Just Back 09/03-09/09-the good and bad

[jcdeberry]

First, I want to thank everyone on these boards for contributing to our wonderful time at Disney. I couldn't do it without you! Here are the good and bad that we experienced this week:

Good:
1. Typhoon Lagoon was great-we loved the giant wave and the mini doughnuts
2. Bathrooms-we thought they were very well maintained and commented on how every time we went into one, there was always someone cleaning (we were spoiled when we got to the airport and had to use those disgusting restrooms-we said we missed Disney); In fact, the bathroom at the waterpark was even amazingly dry
3. Halloween party-enough said
4. Crowds-It seemed crowded in the walkways at the parks but the ride wait time was low (at Epcot, I assumed it was because of F&W but I don't know about the other parks)
5. Buses-good except for the first night coming home after Illuminations (GR said there was an accident and no buses could get through so we waited an hour)
6. Toy Story Land-we went on an AP morning and we were still able to do all 3 rides in less than an hour at RD
7. Safari-the best we have ever had; I have always enjoyed it, but this time my husband didn't want to get off; Our guide, Luis, was wonderful and we saw so many animals at noon and he really took the time to explain so much to us
8. Pleasant surprises-even though we have been to Disney 4 times we had never done the Muppets, People Mover, BTMRR at night, Monsters Inc, Mission Space, and Pixar Shorts (we really enjoyed them all and especially liked getting out of the hot sun)

Bad:
1. HEAT
2. RAIN-I tried wearing flipflops but that just made blisters the size of Everest!
3. I seemed to notice a lot more smoking at the resort and in the parks than I ever have before
4. First time without a stroller was a disaster: we still needed it for my 7 year old and after 2 days of miserable whining at the end of the day, I rented a Disney stroller for the rest of the trip and it was a big difference

 

[beck00]

Thanks for sharing! We are going stroller free for the first time in November and I'm pretty sure we'll be visiting guest services for a stroller or calling a rental service by the end of the 1st day. I just don't see my 5 year old NOT breaking down, but husband is determined to try it.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

None of your bads are really bads to me. Just sayin.

 

[jcdeberry]

Thanks for sharing! We are going stroller free for the first time in November and I'm pretty sure we'll be visiting guest services for a stroller or calling a rental service by the end of the 1st day. I just don't see my 5 year old NOT breaking down, but husband is determined to try it.

Just don't wait as long as we did. I wish we could get back those first 2 days for a do-over! Or we should have remembered that without a stroller, we have to slow down more and go at his pace. I get too excited to check stuff off my list that I should just rest more.

 

[Babs1975]

Oh yeah. My kids needed a stroller through the trips when they were 7. Didn't go strollerless until they were 9.

 

[jcdeberry]

Unfortunately, once we got the stroller, my 13 year old DD would argue with her little brother because she wanted to ride too! She has never done this before but that just shows you how hot and tired they both were.

 

[Imamom2]

We did the double stroller until our kids were 7 and 5 - every family is different but I wanted them to have fun and being hot and tired isn't fun. Honestly, if they were having fun we were all having fun

 

[Eve & Wall-e]

Glad you had a good time. WDW is so big it's impossible to do everything you want to do in one trip, or several trips.

 

[Ashley Marie]

We were there the same week (leaving tomorrow). Agreed about crowds. It doesn’t “feel” low crowd when you’re walking around, but wait times have been pretty low.

I can’t imagine waiting an hour for a bus... so sorry you had to deal with that!

The heat has for sure been rough.

People were smoking right on the other side of the fence next to where we were sitting at the pool one day here at the GF. So gross.

 

[Spaghetti Cat]

3. I seemed to notice a lot more smoking at the resort and in the parks than I ever have before

I was getting a constant unwanted cherry flavored nicotine buzz all day every day. Smells better but way more concentrated than traditional cigarettes, I could feel it. Everywhere, just walking around, walking to the car, sometimes flower scented. Can't imagine what that does to kids.

 

[katmatry]

Thanks for sharing! We are going stroller free for the first time in November and I'm pretty sure we'll be visiting guest services for a stroller or calling a rental service by the end of the 1st day. I just don't see my 5 year old NOT breaking down, but husband is determined to try it.

I'm always up for a good challenge but not having a stroller for a 5 year old in Disney is a challenge destined for failure.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We went strollerless when DD was 5.5. It was the end of August and hot. We did RD, midday breaks by the pool and then headed back to a PM park in the evening each day of our 7 day trip. We thought we were going to have to rent a stroller by day 2 but we made it the entire trip without a stroller and she never complained once. We just took it at the kids pace and still did everything we wanted multiple times since it was a low crowd time. Had we done RD to close everyday I'm sure it wouldn't have worked so well.

Now when DD was 2 and DS was 8 he complained and wanted to go into her stroller. No way am I pushing that much weight. We would take breaks and if there wasn't somewhere for him to sit we would let him take his break in the stroller but we never pushed him around. He did fine with his breaks.

