Trips: Relaxed, Commando, or Somewhere In Between?

[MouseEarsForAll]

How do your prefer to go about your trips? I am not relaxed(never!), or commando(too much stress), but in between. I couldn't see trying to run the whole trip, but I ain't just gonna walk to the gates and ask, "Watcha wanna do?"!

How about you? Share any tips about how you manage your trips as well!

 

[reindeer]

I always start with checking park schedules, plan park days around parades and shows then I make ADRs to match that schedule. So I have a basic plan which parks on which days but I do not do an all out touring plan. Each park has the must get fass passes so grab those first then just go with the flow. We visit at least once a year so need to "do it all' is not as great as it would be if there were several years between visits. I think the worst mistake that anyone can make at Disney is to get caught up in trying to do everything. To really understand what makes Disney magacial you must slow down and realize this is not just another amusement park.

 

[aripantaloon]

we're in between. I have my schedule of which park(s) we will be in on what day as well as plenty of ADR's planned. We also have our list of things we need to do first thing (like dumbo, the safari, Soarin'). Other than that, we kind of go with the flow. We make sure to maximize our fast passes and take advantage of rides that have short lines as we pass by - like if we're on our way to haunted mansion and see that small world has no line, we'll ride that first.

 

[Pakey]

Relaxed. 22 WDW vacations and we've done one rope drop now!! I have never done a touring plan, we've had great success with restaurant walk ups. Some days we never make it to a park.

 

[jnfr2424]

Relaxed we make 3 - 4 trips a year so we go on whatever whenever and spend a lot of time at the Resort and on Dining

 

[WillAustin]

In between here. Commando in the morning for rope drop, first rides, and ADRs. Relaxed in the afternoons.

We usually get a ton accomplished before a TS lunch, then play it by ear until it's time for a dinner TS meal.

 

[catra121]

I said in between...because even though I'm really relaxed and never have a plan for what rides in what order, etc...I still know ahead of time what park I will be in and make ADR before I go. I actually find it MORE relaxing for me to have a plan so that I don't have to do any actual thinking while I am on vacation. Once I'm there I just sort of coast along and go with the flow while still following my basic plan on what park I will be in and where I will be eating.

 

[pjhootch]

Totally relaxed. We do plan which park to visit on which days... in a basic kind of way. We sometimes change that when we arrive based upon how we feel or the crowd level when we arrive.

This upcoming trip (less than 3 weeks away now) will be the first time we've ever made ADR's because we've never bothered with the dining plan before. (it is free during this stay- I would never pay for it)

We generally do get to the parks at rope drop or close to it. Not because we have "must do" plans to accomplish in the morning, but simple experience tells us it is easier to wing it early in the morning.

We've been going for years although we aren't like many folks here that go every year, or multiple times a year. Sometimes it will be years between visits, but we figure staying relaxed is more important than missing a ride here or there.

 

[themilesfamily]

Commando all the way. My DH and I have the same touring personality. We like graphs, we like charts, we like planning binders, we like schedules, we like color-coded itineraries. And if we DO try to slack off a day or two, DD age 7 will light a fire under us to get us moving again. She's going to exceed us in commando-touring, I'm afraid.

I guess it's just in our genes. We do A LOT on our vacations.

 

[disneybass]

Very relaxed. The only thing we plan is where to eat our evening meal.

 

[janabananas]

In between.

I know what parks we are going to for the day based on crowd prediction calendars and avoiding am EMHs. I know we are gonna hit DHS & EPCOT at rd or at least before 930am to get on TSM & Soarin. AK & MK at least by 10am.

We have our must do rides as well. Usually we go with the flow either counter clockwise or clockwise.... Dbf hates back tracking so if a line is too long for something we just walk by and hope to go on it next time. (we have APs so that makes it easy)

I never make bf or lunch adr's because I really dislike having to keep track of time and prefer to eat when we are actually hungry and wing it.

Our only semi-tradition is to get to EPCOT early. I can get on Soarin first thing, while dbf goes on Living with the Land. Then we eat breakfast at SS and off we go for the rest of the day.

 

[h2odivers]

I love plan like crazy be we go I read everything, watch the Disney vacation plannind DVD, make our ADRs, on the Disboards every day.
Then we arrive and all plans go out the window. But I just remember to...
Have Fun!

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

I said in between...because even though I'm really relaxed and never have a plan for what rides in what order, etc...I still know ahead of time what park I will be in and make ADR before I go. I actually find it MORE relaxing for me to have a plan so that I don't have to do any actual thinking while I am on vacation. Once I'm there I just sort of coast along and go with the flow while still following my basic plan on what park I will be in and where I will be eating.

Exactly!

Commando all the way. My DH and I have the same touring personality. We like graphs, we like charts, we like planning binders, we like schedules, we like color-coded itineraries. And if we DO try to slack off a day or two, DD age 7 will light a fire under us to get us moving again. She's going to exceed us in commando-touring, I'm afraid.

I guess it's just in our genes. We do A LOT on our vacations.

 

[gpeters93]

I'm a relaxed in betweener.

 

[delaneyc52]

Totally and completely relaxed to the point of being ridiculous. But...big, big but....we've been going every year since '71. We are also DVCers. We've done it all, seen it all and now have the ability to just "wander" the world slowly. If I were a first timer or knew I could only go every few years, I would definitely be more commando. We are blessed...

 

[disneylovin24]

I voted in between

I think my family would say relax but I myself like some structure. Overall though my family does relaxing vacations. At WDW we usually only hit up 2 parks and the rest of the time is just relaxing time. The only things we plan out ahead of time are what 2 days we are doing parks and where we are eating. Everything else is spur of the moment, even any meals that do not require reservations.

I have seen people on here plan out EVERYTHING. I could never do that. I am a big fan of structure but I could not predict what I am going to do every second of my vacation. It is vacation after all.

 

[disneylovin24]

Totally and completely relaxed to the point of being ridiculous. But...big, big but....we've been going every year since '71. We are also DVCers. We've done it all, seen it all and now have the ability to just "wander" the world slowly. If I were a first timer or knew I could only go every few years, I would definitely be more commando. We are blessed...

I think that's the point my family is at now. We have done so much so many times that there is nothing we feel like we must do every trip now.

I also want to note that we have never used a touring plan! We just go with the flow and do whatever rides have the shortest lines. It works for us, we never do not do what we really want to.


I think the fact that so far relax is the least popular option shows that a disney vacation is not a normal family vacation.

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

I think that's the point my family is at now. We have done so much so many times that there is nothing we feel like we must do every trip now.

I also want to note that we have never used a touring plan! We just go with the flow and do whatever rides have the shortest lines. It works for us, we never do not do what we really want to.


I think the fact that so far relax is the least popular option shows that a disney vacation is not a normal family vacation.

You gotta plan for this kind of stuff!

 

[BeerMe]

Relaxed, drinking beer and enjoying the sights, sounds and smells.


Did commando for years, now there's no need. December is stay 50+ - I've actually lost count. Now that I'm retired no need for fast pace anymore.

 

[MainMom]

I'm with the poster who said commando in the morning, relaxed in the afternoon/evening.