Am I the only one that likes to "wing" it

[Sinclare]

Ok, plan plan plan...before I go...Get tickets to what we want to go to (ps's, diner shows..etc).

BUT not have any concrete plans on do this at this time or that on a particular day. Vacation to me is all about taking it easy and not exchanging one "schedule" for another. More of a what do we feel like doing today...I think it's more exciting that way.

Now with that said there are some basic rules I try to follow...No MK on monday or friday (crowds are too big). I usually wait till tuesday for MK. Grab a fast pass here and there depending on lines and find a good spot early enough for the parade/fireworks. Some things can't be avoided such as making a PS reservation (usually a day or two before) but that's to be expected.

 

[Micca]

I am a recovering park commando I was anal retentive about plans Now we've been enough times (around 30) that I can chill out. We still choose the lowest traffic day for a park, but when we get there we catch the E ticket attractions first, then the rest of the day falls into place.

 

[skeletor40]

Last year I bought the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and read the entire thing through. When I went to Disney, I then totally disregarded its advice and did what I wanted. I missed a lot but still had a good time. After doing so much planning, it just feels so good to let go.

So count me as a winger too.

Besides who wants to do connect the dots while on vacation?

 

[floridagirrl2]

I'm a Disney addict, so I read everything I can get my hands on, but PLAN?? As in an itinerary?? No, definitely not. When we go to WDW, we have hotel reservations--that's it! We have some ideas of what our can't-miss attractions are (gotta see Off-Kilter or Alberta Bound in Canada, for instance) but we just wing it.

I bought The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World yesterday and am using it for light bedtime reading (I'm a bit of an insomniac)--I do like to read about the different rides, restaurants, resorts, etc. but I would never use any of their itineraries.

Maybe I would feel differently if I didn't live so close to WDW and couldn't go often--then I might be more of a commando.

 

[TerryU.]

I'm also a winger! The only thing we plan are the PS. Usually over breakfast is when we decide what park to go to.

 

[Ducky4Disney]

I like to play it by ear too. It works pretty well for us. I like to read about what will be going on while we are there, what will be closed, and consider a few places to eat - but I don't have a set plan. I called for PS's to Fulton's only a few hours before we wanted to eat there - no problem!

Knowing that I will be back helps me to relax. I don't do everyhting on every trip - it leaves a gap in between experiences, and makes me want to do it even more next time!

D4D

 

[CanadaPT]

Yes, it's true, I am a park commando. Why? Because we simply can't afford to go to WDW very often. Our vacations are varied, not just at WDW, so when we are there we take every opportunity to see and do as much as we can.

I really appreciate people like yourselves that CAN sit back and not see and do everything (and don't mind waiting in line) but I'm just that type A personality that tries to get everything out of every dollar spent!!

 

[goofyernmost]

My first trip was, sorta, planned. I ended up running all over the place trying to see what everyone said were must see's. Ended up hardly seeing anything.

Now I get up, have breakfast and then decide what park to go too or even if I am going to a park. Sometimes I just explore Central Florida. I go on each ride I want as I come to them. Once in a great while I will use a Fastpass but only if the ride is hard to get on, other than that Fastpass requires some degree of planning. That would cramp my style.

I might have said it on the site before but I don't even make hotel reservations. I just find one (off site) when I get there!

 

[flyinglizard]

Me? Clark Griswald? No way...

 

[kaylajr]

Another winger here

we plan as far as which park which day and that is pretty much it other than the 1 ps we do

we go to disney every other year and it is our big vacation so we refuse to be a slave to a schedule or a clock we do that all year long.

we do have a few favorite must sees but when we get to them doesn't really matter

 

[debkorb1]

I suppose it depends on how often you can get to Disney and what season you have your holiday. Being from the UK I can't come that regularly (and have to come in the Summer) so I have to plan to maximise the trip. During peak times winging it seems a little dangerous to me (especially at MK) - as the Unofficial guide puts it the definition of self discovery and spontaneity at WDW is the 'wonder of standing in line and the joy of heat prostration'! .

