Do you plan?

[Britt]

I keep hearing about making a list of "MUST DO's/rides" and "want to do/ride" at the parks. Do you do these?

We didn't last time and I DO think we wasted a lot of time wandering around, trying to find things and as we'd see something we'd be like "OH, Lets do this". Cost us a lot though...we went on maybe 10 rides over our ENTIRE 4 day trip! The rest of it was waiting in lines or finding things or trying to make it to our dinner reservations!

 

[disneygirl76]

There is such a thing as "over-planning" but yes, you need to have a game plan. For example, are you heading to Epcot? Have a strategy. Everyone has one they go by. Our is dash over to Soarin' get a FP and ride. (this was better when we could ride the ride any time after the fast pass time - now you have about a window before and after that you have to come back during) Then we finish up the Land, and head work are way around Future World. Then around 11 - hit the World Showcase and do the countries. Make sure you know what special things you want to do in each country. Do you want to see the shows? Where are you eating? We start with Mexico and work are way around b/c we end the night in England/Canada. I don't go as far as as saying at 9:10 I will ride this, and at 10:15 I will do this. That is too much for me. I do have a game plan.

This next trip, we are planning at least 2 days at each park. So we one day, we plan on hitting our must do's - like at DHS, TOT both at day and night, Rockin Roller Coaster, TSM, etc. But because we are spending so much time in the parks, I am doing the other things we normally miss. For example, making sure to catch De'Vine at AK. Or watching the street performers with a giant ice cream sandwich at DHS.

The number one piece of advice before going is study the map - know it - know what you want to do - so you don't waste time zig zagging back and forth around the park. And make sure you have a plan. Which characters do you want to see, what rides are your must rides, etc.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I think when one goes to WDW for the first time they should have a plan mapped out. With the way the resort is structured it's the best thing to do. I've never actually planned a Disney trip. I've planned days to go but when I go, I just go and let the day play itself out. It's better that way and a lot more fun.

 

[bethymouse]

I usually plan where we go first, and then basically work our way around the parks. We ride our faves first (EMH morning), and then go to whatever we stumble upon. If you "over plan" you'll be exhausted and cranky! You simply can't do everything, or you'll burn out quite quickly. Make a must do ride list and show list and go from there maybe. Have fun planning!

 

[Powerline]

Plan to improvise.

 

[Bob]

If you want to plan things out, use the Touring Plans website. I think that they're worth the money.

 

[lilclerk]

Yep, this is where Touring Plans and the Lines app come in handy.

 

[docdebbi]

we always make a detailed plan. probably why my brother's family went and did 4-5 rides a day, took me next time and did just about every ride in each park each day. i carry little laminated pocket cards with each day's schedule. things like- joe runs to soarin and gets fastpasses while we walk slower with strollers and go right to test track- meet up to do ride, then go over and use fastpass...........etc.
i sit with park map, dining ressies/times, and list of things we want to do, and plan a geographically intelligent (read as least ground covered) day. may sound crazy, but is highly efficient.

 

[GenerationX]

For each park tour (typically 3-6 hours), determine what your Must Dos are and what nearby attractions sound like they may be fun. Make a beeline for your Must Dos and hit the Sounds Fun attractions as time/desire/queue length permit.

If we know we'll have multiple tours in the same park, we'll plan each tour around proximity. We may spend one tour of the MK in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, then spend the next tour in Frontierland and Adventureland. This strategy minimizes criss-crossing.

 

[WDWmazprty]

Well, if you're first timers then planning Must Do's , etc. is good. After you've gone a few times you just know where to go and automatically know what rides/attractions/shows, etc. you wanna do and just go. You also improvise in-between rides if you want.

 

[Alison1975]

We do NOT tour with a plan at all. I know in my head the rides we want to ride but thats about it. We also go for 10 days..all park days. 3 in Epcot and MK and 2 each in AK and HS...plenty of time to see and do most everything we have interest in.

 

[disneygirl76]

Although touring plans are great and some people really tour with them, I only use it for crowd levels. I know what I want to do and how we do it and get in everything we want. Also a tip - take a note card or a print out of that days "must do's" ADR reservation number, and any other important notes with you so you don't forget anything. Trust me though, you will go over the plan so many times, you will have it memorized.

 

[Alison1975]

Also , if you have kids with you.. be prepared to throw plans out the window anyway. We are def more of a go with the flow family. I never spend time deciding what to do next though.. thats a huge waste of time..we just go and do..lol

 

[Beholder]

As long as I've got the arrival and departure time set, I'm good. Once I'm there, I'm on cruise control. No rushing, no anxiety over this attraction or where to eat next. We've never failed to go on everything we wanted, nor have we failed to find something we liked to eat. I'm pretty laid back when it comes to vacations, and I hate the idea of HAVING to be somewhere while I'm on one. The only time we'll make ADR's is for large (8-12) groups.

 

[Mukta]

I plan. I plan a lot.

I plan because I am the type of person who loves making the plan and feels more secure having one. I have crazy amounts of spreadsheets before each trip.

I plan everything from what rides I want to do to what snacks I want to try. I have never left WDW saying 'I didn't get to do that thing I wanted on this trip'.

Even on my very first trip, I got to see everything in each park, DTD etc. I credit touringplans.com for that. Their touringplans suit me perfectly (and I am not traveling with kids most of the time, so it is easy for me to stick to my plans).

