Birth Order and Trip Planning: A Poll

GenerationX

GenerationX

Well-Known Member
I'm curious as to whether the theories of birth order and personality traits hold with respect to WDW vacations. In short, Dr. Kevin Leman's Birth Order Book describes the characteristics of people in general as follows:
  • First Borns - Leaders, Rule Followers, Neurotics, Well-Organized People
  • Middle Children - Peacekeepers, Problem Solvers, Loyal, Well-Adjusted People
  • Babies of the Family - Extroverts, Attention-Seekers, Charming, Carefree People
Based on the list above, First Borns are most likely to be obsessive planners :o , Babies are most likely to enjoy wandering, and Middle Children are most likely to moderate their first born/last born partner.

So, how does your family plan/tour WDW?
 
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Pongo

Pongo

New Member
GenerationX said:
First Borns - Leaders, Rule Followers, Neurotics, Well-Organized People
Babies of the Family - Extroverts, Attention-Seekers, Charming, Carefree People
Click to expand...

That's weird. I'm the baby of the family and my sister is the first born. Based on those descriptions, it should be the other way around :lol:
 
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elle72688

elle72688

Member
GenerationX said:
  • First Borns - Leaders, Rule Followers, Neurotics, Well-Organized People
  • Middle Children - Peacekeepers, Problem Solvers, Loyal, Well-Adjusted People
  • Babies of the Family - Extroverts, Attention-Seekers, Charming, Carefree People
Click to expand...

This list holds true for everything except for travel planning. I'm the baby in a family of 4 (2 boys and 2 girls) and I plan, study, and second guess decisions for trips like crazy.
 
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CAPTAIN HOOK

CAPTAIN HOOK

Well-Known Member
My wife and I are both First Borns - I'm the "Leaders, Rule Followers, Neurotics, Well-Organized People". However, my wife compares to Middle Children - Peacekeepers, Problem Solvers, Loyal, Well-Adjusted People. So I suppose when it comes to Disney we're quite suited :)
 
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DiPSU224

DiPSU224

Member
Interesting!
I'm the first born which I guess explains why I keep a binder so neatly organized for our trips and I obsessively plan what we do everyday while there. :lol: I also make our dining arragements the first day possible.
 
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BeachClubVillas

BeachClubVillas

Well-Known Member
I'm the oldest child too, and I'd say I fit the descriptions of both the first born and the middle child. I'm a perfectionist, worry about every little detail and put tons of pressure on myself. On the other hand, I hate conflict, always try to avoid conflict, am extremely loyal, quiet and shy.

As far as the Disney trips, they were always obsessively planned by my dad, who is the youngest. He fits the mold of the first born. And my mom is the middle child, but tends to seek out conflict and thrive on it. She definitely fits the mold of the baby in the family.

This is really interesting though, and a great idea for a thread!
 
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Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
I'm the middle of 7 and definitely fit the mold. I'm always the one who plans not only the WDW trips, but any major family get-togethers. (Otherwise we'd probably never see each other except for weddings and funerals!) I'm the one who handles all the family "crises" and I probabably know more family "secrets" than the other 6 combined!
 
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dukehoopsfan

dukehoopsfan

Active Member
A first born that truly acts and plans like a first born! Our family of four meet up with my sister and her family of four for a week long vacation to WDW about 6 years ago. The trip was planned down to the precise hours and minutes so we could eat lunch where we wanted, be done just in time to come out the door of the Liberty Tree Tavern to catch the afternoon parade etc. My brother-in-law had only one complaint....I didn't schedule in bathroom breaks throughout the day for everyone! I did take that as a hint that maybe I planned a bit too much. This summer when we went again, I only had what park we were going to and where we were eating planned out in advance - and funny thing....we were still able to get in everything we wanted to see and do!
 
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A

AndreainNY

New Member
I am the youngest and I do like to plan my trips - but only to a certain point. Once we have the airfare, resort and transportation details worked out and we decide what parks will go to on what days - then I like to let it be a little more unstructured - sometimes the most interesting things happen when you DON'T plan (like me being picked to be Edna in "Romeo and Edna" by the World Showcase Players last October - if we had followed my husband's plan - we probably would have been in line for Soarin instead!). It was a riot! It was even funnier when we were back in Italy a few days later and one of the CM's in the shop recognized me and yelled out "Edna"!!!
 
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littlered

littlered

Well-Known Member
I am first born, and am the leader in the family, but I don't meet any other qualities of first born, I am more like the middle born.
When it comes to planning Disnet trip I would do it because I have the most experience, but it would not be planned down to the minute. I might know which park I am going to on a certian day and maybe have a ressie, but other than that we go with flow.
 
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MissM

MissM

Well-Known Member
Love and I are both the younger of two total kids each. (My sister is 11 years older then I am, his brother is 2 1/2 years older then he is.) Neither of us really plans anything other then, "wanna go to Disney this weekend?" :lol: Then again, we live an hour and a half away so there's not a lot of detailed planning that needs to happen for a one day trip.

I'm the one who makes sure we have everything though - sunscreen, hats, fully charged iPod for drive, fleece if needed, etc. Though that's just more old hat knowing what we'll need then hardcore planning. We wing the entire day, every time we're there and we have a blast.
-m
 
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justducky78

justducky78

New Member
I'm the baby of 4 children and I'm somewhere in-between. I think those studies are fun but don't hold much truth. (Sort of like astrology, it's fun and some of it can ring true, but it's pretty much bogus). I am very organized in all areas of my life, including trip planning but I like to wander at Disney at not over-plan. We've been so many times, there's really no need to be on a strict schedule because we've pretty much seen it all. We always make it a point to visit the new attractions, though, and all our favorites several times!!

Although when visiting other places I've never been, I make a list and make sure we hit everything on the list. We did that in DC and we didn't miss one monument, museum, etc. But then again, who knows if we'll ever be back! I ALWAYS know we'll return to Disney. :p
 
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robynchic

robynchic

New Member
Pongo said:
That's weird. I'm the baby of the family and my sister is the first born. Based on those descriptions, it should be the other way around :lol:
Click to expand...
I second that one. Most people, when just told about how my brother and I behave, always think that I'm the older of the two- in fact, I'm 2 years, 8 months younger!
 
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