Shhh... Don't tell...

[mccathy]

Don't tell my sister, but I've started a spread sheet for our trip in June! My mom, my sister, and my two sons! She teased me, "the entire trip isn't going to be planned, is it?" Nope. Just what parks we're going to on which days and some dining reservations made! Oh, and what rides to hit first before the lines build up...

Wondering... how many DVC owners still plan like this? I can't imagine just winging it or going with the flow - no matter how often I get to go!

 

[Sandisw]

Not to that extent, but I do put out a tentative schedule with ideas of what parks to do what days.

We also make a few ADR's, but during our last trip, was able to switch those around when we were onsite.

We do not make a list of the rides to hit, but we have pretty much gotten down the way we do things so everyone has an idea of how it will go.

The only park that is now a bit different is HS. Last summer, my older children were not with us. Because of this, we did not have to do TOT or RNR as my younger DD does not do those rides. It made such a difference and we got done everything we wanted (including doing TSM twice) by noon.

It was great!

 

[princessfionasmom]

I usually plan exactly the same but I'm leaving Thursday for a short trip with my friend and it's the first time I don't have a plan YIKES! We are doing the half marathon Saturday so it's not really a big park trip but we will be hitting the parks. I am a little nervous about my lack of planning.

 

[mdsd8700]

I could never wing it even though we have been so many times. We certaintly are not "scheduled" every moment, but have a very defined plan for the day with ADRs that sometimes we keep or change if we can depending on how the days unfolds. For me half the fun is still the planning so it has just become part of the vacation.

 

[mccathy]

I could never wing it even though we have been so many times. We certaintly are not "scheduled" every moment, but have a very defined plan for the day with ADRs that sometimes we keep or change if we can depending on how the days unfolds. For me half the fun is still the planning so it has just become part of the vacation.

Exactly! I love this part of it! I also made some ADRs that are more for "just in case" we feel like going. My mom's overall plan was lunch at table services and dinner in our room... but "just in case" she wants to go out I made two dinner ADRs.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

Not quite that extensive.....but for our last trip, I put together a spreadsheet....it had the opening and closing times for each of the four parks. I had listed what times the parades were each day, what times were fireworks / fantasmic, etc. And I listed which days we had an ADR or something specific planned (like Candlelight processional). That way we could see the week laid out while we were there. We juggled things around, and it was a nice handy reference as we switched things up.

 

[wbl2745]

I never plan anything. Oh, you mean those four pages of where we were eating, where we were staying, and what we needed to be sure not to miss at each park? Well, that's not a plan, is it?

Seriously, it depends on the type of trip. DW and I are going to our home resort at VGC in February. I'm making a few plans, but not to the extent that I did for a family trip with my two brothers and our wives in December. We had so many things arranged (Illuminations cruise, Hoop-Dee-Do Review, Candlelight Processional, not to mention ADRs) that if I hadn't had a plan I couldn't have remembered everything we were doing.

Your family will be happy with the plan. Don't let them bug you. Just whip it out when you're there.

 

[Sammie]

We only plan a few ADRs and that is it, we don't even decide what park we are going to, until we get up, if we get up.

 

[OhioDVC]

I never plan out our vacation, we just do what we want when we want. There is much less stress that way

 

[ToddyLu]

I do an excel spreadsheet for us when the Park hours come out. This is so I can look at the week at a glance and fit ADRs in according to those times and what we will be doing. When we arrive everyone has a copy and knows hours and what time to meet up for dinner. So you cna then do what you want and meet up for a meal. Each TS meal has an ADR when DH and I travel with his Mom or my parents. They have come to expect it and appreciate the fact that they get to eat at the places special to them. For MIL it is the BD at HS and for my parents CR at Epcot.

Of course now that I have an Iphone I use my Dining App to store confirmation numbers and Park Hours App to start the day. Most of our ADRs are evening meals tied to MNSSHP or MVMCP or fireworks. So we know when are pretty much going to be in that park already.

DH hates the planning until he wants to eat, then that argument fades away and he appreciates my efforts.

MIL has a friend where she volunteers that was planning a trip to Orlando and staying off site over Christmas. She could not believe that the lady did not have a plan and tried to explain that you just couldn't go to WDW on Christmas Day and have a sit down meal....without an ADR. It just didn't register with the lady and I can't wait to hear how the trip went.

