Which one will I regret the most?

[blam84]

My preference is to not be tied to my cell phone the entire vacation. To that end, we'll be doing everything we can to find alternatives. I'm curious, in your opinion, which thing I will regret the most from the list below? We are a first-time, family of five visiting the Beach Club resort from Aug 22-29.

~Key to the world instead of bands or cell phone
~No Genie+. We will rope drop instead and plan extensively beforehand
~No online meal orders. We will stand in line.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'll vote for no on-line meal ordering. When I wonder if mobile ordering is worth it, I remember my experience at Sleepy Hollow when thank goodness I had mobile ordered. As I approached, the line must have been at least 30 minutes long. Fortunately as I got there, there was a sign telling people that mobile order pick-up was around the side. When I got to the correct counter, there was no one in front of me.

 

[scrappinginontario]

You can skip all and be just fine, especially being your first time.

That being said, ‘being tied to our phones’ is not the way our trips flow in spite of purchasing Genie+ and using online ordering.

I book our first LL at 7AM then go. I rarely need the modify option to get a better time unless I CHOOSE to look for a better time. I book a LL, tap the 2 hour alarm I have set on my phone and go. I’m not tied to my phone the way some choose to be trying to modify for better times.

You can easily wait in line for food if you wish. For us I’d rather use some of our attraction line time to decide and order food since we’re standing in line for an attraction anyway. As we start our walk towards our dining location I click the order button then when we arrive, walk past the (sometimes long) line of guests and pick up our food that is ready.

We have MBs but visited DL without them and didn’t mind using a KTTW card at all.

Totally your call to use/not use your phone but you will wait more in lines for attractions and food. It’s a personal choice and each person does what works best for their family.

 

[Crescent_Lake]

My preference is to not be tied to my cell phone the entire vacation. To that end, we'll be doing everything we can to find alternatives. I'm curious, in your opinion, which thing I will regret the most from the list below? We are a first-time, family of five visiting the Beach Club resort from Aug 22-29.

~Key to the world instead of bands or cell phone
~No Genie+. We will rope drop instead and plan extensively beforehand
~No online meal orders. We will stand in line.

Even if you stick to the plan of not using your phone, I'd still get a Magic Band. They really do make a lot of things easier. It's just in small ways but it adds up every time you open your room door, enter a park, pay for something, and if staying club level it's the easiest way to enter restricted areas or stop the elevator on a restricted floor.

I agree with @scrappinginontario that it isn't necessary "to be tied" to your phone to still get a lot of convenience from it. It's not all or nothing.

 

[Rpo0921]

My preference is to not be tied to my cell phone the entire vacation. To that end, we'll be doing everything we can to find alternatives. I'm curious, in your opinion, which thing I will regret the most from the list below? We are a first-time, family of five visiting the Beach Club resort from Aug 22-29.

~Key to the world instead of bands or cell phone
~No Genie+. We will rope drop instead and plan extensively beforehand
~No online meal orders. We will stand in line.

Not that a MB is required but why are you grouping it in with being tied to your phone?

 

[Pyxie]

Definitely utilize mobile ordering when you can. I wouldn't cause yourself unnecessary inconvenience for the sake of not using your phone. Mobile order is extremely useful. The other 2 you probably won't miss especially if it's your first time.

 

[Marthasor]

I agree with PPs that having MBs doesn't equate with being tied to your phone. If it's not in the budget or you don't think you will be comfortable wearing one, you will be fine with a card, but the MB is quite convenient, IMHO.

If the line is long at QS, why not mobile order while you are waiting? In the parks, we typically don't mobile order until we have arrived at the QS to see how long the line is.

The good news is, if you change your mind on any of these choices, you can always re-assess and try using the technology that's available to you.

 

[CarolynFH]

I agree you don’t need to be tied to your phone to use Genie+. Like @scrappinginontario, I book a LL and set my watch for 2 hours, when I can book another. We do use mobile order for QS meals, too, especially because we can order lunch early in the morning and not worry about whether we’ll eat when we want to, rather than worrying about how long the line is.

But of all you listed, I think I’d miss my MB the most! I’d always be worrying about dropping or losing the KTTW card, especially since we do book LLs and need to tap it to enter the LL line and sometimes a second time in an LL line.

 

[pixie3]

Clearly everyone is different. For me, I love having a MB. I think I have only used mobile order once and that was when I was in line to see if I could get it faster. The lines move pretty well imo anyway. I usually don't get Genie + , but that is because I'm there often, so it doesn't matter if I should miss something. I do buy a ILL for Guardians, though.

So really, its all about what you want and your personal preferences. I prefer having a magic band. It's so nice just to walk straight into the park with a "boop" and not have to pull out a phone or cards, plus you can use it to pay for stuff. In addition, I don't think any of these things really tie you to your cellphone, but with or without the technologies, you're going to have a good time.

 

[Jwaire]

Don't assume all the attractions will be open at rope drop. It's not unusual for Rise of the Resistance, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Tower of Terror, etc. to open 30 minutes to 1 hour after park opening. Same with the shows.

Honestly, you're just making it harder on yourself. You're going to need to know what's open even if you don't purchase Genie+ or Lightning Lane especially when traveling in thunderstorm/hurricane season in Florida.

Florida experiences its highest precipitation levels in August.

 

[Minnie1222]

My biggest regret would be no Genie+. Next would be no MB since I'd prefer not to bring credit card or cash into the parks. I rarely use mobile order for food so I won't miss that option.

 

[HopperFan]

NONE are requirements ....

Using a keycard or ordering at a quick service ~ to me does not impact our day ... but no G+ could impact the day reducing the number of attractions you get to experience. Helping offset that would be to be at rope drop and utilize the deluxe extra hours.

