Planning notebooks?

[poohsmommy4]

Does anyone have ideas for planning stuff? I'm using a spiral notebook now but I've heard other people use different methods. I'd love to hear ideas. Thanks.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I use the pockets in the Passporter (www.passporter.com) plus my PDA.

 

[mking624]

Passporter all the way!! I actually use that and my daily planner (I work in a store that specializes in planners...so I have to use my planner every day). Since I can't carry the Passporter with me on the sales floor, I keep any important info in my daily planner (i.e. confirmation number, ADRs, flight info, important phone numbers, payment dates, etc).

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I think I've used every possible way over the years- notebooks, index cards, you name it! Right now I store most of my info in Word documents and my Passporter, with a few pages in my notebook for scribbling ideas when I'm not at the computer.

 

[krissyh]

I used a folder to holder confirmation packet, ideas, numbers, etc. But you do not want all of that at the park. For our last trip, I packed some of the "extras" that I needed and then made a one page chart for our trip. I am totally Type A! My chart had the following:
Flight info and confirmation #
Magical Express directions and confirmation
Hotel confirmation number

Chart
Plan A Plan B Plan C
Date Day
Dinner Confirmation #, Place, Time
Evening

Return Flight info

One row across for each day we would be there.
The three plan options was based on going in Feb when the weather could be if-fy (but was fab except for on day) and having friends meeting us for the last day and knowing what our plan was for that day. Segway tour also ment we were set for one specific time and I had that info down. We were on the DDP so we have ADRs for each night. After all of my research and planning (even though I first went in '73!) coupled with going with someone who was not interested in planning at all but whom I knew would have "suggestions and questions" once we got there.

We were on park hoppers + water parks and more so we did have some options.
It fit nicely into a chart that could be folded up and thrown in my bag. I never would have been able to work from the huge amount of planning information that I had complied. Highly recommend it.

Have an awesome trip.

 

[all4disneyworld]

Love the Passporter! And the kids get to write in it once we get there...things like what was their favorite ride that day, etc...

 

[WaltD4Me]

I love my Passporter too, but I don't take it to the parks. For them I take a small notebook that has a section for each park. I put my "plan" for each park, a list of MUST DO things and a TIPS list specific for that park. I can't tell you how easy it is to forget something that you REALLY wanted to do or a great tip you wanted to try. I check my plan and lists periodically throughout the day. The plan doesn't always work out, naturally, but the MUST DO and TIPS lists really helps me as reminders. I think the simplier you can keep the notebook the better. If there is TOO much in there, you get overwhelmed or find you don't have time to read through it while at the parks
and you miss more stuff.

 

[mking624]

I agree about not taking too much information to the parks. The parks are a sensory overload as it is...you don't need to add a big book to it. At most we carry a very small notepad/book and a pen. Actually I mainly use it to write down what we ate. I'm pretty good at remembering other things, but always have a hard time remembering what we ate. Honestly, we never show up to a park with a plan. We just walk in and go and do whatever our hearts please.

 

[shyjade]

I print out info I want to take to the parks on 2x4" mailing labels, then affix them into a 3x5" spiral bound index book. I have a page for ADR's, flight info, hotel info, MNSSHP info, and info by parks. For park info, I break it down by land or area. Inexpensive, compact, easy to use and limited (but plenty of) space to avoid overload.