Blowing off steam - thanks for listening

[Yippieskip]

Less than two months to go! I have been planning nonstop since September, and I am EXHAUSTED!! I have officially decided I can now do nothing about: the crowds, the germs, rude people, rude children of rude people, Star Wars weekend, which park to avoid on which day, did I book too many character meals, did I not book enough character meals, how long will it take to get to the parks, to leave the parks, will our building be close to the pool, the restaurant, the bus stop, the playground, when does the boat leave for DD, when does it come back, where is the best view of the parades, the fireworks, the shows, which shows should we see, which should we avoid....AAAAHHHHH Enough already - LET"S JUST GO AND HAVE FUN!!! Anybody with me????

Whew, I feel so much better now....sorry you had to see that!

 

[bigmerle1966]

First off take a deep breath before you pass out. Remember the most important thing is to go and have fun.
If you miss something that's a good excuse to go back.

 

[roscodog]

You're right, there are so many things beyond your control. This past time, I pretty much just let it be and planned just a basic schedule, which park to hit when, where to eat and what attractions we would like to see. I enjoyed it because everybody else enjoyed doing what pleases them. My daughter wanted to ride Goofy's Barnstormer roller coaster all day long and I let her because we were there for her anyways.

 

[Kala]

I seem to plan less and less with each trip. The first few I planned like a commando, now I just make the most basic of plans and PS's and otherwise we just take it day by day. We have always done the early entry park most days and we can't wait to try the late EMH's. We have also always done the E-Ride nights so I am sure we will enjoy it. We just try to hit as many things as possible without making ourselves crazy.

 

[ncbyrne]

For me, planning is half the fun. The debating back and forth about PS, the itinerary that changed a grazillion times, which park on which day....ahhh. All of it keeps me in the WDW mode long before our vacation. And helps keep the winter doldrums at bay.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Take a deep deep breath. Just relax and soon you will get there. Now once you get there, take another deep deep breath. When the planning is over whelming and the planning is taking over you...take a deep deep breath and then just take it easy and then just go with the flow and not even look at your plans.

 

[Otimon]

Try not to worry about things you have no control over. Whatever will be, will be!

Come on down and enjoy. We'll be waiting for you.

 

[ladydancer]

I know exactly how you feel. I have been planning for a group of 11. We are leaving the last week of April. I'm the only one going with WDW experience lol. They all seem to think you can just show up and wonder around. We only have a few days to be there and you need to make the most of every minute. I have changed our itinuary 3 times according to new information that comes out about our dates. Now I'm getting exhaulsted just talking about it.

 

[simzac]

This will be our 3rd trip in 4 years, and I have already reduced my advanced planning. Only the escentials, resort, park tickets, transportation, and airline tickets. 3 are already done, resort-POFQ, park tickets in our safe deposit box, Magical Express will take care of transportation, and just have to wait until Southwest opens up our travel dates to get our airline tickets. After that, we will just take each day as it comes. I just don't feel a need to plan out every single minute of each day. After all, it is a vacation, I work enough on my regular job. I believe you can over plan for a WDW vacation, but to each his or her own. The main thing is to have a great time, right?

 

[MAGGIED]

You've done all the work now its time for all the fun.... although I love the planning part just as much.... you know that all the hard work you have put into the trip will make it more enjoyable for those with you - even if they don't realize it - sometimes I wonder - do they really think that we can just show up at CRT and have breakfast - or that the boat was just waiting there for us for an Illuminations cruise? They must think they are just "lucky" - because planning couldn't have anything to do with it....

 

[DisneyVillain]

rude people, rude children of rude people,

Here is my advice:
1. Make a list of all the rude behaviors you have read about on these boards.
2. Come up with acerbic and sarcastic comments to make your group, but within earshot of the offenders.
3. Review the list on the way down to WDW, so that you will be ready.

It won't have any affect on the rude people, but it will make you feel better.

 

[DLKT]

It's good to plan ahead.
Who knows, you might actually do everything you planned.
Just be ready to throw that days plan out the window if things change.

