January 2013

[UndercoverMama]

I think January is the secret best time to go!!

That's how I felt about February (only went once in 06) , but want to try Jan for the bdays so I am happy to read it seems like a good time to go.

Anyone here use any touring plans? I never did before but have to admit, even with so much time DISing and planning there were a few times we ended up not knowing where we wanted to head next and then trying to ask everyone which way they want to go never seems to end with all of us picking the same way. So I think this time for ease (and a good reason to have to plan even more ) I will try to write up a basic idea of how we want to tour the parks...

 

[letthewookiewin]

Update! So I bought 5 plane tickets this weekend for jan 5-12 to Orlando! Four for me, my wife, son and daughter. And one for my sister who is paying me back. Only 280 a ticket! The next day they went up to 330, so already getting some Disney magic! I have already gotten approved for time off work also, so now just waiting for our dates to be able to book our hotel. P.S. we are staying at All Star Music!

Updated
WOO HOO!! Sounds like you got a great deal!! I swear if gas keeps going up, I may have to recalculate to see if it would still be cheaper to drive in June.

I can't wait for my next trip to WDW! As of right now, I'm booked at BWV 1/11-1/17. I hope to add 1/9 and 1/10 at VWL, but we'll see what happens at 7 months. Doing the Goofy challenge (1/2 marathon followed by marathon) and looking forward to it. Haven't started thinking about ADRs yet.

& added
I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get to those extra days at the VWL.

That's how I felt about February (only went once in 06) , but want to try Jan for the bdays so I am happy to read it seems like a good time to go.

Anyone here use any touring plans? I never did before but have to admit, even with so much time DISing and planning there were a few times we ended up not knowing where we wanted to head next and then trying to ask everyone which way they want to go never seems to end with all of us picking the same way. So I think this time for ease (and a good reason to have to plan even more ) I will try to write up a basic idea of how we want to tour the parks...

I have it, I just haven't used it in the parks yet. I have used it a ton for the crowd calendars. We will be using it in June, and I can let you know more then, if no one else has used it before.

 

[Hermacdady]

That's how I felt about February (only went once in 06) , but want to try Jan for the bdays so I am happy to read it seems like a good time to go.

Anyone here use any touring plans? I never did before but have to admit, even with so much time DISing and planning there were a few times we ended up not knowing where we wanted to head next and then trying to ask everyone which way they want to go never seems to end with all of us picking the same way. So I think this time for ease (and a good reason to have to plan even more ) I will try to write up a basic idea of how we want to tour the parks...

I've used it last September while in the parks. The reported wait times I found were more accurate than the estimated. We also use it for the recommended parks as well and have not been disappointed!

 

[letthewookiewin]

I've used it last September while in the parks. The reported wait times I found were more accurate than the estimated. We also use it for the recommended parks as well and have not been disappointed!

SWEET!! The app with the wait times was the main reason that I subscribed to TP.

 

[Marshay]

I've used TP for the last two trips. Besides being a lot of fun to enter times and there is a cool "chat" feature on there, too, it was neat to see wait times and to know when FP ran out.

TP's times were usually different than WDW's posted times. However, they also have an "actual" time feature that you can use to see what others (or yourself) actually had to spend in line.

If you use this, one word of warning, it does eat up your phone's battery.

I haven't actually used a Touring Plan since we like to skip rides or ride something twice and the "stock" plans don't let you do that. However, they have a beta test of an optimized touring plan where you can now name your rides and it will design a plan for you. Unfortunately it's still in testing and has a LOT of flaws in it, so not useful right now.

I use TP for the crowd calendar for resorts and for each park and then build my schedule from that (not always choosing their best park, since we like to do EMH-AM)

 

[mya174]

I am so new to this. Yikes! We are planning for a January trip and the dates are still up in the air. We thought about going the week of 20th. However, I see that no one else is projected to go at that time. You guys know something I don't know?? I am ready to book but I am nervous!

 

[letthewookiewin]

I am so new to this. Yikes! We are planning for a January trip and the dates are still up in the air. We thought about going the week of 20th. However, I see that no one else is projected to go at that time. You guys know something I don't know?? I am ready to book but I am nervous!

& added I put you in undecided until you are more certian on dates.

Well our trip dates were picked b/c of the birthdays of myself and our youngest DS. It really had nothing to do with which week was better to go.

