keeping track of your vacaction plans

[Joyfulsnuff]

Just wondering how all of you keep track of your vacation plans and all the great tips and ideas you get from these boards?

[chell]

We use the Disney Vacation Planner to keep up with our plans. But for the tips and ideas I am so unorganized. I try to type them up into a Word document or something like that. But then I usually forget about them before we leave for a trip. You can get the DVP at the following link: DVP (http://www.intercot.com/planner/default.asp)

[mrsmouse]

it's hard, there are so many wonderful tips!

last time i got a multicolored, spiral bound index card notebook. i color coded the tips into park tips, restaurant choices with PS's, etc., etc.

i plan on doing this again. you have to downsize or it will be difficult to take advantage of any tips because it's too cumbersome to deal with. this was portable for my fanny pack.

alot of things are memorized by now but things like best viewing spot for seeing tinkerbell... i needed to write those sort of things down.

hope this helps!

26 days !!!

[maepartner]

where IS the best spot for seeing tinkerbell, lol? Mae

[Beverly Lynn]

by the castle!

I keep track of my vacation plans with a calendar book. I write everything down, on what day it is supposed to be on. including all ps's and parks.

[PhotobearSam]

I kept a notepad next to the computer and wrote down any usable tip I came accross and some I even wrote down several times.

A few weeks before our trip, I condensed all the hints into one very small notebook and I divided it up into sections....

AK,MGM,EPCOT, MK, outside the parks and dining.

I carried it along with me everyday and my fiance would always tease me about my little black book of surprises.
He never wanted to know about what I had planned from these boards before the trip because he wanted his first visit to the world to be full of surprises.

By the end of the trip, he was asking "Is there something else we have to do at this park??? Are you sure??? Check your book just in case...."

He said I had planned the perfect trip and was happy I wrote it all down so we wouldn't forget anything.

I almost wish I could plan somebody else's trip for them since I had so much fun planning our own.:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D ;)

[Pixie Power!]

I too carry a book around marked up with the different days, but Ive also heard about a filo fax type of book that you can buy over the internet that sounded very good - but Ive forgot the name and the link :rolleyes: sorry - can anyone else help with that please?

Emma

[PhotobearSam]

You might be thinking of the Passporter books.

I found this to be too big to carry around but I hear they are a good way to plan if staying on-site and are planning a lot of ps for sit down meals.

I couldn't find one in Canada and I just made up my own.

Try passporter.com????????????

Not sure, hope this helps....
:D

[Pixie Power!]

Thanks Photobearsam, i will check that out right now

Emma

[trustknoone]

I keep my palmpilot desktop open when I am tip hunting and then just cut-n-paste anything over that I want/need to remember. This works really well for me. My palm (aka "the BRAIN") is the among the best $100 I ever spent, I use it for everything. I also use my PassPorter for tickets and what not and just cause I like books.

Angela

[WDW2002]

I am keeping a binder with a section for each park, one for the resort, one for restaurants and one for everything else.

[tkd lisa]

Yes, it is called a Passporter, and it's www.passporter.com

It is too big to fit in a fanny pack, but it's got slots for all your receipts and notes for what you did, etc. Even if you don't take it to the park, if you jot things in it at night, it should help you keep track.

[Pixie Power!]

I have just ordered a FREE passporter for the year 2000 - i know it will be alittle out of date, but at least i can see what kind of thing i will be getting should i go ahead and order the new delux one. And it only cost me $5 to have it shipped to the UK - can't be bad!!

Thanks

Emma

[bweagle]

I got this idea off of the boards last year and it worked great. I bought lined index cards that were three hole punched and a "mini-binder" made for these cards at Walmart. Sorry can't think what the binder thing is called but it's hardback and right next to the index cards and has the rings so you're punched cards fit in. Then I wrote my plans for each day on a card. I also wrote tips I had read on a card, PS's, etc. (My binder was full). Before we left I laminted the cards using clear contact paper. I also took an empty key ring with me. Then when I got down there, all I had to do was take the cards I would need for that day and switch them over to the empty key ring and then carry them in my pocket or fanny pack. It worked out great. The contact paper kept them from getting ruined by water rides and minimized the wrinkles, etc. Then when we'd get back to the resort in the evening I could easily put those day's cards back in the index card binder and pull out the ones I'd be needing the next day! It was probably one of the best tips I got from this board! :D

[mrsmouse]

i like that idea better than my little index card spiral bound book. it DID get a little wet.
plus i will only carry what i need.

thanks bweagle!

[Thumper's Dad]

for us:D

Only problem is we can't yet pay for another trip to WDW. But I agree with you--the planning is FUN :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

As for organizing information/tips/PS's, I kept a notebook while planning and researching. Then, before we left, I made one 3x5 index card for each day, wrote out what was needed in abreviated form on the card and only took that card with me. I also took an extra card to jot down things we wanted to make note of for later--ways we wanted to alter our plans, ideas for next trip, notes for trip journal, etc.

