Have you ever "planned" a trip you can't book?

[Indecisive]

My family took our first trip to WDW last year (May 2014) and had so much fun! The kids and I, in particular, are itching to get back (and DS8 has become hugely into Harry Potter, so we'd really like to visit that other park as well!). DH could probably take it or leave it. The reality is that because of a lot of other expenditures we've had recently, as well as some upcoming expenditures of uncertain amounts, DH insists that we just CANNOT plan another trip at this point. I know in my head that he is right. However, I cannot seem to stop myself from "planning." I have a spreadsheet detailing a whole bunch of different options/possibilities of WDW/Universal on-site accommodations (at various price points), different off-site accommodations, different numbers of days of park tickets, a rental car if staying off-site, etc. It's like I want to be completely ready to execute on a plan the moment we ever feel it is do-able (which hopefully will happen before I explode!). Is this an illness? Is there any cure other than an Orlando vacation? I have, by the way, planned (and booked) other, smaller, far less expensive interim trips and it is just not as satisfying and has not cured my itch! Anyway, this isn't really much of a "question," except I am hoping someone out there can commiserate with me!

 

[rlthomas7]

I do the same thing - I love researching trips. Drives my husband nuts, but once we decide to go somewhere, the trip is booked in a matter of a week because of my advance preparations. I save us a fortune, we dine at well-reviewed restaurants with choices for all of us and it looks and feels effortless. I will say that I don't get so heavily involved as to have days and rides chosen, but overall I know how we can get there and where we can stay. Two weeks ago we first discussed a disney trip in November. It is now booked, our ADRs are made, our magic band colors are chosen and I know what parks will happen on which days, with plenty of "flex" room thrown in to do what we want.

For example, I know that our next Caribbean trip (2017-ish) will be to Curacao, not Grenada, because the flights for Grenada get in late at night, and you lose a whole day of travel. And I know what resort will work in Curacao because there is only one family-friendly all-inclusive in our price range. I also know that I can book a day trip to Bonaire and I know some things to do there. But I don't have dates in mind, rooms to request, etc.

I think my (I'd call it an interest, hubby would call it an illness) stems from a college spring break trip to the Bahamas. We went to the casino at Atlantis, but I didn't once know about all of the cool stuff there. Once I came home and learned where I had been, I vowed never to find myself uneducated in a destination.

 

[Disney Kidd]

I am guilty of the same thing! I have a trip planned at the moment that I know we won't be able to make for at least a year! I do this with all my trips though so just like the pp, it is booked within minutes and is flawlessly executed. I should really make a living as a travel agent! My husband also thinks I'm nuts, but once we go on vacation, he is amazed and thinks I'm some sort of miracle worker. Right now, I'm running through my head which TS restaurants I would eat at if I had 7 nights at DW. We're not even planning a trip!

 

[eyehartdisney]

I do this, but then I end up taking the trip... It's a bad, bad habit

 

[mgentry210]

I think my spreadsheet has at Least 15 tabs. You are among friends.

 

[Angeejoe]

I have been pricing out a trip all day, I found a conference at WDW that I'd love to attend & then stay an extra few days.....

I think we should start a support group, maybe we can host our meetings at WDW.....

 

[Disneyliscious]

Yes, I have done this many, many, MANY times.

 

[ArmyVet80]

I make multiple trips at once to compare the prices. Just open another tab on firefox and away I go.. I have made trips that cost more than I would likely ever spend on a vacation to trips I could get tomorrow. Everyone has to have a hobby... I would say that mine is making Disney Vacations...

 

[Colleen27]

I have running plans for several destinations ready to go whenever we decide to pull the trigger. Travel planning and research really is a hobby for me, so when we start talking about visiting a particular place I start the information gathering process even if I don't know exactly when we'll be able to book. In fact, researching when to go is one of the first steps. It started with Disney because that was our first big trip as a family but has since become a normal part of our vacation planning process no matter where we're going.

My husband has been self employed for many years, so both erratic income and short-notice schedule changes are a way of life for us. I tell myself that having the plans on hand makes traveling much easier, because when he comes home and says he's going to have a week off between projects and we can afford to spend $X I can flip through the plans and pick something that suits the situation. And that really has happened a few times, where we decided on Monday to leave on a short trip on Wednesday (driving trips, obviously - airfare requires more notice) and having a plan ready has taken the guesswork out of running away from home with so little notice.