When do you stop tinkering with the plans?

[Tigger in a kilt]

We arrive in WDW in 2 weeks, for a 4 week, multi-family vacation that I have been planning for over a year.

I have had ADRs and FPs booker from the day I was able, but I am finding that I am still tinkering with our plans, with 2 weeks to go. Is this normal? I feel like everything should be locked in by now, but I don’t know if that is realistic. Maybe I won’t stop until I’m actually on the plane on the way home!

I do understand that our trip is longer than most, and we have 4 other families to work around too. However, I can’t spend every minute of the next 2 weeks second guessing myself. How do you know when it’s time to stop tinkering with the plans? We are doing a bunch of tours but there will always be more tours, dessert parties and restaurants that we could do, and I’m finding it hard to just stop and be happy with what is already arranged.

 

[KenHutch]

Hmm on our June trip to WDW after talking to my 18 year old I was making adjustments on the road. And we don't go back for our 6th trip until 2021 and I already have a lot planned out.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

We arrive in WDW in 2 weeks, for a 4 week, multi-family vacation that I have been planning for over a year.

I have had ADRs and FPs booker from the day I was able, but I am finding that I am still tinkering with our plans, with 2 weeks to go. Is this normal? I feel like everything should be locked in by now, but I don’t know if that is realistic. Maybe I won’t stop until I’m actually on the plane on the way home!

I do understand that our trip is longer than most, and we have 4 other families to work around too. However, I can’t spend every minute of the next 2 weeks second guessing myself. How do you know when it’s time to stop tinkering with the plans? We are doing a bunch of tours but there will always be more tours, dessert parties and restaurants that we could do, and I’m finding it hard to just stop and be happy with what is already arranged.

We had 13 people between the ages of 2 and 66 at WDW in June. I made dinner reservations and FP+ changes every day that we were there for all or at least some of the group. I don't think the planners are ever done tweaking...not until they get back home afterwards anyway

 

[disneyworldsk]

i'm 45 days out tigger. I stopped and will begin unofficial packing soon. when i begin unofficial packing, i'm basically done and just enjoy the packing and such. unofficial packing means i toss things in a big pile randomly if i c something i don't need in the next month.

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

Thank you both. I suspected that might be the answer! Now I just need to find time to work some time in the next two weeks so I can pay for the trip...

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

i'm 45 days out tigger. I stopped and will begin unofficial packing soon. when i begin unofficial packing, i'm basically done and just enjoy the packing and such. unofficial packing means i toss things in a big pile randomly if i c something i don't need in the next month.

Did you make a deliberate decision to stop, or do you just feel done?

I have been fully packed for about 3 weeks now. I could literally grab our passports and walk out the door now. I’m not sure whether I should be proud or ashamed of that!

 

[Klayfish]

Depends on how much of a planner you are. Our "planning" takes less than an hour for a 2 week trip. Then as we're able to make FP+ (we stay offsite, so are bound to 30 day window), that takes maybe 3-5 minutes per day. However, we constantly tinker with them. In our 2 week trip, I'd say at least 6 or 7 of the days our pre-made "plans" are changed the morning of or the night before. Different strokes for different folks. A fully regimented and planned vacation wouldn't be a vacation for us.

 

[AngiTN]

When we go to bed at the end of that day, I figure the plans for that day are pretty well over, and I quit changing them. LOL
Seriously, I never stop.

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

Depends on how much of a planner you are. Our "planning" takes less than an hour for a 2 week trip. Then as we're able to make FP+ (we stay offsite, so are bound to 30 day window), that takes maybe 3-5 minutes per day. However, we constantly tinker with them. In our 2 week trip, I'd say at least 6 or 7 of the days our pre-made "plans" are changed the morning of or the night before. Different strokes for different folks. A fully regimented and planned vacation wouldn't be a vacation for us.

I think much of my anxiety is from the fact that I have never been there before, so maybe I will calm down once I arrive.

My family would definitely rebel if I made them stick to a touring plan, though I have a rough one for each day for my own information. My bigger problem is not so much moving attractions, but thinking we should add in this tour, or that character meet and greet. As I type this, I suspect it is FOMO, because if we really wanted to do these things they would have been in the plan before now!

When we go to bed at the end of that day, I figure the plans for that day are pretty well over, and I quit changing them. LOL
Seriously, I never stop.

This made me laugh. At least I know there is an end in sight, even if it’s midnight each day.

