How far ahead do you plan?

[April J]

We are planning for Sept, 2017. I typically start planning a year to a year and a half in advance. I find half the fun is in planning. I have a notebook half filled already as we are debating between two resorts, and trying to narrow down dining. We generally have a 3-4 year gap between Disney vacations (we like to travel to other places in between) So starting planning early is a must as I need to get caught up on all the changes.

 

[smallworldnh]

Still waiting impatiently for them to open up 2017 packages! We're going next September, but I've begun already!

 

[mel&me]

average, 5-6 weeks. And manage just fine to get most of what we want.

 

[drp4video]

As far as deciding to go, usually a few months in advance. Once, it was a spur of the moment trip with about a weeks notice. As for the trip itself, I don't plan much. Never have. Been to WDW at least 30 times now and fly by the seat of my pants. lol A few weeks before the trip I look at the hours and rough out which park we will go to on which day. I don't care too much about the early extra hours, only the late ones as we never get to the park at rope drop anyhow. But then when we actually get there, I might change my mind depending on the weather as well. Certain parks are better if it is raining than others. We also do Universal and sometimes the ocean as well, so weather can affect our park on which day.

As for dining, we mostly do QS but if we are there a week, might do a TS or two. (when we used to go for Christmas and New Years, I did make an ADR for those evenings). I generally make a TS in the morning of the day we decide where to eat. Of course that doesn't include the most popular TS like Be Our Guest, but we usually get into one we want. We may have to eat early or late, but that's ok too. As for FP+, I finally used that a year ago last May for the first time. I was traveling by myself (not planned, but my mom who I was meeting there, coming from another state, did not come as she did not feel well)and just had the reservation desk in the lobby at the AK lodge make my FP+ reservations in the morning each day when I decided for sure which park to go to. Only FP+ I did not get that I wanted, was Soaring.

I was so anti FP+ when they first came out as I loved the paper FP at the kiosk, but it wasn't bad. Keep in mind though that I was there the second week of May and alone, so I assume I would never have gotten the rides I wanted at a busier time and with more people in my party than a party of one lol.

I really am not a planner, but I probably will have to plan a little more next time around if I go with others. I am no longer locked into school breaks, and while there is no "Not crowded" time at WDW anymore, there are certain times that are less crowded. Happily, I am now able to go at those times, so that helps a lot.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I always start planning as soon as the schedule has been released for my length of stay. I always plan my parks around when "Extra magic Hours" are since I like to take advantage of those. I also start looking into restaurants as soon as I possibly can, because there are some popular restaurants that have their reservations gone really fast. Also, having my parks, resort, dining, and transportation planned as early as possible makes it really easy to book fastpasses 60 days out since I will pretty much already know which fastpasses I want for the theme park and when.

 

[kitkat4622]

Our last trip was our "one and only, at least for a very long time" trip. About a week after we got back, DH, who was anti-Disney EVER, wanted to do a trip for just the two of us 6 months later, but we couldn't swing it financially, or with childcare. Then he decided he wanted to go for MNSSHP in Oct. 2016, but we'd already booked our big 2016 vacation and wouldn't be able to save enough for a second big trip. Now we're planning for MNSSHP for Sept. 2017, and we can't wait. We surprised DD, then 5, with our last trip, and we'll probably surprise her again next time. She'll be 8 when we go again.

We already have our costumes planned, and even sneakily ran it by DD. "What if we ever got to go to a Halloween party and we did a family theme of..." and she loved it. As soon as 20017 prices come out, we'll be reserving. Can't wait!

You may want to check the policy changes regarding adults and costumes I believe no one over 14 is allowed to wear a costume but I could be mistaken

 

[IrishNYC]

You may want to check the policy changes regarding adults and costumes I believe no one over 14 is allowed to wear a costume but I could be mistaken

Adults can still wear costumes to the Halloween parties.