Who enjoys the Planning of your Vacation?

[eporter66]

I would think that most DVC members are good planners. With the point system, use year, banking, borrowing etc...you do need to pay attention.

Since we have been going fairly regularly to WDW for a number of years, I find that I really enjoy planning the details of our trips. Once we have decided when our next trip will be, and the resort is booked, then the fun begins. Since we have been down so often, we know what we like, and the places we have not gotten to but want to try. There are still plenty of places we want to go. The one hard part is deciding between an old favorite restaurant, or trying something new.

Since we now have a daughter, I have kept my eye on that 180 day window. I always book the character breakfasts at that mark and have always gotten the place we wanted for our trips.

Another fun one is at the 7 month window - should we try a new resort?

Then the final plans of what parks on what days. What new things should we do that we have not done before. The only thing we really dont do is book our dinners. With a 4 year old, when she is hungry, we eat...end of story. So having a 6:00 reservation somewhere means nothing if she is hungry at 4:30. We have had good luck with the resort restaurants. Also - the food & wine festival - we can pick our way around EPCOT and do fine.

We just got back from OKW - and I am already psyched about figuring out our October vacation

 

[cncDisney4]

I absolutely love the planning of our trips to WDW. This year I am really excited cause I have four trips in the making. I leave in less than a week for a special trip with my sister and niece. I'll be back about 2 months and then leave for my anniversary trip with DH. I've already got those trips planned with the ADR's made.

In August I'm scrapbooking at the Yacht Club and then spending some days at Disney with friends ... then it's Christmas with my DH and DS's. Those trips are extra special cause our sons are older and have school and work to plan around. They usually only go every other year or so. I've still got ADR's to make for those trips!

Ah, like I said, this year is special and I'm enjoying the heck out of it with the planning and organizing.

 

[tomandrobin]

We love vacation planning! At any time we have 5 to 8 on going vacation plans being worked on. We have six trips planned and booked for this year. We have two trips booked and three to five more in developement for 2009. We even have a trip booked already for May of 2010!!

Love our vacations!!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I used to enjoy it more, before the kids got older and now I have to work around them...one is in college now, one is going next year, youngest has sports which go into the summer, and tryouts that start before the summer is over, so everyone is on a different schedule.

With all sorts of things going on recently, we forgot to bank our points so we've got an unexpected trip coming up...4 nights in 3 different rooms. I think we'll remember to bank our points in the future! On the other hand, we're secretly about the fact that we just HAVE TO go to WDW again, and without the kids!

In the last 11 years since our first trip, we've eaten, it seems, just about everywhere, or at least everywhere we're most interested in. But honestly, I think the meal plans have taken the fun out of planning, because the more we go, the less planning we want to do (meaning, we like winging it more when we're actually there) and that sometimes means we don't eat sitdowns, which actually has its good and bad points. The only meal we have planned for next month is LeCellier, which we've been trying to eat at for the last 3 trips, so we are excited about that.

DH is so not into trying new resorts...he LOVES BWV, and he LOVES Illuminations. I do too...both the BWV and Illuminations...but I have to talk him into doing Fantasmic, altho he's willing to do Wishes one night. That's one thing I kind of like about having to wait until we know the kids' schedules before we book a trip...getting "stuck" with a different resort to try it out, altho I'm not into resort-hopping on one trip!

We've had recent trips to Bermuda and the Grand Canyon/Las Vegas, and I was SO not into planning them! It was tough starting from scratch!

 

[PIERCEDRN]

If you get one person on the disboards who says they don't like planning a vacation I will be surprised. Like asking a frat house if they like beer.
Count me into the micromanaging...ahem... I mean planning crowd.
BOB

 

[magicaldisney]

LOVE LOVE LOVE the planning!!

 

[Susan C]

Tell me more about Scrapbooking at the YachtClub... I love to scrap almost as much as I love to vacation.

Susan

 

[RLRDA]

My DH used to be the fanatical planner now I think I've surpassed him! He is better with technology though and sets up the spread sheets, itineraries, etc. We plan where we are going each day and make ADRs based on that. Other than that we try to plan "down time" each day and/or take days off from the parks if we are there for a longer trip. As much as we plan, I think we do it so that when we get there, we don't have to worry or stress -- we aren't planning so that we pack more activities into the vacation, just the opposite, I think. It's definitely gotten less 'commando' for us as far as the parks go.

