Do you ever find...

[Blndiebby25]

that people this you are crazy because of all the planning you do for your Disneyland trip?

I was at my parents this weekend for mothers day and my brother was there. I asked him if he has been planning anything for the Disneyland trip. He said yup "I'm planning to go." So I told him all about the information I have found out and the things I have planned. He thinks I am crazy! It actually hurt my feelings, I have been planning this since we found out we are going, I want it to be perfect for the kids.

Do you ever get this? I am still going with my plan and he can do his own thing I guess.

 

[SeansMom]

Yep. And people think we're nuts because we go back to Disneyland instead of some other vacation spot. I think the planning helped out a lot, and I'd do it again. It's nice to know the extras....like what seating is best for the Aladdin show, or that it's worth it to see it twice from two different seating spots. Having already experienced our recent trip in April I can say I am SO glad I wasn't one of the hundred of people I saw standing in the middle of a walkway, wondering where to go next or how long the ride wait was. I also met a family who's youngest daughter was in tears, because the first ride they'd takent their youngest on was Indiana Jones and she was scared Splash Mountain would be equally scary. So plan away, but save time to go with the flow. IMO, planning saves time, energy, and money!

 

[2boyshere]

It always amazes us the number of people arriving at the parks at 11am or noon and then stand around looking at the map to try and figure out what to do first and where things are. We plan as much as possible, always arrive before opening and have a plan for our whole vacation. If I'm going to spend lots of $$$$$$$ I want to see and do it all and have a plan. I think to have a day to have a "go with the flow" attitude is a day at your local county fair!
These boards and the info is great! Keep on planning!

 

[crazymomof 4]

My husband , mom, dad and my oldest 2 kids all think I'm crazy too! It is not our fault that DL brings out the child in us or that we are thoughtful enough to plan in order to make it as good as possible for everyone! Right?

 

[Grumpy_4_me]

My problem HEHEHE, is I dont care what anyone else thinks, even family, except the Mrs, it's just the Mrs and I anyway.

If they dont like the way you do it to bad for them.

You can make "all the people happy some of the time & some of the people all of the time".

It is your life NOT theirs

 

[barbaraann]

My first trip to a Disney park was in 1997. I planned a lot for that one, and so glad that I did. I was traveling with my 4 year old grandson at the time, and planning ahead saved us a lot of time, money, and grief. The trip was magical, and I always longed to do it again.

I didn't get back to Disney world until 2003. Again I planned and planned that trip months and months ahead. It was a wonderful visit, and I am now planning our third annual. We were there in '03' '04' and are going in '05.

To me, I have almost as much fun planning as I do going. I am always planning a Disney trip.

This year, I am fortunate, to be planning a June visit to Walt Disney World, and a July trip to Disneyland. Those people who scoff at you are Disney muggles. Don't concern yourself with them. Stick with your own kind. Don't be a snob about Disney. Just enjoy, both the planning, and the the going.

Thank you Mr. Walt Disney.

 

[diberry]

I LOVE planning. I spend hours and hours on these boards trying to find out every little thing and thoroughly enjoy every moment!! It makes the holiday so much more real and it definitely improves the quality of your experience once you get there. You can miss so much if you don't know what's there. I don't go in for touring plans but I definitely want to know what not to miss!! And as DH and I aren't very brave on rides it pays to know which ones to avoid!! Also, being in UK, it's great to get tips from people who've been lots of times!

 

[barbaraann]

What you are saying about the rides, is so true. I used to go to amusement parks, and assume that all rollercoasters are not for me. I got it into my head that water rides were not my bag either.

Well I began to plan for my "03' trip to Disney World, and after reading people's thoughts on Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash mountain, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, I rode them all. I must use WDW ride examples, since I have not been to Disneyland yet.

I am going for the anniversary. Leaving on the 16th. I actually may ride Space Mountain. Can't wait to do the giant ferris wheel at DCA. Might try TOT.

