What's your favorite planning tip?

[IloveJack]

The "Disney snob" thread got me to thinking... many of the people here have been to Disney multiple times and consider themselves ultimate planners. I've been far fewer times than many of you, and yet I get asked often for opinions/advice from friends planning their first trip. So what's your favorite tip? Maybe it's something as simple as "Order a large drink with your quick service dining plan meal; there are no refills." Or maybe you know the secret to those elusive CRT or Le Cellier ADRs.
Maybe we all will learn something new...

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Lots of tips,
1.The secret to scoring those ADRs is to make them 180 days out when they start allowing it......
2. Stay onsite and enjoy the perks like free transportation, package delivery, EMH
3. Use Magical Journeys to make sure you get the best deal

[brownie]

Sending you to the Vacation Planning forum where you'll probably get a better response.

[brivers222]

Magical Journeys - Set it and forget it!

[Ms. Mode]

Plan your "next, next" trip before you leave, so that you have something to look forward too before you check out. :blush:

[mariak]

Actually, one of the first things that I tell people is to check out Intercot as it was one of the best tips I ever got!!! Beyond than that, I have several favorites for planning/packing.

For planning:

1) Check park hours as soon as the calendar is available for your vacation time period so that you will have an idea of which park you will be in on what day to better help plan your ADRs. Extra Magic Hours and things that, sometimes, don’t occur daily (like Fantasmic) will probably make a difference to you one way or the other.

2) Take advantage of dining packages such as the Fantasmic package or The Candlelight Processional packages (at Christmas)..….if you are interested in going. This way you don’t have to stand in that huge line…or take a chance on not getting in at all.

3) If staying on property (which we highly recommend) check-in online before you leave (when available) to make check-in easier when you get to your resort.

4) If using the Magical Express, pick up your own bags before boarding (unless you arrive early and you don’t think you’ll need anything from your bags for a few hours).

For Packing:

My very favorite thing to tell people to take is zip-lock baggies in a variety of sizes. We keep some in the backpack (and in my purse) at all times for putting cell phones and cameras in on water rides and stuff. But we also use them a lot when the girls don’t finish their brownies or cookies etc…. This way, we don’t waste them and they have snacks for later in the room.

Sorry this was so long. I actually have several pages that I give to friends who ask before they take their first WDW trip. I really tried to keep it brief. But I hope that something here will help someone.

:mickey:

[brivers222]

My very favorite thing to tell people to take is zip-lock baggies in a variety of sizes. We keep some in the backpack (and in my purse) at all times for putting cell phones and cameras in on water rides and stuff.

Just a word of caution... make sure you rescue your electronic devices from said zip lock baggy as soon as you are out of danger of getting wet.... I have baked a few phones in my days with less humidity and heat at Cedar Point. A tiny hole anywhere in the bag and a hot day will lead to condensation build up in and around bag... Almost worse than water itself in some cases...

overall great tip though, just be careful with electronic devices. However, the baggy has saved my wallet on a few occasions :)

[lynnek]

We will be going for the second time this next Nov. and the planning made our first trip successful--of course reading all the Intercot posts helped. I found that all the planning made it so much easier to relax and enjoy the ride, so to speak, when we got there.

Another tip that made DH roll his eyes, but we used, was cut up a couple sponges into squares, soak with liquid soap, dry out. Pack in ziplock bag. We used those refillable mugs a lot and I was able to get them clean every night.

[mariak]

Just a word of caution... make sure you rescue your electronic devices from said zip lock baggy as soon as you are out of danger of getting wet.... I have baked a few phones in my days with less humidity and heat at Cedar Point. A tiny hole anywhere in the bag and a hot day will lead to condensation build up in and around bag... Almost worse than water itself in some cases...

overall great tip though, just be careful with electronic devices. However, the baggy has saved my wallet on a few occasions :)

Thanks so much! We've been doing that for years and never had that happen to anything. However, I think we do, generally, pull everything out in a timely manner. I will be sure to now! Plus, I will add that "word of caution" in my tips to friends.

Good point about the wallet too....we always use a baggy for ours too!

Thanks Again!

[EJS-Houston]

If you or anyone in your party is a coffee-drinker (that HAS to have that cup first thing in the morning to be at all functional), invest in an inexpensive travel coffee-maker. I don't drink coffee, but my friend I went to DisneyWorld with two years ago is. I bought a small Black-and-Decker unit and some gourmet coffee and it proved a life-saver...because otherwise, your coffee-drinker is at the mercy of Nescafe...and you don't want that! Trust me.

