Planning VS Commando?

[choirchic]

Planning VS Commando...

I'm just curious on everyone's thoughts.
Which is better for you and why?

 

[IloveStarbuck]

We weren't going to plan anything but we decided to. Not an hour by hour plan but just a general idea. I think we mainly decided to because we're going to be down there during Free Dining so we needed to make ADRs and to do that we kind of needed to know where we'll be and when! If we weren't going at that time, we probably wouldn't plan anything!

 

[tink4ever]

Normally I love the planning of each vacation. Every minute of the day planned and it usually works out great. However my kids and I just jumped in our car This past Tues morning and drove to WDW from CT and have been here now without one plan. We are Staying at the Dolphin and it is wonderful. We have been eating all counter service meals and laying by the pool for as long as we want and going to the parks without a plan and we are having a blast. Don't get me wrong I love eating in all of the wonderful WDW restaurants but being spontaneous has been a lot of fun too.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We DON'T do commando. I do some light planning for ADR's, but that depends on the trip and who is going. We do what we can between ADR's and go back when we have finished eating. I try to plan on making my ADR's for the first seating, that way it gives us more time, because you wait less.

My theory is that if we get to do it fine, if not there is always another day or next time. Most of the time, we go at a time when the crowds are low adn usually get to do everything and most multiple times. I rode BTMRR 6 times in June.

Suzanne

 

[Jill in Chicago]

I love planning. I have what we are going to do in order. That does not mean we run from attraction to attraction. We calmly walk and enjoy our surroundings. We take lots of bathroom breaks, for me. LOL! And if anyone is ever thirsty we stop. (That's the family rule.) So I think you can be very organized, and have a structured plan without driving the family bonkers.

 

[Pirate at Heart]

I used to be a big time planner, down to every little detail. However, when we went this passed July, we winged it a little. It was great! We didn't get as much done, but we had a better, more relaxing time. For our next trip, we'll do the same.

 

[savvy?71]

The husband and I aren't heavy planners. Heck I have trouble planning dinner.

Obviously we plan character meals and have an idea of meet and greet times (but even then I like to sort of 'fall into' those), but for the most part, aside of a loose schedule we prefer to roll with the day.

It's probably just my personality but I have found when I have tried to plan things, for anything, I don't do so well when there's a hitch.

I like a sort of 'mental game plan' over anything mapped out. So I guess we aren't commando, but we aren't planners either. Somewhere in the middle, comfortably confused in our organized chaos

Hmmm...after reading the post after mine, I should amend my post to say I am probably a semi-planner-in-training. I do draw the line at official touring plans! That just goes against my fiber

 

[tentaguasu]

I think most people here are planners. That's why there on this forum!

That said, I think there is a happy medium between the mobs of clueless masses wandering through the parks and the hyper planners.

I'd call in "informed commando".

Here's what I do and it works great for me:
1. Avoid EMH parks (I'm not on Disney property anyway).
2. Know what rides can be easily done later in the day. May can be essentially walked onto if you know the right time of day. On the other hand, know the rides that are absolutely fastpass attractions.
3. Designate one person to be the "fastpasser". That would be me in our group. Everyone else enjoys resting while I run off every now and then to get the next fastpass.
4. Get to the parks as early as I'm able and IMMEDIATELY fastpass the attraction I'm most interested in and which requires a fastpass.
5. Make sure I fastpass everytime it's available again. As soon as possible. Roughly every two hours.
6. Have one air conditioned "crash pad" location where you can hang out when needed.

With that, I've tremendously enjoyed the parks, not felt hemmed in by a rigid plan, yet seen and done virtually everything I want to do with essentially no waiting.

 

[pepe of ohio]

Gave that up many trips ago. We just go to WDW to enjoy. No dining plan, no ADR's no schedule and after 40 trips, no regrets. We actually come home, relaxed and not pooped anymore, secret is length of stay, the longer the more relaxed the better.

 

[eliza61]

Gave that up many trips ago. We just go to WDW to enjoy. No dining plan, no ADR's no schedule and after 40 trips, no regrets. We actually come home, relaxed and not pooped anymore, secret is length of stay, the longer the more relaxed the better.

Aah, my soul mates.

I've actually seen some spreedsheets here that have riveled the D-day invasion of the Allied forces.

Last November my family and I, really crossed over to the dark side. We got up each morning and whatever bus came first, that's the park we went to. The only rule we had was no park back to back days. It was great. no complaining about how long a bus to a particular park was taking. No mental attack plans the nanosecond through the gates.

My only thing I don't like about these boards is how you sort of get the feeling that if you don't do TGM, if you don't have a million ADR's or if you're not at the park at rope drop, you won't have a great time. That is simply not true most of the time. I do make an exception for July and holidays.

I think most people unfortunately equate a good vacation at Disney with the number of times you ride a popular ride. If you come back from wdw and say you had a great vacation and then say you only rode soarin once people look at you strangely.

