Anonymous wrote:OP, you spend way too much time in WDW. Branch out a little then maybe you won't feel the need to lecture everyone else. Somewhat different but we went to Disneyland over spring break for one day in the height of the crowds with two kids, one of whom is severely autistic. We didn't plan ahead much except to grab a few fast passes and a general plan to wend our way around the park. It was still awesome. DS (the autistic one) has asked every day since we got back when we are going again.

You can't "grab fastpasses" anymore.

Disney has changed so much in the last few years. Everyone who thinks they "get it" are in for a surprise next time they go down.

OP, you spend way too much time in WDW. Branch out a little then maybe you won't feel the need to lecture everyone else. Somewhat different but we went to Disneyland over spring break for one day in the height of the crowds with two kids, one of whom is severely autistic. We didn't plan ahead much except to grab a few fast passes and a general plan to wend our way around the park. It was still awesome. DS (the autistic one) has asked every day since we got back when we are going again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Some folks actually enjoy the planning but it isn't for everyone. Definitely stay home if you can't put time into planning. Lots more places to spend your money. Lots of sour faces and kids getting yelled at in the parks.

Why should I "stay home" if I don't enjoy planning? How about I go on a spontaneous beach vacation with my family and our neighbors' kids, like we did last summer? It was a blast.

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"Lots more places to spend your money"

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Some folks actually enjoy the planning but it isn't for everyone. Definitely stay home if you can't put time into planning. Lots more places to spend your money. Lots of sour faces and kids getting yelled at in the parks.

Why should I "stay home" if I don't enjoy planning? How about I go on a spontaneous beach vacation with my family and our neighbors' kids, like we did last summer? It was a blast.

We've been to Disney a couple of times and did not do research or worry too much about it. We stayed at decent places (Grand Floridian last time) and went to and from the parks when we wanted. I did make some character dinner reservations in advance. I think it's a frame of mind, which probably applies to all travel.

Anonymous wrote:My family goes to WDW probably 3x a year on average. We just love it. However, I can understand folks hating it who go down without doing research because it's theme parks. I see families fighting and getting all upset over the missed details of planning this type of vacation. Buy a guidebook, listen to podcasts, get an authorized Disney travel agent... But don't go blindly!

Agreed. "Doing Disney" is like a full-time job. It really is a very happy place but everything is different than normal: the food, the drinks, the sleeping schedule, the level of activity, the adrenaline. That affects little kids a lot. The earliest we ever traveled to Disney with our kids was age 5, and we always had one kid barf from eating too much of the friend food on the kid's menu or drinking too much lemonade or ice cream (even one lemonade was too much for mine).

Between all the walking, waiting, variable weather, crowds, characters, it is a lot of work for parents and can be a total nightmare for both the kids and the parents if you don't plan properly.

Anonymous wrote:My family goes to WDW probably 3x a year on average. We just love it. However, I can understand folks hating it who go down without doing research because it's theme parks. I see families fighting and getting all upset over the missed details of planning this type of vacation. Buy a guidebook, listen to podcasts, get an authorized Disney travel agent... But don't go blindly!

Never been interested in going there. America's national parks are great though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Some folks actually enjoy the planning but it isn't for everyone. Definitely stay home if you can't put time into planning. Lots more places to spend your money. Lots of sour faces and kids getting yelled at in the parks.

Thanks! Good reminder that we can't all be as amazing as you, OP.

I think you're reading into this more than you should. Did Mickey Mouse knock you down?

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Some folks actually enjoy the planning but it isn't for everyone. Definitely stay home if you can't put time into planning. Lots more places to spend your money. Lots of sour faces and kids getting yelled at in the parks.

Thanks! Good reminder that we can't all be as amazing as you, OP.

OP here. Some folks actually enjoy the planning but it isn't for everyone. Definitely stay home if you can't put time into planning. Lots more places to spend your money. Lots of sour faces and kids getting yelled at in the parks.

HAHAHAHA

Oh, OP, you're so cute. You think people want to work that hard for a shitty kids-themed vacation? No thanks.

I'll take my kids once because it's sort of de rigueur. Then I'll take them to Hershey or Busch Gardens and go somewhere ENJOYABLE that I don't have to RESEARCH the hell out of to not end up a yelling mess.

I took my kids to Disney 20 years ago on the spur of the moment, no plans, and it was an amazing vacation. We did the same about 5 years ago (kids are now adults) and an infant, and it was a little tougher, but still very fun. I've heard it's nearly impossible to do this now - with the fast pass and bracelets and pre-scheduling, etc.

I agree with pp, I don't think I'll ever "do" Disney again because I don't want to put that much work in to my time off. :/

My vacations will never take this amount of work. Listen to podcasts? LOL

My family goes to WDW probably 3x a year on average. We just love it. However, I can understand folks hating it who go down without doing research because it's theme parks. I see families fighting and getting all upset over the missed details of planning this type of vacation. Buy a guidebook, listen to podcasts, get an authorized Disney travel agent... But don't go blindly!