How did you plan pre-internet?

We went two or three times a year through the 70's and 80's, so I can remember planning before tapes and video. Back then there was pretty much one go to source, Birnbaum's Guide. In fact I can remember the first year that it came out and how excited we all were! Then we realized that we pretty much knew everything in it anyway. LOL!

We also used the AAA Guide and whatever was in the news paper. We went frequently so we didn't need a TA, just a pencil, paper and 407-WDISNEY!! Here's the thing though, Disney back then wasn't like it was today. It was much small and there weren't all of the special events. The BIG deal of a trip might be going to see Hoop-Dee-Doo or the Holiday Parade.

I could still plan a trip without the internet without a problem, I just wouldn't want to.

My first trip to WDW was in 1998 I used Birnbaum's guides. I still buy them each year and hand them out to new travelers. In 2008 for our grand gathering I gave out 5 books to family members. I'm going in October with two friends for their first time and they got lanyards, pins, a guide book and we watched the DVDs during our planning party.
I still keep it old school
Dee

Birnbaum was our bible for the first trip in the 90's to WDW. Plus I pumped all our friends who had been for info and tips, and read every article I could find.

Disneyland in the 60's was easy for me, since I was a kid and didn't worry about planning. I don't remember long lines for anything, and no one we knew had ever gone, so there was no one to ask in advance anyway. Our first trip there we stayed in the Disneyland hotel, and they closed the pool at 6 p.m. (it was late fall). We were indignant about that - for us, anything over 70 degrees meant swimming weather! For later trips, my parents always booked in at one of the hotels surrounding the park. If we'd had the internet then, it would have been much easier to check out accommodations, places to eat, etc.

My mommy did it all for me. Hahaha!
She used AAA/CAA

Heh... My Dad did it for me!

As for what he did... I assume he went through Disney. I don't remember any AAA or anything like that for it.

My dad booked our only family trip. I'm guessing he booked through AAA. My second trip was just my mom, my grandma and I. We went on a bus trip through the town's recreation department.

Haha...That's how I did it as well. My aunt helped alot because she lived in FL so she had everything for us. She had a Disney backpack that had everything we needed. I know my mom used AAA because she still uses it and that is actually how we booked our trip in 2007.

My first trip was in 1993. My mom had ordered the Disney vacation planning DVD to get us excited. We were driving down from NJ and I remember seeing maps spread all across our kitchen table and my parents mapping out the trip lol. I think they got all restaurant suggestions from our friends who had been down before. I think at this point in time you didn't really have to do as much planning. There wasn't a meal plan, you didn't have to make ADR's at all really- forget 100 days in advance lol....when we got there we'd figure out where to go based on opening times. It was a much simpler Disney!