[Dana]

Super Type A planner here. I have my skeleton plans and wanted to run them by you all. Please let me know what you think. Keep in mind that the first three days my DBF and his son will be with us and the last four are for me and DD only, so I scheduled the blunt of the character meals for then. I tried to keep it simple for when they are there to have more flexibility with what we do. These plans are just ones that I can get everyone to basically agree on.

1st day - breakfast at airport (6:20am flight)
lunch- counter service at MGM
dinner at Hollywood and vine for the FAntasmic! package

2nd Day - breakfast at Kona Kafe or whatever
Lunch- counter service at Epcot somewhere (guys' choice)
Dinner at Rose and Crown to view Illuminations

3rd Day - breakfast where ever (guys' choice)
Lunch at water park
Dinner at O'hanna and wishes on the beach (hopefully)

4th day - Breakfast at breakfastsaurus
Counter service lunch
dinner at Chef Mickey's (dd's choice)

5th day - breakfast at crystal palace
counter service lunch at MK
dinner up in the air?? no plans decide when there

6th day - breakfast at 1900 Park fare (my choice!)
lunch and dinner where ever we end up. I am not making park
for this day so we can revisit what we want or do DTD.

7th day - breakfast at o'hanna (dd request)
lunch -counter service at MGM
dinner at airport or home.....

Well that concludes the first draft of my plans. Not to comando, but not lax either. I don't want to make to many plans for when the "guys" are with us, because I want them to be able see as much as possible or not...no pressure is what I mean. All of the character breakfasts are a bit much, but my DD really wants to do them and you have to eat right? lol I am using my vouchers for all of them. The counter service lunches are also vouchers, so I have tons of flexibility with my evenings and afternoons if I want to change anything later. OK lay it on me. What am I missing and what should I nix?

[mickaholic4077]

It all sounds great,Dana!!

[bumble]

Look like your plans are great. And you made me remember something about Tonga Toast at the Kona Cafe. I have not had it yet but will in 2 weeks or so. Have you had it before? Hope its good!!!

[Dana]

Originally Posted by bumble73

Look like your plans are great. And you made me remember something about Tonga Toast at the Kona Cafe. I have not had it yet but will in 2 weeks or so. Have you had it before? Hope its good!!!

I have been Tonga Toast dreaming since I learned what it was made of. I have not had it yet, but have had a yearning for it for the last two trips. I will get it this trip....I am determined. Please report back and tell me how great it tasted....banana wrapped french toast......that's better than chocolate to me. YUMMY!!!!

[MerlinMatt]

Dana:

That's a great plan. It's funny, you use some of the same terms on you plan that I do on mine. Do you use a spreadsheet? I do. My workbook usually has 2-3 pages.

On day 5 when you're at MK, maybe you could do dinner at Tony's? Or maybe Narcoosee's or Kona? I've also heard that the Concourse Steakhouse is pretty good and I'd be willing to bet that DBF would like that.

[Dana]

Matt -

I have a marble compostion book that I write all my hand drawn worksheets in with meals and costs of each. I then have a big (greeting card size) envelope for each day I am there. On the front of each envelope is a list of things that I need for that day...for instance:

Day one 1/21

Towncar money = $110
Disney Dollars = $150
Cash = $150
lunch Vouchers (2)
Mousekeeping = $5

As I get each things saved or bought it goes into the envelope and ultimately sealed until the trip. I have each day planned out to match my restaurant ideas and parks of course and then figure the cost of everything down to the bell hop's tip and put that next to cash on the front of the envelope.....TYPE A momma..lol It works and makes me feel that much closer every time I seal another envelope..lol Tony's may be in the future...thinking on it. DBF and his DS will be gone by the time I go to MK, so I may try out tony's instead of concourse...not sure yet on many of the dinners. I am going to play most of those by ear in case I don't use all of my quick and casual lunch/dinners when DBVF and his son are there...I don't want to have any left over..lol

Thanks everyone who took the time to read my plans and make a comment. I appreciate the input.

[BDavis932]

Your plan sounds great!!! My sis (A goofy family) liked your idea of the envelopes. It is a great idea....might have to borrow that one!!!!

Have you and DD been to Sci Fi before? That might be a great meal on your last day....

[Dana]

Originally Posted by BDavis932

Your plan sounds great!!! My sis (A goofy family) liked your idea of the envelopes. It is a great idea....might have to borrow that one!!!!

Have you and DD been to Sci Fi before? That might be a great meal on your last day....

Borrow away. Thanks for reading and giving your input. My DD and I went into the sci-fi once...it's not our cup of tea, but thanks for the suggestion.

[MerlinMatt]

I three-hole punch everything and put it in a binder. Then as the trip gets closer, I segregate the stuff I'll need to take with me (including all my spreadsheets) and transfer it to a three-hole folder. Included in the folder are copies of the vouchers I get from Disney.

Then the small folder that Disney sends with the luggage tags serves as my "easy to get to" package that I carry on the travel days.

This level of obsessiveness and redundancy limits the possibility of things going wrong. It's the project manager in me.

[roxie]

I've changed my mind - you are not the Grand Poobah,
You are DCs Master Organizer/Planner Extrordinaire!!

[Dana]

hee hee...matt I think you are even more type A then me.

[llama]

No suggestions. I'm speechless. lol

[Dana]

Originally Posted by llama

No suggestions. I'm speechless. lol

Is it because I have all this planned already? Be honest you can tell me..lol Was it the envelopes that made you speachless or Matt's ability to be more anal than me? BTW dear, your PM box is full.

[Jen]

Dana -

Wish I were more planned out ....heading to walmart for orgainzaitional supplies tomorrow!

I noticed that the breakfast vouchers with the charaters are a great deal - I know I spend a lot more at Outback at home with the kids!

Do you plan what parks which days? Are some parks better to visit in poor weather than others?


Always with a question....Jen

[Dana]

Originally Posted by stusbabydoll

Dana -

Wish I were more planned out ....heading to walmart for orgainzaitional supplies tomorrow!

I noticed that the breakfast vouchers with the charaters are a great deal - I know I spend a lot more at Outback at home with the kids!

Do you plan what parks which days? Are some parks better to visit in poor weather than others?


Always with a question....Jen

In January, the only days that may be a bit crowded is Saturday's at the MK. Local families sometimes go on the weekends, but the week days are cake, so it doens't matter which park I go to when crowd-wise. My DD and I always go to MGM on our first day and our last to ride RnR..lol We are doing Epcot day #2 because I think my DBF's son will like that more than MK. Day three is going to be the water park if the weather permitts or MK. They are only staying for a half day on day three they go home. My dd and I are doing AK on day four, MK on day five, and are going to revisit what we missed and do DTD on day 6. Day seven is MGM and home. I make these kinds of basic plans every trip, but am extremely flexibile about changing things once there. I just like to have a little plan, so we aren't trying to figure out what to do once we get there. You can go to touringplans.com and work out all of this on their computerized planners for free. No need to buy anything. I just like having the envelopes and the notebook..lol That notebook will also serve as my journal while on the trip, so I can write a report for everyone on DC.