Anyone ever NOT plan? Can it be done???

[Eeyore2003]

After planning and planning and planning and planning my brothers families vacation for this July, I told my DH that I would just like to go in December and NOT PLAN ANYTHING!!! Could, would this be possible!!! It's just the two of us.

Obviously not so far, as I've already got my MVMCP tickets (which you NEED to get in advance right???) AND I'm going to have to make the CP reservations, right??? Then DH said that maybe we should just make meal reservations, so that we can choose the places we want (for sure).

I'd love to sleep in, think about where I want to go and what I want to do that day, take naps if I want, swim if I want, shop if I want, see a movie if I want, go to the parks when I want. Well, you get the picture. Do you think it's possible??? Anyone ever purposely gone without much of a plan??? It actually may make me more nervous than planning every minute!!!!!!!

 

[oogieboogie]

When we go, we normally only make some PSs but even those will get changed during our time down there.

We usually just go with a general idea of what we want to do then we see how we feel each day. Our plans change so much before and during the time we're there, we end up not having much of a plan.

For example, our last trip (in May), we changed the PS for Whispering Canyon 4 times while we were there.

This coming trip (Sept), we're not doing any PSs, no scheduled parks (except EMH for MK, gotta do that one). We've booked POFQ, but even that might change.

I think for us that works out well. We're not tied down to a schedule, and we can just relax instead of go-go-go.

 

[Amirah95]

As a planning fanatic, I'm sure it can be done but if I were ever challenged to do not plan I would ask if I was allowed to read the Unofficial Guide at least. Either way, I know you'd still have fun!

 

[Eeyore2003]

Perhaps the Unofficial Guide should have a chapter on "not planning", for those of us compulsive planners that need to feel we're planning for a "non-planning" vacation!!!

AHHHHH!!! I hit on a new million dollar idea!!! A book on Disney World for the planning "non planner". A fly by the seat of your pants vacation in Disney World!!!!!!!

Thanks oogieboogie, so it IS possible!!! Our MUST do park is MGM. DH likes TOT and RNR, so we usually try to get to that one early and MVMCP is plenty of time for us at MK so we already have that covered too. HMMMM, is this planning???

 

[Amirah95]

Yep!!! You're planning. LOL! I'd have to skip the non-planning chapter. I wouldn't feel comfortable reading it. LOL!

Good idea for a book though...but then that's still planning, right? How can you NOT plan? I find it impossible. You wouldn't have to get PS or buy tickets in advance. Only order the room and air fare...hmmmm.

 

[bigtinkfun]

Plan? What Plan? We don't need no stinkin' plan!

I go without a plan quite often. But then, I do go solo most of the time, so I'm not accountable to anyone but myself. I wake up when I feel like it, take a leisurely shower and get dressed, and decide if I want breakfast at my resort or at one of the theme parks. I put a bathing suit on under my park clothes in case I want to go to a water park later. Or I may decide to go to a waterpark and then a theme park. One of my favorite things to do when it comes to deciding on a theme park is to head out from the resort to a bus stop and just get on the first theme park bus that comes along.

I have my favorite things that I want to do and a few new things that I want to try on each trip and generally, I manage to fit it all in at a nice, easy-going pace.

I am able to make this method work for me for a number of reasons: a) I usually go alone b) I always try to go in September when it's not very crowded and I can afford to c) take a whole week to visit. In addition, d) I'm not really much of a planner, I'm more a follow-your-nose sort and e) I'm not a theme park commando (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

I think anyone traveling in a smallish group can have a great vacation at WDW without having to do any intensive planning. All you have to do is relax and remember that WDW is there to work for you and as long as you're enjoying yourself, it's all good.

Hope that helps!

 

[CamColt]

The only thing I had planned for my honeymoon in 1995 was the Luau, PS at Alfredos, and I knew 1 night we wanted to go to Pleasure Island. We survived, and had a good trip, but knowing what I know now, I know I could have gotten so much more out of the trip had I done some planning.
BTW, I really wanted to go Parasailing on that trip, but being clueless as I was I didnt know you had to book that in advance, and we werent able to do it.

 

[Eeyore2003]

bigtinkfun, you're my hero!!!

You know last week, as I was sitting at the bus stop, of course, schedule for the day IN HAND, and my brothers family, "in tow"!!! I thought about JUST what you said. What if I would just take the first bus that comes along. I think you've hit on a plan, although, we will be at the BWV, and then have to decide on boat or bus first!!! It's just DH and myself and the way life is going right now, I think we might very well NEED that "non-thinking, non planning" vacation!!!

 

[Amirah95]

I agree with CamColt if I didn't plan our first trip to Disney we would have missed out on a lot of stuff. But, if you've been several times you really don't need a serious plan plan. What does everyone else think?

 

[homeschooler]

both my husband and I are compulsive and if we 'plan' we try to do it all and end up being miserable. We go off season and this makes a difference but we have our place to stay. PERIOD. We all talk about the trip as we are driving down (3 days worth) and decide if we want to go the first evening we are there or not. We decide which is the first park and if we want to do some specials like Hoop Dee Doo or not. Each evening on the way home, we decide which park we are going to the next day and sometimes that changes when the kids get up in the morning. DH says 'Semper Gumby' (Always flexible)

 

[swilphil]

As long as you do some givens that will save you money and time, I don't think you need to do a whole lot of planning. Our recent trip was much more enjoyable because we only had 2 PS's and except for MK EMH on Sunday morning, we didn't really have any plan on where we were going.

