Can this vacation be salvaged??

jenniferma · Oct 22, 2010

Dsnylvr8 said:
Actually, they have asked for my help several times, since they know i go to Disney several times a year. The frustrating part is that they ask, but then don't listen to the advice. They don't want to make ADR's because they dont want to be tied down to a certain place/time. They don't like getting up early on vacation so they don't want to go to RD. They keep basically saying, we don't like those suggesting, what else can we do.

So yes, they have been asking for my help. But thanks for calling me Arrogant for wanting to help my friends.

I so don't think you are being arrogant. Let's be honest.. these people ASKED you for your advice. You sound like you know Disney and not to be rude-- but YES, you do know Disney better than they do.

It's tough when you know what your talking about but people don't listen. This is awful, but lately I don't even offer advice because no one seems to get it and they think I am crazy for suggesting they make ADRs 180 days out.

And... this is probably arrogant of me to say-- but many people who do go to Disney at the busiest times of the year (or hottest, which is worse).. come home and gripe and moan because they hate the parks and they think YOU are crazy for loving them so much!

good luck to you-- it's a no win situation!
jen

Traveliz · Oct 22, 2010

Dsnylvr8 said:
Actually, they have asked for my help several times, since they know i go to Disney several times a year. The frustrating part is that they ask, but then don't listen to the advice. They don't want to make ADR's because they dont want to be tied down to a certain place/time. They don't like getting up early on vacation so they don't want to go to RD. They keep basically saying, we don't like those suggesting, what else can we do.

So yes, they have been asking for my help. But thanks for calling me Arrogant for wanting to help my friends.

Then give them a list of restaurants that don't take ADRs (or take very few) such as ESPN, Beaches and Cream, Planet Hollywood, most of the DTD ones take few reservations in relationship to the number of people they hold and recommend they eat at off times.

If they are staying onsite recommend the extra late hours for them since they don't want to be up early. As far as the thrill rides it will take more trips to the park but go in the last half hour the park is open and you can get one of those done each night.

There are ways to help them with the way they like to tour.

Liz

brenalexacamp · Oct 22, 2010

OP, you are so nice to want to share what you know- it's expensive to go there and you want your friends to have as much fun there as we all do. We went with the in-laws this summer and they mentioned they wanted to do Cinerella's castle for a dinner or lunch- told them to book it, it would be great and SIL said she wanted to wait til we got there to do it :rotfl:

,

I told her it would NEVER happen. She's been more times than me and insisted in the past-over 10 yrs ago- she was always able to get a ressie from concierge when they arrived. Told her not the case anymore.

Needless to say, we did not eat at Cinderella's or any other character meal!

It is so much more enjoyable when you have a plan!

ratmaster · Oct 22, 2010

I don't know that arrogant is the word but it is a bit presumptuous to think that someone can't have a good time during the busiest week without a plan or ADRs..etc. But, more to the point, it's their business and their business alone. Even if they have the worst time ever, it's their vacation. It's their money. You have done your job as a friend by assisting them when they asked for assistance. And, contrary to what a pp said, you should answer your phone if they call for advice during the vacation. A true friend would not punish their friend for not following their advice or throw it back in their face like that for not following their advice in the first place. That just seems childish. Maybe you should buy them a subscription to TP or a good touring book as a going away present.

MHSweb79 · Oct 22, 2010

I don't think you're arrogant either. They've asked for your advice and they've told you they don't want to do what you suggest. That's because they probably don't believe the crowds can be all that bad.

I might say something like, "Well, if the crowds get to be too much, bring this with you. It might help. " Hand them a sheet of paper that tells them about the advantages of getting there by rope drop, how to use FP's, how to ask the concierge to make ADR's for them in the morning, how to choose a park (go to the park that had EMH the night before) etc. Just a few key points on a bulleted list.

They may laugh at you now, but then again, they may turn to that list and thank you later!

larryz · Oct 22, 2010

mdsoccermom said:
And yes, it's arrogant to assume that if they don't do it your way, they will have a miserable time.

I think it's pretty much a universal thing to be miserable standing in 2-hour lines for just about every attraction - to be shoulder to shoulder from main gate to BTMRR - to be on Main Street an hour before the parade (five rows back from the curb!) - to get the last fast pass for Space Mountain at 11:00 in the morning - to wait an hour for a bus back to your resort - to get run over by an endless stream of strollers and ECVs while trying to avoid the 14 conjoined family members that just stopped in the middle of the path in front of you to gawk at their park map - to have to wait 90 minutes after arriving 15 minutes prior to your ADR time...

So, I'm with OP in assuming they're going to be miserable, as I've seen the crowds during the Holidays, and they are not pretty.

Call me Americanus Arrogantus.

fall08CP · Oct 22, 2010

I have some relatives that are going those same dates to the "Harry Potter Theme Park." I've tried to explain that 1) it's a land, not an entire park 2) it's the worst week of the year to go and 3) there's not a week's worth of stuff to do there.

Your friends and mine will come home complaining on how horrible Orlando is.. :lmao:

We can try all we want but some people don't listen :confused3

duffy · Oct 22, 2010

I would just

wave goodbye.

duffy · Oct 22, 2010

Wait a minute, hold the phone! I thought you said they'd been there before?

Dsnylvr8 said:
They have both been a couple times before, but don't plan things and aren't the type to research things online.

Or is it their second trip?

Dsnylvr8 said:
Maybe they will be more receptive to ideas when they plan their second trip!

I'm curious, because I would not recommend going then on their first trip ever at this time.

But, still, just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.

Dsnylvr8 · Oct 22, 2010

duffy said:
Wait a minute, hold the phone! I thought you said they'd been there before?

Or is it their second trip?

I'm curious, because I would not recommend going then on their first trip ever at this time.

