Top 5 Funny things guest did that could have been prevented by listening to the podcast

[Dumbo777]

Ok...I'm a Disney newbie and have gone out and bought three up to date guidebooks. I think*** I have an idea of how the process of for and adrs work. I would enjoy listening to a podcast though so that I can learn more. Can done one please direct me to the podcast? Thank you. I def don't want to be one of those clueless guests.

 

[Tonyz]

I'm pretty sure I told this before but my favorite is a family friend told me they were going to Disney World. I asked where they were staying. They told me they were going to stay off property and just walk to all the parks.

I got dizzy after hearing that...

 

[marauder]

Ok...I'm a Disney newbie and have gone out and bought three up to date guidebooks. I think*** I have an idea of how the process of for and adrs work. I would enjoy listening to a podcast though so that I can learn more. Can done one please direct me to the podcast? Thank you. I def don't want to be one of those clueless guests.

You can either do the podcast version or go to Youtube and view the videos. Click on the following https://www.youtube.com/user/DISUnplugged/videos

Just search for the topics that interest you, maybe it is best and worst restaurants, maybe it is best gadgets. Just remember that some of the advice is based on people that go there ALL the time and sometimes little things can upset them or become a big issue, you can pick and choose what you want to do based on your own personal interests.

 

[disneysteve]

When dropping the amount of money it takes to go to the world you would think people might take a few minutes to research the way things work

Although I kind of understand this to an extent because Disney is unlike almost any other destination. We recently traveled to Phoenix and the Grand Canyon. We had some very nice meals while we were out there. Not a single one was planned in advance. None required a reservation more than a day or two in advance. In April, my wife and I spent a few days in Atlantic City and dined at a few nice restaurants, none planned in advance. People are used to making a reservation today if they want to go out to dinner on Saturday night but it never enters people's minds that they would have to book dinner 6 months in advance. That's just lunacy (which is part of why we choose not to participate in that nonsense).

 

[disneysteve]

I'm pretty sure I told this before but my favorite is a family friend told me they were going to Disney World. I asked where they were staying. They told me they were going to stay off property and just walk to all the parks.

Had they ever been to Disneyland where you can do exactly that?

 

[Capang]

Although I kind of understand this to an extent because Disney is unlike almost any other destination. We recently traveled to Phoenix and the Grand Canyon. We had some very nice meals while we were out there. Not a single one was planned in advance. None required a reservation more than a day or two in advance. In April, my wife and I spent a few days in Atlantic City and dined at a few nice restaurants, none planned in advance. People are used to making a reservation today if they want to go out to dinner on Saturday night but it never enters people's minds that they would have to book dinner 6 months in advance. That's just lunacy (which is part of why we choose not to participate in that nonsense).

I agree it is like no other place in terms of planning. I have also travelled to Europe for far cheaper than WDW. Even doing it on the cheap still takes a couple thousand for a family of four. When you spend that much at least read the cliff notes. Then again, I live in spreadsheets and organizers so that may be just me. I get not planning out meals or FP but if that's the route you go then you don't expect a walk up to bog or crt.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Spending that much money, and planning nothing (like I said in my OP) - personally - I just don't get it. Not a "decision", just lunacy, or arrogance, or maybe money I just ain't got?

 

[disneysteve]

I get not planning out meals or FP but if that's the route you go then you don't expect a walk up to bog or crt.

Another factor is folks who have been to WDW in the past but a long time ago. It may seem odd to the newer regulars, but it wasn't all that long ago when Disney was a "normal" place where you could show up and get a dinner reservation at pretty much anywhere for that night or maybe a day or two later. It didn't require being online at 9:00am on the dot 6 months in advance to score a spot to eat. When Epcot first opened, there were interactive kiosks where you would chat via camera with a live guest services agent who would book your meals for you. Even years after that when I've gone as an adult, I remember calling the reservations line in the morning to book dinner for that night. We couldn't eat anywhere but we still had a pretty good selection to choose from.

The problem is the volume of guests has risen far faster than the resort's capacity to accommodate them, and that will just get worse as they build more hotels over the next few years.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Although I kind of understand this to an extent because Disney is unlike almost any other destination. We recently traveled to Phoenix and the Grand Canyon. We had some very nice meals while we were out there. Not a single one was planned in advance. None required a reservation more than a day or two in advance. In April, my wife and I spent a few days in Atlantic City and dined at a few nice restaurants, none planned in advance. People are used to making a reservation today if they want to go out to dinner on Saturday night but it never enters people's minds that they would have to book dinner 6 months in advance. That's just lunacy (which is part of why we choose not to participate in that nonsense).

