What do you do when all the planning is done?

[mastermind307]

So I've been planning our upcoming mother daughter trip for over a year and now I'm done. I've customized our magic bands and I've gotten the ADRs and FP+ at the times I want. Before, I'd stalk the website trying to get the times I wanted, it was like a fun game for me. I'm a planner and I've ran out of things to plan and I still have 37 days to go!

 

[pigletgirl]

Have you made a packing list?

 

[sturner324]

37 days... hmm. I would start planning what to pack. Ha!

 

[bigbabyblues]

We are about 37 days out too! I am still planning because we are staying offsite and our FP window opens on 5/1.

I would probably start planning what to pack, the best way to pack it all, and what you need to buy before the trip.

 

[dvc at last !]

Planning is never done .......

 

[ashpi]

That feeling is why I finally started reading and commenting a little here on disboards! I've been planning both my own and some friends' Disney trips constantly for the last 4 years, and when I run out of direct planning to do for the trips, I tend to binge on Disney sites. Here and Disney Tourist Blog are my favorite. I read a lot of random "Disney Tips" articles, but they very rarely have any information that is actually useful. I agree with the people above who said to start planning packing though! I'm considering going carry-on only this trip, so I've been watching a lot of videos on that and reading up on Her Packing List

EDIT: if you haven't already, I would make a spreadsheet with a plan of what you want to do! I don't make mine super restrictive, but it's nice to see things laid out. I use a modified version of the one from Plan-A-Magical-Vacation that I keep reusing: here it is on google drive

 

[mastermind307]

I do have a packing list, but I do need to go through my Disney stuff and see what I need to replace or still need to get. I want to start packing, but I know it's too early. At least if I don't want my DH making fun of me!

The good thing is I work for an after school program, and I need to start planning our summer program so that will keep me busy. It's just not as much fun as planning a Disney trip!

 

[mastermind307]

That feeling is why I finally started reading and commenting a little here on disboards! I've been planning both my own and some friends' Disney trips constantly for the last 4 years, and when I run out of direct planning to do for the trips, I tend to binge on Disney sites. Here and Disney Tourist Blog are my favorite. I read a lot of random "Disney Tips" articles, but they very rarely have any information that is actually useful. I agree with the people above who said to start planning packing though! I'm considering going carry-on only this trip, so I've been watching a lot of videos on that and reading up on Her Packing List

EDIT: if you haven't already, I would make a spreadsheet with a plan of what you want to do! I don't make mine super restrictive, but it's nice to see things laid out. I use a modified version of the one from Plan-A-Magical-Vacation that I keep reusing: here it is on google drive

I have been reading these boards and facebook disney discussions, but it's just a lot of repeated stuff and gets boring after awhile.

I do have a spreadsheet, people make fun of me for my spreadsheets. But it's just how my brain operates, I have to have everything laid out and not just for Disney, for my work too.

 

[loves to dive]

What is this planning you speak of? I solve the problem by not planning. I book a resort, a some point buy my son's tickets if he is going with me (I have an AP) and that's it for me. I book FPs day of on my way to the park since we don't decide what park we are going to until day of and I make our ADRs in the afternoon while walking around the park. I pack the night before we leave. I do keep a hanging toiletry bag always packed and ready to go so when I come home from a trip I replace anything in that I might have used up but that's it.

 

[wisteria1019]

Countdown celebrations. We typically do them at days 100, 50, 25 etc... with trivia contests etc...but you could do little mini countdowns for days 30, 20, 10...

 

[CogsworthTN]

Well... park times keep changing so make sure you keep checking those. I had to redo our animal kingdom day just this morning.

Other than that...enjoy and countdown!

 

[SG131]

What I do, is continue to over analyze my plans and then inevitably find something else to change! That and shop for some extra Disney shirts to take along!!

 

[Dub]

I would start planing my NEXT trip!! Hehe. I love bounce back deals

 

[BalooFan]

I don’t consider my planning done until I’m on DME returning to the airport because vacation is over! I have plans in place for my next trip in a few weeks, but I can pretty much bet that something will come up before then that will make me reconsider some of my plans. For example, yesterday the AK schedule for the week I will be there was changed to reflect AM EMH for every day of my trip, so I had to decide if I wanted to tweak my plans (I didn’t). So, I monitor DISboards and other sources and, if necessary, make adjustments accordingly.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Now, you can make a detailed packing list. Find pictures of all the clothes you want to bring, paste them in Word, and plan outfits. Do it for every member of the family.

 

[mastermind307]

Countdown celebrations. We typically do them at days 100, 50, 25 etc... with trivia contests etc...but you could do little mini countdowns for days 30, 20, 10...

I like the idea of mini countdowns. I found a coupon on Groupon for Characters in Flight at Disney Springs, I could surprise DD with it.

Well... park times keep changing so make sure you keep checking those. I had to redo our animal kingdom day just this morning.

Other than that...enjoy and countdown!

I'm subscribed to Touring Plans, so I get e-mails from them about updated park hours. But yes, that's something to be aware of and it seems like Disney likes to make changes as the dates gets closer.

What I do, is continue to over analyze my plans and then inevitably find something else to change! That and shop for some extra Disney shirts to take along!!

Now, you can make a detailed packing list. Find pictures of all the clothes you want to bring, paste them in Word, and plan outfits. Do it for every member of the family.

My DD actually wanted to wear matching shirts so I've made matching shirts for every day of our trip. I used my cricut and I think they turned out well. Not sure if we'll wear the shirts outside of Disney, but they were fun to make.

I just told DD yesterday, that I want to lay out my shorts and the shirts and match them up. She said she wanted to also, but we had other things to do. Maybe that could be a mini countdown idea too!

 

[Arielfan98]

Sounds simple (and maybe lame to you), but my sister does a huge old fashion countdown. I'm sure it could work since u have under 40 days, but she usually does it at the 20 day marker. She gets multicolored sticky notes and places them on her mirror on her door, and writes the numbers in sequential order (20, 19, 18, 17, etc). Each morning she wakes up and draws a satisfying X on each sticky note. She also decorates the sticky notes with Mickeys and other various Disney stickers.

 

[mastermind307]

Sounds simple (and maybe lame to you), but my sister does a huge old fashion countdown. I'm sure it could work since u have under 40 days, but she usually does it at the 20 day marker. She gets multicolored sticky notes and places them on her mirror on her door, and writes the numbers in sequential order (20, 19, 18, 17, etc). Each morning she wakes up and draws a satisfying X on each sticky note. She also decorates the sticky notes with Mickeys and other various Disney stickers.

I like that idea. We already have a countdown that we change the number on each morning. But maybe I'll make another one when we get down to 25 days. I like making things so it would give me something to do and even better that it's Disney related!

 

[krysenchips]

A fun thing to do with a countdown, especially the last few weeks, is have 'Tinkerbell gifts' laid out for each day, like an advent calendar. Buy little disney thing or things that you are going to need on the trip: a new poncho, new pjs, a swim suit, a mister fan, a cooling towel, etc and wrap them up and unwrap them each day!

 

[Nakkira]

It's project time! make your own Mouse Ear's, fun decor for your room, decorate a tee-shirt, etc!