# Do you plan compulsively or sometimes just "Wing IT" on vacation



## SunandFun83 (Aug 10, 2015)

I am a compulsive timeshare planner.  I write out all my reservations at least fourteen months ahead so I have time to review and revise the list.  Then I reserve my weeks end to end from Presidents' Week to the week after Easter.  I see great bargains show up on TUG last minute or some rental ads, but, I am always overbooked.

Well I did it, I rented my personal mid-March two week reservation at Ocean Pointe and I am just "Winging IT".  I did put in several II exchange requests to see if a great trade happens(Crystal Shores or Oceana Palms from a MCV one bedroom?).  My wife is reading umpteen cruise books to be ready for the "Last Minute" Cruise Deal.  We are committed not to commit until we are inside the 45 day TUG Last Minute window.   

How do you rate yourself: Compulsive timeshare planner or FREESTYLIN'

Can you share a great story about your last minute vacation.  (I am a bit scared with nothing reserved after February 6th and a Polar Vortex in the forecast)


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## MichaelColey (Aug 10, 2015)

We've done it both ways.  We tends towards freestylin' for places we've been before, and planning more for places we've never been (especially if it's overseas).


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## Passepartout (Aug 10, 2015)

DW is the 'vacation with a clipboard' type. Every day is full, museums, activities, highlights to see, concerts, plays, etc. etc. I am more of the go with the flow type. If she wants to go someplace, I'm up for it but left to my self, a lounge at the pool in the sun until Happy Hour is fine, then I'll move indoors.

Good thing we're all different. It'd be terribly boring if we were alike.


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## Ty1on (Aug 10, 2015)

SunandFun83 said:


> I am a compulsive timeshare planner.  I write out all my reservations at least fourteen months ahead so I have time to review and revise the list.  Then I reserve my weeks end to end from Presidents' Week to the week after Easter.  I see great bargains show up on TUG last minute or some rental ads, but, I am always overbooked.
> 
> Well I did it, I rented my personal mid-March two week reservation at Ocean Pointe and I am just "Winging IT".  I did put in several II exchange requests to see if a great trade happens(Crystal Shores or Oceana Palms from a MCV one bedroom?).  My wife is reading umpteen cruise books to be ready for the "Last Minute" Cruise Deal.  We are committed not to commit until we are inside the 45 day TUG Last Minute window.
> 
> ...



We plan the location and time pretty compulsively.  Once at a destination, we 100% wing it.


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## GregT (Aug 10, 2015)

SunandFun83 said:


> Can you share a great story about your last minute vacation.  (I am a bit scared with nothing reserved after February 6th and a Polar Vortex in the forecast)



Yes, I am a compulsive planner -- and hate leaving things to chance.  i remember when my Q1 2010 travel plans changed and I had to cancel the primary plan.  Well, I found myself waking up in the middle of the night and checking II's overnight loads.  Lo and behold, my exact new target reservation appeared and I booked a Studio at Ko Olina.  My first trip to Ko Olina, and it only cost me 4K Worldmark credits.

I have two systems (HGVC and Worldmark) that really reward the last minute traveler.   Marriott has a modest discount within 60 days, but those two systems rock.

Good luck with your travel and I applaud your bravery!

Best,

Greg


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## Ty1on (Aug 11, 2015)

GregT said:


> Yes, I am a compulsive planner -- and hate leaving things to chance.  i remember when my Q1 2010 travel plans changed and I had to cancel the primary plan.  Well, I found myself waking up in the middle of the night and checking II's overnight loads.  Lo and behold, my exact new target reservation appeared and I booked a Studio at Ko Olina.  My first trip to Ko Olina, and it only cost me 4K Worldmark credits.
> 
> I have two systems (HGVC and Worldmark) that really reward the last minute traveler.   Marriott has a modest discount within 60 days, but those two systems rock.
> 
> ...



You are totally like my wife.  She'll bounce up at 4 in the morning and start looking for hotels and flights.  Now to train her on exchange systems....


