Tips on not stressing out as much when making plans? HELP!!!

[HappyGrape]

but I can say that if your go to MK during the day on a party day you can expect good crowds and an easier day than the non-party days at MK the same week. I imagine the morning EMH on that day would be pretty great if you're early risers!

I will go with that option actually. We are all early risers and we will get more out of it

 

[mousefan73]

I realize it is a vicious cycle. And I am sorry to do this but my point is, is that Disney often makes it impossible to plan. Especially this year.
For our end Aug and september trip of this year. disney has not:

1. realeased party pricings for MNSSHP
2. Teases with changes and new events, hours for AK but wont realize!/announce them.
3. Overall uncerataintly with park hours due to other events. etc...
4. FD, we didnt book a BB this year have another offer booked, waiting for FD, assuming then we HAVE to also buy the park hopper option, ( which we normally dont) but can open dining possibilities. Still waiting for that to be released, IF.


The majority of my double bookings wouldnt even happen is the above wasnt happening.

This is why I am a firm supporter of also releasing ADR times around the same time as FP etc.... the whole 180 day is a joke.

 

[Nancyg56]

I realize it is a vicious cycle. And I am sorry to do this but my point is, is that Disney often makes it impossible to plan. Especially this year.
For our end Aug and september trip of this year. disney has not:

1. realeased party pricings for MNSSHP
2. Teases with changes and new events, hours for AK but wont realize!/announce them.
3. Overall uncerataintly with park hours due to other events. etc...
4. FD, we didnt book a BB this year have another offer booked, waiting for FD, assuming then we HAVE to also buy the park hopper option, ( which we normally dont) but can open dining possibilities. Still waiting for that to be released, IF.


The majority of my double bookings wouldnt even happen is the above wasnt happening.

This is why I am a firm supporter of also releasing ADR times around the same time as FP etc.... the whole 180 day is a joke.

Again, you can do what you want , but if makes it much more difficult gorvthe rest of us.

 

[GillianP1301]

To answer your last question, if your 9yo is used to eating at 6pm at home, then that's I would recommend you make your ADRs. Generally speaking, kids are creatures of habit so trying to eat at 8pm when you always eat at 6pm is asking for a meltdown.

As for the other uncertainties, what I have done (we go late Aug/early Sept) is assumed that ROL will be out by then and plan in an evening at AK. I also want to eat at the new restaurant, Tiffin, which I can't book yet, so I booked a backup (Boma) just in case one or both of those things falls through for me.

For your MNSSHP, I would just choose the day you most want and make an assumption that the ticket prices will be the same or very close for those two nights.

And finally, keep in mind that there are many ADRs available at the last minute, so making changes on the fly is very doable. Unless you have an absolute must eat place that is really tough to book (i.e. BOG), I would not really stress all that much over it. Heck, I set my 9 days worth of ADRs (and I do 2 - 3 TS a day) at 180 days and almost always do a major shuffle around 2 - 3 times before my vacation hits and never really have a problem doing it.

 

[squeezle]

My advice would be close to @GillianP1301. All you can do is make the best plan you can with the information available. Choose a plan that will make you and your family happy if nothing changes and know that there is still plenty of time to tweak and make changes as new information comes available.

But most importantly, remember: You are GOING to Disney World! There WILL be magic and pixie dust! It will be a BLAST!

 

[HappyGrape]

Thanks dis(ers) for all your awesome help yesterday - much better form today

much appreciated!

 

[tstidm1]

I say choose a couple of special event ADR's right now such as Character meals and decide later on the other meals. ADR's for groups of three become open even as late as 24 hours ahead of time. I have three ADR's (one of them in MK, One for Mom's Birthday and the other because it's a Friday night) and that's all I plan to do besides the Symphony in the Sky Fireworks maybe. The rest gets decided as Mom and I go along. Can't get my head around $69 for a 90 minute dessert event to buy it.

 

[momof2n2]

I agree with overbooking ADRs. Disney created this beast and we have to work within the parameters they set. If they waited to make them 90 days out after they are set on their calendars it wouldn't be so necessary to over-book.

 

[HappyGrape]

I took some of the advise

Week 1 lunch ADRs and no ADR days to allow us to stay or leave the park as we want, no park hopping (do less enjoy more!)
Week 2 one dinner booked at 6:15 and 7:30 - I will cancel one when I make my daily plans before fp+ window opens
One double booking at 4:50 and 6 BOG and Ohana on last night - will cancel the least favorite as we will have meal in each earlier
4 spare credits to be decided on the day
2 days park hopping only but there will be no ADR or FP+ in one of them

I am feeling happy with the plan. Pitty I have to keep reading as I need to know when Tiffins and ROL packages come about but I guess everyone is in the same position