tlmadden73
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2014
Yes .. You can get away without planning if you already know the parks or if you do NOT want to go on those big attractions. The thing is .. that is the draw . that is why people want to go there. I never rode TSMM when there was paper Fast Passes because I never "planned ahead" -- but once FP+ came about I go on it every trip because I can plan ahead for it knowing I need to get there early or get a FP+I would add 7DMT and Slinky Dog to that list - at least that has been my experience. (and also depends on size of your group)
It's all about expectations. If you want to ensure you get on as many attractions as you want at the times you want, and eat at as many of the places you want at the times you want as possible, then yeah, you need to do quite a bit of pre-planning.
If you are ok with not getting to everything you might want to and eating at maybe slightly off times, etc. then you can go with little to no planning.
I do think at least a little bit of planning to set up a few key things can be a big help - but definitely don't need to plan every minute of every day. I know a few people who went for the first time and refused to do any pre-planning and then were upset that they didn't get to what they wanted, when they wanted - but they went in with the expectations they could do everything without any planning
For me .. i don't like having to plan IF you want a big ticket ride.
Okay -- if I want to skip the line for Slinky Dog Dash (which I want to do with an impatient 6 year old and 2 year old waiting with mommy).. I need to be online right a 7am and plan my DHS day on Day 4 or beyond in order to even have a chance. Otherwise, SDD just has to be skipped, which is sad to have to essentially skip an attraction due to really high wait times.
I can't imagine someone going there for the first time (having only experienced a Six Flags park) and thus not planning a thing, but hearing all about the excitement of Flight of Passage and Slinky Dog Dash, and leisurely walking up to the ride at about 10:00 am and going .. "WHAT? 100+ minute wait already?"No way!.. and then going to the next ride (TSM or Navi River) and go .. "wuh? 70 minute wait? No way! And then spend another 20 minutes leaving those lands and getting to next attraction . .and then all of sudden being there for an hour or two having ridden nothing and then looking around for lunch and be asked "do you have a reservation?" and then having to grumpily wait 45 minutes just to eat.
You'll have a very grumpy Dad whipping out his "I didn't pay all this money to wait in lines!"