How did you plan your trips before the Internet

[Portugal1000]

I have just started to think about our summer trip next year. A lot is up in the air because of FP+ and the fact we will be staying offsite at Bonnet Creek. So it got me to thinking about the fact there is so much information out there now which helps with every aspect of planning, disboards being a prime example. My first 2 trips to WDW were summer 87 and 89 and both times, to be honest we didn't have a clue what to do and spent most of the time baking hot standing in very long lines. That's probably why it took all the way to 2005 before I went again. That time I was super organised and had read so much by the time I had gone that we had a fantastic time and felt like we didn't queue for anything.
So I wondered how people planned their trips before the days of the internet and all this info. Did everyone just go with the flow.

 

[bcrook]

I have just started to think about our summer trip next year. A lot is up in the air because of FP+ and the fact we will be staying offsite at Bonnet Creek. So it got me to thinking about the fact there is so much information out there now which helps with every aspect of planning, disboards being a prime example. My first 2 trips to WDW were summer 87 and 89 and both times, to be honest we didn't have a clue what to do and spent most of the time baking hot standing in very long lines. That's probably why it took all the way to 2005 before I went again. That time I was super organised and had read so much by the time I had gone that we had a fantastic time and felt like we didn't queue for anything.
So I wondered how people planned their trips before the days of the internet and all this info. Did everyone just go with the flow.

It was the flow for us. My biggest planning was where to stop and what do on drive down from Missouri. We used aaa trip tics for that.

We spent equal time at Busch gardens and SeaWorld too. How we knew about all these things, I can't remember. As a kid I thought Silver Springs in Florida was much more cool than the magic kingdom. Did billboards get us there?

 

[minnie mum]

So I wondered how people planned their trips before the days of the internet and all this info. Did everyone just go with the flow.

I think sometimes that WDW trips were much simpler before the internet. But then, the parks were simpler back then too. FP didn't even exist. There weren't as many resorts to choose from. You didn't need to make ADRs months in advance. The parks weren't as crowded.

We would just buy the current year's Unofficial Guide, pick our dates, make our resort reservations and go. Heck, back then we rarely even checked which park was recommended for a given day.

 

[jimmysmom74]

I have been planning trips for my family and friends since I was in my early teens pre web. Books were the main source of info. Then old maps and memories of the park and rides gave you all the info to plan a pretty great trip. The phone was used for reservations (dining and room). Adrs were not the hype they are now, so if you wanted to eat at Cali Grill, make it when you got to the resort. In many ways it was much better and more spontaneous. Although I do love planning, we rarely follow my "Grand Plan" to a T, more a loose outline.

 

[wisblue]

We would look at a guidebook to get an idea of what attractions we wanted to do, get to the parks early, and walk around to do the things we wanted to do. There were no websites with recommended days and no FPs.

Of course, there was also no DAK, no Soarin, no Test Track, no Mission Space, no TSMM, and the kids weren't interested in the mountains, RNRC, and TOT.

And we always had a great time.

 

[maccagerl]

So I wondered how people planned their trips before the days of the internet and all this info. Did everyone just go with the flow.

As others have said, we also used books to plan our vacation. We started out with Birnbaum's official guide, then moved on to the Unofficial guide, which had great tips sent in by readers.

We also got a lot of tips from friends who had recently been to the parks.

I miss the good old days before all the micro planning, making reservations months ahead, now making FP reservations months ahead, and the crowds.

Vacationing at Disney was a lot more laid back than it is now.

 

[luvthemouse71]

My first trip as an adult, I didn't plan at all. I saw on the back of the park map about FP, but that was midway through a 4 day trip so I even waited in plenty of standby lines.

Still had a great time.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

Our first trip that included Disney was just to Magic Kingdom and River Country because not even Epcot was finished that year (spring of 1982). That trip we planned with the help of the latest issue of two guidebooks and went through a travel agency. It was SO MUCH simpler then.
The next two trips we still had less to deal with than there is now. And it was pleasantly simple. We always flew because we live in PA and it was just too much driving and took too much of time away from the parks.
However, it was a breeze before the internet. Now I know more and sometimes I wish I didn't. Sometimes I'm grateful for learning what's going on and I'm always ready to let friends/family know if there's something going on that I saw on here that they should know for their next trip.
I'm not sure how I'd feel if I were planning a very first trip now. It's all become so complicated -- whether you're young or older, have small children or none, etc. It's more complicated. I love Disney, but the earlier trips were special.
Should add that we also did Wet n Wild that trip and SeaWorld and something else.

