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

[Victoriasmom98]

Oui, Oui, Oui.......je aime le dejour de France!

Ok, my VERY BAD attempt at saying I love your France day!! I'm French, too, so you would think I could read and write it, but hey, there are days I can barely write English! Ugh!

I agree about your declining the park hoppers. I just think if you plan out your days accordingly, you can see everything you want to. Love the pics!

 

[-Hope-]

I made a few changes to my intinerary. Nothing major, just minor tweaks. I just made the chages back on my last itinerary updates. If you're interested you can see them here:

First Epcot day- The changes to this day were due to the fact that I will no longer be meeting Karen for lunch and a KP mission. It worked out pretty well though and I'm getting Mexico out of the way in the morning, leaving more time for other countries that evening when we come back. By moving Mexico to the morning I was also able to move some things around so we wouldn't have to criss-cross the lagoon so much and save ourselves travel time (which means more time for touring) and still get to see the performers we want.

Magic Kingdom VERY minor change- moved Peter Pan from morning to evening. The main reason for this change is that after looking at menus again I think we'll want to eat at Pinocchio Village Haus after we ride Haunted Mansion and PP is on the way so it just made sense. It's one less thing to do in the busy morning and the evening is much more laid back- we can spend as much or as little time as we want on Tom Sawyer Island so we won't be rushed to do other things.

Epcot day 2 These changes were made just to accomodate the changes I had to make from the FIRST Epcot day.

I'm really happy with the adjustments in the plans, and feeling good about my no hoppers decision.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Yep, I think you made the right choice! I booked our November trip this morning and we're going with 6 day base tickets as well, no hopping. We'll miss Spectro, but we will see Wishes from the beach and see the Christmas parade and fireworks. I just couldn't justify 200$ for Spectro. We can always add them while we are there if something throws a wrench in our plans!

 

[tndislvr]

i

 

[DrMomof3]

It sounds like you've made some very good decisions!

Amanda

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Sounds good Hope! I really need to sit down and do my daily plans. I started, but then was when my step son was coming. I know that's going to change some things. I also did them before we upgraded to the DDp from QS! So, maybe i'll do that at work tonight!!!

 

[-Hope-]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement on my decision not to get hoppers. I was a little disappointed at first but now I feel good about the choice. :

Stay tuned later today. I'm going to try to take some pictures of pictures to post a flashback to my one day in the MK 17 years ago today!

 

[lexmas]

I love the france day. It really does sound like it's just not worth it to get hoppers for you. And I love the minor tweaks to your planning...I can't fathom having my days planned out like that, but I sure do enjoy reading about it!

 

[-Hope-]

I love the france day. It really does sound like it's just not worth it to get hoppers for you. And I love the minor tweaks to your planning...I can't fathom having my days planned out like that, but I sure do enjoy reading about it!

Thanks! The France day was fun.

As for the planning, the thing is that I LOVE the planning aspect. I loved reading about all of the rides and attractions and deciding what fit with our family, looking at the maps to see how its all laid out, going over menus to see which ones had food for everyone. It was FUN for me to do all that. (Truth be told I would sometimes lay in bed and have a mini trip in my mind, running through my day- that's why this title of this thread contains the word obsessive )

I don't think everyone NEEDS all that planning to have a fun trip but for me it extends my fun. I'm also pretty laid back and once we're there we will use the itinerary as a guide but not a bible, kwim? I am okay with missing the drummers in Japan because we just can't tear ourselves away from something else or the kids want to meet a favorite character. I wouldn't be okay with missing the drummers just because we were in Italy during the drummers and then in Japan while the jugglers were in Italy. The plan helps me feel like we'll get the most magic possible. I know for some people a plan like mine would make them feel like they're on a schedule and wouldn't be able to get lost in the magic as a result. I'm pretty laid back and while I love MAKING plans I have no real attachment to them once its done and can go with the flow.

Karen and I were just saying Monday that there has to be a happy medium between commando touring and a leisurely stroll through the park- that balance is my goal!

 

[-Hope-]

Edit- double post

 

[-Hope-]

I've had so much fun reading everyone's flashbacks and looking at their pics so I dug out my pictures and thought I'd share my own WDW flashback.

I've only included pictures of WDW and a couple of group shots even though I'll share a little bit about a couple of other things we did on the trip. I'm using pictures of pictures since I don't have a scanner so I just picked a few to help tell the story.

I graduated from high school on May 16, 1993 and the next day 24 of my classmates and I left for Florida for our senior trip. We went on a chartered bus and switched drivers in TN so we could drive all night getting us to Florida early in the morning on May 18. That's me fourth from the left in the back row.

That first day we checked into our hotel and went immediately to Sea World. We only had a few days and we weren't wasting any time! We ate dinner that night at the Hard Rock Cafe. The next day- Disney World! I didn't write dates down but I know when we graduated and that we left the next day so according to my album- that includes captions- we must have been at WDW on May 19, 1993; exactly 17 years ago today.

I admit to being a total newbie on this trip. We got to choose which park we wanted to go to and this totally confused me- I wanted to go to Disney World. It wasn't until they were dropping us off at different parks that I really 'got it'.

