He thinks I'm over-doing the planning - am I?

[mamamelody2]

I don't think you're overdoing it at all. You KNOW that you cannot just walk up to the restaurants you have ADRs for and get in, so good for you for getting them!
As to the FPs, remember you can change them as needed, and it should be pretty easy as there are just 2 of you and you're going at a less busy time.
I do agree with some PPs that you have a LOT of early morning breakfasts that will take up good chunks of prime morning park time.

 

[Gophers]

Plan is a good starting point. Have all the character meals you want. You did say it was something you wanted to do so go for it. We have 12 ADRs with 6 character meals, two Halloween parties, three desert parties and two of the other ADRs will be 50s Prime and Skipper Canteen because we love the interaction. This is what we want to do. Have a magical trip.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I am definitely a over planner just want to make sure everything is in place dh thinks I lost my mind can't wait to make fp in December

 

[ZoZo]

As someone else mentioned, you have a lot of breakfast ADRs. You're scheduling these breakfasts during prime touring time. I would move these to lunch or dinner reservations, and pare down the breakfasts to one or two at the most. Maximize these early hours, when the lines are shortest!

 

[AdamEfimoff]

You are not at all over planning

 

[AdamEfimoff]

I feel with Disney with how they manufactured it you have to plan and plan hard. spontaneity is banned at Disney. booking a venture a day out also banned . sarcasm.

 

[karrit2000]

The only big problem I see as someone else already mentioned is your Wild Africa Trek @ AK & then FP's in MK too close to the end of the Trek. I probably would have tried booking a couple of the Character meals for Lunch or Dinner since you have the DP. I personally ended up cancelling my O'hana Reservation due to the removal of Bacon from their menu. I don't do Ham & since the meal is mediocre to begin with that change was a deal breaker even though Stitch is my absolute favorite.

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Just not sure why you are going all over the map every day

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

The only big problem I see as someone else already mentioned is your Wild Africa Trek @ AK & then FP's in MK too close to the end of the Trek. I probably would have tried booking a couple of the Character meals for Lunch or Dinner since you have the DP. I personally ended up cancelling my O'hana Reservation due to the removal of Bacon from their menu. I don't do Ham & since the meal is mediocre to begin with that change was a deal breaker even though Stitch is my absolute favorite.

What?!?! Ohana removed bacon from their menu? Why? My son will be so upset at our breakfast there. Ugghh. Maybe I need to byob...bring my own bacon. Hahaha

 

[4Goofys4Dis]

I have to include my experience too as I've been there! The first time I went with DH, he laughed at me as I kept planning until the day we left (paper FPs then!) and had a schedule of grabbing and riding, repeated. I got up early to make reservations and knew where all the characters were. He knew it made me happy but just rolled his eyes and said "you are a Disney nut!". I proudly agreed!

We got there (in early August) and we did not wait in a single line, we had magic moments at every turn and we hit only "hidden" characters or character meals. He was floored when we would enter a FP line or go past the crowd waiting to see if there was a reservation or walked behind a restaurant or into a garden to find Pooh or Snow Whire all by themselves with a massive crowd 10 yards away but no one knew they were there!

Now he says "is tomorrow our 180 day mark? Should I set an alarm?!" While I still do the planning, he gets up and we book them together (sometimes at the same time!). He admitted to me that he thought it would be minute to minute over planned and said afterward, it didn't feel that way at all! In fact it made it very relaxed that we didn't have to wait 2 hours to ride space mountain!

He doesn't doubt the need to plan at all anymore! Your schedule looks great (except the aforementioned tight squeeze between trek and getting to MK), but if you sign up for the express bus, it might work! Have fun, keep planning and he'll figure it out once he gets there!

 

[KCanuck]

I've done a few of completely planned trips and what usually happens is after the first few days we talk about what's coming up and sometimes we ditch those plans and wing it. There's always that option as long as you remember to cancel your ADR in time.

