"Disney trips are so complicated now that you need a class to plan one"

[New Mouse]

But most other amusement parks don't seem to have this issue that Disney does...

 

[BrianL]

Exactly. And it is not true that you can simply show up to most European cities and have access to all the top attractions. If you didn't get your ticket to see Rome's Coliseum's underground/arena in advance, you're not getting in. Same with the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. If you want to go to the top the Eiffel tower and you didn't plan in advance, you either may not get in or you'll wait in a line to get tickets if there are still any left (unlikely for the sunset views or during peak times). The leaning tower at Pisa books out months in advance for the summer travel season...

This is all akin to: if you don't plan ahead for WDW, you may not get into the VQ, or book the dining reservation you may have wanted, etc.

But just like in Paris and Rome, you can look up a top 10 list and show up at WDW and do those things over the course of your stay and have a great time. You may have to wait in line just like if you didn't pre-book your Eiffel tower tickets for Paris. You may have to buy the lightning lane access if you didn't get your VQ spot for the top rides. But you can do them.

And unlike going to a European city where you have to navigate many different websites to get tickets for the different attractions, you can book your VQ and ADRs from one website/app for a WDW vacation.

My biggest issue is that you can do the research and plan ahead as much as humanly possible and still not get the VQ for the hottest new rides on the day you are there. No amount of planning can help you when they sell out with in a half-second of becomming available.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

My biggest issue is that you can do the research and plan ahead as much as humanly possible and still not get the VQ for the hottest new rides on the day you are there. No amount of planning can help you when they sell out with in a half-second of becomming available.

Yeah, it hasn't happened to me, but I can see how that would very frustrating. In those cases I guess a guest has to decide whether to spend the money to get a LL or not. I actually like the VQ a lot but this issue makes me think it would be better to just let guests line up at the ride for hours, that way everyone at least has the option to wait without paying extra.

ETA: but this doesn't mean that there's no planning needed for other vacations, particularly in Europe, which was my point.

 

[Jrb1979]

Exactly. And it is not true that you can simply show up to most European cities and have access to all the top attractions. If you didn't get your ticket to see Rome's Coliseum's underground/arena in advance, you're not getting in. Same with the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. If you want to go to the top the Eiffel tower and you didn't plan in advance, you either may not get in or you'll wait in a line to get tickets if there are still any left (unlikely for the sunset views or during peak times). The leaning tower at Pisa books out months in advance for the summer travel season...

This is all akin to: if you don't plan ahead for WDW, you may not get into the VQ, or book the dining reservation you may have wanted, etc.

But just like in Paris and Rome, you can look up a top 10 list and show up at WDW and do those things over the course of your stay and have a great time. You may have to wait in line just like if you didn't pre-book your Eiffel tower tickets for Paris. You may have to buy the lightning lane access if you didn't get your VQ spot for the top rides. But you can do them.

And unlike going to a European city where you have to navigate many different websites to get tickets for the different attractions, you can book your VQ and ADRs from one website/app for a WDW vacation.

While all of that is true, Disney is not the same as a European vacation. It's more comparable to a Universal vacation or a Cedar Point long weekend.

 

[BrianL]

Yeah, it hasn't happened to me, but I can see how that would very frustrating. In those cases I guess a guest has to decide whether to spend the money to get a LL or not. I actually like the VQ a lot but this issue makes me think it would be better to just let guests line up at the ride for hours, that way everyone at least has the option to wait without paying extra.

ETA: but this doesn't mean that there's no planning needed for other vacations, particularly in Europe, which was my point.

No, the talk about pre-planning is on-point. That could apply to ADRs, etc. at Disney. The VQ though is day of and you can't really prepare for it. Yes, I have missed it, despite being "on it" at the time, watching the time and refreshing the phone. The instant it became available I hit book - sold out. It's luck of the draw and I can deal, but it's gotta be tough to tell little Timmy who's favorite movie of all time is TRON, that he and his Jeff Bridges costume can't ride it.

 

[tony67]

The amount of planning depends on how much you want to accomplish from your vacation. You can also have a simple Disney trip if you want.

True - of course if I am doing a Disney vacation I am focused on doing the parks and rides, if I want to relax I'll go somewhere else. I know some people are fine with goin to Disney and having pool days etc... I don't see the value in that personally. There are better options and far better hotels than the Disney ones IMO.

Exactly. And it is not true that you can simply show up to most European cities and have access to all the top attractions. If you didn't get your ticket to see Rome's Coliseum's underground/arena in advance, you're not getting in. Same with the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. If you want to go to the top the Eiffel tower and you didn't plan in advance, you either may not get in or you'll wait in a line to get tickets if there are still any left (unlikely for the sunset views or during peak times). The leaning tower at Pisa books out months in advance for the summer travel season...

This is all akin to: if you don't plan ahead for WDW, you may not get into the VQ, or book the dining reservation you may have wanted, etc.

