Does Anyone Else Do This?

[doodlesmommy]

Oh yeah, I do the cards. Not just cards, laminated versions of daily activities that allow wiggle room, unexpected weather, outfit arrangements, ADR #'s & times, firework times, etc. Oh yeah and they have a clip that attaches to the inside of our park bag. My DH thinks I've completely lost it. It worked for our last trip and he laughed at me then too. Disney is too big and too expensive not to see as much as you can (within reason with two little ones) to just stand around wondering what to do next.

 

[Shir Kahn]

To me, doing all these things is half the fun.

 

[kimluvswdw]

No we don't make schedules. We are on vacation so we just go with the flow.

 

[Shir Kahn]

No we don't make schedules. We are on vacation so we just go with the flow.

Nothing says you have to actually follow the schedules! Have fun making them and then completely ignore them if you wish!

 

[jeast]

I get almost as much pleasure from planning the trips as I do from going on them. Why not plan to your heart's content?

On the other hand, by the time I get there, I have the entire plan memorized. I don't need the spreadsheet because I remember why each day is good for each park. I tend to only follow the basics of the plan and allow myself to deviate for whatever reason.

It works pretty well.

 

[Lesprivate]

I use a spreadsheet and for our trips and then I print out index cards with our ADR #'s so I take them with us each day.

 

[momto28weeker+1]

subbing

 

[nascar-j]

OMG! Spreadsheets, color coding and laminators... I'm such a slacker!

I did put my ADRs in my smartphone and I have a general idea of what resort/park the restaurants are in. And I'm going the week before Easter. Who needs plans when it's that busy.

Have fun making them and then completely ignore them if you wish!

Oh come on, if they went through all that OCD planning and didn't follow it, their brains would explode.

j

 

[disjointed]

My family has never, ever scheduled anything (except, of course, meal reservations). When I have a family, and when we go to Disney World, I'm not going to plan my trip as in-depth as you as well as many other DISers have. That's not to say, though, that you're wrong in what you do. What matters is the experience you have -- have fun!

 

[seobaina]

*raises hands* "My name is Seo and I'm a disney planning addict"

 

[Disney Padawan]

Thanks to all of you who replied to my question.

 

[mouseaddicts]

*raises hands* "My name is Seo and I'm a disney planning addict"

Group Response: "Welcome Seo!"

For what it's worth ..... in addition to my planning spreadsheet, I also have a cost comparisson chart for our APs and DVC! Talk about OCD!!!

And I wonder why all my friends refer to me as the "Queen of Disney"

Our anual "family" vacation to WDW is the week of July 4th every year. Since this is widely accepted as the 2nd busiest week of the year at the world, we just feel we MUST have a game plan to maximize our vacation dollars (time=money, right?)! I'm proud to say we have taken in 25+ attractions ON July 4th inside the MK for the past 3 yrs running --- and that includes a mid-day break at our resort! There's absolutely no way we could accomplish that without a plan.

 

[schnerk]

*raises hands* "My name is Seo and I'm a disney planning addict"

Hi Seo

 

[photobob]

Thanks for all your stories, I was hoping the extremes others go to might make me look a little less obsessed to my family. So far it hasn't worked though. I plan each day as to what park we are going to in the morning and what to do upon arrival until lunch and plan lunch, but from there on we go with the flow. I made ADR's yesterday and shared that with my family last night. The did however make fun of me for printing all the ADR information and trimming to the size of my annual pass so that I can keep that with my passes. Well maybe I am a bit obsessed....

 

[ireland_nicole]

On *****************, there is a free trip planner that you can use to put all of your info into. It's not as fun as making your own spreadsheet, but very user friendly-you just type your into into each category by day and *presto* it's done. Also, you can print it out in 3 different sizes based on what you want to carry. I use it as a first draft and then go crazy customizing my own (OMG, I can't believe I just typed that, maybe I do need some professional help...) LOL
Nicole

 

[ireland_nicole]

Hmmm, thought that might happen, although it's not pay for use. You can PM me and I'll give you the info.
Nicole

 

[Disney Doll]

We completely wing it now.
But we go 2-3 times per year, so we are of the opinion that if we don't see it this time, we'll see it next time.
When we get there, we kind of try to think "where do we want to eat?" and maybe we'll make a couple of ADRs, but that's about it.

Our first couple of trips were planned better than when Hannibal crossed the Alps!

 

[seobaina]

Group Response: "Welcome Seo!"

Guess I'm not alone huh?

 

[jennobrn01]

Yup, we did something similar!

Our schedule was notecard sized. Each notecard was laminated and had a hole punched in the upper corner. I held them all together with a loose leaf book ring and clipped that to our stroller using a carabiner. It was great!

Though I did have one snarky woman shake her head and vocalize loudly, "Ohhhh my GAWD! Loook at thaaat!" while pointing dramatically to the dangling notecards.

 

[saquin]

I do all that, the schedules, the laminating, etc.

In fact, in looking through my old Disney stuff I found these lists I'd made for a Disney trip when I was about 12 years old.

My packing list (I don't know what's with all the columns, "set up", "packed", "loose" I know what checkmarks mean but have no idea what little circles with dots in them denote. And I apparently owned a "new" pink top AND a "new new" pink top. ):

My schedule for Day 1 (yes, I listed "window" as one of the things to do on the plane. And, yes, I penciled in "eat, drink and be merry" as a "to do". ):

I guess some things never change.