dreamteacher
Active Member
what are the first things you do when planning your trip? go as far as you want. even until you get there. have fun
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first things while planning for a trip?
- Thread starter dreamteacher
- Start date
nickcarraway
New Member
1. Save money. Very important.
2. Order the Disney Vacation Planner. I don't really need it, but watching the video gets me very excited.
3. Make sure I have batteries for my camera. In the good ol' days, I'd make sure I'd have film, too. But everything is digital.
4. Make any and all PS. You can never book a PS too soon and you can always go back and change them when you get there. I'm restaurant person. I don't like eating cafeteria style or out of a cart.
5. Create a trip folder with my flight info, room confirmation, rental car info or Quicksilver reservation, and anything else that might come up.
6. Buy some fresh whole fruit and other snacks.
7. Fill water bottles up with vodka or gin to take into EPCOT, depending on if I'm going to be drinking around the World. Nothing is more magical than being drunk at EPCOT. And the soda at Ice Station Cool makes for great shooters.
8. Pack comfortable shoes and outfits. Even though it's Florida, it may rain or get cold at night. I try to be prepared as best as possible.
9. Talk about it. A lot. It's important everyone I know knows I'm going to the happiest place on earth. Plus, they can tell me what they'd like me to bring back.
10. Workout. I want to look good in my swimsuit.
2. Order the Disney Vacation Planner. I don't really need it, but watching the video gets me very excited.
3. Make sure I have batteries for my camera. In the good ol' days, I'd make sure I'd have film, too. But everything is digital.
4. Make any and all PS. You can never book a PS too soon and you can always go back and change them when you get there. I'm restaurant person. I don't like eating cafeteria style or out of a cart.
5. Create a trip folder with my flight info, room confirmation, rental car info or Quicksilver reservation, and anything else that might come up.
6. Buy some fresh whole fruit and other snacks.
7. Fill water bottles up with vodka or gin to take into EPCOT, depending on if I'm going to be drinking around the World. Nothing is more magical than being drunk at EPCOT. And the soda at Ice Station Cool makes for great shooters.
8. Pack comfortable shoes and outfits. Even though it's Florida, it may rain or get cold at night. I try to be prepared as best as possible.
9. Talk about it. A lot. It's important everyone I know knows I'm going to the happiest place on earth. Plus, they can tell me what they'd like me to bring back.
10. Workout. I want to look good in my swimsuit.
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cindrelly31
New Member
We book as far in advance as possible and even look for discounts after we book and have reservations changed (if possible) (I understand KingdomKonsultant is very good at helping with this! :animwink: )
Then we start planning whether or not to get a car for a couple days.
Watch for airline prices (or use our CC points for free airline tickets!
)
A couple weeks before arrival we plan what we would NEED to do and would LIKE to do. We try to plan what parks what days, but we flexible on that.
48 hours before departure, pay attention to weather to know what to pack.
24 hours before departure, pack and get to bed early so we are well rested.
Then we start planning whether or not to get a car for a couple days.
Watch for airline prices (or use our CC points for free airline tickets!
)A couple weeks before arrival we plan what we would NEED to do and would LIKE to do. We try to plan what parks what days, but we flexible on that.
48 hours before departure, pay attention to weather to know what to pack.
24 hours before departure, pack and get to bed early so we are well rested.
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JBSLJames
New Member
The first thing we did was beg our parents for the money :lol: :lookaroun :lol:
Actually we bought the official guide, the unofficial guide, and the Kids for Kids guide. Then we got the Disney Planner DVD. Then we booked (almost a year in advance). And then I found this website :sohappy:
Actually we bought the official guide, the unofficial guide, and the Kids for Kids guide. Then we got the Disney Planner DVD. Then we booked (almost a year in advance). And then I found this website :sohappy:
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rosebud's mom
Active Member
One thing I've learned that I didn't do this time, but certainly will in the future is check to make sure we are NOT going the same time as Pop Warner !! Co-ordinating who is going to go, and putting in for vacation time is one of the very first things. then book room-only to get into the system. Keep watching for the discount codes and call accordingly. Synchronize the days/times for those hard-to-get PS. I also let my older daughter's teachers know well in advance so she can get her assignments and work on them well before we go.
I have a 4 year old, so we watch lots of Disney movies to refresh her recognition of the characters. We also watch the planning DVD a lot. We drive, so we make music CD compilations for her to listen to on the ride. I also make a paper chain 90 days out as a vacation countdown visual reference for her. She loves tearing off a link each night before she goes to bed ! It also makes sure I remember to make the PS call !
I'm the planner for the trip, so I work up a loose plan of what we do when, but once we're there its flexible.
