Commando vs Carefree Touring?

[D0naldDuck!]

Can some please explain what these two are? I think I understand them but can someone explain?
Thanks!

 

[melanielll]

To me, commando is how we do mornings... a plan is made and is stuck to (within reason). You constantly are doing things efficiently (no dashing across the park between rides - do the stuff that is next to each other), no shopping (that's for later), no significant straying from the plan (unless something totally awesome opens up). For us it is maximizing rides and minimizing waiting and walking. This is typical for us...BOG ppo, ride mine train 2-3 times before park opens, Peter Pan at opening (we like the queue, but only within limits), Small World (this one is controversial, I would wait on it), Carousel, Ariel, first fast pass (dwarves ride), swing by Pooh and ride if short (if not wait for later fast pass), Dumbo, maybe barnstormer, a few of the characters in the Circus part, then 2nd fast pass (space probably) and 3rd fast pass (buzz), then people mover (unless 4th fast pass has already opened up), lunch. That's fairly serious.

Afternoons - we are more carefree. fast passes for whatever comes up, shopping, back to the hotel, looking at or doing random stuff, snacks, whatever you feel like doing.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Can some please explain what these two are? I think I understand them but can someone explain?
Thanks!

For most folks 'commando' means in the parks all day, every day, or at least for long, extended periods of times... hitting every ride/show/charachter possible. The room/resort is just a place to sleep. A hard charging / take advantage of every minute of park time approach. Likely significant planning / mapping out every hour involved.

'Carefree' touring as you say is going to mean different things to different people. That term probably describes the way we do WDW. For example, a typical day for us would be to RD a park, stay for a few hours, hit our 3 FP, then back at the resort for lunch, afternoon pool time, etc. Maybe back out that evening for fireworks or dinnner, but maybe not. Our days are not packed with every meal planned or with a specific park strategy (other than the FPs)... we are "lightly" planned if you will. We keep open windows or maybe even open days in the schedule to just go wherever the mood takes us.

 

[Lynne M]

Since this pertains to touring the parks, I'm going to move it to the Theme Parks board.

 

[keepswimming76]

Commando to us means having a set list of to-do items and a strategy for touring. And not going off plan unless it is essential.

Carefree for us means having a few things we really want to do but being open to changes and going with the flow.

We typically follow the commando route for the first few hours at a park and then move into carefree mode. The times we have started the day in carefree mode have never ended well. We end up wasting time, missing things or crossing the park over and over.

 

[jsmla]

We're also morning commandos.

For us "commando" means we:
-Arrive well before park opening with an aim to be st the front of the turnstiles
-Have a clear and fairly detailed plan for our morning
-Move quickly and hit the headliners we don't have FPs for one after the other, even if it involves criss-crossing the park.

Then we have an earlyish lunch and have a more leisurely afternoons utilizing FastPass and taking time to stop and smell the Mickey ice creams.

'

 

[nighttowll]

To me,

Commando = extensive planning, try to see everything or as close to everything as possible, rush around
Carefree = minimal to no plan, hit our favorites, then after that, whatever we see, we see, whatever we don't fit in, who cares, stop and smell the roses

I also think of "commando" as more once in lifetime type touring. I need to fit it all in case I never come back mindset. Whereas if you have a season pass or go frequently, it is easier to adopt a "carefree" attitude because whatever you miss this trip, you can catch next trip.






We usually do Disney "Commando" style. We arrive before park opening and stay until the park closes. We plan almost down to the minute. I think our last big trip to Disney was broken out in 15 minute increments. Pretty much every detail is planned out in advance - what day we go where, what and when we ride, where and when we eat, what shows or parades we are going to watch. Literally, the whole day is mapped out step by step, planned ahead of time. It doesn't mean we never make changes to the plan, but in general, we try to follow it as close as possible.

We do this for a few reasons.

1. We normally go in a large group, about 8 people who don't split up. Trying to get 8 people, many of them kids, all on the same page is a recipe for disaster. We've learned over the years having a preset agreed upon plan works best for us. Everyone knows that their "must do" is scheduled in.

