What's your planning system?

[Jacquellie]

How do you collate all the information and advice given here to actually use when you're 'in the field' and to plan your vacation? For planning my wedding I made a spreadsheet - there was so much to think about, so I'm thinking I need a system.
For example, just read an invaluable thread about 'play areas' where you can just let kids run free and let off steam. The fountains at Epcot was suggested, and many others. Now I'm thinking "how am I going to remember all this when I'm there?' It would be great if I had a slick system to help me in any given situation. What do you guys do?

 

[disneygirl76]

I make a spread sheet and put notes during the day on highlights for that day and park location. I put things that I need to remember not to miss, ADR info, etc. I then have that days info on a note card and bring it with me that day. And after going over the plans as much as I do ahead of time, it kind of gets memorized!

 

[Graham9]

A spreadsheet is the way to go, although I start with three lists of places to visit. First list is places I want to visit, second are places to visit after everything on List A and List C is places to visit if A and B fails (Places I would go to, but not worried if I never get to). Inbetween that are meal bookings, Magic Hour timetables, show timetables. It can get quite complicated. Although I do leave a couple of days as blank to be decided on the day depending on mood, weather, need for laundry etc etc.

 

[tare]

A spread sheet is great. Also cut and paste info into a word document. Right at your fingertips.

 

[Mukta]

I make a little daily schedule with attractions, meals, snacks etc for the day. I create it in excel and then make pocket sized one for everyone in my group. I am quite insane though.

 

[ThinkTink721]

I also make a spreadsheet...I leave room to make notes

 

[Susan Savia]

We've been visiting every year since 1984 and so the only thing I write down is the date and time of our two ADRs. We know we will go to Epcot the day we arrive and our first full day. We know our second day is always at MK. The rest of our two weeks is wide open. Makes for a relaxing vacation.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

I put my notes on 4x6 index cards, a different color for each park. I laminate the cards. It's one card for each park.

 

[hull327]

If I have to take a bunch of notes on vacation it turns into a job. When it's a job it's not vacation.

 

[G8rchamps]

We plan our overall schedule of days which varies depending on length of trip, never more than 3 park days in a row and usually 2. Overall plan is influenced by kids requests, ADR's, and magic hours. We like to take advantage of early park hours and stay out of parks that have evening hours because everyone goes those days. MK was crazy last Sun and open till 1- park hoppers tend to start elsewhere and then have plenty of time for MK later that day. Once our days are set we lay out a morning attack while lines are light. Then afternoons are based on wait times and fast passes. We also plans breaks and sit down meals so we don't over do it- ESP the first day. Always good to have a plan, but remember to be flexible- the kids got to be chefs last weekend at the big top and decorated their own mouse ear rice crispy treats just for wandering in at the right moment.

 

[ginadee]

I put my notes on 4x6 index cards, a different color for each park. I laminate the cards. It's one card for each park.

Oooooohhhh...laminating. Ill have to do that.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

Oooooohhhh...laminating. Ill have to do that.

Laminating helps with durability! We sometimes decorate them with stickers prior to laminating and keep them as souvenirs of our trips. I think they are fun to look back at and see what interested us during past trips.

 

[real mad hatter]

We do a timetable matrix which includes early magic hours & late extra hours.Our ADRS.Everything is colour coded..Then we laminate it.. It looks like a school timetable but has every thing we need to know on it..

 

[LostPrincessKarleigh]

I usually buy a little pocket notebook or planner (with card slots) to put in my "park bag." It has all my ADR info and stuff I must/want to do.
This trip, I'm utilizing the my disney experience app. It has all my reservation and ADR info already. Plus wait times, show times, and weather!

 

[ginadee]

Laminating helps with durability! We sometimes decorate them with stickers prior to laminating and keep them as souvenirs of our trips. I think they are fun to look back at and see what interested us during past trips.

That's great. Thanks so much.

 

[cmybliss]

If I have to take a bunch of notes on vacation it turns into a job. When it's a job it's not vacation.

