Overheard- made me cringe

[bumbershoot]

There is no reason for them to think about it or even research it.

Besides a huge website with tons of links and info on it. Besides all the emails they send you with helpful hints and links to read more in them. Etc.

I have several friends who have planned first-time visits in the last two years who have read their emails (why wound Disney send them if they didn't intend them to be read?) and have checked out the website. They have had terrific trips.

 

[Jimsig]

They either probably thought FP's are an extra price (heard that before), or had no clue what the kiosks were for

Guy I work with overheard me talking to someone else about Disney. He went off about how he would "never go back to Disney" (his exact words) because you have to pay for FP's and how he tells everyone he hears talking about Disney about it, we work with the public. I told him they were free and he disagreed with me saying he paid. He then mentioned something about having paid for them again and mentions a ride at Universal. So I ask him of he means Universal or Disney. He gives me a confused look. As I dig deeper he had gone to Universal not Disney. He then says well they are both the same and Disney charges too. I told him Disney doesn't. He then says he's going to keep on telling people that Disney charges anyway and he still won't go back to Disney.

 

[Coral Reef Diver]

Some opinionated people can't admit when they're wrong. It must be draining to work with him.

 

[elaine amj]

My close friend didn't really care for using FPs. She went in the days before FP+ and said she hated the thought of crisscrossing the park and preferred to wait in line instead. She used a coupled of FP-s but didn't really bother with them.

Of course, she has no interest in returning. Says it is crowded and lines are too long.

*sigh*

 

[SaintsManiac]

Those are the people who think I am crazy for planning 3 trips in a 10 month period

 

[CAS239]

Guy I work with overheard me talking to someone else about Disney. He went off about how he would "never go back to Disney" (his exact words) because you have to pay for FP's and how he tells everyone he hears talking about Disney about it, we work with the public. I told him they were free and he disagreed with me saying he paid. He then mentioned something about having paid for them again and mentions a ride at Universal. So I ask him of he means Universal or Disney. He gives me a confused look. As I dig deeper he had gone to Universal not Disney. He then says well they are both the same and Disney charges too. I told him Disney doesn't. He then says he's going to keep on telling people that Disney charges anyway and he still won't go back to Disney.

Yep. I've talked to a few people who thought universal and Disney were the same place.

I've also been on the monorail and heard a family talking about going to ride Harry Potter at magic kingdom

 

[LaurenT]

Even sadder was the British family I chatted with at AK rope drop - TP touring plan in hand - which told them to do Kali first and then FoP!! (Yes, let's get soaked through first thing and then go stand on a three hour line)
For someone to arrive ultra early, spend the time to find a reputable service and then be given such awful advice .... fortunately, they trusted me and followed me to a FoP walk-on at RD.

 

[Auntie_Maim]

I was about to roll my eyes at people who think the Harry Potter ride is at Magic Kingdom, but then I remembered that I'm married to someone who got bent out of shape because McDonald's didn't sell Whoppers.

 

[KittyKitty]

Maybe this is already out there, but how about a youtube video called," 1st trip to Disney? How to get ready to visit the most magical place on Earth."

It would only have the must know information for 1st timers with visuals. MB, transportation, fastpasses for WDW visit.... etc.. Then another for Disneyland, another for other Disney parks.

Being a retired teacher, I love videos to learn. I can go over info again and again to make sure I understand. I learn by examples.

 

[Robo]

FPs would be so much harder to get if everyone else knew all the ins-and-outs of the system. The same logic applies to RD - its only effective if not everyone knows to do it. I know there are some people that choose not to do RD cause they prefer to sleep in, but most people just have no idea how much time it can save them in line.

I can't imagine the majority of the people who show up to AK at 9:30 am and wait in 4-hour lines at FoP wouldn't be willing to get up an hour earlier for a 15-minute wait.

I can.
From the major number of posts on this site, alone, there are SO MANY guests who simply refuse to get up early on vacation.

I like to sleep in, too, but my philosophy is that I have to get up early for WORK when I'm at home...
so I get up early for FUN on vacation, especially due to the info you mentioned.
The very reason "rope drop" is so reliably effective (one of THE most consistent "Disney tips") is that
so many still refuse to get up a little bit early.

 

[robl45]

I just don't get people who don't do any research. Hello...internet..google ring a bell? Would you go to a foreign country and not do any research? It's like "oh lets go from NYC to CA without planning a route and seeing how that goes with a several kids in the back seat and no snacks packed".

My wife is like that, no research, she just goes. I can understand the frustration. I honestly think it was better years back when you showed up and everyone got in line equally.

 

[ucfknight]

About 2 weeks ago I was walking up to use my Haunted Mansion FP+. There was a family of maybe 8 in front of us. The first 2 tapped their bands, Mickey turned blue, and the cast member looked at her screen and said "Sorry, you don't have a FP for this ride. It doesn't look like you have any FP made right now".