2. It stops indecision and arguments / complaining. Having a plan, we minimize wasted time with a bunch of people standing around trying to decide what to do next. You know the whole - What do you want to do? I don't care. Whatever you want to do... and then the inevitable happens, we finally pick something, only for someone to complain they don't want to do that, and half an hour later we are still standing around!

3. Minimizes wasted time, walking, backtracking, getting lost, waiting in long lines.

4. Maximizes what we can see in a day. We have a lot to fit in as everyone wants to see something different. Disney is also expensive, and for us, part of feeling like we are getting our monies worth is being able to see everything. We don't go to Disney very often either, maybe once every one to three years, so we really want to fit it all in since we may not be back for awhile.

5. We don't miss out on activities or meals that must be planned in advance. Disney has a number of attractions that you must book in advance. I always feel really bad for the kids who have their heart set on doing something and can't because Mom and Dad had no idea you needed to book or sign up in advance. If you've ever taken time to read any of the complaints on BBB about Disney or Uni, you'll see so many with people complaining about something that could easily have been avoided with some planning. "My kid had their heart set on meeting character X, being a Jedi, eating with, doing the dessert fireworks, they were too short," type complaints.

6. It helps with budgeting. I usually know almost down to the penny what our meals will cost because I have every restaurant whether it is quick service or an ADR planned out.

7. This one is probably us only. But, the kids actually like having a schedule. Especially, for the one high strung child with anxiety issues. The schedule is like her safety blanket or something. It helps her relax because she knows what we are doing when and that her favorites aren't going to get missed.

8. It helps with my sanity because I don't have to answer, what are doing next, a hundred times, and the kids are also better behaved when we have a schedule as well.





Now, Universal, we usually do Carefree.

We sleep in some days, make park opening other days. Have no real plan. We decide what we are doing next as we go. It is very laid back and relaxing.

It's a different dynamic for us there, so it works. We don't stay together, so it is easy for everyone to just do what they want, when they want. We almost always have EP, so we don't have to worry about waiting in lines. We have APs also, so no worries about not getting our monies worth or not fitting everything in as we usually stay about a week at a time and go about 3 times a year.

I have done Universal "commando" style a couple of times, but that has been when I was with someone who wanted to see both parks in one day, or when it has been busy, and we didn't have EP. Even then, I'd say it was a toned down "commando" from Disney as Universal doesn't really require meal reservations and has very few things you need to book or plan for in advance.

The only issue we've found with our "carefree" touring at Uni is that there have been times we have missed out on shows we wanted to see or thought we'd have time to do something later in the week, and then never got a chance. Not a big deal for us since we go so often, but if it was a one time only trip, I might be a bit disappointed. So, you do have to be ok with missing out if you adopt a completely care free aditutde to touring. I think most people probably fall somewhere in between.

 

[danielocha30]

carefree= not doing park rope, and touring the park on a relaxed pace without knowing any schedule, improvising as you go

Commando= going from Rope drop to closing time, no matter whether you have a detailed schedule or you improvise as you go, the simple fact that you are staying in the park for as long as it's open is a commando mission

 

[Parker Clan]

Commando to me means planning every minute. Carefree is planning your 3 FP a day, some other rides you want to do but just sauntering / enjoying your vaca. I think trips can be a little of both.

 

[Corbie]

Am I the only one who thinks commando means park touring sans undies?

 

[shaycamp21]

Am I the only one who thinks commando means park touring sans undies?

LOL made my day!

 

[alan68]

Am I the only one who thinks commando means park touring sans undies?

that's what I thought too, but I didn't have the nerve to ask.

 

[Shanti]

Can some please explain what these two are?

Commando: Spend a fun-filled day at the parks going from attraction to attraction and to reserved dining, with minimal to no aggravation occurring, as a result of thorough planning.

Carefree: Spend a quarter of your day having fun, two quarters of your day standing in lines, and another quarter of your day debating what to do next and where & when to get something to eat.

