Our 2020 Disney World New Year’s Resolutions
I’m not particularly keen on New Year’s Resolutions. If you have a goal, waiting for the changing of a calendar seems silly, and the common knowledge that most resolutions fail provides justification when giving up on that goal since “everyone else did too.”
While reviewing posts to update for 2020, I stumbled upon this one. In typical New Year’s resolution fashion, I realized that we didn’t end up doing over half of these things when we originally set the goals–and they’re still things that we should do.
Accordingly, we’ve refreshed this with some new goals for 2020 at Walt Disney World, deleting old resolutions that we either accomplished (hooray!), adding new ones that we now should do, and editing others to so that we might actually accomplish them this go-round…
For this list of Walt Disney World New Year’s Resolutions, we tried to come up with things that are actual long-term goals that will require some degree of discipline to achieve. Even though a couple entries are things we know we’ll accomplish simply by virtue of the trip we’ve already booked, we didn’t want this to devolve into a checklist of one-and-done things. After all, these are resolutions, not our Disney bucket list.
With that said, here are our Walt Disney World goals for 2020…
10. More Off-Site Hotel Stays – The last two years have been filled with a lot of on-site hotel stays, either to take advantage of perks like Extra, Extra Magic Hours or to check out room renovations.
The latter have mostly slowed down, with the only “new” rooms we need to check out this year being at Saratoga Springs (that’ll happen the first week of January), the All Stars (again), and maybe Wilderness Lodge later in the year. Aside from those, we are entirely caught up on hotel review updates thanks to a ton of on-site hotel stays last year.
Now, it’s time to go into “expansion” mode with more off-site stays for the sake of more comprehensive coverage on the blog. Many readers have indicated that Walt Disney World rack rates have priced them out, which means we’ll focus more attention on off-site deals.
9. Less DHS – We had such high expectations for Christmas. We thought we’d have plenty of time to see the new holiday entertainment at Anima Kingdom, ride Living with the Land dozens of times, and so on. Instead, we spent over half of our total park time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
The constant changes to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opening protocol caught us by surprise, and we were in DHS before sunrise more in December than we were all other parks combined for the entire rest of the year. This is a resolution that’s sort of outside our control, because who knows what changes are on the horizon for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. And then there’s the opening of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, too…
8. More Disney Springs Dining – Even though our amount of time spent at Disney Springs has increased each of the last several years, we still want to spend more time there this year–and eat there more.
Even more new restaurants have opened at Disney Springs that we have to try for the sake of “research,” and we’d love to revisit some of our new-ish favorites like the Boathouse and Morimoto Asia. It also doesn’t hurt that many of these third party restaurants offer far superior value for money than in-park options.
7. More Resort Counter Service – Due to menu simplification and price increases, in-park counter service restaurants are becoming less attractive to us. At Magic Kingdom in particular, mealtime is met with ambivalence. We aren’t really wild about many of the counter service restaurants there, and the ones we do enjoy can be a hassle.
Fortunately, the Skyliner now makes it easier to leave Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to dine at resorts, with the monorail and boats offering the same convenience from Magic Kingdom. In addition to opening up better dining options to us, this also means we can update some restaurant reviews from venues outside the parks. (We made an effort to do this with in-park restaurants last year, and that task is mostly complete.)
6. More Table Service – We also need to do more table service, especially (again) in the resort hotels around Walt Disney World for the sake of reviews. We also want to do more table service restaurants, as we’ve found the cuisine is generally better, as is the value proposition.
Despite counter service prices increasing dramatically over the last few years, most table service restaurants still have some <$20 entrees, which puts the price gap at only a few dollars in some cases. That far superior experience is well worth the price difference, and that’s especially true if we save money by doing large breakfasts at the hotel.
5. Closing Out the Parks – We did way more rope drop than ever before last year (satisfying one of our New Year’s Resolutions!), but this came at the expense of late nights in the parks, particularly Magic Kingdom. It’s also tougher to justify staying around until the bitter end because many other guests are doing the same.
While it’s great that word has gotten out about the greatness of late nights and post-closing strolls in the parks, it’s put a damper on our own experiences. Nevertheless, we’re going to make more of an effort to stay late and enjoy the wonderful ambiance, moody lighting, and all of the little details that just pop a bit more as the parks are clearing out.
