Just How Much "PLANNING" Do You Do?

[2goofycampers]

We will plan every last moment in order to make this the most magical vacation ever, understand?

Welcome to the Dis.


Planning central.

 

[Brer Bear]

I plan only the journey down and back and any RV details...My DW the "Disney Nazi" handles ALL the Disney time and activities! If we miss the first boat out of the marina to MK she gets IRATE! But I luv her anyway!

 

[btcrane]

Welcome to the Dis.


Planning central.

Amen! Planning keeps me going between DW trips!

Seriously, if it's your first trip I recommend you do your homework. Our first trip, DH thought I was insane spending as much time planning as I did. The middle of our first morning at the parks, I transformed from the OCD planner to the Disney Guru personally responsible for the best vacation ever! Our upcoming trip will be our fifth--at this point, I loosely plan which days we'll do which parks (and rest days are essential for DH so are carefully planned as well), still begin my day following the Unofficial Guide's touring plan, but we're able and willing to alter the plan at a whim now because we know what we like.

Others have said this, but it bears repeating: don't get so hung up in your plan that you forget you're there to have fun, and remember that kids will always throw a wrench in the best-laid plans!!!

 

[lisa8200]

Planning,,,even over planning is not always a bad thing. For a first trip I think its a good idea to plan as much as possible but, not feel like you can't change it. If you end up making more trips, we have found that the planning aspect is much more loose. being passholders, we don't plan much until we get there. Once we get set up, we try to outline the current day and how to start the next.

 

[Shan-man]

Others have said this, but it bears repeating: don't get so hung up in your plan that you forget you're there to have fun, and remember that kids will always throw a wrench in the best-laid plans!!!

An analogy just hit me. It is great to have a camera with you to help you capture the memories to enjoy later. But, if spend the whole time looking through the viewfinder you'll come away with a lot of pictures, but no memories. Don't come home with an accomplished plan and no vacation!

 

[btcrane]

An analogy just hit me. It is great to have a camera with you to help you capture the memories to enjoy later. But, if spend the whole time looking through the viewfinder you'll come away with a lot of pictures, but no memories. Don't come home with an accomplished plan and no vacation!

Too true!!! My DH always takes so many pictures I wonder how he can be enjoying anything!!!

 

[FlaFortCampster]

Very interesting thread. Although I don't do alot of planning for Disney trips any more because of the number of times I've been there, the last trip was planned out completely to use our time to it's max. We had a great time planning what we were going to do via emails. That was half the fun!
So it looks like each trip is unique. It's that what makes the trip reports so much fun???!!!

 

[auntie]

I think it really depends on when you travel. I've done it both ways. Seat of the pants..and plan every meal. They've both worked out well. It also depends on who you're traveling with. In all honesty, I've been to Disney enough times to know that there are restaurants we're going to WANT to eat in. I make those ADR's regardless of whether I'm using a dining plan or not. I did find when we traveled with the entire family, the dining plan...quite to my surprised, actually worked out very well. We found that we'd be having at least one sit down meal a day anyway. Making all of 7 seven advance reservations, wasn't that big a deal. I figured at least we had them. We're also not the type of people to eat there, just because we had an ADR. If we found ourseleves wanting to do something else..we'd skip it or change. We didn't encounter any problems doing this. Although, I wouldn't recommend it during the free dining promotions the end of Aug. through Sept.
When I traveled alone with my husband..we did make two ADR's but the rest of the trip, we found we were pretty much able to eat where we wanted..or maybe we might have to have a lunch instead of a dinner ..and that was fine as well. I think it depens on how flexible you are.
I'd only seriously adivse that if you have some type of Disney Dining plan..that you make reservations for some table service meals. If you decided you want to change while there, you can always do that. However, at least you'd have something. It would be a shame to have those table service credits go to waste if by some chance you weren't able to secure last minute reservations while already there.

 

[69RoadRunner]

I have the Unofficial Guide, and want to try it's plan for the parks.

However, I know my family will plot against me the entire trip. They have no concept of doing anything quickly.

They won't understand why we're waiting in lines as they make sure we don't get to the parks until 10:00.

 

[Skyw]

I have the Unofficial Guide, and want to try it's plan for the parks.

However, I know my family will plot against me the entire trip. They have no concept of doing anything quickly.

