How do you keep all your planning confirmations etc. organized?

[jenjersnap]

I am drowning in a sea of paper here with confirmations for three different hotels, misc. coupons, car rental confirmations, tips I've printed from various places, all the "official" package info we've been sent, maps ... help! I am looking for organization tips (not my strong suit!). How do you carry everything that lets you have quick and efficient access to things? Do you bring it all on the place in your carry on? Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[jeancbpugh]

I am drowning in a sea of paper here with confirmations for three different hotels, misc. coupons, car rental confirmations, tips I've printed from various places, all the "official" package info we've been sent, maps ... help! I am looking for organization tips (not my strong suit!). How do you carry everything that lets you have quick and efficient access to things? Do you bring it all on the place in your carry on? Any advice is much appreciated!

I get a pocket folder with 3-hole-fasteners. I fasten in a clear zipper pouch (for park tickets), a few clear page protectors (one for each airline e-ticket and hotel confirmation), and a few pocket pages. Maps and directions go in the pockets. A few sheets of lined paper and you are good to go.

I use different colored folders for different trips.

Sometimes I just paste confirmation numbers into my Palm Pilot...

 

[bobcat]

Passporter! I bought a deluxe version a few years ago and just update the book inside.I am able to keep all my stuff organized and I love it.

 

[drumflower]

I bought these pocket memo books at the dollar store. You get 4 colors. I use one for preplanning . I write everything in it that I need to plan. Then I transfer the information neatly in a new one that my DH keeps in his back pocket. It is just the right size for the back pocket and it has enough pages to write everything you need. It works great and you don't have to worry about all the pages and various notes that seem to go everywhere.

 

[Rombus]

Heres how ive done it:
I have a nice zippered legal pad portfolio. I put the papers ill need in order in that. If you have ALOT of papers, Go to your local Office Max or Office Depot, Find a nice zipper portfolio with dividers. i bought one for college for about 14, i cant find the exact one i found before on there website, but it has an A on its label, lol.

 

[Jana49]

I kept eveything in a pocket folder and took it with me to Disney. I use a different one for each trip. Copied down resaurant confirmation numbers on a small paper that fit nicely into the bag I took to the parks. Be sure and leave a copy of your park-hopper tickets in a different location, in case yours get lost or stolen.

Also, I programmed the phone numbers we would need at Disney into my cell phone before we left. Those included the airline, Tiffany's Towncars, the resort number, the numbers for the restaurans we had PS, etc.

Have fun!

 

[Disnutty]

There is free software that will make your life easier. Its called Intercot and can be downloaded by clicking on intercot.com It will allow you to put everything from the plane to car to room reservation and gives you day to day planning printouts and even a place for priority seat numbers. Check it out. There are other software programs out there but I found this one to be easy to use and a great organizer tool. The pass porter is also a nice organizer with excellent maps and tips.

 

[okapi]

First, I keep paperwork w/ me, because they might lose my luggage.

I type most everything that might be needed in a word document. This a MASTER ITINERARY - a guide that keeps me from missing something I might have wanted to see and it allows us to make swift changes.
(see bottom of this note for a rough e.g.)

The rest of the "stuff" I keep in the same place, but in an order of need/usefulness.
I like what was said about different folders (I love folders) - but I forget things if there are too many folders - narrow it down.
A freezer ziploc bag- works great for us.

To board the plane - electronic tickets, etc. (on top) FrFlmile # (I write on envelope cover so I don't have to hunt for it)
For car rental - Conf. # should be rt. in my itinerary, coupon stapled to the first pg. of my itinerary.
Room check-in - I only really need the room reservation envelope w/ conf. #, and depsit info. (They send a lot of other stuff -great for scrapbooks! I always read thru it - place what interest me in my itinerary, rest I leave at home in a brown pocket folder, ready for when I get back w/ all my other paper souvenirs.)
Maps - (if needed, to the back) - but if I'd need directions from airport to disney - they usually have maps at the rental place for me - if I printed them out before leaving I'd have it as a sheet w/ my itinerary. I've even asked for 2 maps, one I leave in the glove compartment.

Coupons?: I keep in a small envelope w/ itineary- that way I have 'em when I need 'em. Have a lot? Then write what you have it for on front of envelope - quick scan- and you know and don't forget to make note about it on your MASTER ITINERARY.

You mentioned staying at more than one hotel? For ea. hotel, keep its info. in the ONE envelope for that hotel (name's on front so it's E-z to spot) and yes, it's after the flight stuff.


Other things to keep you organized?:
We use a ziploc sandwhich bag for all our receipts which we leave in our safe. We "purge" from our pockets daily.


THIS IS an E.G. of my MASTER ITINERARY:
(My DH loves it)


BASE: Poly. Ph.#407/...

