Your Planning Materials?

[disneygirl76]

Hi everyone,

We are getting close to the next phase of our planning. ADR's are a bit over a week away and the hours were released for our trip (finally)!!!!

So, it got me thinking. I have been using the same planning spreadsheet for a few years now. I created it almost 5 years ago and have never changed it. And was wondering what your planning materials look like and if you are willing to share your lists and spreadsheets? I would love to see them if you are willing to share! I would like to revamp mine.

Thanks everyone!

 

[zurgandfriend]

I still use an excel sreadsheet for planning. I list our day to day schedule, I make ADR list and laminate them so everyone has one and I make a packing checkoff list.

 

[disneygirl76]

I still use an excel sreadsheet for planning. I list our day to day schedule, I make ADR list and laminate them so everyone has one and I make a packing checkoff list.

Thanks! That's what I use - an excel spread sheet. I have a separate list for a packing list. I'm bored with mine though.

 

[tare]

Computer xcel pen and paper and iPhone. Works good for me.

 

[disneygirl76]

Computer xcel pen and paper and iPhone. Works good for me.

What do you have on your excel spread sheet? I have each date, hours, times, ADR's, with another tab for outfits, menus, shopping list, and resort info. What do you have?

 

[Club34]

I have a weird method given how much technology is available. To start, I use pen and paper which goes through several phases. Among the first things I do is to make a list of the days I will be there and make a note of the various park hours as well as who has EMH going on. On another list [I sometimes do this before I even have a vacation booked] I make a list of restaurants I want to eat at. These are usually the TS/destination type restaurant. I may hit Starlight Cafe, but it wouldn't necessarily be on this list. This is going to have Shula's, Coral Reef, and San Angel for example.

I will then whittle down the park days schedule. For me on vacation, I am an early riser. I usually go against the wisdom to avoid EMH parks. I do go, especially in the morning. I'm a 'in by rope drop and out by lunch and back to the hotel for a swim and nap' kinda guy. From there, I will clean up and go to dinner at my destination restaurant and then spend my evening at that park or perhaps the nearest park. So when I have the parks mapped out, I try to plug in the destination restaurants in the most logical/efficient way possible. Its not too hard to do and make work for a week trip.

When I do have to make reservations, I will make allowances for needed adjustments if for some reason I cannot get what I want. This rarely occurs as I am usually getting a table for 2 and I travel in the low season.

From there I have the outline of a decent little vacation. I will then enter it into a word document to neatly put general times in for comings and goings on each day, what park, where we are eating, etc. I print it and shrink it down so its pocket size. I carry it around and reference it throughout the day. It then goes in the "Disney Bin" when the trip is over.

 

[disneygirl76]

I have a weird method given how much technology is available. To start, I use pen and paper which goes through several phases. Among the first things I do is to make a list of the days I will be there and make a note of the various park hours as well as who has EMH going on. On another list [I sometimes do this before I even have a vacation booked] I make a list of restaurants I want to eat at. These are usually the TS/destination type restaurant. I may hit Starlight Cafe, but it wouldn't necessarily be on this list. This is going to have Shula's, Coral Reef, and San Angel for example.

I will then whittle down the park days schedule. For me on vacation, I am an early riser. I usually go against the wisdom to avoid EMH parks. I do go, especially in the morning. I'm a 'in by rope drop and out by lunch and back to the hotel for a swim and nap' kinda guy. From there, I will clean up and go to dinner at my destination restaurant and then spend my evening at that park or perhaps the nearest park. So when I have the parks mapped out, I try to plug in the destination restaurants in the most logical/efficient way possible. Its not too hard to do and make work for a week trip.

When I do have to make reservations, I will make allowances for needed adjustments if for some reason I cannot get what I want. This rarely occurs as I am usually getting a table for 2 and I travel in the low season.

From there I have the outline of a decent little vacation. I will then enter it into a word document to neatly put general times in for comings and goings on each day, what park, where we are eating, etc. I print it and shrink it down so its pocket size. I carry it around and reference it throughout the day. It then goes in the "Disney Bin" when the trip is over.

We have similar travel styles. My DH and I do the same thing! Thank you for sharing!

 

[tare]

What do you have on your excel spread sheet? I have each date, hours, times, ADR's, with another tab for outfits, menus, shopping list, and resort info. What do you have?

I have the days across the top line. Then all parks with hrs and parades etc on the next few lines and they are all color coded. Then I leave 20 or so blank lines so I can fill in dining resies choice of park etc. confirmation numbers times park ride and attractions and such. I highlight each thing that is set in stone and make additions and deletions alot. I have separate list for shopping etc. My resort choice is already dine before I even start my spreadsheet. It's a pretty simple one. I print it off and make written changes thats when the pen comes in handy because I usually think of my changes late at night when computer isn't on.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I make myself a table (calendar like) with the dates at the top and a couple boxes under the day. One box under the day has all the park hours, parade & times for shows we want to see color coded. The other box is for our plan and any ADR's. I print 2 copies when we go, one goes and stays in my purse and the other I use a magnet clip and put it on the back of the door to our room.

 

[disneygirl76]

I have the days across the top line. Then all parks with hrs and parades etc on the next few lines and they are all color coded. Then I leave 20 or so blank lines so I can fill in dining resies choice of park etc. confirmation numbers times park ride and attractions and such. I highlight each thing that is set in stone and make additions and deletions alot. I have separate list for shopping etc. My resort choice is already dine before I even start my spreadsheet. It's a pretty simple one. I print it off and make written changes thats when the pen comes in handy because I usually think of my changes late at night when computer isn't on.

Hee hee I do the same thing - I think Disney planning happens in my dreams.

 

[disneygirl76]

I make myself a table (calendar like) with the dates at the top and a couple boxes under the day. One box under the day has all the park hours, parade & times for shows we want to see color coded. The other box is for our plan and any ADR's. I print 2 copies when we go, one goes and stays in my purse and the other I use a magnet clip and put it on the back of the door to our room.

Do you do it for all the parks or just the park you plan on attending that day? I use just the day that I am planning on going to, however, with the shortened hours being released, and I know they will be extended, i'm adding more info and the spread sheet is starting to get out of control.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Do you do it for all the parks or just the park you plan on attending that day? I use just the day that I am planning on going to, however, with the shortened hours being released, and I know they will be extended, i'm adding more info and the spread sheet is starting to get out of control.

I do this for all the parks because we always get park hoppers so I need to know the hours of all the parks. We have some days really set in stone but try to have some days open for whatever we feel like. Sometimes I don't put all the shows that we might want to see, sometimes I just put that on another sheet of paper or on the backside since the times don't change that much.

 

[tare]

Hee hee I do the same thing - I think Disney planning happens in my dreams.

Eat sleep think disney

 

[ThinkTink721]

I use Excel spreadsheets too

 

[disneygirl76]

I use Excel spreadsheets too

What kind of info is on your spread sheet?

 

[WDW-LUVR]

I use my phone, my travel agent (Jenell with kingdom Konsultant) and my iPad

 

[bigorangeandy]

I use a calendar that is Word Document that I put each parks hours, EMH, and ADR's for each date. I also use large font for the park I think we will attend that day. If we have a lunch ADR in a park I know we will attend that park that morning, dinner who knows. Hotel reservation confirmation numbers also go on my calendar. I will also put the park hours for two days before and after our trip because you never know what might happen. Below is what my calendar has for Tuesday November 19th. The bold at Epcot at 8 lets me know that the EMH is in the morning, and that we have an ADR for Liberty Tree at noon.
MK 9-9
Ecpot 8-9 EMH
DHS 9-8
AK 9-5
MK LIBERTY TREE
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