***Official April 2013 thread*** SEE POST # 4028

[TJDisneymama]

yeah, there's no way in heck I would ever drive. We drove this summer to Maryland and it was pure torture for my 5 year old (and thus the rest of us, lol). And we even broke the drive up by stopping for a night in NJ/NYC each way.

 

[gtpoohbear]

I could not be in a car with my husband and 2 boys for 2 days!!!!! I will take the 2 1/2 hour flight, as long as it is affordable. They drive me nuts on the car ride to Cape cod, so noooo way could I do it to Florida

Lol, neither could I! Our limit for the car is 6 hours (a Google-map estimate of 6 hours, that is, which realistically takes us more like 9). No one in my family is a very good car traveller, we have to take lots of breaks, and usually stop to clean someone up from a bought of car-sickness. But coming from Colorado, driving would never be an option for Disney anyway. So we depend on finding affordable airfare. Fortunately, we've always managed to get pretty lucky with a bit of searching and stalking.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I've had my eyes on airfare for quite some time, and like I said before, won't be able to book through SW until they open up fares probably in October...

We usually fly out of MHT which is only 10 minutes from our house and fly SW.

If we chose to fly out of Boston (an hour away) and fly Jet Blue, I can get airfare for the four of us for just under $1k!!!!
But, I would have to fly out two days earlier, so adding two nights onto our trip, which weve said we would do at AoA..and we'd have to pay for transport down to Boston and back.

Even with the extra cost of the extra nights and transport though, we're looking at $500-$1000 less than what SW is posting for similar time frames (again actual fare not available yet)

Would you just jump on the Boston airfare??? I've never flown Jet Blue, is it good?

 

[momtwoboys]

Jetblue it awesome!!!! I am hoping to book with them if the prices come down. We always fly out of BDL (hartford) which is 30 minutes from our house. I have always had great luck booking on the day fares were released....except this time! I felt sick looking at the prices and they have nOT budged! So I will now look to SW to fly out on April 12th, and JB on the return.

 

[pwdebbie]

I should be waiting until the 4/13 dates are released, but if I can find a one-way on SW for $100 or under for the 11th or 12th I will probably book it. SW doesn't have change fees so I can change it later. But I just can't stand it. Besides if it doesn't work out to change the ticket then I get another day or two at Disney World.

We are staying at Bonnet Creek and eating mostly off property or in the room, so I don't have but a couple (maybe?) dining plans to make. I don't make touring plans anymore. This limbo thing is killing me.

I have already changed my cruise plans twice. I went from the Dream, to RC Allure of the Seas, and now to RC Freedom of the Seas.

Now what? But doesn't April sound like a lovely time to be at Disney World?

It sounds like your dates have changed from what I originally listed in the first post. I'm guessing April 13 - 18 but don't want to change it until I hear from you. Update me here and I'll get you updated on the first page asap. Just curious too, why did you switch from a Disney cruise to RC?

 

[pwdebbie]

You frighten me! We are planning on driving from CT because I am a baby who hates to fly AND flights with our kids were miserable travel this summer (as compared to 2 days of car travel...see, CRAZY). I guess I will be on flight watch.... but we need 3 tickets and I don't want to spend $800 sooo maybe I need this one trip to then declare "Never again!"

You'll get some good driving tips (routes, places to stay, ideas for the kids, etc.) over on http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2815923 -- For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (III).

Have you considered AutoTrain?

 

[pwdebbie]

I just did some updating to the first post. Please take a look and let me know if I need to make any changes.

Also, can someone tell me how to put just the clickable title of a link but not actually show the address? I'm not sure but maybe this is called embedding? I know I've read on the boards before how to do this but gosh, when I finally want to try it, I can't find how to do it.

Last thing. I'm on another computer tonight, an older one (babysitting one of the grands) and when I looked at the first post on this computer, I have to say it looks awful. Is that the way you all see it too? Maybe I should change the font. Suggestions? (Actually, I like the way this font looks -- much cleaner.)

 

[DisMom1981]

You'll get some good driving tips (routes, places to stay, ideas for the kids, etc.) over on http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2815923 -- For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (III).

Have you considered AutoTrain?

