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[KateB]

Hi! Would anyone be kind enough to post a copy of their planning format as I want to be really organised for this trip and plan our trip to make the most of it but not really sure where to start in creating a planner. Many thanks 😊😆

[polar vixen]

Me me me!! Almost a pre trip report really. We're staying at the sequoia lodge for 5 nights 6 days and booked with the 30 percent of plus free dining plan so we're at the plus level. Here's my layout so far (myself with my 5 kids, my mum, her friend and grandson)
Day 1 Eurostar arrives around 12.07, heading straight for the hotel as I've chosen not to pay for Disney express this time. We've been before but friends haven't so I think it'll be tough keeping them moving through the village but I'll do my best!
Anyway of to check in first and drop off bags. Then straight to the parks for my boys eac. I want us to take out time so friends can appreciate everything so apart from wandering around going'oooooooo'  the only mandatory things are:-buzz lightyear s laser blast and we have to watch the parade on the first day as we've found it really gets you in the Disney mood. Wandering back straight after parade as we have tea booked for 7pm at hunters grill. Well have been up since 5 am so don't want to cram too much in.
Day 2. Relaxed breakfast today. Then heading to the parks... Jedi academy/first of enchantment, and lots of rides are on the schedule today, and dreams!!!!. Tea is booked for 6pm at billy Bob's.
Day 3 earlish breakfast then spa day at the studio's, can't miss stitch, the cars stunt show and ratatouille. Dinner booked at 5pm at bistrot chez Remy. Back to the hotel at studio's close for a swim
Day 4 hit early morning hours to meet n greet characters. Another day in the parks with lunch at Hakuna matata (been desperate to try there) and dinner at buffalo bill.
Day 5. Swimming in the morning,  brunch at inventions (eek) then parks till closing and dreams one last time.
Day 6. Breakfast, check out, final favourites and lunch at plaza gardens
We'll use our pause gourmande every day at 3. And just have a look through Disney village on it way back to the hotel each night.

[KateB]

Thanks that's great. Do you just eat dinner each day or lunch and dinner?  I'm planning to eat at table service restaurants each day for lunch and dinner  but not sure whether that's too much? 

[polar vixen]

imo yes.  unless yOu've got no budget worries and are biiiig eaters.  you can eat so much for breakfast and table serVice breaks art a standard three courses are very filling.  that's whY we've found we can get away mostly with two meals and a snack.  . it does depends though on how long your day is. considering we've having our big meal I  Sunday fairly early on we may well need to have a counter serVice break later on I  tge day. 

[stifle]

Thanks that's great. Do you just eat dinner each day or lunch and dinner?  I'm planning to eat at table service restaurants each day for lunch and dinner  but not sure whether that's too much?

I found it a struggle when I had full board plus on the day I had both lunch and dinner on the vouchers. That was lunch at Bistrot Chez Rémy and dinner at Parkside Diner.

[CitrusZing]

How I plan a DLP trip:
Booking
I work out what annual leave is available at work and pick out some dates.
Compare these to when the Eurostar is running (as we go outside of school holidays (we have no children) this can sometimes be hard work) I often plot the prices on a calender. It has to be direct train with an available wheelchair space.
I also write out the prices of hotel costs from the DLP site, to see what is going to be the best price. (We have stayed at Santa Fe, Cheyenne and the Kyriad before, but now prefer to stay closer to the park and not have to organise the wheelchair transport.) Golden Forest at Sequoia Lodge is our new favourite.
Once I have worked out the best date with the best cost (this usually involves lots of note taking!) I book the annual leave at work, book the Eurostar tickets and then the DLP hotel. Then book the Disney Express luggage service, the wheelchair assistance with Eurostar, and sometimes a hotel near St Pancras for the night before we travel.