I have a 4 year old, so we watch lots of Disney movies to refresh her recognition of the characters. We also watch the planning DVD a lot. We drive, so we make music CD compilations for her to listen to on the ride. I also make a paper chain 90 days out as a vacation countdown visual reference for her. She loves tearing off a link each night before she goes to bed ! It also makes sure I remember to make the PS call !
I'm the planner for the trip, so I work up a loose plan of what we do when, but once we're there its flexible.
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nicholas
New Member
One of the first things I do after the initial deciding to go and picking dates and stuff, is to check the park schedules for the days I am going to be there and get a rough outline of which park I will go to on which days based on Early Entry days, parades and showtimes, and stuff like that.
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I have a mental list of all the trips our family wants to take in the next few years. Every so often, I check airfares to those locations to educate myself so that I know a good fare when I see it. (We went to Paris in March. I had been watching air fares for about 6 months; last July I saw a great fare and jumped on it. As it turned out, in the intervening 9 months until the trip, there was never a lower fare.)
We are a family of 5, so the first thing I do for ANY specific trip is to research accomodations. There are some places where there just aren't good alternatives for a family of 5.
For our late May/early June trip to WDW, I booked a split stay at YC and CR about 3 weeks ago. Even at that, it was too late to get AAA rates at the YC!
I'm reading the Unofficial Guide. From that I made a chart of the days we'll be in the World and have decided, for the most part, what parks we'll visit on what days. After that I started looking at the boards and the UG for restaurant recommendations. I've settled on 4 PS that I want for sure. I've got the dates to call for PS on my calendar but that's not until late Feb.
I'm trying to break in 2 pairs of shoes to wear in the parks. That is something that will take quite a bit of time. (Sorry the kids can't do that, but their feet will grow!) I've also bought my daughters about 8 new camisoles/tank tops each for the trip (to minimize laundry) at end of the summer sales. I got some at Justice for $2.99 each and a lot at Kohl's 80% off sale for $1.80 each!!! I'd love to be able to buy shorts on sale, too, but sizes are more of an issue with shorts.
Last weekend I labeled envelopes for Mousekeeping Tips and each kids' spending money. Next pay day I will have their spending money saved, so I'm going to go ahead and fill their envelopes.
I keep a packing and grocery list on my desk at work, and jot things down as I think about them.
It may seem insane to be doing some of this so far ahead, but we are at a lull as far as kids' activities are concerned. I know that next spring before the trip we'll buried every weekend; the weekend before the trip is Dance Recital Weekend, which is pretty much 2 8 hour days; two of the 3 kids will have finals that week, then school will get out, then we'll hop on a plane. Anything that can be done now is getting done now!
We are a family of 5, so the first thing I do for ANY specific trip is to research accomodations. There are some places where there just aren't good alternatives for a family of 5.
For our late May/early June trip to WDW, I booked a split stay at YC and CR about 3 weeks ago. Even at that, it was too late to get AAA rates at the YC!
I'm reading the Unofficial Guide. From that I made a chart of the days we'll be in the World and have decided, for the most part, what parks we'll visit on what days. After that I started looking at the boards and the UG for restaurant recommendations. I've settled on 4 PS that I want for sure. I've got the dates to call for PS on my calendar but that's not until late Feb.
I'm trying to break in 2 pairs of shoes to wear in the parks. That is something that will take quite a bit of time. (Sorry the kids can't do that, but their feet will grow!) I've also bought my daughters about 8 new camisoles/tank tops each for the trip (to minimize laundry) at end of the summer sales. I got some at Justice for $2.99 each and a lot at Kohl's 80% off sale for $1.80 each!!! I'd love to be able to buy shorts on sale, too, but sizes are more of an issue with shorts.
Last weekend I labeled envelopes for Mousekeeping Tips and each kids' spending money. Next pay day I will have their spending money saved, so I'm going to go ahead and fill their envelopes.
I keep a packing and grocery list on my desk at work, and jot things down as I think about them.
It may seem insane to be doing some of this so far ahead, but we are at a lull as far as kids' activities are concerned. I know that next spring before the trip we'll buried every weekend; the weekend before the trip is Dance Recital Weekend, which is pretty much 2 8 hour days; two of the 3 kids will have finals that week, then school will get out, then we'll hop on a plane. Anything that can be done now is getting done now!
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CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Most importantly - Book the flight !! Not alot of use having accomodation and Disney passes if you can't get over the Atlantic !
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Ergens2
New Member
I had a very nice surprise in my mailbox when I got home today. A vacation planning package from Disney! It had park maps, a PS worksheet that I can put my #'s on, and a special little booklet with our names on it and info about the Polynesian (this is where we are staying) It also told us about all of the special holiday events taking place. This was so wonderful!
Shelley :wave:
Shelley :wave:
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