Planning Disney Trip+OCD=Headache!!

[elto64]

I am a planner, But ive gotta say, even this is driving me a bit crazy. Mostly it's the making dinner reservations part. Planning out when parks are open late and when they're open early and when we will be where. I believe i have made and cancelled reservations a minimum of 5 times. Am i alone in this madness?

 

[elto64]

i guess maybe the reason it gives me a headache is im trying to make the perfect vacation; having everything just so. Guess what? perfection is unobtainable. but i am still trying, everyday, to get a res at Ohana. No luck yet tho

 

[shmmrname]

We tend to parkhop, so the dining stuff is a little easier. It's still a lot of ADR's to make, but at least we don't need to know exactly which park we'll be in on every day of a vacation a half of a year away.

 

[flavious27]

I am a planner, But ive gotta say, even this is driving me a bit crazy. Mostly it's the making dinner reservations part. Planning out when parks are open late and when they're open early and when we will be where. I believe i have made and cancelled reservations a minimum of 5 times. Am i alone in this madness?

This is why I use google calenders when planning. I get the hours from disney's site and then put them into something that can visualize that data.

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

i guess maybe the reason it gives me a headache is im trying to make the perfect vacation; having everything just so. Guess what? perfection is unobtainable. but i am still trying, everyday, to get a res at Ohana. No luck yet tho

If push comes to shove, and you can't get a ressie for Ohana before your trip, why not ask Concierge at your resort to check to see if Ohana had any cancellations for each day? We did this on one of our trips a few years ago, and were pleasantly surprised when there was availability. We cancelled ADRs we made at another restaurant and booked Ohanas. It's worth a try

 

[RmeDad]

I have created an Excel spreadsheet that I use for planning. After all the info is entered, print it out and take it with you to the parks. I modeled it after a planning sheet I got off of the forum. Sorry, I don't remember who to give credit to. If anyone is interested, feel free to download one or both versions below. Just delete the sample data to make it your own.

Get 93 to 2003 version HERE!
Or the 2007 version HERE!

 

[englanddg]

This is why I use google calenders when planning. I get the hours from disney's site and then put them into something that can visualize that data.

I do the exact same thing. In fact, your pic looks very similar to mine.

I have my own google apps account attached to my personal domain (they are free, if you poke around, that way you can have your own domain and control over the accounts, and also utilize gmail/apps services)

I set up an account called disney@<mydomainname.com> and used that calender, as well as pointed all of my reservations, flight confirmations...pretty much anything having to do with the trip using that email account.

I also add important phone numbers to that contact list (Disney Dining, Disney Guest Services, my Hotel's Front Desk, airline support numbers, etc...)

Then I attach the account as a new email account on my phone. (very easy with newer phones), and I always have calendar and important resort/trip information handy!

As an added benefit, the Calendar Reminders can be set to "ding" my phone for things like Reservations, shows/parades, etc.

After the trip, I just detach that account from my phone, and start using it to plan my next visit!

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

I have created an Excel spreadsheet that I use for planning. After all the info is entered, print it out and take it with you to the parks. I modeled it after a planning sheet I got off of the forum. Sorry, I don't remember who to give credit to. If anyone is interested, send me an email and I will return it to you.

dznyluvr@.net

I think it may have been from wannabebelle. she posted one a while go.

Pam

 

[bethymouse]

I look @ park hours first, then which park/which day comparing EMHs. (We do not park hop).
I look @ which restaurants we might like, and match them w/ the park as necessary, then make ADRs. I create an itinerary and also make an alternative plan just in case.

 

[RmeDad]

I have changed to direct downloads for the spreadsheets. See post ABOVE.

 

[Todd L]

I hate that The Adrs dictate the entire trip But they are absolutely nessecary if you doing sit downs.

Last trip we went with the two counter service meal plan and I gotta say it made the entire trip more relaxed.

Good luck.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

If push comes to shove, and you can't get a ressie for Ohana before your trip, why not ask Concierge at your resort to check to see if Ohana had any cancellations for each day? We did this on one of our trips a few years ago, and were pleasantly surprised when there was availability. We cancelled ADRs we made at another restaurant and booked Ohanas. It's worth a try

That's a great idea!

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

I hate that The Adrs dictate the entire trip But they are absolutely nessecary if you doing sit downs.

Last trip we went with the two counter service meal plan and I gotta say it made the entire trip more relaxed.

Good luck.

I totally agree.

 

[ShookieJones]

I'm a planner and love it ALMOST as much as the trip. The truth is it's the only way to temper that nagging anticipation.
7 years later and I've gotten rid of carrying the laminated spreadsheet, I keep it as a back up but use the calendar in my iphone to keep track of my day to day.