[faline]

Make a daily itenerary but keep it simple. Mine are typically 2-3 pages long depending on length of trip. I keep important information there. Flight times and numbers. Reservation numbers and advanced dining plans and numbers. I note the park(s) I plan to visit that day as well as park hours and special things such as fireworks and parades. Do not plan hour by hour. Provide lots of flexibility and don't feel badly if you change your plans mid-stream.

Don't try to do everything. It's not possible and you won't enjoy yourself much if you try. Make sure you get to those things that are most important to you and forget the rest or leave it for another trip.

Do plan in some relaxed time. I know it's tempting but It's exhausting to hit the park at opening and stay until closing each and every day of your trip. Spend some time enjoying your resort, visiting other resorts, visiting the pool or just hanging out in your room.

If your party includes kids, find out what they want to do and incorporate that into the plan.

If your party includes very young children, be forewarned that you will go at a pace that's much slower than you might like. Don't try to rush from ride to ride to be sure your child has a "good time". You'll end up with a very cranky child who may not end up with the memories you intend to create.

Live within your budget. Don't go for extravagent if you can't afford it. Your family will be happy with the trip whether you stay in All Stars and pack your lunch into the parks or stay at the Grand Floridian and eat table service every meal. That being, said, do try to put a treat or two into your plan (whether that's a table service or renting boats on the lake).

Even if you're a couple traveling alone, book a character meal. And when you dine, make sure you get pictures taken with the characters. Enjoy the interaction and let the inner child out!

Don't sweat the small stuff. Your trip will NOT be perfect. Something will go wrong. The bus will be late. The ride will have a long line. Someone will be rude. Go with the flow and let the bad stuff slide. Think of the challenges as "adventures in travel" and it is your goal to solve and/or accept your own "adventures". (They usually make good stories later on and possibly some unique and fun memories even if it doesn't seem like a fun memory at the time).

Gosh, I do drone on........

[jokat]

Lots of good ones so far, several that I pass on. I had never heard the sponge one though...gonna add that to Disney and camping planning! :)

First is typically Intecot. Second is Magical Journeys. After that, depends on the group and time of year. Probably most helpful tip I ever got was to always look behind you after you stand up. That tip has saved us the heartache of losing things many, many times! It always amazes me the things people DON'T know about Disney! Sharing is a joy! :mickey:

[January-2007]

Plan your "next, next" trip before you leave, so that you have something to look forward too before you check out. :blush:

I totally do this.

My tip would be to remember you will be returning and to live in the moment, not through the lens of a video or still camera. Pictures are very cool but memories need to be captured as well!

[LisaP]

Best planning tip? Be informed! I read these boards for MONTHS ahead of time, and create a Word document of all the interesting tid bits of info that will be useful for my trip. I have received some GREAT ideas, tips and advice from the folks here at Intercot!

I am a planner, so I like to have all my info available. I keep on hand the park hours for each park during my stay, which days are busy at which parks, the EMH for each park, and any info specific to my resort.

Detailed planning is not for everyone, but I would rather have the info available to me to make the best of my trip instead of not knowing and missing out on so many great things!

Which reminds me, I have to try a Dole whip next month !

[mariak]

Best planning tip? Be informed!
......Which reminds me, I have to try a Dole whip next month !

I couldn't agree more. I always tell people that those who end up hating WDW are the ones who didn't do their research and weren't prepared!

Also, after hearing the "Intercot Crew" talk about Dole Whips all the time, it's on my "to do" list (Sept.) as well. I can't believe we've never had one! Enjoy! :papple:

[Dulcee]

Even if you're a couple traveling alone, book a character meal. And when you dine, make sure you get pictures taken with the characters. Enjoy the interaction and let the inner child out!



My first trip with my FI he was adamant he wanted to do a character breakfast. Growing up I hadn't done many and it seemed silly as an adult couple. I was so glad he talked me into it. It was one of the most memorable meals of our trip.

My #1 planning tip, make at least a brief itinerary in advance with ADRs, hours, times for special events. WDW is huge with half a million things going on. If you don't plan ahead you won't enjoy it.

[Sam&Alex&Josh'sMOM]

Bring duct tape.
Something is bound to break, and duct tape fixes everything.

[ryca1dreams]

"Flexible plans"

Know what you want to do each day, but allow that to change if you want or need to. Don't be locked into a "must do" mode. (except for ADRs I guess)

[KAT1811]

Lots of tips,
1.The secret to scoring those ADRs is to make them 180 days out when they start allowing it......


For us it's the 180th day at 7:00am when the phone lines/website open for reservations. It took me 3 years to get into CRT. After learning to call first thing in the morning on the first day I got it every year after.


