How Soon do you Start Planning

When do you start to plan your vacation at Walt Disney World?

If you go every year, do you start planning as soon as you get back or do you wait a while.

What about if you go every other year or so, how far in advance do you start looking at things?

We usually go once a year for 9 or 10 days. We really don't start planning until we book which is 3-4 months out. The very first thing I do is check park hours including EMH and then I book our meals accordingly.

With the stupid ADRs having to be booked 6 months out we really have to start planning before then. I've been giving some consideration to eating off site, but really like the convenience of not having to drive far or at all after a drink or two with dinner.

Although we sometimes decide at the last moment regarding when to go to WDW, we normally tend to sort things out around 6 months or so before we go....assuming we can wangle our usual UC upgrades with Mr Branson that is. :yes:

I used to not care too much about planning, maybe 1 or 2 ADRs, and that was it!

But the last 2 trips with little kids who needed to eat at certain times and nap and couldnt stay in the Sun for long and couldnt handle large crowds, etc... turned me into a planning maniac

So, Hi! :wave: Im Mari, and Im a planning maniac!

I check for rates and airfare probably a year out and start figuring out and looking for discounts and promotions. Once I get the airfare/resort then I do into day planning mode. How many days at each park and where we would like to eat and make a schedule. Then when the official times are announced I move days around depending on EMH and when Fantasmic is on and so on. Then I put in meals with the times I hope to get.
When the 180 days roll out I try to book all my meals, and will move things around if I cant get an ADR

And then I have 6 months to poke my eyes out hahaha, I check transportation, and make a mental schedule of how long things will take, which rides to do, which to skip, etc. Sometimes I cancel or modify ADRs if I feel it wont work the way I had planned it...

Well, when we go in October this year, I will have been planning for about a year (lol). But that's mainly because of all the new stuff and because I am creating/writing my own guidebook that we can keep and use year after year. But I can't say it's not also because I'm so excited that I want to make it last as long as possible!

Usually about a year in advance, but this time it was as soon as chemo ended. It gave me something to aim for. :)

Mags

Ive just brought my new brit guide book and making notes. Im not normally too bad but as we're taking zac this time who will be 20 months and my nephews (7&4) I want to make sure we dont miss anything special for them. Also want to make sure with zac we are doing bits he can enjoy.
All a bit mind blowing!! Ive just watched a video of the new test track and I want to be leaving tomorrow!!!
Roll on October :D

:wiggle:

A few months ahead of time. We've done the bounce back free dining for the last several years and booked about a year in advance. We didn't do that this year though.