How much planning goes into your DLR trips?

[jazellesmom]

Our trip is about 2 weeks away and we are simply ecstatic! Our last trip was in 2005 and we have NEVER been during the holidays! That is the whole reason we are going, to see Disneyland dressed up in all its holiday glory!

The reason for my question is i have been planning / thinking about our trip for the past 2 weeks! Ever since we confirmed! I have been obsessively been planning out every detail! Where we are going to eat, stay, do.. everything! I want this trip to be very "magical" for my DD who is turning 5 in a few months. My DH thinks in CRAZY because i can think of nothing but DL! Just wanted to see if i am the only one out there. Also any tips, suggestions, recommendations to make this trip as magical for my DD as possible, would be greatly appreciated!!

Trip Details:
Staying at the Doubletree Anahiem/Orange
Doing the Minnie and Friends Character Breakfast
Blue Bayou for dinner

Thanks!

 

[staley7580]

You have only been planning your trip for 2 weeks? I spend months on our trips! Every detail, every meal, I have to have it down!

 

[jazellesmom]

Okay, i don't feel as bad/crazy anymore! Well i am doing all this planning for a 1 day DL visit! Some might say that is a little excessive!

 

[RuthieT]

wow I think we have been planning this for about 5 months now... and I read and get of this message board many times a day to learn all that I can from others that have gone... I must say I LOVE this board!!

 

[staley7580]

Okay, i don't feel as bad/crazy anymore! Well i am doing all this planning for a 1 day DL visit! Some might say that is a little excessive!

OH!!!! Only one day! Thats okay then. I figure if I spend 2 weeks planning every day... then.... carry the one.... ummmmm....4 months!! Perfect! See, it works.. Same planning time!

 

[Tink208]

We are going in two weeks, and, honestly, aside from making sure we have reservations for dinner at Goofy's Kitchen on our first night (something we absolutely have to do or my older son will be very upset; we missed out on going the last time he and I were there and I promised him it would be a priority the next time we went), I haven't really made any specific plans. I figure we have four days in the parks to be able to hit what we want to hit, and I just want it to be a relaxed but fun trip for all of us. It is my younger son's first trip and I think just being there is pretty magical, no matter what else happens.

(But I have been haunting these boards the past week or so to get any tips I can. )

 

[wvnative]

We were just there in May. I started trying to book our room for March as soon as we got home. I'm not obsessing about this one as much, yet. It gets really bad when we get to the 60 day mark and then gets worse from there. lol The kid thinks I'm crazy by the time we head towards the park. lol

 

[TinkerKell-ey]

Iestimate I've been researching/planning for approximately 3 times as long as we will actually be in the park . . . that seems about right to me .

 

[Master Mason]

Well, for my last trip, I decided that I might go monday, on Sunday night I called and got a room, and I left at 2am monday morning to get down there....

But on the other side, I have been there enough in the last year, that If I miss something, I probably have seen it recently, and figure I'll be back again shortly.

Honestly, I think the only thing you really need to plan is hotel and possibly PS reservations if you have your heart set on something. Maybe add the tours and seating for fantasmic if you into that.

The rest of it, I belive have a stratagy of what you want to do, but be flexible, it is supposed to be a vacation from reality, why try and live on a schedule?

 

[ministrychick77]

i'm always looking on here to see if anything's going on. i'm far away, but still within the state. it's more of a whole "if we can head down there for these days, this is what it'll be like"

also, i'm the go-to-girl around here when it comes to disney. i'm an info-bank.. lol

 

[EmEyeSeeKayEeWhy]

I think I 'plan' my trip even before I have one scheduled. I'm fortunate enough to go every few months, but with three kids, we are always planning our next move. My first born 'Mickey' (no, not named after the mouse )....always thinks about what he'll want to do his next trip, as do my other kids. Some things we get to, others we don't. So, the things we aren't able to do, are the very first things we do the next trip. We try to adhere to schedules, but there's always so much fun to be had, that plans change

 

[kkheburn]

I plan for months. Stashing cash aside each week. Saving quarters and pennies for pressed pennies. Shopping at the disney outlet for prizes and shirts for my family. Making shirts and goodie bags for the ride there. We even have Disney night one Saturday a month to discuss our trip, have a Disney dinner, do a craft, and watch a favorite Disney movie. We can't get enough!

 

[mariezp]

2 weeks, huh? You are certainly much less CRAZY than I am. I start planning just about the time we get home for the coming next years trip! After I get our dates chosen I book our hotel reservations as far in advance as possible. (9 months or so, which by the way saved us at least $40 a night over the previous years rate) Disneyland chitter-chatter and planning is pretty much constant in our home ALL YEAR LONG!

Do be sure to make the PS reservations because it does save so much time. You might check out the Junior Chef cookie baking, riding tender on the train, piloting the Mark Twain or the Discover Magic Tour. My daughter is 7 and loved all of those. If she is not shy and might like a chance to participate on stage, Aladdin's Oasis is also fun. And of course, no little princess will want to miss the Princess Fantasy Faire. (just be prepared for a long wait in line if you want to see the princesses) Oh, oh, oh and during the holiday season they should have Big Thunder Ranch decorated and filled with different activities.

I am so jealous of you for getting to go during the holiday season. Disneyland is beautiful during the holiday season. Don't forget to take LOTS of pictures to share with all of us went you get back! Have a great trip!

 

[mystic_path]

about 6-8 months for me. I just like to make sure I have every single detail down, and that im getting the best flight and hotel deal.

 

[drag n' fly]

Honestly 6 months. First we figure out when, then how much we are going to spend, where we are staying, look for deals, book a hotel, contact and book pet sitters (6 pets), wait for a seat sale, buy flights, buy passes, plan itinerary, book adr's/ps, check Disney calendar, make final itinerary, tweak it, pack suitcases, go to the airport and book it the H E hockey sticks out of here to Disneyland

 

[Danauk]

Well our trip is still over 9 months away and I have already been planning it for over a year!! In my defence though we are coming from England for 3 weeks and going to other places as well as DL! But I have been doing my DL research too, I already know where I want to eat, what tours we are doing etc. Plus now that is figured I won't do any more planning until just before the 60 day mark when we can book our PS etc. Right now, flights are booked and most of the hotels are booked too, I can't do much else until nearer the time now! So do I win the award for the person who plans the furthest out!! lol

 

[jemilah]

We were the Oct 5th weekend and are busy planning our June trip.......I am trying to keep it low key so I only mention it about once or twice a day to DH...don't want to drive him crazy yet!