Tell me about the AAA story hour. We may book as well
Loved your trip report and I am loving your pre-trippie!
We just got back and I am already planning another trip!!!
You know, it's funny. The first year we went we wandered around in the June heat and waited for everything and thought that there had to be a better way to do this. Then I got into Tour Guide Mike, the Dis, planning things to the T, etc. and I just kind of guide us daily as we go. Tim doesn't really know the details of it specifically, just what parks to go to and when he needs to run to FP's. We kind of have an understanding about it. He gets to truly vacation the way he wants to because he gets to ride everything he wants, he picks the restaraunts he wants to eat at, and we don't wait in long lines. I get the vacation I want because it is planned out, I get to experience all I want to, the kids are happy with the scheduling of their fun activities, we all get to see what we want, eat where we want, and the wait times are minimal and the afternoon breaks out of the heat are key for us.
We used to nap every afternoon (the kids and I). Last year as Luke was older he and Tim would swim or do watermice as Lauren and I slept. One afternoon the four of us rented a surrey bike, that was fun too. Just to get away from the parks and out of the heat and crowds is nice in the afternoons.
Hey, I warned you guys that I was a CRAZY planner, you wanted inside of my head shame on you
Lesley
Good luck to you by the way, a plan works best for us and we get it all in every year which keeps me coming back (o.k. let's be honest, it's my overall obsession that keeps us coming back 
)
You know, it's funny. The first year we went we wandered around in the June heat and waited for everything and thought that there had to be a better way to do this. Then I got into Tour Guide Mike, the Dis, planning things to the T, etc. and I just kind of guide us daily as we go. Tim doesn't really know the details of it specifically, just what parks to go to and when he needs to run to FP's. We kind of have an understanding about it. He gets to truly vacation the way he wants to because he gets to ride everything he wants, he picks the restaraunts he wants to eat at, and we don't wait in long lines. I get the vacation I want because it is planned out, I get to experience all I want to, the kids are happy with the scheduling of their fun activities, we all get to see what we want, eat where we want, and the wait times are minimal and the afternoon breaks out of the heat are key for us.
We used to nap every afternoon (the kids and I). Last year as Luke was older he and Tim would swim or do watermice as Lauren and I slept. One afternoon the four of us rented a surrey bike, that was fun too. Just to get away from the parks and out of the heat and crowds is nice in the afternoons.
Hey, I warned you guys that I was a CRAZY planner, you wanted inside of my head shame on you
Lesley
I totally enjoy it though. It is great to see how different people plan their Disney vacations. Let me tell you I fail in comparison to you. You are the Disney planning Queen! 
You are just giving me a standard in which I need to learn to live up to. 
It seems like a lot but time fies when you are having fun : )
Tim does the FP running ( he has the sweat daily to prove it) so he runs from the rope drop to EE while the kids and I head to Dinoland and we ride Triceretop spin until he gets there with us. That is how we make it work, and I'm not going to lie, we walk fast
Lesley
I have to say, I can't stand to be behind SLOW people. I would dodge in and out of folks, just to get us to where we were going. Now I wasn't mean, and I didn't take out any small children. Although, I did have to say "Sorry" for bumping in to some of them. 
Lesley, you are the bomb when it comes to planning. I thought I was good till I read all your stuff. And this is only going to be my second trip. I know this is OT, but I have a question for your expert knowledge. 
We arrive in Orlando at 2:00pm on the 1st of July, which is EMH evening hours at MK. Our flight leaves back home on July 10 at 2:00pm which is morning EMH at MK. We have 8 day PH tickets. We have no park planned for July 7th. My son has a competition that day, and half a day on July 8th after he is done with his competition. My question is, what would you do? Would you go to the park the evening of arrival (we want to be a MK on Monday, I know, I know busiest day of week) and skip going before we leave on the 10th. Or would you save that day on our tickets for the day we leave and grab just a couple hours before we leave on our flight? Or would you add a day to your ticket and do both?
We thought about going to DTD, or even playing a round of mini golf on the 1st after we arrive. These are the only two days that are causing me grief.
Any help you could offer is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Sharon
First of all, THANKS, It's nice to be "the bomb"
O.K., here is my thing, if you are doing a MYW package then it only costs like 2 dollars to add on more days, so WHY NOT? We always do for all days in our stay just to give us that flexibility. but if I HAD to choose, I would do Chef Mickey's for dinner to see the characters and get that Disney feel and head off to DTD the first night and enjoy that. Just my oppinion.
Lesley
Seriously, we are amazingly impressed with how detailed it is. I won't lie and tell you that I'm not going to "steal" some of your ideas though. Having Tim run and grab fastpasses while you go to the other rides with the kids is SUCH a great idea (honestly, wouldn't have occured to me). I'm such a novice. But the whole plan makes so much sense...you should be a Disney planner on the side. 
