Calling all OverPlanaholics....

[denanbob]

I think you made an oopsie~~!!!

Who, me????

 

[lillygator]

no the OP!!

 

[Marseeya]

I'm a TGM'er and planner as well - on index cards though! I have 4 soft-sided photo albums with info on each park printed out from TGM as well as each day's schedule. I have a master booklet with the overall schedules, ADR's, food allergy/dining info stuff, etc. I ripped the color maps out of one of my old Passporters and stuck in the appropriate park booklets too - I love the Passporter maps!

We plan to be there the week after you! Have a great trip!

I did mine on index cards too! I didn't think to put them in photo albums, but I did punch a hole in the corner of each card and then put a ring through it and carried it in the parks. I really like your idea, but I could combine them and still do my ring as well!

 

[lindakmonty]

Hello, my name is Linda...I'm also a overplanaholic and computer illiterate as well I joined TGM have our days planned per attraction per tgm's suggestions... we're on the dining plan so we have all our adr's w/ confirmation #'s on our daily sheets, the show times...etc. I cant wait!!! 25 more days!!!!

your sheets are awesome!!!

 

[the other micki]

I am very much an overplanner! I use index cards also, and I do plan the order in which we will do everything. I do it because I absolutely love to plan things anyway and what better thing to plan than a Disneyworld vacation! My husband does think I'm a little loopey, but that's okay. I know we'll only afford to go every few years and so I want to make the most of it! I'm also hoping that my husband sees the fruit of my planning and so enjoys himself that he'll take us back sooner than expected!

 

[eliza61]

Hello All,
My name is Eliza and you guys have converted me from the dark side of not planning our WDW vacations. All the ideas are great and I am stealing shamelessly! This year I'm planning a 11 day summer vacation for 10 people
so appreciate all the ideas. Wish me luck and lots of pixie dust.
Any other planning tips
08/23-09/02/06 Villas at the Wilderness Lodge

 

[phoebusII]

Hi, I'm Phoebus and I'm an overplanner, especially for Disney trips.

However, I also try to make sure there is some flexibility in the plans. What I usually do is plan the first few days of the vacation nearly down to the nano-second, but leave the second half relatively open. That way we are not tied down to a specific park and can go park hopping on a few days if we want.

My DH is a non-planner. He simply trusts that we will get there and everything will work out. It always has in the past. But that's because I plan FPs and ADRs. I know what rides have huge wait times and which you can usually get right on. Also, I know which restaurants you must have ADRs for if you hope to eat there. I bought an updated guidebook for our coming trip so our kids could see the pictures. I asked him yesterday if he'd even bothered to look at it. I was told he didn't need to. He had me.

I find that planning actually makes the trip more enjoyable and less stressful.

 

[threeboysmom]

Anybody know how to make these colorful spreadsheets??? Being the overplanner, Type A personality that I am, I want to get started on this RIGHT NOW!!! LOL!

 

[Chester's Mum]

So, how many other OverPlanaholics are there??[/QUOTE]

Thank you for posting this again, I used it last year, but lost it. I've been looking for another copy. OverPlanning my Disney vacation gets me through the times when I'm not there. People just don't understand us.

 

[new_mouser]

Count me in as a member. I am hopelessly addicted.

I've already created my spreadsheets for my trip - including factoring in ride duration, walking times, wait times, etc. - down to the minute. Shows and meals that have specific times are highlighted in yellow. I doubled the wait times to be on the safe side, figuring any "leftover" minutes will be spent browsing in the shops and/or watching street vendors.

Then I replicated them into business-card sized printouts, with ADR numbers of course, and laminated them.

Oh, did I mention we're not leaving until September?

 

[mepperson]

OP - I used those EXACT spreadsheets last year (and in process for this year). Thanks go to snackystacky for posting them originally. I plan everything, using TGM for the rides advice. I am also a Professional Organizer, so you have no idea how I obsess about all this!

I do keep all my important info on the spreadsheet, as well as on cards that I keep in a pocket photo album (the super-cheap type from walmart). As I make purchases I also keep the receipts in there! I have my cell # on the front in case it gets lost!!!

Hello, my name is Mary, and I am an over planner... and LOVE it!!!

 

[kaylie&laurensmom]

Yes, my name is Misty, and I am a complete overplanneraholic!!

I have the same problem - everyone thinks I'm "a bit much". I have several spreadsheets as well, and I thought I was the Queen - but the OP is definitely the King!

I have planned our September trip to the very last detail and have become depressed as there is nothing left to plan. I have read the UG and Passporter cover to cover, read every single article on TGM, and read these boards religiously every day.

Now for fun, I am helping a co-worker plan her trip!

 

[Marseeya]

How do you save those to use in excel?

 

[lillygator]

How do you save those to use in excel?

I would love to know too!

 

[MSRSDS3]

OMG , this spreadsheet is the greatest. I too tend to overplan according to my husband, but wait until I show him this spreadsheet. LOL.
Thank you so much for sharing!! I'm going in August and was just starting to put some plans for us together.

I was able to save it to Excel the following way.

I opened the link in Internet Explorer.
Under File , a choice called 'Edit with Microsoft Excel' showed up for me.
I clicked on that, and it brought it up in Excel.
Then you can just save it.
I can't wait to start using this tonight

 

[Anna114]

LOL I had to laugh....you plan your time for spur of the moment things! Think about it, how funny is that . However, I do the same thing!

Have a magical day,
Anna

I'm a TGM'er planaholic, too. And I love it! Planning is the best way that you can squeeze the most attractions into your trip.

That said, I also plan for some downtime or a day "off" from the parks so we can relax to soak up the magic and do some spur-of-the-moment things.

I don't use a spread sheet. I use index cards.

Dh was skeptical about my plans, but once we followed them he said that I did a great job putting together our trip. He was impressed with how well those little cards led us through our day.

 

[golden1]

I love it! I have a spreadsheet going for my trip to WDW in Dec already and it is similar to yours although not as pretty. I think I enjoy the planning as much as the trip itself. It is like a challange to organize the perfect trip! My in-laws are coming and they are the best because they will just follow everything I tell them to do. Same with DH. We all went together 5 years ago and I planned everything to the letter and everyone had a great time so they are true believers!

 

[JennyW]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm an overplanner, too. But, along with the person who planned some flexible time, I, too, create planned spontaneity. It's a must, or else you'll go nuts or miss out on something unexpected. We're going in August, and I plan to have every minute planned out, including plenty of flexible time in the afternoon and evening. I also will probably come up with several contingency plans in case some large part doesn't work out. =)

 

[ncbyrne]

Hi I'm ncbyrne and I too am a compulsive over planner. I make no apology.
I don't want to quit - I won't go near a 12 step program, because I like my addiction!
My life in general is full of lists. When I get up EARLY in the morning I think to myself that I will get more work done by noon than most people do all day. Now that I am retired, I get to plan vacations! I think that a good percentage of DISers are super planners too! It's what makes these boards so uniquely special. Planning makes all the difference.

 

[Miller1412]

I'm Deb and I'm a planaholic!! But the planning is 1/2 the fun!!


I buy a lined journal and tab out several sections that I keep all my info in. I either write in, type and print info and other tips. DH says it's my "Holy Grail" book...like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.