Gathering Info - What Do You Do?

[Barbaraann]

I am in the process of planning a Christmastime visit to Walt Disney World. I have not been to WDW since July of last year. I am a compulsive planner. I have just been on the official Disney website, looking at the calendar for December. I remember when I could not have looked that far ahead.

Once I book this vacation, I will be busy gathering information. I don't want to leave any stone unturned. No surprises for me. I want to know exactly what time everything is scheduled.

Do you plan a lot?
Do you make copies of things? - or just take notes?

I have purchased my Passporter. In the past, I never had one until way after my trip was booked. I like having it early this time.

I have forgotten many of the websites that I used to use. They aren't on my Favorite's list anymore. I will be busy gathering as much info as I can.

Help me out. You may help someone else out also. I really get all excited during the planning phase.

[Neverlandtink]

Hi Barbarann,

www.allearsnet.com and www.Mousesavers.com are my WDW planning favorites...

[Ward]

I've used TourGuideMike. Along with his former Disney Tour Guide perspective, their boards are full of helpful folks. There's usually a discount sign-up link on DIG, FYI.

[NeverNeverland]

What's a passporter?

[Barbaraann]

http://www.passporter.com/


It is a guidebook for Disney World. They also have one for Disneyland. It has information about the parks, maps, planning pages, and great pockets for putting in receipts, and souvenirs. I have used it on each of my Disney World Trips since 2003. Check the above link.

MiceChat reccommends Passporter, if I am not mistaken.

[disneylover 01]

Barbaraann,
So you are really thinking of going down for Christmas, that is great!!!! Although I didn't see an e-mail from you asking me to go with. Have you told Allen yet or will that be a surprise on his birthday!! Remember any questions just ask we were there for Christmas oh so long ago!!!

[aimster]

Since I'm a "local" and usually do 1 or 2 day trips, I just look for a decent hotel at a good price, book it and that's it since I get my 3 Day Play pass at DTD the day I drive up (if it's my 1st trip of the year).

[Barbaraann]

Barbaraann,
So you are really thinking of going down for Christmas, that is great!!!! Although I didn't see an e-mail from you asking me to go with. Have you told Allen yet or will that be a surprise on his birthday!! Remember any questions just ask we were there for Christmas oh so long ago!!!

You know that I would love for you and I to do this together. I have most of this figured out in my head. I have researched airfare, and it's only about $220 on TED. I am debating between a moderate, and POP. I am not so concerned about the hotel as I am enjoying all the great Christmas stuff. It's cheaper for me to use my AAA discount then go the way of the Dining Plan, too.

I have a whole other thread on this.

[Barbaraann]

So now that I am officially going to Disney World at Christmastime, I have been a frequent visitor to the Allears website. I am very confused about this whole Dining Plan thing. That website has a lot of information about the Dining plan. It also has menus, which is so helpful. There's nothing worse than arriving at a restaurant, and realizing that there is nothing on the menu that you are interested in.

[Barbaraann]

I just did a search for "Disney Dining Plan" on MiceChat. There's a lot to read there. It really pays to take advantage of other people's experience.

[TDLFAN]

I don't plan anything, unless there is someting specific I want to do. Planning takes the fun out of the vacation and makes it too structured. In regards to WDW, when you have to go out of your way to plan for it, due to it's ridiculous size I am assuming, then it's time to concider a more subdued and enjoyable vacation at DLR. Less planning there, if at all.

[Phonedave]

I don't plan anything, unless there is someting specific I want to do. Planning takes the fun out of the vacation and makes it too structured. In regards to WDW, when you have to go out of your way to plan for it, due to it's ridiculous size I am assuming, then it's time to concider a more subdued and enjoyable vacation at DLR. Less planning there, if at all.

And this is why I despise the DDP. I don't want to book where I am going to eat 180 days out. I want to walk up to a place and eb able to eat. I don't mind waiting for a table, but to be told its "sold out" just bothers me, especially when everything is "sold out"

-dave

[Barbaraann]

I don't think that Disney is going to change the system. There are a lot of people planning vacations to the World. I think that the 180 days out is a little ridiculous. I remember when it was 60 days, and that seemed a little more reasonable.

However, it would be very frustrating to be at Disney World, and be hungry, and walk up to the nicer restaurants, and not be able to get in. I like knowing where I will eat each day. My priority seatings provide me with some well needed rest in my day.

There are also many counter service restaurants, where you can eat on a moments' notice. However I can understand that the table service places want to know ahead of time, how many to expect in any given day.

That's the system, and they've been doing it that way for a long time.

[Jerren]

I use a variety of web sites, most of them mentioned here already but as we go practically once a year and make plans for family friends when they go we usually know what we want to do and where we want to eat. We do spend a good bit of time planning the trip however and I have found a simple spreadsheet with the dates across the top and rows for morning, afternoon and evening plus one for notes works well. In it I put what parks we will be at color coded of course, all PS info for dining, tours etc, and of course all of our reservation information for flights, hotel and the town car service for the travel days. Print it out in landscape mode and you'll find you can fit a readable schedule on one sheet of paper with all the information you need in one place.

I make several copies as they tend to get trashed up a bit while touring the parks on some rides (Kali comes to mind). Now the most important thing I tell people is to plan on what parks to go to on each day, leave at least one flex day to go back and cover what you miss the first time around and keep the schedule purposely loose apart from your PS reservations. This lets you actually relax a bit on your trip rather than try to keep to a strict time table... I have actually seen parents tell their kids they couldn't ride a ride (I think it was Mr Toad's Wild Ride on my honeymoon) as they where already 35 mins behind schedule, I swore I would never do that to my family as the whole group looked miserable.

Anyway have fun planning its a lot of fun but "keep it loose" and you'll have much more fun and less stress.

[Phonedave]

I don't think that Disney is going to change the system. There are a lot of people planning vacations to the World. I think that the 180 days out is a little ridiculous. I remember when it was 60 days, and that seemed a little more reasonable.

However, it would be very frustrating to be at Disney World, and be hungry, and walk up to the nicer restaurants, and not be able to get in. I like knowing where I will eat each day. My priority seatings provide me with some well needed rest in my day.

There are also many counter service restaurants, where you can eat on a moments' notice. However I can understand that the table service places want to know ahead of time, how many to expect in any given day.

That's the system, and they've been doing it that way for a long time.

The system has changed. Prior to DDP you stood a good chance of eating at most sit down places as a walk up. Now, with the DDP, people have paid for a sit down meal for each member of their party for each night of their stay. They feel obliged to use them. Where before, a family of four on a 7 night stay may eat 2 or 3 sit down meals, and 2 or 3 counter service, and maybe one day just sort of forage, now they eat 7 sit down meals, even if they are not hungry. They are also eating full three course meals (appitizer, entree, and desser) which further slows the turn over rate of tables at the restaruants.

To add to this problem, because people KNOW they can no longer walk up, but they still want options, they will book multiple reservation, and then not cancel the ones they do not intend to use. This hurts both the restaruant and the walk up customers.

A lot of times I "play it by ear" and go wherever the spirit moves me in WDW. I do not like having to be at a certain place at a certain time for dinner. I also do not know 180 days in advance what I will be in the mood for that particular night.

-dave