Planning gives you comfort. Knowing about what to expect, can really come in handy. I say, get all the knowledge that you can. Go with a plan. When you get there, be prepared to go with the flow. There is so much magic at Disney parks, that you don't want to miss it. I plan on having a wonderful time I am sure I will . Going to Disneyland has been a dream of mine since 1955, and it's taking me 50 years to get there.

So I am "planning on having a wonderfully magical time".

 

[RADOPT]

yes - until we sent to WDW for the first time (usually went to DL) for 15 days. My mom changed her mind as we did alot of special things and saw what interested us. Had a blast and were not disappointed at all.

I think planning is the difference between a nice vacation and a great vacation - and it make life run smoothly for those of us with..challanges in our lives. For our family, disney is more then just the rides.

 

[Blackunicorn]

My family thinks that I'm nuts, period. They look at me weird when I talk about the new rides at DL and what shows are going on right now. They had a heart attack when I announced that I had put down the deposit for my cruise in 9/2006. They really weren't impressed when I discoursed on the differences between the rides at WDW and their counterparts at DL. They totally don't understand when I proclaim, "Only two more months until I can call for priority seating!" (You guys understand, don't you? Only two more months!)

To make you feel better, I've got everything set up for our 9/05 trip to DL except for the final draft of the itinerary, because we're waiting to see reviews of some things and we have to wait for Disney to put out the parade and show schedules. My mother announced yesterday that she was going to DL "probably during the summer", and was horrified when I insisted that she have an itinerary, came up with a partial one for her (hey, if you don't do Fantasyland first thing in the morning, you'll be miserable!), and gave her the height requirements for many of the rides so that she'd know what my niece and nephew could ride. She's lucky that I didn't have a heart attack over the fact that she hasn't made her hotel reservations yet!

Doing all of this research will give you a great vacation. My attitude is that you should relax and have a great time, and if your brother doesn't want to benefit from your advice, well, tough for him, right? He should be grateful that you did all of this research!

 

[karylrocks]

Have you ever noticed that the people who think you are crazy for planning so carefully are the ones who don't like Disney because "it is so crowded and all you do is stand in line all day"? I guess if they don't care enough about making the most out of a Disney vacation, then that's too bad for them and just leaves more room for the rest of us! I have not planned nearly as much for the other parks we will be visiting since I don't really know much about those places other than what I have seen on their websites. I guess I will just have to take what I get once I get there, but you just can't do Disney that way.

 

[deba]

...not to mention that a little wise planning means we save a lot of money, which means we can go more often. I know people that spend more on one trip than I spend on three, and I have lots more fun, too!!!

 

[lntsmom]

I had a coworker who was married to a doctor, and for their family DisneyWorld was a standing yearly vacation. They had gone every year for a decade.

When I decided to take my son I asked her for advice...and she was dumbfounded! They had always just "gone". Well, by that time I'd memorized 3 guide books and had been begging people at online communities for their tips.

When I started telling her stuff, her jaw dropped. They'd been going regularly for years and she had no idea about some of the stuff you either have to discover on your own...or have an inside tip to know about.

When I got back and told her about her trip, she bought my used guidebook from me for half price, lol!!!!

I don't have the time or money to spend trying to find a great time. And, if I'm on vacation I want to DO something. I can sit home for the price of air conditioning, lol!

Let the free spirits scoff...they'll have stories like one of my friends who took her girls to WDW for the first time last year. They just went...and came back with no pictures and stories of having ridden a grand total of 6 rides a day. They didn't see any shows because they didn't even know how to get a schedule!!!

We planners know how to wring every bit of Disney fun from our vacations!!!

BTW...my secret theory is that you can either worry and plan before your trip...then go and ENJOY it...or worry and try to plan during your trip...then go and be miserable!

 

[Disneyland1084]

I'm 25 years old and my mom and I are HUGE fans of Disneyland. We'll go whenever we can get a good offer on a vacation package. Well, whenever we plan a trip we start counting the days until we get to go. We're going the third week of July and we're already planning exactly where we're going to eat each meal of each day, what rides we will go on first. All I have to say is Disneyland is a blast!!!!!!