Do you have a spreadsheet?

[JETSDAD]

No. MDE has all the info regarding FP's, ADR's, room reservation, etc. Our plans also change so much over the course of a trip that it really would be useless.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Every vacation, Disney or no, I keep a spreadsheet for budgeting and planning. Daily events, costs, and what's been prepaid and what we expect to pay for meals, car, gas, etc. It really helps keep things in perspective, mostly money.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

No. I take screenshots of my plans in case the MDE app goes down while in the parks. I find I always end up changing a few things on the fly, whether they be ADRs or FP.

 

[Moliphino]

Yup. Kept on Google Sheets, so I can pull it up anytime on my phone.

 

[Klayfish]

Oh my goodness NO. A thousand times no. If I had to have a spreadsheet for my vacation, I would absolutely refuse to go. IMO, that's not vacation....that's work. My life is structured at home, on vacation I want to do whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it. And yes, it can work at WDW.

 

[MomDoc_99]

I do a Word document instead of a spreadsheet, mainly because my husband is more comfortable with them, but the same general idea. I have individual ride preferences, day-by-day touring plans (I use Touring Plans, then copy and paste to word and simplify for my cards), FP's and ADR's, plans for any out-of-park meals, grocery lists, and any other information I may want. Then I make up pocket-sized cards with each day's touring plans and reservation #s, as well as a simple park map with the numbers on the touring plan added to the map. Works great for us! Next trip will be the first one with grandkids, so even more to organize!

 

[yorkieteacher]

A day in any WDW park with an organized plan written down somewhere in some form is almost certainly going to be more frustrating than with one, resulting in experiencing less with more frustration. I went in 1972, 74, and 77 and didn't need one, so when I first went back again in 1988 with kids but without a plan, I was surprised at how much I missed just because I hadn't read up on what was new. With each additional trip across the next 30 years, more extensive planning was required in order to really enjoy Disney to its fullest. Now, it's not very smart take any expensive trip without planning, but especially WDW. Besides, it's fun!

 

[Klayfish]

A day in any WDW park with an organized plan written down in some form is certainly going to be more frustrating than without one, resulting in experiencing less with more frustration.

Fixed that for ya.

Just making a joke, but in all seriousness I do disagree with what you wrote. That's so very dependent on personality. I can and do experience as much as or more than anyone with a spreadsheet and don't have the confines that a spreadsheet creates.

 

[Chief Powhatan]

My 19yo daughter is going to WDW with friends on Spring Break. She has asked for my Excel planning doc so that she can use it as a template. YES! She has been indoctrinated....

That is awesome!

 

[tguz]

Does anyone have a spreadsheet they are willing to share (just the template not your actual info)? I don't use one but I can see where it might help me with the planning process.

 

[Naomeri]

Does anyone have a spreadsheet they are willing to share (just the template not your actual info)? I don't use one but I can see where it might help me with the planning process.

Here’s a screenshot of what mine looks like, it’s probably much simpler than what other people have, but I’m just a laid-back, QS-eating, solo traveler, so I didn’t need something more complicated. After reading this thread, I added a second tab that’s just my confirm numbers. I might add another tab next weekend once I’ve got my FP selections

 

[Victoriasponge]

Reading all of these replies I’m just left thinking how great it is that Disney can be so many different things to different people.

I love my spreadsheet because I enjoy planning and thinking about all the things we’re going to do when we’re there. Once there though I’ll often drop plans or make changes as we go. For me, that’s the perfect balance.

For others, I completely agree that you can have an amazing time without being scheduled up. “You do you” as the kids say these days

Key though I think is knowing enough about WDW to make an informed choice on planning or not. I do feel for those who don’t quite know the potential scale of a Disney vacation and end up overwhelmed.

Anyhoo...interesting replies so far, thank you all!

 

[Victoriasponge]

I color coded mine to match the colors used for each park in the Birnbaum books my mom always liked to get!

I love that!

 

[YesterDark]

No.
I don't have a spreedsheet.
People who them are fanatics.

Spoiler

I'm a fanatic.

 

[TavieP]

My boyfriend makes fun of the fact that I have a spreadsheet...but hey, with so much planning going in to a WDW holiday, I need one to keep track!

My husband (who doesn't go to WDW with me - I go with my best gal friend) - caught me working on my WDW spreadsheet the other night and just started laughing and laughing.

Mine is mostly about flight times and meal plans for the day, including which park and/or activity we'll be doing that day. I don't keep reservation numbers or FP plans on it - I use the MDE app for that.

I make one of these every year and every year I send it to my BFF to critique or give feedback, and every year she ignores that request and we go with whatever plans I have so helpfully put together for us.

I love that there are more of me out there...

 

[loves to dive]

Oh my goodness NO. A thousand times no. If I had to have a spreadsheet for my vacation, I would absolutely refuse to go. IMO, that's not vacation....that's work. My life is structured at home, on vacation I want to do whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it. And yes, it can work at WDW.

You and me both. I even go one step further and don't make ADRs until day off and usually don't make FPs (if at all) until morning of and don't make more than one at a time. I'm on vacation, I don't make plans, we just go with the flow.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

YES, I do an EXCL Spreadsheet.

I go Columns by DATE and then AM Morning/Afternoon and PM/Evening
each day lists where we're going and that ADR is made (those are not everyday)
also if the parades or fireworks are that day

I do print and it comes with me in the luggage but not necessarily in the parks . By then I pretty much have it to memory

 

[GoingSince1990]

I was introduced to spreadsheets in November 1986 when I started my first "real" job and have been using them ever since, including for all things Disney. Of course back then it was "Lotus 1-2-3" if any other old-timers remember that. Excel was still many years away.

 

[Auntrosie]

Fixed that for ya.

Just making a joke, but in all seriousness I do disagree with what you wrote. That's so very dependent on personality. I can and do experience as much as or more than anyone with a spreadsheet and don't have the confines that a spreadsheet creates.

TMI to keep in my head. I have to have a least a list to refer to.

 

[Auntrosie]

My spreadsheet has days and dates on the left hand side moving to the right breakfast -time and place - park and park hours - lunch and so forth through out the day.
I’ll print out each day before we leave. Just in case.