First Trip--too caught up in all the LOGISTICS???

[ashbyyokosuka]

this is our first trip to DL (been to WDW before--was visiting my husband [he was on a deployment] woke up--and he suggested we drive 2 hrs to WDW).

we didn't have tickets (he is military, so we could have gotten them cheaper) or a place to stay and i didn't look up ANYTHING online, b/c it never crossed my mind we'd be going to WDW!!!!
we just did it all on the fly! (we were only there for 2 days)

anyway
ended up having a great trip (though we barely rode any rides--went to Epcot too)
We even ate at CINDERELLA'S CASTLE (w/OUT reservations) just asked a CM if there was a cancellation, and there was... my DD even got to get a picture w/ Cinderella in her big blue chair!! amazing!

so
for this trip
we are going for 4 days, staying at the DLH
and
i just can't get enough of organizing, tips, questions, reading the boards, etc.


it is not like we aren't EVER going to go back up there
we live in SD--i actually was planning on getting AP passes, but DH just went ahead and ordered online Disney (he is NOT a planner).


do you guys ever think
enough is enough?
or do you plan everything???

 

[davidsprincess]

do you guys ever think
enough is enough?
or do you plan everything???[/quote]


Seriously, no. You can never be too prepared. Knowledge is power. And when you can plan and be prepared you will have a plan of action and all of that translates into : MORE RIDES, LESS LINES AND MORE FUN! But still try to relax and enjoy yourself!

 

[disneyfan4ever54]

this is our first trip to DL (been to WDW before--was visiting my husband [he was on a deployment] woke up--and he suggested we drive 2 hrs to WDW).

we didn't have tickets (he is military, so we could have gotten them cheaper) or a place to stay and i didn't look up ANYTHING online, b/c it never crossed my mind we'd be going to WDW!!!!
we just did it all on the fly! (we were only there for 2 days)

anyway
ended up having a great trip (though we barely rode any rides--went to Epcot too)
We even ate at CINDERELLA'S CASTLE (w/OUT reservations) just asked a CM if there was a cancellation, and there was... my DD even got to get a picture w/ Cinderella in her big blue chair!! amazing!

so
for this trip
we are going for 4 days, staying at the DLH
and
i just can't get enough of organizing, tips, questions, reading the boards, etc.


it is not like we aren't EVER going to go back up there
we live in SD--i actually was planning on getting AP passes, but DH just went ahead and ordered online Disney (he is NOT a planner).


do you guys ever think
enough is enough?
or do you plan everything???

You can upgrade your parkhoppers to AP's at the park. They will apply the cost of your tickets to the AP's. Just make sure you do it by the last day that your hoppers are valid. Once you have used the magic morning entry on your hoppers (if you have one), then upgrade to the AP so that you can use the discounts as soon as possible.
sooner.

 

[disneyfan4ever54]

Ooops.......I guess that last part of my post didn't get erased when I re-typed it...LOL

 

[Leofoenget]

do you guys ever think
enough is enough?
or do you plan everything???

3/4 of the fun is in the planning.

 

[nunzia]

3/4 of the fun is in the planning.

True..but..that said..it is nice to be flexible too. You can't be so obsessed with getting to Nemo NOW that you miss a moment that could be magical. We actually don't freak out about rides. We'll get fastpasses but not plan our day around them (I did NOT know you could use them after the time window on them! Cool.) We've been so often it isn't a big deal to ride everything. If I can get in PP, Pirates, Soarin and Indy I'm good. I just love the atmosphere, and the escape at the place.
When we go this time with all the grandkids, it will be very s l o w. I don't want to shove some kid on Space Mountain at 8:00 am our first day and have him ready to go home for the rest of the trip. My grand daughter who is 2 hung on for dear life at a local fair carousel, my 5 year old GS is a slow assimilater(sp?), the 7 year old GS has Aspergers, the 3 year old GD is probably gung ho for anything including TOT..and the 18 month old..well..who knows..she doesn't say much ..we need baby steps here. I want their frist trip to a nice easy brainwashing.

 

[mariezp]

When we go this time with all the grandkids, it will be very s l o w. I don't want to shove some kid on Space Mountain at 8:00 am our first day and have him ready to go home for the rest of the trip. My grand daughter who is 2 hung on for dear life at a local fair carousel, my 5 year old GS is a slow assimilater(sp?), the 7 year old GS has Aspergers, the 3 year old GD is probably gung ho for anything including TOT..and the 18 month old..well..who knows..she doesn't say much ..we need baby steps here. I want their frist trip to a nice easy brainwashing.

I am in awe! What a great grandma! You are much braver than I. I do good to manage with my 2 kids. Also, indeed wise with the take it easy plan.

I have to agree with Leofoenget that planning is a good portion of the fun. We have a countdown running from the moment I decide on dates!

I plan things like where we stay, flights and what we eat. However, when we get to the park, aside from PS dining arrangements and working around show schedules, we generally just go with the flow.

