Confessions of an obsessive planner... Let the countdown begin!!

[Twoboysnmygirl]

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Just to let you all in on just how crazily obsessive (or maybe controlling!) I can get about planning I'll let you in on what I'm working on right now.

I started looking at menus for the counter service places I picked. I was trying to do a little fine tuning and I've ended up with a MAJOR project on my hands. When I picked the CS places I looked at location and checked to see if there was something on the menu everyone would enjoy. However today when I was looking at those menus I realized that a lot of the places I picked serve the same things and we are going to get tired of hamburgers and pulled pork sandwiches. Sooo.... I copied menus from allears into a word document and organized them by location. I printed them all out and am about to go spread out on my bed with my schedule, maps, and menus so I can make sure I've not only got a good plan for getting a variety of food without a lot of backtracking and running all over.

Sounds crazy I know but my dad and my husband will both be unhappy if they have to eat the same thing all the time and I don't want to waste our park time waiting in three different lines for food.

Or maybe I just wanted a WDW planning project for the afternoon.

This is SOOO something that I would do!! Luckily I have a WDW Dining app on my phone that lets me peruse the menus whenever I want.

Oh and did I ever show you the CS booklet I made? Natalie (DISIGN board) has all the options for CS on cute cards you can print out and take with you. I made it so my IL's could look and see if there was anything they wanted, but I don't think they ever even looked at it! But, I don't think it had the resort CS menus.

I'm going to have to go find this!

I booked our room today!!!

I called this afternoon and got all 6 of us booked at ASMu. Of course the CM couldn't make any promises about adjoining rooms or putting us in Jazz but the request has been noted.

When it came time to add on dining he immediately offered me Quick Service. I hedged and admitted that I was hoping for free dining to be released. He assured me that I could canel the dining later at no penalty (I already knew that ) so I let him put it on. He told me that he'd offered me the QS plan because that was people staying in values would most likely get if free dining is offered. Honestly, I love my QS plan so I'm happy about that. More time in the parks, less sitting in restaurants.

I'm not sure I've filled everyone in on my latest dining decisions. So I guess I can do that now as well. We decided to do TS oop because there were a few things we were really looking forward to. Park Fare was on our must list and still is, we'll be having dinner there on Thursday evening. This is also the night the kids will get to ride the monorail. We'll take the bus from ASMu to MK and then the Monorail to GF. I'm hoping to get a 6:15 ADR and that we'll be finished eating in time to watch Wishes from the Marina. There's a small possibility that this could be a party day which would be awesome- we're not attending a party it would be great to have an opportunity to see Hallowishes from outside the park.

Our other TS is going to be at Crystal Palace. I originally thought we'd do our breakfast TS at Tusker House but this worked better for a variety of reasons. I'm excited about getting early shots of a nearly empty Main Street.

Like I said earlier, I really like the QS plan better HOWEVER, one of the things I love about the DDP is that the dinners we had planned were events to look forward to instead of just grabbing a meal. I didn't want to give that up when we switched gears to do the QS instead of the DDP.

Obviously this isn't all of our CS meals- the ones not listed are just simply grabbing something at the resort or in the park and that hasn't changed much from my original plans. The ones listed here are the ones I tried to pair with another activity to make it more special since we won't be do as many character meals...

• We're headed to DTD on our arrival day- we'll probably grab something from Earl of Sandwich for lunch and then take a water taxi to POFQ for dinner at Sassagoula Floatworks.
• We'll have a snack from Boardwalk Bakery for breakfast on our WS day. We are planning to take the bus to DHS and the boat to Boardwalk.
• Dinner that night will be at Cantina de San Angel (if they're finished with the refurb!!!) and Illuminations from the patio.
• Columbia Harbour House for Dinner followed by Spectro/Wishes
• Dinner from Intermission at ASMu followed by the pooside movie
• Mara at AKL for dinner followed by walking around to explore this resort and hopefully spot some of the animals
• Snack credits to be used at F&W on opening day
• back to DTD for lunch at Wolfgang Puck's Express and some last minute shopping

YAY for booking!!!!!!! I booked ours today!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Julia, it's hard to find Natalie's stuff b/c she doesn't fill requests anymore, but here is where you can find her stuff (there's great passport stuff as well as tshirt things too)

http://s143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/donatalie/menu cards 2008/

 

[-Hope-]

YAY for booking!!!!!!! I booked ours today!

