Does anyone just "wing it"???

[Mandabella]

We pretty much wing it most of the time now. We have been so often that we sort of "know" how to navigate around whatever comes our way.

Yep, that's it exactly. Haven't had a bad trip yet.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I wing everything but a dinner PS

 

[Cruella17]

We wing it. Although I have all of my research ready for quick recall!

 

[Leota]

We pretty much wing it. As someone stated above, we've been enough to know our way around. We'll be back again, so anything we miss is not a big deal.

I do book a PS a day if DH is going with us, as he enjoys WDW for the restaurants as well as the Parks. This coming trip we have 2 tours booked. But that's about it for plans. I try to have an idea of what Parks to go to & which to avoid, but we throw those out the window most times anyways.....

Even on trips that I have "planned", I have never had an attraction by attraction itinerary. I know some folks do, I just don't know how they do it. There's so much Magic that happens spontaeously......

 

[imatoad]

We wing it every trip as well, except for PS"s, and find it very relaxing. However, we are two adults, no kids, and that might make the difference, I imagine having kids would require a plan.

 

[goofyernmost]

I have never planned on a daily basis. In fact, many times I haven't even made hotel reservations. I just see what is available when I get there. And I come 1500 miles to WDW. It is easier because I stay off-site and I have never had a difficult time finding a room at a good price.

I like getting up in the morning and then deciding where I am going to spend the day. I guess, it is how i fulfill my sense of adventure. I don't recommend it for all. My sister has started to plan a trip she is making in 2008. I'd be plenty sick of it by then.

 

[Lebjwb]

We don't plan ahead other than checking on EMH. I don't even like to be locked in to a PS and don't think it is fair to make one and not show.

We just go with the flow and usually are at WDW for a week+ so we just take our time and relax...that's what it's all about. I try to focus on all the little details that make Disney Disney. I'm not fixated on having to get on every ride at every park.

I'm on a schedule at work, why would I want one when I'm on vacation? Besides my tour director is 8 years old. I'm there to see her face light up. That's the greatest joy I can have on my vacation!

Eat when you're hungry, sleep when you're tired!

 

[t-roy]

I have a plan in my head and then see how the day goes. I pay attention to emh mornings/evenings (usually to avoid them) and make PS for dinner. We also prescribed to the "there's always next year" philosophy. We don't have to see everything in the park at once. It's fun to us having new things to do each trip. This year our focus is going to be parades since aside from Spectromagic, we haven't seen any.

 

[minkydog]

My family always wings it when we go. We wake up and wherever we feel like going we do that. If we don't feel like going anywhere then we just swim in the hotel all day. Our family doesn't consider it a vacation if everything is planned. Relaxing and going with the flow is the way we like our vacations.

You said it best--Our family doesn't consider it a vacation if everything is planned. Ours doesn't either. I don't want to spend $1000s to run around and make myself exhausted because of some stupid schedule. We decide how many days we want to go to the parks and buy the ticket that matches. Every evening we check figure out what we want to do the next day.

On our last family trip one of our best days was when my then-9yoDD woke up and asked could we please not go into a park that day. We were staying at FW, so I headed to the pool with her and her brothers while Daddy grilled pork chops. The thing they still talk about is driving around in that golf cart. Our next trip is in November. I'll make PSs for the two places I really want to eat(BOMA and HDD), otherwise we'll wing it.

 

[starwatcher]

i just wing it mostly lol only have 4 ps's planned will be there a week may 1st-may 8th. only day i know where i will be and not moving a inch is may 5th will be at the MK all day cause it my b-day and i love the MK and am eating at the castle that night. lol pal mickey will help too lol will find a shady spot to rest. i have feeling MK will hit capacity that day cause epcot closes at 3 so i will be there early in the morn and leave when MK closes. lol rest of week winged

 

[Golf4283]

I would say the fun thing about winging it is that each day is more of a surprise for you. If you plan out where you will be every day it's just like you have nothing to be surprised by. If you wake up not knowing where your going it is more fun when you actually decide. I understand why people plan but for me it still isnt a vacation if I have to stick to a schedule.

