Great Days in a Disney Vacation

[secondstar]

We all know the entire Disney vacation is a series of great days. But some are just a bit "greater" than others. And some "great days" happen before you even arrive. Here are a few of mine:

.. Booking your Vacation! It's official! You have a confirmation number and everything. You've entered it into Outlook. It's in your smartphone. (You look at it once in a while just to make sure it's real.) Now it's time to plan. That's a great day.
.. Purchasing airline tickets. You boughts 'em. "There's no turning back now!"
.. Getting that dining reservation you really want. You've waited by the phone and at 7:00 a.m, you called and got the Cinderella Royal Breakfast! Wow!
.. The day before you leave. That's such an exciting day. I usually schedule a half day at work so I can finish all the preparations. Then, the whole family goes shopping for "things we'll need on vacation." This is my wife and DD8's favorite shopping day because "Dad-o is too excited to say 'No.'" Last trip, we spent the night before the vacation at a hotel near the airport. That started the vacation one day early. That's a great day!
.. Arrival Day! You're here! Yeah!!!
.. The first FULL DAY ON PROPERTY. Now, the vacation can fully begin. The whole trip lies ahead.
.. The first time you see each park's "weenie" on the trip. It's like seeing a long-lost relative when you see Cinderella's Castle, the Epcot Ball, Sorcerer Mickey's Hat, or The Tree of Life the first time each trip.
.. The Big Event. Maybe it was MVMCP. Or Dinner reservations at Le Cellier. Whatever it is. You've been looking forward to it since you booked your trip and now it's here. I hope you brought film.
.. Your "wing it" Day. You didn't have any reservations. You didn't have any preconceived ideas about what you were doing on this day. Your plan was to wake up on Disney property and go wherever you wanted. Wing it.

Now tell me some of yours.

[Amy]

Well said! Your descriptions made me want to plan a trip
Sadly the funds aren't there at the moment to take a vacation

[cy1229]

The day before you leave. You have 2309871023981470 lists, you can't think straight, you've checked and re-checked your kids' luggage 100 times (and yet in 2008 we STILL forgot my younger daughter's swim suit!!! Did you know a suit at DTD in 2008 was $80??? ). You swear you're going to bed early because you have to be up at the super-early-crack-of-dawn and yet try as you might you don't roll into bed until midnight or later, and even if you did go to bed early there's no way you're going to sleep.

The day you leave for the trip. You wake up 45 minutes earlier than you have to because you don't want to be late to the airport or miss the shuttle that is taking you. You can't really eat because it's too early. You ponder yet again whether you should make coffee, and then spend the additional 10 minutes washing the pot and the coffee cups, or hit Starbucks on the way to the airport, and if you go to Starbucks, will you drink your coffee before security? Better to wait until getting to the airport. But I'm a zombie. Maybe I SHOULD make a pot of coffee... You ask your kids for the thousandth time if they have everything and they give you their most annoyed "YES MOTHERRRR" response because they loaded their stuff in the car 20 minutes ago and everyone is just waiting for YOU. Your spouse just smiles because he's amused at how frazzled you become when you're otherwise organized, calm, and in control. You're finally on the plane and relax. Then, when you step off the plane and make your way to Magical Express. AWESOME FEELING.

[cy1229]

Oh I just thought of another one-

Your kids' first day EVER at Disney. EVER. Their wide eyes, their huge toothy (or in the case of my older daughter, not so toothy as she had lost her front teeth) grins, the trouble they have in choosing exactly which Mickey ears they'll get, and it doesn't matter one lick that they aren't eating a decent lunch or dinner because we're all just there to have fun. Their excitement at not just a swimming pool, but one in a cool shape that has a SLIDE.

[Belle1082]

I have SO many days and moments that are the best part of a Disney Vacation...!

- Of course when you book and there is no turning back!
- Another pre-trip activity that my nerd-self relishes in is the day I make our vacation spreadsheet. I very carefully write out in color coordinated form - each park, their open and close times as well as early and late magic hours. I determine which parks we go to which days and how to take full advantage of our time in the parks. Usually plan on going to two parks per day. I can't even tell you how much I love to make this schedule! haha
- For sure the day before. My Mom and I always go out and get pedicures (even if we are going in the winter) to make sure our toes are nice and purdy!
- I swear, waking up early the catch a plane on a disney vacation is the one day I can wake up after having only a few hours of sleep and feel completely refreshed and ready to go!
- The moment we are out of the airport, on the magical express and the ME welcome to disney world video begins to play. I told that moment so dear, one of the happiest points I can ever be, knowing that I have a full DISNEY vacation ahead of me. My heart could literally explode with excitement.
- The first night in the parks - seeing the fireworks and knowing that this is what life is all about. Being so happy and in Disney World with my whole family.

the best ever.

[dstrawn9889]

and for those guys/gals that vroom, vroom to the 'world....

florida state line and fresh, free OJ! the Turnpike... Okahumpka travel plaza(where we always stop and get park maps and fuel up), toll 429.... OMG i can see the contemporary and the AKL from the highway!!!, Orlo bronson and World Drive, and that bleeping-ly beautiful sign welcoming us home!

[secondstar]

- Another pre-trip activity that my nerd-self relishes in is the day I make our vacation spreadsheet. I very carefully write out in color coordinated form - each park, their open and close times as well as early and late magic hours. I determine which parks we go to which days and how to take full advantage of our time in the parks. Usually plan on going to two parks per day. I can't even tell you how much I love to make this schedule! haha...

