do you pre-plan each day(schedule) or play it by ear?

[nvsnot]

I plan which park for each day according to "crowd level" predications.

Make ADR's according to where we will be that day.

Make a list of "must do" attractions and know which "must do" attractions must be done early a.m. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

 

[Texas Rob]

We just plan the ADR's and then the parks to go with them (if applicable). After that we just go the opposite direction of the crowd when we first enter the park if there is a large crowd. We never run around and get fp's and we always seem to make it on all the rides we want to ride. I am not big into drama on our vacation because after all....it is a VACATION...(nothing against you planners btw, to each his/her own).

 

[Chumster]

What worked for us (DD 26 DD 23 DS 16) was to plan out the first 4-5 days (we had 6 day non-park hopper passes to WDW and 2 day park hoppers to Universal for a 7 day trip) which covered one day to each of the 4 Disney parks and one park hopper day at Universal. Then with the last two days, we waited until the night of day 5 to choose what to do with our last 2 days. We knew one would be park hopping at Universal until late afternoon (it closed early due to Grad Bash) with that night at a Disney park and the last day would be an all day Disney park. To be honest, what I expected us to choose based on what we enjoyed on our last trip 12 years ago completely changed on this trip, so I'm glad we left it open for those last two days. I also found that the weather made a big difference. Squalls and 100% thunderstorms were predicted for our last two days and I felt some parks were more conducive to walking around in ponchos all day (since there were more things to do inside). We DID using Touring Plans, their Lines app, and their Unofficial Guide - helped SO much. We chose their adult one day plan for each park and then personalized those like another poster mentioned - we removed the attractions our group wasn't interested in and left time to visit our favorites twice. Those tools worked out great for us.

 

[Butterbunkins]

We start by looking at the calander for when we'll be there. We check out park hours and EMH. Even if we do EMH we don't spend the rest of the day in those parks. So when we decide which parks we aren't going to we figure out where we DO want to go by making our ADRs. The only other thing we plan is if there are any FP we want to get first thing when we arrive at a park. After we get those we play it by ear the rest of the way. I think for the most part we are very relaxed.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We plan which day we will hit each park, and ADRs. That's it. For us (not saying anything against commando-style touring), we are asking for stress and agitation if we try to map each park out, ride by ride.

That's what I do. If you have ADR's, you kind of have to plan that much. Otehrwise, we are happy to simply hop on the first bus that arrives.

Beyond that, we could never be happy mapping out a specific ride order, nor woud I want to. Too many times when we arrive a ride is down or something unexpected happens that would throw our plans out the window.

What I do suggest though is using some kind of strategy so that you don't waste time. You know your family best. some families want to be part of the decision process, other family members need direction and leadership.

What you will want to do - by the time you more or less enter each park is decide on an e-ride to hit. Ride one e-ride, then get a fp for a second- or reverse that, get a fp, then ride an e-ride while the lines are short. Do use fastpass. once you get the major rides taken care of, you can spend the peak crowd hours doing the uncrowded rides.(and using fastpasses as you get them)

We never really do parades, but I do note the fireoworks times. Epcot is always 9pm, HS is more or less at park closing, AK had none. It's really just MK that you actually have to pay attention. Sometimes we happen to see the evening light parade at MK - that's the best of all of them. But we're happy being three rows back, so we don't waste time staking out a parade spot. If front row viewing is your thying, then that would be another aspect to consider.

We only do one ADR per day. Our QS meals are never planned- except again - if you can avoid the crowds, so much the better. Avoid eating lunch between noon and 1pm. Either arrive by 11:45, or snack until after 1pm.


E-rides at MK are the 3 mountains, Peter Pan- and the new rides as they open
At Epcot there Soarin' and TT (but that's closed now)
At HS there's TSM, RnRC, and maybe ToT (not quite as crowded as the other two)
At AK, there's EE and the safari...also if you want to see FotLK or the Nemo show you have to kind of plan to see those. If the park is crowded, then sometimes you have be in line for them an hour before the show starts! I would advise that you allow at least 45min on any day.

