curiousity might help me one day

[dyingtodisney]

In a previous thread we were discussing obsessive planners. I might need to enroll myself in OBSESSIVE PLANNERS ANONYMOUS if one gets started so let me know. Anyway, I am curious how far in advance, like how many years worth of vacations people have preplanned. Also does a new resort opening such as SSR this spring make you change your plans to visit the NEW place or do you stick with what you have planned? My original plan is to visit a different resort every year is this conceivable or do the OP ever get sucked into changes after certain trips? Not that any of this really matters I just like to plan and know the best way to plan if you are an OP this will make perfect sense

 

[Korbs]

Hi
I'm another obsessive planner and i just wanted to say that if the plans do change, i see that as something good, cause it's something i can obsessively re plan!

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

We like to plan two years out. We are working on February vacation of 2005 now. IMHO those who are able to plan far in advance are perfect fits for DVC. I don't like to plans to change because it throws off my obsessive planning for future trips.

HBC

 

[dyingtodisney]

HBC_
I have to agree with you, I do not deal well with change once my masterplan is set....

 

[pwoodham]

I need to join OPA also. 2 of my boys and I are going on a short trip with my sister's family, leaving 9/20. Yesterday she sent an email asking if I had any ideas about where we should eat....................as you OPAer's know, we always call at 7 am 120, 90, 60, or 30 days out exactly from the date we want a reservation.

Since it's her trip, I did not push my obsessive ways on her, but I think I'm getting a tic.............

Oh well, she's paying for the hotel!!!!!

 

[dyingtodisney]

Be careful! If you hold back to long you might EXPLODE

 

[dianeschlicht]

When we first purchased DVC, I would sit for hours and plan YEARS of trips! Now I tend to plan a couple years ahead, but I don't obcess about it so much. I keep a flow chart of planned trips and APs so I know when APs expire in relationship to planned trips. We currently have one reservation outstanding, and I will be making one for October next year in November.

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

If you want to start a Michigan chapter - let me know, I'm already there!!

My justification is that my family never vacationed - EVER so I didn't take my first real trip anywhere until I was 28 so now I'm just catching up. Right now we have one big trip planned in January, another prospective in the talks for September 2004, and another trip in concept for September 2005. That's about as far out as I can go and still maintain a somewhat sane life. We just bought into SSR but did so knowing that we already had a different trip planned which is why we did it - we don't need the points now so it works perfectly for us.

OPAs unite!!

 

[Laurabearz]

We currently have 4 trips booked with the last being HHI in March 2004. We have nothing planned after that since we are borrowed to the hilt.....

But the routine I dream of would be...........

May OKW and or VWL
September BCV or BWV AND 2 or 3 nights at a Disney Resort
November BWV
December or January OKW

In June we visit Ohio
October we head to the East Coast.... most often Boston
(not on points though)

We are travel bugs......


When the kids are older....... fewer longer trips will be made..... for now, lots and lots or 5-8 might trips.

 

[dyingtodisney]

crzyforpiglet-
I think we are long lost twins. Same story for me family never traveled, except for soccer and drillteam competitions. I'm 28 and have never been out of the country, never been to the beach,etc.
Unfortunately the travel bug didn't hit me until now and with dd7 being in school we're restricted to traveling on her breaks. It's very important for me to show the kids what I never saw!!! I guess my OP behaviors help assure me that we will get everywhere I want to go ONE DAY!

 

[CK1]

I currently have up through 2012 fairly planned. I have several spreadsheets that chronicle the ages of our children each step of the way, days left on hoppers, what tickets to buy next, resorts yet to visit, restaurants on the to-do list, pts banked / borrowed, packing lists, priority seating schedules, etc, all that stuff -- it truly boggles the mind. I have all our meals pretty much planned for our next trip -- and it's 11 mos away! I am calling day-by-day this week securing our accommodations, somewhat b/c we're getting a std view at BWV and want to be CERTAIN we get it, but also because I JUST CAN'T WAIT. Gotta have those details NAILED DOWN ASAP! A disgusting waste of effort to some, but I LOVE it. DH used to think I was driving myself nuts with all the planning -- then he realized that the planning is actually a BIG part of the vacation aspect for me! I can "live" in the vacation moment all the way up until departure.

Amazingly, no, I don't get freaked out by changing plans. I have so many options waiting in the wings, it's not a big issue. ANd I do leave intentional gaps in my master plans to allow folks to do their own thing for a while as the Disney Spirit moves them... (or as my DH joking calls it, my "carefully scheduled moments of spontanaiety" )

I do get impatient, sometimes, because of all the choices... I know that sooner or later we'll hit all the places / venues we want, but just not all in one trip. BUt a new resort opens, or someone raves about a restaurant, or trades pts on a great trip somewhere, and it sets your wheels turning again. Personally, if I didn't have my planner showing out to 2012, listing all that we will do in that time, it would be alot harder planning a single trip! I like to think I see the big picture when I plan obsessively!!


