Planning tips & suggestions

[goofygonewild]

I am planning for a late May 2012 trip to WDW and am looking for ideas on planning and keeping organized. One idea I read about is a spreadsheet and another person mentioned index cards. Just wondering what everyone suggests to help keep plans organized and what you put on your planning worksheet. Thanks!!

[faline]

My plans tend to be pretty broad and simple. I usually just create a 4 column table in Word which I title Day Date Park and Dining Plans (though more information often goes into one column than the heading might suggest). The first two columns are self-explanatory. In the 3rd column goes a variety of information - might be my flight times, numbers, check-in reservation information, the park I plan to visit that day, park hours for each park with a designation to indicate whether any are having extra magic hours, and parade and fireworks information. In the last column, I'll put all my dining plans including confirmation # and time of reservation. If I'm doing any special tours, they would go in this column as well.

[mousetrapper]

I don't do anything fancy or complicated -- just a word doc that gives me the details I need in general and for each day:

- flight numbers and arrival/departure times
- airline phone number(s)
- reservation confirmation number
- resort phone number
- Magical Express info
- ADR numbers for each day
- park we'll be in each day (always subject to change! but nice to have a rough idea)
- park hours and times for special shows, events, parades, EMH, etc. each day

I keep each day on a different page so I only take that day's itinerary with me (although sometimes it's nice to have the next day's with me too in case I want to recall what we have planned).

When I get home, I immediately go into the word doc on my computer and make notes on the itinerary about what we did. That way I can refer to it when I'm planning our next trip! And I just keep using the original itinerary as my template for the next time.

Happy planning! That's a lot of the fun for me.

:thumbsup:

[CajunDisneyDad]

We employ the Kiss method...(Keep it simple...sweety :P ) If you try to plan out every second of the trip and put yourself on a schedule, you run the risk about stressing out over time...and increase the possibility of the dreaded...DISNEY MELTDOWN!!!. I would suggest that you get a park map, get an Idea of what attractions you want to see and just take it easy. There is soooooooo much to see and do over there, you can go for a year and not see everything... I guess what I am saying is dont put yourself on a schedule..make a list of the stuff you want to see, and enjoy!

[Dulcee]

I use excel and break it down by day.

I'll include breakfast, lunch dinner plans with appropriate reservation numbers as well as how many credits it will use from the dining plan. The park we'll do in the morning and then the park we'll do in the afternoon (we usually split days). I may include approximate times I'd like to be in a certain park/leave for our afternoon break, but those aren't usually set in stone. I'll also include park hours, whether we're planning on fantasmic, illuminations etc.

I don't plan out step by step which attraction we'll do. I can't plan that much in advance. Once were in the park we tend to just go with the flow.

Oh and right before we leave I'll print out each day's plan on notecard size pieces of paper that fit in my wallet. That way I can carry each day's info easily into the parks with me.

[MushuGrl]

I always go out and buy a Disney folder, just one like a child would take to school. If we do any non-Disney things (our last trip, we made two-day St. Augustine stop) or have any hotel stays along the way, that goes on one side. The other side is Disney.

I store everything in order so that when I need it, all I have to do it grab it. Room ressie go on top, and then I pull them out. List of EMH's and park hours that I get from Intercot come out next and go on the counter so we can see them. Then food ressie confirmations.

[Tink#64]

I start with the excel worksheet that lists each park by day with hours, times of any parades, fireworks, etc. including EMH's. I use that make my itenerary of which park - which day, then after we decide which park for each day I make the index cards to pop one in my fanny pack each day, so we know what our planned itenerary is. I have one card for each day, showing park hours, all events we might attend, any adr info, etc. These are just plans, we usually deviate based on what we feel like doing, crowds, etc. I use all that info to make the adr's! I can't imagine doing all the running from place to place to make adr's or any special events if I didn't have a "plan"! I know my family, WDW would be like that night when every someone suggests someplace different for dinner! ha ha We make these plans together, DS's 13 & 15 help deciding on our parks days & our touring plans, this makes it fun & inclusive for all! Dh just goes with the flow! lol

I have a notebook for all lists, notes, etc. I also start a folder for my spreadsheet, index cards, any mailings from WDW, all ressie #'s & info, coupons for restaurants for meals on our drive, etc. I love planning our WDW trips, it's the next best thing to being at WDW! :mickey:

[alaMode]

I used to bring a slim notebook w/ pockets with me, but now my iPhone carries all my info. I found an inexpensive WDW planning app that I liked and basically mirrored my notebook/folder method. I input all my info (daily plan, ADRs, flight info, resort info, etc) as I'm planning. I also sync the info w/ dh's phone and ds' iPod so if anything happens to my phone, we still have copies of everything!
Now the only paper I bring is our Magical Express info. Hopefully one day soon they'll offer a paperless ticket option!
We tend to accumulate lots of paper at WDW-there's always a ton of brochures in our room at check-in, then we always bring back maps/schedules, receipts, etc. It drives me a little nuts to have so much paper clutter. I feel like we have a little bit less now!

[Ramblingman]

We have found it easier to keep it in excel and email to everyone or at least email to ourselves and text everyone when things are planned.

On the spreadsheet, we keep it simple, putting in park hours and ADR's. We might add things like parade times or something from the "can't miss" category.

We put in hours for each park and bold the one we are doing that day. That way, if we decide to park hop, we have the closing hours for other parks right at our fingertips.

If you keep it in digital format, make a copy, email it to yourself or spouse, just don't forget it at home.

[DisneyGirl85]

I found an inexpensive WDW planning app that I liked and basically mirrored my notebook/folder method. I input all my info (daily plan, ADRs, flight info, resort info, etc) as I'm planning. I also sync the info w/ dh's phone and ds' iPod so if anything happens to my phone, we still have copies of everything!

What is the app you have called? I have the "Mouse Memo" app which I love...just curious which one your use....

[alaMode]

I use Mouse Memo too! I haven't been able to figure out how to add daily park plans, so for that I use Evernote, which I also use at work. I also use the WDW mobile site while I'm in WDW for park hours, updates, character locations, etc.