Is it just me??

[toni nicole]

Over planning stresses me out but I can not stop! I make a detailed itinerary and write down everything I want to do, but in the end I know it's much more magical to just go with the flow! Anyone prefer having everything planned vs. just walking through the parks and going with the flow or vice versa? What works best?

 

[Aerin75]

Not just you; I get made fun by my family because of my vacation planning - and not just Disney! But how else am I supposed to make sure we can fit in everything we want to do?

 

[Kim91]

I love the planning!!!! It's sooooo part of the holiday and fun! I type up and print an itinerary every time we go, of what day we are going which park, along side the park hours, fastpass+ times and which restaurant we are eating at with the time on! I get the holiday blues when I stop planning and then remember I get to go and actually experience whilst already planning the next trip! Years away my family and I never planned and woke up thinking 'lets go 'here' today', its amazing what you miss out on and waste time on when you haven't planned!

 

[minnie45]

It's not just you...this is all that I've been doing and I'm becoming obsessive. Yesterday, I even planned snack breaks and what our snack options would be. The new FastPass system, I think, has made me worse than I typically am and I'm not enjoying it this time.

 

[MagentaMulan]

I plan everything out too! If i don't write it down somewhere, i'll forget everything I want to do- including places I want to eat and shop. There is some room in my plan for "smelling the roses" and taking fun photos. But even with a plan I still don't always following them exactly.

 

[paigemitchell859]

Totally plan out everything. All. Day. Long.
But yes, the fp has stressed me out a bit. I thankful not to have to run and get paper fp though. But just worried I'm not choosing the right options!

 

[minnie mum]

Anyone who plans nothing, and thinks they can go with the flow since the advent of FP+ and overcrowded parks, has no one to blame but themselves if their vacation turns into an unending series of standing in long lines and eating CS meals all week.

 

[mikana876]

I plan everything. And I plan it all and study it and remember it. That way when I get there it's all in my head and I feel more like I'm "going with the flow" instead of stopping to look at a paper or something.

 

[AmySabato]

I am going the day after Memorial Day mAY 26. I don't know a thing about how, where to get FastPasses. I will probably only be going to Epcot, so I don't know what rides, if any, I would need it for. I usually am a big planner. I've visited the parks thousands of times since the MK opened. I love it there!

 

[PrncessA]

I am way more stressed out if I don't have a plan, even if I have to make changes to that plan on the fly. I love the planning!

 

[peg110]

My DW goes crazy with the planning. Not only trying to make sure we can do all we want to do but keeping in mind costs and looking for discounts, etc.

The last time we went to WDW she had an Excel Spreadsheet that color coded events, meals, parks... Every day after work, she would "Re-Evaluate" based on new information. (such as a reservation that we REALLY wanted opened up so she would cancel the old one that we settled for, update the spreadsheet, the colors, etc...)

My DD (17) told me the one day, that "Mom finally finished the itinerary" and this was 3 days before we were leaving. I just laughed. I told her that "Mom will probably make changes tonight when she comes home from work."
DD - "No, Mom said she was done with it."
Me - (laughing) - "Okay, we'll see."

I was wrong, she did not make changes that night when she came home from work. She came home late and didn't have time. She did however make changes the next day (2 days before we left).

Despite my DWs obsessive compulsive scheduling, I truly appreciate the effort she puts into it.

Already have a "Plan" for our June 2016 trip. I am sure it will change no less than 1000 times before the actual trip though.

 

[Cadiewampus]

Complete opposite here. When the kids were little we would plan character meals but that is about it and we have never had a problem getting things done. Of course I am one of those odd balls that is not really bothered by standing in line.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I've done both - sometimes lots of planning and other trips just walking in the parks and doing what I feel like when I come across it. I'm going next week! and haven't done much planning - I booked some ADR's and my FP+.

I'm starting to feel like I need to do more planning - maybe this weekend when I have some free time and the packing is done. I am a member at touringplans.com so it won't take long to put together touring plans for each park using that website.

I did realize after my last trip that for me, I liked having my FP+ booked with enough time between each one to tour each land as I go in MK so I don't criss cross the park much. I did that for Epcot too so I'm hoping it'll help me slow down and really enjoy the park more.

 

[tlovesdis]

I'm a super planner! We aren't going back to WDW til February of 2017 and I pretty much have the trip all planned out!!! It's fun for me!!! I go to DL about 3 or 4 times a year so I have those trips to plan in between the big one to WDW!!!

 

[peg110]

I'm a super planner! We aren't going back to WDW til February of 2017 and I pretty much have the trip all planned out!!! It's fun for me!!! I go to DL about 3 or 4 times a year so I have those trips to plan in between the big one to WDW!!!

Wow and I thought we were planning pretty far out at June of 2016. You keep up the planning and enjoy your trip. I know my DW does an awesome job planning even if she gets a bit obsessive about it. We always have an awesome time as a result.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I am way more stressed out if I don't have a plan, even if I have to make changes to that plan on the fly. I love the planning!

I love the stress too. It's part of the fun of Disney. I'd say if someone hates the planning then they should skip Disney world. You have to plan meals, parks everything to be able to relax. Or am I a freak

 

[suzimar57]

I also enjoy planning WAY ahead: list making, packing, shopping for the packing - all of it!

Especially "living" the trip by the pre-planning - i'm that way usually, so a disney trip is very uber-planned out!

 

[mac3mpc]

We aren't going until October and I don't get to set our ADRs for another week yet, but I have my spreadsheet out with schedules and notes so I know exactly what I want to go for. I'll likely change it several times over before we get on the plane as new ideas and activities pop up, but that's half the fun of the trip for me.

It makes it so much easier for DH as well. He doesn't have to do anything other that pack his clothes and get on the plane when I tell him it's time to go.

 

[peg110]

My DW also does this. I would say that it makes it easier for me, but as time gets closer (to the 6 month mark) I get a Nightly "Brief" and discussion of "Should we change X for Y" and the "I changed this for that and this is why". So I have to do my part too.

I do appreciate all that she does though, because it certainly makes our trip much easier. With MDE on the phone too, we can update on the fly if necessary. Last time (Nov 2014) we did this a few times.

 

[JaimieJ]

I don't usually plan too much, other than what parks we will visit each day (and most of the time this changes last minute). I actually wasn't aware until our trip last December that we could get the military salute tickets before we got there. So my next trip I do plan on signing up for FP+ before heading down. But that's really the extent of my planning.