Planning VS Commando?

[disneymagic12]

We make ADRs, but that's about it. Other than that, we play it by ear.

 

[disneymagic12]

Sorry, double post!

 

[choirchic]

The question was " planning or commando?"

Based on our observaton and experience "planning is commando"

Planning Denotes working out every little thing you do ahead of time, commando Denotes a wing it or play it by ear attitude...

I personally have done both and I believe that planning works best with a large group, but if it's just DH and I for a vacation we're going commando!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

commando [kəˈmaːndəu] noun — plural comˈmandos

(a member of) a unit of troops specially trained for tasks requiring special courage and skill

ˈranger2 noun

(American) a soldier who is a member of a specially trained force; a commando


The term comando has nothing to do with "winging it" or "playing it by ear", it is hitting the parks like a trained soldier with specific plans and tasks.

 

[karebear06]

We always plan our trip out before. We make the spreadsheets, touring plans, etc. But, when we get there, we just do what we feel like that minute. I know it doesn't make any sense, but we love to plan (it builds the excitement.) When we get there, we may look at our planner a little bit, but it becomes more of a souvenier.

 

[choirchic]

So apparently Commando and Planning pretty much ARE the same thing...
Guess I was told wrong...? THANKS!

(I can't beleive it took 3 pages of posts for someone to tell me that!)


Then I guess the CORRECT Question is Planning/Commando VS "Winging It"
Which do you prefer?

 

[jamstew]

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!

 

[kimmar067]

I think most people here are planners. That's why they're 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 an "informed commando"....

....that's ME, although it's through no choice of my own.....!

 

[FireDancer]

I don’t see why choosing to not wear underwear has anything to do with it!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

I don’t see why choosing to not wear underwear has anything to do with it!

Your right! You can plan to wear underware ooorrrrr you can wing it!

 

[momandseandodisney]

i loosy plan - I have all my ADR's planned, which go with what park/place I will be at that day, then I leave a little wiggle room

 

[trivial]

I think commando generally refers to extreme planning, and that the OP meant "planning vs. winging it" (edit: I see above that this is correct). I recommend somewhere in between. I like to plan what parks for each day, as well as an "early morning" plan; which rides to do right away while the lines are relatively small. For dining, I like to have a idea of good possible locations for lunch, and ADRs for dinner. Beyond that, I say to go where the wind takes you.

 

[choirchic]

Informed Commando...I like that!

 

[ExBellhop]

Planning VS Commando...

I blogged about this awhile back, but for the purposes of this forum, I will simply summarize

I think, assuming a first time visitor, that both over-planning, and under-planning are both going to lead to an overwhelming, and potentially stressful vacation.

I like to, instead, advocate the education and preparation strategies. I feel that knowing what is available to you at Disney, and being able to react to situations that you encounter, will ultimately be more rewarding than having every minute of the day accounted for, or in contrast, not knowing what to do with yourself.

And that is, of course, IMHO, YMMV, ETC.

ExBellhop

PS - post 100 yay!

 

[JoanneNC]

Our trip in March being our first and on the DDP - I planned almost everything I knew enough to plan and it went really well. Our next trip in 4 days was just booked 3 days ago..lol so no time to plan and I am probably freaked out the most about dinners. Although we are in a cabin - I don't care to cook dinner while on vacation. Will there be ANY hope of finding a place to eat?

 

[BarbieGal457]

I definitely consider myself a planner, but I don't even try to plan every minute of every day. I know the park hours, show times, EMH and our ADR's, but other than that we kind of just go with the flow. The only part I really plan is what Fastpasses to grab upon entrance, etc. I find this works best for me and whomever I go with, so no one feels like they're being forced to do something and can't relax. My friends definitely do need me to direct days, FPs, etc, or else they wouldn't see a thing at all!

 

[kimmar067]

I don’t see why choosing to not wear underwear has anything to do with it!

 

[eliza61]

Our trip in March being our first and on the DDP - I planned almost everything I knew enough to plan and it went really well. Our next trip in 4 days was just booked 3 days ago..lol so no time to plan and I am probably freaked out the most about dinners. Although we are in a cabin - I don't care to cook dinner while on vacation. Will there be ANY hope of finding a place to eat?

You'll have great luck if you are flexible. Don't try to eat at prime dining hours (11:00-1:00 or 6:00 pm). When you get up in the morning call disney dining from your room. Ask them what's available. Usually there are lots of openings at resort restuarants. Forget Character meals, they tend to be booked.

We rarely make ADR's any more (we never go at free dining though) and we always manage to eat 2 TS meals a day (usually breakfast & dinner).

 

[kimmar067]

You'll have great luck if you are flexible. Don't try to eat at prime dining hours (11:00-1:00 or 6:00 pm). When you get up in the morning call disney dining from your room. Ask them what's available. Usually there are lots of openings at resort restuarants. Forget Character meals, they tend to be booked.

We rarely make ADR's any more (we never go at free dining though) and we always manage to eat 2 TS meals a day (usually breakfast & dinner).

....another suggestion you might consider is to go DIRECTLY to that particlar restaurant first thing in the morning and ask at the podium.....we've done that several times - it's about a 50/50 chance that you might get lucky.....

 

[troynkasey]

We have done all of the above. Early trips we "flew by the seat of our pants" and it worked o.k. We also tried the "stay at the park all day late into the night" idea as well. More recently, we've cut the commando activity out and have been more relaxed.

My best experience is planning some stuff, but leaving lots of flexibility. For instance...we...o.k. I usually have a couple ideas as far as where we're going to eat. We may start with a character breakfast because it doesn't break our day up. Then we have a rough plan on how to attack the park and some attractions we want to see. Other than that, we just "go with the flow" like Nemo.

We have a two and a half year old and have found that that flexibility is necessary. So we usually let her pick where we're going or what we're doing as long as it's close to where we're at.