Anyone else do Disney laid back like us?

[lathamary]

With all the threads about planning and scheduling on here, I thought I'd throw this one out:

Does anyone else not plan and schedule out their trip? We have a check in date and a check out date, and that's pretty much it. We don't know what we're doing on any particular day until we get up that morning.

I know some people are chronic planners, and there's nothing wrong with that, and I know not having a plan would totally stress them out. I'm the opposite - I don't like having anywhere to be at any particular time.

We move very slow on vacation. We don't get to see or do as much as a family that has things planned out, but I'm ok with that. I'd rather be stress free and not see as much.

The only thing we have scheduled for our upcoming trip is an Around the World at EPCOT tour for DH. It was his birthday present from me. In 2008 we did a Behind the Seeds tour at EPCOT and that was awesome! One scheduled thing was enough, though.

Anyone else do Disney as laid back as we do?

 

[bear_mom]

We do some pretty loose planning. We usually are on the dining plan so we have ADR's planned, but we have park hopper so we don't always start at/near the park we are eating dinner at. On top of that we usually have a general idea of which rides we want to do in each park and which ones we need to fast pass and try to always have a fast pass in our hands. But other than that, nope, no set plans.

If dd wants to ride TT for the third time in a row, that's what we do. We walk by and a show is starting and most people want to go, that's what we do. If a character is out, we stop.

Emily

 

[RMulieri]

We plan our dining ,but that is because we like TS at the end of a park day and with a little one in tow I am not up to "winging it" trying to find space as a walk up.If we feel like trying to change a dining ressie, we simply call disney dining the morning of and see what is available.We get park hoppers to kind of go where we want.The one thing we are adamant about...Being there for park opening.

 

[Fantasmic23]

Yes, we're very laid-back when it comes to any kind of vacation, and WDW is no exception. We don't have a daily schedule or any kind of itinerary. We just kind of "go with the flow". We figure whatever we don't get to, we'll see on our next trip. We drive down to WDW every year and I seem to put more time into the planning and preparing of that than anything else. I am an obsessive list-maker, though, and the week before any WDW vacation (Or a vacation anywhere), I seem to have about twenty different lists going at once.

 

[happymommy]

We try to plan some meals, but otherwise I'm right there with you. Also, it helps that we've taken the kids tons of times.

Sometimes, the kids and I will go to the bus stop, and agree that wherever the first but that comes along is going, we hop on!

 

[RachChamb]

I'm just planning our dining since we're on the dining plan.

I am a researchaholic when it comes to vacation, so I'm reading all I can, but we won't have timelines or anything like that. I don't want a lot of structure and my hubby would totally not go for that anyway!

 

[mamaLori05]

THAT'S US TOO!!! Whoo hoo, I was starting to feel like the only one who did that! We usually plan 2 sit down meals for an 8 day stay, but that is it. In fact, we are thinking of only doing 1 this time around. We tend to prefer QS meals only because we can eat when we want. We also pick which park the day of, but we have hoppers so not as big of a deal for us I guess.

 

[cseca]

haha... I am still a chronic overplanner but ever since DD arrives I realized that I can't schedule a baby...

So for our next WDW trip all I plan are the restaurants. I hate to wait long hours to get food, so making ADRs is a must. Or mommy will be cranky and that makes everyone else cranky...

 

[nmmom95]

We are always on the dining plan, so I do plan meals, but other than that, we do what we feel like at the time. I've actually called and canceled ADR's from the bus stop because we changed our minds about which park we were going to. We never follow a touring plan.

 

[lathamary]

Sometimes, the kids and I will go to the bus stop, and agree that wherever the first but that comes along is going, we hop on!

We've done that, too! Awesome!

 

[RF536]

The only thing we plan is a couple of TS meals because there are a couple of them we want to make sure we hit, other than that no plans. We never make a rope drop, we are not morning people, but DS7 and DS6 made it until 4am at the MK when we were there over the 4th of July in 2008. We do not plan what park we are going to until we get up there day.

 

[JennMouse32]

yeah thats how i am check in and out.. but thats it.. nothing else..everything else just goes with the flow..​

 

[papertraveller]

We also do the dining plan, and so those ADRs kind of dictate a few hard stops in the schedule.
But for the rest, we're wide open. Which park? How much time? We love to just wing it in the morning, and then head back to the pool and relax. I'm crazy organized, but the whole idea is to have all the basics covered, so that you can just kick back and let life happen!

 

[photographymom517]

I'm glad you started this thread! Let me tell you first of all that my boss tells me that I have OCD badly...about everything! I am obsessed with post-it notes...have them all over the place at work & home. I also have a million lists of things to do...and when it gets close to vacation, I have a list for each suitcase. BUT a vacation is a VACATION to me!! You are absolutely RIGHT about that!!!! When I go on vacation, I want to relax and just go with the flow. I do not want stress...and I think when people make a list of things to do & places to see & what time to do it...if they don't meet their every expectation, they get waaaay too stressed! I think the best way to plan the perfect vacation is to not plan at all!

