Did planning used to be easier?

[mousehockey37]

That's good advice! I will try.

Watch the gears turn behind my eyes as I try to calculate 'unplanned' time.

It's going to be tough, but you have to do it. What if your aunt came over and got totally immersed at say, the Living Seas in Epcot? Would you dare pull her away from it if she's fully engaged, learning things from the CM's, etc? What if a CM wanted to do something magical for her but you're headed to your next FP? Would you stop and let her have that time?

Again, the magic of WDW is everywhere there, even though lots of people think it's a dying thing. The Main St. Philharmonic, depending on the tune, is actually a crowd interactive thing!!! It's fun!

So again, have a plan, but let the vacation unfold on her terms.

 

[Auntie_Maim]

^^^ This. Last trip, my kid spent ages at Living Seas and the Forest Trail. He still talks about how close up he got to see a sea turtle and one of the hippos. This is why we're not bothering with Pandora this time at AK. I'm sure the rides are fun, and I'd like to walk through the land at night when it's all lit up, but I love seeing the animals.

 

[JasonMouse]

Don't fall into the "FoMO" trap. Dessert parties are just paid viewing areas. A Minnie van is just a cab. Disney Springs is an overpriced outdoor mall. You don't need photopass and ADR's to have good pictures and great food. You don't need to use all your fast passes.

 

[Colleen27]

Yes and no.

Having park hours and EMH schedules before 180 out definitely made that aspect of planning easier. But I actually like the FP+ system, despite the planning, because having a handful of must-dos reserved is easier than getting my bunch of night-owls up to do the rope-drop dash to collect FP for the attractions where they used to run out. I also really like the app, when it is working. It has put some of the spontaneity back into our trips because now I know that if I don't make an ADR, I can hop on the app and see what's available rather than trekking to a restaurant to find that they aren't taking walk-ups or the wait is longer than we can accept. So that has resulted in fewer "appointment" dining experiences and more flexibility.

 

[fla4fun]

Don't fall into the "FoMO" trap.

That's exactly what I was thinking as I was reading the posts. I think the biggest difference between planning a trip now and planning one 25 years ago is that with the Internet, everyone knows what everyone else is doing and think that if they don't top them in some way their vacation is a waste or a disaster. Back before the Internet, we all just booked our trips according to what we wanted to do, instead of treating a vacation like a competition. I personally don't do a ton of planning in advance. I am going for 11 days next month, have exactly two ADR's and FP booked for maybe half the days for my absolute must do attractions. I want to leave time to be spontaneous and just let the magic unfold.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I continue to be amazed at how detailed people's daily plans are. It's very impressive. I could not go on super planned out trips like that!

Way back when, we didn't decide what park we were going to until we were eating breakfast that morning! We made dining reservations during our trip, often same day.

We have changed with the times and book our 3 FP and a few ADRs. We still don't like being locked into much. We view our secured FPs as suggested activities, not like our trip would be ruined if we didn't do one.
Last trip we probably missed a few of our FP because we were doing something else fun and didn't cry about it.

I don't like planning and I am "the planner." I am the one who dislikes it the least . My day job (currently on a break from it home with my kids) required me to log my billable hours in 15 minute increments. Literally my entire day scheduled. A completely scheduled day at WDW would not have felt like a vacation to me. I still feel that way!

We don't rush from ride to ride. We don't have a touring plan. We always know we will be back though so we don't have the feeling like if we miss something we will miss it forever. We'll get to it in a year and a half (hopefully it will still be around, but if not, oh well!)

We try to enjoy every minute in the parks. Even just sitting and enjoying the atmosphere. It isn't all certain rides and certain restaurants for us. It's about the total package and having fun while we're there, and there's nothing that would ruin my trip if I missed.

For many people going without a hard and fast plan would be stressful. For me, going with one would be stressful!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We used to go in Jan/Feb, back in the early '90s, and no planning was ever needed because the parks were always EMPTY. Just walk onto any ride you want, ride without getting off as many times as you want. Eat wherever you want, etc. For years, this time of year was reliably empty. Now, there is no "off season" at all really, which is I guess why we need to plan. I'm going on the most recommended times(11/26-12/9) of the year, and I still can't get all my ADRs, and all the rooms seemed to be totally booked. I can't complain about free dining, because I have it, lol, but I'm sure that's why.

