We're ALL mad here

[Stefien Quix]

I don't think you're crazy at all. A big part of my fun is planning the trip, the changing the plans I make dining reservations and our fastpasses but we try to plan loosely so we can just go wherever the mood takes us. I really enjoy finding all of the great websites and tools available. Right now were 1145 days until the next trip (unless I can sneak another one in!)


I do the same thing!!! I do love my spreadsheets!

I only wish I'd found all the tools (and sites like these earlier)! I think I thought I knew what was going on, but I never expected to find such sophisticated tools available, especially like the ones TouringPlans has (even though I know not everyone trusts them). But just being able to plot out your rides, meals, and stay so completely, even if you discard it completely at the day of the park, can really help just by making you be realistic about just how much you should expect to be able to accomplish/spend/see.

 

[TabGray]

I don't think you're crazy at all. A big part of my fun is planning the trip, the changing the plans I make dining reservations and our fastpasses but we try to plan loosely so we can just go wherever the mood takes us. I really enjoy finding all of the great websites and tools available. Right now were 1145 days until the next trip (unless I can sneak another one in!)

I only wish I'd found all the tools (and sites like these earlier)! I think I thought I knew what was going on, but I never expected to find such sophisticated tools available, especially like the ones TouringPlans has (even though I know not everyone trusts them). But just being able to plot out your rides, meals, and stay so completely, even if you discard it completely at the day of the park, can really help just by making you be realistic about just how much you should expect to be able to accomplish/spend/see.

I agree. I really liked using TouringPlans. I subscribed for both of my trips so far. Being able to play with the itineraries gave me a good idea what to expect and we were able to be more flexible in the parks while making sure we did the things we really wanted to do.

 

[disneyseniors]

Especially when you start a thread saying we’re all mad ...um no speak for yourself.

Contentious anyone?

 

[georgina]

I've already got our world trips earmarked (I've mentioned I'm a planner right??) but imo, those are a different kind of experience. Casual exploration and discovery. Which, like you've described, you really can't do in Disney. Certainly not in a few days, with those crowds or at the prices they charge and not feel like you got ripped off. :-/

Funny, my oldest DD is a great planner. She had us doing so many castles and museums in Budapest and Vienna, we were constantly on the go. Our Disney trips are much more laid back, I've never been on the Touring Plans website, just gleaned info here. An even more relaxing vacation is Universal, almost no planning needed!

 

[Stefien Quix]

Funny, my oldest DD is a great planner. She had us doing so many castles and museums in Budapest and Vienna, we were constantly on the go. Our Disney trips are much more laid back, I've never been on the Touring Plans website, just gleaned info here. An even more relaxing vacation is Universal, almost no planning needed!

Everyone's different!

 

[Dancind]

Nope, those crazy, planning every move, days are long behind us and I can tell you that, for us, our vacations have become 100 times better and more importantly, relaxing. When we get back home we do not need a vacation from our vacation I'm sorry but there is no ADR or FP that I would stress over and plan on getting up early or stay up late just so I can get it. I see posters stressing over an ADR because they wanted it at 08:00 and could only get 08:30 The bottom line is that my DW is soooo much happier that we are no longer doing park touring plans with my spreadsheet.

This is where we were after about 4 trips, and then we bought DVC and annual passes. A last minute trip that year was pretty laid back with no plans at all. DH said it was his favorite trip so I stopped the planning. That evolved into getting up at our leisure, going to a park and getting a Fast Pass, piddling around until time for that, then probably heading back to the resort until dinner. No standing in lines allowed. DH's idea of a fun time. So DD and I are leaving him home next time we go. We love him but have decided he just doesn't love Disney.

Of course, when we went to Europe for a visit to Florence and a Med cruise a couple years ago, I had to plan every little detail. Drove me nuts trying to decide on everything but he wouldn't do anything. It was a good trip, but if we do it again I give up.

 

[buzznina]

This is where we were after about 4 trips, and then we bought DVC and annual passes. A last minute trip that year was pretty laid back with no plans at all. DH said it was his favorite trip so I stopped the planning. That evolved into getting up at our leisure, going to a park and getting a Fast Pass, piddling around until time for that, then probably heading back to the resort until dinner. No standing in lines allowed. DH's idea of a fun time. So DD and I are leaving him home next time we go. We love him but have decided he just doesn't love Disney.

Of course, when we went to Europe for a visit to Florence and a Med cruise a couple years ago, I had to plan every little detail. Drove me nuts trying to decide on everything but he wouldn't do anything. It was a good trip, but if we do it again I give up.

We changed once we had our 1st DD when she was 6 months old, so we had to slow down I will admit that the 1st park day was a bit hard to get use to but after realizing there was a lot of places at the parks that we just rushed by and missed and not getting up early after a late night made such a BIG difference. We have not gone as drastic as you guys, we still will plan the days/parks so we definitely get our 3 FPs and we have no issue standing in lines that are 60 minutes or less, thats what "Heads Up" is for. But we no longer try to get everything done and since we all like the parks so much better at night, we rather close the park and sleep in a bit and not do RD.

 

[North of Mouse]

Anyone else's significant other ready to have you committed because you're in planning overdrive?