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 11, 2015)

SunandFun83 said:


> ....
> How do you rate yourself: Compulsive timeshare planner or FREESTYLIN'
> 
> Can you share a great story about your last minute vacation. ....:



A good friend is an "experienced world traveler" .... I am just experienced in getting thru life.

It was a late May, 2005 Sunday. He was recovering from both 2 knees being replaced at the same time - he had developed "cabin fever". I was coming down to his house for several Sundays bringing down a stack of newspaper with a danish as he could still not drive. He made the fancy hot coffee drinks and we would read the papers. Nice quiet Sundays.

I found an ad for $400 RT airfare to Budapest - new route - in 4+ months out. I read the ad; he commented that was a GREAT fare to Europe; asked if he had been there. Neither of us had; he asked, Want to go? Booked the vacation for the last 2 weeks of November ... brought Guide books for Eastern Europe.

Our plans were - as neither of us READ the guide books BEFORE the trip - the arrival and departure dates in/out of Budapest. We each had an Eastern Eurorail pass - he had never ridden the rails. I wanted Vienna - he wanted no Vienna; agreed on Budapest and Prague. Got NO Vienna as I traded those days for single night in Karloy Vary (which became 3 nights). And we did a day trip to Krakow.

His extended family - 2500+ miles from us in the USA - SOLD each square on a betting grid as to when WE would part company during the trip. He thought every email he got during the trip was strange, as they all started with, "Are you 2 still travelling together?" Budapest, Prague, day trip to Krakow, Karlovy Vary and then back to Budapest.

We decided the last several days of the trip .. we had NOT seen enough and we were having a blast! So we decided to do it again - same time, the next year. 

And we did it again ... I went back to Karkow for 3 days & another 3 days in Karlovy Vary; he stayed for the entire 2 weeks in Budapest. And I had another friend (former good friend due to the trip) insist he wanted to come.

We still mention the trip of YEARS ago ... and still is listed on the top 3 trip I have taken. He is now living in Thailand ... closed up his house in NJ 2 months ago. And he brought up the Eastern European trip ... we grinned and mentioned the interesting moments of that trip. The taxi driver who was taking us for a "ride", hotel rates I would argue DOWN at every place, the Christmas market where he discovered "grog", the conductor I threw luggage at to get us ON the train, etc. And almost NO ONE spoken English nor was anything translated. It was a GREAT TRIP and still a good trip the 2nd year.


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## Marathoner (Aug 11, 2015)

I never used to plan for my trips and they were usually good. This has changed because exchanging timeshares really rewards upfront planning more than a year out. In addition, my kids are now at school age so that we are locked into their school schedule. As a result, in the last couple years, we have become much more compulsive planners like some others here. This advanced planning included booking flights way in advance. 

I was recently invited to a good friends wedding at the same time as a planned vacation next year. As a result, I'm now going to have to reschedule my vacation plans and pay the airline change fee for my entire family. 

I see now that I need to recalibrate my long-term vacation planning such that changes which incur fees such as airline tickets are planned with much shorter notice while I continue my longer term timeshare planning.


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## Beaglemom3 (Aug 11, 2015)

I am some of both.  For hotel/timeshare, trains and plane reservations, I plan well in advance and especially when using rewards points; hotels or FF miles.


I plan the daily activities according to the weather before getting there unless it's something like touring Buckingham or Windsor palaces and the Covent Garden Flower Show. The I get the tickets ASAP and build a trip around this.


If it's a rainy, gloomy, day, then that's a museum, gallery day.

If it's a sunny day, then that's a day to take a coach bus/boat tour, castle/palace/historic site, garden, etc. walking day.

In this day & age of online weather forecasts, it's doable.


Works for us.

0


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## Fasttr (Aug 11, 2015)

Definitely a planner.  I find that planning "virtually extends" the vacation, as you get to think about it long before it actually happens, extending the joy!!!