I'm with Kala.
The more I go the less I plan beyond the basics.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I just read these posts to laugh, I agree with the poster: I want this and I want that, I didn't get this or that, these people were rude, I want cheap rates, can I fill my cup, is there bottled water. No other vacation place has this much scrutiny and problems with people wanting to treated at kings for the cheapest price. Its like: I want a good car, cheap! No such thing. I read posts, want to comment and bite my tongue at the assine questions and replies saying they should do this and that and give me this and that, just to amuse myself. We've gone to WDW for 30 years, do it our way, don't think we missed anything important and still do it our way, pay the price where we want to stay, and have our own magical vacation always!!

 

[BostonRob]

I just read these posts to laugh, I agree with the poster: I want this and I want that, I didn't get this or that, these people were rude, I want cheap rates, can I fill my cup, is there bottled water. No other vacation place has this much scrutiny and problems with people wanting to treated at kings for the cheapest price. Its like: I want a good car, cheap! No such thing. I read posts, want to comment and bite my tongue at the assine questions and replies saying they should do this and that and give me this and that, just to amuse myself. We've gone to WDW for 30 years, do it our way, don't think we missed anything important and still do it our way, pay the price where we want to stay, and have our own magical vacation always!!

Um, don't these boards exist largely for the purpose of answering all the questions that you find annoying? I think they do.

 

[bytheblood]

Um, don't these boards exist largely for the purpose of answering all the questions that you find annoying? I think they do.

I was thinking the same....along with...."And you here because???"


OP - Glad you got all of that settled. You are going to have so much fun. Hope your vacation is magical...and when all else fails, take a deep breath and count to 10...and just have fun.

 

[C.Ann]

Next weekend will be my first solo trip to WDW and the first time I will be staying on Disney property.. I have had to ask a lot of questions to find out:

How to get to Pop from the airport.
How the transportation system works to get to the parks and to visit the other resorts.
What sort of tipping I need to do.
Some nice areas to sit by myself with my counter service meal.

--------------------------

Other than that, I just want a room - with a bed - and a way to get around.. I'll pretty much "wing" the rest of it..

I started "planning" all of the details a few days ago and all it did was frustrate me..

I'm going to take it one minute at a time and let the chips fall where they may.....

 

[nataliesdaddy]

I wrote this on a different thread but it seems relevant here.

Here is the deal - you plan like a banshi, then you plan some more, then you change your plans and modify ... you eventually get exasperated and throw your hands up in the air thinking, "We are screwed". All of this planning however is a learning experience. You start to internalize things at WDW. That knowledge in and of itself prepares you to be more flexible in your daily routine once you get there.

The beauty of planning is not that you have to follow some order moment by moment. The beauty of planning is that you are better equipped to adapt as circumstances arise. The beauty of planning is the information you learn in the planning process. Nobody likes unpleasant surprises; they tend to ruin an otherwise ok experience....and if you don't plan and learn you for sure will have several unpleasant surprises on your trip.

Example: I used to be a professional musician and songwriter. I would practice the same musical scales at extremely slow speeds, highly disciplined, no originality, no emotion, and no fun. All work. Other musicians would rag on me for being an uptight guitar and song writing nerd. When I put together a show or concert we would play the exact same thing over and over and over again until we could play it with our eyes closed with earplugs so we couldn't hear. Now that is disciplined planning with nothing fun or spontaneous about it. But the result of that planning is it made it extremely easy for us to go off into musical solos and wail. The result of all that uptight planning was more spontaneity, greater flexibility, greater ability to adapt to others' mistakes or technical glitches, the ability to be freer to improvise, and a mind-boggling level of fluidness.

We had a saying - SPONTANEITY COMES WITH PRACTICE.

After all, if the G string on your guitar flies off and smacks you in the eye and you built 1/3 of your solo around your G string and now you can't see...you are in deep trouble unless you are so well versed that you can close your eyes, adapt, improvise and wail like a mutha while shifting your entire solo into a one handed solo so you can continue playing effortlessly while you simultaneously change your string. And that kind of spontaneity doesn't come from being a free spirited undisciplined person all the time. It comes from practice and planning. It is the difference between not knowing how to adapt to a negative situation, or being able to take any negative situation and with ease turn it into a positive. Its the difference between boos or screaming fanatical applause.

