The Mature Mouse™ is now 54 days away from his return to Walt Disney World. All plans, including my dining and FastPass+ reservations, have been made. As I stated in my post, The Mature Mouse™ returns to Walt Disney World, the first thing I do in planning my trip is review various crowd calendars to determine which park to visit on each of the days of my stay.

Here are three calendars, each from a different source, for the week of my visit. You will notice that there does not seem to be an agreement between each of these sources.

The first image comes from Touring Plans. I subscribe to the site, which is minimal cost compared to the amount of assistance you receive in planning your trip. I use the site to develop touring plans for each park I visit. I do not necessarily stick to the plan, but it allows me a guide, as well as the flexibility to make the most of my stay. Touring Plans, created by the authors of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, uses both quantitative and qualitative data to build their calendars and touring plans.

The second plan comes from WDW Prep School.

And, the final image is from Easy WDW. Both of these sites utilize primarily qualitative information from the site creators.

Ultimately, my decisions are based on the purpose of my visit. This trip is geared toward experiencing Epcot^® International Flower & Garden Festival. So, I planned my week around time in Epcot, while still finding time to hang out in the other three parks. I had originally thought I would be unable to spend time at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but I reconsidered and will be spending a morning in that park. My plan is to experience attractions I have not seen during my previous visits and to view some of the construction happening around DAK. Another goal of this trip is to meet some of the characters in the various parks.

The Mature Mouse™ does not understand why people do not plan for their Walt Disney World vacations. Maybe it is because they think a Disney Park is like any other amusement park. “Let’s drop by Disney for a day of rides, carnival games, and junk food.” It could be that many visitors to Walt Disney World do not realize the size and scope of this resort.

Would you make a plan to visit a city, like San Francisco? Even if you had visited there before, wouldn’t you plan your next visit? Where to stay? Where to eat? What attractions you would want to experience during your stay? Although I have never been to San Francisco, I assume that it is not possible to see and do everything in this unique destination during a single trip.

Walt Disney World covers more than 40 square miles, which is approximately the size of San Francisco, or twice the size of Manhattan. As of 2013, Walt Disney World employed over 62,000 people, making it the largest single-site employer in the country (Today.com). If you visit the resort website, you will see that there are hundreds of dining options throughout Walt Disney World, which includes both the parks and resorts. And, according to TouringPlans.com, there are over 30.4 thousand rooms, in different types of resorts. Given the scope of Walt Disney World, why wouldn’t you plan your vacation? It is impossible to see and do everything while at Walt Disney World. Planning gives you a guide to make the most of your time at WDW.

Make sure you consult Jennie Nowers about your next Disney vacation. She will assist you in all your vacation planning. Tell her that The Mature Mouse™ sent you and receive a special gift from Jennie with your next booking.

Please use this link to visit The Mature Mouse™ store for logo merchandise. Many of the items would make great gifts for the Disney fan in your life.