I have a sense of impending doom.

[Kermit85]

I guess it depends on what you want to do. My most recent trip was decided on and booked within a few days of when I would be there. I didn't pre select any of my fastpasses, I did it the night before each day. I didn't go to a park on my first day so I picked fastpasses for the second day the night of the first day, picked for my third day the night of my second day and so on. I changed them around even before I got to the park the day of. I was able to do pretty much everything I wanted. I rode everything I wanted, most of them multiple times. The longest wait I had was 40 min at Rockin Roller Coaster. I was able to get a 10-11 am toy story fp the day of. The earliest I got to a park was probably 10 am but I did close them down. I only used my first 3 fastpasses, I didn't get any more after that.

I didn't do any table service meals though, which would probably be the hardest to get on a few days notice. I also went by myself so it may have been more difficult to get some of the fastpasses had I been trying to get them for a group. The only thing I wasn't able to do was get a reservation for BOG for lunch. It kept saying my reservation number wasn't correct and I didn't care enough to call someone to figure it out before I left. So that's more on me than anyone else. My family is planning on going sometime around Oct 2015 and I'm sure we'll plan to go then for probably lunch and dinner (or at least try to get in when our window opens to make reservations for dinner).

I felt like it was a successful trip with little to no prep.

 

[stasijane]

Mine and my DD's first trip was 4th of July week 2010. We planned the whole thing in a week and a half. We stayed off site, made no reservations. Never met anyone who had actually been to WDW so had no idea what we were about to do. It turned out to be the best trip we had ever taken. I feel that all these plans having to book everything so far out. Then sticking to a plan can take away from a trip. Just going and having fun was the most awesome thing for us.

FYI still to this day we are not planning people. We like to go with the flow and wing things. Never had any issues. I'm sure it helps that we are CS people so food isn't an issue, but to us its about being together and doing stuff nothing else.

 

[Priory]

My whole life I dreamed of going to Disney World. I live on the west coast and went to Disneyland every summer with my family. I never ever thought I'd make it to the East Coast. Now I'm an adult (according to my driver's license). 3 years ago we had a situation where 2 weeks opened up which had never happened before. With about 3 weeks to spare I decided to go to Disney World. I planned almost nothing that trip. I had the most wonderful time of my life.

For the last 3 years following that, I've regained my love for Disney, got an annual pass for Disneyland, and have gone a lot. I love Disneyland. Want to eat at the Blue Bayou? Send an email to the anonymous address a couple of days ahead of time and you're set. Grab the fastpasses you want. Run over to DCA if it's too busy in DL. It's easy. It's spontaneous. I'm spoiled.

I've also learned a LOT about WDW. BOG, CRT, Wishes Desert... things I didn't know were there the first time I went.

Now I sit here at my computer. In 27 1/2 hours, I am going to stay up all night so that I can book dining for my December trip at 3am. Based on the results of the dining, I will finalize which parks I go to which days and which rides and shows I will experience and what time I will experience them. I'll also spend the next 6 months constantly trying to get more reservations for more things that I didn't get into the first time. I will probably also freak out when reservations and fastpasses disappear. I figure I will spend hours on the phone with WDW cast members. I have calendars and lists printed - littered with notes and scribblings. I have spreadsheets, electronic calendars, crowd calendars, etc. etc.

I almost want to go back to that first trip where I knew nothing and wasn't disappointed in anything. It's not going to be the same this time.