What is your favorite thing about planning a WDW vacation ?

[gueli]

So what is your favorite thing about the planning stages...

I have to admit mine is the anticipation of going back.
I love when dearest wife says- OK lets go to disney...:D
:mickey:

[nicster]

One of mine is checking the boards every day, to read about things we haven't done on past trips & including them in our plans.

[mouseneer]

Anticipation of going and deciding on where to make ADR's !!! My wife let's me do all of the work,too, which makes it easier.

[Kathy Jetson]

I have to say I love everything about planning the trip (I do ALL the planning) its the next best thing to arriving!

[Gregandmel]

EVERYTHING!!!!! From deciding where to stay, to thinking about the adr's we'll make, to checking historically park hours to see which park for which day and getting the game plan going... you name it! Everytime we go on a road trip (even a short one) I bring my Disney books and thumb through them again. As my dh puts it "It puts me there" and basically brings me to my "happy place". :cloud9:

[bruin1344]

reading about wdw on the internet or books and talking about it with friends

[BelleKP]

One of mine is checking the boards every day, to read about things we haven't done on past trips & including them in our plans.
Absolutely agree!! :rocks:

EVERYTHING!!!!! From deciding where to stay, to thinking about the adr's we'll make, to checking historically park hours to see which park for which day and getting the game plan going... you name it! Everytime we go on a road trip (even a short one) I bring my Disney books and thumb through them again. As my dh puts it "It puts me there" and basically brings me to my "happy place". :cloud9: :D I can so relate to all of this!! I even brought my passporter on a date night with my DH so we could discuss dining options!! ;)

[Figment78]

I just LOVE opening up a new spreadsheet (that's how I stay organized) and start filling in the park hours, parade/fireworks times and EMH parks.... I fill in the EMHs that we want to take advantage of and then I start browsing menus on like and make a general list of restaurants and "activities" that we want to do (like sea raycers or water parks)...

I probably move stuff around on my "itinerary" 15 or 20 times before we go...

and yes, it's color coded.... I love my disney planning spread sheet..... That's my favorite part. I'm such a nerd!

[nicster]

I just LOVE opening up a new spreadsheet (that's how I stay organized) and start filling in the park hours, parade/fireworks times and EMH parks....

and yes, it's color coded.... I love my disney planning spread sheet..... That's my favorite part. I'm such a nerd!
Figment- I didn't mention my spread sheet, I was afraid that I would sound like too much of a geek:geek2:... I was right!:silly:

[elmjimmlm]

My favorite is right here...:rocks:

[epceddie]

I like trying something different to do each trip.
We've done the fireworks cruise, a haunted Halloween carriage ride at Fort Wilderness and the new balloon ride at Downtown Disney.
We'll be at WDW in November for my wife's 50th birthday, so I have to get busy and find something REALLY special to do.

[ransam]

i like being at work, and getting e-mails from the people I'm going with talking about where to stay, what to do, etc....just the excitement of thinking how many days left (147 days)


but my favorite part...is getting on the magical express..sitting back..watching the movie. and thinking that after all the planning, the waiting, the excitement...I was here!! and thinking of all the excitememt to come....

[Gregandmel]

i like being at work, and getting e-mails from the people I'm going with talking about where to stay, what to do, etc....just the excitement of thinking how many days left (147 days)


but my favorite part...is getting on the magical express..sitting back..watching the movie. and thinking that after all the planning, the waiting, the excitement...I was here!! and thinking of all the excitememt to come....

That's exactly how I feel. Just reading that brings a tear to my eye but gets me SOOOO excited for our upcoming trip!!!:dance:

[r4kids]

I love the fact that for 7 - 14 days we are free from everyday life!

[gueli]

Figment- I didn't mention my spread sheet, I was afraid that I would sound like too much of a geek:geek2:... I was right!:silly:

Does make me wonder how many of us use a spreadsheet ?
and how many don't want to post about it :geek2:...

I love reading this stuff, Keep em coming - oh and our trip is about 130 some odd days here in july...

cant wait for 90 day adr...