The only way I might get miffed is if a trip was DELAYED (or -- horrors - cancelled! ) We plan big trips every 18 mos or so (rather than lots of small ones), so I realllllly look forward to my DVC fix, and putting off a trip would be pure torture to me! That's never happened yet, thank goodness -- and I hope it NEVER does, either!

 

[SheriB]

I wouldn't say I'm obsessive, but I did have plans out to 2006, with one trip actually ready to book for next year. Well, things may change drastically, since we just found out my DD16 will be going to Italy with her Italian class next November. Normally, that wouldn't affect our WDW plans, but there's a chance our whole family may be able to go with the group. If that's the case, I will have no choice but to rent out my 2004 & 2005 points. Since I'm no millionaire, it will have to be one or the other, and I can't pass up an opportunity to go to Italy! But, then I'll be having WDW withdrawal until 2006! I'm starting to shake already! At least I can always look on the DIS and see what other people have planned.

Sheri

 

[dyingtodisney]

SheriB-
Italy!!!! That is way cool! We'll keep your Disney fix up for ya!

CK1- I would like to nominate you as the OPA President? Do I have a second?
LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I hope your family appreciates the "carefully scheduled moments of spontaneity" you bestow upon them!!!!LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mbb]

mbb, and I'm an obsessive planner.

And I plan other people's trips too. Problem is, they haven't asked for the plan.

Who cares?!!! They get 'em anyway!

 

[SheriB]

CK1-WOW!

If I don't get to Disney till 2006, can I take a peak at your planner? It'll give me the fix I need. Or make me dizzy!

I agree that planning is part of the fun of the whole vacation. It's really neat to come home from one trip and start planning another, or know that the next one is already planned-put one trip behind and move on to the next!

It's very interesting to see how far out and to what extent everyone's trips are planned. It keeps the excitement ongoing.
I'll be curious to see other's responses.

Sheri

 

[CK1]

I will say that being an obsessive planner mainly works in my family because NO ONE ELSE IS. They just let me go at it.

My dh recently traveled with a buddy who could be a fellow charter member of OPA. In my dh's own words, if Mark and I were to ever travel together... we'd kill each other.

(Hmmm....Does ncligs have an icon that can show two smileys with calendars and clipboards whacking the anal-retentive poop outta each other?)

 

[BriarRose59]

My family has finally gotten it. A lot of my enjoyment of a vacation is the planning stage. I am glad I am not the only one. I already have our trip to Italy planned for next July (sorry we'll miss you SherriB) and the airline reservations made and paid for. As soon as we are able to make ressies at SSR for next Thanksgiving, I'll be on the phone. I make our PS's as far out as possible when we stay in the World because I can't stand not having everything all mapped out. I always plan our park days around EE, E-ride nights or park opening/closing times. When we went with my daughter's drill team to WDW in February, I tried to explain to the other 25 parents that you need to make PS's BEFORE you go, not when you get there. I was the only one who did and my group was the only one to go to a character breakfast, eat at Sci-Fi Dine-in, which is one of our favorite restaurants (not for the food, but for the atmosphere, the food is okay but nothing to write home about) and not have to hunt around for a place to eat a nice meal without an hour's wait. They all learned a lesson that trip. I hope they don't make that mistake again. Planning is an integral part of having an enjoyable Disney vacation. When I go I don't stress about finding a place to sit, relax and have a nice meal because I already have it planned!

R. T. White, Obsessive Planner Extraordinaire

 

[DrTomorrow]

Hello. My name is DrTomorrow, and I'm an Obsessive Planner.

We just bought into SSR, and we just finished planning for October, 2038; I think we'll be having dinner at 'Ohana our first night there.

 

[JimC]

DrTomorrow you are a riot

Okay we only go out three years for Disney and non-Disney trips. Changes always occur, ranging from the very minor to the severely disruptive. They occur during trips, like when we tossed most of our schedule out of the window on the morning of day 2 and winged it for the rest of the trip (weather coupled with some unexpected Epcot events we discovered). And they occur because one of use has this idea "wouldnt it be great to....OR how about if we were to......" -- a sure sign of replanning to come.

2004 is tasked for all key dates and booking has begun on two trips. Generally by year-end 2003 the following year is pretty well locked in. Well except for those last minute trips that appear out of some unexpected opportunity. I have assembled a five day trip with less than two weeks to departure, including free airfare, AP discounts, PS and the like (well I split that effort with the good folks at DreamsUnlimited).

2005 is all scheduled with one trip already tasked. 2006 is blocked for key events, but no firm plans yet. We will probably discuss 2006 while on our upcoming trip.

We also plan for AP usage, use year considerations for banking and borrowing (multiple contracts and use years). Thank goodness for Fredrickson's and Caskbill's great programs. We also use Excel for maintaining historical information and planning control.

I just reread my own post -- And I find this relaxing?