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

[Raysplus1]

We leave in 4 days for our 8 day trip to BWV. The only plans we have are for a couple of ADR and that is it. We just go to the parks that strikes our mood that day. I just don't like coming back from a vacation and feel like I need another because I am worn out from the 1st one.

 

[eliza61]

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?!

Plan, what plan?

My family's very first trip to Disney, I followed all the advice here to the "T". we did rope drops, made ADR's (they were called PS back then) etc etc and we had an absolutely miserable trip. My husband threaten me, I mean he actually said if he saw that stupid spread sheet one more time he was going back home.

Forcing every one up at the crack of dawn so I can supposedly "get every thing done" was one of the worse mistakes I ever made.

Now, we don't do rope drops, we don't do TG Mike and if we go for 10 days we may make 2 ADR's. You know what, we manage to "get every thing done", we manage to not starve to death and we have wonderful memory filled vacations.

We don't even plan on the park days anymore. We get up and decide what park we will go to. It's absolute heaven.
Don't believe the hype, you can still go to wdw and have a great time without planning your vacation like the D-day invasion of Normandy.

 

[sters]

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?!

I hope I don't offend, that's not my intent, but these boards are tailor made for Type A's. Wouldn't Type B's be chilling out right now? Or, are you a Type B+.

 

[quagmire0]

Seeing that our daughter will be 4 and our son will be 16 months for our first visit to DW, it's imperative that our vacation NOT be planned to the T. With little kids we've found that life is much easier when we have no set agenda. No hard and fast agenda = no disappointment if we have to leave the park, or take breaks at certain times, etc.

What I WILL plan though is what parks we hit on what days, dinners, character events, etc. etc. I'll probably exhaust myself digging through all the 'tips' posts and maybe make a notecard for each park listing sites to see and places to stop. That way, we aren't going in totally blind, but we'll have the information at our fingertips.

Also, the beauty of technology these days is that if you have a smartphone, you can pretty much pull up information on the fly. I may actually just put all my tips in Google Docs and then access it when I need to. Not to mention all the apps for wait times and the ability to even set gps coordinates if I wanted to. It's OVERWHELMING the amount of info you could soak up from this board. But the important thing is to RELAX and enjoy the moment. You can't fret every minute about having to make this event and possibly missing that event. We had a great time at Disneyland with our daughter when she was 18 months because we just kind of let her dictate most of what we did and where we went. She was extremely happy and, for the first time in forever, had passed out in the stroller at the end of the day.

 

[mitsu13gman]

The first time we went I was 15 and my mom was the commando. When we went last year, we all swore we weren't going to be commmando that time, but I kinda flipped a switch when I got there.

I'm also the one who, on the ME bus back to the airport figured out we could do it again this year!

This time, we have our ADRs, but I'm trying not to even plan the parks. We've got hoppers, so we're never pinned down as long as we make it to dinner.

I'm really trying to go with the flow this year. We know we can go back, and it's better to relax and enjoy it. That said, I did add an extra day this year 6 nights vs. 5,) so we've got more flexability. Hopefully that will encourage us to take more breaks and slow down. I also have learned about MANY snack options I must try this year, so that will slow us down, too.

I don't know if I've earned my eyepatch yet, but how about just my hat so far?

 

[Goofygirl17]

I love to read all the advice on the boards, print the UG crowd calendar recommended parks, print park hours and parade/fireworks schedules and check the weather repeatedly. Then we go, try to make rope drop, go on whatever rides we want, get whatever fast passes are available, eat when we're hungry, and go back to the pool when we're just too hot and tired!

I guess that's a combination A/B personality but we have a great time! If the lines are too long we keep moving and find something else fun to do. We also take days off and just hang around the pool or go to the water parks.

This last trip I booked our ts resorts on Monday and started driving with my girls Wednesday morning We had an awesome trip! I had my printed lists but we just went wherever we wanted. We did try to get to rope drops but just because it was brutally hot!

Goofygirl

 

[cm8]

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

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[mickeysaver]

I am having a heck of a time getting motivated to pack. Normally at 2 weeks out, I am packed and ready to go. We aren't pin trading this time, we are only taking the video/camera this time, and we are not bringing a trip mascot. It will be a breeze to get packed. I have the outfits already set aside, but there is just some odd mental block that is keeping me from packing my bags.

How's that for lack of planning?

 

[mickeysaver]

Still not packed, my partner is, but I am not, which is so freakin' odd, that it totally defies logic. I did notice some changes to the park hours and entertainment was published again today. At least some things don't change, I will be prepared with the basic knowledge of park hours, even if I am washing my undies in the sink.

 

[Pineapple Whip]

Still not packed, my partner is, but I am not, which is so freakin' odd, that it totally defies logic. I did notice some changes to the park hours and entertainment was published again today. At least some things don't change, I will be prepared with the basic knowledge of park hours, even if I am washing my undies in the sink.