Keep em comming
:mickey:

[Marceline]

My favorite part about planning is always reading menus and deciding on ADR's. :eat: Admitted "foodie" here, so this part is lots o' fun for me.

The other best part about planning is the day dreaming about the up coming trip. It's also a great way to get to sleep.....just sorta start imagining the whole process until your.....zzzzzzzz:sleepin: Like a baby!

[steamboat willy]

All The Above....I get DISNEY Crazy! :mickey:


Emailing Debbie at MJ with our travel dates starts the Mouse rolling.


Then its waiting on the Park Hours to come out. Those with September Mouse Ears know what I mean. :mickey2:


Then its the morning of 90 + 10 for ADR's, up early and off to the phones and PC's. :pluto:
Ordered and received our MNSSHP! Boo To You!:mpumpkin:
And Yes......I open up my last trips Excel Spread Sheet which keeps all four Park Hours, Parade Times, EMH, Firework times or nights and dates for Special Events.

Break out DW's GREAT scrapbrook of past Disney Vacations. :balloon:


And getting on INTERCOT everyday (several times) reading all your IDEAS.

52 Days till we're walking with the MOUSE.

[hardingella]

THE WHOLE THING:cloud9:

Apart from paying for it;)

[g8rgirl29]

Does make me wonder how many of us use a spreadsheet ?
and how many don't want to post about it :geek2:...

LOL, I laminate mine to bring along!!!:blush:
I Love every aspect of the planning process. I finished paying off our trip last night and, even thought I hate paying the money, I still get a Thrill from it being paid in full!! The only thing that gets me through the waiting is coming here to Intercot and reading all the great stuff!!

[Belster]

I love all of the steps involved. Due to the way Disney has set up their reservations you just can't do it all at once. The steps I love to take when planning a WDW trip:

1. Getting a deal in the mail or email!!!!
2. Deciding when to go based on the deal!!!!
3.Buy plane tickets(makes it so real).
3. Where to stay...plan, plan, plan!!!!!
5. Research the new place to stay!!!!!
6.Where to eat!!!!!
7. Make ADR's
8.Now it is time to think about things you may purchase now for the upcoming season in Florida...hmmmm what will I need????
9. Await your ME papers and such!!!!
10. Ship a package to WDW!!!!!
11.Last few days before you go anticipation!!!!
12. Depart!!!!
13. Come home and do it all over again!!!!!

[TheMartellFamily]

Since we do the dinner plan it is the restaurants that we choose. When they are ade then anticipate the wait for each. We love our favs and cannot wait to get back, while new ones we wonder if it going to be worth trying.

[BluewaterBrad]

I just LOVE opening up a new spreadsheet (that's how I stay organized) and start filling in the park hours, parade/fireworks times and EMH parks.... I fill in the EMHs that we want to take advantage of and then I start browsing menus on like and make a general list of restaurants and "activities" that we want to do (like sea raycers or water parks)...

I probably move stuff around on my "itinerary" 15 or 20 times before we go...

and yes, it's color coded.... I love my disney planning spread sheet..... That's my favorite part. I'm such a nerd!



That's cool.:mickey:

[jonahbear2006]

Does make me wonder how many of us use a spreadsheet ?
and how many don't want to post about it :geek2:...

I love reading this stuff, Keep em coming - oh and our trip is about 130 some odd days here in july...

cant wait for 90 day adr...

Keep em comming
:mickey:

I use a spreadsheet, word for a written out plan which gets printed, laminated and put in a ring to carry on the bag, and a passporter journal to write in as well. On top of that we take an empty journal, pen, and clear packing tape and tape down reciepts fast passes, wristbands, and anything else i want to keep but feel i wont have time to scrapbook. writing the itinerary and booking adrs is my fav. part. i could do it for a living cause its almost as fun as the trip itself, for me.

[obsessive planner]

I, like most of you, get to do all of the planning for our trips. I love it and I wonder how to go about getting a job doing it. No doubt, I would be the happiest working person in the whole world.

I agree that I like everything about planning the trip. Deciding where to stay and doing all the research as well as our day to day planning and eating.