What's nice about how you've planned it is that once you get there and are on holidays you don't really have to "think". You did all the planning ahead of time so you can just follow your plan.

I would move a couple of early breakfasts to late ones (10:30ish) or do early lunch.

Have fun : )

 

[flortlebap]

I don't have any specific comments on your plan, but just wanted to say that DH totally mocked how much time I spent planning our first WDW trip ... until we got there. Then he said "thank goodness you spent so much time planning this trip!!" Planning really does make all the difference, so ignore your love and plan away! He will be thankful come trip time!

Oh yes, my DH mocked me in 2012. Until we got there.

He was amazed by how much time I'd invested in planning and how much time we saved.

He hasn't mocked me since and now does the right "ooh" and "aah" noises when he's presented with the final version of my planning spreadsheet to keep on his iPhone

 

[MommaBerd]

I don't have much to add to the PP's comments...maybe reconsider the days you have breakfast ADRS in a completely different area than your park (e.g., the 9th & 13th). Another suggestion is not to do BOG twice. What about Skipper Canteen? It's such a fun, well-themed restaurant! And, I can't recommend Tiffin's enough for a delicious - even romantic - signature dinner. Or, visit Nomad Lounge for the "lite" version. I also "second" the recommendation for a dessert party, if your budget can afford it. Garden Terrace viewing at HEA would be an awfully romantic spot for a certain...ahem...discussion. (You could even innocently talk it up about the view and the fireworks and how the garden plaza is such a relaxing place to watch the fireworks...not that you're trying to manipulate the situation or anything...)

Anyhow, I think overall it looks like a great trip! And definitely NOT overplanned!

 

[Penguinempress]

I don't have any specific comments on your plan, but just wanted to say that DH totally mocked how much time I spent planning our first WDW trip ... until we got there. Then he said "thank goodness you spent so much time planning this trip!!" Planning really does make all the difference, so ignore your love and plan away! He will be thankful come trip time!

Totally agree with this! My husband mocked my planning on our first trip ("This is worse than when you were planning our wedding!") but when you're actually there and walk past an hour long line at Toy Story Midway Mania because you have a Fast Pass...he was very thankful! Now every trip, he says numerous times, "Thank you for being so organized and having all this figured out!"

 

[Shanti]

Alright so, I am planning my first trip with the love of my life and his first trip altogether. I *used* to know the parks like the back of my hand, but honestly, that's probably changed with the additions and closures. My last time as a Cast Member was around a year so after the new Fantasyland expansion opened, so that's a decent time ago... And I know NOTHING about Pandora.

Paul, has never been much of a planner and he's obviously never been on a vacation this big, so I was hoping I could post our basic plan and you could tell me if I'm being too picky about planning? He's saying we should just get there and go with the flow/do whatever we want, and I'm saying that's not at all possible - but we won't be able to do everything we wish if we don't plan. Plus, I enjoy planning and I'm pretty sure he might be asking a very important question this trip so I want everything to be good!

But here's my plan so far, please keep in mind it is only the two of us - mid 20s, and we decided to do pretty much all character meals so that we can take advantage of them to meet characters and because we're on the dining plan so why not! Tell me your thoughts?

September 6th:
Check in to hotel All Star Sports- we're coming from 4 days at Universal Orlando that *he* is completely "planning" (he planned nothing I'm doing it all now).

September 7th:
Tusker House 8:15
Wild Africa Trek 11:45
Space Mountain 3:15
7 Dwarfs Mine Train 4:15
Big Thunder Mountain 5:20
Halloween party/activities - can't find a schedule of events

September 8th:
Toy Story Mania! 10:05
Star Tours 11:10a
Tower of Terror 12:30
Be Our Guest 7:45

September 9th:
'Ohana 7:30a
River Journey 10:10
Dinosaur 11:50
Everest 1:10
Rivers of Light

September 10th:
Bon Voyage Breakfast 7:45a
Seas with Nemo and friends 10:05
Frozen Ever After 11:20
Character spot 12:50
Fantasmic

