Has anyone gone with no plan-on purpose?

[eandrsmom]

We will be arriving at the end of the month for a 10 night stay. We just visited this past May, but my kids were begging to return, so we decided to go back this summer and include the waterparks. We've never done the waterparks or Disney Quest, so we'll get to see something new. I'm ususally an obsessive planner, but haven't planned anything. I kind of feel like since we were just there, we aren't going to kill ourselves to see everything again. I haven't made any DVR's because we just did all the character meals two months ago. I have researched and we want to try some offsite restaurants for a change. Has anyone else gone without a plan? I'm hoping I won't be sorry, but I want to be laid back about this trip and not schedule anything. This trip is in place of our usual trip to the beach, so I'm hoping for a more relaxed trip.

[tinksmom02]

I took DD on a spur of the moment long weekend trip last month--literally booked on a Wednesday and we arrived that Friday, so obviously didn't have time for much planning! I knew the park hours and had a general idea of what we wanted to do, but had no ADRs planned. It worked out, except that I used the Mobile Magic app to make same-day ADR's, one even just two hours ahead of time. Guess I can't truly let go of the planning LOL So I say go for it, let it be a relaxed trip, go where you want, when you want.

[mgmnut]

Thinking of doing this myself this trip at the end of August, we were there last July.

I just canceled our DDP so we are not bound reservations and can have more FLOW to the vacation. Other than being aware of park hours, who has EMH, etc, this is probably the least amount of planning I have done on any trip. The kids are older now (14 y/o twins) so this trip we will all get a vote of what we want to do, do it, and hope for the best. We added hoppers and water parks option too. We are looking to do more outside of the parks things like DTD and Disney Quest.

I say go ahead without a hard plan, if a park is too busy, leave hit another park, the resort, or the Water Parks. You were just there, you have been many times before you know the do's and don'ts, you'll be fine.. :thumbsup:

[Dopey's Girl]

99% of my trips are planless. It's so much more fun for me. I don't like running around, stressing about what I might miss. Some of my best vacation moments could have never been planned.

[the other micki]

We are going to Disney, as a family, for the fourth time this December. All of our trips have been planned out. On our first trip, I totally micromanaged and it made the trip way more stressful than it had to be. Our last 2 trips have been planned out, but much more laid back.

What I hope to do on trip #5 (whenever that may be) is to literally get up in the morning and just catch the first bus that comes. I think it will be really cool not to even know what park you'll be at that day when you wake that morning. We'll just make dining ressies the day of. I think we'll end up trying some new places that way and probably end up loving them! I'm being optimistic!

Have fun on your trip! :mickey:

[buzznwoodysmom]

It seems we plan less and less on each trip. We are going in a few weeks and have very few plans for the trip. We were just there for Christmas, and this will be my kids 15th or so trip, so we don't need to do it all. I do have two ADRs made, but one is Ohana's (a family must for us) and Chef Mickey's (just to have one character meal). We are going with very little planning on purpose. We want to be able to go where ever our hearts may take us, without watching a clock for scheduled meals and such. I am looking forward to this trip so much because I love the idea of not having a tight schedule.

[CleveRocks]

We've done 4 family trips over the past 7 years. We've never had a plan. NEVER. And we always get to do everything we want.

The way we can do this and do it well is because I know all the ins and outs of touring the parks. I can find myself in any situation and know the best thing to do, or know to choose between the best things to do.

Even when our kids were 5 and 6 or so, we let them decide which park to go to either the night before or the morning of. The only exception would be using Extra Magic Hours. But even then, we never plan what we're going to do when. On the bus ride or walk to the park that morning, we'd kind of decide what to do first and what to get FASTPASSes for first, and that's it!

A plan isn't necessary for us to have a blast. And in fact, with my wife's and my personality, with our almost every second of real life being planned way ahead of time, a Disney vacation is a welcome relief exactly because we CAN wing it and have a blast.

[eandrsmom]

Okay, this makes me feel better. Being that I normally plan everything out, I was getting a little nervous. Even my DH commented on my laid back approach and lack of planning for this visit. I will take into consideration park hours and EMH, but other than that I think we'll wing it.

[BrerGnat]

After our first couple trips, the planning went out the window.

We follow our kid's leads, mostly.

Winging it works for us!

[Disney Doll]

We were big planners way back when and I think when you are new to the parks having a plan really helps. However, we plan almost nothing now. Part of it is that we go often enough that we are not trying to see and do it all. Part of it is that we know more about what we are doing so we don't need a firm plan. Another factor is that we now have young children so plans tend to go out the window anyway.

[faline]

For sure! It all works out especially if you're familiar with the lay of the land and know what you want to do.

[BIGDOG]

I have never had a plan for anything in my life never mind a vacation.