I'm thinking the smoking will be getting worse because of vaping. Not fun when people don't smoke in their designated areas.

 

[AngiTN]

We had a few days that crossed too. I also noticed the bathrooms were in good shape and also loved our night at the Halloween Party.
I think I'm going to get tickets for it for next month. Right now I have us going to the EMM at MK but told DH I'd rather pay a little more and do the Party again. Plus, I'd rather stay up late than get up early

We went strollerless when DD was 5.5. It was the end of August and hot. We did RD, midday breaks by the pool and then headed back to a PM park in the evening each day of our 7 day trip. We thought we were going to have to rent a stroller by day 2 but we made it the entire trip without a stroller and she never complained once. We just took it at the kids pace and still did everything we wanted multiple times since it was a low crowd time. Had we done RD to close everyday I'm sure it wouldn't have worked so well.

Now when DD was 2 and DS was 8 he complained and wanted to go into her stroller. No way am I pushing that much weight. We would take breaks and if there wasn't somewhere for him to sit we would let him take his break in the stroller but we never pushed him around. He did fine with his breaks.

I'm thinking the smoking will be getting worse because of vaping. Not fun when people don't smoke in their designated areas.

Yes! I watch some folks with the big kids in strollers and wonder how or why???? (no, not the wheelchair/strollers)
I figured it's was trade off, pushing their 80+lb butts around in a stroller, with feet dragging the ground, or hearing whining. I can tune out the best of whining. Plus, I have a very strict no whining rule at Disney, with a zero tolerance policy.
But no one else is going to push their too big for a stroller butts around so when the feet had to be folded up around her ears we dropped the stroller and if the whining got too loud, well, guess who doesn't get to go to Disney anymore.
I'll slow down for both them AND me (more for me to be honest) so in the end, it's a win-win for all of us. Usually, the kid had way more stamina than us adults did.

 

[SeeDisney]

thanks for sharing...was the smoking also vaping?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We had a few days that crossed too. I also noticed the bathrooms were in good shape and also loved our night at the Halloween Party.
I think I'm going to get tickets for it for next month. Right now I have us going to the EMM at MK but told DH I'd rather pay a little more and do the Party again. Plus, I'd rather stay up late than get up early



Yes! I watch some folks with the big kids in strollers and wonder how or why???? (no, not the wheelchair/strollers)
I figured it's was trade off, pushing their 80+lb butts around in a stroller, with feet dragging the ground, or hearing whining. I can tune out the best of whining. Plus, I have a very strict no whining rule at Disney, with a zero tolerance policy.
But no one else is going to push their too big for a stroller butts around so when the feet had to be folded up around her ears we dropped the stroller and if the whining got too loud, well, guess who doesn't get to go to Disney anymore.
I'll slow down for both them AND me (more for me to be honest) so in the end, it's a win-win for all of us. Usually, the kid had way more stamina than us adults did.

After that first strollerless trip we were amazed by how much energy we had! Pushing around 50-100 pounds of dead weight is exhausting. I would much rather take breaks and have more stamina. We were all much happier.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I agree with you on the bathrooms. I've seen a lot of complaints on here about them and they were always very clean and had a CM in there working.

I also agree about the smoking. It drove me nuts.

 

[AngiTN]

thanks for sharing...was the smoking also vaping?

Not what I saw, saw little to no vaping myself. I think a lot of what I saw were foreigners. Smoking seems to be more prevalent outside the US but I've got no figures to back that up. Just based on observing the accents being spoken.

 

[nkereina]

2. RAIN-I tried wearing flipflops but that just made blisters the size of Everest!

Yikes! I don't know how anyone can wear flip flops in the rain - I'd be slipping and sliding all over the place. No traction or support. I'd maybe go with a supportive sandal that has a back on it in the rain, but usually just opt to wear sneakers and dry them out later. Not fun either.

Not what I saw, saw little to no vaping myself. I think a lot of what I saw were foreigners. Smoking seems to be more prevalent outside the US but I've got no figures to back that up. Just based on observing the accents being spoken.

I've noticed this too. I've also noticed smoking seems more prevalent at convention resorts when a convention is going on. Last trip at CSR, we always saw the smoking stations with multiple people in them - all convention attendees. More adults on their own (without partners or families in tow) and people who maybe wouldn't usually visit Disney otherwise.

 

[Micca]

I'll second what nkerniea said about the flip-flops, no way. I know some people do it but the time I tried flip flops for a park day my entire body hurt. I'm strictly an athletic shoe guy now, but I'll wear flips in the room.

We'll be taking a 6 & 7 year old on their next trip in the spring. We've spoken of just getting one stroller for the 6 yr old and maybe the 7 yr old will use it briefly. Now I'm not so sure.

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Oh yeah. My kids needed a stroller through the trips when they were 7. Didn't go strollerless until they were 9.

Neither did we. Makes the parks much more pleasant for everyone.