That app would be so cool to have! I guess since my phone resembles the bird that used to loudly repeat what Fred Flinstone said I'll have to stick to printing out Natalies menus.

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Yay for booking.

It's always a great feeling to get that done, isn't it?

 

[hollisterluva92]

Subbing! Good to know that I'm not the only over-obsessive disney planner here! I too have a plan for t-shirts 22 shirts...plus everything else I have 11 for me and 11 for my mom! I am currently writing a ptr too! you should come read it
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2380870

 

[-Hope-]

Yay for booking.

It's always a great feeling to get that done, isn't it?

Yes! It feels much more 'official' now.

Subbing! Good to know that I'm not the only over-obsessive disney planner here! I too have a plan for t-shirts 22 shirts...plus everything else I have 11 for me and 11 for my mom! I am currently writing a ptr too! you should come read it
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2380870

Hehe, now I don't feel so badly for having 34 shirts for 6 people.

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Hi Hope!!! I am soooo happy that you have now booked I've been out of commission for the last few days......I had my H1N1 flu shot on Thursday and I don't think it agreed with my system. Ugh! I'm better now, though. My instant notification emails don't seem to be working, either. All the threads I've subscribed to I haven't received notifications from....Makes me mad!!!! I don't want you all to think I don't care!

 

[-Hope-]

Hi Ann! I figured you'd been busy with real life, lol.

 

[-Hope-]

Haunted Mansion Movie Day

Jace opted out again- that boy would be a hermit if I let him. Oh well, he and I will watch the movie this morning before we send it back and then he can do the activities on his own.

Karen and I met at the rec center to walk first. After walking we headed over to Karen's house for some Disney fun. I brought a pudding cemetary and she'd printed out LOTS of fun HM activities.

We decided that it might be a good idea to watch the movie first since the activities would make more sense AND to make sure we actually watched the movie this week. The girls grabbed the activity packs and worked on those while the previews played then we settled in to watch the movie!

What a cute movie! None of us had seen this one so we all enjoyed it. Kya was a little scared at a few parts but overall she liked the movie. She watched part of it through her fingers.

Jace is more sensitive to things like that- he enjoys the movies but sometimes has nightmares afterwards. He still wants to watch the movie but I'm glad I watched it first so he can be prepared!

After the movie we moved to the kitchen table where the girls had some of the cemetary pudding and then made some paper crafts. (Or was it Karen and I who made those? )

Karen found great printouts! Master Gracey and Madame Leota's tombstones, a tomb, hitchiker mask and the cutest bookmark with the stretching portraits. The tombstones were difficult to make and I was losing my patience but they turned out so cute!

Another great day! We definately have the most fun with movies we haven't all seen! We'll have to keep that in mind when we choose for next week!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

OH, THAT LOOKED LIKE SO MUCH FUN!!!!! I wish I would be as creative as that. I love the Haunted Mansion. I think it's one of my favorite rides at the park! Yes, I'm morbid like that!!!!

 

[-Hope-]

OH, THAT LOOKED LIKE SO MUCH FUN!!!!! I wish I would be as creative as that. I love the Haunted Mansion. I think it's one of my favorite rides at the park! Yes, I'm morbid like that!!!!

who needs to be creative when you've got the dis!

Most of the ideas come from here!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Ooooh! I just realized that our 180 day mark falls on a Monday when we usually do Disney Movie Day! We will have to do something special on March 29th!!!

 

[-Hope-]

Is 180 days too soon to do a countdown party and make our chains?? LOL!

 

[-Hope-]

Okay, folks I'm making myself a little nuts today. I think it's because I had planned to go run some errands and got snowed in instead. A day at home by choice is amazing but being stuck due to weather makes me feel trapped.

So, when Robbie and Kya were able to get out in the four wheel drive and Jace walked over to my mom and dad's (have I mentioned they live next door?) I had about an hour to myself. Of course I got out my Disney folder (yes, there is a folder, you can't be all that surprised) and started 'fine tuning' my plans.