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## JIMinNC (Aug 11, 2015)

Owning timeshares for the last 17 years has forced me to transition to a planner. Before that, we rarely planned trips more than 3 or 4 months out, sometimes less than 30-60 days out. 

By contrast, my wife travels two or three weeks a month on business and frequently makes her airline and hotel reservations 1 or 2 DAYS in advance. So it drives her absolutely crazy when I ask, "Where do you want to go on vacation in 2016 and 2017?" Advance planning to her is one week out.


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## LUVourMarriotts (Aug 11, 2015)

I used to plan things out in detail, getting approval from my wife along the way.  Since our daughter came along, I think I've decreased my planning each vacation.  I've realized, especially with a young child, its a lot more difficult to plan with great detail.  The only exception was our Disney trip last year, which you kind of have to plan with detail, with dining matching park, etc.

Our most crazy planning vacation was one we did with our friends.  It was actually our very first MFV stay as owners.  We brought our good friends that introduced us to Vacation Club.  We didn't realize that they were EXTREME planners.  They literally had every minute of every day planned out.  About half way through the week, we told them we needed to do our own thing.  We also decided that we aren't great vacation friends, just great friends.


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## SueDonJ (Aug 11, 2015)

I try to plan the dates/resort at least a year out so that I can book as soon as the Reservation Windows open, then put together a vague list of what we might want to do during the stay.  Once we get there we decide how much of the list to complete based on weather and how ambitious we're feeling, and we check local calendars for last-minute plans.

Our usual trips are returns to home resorts where it's much easier to wing it as we go.  With new destinations/resorts I do more advance research/planning.

With Don all the way across the globe these past couple of years my planning has gone to the dogs; for that and a number of other reasons we both are very much looking forward to 4/1/16.


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## MichaelColey (Aug 11, 2015)

JIMinNC said:


> By contrast, my wife travels two or three weeks a month on business and frequently makes her airline and hotel reservations 1 or 2 DAYS in advance. So it drives her absolutely crazy when I ask, "Where do you want to go on vacation in 2016 and 2017?" Advance planning to her is one week out.


I can relate to that, except my business travel (dates, anyway) is planned out well in advance.  Some of it, I know a year in advance, and most of it is 6+ months in advance.  I often don't get around to booking the hotels until 1-3 months in advance (except in a few places where I know the best places go quick).

Looking in TripIt, I have 25 trips planned between now and April.  Most are business trips for me.  Some are for my wife.  And a few are vacations for all of us.

I still have a two-page list of details to take care of (hotels, finding helpers, ordering electricity, making payments on our booths, providing insurance details, etc.) for most of the trips for October and beyond.


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## alexadeparis (Aug 11, 2015)

I have 20 trips in my Tripit for the next 5 years, of either confirmed timeshare exchanges (through 2016) or future travel plans I expect to execute (2017-2019) and approximate months. I like to do 3-4 vacations a year, so I try to spread them out about 3-4 months apart, typically. 

For the ones that are confirmed, I start research as soon as they are confirmed. I used to be an EXTREME planner, but I got some pushback from my relatives/friends that I was jam packing the to do list too full, and no one had any down time. If it were me traveling alone, I would probably try to do 6 things a day to maximize the use value of my vacation, but my family hates that.

So now I do not plan to the extreme, I just try to plan a morning activity, afternoon activity, and one meal, and the rest of the day is down time. Since we usually stay in timeshares, we alternate between eating out for lunch or dinner, depending on what else is planned for the day. On a seven day vacation, I try to eat 3 lunches and 4 dinners out, and all breakfasts and the rest of the meals in. I scour travel books and websites to nail down all the activities and I try to stagger beach days in between active things so there are some rest periods. Since I slowed down the schedule, I get no complaints.