Last month we ate only quick service and since I was using cash, we waited in lines. No issues.

 

[ShannyMcB]

MBs make life easier and you don't really have to use the Bluetooth connection piece if MB+, previous versions worked just fine without it. A key card just seems like one more thing to carry.
Mobile ordering is a must IF you have folks prone to getting hangry. And if you mobile order take one kid with you to get the food, the other 2 can go with the other parent to find a table...less juggle of people and food.
If you are going to skip something skip genie+. As previously mentioned if you want to do ILL book those right at 7, take a screenshot conformation then stow the phone and forget it until meal time. We did genie+ on our last trip but I didn't feel glued...once we tapped in somewhere I would book our next and then away the phone went, it only came out to check the weather and take pics.

 

[robinb]

Sorry, but I would not recommend a first timer to not be tied to their phone. Sadly, that is the way that is the easiest to tour WDW now. The people who say that you'll be fine are all very experienced and know what to expect. If you don't use your phone you will be at a distinct disadvantage.

 

[ThreeMountains]

Just to clarify, will you be bringing a separate camera? It's obviously not a requirement, but I would definitely want family photos and videos from our first Disney World vacation, and there is no simpler and more convenient high quality option than the phone you carry in your pocket. Even if you put it in airplane mode and turn off wi-fi and Bluetooth to dissuade from using it for other purposes, it's still the most convenient option available.

I can say that the few photos and videos we have of me and my brothers visiting WDW with our grandparents way back in the 80s and 90s are some of our favorites to go back and look at. There aren't many, but they mean a lot and are so enjoyable to look at and watch. There's simply nothing like capturing family moments during very special occasions and being able to enjoy them years and decades down the road.

On current trips to WDW with my young kids, I make a point each day to not only snap photos but also a few decent length high quality (4K) videos of them just doing what they're doing (eating snacks, waiting in line, etc.). I guarantee that all of us and their kids, if they become parents, will truly appreciate having them in the decades to come. I wish we had more of me and my brothers back then but it was much more expensive and less convenient. I can't imagine having 4K videos of me and my brothers with our parents and grandparents from when we were kids.

Something to consider. Hope you have a great time!

 

[elvispursley]

I'm also in the mobile-order camp. It is such a better option, especially if trying to eat during busy times, to avoid standing in another queue.

I have yet to ever use G+ and really have no desire to (although may end up needing to this trip but that's another saga). I think being first time visitors to WDW it's kinda of nice to see everything that's in the queue. Even though I've ridden Rise of the Resistance a handful of times, I've never gone through the standby queue. I have finally gone through the Flight of Passage queue and it was quite enjoyable. One of my favorite standby queues is for Everest but even that queue generally moves quite quick so I've never been able to fully take in all the really cool details. I think the time of year you're going will be less busy (hoping so as I'm scheduled for Aug. 26-Sep 3) so as you won't really need G+.

The key card is fine although I agree that the MB is a lot easier, IMO.

 

[pens4821]

Like a couple others have mentioned, I don’t agree with the thought that you’re tied to your phone all day. I know people mention it, but I don’t feel that way at all.

Using your phone takes no effort what so ever for park entry and LL. You don’t even have to turn it on. Just hold it to the scanner like you would a band/card. I do genie+. Book it every two hours. Maybe if I want to change the time or attraction I may refresh here and there. I also mobile order food. That takes all of a couple minutes. Mostly this is done while standing in a line so it’s not like I’m missing something anyway. I will also will check wait times here and there if something I’m thinking of riding isn’t close by.

Like I said, I’m on my phone, but I don’t feel like you have to be on it for more than a couple minutes every hour on average.

 

[Crescent_Lake]

Like a couple others have mentioned, I don’t agree with the thought that you’re tied to your phone all day. I know people mention it, but I don’t feel that way at all.

Using your phone takes no effort what so ever for park entry and LL. You don’t even have to turn it on. Just hold it to the scanner like you would a band/card. I do genie+. Book it every two hours. Maybe if I want to change the time or attraction I may refresh here and there. I also mobile order food. That takes all of a couple minutes. Mostly this is done while standing in a line so it’s not like I’m missing something anyway. I will also will check wait times here and there if something I’m thinking of riding isn’t close by.

Like I said, I’m on my phone, but I don’t feel like you have to be on it for more than a couple minutes every hour on average.

Can you explain what you mean here? You're able to scan in using your phone without turning your phone on? What? How?

 

[CarolynFH]

Can you explain what you mean here? You're able to scan in using your phone without turning your phone on? What? How?

Your phone has to be turned on, but it doesn’t have to be unlocked, and you don’t have to open any apps or pull up your ticket - as long as yours is the only ticket using that phone. But families who have all their tickets linked to one person’s phone do require a lot of time to tap in, because they have to pull up one ticket, have that person scan their finger, then pull up the next ticket, have that person scan their finger, etc., and if the wrong person scans their finger then there’s a further delay. So if you’ll have several people, each one needs their own phone or their own KTTW card or their own MB.

 

[Crescent_Lake]

Your phone has to be turned on, but it doesn’t have to be unlocked, and you don’t have to open any apps or pull up your ticket - as long as yours is the only ticket using that phone. But families who have all their tickets linked to one person’s phone do require a lot of time to tap in, because they have to pull up one ticket, have that person scan their finger, then pull up the next ticket, have that person scan their finger, etc., and if the wrong person scans their finger then there’s a further delay. So if you’ll have several people, each one needs their own phone or their own KTTW card or their own MB.

Yes, to all of this, but the poster I quoted literally said, "You don't even have to turn it on." Which made zero sense to me and is what I was asking about.