Belle1082, I see nothing wrong with getting your pre-trip Disney nerd on. In fact, I'm jealous.

A few years back, there was a show on the Travel Channel titled "Fans Guide to Walt Disney World." One family's dad (Lloyd family) used to make a pre-trip binder that included all the information they would need. Moreover, each family member received a pocket-sized itinerary to carry with them. My DW and DD8 used to make fun of him and say "He's just like Dad-o." I was actually jealous. I would LOVE to do that.

Keep making those spreadsheets. I have a laminator at home if you need one.

[Amy]

- Another pre-trip activity that my nerd-self relishes in is the day I make our vacation spreadsheet. I very carefully write out in color coordinated form - each park, their open and close times as well as early and late magic hours. I determine which parks we go to which days and how to take full advantage of our time in the parks. Usually plan on going to two parks per day. I can't even tell you how much I love to make this schedule! haha...

Belle1082, I see nothing wrong with getting your pre-trip Disney nerd on. In fact, I'm jealous.

A few years back, there was a show on the Travel Channel titled "Fans Guide to Walt Disney World." One family's dad (Lloyd family) used to make a pre-trip binder that included all the information they would need. Moreover, each family member received a pocket-sized itinerary to carry with them. My DW and DD8 used to make fun of him and say "He's just like Dad-o." I was actually jealous. I would LOVE to do that.

Keep making those spreadsheets. I have a laminator at home if you need one.

I probably would make fun of someone that put that much effort into the pre-trip planning too - but I bet I wouldn't have found myself, like I did this past trip, without our planet Hollywood/mini golf/etc vouchers if I was more organized

[dstrawn9889]

i had a red pocket binder with all the flyers and junk prepared, and ahd a grid on the outside with contact #'s , conf#s, emh park hours /dates, kids prefs for food for b/l/d... what the kids mentioned they liked last trip...

[Amy]

i had a red pocket binder with all the flyers and junk prepared, and ahd a grid on the outside with contact #'s , conf#s, emh park hours /dates, kids prefs for food for b/l/d... what the kids mentioned they liked last trip...

Wow - that sounds great. With my luck I would leave it on the counter as I was leaving!

[lonepalm]

I would have to agree with all of the above...and to take this a step further, the worst day at Disney:

The day I'm going home....and the day before, knowing I'm leaving my happy place, not to return for at least a year....

[disneylizzy]

We've had lots of great days at disney, but the best ones seem to be when we don't have any clear plans but everything just goes right somehow...I can't exactly explain, but there's a time when the chemistry of the people you're with and the park and the rides all come together to make a sort of magic. Its those magic days that take a place in my memory forever.

Oh and of course the weather is always perfect for those days too!

[secondstar]

and for those guys/gals that vroom, vroom to the 'world....

florida state line and fresh, free OJ! the Turnpike... Okahumpka travel plaza(where we always stop and get park maps and fuel up), toll 429.... OMG i can see the contemporary and the AKL from the highway!!!, Orlo bronson and World Drive, and that bleeping-ly beautiful sign welcoming us home!

dstrawn9889, I don't drive to WDW, but this is making me excited!!! You can tell you're a huge fan!

[theBIGyowski]

A few years back, there was a show on the Travel Channel titled "Fans Guide to Walt Disney World." One family's dad (Lloyd family) used to make a pre-trip binder that included all the information they would need. Moreover, each family member received a pocket-sized itinerary to carry with them. My DW and DD8 used to make fun of him and say "He's just like Dad-o." I was actually jealous. I would LOVE to do that.

I used to have that special on my DVR...before I had to get a new one...and would watch it at least 3-5 times per month...no lie. There are no WDW specials on TV anymore other than the Modern Marvels which is maybe on once every 2-3 months. I also do a spreadsheet with each day, broken down into what we are doing and what times I think they will happen at. I have to do this because of park hours, ADRs, and shows. So I totally geek it out whenever I plan WDW trips.

[secondstar]

A few years back, there was a show on the Travel Channel titled "Fans Guide to Walt Disney World." One family's dad (Lloyd family) used to make a pre-trip binder that included all the information they would need. Moreover, each family member received a pocket-sized itinerary to carry with them. My DW and DD8 used to make fun of him and say "He's just like Dad-o." I was actually jealous. I would LOVE to do that.

I used to have that special on my DVR...before I had to get a new one...and would watch it at least 3-5 times per month...no lie. There are no WDW specials on TV anymore other than the Modern Marvels which is maybe on once every 2-3 months.

You are so right. My daughter and I would watch the Fan's Guide episode at least once a week. We had it on DVR, along with a bunch of other Disney related stuff (Samantha Brown's Best Hotels, Disney Holidays, Animal Kingdom, etc.). Once we switched from cable to fios, we lost all that data. I have scoured the TV menus, trying to find them, but to no avail.

I also do a spreadsheet with each day, broken down into what we are doing and what times I think they will happen at. I have to do this because of park hours, ADRs, and shows. So I totally geek it out whenever I plan WDW trips.

As far as the spreadsheet thing, I only used my smartphone this past trip. When I arrived, I wanted to make some on-the-fly changes and I wish I had more information with me. Maybe next trip.