Help me ... I think I'm planning too much!!

[bajanswife]

I love to plan, but I think I'm overdoing it a little - at least, that's DH's opinion! He's not going on this trip in October, but he's worried I'll have marvelous plans and then the other 3 women I'm going with will decide they don't want to follow them and I'll be disappointed.

Anyway, we're getting together in the next couple of weeks to start planning the trip. I think it's too early to get into touring plans etc., but I thought, since a couple of them don't really know WDW at all and therefore can't really say what attractions are "must-sees" for them, I'd start by getting everyone's feelings on some broader issues: e.g. thrill rides or not?, parades?, which shows?, MNSSHP? etc. I also want to see how long they think they can go each day (we're staying 40 mins drive away, so no going back to the apt. at midday), and if they'd like to spread the parks out a little bit over 4 days, or concentrated in 3 days (it's a short trip, and there are other things we need to do too). I also want to get a feeling for their crowd tolerance.

Is this a good place to start? I've been once, and I'm doing tons of reserach, so I can guide them well if I know what they like and want. But it's hard for them to know what to tell me, since they haven't much time to read the guidebooks in detail. I just know that in 3 or 4 days we cannot see everything, so I'd rather see all the things we all think are "the best" for us than wander around the parks and risk spending time doing "so-so" stuff and missing some great stuff! You see, I doubt that 2 of these friends will ever make it back, or if they do WDW will be a lot different. They can't really say "oh well, we'll do it next time we're at WDW"!

So, crazy planner that I am, I have made a list of some things for them to rate 1 - 5: not specific attractions (which are harder to judge for first-timers), but more like genres. I'll then make a plan that targets the higher-rated areas as a priority, and anything else we do will be gravy. Epcot and AK are musts already, based on preliminary conversations we've had - so now we just need to figure out what to do when AK closes, and what to do with our other 2 days (including the shopping and resting we'll need!).

Any other ideas about how to gather everyone's thoughts and desires? Have any of you planned a trip for a group of very different individuals? Did you split up a lot, or did you try to accomodate everyone all the time?

 

[sugermouse]

We have always found that planning works best when you let one experienced planner take the lead. You should present a basic outline when the four of you get together and then solicit input from each once they have had a chance to read a guide book. Have each list the top five things that they would each like to see or do and then incorporate. Depending on the number of days, let each person pick a restaurant for dinner. Everyone should be happy!

 

[MizlurksaLot]

I too am suffering from lps . I will also be going with three other women. The trip was my idea and none of them have ever been before (well, 1 of them was when she was 1yo), so everything seems to be up to me. I'm the one who gets to tell them what they owe, ask them if they'd like to do this or that and most of the time I have to explain what "this or that" is. Don't get me wrong, I love the planning, but it gets difficult, because they almost seem uninterested. I know they're not, they've told me how excited they are without my having to ask! I myself have worried that I'll make plans and they'll decide they don't want to follow them. Or that the'll feel like I'm trying to run the show, but then someone has to, don't they? Sorry I can't offer much advice, I could use some myself. Just wanted to let you know that I sympathize Good luck.

 

[bajanswife]

Sugermouse .... I photocopied the attraction listings pages from the Passporter and gave each of them a copy so that they could tick off what looked interesting to them (and double-tick the must-sees). I lent them Birnbaum's and the Passporter to read. When we meet up I hope they will have done some reading (actually, I know they have, but I'm not sure how much).

Mizlurksalot ..... glad someone can sympathize! When are you going?

We can probably be somewhat flexible in October, since it's not a horribly busy time. I'll just have a couple of alternatives built into our plan in case they don't feel like doing what the plan says when the time comes.

 

[HollyJoy]

Don't worry about planning too much. One can never be too prepared. Just be willing to be flexible once you get there!

 

[Yensid_MD]

Hello-

I would buy them each a guide to read, of your choice. Then meet on a specific topic each time.

With all there is to do at WDW it can be overwhelming for first timers, break it down into chunks.

Start with Lunch. Have them each read about the restaurants then pick where you are going to eat each day. That will help lay out the mornings. Then do the same for the dinners and evening shows etc.

Piece by piece you will arrive at a group decision and you have exposed them to all WDW has to offer without overwhelming them.

 

[frannn]

My DH tells me every time I am planning a WDW trip that I am overplanning, and why stress so much about it, just go and have a good time. I think that they don't realize that because of our planning, we are able to make the most of our once a year or once a lifetime trip. WDW can seem overwhelming to a person who does not look ahead. You can miss out on certain special meals, must do rides and shows, and it could be a total loss because the whole trip may be spent on line. Don't forget that planning is also part of the fun. Are you able to get one of the free WDW planning videos to show your group? I would start out with that, to get them excited, then see what common interests (ride & foodwise) they all have. Last year, I made a "loosely scheduled" excel spreadsheet showing each day of our trip as 3 separate lines (one for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner). I showed the PS ressies in bold (which would not be flexible) and put the corresponding park in the next column, as well as the probable cost of the meal & how we would be paying (vouchers, cash, gift cert). This put everything in perspective easily, because I did MK on the day we had lunch at CP, even did EMH that day. Everything fell into place when we got there. The meals we did not have ressies for, I put in reg type as "suggestions". If we did not utilize the suggested restaraunt that day, it could be saved for a later day. The day I had Trails End Buffet as a suggestion, I also typed in Campfire, since they are both in the same area. A list of the movies being shown at the campfire is usually available either late the month before you are arriving, or early the month of. With the testing of the EMH combining with the special evening hours this month, its difficult to plan your Oct dates to take advantage of that. Once you know if they are going to stick with the old schedule or new, you can plan your days partially around that. I can tell you that I am already beginning to plan my Sept trip, and I go about once/year. For the amount of time you are going, the cost, and the fact that this may be your only trip, I would plan and replan as well as I could to make the most of it. Just try to get them as excited as you are, so you don't have to do all the work alone (but it really is fun!). I would try to purchase some tshirts, etc ahead of time, and maybe plan to stop at a nearby supermarket for snacks & drinks. You can choose some inexpensive offsite places to eat as well, if you are trying to save $. Good Luck & Have Fun!