But on the other hand obsessive planning is no good either. Going round Disney with a checklist is as bad as going round without a plan! So I go prepared, but once there I intend to just enjoy each precious minute and if the plan changes, it changes!

 

[cinmell]

We plan a few PS, other than that, we wing it. We go where we want when we feel like it. We don't want to be stuck to a schedule on vacation. We do try to keep in mind which will be the busiest days at a particular park to avoid it on that day but we don't have a set schedule in mind.

 

[paladin]

I also wing it. I go most frequently in early December, so crowds aren't bad. I generally have my CP dinner package and Fantasmic dinner package booked and the rest is just what I am in the mood for (or which park bus comes first!). I like to take my time and stop to smell the roses. I do make use of Fastpasses, but otherwise just go with flow.

 

[Nicoal13]

I'm another one that wings it. The first time I went to the world, everything was planned out because it was a school trip, but now when I go, I plan for less peak periods and do as I please.

That said, I don't go to the park at 11am and expect to ride everything. I arrive early, use Fastpass but don't have a set plan on what to do.

I also try to avoid the parks on the busiest days.

I have never made a PS!

 

[STFXU]

We just came back from a first trip to WDW. I had planned everything very carefully and had read several books on "doing the parks".
We ended up only very loosly following the plans as I had not anticipated many things. For example I had planned a water park for one afternoon but my kids enjoyed it so much we went back the next day. Also everyone loved MGM more then I had planned and we ended up not going at all to AK as our last day everyone voted to do a waterpark and MGM instead!
Even though we didnt use all my plans I would plan all over again because I LOVE TO PLAN, I just have to be willing to chuck the plans once we get there

 

[mcgrawfan]

We wing it too. I can't imagine planning out what rides to ride and at what time of day. You never know what may happen. A ride may breakdown or a line may be extra long at that time. We are on vacation and, although I plan like crazy before we go to get the best prices and just to get more excited, while we are there we just do things as we want to.

 

[bigbabyblues]

The only plans I'm making really involve our PS--on the morning we're eating at Crystal Palace, we'll be at MK. I do know (in my head) what rides/shows won't suit my boys, and we'll avoid those. I know that a lot of our time at MK will be in Fantasyland, I know we'll have to take afternoon breaks, and I know we won't get to do everything. As far as a plan of what rides/shows in what order, and if we miss one, it will be the end of the world? nope!

We're traveling with our two boys, who will be 4 and almost 2 when we go.. These things are a given! The only plans I need are somewhere for us to stay and someplace to eat!

BUT, when DH and I went to the world on our honeymoon, we had no plans, no idea of anything, and we rode maybe 5 things, saw a couple of shows and spent most of the rest of the trip trying to figure out what we did want to do, then standing in line for it. Not a good trip either.

Steph

 

[DukeStreetKing]

The first time I vacationed at Disney I had a plan for the week. Now, we go and just stroll around and do things we either haven't seen in a while or just whatever catches our eye.

Although, at Epcot, Mission:Space and Test Track are becoming "must do's" for me.

 

[webmomom]

Basically we wing it to. The only plans that I make are the PS and then that will dictate which park or what we are doing that day. I don't want to eat at Tony at the Mk having spend the day at AK.

We just got back from a Trip in the early part of june. This time I told DH we were going to wing everything including eating. Really big mistake. The only PS we had we cxl'd because he did not care for that place the rest of the time we could not find somewhere to eat. All of the rest. were full and the only seating we could have gotten was very late.That eant that all of the counter service area the lines were really long. DH did not want counter service. He likes after a day of walking around WDW to sit down and have someone wait on him. WE had to leave the park, which we did not want to do and find something in one of the hotels. Thankfully we did find something, but he kept complainig about all of the time we lost leaving the park, trying to find a rest and it did not leave us much time to go back to the park. I learned my lessons this time. Will never do that one again.

 

[Chicago526]

No, that's just about what I do, too! I do plan which park for which day so I can make PS's and perhaps plan an early entry, but other than that, once I enter the park there is no "plan". But I also tend to travel off-peak times, so I can afford to!

If I traveled in July, you best believe I'll be following the touring plans in the Unofficial Guide!