Do the Un-Planning sorts blow your mind?

[gopherit]

Is advance planning a DVC thing? Or am I just obsessive? I cannot understand folks who go to WDW and don't plan a bloomin' thing!

Went to Orlando for a conference last March. 2 colleagues were staying a day later than I was -- they asked if I could recommend a park to them. I pulled out some maps, based on their interests, selected EPCOT, gave them some pointers, etc. When they arrived back in town, they told me about their trip. They went late (10:30 or so?). They just sort of walked around. They actually saw very little, from what I could tell. I began to hyperventilate at the thought. They ate lunch in Italy (through no recommendation from me -- thankfully, it was ok) did a bit of shopping -- honestly, I think I covered more turf with my 3 kids at a leisurely pace than these 2 kidless adults did. They then LEFT at 5 pm. BEFORE ILLUMINATIONS. I cried.

ANother colleague was heading out the door this Friday. She has 2 small boys and she and her dh are headed down to Florida to see family for the week. While they are there, they plan to take the boys to WDW for the first time ever. (Boys are 3 and 2). Boys are VERY excited about Mickey -- he's their FAVORITE. All they can talk about is Mickey, Mickey, Mickey. So I asked where they were going to eat while at WDW. Blank look in return. Why, they hadn't really thought about it. I look in disbelief and grab my purse, hand her my cell phone and instruct, "Quick! Press speed dial 9 and the love of your children, say Chef Mickey's, Wednesday, for four!" She had no maps. No meals planned. No nuttin. Just an idea to "go to WDW" for a day. Unbelievable. I have umpteen spreadsheets that were started 4 mos ago for a trip still 7 mos away!

Oh the humanity. I need a Tylenol!

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

Funny this thread should be here today...my dh and I are fighting about this right now! We are planning a large family reunion at WDW in August, and his family is driving me crazy! First thing is, they are driving from Lincoln,NE. The drive to get here to Savannah should take 2 days. But, they're taking 3- to stop at everything in between. Second, the rest of us all are staying for 8 days. They're only staying for 5, but "don't want to be rushed. Just want to relax and see everything" Huh???? AND.....they want to stop at Cape Canaveral "on the way to Orlando"....it's not on the way!!! Plus, it's an 8 hr. tour at least, and by the time they get to the resort, it will be too late to do anything....If they tell me ONE MORE TIME "don't plan everything...let's just get down there, decide what we want to do, and go from there. We don't have to know where we're going to eat everyday"....
I pray everyday for strength......

 

[MiaSRN62]

The first several years we went, I'll admit, I planned obsessively. Our first stay was 14 days and I had at least a dozen+ PS's in place. We knew exactly what time the fireworks/parades/shows were and planned accordingly. It worked well for us. I continued to plan and choreograph our vacation during the next couple years. I feel with large groups it is particularily important to plan----even if you've been to WDW 25 times in the past.
But honestly, lately, we've been wingin' it a little more than we used to. I do make PS for certain restaurants before we leave home, but some others we call the morning of when we're in the parks. On our most recent trip while we were in MGM, my dh called for PS at Sci Fi around 11 am. We got PS for our family of 5 at around 2 pm. Sure, we would have preferred eating closer to 12:30-1 pm, but I didn't think this was bad at all for same day ressies at the end of July. When we got to Sci Fi there was a 2+ hour stand-by line waiting to get in. That same trip, we also were able to get PS for Boma just 2-3 hours prior to dinnertime and we only had a 1 hour wait for dinner (no PS) for Cape May Cafe on July 30 with standby. Maybe we just got lucky or perhaps we're a little nuts , but we're more apt to wing it a little more now that we're so familiar with WDW (PS, Fast Pass etc). Please noone burn me for sayin' this !

 

[skoi]

We're "hosting" friends with a 4 yo dd. I'm a planner, even now that we have DVC and we'll be going back many times, I still like to plan. On the other hand, they're very laid back. They don't know anything about DW-- the size, all the activities-- and plan to figure it out there. DH tells me to just relax, it's their once in a lifetime vacation, and I'm not their tour guide. If they don't get to do everything they want to, it's not my fault (but I invited them- I want it to be near perfect).

I just have to admit that I suffer from a new psychiatric diagnosis-- DICS-- Disney Induced Concierge Syndrome.