Meals & Planning
I look at the parks' restaurant opening times (on DLPGuide or It's A Disney Kind of Day) and put them onto an Excel spreadsheet with the park opening times and any ride closures. Sometimes I laminate this sheet.
I look at menus, the opening times and think about planning our meals. We always have lunch at Au Chalet de la Marionnette on our first day (always a Bavarian hot dog, although mine is minus the currywurst sauce). We go back to favourite places and try new places too. I then book any restaurants that need booking.
I collect the Eurostar tickets in advance as I am often in central London. I also print off all the booking info for DLP.

Ride Planning
We don't usually plan which rides we will go on when. If you are an able-bodied party visiting in a school holiday or other busy time, I would advise having a plan of action for the parks.

The Trip

Sunday 17th April
Travel:
A friend of ours is driving us to London St Pancras as there is engineering work on the tube lines we use and trying to get a wheelchair plus luggage on the train replacement bus service is going to be hard work. We usually stay in a hotel the night before, but money is a bit tighter this trip so we aren't doing that this time.
Check in for the Eurostar through the assistance desk. Go through security. Wait for the boarding call, use the lift to the platform and usually wheelchair assistance is waiting for us at the carriage.
Depart London St Pancras @ 10:14am (UK time).
Arrive at Disneyland Resort (Marne-la-Vallee/Chessy) @ 2:02pm (FR time).
Wait for wheelchair assistance and then take luggage upstairs to the Disney Express counter in the station.

Straight into Disneyland Park.
Lunch plan: Au Chalet de la Marionnette (Fantasyland) (an old favourite)
Usually the first ride we go on is our favourite, Big Thunder Mountain but as that is closed it may well be Phantom Manor.
I will see if the Pueblo Trading Post is open and swap a couple of pins.

Dinner: Blue Lagoon (Adventureland) (an old favourite)

We will decide on the evening if we see Dreams tonight or beat the rush out of the park to get our room key from the Golden Forest desk at Sequoia Lodge.
Have a drink in the Redwood Bar and Lounge in Sequoia Lodge.

Monday 18th April
We will most likely spend all day in Disneyland Park today.
Renew our Dream Annual Passes.
Lunch plan: Last Chance Cafe (Frontierland) (trying for the first time)
Dinner: Yacht Club (Newport Bay Hotel) (trying for the first time)
Have a drink in the Captain's Quarters bar.

Tuesday 19th April

We will visit Walt Disney Studios this morning (take some photos, ride Crush's Coaster, Tower of Terror, Ratatouille and see Stitch Live.
Head back to Disneyland Park for lunch.
Lunch plan: Hakuna Matata (Adventureland) (an old favourite – Hakuna fries!!)
Dinner: California Grill (Disneyland Hotel) (a new favourite)
Have a drink in the Café Fantasia bar.

Wednesday 20th April
Leave luggage with the hotel for the Disney Express service.

Lunch: Silver Spur (Frontierland) (trying for the second time)
Do some last minute rides and take some last photos. Collect any bags left at bag storage.

Travel: Collect luggage from Disney Express counter. Go through passport control/customs/security. Wait for wheelchair assistance.
Eurostar: Departs Disneyland Resort (Marne-la-Vallee/Chessy) @ 5:56pm (FR time)
Arrives at London St Pancras at 7:46pm (UK time).
Get the tube home. Be sad that we aren't at DLP anymore .

Other notes:

We received free Half Board Plus meal plans for this trip. I will pay for our counter service meals (and use my AP discount). I have been working out where we can save money on the meals. See my Money Saving Tips post https://forum.dlpguide.com/index.php?topic=20464.0.

We will use the meal plan vouchers for our table service meals, either exchanging them for the set menu or using them at face value, depending on where we are and what the set menu is like.
Pause Gourmand vouchers – we'll try to use them each day for a drink and will most likely save the doughnuts for another time in a resealable sandwich bag. If I still can, my drink option will be a bottle of water which I will save for overnight.

We will visit Café Hyperion at some point for a Yoda Cupcake. This time I will not try to be funny and lick the icing off of it, resulting in me dropping my boyfriend's cupcake on the floor.

We'll also try and fit in a trip to Earl of Sandwich.