4. More Tripod Time – This sort of goes hand in hand with more night hours in the parks. Part of the reason we probably didn’t stay late as often is because I frequently left the tripod behind (I’m getting old and my back is less keen on lugging around ~25 pounds of camera gear all day).
Even if it means getting a locker, going back to the room, etc., one goal for this year is carrying the tripod more–not just to capture crisp nighttime photos, but also to get more creative with photos during the daytime. The caliber of photography I’ve posted on here has waned over the last couple years, and I want to correct that in 2020.
3. Less Phone Time – We’d like to use our phones even less in 2020 (except when it comes to goat selfies–we need more of those, proving there’s an exception to every rule). This is something we’re both already pretty good about, but there’s always room for improvement. We spend so much time staring at screens in our day-to-day lives that traveling provides a much-needed opportunity to get away from that.
Sharing what we’re doing in real time via social media means we’re less present in the moment, and it equals less real engagement while we’re there. I don’t really like Facebook and I’ve lost interest in Instagram, but kicking my Twitter addiction would be a huge accomplishment for 2020!
2. Try New Things – This is such a basic, generic one that I’m a bit embarrassed to include it so high up the list. First, we want to try more dining we’ve never done in third party hotels that are on-site (Swan & Dolphin, Four Seasons, and Disney Springs Resorts being the big ones that come to mind).
Second, we want to try new things without thinking so much about the price. We are pretty open-minded, and willing to try new things we might not enjoy without second thought. When it comes to trying new things, the barrier for us is almost always the price. We are suckers for a good deal, and hesitate when it comes to anything that even might fall short on the value front.
The problem with this approach is that, with few exceptions, you truly don’t know whether something is worth the money until you give it a try. We’ve wanted to do things like Wild Africa Trek, Dolphins in Depth, and other tours for a while but have hesitated due to value concerns.
1. Give Thanks More – We wrote an entire post thanking Cast Members and reminding others of how important they are to the Disney experience and what they sacrifice to bring magic to guests. That’s nice and all, but it’s abstract and has no tangible benefit for actual Cast Members.
By contrast, going to Guest Services and taking the time to leave ‘Cast Compliments’ for those who leave a memorable impact on our trips actually does make a difference. These accolades are delivered to Cast Members (and their leaders), and beyond making an individual feel appreciated, they can help with promotions and career advancement.
Given that this can also be accomplished by simply tweeting @WDWGuestService with #castcompliment, there’s no excuse for us not to do more of this. (Even if it does ‘break’ our next resolution a bit…)
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Do you have any Disney-related 2020 New Year’s Resolutions? Do you like our ideas, or ‘disagree’ with any of the resolutions we’ve chosen? Any questions? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Go to Tony’s, it may surprise you! I always request a patio seat and I really enjoy lunch here after a busy day of rope drop. I enjoy the sights and sounds of Main St while safely tucked away from the crowds. During Christmas week I time my reservation to watch the day time Christmas parade from the patio with a glass of wine… perfect!
Great list. Two of your items are essentials for us. We try to do rope drop every morning, and we always take a mid-day break, and visit a different park after the break. Since we started taking the break, our visits have been much more enjoyable. Which park is visited each day is driven by EMH availability first and foremost, but it is always two parks per day with a rest at the resort in between. This does not mean that we are treating any park as a half-day park, as we usually have 7-day Park Hoppers, and visit each park two or three times.
Like most people, we don’t visit the parks as often as you do (every 3 years is about our schedule), so I am not sure that staying off-site again will ever be on our radar. Likewise, regarding the counter-service food, we had just gotten our heads around the idea that it had improved so much! However, while we do a few table-service meals on each trip, the main barrier to doing more for us is time. We are taking a few hours off in the middle of the day, so we don’t want to spend 2-3+ hours each day sitting in restaurants. We don’t go to WDW for the food.
I heartily agree that thanking cast members is a wonderful practice. One of my students worked in the college program, and it was clear that respectful and thankful guests were one of the highlights of a cast member’s day.