I've found that between sites like this one, TouringPlans plan calculators, the ability to book my ADR's 180 days in advance, my FP+ 60 days in advance, I've been in Planning Mode for the better part of this year. Tweaking, adjusting, adding, removing, re-adding.

My wife is tolerant, but I think she may be ready to be done with our trip before we've even started because I can't stop examining the trip from every angle!

You're wife is actually more tolerant than I would be!! Would drive me to the point I wouldn't want to go on ANY trips!

Going on vacations should be stress free, and yes, it can be done, even to Disney, as we've done for many years!

Whatever floats your boat though. If I did that, I could not enjoy the time there, or be relaxed when I got home. I know some type A personalities that are just like that and tire me out when we're with them.

 

[Stefien Quix]

You're wife is actually more tolerant than I would be!! Would drive me to the point I wouldn't want to go on ANY trips!

Going on vacations should be stress free, and yes, it can be done, even to Disney, as we've done for many years!

Whatever floats your boat though. If I did that, I could not enjoy the time there, or be relaxed when I got home. I know some type A personalities that are just like that and tire me out when we're with them.

Well it's not stressful for me or my wife so I don't really see the issue. If it were I wouldn't do it.

 

[Jennasis]

As I mentioned upthread, now that we own DVC our trips are VERY spur of the moment when we are there. Of course we make our reservations either 11/7 months out, but on our last TWO trips we either walked up to or made same day reservations at every place we wanted to eat. Not a single advanced ADR. And knowing we will be back in a few months has made the freak out over having to make FP reservations a thing of the past. I DETEST the fact you can make FP+ reservations in advance. HATE IT.

 

[North of Mouse]

Well it's not stressful for me or my wife so I don't really see the issue. If it were I wouldn't do it.

May the force be with you then!!
Just thought from your OP that your wife was going crazy with it!!! But, if you're both onboard------

 

[Stefien Quix]

May the force be with you then!!
Just thought from your OP that your wife was going crazy with it!!! But, if you're both onboard------

No, no. She just thinks I'm ridiculous. LOL

 

[Stefien Quix]

As I mentioned upthread, now that we own DVC our trips are VERY spur of the moment when we are there. Of course we make our reservations either 11/7 months out, but on our last TWO trips we either walked up to or made same day reservations at every place we wanted to eat. Not a single advanced ADR. And knowing we will be back in a few months has made the freak out over having to make FP reservations a thing of the past. I DETEST the fact you can make FP+ reservations in advance. HATE IT.

I'm not a fan myself to be honest. It was much nicer when we went and had to walk up to X ride and request a FP for a later time. Felt civilized.

But it did mean doing things like we're doing now a lot trickier. Trying to get a bunch of "must-sees" in a short period of time

 

[Jennasis]

I'm not a fan myself to be honest. It was much nicer when we went and had to walk up to X ride and request a FP for a later time. Felt civilized.

But it did mean doing things like we're doing now a lot trickier. Trying to get a bunch of "must-sees" in a short period of time

Ya just gotta buy DVC...then it takes the pressure off those "must-sees"...you can catch 'em next time!

 

[Stefien Quix]

We changed once we had our 1st DD when she was 6 months old, so we had to slow down I will admit that the 1st park day was a bit hard to get use to but after realizing there was a lot of places at the parks that we just rushed by and missed and not getting up early after a late night made such a BIG difference. We have not gone as drastic as you guys, we still will plan the days/parks so we definitely get our 3 FPs and we have no issue standing in lines that are 60 minutes or less, thats what "Heads Up" is for. But we no longer try to get everything done and since we all like the parks so much better at night, we rather close the park and sleep in a bit and not do RD.

What's "Heads Up"?

 

[Jennasis]

What's "Heads Up"?

It's a game app for your phone...like Charades. Download it on your phone. It's a lot of fun but honestly only to those playing. It's kind of annoying to the people around you.

 

[EveDallas]

I hate lines, crowds, and most rides, so planning Disney is a necessity for me otherwise I would end up miserable. The kids are why I go lol. I don’t plan any other trip excessively, but for me, planning Disney is necessary. I think we are going to Universal in December, so that’s a whole other unfamiliar situation where I’ll have to obsessively research.

Are you going to be staying in one of Universal's deluxe resorts?

 

[EveDallas]

Yeah, I was more referring to the latter. I've already got our world trips earmarked (I've mentioned I'm a planner right??) but imo, those are a different kind of experience. Casual exploration and discovery. Which, like you've described, you really can't do in Disney. Certainly not in a few days, with those crowds or at the prices they charge and not feel like you got ripped off. :-/

I'm thinking of looking outside of the Disney brand myself. My BIL is a big fan of the Great Wolf Lodge.

If you want a theme park vacation with no planning, go to Universal and stay in one of their deluxe hotels. The Express pass is unlike anything Disney offers. It blows Fastpass right out of the water. You can go to any ride, be on in minutes, and re-ride as much as you want. Want to sleep in? Go for it! Want to dine somewhere at the last minute? Very few places need reservations. Our first trip was in 2015, and we never looked back.

 

[scoutie]

Are you going to be staying in one of Universal's deluxe resorts?

We aren’t staying on property (going with extended family), and from what I have already read this is mistake number one lol.