Laid back planners.... where ya at?! *DESPERADOS UNITE!*

[mickeysaver]

I used to be far more commando than I am now. I guess after 10 trips since 2001, it's about time. This trip will be seriously laid back. We know what parks we are going to hit for each of our days. We have ADR's set, but will cancel the ones that we won't be using well in advance, so that others may benefit. Basically, we will see what we can see, do what we can do, leave when we are hot and/or it's too crowded for our comfort, leave for a middle of the day break for a nap and/or pool time, and finally will return to a park for the evening to enjoy the fireworks and/or parades. I am really looking forward to this trip.

I can't wait until this time next week, because I will be in the pixie dust bubble at POFQ with my partner without any other family and without her work blackberry and that my friends will be a beautiful thing indeed.

ARRRRRRRRR! I be a Desperado too my fine Mickey matey.

ETA: If my partner wasn't a very picky eater with multiple food allergies, I would not make any ADR's at this point, but she is so I do.

 

[smileycrissy]

ARRRRRR! So love it!

Tomorrow, I'm off to Home Depot to get my Alien Green Mickey, put a patch on him, and see how many people notice him when I'm in the park.

Growing up my dad never made a schedule of us having to be at this park for this item at such time. We had fun doing whatever we wanted whenever. And if we didn't get a chance to ride it that day, well there was always the next day of the trip or next year to try it again.

 

[disneydiva1313]

Laid back planner...laid back vacation. Obviously, I plan as far as airfare and resort reservations...but, that's it. Once in a great while, I will get an ADR somewhere we really want to eat...only because you can't get in otherwise. We usually go with the flow...do what we feel like doing...no worries...no rushing around. Really, the most planning we do is packing our suitcases.

 

[CleveRocks]

I've noticed these boards are filled with type A personalities, and people who plan every step. and I say KUDOS to each and every one of you for your planning skill (that I've noticed from TRs result in FANTASTIC vacations). Disney vaca planning is really an art, as I've learned.

I, however much I'd love to, do not fit into that category. Anyone else? It makes me feel somewhat like a freak on these boards

Any other non-planning laid back planners out there?!

We never plan. We find out every little thing we can find out. We find out the facts, the strategies, the contingencies, the bargains, the times, the hidden fun, the opinions, and so on. Well, I find it out, and the wife trusts me.

That way, no matter where or when we find ourselves, we can make the best of it.

We NEVER plan what parks to go to on what days. I mean, I make a chart of park hours, parade/fireworks times, Extra Magic Hours times, and so on, but it's an INFORMATIONAL chart, not a list of what we must do. It informs us. If we want to see Fantasmic, for example, we know the two or three days during our week that we can choose from, and so on.

We make one or two ADRs, and no more. And we HATE those days. We HATE the idea of having to be somewhere at a certain time during vacation ... too much like every other day of the year to us.

The way we pretty much decide which parks on which days is to ask the kids either the night before or the morning of. We did this even when the kids were 5 and 2 (they were almost 9 and 6 on our most recent trip last year). THAT usually makes the uber-planners' heads explode.

Because we know all the information and all the strategies and smart moves and stuff like that, we always have a great time, we always do everything we want to do, and we never have any regrets, just fun!

 

[Pineapple Whip]

We make one or two ADRs, and no more. And we HATE those days. We HATE the idea of having to be somewhere at a certain time during vacation ... too much like every other day of the year to us.

I agree. I don't count ADR's and other reservations for limited seating as commando, however they are of limited convenience. Yes, if you want to do a particular thing, you may have to make a reservation, and that's life.

You are right, it makes those days more frustrating for us because at that moment that I have to head to my "appointment" Mickey Mouse and the gang will appear right next to me to do something cool.

Depending on what I was reserving... I may blow it off if something cool enough happens.

 

[Planogirl]

Yay, planners more like me!

All I did was find parks without EMH and I made two ADR's in two of those parks. Now I'm done.

We do get to parks at rope drop though and we do know which attractions to hit first. We have several days with no specific plans and we love it like that!

 

[TillyMarigold]

I'm totally type A before I go, not at all once I get there. I like to be informed--I don't want to waste time dithering, but I also don't want to plan. So when I say "I'm hungry, where can I eat?" I like to know what options are nearby or farther away, etc., but I don't decide QS in advance.

I do book ADRs (love to eat!) and for most days I plan which park it would be easiest for us to start at, with the understanding that we could decide to do something else at any minute.

