Do you really need to plan that much?

[Eoywin]

I think some people go overboard with the planning. We are going in September, so I think the most planning I'll be doing is deciding which parks we will do what day so I can make ADR's.

Beyond that, I think using a touring plan takes the magic out of just strolling around the park and deciding what to do next.

 

[jsmla]

For me planning depended on my situation at the time. For the entire decade of the '90s we travelled with kids. Sometimes just our kids, sometimes with friends and family. Travelling with kids meant summer trips and all the heat and crowds that summer vacations at WDW entail. It meant accomodating a wide variance in age, taste and stamina in a relatively short period of time. I wouldn't have dreamed of hitting Disney without a very good, very detailed plan. With a plan I could reassure my daredevil DS that he would be riding all his favorite coasters during the trip even though he was "wasting" this particular morning dining with princesses and traipsing around Fantasyland with his tiaraed, Cinderella-gowned baby sister. He knew that Space Mt. was in the plan. Without my itinerary I would have had a kid (or two) pulling at each elbow, each wanting to do something wildly different from the other. Other people's kids may disagree politely but mine went at it like WWIII. A lively dispute by my little darlings over whether to ride Splash Mt. or the Teacups would have been no fun for me or for anyone within a twenty yard radius of us. (They're all grown up now and get along just fine, thanks.) Planning was a way of heading off these situations at the pass. At home the kids and I enjoyed making up a list of what all we were going to do and see and eat. Planning parties brightened up those dreary January nights when science fair projects hung heavy over our heads and vacation seemed years away. Planning worked wonderfully well for us then.

Now it's the 21st century, the kids are all in college and it's just DH and me. We can go in January or October. We can (and do) skip the princess breakfast and Dumbo. We can sleep until noon everyday if we feel like it. Neither of us is going to be upset if we never get around to riding Rock-n-Rollercoaster. We enjoy just wandering and people watching, something we never could manage with the kiddos along. I still try to get an idea of which days we'd like to vist which parks. I still make resort reservations and dining plans, but that's it. With just the two of us we can go with the flow.

Long post, I know, but it kind of gets to me that so many others feel that good planning saps all of the enjoyment out of a trip. Our Disney vacations make up some of our absolutely best family memories and they were planned, planned and planned some more.

Sorry about the soapbox!

 

[goodfaerie]

I plan and re-plan and plan some more. I have plans of plans, with charts and checklists and calendars and copious notes. I get everything down to a WDW science, then I go to WDW and the plan goes completely out the window. Wheeeeeeee!

Sometimes the fun is really in the planning--at least until you can be there...


GF

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

we dont really plan. i know our first and last day is always at mk. we have never made dinner reservations before either. we play it day by day.

 

[pugcrazy]

I'm a LIST type of person. You know, the kind that makes lists of lists. I absolutely love the planning. And when everything goes as planned it is pure MAGIC! However, if I want to make a change during my trip no problem. I have researched everything and can make new plans on the fly if needed.

If I wasn't a "planner" our last trip with my parents & sister's family would have never made it past the wishing stage. 9 people from age 2 to AARP members. Picky eaters. Thrill seekers & wimps. No one but me wanted to make any decisions as to what park, where to eat, where to stay. I got to plan it all!

 

[blanq]

Hi everybody! I have read many posts about some major planning. Now, I think planning and saving money is always a good thing, however, I think you can almost overdo it. I read somewhere about somebody saving 3 minutes walking to a ride 1 way vs another? 3 minutes? Come on now....I just know what I want to ride and what I want to see.
Somebody always told me KISS keep it simple silly!

Mr. Mike

Well, Mr. Mike, I would like to see your KISS plan in action at the MK on Christmas Eve. I think the acronym might quickly take on a new meaning, like perhaps "Keepin It Stupid Silly". Really, I am NOT calling you stupid and am being a bit facetious. Just trying to make a point. If I was going to WDW during Spring Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas or other peak time just knowing what I want to ride and see (as you put it), would likely lead to me seeing and riding just about nothin. If you're dropping about $3500 to see the Mouse, then during some times of the year ya just gotta have a plan to ensure that happens.

I am not a nutty planner, and the more we go to WDW, the more we like to go with the flow. We, however, travel to WDW during the slower periods and that significantly allows us to have a flexible approach to the parks.