My friends and I chose MK and we only got one day so all of the other parks will be brand new to me. AK didn't even EXIST when I was there.

So, here's the cast from that day- I don't have any group shots of all of us in MK so you get one from the bus instead. That's me in the middle along with my friends Kristie, Danica, Paula and Amanda.

So, we were dropped off at MK with instructions on when and where to meet our class sponsor. I have absolutely no recollection of Main Street, the statue of Walt and Mickey or the castle. I have a picture that I obviously took but no memories whatsover.

The first ride we rode was Splash Mountain. I remember this very well because I LOVED it! I love the drops on roller coasters but hate the jerky, fast rides that always give me a headache. With splash you get the drop without the jerky ride.

I also loved the theming of Splash and took tons of pictures:

After Splash we headed over to Haunted Mansion. Again, I have no recollection of this. We've had a HM themed movie day, Karen has told me all about this ride, I've read all about it, but still no memories. I was shocked when I looked through my pictures and had pictures of the INSIDE of HM. (btw, to show you how much of a newbie I was my pics are labeled Haunted HOUSE! ) The interior shots were too dark to post but here's an exterior shot:

Then we were off to Fantasyland and IASW. I also distinctly remember this ride but not because I liked it! I liked it at first but it was just too much. I'm not a passive, visual person and even in museums everything starts to look the same after a while if I don't stop to read my guidebook or something. I think this ride was just sensory overload for me. Still I took tons of pictures.

After IASW we rode Peter Pan. I do remember this one a little and remember liking it.

Then we went over to Toontown and waited in line to meet Mickey. My friend Danica was OBSESSED with Mickey so this was a must.

I remember going through Mickey's house...

And meeting Launchpad (I think he was from Tailspin or Ducktales, maybe Rescue Rangers)...

But I also have pictures of myself with Tigger and Eyeore that I don't remember at all. I do remember that meeting Launchpad was simple and we didn't wait in a huge line.

We also caught a show that included the afternoon line-up characters from Goof Troop, Darkwing Duck, Rescue Rangers, Tailspin, and Ducktales. For some reason my friends and I thought it was ironically funny to watch these shows and so we had to catch the live show.

I must have run out of film at this point because I don't have any pictures of Tomorrowland but I do remember waiting in line for Space Mountain. I *think* I have a vauge memory of the ride but I don't know if it's a real memory or not.

That was it, we left before Wishes even though I really wanted to see it. The next day we left Orlando and spent the rest of our trip at Daytona Beach. A pretty short and sweet trip, just enough to really get a little taste of the World. I'm really looking forward to going back to make some new magical memories.

 

[Charlefours]

I have one of those prints from a street vendor. I love mine too!

We have weighed the option of PH but DH wants to keep them on for the flexibility and sponaniety if we want to switch during the day. Your plans are so great to begin with, you won't need the PH!

Great memories and flashback!! I am so glad you were able to post pictures.

 

[DrMomof3]

Too funny looking at the old pictures! What fun!!!

Amanda

 

[-Hope-]

I have one of those prints from a street vendor. I love mine too!

We have weighed the option of PH but DH wants to keep them on for the flexibility and sponaniety if we want to switch during the day. Your plans are so great to begin with, you won't need the PH!

Great memories and flashback!! I am so glad you were able to post pictures.

Too funny looking at the old pictures! What fun!!!

Amanda

Thanks! It was fun pulling out those old pics- I'm glad Stephanie suggested it!

There were lots of others that weren't relevent here that I was cracking up to see again. Stuff from the bus and hotel room when my friends and I were just goofing off. A lot of the things I'd forgotten and it was great to go back through and look at everything again.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I love your 'flashback' photos. I know your kids will have much better ones 17 years from now because their momma is a great photog!

 

[BippityBoo]

HI!! I have to join in based off of your PTR title! That is me, too I am going back to read from the beginning!

We went on Oct 1st in 2008 and it was amazing!

Join in my PTR too if you want. Christmastime PTR
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2374556&page=34

 

[-Hope-]

High School Musical

Yesterday was a pretty simple and laid back Disney day. We had a High School Musical theme with simple decorations and food.

Kya had the pom pons and we made a couple of "Go Wildcats!" penants. The birthday party aisle at K-mart had HSM plates and temporary tattoos. We had 'concession stand' food- pizza and popcorn. There was a mix-up with Netflix; I thought I'd changed the order of my queue in time but then when I got the movie it was the wrong one. So then I was going to go to the video store when I was in town and I completely forgot. Good thing these girls never want to watch the movie anyway!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Love the old flashbacks! And that launchpad character, I remember him. I don't remember which show either though.

Cute Disney day as usual too!

 

[-Hope-]

Love the old flashbacks! And that launchpad character, I remember him. I don't remember which show either though.

Cute Disney day as usual too!

Thanks!

 

[-Hope-]

I forgot to mention earlier that my ticker is at 4 MONTHS!! Tomorrow it will change to 3!! (well plus some weeks but that month number is what makes me smile, lol)