Julie

 

[JVL1018]

Originally posted by MiaSRN62

But honestly, lately, we've been wingin' it a little more than we used to. I do make PS for certain restaurants before we leave home, but some others we call the morning of when we're in the parks.
<snip>
Maybe we just got lucky or perhaps we're a little nuts , but we're more apt to wing it a little more now that we're so familiar with WDW (PS, Fast Pass etc). Please noone burn me for sayin' this !

Ahh, a kindred spirit! I make 2 or 3 PS for a weeks vacation and that's it. I probaby have an idea of where I want to go the first couple days..or rather what park we want to start out at, but we hop over to another, and decide that day. WE don;t usually do EMH(only have done it once) so I make note and avoid that park that day, but other than that we wing it.
If we don;t see it this time, we'll see it next.

 

[Terry S]

gopherit... I think we are kindered spirits. Although we have slowed down a bit since we know we are going to be back. I still plan our days, I just plan a slower day. I have several spreadsheets aready started for my next two trips.

I sat down with neighbors and maps to each park this past summer when the were going. I told her which days to go to which parks based on thier habits which was to sleep in. So I reccommend non EE parks. And then I highlighted not to miss rides and attractions. I also recommended certain resturants based on their likes. They came home after the trip and thanked me many times because they knew they would not have had such a great trip if it weren't for me.

 

[KNWVIKING]

We just go. We have a few "must eat at" restaurants but we'll just call the morning of the day we decide to eat there and just take what's availible. Most places we just take standby,never waited more then 15 minutes.

When it comes to rides, we'll use fastpass on occassion. We will never stand in lines. If there is a line,we'll ride it later, no big deal, just wait for a parade to start and the lines are gone. As for parades, we're tall, we just pop in wherever we want. Never understand why someone would want to spend an hour or two of vacation sitting on a curb.

As we're getting ready to check-out it might occur to us that we didn't do something we thought we would. No biggie, we'll get it next time.

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

I have started to get obessive over planning. Mom & I have only been member (mom) since July 2003. Its fun!!!! I just can't believe that we have these points to use. Lots of possiblities!!!

Allison an associate

 

[momsully]

I have spent the past year trying to plan a family reunion for my husband's family. None of them have ever been to WDW and they have no concept of what to expect. We are a large group and I have sent then dinner menus etc but nobody seems that concerned. I have explained to them that it will be crowded during spring break and we should at least have a few PS for dinner but they keep saying to wing it. I have made PS for Cape May Cafe for the entire group for the night we arrive at BCV and for the character breakfast at the animal kingdom for my family only.

At this point only my family and my mother and father in law have PHP's. I bought them from Paramount before the recent price increase. I hope the rest of the group gets theirs soon.

I like planning our vacations and I think I am driving my inlaws crazy with all my ideas. At this point I have given up planning and will let them wing it.

 

[Disney Enthusiast]

Gopherit - I am another kindred spirit! I have been totally obsessive since I took my husband before he was my DH (I had to make sure he liked Disney before I married him!) 12 yrs ago. I do believe I have the the DICS disease too.

When we went 6 yrs ago, I planned a PS for at least 2 meals a day for our 11 days. We stayed at the GF and had a 2nd honeymoon doing all the romantic stuff that I found in my "WDW for Couples" book.... candlelight dinners, massages, boating, miniature golf, Jolly Holidays, etc. We even stayed in a Turret Sweet, I had flowers delivered for our arrival, V&A's dinner etc etc. 4 yrs ago, we took my husband's parents (in their 70's going on their 90's) and his brother, sister, and 2 kids (8 and 6). We stayed at the BWI (logistically good because it was close to 2 parks and lots of restaurants) and I planned dinners like the CP, WCC, 50's, HdeD, Cape May Cafe and others which are entertaining for the kids and adults. That was a tough one w/ the age range. And I highlighted must see attractions for the little ones. I made my own maps and gave them out to the family (my BIL wasn't too happy to have me make PS for them, but I figured I was paying for it so he just had to suffer) so my BIL's family could find the CM Cafe from the BWI and get back again, and so my PIL could get from the BWI to the CP dinner, to the CP, then the meeting place for us to watch Illuminations w/ them. I had their PS #'s and times written on the miniature maps and slashes to show their pathways. I took them all to MVMCP. My BIL and family never followed the map to meet us at Osbourne Lights and it nearly killed me. The nerve!!!! (By the way, they went in Oct and didn't plan a thing. They WINGED it? And they weren't pros or anything. Had only been to WDW twice in 30 yrs. How can you go to WDW w/ no spreadsheets? 2 yrs ago we took only my PIL again and gave them the once in a lifetime vacation. We stayed at the GF concierge again and watched the band play, listened to the Carolers, and since they had such a tough time walking, only entered the parks to mill about and eat. We had our 8 mo old and so went to Wolfgang's, then Cirque, and watched the FW from the CG as we ate dinner, etc. etc.