A couple of things are giving me issues right now...

1) I'd really like to take Jace to T-rex. Karen gave me the idea of just having dessert which I LOVE, my issue is with fitting it in. We can try to do it the first night we get in but that's a little tricky. Its hard to gauge how we're going to be feeling after traveling so I'm a little reluctant to make the ADR on our arrival day. However, if I don't make it for that day then I may need to give up something else. I'm trying to remember the advice I read earlier (and passed along to Karen already )- A wish list is just that. A WISH list. We don't have to do it all.

So, opinions please- if I can't find a way to fit them all in without feeling rushed which one should I give up:

• dessert at T-Rex
• visiting AKL (and having CS dinner at Mara)
• poolside Wii and movie on the giant blow up screen at ASMu

2) I'm also having a hard time figuring out my park plan on our DHS day. At first it seemed easy since we don't like roller coasters but now I'm having another issue. DHS is all about shows. There are LOTS of shows to choose from and I'm having a hard time figuring out how to fit them all in. Of course it complicates things even further that I'm basically *guessing* at show times. They could change any time!

Our MUST do shows at DHS:

• Jedi Training Academy
• Indiana Jones (recently added, Jace is newly infatuated with Indy)

And the things we'd REALLY like to see:

• Muppets
• HSM 'concert'

And the things it would be nice to see but aren't high priorities:

• Little Mermaid
• Beauty and the Beast

When I try to fit all of this in with the rides and attractions we want to do with show times I'm estimating I either can't do it all or we're going to be doing a lot of backtracking. DHS is early in the week (our second full day) so I think we'll have the energy for backtracking but I don't want to wear us out! So, more opinons: if I can't find a streamlined way to fit everything in should I pare back the shows or should we just suck it up and walk back and forth between the areas?

I know I'm going to have to rethink all of this again when I get the ACTUAL show times but I just can't let it go- if there's a problem in my plans that I can't figure out it just drives me CRAZY until I come up with a solution (even if it is only temporary).

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Oh I see! You can give the advise but not take it!



Ok, first off, you are already spoiled rotten. Those GAD FPs spoiled you before you even used them! Everyone has to backtrack a bit usually. Since you will have the GAD FPs, you are at an advantage and shouldn't have to as much. Do you know the times for shows right now and for last year in Sept? I'm pretty sure they are the same or similar all year round.

I also think that you won't wear yourself out much BECAUSE you are seeing so many shows. Many of them are inside with AC and you will be sitting almost as much as walking (although I do remember my back actually hurting from sitting too much at DHS!)

Also, I think I should enlist our DIS friends to talk you into The Great Movie Ride. The kids will like it, I think. Do you know about the vehicle driver being "hijacked" while you ride? It's cute and the kids will probably enjoy it. Aren't you happy that I'm just trying to add MORE stuff to your day?

Really though, with your FPs and not even having to step foot on Sunset Blvd since you aren't riding any of the headliners (other than TSM) you shouldn't have a problem seeing the shows you want. However, I think you should plan for lunch. I don't think you will make it until you get back to ASMU. I know the food choices are bleak, I'm finding a way around that myself, but the shows will take up TIME and I think you will all get hungry before you are done with the park.

 

[-Hope-]

Ok, first off, you are already spoiled rotten.

Who me?!?

But, but... Really its not about the walking as much as its about the TIME spent walking. I think I just need to look at it with you because you'll be able to give me a better idea of how long its going to take me to walk from point A to point B- I'm probably cushioning my time too much and its making the day SEEM longer than it has to be.

The thing with so many shows is they just take so long- between getting there to get good seats and the time actually spent in the show most of them are going to be like 45 minutes long- and that doesn't include the time wasted when there's 20 minutes between one show and the next which isn't enough time to do anything else but to much time to just be standing around waiting.

