So much planning....

[Isatricia]

I am always surprised at how much planning everyone does. As a family, we tend to roam the parks without much planning.

We grew up going to DLR for a single day. We spent 3 1/2 days at DLR in 2012 with little planning and rode everything we wanted multiple times. I only planned the Character dinner and the MM. No regrets not planning anything else.

We went to WDW last August, and I just couldn't get into all the planning. I ended up doing very little planning and changed plans on the fly all the time. We saw and rode everything we wanted multiple times without issue. I don't regret not planning every minute of our trip. I only vaguely planned which park we would do which day (for fast pass planning) and I scheduled the 1 character dinner we did. Everything else we did on the fly. No regrets.

Maybe I will have a different opinion after we come back from DLR in November, but I think a lot of people go to the Disney parks stressed out because of all the planning and worrying about something not going as planned. My opinion is RELAX!

 

[ParkHopper1]

Agree...I am a go with the flow type traveler. I may make a reservation or two for table service restaurants but beyond that I set goals of what we want to accomplish but found leaving the flexibility to adapt to real time conditions at the park make for a much more enjoyable and productive experience than trying to execute a regimented itinerary.

 

[julesann]

Planning and a plan are different things for me. I also think it can depend on how wedded one is to 'the plan' as well as what a person gets out of planning. If planning creates a sense of rigidity for someone then I can see where it could lead to stress and worrying. Planning for me, leads to joy, ease and flow. It's fun for me to research, read and learn how things work. I also leave options and flexibility in my plan. Different strokes...

 

[lorijohnhill]

I have found that if I don't plan/schedule at least one good meal a day, I don't remember to eat. I may munch on the occasional popcorn or other snack, but I don't get any protein (which is really bad, as I'm diabetic). I get too easily distracted by the magic and events going on around me. So, for my own best interest, and that of my family, I have to do some planning. That being said, we don't plan much else. We just take the day as it comes. I do really enjoy reading about other people's plans, though. It has helped me discover many options/activities/events that I otherwise would never have known about.

 

[rentayenta]

I like to plan but the reality is we end up changing quite often. I find planning relaxing and a way to think about and enjoy the pre-trip experience. Anything to make the magic last a little longer.

 

[ADLFAN]

Even though I rarely follow through with my plans, I like to make them! It helps get me excited for vacation.

I have also benefited from reading the plans others have made, as I read about their experiences.

I think once you've had a few trips to the park, you need less structure. I wouldn't want to arrive for my first visit knowing nothing about FP, entertainment, line length trends, and restaurant options / locations! It's still possible to enjoy yourself, just not maximize your day.

I always say, "have fun planning!" Because to me, planning is truly part of the fun!

 

[buzznina]

We use to have a daily tour plan for every day of our trips and one trip we did not and it was by far the best and most relaxing trip. So; like the OP we just plan which park we would do on which day (FP reasons) and maybe schedule 1 character meal. I do not need to do excessive planning to get excited about our trips, but I still keep busy trying to find stuff we have not done before

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

I'm the same as you. I hate planning as it makes me feel like I've committed to things a certain way. And when things don't go according to the plan I tend to panic a little. Also when I don't plan I end up with unexpected surprises.

I think people get a sense of comfort planning thing out. I've definitely paid the price not planning ahead, but I still prefer to wing it most of the time.

 

[jammyjam25]

Like others here I enjoy planning and learning about all about what's new or changed since my last trip but don't let my actual trip get bogged down in a minute-to-minute schedule.

We plan our one sit down meal per day so we can make our reservations, and have a general idea of which ride(s) we want to start with during EMH, and also what entertainment we want to see. But definitely don't plan the intricacies of each day.

 

[ElizabethG]

I can't fully articulate how much I LOVE planning. I sit down with my spreadsheets in the evening and I find it very relaxing. I just realized it sounds like I'm kidding, but I'm not. I don't plan down to the order we are going on rides, or anything. I read a bunch of threads and articles mostly. For my upcoming trip, that is how I found out about Minnie's Halloween Dine (WDW)! I made and ADR and I am very excited to try the new experience.

We are going to DLR for the first time in January. DH and I have been watching a bunch of DLR episodes of DIS Unplugged and Thingamavogs on YouTube. We are having a great time figuring out what we want to do.

 

[Kindermouse]

I think people plan more or less depending on many factors, from their personality to the family dynamic to their parenting style. There is no wrong way to do DLR as long as you're having fun.

Personally I plan because I think its fun, and also out of a necessity that most people probably don't have. For example for our upcoming trip in October I have planned things a lot more than usual, but its out of necessity because I will be in alone in the parks with 3 kids that deal with a myriad of issues from neurological disabilities, to mental health issues, to multiple life threatening food allergies. For my needs in the parks this trip planning is prevention and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Agent 86]

I'm a bit of both. I do a LOT of planning before the trip, mostly because I just want to ensure that I'm aware of all of my options for entertainment, ride closures, recommended restaurants, etc but also to help build excitement for the upcoming trip.

Once I'm actually at the parks, my plans can often be completely ignored as I just go with the flow. It's still nice to be able to refer to my daily spreadsheet (yes, I'm that much of a planner) if I want to confirm a show time or for ideas on what to do next.

