2009 Discussion-We'll make time fly by!

[POOHLUV69]

Driving is a definite possibility. Like Magalex, we live in Pittsburgh too and Southwest is really our only option and I won't even know what airfare is going to look like until May 2009. Luckily we do have a newer SUV so we wouldnt need to rent a car, just figure for gas and snacks. If we drive, we drive straight thru, taking turns driving and stopping for a good breakfast. We drive as much as we can when it's dark, for obvious reasons. Driving is not the ideal situation, but we'll do what's necessary to get to Disney.

 

[lmillercrew]

We will be driving b/c DH doesn't fly. It's about 19 hours total time, with stops, straight through. We're in the Cleveland, OH area. Last time we did straight through in both directions and the way back was awful. This time we'll go right through on the way down, we leave about midnight, putting us there about 7 PM. We'll make a stop on the way back. We'll leave WDW about noon/1 on a Friday, so even if we still have a good drive on Saturday, we still have Sunday to recoup. I'm trying to talk DH into taking an additional day off at the beginning of the trip, and sleeping all day, while the kids are at school. He plows snow all winter, resulting in a very odd schedule, so sleeping during the day he has no problem with. That way we could leave around 5 or 6 PM, drive straight through the night and arrive in the afternoon instead of at night. We'll see...but I doubt he will.

I would LOVE to fly (even though I don't really like it, but I'll do it) just to be there/back in 2.5 hours!!!

Have you thought about flying out of Detroit? There are fares out of there all the time for $150 or less to Orlando. We're in Toledo area and fly out of Detroit all the time. We did, however, fly out of Cleveland last summer to Honolulu. We got tickets for $460 r/t p/p!! It might be worth the 2 hour drive to Detroit to save yourselves all that time in the car. Just a thought

 

[tinkjess3]

We just had to move our trip from March 2009 to October 2009 because of my husbands job. I am sad I have to wait until then! However we now will be there for my birthday which is super exciting!

 

[miprender]

We won't be driving simply because we live so far away but has anyone ever considered taking a train and if so is it expensive? We will probably fly in
April but airfare is just so high. My sister gave us 260,000 marriott points to stay at the Marco Island Marriott for seven nights. It is normally $550 a night but we can't go because we can't afford airfare there for five!!!

We live in RI and for this trip we will be flying out of Green on Southwest. But DH likes the idea of maybe driving down next time. Since the kids will only be DD5, DS3, DS1 I think they might be too young to ride in the car that long. My DS3 usually gets antsy around 4hr mark when we drive to Maine.

I just can't imagine what the rates are going to be on Southwest when we do finally book the flight. Can't wait till November 6th. I wont be leaving the house all morning until I can book those flights.

 

[tikkipoo]

Okay,

Plans have changed...again

Now there are going to be 8 of us going for all week and at least 5 more coming on Wed night of our vacation to meet up. So my question is:

Do you think that having a touring plan is more important that a particular day of the week to go to the park? What I mean is, now I have to cut my vacation all up because my G'MIL is 77 and she won't be able to do day after day of touring. So, I have to figure out what we want to do with them and want to do without them. It is going to cause problems with my best days of the week to go to the park. Plus, with Fantasmic not being shown every night AND MNSSHP going on and causing MK to close down early. All this stuff is causing me distress. I'm very distressed...

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Okay,

Plans have changed...again

Now there are going to be 8 of us going for all week and at least 5 more coming on Wed night of our vacation to meet up. So my question is:

Do you think that having a touring plan is more important that a particular day of the week to go to the park? What I mean is, now I have to cut my vacation all up because my G'MIL is 77 and she won't be able to do day after day of touring. So, I have to figure out what we want to do with them and want to do without them. It is going to cause problems with my best days of the week to go to the park. Plus, with Fantasmic not being shown every night AND MNSSHP going on and causing MK to close down early. All this stuff is causing me distress. I'm very distressed...

I am sooo sorry that your distressed Tikkipoo.

I don't have a whole lot of advice to give as next year is my first time having friends and family join us...

However if it were my decision I would incorporate a bit of both (touring plan and best days). I would go to the park with the best days (when possible) and then follow a loose touring plan. Then on days when I had to go to a "Not the Best Park" I would follow the touring plan more closely.

HTH!!

BTW, what made the people staying the whole week change their minds?

 

[tikkipoo]

BTW, what made the people staying the whole week change their minds?

I worked the pixie dust

Thanks for your advise... I think you hit the nail on the head. Of course...we have to wait until FOREVER for the times to come out. But I will wait

 

[candizfan]

Hi Tikipoo - I would suggest signing up for Tour Guide Mike's web site. He can help you plan which days would be better at which parks so you can do the most without tiring out dear GMIL.

