Would you recommend THIS board to someone planning their first trip?

[pwdebbie]

I found the DIS when planning our first trip in 2007. I was so well educated by what I read here and at AllEars! I send people here all the time.

 

[Jennasis]

Yup. Even I, a Disney veteran of 37 years and some 30 trips, am still learning things every day about the place. In fact, i found out some very awesome things just today from someone that is sure to add a bit more magic to my trip in September.

The DIS is as great a place as ever to plan a trip whether your a newbie or a vet.

 

[lovin'fl]

I selected 'other' because I don't recommend this board to EVERYONE I know...but I would/do recommend to folks seriously interested in planning of a Disney trip or interested in buying DVC...those who might be going to Disney or taking a Disney cruise but aren't the detail oriented or planning type, those I don't recommend this board to.

 

[robinb]

No, but not because of the "negativity". I wouldn't recommend the board because of information overload and how everything needs to be supercalifragically extra-special with an extra dose of pixie dust .

The All Stars simply won't do. You must be at a Magic Kingdom resort so you can be close to the MK and wheel your stroller on the monorail. The Counter Service DDP? Pshaw! You need the Deluxe DDP so you can fit every single character meal into your stay. Speaking or which, a visit to Cinderella's Royal Table is not complete unless you take your 4-year old to BBB to have her hair done and to buy her a $150 princess dress. Wishes *must* be seen from the Dessert Party or it won't be the same. Your child's trip will be incomplete without participating in the Star Wars Jedi Training.

First timers tend to get all caught up with the "trip of a lifetime" and they want to stay at the best resort do everything "special" because people with far more experience say it's what they should do. Realistically, a first timer doesn't need all those extras to have a trip of a lifetime. They just need to understand how the system works so they don't have to stand in line forever. They need to make a couple special ADRs. They need to stay somewhere where they won't be paying for it for the next 10 years. That may even be *gasp* offsite.

 

[Magpie]

I would have sent a newbie here before, but not now that all these off topic threads asking if we'd recommend the DIS keep popping up .

But seriously, I probably wouldn't send a newbie here. This site is geared much more towards people who are familiar with Disney and to who, like a PP out it, BoG or Akershus could make or break a trip. I think someone who is not familiar with Disney is probably better off being eased in with a planning video or Disney's own site, something more general.

I plead guilty as charged!

Fwiw, I send all newbies to EasyWDW.com. It's got the extra detail that the Disney site doesn't have, and mixed in with all the snark is a nice bit of reassurance - a "you can do this!" message.

Yup. Even I, a Disney veteran of 37 years and some 30 trips, am still learning things every day about the place. In fact, i found out some very awesome things just today from someone that is sure to add a bit more magic to my trip in September.

The DIS is as great a place as ever to plan a trip whether your a newbie or a vet.

Oooh... what did you find out? What are you going to do in September?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[mejo]

I used to love this board for planning, I have been coming here for 14 yrs, anymore its mostly just a board for people wine about everything.

 

[Lees75]

I'm a newbie, planning my first trip in Oct this year I think this board is wonderful. There are always people who will answer my basic questions on transportation, water parks, etc, or point me in the right direction to find the information.

I joined here before FP+ was introduced, so understand what all the current threads are about, even though I haven't been to WDW yet. If a total newbie joined the boards now, it might be a bit confusing, although, it is only one section. There are still plenty of other sections with lots of info

 

[Jennasis]

Oooh... what did you find out? What are you going to do in September?

Inquiring minds want to know!

We are going to MNSSHP (which we have done 3 times before and ADORE), but I was under the impression that on party nights there would be no Celebrate the Magic castle projection show due to the parade, villains mix and mingle show and the special fireworks. This was not only a bummer for me, but we are taking friends with us who have never been before and I was kind sad that they would miss it. Robo (bless him!) mentioned on a thread that they DO show the castle show on party nights!

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

This board was very helpful for me when I planned my first trip as an adult several years ago. However the tone was different. Now, I feel like it is really very negative. I just got back from my fourth trip and even though I had mixed feelings about FPP, I had a WONDERFUL time. I still love Disney and the negativity is discouraging. I actually recommend that friends check out Easywdw.com and touringplans instead.

 

[kittyab]

Before I went in Nov I was on this site constantly looking for ways to squeeze out the Magic for my trip.

But honestly, the negativity right now about the fast passes is a real turn off.

 

[Planogirl]

I would recommend it along with the Unofficial Guide and a couple of other websites but I would also warn them that people aren't all going to be pixie dust and sunshine. I tell them to look for the actual data since there is plenty of that around. They can join in the fray too of course but that is an entirely different area.

I do wonder something. Some people have become so critical of this forum. Why do you continue to come here if you dislike it so much?

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I have gotten so many wonderful tips here. I have seen when newbies ask questions - so many people are happy to offer advice.

 

[Snork]

I wouldn't recommend this board for first timers.

However I would recommend a Disney savvy travel agent.

 

[kevdo]

I'd happy steer them here if their questions haven't been answered by doing some light Googling first.