 

[Auntie_Maim]

When we do an "empty nest" trip in a few years, I'm setting aside a day for "bus roulette." First bus that arrives - that's where we go.

 

[squirrel]

Definitely more planning now.

If you don't have a smartphone/tablet you are way behind everyone else. I found that on my last trip before fp+ back in 2011. Everyone was on their cell phones finding out the wait times and I didn't have a smartphone. Now I have a smartphone which I think is a necessity for WDW now.

Even though we have to plan our ADR's and FP's it seems Disney is making changes to the hours and what rides are down for refurbishment. Don't recall anything like that in all my previous trips.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

Planning is crazy now. While I like being able to do it all in advance and it is exciting in a way, it does make me crazy. It wouldn't be so bad if I could just set my plans and be done. The problem is that things keep changing and you have to go back and revise all the time. Hey your FP show has been cancelled to make room for a dessert party, rearrange schedule. PPO ADR booked? Sorry, new magic morning hours to buy instead. Ride closed that day, find something else. If Disney could plan all their events 190 days in advance I would be happier in my 180 days advance planning.

 

[Delirium]

When we do an "empty nest" trip in a few years, I'm setting aside a day for "bus roulette." First bus that arrives - that's where we go.

Ho many straight days of getting Disney Springs will it take before you change that strategy?

 

[JerseyJanice]

When we do an "empty nest" trip in a few years, I'm setting aside a day for "bus roulette." First bus that arrives - that's where we go.

Bus Roulette. LOL!

I like Fastpass Plus and think it's a big improvement over the old system. I used to grab everyone's tickets after we got through the turnstiles and run ahead to Soarin or Pooh or Toy Story Mania. One time, Soarin ran out of FPs for the day seconds after I put in the first ticket. Other times, we got return times that were totally inconvenient.

After planning three Free Dining trips without park hopping, I don't find it hard to choose a park of the day and get Fastpasses there.

 

[Pmlocke]

I agree with Parker Clan and have to admit I don't find planning difficult at all. My wife and I travel down every year. We go in February as a rule but have also tried September, October November and December. 180 days out I make the call to the nice people at the reservation service and within 20 minutes I have my hotel, park tickets and ADR's. How hard can it be? We decide where it is we want to eat for dinner prior to the call. Takes us about 5 minutes. So, in 25 minutes all my planning is completed. We will be there again in 101 days and I have to make my reservations for our February trip in 26 days. We haven't even begun to discuss that trip. I guess I should also add, now that I've read many comments on what was meant by planning. I thought you all meant planning the details of the trip such as hotel reservations, adrs and that was it. I see now that many, if not most of you go into great detail when you plan a trip from where you will be each day, when you go on a ride, etc. My wife and I are in our 60's, we now go alone, just the two of us. Our planning for each day is like this. During breakfast I ask her, "where do you want to go today?" That is how we plan our days. We are always there for 7 days and we never know from one day to the next what park we will be visiting. Sometimes we just walk out to the bus area in front of the AS Music and take the first one that arrives. As for fast pass, we never use them. I know that those of you with children can't do this. I guess I am trying to tell you all that one of these days you will be able to travel, without the kids and grandkids like we have done many times, and just go and enjoy yourself. When we get to a ride, if the wait is longer than 30 minutes we just walk on. We'll pass it again in the 7 days we will be there. It also doesn't hurt that we can travel when the crowd levels are lower since we don't have kids to pullout of school any longer. Old age does have its benefits.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Absolutely not your imagination, and in fact I'm glad someone else brought it up.

I'm going with my mother and sister in two weeks, and we had a several hour planning meeting, I got up at midnight to book air fare, and several work schedules were adjusted to book fast passes and restaurants.

While I think the planning is part of the fun, literally changing work schedules to ensure you can have a full experience is too much.

I suggested the cruise but didn't realize how expensive it was.

