How many visitors DON'T plan their vacations?

[BigRedDad]

I will only plan our travel, accommodations, and ADRs. The rest of it is "go with the flow". I don't plan every minute of my normal life. I am on vacation and will not plan on every minute I am there. If I did that, what would the point be of going on vacation:

5:30AM: Take shower
5:40AM: Wake DD to shower
5:43AM: Yell at DD for going to slowly
5:50AM: Wake DW for shower
6:30AM: Press Down button on elevator
6:32AM: Press button on elevator again to be sure it took
6:34AM: Reschedule all plans because 2 minutes were wasted waiting for elevator
6:36AM: Exit elevator, pick up DD and run with her to get to breakfast on time
6:39AM: Get in line for counter breakfast
6:41AM: yell at cashier for taking too much time because I am off schedule
6:43AM: Make DD eat while running to catch a bus

At this point, I would just go pack, go back to the airport and fly home. What would the point be of even going?

If I had to vacation like this, I would never go.

[Peters_Shadow]

When we have the Dining Plan like we do for our upcoming trip in Sept we make ADRs, but like some of you have said (and I agree) it's hard to know where you are going to be 180 days out. We still make the ressies though as ADRs are important especially if you want to get into hard-to-get-into places like Le Celliar. The only thing that stinks is that makings ADRs dictates where and when you will be during your vacation. Other than ADRs we try to not plan too much more. I loosely plan what days we may be a what parks based on our ADRs, but we rent a car so it's not too hard to goto another park if we need to for a reservation but we try to keep hopping to a minimum with a 3 year old and a 1 year old.

Greg

[SallyfromDE]

Nope, have to have a plan. I won't be back for another year, so I have to get the most out of the trip I can. Since we are going during free dining this year, I had to plan early to get our ADR. Last year I waited too late and couldn't get anything decent. I really just look at the slow days, emh days and then plan which day what park. Make my ADR and that is it for planning. When we get in the park, then we say, where first?

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I used to plan EVERY detail and activity.
2) The Alpha-Commando method.
3) Anymore, we plan NOTHING.
4) OK, so we do make a few ADR's.
5) But, that is it.

6) If a ride has too long of a line, we skip it.
7) If a restaurant is too crowded, we do counter service.
8) If a park is too crowded, we detour to another park.
9) Life is just too short.
10) We can catch it the next time.

NOTE: I do recommend this method. However, for those who can only go one or twice every few years, then Commando is the plan. For others, if you will be back next year, there is no problem. (Personal Opinion)

[princessjojo]

I am a planner from sun up to sun down. When we get the go ahead from DH to make any plans for a WDW trip the planning starts. We research every element we can related to the world before we leave, plan for weather and it's many changes, any health issues that may arise, all the way down to what color flip flops match what outfit for each day. We plan our flights in and out of MCO so that we can make the most of each of the days we have there. As soon as possible we have ADR's made for each day we will be there since we have our favorites and ones we would like to try. Since we usually go in the spring, the park days are longer so we can return to the parks usually after dinner.

But that is about where it ends. When we get up in the morning whenever that may be, we let the boys decide where they want to go for the day and when we get to the park, they look at the map and decide what they want to ride first. We go from there. But we also spend 7-10 days there and don't feel the need to rush around. If we don't see something one day, we just go back another and see it then. We slide in a pool/rest day wherever we can or when the boys start getting on each other's nerves too much and start parking it again the next day.

Our vacations, wherever they may be, are all about spontaneity and being able to just let go. We typically feel that if we plan too much, that element is lost. The rest of our lives are planned down to the minute and our vacations are times to enjoy and not stress over schedules. It works best for us this way.

[Dreamer7080]

We live in Florida, just a bit over an hour away from WDW and we have APs so we do a lot of day trips, and a lot of last minute day trips. One those days, we go with nothing planned. At all. We dont decide even what park we we want to start at until we get on property and decide where to park. As the day goes, we randomly decide where to eat and hope we get lucky with a walk up (usually we do) and what rides or shows we want to see. We never look at show times or use maps to see where things are happening, we stumble upon things randomly and then we decide if we want to do it or not.

When we go one longer trips, we obviously make hotel reservations ahead of time and sometimes we make ADRs if there is a place we really really want to eat at on that trip. But other than that, we don't plan rides and what parks we want to go to until we wake up that morning.