We have been going for years and now taking our toddler. We stay on site every time. We used to own DVC but the financing was too expensive for our little family. Where do you recommend staying off site? What about dining plans? Thanks
My resolution could be summed up with this statement “live in the moment”. I tend to micromanage EVERYTHING! I feel like we won’t get the full experience if I don’t plan every second of every day at the parks. This simply isn’t so. This year I hope to do more “meandering” and just enjoy the present moment instead of focusing on what’s next on the itinerary 🙂 Tom, what’s your opinion about the aging monorail system? Do you think it’s a safety concern? Is it true that it is no longer being maintained by Siemens? Anyone else have comments regarding monorail?
I think Lisa Simpson asked a similar question at the end of this clip.
My Disney Revolutions…
1) Try DVC on our next trip to WDW.
2) Plan an off day just to go see the other resorts and “relax”.
3) Agree… more boat rides, like the Sea Racers.
4) Carriage ride (may get to do this on our upcoming trip).
5) Disney Springs definitely on the list.
6) Never been to the water parks and would love to go.
7) I plan everything so maybe be more spontaneous :-/
Some Disneyland (our home park) Resolutions…
1) Take a day (or two) and see all the street performers and shows and not go on any rides. It’s easier since we are AP.
2) Star Wars land (of course!!!).
3) We seem to eat at the same places. Try some different places to eat (more dessert!).
4) If I could find someone to take us to Club 33, that would be awesome!
Some excellent resolutions on your list, Tom.
My favourite place for a sleep is Spaceship Earth. My husband’s favourite rest attraction was Ellen’s Energy Adventure. We normally struggle with the idea of taking midday breaks because of the time factor especially when you’re using Disney transport. As someone else said,staying within walking distance of your favourite park is ideal.
We usually do counter service because it’s immediate and easy. We’ve had a few table service meals and never found them particularly relaxing. Maybe we went to the wrong places? We’ll have to try some others.
Most important change we can make, which is such a hard pill to swallow, is having non-park days. Last trip (Nov 17) we visited parks 7 days in a row. We do ‘Disney sleep in’ as we’re not morning people at all and have discovered from a past trip those extra things you can accomplish by being there at rope drop have price to pay later in the day. We tried going back to the resort for a break-that was so much worse…def not for us. So next time, try not to do parks more than 2 days in a row. Even with sleeping in somewhat, I felt like I was ready to drop. Test track isn’t fun if you’re sleeping. (and neither are my favs like hall of pres or American Adventure, which is even more challenging to stay awake at). Also, I learned something about myself last trip… Table service is almost a must. I can’t figure out why Didn’t doesn’t see the need to provide adequate chairs at QS restaurants! (France n Epcot). I’m not into hovering over someone waiting for them to finish eating so I can quickly nab their dirty table to eat on either (DLUX Burger)! All so I can pay $85 for burgers and fries. Uh, no thanks. We’ll see how successful these two resolutions will be in April!
Tom, your blog is amazing and invaluable. One thing that would really help readers though for 2018, is to date-stamp your posts. I know you provide dates for updates, but original posts lack this. Older reviews have also lost their photo hosting, which I’m sure you are aware of. Keep up the great work and if you some help with updated food reviews, I’m your guy! : )
same comment! it’s hard to tell when a review or info is from b/c the posts are date-stamped. date stamp please!
Great list! I am ALL about rope drop! Those first two-three hours in the parks are great, and you can do so much in that time. Having kiddos who are early risers anyway makes it easy.
I’m really impressed that you fell asleep during Test Track.
We ALWAYS try a new restaurant, no matter how often we go. As you know, this will still take us quite a long time to complete, especially when Disney Springs seems to add a new restaurant every month! We’re very excited for our first trip to Ale & Compass in March, and back in November we discovered a new favorite in Via Napoli. We’ve eaten at so many fantastic spots that we otherwise would have ignored if not for this “rule” we made for ourselves!
Great list! I’m wondering if you guys were persuaded to do DS off-site stays more frequently once Disney announced they would include FPP @ 60 days like on site resort guests ( not sure you utilize the EMH but select DS resorts will now get these too). Being frugal as well ( family of 5 here ) these benefits definitely make off-site resorts much more attractive. Plus bonus-close to great restaurants! Thanks for your site and Happy New Year!
We just can’t force ourselves to take breaks! It’s such an expense and big trip every time we go we can’t justify not doing something every minute of the day! Yes, we are shattered after but we feel like we make the most of the trip! Maybe we should go more often… hehe.
