What are your trip milestones?

[AngiTN]

I always look forward to certain items getting checked off the ole trip check list.

Things like

Booking Resort
Ordering MB
Booking Flights
Booking ADR
Booking FP
Completing online check in

Today is one more on my list, our first day is now showing up on the weather forecast chart. It's silly yes, the weather 10 days out is rarely accurate, even here, much less in FL. But seeing our date on the forecast is still a mental item that signifies the trip is getting close.

Next up on the list is starting to gather items for packing.
Then I'll start getting email reminders that our ADR is coming up
Last one is to check in for our flights

 

[Klayfish]

We always stay off site and don't eat in the restaurants, so we don't have ADRs, resorts, etc... We also drive, so no flights. But for us, the milestones really don't start until 30 days out, when the FP+ window opens. Then it's a daily booking, obviously. Maybe 2 weeks before that, we'll spend an hour making a rough calendar of parks we'll visit each day, so we can pick FP+.

Then after that, like you said, once we're close enough for weather forecasts, we'll start looking at that. We also do a countdown in our house at around 15 days out...our fridge has a computer in the front door and we write a countdown memo on the homescreen.

There are milestones on our drive down. Landmarks that we pass that signal we're getting closer. The kids always look for the "Welcome to Florida" signs...that means we're only 3 hours away.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Currently and not so patiently waiting for our ADR window to open. Then it'll be our FP window. Its the only part of Disney planning I really dislike and makes me over anxious.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Booking resort (which I change at least twice)
Creating wish list of restaurants and rides and shows
Booking flights (usually, but not this time)
Booking a few ADRS (which I will change countless times)
Buying buttons and MB decals and hand made ears online
Booking FP
Spread sheet touch up
Shopping for any clothing or park items (who am I kidding, this is year round)
Packing



This year we include Universal, so I am starting research on that now.

 

[Canooknic]

Tonight is my final milestone, I'm starting to make t-shirts!!!
I did our GG delivery order yesterday so now it's all about packing - 19 days and counting!!!!!!

 

[AngiTN]

Booking resort (which I change at least twice)
Creating wish list of restaurants and rides and shows
Booking flights (usually, but not this time)
Booking a few ADRS (which I will change countless times)
Buying buttons and MB decals and hand made ears online
Booking FP
Spread sheet touch up
Shopping for any clothing or park items (who am I kidding, this is year round)
Packing



This year we include Universal, so I am starting research on that now.

Us too! DGD is finally tall enough for all rides in both parks so we are going to take her there this summer.
A friend of ours is a HUGE Harry Potter fan and he's insisting he's coming with us
So, DH and and I are "taking one for the team" and got ourselves Universal AP too, so we can do some recon work over there and be ready to take DGD and our friend.
We did our first recon during Hurricane Matthew weekend and this coming trip we are going to suffer and spend 2 nights at Universal resorts too!
I'm just about at a loss for that portion of our trip. Disney is like going home, I know it better than I know the city I live in. Universal is scary. Though I have learned enough to know that we don't need much in the way of plans.

 

[PSUGuy]

The resort ressie comes first since we have to book Board Walk 11 months out with rented DVC points if we want to get a room during Food&Wine. The next things are either plane tickets or car rental depending on rental prices and South West release dates. ADRs follow at 180 days out followed by UT tickets so we can make FP+ choices. Oh, I forgot, we do the sleep n fly thing at the PHL Sheraton 4 Points, already got that for our Nov trip. We start our trip on a Wed or Thurs so the weekend before we pack and that's that.

Bill From PA

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I love looking at the Weather also!

Another one is checking in online for the airport hotel, DVC resort.

Printing out the boarding passes I almost faint of excitment!

I hope you have a fun trip!

 

[catfan98]

Booked resort (DVC point rental) - check
Booked flights - check
Secured DME through DVC owner - check
Booked Universal resort - check
Secured transport from Disney to Universal - check
Booked ADRs - check - although I have changed these several times. My husband finally told me to leave them alone, lol.
Ordered Disney tickets from UT - check
Order family shirts - doing this today or tomorrow
Order Universal tickets from UT - gotta do this soon
Book Fastpass - we're at 73 days!!!
Tweak spreadsheet with FP info
Print boarding passes
Pack

We are so ready to go back! This will be our first onsite stay and we are so excited!!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Us too! DGD is finally tall enough for all rides in both parks so we are going to take her there this summer.
A friend of ours is a HUGE Harry Potter fan and he's insisting he's coming with us
So, DH and and I are "taking one for the team" and got ourselves Universal AP too, so we can do some recon work over there and be ready to take DGD and our friend.
We did our first recon during Hurricane Matthew weekend and this coming trip we are going to suffer and spend 2 nights at Universal resorts too!
I'm just about at a loss for that portion of our trip. Disney is like going home, I know it better than I know the city I live in. Universal is scary. Though I have learned enough to know that we don't need much in the way of plans.

All I care about is the HP part, but DH wants to ride the thrills. First thing I did was start reading menus online, since I don't even know what to eat there! I got a steal for our room at Cabana Bay, so that's booked. I can't wait!

 

[pattyw]

Us too! DGD is finally tall enough for all rides in both parks so we are going to take her there this summer.
A friend of ours is a HUGE Harry Potter fan and he's insisting he's coming with us
So, DH and and I are "taking one for the team" and got ourselves Universal AP too, so we can do some recon work over there and be ready to take DGD and our friend.
We did our first recon during Hurricane Matthew weekend and this coming trip we are going to suffer and spend 2 nights at Universal resorts too!
I'm just about at a loss for that portion of our trip. Disney is like going home, I know it better than I know the city I live in. Universal is scary. Though I have learned enough to know that we don't need much in the way of plans.

Don't worry about Universal! We are truly a Disney family but the more we go to UO and stay at the Hard Rock Hotel- we are missing Disney less. It's very relaxing there- not much planning. If you stay at one of the deluxe hotels, free Express passes (no waits except for HP rides). We'll always love Disney but they are really catching up over at Universal. And an AP is definitely the way to go Have fun!

 

[Lesverts]

I have a little Disney calendar I keep at my desk with a count-down to Disney on it. This year it is princesses. So once things are officially finalized I put the countdown on and start crossing off.

I am a very indecisive person, so the real countdown doesn't start until I make my final decisions. But ya, the weather forecasts really is a big, oh G-d I need to stop stressing and second-guessing and start getting ready to go.

 

[dreiwhit]

We stay off property, so no ADRs for us. Even with buying tickets, booking FPs and booking the condo, it doesn't "get real" for me until I'm in the rental car, leaving home and heading toward the hotel where we are going to spend the night halfway to Orlando.