What to do when almost all the planning is completed?

[Marc A.]

We've made all ADR's, purchased party tickets and seemed to be done
planning. Now what????
I want more!!!!!

Please help

 

[DisneyBarlans]

You could make a countdown calendar (if you have 5 months it'll be a big one), or have different Disney related activities for each week to count down the days. We love to play Disney SceneIt and watch a different classic Disney movie every week-it gets us in the mood. Have fun!

 

[Dan Murphy]

 

[marlower]

or you drive your poor DH crazy talking about it!

I also like to shop for new clothes for the trip and my latest is using the great posts to make matching shirts!

 

[TxRabbit]

Now you start coordinating your outfits so that your photos look the best they can

Seriously...do you have your packing lists made? Your shopping lists made for the things you don't own that you might want with you? You are just getting started...Do you know what you are taking into the parks each day? Do you have the right bag/backpack/waistpack? It really is never too early to start getting these things together. Are you arriving early on your arrival day? Have you accounted for what you need in your carryon baggage plans (ME can take up to 3 hours to get your bags) in order to do your plans on arrival day? I guess this assumes you are flying...There are plenty of things to look at on the Disney Tips board.

 

[RllngRckBrw]

I sit and read these boards constantly. Nothing seems to help though.


"Only 16 more Days!!!!!!!!"

 

[Marc A.]

Great suggestions. First of all I drive my DW nuts talking and planning.
I do have to try to get our DD more acquainted with all things DW so that she feels more at home.

 

[NCTWINSMOM]

I'm doing everything mentioned above...

*must read dis boards
*must customize outfits for dd's
*plan, make or buy costumes for MNSSHP (whole fam)
*plan my personal touches for each day
*dream of seeing my girls faces as they enter WDW for the 1st time!

I'm sure I missed something, but that is the bulk of it!

 

[bjscheel]

Read the Trip Reports.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm doing everything mentioned above...

*must read dis boards
*must customize outfits for dd's
*plan, make or buy costumes for MNSSHP (whole fam)
*plan my personal touches for each day
*dream of seeing my girls faces as they enter WDW for the 1st time!

I'm sure I missed something, but that is the bulk of it!

That's about it for me too. I don't have everything planned yet, but I've got as much as I can do done and am just killing time until our ADR date now. So I'm making clothes for DD, reading the DIS obsessively, working on ideas for the welcome baskets that I'm going to make and ship down, thinking of ideas for where we should get a pic taken for our family Christmas card, and distracting myself with the fact that it is spring and I can actually do some puttering in my gardens. Oh, and we've been watching YouTube videos of the rides to get DD more confident about trying new rides/attractions.

Only 208 days to go...

 

[AshleyMWC]

Now you start coordinating your outfits so that your photos look the best they can

Oh my gosh, is it bad if I actually do this? I don't leave for over 5 months, and I already have a shirt in mind that I want to wear for Chef Mickey's. For anyone intereted, it is my Donald (my fav character) shirt from Mickey's Philharmagic. Wow, even I think I sound nuts now....

 

[Jill in Chicago]

For each park I like to plan out what we will do first, second, third.... Of course when we get there these plans might change, but it is nice to have a game plan. I use Tour Guide Mike and the Unofficial Guidebook for touring plans. I also like to coordinate what we will wear. (I know lots of folks think this is silly, but I really think the photos turn out better.)

 

[AshleyMWC]

We've made all ADR's, purchased party tickets and seemed to be done
planning. Now what????
I want more!!!!!

Please help

I just wanted to say that maybe my mom and I will see you there! It looks like you arrive 2 days before us. We are staying at the Poly, maybe we will run into you and your adorable kiddies

 

[Jane Michaels]

I use the Allears.net website to plan every step of the way. I type it all up day by day on the computer. I add little things to look for along the way like the Monkey Puzzle Tree in the Japanese Pavillion at Epcot, etc. I write into the plans the ADR numbers and what each person plans to eat (menus on Allears.net) and the price total. I research what time the fireworks and parades are going to be and put that into the plans. Then I print it all out. I carry an itinerary with us in the park. This is a great way to live the vacation before you get there. It is also a great help in the parks. We usually see everything on our list because it is well thought out. You don't have to feel like you have to follow it when you get there, but you probably will!

Also, I bought a huge 800 page Unofficial Disney Guide and read every page of it before we went. I was super informed and knew just how to set up my itinerary to avoid the crowds and long waits. I found it very helpful each time we went to Disney.

This is probably too much planning for the average Joe, but for someone who really is obsessed with the vacation, it is a great channel for your energy!

 

[jcemom]

Good question, LOL!

That is the point where I normally look for some way to rearrange my plan, because maybe it isn't exactly perfect. Then I realize that Plan A was better and go back to it. Then I do it again, and again, and again. I might change an ADR or two, or five. I shop for vacation clothes, because the regular clothes that I wear at any other time somehow aren't right for vacation, I guess. Why else would I do that?

 

[disneynut14]

Do you scrapbook? You can make customized autograph books for your girls to bring with you. Then you get the autograph and snap the picture and voila! Just slip those pictures in when you get home. Or you can start your photo album before you go. Make pages for each land or attraction or restaurant. That totally gets me psyched.

 

[calgarygary]

CANCEL EVERYTHING! Start over again. The pressure of trying to replicate your original plans will make time fly by.

 

[SnwflkCts]

I am participating in the "driving your spouse crazy by talking about WDW" club.

Also, we watch Disney Videos (still some I haven't seen yet!) and watch what I have taped from the Travel Channel.

I like to read the Hidden Mickey Book and other trivia books and also the various travel type books (Unofficial Guide, EZ Fun Guide to WDW). You can get more current copies used at online stores or sometimes some older copies at Used Book Stores. They don't have to be so up to date if you just want something to look thru.

And of course like everyone else mentioned ... READ THE DIS BOARDS ENDLESSLY.

... I also do the outfit thing and I do the what shoes will I wear to the restaurant thing ... cause we are usually done walking by then ....

 

[Marc A.]

CANCEL EVERYTHING! Start over again. The pressure of trying to replicate your original plans will make time fly by.

Talk about STRESS, are you trying to kill me with that suggestion?????
I am not that much of a gambler but I did laugh out loud in my office.

 

[MissionMouse]

Well if you are up to it and since you are going to the MNSSHP you could start working on costumes, if you want to make unique costumes...thats if you are even planning on even wearing any.