I hope everyone had a great weekened. We had an awesome one!! Saturday was DH's brothers bday. We had Mexican food for lunch and then their family and our's went to the Main Event. It has bowling, billards, lazer tag, and an arcade. While we waited for a lane, our DSs and my nephew did lazer tag. While they did lazer tag, we started the drinks at the mini bar. I asked for a Fuzzy Navel. What I got was Butterscotch Schnapps and orange juice. Yeah.......not so good. I had to teach the bartenders how to make a Fuzzy Navel, and I'm not a big drinker. I may have a couple of drinks a couple of times a year. I actually think I bowled better, the more I drank. Well it was either that, or the fact I made them put the bumbers up on my turn. The bil and sil left, and we stayed to let the boys do lazer tag. John, our youngest DS, had actually won a bet with my DH. The boys got two games of lazer tag, by John getting a strike and winning both rounds of bowling. However, they were running 20 minutes behind at lazer tag, and the DH and I were ready to go. We got the boys Taco Casa instead of another round of lazer tag.

 

[readytogotodisney]

:

I hope everyone had a great weekened. We had an awesome one!! Saturday was DH's brothers bday. We had Mexican food for lunch and then their family and our's went to the Main Event. It has bowling, billards, lazer tag, and an arcade. While we waited for a lane, our DSs and my nephew did lazer tag. While they did lazer tag, we started the drinks at the mini bar. I asked for a Fuzzy Navel. What I got was Butterscotch Schnapps and orange juice. Yeah.......not so good. I had to teach the bartenders how to make a Fuzzy Navel, and I'm not a big drinker. I may have a couple of drinks a couple of times a year. I actually think I bowled better, the more I drank. Well it was either that, or the fact I made them put the bumbers up on my turn. The bil and sil left, and we stayed to let the boys do lazer tag. John, our youngest DS, had actually won a bet with my DH. The boys got two games of lazer tag, by John getting a strike and winning both rounds of bowling. However, they were running 20 minutes behind at lazer tag, and the DH and I were ready to go. We got the boys Taco Casa instead of another round of lazer tag.

Sounds like fun!

I am so new to this. Yikes! We are planning for a January trip and the dates are still up in the air. We thought about going the week of 20th. However, I see that no one else is projected to go at that time. You guys know something I don't know?? I am ready to book but I am nervous!

We're going down on the 19th - 24th. We picked bc my sister didn't want the kids to miss too much school. This is also the weekend that we always go down.
I will tell you that the first few days (Sun/Mon) will be a little busy. Nothing like the summer time, but it'll be noticeably slower crowd wise, the further into your trip you get. It really is a great time to go! We love it!

 

[SandiKB]

So, I kind of fell of the face of the earth, don't know why? I guess I immersed myself in planning, school sports and whatever else??? Going to get caught up now though!!!

 

[SandiKB]

So the other night I went to get something out of my room & the door was locked. Once I got a spoon to unlock it I found my DH laying in bed /w a laptop on his tummy & ear buds in his ears........pricing WDW trips for this year. I couldn't believe he was doing that. I changed our November trip to June. Now we are going in June 2012 and January 2012, which is super awesome b/c we haven't been since October 2006!!! I already have all the ADRs booked for June. This will be our first time at a value, we're staying at the Pop Century.

That is awesome!!! I saw something on FB and figured I needed to get back here to see what you were doing! Wish my DH would do that

 

[letthewookiewin]

So, I kind of fell of the face of the earth, don't know why? I guess I immersed myself in planning, school sports and whatever else??? Going to get caught up now though!!!

I'll come over and super glue and duct tape your feet to the ground so that doesn't happen again.

That is awesome!!! I saw something on FB and figured I needed to get back here to see what you were doing! Wish my DH would do that

Thanks to my DH, we'll be leaving for WDW in just 92 days!!! Honestly, I think it was b/c of all the stress we're under with his dad being sick and not bein able to work that had him checking the prices. Then when he saw the deals you could get, he said "we have no other choice but to book". It still confuses him when I tell him that was the sexiest thing he has ever done.
The DSs think we are just going to Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach. The morning we check in to the Pop Century, I'm going to have my DH drive (and will most likely be the only time he drives during the trip). As we leave our hotel, I'll beg and convince the DH that even though we can't stay at WDW to at least drive me on property since we are so close. Then we'll just head to the Pop Century and check in.