I am a committed park hopper.

 

[Pakey]

My planning barely goes beyond buying the plane ticket. I used to make ADRs and plan which day at what park, etc. Now we often get up and never even make it to a park. With the exception of our dinners at V&A, we don't really care enough to plan. If we can get in somewhere, fine, if not, that's okay too.

 

[Fantasmic23]

When my family goes we don't even do that much. We just have the hotel reservation and figure out which park we want to visit each morning when we get up.

 

[Poohbug]

Well Arrrrrrr me in.

I will kind of plan out what park on what day. I don't make many ADR's anymore-they have gotten to be too much of a pain. When we get to the park, we just go with the flow-no plans whatsoever. If we decide we want to change things up when we get there-no problem.

All the planning some people do makes my head hurt. Agonizing over what resort to stay at, when/where/what times for ADRs, getting up in the middle of the night to make ADRs or reservations, following a touring plan every minute-its just to much work for me. I'm on vacation, if I wanted to work, I would just stay home.

 

[KellyNY]

I fully agree with the above definition. I want to say I am a commando, but not in the sense that they define it on this board. I am type A/B all the time but B when I'm on vacation or in a park. When I'm in the park, there is a good chance I do not like many of the commando families, and usually it is one member that is commando and forcing the others to have a borderline un-enjoyable time at disney.

They are the rushers, the pushers, the move up to the front of the parade line, ram my stroller in front of you, "My Disney vacation is more important than yours" people.

I PROPOSE THE RISE OF THE "DESPERADOS". They have a name, we should have a cooler name because we are laid back and having a better, unscripted, relaxed time where we can laugh and not worry that the country bear jamboree starts in 5 minutes.

If you enjoy taking the park as it comes along.

If you enjoy saying, hey look the line is short there, let's do that now instead.

If you like showing up with your AP just to ride [insert favorite ride here] get an ice cream cone and leave.

If you're willing to skip the parade and/or fireworks and catch it next time.

If you feel that there will be an awful war for leadership between various commando factions.

If you're willing to defend a CM's honor when they are being berated by a commando.

If you feel psycho dad needs a frozen coke over his head to cool off.

I submit that you are a DESPERADO.

I also propose an Alien Green Home Depot Mickey with an eyepatch for our flag.


All in favor say ARRRRRRRRRRRR

ARRRRRRRRRR

 

[TruBlu]

ARRRRRRRR

I plan our ADRs because we are on the dining plan and if I don't we'll end up eating at places we don't like.

Then we just go with the flow....

 

[TruBlu]

Tomorrow, I'm off to Home Depot to get my Alien Green Mickey, put a patch on him, and see how many people notice him when I'm in the park.

GREAT IDEA!!!

I'm going to do the same thing! I think I can draw the eye patch on with a sharpie.

 

[shalom]

Any other non-planning laid back planners out there?!

I'm a laid back planner, meaning I do plan, but I don't care if the plan works out. I plan pretty loosely - I put the "absolutely must dos" at the beginning of the day, so everyone gets their favorite even if we abandon the plan after the first hour, and there's a lot of "wiggle room" with "maybe this, maybe that" various places. Even when we want to do something scheduled, like the Pirate Tutorial, I keep a list of all the performances so we can switch around if we've wandered off in another direction and would have to rush to make the planned performance. We have more fun doing less, in my experience - all of us hate being rushed, and none of us enjoy stuff we're told we "have" to do.

My dad was commando and I did not enjoy it. I know you can't do some things if you don't plan ahead, but for us that just isn't a high cost to pay - we'd rather enjoy what we do than do "everything" while we're miserable. We don't even like to commit to ADRs, so committing to a plan is right out. I'm struggling a bit right now because I'd really like to do the Pirates Cruise next time -- except for that part where we have to show up at a particular place at a particular time.

 

[Robin K]

arrrrgh here too!
We planned what days to go, what resort, and where our ADRs are just so I don't end up eating burgers all 12 days.
I know what time parades and fireworks are just in case we want to stop and watch, if we don't then we don't. I know what parks we are going to on what days because we don't do park hoppers.
Other than that, we are a go with the flow family. We don't rush to do rope drop, we don't sit around waiting for parades or fireworks hours before it starts.
I think it's my vaction I will plan (or not plan) it the way I want. If I am rushing or waking up early it's just like being at home getting ready for work.
We paid too much to be doing all that!!!
I say to each their own but as for me and my mom we are the arrrrgh family!
Hope everyone has a wonderful vacation.
Sept 8th we arrive!!!!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I must admit that I am your standard "Type A" personality! I obsessively (and very happily!!) planned our first few trips to the world.