 

[justjudy]

I LOVE the planning!! In fact, I start planning our next trip towards the end of the trip that we're on -- it kind of helps with those "end of trip blues."

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Interesting topic for me... I am an aavid plannner. I love logistics and setting timelines, but... when it comes to DVC, I let my DW handle the planning. Don't know why... just is the way it worked out. We talk about possibilities and preferences, but my high comes with the anticipation of taking our next trip. Especially right now... when I am anticipating Vero Beach in June. I like to daydreaming about it......................

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Interesting topic for me... I am an aavid plannner. I love logistics and setting timelines, but... when it comes to DVC, I let my DW handle the planning. Don't know why... just is the way it worked out. We talk about possibilities and preferences, but my high comes with the anticipation of taking our next trip. Especially right now... when I am anticipating Vero Beach in June. I like to daydream about it......................

Yes, we know " Vero Beach" is your happy place!

 

[Susan C]

I LOVE the planning!! In fact, I start planning our next trip towards the end of the trip that we're on -- it kind of helps with those "end of trip blues."

I'm so bad about end of trip blues, I usually start planning the next trip before we are home... That's how come we bought into DVC while on a Disney Cruise!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Yes, we know " Vero Beach" is your happy place!

Ok... I guess I'm kind of predictable... friends are priceless....



Love ya......

 

[BroganMc]

We love vacation planning! At any time we have 5 to 8 on going vacation plans being worked on. We have six trips planned and booked for this year. We have two trips booked and three to five more in developement for 2009. We even have a trip booked already for May of 2010!!

Love our vacations!!

And my family thought I was bad for fielding the topic of a family vacation October 2009. ("We don't even know the kids' schedules yet. Heck, we don't know what we're doing tomorrow!")

I find I like the idea of planning than actually sitting down with the details these days. I'm more of a "get me there and I'll wing it" type of person at the moment. I hate doing something strictly according to a schedule. That's why my ADRs are all over the place for April. I know I need to come up with some sort of schedule or we'll do nothing. But I can't predict what sort of mood we'll be in or what the weather will be like 3-6 mos. in advance.

I will say, after 5+ years of traveling to Disney I can wing it easily. The plans sorta write themselves.

Now when I went to London last year (for the first time ever), I was stressed every night. There was so much to learn and so many things I couldn't know until I got there. It kept my travel planning skills honed.

 

[PinkTink63]

I do! I do! But they just don't come soon enough!

 

[rigsby25]

OMG! Sometimes I think the planning is better than the vacation! I'm sitting at my pc looking at all the snow and finalizing my April reservations, and making my October reservations. This year, my daughter is getting married at the Swan and Dolphin, so I am making reservations for the groom's family also. I can't believe I get to make arrangements that I don't have to pay for!!!! They are thankful, but this is so much fun. Are we all travel agents at heart?

 

[edk35]

I love planning our trips and when I feel we are so busy that I can't really get the planning done like I want.....it BUGS ME SO MUCH. I just love reading this board so much and especially the weeks/months leading up to our trips. When I am really busy and can't get on here like I want.....it makes me LOL

 

[ColoradoDisneyFan]

Not only do I love planning our trips, but I love planning for others (especially WDW vacations)! I always bring home extra park maps to give away to "newbies" and always direct them to the DIS. Now, I am helping plan a family's DCL vaca and another's first time trip to WDW! Hmmm, maybe I should plan another quick trip to WDW for us this year!

 

[eporter66]

Cool responses! Just the way DVC works seems to make you become a planner (in a good way).

Since we have hit all the rides and attractions, now we get excited about trying to book hotels we have not stayed at, and trying new restaurants.

 

[kimberh]

OMG! Sometimes I think the planning is better than the vacation! I'm sitting at my pc looking at all the snow and finalizing my April reservations, and making my October reservations. This year, my daughter is getting married at the Swan and Dolphin, so I am making reservations for the groom's family also. I can't believe I get to make arrangements that I don't have to pay for!!!! They are thankful, but this is so much fun. Are we all travel agents at heart?

I have been told by my friend that I should be a Travel Agent. The Ultimate would be a Disney Wedding! Have a great time! When is the event?