12/4/04 Departure
(MK-EE) MK9a-6p; MGM9a-8p; EP9a-9:30p; AK9a-5p; WTR10a-5p
Illum9:30p Cndlt5, 6:45, 8:15p (EP); FirwksNA Prde3p(MK); Prde3:30p Fntsmc6:30p(MGM); Prde 3:45p(AK)
(THEN THIS NEXT PART IS IN 2 COLUMNS and boxed)
Flight 6a United.....#...
Rental Avis#....(see cpn)
Hotel Check-in 10:30a Poly. Conf.#......
Lunch 12noon Cinderella Castle #....
Dinner 7p CA Grill #....(must check in on 2nd flr)

12/5/04 MK/EP
I](AK-EE) MK9a-8p; MGM9a-8p; EP9a-9:30p; AK9a-5p; WTR10a-5p
Illum9:30p Cndlt5, 6:45, 8:15p (EP); Spectro7p Firwks8p Prde3p(MK); Prde3:30p Fntsmc7p(MGM); Prde 3:45p(AK)[/I]

Brkfst Room
Lunch 11:30a Crystal Palace #....
Afternoon digs EP
Eve Entertainment Cndlt Prcs.
Dinner 7p ChefsdeFrance#....(48hrs. notice) $70 pd MC

I DO THIS FOR EVERY DAY.
At bottom:
SPECIAL EVENTS:
The Very Merry Xmas Party: 5,7,9,10,12,14,16,17(soldout)MK
Price: $36.95+tax
7p-Midnight
(I read somewhere no refunds?)

Osbourne lts: nightly 6p-closng (MGM)

Tree Lt. Ceremony 6p (EP)
Etc, etc,etc.

I print out 2 Xc one for me and for DH. we place this in our pouches and treat it like a passport/license.

 

[Tabetha]

I've just been typing all the info into my laptop's calendar - reservation numbers, PS numbers, trail ride, spa appointments and golf tee time, as well as an idea of what days we're going to use our preferred viewing coupons.
I'll likely be bringing the laptop with so that we can watch a movie on the plane.

Programming phone numbers into the cellphone is a good idea - I've already got Disney in there, but I should probably add SW reservations and Tiffany.... thanks!!

 

[Jana49]

You're welcome!

Have fun!!

 

[Fire14]

I have a three ring note book with clear dividers.

 

[Drizzo67]

I use the Deluxe Passporter at www.passporter.com. As we always seem to travel in February and the new updates come out in January, I use the pages, folders, etc from the last year, pencil in the info for the next trip and transfer it over when the updated version comes.

The Deluxe Passporter comes in a leather case (like a Dayrunner) and has all park, resort, restaurant info. There are little folders in the back, marked by day of trip which can hold papers specific to that day (ie day one, day two etc). Also on the inside of the book is a place for ids, room keys, tickets etc. I love it.

 

[macrosswife]

I also have the PassPorter, which I used for all of my planning. (Love it, love it, love it!!!)

For our actual travel, though, I went to Target and bought a small (5" x 10", so business-envelope size) plastic accordion "file folder" that has an elastic loop closure in the front. Since it has different "pockets", I put our airline tickets in one, town car confirmation and payment in another, hotel confirmation in another, and then each pocket after that = one day. (So, I had MouseKeeping envelopes, PS #'s, and an index card of "must sees" for the day.)
For your trip, you could designate one envelope for each hotel, one for car rental, and then one for each park or each day.
It was very easy to keep track of, I didn't have the fear of anything falling out, and I knew exactly where everything was. It also helped because if my hands were full chasing after DS (who was 9 months old), DH knew where to find all the important paperwork.

HTH!
~Kimber

 

[pomcoach]

I do the very same thing as Kimber, except I bought the full-size accordian folder at Target. I mark the compartments: Flights, Car, Hotel, Sea World, Disney, Universal, Passports/ID's, Restaurants, Maps, Schedules. There are lots of pretty colors of Accordian folders to choose from. All tickets or coupons go in their respective folder for whichever park they belong to. My royal blue folder has 12 compartments. When I get home from one trip, I just get it all fixed up for the next trip. It keeps us super organized!
Pomcoach

 

[disneysnowflake]

I must say I think I'm so much better organized because of my deluxe Passporter. It's nice looking and keeps all my stuff organized. I'm so glad I bought the deluxe version.

 

[airforcewife]

Gotta love that Passporter! I too, got the deluxe version and think it's just the best thing ever!

 

[drumflower]

The main reason I like to use a memo book is so I can fit it into my pocket and not have to carry a backback into the park.

 

[Ilovestitch]

I use an accordian file folder, too. I have a section for Airline info, towncar info, hotel, food, etc. I use the passporter when planning at home, too. -stephanie

 

[Mortlives]

I have a three ring note book with clear dividers.

Me too, but my dividers have pockets, so I can stuff tickets, brochures, park maps, etc. I also keep trip report notes in there, and when we get home I print pictures to put in as well, and it becomes a complete memento of our trip.

I like the binders with the clear covers so you can customize it for your trip. For our next trip, it has printouts of confirmations, map quest maps to each hotel, an info at a glance page, trip tickets, preprinted and filled mousekeeping envelopes, and $US cash. Before we leave, it will also have portioned out change for tolls.

Kungaloosh!
Morticia.

 

[LovePug]

There is free software that will make your life easier. Its called Intercot and can be downloaded by clicking on intercot.com It will allow you to put everything from the plane to car to room reservation and gives you day to day planning printouts and even a place for priority seat numbers. Check it out. There are other software programs out there but I found this one to be easy to use and a great organizer tool. QUOTE]

This is what I use, too. I put everything in it and then just print it out before we go. I just take the corresponding printed page with us each day.