First Time Ft. Wilderness camper: stressing out

[c_line 1]

I've never used a travel agent, but yes, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea next time!  =)  Would certainly be less frustrating.

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

I'll add another vote for Jason. He has been putting up with me for our next trip and has been great to work with.

[JaimeN 8]

I've never used a travel agent, but yes, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea next time!  =)  Would certainly be less frustrating.

I think once I've been to the Fort and see everything I'll be less stressed for future trips. Our first Disney trip a few years ago I was a mess, and it turned out perfectly. Now I don't think twice about our trips, it's like second nature. This time I feel like I'm making decisions blindly. I'm a bit of an over-planner... in case that's not coming through clearly.

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

 I'm a bit of an over-planner... in case that's not coming through clearly.

 

I think you are amongst good friends here :D

[Lou... 3,118]

 I'm a bit of an over-planner... in case that's not coming through clearly.

 

Below are the plans I make whenever I go to a park.

 

1. enter park

2. do whatever

3. exit park

 

Whadya think?

[Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72]

Below are the plans I make whenever I go to a park.

 

1. enter park

2. do whatever

3. exit park

 

Whadya think?

 

Knew I liked something about you!

 

Now if I can just get my wife to agree with that plan!

[Lou... 3,118]

 

Now if I can just get my wife to agree with that plan!

 

Here's what you do Leon.

Have her post all her plans in as much detail as possible, including the half dozen spread sheets that I'm sure she has. Of course the over planner ladies, and you know who you are, will go gaga, and praise her to no end.

I on the other hand, will ridicule, discredit, and mock her plans beyond belief, so much so that she'll throw them in trash in disgust, and will go with your non-plan, plan.

[Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72]

That sounds like a plan...and I do love it when a plan comes together!

[CampMImi 22]

I am not gonna lie...... I have massive spreadsheets. It is all in my nature, I am an accountant, that is my excuse. 

 

It never fails though; the itinerary goes down the tubes before I ever get out of the door and it always takes me about 5 minutes to get over the sense of failure.

 

I am woman.

[Lou... 3,118]

I am not gonna lie......

You should've lied, because now I have your number.

 

I have massive spreadsheets. It is all in my nature,

How big are they? You mean you have massive amounts?

 

I am an accountant, that is my excuse. 

That may be your excuse, but it's not a good excuse.

 

It never fails though; the itinerary goes down the tubes before I ever get out of the door and it always takes me about 5 minutes to get over the sense of failure.

See, so why bother in the first place?

 

I am woman.

Hear me roar.

[CampMImi 22]

Massive as in detailed!  Accountants do not make massive money, especially those with leeches daughters. Although, I do have a budget that runs through 2015. Not monetarily massive, but... well you get the picture. 

 

If this forum were in Excel, I would be perfectly happy.  I must feed the caged animal and put stuff in a spreadsheet. 

 

I am still a newbie and my addiction to Excel is exposed.  How fantastic is that?!

[Lou... 3,118]

I am still a newbie and my addiction to Excel is exposed.  How fantastic is that?!

 

But now it's come to the moment of truth, show us an example of your fine work.

And no monkey business, I know how to speak Excelenise

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I am still a newbie and my addiction to Excel is exposed.  How fantastic is that?!

 

Believe me you are not alone.

 

Despite Lou having a hissy whenever someone mentions spreadsheets, lots of us here are planners that use apps, and calendars and yes.... spreadsheets.

 

So wave your Excel flag high and plan away!

 

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I don't like spreadsheets much, but I live and die by my Outlook calendar. Everything goes on there, work meetings, Drs. appts, flight numbers, hotel confirmation numbers, Disney ADRs, everything.

 

BUT except for a few select ADRs, we approach the parks the same way Lou does, enter, do whatever, eat, leave.

[Lou... 3,118]

Believe me you are not alone.

 

Despite Lou having a hissy whenever someone mentions spreadsheets, lots of us here are planners that use apps, and calendars and yes.... spreadsheets.

 

So wave your Excel flag high and plan away!

 

 

 

Oh, I'm fully aware that she's not alone.

I'd like to see the Excel flag?

 

 

BUT except for a few select ADRs, we approach the parks the same way Lou does, enter, do whatever, eat, leave.

 

Take that Ms. Spreadsheet, support from someone who has superior knowledge with all things Disney.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Take that Ms. Spreadsheet, support from someone who has superior knowledge with all things Disney.

 

Yeah yeah... truth be told my hardcore spreadsheet days are behind me.

 

Why is that, you ask?  (ok you probably didn't ask but I'm going to tell you anyway)

 

Frequency.

 

If you know you'll be back to WDW in the not-so-distant future (or in the case of some people, before next week!), or you know you'll be there for a good chunk of time, there's a whole lot less pressure to plan like a maniac to make sure you don't miss anything.

 

Our first several trips were planning marathons.

 

Now that we pretty much know we'll be there once a year for a few weeks, the pressure is way off to worry about every minute of every day.  If we don't get to something today, there's always tomorrow... or next year.

 

These days it's more a list of things to remember to do than a full blown spreadsheet.

 

That said, if I was going for only a week, or if I didn't think I'd be back for a while, or if I was going during a really busy time of year, you bet I'd break out the ol' spreadsheet again and start planning up a storm.  