YES, but I think April might be prime time because one way was more than flights would cost!!!!! Thanks for posting the link to the thread for the crazy driving idea

Maybe we can book flights and put Christmas presents towards paying for them #tackyanddesperate

 

[DisMom1981]

I just did some updating to the first post. Please take a look and let me know if I need to make any changes.

Also, can someone tell me how to put just the clickable title of a link but not actually show the address? I'm not sure but maybe this is called embedding? I know I've read on the boards before how to do this but gosh, when I finally want to try it, I can't find how to do it.

Last thing. I'm on another computer tonight, an older one (babysitting one of the grands) and when I looked at the first post on this computer, I have to say it looks awful. Is that the way you all see it too? Maybe I should change the font. Suggestions? (Actually, I like the way this font looks -- much cleaner.)

Thanks for the add....I may or may not have changed my mind again into booking POP instead of BC. It is a whirlwind of chaos here!!! Be ready for a grand announcement when I book something lol (not that that solidifies a decision or anything ha).

 

[Hoyt31]

You frighten me! We are planning on driving from CT because I am a baby who hates to fly AND flights with our kids were miserable travel this summer (as compared to 2 days of car travel...see, CRAZY). I guess I will be on flight watch.... but we need 3 tickets and I don't want to spend $800 sooo maybe I need this one trip to then declare "Never again!"

We are driving down from CT the same time with 3 children. This will be the third time we have driven. Its not bad. We go over night so the kids are asleep for most of the trip. Crossing my finger for a PIN for April 13-22. We are booked at GF already.

 

[DisMom1981]

We are driving down from CT the same time with 3 children. This will be the third time we have driven. Its not bad. We go over night so the kids are asleep for most of the trip. Crossing my finger for a PIN for April 13-22. We are booked at GF already.

What is PIN? GF looks beautiful!

 

[cherylsmike]

It sounds like your dates have changed from what I originally listed in the first post. I'm guessing April 13 - 18 but don't want to change it until I hear from you. Update me here and I'll get you updated on the first page asap. Just curious too, why did you switch from a Disney cruise to RC?

I am waiting on airfares before making final changes to the Disney portion of the trip. I am hoping for April 13-20 at Disney. I will make sure to post as soon as I have final plans (well they were final) Thank you for paying such close attention and keeping the thread up to date. I love how active it has become and it must be a lot of work to keep up with. Thanks again.

I started with a 3 night cruise on Disney Dream just to see if I could handle the movement of a ship. Then I made it a 4 night cruise, because what was the point in trying a cruise if I don't have a sea day. In trying to be open to all possibilites (all of our vacations have been Disney) I checked out a review here on the DISBoards Shrek Takes On Mickey: The Dreamworks Experience Aboard Allure of the Seas 9/18-25 and had my DH check it out too.

He wanted to go on the big ship. The kids and I left him at home for our Christmas trip so I wanted him to have his vacation. We went back and forth about it. I love Disney and wanted all the Magic that would come with the Dream. He is a police officer and would much rather deal with lots of kids on our couple's trip than the party crowd that we have heard frequent the other cruise lines. But the Allure was impressive. Largest ship in the world and all that. A zipline, two wave simulators, a bigger adult pool, and the aqua thearter didn't hurt either. It is also the most stable. And also only cost $300 more to go on a 7 night Allure cruise than a 4 night Disney Dream cruise. He wanted a longer cruise so I surprised him with an Allure booking.

We both really still really wanted to do a Disney cruise, but he still wanted 7 nights. The Disney Fantasy cost more than he was willing to pay. In the end we settled on RC Freedom of the Seas because it leaves from Port Canaveral which is a much more manageable drive than Allure at Ft. Lauderdale from Disney World. The Freedom gets great reviews, leaves out the same day, had more desirable ports of call for us, and was $300 cheaper than Allure (just a bonus). Not to mention if I spend the week hugging the toliet I would rather it not be on a Disney ship. So for the same price as the 4 night cruise on Disney Dream we are going on a 7 night Freedom of the Seas. I have not totally cancelled my Disney booking and if I can handle a ship then I will hopefully take a Diseny cruise in 2014 or maybe sooner...