It also pays to think a tad about which atractions might be priorites, and when is the best time to see them. I don't make any hard plans, but I also rarely get in any line that's over 20minutes long. For example, 'kiddie' rides have long lines during 'kiddie' hours- late at night - the lines are short. But if you can only stay for kiddie hours, then maybe that's a consideration for you. Also, 'everyone' wants to do the wet rides in the late afternoon, in the heat of day. After folks get wet, they go back to their room to change for dinner. So aim to either ride at another time of day, or make sure you have a fastpass. Mornings the lines are short.

Another tool which makes lack of planning easier is using the single rider line. You will not sit with your family- you will be split up, and kids under 7 can't use it- BUT - the SR line is often quite a bit shorter than standby.

Last, we usually decide while we are in line for one attraction where we are going to go after that attraction - or at least which direction we're going to go. That way we aren't standing around arguing. We tell each other in advance if someone wants a break or food or something.

 

[clairemolly]

We plan which park each day so we can book ADRs. We also will sometimes map out a general plan, like focusing on WS, etc. We do not follow a rigid touring plan, but are more go with the flow. We will, however, map out a tentative plan of attack for the next x number of hours.

The only park that is an exception is DHS...we plan the night before which shows we are watching when. We sometimes also do this with AK.

 

[tndisneyfan]

I like to plan certain parks on certain days. It makes it easier when scheduling ADRs to know what park you are going to be in. But we do not make a park touring plan.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

We plan which park to hit each day then ADR's around that. We usually hop after lunch so if our evening ADR is in another park we head somewhere else in the morning. We dont plan ride by ride what we want to do but I know which rides fill up first and which order to hit them in to avoid lines. We do not wait in anything longer than 20 minutes for attractions and knowing which things to hit first or get FP's for helps with that but we don't plan X then X then X then X all day long.

 

[Julia Says]

We've only been once (second trip coming in Sept!) but we found that making a rough plan worked out really well for us. We choose parks based on crowd levels and/or events going on, make any ADR's to match those. We decide what our #1 ride/show/activity each day will be and plan that first thing (Jedi Training, for example).

I review all the rides and shows, decide which ones look promising for us, and kind of map out a route that doesn't have us back-tracking too much-- so we have a route planned, but not a schedule. We don't do a lot of table service meals, so we can just stop and eat when we get hungry. I do try to make a guess as to what area we will be in around meal times so we have some idea what to expect.

 

[mgoblue21]

I plan which parks on which days, since that really helps with dining reservations. I also plan around things like parade schedules, MNSSHP, F&W Festival events, etc.

But other than the basis "which park on which day" schedule, i don't really have a specific plan. Just a loose idea of which attractions to hit early in the morning (Soarin, TSM), which things can wait until later in the day (things with short waits like Carousel of Progress), etc. I've been to WDW several times and don't feel the need to "fit it all in" on every trip -- so I'm not a park commando. I also go at slower times of year with lower crowds (usually October) so I can afford to take a more casual approach to touring.

Same here. My parents have DVC, so it's not like I'll only be going to Disney once every 5 years or something.

You have to plan parks based on day to aid dining reservations, but other than that I just have the basics of biggies vs. rides that wait until later.

We're going in September, so helps that lines won't be too bad as well. I'd rather be somewhat casual (breaks in afternoon, etc) and enjoy the trip than go all out and end up exhausted and cranky

 

[jdb in AZ]

Since we're very spontaneous people, and visit the parks during the off-season, we just make up plans as we go along, unless we have an ADR or a tour scheduled. Trying to follow a rigid schedule on vacation isn't my idea of a good time.

Lest you think we're slackers, we're going on a Disney cruise next week, which we scheduled a year in advance, and we booked shore excursions the day the booking window opened. But we can cancel the excursions without penalty 24 hrs in advance.

 

[Spunky946]

We plan which day in which park and plan our Adr's accordingly. Our first trip was in March of 2009 and dh learned the hard way how hard it was without Adr's. We were staying off property, so we just ate off for dinner a lot.

