Here are the planning sheets that I promised I was going to share. You’ll get to see first hand that I am definitely OCD. But….. keep in mind that we did NOT stand in long lines on either of our trips because I knew where to go and when to go there.
People say to me “well that doesn’t sound like a vacation to me”. Well here’s my thoughts…. if I can avoid a line by following a plan in the mornings, I’m going to do it. The evenings are stopping to smell the roses. When the parks are the least crowded, you’ll find me on the major attractions. When the park is crowded in the afternoons and early evenings, you’ll find me in that rose garden smelling the roses.
We got so much done on our trips and I had tons of readers say to me “Wow! There are NO people in your pictures!” That isn’t because there were no people. It was because I was going against the crowds, instead of with them.
So here you go. Enjoy!
Magic Kingdom
Saturday AM
Sunday AM
Monday PM
Tuesday PM
Wednesday AM
Wednesday PM
Friday AM
Friday PM
Animal Kingdom
Sunday PM
Tuesday AM
Sunday AM
Epcot
Monday AM
Countries around the world
Hollywood Studios
Thursday
{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
I wish I could be a planner like that. Those spreadsheets are crazy!
What is so funny is that I barely read them while I was there because it was all stored in my noggin. I’d pull it up on the phone while we were waiting at Rope Drop and read it to hubby and then off we would go. :)
OMG…we are so alike it’s scary! My planbook looks just as crazy to most people. Color coded like yours & everything. I love it!
Thanks for sharing!
These spreadsheets make me happy and scared at the same time ;) i’d expect no less from the queen of coupons, though :) AWESOME!
I’m in AWE!!! And pretty much speachless.
OMG, gosh I feel so much better. I thought my spreadsheets were insane! HAHA :) You are awesome!
I am a planner also! I have to say I have never done a spreadsheet, but I admire your organization. I love a well planned trip!
I’m just starting to think about our trip next Sept. with our 2 grandkids, both will be 6yrs old. THANKS
What do you see when you look up when Wendy is on the plank? I’ve never known to do that!
Peter Pan and Captain Hook fighting!
Wow. Really-wow, is all I can say! Even being a Disney local, the last time I went to Disney I left aggravated because I could not do much. You are nothing less than AMAZING!
Do you go to all the rides first thing to get all the fast passes or do you get them at specific times?
Fastpass rules:
When you get a Fastpass, you either have to wait until the return window on that Fastpass opens or 2 hours passes. So if you get a Fastpass at 9 am with a return of 10:15 – 11:15 am, you can’t get another Fastpass to another ride until 10:15 am.
So in the morning we get our Fastpass about 9:10 am to one ride and ride tons of rides all morning long. We’ll pick up another Fastpass when we can.
I don’t know if that even makes any sense. It’s late. If it doesn’t, email me and I’ll explain it better. ;)
I will print these out tomorrow at work so I will have them for our trip in December.
I am not organized BUT I do plan our moves for Disney! Don’t want to miss anything!
Wow! That is awesome! I will have to keep these handy.
Kristen, the best thing about your spreadsheets was that you planned in time for Gi-Tar Dan in Animal Kingdom. He is absolutely my favorite “attraction” in the park. He sang my family a special song the last two trips (our only two trips) to WDW. He’s great….can’t wait to see him again
Got them printed and will study them before our trip on the 19th! Whohoo!
A girl after my heart! I do the same kind of thing… a lot of people have made comments about not wanting to deal with people like me- but then they also don’t have fun at disney so I figure I wouldn’t want to deal with them either!
OMG I could never do that! That would just suck the fun out the trip. I am glad it works for you, but that’s not for me. The most we ever plan is which restaurants to eat at.
LOL. I’m just crazy about not standing in a line if I don’t have too. But we go at a fairly busy time…. :( Trying to convince hubby that next fall is a good idea.
I love going in November. But next year will probably do October due to my son’s school. But November has always been great for us and early December too.
I love this idea but my DH doesn’t think it would be much fun. He hates lines though so I think he’d like it once we were on track.
Sounds like my kind of trip! We won’t be going until the youngest is a little older though- but I do very similar for Disneyland!
Did you ever get any transportation cards. We got some on one trip and now it seems like you find them anywhere. So just wondering if you had better luck.
We got some on our first trip but I totally forgot to ask for any on this trip. :(
Thanks, you are on the ball with the response.
What is a transportation card?
What is a transportation card? What resort buses give these out?