That may be much more information than you wanted

P.S. Links...type the name you want for the link, highlight that name then click the insert hyperlink button (the globe with paperclip thing) and paste link into the pop up box - just looked this up so I could do it

 

[cherylsmike]

DH and I will drive if we have to, but we would much rather not and it's only a 22 hour drive without the kids.

I can't sleep in cars and we don't want to take up precious vacation time driving. I must admit to liking the idea of spending so much time with him in an enclosed space since we work opposite shifts. Maybe if we had more time and a really good audiobook we might go for it.

I will say that we have made the drive with the kids before. We drove straight through (rather DH did-probably why he doesn't want to drive again). They were younger then, 9 and 7. I think it was much easier then than it would be now as teenage hormones have not improved their patience with each other. We had movies and coloring books. My DD had a couple carsick episodes, but she would still rather drive than fly if given a choice.

 

[momtwoboys]

just snagged a flight for the way there! BDL to MCO on APril 12th for 135.00!!! Thank goodness! Now I know that we are going! I will watch Jetblue for the return, but probably end up with SW when those dates release So we will be leaving a day earlier than I thought, hmmm do we stay until the 19th or the 20th?????

 

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

arrive April 7th..leave April 21st!! SSR!!

 

[Mousemommy1]

just snagged a flight for the way there! BDL to MCO on APril 12th for 135.00!!! Thank goodness! Now I know that we are going! I will watch Jetblue for the return, but probably end up with SW when those dates release So we will be leaving a day earlier than I thought, hmmm do we stay until the 19th or the 20th?????

Congrats!!! I think we will book with Jet Blue today. You can't beat getting two extra Disney days with that airfare versus paying more for dates we have through Southwest. I've already reserved our transport...I've got a guy.

DH just needs to make sure the extra days are fine with work, which should be ok, but he's the supervisor so if there's a lot of people on vacation around that time, it might be a problem....

Crossing fingers we have airfare today!!!

 

[momtwoboys]

good Luck Mousemommy1!! I was hoping to use JB for both legs, but the prices out of our airport for our dates have been unreal. It looks like you are going the week after us. I still have a 208.00 credit on Jb so maybe I can still use it.

 

[cherylsmike]

Well, I am out this round. Nothing lower than a one-way at $160 on SW anyway. Way too high. Back to waiting and watching. They have had fares as low as $100 several times over the last few months for almost every day so luckily I have time.

 

[TJDisneymama]

oh, man! So Southwest doesn't even fly nonstop from here! I was hoping it would be another option for us. SW is fairly new here (i think just started last year) and i just assumed they would fly nonstop. So now I have to still stick with my standard 3 - JB, AT and Delta.

This past April I had no problem finding a decent fare going down (paid like $130), it was coming back that was the problem. I searched and searched and searched and finally ended up having to suck it up and pay $400 for the return flight. I'm hoping by booking earlier this year I won't have that problem.

 

[Mousemommy1]

good Luck Mousemommy1!! I was hoping to use JB for both legs, but the prices out of our airport for our dates have been unreal. It looks like you are going the week after us. I still have a 208.00 credit on Jb so maybe I can still use it.

Fingers crossed you'll be able to use it!!! We've never flown JB before, so this will be a new experience for us if we book it!

Well, I am out this round. Nothing lower than a one-way at $160 on SW anyway. Way too high. Back to waiting and watching. They have had fares as low as $100 several times over the last few months for almost every day so luckily I have time.

I don't know what's going on with SW right now!!! The rates are soooo HIGH!!!! The fact that through JB we can two more nights in Disney, hire a car to bring us roundtrip to the airport and still be less than where SW is, is CRAZY!

oh, man! So Southwest doesn't even fly nonstop from here! I was hoping it would be another option for us. SW is fairly new here (i think just started last year) and i just assumed they would fly nonstop. So now I have to still stick with my standard 3 - JB, AT and Delta.

This past April I had no problem finding a decent fare going down (paid like $130), it was coming back that was the problem. I searched and searched and searched and finally ended up having to suck it up and pay $400 for the return flight. I'm hoping by booking earlier this year I won't have that problem.

Good luck!!! We love SW but may be jumping ship this trip.