Everytime I've gone on vacation at WDW, I grab a map as soon as I walk into the park. I look to see what time the parade starts & the fireworks...thats it! And I don't plan ahead of time where I'm going to stand...thats too hard with small children (in my opinion). The day we arrive at WDW, I always grab a few maps from the front lobby desk, but only to look them over...not to plan what time I'm riding which ride. I can't imagine what people do when they think they're riding the teacups at MK at 2:30pm and end up riding them at 2:47 because of a long line! (Do they have a nervous breakdown?!?) I am an obsessive planner, but I am aware that somethings you just cannot plan for...like long lines, parks being extremely busy, your kids getting sick, someone is hungry, someone needs to use the restroom when you're waiting in a line, etc.

I am actually stressed because on our vacation this year, I HAVE to plan a few things...and I don't want to HAVE to have structure in our vacation when we're supposed to be relaxing & not stressed! Last year, we didn't get a few meals we wanted because we didn't do ADR's...so this year I am planning to do 3 ADR's. We also are doing a private photo session, so I will have to plan that day so we make it there on time. And like I said, that part is stressing me out! I'd much, much rather just have to worry about what time I need to get to the airport & check-in at my hotel. That alone is enough to worry about! lol

You mentioned that you don't get to see or do everything that people who plan get to see & you said that doesn't bother you one bit. I agree...I don't try to see everything. I think thats completely impossible! I also think if you want to "take everything in" and truly enjoy it, you need to take your time instead of rushing from place to place. Its kinda ironic that I say this because on our last trip, we actually walked around & saw every inch of each park by 4:30pm (we got to the parks within an hour after opening time each day). Keep in mind that I had an infant so we weren't able to ride...waiting in lines is what takes up a lot of time. But my point is that it was sooo relaxing & we all had a really great time! I took over 700 pictures at the parks and probably another hundred at the resort. We also got to enjoy our resort a lot more because we weren't rushing...we just went with the flow. If someone was hungry, we looked around & found something to eat. If we passed a shop that looked interesting, we stopped to shop. If we wanted to rest, we found a bench to sit on. It was so incredibly relaxing! I know a lot of people don't like QS restaurants & I don't understand it because they are so convenient & the food is decent. I guess if you have the dining plan, you need more structure to plan meals as well as getting more for your money if you eat at sit-down dining instead of QS.

I guess that it just depends on the individual person. Someone mentioned their husband wouldn't like it if they planned every little thing -- I am with you on that one! lol If I told my husband we had to be somewhere by 2pm, he would get stressed out & probably mad at me! We both agree & like to relax on our trips! Everyone is different...as I said, I'm a planner so I have complete respect for people who do choose to plan. Its just not for me on vacations!

 

[Redpepperflakes14]

When I'm on vacation at the World, I think I'm doing well if I make it to a park by lunchtime.

I'm always amazed at people who make it to this 'rope drop' I read so much about . I don't even have a clue when rope drop is, but I'm sure I'm still curled up in bed when it occurs.

 

[DisneyMOM09]

Basically, we have a tentative plan of which park we will attend each day, we plan to get up and try to head to the parks early because we figure we can always sleep late at home, we are there to spend our time with Mickey. We also make one TS reservation and the rest of our week is spent eating CS because that fits into our go with the flow way of vacationing better. We might call and see if we can get a TS reservation that day if we are feeling like eating something different.

 

[Fantasmic23]

When I'm on vacation at the World, I think I'm doing well if I make it to a park by lunchtime.

I'm always amazed at people who make it to this 'rope drop' I read so much about . I don't even have a clue when rope drop is, but I'm sure I'm still curled up in bed when it occurs.

I LOVE it!! Yes, when we arrive in any park by 12:00, we sometimes pat each other on the back and say "Congratulations!"

Rope drop ... I tell ya, there isn't enough coffee in the world!

 

[Evi]

I used to just wing it. But after going one year without plans and not being able to get passes to mvmc & not being able to get dinner reservations. We had to wait 3 hrs for a table 2x. Now I plan 4 days then I make dinner reservations for the remainder of days and go where the wind takes us.

 

[josh0208]

Great topic!

This is my 5th time planning a WDW trip..first time for 11 people. I'm very detail-orientated with the basic planning but when I get to the parks...there is nothing set in stone. The only things we have planned is a 4 hour fishing trip for DH and DS10. While they are doing that, the other 2 boys (ages 8 and 6) will be taking the Albatross Cruise and the Mom's will be having brunch at the Yacht Club Resort.

We have hopper passes for both WDW and Universal Studios with no set days of what parks we are going to visit. All the adults are going on this vacation with the understanding that it is all for the kids so it will be park after park after park. I like not knowing what we will be doing..makes it still an adventure even when I feel like all I do is plan lately.

For meals, call us crazy but we are winging it. We did the same thing last time and had no issues. Let's hope that's the case again this time.

Glad to know I'm not the only on on this board.

 

[marypoppinswannabe]

My ADRs are planned. We did not get the park-hopper ticket, so we know which days we are going to which parks to take advantage of the extra hours, parades, and such...Past that, no planning. I am on vacation...