overplanning

[abmitch01]

I'm wide awake at 3am because I thought of a better FP schedule. This is crazy behavior. I have what day we're in what park, all the Fps scheduled, an amazon pantry order ready to go, bought everything I think we'll need. It's time to sit back and relax. Then I start thinking maybe I should do some ADRs but it's probably too late and Claire eats like a bird. Oh and I should plan out which night we'll watch which show and we're to get a good vantage point. You could plan for months. Do you overplan?

 

[CAL2]

in one word yes

i love all the planning, even though our holiday is 16 months away i have reams of paper lists that nearer the time will be typed and laminated into individual CS lists for each park with locations and foods, touring plan itinerary , now to include FP+ times and rides, packing list, too buy list, not to forget list and the still to do list (not laminated )so i can cross it off as i do it. how sad am i

i often have self doubt as to if i have done the best possible touring plan or iv forgotten anything, but i think the thing that will keep me awake is the FP+ as this will be all new to me, but luckily i know a place i can go to ask for help when needed
cal

 

[Disney Frenhines]

I enjoy the planning, you never know what you may find out that would be fun to do. Saying that, I could book a hotel and flight and the next day get on a plane with nothing planned, I'd just be happy to be there

 

[B52]

I hate the fact that one has to plan....in the old days it did not matter all that much.
But now, for starters, you have to know where you are going to eat everyday.
Plus you have to book your FP+ well in advance...
So you have to select what park you will be in, your FP, and dinning long before you ever get there.

I can't imagine what the experience would be like for someone who is visiting for the first time and not aware of any of this.....
For starters, they don't eat except for CS...

 

[mgsquared]

I'm not in the "I love the planning!" Camp. I would maybe like it more if it were more optional. Say, I could be spontaneous and quickly book fastpass+. Or make a reservation a few hours before eating. My husband and I are not vacation planners, we like to wander around and he isn't super happy that we have parks, reservations, and even rides locked down!! It will all be fun for sure and going with it is the only reasonable thing. I just had to book fast passes today and Toy Story at this rate is not happening during our trip and how that can be stressing me 60 days out is ridiculous.

 

[Cee]

I'm not in the "I love the planning!" Camp. I would maybe like it more if it were more optional. Say, I could be spontaneous and quickly book fastpass+. Or make a reservation a few hours before eating. My husband and I are not vacation planners, we like to wander around and he isn't super happy that we have parks, reservations, and even rides locked down!! It will all be fun for sure and going with it is the only reasonable thing. I just had to book fast passes today and Toy Story at this rate is not happening during our trip and how that can be stressing me 60 days out is ridiculous.

You can! We go and just use the MDE app to select FP the day before. We call WDW Dining the same day and see what's available. It requires being open and flexible, but it can be done and worked like a charm!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Chrelaine]

I love planning. I have a spreadsheet with each day, what park, meals, FP+, what attractions to try to see...etc. I realized yesterday that with a 4 1/2 year old, I need to leave plenty of time for those super important kid things, like playing with a water fountain So, I've let up on planning every second of our trip. I will plan meals because you don't have much choice but to plan ahead and I will plan FP+ but the rest may be left to chance.

 

[abmitch01]

this trip it's just me and DD 15 so I don't feel like I have to please a bunch of people. and we're on site for the first time and have 10 days. I met with a friend yesterday who is a Disney fanatic (gets the whole bus singing When You Wish Upon a Star level of fanatic). She got me interested in doing little things that we used to skip because we were so busy running around the park to get more FPs for our favorite rides over and over. The riverboat in MK, the backlot tour at HS, the country movies at Epcot which I love but my kids "hated" the countries. Claire agreed to slow down and try everything. Oh I can't wait-13 days!

 

[lauradis]

I love planning. I have a spreadsheet with each day, what park, meals, FP+, what attractions to try to see...etc. I realized yesterday that with a 4 1/2 year old, I need to leave plenty of time for those super important kid things, like playing with a water fountain So, I've let up on planning every second of our trip. I will plan meals because you don't have much choice but to plan ahead and I will plan FP+ but the rest may be left to chance.

This was the hard part to learn for me. My detailed over planning brain, gets disney over plan crazy.

Last trip I only planned one meal a day, couple of fp+, what park was suggested for the day. We had a great time, smelling the roses, relaxing, and I even sleep in till 9 and feel asleep in a hammock.

Half of the fp+ times got changed once we where awake and in the parks. we even cancelled or changed some of the dinning times, with ease.

My suggestion is to plan at home, learn the stuff you want to do, but when you hit disney go with the flow. Use the knowledge you have learned off the disboard and experience to make it the best vacation for your family.