While I know it works for some people, I think I would go crazy if I planned out every second of the day. Its just not who we are. When I'm at WDW I like to walk around and take my time and just enjoy it leisurely. I dont think I've ever bought a planning book or anything before. If I see something on intercot that I think sounds fun, I try to remember to go do/see it, but if I forget, there is always next time. Sticking to a schedule would be too much work for me, and who wants to work on vacation?

[scooterca42]

I guess it depends on how you define planning.

Coming from the Great White North, we have managed exactly two trips to Disney in the 20+ years we have been married. Between the first and the second was a gap of almost 10 years. One or two things had changed in the world during that time and Intercot was there to tell me what. So, yes, I planned.

I had an idea of what shows would be on, what rides we wanted to hit and where we wanted to eat - and we still ended up not making it to AK, because we wanted to go back to Epcot. DH still refers to it as the best holiday he ever had.

This time, we have Free Dining - again, thanks to Intercot I know to make ADRs. And with the information about when the parks are open and when EMHs are, and when special presentations will be - well - presented (like Spectro) I have plans this trip too. But again, if we decide we want to repeat something, we'll change the plan.

Like Cleverocks says, you us your noggin. But we have such an advantage being on this board, because we get saturated with information that pops up just when you need it! And I have a comfort level I wouldn't have otherwise, given that I have read so much here, that if we decide to change the plan we'll still have an excellent time!

[angedeaile]

Most of the people I know that have gone without planning never went before. So the way I see it, they have no idea what they missed...so they tend to feel okay about their trip.

I am sure if they really knew everything they missed by not researching, they would be pretty upset.

Infact, I remember a former boss of mine who told me about a last minute trip he took with a girlfriend at the time. He said he was miserable and had more fun at Universal.

That is when I HAD to tell him what he did miss. He was shocked!

I think his biggest mistake was the fact he only went to Magic Kingdom. He thought that was DW.

[MOJoe]

I thought the question was how many visitors Don't Plan. The very fact that you are reading this post almost guarantees that you make at least minimal plans.
Making ADR's = planning
Checking EMH schedule = planning
So how many people don't do anything? I would guess quite large percentage. Perhaps equal or slightly larger than the percentage of non-resort guests to resort guests. Someone much more informed than i should easily be able to answer this question, BUT, my guess is that 70% or so just "show up" without much of a thought.

[LoriMistress]

Personally, I plan for our vacations. It's one thing if you live relatively close by to WDW, so I can understand not planning which park on which day, etc. IMHO, I can't understand why people spend thousands of dollars on their vacation and not plan a single thing. I can understand doing some research or buy a book on the subject matter. I just notice the majority of the time people who don't plan for their vacations come back miserable. It's not always the case, but that's what I've noticed with people I've encountered.

When DH and I were planning to go to WDW for our honeymoon in November 2003, I did about seven months of planning. I went to several message boards asking questions and getting all the great information on how to plan our trip. For me, weather, costs, and crowds are a huge factor for me. I hate being at a place where it's hot, sticky, expensive time to go, and to top it all off you have to wait more then 120 and/or more for rides/attractions.

So I did my research on the cheapest/great weather/low crowds. I didn't go all comando on the planning. The only things that I was focused with my planning on which parks to go to which day, which restraunts to go to, and to arrive at opening at the parks. Since we didn't have much money to spend on (we had $700 to our names for our eight night vacation), for the most part, we brought breakfast/snacks for our trip. My DH was nervous because he thought I would go "Danny Tanner and the Clipboard of Fun" on him, but he was surprised on how well I planned the trip. DH just lets me handle planning our WDW vacations...because he knows what I'm doing and how we can have the most fun on our trip.

This time around, we'll be planning to make ADRs this time around, just to be safe that we can eat at the restraunts we want to eat with no issues. Also, we'll be planning more activities, and taking our time a bit more so we're not rushing through the parks. We'll be taking breaks this time around so none of us are exchausted.

[Jeri Lynn]

I plan some, however, we are very flexible and if things change they change...

I do the following in the planning area:

Pick Date and book hotel through Melissa at Magical Journey's.

Make Airline reservations.

Decide if we are using Disney Transportation or booking town car.

