Do people think your research is weird?

[PrincessasMommy]

I was telling my sis about our upcoming trip (she is coming with us for her 1st time ever) and how I knew where we were going on what days.

I explained that I subscribed to TGM and UG and cross referenced the info and combined with other details researched here our family was able to enjoy every ride last time in under a 10 minute wait.

And that I have a "touring strategy" in the works for this coming trip too. I then explained to her how I need to book character meals 180 days out at 7am; it's on the calendar of course!

I just now called her to tell her I went to the Disney Store today as they are having a HUGE sale and I purchased matching golf/t-shirts ($10 each) and ball caps ($2-4 each) for all of us on each park day so we match for pics and so it is easier to spot my kids and each other, she thinks I am incredibly odd!

She thinks I have lost my mind and that my life as a suburban Mom must be taking it's toll!

 

[tchrrx]

Yes!!!! Everyone (except those who went with me last year & saw the research pay off w/ no waiting in lines) thinks I am absolutely nuts. One of my co-workers daughters is taking her kids to WDW this summer. I ran into her yesterday & she said that she's just about decided where they are going to eat. Umm....hello.....you are leaving in about 115 days, you really need to go ahead & make reservations. I don't actually know how I found the disboards or what made me think that I needed to research this trip (I've never researched any other vacation), but I am so glad that I didn't have to find out the hard way that research really pays off!

 

[tzuhouse]

Just keep going. She'll understand and truly appreciate your work, once she gets there and has a great and relaxing time, even though she's walked miles each day.

Mary

 

[Noleball]

Being a Dad, I catch plenty of slack about my intense planning as well. My friends laugh at me and my DW even looks at me strange at times. But, we had the best vacation of our lives last year in large part to this wen site and some strategic planning on my part. I call in Ressies early for meals and I schedule parks based on hours and such. Yes, yes, I am sick...

But while we are on the subject, how do you set up your ride schedule so as not to wait? We will be at POFQ next Sunday for a week and we were there last year at the same time. I think we waited 20 minuted for Soaring one day but other than that we barely waited due to the smaller crowds this time of the year.

Anyway, I am interested to hear how you scheduled rides...

 

[psmomma]

Anyway, I am interested to hear how you scheduled rides...

Me too... that is some good planning!

 

[pezpam]

I'm not *quite* as obsessive as others (that's my story and I'm sticking with it! lol), but yes, I have people who think I'm nuts for doing all of this research...... until they find out how much I saved.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Yes, some do think I'm strange, but then once they go and get to take advantage of my advance planning (ADR, etc.) they are a little kinder. I enjoy the planning and the reporting when back.

However, I will say that I'm not allowed to overplan! And all plans must be flexible. If I make an ADR and we don't keep it, I can't get upset. Usually, there are a few ADRs I make that I insist we keep, everything else is up for grabs. Also, we don't overplan our park days. Since we go often, and we are Disneyland AP holders, riding the rides isn't our number one priority. With the 3 hr. time difference, and a 7 yr. old in tow, rising at the crack of dawn to squeeze in a few more rides isn't all that important. We try to take advantage of EMH evenings, since we like staying up later, and I'll usually plan our ADRs for those parks on those days. But, if you read my DDP dining review (link below) you'll see that we only manage to keep about 1/2 of our ADRs and we make new ones while there. That's the flexible part.

Of course, the main reason we go in September (other than the lure of free DDP) is that the crowd levels are low, and most rides have a minimal wait. If we were going during hevier crowd lines, I guess I would have to schedule our rides, but luckily I don't.

Happy planning!

 

[soupy11]

Being a guy I have to keep my planing and obsessiveness to myself. Thank god the Disboards are here for an outlet. I would go crazy!

 

[Ryann]

I don't think you're weird at all! My Disneymoon begins May 27th and I am going crazy waiting for it, so I am researching like mad to keep myself happy. My DF says I'm only allowed to talk about it 5 minutes per day now! I have planned everything-made ADRs, which parks on which days, reviewed our resort (POFQ) about a million times, even planned out our routes in each park! Keep planning, and once you get there hopefully they will appreciate it. My DF hasn't been to WDW since he was nine, and now he is twenty-six, so I just want him to get to experience everything possible, because we probably won't be able to go again for a while. Hope your trip goes wonderfully!

1987 offsite
1993 Tree House Villas
1998 offsite
May/June 2007 Disneymoon @ POFQ!!!

 

[KatheeME]

Definitely Even my dh, who loves WDW as well, wonders why I never tire of it ... but for me, it's a little magic every day.

 

[tzuhouse]

I don't specifically schedule rides, but we do follow TGMs plans, with some tweaking from me for our specific family and it couldn't have been better. He was right on with everything he told me. EVERYTHING. I can't think of a single time when I said, "Well, Mike was wrong about that."

Mary

 

[yankeepenny]

vacations cost money- and most of us get the usual two weeks a year, and admitedly, dis vacations are not cheap. so get the most for your dollar, regardless of what income category you are in, and plan it and use it wisely.

yeah- i am anal about vacation planning too, that is the bottom line.
another way to look at the planning and cost is:
if you can save a little here and there in the planning, add those little savings up(either time or money) and in a few years you got another vacation out of it!

 

[rlduvall]

Yeah . . . people think I am nuts because of all the research I do for a Disney trip. I love the researching as much as the trip.

BUT, guess who they all come to when they need Disney advice.

 

[stargrazer]

I think people who DON'T plan are weird, but I'm a DIS'er...so that automaticallly disqualified me from answering this question!

 

[tzuhouse]

For our first trip in 12/05, I planned for 14 months. I read DISboards, daily. I joined TGM! So worth it! The planning part was fun. It was like I was getting to enjoy it a lot longer than my family because I knew things that would happen, could happen, etc. and could dream about what if they did happen, long before we boarded the plane. And here I am, 6 months from the next, and thoroughly enjoying planning this one also.

Mary

 

[dreamn_Disney]

We went last time with a group of friends and family and they all laughed at my spread sheet of what parks we would be at when and what night we would see what show. I also put on it all the dinner info. Well they all used it and were glad to have it when our seating got under someone else's name. Thanks to me everyone knew they would get to see and do what was important to them.

 

[disneygirlatheart]

I always plan about 6 months in advance. Yes, everyone think I am a little odd for researching so much. That is until we get there, and they see how allmy hard work payed off. Now I get calls with ?'s about this and that from lots of people. I think I am in the wrong line of work! Just keep planning and have a wonderful time!

 

[dreamn_Disney]

What is TGM? and is UG the Unofficial Guide?

 

[goodferry]

So funny, my immediate family thought I was nuts, but when we were in MGM and DH and DS got separated from us and DH did not know my cell phone number! Guess what they turned to? The lime green Mickey Heads I gave everyone with our phone numbers and resort information. DH deemed the "GEEKY" when I made them, but they sure used them.
Then DH and I took an anniversary trip using Tour Guide Mike for the first time, he was sold, Mike, my husband is your biggest fan. He HATES waiting and we never did, They no longer question my planning.
Now, I am planning a trip for December, my parents are coming with us, and my sister is taking a trip about 2 weeks earlier, they are all turning to me for information. Every day I email them "homework" which essentially is info on a specific topic, like fast passes or character dining. It's kind of fun and is forcing me to research up to date info. Of couse I only share info available from public sites, like the dis and allears, and my sister has already joined Tour Guide Mike

 

[tzuhouse]

TGM is Tour Guide Mike. I used the DISboards to find the things we wanted to do and then TGM to decide what the best order was to do them. We did everything we wanted and saw everything we wanted and ate where we wanted the entire 11 days, thanks to Mike.

Mary