2011 Planning - join me!

[sandym718]

We went in April for Spring break in 2006 and the crowds were heavy so we vowed to never do it again. But now I am totally up in the air !Will the crowds be lower with the late Easter holiday. My kids have their Spring Break the week before that and would love to not take them out of school but, like your DH, lower crowds is my main priority! As far as weather, April was plenty warm. We went to TL and swam in the pool! HELP!! When to go, when to go...?

It's rough having these decisions isn't it I think the week prior to Easter will probably still be fairly crowded. Around here many school districts have that week plus the Monday after Easter EVERY year. In addition, the week prior to Easter is the 3rd week in April- and I understand that most of the NorthEast gets that week off for Patriot's Day/Spring Break. Even our school district....I STILL don't have the calendar, hoping the BOE decides it this Wednesday, but I've heard rumors. We have ALWAYS been the week after Easter (plus Good Friday). Rumors are that might change for next year - Easter is so late, they wouldn't go back until May (!) AND it conflicts with State of Ohio standardized testing (hate that stuff). It can be done the week of April 25th (that would typically be our break) or the week of May 1st (meaning the kids would come right back and have to take tests). The district wants to avoid that, so I've heard Spring Break might change - maybe the week before Easter. Reading some other boards/sites, it sounds like they're thinking the 1st and 2nd weeks of April may be less crowded. But it still makes me nervous!!!

 

[Abibaby]

Planning our first trip ever to disney for August 2011

 

[Catrinabeach]

Dh just agreed to go back in 2011 ! Boy have I learned how to get him to agree lol.

I told him it would only be 2300.00 for the 7 of us (2 adults, 2 - 18 yrs, 15 yrs, 6 yrs and less than a year) to stay at the campground in Sept for 10 nights with 6 day base tickets with water parks and more option. Then told him I was looking at the motorhome rentals and it's about 1000 for one that sleeps 6 and 1400 for one that sleeps 8. and increase the cost of the campground. He said the price for the motorhome isn't bad.

I asked if it was worth 4000.00 to rent a motorhome to use instead of tents. He said yes with that many people lol. hahhaha.

So I said you just agreed to go back next year ! Sweet You must really love me. Just as he said I must really love you to have agreed lol.

Now I get to plan it. We are staying at the Fort this time ! We haven't before. Usually rooms. But this time with this many it's cheaper to camp and cook meals.

I've never done it with base tickets before too. Hope I won't regret that.

August 2011 here we come !

 

[Temair]

So I've been looking at my DD's school calendar for this coming year and it looks like they get the week before Columbus Day off, so using that bit of information I'm tentatively setting our dates at Oct 1 to Oct 8.

It feels so good to start laying out the plans for the trip. I did get my Disney fix by finishing up my Scrapbook from my last trip. It only took me 1.5 years to get it done.

Anyway some of the fun things we are thinking about doing this trip are the MNSSHP, Wishes Desert Party, and Aqua Seas Tour for DH and DD.

 

[sandym718]

I am soooooooo frustrated right now. Board of Education meeting is tonight. We've been under the assumption they would FINALLY approve a school calendar tonight. Found out at PTA last night that NO, they are not presenting/voting on the calendar yet - still waiting on some waiver dates, etc. from the Ohio Department of Educ. This is ridiculous!! Everyone is sooooo mad - including the school secretaries because they can't do any paperwork for next year - the start date is up in the air. They're looking to change our start date, possibly spring break and end dates from what they've been for MANY years. But they won't just tell us!!! Next BOE meeting won't be until May 5th, so now that's the soonest possible day we'll know. Really aggravating! Every other district in our county has had their calendar out since January at the latest - some last fall!!

Thanks for letting me vent!! I'm trying to plan an August trip to Destin and then Disney next Spring and I need that calendar for both!