 

[DizzKneeGeek]

we used to plan ALOT. then we realized that the plan usually flew right out the window once we got there. here's the extent of our planning now: we make one adr for each day we are there. we get up in the morning and get ready. we leave the room and head to the busses. whatever line happens to be the shortest when we hit the bus stop is where we start our day. then we just wing it from there with our later adr in mind. works great for us. your mileage may vary.

plan...don't plan...whatever is fun for you.

 

[stlsports4ever]

I am sorry everyone. I didnt mean to sound so unbeat about it. I will be doing a lot of planning. My obessive compulsive disorder will help me in that departmnet. I just think that the element of shock needs to be there when I first get there. I see all this posts and its almost like being there. I would like to explore and learn some new things on my own! However, I went to Branson a few years ago with no knowledge and wasted all kinds of money. Knowing what I do now, I can go on a third of the cost. I think the same can be said with Disney. And I just love learning how everybody on here does their planning. It really does give me some ideas. Again, I didnt mean to be a downer about it. I just think that the unknown is fun too!

Mr. Mike

 

[jsmla]

I am sorry everyone. I didnt mean to sound so unbeat about it. I will be doing a lot of planning. My obessive compulsive disorder will help me in that departmnet. I just think that the element of shock needs to be there when I first get there. I see all this posts and its almost like being there. I would like to explore and learn some new things on my own! However, I went to Branson a few years ago with no knowledge and wasted all kinds of money. Knowing what I do now, I can go on a third of the cost. I think the same can be said with Disney. And I just love learning how everybody on here does their planning. It really does give me some ideas. Again, I didnt mean to be a downer about it. I just think that the unknown is fun too!

Mr. Mike

You're not a downer Mr. Mike! Everyone here has their own way to vacation and it's an interesting debate. I firmly believe that what's right for me may not be what's right for you but as long as everyone has a great time what does it matter? I'm just standing up for those among us who are planners, we sometimes get a rap for being boring old control freaks. It takes all kinds, you know. Now you go out there and have a GREAT trip Mr. Mike style!

 

[flortlebap]

Personally I think you need to be willing to be open to change... we couldn't stick to a rigid schedule with a 5, 2, and 1 year old in tow.

We know where we want to go each day, factor in time for a nap and swim (but no set time) but that's about it. Hopfully it'll work for us!!

 

[bookgirl2632]

Personally, the only planning I do is ADRs and what parks we are going to be at on any given day. Once we are at the park, we just sort of wing it. Even at peak times, we managed to do all the things we wanted to do. I like the UG, but I am not going to cut across the park several times a day to ride a ride.

 

[Karnak]

Actually, I tend to agree with all the posters on this thread. I do take it very easy, and know that it is a vacation. But I also make a personal itinerary that allows plenty of extra time between attractions, avoids backtracking as much as possible, and includes meal reservations. Part of the satisfaction of a day at a park is following one of my well-made itineraries that works to perfection.

To me, just wondering around in the park without a plan at all would not be relaxing at all.

But hey, to each his own methinks.

Enjoy.

 

[FantasmicDreams]

We never plan really. However I've got over 30 trips under my belt and my boyfriend has 5 or 6. We are fortunate to be able to go twice a year at least. Seeing every thing and riding every ride and making sure we eat in the best of the best places is not what we do on trip.

 

[mtrak17]

Contrariwise, I find that I enjoy the research/planning stage of a trip even more than the actual trip -- my standard sentence while reading up on a new attraction is 'Wow, that's so cool!!' Thinking ahead to how the days will unfold leads me to some very happy daydreams.

Planning is definitely more than half the fun for me, too. In fact, I almost wouldn't want to go on a "last minute" trip because the time for planning would be eliminated In response to the original post regarding planning the walking time between attractions, I don't know that planning to that detail is necessary, but is probably more "fun" for people like me. Once I have read all the guidebooks so many times that there's nothing left to plan, and there are still a few months to go before my Disney trip, I pull out my hour-by-hour itineraries (in spreadsheet format ) and start to re-plan using the walking distances between attractions....It keeps me in the Disney mood till the trip finally arrives!!

