Share Your Disney Binder

[hungrybunnies]

I have used the Passporter in the past as well. On our trip last year to WDW I created a Word document (one page for each day) based on the Passporter folders in the back of the book to keep our schedule, ADR, etc. for the day as well as places to write down memories for each day.

I kept these in a poly folder pocket thing I found at Walmart. It has 8 pockets for 8x11.5 paper and then a small envelope type pocket on each pocket. So I would put all the stuff I collected for each day along with the corresponding sheet. I kept all the airline, rental car info in the first pocket, hotel info in the second pocket and a pocket for each day.

 

[Brandi1leigh]

Wow you guys are way more organized than I am. I ususally keep most of my items in a spreadsheet file until I am ready to leave. Then I only print out the studd I really need like ADR's and touring plans on index cards so I can carry into the parks.

I also have a spreadsheet. In addition I have hyperlinked specific cells within the spreadsheet to the place I gathered the info, that way if I have questions I know exactly where to look for more info.

pm me and I will give you the links. there are great planning sheets out there for a notebook. I am currently making planning book/trip journals/information centers for a group of 16 of us going in august.

I've seen these notebooks, since I'm going on the trip with TXNana (Hi Sandra) and they are AWESOME!!!!

 

[thomasclan85]

 

[mickeyfan1226]

We have only been to WDW 1 time and I did not take anything to keep organized we just winged it. This next trip I have a passporter deluxe so I will see if this trip goes any better. It is hard to plan our trips because we all live so far from each other. This trip will consist of my sister, her daughter, a friend from work, my 2 daughters and me. My sister lives in NC and the rest of us live in KS. Our phone bills could be very high if we do it all by phone. I need to figure out a cheap and easy way to get my sisiter's input so we get her and Kendra's wishes included in to all the plans. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get everyone's wishes included?????

 

[jamieT]

We have only been to WDW 1 time and I did not take anything to keep organized we just winged it. This next trip I have a passporter deluxe so I will see if this trip goes any better. It is hard to plan our trips because we all live so far from each other. This trip will consist of my sister, her daughter, a friend from work, my 2 daughters and me. My sister lives in NC and the rest of us live in KS. Our phone bills could be very high if we do it all by phone. I need to figure out a cheap and easy way to get my sisiter's input so we get her and Kendra's wishes included in to all the plans. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get everyone's wishes included?????

Yes! The power of e-mail with all involved works wonders. our family of 10 is going in August/Sep and this is how we worked it. We all pitched in in some way. My sister in law found the cheapest rate. I volenteered to make the Disney reservations. Each couple got to pick their choice of restaurant we would go to. (three couples and four kids)We have made it a little competition to see who picks the best restaurant! Then we filled in character experiences, and a nice restaurant to end the week on. Also ask everyone what are you most excited to do or see. That way it will be a priority! The best thing you can do is have a general schedule for a least the first four days (don't be rediculous make it basic so no one feels like you are the vacation Nazi)
ours is Epcot day one, day2 MK, then Studios, AK, then Universal. This is the first five days. We have dinner reservations everynight, but no schedule for the last four days so we can go back to wherever we want. One important thing to remember is to build in down time and allow it. Disney is very overwhelming and overstimulating to adults and children. Don't feel like you have to stay open to close just because you paid for the tickets. Take time to swim and go off the beaten path.

I was so glad to find this thread and see I wasn't the only one with a vacation binder! I have my e-tickets for the plane in there and remember a list of e-mail addresses for your e-postcards! Don't forget to send yourself one! Also I made a spread sheet with dates, times, name of restaurant and it's location (polynesian resort or Mk or wherever) as well as the confirmation # of my reservation. I also have flight info and bibbiddi bobbiddi boutique info. This is my at glance page with the info I don't want to be searching for. Now I also have a tip page for each park, maps for each park and items like that.

I also have one odd one. I have downloaded the menus for the restaurants we are going to and the resort we are staying at. This will help everyone get their taste buds ready for what we are eating that night since we will have to walk around all day among food. It helps us not have the same type of food for lunch.

I also have my budget sheet. I picked the most expensive items on the menu as well as desert (we are doing the dining plan) and then figured out what gratuities will be. this way it won't come as a shock to have spent 200 dollars on gratuity by the end of the trip.

This is the first time I have made a binder for Disney, but I made one for our cruise last October and it was a lifesaver. I was able to kick back and know I had a map of the islands we were going to, important numbers just in case something happened copies of IDs and that is where I kept all my paper odds and ends throgh the week. Our trip went so smoothly that my mom who had teased me for making the binder now is so glad I have this one for Disney! She has experienced the joys of vacation with the binder.

But a word of caution. The binder is only a good thing if it has iimportant info and helps keep things orderly and if it is used as a assistant to the trip NOT as the end all bible for the trip. If you use it as a step by step guide it will suck the fun out of the trip!

 

[mickeyfan1226]

Thank you for the info. I was just chatting with my sister and got some her and her daughter's wishes. I made the decision to stay at pop century(and no one is going to change it). Everything else is up for change if needed. We are planning on spending the first day at MK and eating at the castle, this is my DN's b-day wish so we are making it come true. We all get to pick atleast one special place to eat and then go from there. I am in the process of making shirts for everyone. I am soooo glad I have a little more than a year to do this.