But just like in Paris and Rome, you can look up a top 10 list and show up at WDW and do those things over the course of your stay and have a great time. You may have to wait in line just like if you didn't pre-book your Eiffel tower tickets for Paris. You may have to buy the lightning lane access if you didn't get your VQ spot for the top rides. But you can do them.

And unlike going to a European city where you have to navigate many different websites to get tickets for the different attractions, you can book your VQ and ADRs from one website/app for a WDW vacation.

Well all I can say that is not my experience and I have been to Rome and Paris more than once.
I also have no plans on going back as I have seen everything I want to see there.

I usually stay in a city for at least 5 nights and I almost always buy the city card - that often gets you having past to book in advance or make a reservations or wait in line. Its also usually a better value than paying in and often includes local public transportation.

 

[Minnie1222]

My biggest issue is that you can do the research and plan ahead as much as humanly possible and still not get the VQ for the hottest new rides on the day you are there. No amount of planning can help you when they sell out with in a half-second of becomming available.

Nowadays we have the option to buy an iLL. You can still ride the newest attraction if you didn't get a VQ. I was never able to get a VQ for Rise when it first opened. Even when one was willing to pay for a VIP guide, Rise was not included during the first few months of operation. Laugh all you want, Disney is actually more economical and relaxing for me now than before.

 

[Minnie1222]

But most other amusement parks don't seem to have this issue that Disney does...

The other parks don't have monorails, Figment, or a giant avatar in a tube.

 

[Jrb1979]

The other parks don't have monorails, Figment, or a giant avatar in a tube.

IP aside. There is no reason that Disney needs to operate the parks the way they do when it comes to things like VQ, paid LL and Genie+. Yes other parks have skip the like passes but they are much simpler to use and priced accordingly that they don't make standby suffer that much.

 

[BrianL]

IP aside. There is no reason that Disney needs to operate the parks the way they do when it comes to things like VQ, paid LL and Genie+. Yes other parks have skip the like passes but they are much simpler to use and priced accordingly that they don't make standby suffer that much.

Well, I think the reason is the extraordinary demand that stresses Disney's capabilities and capacity. The solution? More capacity!

 

[Minnie1222]

VQ, Genie+, iLL are economical options for the mass to enjoy the parks. Introduce a $500/person express pass and there will be riots.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Last thing I will say - a Disney vacation is way harder on a person than any other vacation.
Its not unusual for me to do 35k steps a day on vacation.
But 35k steps on a Disney vacation really kills you at the end of the day.
35k steps in Europe = or even Universal during HHN does not kill me as much as a Disney one.
Not sure why - but its just tougher on the body IMO - maybe all that criss crossing back and fourth across the park for rides.

I almost had to amputate my feet after 2 days in a row of HHN, each with over 30k steps. I soaked my feet in the hotel tub at 2 am on that second day lol

Never felt that tired after a Disney park day but the lack of shady places to sit in all 4 parks is a huge killer.

 

[Jrb1979]

VQ, Genie+, iLL are economical options for the mass to enjoy the parks. Introduce a $500/person express pass and there will be riots.

Riots cause Disney has put into the mindset of guests waiting in line is not an option. I do agree they need more capacity as well

 

[BrianL]

Riots cause Disney has put into the mindset of guests waiting in line is not an option. I do agree they need more capacity as well

That is a prevalent mindset that has permeated a lot of society. It's not entirely on Disney, though they have contributed to it in their own sphere.

 

[Jrb1979]

That is a prevalent mindset that has permeated a lot of society. It's not entirely on Disney, though they have contributed to it in their own sphere.

Yes it's prevalent in society and is why a lot of parks offer the skip the line passes. I will say most guests are accepting of waiting in standby at other parks.

 

[kc51570]

Riots cause Disney has put into the mindset of guests waiting in line is not an option. I do agree they need more capacity as well

Standing in line is an option so is buying genie+ or an ILL. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not a viable option for others.

 

[Jrb1979]

Standing in line is an option so is buying genie+ or an ILL. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not a viable option for others.

I didn't say anything about not liking it or that's it's not a viable option. My point is that at other parks it's accepted that waiting in standby is part of going.

 

[Minnie1222]

My point is that at other parks it's accepted that waiting in standby is part of going.

What makes you think standby is not acceptable at Disney? Why would they make their queues so attractive if they didn't want people to use them?

 

[Jrb1979]

What makes you think standby is not acceptable at Disney? Why would they make their queues so attractive if they didn't want people to use them?

That goes to original reason for Fastpass. The majority of guests complaints were long waits for attractions. Instead of adding new capacity to the parks they came up with Fastpass.

Before anyone posts all the new attractions we have had in the last 10 years how much of that was new capacity versus replacing old capacity.

 

[Smugpugmug]

What makes you think standby is not acceptable at Disney? Why would they make their queues so attractive if they didn't want people to use them?

I think Jrb means that some people would stop going to Disney if they made the line skipping option super expensive so your "only" choice was standby. Or at least that's how I read his prior posts.