 

[SandiKB]

I'll come over and super glue and duct tape your feet to the ground so that doesn't happen again.

LOL!

As we leave our hotel, I'll beg and convince the DH that even though we can't stay at WDW to at least drive me on property since we are so close. Then we'll just head to the Pop Century and check in.

Very cool!!!

 

[letthewookiewin]

LOL!





Very cool!!!

Let me know when you need to move around and I'll add bungee cords to it.

 

[readytogotodisney]

Only 110 days until I can book our offical hotel rooms.
Only 144 days until I can make ADR's.
Only 227 days until our DL trip.
AND only 324 days until we're back at DW

But who's counting right?

 

[UndercoverMama]

Think maybe we will go later in the month. They announced the marathon dates and I don't want to be there then. Ah well, still before ADR time so I am ok.

 

[ImaDVCwannabe]

So we are thinking about changing our dates from the 7th-15th to the 20th-28th. DH and I were there around the same time back in 2008 for our honeymoon and didn't really notice the difference in the crowd level on the holiday, however we were there just as two adults with no agenda. Are we crazy to attempt these dates with three small kiddos?

 

[letthewookiewin]

Think maybe we will go later in the month. They announced the marathon dates and I don't want to be there then. Ah well, still before ADR time so I am ok.

So we are thinking about changing our dates from the 7th-15th to the 20th-28th. DH and I were there around the same time back in 2008 for our honeymoon and didn't really notice the difference in the crowd level on the holiday, however we were there just as two adults with no agenda. Are we crazy to attempt these dates with three small kiddos?

Just let me know for sure if y'all more your dates and what they change is. I'll wait until them to move them.

This June trip has me so behind on my January planning. I think a small part of me wants to wait until our June trip to plan ADRs. Just in case we don't like any of the ones we have in June. I know there are several places that I wanted to go in January that we couldn't fit into our June trip, so maybe I'll just start with putting those on a calendar and then filling the rest in after the June trip.

 

[Marshay]

So we are thinking about changing our dates from the 7th-15th to the 20th-28th. DH and I were there around the same time back in 2008 for our honeymoon and didn't really notice the difference in the crowd level on the holiday, however we were there just as two adults with no agenda. Are we crazy to attempt these dates with three small kiddos?

My Dis friend went over the holiday weekend of January this past year and they encountered a LOT more crowds than we did by going a week later. Her pictures are much more crowded than mine. We were able to go on rides multiple times w/o getting off.

They encountered BTG and we did not (however, other people that went the same week as we did also reported lots of BTG when we barely saw 1 a day, if that.

They also had cold weather and we were in shorts the whole time. But as we know ANYTHING can happen weather-wise in January.

I just checked touring plans and for the dates you picked, if you go the earlier time they are currently predicting 3's and 4's; if you pick the later time, they are currently predicting 5's and 6's.

So overall not a drastic impact.

I'd choose the dates that work best for you.

This year we are also going over MLK weekend, just b/c that's what works for us. At least it won't be summer-level crowds but I do expect those 5s and 6's to increase between now and the trip, esp as free dining or other discounts are announced and no one is able to book rooms right now anyway.

Good luck in your choice!

 

[ImaDVCwannabe]

My Dis friend went over the holiday weekend of January this past year and they encountered a LOT more crowds than we did by going a week later. Her pictures are much more crowded than mine. We were able to go on rides multiple times w/o getting off.

They encountered BTG and we did not (however, other people that went the same week as we did also reported lots of BTG when we barely saw 1 a day, if that.

They also had cold weather and we were in shorts the whole time. But as we know ANYTHING can happen weather-wise in January.

I just checked touring plans and for the dates you picked, if you go the earlier time they are currently predicting 3's and 4's; if you pick the later time, they are currently predicting 5's and 6's.

So overall not a drastic impact.

I'd choose the dates that work best for you.

This year we are also going over MLK weekend, just b/c that's what works for us. At least it won't be summer-level crowds but I do expect those 5s and 6's to increase between now and the trip, esp as free dining or other discounts are announced and no one is able to book rooms right now anyway.

Good luck in your choice!

Thanks!!!

 

[mya174]

We are booked! Going January 20th-26th. Yay!! Did I mention this is our first family Disney Trip. My husbands first trip to Disney ever! So exciting!! We are staying at Pop. Everything is overwhelming but I am figuring it out as I go along. At least I think I am