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Yeah yeah... truth be told my hardcore spreadsheet days are behind me.

 

Why is that, you ask?  (ok you probably didn't ask but I'm going to tell you anyway)

 

Frequency.

 

If you know you'll be back to WDW in the not-so-distant future (or in the case of some people, before next week!), or you know you'll be there for a good chunk of time, there's a whole lot less pressure to plan like a maniac to make sure you don't miss anything.

 

Our first several trips were planning marathons.

 

Now that we pretty much know we'll be there once a year for a few weeks, the pressure is way off to worry about every minute of every day.  If we don't get to something today, there's always tomorrow... or next year.

 

These days it's more a list of things to remember to do than a full blown spreadsheet.

 

That said, if I was going for only a week, or if I didn't think I'd be back for a while, or if I was going during a really busy time of year, you bet I'd break out the ol' spreadsheet again and start planning up a storm.  

What she said

[CampMImi 22]

But now it's come to the moment of truth, show us an example of your fine work.

And no monkey business, I know how to speak Excelenise

 

Currently....

 

[CampMImi 22]

The spreadsheet on the desk is my insanity budget, and on screen 1 is my email & calendar, and on screen 2 is my an analysis of university cost that I am combing through for my daughter. 

 

It's madness but I am ok with it :)

 

 

 

Our first several trips were planning marathons.

 

Now that we pretty much know we'll be there once a year for a few weeks, the pressure is way off to worry about every minute of every day.  If we don't get to something today, there's always tomorrow... or next year.

 

 

 

 

I hope and pray that I can get to this point!  I feel like if I don't plan, my family will miss some super cool thing or I will leave something at home that I am going to need.

[Lou... 3,118]

 

The spreadsheet on the desk is my insanity budget, and on screen 1 is my email & calendar, and on screen 2 is my an analysis of university cost that I am combing through for my daughter. 

 

 

 

No, no, no Missy, I wasn't doubting your work or family related spread sheets, heck, I have plenty of those. I was talking about a WDW trip spreadsheet.

Some of the other over planner ladies have posted one. Most are not really spreadsheets, but a list, or itinerary, which also makes me giggle, but not as much as for a full blown spread sheet.

How come none of the guys ever make up a WDW trip spread sheet?

[jjbescher 17]

No, no, no Missy, I wasn't doubting your work or family related spread sheets, heck, I have plenty of those. I was talking about a WDW trip spreadsheet.

Some of the other over planner ladies have posted one. Most are not really spreadsheets, but a list, or itinerary, which also makes me giggle, but not as much as for a full blown spread sheet.

How come none of the guys ever make up a WDW trip spread sheet?

 

I create spreadsheets for my Disney Trips.  It has our reservations on it and an idea of what parks we are going to go to.  Other than the meals, nothing is an exact science.  I also have the hours of the parks and shows.  I helps us not to have a million pieces of paper around.

 

For this trip I added out FP+ to it.

[Lou... 3,118]

I create spreadsheets for my Disney Trips.  It has our reservations on it and an idea of what parks we are going to go to.  Other than the meals, nothing is an exact science.  I also have the hours of the parks and shows.  I helps us not to have a million pieces of paper around.

 

For this trip I added out FP+ to it.

 

But is it really a spread sheet, a computer program in which figures arranged in the rows and columns of a grid can be manipulated and used in calculations?

Or is it just the spread sheet template that you're using to list all your stuff.

If it is, cough it up. I think you'll be the first Fiend male to do so.

[jjbescher 17]

But is it really a spread sheet, a computer program in which figures arranged in the rows and columns of a grid can be manipulated and used in calculations?

Or is it just the spread sheet template that you're using to list all your stuff.

If it is, cough it up. I think you'll be the first Fiend male to do so.

 

To be technical, it would be a spreadsheet layout, I use Google Docs, so that the DW can see it for her planning purposes.  I spend over 8 hours a day on a computer, I mine as well use the time to help plan vacations. 

[CampMImi 22]

Got you. Well, my Disney sheet has 7 columns for the 7 days that I am there which include:

 

The budget for the day

Dinner, show, or other Reservations (if any)

Menu for the day

Shopping list items

Times of events that we hope to attend (i.e; MVMCP or parade, character showing, yada yada)

 

The next tab in the workbook is a packing list which is simply a list for each person traveling. 

 

So, aside from the budget, it is used as just a list. 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Here's what you do Leon.

Have her post all her plans in as much detail as possible, including the half dozen spread sheets that I'm sure she has. Of course the over planner ladies, and you know who you are, will go gaga, and praise her to no end.

I on the other hand, will ridicule, discredit, and mock her plans beyond belief, so much so that she'll throw them in trash in disgust, and will go with your non-plan, plan.

 

You haven't made me do that yet.

 

Massive as in detailed!  Accountants do not make massive money, especially those with leeches daughters. Although, I do have a budget that runs through 2015. Not monetarily massive, but... well you get the picture. 

 

If this forum were in Excel, I would be perfectly happy.  I must feed the caged animal and put stuff in a spreadsheet. 

 

I am still a newbie and my addiction to Excel is exposed.  How fantastic is that?!

 

Welcome, Missy, welcome!

 

I used to have a glorious spreadsheet called Brett's Planner. I got it when I was a member of Tour Guide Mike before that site took a poop. I wish I could get my hands on it again.