Make a daily itenerary but keep it simple. Mine are typically 2-3 pages long depending on length of trip. I keep important information there. Flight times and numbers. Reservation numbers and advanced dining plans and numbers. I note the park(s) I plan to visit that day as well as park hours and special things such as fireworks and parades. Do not plan hour by hour. Provide lots of flexibility and don't feel badly if you change your plans mid-stream.


This is probably the BEST tip ever. This is exactly what I do. I sit before my 180 day mark and set up my Excel spreadsheet with our planned park of the day (or pool day) and then plan our meals from there (with a backup restaurant in case my restaurant of choice is unavailable). Inevitably we change things as we go but for the most part to ensures we get to eat where we want and see as much as possible.

A plan is the key to a successful WDW trip, the key to seeing as much as possible. You can never see everything in any one trip. We were there 18 days on our last trip and still didn't see everything. Try to find out what everyone has as their "must see" before you leave.

A packing tip I loved (and got here on Intercot a few years ago), bring a clear shoe hanger (the one that hangs over the door with pockets in it) for toiletries. By putting them in the pockets you keep the counters clear and everything can be found quickly and in one spot. As a family of 6 this is a HUGE help to us.

Another great tip I learned from Intercot, bring a power strip to plug in cell phones, cameras, etc. That way you don't have to hunt for plugs and have electronics all over the room.

Allow plenty of travel time

If traveling with stroller age children during hot months bring an extra large sun shade, rain covers and clip on stroller fans to keep them cool.

I'm sure I can come up with more!

[KAT1811]

Oh, Fantasyland in the MK first thing in the morning right when the park opens to avoid the really long lines that tend to form in the afternoon.

[NJGIRL]

A packing tip I loved (and got here on Intercot a few years ago), bring a clear shoe hanger (the one that hangs over the door with pockets in it) for toiletries. By putting them in the pockets you keep the counters clear and everything can be found quickly and in one spot. As a family of 6 this is a HUGE help to us.

American Tourister actually makes a case for this use. It is not for shoes, but is a hanging toiletry bag. It is inexpensive, carries your toiletries in your luggage folded up not taking much space, then can be hung in the hotel bathroom.

[KAT1811]

American Tourister actually makes a case for this use. It is not for shoes, but is a hanging toiletry bag. It is inexpensive, carries your toiletries in your luggage folded up not taking much space, then can be hung in the hotel bathroom.

I had one from Vera Bradley that I used to use but now that we are a family of 6 I find that the shoe hanger holds everyone's things in one spot not just mine. I pack it in the bottom of my suitcase and then oput things in it as I unpack everyone.

The individual carriers are great since they come with zip pockets and can be packed with everything together. I like that I can have our entire family's toiletries all in one spot with the clear shoe hanger. I have the girls brushes and bows right next to little man's hair wax, my perfume right next to DH's deoderant. Then when everyone is asking me for their things it's all organized together and not spread all over the villa/hotel room.

[NJGIRL]

I had one from Vera Bradley that I used to use but now that we are a family of 6 I find that the shoe hanger holds everyone's things in one spot not just mine. I pack it in the bottom of my suitcase and then oput things in it as I unpack everyone.

Not sure how big the Vera was but the AT is large enough to pack everyone's stuff in. I only use one bag, but we are a family of four and the kids are old enough that they use adult products.

[BigRedDad]

There are so so many...here are a few:

1. Chaffing: If anyone in your party is prone to chaffing, purchase Body Glide and you will love life. Chaffing can ruin an entire trip on Day 1.

2. Pins: If you are a pin trader, get pins before you go. You can get them for about $1 each on eBay.

3. ADRs: If you are having table service meals and must have specific ones, get them early.

4. Attractions: There are far more attractions to see than just the rides. Many are far more enjoyable than the rides.

5. Street performers: Stop and take in all the street performers. They are all over the place and in character. My daughter thought Ms Daisy Day fell and got hurt in DHS. She went up to her to help her and had a 10 minute conversation in the middle of the street.

6. Stress: Get it in your head now that there will be stress. The best thing to do is just sit back and realize that you are on vacation and let some things go that may upset you. An example is a child screaming in a restaurant. Kids aren't dumb. They know a sit down dinner is boring when they can see everything going on outside.

7. Plans change: There are some OCC people that plan exactly when and where they must be. I see them running around dragging kids. That is not a vacation. Be flexible. The only plans I really make are the resort I am staying in and the park I am going to in the morning. Beyond that, everything is up for a change.