We went this past Dec 2011 and planned a lot more Adr's. He let me choose which days we went were.

Although I would use a touring plan for the park itself, he would kill me, so for the sake of enjoying the vacation, we did not use a touring plan. He did however let me guide them to the appropriate headliners, especially TSM in Hollywood.

We however never had to to the bigger rides because ds7 was scared and dd3 was too short.

This next trip, Feb of 2013, it will be interesting because dd will be 4 and now tall enough for at least Splash and BTMRR. I'm not sure if she will go on TOT or not. Ds may actually go on splash and BTMRR too. If that is the case, then we may have to change it up a bit if they want to ride them early.

We shall see. Anywho its a comprimise for us. I plan which days where, and we kinda go with the flow inside the park, well we try to anyways.

 

[pigletto]

We plan which park on each particular day and make ADR's in the vicinity usually. We always make rope drop or park opening.Other than that we hit our favourites and attractions that get busy quickly first thing in the morning.
No plans beyond that.
I am *almost* wondering if I shouldn't have come up with more of a plan that that because this upcoming week is busier than any other week I've been. But after this many trips it's kind of intuitive and I dislike following a plan.
I suppose if I find it really busy after our first day I could print a touring plan, but I am hoping not to. I don't like being on any sort of schedule.

 

[ARAITHEL]

After setting up the ADRs, we wing it. I get one really big vacation a year. I work the approximately 340 days a year at a very stressful job. . It's supposed to be relaxing with no schedule for me! But I'm also a person who thinks that setting on a bench anywhere on disney property and enjoying just being there is enough.

 

[ssleblanc]

A little of both.

I plan my ADR's, and therefore which park on which day. I also create touring plans on the various sites that have them. I read the why's/hows of the touring plans. I don't want to show up at 11 at DHS expecting to ride TSMM, not knowing the details or possible problems with that plan. I read/plan/schedule.

THEN - I relax. I go in knowing that if we want to ride a big draw attraction, what we need to do. I know that Safari is best in the morning (active animals). Etc. Etc. But if we don't make it, we don't. If we see something else we want to do, we do it. I don't want to miss smelling the roses in order to stick to a rigid schedule. I also don't want to miss an attraction our whole family really wants to see/do because I failed to plan/learn.

For me, the touring plans and schedule are a tool to help us get the most out of our vacation, but not something we must live by (except for the ADR's).

 

[pg0314]

I used to be an obsessive planner ... had every minute of every day planned months in advance. I found myself getting so caught up in following the plan and seeing/doing everything that I was just stressing myself out.

Now I take a much more 'go with the flow' attitude and I find I have a lot more fun. I might not get to see and do everything on my list but that's okay. Just gives me an excuse to go back again!

 

[spacefly67]

Why waste park time in August planning what you're going to do when you can waste work time right now?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We also did a few spontaneous sit down meals without any problem (and this was during free dining) so for next months trip we're scraping any plans to do ADRs too. I get the feeling the fervor over securing them early is a bit overblown.

This is a good point.

I often go with extended family, so it isn't always easy to get last minute reservations for a party of 12 at the places we want to dine and the times we like to eat. When we don't go with extended family, it's much easier to wing dining. About 5 years ago though, even with our large group, I could usually go ahead and make last minute ADR's. I'm kind of hoping to go back to that system. I sure don't like the idea of paying $10 a head for our group of 12 if we decide we want a different dinner.

Many of our ADR's are at resorts, so switching the parks around is pretty easy. ADR's are not the only consideration- we like MK pm emh, for example.

 

[flortlebap]

I was considering a touring plan for the first time this year. Only problem is, the custom TP website plans don't seem that accurate - for example hitting tangled meet and greet at 10:30am?

My other concern is that, having four excited young kids visiting MK for the first day, planning will go out the window and they'll just want to hit whatever we walk past!! Not sure how to get round that one...

 

[Annadesu]

We're a bit of both... we plan SOME things (like where to eat, what sections of the park to go to first, what fastpasses to grab), but otherwise, we basically just look at the map and go "lets go here at some point!"