I don't know how some folks on here do it without Park-Hopping. Doesn't that limit the amount of choices you have as far as restaraunts? If you wanted to eat around Epcot You'd have to spend your whole vacation there.

How do you non-hoppers do it? Also does anyone know how much extra it is with the park hopping option?
I've never priced it out because I couldn't imagine doing only 1 park a day...

 

[Joshua&CalebDad]

Nope. Many of my clients use to be like this. Now they let me deal with all the headaches.

Richard, I am one of your clients and love ya, but I'm still OCD and therefore still give myself headaches. LOL.

 

[Joshua&CalebDad]

i guess maybe the reason it gives me a headache is im trying to make the perfect vacation; having everything just so. Guess what? perfection is unobtainable. but i am still trying, everyday, to get a res at Ohana. No luck yet tho

Don't feel too bad, we have all been there and some of us are there right now, like me. I take a look at my dining game plan every few days and make tweaks every couple of weeks.After a while of looking I start confusing myself. It has gotten so bad that I started a new thread to ask for help. Will the madness not end!

 

[flavious27]

I hate that The Adrs dictate the entire trip But they are absolutely nessecary if you doing sit downs.

Last trip we went with the two counter service meal plan and I gotta say it made the entire trip more relaxed.

Good luck.

True, but we also plan around the extra hours also. On the sheet I posted, we would go to hoop dee doo on either of the early nights for mk.

 

[englanddg]

I hate that The Adrs dictate the entire trip But they are absolutely nessecary if you doing sit downs.

Last trip we went with the two counter service meal plan and I gotta say it made the entire trip more relaxed.

Good luck.

In 2010, I did the Deluxe DP, and didn't make reservations (outside of 3 character meals)...but I go with a party of two. I got into every restaurant I wanted to except Le Cellier (suprise suprise)

I made more ADRs last year, but only because for part of the trip I'd have a party of 4. Even for the 8 days it was just me and the kid (party of 2) we couldn't get into pretty much anywhere we wanted. I don't know if it was the "free dining plan" promotion, or what, but it was nuts...and I learned my lesson. I didn't pay extra money for Deluxe Dining to eat at Cosmic Rays (though I love Cosmic Rays).

While I would much rather "go with the flow", I've done the parks enough to know how to balance "free days" with adrs...

I do agree though, I'm not fond of having to make them. They sortof lock down where you must go and what you must do. Perhaps if they lifted the cancellation policy, so I could make a last minute change? Seems to me if the kid and I are enjoying Magic Kingdom, and really don't want to go to EPCOT, I should be able to contact Disney Dining and cancel (maybe a few hours in advance is fair), and then a system could send out a text message or email to the next family that was on the "waiting list" that the reservation is now available?

I remember before ADRs, you'd see lines for restaurants (first that springs to mind is Coral Reef, back when it was still The Living Seas), and it was crowded and hot and cranky. Now with ADRs, most restaurant lobbies are practically empty.

 

[ThinkTink721]

I tend to be OCD on trip planning too...especially WDW trips.
I guess I just want to make the most out of our experience.
I spend lots of time researching park hours, event times, etc before choosing restaurants.
We don't do the hopper, so it always takes a little more planning.
I do enjoy the planning phase, but it can become overwhelming.
With 5 people in our party, I want to make sure that each person gets to experience their favorite things...whether it be food, rides, attractions, etc.
What really becomes challenging is when the in-laws or friends decide to come along & they ask for your help with their bookings.

 

[msmit002]

I believe i have made and cancelled reservations a minimum of 5 times.

One bit of advice... If you cancel a reservation that required you to supply a CC# to hold the reservation (Chef Mickey, O'hana, etc.) keep that confirmation e-mail!

My sister was at the world this spring and was going over the CC statement this month and found a $60 charge for a missed reservation ($10 for each person in her party) - on a reservation that she cancelled two months before her trip. It's taking a bit of doing, and faxing/e-mailing the cancellation confirmation but it looks like she will get a refund.

Just FYI...

 

[dvcnut]

We *love* the planning process of our trip!! I plan things to the hilt and put together a spreadsheet that includes park hours, EMH, fireworks, parades, etc.

Since there are 5 of us going on our week long November 2012 trip, we let everyone choose one quick service meal and one sit down meal. This not only helps with the planning process, but everyone will have had their say as well.

Based on the schedule, we line up our meals so that the sit down dinners line up with the park with EMH that night.