Oh boy – I’m almost afraid to look at these! But I will because I know it will help me so much with our next trip. Gotta be better than my legal pad lists – lol! :-)
These are very impressive. We actually did season passes this year and have done the parks a couple of times. My husband and I LOVE Disney and we have a plan going in each park eachday. I am proud to say that we plan every moment like this!! I am just impressed that you write it all down!!!
Thanks for sharing. Aren’t you afraid that you are letting all of your secrets out of the bag?
I think I might’ve said this before, but my hubby says I’m over-organized…I say I’m PREPARED!! LoL! Good job, K, gonna go check out your sheets now to see if your as bad or worse than me! :o)
In the HISTK playground…at HS, exactly where is the area you mentioned that is for 2-5 year olds. We must have missed it last time and I totally felt unsafe at times with my then 3 year old on the rest of the stuff. Thanks.
I am glad you are OCD like this, gives us all some excellent tips! Can’t wait to read through these more thoroughly. You sure did do your research. I have been to disney probably 50 or more times in my life and don’t know as much about it as you!
Kristin, You are so organized. Hopefully I can get like this one day. Thanks for posting it.
Our family was at Disney the same time (though not as long) and it was HOT. We spent one day at Blizzard Beach. Everyone LOVED it. We will definitely go again.
Hey can you give me the website that you reserved strollers for Disney World.? THanks for your help
I actually just took my own. I know there are stroller rentals in Orlando though but I don’t have a list of them.
What do the color codes stand for?….thanks so much for sharing your info!!
The colors don’t have any significance. :) It was just easier to read that way for me.
Kristen,
Can you tell me what “GAD fastpass” is? I see it mentioned in a couple spreadsheets. Also, what order do you recommend if we’re only at disney for 4 days? (Mon-Thurs)? Thanks for this. I’m a spreadsheet nut myself and hubs couldn’t be happier! :)
The GAD Fastpass was the Give A Day Fastpass we earned in 2010. They are no longer doing the program. :(
It depends on what your dates are as to what order to the do the parks. Email me your dates and I’ll see if I can help you.
What hotel do you stay at when you go to WDW? We are staying at the Polynesian. Since there are 5 of us.
We stayed at Ft. Wildnerss Lodge on our last visit. We loved it!
I just found your website via stockpiling moms…all I can say is WOW!! You are so dedicated and soooo organized. I thought that I was a bit of an organizer when I bought the book, “The unofficial guide to Disney,” and used the routing plans but your spreadsheet takes the cake! Kudos!
I love the spreadsheets! I absolutely HATE standing in lines so I can appreciate being organized to avoid that.
I notice that several days you park hopped. Did you find that ate into your time or became its own frustration?
thanks for these! i’m a *planner* too and had spreadsheets for our first trip last june! we’re going back in sept and these will come in handy!
HI..love ur spreadsheets and I took ur challege to not eat out this month and we havent..yipee…was wondering if u have any tips for me..we are only going to disney..magic kingdom for 1 day and my boys are 10 and 13…tips fo fast passes…ride..eating cheap..etc.blessings,
New to your site as of yesterday, and I literally have been reading for hours! Taking our (will be) 4 year old for her birthday and almost 2 year old to wdw in early dec. These schedules are a huge blessing, plus full of awesome little secrets that my daughter will just love. New to the couponing world as well, and excited to learn a lot. Thank you for taking the time to do this!
Hi! I love, love your website! I can spend hours on end… just reading, and still can’t get enough! I’m in the same boat as a previous post from Tabby.
Can you please, pretty please share any tips for a one day trip to WDW? We’re going with our 2 yr. old. I’m pretty scared, but I feel if he gets his nap we’ll be fine!
Thanks again for all you do!
i am so excited to someone that plans out their trips just like me. Friends and family think I am crazy but it works so well!!!!
Hey Kristin,
Ok, so I’m really inspired about saving for a trip to Disney…but am SO overwhelmed after visiting their site! Do you or have you used a travel agent in the past, and if so, is there someone you could/would recommend? Any help at this point would be great. Just trying to get a ballpark figure of how much I need to start saving toward, but it’s so confusing.
I think this is incredible. We plan to go in January 2012. Not sure where to stay. I have a 4 and 6 year old. Is it possible to use your spreadsheets as a guide???
Awesome!
Do you happen to have a spreadsheet that tracks all the survey places/savings websites (such as savemore, savings star, etc.,) by any chance? Thought I would ask before I let my own OCD loose.
Thanks for this site!
Jen