Does anyone go and just wing it??

[SEA333]

But I schedule time in for spontaneity too! ;-)

 

[mco65]

WE used to WING IT...

But sometime a few years back my wife started making ADRs for dining and that would decide what park we visited or if the ADR was at a resort vs a park, then Extra Magic Hours decided what park we visited.

ADRs and extra Magic Hours are still determining which park we visit and now FP+ will control when we ride certain rides. Pretty soon, i will have no say it what when or how..

What am I talking about, I already have no say.. just ask my wife!

 

[Radiorox]

Yup, I've done the winging as long as it is for rope drop, it's fine. I have my "must dos" but, if I can't ride them then I'll ride whatever.

The whole planning and overplanning thing is understandable when you don't live in Florida and don't have the opportunity to just drive up any weekend you want. So, I do get people wanting to get the most bang for their buck if they know they won't be back for a while.

 

[poohgirl6]

We have never planned ahead...even after we're on property, we only decide the night before which park we'll be visiting in the morning (and have been known to change our mind, depending on what bus rolls up to our stop first ) Crowds have never been an issue, we rarely used FP, and never waited for anything stand-by more than 15 mins or so for headliners, and average 1 or 2 ADRs per 2 week trip.

Our last trip, in Sept 2013, they were testing out FP+, so we'd make FP+ reservations on our way to park.

This year, however, we are touring the last week of August, instead of our usual 2nd week of Sept. The crowds, coupled with the implementation of FP+, may force my hand into planning and changing our usual easy going touring.

 

[starsweeper]

We don't completely wing it, but we don't plan everything either. We have 4 young kids (7,7,3 & 2) so any strict plans I made would quickly fall apart.

I pick which parks we are going to on what days--not based on crowd calendars but the order we want to do things (MK is ALWAYS first no matter what because my kids insist upon it). Our kids are early risers, so we plan character breakfasts most days to cut down on park meet and greets and get into the parks a little early. I direct the family to a couple super popular rides (like Fantasyland) then we slow down the pace and follow a loose direction that allows for the kids to pick rides as we go, shop, pick a place for lunch, etc. I don't normally make lunch or dinner ADR's because we're usually having fun doing something else.

We rarely used FP- unless it was convenient to where we were and would be eating in the area or could ride a few things while we waited. I like FP+ because I can schedule rides like Space Mountain for my 7yos and I to ride when the toddlers are back in the room, and we just do whatever we want for the rest of the evening.

If your family are late sleepers, I could see how FP+, increasing ride times for SB and ADRs could be stressors that require more planning, but I'll be greatly surprised if our loose touring plans will need to change since we hit the parks very early and again after dinner.

 

[TagsMissy]

I'm curious. Does anyone go to WDW without worrying about touring plans, FP, ADR's, which parks which days? Does anyone just decide we are going to go to Disney, book it, and let that be the end until they check the weather a week before their trip? I realize crowd levels may make this hard to do but, if anyone does do this I'd love to hear from you about your experiences! It seems all this planning is zapping the fun out of it for some.

Yes. The more we go the less we plan. We go with the flow with what we feel like doing that day usually. I do glance at crowd levels but don't study them carefully and we only make a couple ADRs per trip (usually 10-12 days long). We really don't like scheduling our vacation to the minute.

 

[Skjhjb]

We wing it...

Well, we do plan what park on what day, and did book our FP+ based on that, and we have our ADRs set.

Last trip (and first for our family) we only had 4 days, so we did one park each day, no hoppers.

This trip we have hoppers, so we will probably bounce around a bit in the afternoon, for sure in the evenings, as our ADRs are mostly on resorts not parks.

If we ride it, we do, if we don't we don't. My kids are cool with line waiting and aren't fussed about how many times they ride something. The only thing insisted on was my girls and Anna & Elsa!

 

[MrsDuck]

We make a few ADRs and FP+ reservations but then we wing it.

 

[Angiea1114]

Yes! I would say we wing it, always have. Every trip , I plan one character meal and that is the extent of our scheduled planning. We went last year this time, and this trip was a little different as two children were traveling with the school band, and then we were keeping them at the end for a couple extra days. Even then, the only planning was the character meal, and where the school went dictated or destination for the day.
We have 5 kids , 26, 18, 16, 13, and 5, plus usually one set of grandparents. I find that the trip is for the kids, and when we get there, they do pretty well deciding where they want to go. We've always bought hoppers so we can go somewhere else if we choose . I don't like the idea of planning ADR's and my day being interrupted by a meal I scheduled 6 months ago. We have only used the dining once and it was last year and the QS plan. I let the kids and the park environment that day, decide on plans for us!!!