 

[tinkerjo]

I also never stop. That’s 1/2 the fun. I went through a mourning of sorts after our last trip because I didn’t have any Disney vacation to plan. I had tweaked our plans so much, adding extra days, extra people, (DD decided at the last minute- 30 days out that she wanted to go) and with that meant coordinating fast passes and ADRs!!! So much work, we were at WDW several days before I got everything lined up. I did miss it when it was over and look forward to doing it all over again for this trip coming!! (DD better not do it to me again last minute, but probably will lol)

 

[Lesley Wake]

I think I finally stop when I'm on Disney's Magical Express ... heading back to the airport!

Seriously, I booked all my ADRs at 180 days on the dot. And I don't think I've kept a single one since!

 

[skseif514]

I'm guilty of constantly tinkering with my plans! I make my ADRs at 180 days, then don't touch anything until after I pick FPs at 60 days. After that, I spend the days up until I leave moving things around...even if it means my ADRs have changed by 10 minutes. Currently resisting the urge to tinker with my October plans now...

 

[AngiTN]

We really do make lots of changes on the fly.
First though, we are only talking about DH and myself for the majority of our trips. Sometimes DGD is with us, even less often DD too. So at most 4 people.
We always make our ADR that day, never in advance, except for an unusual situation. Like when we did the Lion King package or when I needed an ADR for DGD's birthday cake delivery.
We do make FP at 60 days but it's also not unheard of for DH and I to get up that morning and change our minds and dump those FP and make new ones based on our whim that morning. It's much easier to find 2 FP day of.
And even when we do keep our park planned for the day we are forever changing the time we plan to arrive at the park and moving FP.
I married a man allergic to morning. He may be 55 but he may as well be 15 with his sleep habits. He'd still stay up till 2:00 am and sleep till noon if he could. However, he also hates the heat, which means early mornings are best. So you can see how those 2 things clash in FL much of the year. We tend to think we'll get started earlier than we do, so we move FP around a lot.

 

[Pookie9922]

I think your tinkering is like mine - trying to figure out the unknown since we've never been there. You have so much time there - that's a lot to plan and figure out, but you'll also have extra time to make sure you see everything you want to even if something doesn't go quite right the 1st day. My stress is we are doing 2 days in MK and only 1 in the others and this is a one and only trip, so I'm trying to prioritize what we want to do in the most obtainable manner possible and am trying to figure out all that's possible without driving my family mad with an overdone itinerary!

 

[Crystal824]

When we go to bed at the end of that day, I figure the plans for that day are pretty well over, and I quit changing them. LOL
Seriously, I never stop.

This.

 

[toonaspie]

I had to do some massive last minute changes to my trip plan yesterday. I thought I was done but I guess I was far from it. Kinda my fault as there was a lack of communication as to what others in my party wanted to do. Really messed me up on the FPs and now we're practically stuck with nothing. But thankfully I was able to change my BOG ADR to the new time.

 

[kwdw]

Tigger in a kilt -you have a very long trip planned. I've decided to go to Disney, planned the trip, had the trip, and returned home in less than the length of your trip (and I have to fly to get there, though its only a 2 hour flight).

You mention you have never been before. You are going to learn a TON in the first four days of your trip about how you want the next days of your trip to go. It SOUNDS like you have enough planned to hit some major things. I tweak ADR's, which parks I'm going to, and FP's as I feel - even same day changes. So - looking ahead never stops until you are on the flight home.

So - how do you stop planning the next two weeks? Focus on other things!!! Having the house clean for when you come back.... putting work in order..... read a non-Disney book to keep you off disboards/MDE! That stuff..... I have to purposefully stop looking at my plans when I have done lots of planning in advance and then have a wait before I leave. Conscious decision that takes work to stick to. But the day before my flight - I'm allowed to start tweaking again!!!

 

[Delirium]

In October 2016, I had a perfect plan laid out for our 12 day trip. Time slots planned for everything on each park day. Then a hurricane happened.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Stop!

I don't "tinker".
I make a plan and stick to it.
Too many changes and you'll regret it.
Once I'm there I'm flexible to changes on the go though.
Example a couple weeks ago we ended up dropping all of our HS FP+ selections the morning of because we were getting the FP+ selection attractions done without them so we looked for some at Epcot for later in the day.
We also asked if we could check in for an ADR 20 minutes early and it wasn't a problem.
Once you're there be flexible but for now keep your plans as they are!

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Usually after the FP+ selections are made and the hours are firmed up (for the most part).

I’m always looking to find ways and efficiencies. Oh, there’s a parade at 12pm.. okay I’ll book Jungle Cruise FP+ so I’m right near Frontierland.

Going during Christmas week I’ve learned to make two separate itineraries. One regular, and i leave room in the afternoon in case there’s nice weather.