Do you think it's possible to over-plan for a Disney trip?

Phoenixrising · Aug 28, 2015

I tend to over research, and plan. For WDW it feels like I have to do alot more planning, and to be honest it can really stress me out at times. DH relies on me to make all the decisions when it comes to booking the trip, so I feel pressure to make the right decisions for the family. Once we leave on the trip my stress goes away and then it's DH doing all the stressing out, especially 2 weeks prior to the trip. Then he's constantly bugging me about the trip details. All he want's prior to this is the dates we want to go, where, and when I've got everything booked.

HeyHomie · Aug 29, 2015

A Walt Disney World trip isn't like a trip to the Grand Canyon or to the beach - there are dozens, hundreds of variables that have to be considered and planned for. Lots of things happen at specific times, other things can be either a joy or a nightmare depending on what time you try to do them. For this reason, meticulous planning is essential.

BUT: what works for my family may not work for your family, and vice-versa. I have heard of people over-planning to the point that they've gotten physically ill from the anxiety of it all. Not to mention, a WDW vacation is comprised of thousands of little moments, many of them unexpected, spontaneous, or that occur just from being in the right place at the right time. You can't plan for all that, no matter how hard you try.

So the bottom line is this: yes, I think it's possible to over-plan. But your definition of over-planning may not be the same as my definition of over-planning.

WDW_Crazy · Sep 4, 2015

Dramatic Muffin said:
Does researching and investigating even the small details take some of the fun out of it? Or do you feel it's part of the fun and is necessary to make sure you don't miss anything?

I plan and research all the way up until I load my suitcase in the car. Do your research. It pays off.

CowboysButterfly · Sep 4, 2015

I am the planner in the family, no matter if it is WDW or any other vacation, I am the one figuring out where we stay, what we do, and what we eat. I don't plan so much that every minute is planned out, just enough where we have a general idea of what direction we are headed each day.

kjw42 · Sep 4, 2015

I enjoy planning to a degree. It's been a long time since our last trip as a couple and now that we are a family of four it definitely seems more difficult.

Mom2Maybabies · Sep 4, 2015

I don't plan our ride schedule except for fast passes. But do plan sit down dinners and especially our clothes!!!! I had a spreadsheet for our outfits on our last trip!!

nvsnot · Sep 9, 2015

I plan:
park days (depending on crowd level)
dining reservations (depending on park)
rides that are to riden first a.m. to avoid long wait times
and any other activities that require a reservation

*This will be my first time going since the implementation of the FP+. I don't know how i'm going to feel about planning rides so far in advance, but this will be part of the planning process as well.

WIcruizer · Sep 9, 2015

Yes, it's possible to over-plan. And that's coming from someone who gets teased all the time by family and friends who know how much of a planner I am. So I get it, for sure.

Problem is, you can't plan for bad weather, a ride suddenly being shut down. Someone getting sick. Or having flexibility if you want to change a restaurant, don't feel like a ride/attraction at that time you planned, etc. Or it's 110, and you need a break. Lots of other variables too I haven't even mentioned.

So, the problem becomes "the plan" can become a dictator, and we are the minions who bust our butts to follow it to the letter. When we don't, we feel we let ourselves down. Don't get me wrong, for those that plan to only to to WDW once in their lifetime (for example) I would suggest over-planning.

However, since we've been there many times, it's just not worth the stress. Do we take park closing times and EMH in mind? Yes. Try to coordinate ADRs with what park we plan to be in? Sure. Take advantage of Fast Passes? Of course.

But beyond that, we know what rides/attractions we don't want to miss. We know we want to see SpectroMagic and Fantasmic. There's always plenty of time to mix in rides we know rarely have long lines, so they get fit in when they make sense. As a lot of you know, if you go often enough you sort of just know how to work your way through each park. I've found this is much more relaxing, allows time to just look around, people watch, etc.

Will we get to do everything we wanted? Maybe, but probably not. Much to my surprise I have learned not only to accept that, but I love it. It is vacation, not a check list. I have been on Peter Pan many times, if I miss it this year I can ride next year, or some other year. It will not ruin the Magic even a little.

disneyseniors · Sep 9, 2015

WIcruizer said:
Yes, it's possible to over-plan. And that's coming from someone who gets teased all the time by family and friends who know how much of a planner I am. So I get it, for sure.

Problem is, you can't plan for bad weather, a ride suddenly being shut down. Someone getting sick. Or having flexibility if you want to change a restaurant, don't feel like a ride/attraction at that time you planned, etc. Or it's 110, and you need a break. Lots of other variables too I haven't even mentioned.