Maybe it is just different styles of planning then - but for our vacation next March to Italy I already have tours booked and dining reservations made. Actually we are just going to Virginia next week and I only have 2 dining reservations made and it is sort of freaking me out that I don't have more booked

Even at home I have dining reservations usually a few weeks out


If I am investing time and money I want to be sure I am getting the best bang for my buck out of it and the thing I hate more than anything else is not having a plan - that is when I really stress!

 

[SorcererHeidi]

'Zactly, Phil. And I always say - even the best laid plans DO go awry...but.....in the event that a contingency or backup needs to come into play - you also have to research ahead of time just to know what your OPTIONS are, otherwise you just end up wandering around - tried, confused, hungry (probably more like HANGRY!), and might end up spending a lot more money for a much less desirable option if that's the one you find. Funny thing is - the same people who never want to plan anything in advance are usually the sames ones who turn around and ask "what now?" when the stuff DOES hit the fan.

An ounce of pre-planning can prevent a pound of trouble, time, emotions, and money wasted later!

 

[BadPinkTink]

My story is from Disneyland California. June 2015 I was taking a rest break in New Orleans Square around the time Fantasmic was due to start. I knew I would be moved on by a CM but I was just waiting to see how long they would let me stay. Sure enough a CM waving her light up wand thingy came over to where I was sitting and moved me on. An Australian family was sitting beside me and got very annoyed that they were being moved. They didn't know about Fantasmic or about the viewing areas. When the CM explained about Fantasmic they wanted to sit on the wall and watch the show. When the CM explained that this was not possible as the walkway had to be cleared, they starting saying they had paid a huge amount of money to come from Australia and be in the park and why cant they watch the show. As we moved off I started talking to them and explained about the viewing areas, and the Fastpass system. It turns out they had been in the park since early morning but had hardly been on anything due to the high wait times. They didn't even know about the regular Fastpass system, or about meal packages and viewing areas for the night time shows or about making ADR. Basically they had come all the way from Australia and had not done any research and had just turned up in the park and had a crap day.

I told them that when they got back to their hotel, to use the free WiFi and to research everything. I gave them a list of what to look up on the internet. Luckily I spoke to them on day 1 of their trip, but geeez I just couldn't believe that they had not done any research whats so ever.

 

[disneysteve]

Maybe it is just different styles of planning then - but for our vacation next March to Italy I already have tours booked and dining reservations made. Actually we are just going to Virginia next week and I only have 2 dining reservations made and it is sort of freaking me out that I don't have more booked

Even at home I have dining reservations usually a few weeks out

Definitely different styles.

We recently celebrated our 25th anniversary. We had talked a bit about where to go for dinner that night but didn't firmly decide or make a reservation until about a week before and had no trouble at all getting the place we wanted (which is new so it's kind of the hot place in the area right now) at the time we wanted.

We are going to Kentucky for a week in October. We've booked our hotels and one organized tour since it has a limited number of seats, but that's it. We have looked at various restaurants near where we will be but we won't actually make any reservations. We'll just go armed with a list of places we'd like to try and wing it from there. Once we're in town and have a better idea of our schedule, we will probably make a reservation or two but there's no way we would do that this far in advance.

As for WDW, we rarely book our trips more than about 8 weeks in advance. We are probably going in January but right now I couldn't tell you exactly what dates. I'll worry about that in late October or early November after we're back from our Kentucky trip.

 

[Tonyz]

Had they ever been to Disneyland where you can do exactly that?

No they just thought that each park was like a land. Like the distance between MK and AK would be similar to the distance from Adventureland to Liberty Square...

I saw them like 2 days before their trip and asked if they got all the FPs they wanted. The dad looks at me and says "Yeah I've heard of those I guess I should figure out what's it's all about."

 

[SorcererHeidi]

No they just thought that each park was like a land. Like the distance between MK and AK would be similar to the distance from Adventureland to Liberty Square...

I saw them like 2 days before their trip and asked if they got all the FPs they wanted. The dad looks at me and says "Yeah I've heard of those I guess I should figure out what's it's all about."

 

[pjweaver]

Before this here internet fad came along we bought at least one WDW guide each year, even if we had no plans to go. It seems like most issues people get themselves into have to do with a lack of planning. My "funny thing" had nothing to do with planning.

We were at Ft Wilderness for Hoop Dee Do, and knowing the transportation system ended up there an hour early. We sat on the beach watching kids play tetherball until a mom came along with four kids, one of whom was in a wheel chair. While the other kids played in the lake 10 feet from a 'No Swimming' sign, the mom carried the one from her wheel chair and sat her in about 2 feet of water. I wish I still had the phone with the pic of them by the warning sign.

