Fess up...what are some of your traditions in planning?

[Boardwalk!]

Ok for me :hammer: nobody laugh!!! :zipit:

When I know that I am going to Disney I watch all my Disney movies (which is ALL I assure you :lol: 85 total ) in the order they were released :dazzle:

And I read three guidebooks....Unofficial Guide, Birnbaum's, and Passporter

OK NOW TELL!! (otherwise I'll edit this :lol: )

 

[johnvree]

Originally posted by edwardtc
Let's see.......most of my reply can be "cut and paste"

1. Excel Spreadsheet for the drive path/mileage/time/stops
2. Excel Spreadsheet of the Park Hours, When to Go, What Shows are running when (all in Disney Fonts, of course)
3. Excel Spreadsheet of the trip budget, including day-to-day plans and meals
4. Buy the Unofficial Guide every year, just as others do - read it cover to cover, even though I've read it 7 times
5. Buy Birnbaum's book just for the Disney-influenced marketing
6. Make reservations the earliest day I can, as well as Priority Seatings
7. Go over the park-by-park, ride-by-ride, day-by-day iteneraries
8. Make packing lists
9. Obcess until we pull out of the driveway, to start the 1,009 mile trip from Indianapolis, IN to Port Orleans Riverside!

That's not is it?!

No. The rest of the world is crazy. You and I are the only sane ones.

 

[Boardwalk!]

Add me to the sane list too :lol:

I agree, planning is really half the fun.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

1) New UNOFFICIAL guidebook - although be visiting here virtually daily the book is out of date by the time I get it home
2) Find & update my Disney Floppy Disc - spread sheets with Things To Do lists (Taxi, book dog kennels, order currency & travellers cheques, etc, etc) Packing & baggage lists, Park Hours and attractions.
Half the fun (well almost) of a WDW holiday is planning

 

[Ergens2]

I am a planning guru! I help all of my friends and their familys plan their trips from PS and a touring plan to room requests. So I am always planing a trip even if it not mine. The one single thing I can't live without is my Passport!! (side note congrats to Jenn and the new Baby on the way!!!! We are so excited for you!!!:sohappy: ) the down side to being a crazy planner is that I change my mind about a million times until I just have my husband decide.:hammer: We also have a running countdown on all 3 of our computers and both palm pilots.:lol:

 

[GenerationX]

Planning? Did someone say planning?

Almost as much fun as the trip itself. I have an entire folder on my pocket PC devoted to trip planning. I have separate files for: Park Hours, MK/Ep/DS/AK attractions, Packing Lists (by piece of luggage!), Daily Trip Itinerary, and Pre-Trip Planning (with tasks and dates).

The last file starts at 12 months before the trip and details, on a month-by-month basis, what needs to be done prior to the trip. All PS are listed with the first eligible day to call.

If I'm having a rough day or week at work, I'll take one of my books (preferably the Unofficial Guide) and all of my park maps, and do more planning. It rejuvenates me.

It sounds like there are a few of us who could vie for the title of Most Hours Spent Planning!

 

[Senderella]

LOL Every couple of weeks we put in the Disney Vacation DVD. If there's any Disney shows on travel channel, we make sure to watch them. I've got lots of the books and I'll read em. LOL Lately Ive found myself checkin out that webcam that overlooks Epcot. LOLOL This is the stupidest thing possible!!!!! :lol: :lol: When we get in a goofy mood or anything Disney tickles us..... My husband & I both say DISNEY!!! and put our fists up to our head (like mouse ears). LOL I've driven everyone around me nuts.. any Disney commercials come on.. anything that can be seen as a "hidden mickey".... anything odd involving the people going with us.... any mention of ANYTHING.... I always say "SEE!!!!!! ITS A SIGN!!!!!!!!! WE HAVE TO GO!!!!" Example: A week or so ago, we were playing poker. Texas Hold Em. It was my DH, me, our friend Chris who's going with us, and our friend Mark (not going ) Well, the first 3 cards were laid out on the table... One was a King I remember that. Then the other 2. Mark was out. It was between DH, Chris & me. We all threw our cards down. Each of us had a K & a 4. And the suits in our hands matched. It wierded us out and of course here comes Sen "Dude.. it's a sign!! We're now bound by fate to go to Disney!!"