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## suzannesimon (Aug 11, 2015)

I love the planning almost as much as the going so I am booked through Dec 2016.  The problem is other travel opportunities come up short term and I take advantage of them also (spending too much $$) or I pass and kick myself for planning so far in advance.  Once we get to our destination, I let everyone do their own thing.  If it is just the 2 of us, there is no planning at all until we arrive.  If it is extended family, I plan dinner reservations for key nights (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc) and one family excursion.  After that, they are on their own.


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## geekette (Aug 11, 2015)

I'm never interested in a regimen on vacation as that's not restful to me.  "What is there to do?" is pretty much a question I never ask because I don't care, I can entertain myself by doing nothing or whatever is around.  

There might be a thing or two scheduled because it involves vendors, but otherwise, I wing it.


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## x3 skier (Aug 11, 2015)

Leisure Planning consists of picking a month to go to Europe and then stalking the airline sites for low miles or low bucks business class fares. Has worked out in Oct and Nov for the last 15 years . 

Since my timeshare at The Allen House has vaporized, I'm more flexible but since Oct and Nov are such nice months weather wise, this year I've got the tickets and hotels booked for Oct. Used up most of my remaining Delta Sky Pesos on that one..

Once there, it's visiting a few old favorites and just winging it, especially if it's a new place.

OTOH, the three months in Steamboat Springs skiing is a constant every ski season. 

Cheers


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## Finntastic (Aug 11, 2015)

i became a time share owner in april 2015. we have planned a yr in advance usually. right now i only take a big trip once a yr due to work and kids.  that means 9-10 days!  when i am retired i want to do some winging it trips!  our last trip to MOW our boys did not want a lot of plans so our days were unstructured which was nice.


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## A.Win (Aug 11, 2015)

The decision completely depends on the place and the time.

If it is Orlando, you always have Plans B, C, D, and E. Many timeshares in that area are quite nice and reasonably priced. Late planning will work just fine.

If it is Paris, there are only a couple timeshares. And the hotels are quite expensive. Plus there is a language barrier. Plans B, C, and D are very very expensive or it is lousy hostal!

The other main factor is the season. If it is during peak season, planning in advance is needed. Like snowbird season in FL or summer at Myrtle Beach.

But for offseason trips, late planning can work really well. Just use all the last minute specials from RCI, II, Groupon, etc. etc. Many nice resorts are never fully booked in the off season. It is easy to rent for less than MFs.


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## akdrc (Aug 11, 2015)

Planned Spontaneity. 

Usually works, though earlier this year I did end up with a timeshare (from the developer) a rescinded a few days later..... 

Now I am here.....


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## #1 Cowboys Fan (Aug 11, 2015)

I have the 3-ring Binder----sometimes DW doesn't even read it all----and I have scores of hours into it!!!!!

Since we are both golfers---Tee Times are a necessary 'fixed' event.
So, every day revolves around those (generally from the golf web sites, 3-14days in advance).

I am 'nice' enough to allow flexibility on our non-golf days----LOL!!!

Pat


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## jehb2 (Aug 11, 2015)

Most years we go to Hawaii.  We wake up, have breakfast, then say "so, what should we do today." 

This year we went to Europe.  8 cities in 35 days.  We weren't on a rigid schedule, but we woke up knowing the main sites / activities we would be doing that day.  However, we were still flexible.

I should add that I probably spent 12 months planning the "getting there and getting around" part.  It really paid off.  Once we landed I never had to refer to my notes.  We only took public transportation.  We traveled between most cities by trains which I had booked 3-6 month in advanced.  I learned how to save money on metro tickets.  I knew how we could eat inexpensively.  I knew how to avoid long line and how to avoid scams.  And when one of our trains was cancelled due to a strike I had a plan B.  My kids and husband were very impressed.

Funny part--When we first landed in Europe my husband said "You know I have no idea where we're going."  He did have a detailed itinerary w/ addresses & phone numbers in his bag though.