 

[miprender]

Okay,

Plans have changed...again

Now there are going to be 8 of us going for all week and at least 5 more coming on Wed night of our vacation to meet up. So my question is:

Do you think that having a touring plan is more important that a particular day of the week to go to the park? What I mean is, now I have to cut my vacation all up because my G'MIL is 77 and she won't be able to do day after day of touring. So, I have to figure out what we want to do with them and want to do without them. It is going to cause problems with my best days of the week to go to the park. Plus, with Fantasmic not being shown every night AND MNSSHP going on and causing MK to close down early. All this stuff is causing me distress. I'm very distressed...

I think I read somewhere before the touring plan is better than what day you go on. But I could be wrong. It's tough though planning for all those people and trying to make everyone happy.

 

[tikkipoo]

I think I am going to sign up for TGM - I am also a fan of the UG - and with all the info I get here on the DIS I probably won't make all of them happy all of the time, but at least some of them happy some of the time.

 

[sandym718]

Have you thought about flying out of Detroit? There are fares out of there all the time for $150 or less to Orlando. We're in Toledo area and fly out of Detroit all the time. We did, however, fly out of Cleveland last summer to Honolulu. We got tickets for $460 r/t p/p!! It might be worth the 2 hour drive to Detroit to save yourselves all that time in the car. Just a thought

We don't fly b/c my husband won't fly - not b/c of fares!! I'd rather fly, trust me, but my DH just won't.

 

[miprender]

For us folks going in April the hours are out, but I dont see the MK hours closing early so I think I might be out of luck for the Princess & Pirate party.

 

[pixidust princess]

Hi everyone. Love catching up on your plans. Tikkipoo, my DH and I are taking an extended family trip in Oct 2009. I am going to make touring plans based on the unofficial guide. I will leave it up to everyone if they would like to follow along. If people choose not to, then DH, me, and 2ds's will go on with our day. I know that doesn't sound very nice, but I want everyone to have a great time and not everyone is a park commando like me
Also, I wanted to see my ticker today!

 

[sandym718]

Wow, I'm less than a month away from my original ADR date (11/3), which is still the date for CM and CRT. Can't believe I'll be calling in just over 4 weeks!! But wish it was for all of my ADR's. Hoping May hours are out on 11/1 so I have that weekend to peruse and plan. I doubt I'll be changing CM or CRT, but I love to plan...

 

[lmillercrew]

I booked my room at POR this week for June 17-23. I didn't think I'd ever get that reservation made. Now I can start paying on the room and getting park tickets. YAAAY!

 

[2poohbears]

Okay,

Plans have changed...again

Now there are going to be 8 of us going for all week and at least 5 more coming on Wed night of our vacation to meet up. So my question is:

Do you think that having a touring plan is more important that a particular day of the week to go to the park? What I mean is, now I have to cut my vacation all up because my G'MIL is 77 and she won't be able to do day after day of touring. So, I have to figure out what we want to do with them and want to do without them. It is going to cause problems with my best days of the week to go to the park. Plus, with Fantasmic not being shown every night AND MNSSHP going on and causing MK to close down early. All this stuff is causing me distress. I'm very distressed...

Tikkipoo---I would say the touring plan is most important, especially the morning part of the touring plan. (I have used UG in the past, and I signed up for TGM this year. So far, I like both, but I find some of TGM's info is not as updated as UG.). I have found there were times when I could just follow the morning UG plan, and then take it more easy after about 10:30-11am...especially during Value season. I always emphasize to people to get to the park before it opens, and to utilize those fastpasses whenever possible.

Is it possible you could plan certain activities with GMIL, then do things on your own the rest of the time? When we went with my brother's family, we planned a few sit down meals together, and we met up for Spectromagic, Fantasmic, and rode a few rides together one morning in Fantasyland. The rest of the time we did our own thing. We also carried cell phones with us, so if they came to a park they knew we were touring, they could call and meet up with us if they wanted. I still followed the Best Parks advice, and managed to get together with them several times throughout the trip.

 

[tikkipoo]

I think I'm going to plan just a few things we all do together, plan our own day and the others can follow along if they want to. Good thing with being on property is that they can just jet back to the resort if they want to rest.

 

[lmillercrew]

I just extended my dates in June from 16-25 and DH said maybe we could extend a couple days even more and do a split stay. POR at first 9 days and then stay at BC for another 2-3!!!!

 

[disneygal29]

We will also be there June 12-20 at POR!! We will probably see you around

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

I just extended my dates in June from 16-25 and DH said maybe we could extend a couple days even more and do a split stay. POR at first 9 days and then stay at BC for another 2-3!!!!

That's how I started (extending a few days here and there), now were up to 2 weeks 6/13-6/27!!!!

BTW, Congratulations!!!!