Can I do it with NO PLANNING?

[TiggerandTink]

Ok so I have a trip in about 1 month and I'm going through planning withdrawal.

I love to research and plan everything I can. That's just the way I am. I like to know that we are doing all we can and making the absolute most out of our vacation. My problem - this time I've been told I'm not in charge and no planning!! Can you believe it?

We are going with another family that has never been to DL before, all the more reason to plan if you ask me. But they are really laid back, no planning, dawdlers even, they are even slow walkers, kind of drives me nuts but I love em anyways. Mom was not sure that she really even wants to go to DL because her and hubby are not amusement park fans but she wants her girls to be able to go. So my hubby said that I can't plan anything and have to just go with their style for this trip. He even suggested I walk behind them so I am not hurrying them. UUUUGGGHHHHH, this is going to drive me crazy. I hope I can make it. I know its a month away but just thinking about all the lost time, missed events, long waits for rides, and whatever else my planning banned mind can think of, is enough to make me

 

[Jenn1116]

Maybe you can ask to hold on to everyone's hoppers. Then, while they are taking their time with breakfast or lunch, or during breaks you can run and grab FP as you excuse yourself to the restroom.

 

[Cinderlala]

I could not do it! It would kill me to just have to sit back & not be allowed the input I need to have! [Control issues? Who, me? ]

Maybe it will be enough just to be in the land of Dis....

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

I don't want to rain on your parade, but this is the type of experience that could ruin a good friendship! I am a planner, and I could NOT, I repeat NOT take a trip where planning, schedules and routines were replaced by dawdling, taking one's time and lazing about!
Perhaps, to mitigate your frustration (assuming you are like me and would just fume in silence....), you could propose meeting places and then split up and do your own things? For example "let's agree to meet at the Plaza Inn for lunch at noon - we want to do FL while you and your girls to Princess Fantasy Faire...."? Would something like that work for you?

Otherwise, may the force be with you, b/c I would absolutely LOSE IT on a trip like that!

ps - ds proposed that we do a trip with his db, SIL and their 3 boys - totally the opposite of our family - sleep in late, no routine, eat when hungry, sleep when tired, never in a hurry kind of people. After seeing me at DL, he now admits that it would cause a family rift that would never be mended!

 

[disney-inspired]

I would just accompany them to the rides that they MUST ride (POTC, HM, Peter Pan, Indiana Jones, Space, BTMRR) and from there give them a park map, tell them about Fast Passes, and say "SEE YA!" . Let them explore the park at their boredom...*cough*leisure, while you do DL your way (planning is the way to go!)

 

[4Ollies]

We took my sister and her family to WDW with us last year. I'm the planner and my sister is the non planner. However, she didn't mind getting up and going which shocked me. Okay, she probably minded but she did it because she noticed the first day how different the crowd was from opening to about two hours later.

I would probably plan just in case they are more open to it than your DH thinks. At the very least, I would NOT give up being there at opening.

Good luck!

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I think I could do DL with no planning - its smaller and not as much involved as a trip to WDW. I couldn't give up control on a WDW vacation though with dining ressies and stuff.
I recently did a trip with my best friend and her son (not disney) and I said right from the beginning 'There is stuff we want to do that you won't and vice versa, so lets plan the stuff we do want ....ok so A, B & C things we will plan for Sat/Sun together and D, E & F things we will plan to be on our own on Mon/Tues and catch you at the hotel later'.
It worked well as they are different type of vacationers to us - they have to be go go go seeing everything, whereas we like to do stuff, but also take an afternoon by the pool to relax. I found being upfront really worked.

 

[audrabolster]

I've done trips both ways before, but never with a group of people that were the opposite of me. I would imagine it will have it's moments of tension...

I almost prefer the non-planning though. I like wandering through the park at our leisure and taking everything in without "omg we have to get there sooo early so we can run around like madmen getting everything done in fantastyland!" I'd almost rather wait in the lines.

I think both systems work well, but mixing the two together? eep!

 

[wendylady36]

Slow walkers drive me insane, especially in Disneyland. I guess it's because I come from a family that walks really fast. Hopefully being in Disneyland will be enough to keep you sane

 

[Vacation Dad]

You can be the runner to go and get fastpasses. This way they won’t have to do the extra walking, and when they do want to go on some rides you can bypass a few of the long lines. And since you will be the one taking these occasional side trips, you can grab a churro whenever you want.

 

[pixiewings71]

We don't plan our trips usually, we just take the day as it comes. We do plan but not every little detail. I hope you guys can find a good balance, I do like the suggestion of doing your own thing for a while, then you can have something to look forward to and it may help you relax. Have fun!!