But, still, just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.

I meant when they plan their second trip together, i can help them with that trip. They have both been before, when they were about 10 or 11ish with their families, not together. But thanks for trying to play detective and inspect every word i write... geez...creepy much.... :rolleyes:

LaurenT · Oct 22, 2010

Make sure they understand how FP works (that they know they can come back anytime once their window opens) and tell them if the first day is crazy crowded (which you know it will be), they should get to bed early and be at the park 1/2 hour before it opens to rest of the days. If they don't have ADR's yet, advise that they get 1 for each day at least and let them know they can always cancel...

ShatteredByLoss · Oct 22, 2010

Another tip that might be helpful, is let them know about some of the things they can do outside of the parks. Which hotels have the best holiday decorations (could also tie in a nice meal at one of them -maybe- without an adr?). What is going on (if anything) at the hotel they are staying at, such as movies at the resorts at night or the electric water pagent/parade on the lake? etc..etc..etc..

If they don't take the advice, so be it.. but, at least you tried..

- Loss

Disney_Jill · Oct 22, 2010

A co-worker of mine was going to Disney last year during Spring Break (which was also Easter week) and asked me a few questions. I gave him this web site and tourguide mike's website and explained how the fast passes worked, and to make ADRs and that it will be busy but he'll still have a great time! He gave the info to his wife, she created a nice binder (they are both teachers) and when he got back said he had a great time!! He was really impressed with everything and said he had no idea how big Disney was.
He and his wife thanked me for the websites. They can't wait to go back and that's something because he really didn't even want to go, his wife did. This was a first trip for both of them, and their 2 boys.
I don't think you are arrogant at all. They asked for your help, you gave it and they didn't like it. They will have to live and learn.

Figment&Piglet · Oct 23, 2010

They ask for your advice.
You tell them to be at rope drop. They say they're not morning people.
You tell them to have ADRs in order to eat somewhere decent and at a reasonable hour. They say they don't want to be tied down.
You say "zig." They say, "Oh, OK, well we'll just zag."

What advice *DID* they expect to get from you...where the magic wand was to make all the people disappear?!?!

I say, they asked, you answered. If they don't listen, it's their own problem...

marivaid · Oct 23, 2010

Hopefully what will happen is that they'll show up at noon at MK the first day, see the crowds, and decide to follow your advice after that.
We have gone twice at that time of year and the longest we ever waited was about 1/2 hour for Jungle Cruise. We went early and used Fastpass.

Pineapple Whip · Oct 23, 2010

Dsnylvr8 said:
Actually, they have asked for my help several times, since they know i go to Disney several times a year. The frustrating part is that they ask, but then don't listen to the advice. They don't want to make ADR's because they dont want to be tied down to a certain place/time. They don't like getting up early on vacation so they don't want to go to RD. They keep basically saying, we don't like those suggesting, what else can we do.

So yes, they have been asking for my help. But thanks for calling me Arrogant for wanting to help my friends.

Hey, they sound like my kind of people! I don't want to do any of that stuff either.

I don't think you're getting called arrogant for helping them, it's just the initial tone of your post reads that you are the expert, they are fools, they will be miserable and require your salvation. Yes, they are fools for picking that week, and yes people do survive the nightmarish crowds; they usually hold on to other good memories even when the crowds are bad. Anyone who goes to a big ticket attraction on a big holiday has to have some reasonable expectation of misery, but sometimes we do it anyway.

You're just suffering the expert's curse; quickly recognized for your expertise, yet disregarded just as fast. Did you not see any of the many apocalyptic movies where they call in the expert, then dismiss them as fools? People go to the doctor and say "I can't breathe", doc tells them to stop smoking and they say "that's not it". Catch my drift?

Save your sanity, offer your suggestions, allow them on their merry way, don't dwell on it. You don't need to say I told you so, you did your part already. When they ask for advice again, just repeat yourself, but don't go out of your way planning and clicking and plotting for them.

duffy · Oct 23, 2010

Dsnylvr8 said:
But thanks for trying to play detective and inspect every word i write... geez...creepy much....

Wow.

So, someone asks for advice and when someone else tries to understand the situation enough to help, they get called "creepy"?

Did your friends call you "creepy" too, for trying to help?

mdsoccermom · Oct 23, 2010

I'll tell you something else. I've been to Disney 40 times. I've been there during the busiest of times - once we were there New Years Eve during the 25th anniversary. We've NEVER done a touring plan - the thought of doing one makes me cringe. We've been to rope drop once and that's because we happened to be awake and decided to head out early. We rarely make ADRs. And every single trip is full of good memories.

So, yes, it is possible to enjoy a trip to Disney on the fly with no plans. Depends on the type of person you are.

jenniferma · Oct 23, 2010

duffy said:
Wow.

So, someone asks for advice and when someone else tries to understand the situation enough to help, they get called "creepy"?

Did your friends call you "creepy" too, for trying to help?

I don't think the OP meant offense.. but this whole thread has been a bit snarky to her.. kind of flamming her for something (which in my opinion she's right about.. but to each his own)...

Regardless of whether anyone agrees with OP or not.. I think the tone of this thread has been a bit negative to the poster...IMO. She has good intentions, and was ASKED for help and ignored. It's frustrating...

have a great day! jen
ps-- love your thing about the kittens.. that's really funny.. or should I say kitten's. (jt)

Lou Holtz · Oct 23, 2010

She's not being arrogant. They aren't going to have a good time, it's not unreasonable to say that. They clearly don't know what they are getting into and seem like the type who don't plan and then are horrified when things aren't exactly how they pictured them. They "heard" it's a more fun time to go? What could possibly be more fun than the beginning of December? There's nothing different, it's just oppressively crowded.

Can this vacation be salvaged??

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