I've Been Sucked In !!

[erinshaneb]

So I used to wonder about all you guys out there that have done schedules, spread sheets and spent months planning your trips..I would book, spend a couple hours (at most) on ADR and then move on..well this year, not a chance..I have become a spread addict ( I am still looking for a support group)..my husband and father are constantly getting updates or new spread sheets..i have one for the days, one for the restaurants, one for the shows at all the parks..man the list goes on...and now I laugh at myself and wonder why I never did this before...hee hee hee:drevil:

 

[Wchutch]

I am glad to be part of the club. I love make the spreadsheets. There are only two things that never change. We visit MK the first day there and eat lunch at Casey's all in honor of the memory of my father-in-law. Everything else is game for change. The spreadsheets make the planning fun. We try to stay at one of the villas. this way we can plan our meals by menu. Planninig is great especially when you break the plans.

 

[wannabeBelle]

From another thread on the same exact subject from NYwdwfan:
A few months back a bunch of us OCD-crazies traded spreadsheets and compiled them in one workbook - the link is below for anyone that's interested:

http://www.mediafire.com/?k2mcwltarrg91mn

Hope this helps!!! And convinces you you arent alone, not even vaguely close!!!! The good news is you are in great company!!!! Have Fun!!!! Marie

 

[disneygirl76]

So I used to wonder about all you guys out there that have done schedules, spread sheets and spent months planning your trips..I would book, spend a couple hours (at most) on ADR and then move on..well this year, not a chance..I have become a spread addict ( I am still looking for a support group)..my husband and father are constantly getting updates or new spread sheets..i have one for the days, one for the restaurants, one for the shows at all the parks..man the list goes on...and now I laugh at myself and wonder why I never did this before...hee hee hee:drevil:

It happens to the best of us. My spreadsheets have spreadsheets now! :lol:

 

[Glasgow]

I think there is a fine line between spontaneity and planning when it comes to WDW. You may not enjoy yourself if you're waiting in lines all day, but at the same time you may not enjoy yourself if you're rushing from attraction to attraction either, "just to see and do everything" - many people make the mistake that number of attractions experienced = good time.

We like to plan the ADRs and the parks/days we're going to visit, but after that we like to leave a little bit of leniency - it normally works out pretty well. As long as you at least have a basic plan you're good to go. Otherwise, I'd feel like I was planning my day at work ... lol.

 

[erinshaneb]

shows?? how do you see the times for those?

By shows I meant the bigger parades and the night time shows..We missed a few last year and i STILL hear about my daughter (the 4 year old mind you) didn't get to see the Mickey beat Malecifint (I know, I know a cardinal sin for spelling that wrong) show (Fantasmic) and we missed the Light Parade at MK too...so that was a big factor in our ADR's

 

[Disneydreamer23]

show times can be found here.

thank you

 

[wannabeBelle]

Just as a note show times are only released weekly so while you can certainly use that as a guide, definitely check back closer to your trip. Also in my last few trips, most of the park hours had been extended, additional shows of Fantasmic! added etc. so be sure to recheck all of that a week or so out as well. Marie

 

[erinshaneb]

Don't know if this works for you, but on our last trip I entered all of our activities into my Blackberry calendar. Didn't do it for the rides, but for ADR's, shows, EMH, etc., I found that it worked pretty well!

Oh yea..I did this last year with HORRIBLE results... I downloaded all of our ADR's into an app on my IPhone, well we live in Central time and what time is WDW? NOT CENTRAL !! Guess what my phone DIDN'T do ?!?! Yup change time zones..so we missed our ADR the first night..now I have HARD COPIES

 

[DeaverTex]

I think I have to stand open-mouthed at the spreadsheet crowd here. Everyone has fun their own way, bit for me, it's a vacation, not the Normandy invasion.

ADRs, sure. Which park which day, sure. A general plan of which ride(s) to hit first, ummm... OK. Past that, well, I use spreadsheets every day for work. :brick: I spent 20 years in the Army, and I'm intimately familiar with detailed planning. I want NO part of either one for what I hope will be an enjoyable time.

YMMV.

 

[erinshaneb]

I think I have to stand open-mouthed at the spreadsheet crowd here. Everyone has fun their own way, bit for me, it's a vacation, not the Normandy invasion.

ADRs, sure. Which park which day, sure. A general plan of which ride(s) to hit first, ummm... OK. Past that, well, I use spreadsheets every day for work. :brick: I spent 20 years in the Army, and I'm intimately familiar with detailed planning. I want NO part of either one for what I hope will be an enjoyable time.

YMMV.

I said the same thing last year..SPREAD SHEETS ?? REALLY?? I know I had to do some planning, especially with ADR's being so popular and having two kids that I want to do certain things with, but spread sheets...and then it happened..I made my first one for a new budge thing I was working on (couponing to Disney actually, since I am paying for this trip strictly with coupons) and then it just SNOWBALLED !!! LOL..now I can't stop

 

[danpam1024]

I think your all over organising. IT'S A VACATION!!! Just relax and enjoy. This year will be my third trip and the most I do is make a few ADR's so I can eat in popular places. I don't even decide which park I'm going to till that morning, unless I have event tickets, like MNSSHP.

I just like to relax, enjoy my vacation and go with the flow.

