How much planning is too much?

[rufio]

So I live alone for half of the year while my fiance is working out at sea. I have a lot of time alone and I tend to get bored. I also have a deep love for Disney. So when I started planning my Disneymoon 6 months in advance, things kind of got out of control. I now have a binder full of info. It has all of our hotel reservations, dinner reservations, menus for every restaurant we are eating at, both counter and table service, maps, touring plans for each day, and a spreadsheet with our daily schedules.

My question is, when does planning become too much? How much planning do you do?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

That sounds about right, except I keep it electronic and use hyperlinks, park specific fonts and graphics.

Fail to plan, plan to fail.

 

[Pooh Lover]

You could very well be asking the wrong bunch of people here I think. Most people (not of these boards) would probably consider what we all do bordering on the obsessive but I believe we do what we do as much as a part of the anticipation as the planning. We enjoy what we all do here, its not a burden or a pain. I don't do daily touring plans but I can certainly understand others that do and I'm sure you actually enjoy doing them. Its as close to being at the parks without actually being there....the planning! As long you are having fun with it, ITS ALL GOOD!

 

[rufio]

You could very well be asking the wrong bunch of people here I think. Most people (not of these boards) would probably consider what we all do bordering on the obsessive but I believe we do what we do as much as a part of the anticipation as the planning. We enjoy what we all do here, its not a burden or a pain. I don't do daily touring plans but I can certainly understand others that do and I'm sure you actually enjoy doing them. Its as close to being at the parks without actually being there....the planning! As long you are having fun with it, ITS ALL GOOD!

Yes, absolutely! When I get home from a long, stressful day at work, I do some trip planning and everything is right again!

 

[alawrence]

Other than the travel plan for each day, we are not that much different. I don't think that there is such a thing as too much planning, it is up to you I guess. Too much for some is not enough for others.

We do not like to plan out what we are doing every hour of every day. We just plan which park we are going to and when. That is about it. To be honest with you, we plan our days around EMH's, and NOT to be there. We have found that if you go to the other parks without the EMH's, they are less crowded. Most first timers and die hards want to be in the parks that they can spend the most time in each day. Rope drop to sweepers. We try not to be there. I guess after being enough, we like to just take it slow and soak it in.

As far as geeking out with a binder or folder, we have reduced it to a spreadsheet that we use that has where we are everyday, where we are eating, ADR confirmation #'s and times, all in one sheet that we put in a protector sheet. (Clear thingy.)

As far as your menu's and all of that stuff, there is a WDW dining app for the iphone that has all of that for you. I do not remember if it was free or not, but it is awesome. It even has a "Food Finder." Churro's, turkey leg, funnel cake... whatever you are looking for, it shows you the closest place to you, and how to get there. It even has a place for you to put your dining schedule in, to keep from even doing what we do. Pretty slick. You should check it out.

 

[Pooh Lover]

Yes, absolutely! When I get home from a long, stressful day at work, I do some trip planning and everything is right again!

Absolutely the same here! Planning your WDW trip can be a complete escape from alot of things and provides usually months of anticipation, which lasts sadly much longer than your trip and is almost as much fun. And how exciting for you to be planning your Disney wedding and honeymoon! I really hope your husband-to-be becomes the WDW fan you are and this is just the beginning of many more WDW trips for the both of you.

 

[rufio]

Other than the travel plan for each day, we are not that much different. I don't think that there is such a thing as too much planning, it is up to you I guess. Too much for some is not enough for others.

We do not like to plan out what we are doing every hour of every day. We just plan which park we are going to and when. That is about it. To be honest with you, we plan our days around EMH's, and NOT to be there. We have found that if you go to the other parks without the EMH's, they are less crowded. Most first timers and die hards want to be in the parks that they can spend the most time in each day. Rope drop to sweepers. We try not to be there. I guess after being enough, we like to just take it slow and soak it in.

As far as geeking out with a binder or folder, we have reduced it to a spreadsheet that we use that has where we are everyday, where we are eating, ADR confirmation #'s and times, all in one sheet that we put in a protector sheet. (Clear thingy.)

