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[married2mm]

I don't mind planning as much as I mind WDW making changes too close to my trip for me to make changes.

Wdw are certainly little tinkers!

 

[monica9]

Planning gives me a high. I absolutely stress and obsess over every detail and love ever minute of it. My itinerary is written and re written on line paper, excel and the final drafts are on note cards.
Then we get there and besides our adrs and some fp, the rest goes out the door.

 

[married2mm]

Planning gives me a high. I absolutely stress and obsess over every detail and love ever minute of it. My itinerary is written and re written on line paper, excel and the final drafts are on note cards.
Then we get there and besides our adrs and some fp, the rest goes out the door.

I love it-I totally get the euphoria

 

[bryanb]

I think many on here people spend more time planning their Disney vacation than actually on their Disney vacation! Meaning they might take more time reading various restaurant reviews than eating at the restaurant. Or more time researching a particular attraction than actually enjoying that attraction. Or more time studying a fireworks show than actually watching it.

But they do say that most of the pleasure of travel comes from the anticipation. Once a trip is over, people are usually back to their usual happiness/stress levels within a few days. But the lead up is what gets people excited. So I guess uber planning is another way to get more value!

 

[Christinecinti]

Count me in with the planning addicts, lol... I love it, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with Excel spreadsheets and various scenarios typed out to see which is best. Should I admit that I even make up a Word table that is 1 day at a time broken up & color coded by park, FP, dining, times to leave hotel by, etc.... and that I laminate and whole punch to take with us on a ring each day for when we need a quick visual without pulling up the app on our phones? Too much? Maybe, but it's fun for me

We used to always just be spontaneous, which was fine and we enjoyed it... (we also used to roll into the parks around 10 or 11 o'clock when DD was very little.) I say whatever works for everyone is great, but for us I now see how very much MORE we can do if we go at rope drop and have a clear idea of what we want to do. Sure I miss the spontaneity sometimes, but I def feel like we manage the crowds way better now that we've "learned the ropes". It also in some ways allows us to be more laid back during our day after we get the early rope drop out of the way, then a lot of our day can be more soaking in the atmosphere, relaxing with a snack, doing our FP rides etc since we don't have to just race from line to line. Plus I've always been a "list making addict" so all the planning is just anticipation for me!

 

[married2mm]

Count me in with the planning addicts, lol... I love it, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with Excel spreadsheets and various scenarios typed out to see which is best. Should I admit that I even make up a Word table that is 1 day at a time broken up & color coded by park, FP, dining, times to leave hotel by, etc.... and that I laminate and whole punch to take with us on a ring each day for when we need a quick visual without pulling up the app on our phones? Too much? Maybe, but it's fun for me

We used to always just be spontaneous, which was fine and we enjoyed it... (we also used to roll into the parks around 10 or 11 o'clock when DD was very little.) I say whatever works for everyone is great, but for us I now see how very much MORE we can do if we go at rope drop and have a clear idea of what we want to do. Sure I miss the spontaneity sometimes, but I def feel like we manage the crowds way better now that we've "learned the ropes". It also in some ways allows us to be more laid back during our day after we get the early rope drop out of the way, then a lot of our day can be more soaking in the atmosphere, relaxing with a snack, doing our FP rides etc since we don't have to just race from line to line. Plus I've always been a "list making addict" so all the planning is just anticipation for me!

"List making addict "- count me in

 

[Amunet]

It's the only way to do Disney IMO. No plans - I leave that stuff for "real life"

You know, it just struck me that that is how I feel about life ... just flying by the seat of my pants. Planning for Disney let's me at least have some control (keeping in mind that no plan will ever be perfect and most plans fly out the window while there anyways).

Planning gives me a high. I absolutely stress and obsess over every detail and love ever minute of it. My itinerary is written and re written on line paper, excel and the final drafts are on note cards.
Then we get there and besides our adrs and some fp, the rest goes out the door.

I relate. I do not have the abundant lists unless it involves overseas travel (by air or ship). Our plans are also highly flexible when we get there lol

 

[P800aul]

I'm not the only one with Excel spreadsheets

I even print it out in full colour A3 (big) and tape it to the refrigerator door in the apartment so every member of the family knows whats happening .. saves the "What shall we do today?" Discussion (read heated debate)

Regards

Paul

 

[monica9]

Count me in with the planning addicts, lol... I love it, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with Excel spreadsheets and various scenarios typed out to see which is best. Should I admit that I even make up a Word table that is 1 day at a time broken up & color coded by park, FP, dining, times to leave hotel by, etc.... and that I laminate and whole punch to take with us on a ring each day for when we need a quick visual without pulling up the app on our phones? Too much? Maybe, but it's fun for me

We used to always just be spontaneous, which was fine and we enjoyed it... (we also used to roll into the parks around 10 or 11 o'clock when DD was very little.) I say whatever works for everyone is great, but for us I now see how very much MORE we can do if we go at rope drop and have a clear idea of what we want to do. Sure I miss the spontaneity sometimes, but I def feel like we manage the crowds way better now that we've "learned the ropes". It also in some ways allows us to be more laid back during our day after we get the early rope drop out of the way, then a lot of our day can be more soaking in the atmosphere, relaxing with a snack, doing our FP rides etc since we don't have to just race from line to line. Plus I've always been a "list making addict" so all the planning is just anticipation for me!

