Planning and THE SPOUSE

[ParisRain]

Just curious to know if your spouses are into vacation planning as much as you are? Or if they're like mine and think you're nuts. *L* He keeps saying, "It's 5 mos away!" And when I ask why he isn't as excited as me, he says that it's too far off and he'll be excited about it when the time draws near. What's ironic is it was his idea to go to WDW. He's just not as big a planner as me.

I was also wondering how often you guys checked Intercot. He says I spend too much time on here. Maybe I do go overboard (2 guidebooks, Deb's site on speed-key, printing all the WDW menus) but hey - PLANNING'S HALF THE FUN!

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1977: Disneyland
1996: WDW ~ CBR
2000: WDW ~ PO
2002: WDW ~ WL (January)

[This message has been edited by ParisRain (edited August 16, 2001).]

[JanetMegan]

Well at least your husband wants to go with you. Trust me it is much better to have a willing spouse, even if he isn't as much of a planner. You know I think it is a chick thing. Cause I am a big planner in general.

Hmm I wonder if I should start on my spreadsheet for my Dec trip yet?

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Janet, aka JanetMegan
[email protected]
Intercot Staff Member

No Bad Dancing!!

Hi my name is Janet, and all my friends are on the internet.

[champ9795]

I was waiting for a post like this one ! I have just the opposite situation, I am a man and I am the planner,who is obsessed with planning a year in advance . My wife has no interest in wdw until about 3 days b4 the trip I Love planning all of the meals and making the room arangements (dvc members)
I dont find it too hard to believe that I am alone in making all of the decisions.I guess it is not for everyone.

anyhow,I am looking foreward to our october trip, we will be staying at okw from oct 11 to oct 20



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Ya gotta Love Da Mouse !

[LoraJ]

I'm not married, but I know what you mean. I am a planner. I love to plan everything. It gets me excited for my trip. I am going to Disney next month with a friend and she isn't a planner like me and I think I annoy her whenever I bring something up.

Sometimes I travel on my own. Then I can plan all I want and not have to worry about anyone else.

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1976 - Contemporary
3/90 - Offsite
5/91 - Offsite
12/97 - Offsite
9/98 - Disneyland
8/99 - Disneyland
9/01 - Offsite

[tnemgif]

Males in general are not big planners I think. My fiance makes fun of me and says that I have anxiety attacks when I know I'm going to Disney. Being a Florida resident I go at least once a year, usually with family or friends that visit and want to go. But I still get excited and pack at least a week ahead of time and plan out the days. You have to bget the most out of it because you are throwing down major cash. Plus the better prepared you are the more fun you have and then you can watch all the other people who didn't plan ahead get frustrated and cranky.

[Patti]

WELCOME, CHAMP9795, TO INTERCOT

In my house, I'm the planner. I read everything I can get my hands on, check and recheck ressies, visit Intercot several times a day, etc. You get the idea. My husband, on the other hand, just goes with the flow.

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Nov. '98 -- DxL
Nov. '00 -- DxL
Nov. '01 -- PO/FQ

[Bobcat]

Well, well, great topic! Having been in the travel business in some capacity for 7 years (no longer) I'm the planner! Not only does my wife think I'm nuts, everyone else does also. I plan everything for everyone, that's just my nature, it's now expected of me. I've planned big groups to Vegas and Montreal (GO BRUINS!!!) that've consisted of collecting money (wow does collecting money kind of **** or what) from anywhere between 10-18 guys, air tickets, game tickets, you name it. As big a pain in the ass as it can be, it's fun. My opinion is as follows: If you wait for someone else, it will NEVER get done! Does anyone else agree?

Bob

ps..I've already got my May of '02 Disney trip booked, "family trip"...yikes!

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[mamcdo]

I've been planning for a 1 and a half. I drive my family crazy. I have WDW on the brain. If they're talking about something and I walk in the room I can fit WDW into any conversation. I consider this a great accomplishment. I savor all the planning that I do. -All the guides books, and trips to many web sites hundred and hundreds of times.

I do this with every vacation, even if we're not going to WDW. (Perish the thought) When I was a little kid my parents couldn't tell me anything. I would get so excited. I'm so glad I'm not the only one.