Well, I just bought DVC and there were 100 pts ready to use. My DH can ony get away at this time of the year. And so I made a reservation for a month away.......ahhhhh! I am leaving in less than 2 wks..... no complaints mind you....... but I just finished my spreadsheets of the park hours and parades and such, and only have one PS at the CP for the day after we arrive. I haven't decided what park on which day or what. It's driving me crazy!!!! I started highlighted the must see's, Al's Toy Barn Character Greet, Spectro and Wishes, Playhouse Disney, Buzz's Spin, etc. But that is as far as I've gotten. There is so much to do and so little time, I am hanging out on the DIS instead because it is just so overwhelming. I can't focus. And what to pack this time??? Oh my. I have all my acctg work to do and kids to watch and I am practically winging it and it's killing me. Luckily it is the slow time of the year, and my DH allows me to obsess. So this will be my first time since I went w/ my parents as a little girl that I didn't have everything scheduled to the minute. How will I survive? I guess I'd better get to work. And my little ones are up, so I've gotta go. Can only do this when they are sleeping! Ha Ha. It's nice to know there are others out there like me.

 

[marley]

Hooray! I'm not the only one

I have dozens of spreadsheets and start planning a year in advance watching these boards and still after many visits, find something new each time to try I hadn't heard about before.

I have now helped 6 friends plan trips to Disney. I just can't help it! I know I have to help when they think WDW is ONE park!!! Drives me crazy when they don't plan. I load them up with my tour books and send them all of the great web sites out there.

My sister makes fun of me for being such a planner but I know when she gets ready to take her two little ones to WDW for the first time, she'll understand why planning and being prepared can make a HUGE difference in your vacation.

 

[Disney Enthusiast]

Marley - At least your friends and family appreciate you. Mine just look at me strange like, "What's the big deal?" My friend from college just doesn't get it. She thinks of WDW as a "not so good" amusement park. What can I do? I try to lead them in the right direction, but I can't force them. So I just hand them my year old tour books and smile nicely and wish them well.

I do love the boards too since I have learned so much.

 

[kathleena]

Hello. My name is Nancy and I am a Disney planaholic. Although I'm not as obsessive as I used to be. Or maybe I just keep it in the closet more. Ya, that's it. Don't let anyone but my most trusted friends and fellow Disney planners know just how bad it gets.

I have an Excel file. It has about 12 worksheets in it. One is a calendar with columns for days, lines for meals and lines for AM, PM and night. You can guess what I do with that. It gets planned for each upcoming trip and as soon as the park hours are announced, they get entered in.

Another sheet has a grocery list, another a packing list, another has "things I need to do this trip" reminders. Another has my DVC point spreadsheet with all ressies and #s going back to the beginning and points planned out for trips to 2006 right now (I call it my Three Year Plan and justify it because all good business people have a three year plan).

And on and on.......

But, I have an excuse for all this. I am a Project Manager at work. It's in my blood to plan.

And it doesn't drive me crazy when other people don't plan their trip. I figure it's their life. If they ask for advice, I ask them how much time do they have and how much do they want. I work in a building of 900 people. I am well known as a referral for all things Disney.

What really drives me crazy is when people refer to the Magic Kingdom as "Disney" as in "We went to Epcot and we went to MGM and we went to Disney".

 

[Disney Enthusiast]

Nancy in Maine: You are soooo cooooool! I wanna be you someday!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

It just drives me wacky when I see folks that have obviously bought their tickets at the ticket window at one of the parks and then walk thru the turnstiles with their Park Guide and stand there and say "so what do you wanna do?" All I can see is dollar signs with the money the spent on their tickets just ticking away minute by minute.