 

[Golf4283]

Just to add another thing. My family always eats at Sci-fi and it rocks. We never have made a PS until the day of. We always try to get hte last seatings wo when we are leaving the place we have the park to ourselves. It's lots of fun.

 

[Skroops]

I agree with the posters who say it is somewhere in between! IMO, you can't really call it winging it if you have your PS's in advance, because you will have to be at that particular park for that. I think it is a great idea to know ahead of time when the parks are open, and what events/rides you don't want to miss. We always pick a couple of things that we say we definately want to see on this visit, make sure we hit those, and then wander and see what happens. We always go with the mind frame of we aren't going to see it all! Take time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings, the sounds, smells, landscaping! If we wake up tired, we turn off the alarm and sleep away! We are on vacation. Yeay!

 

[Mr.BsMom]

I remember a humorous answer to this question:
"Yes, those are the people who are looking at long lines for everything, who just missed the parade and who didn't know that Splash, Space & Big Thunder Mountains were all down for rehab."

I happen to think that there's a happy medium between "Disney Commando" and "play it by ear". I want to know what park hours are and which parks are AM/PM EMH. I also want to know about any special events; for example, I just realized a few days ago that our May Anniversary trip will be during the Flower & Garden Show, and there things there - concerts, etc. - that we'll want to attend. But I have given up the UG Touring Plans (which are wonderful for those who are strapped for time, or are relative newbies), and the itineraries that have our GPS coordinates planned at 10 minute intervals.

Just like several other fine minds above have said, we too have developed a "there's always next time" attitude - helped in no small part by our DVC ownership at Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. And regarding PSs - to be honest, DW and I just don't get that big of a thrill out of most WDW restaurants, so we haven't made a PS in years....

Be well!

I agree... There is a happy medium! We pay attention to EMH and work around that. We also do a lot of park hopping, so if we happen to get to one park in the morning and then decide after a while that we need a change, we'll go somewhere else. The only planning we've done for this trip is to make a couple PSs (this is the first trip that I've ever done that - and only because I know it will be soooo very busy the week before Easter!), and DH made a couple of tee times for himself. Other than those things, we wing it and just go with what we feel like doing at the time.

We've always had great trips, and I'm sure we'll continue to do so!

 

[Mom2RinJen]

When we go (Jan-Feb) winging it is definitely possible and much more enjoyable. But if I was going to go in the summer or at Christmas, I don't think winging it would be a good idea. We don't make PSs, except this last time when we wanted to do PSB and Whispering Canyon (which we really didn't need). And we do sit downs once a day. We pick whatever park we feel like the night before based on weather and EMHs. Worked out GREAT every year so far. And in my mind, you can plan and plan and plan and if one thing goes wrong (like a child meltdown, sickness, oversleeping etc) then the whole plan goes right in the toilet. We're in the wing it club too!

 

[lnb1230]

I would love to completely wing it, but I am worried about not being able to get into any of the restaurants. We will be a party of 4 June 11 - 19. Do you think we stand a chance without PSs?

 

[Golf4283]

There are always a couple PS's available to get. Disney is the best IMO at getting people seats at places when they want. Just call from your hotel and let them know that you are an on-site guest and they will usually get you something.

 

[Kelly5538]

Oh good! When I started this thread I figured that I'd get a bunch of "how do you dare not plan???" messages back!!! I don't feel so wrong now - I agree with the wake up and decide from there mentality!!!!!!!!!

 

[ms4getful]

My family doesn't have a planned itinerary and we've been able to get through the parks just fine. We just go around the park counter-clockwise and check off the rides on the park map that we've been on. It's worked for us. It should work for you too.

 

[the kabuki]

what is wrong with you people???? how can you wing WDW???
I'm sending DH ...let's just go where the mood takes us.. with you guys next year