Now when we do MK EMH, we know that we must do Dumbo and Pooh first to avoid long lines later. At Epcot, Spaceship Earth is a walk on in the afternoon--no wait at all. When we first get to the parks, we get fast passes for the most popular rides.


We were able to get a table for 10 people at Alfredo's at 6:30 p.m. in July with no PS and no wait. I really think some things are just meant to be. Everyone was much happier because it wasn't rush, rush everywhere, and we were able to do a lot of fun things spontaneously. We took our time at things like Kidcot stations and the Boneyard.

I would definitely do more planning if this is your first trip, but we have been twice before and we knew we'd be back again in a year or two.

I read about someone who just takes the first bus that comes to the hotel. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that, but I'd like to do it for one day.

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

we kinda just take it easy on plans. i know our 1st full day we always go to MK. this summer dd15 will have 2 - 3 friends, so we will just see what they want to do each day. i know they want to go to the water parks. we have planned on other vacations, but we also always end up having a great time.

 

[lsutiggeratwk]

Since my DH and I go often, we usually go without much of a plan. He makes tee times to play golf (yea, I know that is a plan) and if there is a special event, like Halloween/Christmas event, then we might plan on that. But that's about it. When he goes to play golf, I usually go to the bus stop and take the first one that arrives. I actually "learned" how much fun that was when my teenager niece and I took a trip to WDW together and she suggested it. Dh even enjoys that sometimes. We do have our favorite rides and places to eat and we usually get around to doing those. I can also say I have never made a PS for a restaurant before I've left home. We do make one or two after we arrive. I enjoy the flexibility and I agree with the others it makes it much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Click your heels together three times and say "I can go to WDW without a plan"

 

[bigtinkfun]

Thanks, Eeyore2003, it's nice to be a hero! When it comes to a bus or a boat (or a monorail), you might want to flip a coin. Or do rock, paper, scissors and the person who loses has to decide. Or pick from a hat...there's all kinds of ways a person can decide!

 

[cnids00]

On our first trip last year to WDW, pre-DIS boards , we planned nothing at all, no PS's (I tried for CRT but didn't get it and didn't do any other PS's at that time), no planning at all. My husband says it was the best trip there, we woke up in the morning did the EE's, we got in at Primetime and SciFi's with little or no waiting for lunch, we made PS for the Character dinner at Garden Grill the night before we wanted to go and got in, it was almost empty!! etc etc.

If it is your first visit, I recommend going with what you want to do, in saying that, it might be really really hard now for you as you know about this board

For us going the 2nd time in 30+ days, it's different, we know what we absolutely want to do and what not to do kind of thing..
Oh shoot, I forgot, I did make reservations for Cirque du Soleil ahead of time, but that was the only one. I booked it to surprise my husband, he adores Cirque with a passion. This time we're not going to go see them.

No matter how much planning you do, it hardly ever comes out right, something always happens! It's almost like flying alot, there is always a delay or you miss a plane..I used to fly international a lot during the early stages of my DH's and my long distance relationship, that has made me more umm..acceptable to disfunctions? LOL That doesn't sound right! Anything can happen is what I mean.

I have the Unofficial guide too, but use it more to read about everything, not the planning part.

I'm so excited to go it's not even healthy

 

[Eeyore2003]

DH says 'Semper Gumby' (Always flexible)

Sounds like a plan!!! WHOOOOPPPSSS!!! I'm going to remember that. We're going "Semper Gumby"!!!

Click your heels together three times and say "I can go to WDW without a plan"

]

I'm clicking!!! But don't tell me I can't check out the DIS everyday!!! I don't think I'd be able to handle THAT!!! Not planning is one thing, but taking my daily Disney break. Well, now THAT I may not be able to handle!!!!!

 

[Amirah95]

I have to get a pair of Ruby slippers first! LOL! How much do they cost again? I guess I'll be planning for rest of my life.

 

[Madi100]

Our last trip I planned and planned and planned. This next trip we will book the hotel. We will book 2 PS. I will get tickets for MVMCP. And, if possible, the Illuminations Cruise. That's it. Nothing else. The worse part about our last trip was that I had too much planned. Not too many activities, but the fact that I wanted to do so much and it would have been better to just play it by ear.

 

[bigbabyblues]

When we went on our honeymoon, we didn't have a plan. Never occured to us to plan anything, especially considering we decided to go 2 weeks before we left. Amazing, considering it was spring break, in mid-March! We didn't get a lot done, but if you go often, it wouldn't matter. We did manage to get to eat at King Stefan's (in the castle, 7 years ago before it was CRT) for dinner one night. The rest we just decided as we went along! I won't do it again, now that we have kids tho.

 

[Nickunited]

I think there are some things you need to plan in advance. Fantasmic for starters and maybe some PS's at the more popular attractions. Other than that - You sure can go without a plan. Just go where you heart leads you. You will see everything - dont worry!!