Totally agree! I USED to agonize over every minute of everyday, which often lead to disappointment and failure, and way to much stress. The only thing we plan now is ADRs and sometimes we miss em. . . but no worries, we always find something else. Now we giggle at those stressed out people and are glad we evolved. I've literally been going to Disney my entire life and still haven't seen it or done it all. Probably never will, thats what keeps me coming back:wave:.

That said, go ahead and do it whatever way makes YOU happy:animwink:

 

[bmarkelon]

I think spreadsheets are for the thoughtful parents that want to make the most of their Disney vacations for their little ones. I am sure as our kids get bigger there will be a little less planning involved and I look forward to those laidback times. But at the same time, I do not consider myself stressed by any means with our trip itineraries. It has quite the opposite effect for us. I just don't think you can do it any other way when your kids are young. You are essentially just doing your best to stick to the schedules/routines that they are used to at home therefore not pushing them too hard and therefore not the parents that are escorting their screaming, over-exhausted kiddos through the parks.

Plan, plan, plan! That's my Disney motto.

 

[NYwdwfan]

I think your all over organising. IT'S A VACATION!!! Just relax and enjoy.

I do think that a lot of us tend to over-plan but I believe that's half the fun of the trip. Folks like us, with a Disney version of OCD, get to enjoy our vacations for months!

I'm with Stitch...too much planning takes away the joy of vacationing...going with the flow...relaxing and smelling the coffee.

I think I have to stand open-mouthed at the spreadsheet crowd here. Everyone has fun their own way, bit for me, it's a vacation, not the Normandy invasion.

The spreadsheet enables me to pre-live my trip - I can picture myself enjoying all of the things I am logging and it gives my that great big magical feeling for MONTHS. It's not for making the vacation stressful or following to the letter - it's about enjoying the trip before I am even there!

From another thread on the same exact subject from NYwdwfan:
A few months back a bunch of us OCD-crazies traded spreadsheets and compiled them in one workbook - the link is below for anyone that's interested:

http://www.mediafire.com/?k2mcwltarrg91mn

Hope this helps!!! And convinces you you arent alone, not even vaguely close!!!! The good news is you are in great company!!!! Have Fun!!!! Marie

Thanks for the shout out - I love when those spreadsheets make their bi-monthly appearance!

 

[wannabeBelle]

Thanks for the shout out - I love when those spreadsheets make their bi-monthly appearance!

Thanks for all your hard work compiling all of them for us and in one place, It is a great resource!!! Marie

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

NYwdwfan: I understand the idea of planning for months and enjoying the ride for so long before you ever get to WDW...we do that by making lists, doing a daily countdown from 100 days out (I send a picture over my phone to everyone each morning)...I even have hours till our first Tee Time. :sohappy: BUT: the point is that if you try to plan every moment of every day you are setting yourself up for stress compared to having a plan (in your head or on a single sheet as basic reminders), making some reservations, and then having LOTS OF FUN ALONG THE WAY!!! :ROFLOL: We have been so many times since 1976 that minimal planning equals more relaxation...we go when we want to where we want for as long as we want. :animwink:

 

[Susan Savia]

When you've been going 25+ years as we have, we don't need to be writing things down. We know we go to Epcot on the first and last day and many times inbetween. Other then that what happens, happens. Its our vacation and we take it as it comes and in the past couple years have even given up the dining reservations because we hated having to be 'someplace' at a given time to eat. Our vacations are so enjoyable and relaxing this way.

 

[cowanfamily]

I plan for the pure enjoyment of it. To some degree the planning is just as fun as the trip itself. Without the planning I don't think I would make it. LOL

 

[NYwdwfan]

I plan for the pure enjoyment of it. To some degree the planning is just as fun as the trip itself. Without the planning I don't think I would make it. LOL

Me too - I basically plan for the sake of planning - so I can be thinking/talking/living Disney during the planning phase. Aside from the ADRs we don't pay the spreadsheets much mind - they are more for me and fueling my obsession!

 

[nc_disneyfreak]

now dont kill me on the topic, but are the spreadsheets really necessary? i almost decided to make one, but after seeing a sample, the impression that i came away with was it was just too detailed....example: do i really need to put down what ill be doing at 945 am? now it could be just that one example i looked at so if anyone wants to send me one that doesnt detail every minute please do.... yankees.80@hotmail.com
i just like choosing my park based on EMH's, doing my adr's and usually hitting every park in a clockwise pattern...adventure land first and ending in tom. land at night ( cause the atmosphere with the neon lights etc....)

 

[wannabeBelle]

now dont kill me on the topic, but are the spreadsheets really necessary? i almost decided to make one, but after seeing a sample, the impression that i came away with was it was just too detailed....example: do i really need to put down what ill be doing at 945 am? now it could be just that one example i looked at so if anyone wants to send me one that doesnt detail every minute please do.... yankees.80@hotmail.com
i just like choosing my park based on EMH's, doing my adr's and usually hitting every park in a clockwise pattern...adventure land first and ending in tom. land at night ( cause the atmosphere with the neon lights etc....)

Hi there, No killing anyone allowed!! LOL LOL My spreadsheet is actually not all that detailed if you look at it. The EMH and park hours helps me to plan what park I'll be in and I base my ADr's from that. The ADR's have a spot to be put on there so I dont forget anything, the park hours are with me, as well as the EMH info. I do put the hours of any entertainment I want to see but, that is really it, all of the other stuff is done at whim honestly. I certainly agree you can make FAR More detailed spreadsheets, but for my own purposes, I havent found I have needed it. As many others have said, planning is half the fun!!! Marie