[DisneyDINK]

1. Grocery delivery - get a case of water and some of your favorite snacks delivered to your resort at the beginning of your trip. Saves time and money.

2. Schedule Off Days - Other posters said it already, schedule some times where you can relax in your room/pool/resort/etc. You'll never do everything in a one week trip, so don't try to.

3. Plan your transportation - Have an ADR at another resort? That means 2 busses and possible a long wait and travel time. Sometimes taking a cab can save tons of time. Allow extra time to get places on busses, the system is good, but far from perfect.

[SallyMcQueen]

1. Flexiblity is key. I tried to plan every movement on our first trip. Ended up getting dream fast pass in MK. Needless to say our "few hours" scheduled for that day quickly turned into all day.

2. Ziploc bags. For young kids pack each days outfit (shirt, shorts, socks, undies) in a gallon size ziploc bag. Two wonderful things about this 1) kids can grab clothes and have everything they need and there is no discussion about what matches or they can't find a shirt and 2) keeps suitcases organized. I think I read about this on Intercot and tried it out on a recent road trip. Best. thing. ever. I told a friend and she tried and couldn't stop raving how great it worked for her as well.

[IloveJack]

2. Ziploc bags. For young kids pack each days outfit (shirt, shorts, socks, undies) in a gallon size ziploc bag. Two wonderful things about this 1) kids can grab clothes and have everything they need and there is no discussion about what matches or they can't find a shirt and 2) keeps suitcases organized. I think I read about this on Intercot and tried it out on a recent road trip. Best. thing. ever. I told a friend and she tried and couldn't stop raving how great it worked for her as well.

I'd read this before, so I altered it slightly. Since I have to carry a diaper bag and extra outfit for my DD, I put it in a ziploc bag. Makes it easier to find, plus it gives me something to put the dirty outfit in (especially if it's wet). I'll continue doing it with my new DD on our trips.

[kemps@wdw]

when using the ddp, it's possible to feed 2 off of 1 use, thereby saving 1 for another time. Ex: breakfast usually incudes a muffin or roll. And these sometimes are a meal in themselves.
And don''t forget to pack a power strip for all those electronic chargers that you never have enough plugs in the room for.

[Dsnygirl]

Plan your "next, next" trip before you leave, so that you have something to look forward too before you check out. :blush:

Always!! Best medicine ever for that ride to the airport... ;)


Don't sweat the small stuff. Your trip will NOT be perfect. Something will go wrong. The bus will be late. The ride will have a long line. Someone will be rude. Go with the flow and let the bad stuff slide.

Awesome reminder... I think it should be on our park tickets.... :laughing:


My tip would be to remember you will be returning and to live in the moment, not through the lens of a video or still camera. Pictures are very cool but memories need to be captured as well!

SO very true... I have lived through the lens many times, and am only just now learning to let it go and LIVE the moment, not just watch it. :thumbsup:


Another great tip I learned from Intercot, bring a power strip to plug in cell phones, cameras, etc. That way you don't have to hunt for plugs and have electronics all over the room.

Awesome idea, and one I haven't used yet, but will definitely remember in August. We've gone from a family with one cell phone and one camera to 3 cell phones, a video camera and two regular cameras, so I think it'll be a necessity!! Thanks for the reminder! :thumbsup:

[mommy2maddi]

When we went last year my DH laughed at me b/c I had every ride I wanted to ride in pretty good order including details about fastpasses. Once we were there he thanked me!!! Definitely plan out which rides are a priority, which ones to get fast passes for and try to tentatively plan your day out around that. I guess maybe the fact that I'm a ride fanatic makes that the most important to me!! Good question..... I got some good tips!:mickey:

[mdricks]

Read everything you can starting with Intercot!

Magical Journeys, nuff said.

If you plan out your day, have a plan B. The chances of Plan A working every time are about 1%.

If going with a group sit down prior to the trip and identify "non negotiables". Once identified, plan accordingly and be realistic.

Get ADR's (esp during free dining)

Garden Grocer + ME is cheaper than renting a car/taxi to go grocery shopping.

If on a budget, don’t turn your nose up at off site. You can easily shave hundreds off a trip for four at a cheaper condo.

Be realistic about what you want and do your homework!!!! To steal from Mr. Gump, Disney is a box of chocolates. If you just dive in you will likely get that nasty coconut nugget!

:number1:

[KAT1811]

Not sure how big the Vera was but the AT is large enough to pack everyone's stuff in. I only use one bag, but we are a family of four and the kids are old enough that they use adult products.