My notecards are separated by the day and I will tastefully put a couple stickers corresponding to the park we are going to that day. Example, Epcot will get figment or Nemo sticker and writing will be in blue, animal kingdom will get lion king stickers and writing in green or brown, magic kingdom gets princesses or original characters and be in red and Hollywood Studios gets Star Wars stickers. Disgusting, I know. My husband just rolls his eyes but I won’t let him fool me because when he finally gets around to looking at them for the first time on the plane ride, I just made his life much easier so he can bypass the questions of where are we going, what are we doing and what time are we doing things.

 

[monica9]

My notecards are separated by the day and I will tastefully put a couple stickers corresponding to the park we are going to that day. Example, Epcot will get figment or Nemo sticker and writing will be in blue, animal kingdom will get lion king stickers and writing in green or brown, magic kingdom gets princesses or original characters and be in red and Hollywood Studios gets Star Wars stickers. Disgusting, I know. My husband just rolls his eyes but I won’t let him fool me because when he finally gets around to looking at them for the first time on the plane ride, I just made his life much easier so he can bypass the questions of where are we going, what are we doing and what time are we doing things.

But then all he wants to do is change things and steam blows out of my ears because for the past 6 months I’ve been asking him if he has preferences and he says “no, whatever you want to do”. Lol. Every trip he tries to change things the day before we go

 

[Ouida]

Same boat. I print out all my plans and declare it done, just to see FPs opened up for FoP and now we can get on in the morning. Not so easy to change around. Then ok I'm done! Well until I see HS has added a new Christmas show (sunset seasons greetings), ok gotta make sure we are around there after dark. It just goes on and on. Cant wait for disney to release new magic hours. Lol. I can only hope all my work pays off and we have a magical time...........? Last three trips, no planning at all, and we sat in line, and walked in circles til our feet hurt, then I found this fourm. Thanks to everyone, who replies to question after question.

 

[monorailrabbit]

I LOVE planning - like I wish it could be my job - but -it is maddening when I have a plan and then have to change them, sometimes last minute, and sometimes I can't change at all. For example when I have a PPO ADR that I had to get up at 5 AM to snag and then park hours change and it's no longer pre opening, but right in the middle of the glorious first hour where we usually get a ton done. That's frustrating and the struggle is indeed real! We are doing a coast to coast trip and I make little cards with Disney character watermarks with FP, ADR, and character times on them. The difference in how congested my WDW cards are vs. DLR cards is staggering! However, like someone posted, planning is how I get myself pumped up, so overall, I do love it!

 

[monica9]

Same boat. I print out all my plans and declare it done, just to see FPs opened up for FoP and now we can get on in the morning. Not so easy to change around. Then ok I'm done! Well until I see HS has added a new Christmas show (sunset seasons greetings), ok gotta make sure we are around there after dark. It just goes on and on. Cant wait for disney to release new magic hours. Lol. I can only hope all my work pays off and we have a magical time...........? Last three trips, no planning at all, and we sat in line, and walked in circles til our feet hurt, then I found this fourm. Thanks to everyone, who replies to question after question.

Yes, the planning makes the trip so much easier.

 

[married2mm]

Yes, the planning makes the trip so much easier.

Ain't that a fact.

However; as with a pp- we used to have no plans at all & still had wonderful vacations.

The trippin before the trip is the real deal!!

 

[JABRacingOne]

I posted this last night.

I have to share this story that happened to me tonight. I am heading down to WDW in a few weeks with DD 16, DD11, DD10. 5 days. 3 Days at Disney, 2 Days at Universal. Due to a number of factors I won't get into we need to do AK on the first day of our vacation. At my 60 day mark the FP for FOP were gone at day 63 - 64. I was able to get reservations for HEA Desert, FEA Desert and EMM. I got all the other FP at the times we wanted them. I was content and figured we could rope drop FOP on a EMH day. That was until I read about the "refresh" thing on the boards. I figured what could it hurt. For the last week, if I am at a computer I have a MDE tab open checking on FOP. Tonight was no exception. My wife had a long day and was taking a nap. The girls had their homework done and were enjoying some leisure time. I had dinner in the oven and was in the office "refreshing." The oven timer went off. I hit refresh and headed into the kitchen. I got the girls there dinner and headed back to the office. To my great surprise there was a 5:15 FP for FOP. I started to jump up and down. YES. YES. YES. I clicked the 5:15 button. I took me back to the sign in screen. It had timed out. Elation to devastation in 3 seconds flat. I think I have lost my mind.

Yes I would have to agree with you.

 

[married2mm]

I posted this last night.



Yes I would have to agree with you.

It's akin to winning first prize & then you're stripped of your title....it's just too much!!

 

[JABRacingOne]

It's akin to winning first prize & then you're stripped of your title....it's just too much!!

You seem to know right where I was at