 

[DizneeRailFan62]

Being a little OCD making plans for vacation helps me cope with the stress of the crowds in the park when I arrive...it also allows me to get into the spirit and stay zen for awhile...heh. With over 35 multiple day visits to my credit from out of state, I know each visit has been different due to crowd levels, weather, etc., so I have learned to cope pretty well. I envy people who have the spontaneity to just pick up and go somewhere and deal with not having a set plan of where they are going or what they are going to do when they get there. At this point all I do is make dining reservations for each park (our musts are Steakhouse 55, Carthay Circle, and Cafe Orleans) and then just enjoy the parks. Nice to know there are more people out there like who plan.

 

[Kindermouse]

I will admit to planning causing me irritation on our last trip. My son was in a wheelchair because he had just had knee surgery. he was also in a rough place with his OCD since he had had to go off his OCD Med because he was on a lot of pain meds. I wanted to keep him as comfortable as possible for my own sanity.

WEll since it was spring I was downright obsessive myself checking the weather and a couple of weeks out they were predicting rain. I wanted to be prepared for rain, and in a wheelchair rain it a different matter. so I went out and bought special wheelchair rain ponchos (50 bucks I might add) a wheelchair mounted umbrella and a mess of other option. long story short it didnt rain a drop and then I had to go about making returns to 3 different medical supply stores. ugh

 

[SuperRob]

You don't need as much "planning" for a Disneyland trip as you do for WDW. It's a very different animal. That said, my "planning" is really just insurance. We also like to go with the flow, but by having a plan, we find that it aids in our ability to be spontaneous rather than something we have to rigorously follow. For our upcoming DL trip, I just have a day earmarked for each park (based on anticipated crowd levels), and a few reservations. The rest is just "hit this ride first, then figure out the rest." (Having an 18mo. old with us is certainly a new twist to the plan! )

At WDW, if you go without a plan, you can find yourself having to deal with lines, unable to get into the most popular restaurants, missing character meets, and are really just setting yourself up for disappointments. At least if you have a plan, you know what you will miss if you don't go with the plan.

My wife is always the deciding factor. Each morning, I'll say, "This is what I've planned for today. What do you want to do?" She knows (based on past experience) that going with my plan is the "safe" bet. But if she wants a lazy day by the pool, wants to go back to her favorite park, or just bum around the hotel ... she absolutely can. If she wants to switch up parks (maybe to go back to her favorite rides), we can do that too. But she also knows that we'll be playing everything by ear that day, and we might need to figure out different restaurants for meals. (Usually, I'll call the concierge first thing and try to get a reservation where she wants to go, just to hedge our bets.) It might be a bit more hectic, or we may burn more time just saying, "OK, now what?" She knows there's uncertainty with going off plan, but she loves having the option. That said, probably 80% of the time, she'll go with the plan because she knows everything is accounted for and she can just enjoy it.

 

[MaiMai]

I have personally planned more for this Disney trip than any other. This is because we have not gone to Disney in a few years. I am also doing it because I want to maximize my time and money. I have not gone as far as planning out what attractions we are going to do each day, but I do know which ones will be on the refurbishment list. I have reservations made. I also know where we will be eating dinner each night whether on or off the property. I have gift cards and coupons as well. I even purchased souvenirs in advance.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I will admit to planning causing me irritation on our last trip. My son was in a wheelchair because he had just had knee surgery. he was also in a rough place with his OCD since he had had to go off his OCD Med because he was on a lot of pain meds. I wanted to keep him as comfortable as possible for my own sanity.

WEll since it was spring I was downright obsessive myself checking the weather and a couple of weeks out they were predicting rain. I wanted to be prepared for rain, and in a wheelchair rain it a different matter. so I went out and bought special wheelchair rain ponchos (50 bucks I might add) a wheelchair mounted umbrella and a mess of other option. long story short it didnt rain a drop and then I had to go about making returns to 3 different medical supply stores. ugh

At lest you could return!!! Better safe than sorry.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

I am always surprised at how much planning everyone does. As a family, we tend to roam the parks without much planning.

We grew up going to DLR for a single day. We spent 3 1/2 days at DLR in 2012 with little planning and rode everything we wanted multiple times. I only planned the Character dinner and the MM. No regrets not planning anything else.

We went to WDW last August, and I just couldn't get into all the planning. I ended up doing very little planning and changed plans on the fly all the time. We saw and rode everything we wanted multiple times without issue. I don't regret not planning every minute of our trip. I only vaguely planned which park we would do which day (for fast pass planning) and I scheduled the 1 character dinner we did. Everything else we did on the fly. No regrets.

Maybe I will have a different opinion after we come back from DLR in November, but I think a lot of people go to the Disney parks stressed out because of all the planning and worrying about something not going as planned. My opinion is RELAX!

I think it's just a different personality type thing. I get to RELAX more with a plan, because it's already been decided and debated and I just go down the list of rides. I add things as I wish or drop things as I wish, but it cuts it down to about 3 decision points a day vs. 20.

Planning for me also refers to making sure I'm near the right food when I need to be (I have a special diet and a 2 year old) even though we bring snacks, it's still much better to be nearest the restaurant with an appealing menu at lunch than to have to walk up to 20 minutes just to go to lunch somewhere I can eat better options.

I also plan the general area we might want to be in for parades and fireworks.

 

[Winnowill]

Our first trip to both WDW and DLR, I did no planning whatsoever, and it cost us. Our second trip to WDW in 2014 I planned to the hilt. Our 2015 trip to DLR I also did major planning for, only to abandon the plan as I realized that it wasn't really necessary. So this past June, the only planning I really did was to schedule a couple of ADRs. Next time (October), will probably be similar.