I review the Park hours to get an idea of the early morning or late evening hours.

I make ADR's for one table service restaurant each day we are there, however, if we decide while we are there not to use that ADR we cancel and eat someplace else.

We basically have an idea of what parks we will visit on which day, however, that has changed on numerous occassion, depending upon how we feel when we wake up!!

[SallyfromDE]

I would guess quite large percentage. Perhaps equal or slightly larger than the percentage of non-resort guests to resort guests. Someone much more informed than i should easily be able to answer this question, BUT, my guess is that 70% or so just "show up" without much of a thought.

Then that is better for those of us that do plan!! haha! and I would imagine those that don't plan, do read the boards either. Because that is part of planning. IMO

[sleepingbooty]

I thought the question was how many visitors Don't Plan. The very fact that you are reading this post almost guarantees that you make at least minimal plans.
Making ADR's = planning
Checking EMH schedule = planning
So how many people don't do anything? I would guess quite large percentage. Perhaps equal or slightly larger than the percentage of non-resort guests to resort guests. Someone much more informed than i should easily be able to answer this question, BUT, my guess is that 70% or so just "show up" without much of a thought.

Exactly. Even if you make no ADRs and write down nothing in the way of advanced planning, your very presence on this board means you've armed youself with knowledge. That plus experience can eliminate the need to write it all out, but we're still light years ahead of most people, who go without educating themselves at all.

[Ian]

We very rarely plan anything anymore. We've been so many times that playing it by ear is just fine with us. It's not like if we miss something we're going to fret over it ... we know we'll be back in a few months and we'll have the chance to do it then.

The only thing we do still plan out is our ADR's. With the increased popularity of the DDP it's tough to get in places just on the fly like you used to be able to.

[mm59]

We only plan the first and last thing that We do,traditions. If we miss things , it will be there next time or gone. After 50 trips We know what is important to Us.

[Jen66]

I love to plan. This does not make me a commando however. I plan our ADRs, check EMH, check times for the different transportation runs between our resort and the parks, etc. I also have the kids choose their "can't miss" things so I make sure they get to see what they want. I also read these boards daily.
Now that may sound like a lot, but I think I am extremely flexible. If one park gets crowded, we hop. If we are tired, we get on the monorail. I don't even mind canceling an ADR or 2 if we are having too much fun in one place to move to another. But I really do love the planning and knowing the best time to get on the very popular rides and the best way to use fastpass, etc.
We do not go to WDW every year, but we always go someplace and I am always the planner. I truly think it is fun to sit at my computer with a and plan away!!

[Spaceship Tigger]

Just from my experience of seeing people here at my workplace going to WDW, I can tell you that most people probably do very little planning. It seems that the extent that most people 'plan' is to make resort or hotel reservations. Beyond that, they figure that they'll be buying tickets at the gates for one park per day. Usually when I ask them about other things like the DDP, EMH, etc. they have no idea what I'm talking about.

[berri_boo]

My DH & I went on our "Disneymoon' last July and we booked nothing but the airline tickets and our resort. We didn't plan any ADR's or what days we were going to the parks...we would get up shower, eat breakfast and walk to the buses then decide what park to visit that morning! Personally neither of us like to have an itinerary for our vacation...it works out better for us that way because we don't have to stick to a certain time for dinner because we have an ADR at a certain place for a certain time.

For our upcoming Nov trip we only have 2 things planned besides the obvious airline & resort: MVMCP & Keys to the Kingdom tour and they are both on Nov 27. Everything else is up in the air until the Candlelight Processional list is released!

Only 190 days and counting

[MNNHFLTX]

I like to have an idea of what we might do and when on our trips to WDW, but then will typically go with the flow once we get there. As a former professor of mine used to say--a good plan is just something to deviate from.

[DizNee143]

all the times i went with my family we never planned anything...the most we planned might of been some ADR's otherwise we just went with the flow..
when i went last Jan with my fiance...the only thing we had planned was which park we would go to each day...and my fiance was doing the richard petty rookie experience at the speedway on a certain day...but other than that i personally think its kinda stupid to really plan stuff to the minutes...you cant possibly think you'll actually stick to it...that everything will run that smooth?...i would feel rushed and it soooo wouldnt feel like a vacation to me...but i guess to each his own...