Everyone wants the “perfect” Disney trip, but there are good reasons why trying for one is not only futile but can ruin the experience!
A fun TV show is Leverage, which ran on TNT in the late 2000s and currently a sequel series on Prime Video. It centered around a gang of semi-reformed crooks running scams on the rich and powerfully corrupt to steal from them and give to their victims.
While many of the team's scams appear wildly complex, their leader, Nate, actually wanted them to be as simple as possible. As he points out, the more complicated a plan is, the more can go wrong with it.
“The perfect plan, it’s got too many moving parts, too much can go wrong. You have to expect the perfect plan to fail, that’s what I do.”
It’s sage advice for anything from military matters to buying a house and especially for a Disney vacation. Because trying to go on a “perfect” trip is futile.
What can go wrong on a Disney trip?
On May 5, my family arrived in Disneyland for a big vacation my sister had been planning for months. It was a good flight, no issues checking into the Disneyland Hotel, my sister swiftly linking our tickets and me getting a DAS pass for my anxiety issues. We had a nice early dinner and were ready to go for rope drop the next morning.
Then things got hinky. One party member came down with a sudden and nasty cold that delayed most of our party. That would continue through the week to the point of half-days in the park, even if some of us went on our own. Also how my mom needing help getting around slowed us down more than anticipated along with the hassles of getting meals.
It got to the point that rather than only three days for the parks, we sprung for another to add more ride time. That ended up being a good idea as Friday the 9th saw Anaheim much warmer than expected, so having a group that included two adults in their 70s and a six-year-old going around in nearly 90-degree heat was a bad idea.
That’s not to mention the inevitable ride breakdowns. At least three times, I was right about to start a ride (literally in the car for Winnie the Pooh) when it had to shut down for a bit. That threw off even more planning. Also, my sister had timed this for the announced reopening of "it's a small world" only for that to be delayed another week.
While I (the biggest park fanatic in the family) was able to get on most everything I wanted, still a few I missed, and the same was true for others in the family. It also meant we only had one other nice sit-down meal rather than a fancier dinner as planned.
So it sounds like our trip is not what we wanted, right? Think again.
Why this “flawed” trip was still great
Despite these hiccups, no one in the family was complaining about the trip by the end. For one thing, the passes for my mom and me meant we could skip longer lines, save on Lightning Lanes, and squeeze in more rides.
Also, there were the little unplanned bits. Like when my sister’s attempt at a shortcut through Pixie’s Hollow didn’t work but led to her meeting Belle, which she loved. Or when we exited the Haunted Mansion just in time for the big finale to Fantasmic!. Or spotting characters and a parade. Plus, that extra afternoon allowed us to see more of the parks at night, always a good thing.
It was wonderful to catch rides that had been closed in our 2023 visit, such as Indiana Jones. My sister also adored being able to see her son’s first rides on Big Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy, which made up for missing a couple of others.
We still got the pool time we needed and not having to hustle all over the parks non-stop was good. More importantly, we were all together, a true family trip, and even my dad was enjoying what he did. That was better than marking which rides we could do in as short a time as possible.
It showed that trying to hold to a plan can be folly in so many ways, as so many things could go wrong. We were luckier with good weather and no major disasters and still got the most we could out of the Disneyland Hotel. While I felt a little anxiety over the changed plans as someone who enjoys order, I still got to explore the parks and get in what I wanted to do.
The whole experience was a clear reminder that trying to plan out a Disney trip in detail months before you arrive at the front gates is a terrible idea.
Why it’s best not to plan “perfection”
The fact is that there is no such thing as a “perfect” vacation. There’s always some hiccups that occur, most beyond the control of yourself, Disney or anyone. With Disney, you can plan and plot, but even those who make the parks a monthly trek know how things can throw off any plan.
Yes, having an idea of what a Disney trip involves is always key. That’s especially true in the days of reservations and Lightning Lanes. But as much as the guidebooks give you “day plans” for the parks, following a set plan can create far too many issues with so much pressure to follow them and make sure you get to one attraction at one time.
That’s especially true for families with too many parents forgetting that the kids won’t care about strict schedules and maybe not the energy to be up at certain parts of the day. There’s also the x factors of whether they can react to certain rides well or not (my nephew was not a fan of Indiana Jones), which shakes up a trip.
That’s without ride breakdowns, unexpected storms, someone getting injured or sick and numerous other things that throw off the best of plans. It’s why it can be so much better to roll with the punches, go with the flow and leave plenty of room to adjust things if you need to.
I know that firsthand from this trip. I never did an “opening to close” day, but taking an afternoon break for the pool was far more refreshing. I still got to so much as it was (using single rider lines on my own was good) and cherished the vacation.
It's easy for me to think about how I could have tried for another ride or two. Or if the party healthier to keep to the original plans. But that would have cost us that extra day and maybe too much pressure and tension to cram so much in on a set schedule.
Indeed, it's worse if you try for a checklist of fifteen to twenty "must do" rides per day. Because if you fail to reach that goal (and that's easy), you'll feel disappointed. Disney should be about relishing what fun you have, not obsessing over what you couldn't squeeze in.
The best parts of Disney aren't always the rides. They're the quiet moments you can take a break and see the crowds, the sights around you, take in smaller bits like the train, the boats around Rivers of America or even Tom Sawyer Island. Racing to the big e-ticket rides makes you miss the nicer, more intimate touches that can make a trip feel truly magical.
You should plan a few things like meet and greets and which rides for LL and such. But don't go overboard making sure every hour is plotted out to the minute because there's no way that's going to work against the reality of the parks.
Ultimately, the best Disney trip is your experience, not whether or not it met your planned expectations. Sometimes, not trying to get the “perfect” Disney trip can lead to one just as wonderful after all.
How do your plan your Disney trip?