[Robinrs]

I keep a Microsoft word file with all my conf #s and maps. I found this important because from the airport to the car rental, they recognize your NUMBER faster than your name!

Tips I carry in my head, it's sort of like how I did school, I never took notes! Got aLOT of complaints about it but I got out of high school with an A average at the age of 16 and out of college just before I turned 20 with two degrees. It works for me!

[KaraJade]

Passporters are great, you'll love yours! :) It is really too big to lug around the parks, but what I did last year that worked really well was just stash all my reciepts in my wallet ( which I do anyhow) each day, and left my passporter in the room. At the end of the night while Jay was watching the news, I'd transfer my reciepts to the pocket for each day. The pages are really helpful for keeping track of how much money you spend, etc. and also for making notes of little funny things that happen in your trip that you'd like to remember, but by the time you get home you won't think of. When planning this trip, I was able to go back to last year's Passporter and tell exactly how much we spent, remember notes I made about places I want to eat/ try/ do. Have fun!

[bobcat]

I love the idea for the index cards and the small binder. I think that will be another addition to my overplanning!

I started with a large three ring binder where I keep all of the hints and tips I have found on the internet, helpful DIS posts, and menus from Deb's site. This I add and update as needed. I also just bought the deluxe passporter and I love it! I had last years spiral book but I wanted to be able to add things so I upgraded this year. I went on a small overnight nonWDW trip with the kids and since I save all my receipts I found myself wishing I had my passporter, that's how much I like using it on vacation. When I got home my new deluxe passporter was waiting on me.

[gottago]

PhotoBearSam - can I borrow your book! heehee! I need all of the help I can get!

I love the idea of using index cards. Right now, all of my info is in a big binder seperated by catagories. I do have one page that has all of our ressies and info on it, along w/ contact names and numbers. I suppose I have a new project now ... transferring it all to index cards! If I can get off the 'puter and quit searching for more tips, I might find the time to do it! LOL!

Leaving in 33 days!

[CDoobee]

Thanks for the info on the FREE 2000 Passporter, Emma!

I just ordered one, too!

Looking forward to meeting you at DIS-Con II!!!!!:) :)

[Pixie Power!]

CDoobee - Isnt it just a great offer! If yoi havent tried this before, its a great way to see if you think its value for money before you invest in the most recent addition. They are even shipping mine to the UK for just $5 or less I cant remember the exact amount. How good is that - I just can't wait for it to arrive now!!

See you at discon, maybe we can compare our planning tips passporter style:D

Emma

[goofygal531]

I make a Microsoft Word document in a table format of the days were there (like a calendar). Then on each day, I use different color fonts to represent parks, times, PS restaurants, etc...

On the back of the page, I keep a list of hotel numbers, train numbers, car service, rental car info, etc... Then I laminate the page.

The first year I had a whole folder of notes and it just didn't work for me. I try to keep a lot of tips in my head or jot it down on the day planned on my itinerary. I leave the itinerary in the room, but refer to it the whole trip.

Another good idea is to bring a highlighter pen with you (learned this one from the cruise!) to highlight the park map with attractions you MUST see and parade times. I found this to be great since you always have your park map with you and I refer to it like a bible!

[ehagerty]

I use one 8 x 11 computer print out (font size = 6), front and back - and them I laminate it. The front contains the schedule/grid of days plans, the back includes all the tips.

[Poohbear123]

I use a spiral notebook, have about 4 of them filled with info on each trip, but, I start a NEW one with each trip!;) Maybe one day, I will make my own Book!:rolleyes: :D

[tink2dw]

I can't afford a WDW trip yet,but that doesn't stop me from planning!!
To keep all the info in one place,I use the computer, Disney Vacation Planner. It stores all my plans right on the computer then it will print each day on a seperate sheet. Also check the pull down menu'sat the top for loads of info!!
http://www.intercot.com/planner/default.asp

[Jen D]

I used the passporter. It was the perfect Disney planner, and a pretty good guidebook to boot!

I didn't carry it around the parks-- for me, it was mostly for organizing stuff before the trip and at night. If I had a ps that day, I just jotted the number down on a piece of paper and took it with me. At night, I emptied my receipts into the days pockets, and my notes, etc. I did write my "agendas" on the Passporter, but by the time the day came, I had either memorized the agenda or abandoned it, so I didn't need to carry the book with me.

[FFerret]

Thanks for the heads-up on the free Passporter, y'all!

(happy ferret dance)

I'm on a strict WDW budget (been planning for our first trip since 2000 and we're going in Dec), but this looks like it's going to come in handy, and for less than 5 dollars shipped priority too.

[ebaynut31]

I use my Passporter book to write all my info and conf #'s and everything. Has pockets in the back to put papers and things in and I usually keep my license, KTTW cards and such in my Passporter Passpocket. Would never go without them!! Karen