 

[melanielll]

Commando: Spend a fun-filled day at the parks going from attraction to attraction and to reserved dining, with minimal to no aggravation occurring, as a result of thorough planning.

Carefree: Spend a quarter of your day having fun, two quarters of your day standing in lines, and another quarter of your day debating what to do next and where & when to get something to eat.

I would also add that, for us, Carefree adds a lot more grumbling and fighting. For example - leave Fantasyland, get to Adventureland , then someone starts complaining that they wanted to ride Small World again. So criss-cross the park again, or hear the whine. If you go back, someone else will whine about the walk (most likely my husband). With Commando everyone's preferences can be more easily accommodated. It also allows for more "fair" choices with a group. You pick lunch one day, someone else picks lunch the next day, etc. and you are always near the chosen restaurant when you want to eat there.

 

[jsmla]

I would also add that, for us, Carefree adds a lot more grumbling and fighting. For example - leave Fantasyland, get to Adventureland , then someone starts complaining that they wanted to ride Small World again. So criss-cross the park again, or hear the whine. If you go back, someone else will whine about the walk (most likely my husband). With Commando everyone's preferences can be more easily accommodated. It also allows for more "fair" choices with a group. You pick lunch one day, someone else picks lunch the next day, etc. and you are always near the chosen restaurant when you want to eat there.

This why we were uber commandos when the kiddos were little. We had one thrill junkie and one character hound who was leery of Dumbo. We had to ride/experience everything. Back in preFP days commando was the only way to make sure that happened.

 

[Corbie]

I'm planning our first trip. Planning is definitely commando so I can determine when/where to make fast passes. (Due to some mobility issues, we want to minimize walking back and forth across parks.) We'll be there for RD, but plan to walk at a leisurely pace. We don't have young kids, and I think this takes some of the "gotta do it all" mentality from us. I also know my family; they won't take well to any plan that's too strict. I think I've left plenty of time to get to our FP+ rides and lunch ADR.

So my planning is more a guideline. I tend to be pretty Type A about schedules, which won't work with my crew. My mantra has become, "It's all good. Have a plan. Get them to the park and it will work out...eventually! Do not become that mom, you know, the one who whips out a minute-by-minute schedule and harangues everyone for not following it." (That latter is one of my worst fears. I don't want to wind up on the "what's the worst Disney meltdown you've witnessed" thread! )

 

[kneemeister]

I think planning every last detail turns a vacation into work...I miss the days prior to FP+. That involved walking to the Bus stop and hopping on the first park bus to arrive. When you get there you tour the park not commando or carefree style, but cavalry scout style, Keep moving, search and destroy but also, stop and look around. Hop in every short line you come too, picking up fast passes along the way for rides that had long lines. Then after lunch, do it all over again in park #2
Now it still works almost the same way; but, you have to pick a park ahead of time and hopefully you picked the right fast passes to be the most efficient with your time.

Of course this works best for solo trips, as you only have to satisfy yourself.

 

[agavegirl1]

I am a card carrying Commando that no longer can handle the obstacles it places in my path. (See trip report linked below complete with daily spreadsheets). I have relaxed and readjusted my expectations and learned to recognize what is likely to mess up the plan and how to adjust. I still plan ADRs and FP+ as well as morning touring plans. The rest of it? Not so much planning. I could still not tour "Carefree". To do so would be adjusting to eating "wherever", riding "whatever" and what would for me, be not getting my money's worth at all. I now plan in "carefree" portions of the day with very general plans. Example: Park morning with ADR followed by a plan like "tour resort and swim" or hop to park of choice.

 

[quandrea]

I'm best described as commando while in the parks during the morning only. However, we don't spend all that much time in the parks. We rope drop most days, tour efficiently all morning, grab an early sit down lunch. Following lunch, we head out for a break. We may or may not return for the evening, usually to another park for dinner and leisurely touring. We spend forty or so days per year in the parks, so there's never any rush. But we hate lines.

 

[mamamelody2]

I always thought commando just meant being in the parks from rope drop to close.