...All spontaneity is gone and has been replaced by stress! You have to make and keep a schedule for fear of missing something, you can't decide at the last minute you want to eat someplace or do something nor can you change a plan very easily once you make it...
I do agree w/ Suvaado and the others who feel that the regimented nature of WDW has lessened some of the magic. Definitely doesn't feel like a vacation to me, when I have so many appointments to keep & logistics to calculate.
I also agree with the person who said that all the research, planning, & scheduling makes it more fun for the grown-up. That's totally logical... after all, anytime you successfully implement a project you've spent months developing, you feel the satisfaction of accomplishment! (Too bad the child doesn't get to own that joy the same way the parent does.) I must admit I LOVED my younger years when I as a youth controlled my own fate by prioritizing what I'd let distract me at the park. And then when I was a little older, controlling my own fate by running to obtain as many fast-passes as possible, feeling like I was conquering Disney. And so the reason I enjoy the planning & implementation as an adult is because it takes me back to the days when I did the same as a child. But at the same time, as an adult I abhor the modern structure & commercialism that shouldn't be shoved in my face during MY vacation.
On the one hand, we as parents are simply trying to maximize our children's experience, ensure they have THE BEST TIME POSSIBLE, give them as much of a shot at happiness as any parent could give them. On the other hand, we're using our kids as pawns on the chessboard, to fluff up our "parenting feathers", make us feel good about what we accomplished for them.
My sister & I did a GREAT JOB (lol) last spring giving my nephew the experience of a lifetime at MK. Pretty sure we ended up having more fun than he did (yes, it was unfortunate that he got tired at the wrong times and hungry at the wrong times). But after all, the grown-ups footed the bill... so of course we deserve to enjoy ourselves even if the kid gets tired, right?
That's half-sarcastic, half-true. I don't know what the solution is. But forecasting our kids' hunger and our kids' rides 60 days in advance is as ludicrous as planning their bathroom breaks 60 days in advance. And while Disney would have you believe the solution is simply "spend more days here so you won't be so rushed by your reservation", that's what any slick salesman WOULD say.
So for now, we'll just keep trying to follow Disney's strict rules, cram as many appointments & strategies and costumes as possible into 1 day, and hope for the best. After all, "Little Johnny" is still too young to remember everything. If he has a bit of a rough time because I ran him to too many places or didn't let him nap or eat when he needed, I can always brainwash him for the next few years. Just keep showing him the pictures of him smiling, and tell him how much fun he had (even if he didn't), and eventually I can re-write history in his memories.
But yes, I do feel sad that a Disney vacation now requires this level of pre-planning & structure, at the expense of either spontaneity or missed reservations. And I do feel sad that kids aren't learning for themselves what to enjoy in the moment. (Because, of course, in February I planned what he's going to enjoy in April.)
The upside is that the parks can now service many more kids than in the past. Quantity is inversely proportional to quality.
I hope this reaches some of you in a positive way.
