The unneccessary planning and scheduling

[circus4u]

We often decide on a park while we're eating breakfast, or *gasp* get on the first bus that comes. We do park hop, I randomly do ADRs 180 days out based on the restaurants we really like. So it's not a big deal if we end up at a park and our dining reservation is somewhere else.

We'll do FP if it means we otherwise wouldn't get on a ride, sometimes, but single rider lines are great, too. We definitely don't care all that much about planning.

This is our touring plan too, especially the "first bus" approach. We draw fast passes, but probably give them away about 50% of the time as we change our minds about what we want to do before the scheduled return time. We make dinner reservations in advance, but frequently change our mind and cancel the day before the reservation. I guess our touring plan is just laid back, spontaneous.

 

[MichiganDVC]

Quick question....if not for reading about, and often critiquing, other people's WDW plans, what are we doing on Disboards??

I think a simple response to OP would be.... "Yeah, that might be taking it a little too far (minute-by-minute), but here's how we plan and it works for us."

I think there's a vast difference between having a "military invasion-type" schedule and hating your trip, and having that type pf plan and loving it.

As an adult, I have scheduled both types of trips: planned to the minute (this was July...did 80% of what I planned) and not planned at all (outside of resort/airfare/ME.) I can admit that we "got more done" when I planned the life out of the trip, but I cannot say I enjoyed my trip more. I mean, I REALLY like when I can wake up at 9am, make coffee and breakfast in the room, drink coffee on balcony, go to the pool by 10:30-11 and head to Epcot at 4 for dinner.

 

[luv2sleep]

If you go often to a Disney park you may not feel the need to plan because you now you'll see it again. However, it probably just depends on the personality of the person and family traveling. When I went to Italy in 2004 I pretty much figured I wouldn't go back. I still didn't plan much though. I saw a few places that I wanted and leisurely did whatever else I wanted spontaneously. I'm a planner in terms of when and where I'm going on a trip, but get overwhelmed if after I'm there I'm hemmed into a schedule. I had none of my tours booked before I got to Italy. I read guide books before arriving and thought about places I wanted to see but that was it. I booked 2 tours after I arrived and used the guidebooks for self guided walking tours. I used public transportation also depending on where I wanted to go. I had a great trip! I also knew I couldn't possibly see everything and didn't care. I saw enough. Unless I do a med cruise I doubt I'll ever go back. I guess many people would have planned a trip to Italy more than I did but I'm just not that type of person.

 

[ArwenMarie]

We're all going to be planning a lot more, whether we like it or not

 

[Pmctn]

Our schedule for a day from last year


We had a fabulous time. 2 kids, parents, and grand parents. My MIL was razzing me about the schedule at first. But after a few hours of breezing through lines she was a believer. Now whenever we go anywhere she calls me her "concierge"

 

[PirateFish989]

We have a friend who plans her trips to the minute and it works great for her. I've been to Disneyland with her several times when she uses her plan and it's great! I've learned a lot from her and now when I go to Disneyland, because of all I've learned from her obsessive planning, I know how to navigate the parks and have a great time without too much stress.

That being said, I am planning my first trip to WDW for March and while I'm not going to have a down-to-the-minute plan, I am going to make ADRs and have a general plan of attack. I've been doing a ton of research and I personally think knowledge, not necessarily a precise plan, is the way to go. But everyone has their own method that works for them and who is to say that someone else's method is wrong?

 

[angierae]

For longer trips, other than ADRs, I go with the flow - and we have hoppers so we're not tied to a park even with ADRs.

Our next trip, we're only doing MNSSHP and one day at Hollywood Studios. I will be planning out HS in more detail than I ever have before because that's the ONLY day we have. But on a longer trip? So not worried about it. But that doesn't make someone who plans out an 8 day trip in detail a bad person - their planning doesn't effect me at all, so why should I worry about it?

 

[Bullseye]

The rhetoric and word choices used by many on this board can be a bit dramatic, I don't see why we are slamming the OP for her opinion and word choice when many will say that those who don't plan, make ADRs, etc are CRAZY and stupid.

I've seen the extreme time planning increase over the years, but if that is your thing, great. If you are not a planner, great. If you go to or don't go to rope drop, great. Just be happy that you are experiencing your vacation your way and know that others are just as happy with their vacation.

We come the the Dis and express our opinions and get others take on things. We have a good time gathering ideas and info and discussing somewhere we like to visit.

Yep this for me too. All the sudden everybody's all indignant because op is surprised by how obsessed some people are with planning. What's the big deal! Just answer the question without giving everyone your holier than thou and live and let live nonsense! This is a discussion board!

I start planning adr's and park days 6 months out like many Disers, but beyond that we just go with the flow. I always thought there were too many variables/intanglibles to plan beyond that.

One time I didn't plan for my Disney trip and ended up in Nebraska.

Now that's funny!!

 

[luvmy3]

Our schedule for a day from last year


We had a fabulous time. 2 kids, parents, and grand parents. My MIL was razzing me about the schedule at first. But after a few hours of breezing through lines she was a believer. Now whenever we go anywhere she calls me her "concierge"

While that may work for you, it seems quite controlling to me. I mean, do you follow that strictly, what happens if one of your kids wants to stop and look at something, or have a snack? Do you pass by something and go back during your scheduled "free" time? What about time in the bathroom, or if someone spills something, or if someone takes too long to eat?

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Our schedule for a day from last year


We had a fabulous time. 2 kids, parents, and grand parents. My MIL was razzing me about the schedule at first. But after a few hours of breezing through lines she was a believer. Now whenever we go anywhere she calls me her "concierge"

I literally had a panic attack LOOKING at that spreadsheet. To me, that is not a vacation.