They won't understand why we're waiting in lines as they make sure we don't get to the parks until 10:00.

I love that book and we have used it but not to the "t". See if you can adjust it slightly. Unfortunately I can't offer any advice on getting there late...my son is an early bird. Hey I just had an idea...I don't know when you are going but get on line and use the crowd calender that comes with the book. Show them that if you don't plan you could show them the approximate wait time for a big ride. That might convince them...and add a nap in the afternoon. Good luck.

 

[69RoadRunner]

I love that book and we have used it but not to the "t". See if you can adjust it slightly. Unfortunately I can't offer any advice on getting there late...my son is an early bird. Hey I just had an idea...I don't know when you are going but get on line and use the crowd calender that comes with the book. Show them that if you don't plan you could show them the approximate wait time for a big ride. That might convince them...and add a nap in the afternoon. Good luck.

It will be me, my wife almost 3 year old daughter (at the time), 5 year old son, the out-laws and maybe my BIL.

I have spent years trying to work with them to get to places early and leave places on time. We can make the kids get out early with help. My father-in-law can be ready on time. The womenfolk and my BIL on the other hand....

I've explained that I want to leave for our trip between 5 and 6 AM. I'll be lucky to get them out by 8.

 

[Skyw]

That would drive me nuts!!!!Especially knowing the lines or traffic was getting worse by the minute.

You kids are young......they will not want to wait an hour for the dumbo ride!!! My son was 3 the fist time we took him and we used the book for the first three hours. We were able to walk on many rides and as it started to get crowded we were leaving for nap time. It was great.

Maybe you can lie and say that you want to leave at an hour before....so instead of them being ready by 830, say 730!!! OR would that be too sneaky? Good luck.

 

[69RoadRunner]

That would drive me nuts!!!!Especially knowing the lines or traffic was getting worse by the minute.

You kids are young......they will not want to wait an hour for the dumbo ride!!! My son was 3 the fist time we took him and we used the book for the first three hours. We were able to walk on many rides and as it started to get crowded we were leaving for nap time. It was great.

Maybe you can lie and say that you want to leave at an hour before....so instead of them being ready by 830, say 730!!! OR would that be too sneaky? Good luck.

I have 4.5 months to convince them. I might be able to convince them.

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

Maybe you can lie and say that you want to leave at an hour before....so instead of them being ready by 830, say 730!!! OR would that be too sneaky? Good luck.

I can assure you that this really works! I have been doing that with my husband for probably 27 of the 28 years that we have been married! Works like a charm! I don't think of it as a lie, it's just something I have to do to in order to stay married to the man!

 

[mjmoon]

So is it the consensus that getting to the parks when the rope drops is a good idea to avoid the lines on the most popular rides? My kids are generally up with the sun anyway so I believe that may be doable for us. I'm not sure how Nana and Papa will feel about this though. lol

 

[Cindy F]

Disney transportation makes it really easy to go separately then meet up later. I told my brother they could hop the boat or bus and go on to the parks and we would meet up with them later.

They like to get up around 5am for coffee etc, then be at the parks an hour or so before they open for EMH

I'm doing good to get my family to the park before noon.

 

[Skyw]

So is it the consensus that getting to the parks when the rope drops is a good idea to avoid the lines on the most popular rides? My kids are generally up with the sun anyway so I believe that may be doable for us. I'm not sure how Nana and Papa will feel about this though. lol

We did for every park. It was fun anyhow. No big deal to get up and my DS would get going really fast too. We were able to hit dumbo, peterpan, winnie the pooh, Small world, and barnstormer with little to no lines. Go to the library and check out the Unofficial Guide to Disney. I think it would be worth the time to read it. Like I said before.....those little ones just don't get standing in line....

 

[69RoadRunner]

I can assure you that this really works! I have been doing that with my husband for probably 27 of the 28 years that we have been married! Works like a charm! I don't think of it as a lie, it's just something I have to do to in order to stay married to the man!

My dad did that for years. He would say they need to leave at X when they really didn't need to leave until Y.

Well, one time my mom was ready on time, and he was busted. He had said some event started at X, but didn't start until Y. My mom was not amused.

I think my wife understands that we need to be there early. Whether this translates into being there early is another story.

The hard part is that with kids as young as ours, you really shouldn't try spending the entire day there until the park closes. We'll have to figure out when it's time to come back to the pool.