 

[Art 1]

I'm curious. Does anyone go to WDW without worrying about touring plans, FP, ADR's, which parks which days? Does anyone just decide we are going to go to Disney, book it, and let that be the end until they check the weather a week before their trip? I realize crowd levels may make this hard to do but, if anyone does do this I'd love to hear from you about your experiences! It seems all this planning is zapping the fun out of it for some.

As a local that's how I always go. I don't usually know what park I'm going to until I get there. But if I was coming in from out of town of course it would be different. But there would be no way I would do ADR's, no way. Not needed. I'm I'm just not a planner. Planners to me worry to much and don't have as much fun.

 

[Winnowill]

Our first trip to MK in 2012, we only spent one day there before heading of on a Disney cruise. We did no planning other than breakfast at CRT (my DD's 4th birthday). We did no research. We didn't even know about the afternoon parade, and just encountered it randomly. We spent all of our time in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland and never even saw Splash Mountain. Both of the other mountains were closed. And it was fine - we hadn't expected to do it all.

Last year, I did a modicum of planning for DLR. But we were there in, probably, crowd level 3, for four days, so we knew we could do it all, regardless of plan. I got the Birnbaum guide, so there was more research done, but no real PLAN.

This year, for eight days at WDW, I've got four guidebooks. I've got Touring Plans. I've got ADRs and FP+s. I've spend months agonizing over the A&E meet and greet and best strategies to get there. "Winging it" has no role in this trip!

 

[ratt1345]

I live only an hour and a half away, here in north Florida. No planning at all. I think even if I lived far away, I wouldn't. The many, many times that I have been to WDW, I have seen families stress out. I am sure they have planned out their whole time. I say...see what you can see and take it easy.

 

[hops&dreams]

Our first vacation, we did this because we didn't know better. It was in early 2010, and about a week before the trip, I called to find out how to book HDDR, as DH requested it - he'd done it as a kid and wanted to try it again. The sweet CM on the phone begged me if she could PLEASE make all ADRs for me. So I let her find some good ones. She asked what parks we were going to on what days. I told her I didn't know yet. I think I heard her jaw drop. She suggested I start with what we most looked forward to and work down from there. So based on me and DH's interests, we went to MK, Epcot, HS, then Epcot. Then the remaining 3 days were to hit whatever we felt like again.

Most of the ADRs we made that first trip were at resorts, not parks, so it didn't matter what day we went to what parks. Based on our initial assessment though, on the 3rd day, the wonderful CM booked us into the Fantasmic dinner package at HS, because she said we HAD to see Fantasmic, and she wanted to make sure we got good seats.

The trip was great - we had a wonderful time, there were NO crowds, walk-on to every ride, except TSM, which we didn't ride at all. The entire week, we didn't wait more than 20 mins to get on anything, and no more than 10 mins until day 6 of the 7 day vacation!!! The entire week was filled with delightful surprises, like happening upon a parade or performers in Epcot as we walked around WS. It felt like such a charmed vacation... a new adventure was around every corner! We knew nothing about the rides except what DH and I could remember from going as kids. We didn't feel disappointments (aw, man... too bad this ride is under refub, etc) because we had so much to discover! OH, BUT my sister made me swear I'd eat a Dole Whip. I was really glad for that tip!

I think it wasn't so bad for us too, because while we went into it not knowing if it would be our "one and only Disney Vacation" we didn't feel the need to cram it all in. Once we were there and saw the magic in our DD's eyes, we knew we'd be back, so we felt even less pressure to squeeze it all in.

And now I'm just starting to think about plans for our 3rd trip...

ETA: I didn't find the DIS until after my first trip. And you know, I'm kind of glad. I was able to discover and fall in love with WDW on my own. And now the DIS only feeds that obsession. The 2nd trip was much more researched, but it didn't really make it better. I'm going in to my 3rd trip with more of a TO DO list, than a touring plan or itinerary. It's more for informed decision making, not creating a plan of attack.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Yes. We've come fairly close to that in the past. Last summer, I think I planned our room, flight, and two adr's (one of which was at our resort)

Lots of times in the past we picked our parks on the fly.

I NEVER bother with touring plans! UGH!

Lots of times we skip ADR's, or make just a few. Other times we've done the DDP and had to pick one per day. Now were back to fewer ADR's.

I can sort of say yes and no to your other question....I have a spread sheet I made up some years ago. Usually, I just cut and paste updates. Epcot is nearly ALWAYS 9am-9pm, and MK is EMH on Sunday nights. Updating the spread sheet takes me all of about ten minutes. Mostly I just keep our park rotation formula the same, or similar. I also add fireworks times and which attractions are in rehab.

