Do you plan your day or just go with the flow?

[DJ7203]

Do most of you plan out your entire day at the parks or do you just go & see what happens? I want us to make the most out of our 2 days there. But I'm not sure if we should plan everything we do ahead of time or just go & see what our daughter wants to do once we get there.

 

[rob0519]

Honestly, we miss the days when you could more or less just go with the flow. For us those were the years from about 1996-2002. We didn't have to try to make lunch and dinner plans 180 days in advance or decide what rides we wanted to go on 60 days in advance and yet somehow we feel we had a more relaxing and enjoyable vacation. The size of the crowds has changed, the demeanor of the crowds has changed, the availability of attractions and restaurants have changed and oh yes, the prices have changed as well.

So, we now do the planning like everyone else, but wish we didn't have to.

 

[CheshireCat12]

(cue Crush) Go with the Floooooooooooooooooooooooow!

Actually, I always have a plan of what I want to be sure to see. Last trip I actually skipped a few FP+ ressies due to shorter wait times or change of plans- and I completely changed one day's FP+ to another park. You can wing it.

 

[JIMINYCR]

ALWAYS PLAN. ITS PART OF THE FUN. We enjoy doing all the work but can be flexible to make alterations/adjustments if needed. We know where we want to dine so we book ADR's as soon as we can and plan park visits according to those and crowd calendar predictions. We always have park hoppers included in case the park of the day is busier than expected.

 

[JCtheparrothead]

Please assimilate. There is no planning, only MM+. Do what the mouse tells you!

 

[DJ7203]

Thank you so much everyone for all the input! I think we will do some planning the day before when we get to the hotel. Because my daughter doesn't even know about the trip, we are saving at a surprise until the day we leave. But I also want her input as far as what she would like to do & see. So I think having a nice talk over dinner the night before we hit the parks with DH & our daughter will be good & give us an idea of how to plan our day.

 

[Susan Savia]

We only know that we'll visit Epcot on our first and last day. No other plans, after all it is a vacation.

 

[DancerJonathan]

I always plan my days ahead.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Normally I'd recommend planning but with an AP I don't think it's nearly as important. It might be worth looking at a crowd predictor just to pick parks and make early FP reservations but I'm not even sure that's necessary since you'll be coming back often. I have a DL AP and haven't made a plan my last several trips, there is something very relaxing about just going with the flow.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I never plan.

 

[smk]

We fly by the seat of our pants, go with whatever sounds good at the moment and don't stress over ADR's or FP's. Works for us.

 

[Redsky89]

I plan nothing. Sometimes as I'm driving to Disney I dont even know what park I'm going to till I'm about to hit the exits of the highway. I live dangerously.

 

[JillC LI]

Thank you so much everyone for all the input! I think we will do some planning the day before when we get to the hotel. Because my daughter doesn't even know about the trip, we are saving at a surprise until the day we leave. But I also want her input as far as what she would like to do & see. So I think having a nice talk over dinner the night before we hit the parks with DH & our daughter will be good & give us an idea of how to plan our day.

We only know that we'll visit Epcot on our first and last day. No other plans, after all it is a vacation.

For all the people who said that they don't plan, I think the distinction is that these are seasoned visitors who have a very good idea of what is there to be seen and done, and how to work the system. A first timer does not. That is why I think it is important for a first timer to at least do some advance planning if not to have a loose touring plan. Saying it is a a vacation and that you don't want to plan is an understandable sentiment because planning does not sound "relaxing", yet not planning (or at least researching) can lead to far less enjoyment of family's first Disney trip.

 

[DJ7203]

For all the people who said that they don't plan, I think the distinction is that these are seasoned visitors who have a very good idea of what is there to be seen and done, and how to work the system. A first timer does not. That is why I think it is important for a first timer to at least do some advance planning if not to have a loose touring plan. Saying it is a a vacation and that you don't want to plan is an understandable sentiment because planning does not sound "relaxing", yet not planning (or at least researching) can lead to far less enjoyment of family's first Disney trip.

Very true & while we aren't first timers. We haven't been there in a few years & we don't know about all the next attractions etc. I think during the drive up we can talk about what we want to do & make some plans. I think it will make another fond memory.