How much tweaking is normal?

[NY Pirate Princess]

Love this. Might need that on a tshirt!

Awww, thank you! My favorite Disney memories are always from amazing random moments I would have missed if I was "following the plan".

 

[twitterpated31]

Another first time planner here! Planning a trip for 16, almost all of whom are first timers as well.

And I'm LOVING IT!!!

I even enjoyed being up before 6a to book ADRs. Can't wait for the day to book excursions for my cruise on the wonder and FPs for our time in the park.

My family all think I'm nuts but if the planning is this much fun, I can't wait for the real deal!!!!

The first time I see the castle I will probably cry.

 

[married2mm]

Am I the only one who initially read twerked rather tweaked?!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I feel for first timers. Since FP+, the WDW planning process just gets more and more cumbersome.

While I enjoy parts of planning, I'm posting on these boards after all, much of WDW's technology doesn't seem to be improving the process.

It is one thing if I decide to make a change because we had to repair a car, and cut our travel budget. Or we just decide we'd like to try a different hotel.

It is another thing entirely if I'm changing my FP times because WDW keeps changing park hours, or some other important aspect of my trip.

Sometimes changes sound better on paper than the reality of them. Perhaps WDW is better when customers don't suffer information overload.

 

[ShadeDK]

All the tweaking is just practice for the "live fire" exercise of adjusting on the fly once you're in the parks. Because no matter how perfect and reasonable your itinerary seems, there's a good chance that something beyond your control at some point will blow it up. Maybe the weather is bad. Maybe your FP+ rides go down or are closed. Maybe the lines are much longer than anticipated - for rides, ADRs, security check, transportation, etc. Maybe the buses, monorail and ferries all go on a sympathy strike and break down together at the same time. Maybe you get stuck on a ride. Maybe WDW changes the park hours. Maybe you find yourself running late and walking into MK on the wrong side of the parade route even though you were supposed to be in Adventureland 10 minutes ago. Maybe you do M&Gs where the character decides to take their break every.single.time you're next in line. Maybe the part of the park you're in and planned for has massive wait times while everything on the other side of the park (or worse - a different park) is nearly a walk-on. Maybe the ADR at the restaurant you really wanted but never got - surprise! - now has a same-day opening ... that happens to overlap with your FoP/7DMT/FEA fast pass. Maybe you have afternoon/evening FPs for rides that you end up going on earlier in the day thanks to unexpected short waits, so you ditch the later FPs and completely re-plan your day.

I'm sure some guests stick to their plans no matter what, but I think most tweak before they're there and keep adjusting after they're there. It's not uncommon for me to prepare a detailed itinerary that I've massaged for months - and then abandon less than an hour after I get there. The plans are almost the default based on assumed conditions - if the conditions change (and they almost certainly will), all that tweaking beforehand will have given you information you need to weigh your options for something better at that moment.

 

[DisneyDad2015]

I’ve been tinkering and tweaking a lot for my trip in December. No major changes, just changing my FP’s and ADR’s to more preferred times as they become available.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I tweak often. I tend to set my plans then look over them and 2nd guess myself so I start changing things. About a month before is when I usually have everything set in stone unless park hours/ show times change. Then it's back to tweaking.

 

[BriLovesDisney]

I tweak quite a bit. Usually it's just modifying ADR times.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I feel for first timers. Since FP+, the WDW planning process just gets more and more cumbersome.

Yes. I like the planning more now that I’ve done it a few times and know what I’m doing. The first year was awful though. I’m not a vacation planner at heart. Before Disney, we got a hotel, got flights, and figured out what we wanted to do when we got there.

My DH said Disney was as bad as planning a wedding. He’s not too far off.

 

[absolutmey]

I find myself tweaking a lot. It really depends on what happens - someone changes their mind about where to eat, park hours extend, etc. I think it's normal to look at what's available (even after you've booked something) to try and find a better fit for your family/what you like. Have fun!