 

[rcchello]

Plan :
What resort are we staying at?
Oh, we will be arriving a day early, where should we get a room? Check hotwire!
What park should we go to tomorrow?
Let's see what time they will take us at -insert restaurant here-?

That plan has worked for us for years!!!

 

[mccathy]

Not quite that extensive.....but for our last trip, I put together a spreadsheet....it had the opening and closing times for each of the four parks. I had listed what times the parades were each day, what times were fireworks / fantasmic, etc. And I listed which days we had an ADR or something specific planned (like Candlelight processional). That way we could see the week laid out while we were there. We juggled things around, and it was a nice handy reference as we switched things up.

This is pretty much what I do. For this trip I'm making a list of must-dos for me and my sister and rides with height restrictions for my kiddos.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I plan but often things get changed. We got home late last night and there were 2 dining changes made after booking everything on the first day possible.
DS. DH and DGS didn't come to the Crystal Palace, (They had tickets to the Champs Bowl game that night!) not a problem we showed up with 4 instead of 7 and were seated in fine time. NYE dinner reservations for Garden Grill were cancelled because none of us wanted to deal with Epcot for a long period of time on NYE.

We never made it to the Merry Mixer on the 30th. I've found that we have to be most flexible when children are involved!

 

[mccathy]

I plan but often things get changed. We got home late last night and there were 2 dining changes made after booking everything on the first day possible.
DS. DH and DGS didn't come to the Crystal Palace, (They had tickets to the Champs Bowl game that night!) not a problem we showed up with 4 instead of 7 and were seated in fine time. NYE dinner reservations for Garden Grill were cancelled because none of us wanted to deal with Epcot for a long period of time on NYE.

We never made it to the Merry Mixer on the 30th. I've found that we have to be most flexible when children are involved!

Since we're not doing the dining plan - I actually feel pretty flexible with our reservations. We have to do our Fantasmic Package (my sister really wants to see that show), but other than that, if we don't feel like going to table service for dinner - it'll be frozen pizza in the room! Or hotdogs from Casey's. Or just junk!

 

[ToddyLu]

Junk shaped like a mouse is the BEST!!

 

[adminjedi]

I too have an extensive spread sheet with park hours, magic hours, show times etc, our dining reservations etc. HOWEVER, I express to all and accept that plans can change! I like having everything reserved so we don't waste time or miss out on something, but if we are too tired or want to do something else, we deviate from the spreadsheet. I think that is the key to an enjoyable vacation!

 

[Enchantress01]

I too have an extensive spread sheet with park hours, magic hours, show times etc, our dining reservations etc. HOWEVER, I express to all and accept that plans can change! I like having everything reserved so we don't waste time or miss out on something, but if we are too tired or want to do something else, we deviate from the spreadsheet. I think that is the key to an enjoyable vacation!

My spreadsheet includes the same along with rides that are "must do's" to keep track of everyone's preferences as well as notes regarding overlooked attractions. I spread out activities to leave time to explore new things we stumble upon and make sure ADR's are scheduled so we're not stressed about delays in transportation. It's great to refer to in the parks when there's a lull and back at the hotel we review it quickly to see what we'd like to do the next day. Each of us knows nothing is hard and fast, but having a plan avoids confusion and wasting time. But it all pays off when DH goes from tepid interest, to - "We should stay at the POLY next time!!!"

 

[com_op_2000]

I have not planned a day at the parks since I joined DVC!
We make our DVC reservations, talk with a family member who is a CM on his work schedule, and then just do what we want, when we want. This is the most stress free vacations we can plan.
Even going on a DCL vacation is not that planned out. We believe in going with the flow and enjoying ourselves at all time.

 

[MommyBell08]

ahhhhh... I love a good spread sheet. You make that spread sheet guuuurl! Everyone will be happy when they walk up to a ressie and they are seated in 10 minutes, or know which rides they know they want to hit and which are "if we have time" rides. I have mine all ready to print for our trip in March...

 

[southerngirl1014]

I LOVE to plan. I think it is the most fun part! But that is a lot of my personality. Mostly I plan around places we want to eat. If I or my DH want to eat somewhere then we try to plan that day for that park. However we usually plan around lunches which makes 2 parks in one day not terribly overwhelming.

This year we are taking out entire family. Sister, BIL, niece and my parents. My BIL and niece have never been and the rest of my family has not been since 2003. They have requests for places to eat so I will plan that but beyond that easy flow. I just like planning because it makes 11 months out not seem so long!