For the rest of you that are having trouble getting family to commit to what they want to do, when we take family/friends with us, here is what I do:

I always plan the first couple of days of the trip. I make some PS for the rest of the trip, too. I let everyone know what the plan is. If they wish to go with me, fine, if not, that is o.k. too. If they decide to wing it on their own, they usually find that they don't get near as much done and are not usually able to have a nice relaxing meal in the middle of the day because of no PS.

If I could help it, I sure wouldn't let the fact that they don't want to plan slow me down any.

 

[amylovesdisney]

Wow! All the spreadsheets!

I'm the planner in our family and have to say, DH is a good sport. I doubt our kids would understand how to go to the World without turning to me and saying, "What do we do next, Mom?"

That said, we winged it a bit on our last trip. I had my MUST-DOs but we were very laid back last July. Having a more open, flexible schedule allowed for us to wait around after dinner for the monorail so we could ride in the front and being able to set aside time to take the DVC tour.

And here we are!! In the past, I would've been too scheduled to take out the time and would've missed this part of the Magic - DVC.

There's a certain peace about knowing we own DVC and will be returning over the yrs. In fact, 2 trips already planned - one in 4 weeks and one in 8 weeks. What we don't do in Feb, we will do in March.

 

[rocketriter]

On our next visit we're going to try a plan in which we reserve several of our suppers ahead of time at Epcot and stay at BCV. The idea is that we'll improvise our choice of park and attraction on at least some of our mornings, to give people a sense that they "own" the experience rather than are being shepherded from place to place in the style of If-This-Is-Tuesday-This-Must-Be-Belgium. We'll generally make our way back to the villa in mid-afternoon for rest and a swim. Then we'll stroll into Epcot for supper and later walk "home," avoiding the transportation system crush as the parks begin to close. Our goal is to get the best use out of planning without being driven by it. If anyone else has similar ideas, I'd love to hear them.

 

[marley]

Nancy:

that is just too funny! I have the EXACT same worksheets in my Excel file! I also keep every years trip specific worksheets so I can let friends know the things my kids liked and disliked at ages 3, 4 5, etc. and to remind myself what worked and didn't work
I was also a Project Manager in my former before kids life. Hmmmm..... that finally explains it


Disney Enthusiast: Yes, I guess I am very lucky my friends appreciate my planning help. My one friend just brought me back a Disney snowglobe from their first trip as a thank you for all of the advice and I will always treasure it. I feel like each time I help plan their trips, a little part of me gets to go too and enjoy the magic one more time!

Marley

 

[Sammy]

I planned obsessively for our first family trip in 2000....complete with several spreadsheets, tear-out pages for each day while actually there, months on the DIS boards, etc. For our 2nd family trip in 2003, I was less obsessive....knowing we had seen/done many things already. My personality is such that I liked the obsessive planning better! I liked knowing where we were going on which day, and having a list of what things to do in each park/area. I feel like we missed stuff on the 2003 trip.

I am now in the middle of planning two trips: Nov. 2004 for a surprise anniversary trip for just DH and I; and May 2005 for the whole family. The spreadsheets are already flying!!

I have people at work an in my extended family who know me as the "Disney guru" (or is it "nut"?) so they often come to me for advice. It never ceases to amaze me how people can think of going to someplace as huge as WDW and not have a clue. Most don't even know there are 4 separate parks!! I do my best to help them without sounding like a know-it-all.

Some people, like my SIL who is in Orlando as we speak, don't want any help at all. She was raving to me how well she had everything planned for her trip: booked 2-rooms at CBR at rack rate, UPH's for 9 nights (ouch), and signed up for the <b>Gold</b> plan so all her meals would be included (at an astronomical added cost). She didn't want to hear any suggestions against what she had booked. I figure she is probably spending close to $8,000 for a 9-night stay for 4 people (not including airfare or spending money). She could have purchased DVC for almost that much!

Sammy

 

[Dean]

Timeshares, DVC included, do not fit well with those that won't plan ahead. In general, 11 months out or more is best but as long as one plans, and acts, by 7 monhts; they will usually be ok. Anything less is asking for trouble. That's not to say you can't get a wild hair and try to go next weekend, just that it's not the way to be successfully long term with timeshares. With one exception. Those that don't really care where they go, can travel truly off season and willing to go to places when others won't go; can make out very well with timeshares, especially non DVC timeshares.