 

[LindaM]

The one thing I do plan inside of the parks is the parades & Fantasmic, as we tend to go at times that not all the shows are running. I will also plan which days we want to be in the parks, or have down days, that worked really well for us last time. Other than that we do not plan each ride or how to accomplish each park, we research before hand, hang out on the DIS alot, and plan for what we want to see. Last time we were there, one guy commented to DH at the hotel, that he was so stressed out as his wife had a plan for each hour at the parks and it was a must to get each thing accomplished. I wonder if she was a diser

 

[HydroGuy]

It depends what you mean by planning. By keeping up on forums like this I hear what is going on and keep that in a mental file. For example, in 2005 I heard about riding with the captain of the Mark Twain and driving the boat. I never knew one could do that. I did not plan to do that. I just knew about it. When we came aboard I knew to ask, and since we were the first to ask they sent us up.

I like to have a "basic plan" of what park we want to start at, rides we want to do first, FPs we want to pick up first, when we might eat lunch, when we might take an afternoon break, what shows we would like to see that day, etc., and then put that into the mix and move forward.

I do not plan minute by minute. But I do gather info so when the opportunity comes up to do something or avoid something, I know enough to suggest we alter course.

Some things like meals at certain places need to be planned, and some shows need to be planned. And some rides need to be planned too. So you try to include that and make it work if you can.

 

[pixiewings71]

As mentioned in a pp, upgrade your Parkhoppers to AP's! It's very easy and you can use the value of the PH's towards the cost of your AP's! Have fun!!

 

[hlbtimes2]

I think you can over plan, but I dont think you can have too much knowledge.

We like to have a general idea of what we'll do each day ie: which day to do EE/MM, MTTMM, fireworks, F!, etc. We dont plan each meal, we typically make one PS for a character meal during our 4-5 day trip. We tried ridemax once. It worked well for getting in the most rides. However, it made us rush past things that may have been magical little moments in the park. I would rather loose a ride or two to have more magic.

 

[avalon451]

As Leo said, planning is 3/4 the fun!

It's good to realize that you need to be flexible, though. Stuff can come up that throws you off. Like your DD12 waking up the first morning and immediately tossing her cookies. Whoops! change of plan! Dad stays in the hotel with her, the rest of us hit EE and we'll go to FantasyLand instead of running for Nemo, cause she probably won't miss the FL rides as much as Nemo, Buzz and Space Mtn.

Just an example... after I had our whole Hydroguy/Ridemax itinerary planned out for touring and riding rides... we had to do a whole lot of downsizing and shuffling.

So plan for the best and go with the flow!

 

[rentayenta]

do you guys ever think
enough is enough?
or do you plan everything???

Think about where you posted this: A Disney board so my guess is that we are almost all planners. I think planning is part of the fun; it's like the mini fun before the actual trip. Enjoy it!

 

[bonita_babe232]

I really think it depends on how old the kids are, how many, how quick they get burnt out.. all those types of things. No matter what you can't plan your whole trip when in the park because you never know how a line might be, or what might break down ect... but it is easier to plan with just adults or older kids. I just find with younger ones you never know when they will wanna eat, what they will wanna ride, what type of mood they are in, and how long they will wanna wait in rides. For places that need PS i will try to stay in the general area and plan snacks as to when it will keep them hungry around the seating..., same for parades and fireworks but i also try to make them want a snack around this time while we wait. Last year for fantasmic my mom and grandma cuddle the boys who had a rest while i went searching for popcorn for the show. I try to plan everything up to the gates then we just go with the flow till its time for PS,parade,fireworks or fantasmic! Don't worry you can never really plan to much or know to much, just remember to be alittle flexiable because even the best plans might go alittle off track! Even with adults

 

[stacymomof2]

I am definatly afraid of being caught up in the planning....I'm an over-thinker.

My goal for this trip is to read everything I can about DL and have a loose schedule, we want to see the parades and Fantasmic and we have a couple of PS at some restaurants....

I just don't think I want to subject my family to a strict schedule...so I'll do my best to learn everything I can and say we HAVE to get to the gates at this time and get these fast passes...and then let it flow!

either way...we'll be in DISNEYLAND!!

 

[avalon451]

I just don't think I want to subject my family to a strict schedule...so I'll do my best to learn everything I can and say we HAVE to get to the gates at this time and get these fast passes...and then let it flow

That's it in a nutshell, I think... just get to the gates early and collect fastpasses when you can (because even if they're rides your little ones won't do, maybe you can switch off with the kids later and ride them yourself). Then, you can do what you want, when you want, walk onto Fastpass rides later on with little wait, and if you have leftover fastpasses you weren't able to use at the end of the day, you can give a little dream yourself to some lucky family standing in the standby line! Now THAT's a great feeling, making somebody happy!

 

[stacymomof2]

if you have leftover fastpasses you weren't able to use at the end of the day, you can give a little dream yourself to some lucky family standing in the standby line! Now THAT's a great feeling, making somebody happy!

I like the way you think! We've done that at Chuck E Cheese with extra tickets...the look on their faces are awesome...so I can only imagine a fast pass look!