Do you still experience obsessive Disney planning?

[mrsmith9]

This obsessive planning has also spilled over into my non-Disney travels. And when we are traveling elsewhere with friends/family they think we are crazy.


For years a group of my college friends and their spouses have been planning a trip to New Orleans. The idea was to go for Mardi Grass the year most of them turned 40. For the entire year leading up to the event everyone kept talking about the trip but no one had rooms or air fair booked. When we were 11 months from check-in my internal alarm went off, and I urged everyone to book rooms; no one did. At 7 months my internal alarm rang louder, still no one was ready to book anything. Once we got down to the 4 month mark and no one was willing to book rooms, I gave up on the trip. There was no way we were going to get a decent room at a decent price, and all be together.


We wrote the trip off and didn’t go. Most of our friends however waited till 4-6 weeks before the trip, rented a house and booked their airfare and went.


I wish I could have been spontaneous and planed last minute like the rest of the group, but Disney has conditioned me otherwise.

 

[AnnaKat]

I love to plan, yet we plan so that we can enjoy the most " spontaneous " fun, relaxing vacation.
We " schedule " times of fun & relaxation by enjoying breakfast @ our Resort almost every morning--the Boma breakfast buffet--
so we have flexibility for eating lunch when we feel like it. We are staying 17 days, which gives us flexibility on Parks, & allows plenty of pool time/nap time/etc. We take taxis. We visit Parks on best suggested days/nights. Buying APs before trip to book FP+, maximizing Park enjoyment. We are OK with missing an ADR in interest of spontaneity --budgeting for. We booked Cali Grill to see Wishes without Park Crowds. We'll FP+ Illuminations & Fantasmic! We booked 3 CandleL. Processional Pkgs--keeping all 3.

 

[Micca]

We mostly just cover the basics now. Resort choice/dates, some ADRs, FP+, flights & rental car. We don't flip out if we can't eat somewhere or stay at our first resort choice. As other have said, when you know you'll be returning--more likely sooner than later--the whole experience is less stressful and more relaxed. When you've made numerous trips and you have DVC in your pocket, it's easier to go with the flow.

 

[DVC Mike]

While I'm not an obsessive planner, my wife says the pie chart below applies to me. Before a trip begins, I countdown the number of days before our vacation.

Then, while we're at Disney, I obsessively count down the number of days before it's over!

http://i235.*************************************Misc/HowYouPassTime.png​

 

[michelleiada]

I still plan because I enjoy it but I don't plan every minute of every trip. I book DVC room at 11 months, ADRs at 180 day, and Fastpass at 60 days. I try to figure out which park we will visit on which day for meal planning purposes. We don't always stick to our plan but we try to. For me the planning and anticipation is part of the fun of a disney trip.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

This is our 5th year in DVC and I only obsessively plan booking at 11 month window, and dining reservations at 180 mark. When I'm there, I'm much more relaxed. No more Touring Plans

 

[BabyGirl09]

I too am an obsessive planner, but have found my planning for disney has lessened over time. I book my room and airfare...then I make basic adr plans (this is where I'd like to eat each day.) At 180 out I book them (never had an issue getting what I wanted, but if I do I just pick another comparable place). Then I do nothing until FP+, make a rough plan the day before, and book it.

It used to be a lot more obsessing over exactly what we'll do. After a few visits, I feel less pressure to "get everything in", and have a better understanding of where everything is, so it's more relaxed

 

[ain0004]

I am a big planner. Even more when we are going with family. My biggest problem.....the room....what room, how many rooms, location.....location of the room. I have elected to make the hotel choice myself. The rest the family is not paying for it so their vote is not valid lol. I stress less after the 6 month. Mark usually airfare is bought ADRs are made room booked. The stress picks up again about a. Month before. I start slowly packing, the suitcase lives in the living room lol

 

[CaoilinnsMom]

I am less obsessive than I used to be, I know we will be back. We are meeting friends who are not planners our next trip so I will try to go with the flow. My daughter is getting older and is less interested in character dining so I am also less worried about dining reservations. This is our first trip with FP+, we've been at DL the last two years so that will be new, I might worry a little about getting that right. I plan park days according to the calendar, but don't do touring plans anymore.

 

[edk35]

I am NOT enjoying planning as much as past years. The new FP system stresses me out. Used to all I did was book the airfare and resort and we followed Tour Guide Mike's best park days. Now, picking fast passes along with ADR's and best park days is just MORE WORK. I do still LOVE HANGING HERE ON DISBOARDS THOUGH.