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## Mamianka (Aug 11, 2015)

alexadeparis said:


> I have 20 trips in my Tripit for the next 5 years, of either confirmed timeshare exchanges (through 2016) or future travel plans I expect to execute (2017-2019) and approximate months. I like to do 3-4 vacations a year, so I try to spread them out about 3-4 months apart, typically.



We are obsessive - both of us.  I am the lady who databased several thousand classical CDs by every possible parameter, using a barcode scanner.  I maintain a professional database of thousands of pieces of literature for the flute in various ensembles, that someone asked if it was my DOCTORAL thesis (nope - just fun . . . it's only a disease if someone ELSE does this - and better than me . . ).  On my phone, linked to my desktop computer ( and ALL my devices) is a Google Sheets file of a multi-page database of our past, present future vacations and plans, the points we have in every category, including SkyMiles, and *live* sheets that update our progress in meeting future FREE travel goals.  There is more - it gets embarrassing.  The chart right now goes thru 2019.  Older trips get moved out - we started the chart in 2010, the time of Marriott's Great Awakening (or Deluge, or Downfall or whatever title suits you . . ).  We do not do well with unscheduled time - we DO schedule in relaxation ("Nap now - one hour.") but before we leave home, most nights have dinner reservations made, tickets have been purchased for several events, plans have been made to meet friends, etc.  A film crew used our front yard for a shoot - they wanted hedges that "looked like "some old guy trimmed them almost daily with manicure scissors."  My husband asked if that role had been cast yet - because he IS that guy.   And yet - everyone tell us what FUN we are to around, and ask ME if I had ever written scripts or comedy professionally.  Nope.  

BTW - we also *love* Mel Brooks. My husband wants me to teach him "Sweet Georgia Brown" -  in Polish. In Blazing Saddles, the Governor (Harvey Korman) is named LePetomaine.  As someone who is a flutist, I fell on the floor in hysterics.  If you want REALLY arcane Mel Brooks trivia - look him up.  I had a similar reaction in the new Mission Impossible movie - let's just say that I was not the ONLY pro flutist who suspiciously said "There is no BASS FLUTE part in the opera Turandot!"  - and then could guess the next scene.

Those of us who are PLANNERS seem to be in the majority here - but then, those free-thinkers might just be less likely to use TUG???


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## SunandFun83 (Aug 11, 2015)

*Have you ever been to .......*



vacationhopeful said:


> A good friend is an "experienced world traveler" .... I am just experienced in getting thru life.
> 
> It was a late May Sunday. He was recovering from both 2 knees being replaced at the same time - he had developed "cabin fever".
> 
> ...



Your post was so passionate about travel, spontaneity and getting back on the horse after having his knees done that it actually brought tears to my eyes.  thanks for sharing.


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## SueDonJ (Aug 11, 2015)

This is being moved to the Travel board because, well, everybody should get a chance to play.


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## SunandFun83 (Aug 11, 2015)

*Well, I do add a trip sometimes*

i did have one impulsive timeshare trip which was very enjoyable.  I had been planning four winter weeks every year and decided I was more passionate about vacation than work.

In November 2013 I found an II Getaway for $649 for a 2BR week at Marriott Canyon Villas. I had some Hyatt restricted points and added two nights before the Phoenix week in Sedona.  I told a client/friend about the trip and he said DW loves Sedona.  So we invited them to come along and bumped up the Sedona villa to a 2BR. 

We got up to watch the sunrise in Sedona, went hiking in the Red Rocks, saw Chihuly at the Desert Botanical Gardens and caught a Mexican Sunday Market at the Heard Museum.  

My friend and I were allotted two days to play golf in Phoenix. On the second day we placed $10 bets in a Children's Miracle Network inside ten feet contest on a par three.  My friend won a Troon two-for-one golf card.  This is a buy one get one free card at twenty golf courses managed by Troon.  Better than half price golf is the privilege to play two more days on that vacation (Hey, it's half price!)