 

[ShayBells]

I was a kid. My plan was to follow my parents

I don't remember long lines but we went in January and September. I just remember walking around the park and stopping when we wanted for a ride, etc. I don't think we had a plan but than I don't think you needed one back than.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Colleen27]

I didn't. I'm a child of the internet age and have a hard time imagining travel planning without it. My first Disney trip was in 1997, and by that time we not only had internet we already had broadband.

 

[Octoberbaby]

I have just started to think about our summer trip next year. A lot is up in the air because of FP+ and the fact we will be staying offsite at Bonnet Creek. So it got me to thinking about the fact there is so much information out there now which helps with every aspect of planning, disboards being a prime example. My first 2 trips to WDW were summer 87 and 89 and both times, to be honest we didn't have a clue what to do and spent most of the time baking hot standing in very long lines. That's probably why it took all the way to 2005 before I went again. That time I was super organised and had read so much by the time I had gone that we had a fantastic time and felt like we didn't queue for anything.
So I wondered how people planned their trips before the days of the internet and all this info. Did everyone just go with the flow.

I have been to WDW at least once a year since 1986. Started going with my grandmother, mother, etc. then started taking my kids. NEVER planned one single thing until 2008. Never had to. I get really irritated knowing I have to plan dining 180 days before trip when we never had to before.

 

[Yoshi]

I remember we would get the Birnbaum's guide every few years. We also used to go during early December for many trips in the 80's and back then the parks were empty that time of year where you basically had no waits for almost all rides so there wasn't much to plan.

 

[DebbieB]

Went to the book store and bought books. I remember on my first trip in 1994, I bought the book "WDW for Adults". It had all the rides listed, a description and the ride length. I didn't want to carry the book around the parks so I used a photocopier to copy the ride sections and reduced the size. I broke it down into each park and took the reduced copy with me.

 

[kmb584]

My grandparents planned our trips before the internet.. We definitely did just go with the flow. There were no "this park has the lowest crowd on that day" or "in six months, we'll be having Italian cuisine for dinner in Epcot on this date and at this time". Looking back, those were my favorite trips. Everyone was together, we did what we wanted when we wanted, etc.

 

[Bete]

Books were the main source of info. There were some VHS videos from Disney; I still have one. Travel agents were a help, too. There were Disney brochures. You used the phone a lot and called Disney to find out about specifics. Friends who went there were a source of info.

I date back to Disney coupon books where rides were categorized by tiers. The E ticket got you on all the good rides. Of course, you didn't have as many E tickets as the lesser rides. You made phone dining reservations. You could do walk ups for table dining almost anywhere. There was no fastpass and we survived.

You could be more spontaneous. Now, I feel compelled to use my smart phone or I pad to get through a trip.

I have to admit that it's getting to be too regimented to do Disney, now. I'm on my way there, right now and I feel I have a schedule I must follow or I won't be able to have any fun there or my money's worth. I'm feeling sad even before I get there.

 

[kathy884]

I started getting the Unofficial Guide books back in the 80s, so followed a touring plan way back then. Now I just subscribe to their website.

 

[surferdave]

All of my adulthood trips that were planned before internet resources were available were taken when my daughter wasn't in school yet and we went when the parks weren't busy, and you don't really have to plan. You know, the same time periods that all the glowing trip reports of how wonderful FP+ is were experienced.

 

[Bullseye]

That would have been my honeymoon trip back in 88. We rented a car and drove to the park and paid for parking and then we went to the ticket booth and paid for tickets...and then we went into the park. When we got hungry we went to a restaurant to eat.

 

[jimmysmom74]

That would have been my honeymoon trip back in 88. We rented a car and drove to the park and paid the for parking and then we went to the ticket booth and paid for tickets...and then we went into the park. When we got hungry we went to a restaurant to eat.

Do you remember what it was like to answer a phone before caller ID too. Who knows what horror was on the other end. This thread cracks me up. Pre web...sounds like we went to WDW in a horse and buggy.

 

[disneyerin]

Birnbaum and The Unofficial Guide was all we needed to have the perfect trip!!