I did fall asleep watching ‘For the Birds’ last year… The high-pitched chirping and vibrating chairs did disturb me a bit though!
Have been going to DisneyWirkd for decades. Am something of a Disney addict. However have been discouraged in the last several years over Disneys determination to control every aspect of my trip and wring every dollar out of my pocket. I really dont WANT to book my rides and meals 9 months in advance. But if you dont do it, plan on not riding or eating. What is wrong with”first come,first served???” I wish Disney, having despoiled the view around the lake by building the water huts at the Polynesian and the time share monstrosity at the Grannd Floridian , would stop building hotel rooms at the park. I agree they are convenient but way overpriced for what you get. I know this is a business but ut is time to stop trying to have the park at maximum capacity at all times. It thoroughly destroys the charm of the experience. A really GOOD vacation should require planning but not as though you planned to invade Normandy. Its a joy killer. I am a Disney fan and stockholder. I would like to think they could stabilize the growth before the park is completely ruined.
I’m a major fan of table service over counter service. We have found so many we love and we try to add something new every time.
We always say in the heat of summer we’ll take breaks, but we either go back to the room and call it a day too early or we push through. We did take a break over Christmas this year because it was so cold and dreary, but with the transportation time, I don’t like that plan–I say either start early or just start late, unless you’re walking distance from the park you’re at.
Agree with someone else that the planning has become over the top though–to plan restaurants 6 months out is a burden since you almost MUST. And I like to plan, so that’s a heck of a statement.
Thanks for the reminder about acknowledging great Disney cast members and sharing how we can tweet that info too! We do usually have at least 1 or 2 standouts and sometimes I remember to write down their names, only to forget to do something with it. (Sometimes I email, but who knows if that gets any follow up.) I’ll strive to do better, even if it means I have to make a Twitter account :/
YES to more desserts! The bakery treats taste so delicious, and each bakery offers wonderful options! My daughter and mom LOVED the Disney Springs cake decorating experience in December. Earlier in 2017, my husband, daughter, and son and I completely enjoyed the Epcot dive. These extra experiences add to the MAGIC of Disney and are great options for various ages. Hope you and Sarah enjoy a fabulous 2018! Thanks for all of your research and information sharing!
Any chance you can share how you managed that photo on Main Street, with just your wife and no one else in the background?
I’ll be taking my family down for the first time later this year and would appreciate any tips you have for getting good portrait-type photos while in the park. Most of your photos seem to be relatively free and clear of guests.
Falling asleep on Test Track is impressive – well done! Afternoon rests are one of those things I need to take more seriously this year too – I didn’t fall asleep on Test Track, but did have a bit of a snooze on Soarin – waking up unexpectedly with a rather disorientating drop over Paris in front of me was, well, less than fun.
As someone who flies between LA & Orlando, I wonder if you have any tips re air carriers? We’re flying directly from Orlando to LA for a East / West Disney trip this summer and am looking for any advice on that journey.
I’ve been a DVC member for quite a while now and live in Las Vegas (NV). We always take Southwest because their prices are great. What we do is to pay for the tickets using BofA Travel card points. We haven’t paid for traveling to and from WDW for a number of years now. We do, however, pay for the priority seating arrangements where you put $15 down and you get boarded in the “A” line. Every few years or so, we also purchase ticket with out Southwest points. We always take the morning flight out of McCarran IAP and arrive at WDW around 4:00pm. That gives use enough time to get checked in and grab some dinner at the hotel restaurant. Our flights are always full but SW is a fun airline.
Table service restaurants are so VASTLY superior to counter service in most of the parks for the price difference (Epcot and a couple of options in Animal Kingdom being the exceptions) that we’ve all but forsaken anything else. Plus, as a childless couple, we really value the opportunity to leisurely decompress from the crowds and take our time while dining. It makes a big difference in attitude for the rest of the day. 🙂
Great list. Thanks! I can’t seem to force myself to take those afternoon breaks either… even though I promise myself I will in order to justify staying on property.
Also, we loved the unDiscovered Future World tour at Epcot but I’m not sure how much new information it would provide you. You do get to visit a few “behind the scenes” locations (wardrobe, corporate lounges…) and skip the lines for Soarin’ and Test Track though. Our tour also included access to a reserved area near Italy for IllumiNations.