Planning Obsessed

[cyneswith]

Anyone else planning obsessed?

I have a spreadsheet of the clothes we're bringing, and they are half-packed in ziplocs (next size up for my boy, 1.5 sizes up for my girl). I'm working on treat bags for the drive (not food, obviously), complete with poems. I'm working on pre-trip schedules, and schedules for the trip itself (the latter is profoundly lacking in detail, aside from a dinner at BoG).

The amount of planning I'm putting into this is NUTS compared to the actual trip.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I love planning out trips, but I'm certainly not a spreadsheet type of girl. Normally, I'll write a list ahead of time of items that we're bringing, & pack them the day before. Sounds to me like maybe you really, really enjoy planning? If so, go for it & have fun! If you feel you're over planning, step back, relax, and give yourself a break. It is, after all, a vacation!

 

[Rickat96]

I also have used a spreadsheet- has the week plan, tab for how the trip was financed, fast pass selections and ADR's. To me-it added the excitement of planning the trip, you can over-plan but don't be militant if it changes when you get there. Don't chase fast pass' and ADR's=no fun.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Gotta love spread sheets!!! I usually start planning a year in advance...I also make my own autograph books so if I start planning so early then I can take my time creating the perfect book! For our next trip though I am also making my kids their own pass ports for Epcot as well. I also make Disney journals for my eldest so I do a ton of planning!

 

[Mousemommy1]

I am soooo bad at making spreadsheets, so I gather all of the information and hand it off to DH who makes the most amazing laminated spreadsheets. I don't do it a year out, lol, but I do it once I have all of our ADR's and FP's squared away!

We have 74 days until our trip, so in 2 weeks I will be in final planning prep mode!! Right now, I am obsessing over packing. It's a much bigger challenge with a toddler and all of his things!

 

[cyneswith]

To be fair, my baby steals pens and is obsessed with eating paper. I tried to just write down lists, but she shredded 5 iterations of the clothes list. I gave up and went to my preferred method of making lists on the computer - she can only delete one cell of information at a time.

And my plans for while we're there include 2 ADRs (BoG and Supercalifragilistic breakfast), and which days we go to which parks (which are flexible, aside from the ADR.) FastPasses will be made after we get to WDW.

 

[CinderellaElla]

I love planning trips. I am a micro manager. But if there's one thing I've learned from all these Disney trips, it's that you need to be flexible! No trip will ever go exactly as you planned it for any number of reasons but you can't let that ruin your vacation. Easier said than done but just roll with it! I have NEVER had a Disney vacation that went exactly as I planned it. But that's what makes each one unique!!

 

[elaine amj]

I am an obsessed color-coded spreadsheet-mad planner. My family has no interest in listening to me. The day before/day of the trip my DD likes to look through the day's plans (no real interest before the trip). My DH will ask me questions during the trip about stuff I have told him repeatedly for months before the trip (we all know they tune me out - and I am glad they do!).

I have been working on letting go when I can't make things happen though. I admit - I have a hard time with that. If someone says they want to do something, I will move heaven and earth and drive myself batty trying to make it happen. When this is DURING a trip, its no fun for anyone (yes, I've done it). Better to just say, "we'll try - but if I can't get the FP/ADR after 1-2 attempts, we're just going to have to pass". After all, they all KNOW that WDW takes planning. And they need to tell me their must-dos BEFORE we get there. I will admit that if the ask was the night before, I would (and have) stayed up for hours rearranging things to make it happen.

 

[danc18]

Planning is good. It avoids a lot of problems. Just remember that some kids play with the wrapping instead of the contents. Plan well but be super flexible.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

Also a color coded spreadsheeter here!

The planning just builds up to the trip

 

[MouseMama11]

Omg we are 175 days out and I have 3 or 4 spreadsheets going!! All color coded!! My mom put me in charge of making the ADRs so I have our dining schedule mapped out, I have packing lists made, and we're going over Easter so I have a spreadsheet of what the "Easter Bunny" should be hiding in our room... my hubby thinks I'm nuts LOL!

 

[kreckl]

I like to plan a lot in detail- feel like it helps me relax when we are there. BUT I am totally fine changing it all up once the trip starts. There is a lot to plan that could make your trip more special, but remember it may not work out the way you want at all!

 

[jvz82]

I see this is an old thread, but I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has color coded spread sheets, lol. I know I am driving my husband crazy. Even my 7 year old said "Mom, you talk about Disney more than I talk about Angry Birds and that is a lot" haha.

Honestly, I think that having detailed plans will allow for a much smoother trip and it will let me be more relaxed on the trip. Our last Disney trip wasn't planned out well (it was sort of last minute and we had extended family members to also plan with) and we spent a lot of time saying "What should we do next?" after getting off a ride and it was a waste of time. It also would make the kids get super antsy. So I want to have a good plan in place but I am totally ok if we don't follow my plans exactly. I'm more than happy to go with the flow as long as we have something to go back to.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

Agreed with Jvz, we wasted so much time on the What To Do Next question and crisscrossed the park multiple times.
But I do have to say that I have overplanned and Disney found a way to throw a monkey wrench into it with their schedule changes. Possible they are in league with big pharma because I am going to need some chill out pills if they keep changing the schedule.