 

[nursejackie]

It's all part of the magic of a Disney trip! We book ADRs at 180 days out and spend the next 179 reviewing, cancelling, rebooking. The same goes for our fastpasses. If Disney released the finalised hours earlier we wouldn't need to be tweaking constantly as they often ruin our PPO breakfasts, change/add EMH and change the park opening times (we visit December 9 to 26th).

 

[agavegirl1]

I don't go until next October and have begun planning and tweaking. I generally continue to do so until three weeks out. Then I assemble my materials (cheat sheets, notes, etc) and I leave it. It is good practice for the in park tweaking that will inevitably be required.

 

[dprincessmom]

I have changed, added, dropped and modified ADRs and FP+ more times than I can count. We still have over 45 days until trip, I'm guessing final December hours will throw more curve balls at my plan... in my first time naivety, I thought plans would be set by now. I know 4th FP+ will be anyone's guess, but when will the rest of this be set? When we are finishing a meal or walking off a ride? Am I doing it wrong?!?!?

I did this our first trip with FP+. Drove myself bonkers...now, I set it and forget it at 60 days. I know when I have the best use of FP+ for our touring style and as we go a little more often, it's easier for me to be ok with missing something if I just can't make it work. Plan as much as you want or don't want to and know that regardless of all your planning something will make it change.

 

[dtkids]

(we visit December 9 to 26th).

We are 16-22. When will they release hours?!?!?!?

 

[ShadeDK]

We are 16-22. When will they release hours?!?!?!?

I expect that the updated hours for mid-December will be posted within the next 7-10 days (and, based on previous years for the week before Christmas, we should see MK go to 8 am openings and mostly 12 am closings on non-party days). The most recent update to hours (through December 9) occurred in mid-October. Last year, updated hours for the last few days of December occurred on November 18. So really... any day now.

I'm there the same dates and keep checking the hours (as more FPs will be released when they extend those and some people will be dropping PPO breakfasts that are no longer PPO - so more tweaking to go back on topic).

 

[dtkids]

I expect that the updated hours for mid-December will be posted within the next 7-10 days (and, based on previous years for the week before Christmas, we should see MK go to 8 am openings and mostly 12 am closings on non-party days). The most recent update to hours (through December 9) occurred in mid-October. Last year, updated hours for the last few days of December occurred on November 18. So really... any day now.

I'm there the same dates and keep checking the hours (as more FPs will be released when they extend those and some people will be dropping PPO breakfasts that are no longer PPO - so more tweaking to go back on topic).

I just checked. Looks like the 8 am opening is released.

 

[disneycountrygirl]

I tweak the plans a lot, and I am one of the crazy ones who enjoys it. It is so fun to hunt ADRs in particular, especially if you are a foodie. It is such a high to finally get your highest-priority ADR that you've been hunting for months! That was my day yesterday. I finally got my perfect Ohana ADR and along with it came 2 extra perks that I could not have foreseen that ended up crafting the most perfect, spectacular plan ever. I love the struggle of trying to piece it together and make it all fit, thinking about Disney every day, and then almost serendipitously the plan comes together in the most glorious way possible, better than I could have imagined! It's almost as fun as Disney itself!

 

[Mdsleiman]

I am finished with all ADR's and FP's with the exception of one in each group. I am hoping that they extend the park hours on our first day so I can add one more FP. I having some issue with our MVMCP ADR! I have a 6:30 at BOG but am hoping to get something earlier. I am worried about losing time at the party but M&G are not what we are going for anyway.

 

[fla4fun]

I think there would be a lot less tweaking if the ADR date and FP+ dates were closer together. If the only day you can get an FoP FP is the same day and time as your most prized ADR, it’s a problem. Most of the time I wait and do FP first, then work any ADRs in around them, instead of doing dining first and having to change things.

But then when I get there, I do end up making a lot of changes based on circumstances at the time. So my tweaking is more last minute.

 

[smooreo]

I'm tweaking quite a bit. I keep finding new info to take into account (like the ToT problems). I just hope I'm making good changes!!!