With so many of us who have smart phones...

[JaimeA]

We certainly do!

I LOVE my phone & do pretty much everything on it, but when it comes to being in the parks, I rather have paper in hand. I'd be worried about my phone dying, having to charge it, if its raining I wouldn't want it to get wet etc .... too many scenarios where if anything went wrong with my phone and all my necessary touring info were in it (FP+ times, ADR's, park times etc) I might lose my mind!

I do, however, take a pic of my spreadsheet and keep that in my phone!

Me too!! have never made a binder, only ever used a spreadsheet doc that I then print out. I email it to everyone in my group so they can have the info also. I do everything on my phone but do print it out and put in my pocket for quick reference. There is also a copy placed on the table in the room so everyone is aware. I do everything electronically. I do screenshot my FP+ times so that is easier to see without going to the app also.

 

[mickey1968]

I do both. For this trip I did everything in a Numbers document. Worked on it forints only to have it be inaccessible when I got here. The numbers app saved my doc as a zip file which I could not open on my ipad.

 

[Julylady]

Wow! Flash from the past. I used to do a binder maybe 15 years ago. Now I create an electronic "folder" for each trip. I save car rental reservations, hotel confirmations, travel insurance docs, flight confirmations, ect. to that folder sometimes scanning in the document as a pdf. About two months prior to the trip (exactly 60 days due to FF plus), I create a spreadsheet. I have column headings for Transportation, Meals, Hotels, Parks/Activities, Park hours. Each day is a row. I fill out the spreadsheet for each day. All the reservation numbers are on the spreadsheet. I added another column last time for "Fast Pass."

I print out a copy of the spreadsheet for everyone in my group. I have been known to shrink and laminate them (the teens LOVE to tease me about this! I also print a hard copy of every thing in the folder and put it in my carry on luggage "just in case."

This system works really well for us!

 

[KeroKero]

I can't imagine walking around all day with a binder, no matter what the size of it

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I can't imagine walking around all day with a binder, no matter what the size of it

Just so you don't think I'm totally crazy (too late!) my "binder" is a $1 plastic 4x6 photo album from Wal-Mart. I have a template I use to fill in the relevant information for each day, and then print each page on an index card, which I put into the photo album. It's small and weighs just slightly more than my phone.

I can't imagine carrying a true binder into the park.

 

[orum]

We certainly do!

I LOVE my phone & do pretty much everything on it, but when it comes to being in the parks, I rather have paper in hand. I'd be worried about my phone dying, having to charge it, if its raining I wouldn't want it to get wet etc .... too many scenarios where if anything went wrong with my phone and all my necessary touring info were in it (FP+ times, ADR's, park times etc) I might lose my mind!

I do, however, take a pic of my spreadsheet and keep that in my phone!

Instead of taking a picture, you can do what I do. I upload the word doc/spreadsheets to my OneDrive (www.onedrive.com) and then I can open the docs using Office on my phone (if I need to). I can also edit them if I have my laptop or just using the kiosk in the hotel. I usually have them printed in a plastic folder, but I don't carry it around. It is usually in the car.

Dan

NOTE - my company makes OneDrive (and Office), so I may be biased.

 

[NavyDotz]

I have a love-hate relationship with my phone, but nothing but love for my binder. My binder isn't going to crash, or run its battery down, or make me stop to recharge it, or have apps that don't work right, or lose a signal. I also use a small binder (4x6) so it's really not much bigger or bulkier than my phone. I will never, ever give up my binder, so help me God.

DITTO

 

[Missymouse18]

oh I LOVE writing it all down and keeping track of it all. From dining to what to pack, to park hours/emh. I write it and I compare from one year to the next.

 

[KeroKero]

Just so you don't think I'm totally crazy (too late!) my "binder" is a $1 plastic 4x6 photo album from Wal-Mart. I have a template I use to fill in the relevant information for each day, and then print each page on an index card, which I put into the photo album. It's small and weighs just slightly more than my phone.

I can't imagine carrying a true binder into the park.

That's not so bad then. Very practical too. I cut everything to a little larger than credit card size and laminate it, which means I have about 4-5 "cards" with me at a time.

Instead of taking a picture, you can do what I do. I upload the word doc/spreadsheets to my OneDrive (www.onedrive.com) and then I can open the docs using Office on my phone (if I need to). I can also edit them if I have my laptop or just using the kiosk in the hotel. I usually have them printed in a plastic folder, but I don't carry it around. It is usually in the car.

The photo album "binder" is a great idea. Very practical too. I cut everything to a little larger than credit card size and laminate it, which means I have about 4-5 "cards" with me at a time.

OneDrive is a good idea too. I snapshot my file each night (if I make changes the night before via my tablet)

 

[Tomh]

I guess I am a bit of a hybrid planner lol.

I have a notebook, and it has some info, like phone numbers for credit card companies, the package we get from Disney with discount coupons etc., and printed out hard copies of hotel reservation confirmations (we drive down from NY and stop for a night on the way down, and the way back).

The rest of my info, touring plans, ADR's, my son's pressed penny list etc. is all on my smart phone. Google docs is a great idea though. Previously I've kept it all in spread sheets on the phone, but with the wife having a smart phone for the first time this year, AND DS10 having a tablet, we could put it all on google docs and they can both have access to it as well. I will have to work on that.

Learn something new here on the DIS every day!!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Just so you don't think I'm totally crazy (too late!) my "binder" is a $1 plastic 4x6 photo album from Wal-Mart. I have a template I use to fill in the relevant information for each day, and then print each page on an index card, which I put into the photo album. It's small and weighs just slightly more than my phone.

I can't imagine carrying a true binder into the park.

I do 3x5 notecards, print them, laminate them, and then punch a hole through one corner and put them on a ring that I can attach to my bag. Super easy, fits in my little purse/bag thing that I carry, and has all the information I need (including maps of the resort and of the "best" places to see fireworks from). I don't trust the Disney app very much as Disney IT is known to be quite horrible.

 

[luvmy2babies]

This will be the first trip with my Samsung Galaxy (which I really love) and I've been on the MDE app plenty, saving our plans, fast pass +, making notes and saving confirmation numbers in the app and my calendar. I have our flight information in my phone too, but I'm still a paper girl.

I have all of the above on paper. I also have our resort package information, my packing list, "to do" list, my list of orders (etsy and eBay) and a rough touring plan on paper. For reasons people have stated, saving the battery, backup in case there are app issues, etc. I still like to have the paper. It's small so it doesn't take up much room, but I wouldn't go without it.

 

[abmitch01]

I print out a few blank calendars. On one I write all the hours and crowd levels and early and late entries to the park. I eventually decide which park we're doing and add that. Then I have a calendar that I plan to put the fast passes on. then I have one with all my flight and confirmation numbers for everything. I write notes on this one. We're doing QS DP so I make notes of places we want to try.