I'm having the weirdest "problem"

[jenelope]

First off, I have to confess that I'm an obsessive vacation planner. I love making lists, budgeting, and looking for bargains. I don't really care if everything goes as planned, because I plan for planning's own sake.

So here I am, a little more than 60 days from my next WDW vacation. It's also my first trip as a DVC member. I don't have to keep an eye out for room discounts, because, well, it's paid for. I don't have to ponder whether to take a shuttle or rent a car, because I've already decided to use DME. I already reserved the MYW dining plan, so my usual method of poring over menus to speculate what I might order and determine my budget has been reduced to "Is this a one or two table service credit restaurant?" I bought my plane ticket last week so that's taken care of. My AP doesn't expire until September, so tickets aren't even a question.

Other than my packing list, I've run out of things to plan! I have two months to go! What the heck am I supposed to do to keep myself in "I'm going to Disney World" mode? To tell you the truth, I'm worried about my packing list. The last time I didn't have enough to plan, it turned into a 10 page document full of AM and PM outfit selections and tables broken down by item category. (For the record, I didn't follow the plan at all. That wasn't the point of the plan.)

Does anyone have any tips on how to redirect my vacation planning OCD?

 

[Boston5602]

Congrats on having all that you have done , done !! But You didn't mention
what days you were going to what parks what parks had early entry and late night opening ( drawing a blank ) what rides were down for refurbishment what the temps would be and how crowded it could get Hope this gives you a little something to plan about


Good Luck
Have Fun

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I don't see your list of ADRs.

 

[bounceliketigger]

Water parks in am followed by theme park in pm? When do you fit in DTD? Perhaps a trip to the comedy club or House of Blues? Advanced Dining Ressies? or you could just...

Start planning your next DVC trip!

 

[WithFaith50]

You can research which places have the best counter service options!

 

[bobbiwoz]

There's next year, and the next, and the year after that!

Heck, I don't even like to plan, and here I am, on a perfectly good "not working outside the home day," and I'm reading the DIS about DVC vacations.
That goes to show just what/how I feel about "working inside the house!"

Take it easy! I don't know, just read trip reports, you may get some "new" ideas, listen to WDW CD's!

Bobbi

 

[ruzer28]

I have the SAME problem. I get very depressed when my planning is over. It's so bad that I'll have my Disney schedule made, my dining reservations made, and hotel booked, and change everything. This past fall I changed my hotel four times. I just know it's so that I could have more to research and not because I was unhappy with my first choice! I feel your pain!

 

[byoung]

Hope you have a great vacation.

 

[4Gus-Gus&Figaro]

First off, I have to confess that I'm an obsessive vacation planner. I love making lists, budgeting, and looking for bargains. I don't really care if everything goes as planned, because I plan for planning's own sake.

It's so nice to know that I have plenty of OCD/Vacation Planning company! I'm not even gonna say how far out I plan! Yes - the plans change frequently, but that's okay! My husband does think me a freak, though...

Where are you in Metro Detroit? Maybe we could start a support group!

 

[sanilacjack]

I'm an hour north of Detroit.

We could form our own club.


-Kim

 

[DVCLiz]

I share your pain!!!!! And we leave next Friday!!!

I'm staying at BCV in a studio for a week - all points, paid in full.

I'm driving, so no air fare or rental car to worry about. I'll let my daughter choose her own movies, etc. for the ride down, and I never make an advance reservation for a hotel, since I never know how far I'll get on the first day, so no hotel or meal arrangements for the road. (We are leaving after school, so our normal "do it in one day or die" plan has been replaced by a "spend the night on the road" option. I've never had a problem finding space at a Hampton Inn SOMEWHERE on I-95!)

I still have a valid AP until June, and DD has seven days left of a 10 day Hopper no expiration pass, so no ticket worries.

Gosh, not only no planning needed, but also no money - looks like this trip is practically FREE!!!!! LOL!!!

Oh, and all ADRs made so meals are taken care of, and a DDE card valid until June. Would you like to know where we're eating? I knew you would:

Day 1: Liberty Tree Tavern dinner
Day 2: CRT breakfast, Cosmic Ray's lunch, Tony's dinner
Day 3: Beach Club Marketplace/room breakfast (all following days as well),Coral Reef lunch, Japan dinner
Day 4: Chefs de France lunch, Rose and Crown dinner
Day 5: Sci Fi lunch, Brown Derby dinner (Fantasmic!)
Day 6: Discovery Cove!
Day 7: RainForest Cafe lunch
Day 8: SeaWorld

Better go clean the house, pack us both, have the car serviced, board the pets, pay bills, etc. etc. etc. - yikes, looks like I DO have some things to do!!!!