 

[mickhyperion]

I think the best thing after doing all the planning is throwing the plan away after I arrive. :lol: I have it embedded in my memory anyway, but I just use it as sort of a guideline so I don't miss any planned events. Otherwise, I completely mix it up and keep the trip spontaneous. I think planning is fun because its like going there over and over again in advance and doing it a little differently each time.

My mother dug out an itinerary to Disneyland I had made when I was about 9. It detailed everything from precisely what time we would line up for each ride down to what my grandfather would be having for lunch. She read it out loud last Christmas for everyone and had a real laugh. Little does she realize I haven't changed 28 years later.

 

[kal1484]

Get up, take my shower. Then eat breakfast, check e-mail/forums. Then head on over, clock in, and make magic.

Pre-CP I made PS and had a countdown on my computer.

 

[Boardwalk!]

Most hours spent planning.....right here! :sohappy:

I can't believe that I'm not the only freak out there! :lol:

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by Boardwalk!
Most hours spent planning.....right here! :sohappy:

I can't believe that I'm not the only freak out there! :lol:

NOPE - we're out here too!!! HAHA!

I'm WAY too retentive, obcessive compulsive, etc, etc....I have a spreadsheet for the drive down, drive back, budget, what to do each day, and then notecards to take to the parks so we know what to do in what order (also know that pretty well to-heart).

We followed the Unofficial Guide's plans to the tee last year, and we waited no more than 20 min in any line! And that was Big THunder because it had broken down when we were supposed to go on it, and it had a big line when we got back.

The spreadsheets also have all the reservation and confirmation numbers, what we need to do at check-in, like "get keys, check for e-rides, get maps, get schedules, order fridge, etc".

I get made fun of, but my brother and I took 2 of my best friends from college, who had never been, and after the trip they thanked me for being so - it was perfect, with no lines, 2 tours, 4 parks, hotel browsing, etc - all in 5 days!

It pays to be organized!

 

[Senderella]

"Dude.. it's a sign!! We're now bound by fate to go to Disney!!" [/B]

I didn't get to finish my thought because my husband finally got home from his business trip. Anyhow...

I like to investigate stuff and "pretend shop" and make sure I know pretty much everything I can to make sure I'm makin the right choice (best possible choice at the lowest price). Well, more like making sure WE can make the right choice. I'm the one that has to make sure I've got all the info to present it to DH & anyone else involved.

I'm the same way with anything else. We threw my MIL a suprirse 60th birthday party. I basically did the whole thing. Booked Chris's sister to bartend. Shopped around at the liquor stores (because we almost bought them out). Made sure I was able to get ahold of a lot of MIL's friends she hadnt seen in years. It was one of the best parties since our wedding. LOL I'm great at planning things. One of my problems is once I start really looking into things (mainly after we've got a decision made) is I start second guessing myself. Like if I've read a few bad reviews about something I'll start thinking that it isn't such a great idea. Does anyone do this? These Disney planning books are HORRIBLE for second guessers like me. What do yall do to keep from second guessing yourselves if you've read something.. not so stellar... about a place or thing? (Particularly related to Disney Planning)

 

[barnum42]

Originally posted by mickhyperion
I think the best thing after doing all the planning is throwing the plan away after I arrive. :lol:

Now you are talking my language

Bar hitting rides in the first hour that I know will get clogged up later in the day or going to MK on a specific day if that is the only day a night time show is on I make it up as I go along.

 

[Pippa]

I start buying my holiday toiletries the second I have booked and countdown every day (of course), as well as watching my holiday videos and looking at my photos. Oh and driving everyone around me crazy by going on and on and on about it!

 

[Senderella]

Originally posted by Pippa
I start buying my holiday toiletries the second I have booked and countdown every day (of course), as well as watching my holiday videos and looking at my photos. Oh and driving everyone around me crazy by going on and on and on about it!