We tend to be a bit divaesque and require quite a bit of toiletries. :blush: I have 6 different brushes/comb/pick to do my hair, DH has his own hair care accessories and washes, perfumes/cologne, the little ones still use children's toiletries, our youngest, DS, has sensitive skin so as a result has his own bunch of accessories, bows for 2 little girls for every outfit I packed (and I am most certainly an over packer) and a teenage girl. Needless to say I have yet to find one of those hangers to fit us all in! LOL! We barely fit in the shoe hanger! I will certainly look into the AT one you spoke about, thank you for the tip.


1. Grocery delivery - get a case of water and some of your favorite snacks delivered to your resort at the beginning of your trip. Saves time and money.


Huge "must do" for us. I love having snacks and water whenever we want them. Our little ones like their milk first thing in the AM. Plus Garden Grocer will deliver beer and wine with the groceries, nice way to wind down at the end of a long park day, on the balcony with a glass of wine.

[iloveokw]

As much as I hate getting up early....especially on vacation, get up and get going. Be there for rope drop. It is amazing what you can get done in the first few hours before late sleepers straggle in around noon.:mickey:

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

Tip for parents / those travelng w/ children..

Just a safety tip.... before you enter the park or before you leave the house for the day, everyone should take a picture of the kids w/ camera phone. If they get lost during the day, you can show the authorities the most recent picture of the kids w/ what they are wearing, etc. Everytime you re-enter the park (new outfit = new lost child description) then take their picture. They could be with any adult at any given time and everyone should have a picture of them to give to authorities. Don't want to waist 1 second when your child is missing because the adult w/ the picture on their phone is in another area of the park. Also, if one of you looses your phone, then there are always another phone w/ picture. (this is just a good tip for any day trip/vacation anywhere but, especially at Disney because of all the people and all the kids)

[LisaP]

Tip for parents / those travelng w/ children..

Just a safety tip.... before you enter the park or before you leave the house for the day, everyone should take a picture of the kids w/ camera phone. If they get lost during the day, you can show the authorities the most recent picture of the kids w/ what they are wearing, etc. Everytime you re-enter the park (new outfit = new lost child description) then take their picture. They could be with any adult at any given time and everyone should have a picture of them to give to authorities. Don't want to waist 1 second when your child is missing because the adult w/ the picture on their phone is in another area of the park. Also, if one of you looses your phone, then there are always another phone w/ picture. (this is just a good tip for any day trip/vacation anywhere but, especially at Disney because of all the people and all the kids)

GREAT TIP! I will be sure both DH and I do this next month THANK YOU! :thumbsup:

[kemps@wdw]

Be there for the rope drop @ your chosen park. It's rare that we're NOT the 1st in line which allows us to cover everything we want to do by mid-day and head back to our resort for some down time before we hop over to our afternoon/evening park of choice. It has also put us in a postion to be chosen "Family of the Day" on 3 different occasions in our last 4 visits. And that comes with some very good perks! Opening the park and riding before anyone else gets there, family photo w/ALL the characters, and fast passes to ALL the FP attractions. It's true that the early bird gets the...perks! :D

[Tink#64]

A plan is the key to a successful WDW trip, the key to seeing as much as possible. You can never see everything in any one trip.

A packing tip I loved (and got here on Intercot a few years ago), bring a clear shoe hanger (the one that hangs over the door with pockets in it) for toiletries. By putting them in the pockets you keep the counters clear and everything can be found quickly and in one spot. As a family of 6 this is a HUGE help to us.

Another great tip I learned from Intercot, bring a power strip to plug in cell phones, cameras, etc. That way you don't have to hunt for plugs and have electronics all over the room.


:ditto:

The over the door shoe bag is one of the BEST tips I've gotten on Intercot! Huge space/mess & time saver. We used to toss all the toiletries back in the bag just to have to dig them all back out agqain! :thumbsup: The power strip is always on my packing list! You can never have too many outlets, always so many items to be charged, camera's/batteries, phones, Ipods, laptops, etc, and we've had a few of those loose outlets that those big bulky chargers just wouldn't stay plugged in!

I typically only give a couple hard & fast tips/must do's to any one planning their first trip,

#1 Be informed! Know the park hours & hours of everything going on each day, parade times, fireworks etc, so you know what your choices are, then make a "plan" that you can follow or change as desired, but with the info you're gathered, you won't miss any thing on your must do list! I make a seperate index card for each park/day, with our touring plan, park hours, ADR info, parade times, etc & then each morning I toss it into my pack for quick reference any time!

#2 Arrive at or before park opening, crucial imho to accomplishing all of your must do's with the least amount of time waiting in lines. :thumbsup: