6 1/2 months until our trip. What to do until I can plan details?

[zdad59]

This is the worst time. We booked our week at Beach Club for mid September last week. Now I have six long months to obsess. Can’t do any detailed planning until about 70 days out so I’m stumped on what to do. Reading resort and park threads religiously.

What do you do during this dead time ? (Wish I could go tomorrow)

 

[snacks]

This is the worst time. We booked our week at Beach Club for mid September last week. Now I have six long months to obsess. Can’t do any detailed planning until about 70 days out so I’m stumped on what to do. Reading resort and park threads religiously.

What do you do during this dead time ? (Wish I could go tomorrow)

Plan fun local day trips, long weekends closer to home, a different trip somewhere else entirely. I for one can't wait for warmer spring and summer weather. It would be a shame to think of two entire seasons as "dead time". Life is too short.

 

[tinkerjo]

I like to research food options and stay up to date on the parks, so I will watch a lot of YouTube videos. I bought and organized all of our outfits. (Taking 3 grands this trip coming) started a walking routine to get in shape, and basically driving my DH nuts with all my Disney talk!!

 

[Karalee402]

Have you worked out yet which parks you want to do which days? That can be something that has to wait, though, because of unknown park hours, but I tend to obsess to the point where I'm looking at historical data on things like that. I also like to research the menus of restaurants we're considering, and I always work on my grocery order way ahead of time just so I can add to it as I remember things. And like everyone else, I constantly watch YouTube videos just to stay as updated as possible on the parks.

 

[zdad59]

Have you worked out yet which parks you want to do which days? That can be something that has to wait, though, because of unknown park hours, but I tend to obsess to the point where I'm looking at historical data on things like that. I also like to research the menus of restaurants we're considering, and I always work on my grocery order way ahead of time just so I can add to it as I remember things. And like everyone else, I constantly watch YouTube videos just to stay as updated as possible on the parks.

I’m an obsessive planner too. I guess if I have a fault, it’s not a bad one. I build a detailed by hour, by day itinerary, with park hours and planning out days by park and ride. Now when we’re there is a guide, not an absolute, but it allows me to feel like I have a complete understanding of what’s going on.
Haven’t done YouTubes yet. I guess that’s the next step.

 

[Karalee402]

I’m an obsessive planner too. I guess if I have a fault, it’s not a bad one. I build a detailed by hour, by day itinerary, with park hours and planning out days by park and ride. Now when we’re there is a guide, not an absolute, but it allows me to feel like I have a complete understanding of what’s going on.
Haven’t done YouTubes yet. I guess that’s the next step.

For me, it's part of the fun, so I'm with you, it's not a bad thing! I love building out our days, but I'm also fine if we change plans or adapt because we all know nothing is going to go exactly as it's planned. I really enjoy the planning phase, so if you do, too, my guess is you're going to find yourself falling in love with the Disney YouTube world

 

[elvispursley]

I like to watch lots of YouTube videos. We also try and watch a Disney movie every weekend. I definitely am into researching menus (even though they can change) and restaurants. I like to make spread sheets for the days we’ll be there, adding potential tours, activities, and dining. I love this part of the trip since planning, for me, is all part of it!

 

[zdad59]

Here’s an example of an itinerary from a recent cruise. I use the same template for every trip, just adjusting for trip specifics.

 

[trishadono]

I like to use the app and research dining options. QS or TS? What hours? What’s on the menu? Some TS have a to-go option so knowing what and how before you arrive is handy.

I also look at maps and make sure I know where everything is. Google map for satellite pictures is fun too!

Enjoy the planning!

 

[Paulaparm]

Research, research, research. I spent time reading on here and other places and I have some subscriptions on YouTube. I felt very prepared for the new Lightning Lanes and we felt very good about our choices of parks and ADR’s. Like others have already said, for me, the planning is a part of the trip!

