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[Vikkilou]

Just wondered if everyone tries to plan each day before u go? I went last year & just decided what to do on the day, but this time I want to be more organised. I've seen you can view the programme online & there seems to b more times set for character meets.  We ended up spending alot of time queuing for rides ( 1.5hr for ratotoulie only to be told it's broken down!) Any tips would be gratefully received

[daddyof2]

I make a rough plan, but only for meals and which lands we're going to on each day. However, if you can be flexible you might be able to avoid the worst queues. The ratatouille queues were actually so bad we gave up on it when we were there last year

[15stitch]

I have a rough plan of what we are doing each day I.e. which park, which restaurant, roughly what rides, shows and when.

[rebecca20]

I don't day by day plan as such but if I know I want to do Crush I will make sure I am at the Studios for 9:40am. Same with EMH I get there for 8am one day to get the characters done. What day I do it depends on how I sleep and what others want to do!

[never2old]

I usually make a timesheet with all the shows, character meet and greets, and any other fixed time things (it's annoying how most of the characters meets are at the same time), to at least prioritize what we're going to do. It helps me see what's on when. My daughter is now really into characters, so depending on how many days we have we can try to see more of them....

I also plan all meals (even if it's just a fast food one, at least roughly the time and which restaurant).

[Vikkilou]

Thanks 
Yeah it is a bit annoying the characters are on around the same time. Am thinking get in the line to see buzz at 10 & tell hubby to leg it for ratotoulie fast pass ha ha. We found we did more fr bout 5 til 7 on a evening some areas where so quiet

[bad-pink-tink]

Im a MAJOR planner and I have a daily plan for each day.

I start by diving the day into 3 sections

1.Morning after EMH to lunch
2.Afternoon
3.Evening

Next I decide food for the day.
I first check the restaurant opening times here http://disneykindofday.blogspot.ie/2015/04/restaurant-opening-hours-disneyland.html
I do quick service for lunch and table service for evening meal.
I try to eat in different restaurants so I pick restaurants I haven't eaten in before but I always eat at Blue Lagoon on one evening

1.Morning after EMH to lunch
Lunch
2.Afternoon
Evening Meal
3.Evening

Then I plan my day around the restaurant locations and work backwards.
So for example on my last trip I had lunch in Pizzeria Belle Notre, which is between Fantasyland and Discoveryland. I wanted to eat at 1.30pm,Working backwards, go to Discoveryland at 11.30am. Working backwards come from Main Street Shopping. Working backwards come to Main Street from Phantom Manor. Working backwards shopping in Adventureland. Working backwards Pirates. So then I knew I had to be at Pirates for rope.drop at 10am

EMH
1. Morning
9.45am line up at Pirates entrance
10am Pirates
Shopping in Pirates shop
Walk to Adventureland using hidden walkway
Shopping in Adventureland
Phantom Manor
Go to Main Street using hidden walkway
Shopping on Main Street
11.30am go to Discoveryland
1.30pm Lunch in Pizzeria Belle Notre

2.Afternoon

Evening Meal
3.Evening

I do the same for the afternoon and evening sections of the day

I dont do character meets or the parade. The only show I went to see in February was the new show Enchanted Forest.

[dlpowl]

Wow!  Now THAT'S planning, bad-pink-Tink!   I'm impressed!

We always make a rough plan each evening of what we want to do the next day.  We look at the maps and shows etc, decide what we want to do and in roughly what order and we make our dinner reservations before we even go on on holiday so they are all in place.

I'd definitely recommend making some kind of plan for your day, even if it's only a rough plan, because if you don't have a focus, it's very easy to just wander round, looking at the queues, trying to decide what to do on the spot, and before you know it, it's lunchtime and you haven't actually done anything.  The days fly by in DLP so you need to be on the ball to get the most out of your trip really.

[Muminoz]

On our visits when the kids were little I had a plan as per Pink tink above! ESP booking the restaurants and where to head to for rests, snack etc as my kids were 3 under 5 and no winging it!
Next time we go my kids will be teenagers and I know I will still do the same!!!

[bad-pink-tink]

On our visits when the kids were little I had a plan as per Pink tink above! ESP booking the restaurants and where to head to for rests, snack etc as my kids were 3 under 5 and no winging it!
Next time we go my kids will be teenagers and I know I will still do the same!!!

good to know I'm not the only mad planner. Im a solo traveler to Disney Parks, so I really enjoy all the planning before my trip, makes it more exciting. I find so much info before hand that if I didnt plan I would probably miss. For example, I might have missed the new show Enchanted Forest if I didnt build it into my plan, as its tucked away in an area I would not have gone to.

[sunshineinadress]

We are going in September, and will definitely be making a daily plan! I suppose it's a bit different for us though as we're 5 adult women but oh well
Even if you don't make a specific plan every day, it's better to have a rough idea. eg. head to Ratatouille for fastpasses, then get in the queue for Crush's, then meet characters, eat lunch etc., watch parade.. and do other rides/characters in the mean time! Planning around meal times/restaurants can be helpful too, then you know what area you need to be in at that time
xxx

[Ohana]

I love planning it's all part of the build-up for me, it's great! I don't tend to stick to the plans religiously but I think it helps me to know what I want to do on what day, what restaurants to eat at and when. Planning my food is my favourite part of all

[Vikkilou]

Thanks everyone   for the advice.  Just want to see as many characters as we can there seems to b so many more out than last year. Just want to make every second count.  I have a rough idea at min but just need the programme for sept to come out.  Am hoping there isn't going to be much changes to times & characters at the meet & greets 

[dlpowl]

We always try and budget for at least one meet and greet character meal, which we usually have in Cafe Mickey, and we do it at the start of the holiday.  That way we can cross off our list all the characters we've met at that meal and then concentrate on any others that we need to find in the parks.  And extra magic hours is always great to meet characters as the queues are shorter.

Hope you have a lovely trip! x

[billy]

i planned round the shows and meet and greets, although some meet and greets we did ad hoc when we saw them. i did plan our evening meals and made sure everything was booked before we left although as we went in feb it was quiet enough for us to change one of our bookings.