 

[dreamfinder]

Plans are important. At a sheer minimum, you made a plan by booking your resort and your travel. Beyond that it really depends on your personality and trip. If this is your once in a lifetime, once a decade type trip, then a plan is essential. Having a plan will help to keep you organized, and allow you to maximize the time you have there. On the other hand if you end up going once a year (or more) then you may not need to plan anything beyond what park and ADRs you want to do when. But for all people, at least knowing what each park has to offer, and what you want to do in the park will help to make it more enjoyable. Knowing that you want to ride Soarin or see the Dapper Dans before you go will let you get those done, and not regret missing them the whole way home. You can still play things by ear, but having a rough plan of attack will help you stay less stressed.

 

[Vader2112]

I do not plan! Asside from What time I am arrving , when I am leaving and a couple of table service meals. Depends on the duriation of the trip as well. I used to plan everything and it felt stressful if I did not complete everything I wanted to in a given day. Now more laid back and still see what we weant and relax more. Then again this is the benefit of being a resident pass holder.

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

We plan, to a degree. We know what attractions/rides we want to do, prior to our visit, but don't have any real set schedule, aside from ADRs. (We try to plan our days around ADRs and plan a few breakfasts as our TS for the day, to leave the option of visiting a water park afterwards .... what better way to work off a breakfast at Chef Mickey's than a water park!! ) For instance if we eat at Chef Mickeys and its cloudy and not-so-nice out, we will do the searaycers then do MK and do whatever for the CS meal that day) I am in, no way, organized enough to plan out my vacation to include all I want to do, but come pretty close. Every vacation, we do take one day, to *wing it* and start the day by spending a couple hours at our resort's pool.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

I keep hearing about making a list of "MUST DO's/rides" and "want to do/ride" at the parks. Do you do these?

We didn't last time and I DO think we wasted a lot of time wandering around, trying to find things and as we'd see something we'd be like "OH, Lets do this". Cost us a lot though...we went on maybe 10 rides over our ENTIRE 4 day trip! The rest of it was waiting in lines or finding things or trying to make it to our dinner reservations!

I planned everything the first few years, but now I mainly plan which park on which day. After a few trips, you know where the crowds are, which rides you must do early or very late, and which ones you can do most anytime of the day. That planning the first few years made Disney "magic" for us. My daughter and I were so excited that we studied every Disney book we could find. Passporter was our favorite. I hear so many people say what you did about not being able to ride everything and waiting in long lines. I will never understand people who stand in an hour long line when fp's are available for less than an hour away. I saw this so many times for M Safari in AK. There have been so many people who didn't even know they could use the fp or how.
The line wait was much longer than getting a fast pass. We got one and 40 minutes later, we were on the ride while people we saw get in line when we got the fp, were still way back from the loading area. And what is even more odd is that the fastpass return time is right there on the sign when you walk into the queue.
Knowing which rides to do first, and how to work the fp system, will allow you to ride everything you want.
I am the Disney "planner" for all my friends. Free service. I love working with the first timers. It makes me feel like I'm getting ready to go, and I feel their excitement. I tell them where to eat and the best times to do so. I help them pick their resort. I tell them which days to go to each park for their time of year. I tell them all the rides that will be down for refurb. I even tell them which way to walk to get to certain rides at certain times of day. Even if they don't use it, it gives them a plan and they aren't so lost that first time. I love to plan, so this is fun to me. I know all the tricks by now. I have never had a single person not be able to follow the plan I made for them. They loved it. They have, to a person, told me how much those plans and advice meant to the joy of their trip and the great stress that was taken off them. And my favorite response from them is that they felt like oldtimers and I should do this for a living.
For many people, this may be the only time they'll get to go for years, so I want them to feel the joy of Disney; not the stress and frustration of spending so much and not getting to do all they want to do.
For first timers, or those who know they can't go back for a long time, planning is a must.
For those of us lucky enough to go often, planning isn't that important-- other than resort and dining.
Make sure and check with a CM on park times if you go during a peak season as they almost always extend the
hours and if you don't ask, you won't know.
Probably TMI but, I get so excited for people who are getting ready to go.
Have a great time.

 

[plaz10]

I keep hearing about making a list of "MUST DO's/rides" and "want to do/ride" at the parks. Do you do these?

We didn't last time and I DO think we wasted a lot of time wandering around, trying to find things and as we'd see something we'd be like "OH, Lets do this". Cost us a lot though...we went on maybe 10 rides over our ENTIRE 4 day trip! The rest of it was waiting in lines or finding things or trying to make it to our dinner reservations!

Sure do. I obsess over Disney plans. It's part of the fun for me. The anticipation. My fiance and I have visited once a year for the past 4 years so we know our "must rides" so we pretty much plan out what days will be spent at which parks + counter service food + snacks + table service.

And I OVERLY plan the food. I look at all the menus. Find pictures of the food I want to get. I even made a check list of snack food I want to eat in each park and then when I'm in MK thinking "what to eat" - I'll pull out my phone and see. I have a list of places for counter service menus - so when we're at the park I can say "no I'm not feeling a burger - lets go to Caseys OR Man I'm really craving pulled pork lets go to Pecos Bill" so I know my options and won't be stuck eating somewhere just because I didn't want to go looking at other places.