 

[MelanieC]

I plan to a point. I pick what restaurants, I choose non EMT days, make a sheet of which parks and which days and just go with it. I'm not sure how not having FP's before we arrive in Florida this time will work (since before was always you just got them at the park), but this time we are buying our tickets at SOG and well.......we are just going to be ok with going more with the flow

 

[Aliceacc]

I love all the planning, and miss it when a trip is over.

I figure that the more I plan, the more prepared I am to be spontaneous. So, for example, if our AK day turns out to be wet and cold, the way it was in 2008, I have the knowledge to make an informed decision on where to hop to. If lightning closes the ride we have FP'd, I know the options.

I don't insist that we stick to my plans, I think that's the line between "having fun with planning" and "overplanning."

I get a real kick out of planning; it's been my hobby for the past several months.

Lucky(??) for me, school this year looks to be BUSY.... we're starting a switch to IPads intead of notebooks and textbooks. So, after thsi week's WDW trip, I'll have that as a huge project to occupy my time.

 

[jltdone]

as a newbie to this Disney thing yes I have been once when I was a kid so I don't remember the planning of it. My cousin is a crazy Disney freak.... She has been giving us tips since we are planning a family vacation there for our son. So far the only things that I am not really liking about this planning thing is that you have to book dinner times and locations so far in advance with not knowing to much about the restaurant. As for planning we are travelling with a 5 year old which is his birthday gift. So this is what we have as an idea for right now. We will have all dinners booked since we are going june 2015 I know I cant book until that magical 180 day mark. we will set up a few fast passes and that's about it. It is about him this trip. He wants to see the characters so if we go see mickey and then get out from seeing him and he wants to see him again then we will get back in line and go and see him again. we are going to go with the flow.......

 

[DisMom1981]

as a newbie to this Disney thing yes I have been once when I was a kid so I don't remember the planning of it. My cousin is a crazy Disney freak.... She has been giving us tips since we are planning a family vacation there for our son. So far the only things that I am not really liking about this planning thing is that you have to book dinner times and locations so far in advance with not knowing to much about the restaurant. As for planning we are travelling with a 5 year old which is his birthday gift. So this is what we have as an idea for right now. We will have all dinners booked since we are going june 2015 I know I cant book until that magical 180 day mark. we will set up a few fast passes and that's about it. It is about him this trip. He wants to see the characters so if we go see mickey and then get out from seeing him and he wants to see him again then we will get back in line and go and see him again. we are going to go with the flow.......

The more you read the boards and ask questions- the better idea you will have to help you "plan" to go with the flow! Sounds like your cousin will be a great resource.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[suzimar57]

i LOVE the planning part - makes the trip feel like it's "ongoing" while you plan the ADRs, FP, meals, what parks/rides each day, souvies to buy, etc for the months (year?!) ahead!

i've actually felt a little "sad" upon arrival at the resort, knowing in XX days i'd be home again, and all those XXX days of planning were behind me - kind of like the trip itself was a letdown, but not really, KWIM?

anyway - uber planner here!

 

[itchin2go]

You can! We go and just use the MDE app to select FP the day before. We call WDW Dining the same day and see what's available. It requires being open and flexible, but it can be done and worked like a charm!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I am a crazy planner. I absolutely thrive on it.

But some part of me thinks your version sounds like so much fun! I just wish I could take the plunge.

On our first trip, we went to whatever park we felt like that day. I had no concept of "best park" or "worst park". We called "day of" and booked ADRs - whatever was available. I don't think we pulled one single fastpass ... and we had fun!

 

[ShannonMB]

I love planning, and there is no question that our trips run smooth as silk because of it. I love picking which park which day, ADRs, now FP+ and an itinerary for each day.

That being said, I have in the past fallen victim to second-guessing and overthinking - especially our first few trips. I have had to learn that unless something major changes with park hours, refurbs, a restaurant closing, or something else crazy - once the plan is made it's time to walk away!

 

[castle1]

I love the planning as far as which days for which park, and ADR's, but this new fastpass system...I don't like at all

 

[Meldev]

We are not planners - not vacation planners anyway. Last trip (and first for DH and I as a family with our 3 girls) we booked 3 weeks out and ADRs were hard to come by but I got Akershus, Cape May, Park Fare) and another we cancelled while there and that was 2010. Now I don't think I could do that. I've been planning this surprise trip for over a year and still managed not to think of things at 180 days out (like CRT prior to MNSSHP) but got BOG on my anniversary- and tonight my FP window opens - literally giving me headaches thinking about it all! Our vacations are laid back relax on the beach type - this is more of an adventure - DH leaves it all to me, I've been helped a great deal by DIS, but it does take some fun out of it IMO.

Truthfully though we travel with 4 kids aged 2-10 now we know schedules are meant to be flexible and if we miss something - so be it, the experience will still be one to remember! That said, I really hope I get an A&E FP, toy story and mine train (DS is just making the height!) ;-)