Who enjoys the Planning of your Vacation?

[eva]

Definitely! I am the ultimate planner. And I hate to say that I can be very anal about it too, if I am not careful. Right now I am planning a trip to WDW at SSR for next month, my daughters wedding in July, an ABD trip to Italy in September, and a major family trip to AKV in May of 2009. And I am working on DH for a 7-day cruise for the fall of 2009. Will the madness ever end? I sure hope not!

 

[PinkTink63]

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?

I get this told to me all the time too! Everyone asks me about travel deals. To tell you the truth, I would love to do it and especially specialize in Disney!

 

[DisneyRN51207]

We book and plan every detail of our trips. December 2007 we were planning on taking a friend with us so we planned with the least number of days in the park to save him money (we have AP's). Booked all of our dining and had a hard-fast plan. That morning about 15 minutes before we were going to leave his friend called and cancelled, he had a family emergency. We got there and blew our plans out of the water. Kept our ADR's but got two extra park days, had sooooo much time to just wander around and come up with ideas for future trips. It was great. I think planning is our way of dreaming and being on vacation when we're still in SC. We both work off-hours jobs and have a lot of free time. Our friends and families joke that they've never been on a more structured vacation...... little do they know! We're the kind of people that will have the best laid plans for dining, staying, etc. We keep calling DVC looking for new resorts to try, as we read up on new dining experiences, we change our dining. Nothing is permanent until we're actually doing it!

 

[Dreamfinder2]

DW once said that, for me, "Planning is like foreplay." I thought that was kinda crude, but I got the point.

I don't have an OC bone in my body except when it comes to vacation planning in general, and WDW/DVC planning in particular. But, I do pride myself in being flexible, if plans change because of weather, or an attraction down for a bit. I don't have any trouble planning meals months out. For me, it elevates what is going to be a great vacation anyway to something sublime. And the rest of the family is only too happy to let me have at it (altho DD seems to have inherited that gene, especially when putting together her wardrobe - it's that fashion merchandising major she's working on at college that's warped her.)

 

[BroganMc]

Are we all travel agents at heart?

I've been called my family's travel agent. It is so much fun to plan the exotic trips.

Funny thing happened tonight. Talked to my brother and he was all a buzz about his neighbor's recent trip to Disney. The neighbor went with his sibling's family and enjoyed the thrill of confusion mania. My brother goes on and on about how "we've" learned to tour Disney as a group. Get together for a few big meals, pick several meet places every few hours, reform into different groups, have cell phones, and don't sweat missing meets or attempt to go everywhere together. And most of all, have some sort of plan for the day, no matter how minor, so at least late starters and roamers have some idea where to find others.

My brother goes on and on about how "we've" learned the expert way to do Disney, and how much he's looking forward to "our upcoming group trip".

Took me a second to realize, my brother's raving was all about how I sweat the details for months in advance. Talking to people, making mental notes about what they like and dislike. Even all the little trip itineraries I print up, road reservations I make, and driving maps I put together. And that "upcoming group trip" was the invite I sent out last week to my sibs offering to take them to SSR on our points. An invite no one has officially acknowledged but I learn indirectly have already accepted.

Must be the little sister syndrome. No matter how many good ideas I might have, my brothers will always claim them as theirs.

I'm actually looking forward to having them down for a group trip next year. I've learned so much about Orlando since our last trip. Gotta decide which secrets to give them.

 

[mackeyapp]

Hi All

Planning is half of the fun. We have Vero and AKL in June planned (surprise for 2DS) and Christmas is all booked as well. DH always jokes with me about going through planning withdrawal. I guess he isn't too far off!!

Joan


Rob-I guess we will be crossing paths when we do the chair swap. We arrive on the 25th and leave on the 28th.

 

[jpolak]

Although I stress over the details, I really enjoy the palnning. Our next WDW trip isn't until Feb. 09 and already I have ideas racing through my head. We have friends who are going in July, and Sept. so helping them plan helps with the withdrawl.