It isn't fanatically sticking to the plan that matters. It is the process of planning that matters. It is that process that gives you the insight and ability to adapt, to be more flexible, and to be more fluid, and paradoxically to be more spontaneous.

 

[Yippieskip]

Well I am the one who started all of this and I thought I would clarify a thing or two. First of all, I LOVE to plan - I am known for this in my family (sometimes to the frustration of my family!) anyway I think I hit the Disney wall last night... there is SO MUCH to know about WDW and being the info junkie that I am - I am trying to take it all in. I guess I am on "information overload" at the moment. Second of all, these boards are extremely helpful but also serve to point out all the minute things you could be missing as you attempt to plan a trip. That is what gets me feeling overwhelmed...and feel like I just want to chuck the whole thing for a simple weekend at the lake!! Ok, ok I am just kidding about that part, but all of you overachieving planners, you sticklers for detail, those of you who have to know every little edge (like how to get a PS for Cindy's breakfast, which I did by the way using the UG guidelines including the atomic clock) or its somehow going to diminish the trip can relate, right?

Again, thanks for listening and really, I thank everyone who gives such great advice on this board!!!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I wrote this on a different thread but it seems relevant here.

Here is the deal - you plan like a banshi, then you plan some more, then you change your plans and modify ... you eventually get exasperated and throw your hands up in the air thinking, "We are screwed". All of this planning however is a learning experience. You start to internalize things at WDW. That knowledge in and of itself prepares you to be more flexible in your daily routine once you get there.

The beauty of planning is not that you have to follow some order moment by moment. The beauty of planning is that you are better equipped to adapt as circumstances arise. The beauty of planning is the information you learn in the planning process. Nobody likes unpleasant surprises; they tend to ruin an otherwise ok experience....and if you don't plan and learn you for sure will have several unpleasant surprises on your trip.

Example: I used to be a professional musician and songwriter. I would practice the same musical scales at extremely slow speeds, highly disciplined, no originality, no emotion, and no fun. All work. Other musicians would rag on me for being an uptight guitar and song writing nerd. When I put together a show or concert we would play the exact same thing over and over and over again until we could play it with our eyes closed with earplugs so we couldn't hear. Now that is disciplined planning with nothing fun or spontaneous about it. But the result of that planning is it made it extremely easy for us to go off into musical solos and wail. The result of all that uptight planning was more spontaneity, greater flexibility, greater ability to adapt to others' mistakes or technical glitches, the ability to be freer to improvise, and a mind-boggling level of fluidness.

We had a saying - SPONTANEITY COMES WITH PRACTICE.

After all, if the G string on your guitar flies off and smacks you in the eye and you built 1/3 of your solo around your G string and now you can't see...you are in deep trouble unless you are so well versed that you can close your eyes, adapt, improvise and wail like a mutha while shifting your entire solo into a one handed solo so you can continue playing effortlessly while you simultaneously change your string. And that kind of spontaneity doesn't come from being a free spirited undisciplined person all the time. It comes from practice and planning. It is the difference between not knowing how to adapt to a negative situation, or being able to take any negative situation and with ease turn it into a positive. Its the difference between boos or screaming fanatical applause.

It isn't fanatically sticking to the plan that matters. It is the process of planning that matters. It is that process that gives you the insight and ability to adapt, to be more flexible, and to be more fluid, and paradoxically to be more spontaneous.

Darn, I don't think I've ever heard it explained so succinctly or eloquently...thanks, nataliesdaddy!

Oh, and everybody? Be careful with all those "deep breaths"...don't want to hyperventilate and pass out!

 

[nataliesdaddy]

Darn, I don't think I've ever heard it explained so succinctly or eloquently...thanks, nataliesdaddy!

Oh, and everybody? Be careful with all those "deep breaths"...don't want to hyperventilate and pass out!

Thanks for your kind words