 

[DizneyFamof4]

For us, other than making payments with our GCs so that it's PIF before check-in we really do not do anything more than normal. Occasionally look at touringplans crowd calendar and park hours, decide if we want to do 1 or 2 ADR's during the trip, and where, and any new closures. If it's a new resort that we have never stayed at (not many left) I will look at the resort map, rooms, look at short cuts etc... Other than that not much, for me, I have found that time seems to go by faster when I am not constantly thinking about it.
Way back in the day, I use to do a spreadsheet with our daily itinerary but, thank goodness, gave that up years ago and have enjoyed our trips so much better. No longer trying to stick to a plan and just enjoying the moments more, if we miss something , oh well Plus, if doing MPLL nothing can be done until 7 days in advance, so just doing the DIS forum or the resort FB page until then.

 

[kylenne]

Here’s an example of an itinerary from a recent cruise. I use the same template for every trip, just adjusting for trip specifics.

View attachment 943313

I love a spreadsheet, you're my kind of person!

I agree with everyone who said YouTube. I do research on menus, restaurants, watch reviews and keep up on touring strategy. The time flies before you know it.

 

[SL6827]

I started planning our 2005 trip, our first, in 2004. Never stopped. My family was super impressed with my knowledge of the place, never having been there.

 

[nursejackie]

This is the worst time. We booked our week at Beach Club for mid September last week. Now I have six long months to obsess. Can’t do any detailed planning until about 70 days out so I’m stumped on what to do. Reading resort and park threads religiously.

What do you do during this dead time ? (Wish I could go tomorrow)

I made my reservation on 18th April 2024 for 13 nights in August 2025! Longest countdown I've done, and time seems to have gone backwards I have planned our park days, most of our dining (been many times before), and now spring/summer clothing is available to buy that's my next task...shopping!

 

[SwanVT2]

Here’s an example of an itinerary from a recent cruise. I use the same template for every trip, just adjusting for trip specifics.

View attachment 943313

Oh, is there a place online to get a template like this? Neat!

 

[SwanVT2]

This is the worst time. We booked our week at Beach Club for mid September last week. Now I have six long months to obsess. Can’t do any detailed planning until about 70 days out so I’m stumped on what to do. Reading resort and park threads religiously.

What do you do during this dead time ? (Wish I could go tomorrow)

I hear you-mine is worse. I had to cancel our trip last week due to panic attacks/anxiety (not around plane travel; stuff in life) and was able to recoop everything but DVC rental store reservation (booo). Now we are planning Feb. 2026 (I am in good hands with counselor and come hell or high water I'm going on that trip in 2026)! I wish we could go in the fall, but I am a teacher. Summer is too hot for DD with eczema. I recommend getting a Touring Plans account. You can start building your days now and get a sense of crowd calendar, plus it has a feature where it tells you what you should be doing so many days out (like a checklist). Plus, you can put in a room request!
Allears.net is a fun website to peruse. I also like reading Tripadvisor forums and reviews for hotel/restaurants. Have fun!

 

[zdad59]

Oh, is there a place online to get a template like this? Neat!

Not that I know of. This is a simple excel spreadsheet I built. If you are Excel fluent, I can send you a blank. PM me with your email address and I gladly send it to you. As crazy as I am, send me your basic trip info and I’ll build one for you.

 

[SwanVT2]

Not that I know of. This is a simple excel spreadsheet I built. If you are Excel fluent, I can send you a blank. PM me with your email address and I gladly send it to you. As crazy as I am, send me your basic trip info and I’ll build one for you.

Oh, fun! Will do, thank you!!

 

[Brian Noble]

What do you do during this dead time ?

I will often listen to the BGM loop for my upcoming resort stay:

 

[Indio]

We're going the 1st week of September and I'm also a spreadsheet person! Mine has multiple tabs - Logistics (room info, costs, payments on trip), Plans (daily plan of parks, ADR's, special tours, shows, etc.), Resort (pictures from resort we are staying in), Room Overview (details of the room type, any info found online), Pools (pictures of pools at the resort), Meals (ADR plans, list of restaurants we want to try), Packing (any packing items we don't want to forget). I also do these for every trip we take - Disney, cruises, road trips. Guess I'm a geeky type but I love it! Helps stretch the vacation out for months! We also watch lots of YouTube videos and Disney+ and listen to Disney playlists on Spotify.