You got your room reservations seven months in advance, your dinner reservations 180 days ahead of time, and made your all your Fastpass+ reservations as far in advance as possible. Your daily itineraries were produced in triplicate and shared with every member of your party, and you downloaded apps to tell you exactly how long a wait to expect for every ride.
Unfortunately, despite your best laid plans, sometimes dumb luck can ruin even the most meticulously crafted Walt Disney World vacation plans.
1. Unexpected weather
Let’s start with the most obvious “dumb luck” concern: the weather. Some of us are stuck with the reality that we have kids… and our kids have vacations… and school vacation takes place during the summer … and summer in Florida is hot, wet, and stormy.
If you’re childless (or don’t really worry too much about pulling the kids out of school for a few days), you can attempt to schedule around the most likely weather hazards. You can avoid the hottest months of summer, and choose a date that doesn’t include hurricane season. But having cut summer and early fall out of your calculations – and, of course, the notoriously busy Spring Break season – you’re stuck with very few options. Winter, many savvy visitors’ favorite time of year, can be lovely… but then again, it can also be really cold as well! Few of us truly enjoy an outdoor stroll through Adventureland when the temperature is forty degrees and there’s a stiff breeze!
2. Unexpected guests
You probably already know that summer, Christmas, and Spring Break are among the busiest times of the year. And it’s possible to plan around those busy times. But all too often even the savviest visitors discover that the “off” week during which they’re visiting is also… MLB Spring Training Week! Marathon Week! Brazillian cheerleading competition day! And instead of the mellow, low key vacation you were expecting you find yourself in a massive crowd of unexpected visitors.
3. Room location
Yes, you can request a particular room. And yes, you can complain and moan if you don’t like the room you were given. But unless you are willing to actually throw another family out of their room because you don’t like the walk, the view, or the ambience, you may be stuck with the Disney version of pot luck. It’s certainly worth your while to ask for a transfer, and sometimes you’ll luck out and get one. But just as often you’ll wind up with at least a night or two staying in a space that isn’t up to your hopes and dreams, and (at least in your opinion) isn’t worth the money.
4. The chance to become a “star”
Lots of Disney attractions include opportunities for lucky individuals to be part of the action. The Indiana Jones stunt show is an excellent case in point as guests can actually become a part of the presentation. The Flights of Wonder show at the Animal Kingdom is another example where volunteers can come up on stage and interact with the animals. But how do you ensure that you’ll be chosen to become the star of the day? Sitting in the front row may help. Waving your hand wildly and leaping up and down may or may not attract the interest of the cast member in charge. When push comes to shove, though, it really is a matter of luck.
5. Spontaneous character meet and greets
There are quite a few characters who turn up as expected, right where you want them to be. Winnie the Pooh will always be available for dinner at the Crystal Palace, and you’ll never miss out on Ariel if you visit her Grotto. But exactly when and where will Peter Pan happen to turn up? Should you hang out and wait for Gaston at his tavern? When will he be back? Will there be a long line? So many of the most magical character encounters occur, not because you’ve waited in the right spot for the right moment, but because you just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
6. Meeting fellow visitors who happen to click (or NOT) with your group
You walk out onto your balcony, and right next to is a family that’s just terrific. They’re fun, interesting, and (most importantly) they’re quiet, considerate hotel guests. You decide to get together for a delightful meal, and it turns out you have a lot in common. You trade contact info, and meet up again multiple times over the years.
OR… you happen to be lodging next to the loudest most obnoxious group of people you’ve ever met… you’re seated at a pricey Signature Restaurant next to the Toddler From Hell (and there are no other tables available)… you spend an hour in line at Peter Pan with the world’s most unpleasant family, just trying to keep their kids from pushing your kids into starting World War 3. It’d be nice if all Walt Disney World guests were nice and pleasant, but the reality is you’ll probably meet some visitors you’d rather not run into again.
7. Technology works against you
It’s no secret that MyMagic+ isn’t a perfect system, and unfortunately, outages have been known to occur. And although Cast Members are usually as accomodating as possible in these situations, a MyMagic+ outage, a disappearing FastPass+ reservation or even a non-functional Magic Band are all things that can derail an otherwise amazing Walt Disney World vacation.
8. Travel plans go awry
First, there’s the arrival in Orlando. And as we all know, air travel is a crap shoot. Sometimes it’s smooth as glass. Sometimes it’s … not. You can lose half a day of Disney fun because of rotten weather in Texas – or arrive ten minutes early, fresh as a daisy.
Then, there’s the Magical Express. Is it ready to go? Or will there be an hour-long wait as your driver copes with difficult passengers, discovers that someone’s luggage is still on the way, or waits for the rain to calm down a bit before hitting the road?
Perhaps most luck-related of all is the transportation at Disney World itself. Yes, you can use an app to get a gist of what’s coming and what’s not. But how long will the bus queue be? Will your party fit on the bus? Will there be room for all your strollers? How long will the wait really be for the monorail, which appears to have suddenly lost power somewhere on the line? How about that boat, which is evidently waiting for someone’s lost party member to arrive?
