I'll make Advance Dining Reservations as soon as I'm able to, so I'll have a general idea of what park(s) we'll be going to on each day of our trip at about the 180 day mark. I don't start checking the weather until 5-7 days out.
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I'll make Advance Dining Reservations as soon as I'm able to, so I'll have a general idea of what park(s) we'll be going to on each day of our trip at about the 180 day mark. I don't start checking the weather until 5-7 days out.
I usually have all our ADR's booked in advance. This time since I will be off and on site, I only have two meals booked. My DD's favorite Tokyo Dining and a new one for us Les Chefs. This time I am winging the meals. As far as the parks this trip. We will get some park time mixed in with house hunting.
Our trips have been so much easier as it's only two adults now. I only plan our resort (sometimes it's DTD resorts) and how many days we will spend in the parks to purchase passes and if we will attend a party such as MVSHP or MVMCP.
That's it. :mickey:
We eat whenever we want, wherever we can and grab a fastpass if one is available.
I'm sure that will all change again in a couple of years when I start bringing grandchildren. :blush:
I am a non planner. Now, for the Disney trips at least. I make only one or two reservations for dining and that's it. Sometimes when I am there I'll call the same day and make one if I feel like it. I have been enough, i just don't care anymore. I want to go and do what I want now and just enjoy. Maybe if we have grandkids some day down the line I will go back to planning.
Obsessive planner here! To the point where not only do I have my ADRs, but I went through the menus and figured out roughly how much my meals will be, and calculated the gratuity based on 20%. That way, I can tip in cash (I'm on the DDP), and not have to use my card for small amounts (I hate having multiple charges on my card for small amounts). I already figured out how many 5 dollar bills and how many singles I need and have them all stored away.
I also already made envelopes with tips for Mousekeeping (one per night).
I have a rough of idea of which park I'm going to for the first few days of the trip; after that, I play it by ear.
I don't, however, plan my days any further than that. I go with the flow depending on crowds and my mood (sometimes I'm in the mood to go quickly on everything, other times I just want to take my time and only go on a few things, and sometimes I want to go on a thrill ride, and other times I don't).
I also know, roughly, which CS and snacks I want, but again, I don't have a set plan. I figure that out then and there based on what I'm in the mood for.
So I plan, but I also keep a lot open. I have no idea how often I'll visit Stormalong Bay, nor which nights I'll stay for fireworks, nor how many parks per day (other than ADRs). No idea when I'll go on the monorail or when I'll visit DTD.
I'm a bit of both. I like to plan right down to what to eat when we get off the magical express, but it usually all goes out the window when I get there and we go where our feet take us.
I'm another who is somewhere in between.
As my kids have gotten older I have found it easier to make ADRs in advance. I don't need a crystal ball to predict what their schedule/mood is going to be like on a particular day.
I will plan which park on which days and then reserve one adr each day at 180 days out. That's about it. We've been known to stray from that plan if we so desire while we're there.