Craziest thing you've done in the name of planning

Shouldigo12

Shouldigo12

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I debated for awhile whether to post this here or in trip planning. I decided to put it in here because trip planning seems to mostly be for tips and advice, and I'm hoping for this to be a discussion and swapping battle stories. But if it needs to be moved I understand.

For me, dining was the part where I really went crazy. I spent two days looking over menus and reviews, making and revising notes on quality, food choices, and unique qualities of all the restaurants at the parks, DS, and the WL that were on the DP. As I went through reviews and menus I would slowly remove restaurants for reasons like quality generally being bad until I had a list of about 2-6 places for each area if WDW. Then I organised them based on what meal times I wanted to eat there and what my priority would be when doing my ADRs, as well as noting second and third choices in case my first choice fell through. I also included a list of what QS spots and stores would be a good place for snacks and what some good options were. Overall it took me about two solids days to work through all of it. I was so, so sick of reading food reviews when I was done haha.

So, now that I've shared my shame, what about you guys? What were the crazy efforts you went to to plan your dream vacation?
 
JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
I'm constantly pouring over the review sites, watching dining review videos, and listening to podcasts well before my trip is booked. I want to make my next trip as pleasant as possible and dining plays a big part in enjoying a trip. Having dined at most of the restaurants we know our favorites and ones that have let us down before, so I also choose which dining spots to go to or avoid. We try to get enough info to determine which menu items to try or ones we enjoyed enough in the past to reorder. Snacks are sometimes changing so new ones also go on my next trip wants. Because we like to plan ADR's with coordinating our parks and FP+ I also try to arrange the proper days and times throughout our stay. We usually enjoy later dining times. I enjoy the planning phase and so far having a well planned, detailed trip has never let me down.
 
Shouldigo12

Shouldigo12

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
JIMINYCR said:
I'm constantly pouring over the review sites, watching dining review videos, and listening to podcasts well before my trip is booked. I want to make my next trip as pleasant as possible and dining plays a big part in enjoying a trip. Having dined at most of the restaurants we know our favorites and ones that have let us down before, so I also choose which dining spots to go to or avoid. We try to get enough info to determine which menu items to try or ones we enjoyed enough in the past to reorder. Snacks are sometimes changing so new ones also go on my next trip wants. Because we like to plan ADR's with coordinating our parks and FP+ I also try to arrange the proper days and times throughout our stay. We usually enjoy later dining times. I enjoy the planning phase and so far having a well planned, detailed trip has never let me down.
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I'm the same way. I understand why some people don't like it, but I just love planning! It's so fun thinking of where you're going to stay, where you'll eat, what rides you'll do, the activities. It helps build up the anticipation.

On the downside, I also have reoccurring dreams where I go to DW and find out I forgot to make any ADRs and FPs, and then spend the rest of the trip freaking out about it haha.
 
JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Shouldigo12 said:
I'm the same way. I understand why some people don't like it, but I just love planning! It's so fun thinking of where you're going to stay, where you'll eat, what rides you'll do, the activities. It helps build up the anticipation.

On the downside, I also have reoccurring dreams where I go to DW and find out I forgot to make any ADRs and FPs, and then spend the rest of the trip freaking out about it haha.
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:D:D:DEven up to a few days before we leave I'm tweaking my plans. Its never over until we dine and I'm removing that from my planning calendar. Then its deciding wether it goes on the next trip list. ;)
 
NeedMoreMickey

NeedMoreMickey

Well-Known Member
With my sister I signed up for AP preview of GE, booked plane tickets and packed my bag. Supposed to leave Monday 4:50 pm and return Tuesday 8:30 pm. Went to work Monday morning with hope to be able to leave but couldn’t get off. My boss’s stepdaughter was shot and killed in February and the trial was scheduled to start Tuesday. If it was postponed on Monday I was going to ask for a last minute vacation day. It wasn’t so I never mentioned it to her. I’ll use my canceled plane credit in May.
 
KikoKea

KikoKea

Well-Known Member
On one of our earlier visits with our teen boys, my DH got a maggot in his brain he wanted to try out all the fun restaurants, so I had to arrange lunch and dinner every day, no matter how close the times were. We might eat lunch at 1pm and have a dinner reservation at 4pm. 🥴 He and the boys loved it, but not me. I think I gained about 8+ lbs on that trip.
 
Shouldigo12

Shouldigo12

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
NeedMoreMickey said:
With my sister I signed up for AP preview of GE, booked plane tickets and packed my bag. Supposed to leave Monday 4:50 pm and return Tuesday 8:30 pm. Went to work Monday morning with hope to be able to leave but couldn’t get off. My boss’s stepdaughter was shot and killed in February and the trial was scheduled to start Tuesday. If it was postponed on Monday I was going to ask for a last minute vacation day. It wasn’t so I never mentioned it to her. I’ll use my canceled plane credit in May.
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How awful for your boss. :(
 
wdwtopten

wdwtopten

Well-Known Member
KikoKea said:
On one of our earlier visits with our teen boys, my DH got a maggot in his brain he wanted to try out all the fun restaurants, so I had to arrange lunch and dinner every day, no matter how close the times were. We might eat lunch at 1pm and have a dinner reservation at 4pm. 🥴 He and the boys loved it, but not me. I think I gained about 8+ lbs on that trip.
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Which of the restaurants count as the fun ones?
 
Disneydreamer23

Disneydreamer23

Well-Known Member
I used to look at the times the parks were open and always pick the park open the latest, then I would also Book FP and dining to the hour, I don't do that any more since we go so often, it is nice taking a breather :)
 
L

LUVofDIS

Well-Known Member
Planning in of itself. Before the 6 months before you leave need to plan your dinning, I would be more spontaneous. Now I plan all our vacations in a similar way that plan WDW, IT HAS RUINED MY LIFE!! Though, I do enjoy it, it seems to make the vacation last longer.
 
BoarderPhreak

BoarderPhreak

Well-Known Member
Made a "Beer Checklist" for the Flower & Garden Festival (this one from 2018). Got most of 'em too! 🍺

BeerChecklist.png
 

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