 

[TravelinGal]

I can't imagine paying that kind of money for a trip and not planning!

I say give them a choice - follow your plan without complaining or dwaddling - or - just meet up once in a while for meals etc.

That said, DL does not need as much planning as WDW. So there is a LITTLE room for slowing down there. (depending on how many days you're there anyway)

For me, planning @ DL means being aware of the popular rides/what ones have fast passes and knowing what time commitiment I want to put into any given ride for a wait. It's a good idea to have sit down meals planned because the restaurants can be tricky to get into during a busy time - or any weekend!

 

[tinkerbelt]

Could you split up with them for a bit? Give everyone their own time off - that way you can get a few hours of planned activities in. We do this when we go with friends occasionally, and it works well, especially when people want to do different things.

 

[ORMom2Four]

I JUST got back (Saturday) from a week long trip with my family and my sister's family (her, her Dh and their 4 kids). They also had never been to Disneyland, while we have been several times.

We found it much easier to split up. They are more laid back too. There was even one day they walked into Disneyland, and left 10 minutes later to take in a MOVIE! (you may gasp in horror here)

It was also very hard to decide where we were going next with so many opinions at once! We decided early on it was best to split up, then meet for an hour or two, then split up again.

I would try to plan what you are going to do with your family, and give the other family ideas of what rides they should not miss.

During the trip, I realized that each family has their own style to Disney. My sister even took in the Whoopi show in CA and said they said they liked it. (we have never bothered with it) The magic will hit them, especially if they do it their way. Today at McD's with my sister, while our kids were playing, she said to me, "I want to go back to Disneyland, like, next week!"

 

[TiggerandTink]

I have suggested that we may have to split up and agree to meet at certain places after say 2 or 3 hours so I am hoping that if I get to frustrated with the slow approach that this will work.

Its good to know that I am not the only one that would find this frustrating though! Great suggestions for finding ways around without "planning". I usually use my husband as the fast pass runner but it may just have to be me this trip to keep my sanity!!

 

[canadianmommyof2]

There was even one day they walked into Disneyland, and left 10 minutes later to take in a MOVIE! (you may gasp in horror here)

That is crazy!

 

[tinkerbelt]

I have suggested that we may have to split up and agree to meet at certain places after say 2 or 3 hours so I am hoping that if I get to frustrated with the slow approach that this will work.

This is what we do. Also, "DD really really wants to go on this ride, and I know that your DD doesn't like it. Would you mind if I took her, and then we can meet up outside whatever ride you want to go on when we are all done?". That one works really well for us. My DD likes the "big kid" rides, and her little best friend doesn't -- and DD doesn't like some of the rides that her friend likes. So when we go together, we will let the girls pick a ride or two that they want to go on, and we split them up for a bit. It works well - it allows us to go to DL with friends, but it also allows everyone to do things they want, without forcing everyone else along.

 

[Cinderlala]

Splitting up is a very good idea.

It allows everyone to move at their own pace. And, I've found that trying to do Disneyland with a big group is often unwieldy---with a lot of lingering & time spent on decision making.

 

[Leofoenget]

Ok so I have a trip in about 1 month and I'm going through planning withdrawal.

I love to research and plan everything I can. That's just the way I am. I like to know that we are doing all we can and making the absolute most out of our vacation. My problem - this time I've been told I'm not in charge and no planning!! Can you believe it?

We are going with another family that has never been to DL before, all the more reason to plan if you ask me. But they are really laid back, no planning, dawdlers even, they are even slow walkers, kind of drives me nuts but I love em anyways. Mom was not sure that she really even wants to go to DL because her and hubby are not amusement park fans but she wants her girls to be able to go. So my hubby said that I can't plan anything and have to just go with their style for this trip. He even suggested I walk behind them so I am not hurrying them. UUUUGGGHHHHH, this is going to drive me crazy. I hope I can make it. I know its a month away but just thinking about all the lost time, missed events, long waits for rides, and whatever else my planning banned mind can think of, is enough to make me

I couldn't do it. I'm going with my sister in law and she keeps saying she wants to "take it all in and go slow" not with me baby. I didn't come all the way over here to wonder in circles. My sister is like that. Take your time to wonder in, take it slow complain that the lines are too long. ( well duh if you hurried a little you could get more done) Why are you going with these people again??

 

[ironpig70]

we are on pace of about 1 trip every 2 years and its kinda $$$ to take a family of 5 as most know. so i plan out our trips not to the point of hour by hour but we know the drill. i know i couldn't just wander behind some folks who have never been or who are not fans.