But since we aren't interested in a lot of rides it seemed like a good day to see some shows so I went back and TRIED to make it work but I just could not fit it all in. Not a big deal really, its just a wish list right. I cut out Beauty and the Beast and the Studio Backlot tour and I still don't think we'll get finished before 2:00 (again with some cushioning to get from one place to the next). VotLM will be a maybe. We'll be in that area last and if we feel like it we'll do it, otherwise we won't. I have no idea if I could fit in the Great Movie Ride- keeping in mind that we're going to MK for Spectro/Wishes that night!

I did add lunch. We'll suck it up and eat at either Backlot or Studio Catering, depending on where we are when we get hungry. And now we'll have another extra snack credit to play with.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

It's hard to judge the time. I was doing the same with with my AK day b/c we are going to MNSSHP that night and I cannot imagine fitting everything in AND TS at Tusker House. But, it has to fit b/c once again I looked at the menus and there is NOWHERE that Savannah & I can eat at AK other than TH.

Anyway, finishing at 2pm is still PLENTY of time! That afternoon break doesn't have to be as long as you would think. Even if you got back to the resort at 3 or 4pm you could rest & swim and Spectro doesn't start until 8pm. I found that our afternoons/evenings went much slower than our morning. The morning flies by but then I always thought we had enough time in the afternoon. I was sitting at the house this last trip WAITING for it to be time to leave for our dinner ADRs that were for 6pm, so I think you will be ok.

AND, what's funny is, I have the same issue with my DHS day, we have to be done by 1pm or so b/c we're taking the ferry to Biergarten. For us, DHS shouldn't be an all day park this time b/c we aren't doing the shows. Well, most of them. HSM is a must for Savannah and I love the Muppets.

 

[-Hope-]

Well, I think I have it figured out. For some reason I had it in my head that we just had to eat breakfast at Starring Rolls. I think its because all of the reviews I said declared it the only decent CS in DHS. But it was just a snack breakfast so why was I holding on to it so much? Anyway, I dropped it and we'll grab a snack breakfast at the resort to eat on the bus. That didn't really help much but it did give me time for The Great Movie Ride.

So, tell me what you think.

-Great Movie Ride at rope drop.
-Get in line for Jedi Training (starts at 9:55 but need to be in line about 20-25 min early to guarantee being picked- this is first come first serve now)
-HSM concert (10:30 performance)
-Star Tours (with GAD FP)
-Indiana Jones (in line by 11:15 for 11:30 show- Is that early enough for this show?)

After the Indiana Jones show we can eat at Backlot Express if we're hungry. If not then we'll wait until after we do these:

-Muppets (with GAD FP)
-HISTK Movie Set playground (check Muppet showtimes to see which is first)

If we didn't have lunch at Backlot we can eat at Studio Catering Co. while we're in this area. It should be about 1:30 when we finish in the SOA area and lunch.

-TSM (GAD FP)
-Magic of Disney Animation
-VothLM (GAD FP) (I think this is going to be a must for my mom because it was my little brother's favorite as a toddler and we used to be able say it word for word because he watched it EVERY day. She'll want to see it just for nostalgia's sake.)
-Narnia (if the kids ask, I'm not bringing it up )

IF we really wanted to I suppose we could do the 2:00 show of Beauty and the Beast after we ride TSM and then go back for the rest of the things in that area. I guess it will just depend if we are sick of shows at that point. The Block Party Bash parade is at 3:00 so we may see that as well if we still happen to be in the area when it goes through. The kids may also want to ride TSM or Star Tours one more time since we aren't using all of the GAD FP exchanges.

I tried to put all of the things that were must do first and then all of the stuff that we may or may not do is toward the end of the day so we can decide how we feel about it then. If all we do after lunch was TSM and MoDA I'll be happy but I think its good to have the option to do the other stuff so everyone doesn't think I've made all the decisions for them!

I think we'll be finished between 2:30 and 3:30 depending on whether or not we do everything or decide to skip some things (I don't think we'll do it all at the end of the day). That should get us back to the resort between 3 and 4 (give or take depending on how the buses are running) and we won't need to leave to get back to MK until about 6 or 6:30 so we can eat before Spectro. (We'll just grab our food and eat in our parade spot).

When I was working on this last night Kya said, "A lot of the stuff you do is about Disney."

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I just need to pipe in and say it's really fun watching you and Karen bounced stuff off each other........