Is the planning half the fun?

[Nicole]

I love going to WDW. But I think that a large part of my enjoyment is the planning part. I gave my parents a Disney guidebook that I helped with (Making WDW Vacation Memories, if you are interested) for Christmas, and now all of a sudden my 70 y.o. dad is getting the Disney bug, though he's never been to WDW. It made me realize that I got my planning genes from him!

So...is anyone else like me? Obviously if you are here you probably are. But I've noticed that I post more on this forum and the dining forum than the others.

I don't necessarily make detailed plans either, just choose resorts, parks and one table service restaurant most days, but I spend hours poring over menus and looking at resort reviews and photos online.

 

[kodiak5bears]

I too am a planner! It's makes the time pass quicker till my next trip... 70 MORE DAYS!

 

[I luv WDW]

Love to plan

We have been to WDW so many times and have planned so many trips our travel agent friend calls us for suggestions to give her other clients. We love to plan, make early dining reservations, make golf tee times, etc., all leading up to the big day. We are presently planning our trip Nov. 23, 2006.

 

[lpet11984]

Yay Planning!

Planning is to WDW as anticipation is to Christmas...you can't have one without the other.

I don't plan everything, but I do plan one sit down restaurant per day (usually dinner) and figure out what parks to go to on each day...I don't micromanage though (although, my fiancee certainly seems to think I do...his idea of vacation is sleeping... :hammer: )

If you're going to WDW, you gotta plan somethings! Or else you'll get there and be in shock of all there is to do and not know where to start

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Definately

Pam

 

[GenerationX]

I love planning. I love reading about an attraction or a restaurant and realizing that my family will thoroughly enjoy it. I love making the reservations.

Over-plan, under-schedule. Works every time.

 

[d'Isigny]

I love going to WDW. But I think that a large part of my enjoyment is the planning part. I gave my parents a Disney guidebook that I helped with (Making WDW Vacation Memories, if you are interested) for Christmas, and now all of a sudden my 70 y.o. dad is getting the Disney bug, though he's never been to WDW. It made me realize that I got my planning genes from him!

So...is anyone else like me? Obviously if you are here you probably are. But I've noticed that I post more on this forum and the dining forum than the others.

I don't necessarily make detailed plans either, just choose resorts, parks and one table service restaurant most days, but I spend hours poring over menus and looking at resort reviews and photos online.

OMG yes!

The moment I make reservations...I get lost in another world.

Months before the trip...I surf the boards...talk to people...review restaurants...Disney secrets...generally talk about the upcoming trip...

I love the build up...

makes the whole experience last

 

[bigorangeandy]

The only thing better than planning is the trip itself! Once the park opening and closing times come out I feel that I can put it all together.

 

[imamouse]

Count me in as another planner (and proud of it!). My family calls me the "Fun Nazi" 'cos I make them get up early and go have FUN ("you can sleep at home - this is Disney!"). They thank me in the end when we have a ressie for dinner and they see the long lines at the E ticket rides mid-day.

One lesson I've learned is to plan for some down time. Now, we include at least 1 day off in our WDW vacation plan so that my guys can sleep in (teen-agers!) and we can spend as much time as we'd like at our resort pool, shopping in DTD, or in DisneyQuest.

Planning makes it "real" - as in it's really going to happen. We're going to Disneyworld!

 

[DisneyMarg]

Oh yes I love planning. When my kids were little I would make Excel spreadsheets listing everything to do (including nap - for Dad) and swim, and then have each one list their first choice items, 2nd choice etc. This way I could be sure everyone got to do at least their most important things.

After several years of this, 10-year-old Andrew heard Dad refer to "Mom's list" and said incredulously, "You mean MOM makes up those lists?? I thought Disney sent them and we had to fill them out in order to go!"

Busted!

 

[MissM]

Since I only live 1.5 hours away and tend to go out just for a day, I don't really plan much more then, "Hey, wanna go to Disney this weekend?" :lol: Though I certainly look forward to going when we pick a day ahead of time and know we're going that specific day. If we didn't live so close, or were out there for more then a day or so, I'd definitely get into the planning aspect though.
-m

 

[Lakermouser]

Planning

I really enjoy planning all of things we can do at WDW. The family doesn't care a lick about what we will do, just go with the flow. I don't plan marching orders or time tables, just be at the park at opening and we decide what rides to ride. I buy the UG every time we go, but our last trip (05/05) we stayed at POP, and EE advantage kind of made the guide useless IMHO.
I have to realize we are on vacation and to take it easy. This trip was our first to leave the parks midday for a rest and this was a great idea. We will do this again for our next trip.

 

[lpet11984]

One lesson I've learned is to plan for some down time. Now, we include at least 1 day off in our WDW vacation plan so that my guys can sleep in (teen-agers!) and we can spend as much time as we'd like at our resort pool, shopping in DTD, or in DisneyQuest.

This is a great idea! My last trip to WDW we stayed for a week and planned no extra time to "recoup" from our vacation...This time, even though we will only be in the world for 4 days our last day is all about catching all the stuff we may have missed between the two trips and getting to DTD early to hang out. Can't wait to see how it all works out! (Although I don't know if I can contain my excitement enough to let everyone sleep in...:lol: )

 

[Computer Magic]

Yes, planning is half the fun.


Deciding where to stay, where to eat, which parks to visit on what days. Then going through the books. We also search for something different to do on each trip.

It can take months to plan were as the vacation last maybe 10 days.

Then reliving the vaction on the plane home and for years later.