However, once in the parks, we only follow the plans as necessary. We do "stop and smell the roses" and don't miss something just because it wasn't in the plans...The plans are really for my own personal enjoyment leading up to the trip and are loosely followed once in the parks. I think, as someone else said, the detail of Disney planning comes down to whether you enjoy lists and planning and such.

 

[mickeysaver]

For this trip, I have a rather detailed touring plan in place for AK. The reason being that I wanted us to be able to see some of the streetmosphere acts, like Devine, the drummers, and the acrobats. Those features of the park are only available to be enjoyed at certian times of the day. Otherwise, no I am not a crazed super planner. I usually pick one park per day and other than the occasional ADR, I don't go crazy with the planning. Maggie

 

[helenm29]

I agree also! granted people want to see EVERYTHING but this is supposed to be a VACATION! you know, relax and enjoy? if you rush, rush, rush you are bound to miss something anyway and I didn't spend a year waiting for this trip to have to hurry up and get it over with! besides, you need to save some things to see on your NEXT trip! Yo Ho! Helen

 

[4boysmom]

Yea, it IS possible! I think it's good to know when the extra magic hours are if you're staying on property & to have an idea of which parks are busiest on which days of the week. It's also important to make ADRs ahead of time. Other than that, just show up early & have fun. There's no way to know where your heart will carry you once you enter the parks.

 

[honeybee30]

I also picked up a brochere from the disney store that had a map of all the rides and sat down with my DS and we circled all the stuff that he wanted to do. He loved it. I guess that's our planning.

Although I use my mental map of the parks or sometimes a guide book, I do the same exact thing. I talk with my DGF & we try to decide the must-dos for each park. We plan which park we're going to each day, & then we make our ADR's accordingly. Everything else is spontaneous. Zig-zagging around wears me out. If we miss something this time, we'll make it a priority next time. BTW, I just made my ADR's for our next trip last week - under a month away. Of course Le Cellier is booked, but we just picked somewhere else to eat. Planning is great fun if its not taken too seriously. Depending on the time of year that we go, who goes with us, and our budget constraints, each trip is a different & exciting experience!

 

[cleo]

There's Planning, and then there is Obsession. I think first- and second-timers need a plan (meaning some ADR's if they want them, and a flexible day plan to navigate the parks) to help them make the most of what is otherwise an overwhelming experience. After a few visits the plan becomes less necessary, though any more I think you do need some basic planning, espcially during peak season.

Planning is part of the fun, but I would be interested to see how many people actually follow the minute-by-minute variety. I'm guessing when a plan is that inflexible, it goes out the window at some point. It simply isn't possible to maintain a minute-by-minute over the course of a week or more, and you miss so much by not letting the magic catch up with you.

I also think a lot of people obsess about it during the planning stages, but don't actually tour that way when they get there. I'd love to do a study to see if they're also the ones having nightmares, pre-trip panic and family mutiny!

 

[jenjen212]

Contrariwise, I find that I enjoy the research/planning stage of a trip even more than the actual trip -- my standard sentence while reading up on a new attraction is 'Wow, that's so cool!!' Thinking ahead to how the days will unfold leads me to some very happy daydreams.

I agree... and happy daydreams they are!!!

I think it should be a vacation balance of planning and non-planning. But anything that is prearranged in advanced, like ADRs, is ummmm... Planning.
THere is nothing wrong with that. We look ahead at the calendar to see the closing times of the parks, which park has an EMH, parade and fireworks times, attraction closures, etc. For instance, i like to see Spectromagic while we are at MK, and this is only given on certain days. So, that day of our trip is when we will be at MK, and then we choose from the restaurants there for dinner to make the ADR. just by doing that, for that one day, is one day planned. Where or what we go on while we are there at the park, we just play by ear. But you also have to leave open a day or two to just lounge and wander around the resort, or go back to do things you didn't get to do.

We usually go with one of my brothers and his girlfriend. One time my brother said, "let's try not scheduling anything next time, no itinerary, just browse." Which is fine by me, we've been so many times, it doesn't matter. That whole time, we wandered around trying to find a place to eat, the places we wanted to eat at were, of course, booked. We kinda looked at each other, "WHat do you want to do?" "I don't know, what do you want to do?" at the end of that trip, everyone had agreed, that next time we will come with a game plan. but at the same time, if things happen that you can't do what you want (such as rain on a day planned for a waterpark), you just wing it and have fun.