 

[PSUGuy]

We just got our BoardWalk ressie from the DVC member we're renting points from, Mar. 3 - 10. Just marked Aug 25 as the day to make our ADRs and we discovered an affordable AirTran direct flight out of a small, nearby airport that we'll take a day ahead of our check-in date, and it doesn't return until a day after check-out, sooooo.... We'll stay the previous night at the MCO Hyatt, have Tiffany pick us up real early on the 3rd, hit Publix, drop the bags and goodies with the bell at BW and capture the whole first day, not just part of it, and after check-out on the 10th we'll do the whole day, a bonus, returning to the Hyatt for a sleep before a mid morning flight on the 11th. Are we getting good at this, or what?

Bill From PA

 

[PSUGuy]

ACK! Now I'm totally confused!!! I had decided on March 5-12, but still nervous about weather. Partly because I had Completely ruled out all of April due to high crowds, and May won't work for us because DS will have state testing in school beginning of the month, then sports completely take over.

But now....was just looking at Touring Plans calendar (I sub), and the numbers for April 2011 aren't bad at ALL. March 5-12 is 4's and 6's. April 9-16 is 5's and 6's, one 4. Not very much difference!!!!!!!!!! Should I reconsider?? Everything is so weird with Easter so late next year. But so many schools don't tie Spring Break in with Easter, I really thought all of April was out of consideration. Now I'm waffling!! I really want warm weather, the kids just love to swim, we want to do a water park (pref. Blizzard Beach), and I REALLY don't want to be wearing a winter coat in FL, even at night. So I think April would be better for all that. But DH's main priority is lower crowds. He doesn't like to wait in long lines. 20 minutes tops, really. So what do you all think??? I'd love any advice!

Don't know where you're at with your planning, but early March is great for moderate crowds and good weather, been there 8 of the last 10 years, going again 3/3 - 3/10 2011. Any questions?

Bill From PA

 

[maxiesmom]

I am hopefull of a Spring Break 2011 trip. I'm working on getting my sister and her family to go. Her kids's Spring Break is always the first full week of April. And according to a planning guide I have seen, that should actually be one of the best weeks to go, crowd-wise.

I'm bummed that she is thinking we would have to stay at a Value resort. Not that I dislike them, but I love being on the monorail! Oh well, a Value trip to DW is still much better than no trip at all!

 

[LoveKermit]

If I can convince DH that it will be okay if we go without him, DD and I will go with the inlaws for spring break at the end of March.

I'm also hoping to take my mom and hopefully DH in summer. Just can't decide if June or August.

Either way--both times will be BWV. And both are a long way away.

 

[sandym718]

Don't know where you're at with your planning, but early March is great for moderate crowds and good weather, been there 8 of the last 10 years, going again 3/3 - 3/10 2011. Any questions?

Bill From PA

Thanks Bill! We're still really up in the air - March 5-12, April 2-9 or April 9-16. DH's preference right now is March for the lower crowds. But this year's COLD weather worries me!! We're near Cleveland, OH and I don't want to be wearing our winter coats in FL!!! The kids are used to going in May and swimming EVERY day, I think they'd be disappointed not to. And now it's looking certain that Blizzard Beach will be closed Jan- March. We love it there. Could certainly try Typhoon Lagoon though, if it was warm enough. I'm just so scattered right now!! Pluses and minuses to all three weeks!!

 

[dreamsofdisney]

I chimed in earlier, but thought I'd add my two cents about the weather in Feb vs. April vs May. We've visited in each of those months. We've gone in February for 12 days the week before (and partly during) most schools' Winter Break. The crowds for the first week were quite manageable, but the temps were pretty cool during the day and definitely chilly at night. We had to run out and get warmer clothes at MK one night, because we hadn't planned well! May was pretty good for crowds (not near Memorial Day) but it was pretty toasty. Of course, that's what we wanted, visiting Florida! July had been MUCH worse! April was, by far, the nicest of the three temperature-wise, but the crowds were a little more daunting.

