Does Anyone Else Do This?

[ssawka]

I use the Outlook calendar to do our planning. Since we usually do not park hop, I start by creating an "All Day" event with the subject of the park we plan on visiting that day. In the notes for the event, I put in that park's operating hours for that day. Then, I will create an event for any ADRs at the time of the ADR. In the notes field, I add the reservation number in case I have to cancel. I also add events for parades, fireworks, etc. I keep everything in Outlook until we are ready to leave. Then, I print out the schedule to bring with us.

I never plan CS meals though. I need to keep some spontaneity!

 

[schnerk]

Day 1 MGM; Early entry- Eeyore decided to pose with my daughter, scrap with my son & seduce my wife...that cost me 30mins in line for RnR but its the funniest thing on the home video!
Day 2; Wife hid my watch for the entire vacation!

Seriously, I feel so much better now that this is all out in the open and that I am not alone! The best thing for us was last trip to WDW in Sept. 07 when my DD4 saw someone looking at a non-laminated paper schedule. She looked at me and said "Daddy, they aren't as good as we are at Disney, are they?"

I died laughing!

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Daily plans are made by park, attactions/entertainment/streetmosphere, dining, and nighttime entertainment. Fonts for parks/attractions used when possible and of course graphics are added as needed to increase the cute factor. The whole thing is laminated and bound at Kinkos. We also make mini-reminder cards that we keep as a back up.....just smaller page versions that we again laminate, punch holes in and place on a keyring.

I am only hyper organized when it comes to planning my Disney trips. Everything else in my life is more or less a crap shoot.

 

[Stitchfans]

So, I think my wife and I have a problem. When we plan for WDW, we make a master schedule. On the front we have a schedule for our entire trip. On this schedule we have which park we are heading to in the morning, afternoon and evening and where we are going to eat... But that's not all...

Our restaurants are all color coded depending on if the are Table Service or Counter Service and shaded depending on if they are covered by the dining plan or not... But that's not all...

On the back we have 4 columns, one for each park, that include the park hours, Fireworks, parade, and show times and a detailed scheduled ride order. including which rides we fast pass and/or baby swap... But that's not all...

It is all laminated!

There is nothing else in the world that I plan like this for, and we do it EVERY TRIP!!!

Do we have a problem?

What do you do?

I have most of the information you mentioned on a index card, not laminated though. I also noted our ADR reservation #'s on it. I have a card for each day we will be there. There is also some added footnotes on the cards such as who will be playing at Epcot's Flower Power, so on. I mess up and we missed a parade on our last trip cause I thought it was at a diferent time. This time I will know for sure!

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

I have most of the information you mentioned on a index card, not laminated though. I also noted our ADR reservation #'s on it. I have a card for each day we will be there. There is also some added footnotes on the cards such as who will be playing at Epcot's Flower Power, so on. I mess up and we missed a parade on our last trip cause I thought it was at a diferent time. This time I will know for sure!

Rookie.....

 

[ireland_nicole]

I don't include drawings of my own outfits (after all, I'm not in the pictures, I'm busy taking them-and I don't hand over my SLR to just anybody) But I admit, I do take digital pictures of the children's outfits that I select prior to trip for cute/coordination factor (I base this on what events/character greets are scheduled, and which area of which park we will be in.) The pictures are w/ each days master list. Slightly OT, I also pack each of these outfits (incl.underwear, socks, shoes and accessories) into a ziploc labeled with each kids name and date to be worn.

O.K., maybe I am just a little obsessed BUT-my scrapbooks look awesome!

Nicole

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

We plan out clothing by park days/activities too. We make sure they match so that the photos come out nice. We don't have kids to worry about, just us.

 

[disnut1149]

Hi
I have my itinerary with all my ADR numbers and which park we'll be at and on which day and time, according to EMH. I print it out and then laminate it. We don't always do what is printed on the itinerary, but we try.

 

[schnerk]

I do take digital pictures of the children's outfits that I select prior to trip for cute/coordination factor (I base this on what events/character greets are scheduled, and which area of which park we will be in.)
Nicole

WOW! I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OF THAT!!! I am SO stealing that!

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

I mainly use Excel.

First, several different scenarios on color-coded spreadsheets (with 1/2 hour time blocks) showing all days with all parks, meals, special activities, and breaks.

Once the main scenario is decided, then:
Next is a looong landscaped page of three sheets taped together showing ALL rides, meals, actvities, special events, breaks, misc. (and alternate and optional activities) all colored coded in 15 minute increments.

Next maps copied from PassPorter and marked for each parks planned activities, numbered in tentative order, accompanied by Excel list of times planned and time needed.

And a 3-ring binder with park times, restaurnant menus, reviews, ideas etc.

Love it!

 

[Disney Padawan]

I do all the planning in our household. I don't know why but that job has always fallen on me. I guess it's like taking out the garbage or fixing something broken. There's no question that I have to do these things, just like there's no question that I have to plan all the trips.