I totally agree with you Bobcat!

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Meg
Hey! I'm a redhead!

Cont: Sept. 1990
Off-site: June 1996
AS music: June 1998
Off-site: Nov. 2001

3 more months!!
Yahoo Yippety!

[This message has been edited by mamcdo (edited August 15, 2001).]

[ValerieK]

I am the planner in the family, my husband hates to plan anything. We booked our last trip less than a month before we left. Our first trip down he wouldn't let me plan where to eat the first night there. We were at Epcot and couldn't find anywhere to eat. We didn't eat dinner until 9:30, our son was starving. Now we decide in the morning so we can make PS. Well, I guess I can't complain to much, he takes us at least once a year.

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Poly '99
Poly '00
WL June '01

[apollo]

My wife and I both plan the trips and as much as I love going to WDW I don't get as excited until we are about to leave home. My wife reads intercot daily, reads and rereads a couple of different books on WDW and visits other sites as well. She can "talk" disney with anyone. She also orders the new video every year. She is obsessed with the "magic".

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[cyber_steph]

I too plan everything (too far in advance, my husband thinks), but it's a lot of fun for me. The good part is, my planning ends with hotel reservations and ps. My husband loves to strategize in the parks. We used fast pass for EVERYTHING.

We did get into a fight last time when I wanted to go into the shop after the animation tour at MGM but he insisted we didn't have time to browse around and see Indiana Jones in time to get a good seat at Fantasmic. Sometimes planning can get too rigid, but I really have no business calling another's planning obsessive.

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off-site--1985
Disneyland (one day)--1999
All-Stars Movies--Dec. 2000
Port Orleans--Jan. 2001 (Honeymoon!)
Port Orleans (FQ)--Dec. 2001

[MNNHFLTX]

My husband has long since handed the "travel director" role over to me--probably not because he wouldn't be interested, but because he knows how much joy I get out of it. (Plus I usually do a pretty good job, if I do say so myself--and I do!)

I have always thought that there are three parts of a vacation:

1. Planning
2. Doing
3. Remembering

All three are special, but I would say that I enjoy the anticipation of a trip almost as much as the trip itself!

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Beth--
"attitude is a little thing that means alot"

[This message has been edited by MNNHFL (edited August 15, 2001).]

[Fantasmike]

My wife thinks that I am overly obsessed with WDW and planning our trips. And that is saying a lot because she is a WDW freak.

I have a notebook that I label with pictures of the resort that we are going to stay at.

I download menus and we decide what we are going to order, i put my PS numbers on them and print them out and put them in the notebook.

I keep a copy of the latest WDW planning video in it and print the phone number pages, tips, and packing list off of Deb's site and put in there.

I make sure I read the lates Birnbaum's twice and carry it with me.

This year I made Excel spreadsheets for each day so we could break them down plan each days activities.

I know I have WDW-mania but it is the most enjoyable mental disorder to have

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1981-offsite
1987-offsite
1998-ASMu
2001-CBR

[G]

I do the planning. He always says what ever you want.I have him make all the phone calls so that he is involved. He did suprise me on our last trip and moved us from off site(WE arrived 2 days early ) to the Dolphin one day early. Sometimes I get stuck and I make him make a choice. He does support my intercot habit .

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I AM GOING BACK IN DEC AND I FINALLY GET TO STAY AT THE POLY!!

(Gail)

[lovethemouse/hatetherat]

I do most of the planning in regards to phone calls, ps scheduling, airline schedules, etc. However, my husband IS also really into it, and we have little Disney planning meetings on a monthly basis, because we always have a trip in the works, even if it is a year away. We use the spreadsheet, read the Unofficial Guide, and research menus, and always watch one of the vacation videos at our monthly planning sessions. For New Year's Eve last year we had a Disney party for just us and the kids. We made a breakfast with Mickey Mouse Waffles, played the new edition of the Disney Trivia game, watched videos, and did some itinerary planning. OK, so we're a bit dull...it was good family fun.