 

[carone0318]

This year we are bringing my ILs for the first time with us. For me to guage what they would want to do I ended up creating a group on the Magical Gatherings planner. You can download it from Disney's main web page. I though that this was the best because people could go and look at the official site and add their favorites. You can also post polls that everyone can vote on and set up an agenda right on the planner for everyone to see. I liked going this route because I felt that everyone would be more honest on what they really wanted to to rather than "joining the majority." You should check it out, it doesn't cost anything and it just might work for you.

 

[MizlurksaLot]

Originally posted by bajanswife

Mizlurksalot ..... glad someone can sympathize! When are you going?

We'll be there in November from the 13th to the 20th (?22nd?), so you'll have to let me know how things work out for your group.

Yensid_MD: Giving them a guide is a great idea, I'll have to try that

 

[RC Fan]

Hi bajanswife!

Everyone made fun of us when we started planning our May trip in January, but I feel now we are HOPEFULLY prepared to go. Anyway, the planning has been half the fun!!!



Can't wait!!!

 

[bajanswife]

The Magical Gatherings planner sounds wonderful - my only concern is that 2 of them don't have access to the internet very often.

Another concern is that one member of our party actually lives near Orlando (it is her we will be staying with), not near the rest of us, and our upcoming planning meeting is timed to coincide with her visit to us! So any planning done after May will have to be via e-mail. Maybe if I held regular meetings with the 2 who live near me I could input the data into the MG planner and then our friend in FL could add her 2 cents. What's also complicating this is that she's decided she really only wants to do 2 park days (having been many times before), so she might not join us for the whole time. But we feel bad about that because we're really going to visit her, not just do Disney! But 2 days is just not enough time for the other 2 who might never get back there!

So, I have the one friend who's limiting herself to 2 days; another of my friends has an exam in June she's studying for and doesn't have time to research this trip in much detail; also, she's going to Brazil in August to visit a guy she has a crush on, and her mind is taken up with that - she's not thinking that hard about Disney! The third member of our party is her sister, and she has been instructed to plan for the both of them! See what I'm up against!!!!

I know it will all work out - i just wish they were all as excited as I am! Then I wouldn't feel like I am possibly wasting some of my time (although it IS fun)!!

 

[OneMoreTry]

Originally posted by HollyJoy
Just be willing to be flexible once you get there!

Don't let the planning interfere with enjoying your life NOW.

I think you can plan too much. If you plan too much you won't enjoy the trip as much -- it won't meet your expectations and it will be harder to relax. You'll always be trying to make it like the picture you had in your mind and you'll miss all the unexpected magic.

I don't think it's really MAGIC unless it's unplanned anyway!

 

[carolinagirl]

Bajanswife-

First of all, I envy you. My husband and I visited Barbados a couple of years ago and fell in love with your beautiful "Island in the Sun". I am so eager to go back. We stayed at the Residences at the Crane and had an absolutely fabulous time.

I think you are wise to plan. If this is the only time two of your friends will ever get to go to WDW, I think the urge to try to do everything once you get there is going to be overwhelming. If you try to do it all then you are not going to have the magical experience that you are hoping for. I agree that you need to focus in on those items that you most want to do.

I think having a top five list of things at each park might help. Concentrate on doing those first. Make some PS for dining so that will be already planned. My family has wasted alot of time in the past just trying to decide where to eat. But I agree that once you get there, you need to be flexible with your plan. If you decide to change the plans for dinner, just go with the flow.

I have been to visit my father several times as he lives near Orlando, and he has declined to go to Magic Kingdom almost every time we have gone. He went with us to Epcot and US Islands of Adventure, but the other parks just weren't his thing. This bothered me, too, since the whole reason we were there was to visit with him, but it was important to him that we have a good time while we were there and he didn't mind at all that we were separated during part of our stay. So don't worry too much about the friend that might not join you at a couple of the parks.

I think that you should decide on what park on what day. Make some PS for dining. Then make a top five list for each park. From there, just let Disney work its magic and don't forget to stop and take in the little details that make Disney so special. If you are rushing around, you'll miss them.

Have fun!

 

[bajanswife]

My parents own 2 weeks in November at one of the Crane residences! Those are really nice, aren't they? One year soon we plan to exchange that for 2 weeks at an Orlando timeshare - it's the only way we can afford to take DH and I and all 3 kids to Disney! Hopefully my parents will come along too.

Your method of planning sounds a lot like what I had been thinking of doing. Since I don't know park hours yet or weather forecasts, I will need to have alternatives in case the schedule doesn't quite work out the way we had imagined! I don't want to be at AK or even Epcot on a really rainy day - in a case like that it will become our mall day! Luckily October isn't all that rainy usually.