The BOGO card was good for a year.  The compulsive planner kicked in and I reserved the first two weeks of November for 2014.  Had to have my friend and his DW again (it was his BOGO card) and we brought my wife's mother and aunt and uncle for a second villa.  

It started as a bonus vacation with an II Getaway.  It turned into an annual must do vacation.  Valley of the Sun in November (Got the Getaway again for 2015 and used my MVC points for something else)


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## VegasBella (Aug 11, 2015)

I plan most. Generally, I plan the destination and dates well in advance. 

I research activities and make a list of things I'd like to do along with notes such as "only a good idea in sunny weather" or "coupons available at ..." Then about a week or two before the trip I review my list and check the weather to layout a loose itinerary. I like to plan ONE activity for each day with a couple back-up plans in case that falls through. I don't like to plan for more than one thing because it always gets complicated. And the back-up plan is always something simple like going to the hotel pool or watching a movie. 

I plan the route (if driving) the day before or day of. That's because traffic changes everything. The only exception is for multi-day car trips where we have to figure out stopping points. I usually plan those driving routes well in advance.

I hardly ever make dinner reservations or buy tickets to anything in advance just because I've had things fall through too often.


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## GetawaysRus (Aug 12, 2015)

#1 Cowboys Fan said:


> I have the 3-ring Binder----sometimes DW doesn't even read it all----and I have scores of hours into it!!!!!



Thank God!!  I am not alone.  And my wife never reads the binder.  She's just along to enjoy the trip.

I'm the planner, for several reasons:
1. my work schedule - vacation time must be scheduled a minimum of 3-4 months in advance
2. It's her fault.  When we get to our destination, she looks at me and says "Ok, now what are we going to do?"
3. I like to make use of travel award accounts (airline miles, hotel points) as much as possible.

The 3-ring binder thing started a few years ago when we stopped using tour groups and started traveling independently.  I only do this for major international trips.  You can all have a little fun at my expense.  Here's what I've brought (in addition to some travel books):
- 2011: 2 weeks independent in Israel - 117 page travel file
- 2012: 3 weeks independent in Spain, including 1 week at Marriott Playa Andaluza - 84 page travel file
- 2013: 3 1/2 weeks independent in Holland and Italy - 173 pages
- 2014: 4 weeks independent in Venice, Adriatic cruise, Poland - 238 pages
- 2015: 3 weeks coming up in Peru - 169 pages

As the trip proceeds, I discard pages from the binder to gradually lighten the load.

I need to join a support group.  Is there something like Obsessive Travelers Anonymous?


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## WinniWoman (Aug 12, 2015)

Definitely a planner. Even though we use our home resort every year, I still have to get theater tickets (usually the week before we leave), for example, ahead of time so we will have good seats and assure the date we want. Same with dinner reservations- a week before will book if required. I check the resort activity guide so I can work around that for other outside activities we might want to do and even to plan our couple of dinners/lunches out so I know how much food to buy for cooking. I also map out some new day excursions for us to do from the resort. 16 years and still come up with new places to see and things to do.

Obviously, for exchanges and rentals to other areas, I plan way in advance and try to get as much info. as I can from TUG members and Trip Advisor. 

I always leave space for spontaneity and down time as well. It does get exhausting, however, being the "tour guide" on the trip. Hubby is content just to hang out, watch some TV, etc. After our one and only trip overseas and my OCD kicking in BIGTIME, I have decided if we ever go overseas again (and I do hope to go to Italy/Switzerland someday) I am going on some kind of tour as we will be older (can't afford it right now) and it's just too tiring for one person (that would be me) to handle it all.


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## WinniWoman (Aug 12, 2015)

Fasttr said:


> Definitely a planner.  I find that planning "virtually extends" the vacation, as you get to think about it long before it actually happens, extending the joy!!!



Agree! The best part is the planning!