I do my best packing at the last minute. I have an "area" where I gather all the crap I need to take. Then I empty a bunch of clothing appropriate for my trip from my closet, then I pack according to where I'm going. It leaves me no time to overthink anything, and if you have a system, you pack perfectly every time.

 

[WDWResort]

My friends and I plan everything up until we drive into the Walt Disney World resort. From there, we go with the flow, we each have an annual pass and we usually go for 4 days so no matter what we'll be able to take part in practically everything.

Laid back is the way to go.

 

[jaci-h]

I hope I don't offend, that's not my intent, but these boards are tailor made for Type A's. Wouldn't Type B's be chilling out right now? Or, are you a Type B+.

None taken

I think I'm more of a A/B hybrid....

but dontcha think type b's like to read about their beloved WDW, too?! I come to the boards to read and chat about WDW and my love for it... not to learn how to make a spreadsheet that I will not use on my trip. LOL.

Tips are helpful. I like to read the tips and maybe they'll absorb so when I need them the most, the lightbulb will come on and I'll say lets do X, because I remember something on disboards about it...........

ARRRRRRRRRRR

btw: my "planned in 24 days" trip will be here in 13 days! and it's all "planned" aka tickets are bought, hotel is reserved, and flights are chosen. We planned 3 ADRs and then promptly deleted them because it was too much to handle or remember QS meals it is! and I couldn't be happier.

I started a PTR and then realized there isn't much for me to talk about on it. hahahaha.......

 

[DisneyFed]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Bout the only thing planned are the dates we're going to be there....

Everything else is subject to change...at ANY given moment.

 

[mickeysaver]

I do my best packing at the last minute. I have an "area" where I gather all the crap I need to take. Then I empty a bunch of clothing appropriate for my trip from my closet, then I pack according to where I'm going. It leaves me no time to overthink anything, and if you have a system, you pack perfectly every time.

See that is usually how I do things, but our lives have been so busy and upsidedown since March due to my partner traveling to Florida for 2 to 3 week stretches to give her sister a break from caring for their mother, who needs 24 hour care now. This leaves me home alone to take care of all the household stuff and caring for all 8 of our pets with no help. Gabby came home Sunday and so far, we have only had one night at home after work to do anything and that was Monday night and it's that crazy back to school season here so I am being slammed with form requests from all of those last minute parents who didn't realize such things were needed. Needless to say, I cooked dinner and called it a night early.

I have high hopes for tonight. I have lists made out of what all still needs to be gathered together before we board the dogs, load my clothes into a suitcase, and finally all of that extra stuff that you need to stay healthy and more inexpensively at Disney. I need to iron about 10 pair of shorts because the pocket flaps are all wadded up and wrinkly. Plus, last night, Gabby decided that we needed to do a craft project to decorate the EVC, which we normally do, but had decided to go with the low stress trip this time, with no pin trading, no stuffed critter trip mascots, no blinged out ECV, and only one camera/video camera. I feel like I need 2 days off just to get ready for my vacation.

We arrive in 72 hours.

 

[schmoopypoo]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Bout the only thing planned are the dates we're going to be there....

Everything else is subject to change...at ANY given moment.

Totally agree!! We're DVC owners so we know we'll be back

 

[Golden_Eagle426]

I make plans during the months proceeding the trip (to help get me excited) and then immediately throw them way as soon as I arrive in Florida. I feel that it is more fun to play it by ear

 

[Beatles_Girl]

Hahahaha love it!! We're also laid back people, we usually get 2 or 3 ADR's in a 10 day trip and check crowd calendars that's it!! We enjoy every minute of our trip, we wake up late and hit the parks at 12:00pm almost every day, ARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

 

[MsDisney23]

I prefer to look at a Disney vacation as a vacation, not a mission.

I know what park/s I will be in each day/night based on whatever is/are the low crowd ones for that day/night. I might have 1 to maybe 3 (at the most) dining reservations made. Most of my trips are solo (can't yet get wife back to Disney ) but do meet up most days with folks from the boards. So I need to know who I am meeting and where and when. I always have an AP so am completely flexible.

That's about it.

Hey Ole Buddy,

I hope to meet up with you one day in the parks

 

[Meezoogirl]

I'm in.. I have always been a type A personality when it comes to planning.. Along came my DD... All that planning went out the window. Now I pick what park to go to each day and make 1 reservation for a late lunch early dinner and that's it. We are never there at rope drop.. We see what we see...

We went the week of Thanksgiving last year and it was really crowded.. We just walked around.. went on a few rides, and were fine.. We didn't spend our whole trip in line.. I don't mind lines, but there is no way I can get a 2year old to stand in line for 90 min for Winnie the Pooh..

This year we are going the week before Thanksgiving. I hope it's less crowded.. According to the Crowd Cal it is..

 

[JulielovesDisney]

The only planning we do is when are we going, where are we staying, and where are we eating each night. Then we just pretty much go with the flow after that.