This year I get to plan our trip for eight of us and I'm already looking forward to getting everyones opinions on where to eat and where to go and trying to make everyone happy.:mickey:

[joonyer]

all of the planning and research just heighthens the AN-TI-CI-PA-TION! (think of the Carly Simon song) :cloud9::thumbsup::)

[Erin C.]

I agree with Figment 78!!!!!!! I also do the whole spreadsheet thing too!!! It really helps plan the trip!! I am taking my older sister in September to stay at the SSR and I showed her my spreadsheet so she knows the plan!! The last time she went was when she and her husband took me and my mom when I was 15!!!
:mickey:

[BMan62]

I do the spreadsheet thing myself for our trips.

Top section has days/park hours/closing shows (include Spectromagic for MK)

Under that, list the DDP TS reservations - where, when, confirmation #

Next, flight information - times, dates, confirmation #

Finally, all the info for the resort we're staying at - Address, phone #, icon for the resort (taken from Intercot, of course)

One copy goes with us, one copy gets posted on the fridge at home, for whoever is taking care of the animals for us, and one copy goes on the corkboard above the computer (just for the occasional reminder before the trip!!)

To the original question: What is my favorite thing about planning a WDW trip? Closing up the bags the night before we leave, knowing that, in the morning, we're off and everything has been taken care of, except the fun!!!

[Aggie97]

I love the initial discussion when we decide it's time to go back to WDW, which is followed by spending the next couple days:

Charting out park hours and event schedules for the time periods we are considering;
Developing potential itineraries for these time periods;
Researching the resorts we are interested in;
Going over it all with my husband to make a final decision; and
Calling WDW to make our resort reservation and a few "must-do" ADRs!

:mickey:

[DisneyFr33k]

It is the thought every day I wake up that we will be back. Once the actual day arrive to drive to the airport, I am excited but sad too because I know I will have to come back and go through that dark period of morning our Disney trip.

[MushuGrl]

Okay. It's official. I'm using a spreadsheet next vacation.

I don't REALLY start getting excited until we make the phone call to Disney (or this time to Melissa at MJ...I've learned my lesson!) then it's freak out time!

I love calling for dining plans. I love planning what to take, what snacks to take for the trip if we're driving, the stops on the way, what days we're going to what park...

And as someone else mentioned, knowing that for 7 days, I'm not going to worry about work, bills, health, or anything - I'm going to just be a big kid!

[Emme&TeddysMommy]

Does make me wonder how many of us use a spreadsheet ?
and how many don't want to post about it :geek2:...



I just LOVE opening up a new spreadsheet (that's how I stay organized) and start filling in the park hours, parade/fireworks times and EMH parks.... I fill in the EMHs that we want to take advantage of and then I start browsing menus on like and make a general list of restaurants and "activities" that we want to do (like sea raycers or water parks)...

I probably move stuff around on my "itinerary" 15 or 20 times before we go...

and yes, it's color coded.... I love my disney planning spread sheet..... That's my favorite part. I'm such a nerd!

Oh my I have discovered that I am not the only "NERD" in the disney vacation planning process. My friends think it’s a little crazy or over kill how ever you look at it, but I create the “Disney Bible” as I call it. It contains every bit of info I could need on vacation. It has everything from park hours, reservations (dinning, hotel, and air travel), park maps, and the list goes on and of couse it all one spread sheets. This is my favorite part of preparing for vacation and when it’s all done I feel Ahhhhhhhhhhhh so accomplished and I know that I can enjoy vacation because everything is all done and all I have to do is sit back and enjoy! I even keep them all for the next trips planning as a reference.

[Erin C.]

Yikes....now I feel like my spreadsheet is not up to par with others...anyone want to share theirs ?? :)

[Ksmith75]

We love the whole planning process. We go every year the last week of April/ first week of May. We start planning before we leave for the next year. We love debating our ADR's , where to stay, what to do each day. It is great. We prob talk about it 4+ times every week!