That being said, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

For weeks I've been looking for somekind of spreadsheet that I can use to write down all my ADR's, Confirmation numbers....etc. I've been looking all over the net with no luck. Everytime I try to do one myself, I somehow mess it up. So I just write down everything in a yellow pad. If anyone knows where I can find a spreadsheet could you pretty please point me in the right dirrection. It would be very appreciated.

BTW, I can relate to being a camera Nazi though. I can easily take over 1000 pictures at WDW. This trip, I'm taking 6 memory cards with me.

 

[wlwilliams9]

No offence, but you people are crazy......Go with the flow man!

 

[drnlhome]

I do all the planning in our household. I don't know why but that job has always fallen on me. I guess it's like taking out the garbage or fixing something broken. There's no question that I have to do these things, just like there's no question that I have to plan all the trips.

That being said, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

For weeks I've been looking for somekind of spreadsheet that I can use to write down all my ADR's, Confirmation numbers....etc. I've been looking all over the net with no luck. Everytime I try to do one myself, I somehow mess it up. So I just write down everything in a yellow pad. If anyone knows where I can find a spreadsheet could you pretty please point me in the right dirrection. It would be very appreciated.

BTW, I can relate to being a camera Nazi though. I can easily take over 1000 pictures at WDW. This trip, I'm taking 6 memory cards with me.

Try this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1677978

I haven't seen it but it may get you started in the right direction! Good Luck!!

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

We did the same for our trip in Nov 06 when we brought friends. You really need to if you want to do the parks commando!!
You need to know the best route.

However, last trip I just did a minnie version of it. Since we really didn't do a commando trip we ended up missing all most all our reservations: Even though I know the park hours, emh and the time for all fireworks etc. it is still helpful to have everything written down.

Believe it or not, during that Nov 06 trip we had reservation for Norway where they charge you $10 pp if you don't show up. Now everything was color coded and detailed and when we showed up for our reservation, they said - oh you were reserved for yesterday-- $80 charge!!!! I don't know how that got screwed up but they did end up refunding me after 4 months of calls (just had to get the right person) I was a little disappointed that no one could help me at the time of the error.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

I do all the planning in our household. I don't know why but that job has always fallen on me. I guess it's like taking out the garbage or fixing something broken. There's no question that I have to do these things, just like there's no question that I have to plan all the trips.

That being said, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

For weeks I've been looking for somekind of spreadsheet that I can use to write down all my ADR's, Confirmation numbers....etc. I've been looking all over the net with no luck. Everytime I try to do one myself, I somehow mess it up. So I just write down everything in a yellow pad. If anyone knows where I can find a spreadsheet could you pretty please point me in the right dirrection. It would be very appreciated.

BTW, I can relate to being a camera Nazi though. I can easily take over 1000 pictures at WDW. This trip, I'm taking 6 memory cards with me.

I just use excel!!

 

[schnerk]

I just use excel!!

We use the Table feature on Word...

 

[Stitchfans]

We plan out clothing by park days/activities too. We make sure they match so that the photos come out nice. We don't have kids to worry about, just us.

Rookie or not we also plan out our clothes too for better character interaction. For example for the day for Ohana we all have our Stitch shirts. The Garden Grill DDs have their Chip and Dale shirts. So on......

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

No offence, but you people are crazy......Go with the flow man!

Oh, but there is no without the plan! Planning makes it all work out, even when the plans get turned I have plans for how to still keep the flowing.

 

[mouseaddicts]

I do all the planning in our household. I don't know why but that job has always fallen on me. I guess it's like taking out the garbage or fixing something broken. There's no question that I have to do these things, just like there's no question that I have to plan all the trips.

That being said, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

For weeks I've been looking for somekind of spreadsheet that I can use to write down all my ADR's, Confirmation numbers....etc. I've been looking all over the net with no luck. Everytime I try to do one myself, I somehow mess it up. So I just write down everything in a yellow pad. If anyone knows where I can find a spreadsheet could you pretty please point me in the right dirrection. It would be very appreciated.

BTW, I can relate to being a camera Nazi though. I can easily take over 1000 pictures at WDW. This trip, I'm taking 6 memory cards with me.

I'd be happy to share the spreadsheet I've created for us. I think I have 2 or 3 including this year's. Send me a PM with your email and I'll send it to ya! It's something to start with & you can tweak it to suit your needs.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Rookie or not we also plan out our clothes too for better character interaction. For example for the day for Ohana we all have our Stitch shirts. The Garden Grill DDs have their Chip and Dale shirts. So on......

I know you are not a rookie, j/k, I love planning the little details out. My DP, Corey, is not as into it as I am. If left to her own devices, she would dress in whatever was clean and within throwing distance of the open suitcase. Let's just say that it has taken many trips, but she is getting the hang of it finally. I almost cried when she offered to wear her PoC Jack Sparrow shirt on our MK day because she wanted to do the meet and greet with him and that it would match my I love Jack shirt. It's progress!

I have been buying the makings for matching holiday shirts for us and Corey's mom for our trip in December. I figure it's cheaper to buy Disney Christmas/Christmas stuff in February than it will be in October or November. Now, I just have to wait for the right deal on quality shirts to put them on.