 

[Shellyb84]

For longer trips I'll make really detailed plans, but only because I enjoy it (and it may be a slow day at work), fully expecting that we'll maybe stick to the plan 25% of the time. The planning is just part of the fun for me, and so is totally blowing off the plan when we're there. I know, that sounds totally weird!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Absolutely not your imagination, and in fact I'm glad someone else brought it up.

I'm going with my mother and sister in two weeks, and we had a several hour planning meeting, I got up at midnight to book air fare, and several work schedules were adjusted to book fast passes and restaurants.

While I think the planning is part of the fun, literally changing work schedules to ensure you can have a full experience is too much.

I suggested the cruise but didn't realize how expensive it was.

We can't always plan a trip with 180 days out. Not to mention WDW can through you a curve ball and cut hours at MK that make everything feel more crowded.

What I miss the most are going to the water parks. With FP+ you have to plan 60 days out which park you will be in that day instead of getting up and if the weather was good then going to TL or BB but you are locked in with a FP+.

 

[Belle5]

I have a dear friend who hasn't been in 15 years. She is going in early December with her young grandchildren and adult children. I receive a panic text from her the other day saying, "Why didn't you tell me I need to make dining reservations six months in advance?" She was "joking", knowing that I didn't even know when she was going. She told me she wanted to take the little ones to a meal in the castle or at least another character meal (party of TEN). I felt so bad! If only I had known I would have been coaching her months ago. We had a conversation the other day (after I spent hours online getting her a variety of dining ADRs for 10) and she was just shutting down mentally as I talked about MDE, FP+ (onsite vs. offsite 30 or 60 days out), MVMCP, CP, Magic Bands, dinner package options for night time spectaculars, dessert parties... Many of us on these boards have taken to these changes and complexities bit by bit. To someone who didn't have a clue and hadn't been in many, many years...it is just so overwhelming. BTW, the only meals I could get them were Tony's, Boma, WCC, Marrakesh, Biergarten, etc. Parties of ten can't even really hope for cancellation opportunities to snag ADRs! No character or princess meals were available for their party of ten! She is taking the granddaughters to the Princess Tea Party at the GF, so that's something...

 

[PollyannaMom]

I agreewith @MaryKatesMom about weather-related decisions. I used to do a lot of research, but not such detailed planning. I would have a spreadsheet printed out with hours and crowd estimates, but we would make the final "which park, which day?" decisions a lot closer in - based around weather, how tired we were, and even the occasional game of (as others mentioned) "bus roulette".

I dislike the loss of flexibility, but I do like that my "top 3" are guaranteed. And while deciding what I wanted to eat 6 months in advance still sounds ridiculous to me, I did end up liking everywhere we chose.

I think you just have to take the new system as it is, figure out whatever way it can benefit you, and use it accordingly. Like anything else, concentrating on the good parts makes the experience better.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Yes, more difficult, more involved.
BUT...it's therapy.
I know for me, I have long ago analyzed the fact that I enjoy the planning more than the actual trip. When I am AT WDW, I actually used to think...this is not as good as I imagined (when planning). I realize now that I thrive, obsess and am addicted to the planning. Dreaming of the next trip. Waiting for that 180 day mark, the excitement of picking the resort, finding a discount, choosing the park for the day, checking hours, rearranging the schedule, waiting for that 60 day mark, making FPs. Changing dining plans.

My "glass half full" attitude sells it to people as "it's the journey, not the destination"...but reality is I need WDW planning as therapy. I go to it, instead of other obsessions, vices, desires that would be far worse. It's sad but true. Life is hard..but not bad. Disney planning is hard...but not bad.

 

[KittyKitty]

It was simpler when I started going regularly in 1990's.I remember waiting 2 hours for Splash standby, fastpass didn't exist. Then when FP's started, running around(ok walking fast) to get them. Now I can get them ahead of time. I can also change them or I could go back to standby, but now I have a choice. And there are so many more attractions to choose from since the 90's.

Now when it comes to phones... I am still using a landline(at least it's not rotary) and dumb cell phone. Talk about simpler times.