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Jozette

[ParisRain]

*L* I liked the comment G made about her husband "supporting (her) intercot habit." I also totally agree with Beth on the THREE PARTS OF A VACATION (I like 1 just as much as 2 as well!). Fantasmike (GREAT HANDLE, BTW!) blew me away with his planning - The whole notebook/spreadsheet thing... Okay okay... I DID create my own Itenerary on Word. *L* And Jozette, I love the idea of having a family Disney/plan day! *hi-5* Makes me wish my little guy was old enough to participate! (He's only 2 and will stay with his grandpa this time.)

In my husband's defense, he does make the phone calls for me (repeatedly, poor thing) and when I told him about this topic, he replied, "I do NOT think you're a freak!"

BTW, some of you guys haven't told me how often you visit Intercot per day.... tsk tsk

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1977: Disneyland
1996: WDW ~ CBR
2000: WDW ~ PO
2002: WDW ~ WL (January)

[This message has been edited by ParisRain (edited August 15, 2001).]

[EvaBryan]

Add me to the list of female planners.

Bryan lets me plan EVERYTHING - and I would almost rather have it that way. He is a semi-willing participant and he is willing to spend the money without an argument, so I guess that works for us. I plan ALL of the vacations - England, Virginia, New England, our honeymoon - I like making the arrangements and he likes knowing that all of the details are attended to. I am really Type-A.

I originally gave us a user name using both of our names so that he could post too - he just isn't interested. I often read the posts to him and call him over to the screen to look at something, but he just doesn't have the patience to "talk Disney" all day. He thinks my obsession is endearing, which I guess is better than irritating!

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[lorirose]

Yup, I'm a planner, too... didn't used to be. I went in Jun '99 for a short family trip with no planning other than which hotel to stay in.... NEVER AGAIN!!! We made some crazy mistakes because of lack of knowledge... like 90 minutes in line to ride splash mtn, arranging to meet up with each other at 10am in front of the castle!!!! (what was I thinking??)... taking my toddler into the bug's life 3d show at AK!! get the idea...
One particularly rough day ended with an arguement in the middle of main street, followed by a decision to go our seperate ways for the evening. That was probably the smartest thing we did the whole trip!!
All of our trips since then have been much more pleasant because of a little advanced planning.
Yup, I've got spreadsheets for every day of the trip, and I spend a lot of time re-arranging our itinerary... but once we get there, it's OK if it doesn't go as planned. My hubby is quite fine with the HOURS that I spend on my hobby... it keeps me from grumbling about his obsessive hobbies. Planning for meals is critical!! It's one thing to be tired, but tired and hungry creates angry in my family.

Now I'm just rambling because this is one of my favoritest things in the whole world to talk about. I check Intercot for news and new tips every day... unless I'm at WDW.

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Dec '80 - Golf resort (now shades of green)
1992-1995- a bunch of day trips. (lived in Orlando)
Jun '99 - All Star Music
Jan '00 - All Star Movies
Feb '00 - offsite
Sep '00 - All Star Sports
Jan '01 - Fort Wilderness / Shades of Green
Next up:
Sep '01 - all-star movies
Dec '01 - all-star sports

[This message has been edited by lorirose (edited August 16, 2001).]

[MNNHFLTX]

ParisRain, I forgot about the second part to your question (honest!)

How often I go on Intercot varies. When I've got a trip to WDW imminently approaching I go on it probably 1-2 times a day for a brief period each time (that anticipation thing I spoke of earlier). When I'm in the initial planning stage it is probably the same thing. In between those times other aspects of life sometimes demand attention and I may go on every 1-2 weeks.

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Beth--
"attitude is a little thing that means alot"

[wdwfan]

I am the planner in this family. I start planning way in advance. Going in Dec. and booked room & flts. in Feb. I visit Intercot several times daily,(lots of info) along with other sites. I check & recheck,& reconfirm everything. When I see better prices (like my flight lowered) called and received credit for difference. At least my husband doesn't think I'm crazy, he just doesn't have time to do it and he wouldn't no where to begin. We do talk about all arrangements I've made and he gets excited too! I love doing it and I have friends & family call me to help when they start planning vacations.

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