Theirs was a language problem. I think I either said "hungry cayman" or "I want to eat your children", but either way between that and pointing at the sign they left quickly.

@WebmasterPete there is a sports caster in Philadelphia named Ricky Ricardo (I'm not joking) who did the Phillies games (now sadly he does the Yankees) in Spanish as well hosts radio talk show in English; Such amazing deep timbre I have found myself listening to his Spanish play by play. Please consider him for an Espanol version of the podcasts, or at least get him to record your closing line.

 

[Lesverts]

My sister-in-law's work friend is going to Disney the same time we are going. They are staying at Caribbean Beach, despite telling my SiL that they hate nose/crowds. We are less then 4 months out, no ADRs, no research, no flights. And they think they can get buy spending 50 dollars a day for a family of 5. Seriously. 50 dollars a day period. She keeps telling my SiL how everything I am doing, planning and prepping for the trip is unnecessary. She wanted to hang out with our group during the trip and my SiL said she doubted that would happen. SiL told me she said no because she didn't think I would be able to handle it.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I have friends that believe that you can go to Disney World and simply "go left." That way you will avoid all of the crowds.

They haven't been in many, many years.

 

[Alicenwonderment]

I have been trying to explain to people for YEARS the importance of doing "research" for a WDW trip, especially since people are always sent my way, because "she's the Disney lady". I used to have a lot more current knowledge and expertise when I was lucky enough to be able to go just about every year or so. I realize that I LOVE researching activities - be it WDW or something else - and it's part of the whole trip for me, and others may not. But you have to at least have a passing idea ow what to expect when you're spending this much money. And gee - you might have an idea of what/where you'd like to eat, since you eat every day, at least once a day, no? You may not go to a certain park, or go on certain rides or shows - but - ya gotta eat, right?

Forget the fact that I haven't even been - or tried to explain - since legacy FP's were still in use, crowd levels were lower (although rising), before Magic Bands, MDE, all that; since my last trip was almost 5 years ago. I wouldn't even want to TRY and explain it now. And that was the people who had come to me for advice, to help them plan - NOT somebody traveling WITH me - that was even WORSE, since their refusal to cooperate in even the smallest amount of planning, or "preference sharing" to help me was always a struggle. Especially when I'd plan something I thought we'd both/all enjoy, with NO input, and then have them decide to NOT want to do whatever. I'd always try my best not to take it personally, or let it spoil my day/mood, and carry on. I think that would be MUCH harder now, since planning has gone from "strongly encouraged" to just about "mandatory", for any type of enjoyable experience, IMHO.

And I used to love those who'd I'd take HOURS "helping" (usually them doing little to nothing), then they'd come back and tell me "So and so's Aunt Edna, who knows Sally's mailman, who went 10 years ago, says what you said isn't true" (or whatever) blah, blah. Used to tighten my jaw muscles every single time.

I hear you. I haven't been back to WDW since 2000 when I did my advanced internship. My younger sister took her children 7 &4 to WDW for a day in March. I think her mistake was asking me for help because she had no idea what she was getting into. I told her that one day was not enough time in the park. (They did MK) I made autograph books (cost me about 40 dollars to make 3 since they were going with a friend and her little girl.)and they forgot to bring the books with them to be signed. I tried to explain how she could save money on buying her tickets before she got there. I kept asking her what day they were going since costs change by season. She wasn't sure. I tried to explain fast passes but I think her "plan" was just to go and wing it. Oh that drove me nuts. I did prep the 7 year old with a kid's review book on WDW. That child read the book from start to finish even though he knew they were only doing MK. He was even begging his mom to make fast passes. Poor child!! He listened to all my tips. We previewed some rides on Youtube so that he wouldn't be scared to ride things. From what I heard they didn't get to do much. My sister and her 4 year old daughter got stuck on the People Mover. Lol. So now her memories of WDW are People Mover stopping and having to get out near Space Mt. At some point I had to let go of the trip because it was driving me crazy. How could they just go and wing it? Next time I take the kids and plan for them. Heck, they can even take their autograph books.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

@Alicenwonderment Awwww - I feel sorry for those KIDS, and especially the little boy, who tried to "help". Mom can be clueless all she wants to, and miss all she wants to - her perogative. But the poor kids - it made me sad to read this message.

 

[Lesverts]

I have friends that believe that you can go to Disney World and simply "go left." That way you will avoid all of the crowds.

They haven't been in many, many years.

That is still not a bad strategy in the Magic Kingdom. Hardly anyone rope drops Adventureland/Frontierland/Liberty Square. You can get that entire side of the park done by 11 if you go there first.