 

[Pmctn]

The free time was to add in some float. If they wanted to stop we stopped. We were actually so far ahead of schedule we were able to bump everything up and go get Dole Whips and coke floats mid morning. It was fantastic. Not having to stand around wondering what to do next. But I really appreciated all the people who didn't plan anything. It made it so much easier for us. Oh and those cards were printed out on 3 x 5 with the character M&G schedule on the back. All 4 adults had there own copy so if anybody wanted to do something else they could know where everbody was going to meet back up.

 

[AuroraRora]

Our schedule for a day from last year
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/pmcal/media/DisneyIteneraryday1_zps0435c7e6.jpg.html

We had a fabulous time. 2 kids, parents, and grand parents. My MIL was razzing me about the schedule at first. But after a few hours of breezing through lines she was a believer. Now whenever we go anywhere she calls me her "concierge"

How did you come up with that schedule, was it just your own planning or did you use a tour scheduler plan or something?

 

[luvmy3]

The free time was to add in some float. If they wanted to stop we stopped. We were actually so far ahead of schedule we were able to bump everything up and go get Dole Whips and coke floats mid morning. It was fantastic. Not having to stand around wondering what to do next. But I really appreciated all the people who didn't plan anything. It made it so much easier for us. Oh and those cards were printed out on 3 x 5 with the character M&G schedule on the back. All 4 adults had there own copy so if anybody wanted to do something else they could know where everbody was going to meet back up.

I think my kids would hate me if I made them stick to a schedule like that. Of course its because they are used to not having to do it. If it works for you and your family appreciate its that is great! Its impressive to be able to do it. I just couldn't do it, too many "what ifs" and "we dont want too's" in our day.

 

[Pmctn]

How did you come up with that schedule, was it just your own planning or did you use a tour scheduler plan or something?

It's a spreadsheet made from using times off touringplans.com

My kids loved it. They had input into everything and knowing we had a plan made it easier on them. My son wanted to do space mt. Knowing we had another day with dedicated time for tomorrowland made it easy for him. Getting out of the parks at midday for some rest helped alot. We are early risers though so RD was a natural for us.

 

[tjevans]

I literally had a panic attack LOOKING at that spreadsheet. To me, that is not a vacation.

Not the author of the spreadsheet, but having something like that allows me to relax. Not having a schedule causes me to be tense. Which is one reason vacations are a source of arguments for DW and I. She likes to "take it as it comes."

 

[SEA333]

Our schedule for a day from last year


We had a fabulous time. 2 kids, parents, and grand parents. My MIL was razzing me about the schedule at first. But after a few hours of breezing through lines she was a believer. Now whenever we go anywhere she calls me her "concierge"

Wow! My coworkers teased me because I made a rough itinerary spreadsheet for DD and my trip to Minneapolis (we pre-bought tickets for certain times/days for our 4-day trip, and I was having trouble keeping track of it all). My famous whiteboard calander on my fridge at home isn't even this detailed, and I write EVERYTHING on that (color-coded, even! LOL)

If I showed anybody I know this, they would laugh at me.

I don't think you are wrong for doing it....I really have no opinion. But I can see how some people might think that this is an example of "over-planning".

 

[georgina]

Quick question....if not for reading about, and often critiquing, other people's WDW plans, what are we doing on Disboards??

I come here mostly for information when I am planning a trip, not to critique other people. I share information if asked, but don't call others insane for their plan. The OP didn't ask a question, just started a new thread to criticize someone else's plan.

 

[angierae]

After this thread, I hopped over to Touring Plans to see what I could do for our DHS Day. It gave me this (and I already know it won't be exactly right because DHS has been opening early)

9:05 - pull TSMM fastpass
9:07 - ride TSMM standby
9:19 - Voyage of the Little Mermaid
9:44 - Animation Academy
10:08 - Ride TSMM on FP
10:25 - Animation Academy
10:48 - Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
11:26 - Rock N Roller Coaster
12:00pm - The Great Movie Ride
12:33 - Pull Star Tours FP
12:35 - Muppet Vision 3D
1:01 - Ride Star Tours on FP

Will those times work out perfectly? Of course not - even if I pulled the ST fast pass at 12:33, I still have to walk over to Muppet Vision and go through the preshow and who knows if it will be just about to start, or what. But what I like about it is I was able to look at a map, minimize my wandering around the park as much as possible, and make sure that we did the things that are important to us. If we wander off-plan or something breaks down or there's a shorter or longer wait than expected, we just keep going. Honestly, for me it's a "what order do we do things" rather than worrying about exact times. I am looking to ride most of our rides in the morning, leaving the afternoon to wandering, character M&Gs, and whatnot. So it's nice to have a plan. But I don't believe for a second those times above will remotely match reality (although I am tempted to scribble down the times we enter each line ride, just to see how close it is. )

 

[MichiganDVC]

I come here mostly for information when I am planning a trip, not to critique other people. I share information if asked, but don't call others insane for their plan. The OP didn't ask a question, just started a new thread to criticize someone else's plan.

If you put your itinerary or anything on a DISCUSSION board, I think it's fair to assume that it will be discussed. This is not an encyclopedia of Disney information website, it's a discussion board.

 

[LilyWDW]

If you put your itinerary or anything on a DISCUSSION board, I think it's fair to assume that it will be discussed. This is not an encyclopedia of Disney information website, it's a discussion board.

It was the calling people insane and crazy for planning the way they do that caused people to be defensive. That is not discussing something. That is making fun of it and being rude. It was 100% uncalled for and unneeded.

It would have been different if the OP had simply said they do not understand why some people plan that much since they prefer otherwise. Then they could have asked why some people do it. The wording of a post is very important to give a "feel" to it.