New FP is a sticking point.

Indeed, for an upcoming trip, I did very little planning.....I booked our airfare, booked a hotel, and mostly let it go after that....but then, hehehhe...this time we're only planning to hit the parks one full day. The rest of the time we're going to do NON WDW things!

And no matter what, there are other variables we have to consider. Like I do keep on the DIS to look for info about things like the opening of new attractions, ticket price increases, ride closures. I also always keep a good eye out for discounts!

Last, trip preparation means more than just which hotel. There's always a bunch of stuff that has to happen here at home if I am going to go away.

 

[FlipHipster]

We used to. Then we discovered you couldn't do certain things like BBB unless you planned them. No problem schedule that.

Then we learned that walking up to certain restaurants was a no go so we started booking ADR's. Added to schedule.

Then we had a some days where we hit the wrong park on the wrong day and discovered crowd calendars. Dang, ok so now we plan our park days way in advance based on the recommended park and schedule ADR's and other activities based on which park we are going to be at on which day.

Then FP+ came along and now we schedule our days based on the crowd calendar and schedule our rides based on which park we are going to be at then schedule our meals around the rides.

I am a recovering planner. I admit the challenge of planning out the perfect Disney vacation is appealing, but the execution of those plans, not so much. We hit the wall last fall. Too much running from appointment to appointment, telling the kids, sorry we can't do that we have to be at so and so in 10 mins or they charge us. To much time on the phone looking at the itinerary trying to make sure I don't forget an appointment. To much time spent worrying about whether or not we want to eat at Cali Grill tomorrow night. What time is it? What time do we have to cancel by? Should we cancel? If we do we won't be able to get it again if we change our minds and don't cancel 24hrs out we have to go. After the 3rd day I started cancelling a bunch of ADR's and decided we would just skip FP+ that we couldn't change in the park because the app didn't work most of the time. The 2nd half of our trip was great and very relaxing and made for some great memories.

I promised after last trip that I would back off the scheduling, no more or very few ADR's going forward, but now I have to schedule rides in advance.


I am hoping to go back to our old style of wake up and go to a park. Which one? Which one do you want to go to? What are we going to ride? What do you want to ride? I actually only plan to book 1 or 2 FP+ for a whole week in advance unless the future means you have to book or don't ride. Hopefully we can still grab some decent ones same day but I definitely will avoid being "locked in" as much as possible. If we can keep doing that without too much hassle then we're good I think. If it becomes, book everything in advance and "lock it in", no thanks. Been there, done that, still have the scars.

 

[AnnaS]

Say we are staying 7 nights. I will only plan three days of FPs and will make 2 or 3 ADRS. I don't like too plan too much ahead. I really don't know where I want to be each day and each minute of the day. I make changes when I am there. If it works out, great, if not, no problem - we will be back.

 

[smcabee]

We make dinner ADR's but thats it. As DVC members who go at least twice a year we just wing it. If there is no line or a short line <20 30 mins max we might ride a ride but we go mainly for the atmosphere and to watch the shows like FOTLK, the performers in Epcot and people watch.

 

[Murron]

This is my very first year (since 1971 and 56 trips) that we are actually planning. FP+ has us a bit concerned. We will try it out on our May trip and see how we fare. We are DVC, no longer travel with children and usually stay at Boardwalk Villas. Never had ADR dining issues but admittedly have reserved a few ADRs from time to time. Only fair to add we go in off seasons. My sadness is that the "off" seasons are slowly disappearing with the special events created to draw more people to WDW. If too much planning becomes a requirement, we will just use our DVC points in Hilton Head or Vero Beach. I hate planning.

 

[PeterPanic]

When I lived down there and had an annual pass, I did absolutely no planning. If I felt like going, I went. I only had a few "must do" attractions in each park, otherwise I just went with the flow, and if one park was packed I headed to another.

Now that I'm traveling with friends that haven't been in 20 years, I'm actually doing a little planning. I'm checking which parks are supposed to be crowded, even though I know it's not completely accurate, so I'm also taking general operating and Extra Magic hours into account. I'll figure out which rides we need FP+ for, and will have a general idea of where we'd like to eat (no ADRs ... we are poor college students, after all ), and where the service animal stations are. The only other planning I'll be doing is once we're in the park and see what the show times are for various shows, so we can hit the attractions near them before they start, or while they're running if we don't want to see that show.

So I do a little general planning, but I don't have the down to the minute, 3 ring binder full of planning notes type planning going on.

Yup! Always have since 1983 and always will. I hate planning, I remain flexible, stay offsite so that I can do that with ease. Have a great time, stress free and am not running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I know of no other way.