As far as your menu's and all of that stuff, there is a WDW dining app for the iphone that has all of that for you. I do not remember if it was free or not, but it is awesome. It even has a "Food Finder." Churro's, turkey leg, funnel cake... whatever you are looking for, it shows you the closest place to you, and how to get there. It even has a place for you to put your dining schedule in, to keep from even doing what we do. Pretty slick. You should check it out.

I have the app... I like having everything in a binder because I can hold it and flip through it. It makes me all giddy!

 

[Magical Dreamer]

My wife thinks I'm nuts.....enough said?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

My wife thinks I'm nuts.....enough said?

Dont worry its a gender thing they are all guilty of.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

I now have a binder full of info. and a spreadsheet with our daily schedules.

My question is, when does planning become too much?

In my opinion those 2 statements are overplanning. Everybody plans (or not) differently. If thtat's what you enjoy, go with it. Way to much work and hassle for me to make spreadsheets planning every minute of a vacation that's supposed to be fun and not a military bootcamp.

 

[olinecoach61]

If you have to ask yourself if it's too much planning, it probably is. However that's not a bad thing. If it makes you happy and relieves some stress who cares? There are much worse things you could do with your time.

 

[Clamman73]

It's all very exciting planning for a trip to the World. If I'm helping my parents and sisters plan a trip, most of everything is down to the minute since it's usually just a few days there. However, there always seems to be a few quiet reflecting moments like being on Poly beach early morning or evening around Wilderness Lodge at the boat dock that weren't planned. (except the eating at their restaurants part)

Hope you two will have experiences that weren't planned that make being at the World a memorable time.

 

[prekteacher]

I agree with you planning takes the stress of the day away. I am a year out from my trip and I add things to my binder all the time.

 

[bucklepants]

I love planning Disney World Trips! Re-running numbers... changing the ADR's and parks over and over until it's just right, then doing it again the next week. I think planning the trip takes me there. I need to get that food finder app, is that the same app that lets you put in a food check/hit list?

 

[GeekDad]

My wife thinks I'm nuts.....enough said?

Mine feels the same way about me.

I think planning only becomes too much if you stick to it 100% no matter what. As long as you are flexible that if something goes against your plan you can adjust to it and still have a good time then I say plan your heart out. Now if you stick to your plan 100% but everything goes smoothly then there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[bucklepants]

Mine feels the same way about me.

I think planning only becomes too much if you stick to it 100% no matter what. As long as you are flexible that if something goes against your plan you can adjust to it and still have a good time then I say plan your heart out. Now if you stick to your plan 100% but everything goes smoothly then there is nothing wrong with that.

Yes! For me I like to do a general outline for the day, so I guess I don't plan every ride/show/parade. This leaves lots of room to change plans if we need to. We like to look at crowd calendar before or when we get to the park and decide what touring plan we might want to follow.

 

[foreverbelle]

Considering I have a sister who is currently going through the wedding planning stage, staring at piles of notebooks. I would say you are like her. And if you ask me, its a special time for you, and if you don't do anything else you will have a great souvenir for years to come!

 

[bethymouse]

In my opinion those 2 statements are overplanning. Everybody plans (or not) differently. If thtat's what you enjoy, go with it. Way to much work and hassle for me to make spreadsheets planning every minute of a vacation that's supposed to be fun and not a military bootcamp.

Go with the flow (except when making necessary dining reservations!).

 

[bethymouse]

When we went back to Disney in 2007 (after 7 years hiatus), my parents went w/ us. I planned incessantly!
My Mom wanted to stop and get a hot dog (long line and we had a schedule to keep). I actually was upset (stupid me). I have learned a lot since then! So... I have been guilty of too much planning! I've toned it down since. I make a sheet w/ a short daily itinerary ( parks, times, and dinner reservations). I have my resort map and the invoice. But, I do second guess my planning sometimes. All a part of the fun! The family appreciates the planning in the end I believe. But no more worrying about going "off schedule". ( Mom laughs about it now, but at the time it was not at all funny).

 

[littleroo]

I understand over planning, too. I was walking in hyper speed from ride to ride, on my honeymoon, like it was my last day on earth. About three days in, my husband asked if it was really worth it. I slowed down a bit but truthfully it is the one thing that brings out the hyper five year old in me again!! As long as you are having fun, BE YOU!! Congratulations!!