Love hate relationship with Disney planning

[heather13]

Anyone else experience this? I get so excited at first to figure out the perfect days to visit each park, checking crowd calendars, trying to get dining reservations. Then because we can't get a reservation or because times change at the parks the days have to be switched, and so it begins again. The crazy logic puzzle of figuring out the schedule. Aaargh! I realize I get a little too obsessed about it but with kids I try to factor late nights and early mornings to minimize grumpiness, and with all the variables sometimes it just gets a bit overwhelming.
Thanks for listening

 

[Realfoodfans]

Anyone else experience this? I get so excited at first to figure out the perfect days to visit each park, checking crowd calendars, trying to get dining reservations. Then because we can't get a reservation or because times change at the parks the days have to be switched, and so it begins again. The crazy logic puzzle of figuring out the schedule. Aaargh! I realize I get a little too obsessed about it but with kids I try to factor late nights and early mornings to minimize grumpiness, and with all the variables sometimes it just gets a bit overwhelming.
Thanks for listening

Oh absolutely agree! This is the first time I've got into all the planning (and we've enjoyed our 3 previous trips despite that). I thought it would really help my DGS if we were organised and I could talk through plans with him - (he is on the autistic spectrum) but there are so many variables that have come up (changes to timings for example) I'm holding back on sharing too much with him yet.
My daughter has been the sound of common sense - it's a holiday Mum we will enjoy it whatever we get to do

 

[loves to dive]

In the words of my least favorite Disney movie and song, let it go. Just relax, it will be a great vacation without all that stressing. We make no plans other than the resort reservation up until at least a week before we go. Then I might, and it's a big ole might, make a couple of FPs. No adrs until the day of. Park hoppers and an attitude of just enjoying being there go a long way.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Yes I completely understand, I love the planning process but I realize I get sucked in and way too involved in sweating the details that to the rest of my family, really don't care about. As long as they are fed and not too cranky, they are having fun. After all it's WDW

 

[keepswimming76]

I used to love the planning process but it has become so much more difficult in recent years. Between changing park hours, show schedules, dining reservation availability and booking fastpasses it is stressful. I make a plan and then something always has to change. I feel like I'm constantly questioning the best options. But if I don't have a solid plan than more times than not we end up really wasting time in a park. To us, time wasted is money wasted.

Our last trip was a last-minute weekend visit and we did not have much of a plan in place. I wanted to go with the flow. It was our first time at MVMCP and I ended up being disappointed because I wasn't prepared. We had to cross the park several times, got caught in long dining lines and were trapped by the first parade. I felt like an amature, lol! Never again.

 

[jsebsirois]

We're also big fans of planning our trips : with two toddlers, we have to.

But at the same time, I miss when we used to simply get up at the resort, grab breakfast and watch for the first bus to come.

We did a last minute trip in April and were able to do that kind of non planning trip again. It was actually cool.

 

[heather13]

I used to love the planning process but it has become so much more difficult in recent years. Between changing park hours, show schedules, dining reservation availability and booking fastpasses it is stressful. I make a plan and then something always has to change. I feel like I'm constantly questioning the best options.

Yes!! If I could make changes the week or a few days before if an ADR suddenly is available I'd be ok. But with this whole FP+ thing there's a whole new level of picking exactly the right day because it would be foolish to change after getting FPs, and it's not like ADRs where you can have multiple ones and just cancel the ones you won't use when the date nears.
I am certain we'll have fun no matter what but want to maximize our time!

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

I actually have found with the charging for missing ADR that it is easier to pick up restaurants as the last minute sometimes compared to 180 days out. Just checked the app and Rose & Crown, La Hacienda de San Angel and Le Cellier all three have two different time available for Saturday dinner. May not get Be Our Guest or the Castle but if you can be flexible you can find some place to sit and eat at the last minute. Our planning now is around the FP+ and we find food options second.

 

[JK World]

I'm an event planner by profession, so I honestly love it. I'm always tweaking plans and changing ADRs. 12 days out from FP day, then I'm sure I'll have to make more changes (which will be a fun challenge for me). I'd probably be happy as a Disney travel planner, if it paid what I make now!

 

[elaine amj]

Part of what I love about Disney trips is the extensive planning required. But yes, sometimes super overwhelming. I was just there for 2 weeks with a party of 8. Halfway through I gave up optimizing and just went with it. I was pretty exhausted juggling the needs and wants of so many people.

 

[clshirk]

I used to love the planning process but it has become so much more difficult in recent years. Between changing park hours, show schedules, dining reservation availability and booking fastpasses it is stressful. I make a plan and then something always has to change. I feel like I'm constantly questioning the best options. But if I don't have a solid plan than more times than not we end up really wasting time in a park. To us, time wasted is money wasted.

Our last trip was a last-minute weekend visit and we did not have much of a plan in place. I wanted to go with the flow. It was our first time at MVMCP and I ended up being disappointed because I wasn't prepared. We had to cross the park several times, got caught in long dining lines and were trapped by the first parade. I felt like an amature, lol! Never again.

This is how I feel as well!! I try to talk through things with my hubby and since he doesn't do the research, he can't give me valid opinions.