Then I found myself insanely busy while going back to school for a double masters, and just couldn't find the time. On those trips, I planned ADRs, had a good sense of which park we wanted to be in on which day (we are big fans of early EMHs in particular), but not more than that.

I actually credit the fact that I was obsessive about those first few trips with having the less-planned trips go just as well also. Things like knowing which rides get ridiculous to wait for after 10am... that kind of thing.

I now have a bit more time, and find myself on the DIS "pre-planning" for a May 2011 trip.

I think that a good base of knowledge about WDW is VERY helpful to all... planning like crazy is just part of the joy of the trip for some... but in my experience doesn't make or break it!

Vive la difference, non?!?

 

[pooch]

Ok, I plan which park (actually 2 parks, we love to hop) which days. The first park based on where I think it'll be less crowded, the second on the latest hours (we're night people). I make ADRs based on the above. That's my plan. Is it too much to be a ?? I have clean new LGMHs waiting for your answer!!!

 

[mmforme2009]

I fall some place in the middle. Plan hotel, ADR's, and a general idea of what parks to hit first. If a park is having EMH, then we head in a different direction. If we get to a park and it just seems too crowded, I've been known to turn around and head out to another part of the world. At first I thought we were wasting so much time, and to some degree we probably are, but hitting a park that isn't as crowded and being able to slow down and really enjoy the little things is worth it for us. I'm just happy be there........

 

[leebee]

ARRRRRRRRRRRRR (that's me AND DD16!)

It's easier to let it all go once you accept the fact that there will ALWAYS be another trip to WDW! I am actually over-planned for this trip, as we are going for free dining. The GOAL of this trip is to try the Disney restaurants, so of course I need ADR's, and as we do not have park hoppers, park hours dictate the park we go to which dictated the adr (make sense?). We absolutely do NOT do rope drop; we are the folks you see at the end of the night, being swept out of the park at the end of EMH evening hours! My planning went something like this:

Which park has evening hours? That's the "Park of the Day."
Where do we want to eat in/near that park? That's the "ADR of the Day."

I did check to see when F! is showing, and which nights do/don't have MSEP, as we decided we want to see F! this trip (but won't stand in line 60 mins, just go about 15 mins prior and sit wherever we can) and haven't seen MSEP so feel the need. We also had to pick a day to go to IoA for WWHP. Needs to be planned as we won't have a car so need to arrange transportation. We are there for 9 days, so we'll have 2 days/park, and if we don't feel the need to go to the park, we won't! Might even cancel the adr and take our chances somewhere else! There are so many Disney restaurants we haven't eaten at (usually stay offsite and do cs or eat at the condo), we could go almost anywhere and have a new experience!

ARRRRRRRR !! Gonna go look for the black Sharpie to fix my mickey heads right now!!

 

[jaci-h]

ARRRRRRRRRRRRR (that's me AND DD16!)

It's easier to let it all go once you accept the fact that there will ALWAYS be another trip to WDW! I am actually over-planned for this trip, as we are going for free dining. The GOAL of this trip is to try the Disney restaurants, so of course I need ADR's, and as we do not have park hoppers, park hours dictate the park we go to which dictated the adr (make sense?). We absolutely do NOT do rope drop; we are the folks you see at the end of the night, being swept out of the park at the end of EMH evening hours! My planning went something like this:

Which park has evening hours? That's the "Park of the Day."
Where do we want to eat in/near that park? That's the "ADR of the Day."

I did check to see when F! is showing, and which nights do/don't have MSEP, as we decided we want to see F! this trip (but won't stand in line 60 mins, just go about 15 mins prior and sit wherever we can) and haven't seen MSEP so feel the need. We also had to pick a day to go to IoA for WWHP. Needs to be planned as we won't have a car so need to arrange transportation. We are there for 9 days, so we'll have 2 days/park, and if we don't feel the need to go to the park, we won't! Might even cancel the adr and take our chances somewhere else! There are so many Disney restaurants we haven't eaten at (usually stay offsite and do cs or eat at the condo), we could go almost anywhere and have a new experience!

ARRRRRRRR !! Gonna go look for the black Sharpie to fix my mickey heads right now!!

You'll be there when we are!!! I'll have to look for your pirate mickeys