The father starts yelling at the CM, "Then why did we pay for these band things? I thought they got us on every ride with no wait?" The CM was trying to explain to him that you got 3 per day to start with and you had to select the times on your phone or at a kiosk. The father was livid and was turning bright red. He honestly thought that buying the MagicBands was the same as having unlimited FP, and he didn't want to believe her. Another CM came over and was trying to calm him down and offered to show him how to install the app and make FP selections, but the father was fuming. He eventually turned around and stormed off cursing with his family in tow.

It is amazing how little research some people do. If only a $13 band got you unlimited rides...

 

[Aurora0427]

I'm sorry, but there's just no excuse. We went for the first time in 2000. My mom knew before the advent of massive planning that she should figure this disney thing out. They sent her the vacation DVD. Planning done.

 

[ucfknight]

I was just out at Disneyland, we got fast passes with practically instant return times when standby was 30 minutes or more. Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, Toy Story. Why? People have no clue.

I made my first trip to Disneyland back in March. As a WDW annual passholder for decades who has always utilized FP/FP+ as much as possible, I was stunned at how little a lot of people used FP at Disneyland. Radiator Springs Racers and Hyperspace Mountain FP got used a lot, but for any ride that was under an hour wait you could often get a FP return time that was quicker than waiting in standby.

I was walking up to Big Thunder and saw the wait time was 45 minutes. The FP return time was only 30 minutes out. I, of course, went over with my family's tickets to get a FP so we could then go ride something else and then come back. I heard multiple groups of people say things along the lines of "Oh... the wait time is only a few minutes longer than Fastpass. Let's just get in line". I was stunned! And this was not just one random occurrence. I heard things like this repeatedly.

 

[wings91]

Sitting at a McD's on our way home from an awesome two week trip. There is a family with young kids sitting across from us and the mom just said "if we ever decide to go back to Disney we will try to get fast passes next time!"

They apparently didn't have a great trip from the snippets I am hearing.

So right now the planner in me is cringing at the thought of not even using fastpass on a trip....

On my next solo trip I going to try a 4 park in 1 day no fastpass challenge to see how many rides I can do without it.

 

[DekrRini]

I can't imagine spending thousands of dollars on any trip anywhere and not doing any research at all. Admittedly, I'm a researcher so that's part of the fun for me, but still, it's thousands of dollars. I wouldn't want to take any chance at all of wasting that much money.

 

[DekrRini]

On my next solo trip I going to try a 4 park in 1 day no fastpass challenge to see how many rides I can do without it.

Oh, man. Shoot me now. I can't imagine doing that. I hope you have a great time!

 

[tsme]

I blame the commercials Disney has. If you watch them it seems that Main Street is never crowded, rides are walk one, the characters are everywhere to greet & hug your kids, and just by asking at check in at your resort all your wants & needs are met instantly. I am being slightly sarcastic about the commercials. But if people did actually only go by that, they're in for a big disappointment. Though, in reality no matter where you travel, everyone should do research first to optimize their trip.

 

[P800aul]

Hi

I agree everyone needs a plan, the issue i think is that planning for a Disney trip takes about a year. We're from the UK and the flights are booked in December for the following October one month after our return from our last trip along with accommodation, we stay off site so can. When friends came round two weeks ago and said casually that they intend to go WDW with their three pre-teen children next year, I said if it's Easter you need to plan NOW!!!!! They didn't believe that they are only a month or so from booking ADR's which means of course knowing which parks on which days, which means they need to research crowd calendars etc. As yet they don't have flights or accommodation!

This was a casual conversation and not a "can i have your advice" so had no idea at all.. and why would they?

So I guess even if you are told that a trip to Disney needs a plan you don't know how much of "A PLAN" you need and when told you don't believe it.

I bought my friend a book (via Amazon) and sent him our plan from last year, along with a tip sheet I put together.. I know he still thinks I'm mad .. may be we are !

Regards

Paul

 

[ucfknight]

I blame the commercials Disney has. If you watch them it seems that Main Street is never crowded, rides are walk one, the characters are everywhere to greet & hug your kids, and just by asking at check in at your resort all your wants & needs are met instantly. I am being slightly sarcastic about the commercials. But if people did actually only go by that, they're in for a big disappointment. Though, in reality no matter where you travel, everyone should do research first to optimize their trip.

And commercials for beer make it look like one sip of their product will cause bikini clad women to fight each other for your affection.
And commercials for fast food joints make it look like you'll get a 7 inch high burger stuffed with piles of juicy meat and super fresh veggies.
And commercials for vacation spots make it look like it is sunset 24 hours per day.