 

[tecdavidt]

Our only planning is lunch and dinner ADR's. I have a food allergy and counter service is not an option. We have learned to avoid EMH, early on they were great now, it is crazy crowded. We do good making it to our lunch ADR! We are on vacation, sleep in, take our time and go eat lunch. If we miss an attraction, we will hit it the next trip. Kathy

 

[Aliceacc]

I'm desperately searching for the middle ground.

Unlike some people here, this is my first trip in 18 years, and the first ever for my kids. (In fact, aside from my son's trip to the US from Korea at age 7 months, it's their first plane ride.) We don't anticipate getting back anytime soon.

So I DO want them to experience the magic that's particular to Disney-- those things that they won't be able to experience next summer when our vacation returns to our beloved Lake George.

That said, the BEST piece of advice I've gotten came from Tour Guide Mike. He said, in essence, that no one ride or meal or parade or attraction should have the power to make or break your vacation. Keep your eye on the big picture: this is a vacation, and it should be a fun family time. Be willing to sacrafice whatever is necessary to keep it fun for all involved.

So I'm pulling together touring plans, with the intention of using them as a ballpark guide. After a year of planning, I don't want to walk into the Magic Kingdom and say "OK, what do we do now???" But if the plans fall by the wayside because we're having too much fun, that's great!

 

[FormerH8er]

Don't you need a plan to do commando? We always plan our commando trips.

 

[lilfroggie]

Normally I love the planning of each vacation. Every minute of the day planned and it usually works out great. However my kids and I just jumped in our car This past Tues morning and drove to WDW from CT and have been here now without one plan. We are Staying at the Dolphin and it is wonderful. We have been eating all counter service meals and laying by the pool for as long as we want and going to the parks without a plan and we are having a blast. Don't get me wrong I love eating in all of the wonderful WDW restaurants but being spontaneous has been a lot of fun too.

Can I just say...THAT is my dream trip!!!!

Unfortunately, our next trip (possibly 2009) will most likely be my last until I have GRANDKIDS! LOL (hubby wants the kids to know there is more to America than a giant mouse ). So we have to pack in all we can this next time.

That is not to say that I plan every minute, but I do try to have a basic game plan...are we doing early entry...are we doing any late nights...which two parks are we planning for each day(I always hop)...anything special going on that we have to plan for. I'm so frugal in "real life" (opposite of my "dreamy-vaction self at Disney") that I can't help but think of the $$ I'm spending...so I worry that without a plan, I'm not getting everything out of my trip.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

DH is commando - he must hit every park, do every ride each trip.

I've reached the point where I can't deal with it anymore and neither can the kids. We were all grumpy, exhausted and end up fighting and on one particularly bad trip - not talking to DH for a week afterwards.

This next trip I'm planning things out and have told DH no commando touring.

When it's break time, it's break time and if he wants to keep going he can on his own. So we'll see how it goes in Sept.

 

[Tialuccy]

No way can I plan a single day, let alone 2 weeks. I'm amazed at some of the Itineraries I've seen.

We just get there, do what we feel like doing on each day, eat when we are hungry, we always seem to get seats at our fav restaurants without booking in advance. etc etc. We are so laid back about the whole thing, yet we manage to see all the shows and parades, ride all the rides, visit all the parks several times, do loads of shopping and still have time to relax at the pool, absolutely no stress at all. The only thing I'm booking this year is MNSSHP but if I could I'd wait til I'm there and book it on the day.

 

[larryz]

A planner is someone who takes the time to lay out a thoughtful itinerary, complete with dining reservations, park routes of travel, and maybe even a specific sequence of attractions to provide themselves and their companions an enjoyable experience.

A commando is someone who will take that plan and make everyone miserable while forcing their party to maximize every minute of their time in a park.

 

[ireland_nicole]

Because we are a family w/ multiple disabilities, I find extreme planning to be essential. That being said, built into my carefully color coded-spreadsheeted-backed up to the iphone just in case- laminated itinerary is rest time, and the order of attractions to avoid over stimulation/meltdowns and yes, even bathroom breaks (dd needs to go on a set schedule and it's easy to forget in the excitement of WDW if not written down). But the kids are in bed by 7:30 every night, and stick to their at home routine as much as possible. So am I a planaholic? Yes. and I'm just a little bit proud of my daily plans, if I do say so myself. Commando? No, I come from a family of marines, and we leave no man behind.

 

[Dawn68PA]

I am a planner. I have always planned out where we'd be each day.

This year is the first time I'm planning inside the parks. Although we go at slower times of the year, we have 6 of us this trip from 17-42 and 2 have never been to WDW and want to see a ton.

So although I plan, I'm also flexible. For the best part of a vacation is being on vacation and having a good time. No matter where that may be.

I remember when DD was 7. She looked forward to swimming in the hotel pool more than most anything

 

[ChrisandDon'sMommy]

I plan to a certain point. But, once we are in the parks, I'm relaxed and let it ride.