 

[mickey1968]

I would point them first to sites like these below to ease them into the shallows and then after a bit, point them here to the deep end of DIS. I think it is just too overwhelming for the casual planner.
wdwprepschool.com
**************.com
and disneyfoodblog.com
and if they have a wicked sense of humor and can themselves deliver a good snarky comment, I point them to easywdw.com (if I don't think they can handle Josh I just print the calendars for them.)

 

[bumbershoot]

I can't, in good conscience, recommend Disney at all right now.

I'm almost there with you.

I mean, I know that newbies have a great time with no research. Most of my friends are exactly like that. They managed to get through their wedding planning without theknot.com, they had babies without being on mothering.com's community, and they manage to have great first time visits to WDW and DLR without the dis. So honestly I don't recommend ANY message board to my friends, because none of them use them to begin with!

But I just don't talk about WDW with anyone now...we have experienced FP+, we have experienced the MBs...and I don't like 'em. FP+ has made our trips completely different than how I like them, and the change doesn't make me happy. I do try to recognize that our last trip was totally colored by us getting SO sick, but the couple days we were in the parks just weren't the same at all.

Today when I saw that prices are going up even earlier than normal, I actually went to the timesharestore to see what Bay Lake is going for now, and I figured out how much we have paid (we financed), how much we owe, and how much we could get, to figure out how much we would, in effect, have paid for our DVC trips since '09. That's the first time I've been irked enough to go that far.

We've also gotten really into cruising. There's only so much vacation time!

Fwiw, I send all newbies to EasyWDW.com. It's got the extra detail that the Disney site doesn't have, and mixed in with all the snark is a nice bit of reassurance - a "you can do this!" message.

It's funny how people are so different. I cannot figure out how to use easywdw AT ALL. I need a tutorial. I don't know where to click or in what order. I have yet to find the best dates to go to what park. Just can't figure it out, nothing easy about it at all for me!

I'm a newbie, planning my first trip in Oct this year I think this board is wonderful. There are always people who will answer my basic questions on transportation, water parks, etc, or point me in the right direction to find the information.

I joined here before FP+ was introduced, so understand what all the current threads are about, even though I haven't been to WDW yet. If a total newbie joined the boards now, it might be a bit confusing, although, it is only once section. There are still plenty of other sections with lots of info

Yay you! And you are SO right, there are many other parts of the site to get quite specific info.

A board called "strategies" tells me that it's going to be intricate, not just 1+1=2.

I'd happy steer them here if their questions haven't been answered by doing some light Googling first.

Heh.

 

[Jfsag123]

I voted no as I believe dis boards would be overwhelming for most of the newbies I know of that are planning a first trip. I would recommend the Unofficial Guide and easywdw.com instead. I came here last year before my first adult trip, but only after I had already read the guide from cover to cover. I love the boards and feel like I gave gotten a ton out of them, but I love the planning, so my style seems to fit well. Most of the people in my life thought I was nuts when they found out how much planning I had done (and really, they don't know the half of it...).

 

[amylevan]

I voted no, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the current events. I have never recommended the DIS to newbies. There is toooooo much information with no real organization for someone who is starting at square 1.

I recommend the Unofficial Guide as the starting point. If they prefer a website to a book, I suggest allears.

And FWIW, all internet discussion boards have the tendency to get snarky. It's not just this one.

 

[Magpie]

I do wonder something. Some people have become so critical of this forum. Why do you continue to come here if you dislike it so much?

What I wonder is... Some people have become so critical of Disney World, saying they'd never recommend it to anyone, saying they're never visiting again, etc. Why do they continue to come here if they dislike it so much?

People are puzzling sometimes.

It's funny how people are so different. I cannot figure out how to use easywdw AT ALL. I need a tutorial. I don't know where to click or in what order. I have yet to find the best dates to go to what park. Just can't figure it out, nothing easy about it at all for me!

It's "easy"! Ignore the daily posts in the middle of the page. Just look at the sidebar and scroll down. The categories are organized alphabetically, beginning with "Best of Disney World" and ending with "Uncategorized". Just look for "Crowd Calendar and Daily Best Park to Visit" near the top. Each month is listed chronologically underneath that. So, if you were going in May, you'd just look for the link that says "May 2014 Crowd Calendar".

Mind you, beyond the crowd calendars, it's worth just browsing the sidebar links. There's all kinds of useful, interesting information there!

Yay you! And you are SO right, there are many other parts of the site to get quite specific info.

A board called "strategies" tells me that it's going to be intricate, not just 1+1=2.

That's why I specified this board. I definitely agree that there are other parts of this site that are very useful! Well worth reading, though I do find it a bit challenging finding specific information (such as the dining calculator) on here.

(Give me a simple sidebar, any day!)

Also, I find the "strategies" description a bit misleading, as most of the chatter on here isn't about theme park touring strategies at all. Or even about planning future trips.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have gotten so many wonderful tips here. I have seen when newbies ask questions - so many people are happy to offer advice.

This!