 

[TAKitty]

I am going on my first DVC trip too and am in the same spot with my trip planning. Right now I have been thinking about the small things like should I take some water on the plane or buy it there. I have also booked two stays in July and am now planning on when to go in Dec.

 

[riopooh]

You could start planning for your friends!

My room mate from college is going in July and my boss is going in October. I just called my friend the other day to set a time so I can review her itinerary. I'm afraid what will happen when my boss sees how much work I am willing to do for planning a vacation vs. how much real work I want to do!

 

[Dean]

I have the SAME problem. I get very depressed when my planning is over. It's so bad that I'll have my Disney schedule made, my dining reservations made, and hotel booked, and change everything. This past fall I changed my hotel four times. I just know it's so that I could have more to research and not because I was unhappy with my first choice! I feel your pain!

That's what I love about timeshares. I'm planning several trips over a year or two so there's always something to work on. On when we come home from a trip, there's always something else pending which decreases my post trip let down.

 

[mommyceratops]

I feel your pain. I love planning our disney trips we are going in Dec and my problem is I can't plan yet...My mom and I are taking my kids down for 2 weeks or our family of 12 are going to do a grand gathering. I am waiting to hear from family if they are going or not. they are not planners so I can't wait to plan it if they go.

This will be our first DVC trip I can't tell you how many different ways I have figured up ways to use our points.

 

[Betty X]

I always search for shopping coupons for the malls (outlet and regular). I think of the stores we regularly go to (being Canadian, you Americans have really cool and different stuff) like Borders, Pottery Barn, etc. I go to the mall website and print out certificates for the mall coupon book and then I use it if I find something I am looking for. You can get 10-20% off already low outlet mall prices, sometimes more!

 

[4Gus-Gus&Figaro]

I'm an hour north of Detroit.

We could form our own club.


-Kim

Yes - We could call ourselves DIPs...

Disney Intensive Planners!

(And just think how much fun we could have planning mini-meets!!!)

 

[fishermouse]

First off, I have to confess that I'm an obsessive vacation planner. I love making lists, budgeting, and looking for bargains. I don't really care if everything goes as planned, because I plan for planning's own sake.

Does anyone have any tips on how to redirect my vacation planning OCD?

Do what myDW does start planning the next trip. Pretty sure she has us plnned up thru 2008 thats an average of three trips a year. Looks like a few more years of lots of overtime $$$$.

 

[gracelrm]

My DH is the planner and I don't consider it OCD, but more like therapy. When work/life is hectic or not going so great - he starts planning vacations. It's amazing how it relaxes him. I'm leaving for a trip this Wednesday with three of my friends going to HH. This time, I've been the planner. I'll email my friends "do you want to do this?" "should we do this?" and I believe they think I'm crazy. One friend just wants to leave and then go with the flow, but I just can't hardly do that! I guess there are many of "us" out there!

 

[jenelope]

Where are you in Metro Detroit? Maybe we could start a support group!

Heh! I live in Canton, right at the border of Plymouth.

I haven't made my ADRs yet. I'm meeting a friend who's attending a conference. Working around her schedule makes meal planning... difficult. There are a couple of conference receptions that she may or may not attend. I think what I'm going to do is make all of my ADRs for those days later in the evening and for two people. If she makes it, great. If not, I'll dine solo.

So far, my plan is Fri- Brown Derby solo; Saturday- Ohana w/friend; Sunday- Raglan Road solo/friend (may turn into a different restaurant if she doesn't go to the reception); Monday- play it by ear (no matter how much it hurts my overplanning nature); Tuesday- no dinner, conference event includes food; Wednesday- Chefs de France w/friend; Thursday- I'm open to suggestion, since I'm fairly sure I'll be on my own.

I've actually already got my next trip in the hopper. Since I just purchased, I'm using my 05-06 points for my May trip and my 06-07 points for a December trip where I'm meeting friends and their family. I wonder if they'll let me take on the planning?

I've still got 66 points for 06-07. I think I'll use them for a solo trip where I can plan to my heart's content and not involve anyone else!