Show me! How do you organize your trip info for bringing with you?

[mickyzzzzz05]

I use only my phone.

 

[jsmla]

I hate paper and don't keep it if I can. Anything I need is uploaded to my Gdrive and OneDrive and if both are down for some reason I can VPN back into my own file server and grab them.

I thought I was all 21st century screenshotting MDE screens and keeping stuff in my notes app but I have zero idea what any of this is. The only tools I had when planning our first Disney trip were a pencil, paper and the library

 

[MagicPlanning]

I thought I was all 21st century screenshotting MDE screens and keeping stuff in my notes app but I have zero idea what any of this is. The only tools I had when planning our first Disney trip were a pencil, paper and the library

Gdrive = google drive; it's like the google cloud where your google documents are stored (I've made all my planning documents on Google Docs (equiv to Word) or Google Sheets (equiv to Excel) so I've got those on my phone too)
Onedrive = microsoft's version of google drive
VPN = virtual private network

I got it and I'm usually all phone, but this trip is long and has many parts and I want the paper backup so the kids can see too. This has all been helpful!

 

[MickeyWaffles]

My phone. I hate paper!

 

[cdnjason]

My phone. I hate paper!

Agreed. And, for those that are concerned with the battery life of their smartphone, a portable charger is more compact than a note pad or binder of documents.

 

[TriSeb°o°]

@flortlebap very nice one sheeter. Looks like we are kindred organizational spirits. I too generate a spreadsheet that has evolved into its current format over the years. Export as PDF and save to dropbox for mobile viewing and print out a couple of copies for folding and keeping in my pocket.

All number replaced with dummy info:

 

[agavegirl1]

I have redundant sources. The MDE App, a small piece of paper with days plan and my computer which I use for numerous functions including checking for photos in my room. This time, I trust the App better and will use it more. My little slips of paper don't take up much room and I will still use the little cheat sheets.

 

[mousefan73]

We've got a Universal & Disney trip coming up and I'm trying to figure out how to organize all the info so that I can easily access it once we're there. I normally just rely on my phone for everything, but in case something happens I want a paper backup.

I bought different colored paper so I can keep the Universal itinerary separate from the Disney one. And I can print our flight info and boarding passes on another color.

I'm thinking about getting one of these pocket folders:

Do you take a sheet of paper with you each day that has your fastpass & dining reservation, etc. information? Or do you put it on a 1/2 sheet or 1/4 sheet so it's easier to carry? Do you laminate it so it's safe on water rides or put it in a baggie? Any other tips I'm not thinking of?

I'd love to see your organizing methods!

I use a Folder like your red Mead where ýou can also toss smaller notes, Cards etc. as the trip Progresses.

Our trips involve more than Disney.. Example this year we first fly into D.C. rent a car, 4 days AirbNB, then drive to Dollywood, 4 nights cabin, then drive to Orlando for 9 nights Disney... Plus everything in between.. I have everything saved in Email, flight, Alamo, all overnight ressies. etc.... THEN all the fun Disney stuff ( FPs, Dining).

For all reservations, flights, overnight, cars, and Disney reservations confirmations ( especially payment made confirmations etc..) I not only save to one Outlook file Folder, but also PRINT... YES PRINT!!!
One, i enjoy glancing at These things.. my Kids want to see. I can send some one ahead with print out, so they know what is going on. I just like having all paper copies of reservations.

Now for Disney itself. I the print "My Itinarary".. This might Change as the week Progresses. But I like overview.. I also enjoy evening looking over paper things. What I do not save ( not even emails) is ADR confirmation emails.. I would have 100s as we Change them a lot.. and they dont Count anyways as "proof" from what I heard ...

I also ( as part of planning "fun") put together a calendar overview of the entire trip.. When we land in D.C. what days/nights is where.. Like in Excel.. I could do this in Excel.. but call me corny. I ENJOY getting a ruler and using colored pencils to make my own Trip Calendar. It also helps me get an overview in planning to kinds of plan which day is which parks day.. etc.. with ADR, FPs, park hours....

I like to print and do all this.. Then I use this big Folder things to Keep all this AND then save all trip paperwork.. Receipts etc....... This way I almost have a scrapbook..I also put MBs from each trip in them. I now have 5 of These from 5 different vacations. And it is nice to go back and see what we did and what we spent on past trips....

 

[mousefan73]

That is just insane!! but I love it!!!! hmm ideas

@flortlebap very nice one sheeter. Looks like we are kindred organizational spirits. I too generate a spreadsheet that has evolved into its current format over the years. Export as PDF and save to dropbox for mobile viewing and print out a couple of copies for folding and keeping in my pocket.

All number replaced with dummy info:
View attachment 251726

 

[Nohal]

I'm old school and put everything on 1 sheet of paper. Park hours, FP, dining reservations and plans for that day. I find it's easier to pull out a sheet of paper than taking out my phone and finding info. Seems that one sheet of folded paper is faster for me.

 

[Oneanne]

I'm a paper person: during planning I need to write things out in a calendar format to see what I've got going. I've been 100% I-phone while in the parks, but last trip was having a problem with MDE so asked the front desk to print out my plans and loved the format they had it in and loved pulling out a piece of paper, so I'm planning on doing the same for my upcoming trip.

 

[GillianP1301]

I use paper as a back up and often times I'll rely on it in the park as well to help conserve battery on my phone. I have a one page summary schedule for the entire trip and then I have another page that has all my FP and ADRs listed. I also keep a binder for each trip that has more details and where I keep my notes/diary at the end of each day, but I don't carry that in the parks with me, for that I just have the 2 pieces of paper that I keep in a sleeve to keep it from getting wet. It works well for me.

 

[Lyricallie]

Spoiler

I bought this for all my documents for flying to America and included the ticket confirmations and room confirmations etc. But when I got to the parks I just stuck to my phone (when we had wifi). Otherwise just had to take a screenshot when we had wifi in the room and use that. Oh and all our planning is done via a googledoc that BF and I have access to so we use that

 

[revdon64]

For planning I just keep printouts and scribbled notes in a manila folder. On site I just use my phone and the app.

 

[scrapquitler]

We've got a Universal & Disney trip coming up and I'm trying to figure out how to organize all the info so that I can easily access it once we're there. I normally just rely on my phone for everything, but in case something happens I want a paper backup.

I bought different colored paper so I can keep the Universal itinerary separate from the Disney one. And I can print our flight info and boarding passes on another color.

I'm thinking about getting one of these pocket folders:

Do you take a sheet of paper with you each day that has your fastpass & dining reservation, etc. information? Or do you put it on a 1/2 sheet or 1/4 sheet so it's easier to carry? Do you laminate it so it's safe on water rides or put it in a baggie? Any other tips I'm not thinking of?

I'd love to see your organizing methods!

This seems like a big thing to be carrying around. I take screen shots on my phone, but I'm a paperplanner, so I use a paper backup system for my vacation plans. I use INDEX CARDS. One index card for the flight information, one for the hotel confirmation information, and one for each park day.

 

[JoanneAZ]

For WDW trips (especially those that include RunDisney events), I plan on paper and on my phone, mostly MDE and a packing app that I love. I print out paper copies of my itineraries and confirmations for backup in case of a phone catastrophe. I carry all the paper backups in one of these folders, it goes in my carryon bag. I will take it out in the evening in my room if I need to refresh my memory or can't find something on my phone, otherwise it stays in my bag. In the parks I rely on my phone: MDE and notes I've made.