We're planning for the week and a half before our school's Spring Break week, pulling my son out during his senior year!

We're hoping that the crowds won't be too bad since Easter is so late, and that there will be some sort of special rate for resorts or DDP.

Happy Planning!

 

[mrtr62]

Count us in for April 6th 2011... I am spending way to much time on the boards already!!

 

[turtlebean]

We have officially narrowed it down, though this is not set in stone, to Spring Break Week next year. The week before Easter. April 16-23. We have decided we would rather brave the crowds then try to go in the summer and have to deal w/the heat and the crowds. We are taking my MIL and it will be her first vacation since my FIL passed away 2 yrs ago. I'm excited for her to come w/us and she is excited too. Off to make my ticker.

Everything should be good if we have a good touring plan, right?!?

 

[Temair]

Having a touring plan will help, and also knowing when to stop and take a break. I've made touring plans but we ended up changing things when DD got tired and when we were tired. Tired people become grumpy people, who become very unhappy people and make everyone else unhappy as well.

 

[Jen12573]

DH and I just made our 'room only' reservation and will be putting down our one night deposit on Friday to hold it. We're staying at CSR again, January 15-22, and will be there to celebrate our anniversary, and for the 3v3 soccer tournament with the kids he coaches on his travel team. YAY! Already I can't wait. I'm excited to see what offers might come out for January again, I'm so hoping for the "buy four get three free" again.

Have fun planning everyone!

 

[jacksmom2009]

I would love to join in we are planning to Feb 2011. there will be 5 of us. 2 adults and 3 kids ages 6 3 and 2.

 

[sandynd]

We're planning for January or February next year at POP. I've posted on another January 2011 planning thread as well, but I thought I check in here too, to ask if anyone was interested in their kids participating in a Disney Y.E.S. program. I would be happy to do the running around and setting up. It's a pretty cool program and you can't beat the prices on park tickets that come with the package - I want the 7-day park hoppers and they're about $175 pp. Plus your kids get a really cool class using stuff in the theme parks to teach them various things - oceans, physics, animal habits, art, etc. PM me if you're interested!

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

Sorry everyone I haven't been very good about updating the list. I promise I will get to it but I am leaving for the airport in a few hours for a cruise so that has taken my time away from being on the DIS.

 

[donnajean17]

Hello 2011 planners! It's killing me that the FD offer is out for 2010 and I am not planning a trip til' 2011!! I so hope that they have FD again in 2011 or I get a pin of some sorts (I've gotten 2 for this year of course!). I'm trying not to obsess about it but it's hard!! I've been crunching numbers all morning, thinking "ok, if they have this offer next year, then we need to save XX amount each month between now and then..." It's driving me nuts! I'm going to over budget the monthly savings for this trip and hope for a good offer, then anything left over will be spending $$, but an offer in 2011 would be great!

Oh btw, we have narrowed it down to October for our visit, we had been undecided but we've been in Oct before and it's great, it was a tough call to decide to pull the kids out of school (not looking for debate on this! ) but will their spring break being the same week as Easter this year, we just don't want to deal with the crowds, you know?

Anyway, thanks for the rant and if there's anyone out there jealous of these FD 2010 planner let me know so I know I'm not alone!

 

[LoveKermit]

So, my in-laws are booked (with DH, DD and I included) for spring break 2011. Standard view 2BR at BWV.

However, I want to go in summer with my mom. So I'm considering having spring break changed to a 1BR so my mom can stay in a 2 BR with us instead of having to stay at the Dolphin.

I'm leaving it up to DH. It's hard for him to get off work. He's not excited about DD and I going twice next year (mostly just jealous). And spring break is SO crowded. That's one huge negative. Or maybe we'll see if my mom wants to tag along at spring break. Then we'll just tack on another studio. Don't think my dad is interested.

In conclusion, there is a 2011 trip in the works. Just whether it's March, summer or both! Stay tuned!