that may or may not work with special meals or Disney events scheduled. I don’t like throwing a wrench into my plans last minute nor do I like being on my phone organizing my day while on the vacation.

This is a valid critique. I felt like it was basically impossible to plan restaurant reservations and get all the value out of the park ticket. But at the end of the day, we didn’t really go there to eat at restaurants. I can see if you were doing a character meal, that might be hard to plan around. It would be nice if you could reserve at least 1 LL in advance every day.

You will get a LL ride first thing at 7 if you book one. You just can't be such an anal planner that you want to do them in an exact order. You have to be somewhat flexible and just take them as they come. If you your first choice isn't the best time then take your 2nd choice and rope drop the one you didn't get. It's not impossible. Trying to plan each minute of the day on a strict schedule will be your undoing. And planning multiple sit down meals is a waste of time and money for mediocre food if you want to ride the rides.

We always stay club level so breakfast and dinner are provided for us. We make lunchtime reservations at each park and have never had a problem timing/scheduling rides. It’s all about finessing the LL’s, rope drop, extended park hours, and getting in line exactly at park closing time.

You can spend your time finessing all that, or go to Paris and Rome. That was the original point in this thread - that unlike Disney, I CAN plan those activities around my meals well in advance and not have to “finess” on the day of, which I don’t want to do!

You miss the point, which is that at Disney there’s so much to do that every choice has an opportunity cost. A better analogy would be a foodie who obsessively plans what to eat when & where in Paris and Rome.

Lol that you think there isn’t much to do in Paris or Rome. Everyone prioritizes on vacation.

So because you have to spend some time the day of, vs say the week before suddenly it's completely unbearable? Seems a bit of an overreaction.

You are so wrong. I don’t want to be on my phone during vacation. I usually don’t even activate my cell abroad. People are on their phones too much already. Vacations should not involve screens.

There is no rule that vacations do not involve screens.

No, but it is very trashy.

Lol. So do you pull out a giant paper map when you don't know where you are in a new city?

[Anonymous]

We went pre-Covid and in January. The weather was nice and it was a little less crowded. My kids were old enough to walk and still young enough to enjoy the magic. I can’t imagine going during spring break or Christmas. It must be a nightmare.

We used that fast pass and we all ate kids meals. We ate dinner in the park once and ate at Disney Springs.

If you don’t plan or know how it works, it would be a colossal waste of money and time.

It’s kinda a once and done type place. I could never go back year after year. It’s not that fun.