September 11th:
Cinderella's Royal Table 8:30
Buzz Lightyear 10:35
Peter Pan's Flight 11:40
Haunted Mansion 12:50

September 12th:
Akershus 8:30
Test Track 10:45
Figment 11:55
Spaceship Earth 1:20
Illuminations

September 13th:
1900 Park Fare 8:00
Flight of Passage 10:00
Safari 11:05
Kali 1:10
Star Wars Fireworks at DHS

September 14th:
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster 10:20
Indiana Jones 11:30
Tower of Terror 1:00
Garden Grill 7:15

September 15th:
Crystal Palace 8:30
Under the Sea 10:30
Jungle Cruise 11:55
Be Our Guest QSR 1:00
Pirates of the Caribbean 2:30

September 16th:
Chef Mickey's 7:45
Soarin' 10:25
Mission: Space 11:30 (tacked on last minute when available)
Park hop the rest of the day and see anything we want, and plan to end the day with MK fireworks.

I know I haven't finished planning by any means - but I also don't think what I have done is totally ridiculous or over the top at all :|

Also, we are considering doing the express transportation to make park hopping quicker!

I don't think you're planning too much, but you're probably talking to him too much about the planning, since he made a comment. Go ahead and make all your plans, then just let the well-planned experience unfold for him while you are on the trip.

 

[cmarsh31]

Definitely do the Express bus! It's a game changer! It only started a few weeks before we went, but we worked it into our existing plans. I can't even imagine what we'll be able to do if we get to plan for it!

Dessert party suggestion sounds like a great idea!

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Just not sure why you are going all over the map every day

Yes, seems like you are bouncing around a lot which will eat up valuable park time and will make your bf feel too over scheduled.
As for mocking you for making ADRs and fp...when the time comes to check in asj if there are any walk ups..and also point out the wait times for the rides. I'm sure he'll prefer your way than winging it. Lol

 

[Geomom]

You are NOT overplanning. You have your FP+ and ADR's, that's it. You need those, and he'll see that once you're at the park and he sees the wait times, etc. First timers always make fun of you for booking ADR's 180 days out, and for making FP's...until they get to the park and see what it's really like! We've travelled with friends. Their DS17 went on a school trip to Disneyland...he came home and said it's better going to parks with family as we PLAN.

As far as critiquing your FP/ADR's:
I agree that you have a lot of breakfasts. We tend to do more dinners than breakfasts, we use them as time to get away from the crowds and be in air conditioning. We come out refreshed and ready to go back for evening activities. Your Tusker House one on 9/7 is the one that worries me--that is going to be a long day for you with the Halloween Party that night. Usually for ADR's, they ask you to arrive 15 minutes early. You'll be getting up awfully early with a late night ahead of you.

You're also jumping around a lot, but that's just personal preference for us--as we're just using the free Disney transportation. We like to dine 'near' the park we'll be at for the day--which means either the park or resorts near it, or near where we're staying. We will do things like leave AK for the day and hit up a monorail resort for dinner.

As far as FP's, we've found that afternoon wait times in the parks are the worst as that's when the most people are there--so I've tried to schedule our FP's then. Morning and late evening can have lower wait times.

Enjoy your trip! Your BF will thank you later for all your 'over' planning!

 

[Shanti]

There is absolutely no need to arrive at a restaurant 15 minutes early for your ADR, btw. We do multiple ADRs per day at all kinds of restaurants at WDW and never arrive early. Being a few minutes late (10 or less) won't be any problem, either.

Having a lot of breakfast ADRs is nice in my opinion, as it gives you the energy you need for the day. We typically do one breakfast and one dinner ADR per park day, and substitute a snack for lunch.

 

[Christy702]

Wow you got GREAT ADRs! I don't think you're overplanning, it's totally normal to have all of your dining and FPs planned out. Even thought he seems like a go with the flow type, I think he'll appreciate you got the two most important things planned out.