[cjdami]

We love to plan the trip! We are going back in December, and have started planning for possible ADR's, what park on which day, and whe to cram everything possible into the time there! DH sets it up on the calendar in Microsoft and then creates a PDF which he sends over to the rest of us. I shrink and print a couple of copies, it has all the reservation #s that we need for planes, DME, dining, etc. We keep them too! And i end up writing a journal of our trip. Type it up after we get back, and refer back to them when we need to!
They have been great to relive a trip that you just loved!! It's good to know that we aren't the only obsessive planners!! LOL!

[Figment78]

I find that my spreadsheet even comes in handy when I'm planning what to pack. Depending on the time of year, it helps to know if we are going to be returning to the hotel mid-day, or if we need layers, or if we're spending the day at AK mid-summer (lightest possible clothing because of NO A/C!) :mickey:

And as many have said - of course I KEEP a copy of it with the rest of all my vacation stuff once we get home. I keep the folders they give us at check in, a copy of all the brochures, my room keys and tickets, etc etc etc! I especially love to have the copy of the itinerary because it really helps me remember each of the trips.

One year, I gave a copy of it to my parents. It was an anniversary trip for me and DH. Because my parents knew when we were eating and where, they called and had the restaurant provide wine glasses, champagne and desert as a treat on our anniversary dinner.

[diz_girl]

I'm glad that I'm not the only WDW spreadsheet geek on Intercot. I've got one that handles the expenses, one that handles the dining reservations, etc.

My favorite part of planning a WDW is when I find out exactly when I'll be going. That's when the real excitement begins. It's when my WDW vacation goes from a dream to a reality.

[SallyMcQueen]

My favorite thing is choosing places to make ADRs. I'm a big food/cooking nut and love to eat out. I enjoy reading reviews of restaurants and looking at menus and yes, planning the rest of our day around where we might eat. I also love thinking about how much fun the family is going to have. Every so often I'll pull out some of my Disney books and look through them all again to get some fresh ideas....I think I might go find one now.:cloud9:

[cer]

I love all the planning, too BUT

My favorite part about planning for Disney is having a countdown.

Right now, no countdown...:(

[dml]

I think all of it, especially planning our days and dining, because there's nothing's better than knowing you're going to WDW!
:mickey::mickey:

[caryrae]

Some of the best parts of planning:

1. Picking out the Resort and making the booking

2. Getting Airline tickets

3. buying Park Tickets

4. When the Park times come out for the time we are going to plan on where to go what day

5. Time comes when we can make ADR

6. Making the final payment for our Resort

7. Then once we hit a month before the trip we get more and more excited everyday.

8. Buying things we will need for the trip (i.e. toiletries, any cloths we need, stuff for plane ride, ect)

9. Then of course when the day finally arrives when we can go to the Airport and leave for WDW:mickey:

[edhunter28]

the 100 days until party. the week before wouldve
been #1 but the excitment kills you

[BIGDOG]

This is a great post !!! I want to say no matter what kind of software or spread sheet you use to plan your trip enjoy yourself. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself, un-wind with your family or friends. The best planned trips can go bad the least planned trips can be the best. ....The best part about planning our trips to Disney is sitting on the couch with the kids and watching the dvd from Disney, and the anticapation. I actually get depressed when I arrive at the resort because I know it will soon be time to leave,,,but that is just me I guess..

[Lizzie]

Besides the planning and talking about it.

Just knowing that there is a vacation coming helps when your days are long and hard.

[Figment78]

I actually get depressed when I arrive at the resort because I know it will soon be time to leave,,,but that is just me I guess..

It's not just you! I know exactly what you mean. Although that feeling is nothing compared to the depression that hits when you are headed back to the airport.... I finally figured it out on our last trip. It's homesickness. I feel like i'm leaving home.

[victoriasmom98]

would one of you "spreadsheet geeks" send me a copy of one so that I can see what you do??? It sounds like a wonderful idea!

My countdown is 1 year, 1 month and 29 days!!!

Ann:blush:

[SandmanGStefani24]

i'd say probably remembering the last trip or two, and using that to plan what I might want to do the next time. It always brings up good memories, and passes the time easily.

Another thing, is packaging up vacation ideas and comparing them. (one hotel versus another, 3 days versus 4, ect..) Building trips from the ground up just adds to it...