 

[DeeCee735]

Planning keeps me sane. There it is the absolute truth in one sentence. Not only do I really really enjoy planning my own vacations, but when a friend or family member calls on me for my two cents about what to do or where to go, I'm in my glory. I'm in the midst of planning three already booked vacations, and have next April's not yet booked vacation dancing around in the back of my head.

Planning keeps me sane OOOPS, did I already say that?

 

[nikkistevej]

Although I stress over the details, I really enjoy the palnning. Our next WDW trip isn't until Feb. 09 and already I have ideas racing through my head. We have friends who are going in July, and Sept. so helping them plan helps with the withdrawl.

I agree helping others plan their trips helps me deal with the withdrawl!!

 

[dismorgh]

We love planning our trips as well. We look at it as an extension of the trip itself. We did ADRs at 180 days for our July trip. We did plan a short notice (ressie less than 6 weeks ago) trip for our anniversary next week! We are leaving Sunday, and have all our ADRs that we wanted, including California Grill on Tuesday for Wishes! We booked that less than a month ago, so we feel real fortunate to be there for our anniversary dinner!

We have a Passporter that has become invaluable, and will go with us everywhere!

 

[Inkmahm]

Yes, I'm the family travel planner. I love it! I get teased all the time about my travel spreadsheets. I have one for each trip with all the necessary details.

I'm not happy unless I have at least 5 or 6 trips of some kind in the planning process at the same time. Right now I have this month's WDW trip (we leave Sat!), April in WDW, May in Disneyland Paris, October for F&W, and December for early Christmas at WDW. Add to those the family fishing trip in summer, an Alaskan cruise/tour, several other small trips during the summer, etc. and I'm a happy camper right now.

The only trip throwing me for a loop is the one to Disneyland Paris. It's after a business trip for me so I'm going there for the first time and I'm fairly lost. Nothing seems to be run the same as WDW! I'm learning from scratch how the French do it.

 

[beezerdave]

I have to agree with everyone else. We LOVE planning our Disney vacations. My DW and I talk about it every time we go for a walk or sit in the hot tub. We like to hash out where we want to eat, what parks to hit what days, any special stuff. We have the countdown clock on our computers so we know how many days. We love hitting the 'double digits' and more importantly the 'single digits'! We'll also talk at length about what our trips will be in the year or two to come after this years trip(s). Label us Disney Geeks!

 

[bandjbaine]

Love the planning as well. Though, I have to say, if we get there and do nothing that I planned, I wouldn't be upset. I truly enjoy the fun of planning any trip- not to mention one to Disney!!!

I also get a thrill helping others with their vacations!!!

Like the previous posters mentioned- I think it's a way to get away "on vacation" while your sitting at your desk- a much needed escape!

 

[llmurphy17]

love, love, love, to plan disney vacations

Currently planning 4 trips July 08, Oct 08, July 09, and Oct 09

July 08 and Oct 08 still have a few more details to set, Oct 09 70% complete and still have to plan all of July 09..... fun, fun, fun,

I find that planning disney world trips is very calming

 

[funatdisney]

I love to plan our trips. I drive DH crazy over them. He is not a Disney fan, but somehow enjoys these trips. Says it's because I plan the trips so well. I know otherwise. The planning keeps the excitement alive and there is so much to do before we go. I think that is why DVC works so well for us. I fit the profile of a good DVC member.

 

[buckysgirl]

I love to plan my disney vacations just to extend the"magic" throughout the year. We have a two week Jan 2009 vacation all ready booked and I have changed my mind at least 100 times already as to where we are going to eat, what we are going to do, whether we should change resorts or stay put. It is so much fun. We are also planning October 2009 with my nephew who will be 3 at the time. It has been a long time since we've travelled to WDW with a small child that we are just thrilled talking and planning what we are going to show him and how he will react to the characters the rides etc. Being new DVC owners has just made planning that more magical.

 

[PIERCEDRN]

I despise planning down to the depths of my soul and I only go on the disboards 10 times a day because I am a masochist.
Bob