I'm with you! I love spending the month or so leading up to a trip checking out forums and the like, but I tend to take it easy on the scheduling of park time. I plan the travel schedule like a general, but once I'm on the ME bus I can relax and just go with the flow. My thought is, I can plan until my eyes fall out of my head, but if the Kiddo isn't on board it's not going to fly. I set the pace according to her. (Keep in mind that she's got mild cerebral palsy as well as an ASD.) After all, we're there for her.

 

[jw24]

If I have to take a bunch of notes on vacation it turns into a job. When it's a job it's not vacation.

Agreed. I understand why some plan with spreadsheets but I mean, if I make set schedule for everything, odds are I'm going to break it! I said this earlier but to have a plan, then a backup plan, then a backup plan for the backup, so on and forth becomes too much! But anyway, I have preliminary schedule regarding what park I want to do on which day but of course, I make changes if there's conflicting weather or something. Some parks I don't mind seeing in the rain, others, not so much. I do make little notes about dining places that I'm interested in or gotten favorable reviews. I, however, have stuck to mostly CS places because of the vacation length, finances and prioritizing park time. Obviously with more days grants more flexibility!

Show times are flexible because I don't exactly have the see it at a specific time per say but rather, if I'm not in the mood to do rides or meet characters, then it's easier. Same with food times. A time range but not a specific time needed. Granted, I've done most of my WDW travels are solo so ADRs are probably not necessary plus maximizing park time is what I value the most! And for rides, well, I prioritize trying to ride the most popular rides at least the ones with Fastpass first or the newest attraction if interested because odds are, I may only get one ride before the standby lines become very long! And well, I only need to go on a ride once. Not the type that likes to re-ride rides and with so much to do, I wouldn't want to lose time of doing other things! Once all my favorites are ridden, it's basically whatever I feel like riding for the rest of the day. But still, planning for one is a lot easier than planning for a family of 4-6 so my planning probably won't be applicable in most cases!

 

[JIMINYCR]

I make a little daily schedule with attractions, meals, snacks etc for the day. I create it in excel and then make pocket sized one for everyone in my group. I am quite insane though.

I'm joining you in the insane grouping. We may be Insane but we're prepared. We're not going to be park confused, line bound, missing out on FP's, and prime spots on the sidewalks. We know exactly where we're headed and have a plan that everyone is envious of. We're Disney Experienced and Disney Wise. Wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[luv]

I am looking into Disneyland and finding that I'm planning, all over again. I forgot how Not Fun planning can be. Have to get books, comb the internet, choose a hotel, etc. Even national parks are much more complicated than I'd thought they'd be.

I ordered the Unofficial Guide and the Birnbaum book for amazon and am reading through those, jotting down questions as I go. I'm reading through tons of threads in the Disneyland section of these boards and jotting down more questions.

I'm making a list of things I want to do.

I'm asking everyone here for their help, recommendations and advice.

When I'm sure I'm going to go, I will be posting 8,000 questions in the Disneyland section.

I'll make a spreadsheet and start plugging all my stuff in so that I know how many days I need and be able to do everything without running myself ragged!

 

[SMS55]

It's not easy, but the most important thing is to find out first what's most important to you. What are your must do's? Do you want every minute to be in the parks, do you need breaks, what about ADRs, etc. Plan around that. We want every minute we can get out of the parks. That's why we stay at a value resorts. Spreadsheets are very popular for many on this site. My personal opinion that for you the most important thing is to convince your husband to give Disney a fair chance, but only you know what are your priorities and what you want out of this trip. For example, I am not big on ADRs. I think they lock you in too much into a schedule. I am on vacation, I don't want such a planned out schedule. Reminds me of home where you have to get to work at a certain time, meet with someone at a certain time, be at school to pick up the kids at a certain time. We'll do one ADR, but for the most part we prefer QS meals. There are some good choices in Disney, it's not just pizza and burgers. We drive, so we have the freedom of going and coming and we'll drive off site to eat sometimes because we rarely eat out. We have some gift cards we are taking next week(wow can't believe I can say that already) and save that money. They've been sitting in my junk drawer for since Christmas.