Plug for a Plan

I used to think that going on vacation meant no itinerary, do as you please, relax, sleep, take it easy. While some vacations lend to this kind thought, I have since converted to a "plan" when we go to "THE parks." It all began when a good friend offered to make a plan for our first trip to Disney Land. "Why do we need a plan?" I thought to myself, "We've been to Disney World, and did just fine....didn't we?" It ended up being a wonderful learning experience for myself as I learned the art of navigating an amusement park to make the most of your time (bonus: more bang for your buck too!) I learned new terms and ideas like: slow loaders, peak season, fast pass, count-down to open, short cuts (did you know that the shops that line the Main Street of Disney Land and Disney World are all connected on the inside? If you can't get through on the streets because of a parade or event and you want to get out--go right down the center of the shops and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo: You're out! A short cut. Good luck not getting sucked in by the Disney merchandise.)

Our friend brought over this amazing map to point out how itinerary would work and his reasoning for how things were planned. He even planned in a nap in the middle of the day because we had small children (Hannah was 1 at the time). Being at the park before the park opens was key to the plan: less crowds=short lines. But we couldn't miss out on the night shows which are late (much later than my children were used to staying up)--thus a nap was necessary. However; we found we needed the nap just as much as the children. We went to Disney Land in the middle of July (peak season), followed the itinerary, and didn't stand in a line longer than 15 min. Not an exaggeration. We saw everything and enjoyed the full Disney Land experience in 2 days. I was sold! I didn't feel tied down like I expected. It was more like a Treasure Hunt, following the clues to enjoy the magic to the fullest extent. I compared my experience to the last time I had been at a Disney park wandering around wondering what we should do next, standing in lines for hours at a time thinking this was just the way it was done. Not so; there really is a better way. We enjoyed our time even more because of having a plan. (this sounds like it could make a great analogy for a life plan or even the Plan of Happiness...kinda like how the commandments don't tie us down but help give us our life line so we can FLY like a kite...ahem, re-focusing...) So, needless to say we always make a plan before we go to the Disney Parks (twice since the first time with the plan).

Jenkins family, with itinerary, 2004

Is the plan perfect? Not really. We live and learn, tweak and adjust. There has to be an element of flexibility when it comes to who you are with, the age of children, and unexpected events. Having a plan is a great way to start as long as you don't forget why you are there in the first place--and that is to make memories. If a kiddo wants to "ride again" (even if it is the 3rd time)--then I say, "Lets enjoy the ride!"