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## WinniWoman (Aug 12, 2015)

vacationhopeful said:


> A good friend is an "experienced world traveler" .... I am just experienced in getting thru life.
> 
> It was a late May Sunday. He was recovering from both 2 knees being replaced at the same time - he had developed "cabin fever". I was coming down to his house for several Sundays bringing down a stack of newspaper with a danish as he could still not drive. He made the fancy hot coffee drinks and we would read the papers. Nice quiet Sundays.
> 
> ...




This is a great story, Linda!


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## SunandFun83 (Aug 12, 2015)

alexadeparis said:


> I have 20 trips in my Tripit for the next 5 years, of either confirmed timeshare exchanges (through 2016) or future travel plans I expect to execute (2017-2019) and approximate months. I like to do 3-4 vacations a year, so I try to spread them out about 3-4 months apart, typically.
> 
> So now I do not plan to the extreme.



Wow 20 trips identified on the bucket list!  You might still rate pretty high on the "Extreme Planner" scale.  But, I applaud your focus.

My wife and I made a travel bucket list 31 years ago when we got married.  We have checked off 8 out of 10 items like China, Thailand, Turkey, Greece.  I bought her a National Geographic's Trips of a Lifetime issue so we could plan a new bucket list.  She did Scandinavia, Galápagos Islands and Tahiti with her mother, so, I still have some catching up to do.

Hope you enjoy your plans


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## Icc5 (Aug 12, 2015)

*Plan/Don't Plan*

We have to do both because of owing 3 weeks plus points.  We plan ahead as far as when and where we want to go in general and then my wife will start looking and ask if this or that place works.  We then decide a week,2 weeks?  
We usually plan at least two weeks if flying.
Once we know what we have I start looking things up in the area and within 150 miles or so.  We decide on a few things to do,research those and that's it until we get there.  We then look at local information and decide on must do.  Anything else is left open or maybe.
The difference is places we go back to where we own.  No plans just night before or daily decisions.  Years ago it was all planned because we had our young kids with us.


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## ailin (Aug 12, 2015)

jehb2 said:


> Funny part--When we first landed in Europe my husband said "You know I have no idea where we're going."  He did have a detailed itinerary w/ addresses & phone numbers in his bag though.



My husband is like that!  When customs agents ask him things like how long are you staying, where are you staying, where else are you going?  His answer is always "umm...let me ask my wife".  :rofl:

I wonder what it feels like to go to a place with only a vague idea of where you're going, no expectations. There must be a certain element of surprise and joy in that.  I don't think I'll ever find out though because I LOVE to plan.  It's half the fun!  I usually have at least 1 trip in the works (currently have 3 in various stages).

If we're staying in a hotel, my research for that is the most obsessive.  I'll look though all the options on TripAdvisor (including B&Bs, vacation rentals), VRBO, AirBnB, trying to find the best option for the money.  I'll look though all the pictures, google search for pictures, try to find YouTube videos (those are the best, really gives you a sense of what the place is like).  I'll stalk airfare, car rentals.  I'll research all the activities (and look for coupons or deals - Groupon, LivingSocial, Amazon Local, Travelzoo, Entertainment Book, Costco) and restaurant options.  I usually know which activities I want to do and possibly which day, but I leave flexibility in that.  I'll put the most promising restaurant options (based on Yelp reviews usually) into Tripit, then decide day of which one.  

With little kids, I don't cram as much into a day as I used to, and DH doesn't complain that he needs a vacation from his vacation.


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## John Cummings (Aug 12, 2015)

We decide where we want to go and then secure our reservations(hotels) and exchanges ( TS ). Our TS trips are usually to either New York City or Waikiki so our requests need to be made well in advance. We get our flights a few months is advance. After that we do no planning at all. We don't ever cook any meals on vacation so we never buy groceries or supplies. We just do whatever we feel like whenever we want.


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## DavidnRobin (Aug 12, 2015)

I plan upfront (flights, locations, reservations...) and well in advance, but 'wing-it' when we get to our destinations. Of course - no kids, and traveling during off-season helps.
Robin does little planning except pack the things we need that are a hassle to buy/obtain (like veggie steamer, Peet's coffee, water filter, spices...)