So, the problem becomes "the plan" can become a dictator, and we are the minions who bust our butts to follow it to the letter. When we don't, we feel we let ourselves down. Don't get me wrong, for those that plan to only to to WDW once in their lifetime (for example) I would suggest over-planning.

However, since we've been there many times, it's just not worth the stress. Do we take park closing times and EMH in mind? Yes. Try to coordinate ADRs with what park we plan to be in? Sure. Take advantage of Fast Passes? Of course.

But beyond that, we know what rides/attractions we don't want to miss. We know we want to see SpectroMagic and Fantasmic. There's always plenty of time to mix in rides we know rarely have long lines, so they get fit in when they make sense. As a lot of you know, if you go often enough you sort of just know how to work your way through each park. I've found this is much more relaxing, allows time to just look around, people watch, etc.

Will we get to do everything we wanted? Maybe, but probably not. Much to my surprise I have learned not only to accept that, but I love it. It is vacation, not a check list. I have been on Peter Pan many times, if I miss it this year I can ride next year, or some other year. It will not ruin the Magic even a little.

This. I feel the same way. This year I have made a plan of the parks with the fp's we want. We are staying for 10 days this time, just my dh and me

I have decided that all the planning and booking is getting too stressful; afterall, life happens. You get tired, not hungry when you have that adr in Epcot, it's raining with lightning, you just plain don't want to do what's scheduled!!!! That is human nature, and the problem with all this planning.

So, for us, I am doing it this way this November. I know we will visit all the parks, so I check the lowest crowd level and sketch that day in for each park. That leaves 6 more days for us with a not scheduled park, but we will have hit the must do attractions with fp's. I fp each park for the day, but in all honesty, we only use 1 or 2 at the most. I don't understand why we have to do 3 fp's, when we are not interested in the choices of dumbo or teacups (we are in our 60's

That just ties up these rides for someone who actually wants to use them! I set up our fp's for the am with rope drop. Then after a rest at our resort, we decide then where to go for the pm. We either wait in lines, or try for a fp. If we don't get one, it's okay.

So we are spontaneous with some planning too. This year we are not doing dining plan, and it feels Wonderful not to have to plan adr's every day.

We do have 3 set up for our 10 days, that's all. We are actually going to eat where we want, When we want to each day. That will be such a relief for us.

I am really looking forward to doing it this way. We also have a universal day planned.
So in answer to your poll, a little of both a and b works for us.

afyoung · Sep 10, 2015

beldred said:
I love the planning! For me, planning is definitely half the fun of the trip. My DH and DS don't care about planning. They want to show up and have fun. The work I do (which I love) allows them to do what they love. It's a win-win. I do agree with the pp who said over planning and over scheduling are very different. I try very hard not to over schedule. We like to wing things once we are at the parks. If it's a crowded time of year, I research a touring plan and follow it as much as possible without making them aware we're following a plan. And if we have ADR's we make a general park plan to get us to those on time. Otherwise, once we get there, we wing it. My big planning in advance lets us be free and easy on the actual trip. Our trips are so different because we vary the time of year so we can experience different things so it's hard to describe.

This. Yes. My planning work "behind the scenes" is what makes our trips flow smoothly and comfortably. I don't plan for anything that can't be manipulated if something new comes up, but I plan enough that we always have something to do- even if that something is a casual "suggestion" to go back to the hotel for some down time before we go back out for the night. I do like to ask before I make the plans what everyone's must do item is, then I go from there. They all know that we might not do their particular item on the first day, but everyone will have their moment.

suzimar57 · Sep 11, 2015

Not only do i plan every detail way ahead for trips we take, but i'll "pretend" plan trips i'll never take (4 weeks during F&W with a split stay at BC CL and CR 14th floor!) - yeah, then i wake up from my daydream.....

BananaCupCake · Sep 12, 2015

I did lots of detail research and plnning. My family apprecaited that I planned everything well ahead of time for the last few trips. Still remember first time we went there without planning when kids were young toddlers, we missed out a lot and didn't do much. After I did research, I can use my time wisely in the parks and give my kids surprises with something that they've never done before. But it's really depends on each family I guess, we like to follow plan closely, but some people would jusy like to go with the flow and take it easy.

Do you think it's possible to over-plan for a Disney trip?

Do you think it's possible to over-plan a Disney Trip?

Yes. Knowing and planning every detail is like a spoiler alert that detracts from the novelty

No, knowing everything beforehand helps ensure I don't skip anything and is part of the fun.

Phoenixrising

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HeyHomie

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WDW_Crazy

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CowboysButterfly

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kjw42

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Mom2Maybabies

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nvsnot

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WIcruizer

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disneyseniors

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afyoung

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suzimar57

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