Early in December, I had a perfect trip to Walt Disney World. Yes, I used the ‘p’ word. According to my trusty online dictionary, the definition of perfect is “having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.” Yep, that describes it.
But how can that be? I had less than two weeks to plan. I experienced crushing crowds at the Osborne Lights. Expedition Everest was closed during my FP+ window. The resort buses were slow. I got blisters on both feet. It rained during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. I couldn’t get into the Candlelight Processional. And I only had two days to experience as much as I could. Perfect, you say? Yes, I say.
So how, in spite of some definite obstacles, did I have a perfect weekend? I used some strategies that served me well. And I think you will find if you use them, you will have a perfect trip, too!
First, some background. I am a frequent Disneyland visitor but hadn’t been to the World since spring of 2013, before FP+ and MagicBands were rolled out to everyone. Next, this was a last-minute trip — a friend was going to a conference in Orlando the first week of December and her coworker cancelled, so there was a free room available at the Swan if I could get a plane ticket. Also, it was a fast trip. Arrive at noon on Saturday and fly out at noon on Monday. And last, this was to be a (mostly) solo trip for the first time ever. My friend was in meetings until the second night and my family was busy at home, so I was on my own. Now onto the strategies:
Strategy #1 Plan ahead. This one’s a no-brainer, but I’m still surprised at the number of people who don’t know what Fastpass+ is or find themselves waiting in a ticket line at 10 in the morning. There are tools to help you; use them! Find the park & entertainment hours, make a general plan, get FP+ reservations, buy tickets online, check out special events. You can always abandon your plan, but it’s virtually impossible to do what you want without one.
Strategy #2 Set reasonable expectations. Easy for me to say since I go often, right? Well maybe, but I think this is a must for everyone. You will NOT see everything. You will NOT avoid lines altogether. You will NOT leave wondering why you have so much money left in your pocket. You will NOT have the stamina to tour from open until close (especially with a family). And finally, you will NOT see everything. Yep that one’s worth mentioning twice.
Strategy #3 Prioritize. My top priorities were seeing the Osborne Lights for the last time, riding the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for the first time, and experiencing Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Next on the list were the Candlelight Processional, the Festival of Fantasy Parade, the Kilimanjaro Safaris, and at least one turn on Splash Mountain. I also figured that I could do several of these at once, since the lines for Splash Mountain and the Mine Train would probably be reasonable during the Party. All my planning and expectations worked around those priorities. If you’re traveling with a group, everyone should get input on the priorities, and it’s also good to discuss whether or not people are willing to experience things alone if necessary.
Strategy #4 Set some fun (reachable) goals. I had two goals: (1) try something new in each park and (2) collect a Starbucks “You Are Here” cup from all four parks. This meant four parks in two days, so that helped me plan. It also gave me something fun to focus on when I was braving the crowds or figuring out where to go next. Maybe your goal is to take a picture with a cast member at each ride, or to strike up a conversation with people next to you in line, or to see how many flavors of Mac-n-Cheese you can eat over the trip ( I had two — lobster at DAK and pulled pork at DHS — and that was just by accident!), or to spend at least an hour each day at the pool. In any case, it’s important that YOU are responsible for these goals. In other words, a goal of “I will meet every character” isn’t largely up to you, so don’t set that one.
Strategy #5 Embrace the surprises, a.k.a. make lemonade from lemons. For example, in my quest to fit the Osborne Lights and the Candlelight Processional into one night (since I only had two nights and the second night was MVMCP), I needed to move quickly. Unfortunately the Lights were so crowded that moving at all was almost impossible, and by the time I got through, got my Starbucks cup, and headed to the ferry dock to go to Epcot, the line was crazy. SO I walked. The lemons: blisters and I didn’t make it in time to get a seat for the Processional. The lemonade: a beautiful walk, rewarded by a pumpkin spice funnel cake eaten on a bench across from the theater. Still heard the music, had a great snack, and accidentally avoided the crowd at the end of the show while hitting two of my top priorities. Another example — the lemon: it started to rain during MVMCP. The lemonade: we were able to ride Splash Mountain three times without getting off (and could have gone again, but it was parade time). We were already wet, so what difference did it make?
Strategy #6 (a two-parter) Be in the Moment and Be Grateful! I know, here comes the touchy-feely stuff. But think about it. You’re in DISNEY WORLD. You’re not at work, you’re not at school, you’re not at the dentist or anywhere else you’d rather avoid, and everything at home will be waiting when you return. So enjoy! Sit on a bench and think about all the work someone did to make those flower beds look so good. Meet people while you’re standing in line. Eat that weird food you never thought you’d try. Let your kids play in the Boneyard instead of running to the next thing. Ride the monorail around in circles to rest your feet. Ask the Epcot cast members to teach you something in their native language. Often time our nature is to worry about “what’s next” — try thinking about “what’s now!”
Obviously the ways I applied these strategies won’t work every time; that’s why they’re strategies to be adapted to the circumstances. When I travel with my entire family or for a longer trip; the planning, priorities, and goals need to be adjusted. But with the right expectations and a focus on happy surprises and gratitude, you can have a perfect trip, too!
(For details of my trip check out the Trip Reports board)