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## GetawaysRus (Aug 12, 2015)

ailin said:


> My husband is like that!  When customs agents ask him things like how long are you staying, where are you staying, where else are you going?  His answer is always "umm...let me ask my wife".  :rofl:



This almost caused us a problem in Israel, but fortunately the security agent had a sense of humor.  It's funny in retrospect.

Security screening in Israel is quite different than the USA.  The security agents ask you questions, and I think they are looking for something in how you respond.  It seems that certain responses or psychological reactions must trigger greater suspicion.

Anyway, we were to fly from Eilat to Tel Aviv.  The security agent at the airport asked my wife where we were going and where we were staying.  Well, she knew nothing.  That could have been highly suspicious (after all, a terrorist doesn't need hotel reservations after they set off their suicide bomb).  But the security agent was satisfied when I explained that I make all the travel reservations, and we really did have reservations that I was able to name.

We also got asked questions when flying back to the USA from Tel Aviv airport.  After taking our checked luggage, a security agent wanted to know how many pairs of shoes were packed in our bags.  Fortunately, the agent asked me.  I'm the male, and I immediately knew the answer.  I was wearing one pair of shoes and had one more in my luggage.  Had the agent asked my wife, she wouldn't have been able to answer very quickly at all.  She travels with tons of shoes, and it would have been very difficult for her to remember how many different pairs she had packed.


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## WinniWoman (Aug 12, 2015)

This reminds me of when we just recently crossed the border into Quebec from Vermont, where we were staying at our home resort. The border agent asked my husband if he owned any guns. They must have known he had a carry permit. Of course, he rarely carries and he certainly never takes a gun with him when we are on vacation. So he said yes. Then she asked him if there were any guns in the car. He said no, but he hesitated as he is hard of hearing. Then the agent asked if he had any guns at home. Now I could see my husband was going to catch an attitude as to why the heck that would matter, so I quickly chimed in that he was a hunter. Well- they pulled us over and had us sit inside the building while they ran checks on us and then they searched our entire car! I kept thinking if we were coming in the other way we would probably just breeze through. We could have probably walked!

Ironically, my brother-in-law who was on the trip with us, had declined to come to Quebec that day and stayed in the condo because he said last time he went over the border they hassled him. They asked if he was ever in any trouble. He is 69 years old. He said no. The border agent called him a liar. They brought up an altercation he had when he was 16 years old! A stupid mistake he made at the time that he never even thought about! 

Yet somehow all these criminals get into our country. Maybe our border agents should be more like the Canadian ones!


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## tashamen (Aug 13, 2015)

The last two posts reminded me of when we drove to Ottawa a few years back on our anniversary in July and crossed the border in upstate NY.  It was sweltering hot and we were sweating - maybe that's why they pulled us over.  DH and I had to go inside and we were interrogated (no other word for it) separately by Canadian border agents.  DH had no idea what hotel we were staying in in Ottawa since I do all the planning.  He also said he had no money with him because he planned to take money out of an ATM once we got to Canada.  Fortunately I had a printout of our Ottawa hotel ressie and our Club Intrawest Tremblant ressie or we may not have been let in.  They went through everything in our car also, but didn't find anything since there was nothing to find.  That's the only time in decades of going in and out of Canada that we were ever stopped.

Back to the topic - I do all of our planning, but we hardly ever plan more than 6 months ahead, the exception being for my business trips.


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## topmom101 (Aug 15, 2015)

Thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's posts. As for me, some of my trips are planned far in advance, some last minute.  I have been know to surf the Internet, come across a great travel deal, dial a friend and pack a bag.  My husband calls me a gypsy and teases me that when he gets up in the morning he never knows if he has to drive me to the airport. Lol


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## Greg G (Aug 15, 2015)

Definitely a planner.  However if I have vacation I need to use up or lose I have done last minute unplanned trips.

Greg


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