Jessica Meier
Well-Known Member
I am in full planning mode! Anyone want to share their planning secrets and/or spreadsheets with me?
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Anyone want to share their planning spreadsheets with me???
- Thread starter Jessica Meier
- Start date
flynnibus
Premium Member
I start with the park hours for the days I'm there... noting EMH.
Then try to plan 'must do' foods and layer that park location.. that's kind of intertwined
Then try to add in 'must do' entertainment.. park and out of park (say.. fireworks.. or a water park..etc).
From there.. should have a skeleton of which parks to hit which days.. have an idea of when/if to park hop.. and then leave the rest free. From there, I look at what food options are available for where we have gaps, but don't lock anything in. Just know what my options are so we know what to steer towards or what to avoid when decision time comes.
I usually plan my first visit to each park.. and by the end of the trip I flex to what the family wants to repeat. So night before, take a look at the chart, and then decide where to go the next day.
Some like to create a 'must do' list just to keep as a reminder so you can scratch things off as you go so you don't forget them.
Then try to plan 'must do' foods and layer that park location.. that's kind of intertwined
Then try to add in 'must do' entertainment.. park and out of park (say.. fireworks.. or a water park..etc).
From there.. should have a skeleton of which parks to hit which days.. have an idea of when/if to park hop.. and then leave the rest free. From there, I look at what food options are available for where we have gaps, but don't lock anything in. Just know what my options are so we know what to steer towards or what to avoid when decision time comes.
I usually plan my first visit to each park.. and by the end of the trip I flex to what the family wants to repeat. So night before, take a look at the chart, and then decide where to go the next day.
Some like to create a 'must do' list just to keep as a reminder so you can scratch things off as you go so you don't forget them.
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Pooh'sBuddy
Well-Known Member
^This and add ADRs, if you have any. Don't forget a good packing list! I think mousesavers.com has a good one - search "ultimate packing list."
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Big Red you and my husband would get along. Alas, I would have a coronary. I may not use one iota of my plans once we get there but it makes me feel good to do it ahead of time!
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Figgy1
Well-Known Member
I start a year out and choose my lodging. We do 10 park days 1 or 2 days "off" and day of arrival is afer 5pm so we plan absolutly NOTHING except hitting the local store for supplies! Packing and organizing begins now, redo packing list from last time to see how it worked, and putting certain items aside and ordering pins from Ebay to trade! About 200 days out my family gets it's restauant list in order. 195 days or so we get the calendars for park hours and plan a park going schedule. 180 days at EXACTLY 7am eastern time I'm on the phone with Disney dining (no I'm not kidding but I eat when & where we want). Now I'm semi organized know what and when to pack and sit back impatiently on this sight getting ready to leave in June. lol
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Love it! I have my packing list started based on our last trip. Debating about whether we should just order supplies or stop by Target or Walmart on the way there since we are driving. Now just waiting for hours to be posted for September. They are up to August!
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LuLaSue
Well-Known Member
I map everything out on spreadsheets. I am able to track TS and list all of my ressie numbers park hours, emh, all that good stuff. About a week before we leave I condense it all onto index cards. A color for each day. I have pocket sized organization. I know, I know...I can put it all on my phone but, NO, that doesn't work for me. I am challenged in certain areas.
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DisneyDebNJ
Well-Known Member
I may be lame in my planning strategies, but I base each day of my vacation by my ADRs. By visiting these boards on WDWMAGIC every day (yes ... I come here EVERY day, even before checking facebook LOL) I know what are must dos at every park. I make mental notes, and even while I'm at Disney, I check the boards here, to see what I need to experience. It may sound hokey but in all honesty, I always seem to hit attractions/experiences every year that are memorable! Best of luck!
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disneygirl76
Carey Poppins - Nanny and Disney Enthusiest
I will. I have my own spread sheet and check lists. I am in the processing of writing a Disney book and putting them on my blog but until then, I can email them to you.
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bmarkelon
Well-Known Member
We have ordered from Garden Grocer our last 3 trips and plan to do it for the next one too. I like to drive from the airport straight to our resort. Plus, if I don't like to take the kids with me to the grocery store while at home, I certainly don't want to take them there while on vacation! The service is absolutely fabulous!
As far as our trip planning. We usually book our resort about 8 months or so ahead. I spend the next couple months checking Touringplans for crowd estimates to pick our parks for each day. Then I place where I'd like our ADRs to go. So that I am all prepared to make that dining call at the 180 mark. Our itinerary is basically which park we will be in and which ADRs we have scheduled each day. We have checklists in our heads of what we want to get done in the parks but nothing set to a schedule. We plot that stuff out while we are in the parks.
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