Still feel unprepared

[ryanmilla]

I am very grateful that I have been fortunate enough to have been to WDW countless times. Started going as a baby and continued at least once a year since then and I'm 48 (about to turn 49) now. There were many years I was fortunate enough to go 3-4 times a year. And like many people here, I was always the person friends would go to on advice about how to tour WDW. But it seems now with a lot of the changes (Park Reservations, Genie+, Virtual Queues, etc....), no matter how much I plan, I keep second guessing myself. Did I choose the right park for the day? Will I get that VQ reservation?

I have my first solo trip coming up next week for my birthday and I keep worrying I planned the right iteniary. Does anyone else every feel this way? That no matter how much planning you do, you wonder if you planned it correctly? I used to be so confident in my plans in the days of just rope drop and fast passes.

Anyway, just venting my nervousness. Hope everyone has a magical day!

 

[Jangles]

I think that when you are there, everything will fall into place and you will start enjoying yourself. Genie isn’t that complicated and with VQs you just have to be ready and use the govt count down click and hit the button at 6.59 or use TouringPlans BG1.

 

[loves to dive]

You might find that when you are solo, not as much planning is necessary. If you go often, which it sounds like you do, the solo trips are usually for me time. This is the time you get to do what you want to without having to worry about what anyone else wants. Do you have park hoppers or just one park per day tickets? How many park days will you have. I go solo often (have a trip coming up mid-April) and I always have hoppers so my park reservations are just whatever I can get since I know I'll be hopping out at 2. Just relax, know your reservations are made and the rest is gravy. Go with it, sleep in, watch shows, if you get a VQ great, if not, sounds like you will be back so no big deal. Have ice cream for breakfast, sit on a bench and look at the details in WS. Ride a ride if it strikes you but don't worry about it, heck I don't buy Genie + because I do go often and solo trips aren't all about rides but more about just enjoying that me time.

 

[Scootin'By]

I definitely feel the same way. I visited the parks a ton when I was younger, sometimes 3-4 times per year. Now I get back once a year, sometimes less, and it always feels like there is a new change to overcome.

But, there's always fun stuff too and I focus on that. How am I going to hit Seven Dwarves Mine Train? Or how am I going to get the little ones to meet Tinker Bell? Then I just let the day happen around that.


Good luck on your solo trip. Enjoy!

 

[Lilsia]

It is not all that different than it used to be. Genie+ works like FP did, you just have to pay for it. ILL is just you paying to get into that line for certain rides, that is easy also and most don't even use that service. The virtual queues are kind of a pain but I completely understand why they have them. They want to eliminate the 4-5 hour long lines that stretch around the parks when a new ride opens up. But the app makes it simple to sign up, it is just luck if you are able to get it. Other than those, things are the same.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

I felt the same way going into our trip last year.....all the changes seemed overwhelming, I was planning for a large group who I felt was "counting on me," and it was also our first time as parents of two/taking a kid under 2. I was overwhelmed and nervous.

Traveling solo, I think, should take the pressure off a bit. Genie+ is actually a lot easier to use in practice than it seems in theory, and the park reservations proved only slightly inconvenient. Being free to do whatever makes you happiest without anyone else being affected should make the transition even easier.

Besides, there's not much on the planning end that you can't undo or change as necessary. One trip my husband and I tapped out on ADR's and we just flat out cancelled EVERY SINGLE dining reservation for the last three days of that trip. We played it by ear, and still had places to eat, picked up last minute table service reservations when it suited us, and had a fantastic time with what amounted to no planning at all. Those three days were actually some of my very favorite Disney days yet, and I am planning our upcoming trip with that mindset - yes, we HAVE all the ADR's and plans, but nothing is un-cancellable, nothing is unchangeable. Flexibility is key.

On the other end, I had everything EVERYTHING planned on our most recent trip and it went totally sideways. To be clear, it wasn't due to Genie+ or park reservations or anything else that could be construed as Disney's fault (although I did find Genie+ contributed a bit because it's just harder to work around kid schedules/naps with that system). The best laid plans, right?

You're plenty prepared, I promise. Be flexible, have fun, don't stress. It'll be great.