I want to get some special body stuff for the trip. A special scent that'll be my Disney Trip scent. LOL I can't wear anything by Bath & Body Works in the Country Apple scent without thinking of my prom. Here's a couple links of great body stuff w/ some unique scents.

http://www.thebodybakery.com/home.htm
http://www.littleshopofbeauty.com/shop.htm

 

[barnum42]

Originally posted by Pippa
I start buying my holiday toiletries the second I have booked and countdown every day (of course), as well as watching my holiday videos and looking at my photos. Oh and driving everyone around me crazy by going on and on and on about it!

You sound like my kind of lady
Shame someone else beat me to you :animwink:

 

[Boardwalk!]

OMG that is really funny!! :lol:

On our first trip together to WDW I wore B&BW Cucumber Melon...now everytime I wear it I think of Disney World :lol:

 

[Senderella]

Originally posted by Boardwalk!
OMG that is really funny!! :lol:

On our first trip together to WDW I wore B&BW Cucumber Melon...now everytime I wear it I think of Disney World :lol:

:lol: So ya know what I mean by your special Disney Scent!! Go check out those pages I listed. They've got some AMAZING AMAZING scents. VERY unique!! Gonna have a hard time choosing just one!! (BTW, if you want a cucumber/melon candle -or any kind- I make custom candles. I've got a cucumber/melon in stock right now! Green gel in a cute oval shaped glass container).. Ok no more shameless pops for my company :lol: :lol:

 

[MKCP 1985]

My name is MKCP 1986, and I am O/C

. . . but I can't hold a candle to some of what I have read on this thread. I am going to print it out and show it to my wife to let her know that by comparison, my obsessive compulsive planning is not so bad after all!

First planning tradition is to scout all the resorts and pick which best fits the kind of trip we are going to take. Next, talk to all friends who have been in past 6-9 months. Get guidebooks while listening to wifey remind me that between the two of us, we have goodness knows how much background information already and they haven't by-gawd changed the layout of the MK since the last however many dozen times we were there.

Next, decide which parks on which days so can get priority seating reservations, and then prepare itenerary for benefit of all going on trip so they will see what I will be cracking the whip to get done when and they have an opportunity to beg for modifications before this gets set in stone! :lol: The begging actually works, and for instance, we will plan to spend a little more resort pool time on this trip than I had originally thought they would want.

The latest planning tradition, I am happy to say, involves this website. I will come on here several times per week and check out what is going on and what will be going on - getting more and more in the mood for the anticipated departure date, which happens to be T-minus 4 days and counting . . . .

I have to say that once we hit the road, the itenerary is more a suggestion book than an instruction manual, so we stay loose and remember to put having fun above being in a place at a time. (But we've never missed a priority seating yet! )

 

[Buckeye]

Originally posted by Boardwalk!
Add me to the sane list too :lol:

I agree, planning is really half the fun.

One more here for the "sane" overplanners!

I do most of the stuff mentioned here and one other that hasn't (I don't think).

Any gift giving oppotunity will come with Disney Dollars. IE: Christmas - DD's in stocking; Birthday - DD's in card; Easter - DD's in basket; etc. You get the idea. I do this for my kids and my wife. This is great on many levels. First, it reminds everyone that the trip is coming up. Second it eliminates some of the gift "deciding" hassle. Finally, and most importantly, when you get to WDW, you have all this "fake" money to spend. Even though you paid dollar for dollar for these, it doesn't "feel" like you are destroying your budget when you spend DD's. We made it through three days of our last trip without breaking into our "real" cash!:sohappy:

 

[Heyyall]

-watch the newest planning video often
-read every disnrey book in the library, and buy a few too
-check the website daily for hours and everything else
-read these forums many times daily (but i do that anyways
)
-make a bag to put things such as toilitries the day we make reservations
-Take home booklets from the travel agency
-make a list and as soon and put clothes aside as the months go on
-tons of lists and spreadsheets

i cant wait until we make reservations for this year...