 

[MinnieMO]

sub

 

[Disney_rider]

Thank you for posting this thread now i feel normal
I too have a binder

My inside flaps I print out the different tour plans and event listings
and since my BF and i are going this trip I printed out the "Romance & Relaxation suggestions from the WDW website.
My first page is my year Calender for countdowns and billing info.
#2 Packing list
#3 Sections for check-in and check-out and flight info
(I got the coolest plactic divders with pockets to stuff info in, hold our personalized maps; there is a horizontal cut in the front of each pocket and I wrote the date, location, time and name of where we're dining that day so i can take the card out and keep it with me that day)
I divided my binder in the order of what parks we will be visiting on the days we will be there in order.And then they are color coordinated with the plastic pockets I got. (ALL OF THIS STUFF CAN BE FOUND AT WAL-MART)
#4 Magic Kingdom In Red with a pocket and a printed sheet of where we will be eating that day and night-applies to all days
#5 Epcot/orange
#6 MGM/Green
#7 Animal Kingdom/Blue
#8 Free Day-BF's B-day/Multi colored and bright
Then I have the Black section for the day we leave

I hope this helps a little I'm a planner so I get a little to detailed sometimes

 

[abwilliams22]

Considering I'm the only one in my party doing the planning, I have felt that maybe I was planning too much. But after reading this thread, I feel somewhat normal. We are traveling in October & doing the land & Sea package. We will be staying 4 nights at POR - 3 night on Wonder. After arriving back on Sunday, we are renting a car & going to Sea World. We return home on Monday. It is me, dh & my 2 dd. Also traveling with us is my cousin, her dh & ds (3).

I have a 1" binder. I have many sections in the binder that is seperated by colored cardstock (blue, green, yellow, red & orange).

#1 - Important Dates (balance due, book ADR & cruise excursions), Cruise Confirmation from Disney
#2 - Itinerary for your trip
#3 - Epcot section - Map, Info from Travel Agent (fast pass, EMH)
#4 - Hollywood Studios - Map, Info from Travel Agent
#5 - Magic Kingdom - Map, Info from Travel Agent
#6 - Animal Kingdom - Map, Info from Travel Agent
#7 - Disney Dining Plan - List of all ADR w/ Reservations #s
#8 - Hotel Info - Port Orleans Riverside
#9 - Packing Info - Lists & what I need to purchase
#10 - Mickey's Not So Spooky Halloween Party - Reservation Info & what rides will be open
#11 - Cruise Info
#12 - Flight Information
#13 - Shuttle Information (to Port Canaveral) & Rental Car Info (after cruise)
#14 - Sea World Info & Hotel Info for last night
#15 - Disney Credit Card Rewards Info
#16 - Downtown Disney - Hours, Map
#17 - Blank
#18 - Blank
#19 - Blank

 

[DznyDreamz]

My family doesn't deal well with too much structure. We do well with having a park-per-day plan and an ADR in a reasonably convenient location and letting the rest just happen. We didn't get Hoppers so as long as we knew the hours of the park we were going to, we didn't need a whole lot more "data"!!

For my last trip, I just had a master spreadsheet which had the park we planned to go to for the day and any ADR times or activities. I printed this in color (as I used a different color shading for each park) and reduced it to fit in side of a small artist notebook with perforated pages. Actually, I cut it in half vertically and taped half to the left side and half to the right so that when the notebook opened, it was the first thing you saw.

This artist notebook (the paper is acid free and a nice thick quality paper) became my journal and autograph book and doodle pad. When I had downtime like riding a bus or long waits, i would make notes of what we had done similar to a travel journal.

Since the pages were perforated, I had the characters autograph each on their own page. When I got home, I tore the autographs out of the book and put into a scrapbook (picture with my DD and the autograph on each page). DD had her own autograph book. This one was "mom's".

The best part though, was having my DD6 using the book to draw pictures while we were on the bus or waiting for a meal. I brought some colored pencils in my bag, it kept her busy, showed us how happy she was in her drawings. They are great pictures and make great memories.

I like the idea of the plastic folder for each day for mementos. I always retain the same stuff (ticket stubs, napkins, mickey coasters) and it would be great to have a way to tell what came from where. I may try something like that!

 

[JoanneGreco]

I would love to see some pictures of all of your binders/folders/notebooks!

 

[Samantha/NC]

I kept directions to Orlando-we drove and stayed off-site
I had done a break down of the parks-in which I did a short description of the rides/attractions and which ones had a FP-I also included disboard info on fast moving/slow moving lines
I included a schedule for the parks
Meals for each day and I also had printed out the top secrets of WDW, to have some reading material!!

THis time I am keeping everything wrote in a small notebook so that it can fit into my bagilinni (sp?) to carry into the parks! I LOVE PLANNING FOR DISNEY!

 

[alissa2008]

I'm lucky if when I get to my resort I have my luggage

Mal

 

[Piper]

Okay, here is the front and a couple of pages of mine. It is a 6 by 8 notebook that has cardstock pages. I have everything sorted by days--I tore the passporter maps out and put the one we will need for each day in its pocket. That way, I can just carry a 5x7 card and a map to the park each day! I also put my master schedule in it along with anything I think I might need. Small, compact and very portable.

 

[pixidust princess]

I kept directions to Orlando-we drove and stayed off-site

I like that idea. We are staying off site our next trip and I think the directions will be helpful for my driver (my dh)

 

[thomasclan85]

Looks great!

 

[pixidust princess]

pm me and I will give you the links. there are great planning sheets out there for a notebook. I am currently making planning book/trip journals/information centers for a group of 16 of us going in august.

pm'd you. we are also planning a large group trip for october 2009. thanks for the links!