Advice on decisions for future trips

[lchuck]

So we caught the Disney bug and are now going off the rails! We've got a longer trip planned for June 2017 where we will be purchasing APs for the family. This decision has led to us wanting to take a couple of shorter trips in Dec 2017 or Jan 2018, then again in Mar or Apr 2018, followed by a longer trip in June 2018. We have stayed offsite up to this point, but I'm looking for some help in staying onsite for the shorter trips. I'll probably start a separate thread for each trip as it get's a bit closer, but for now, please offer up any suggestions you might have for these trips:

Dec 17 or Jan 18 - Our family LOVES Christmas and we would like to experience Christmas at WDW, but my wife is a teacher and kids are both in school now, so our options are a bit limited. We could either do a long weekend in December, where my wife and kids would miss no more than a day of school/work and we squeeze in a MVMCP or we could take a 4-5 day trip where we would visit sometime the week of New Years. Supposedly all of the Christmas decorations are still up the week after New Years, but would that provide enough of the Christmas experience? Also, I know the week between Christmas and New Years is crazy busy, but how is the week after? Finally, I'm looking for suggestions for on-site accommodations. I've done a little bit of looking around and might like to try a moderate or possibly deluxe, if we can get a decent price, or I could be talked into renting DVC points if you think that's the better way to go.

Mar 18 or Apr 18 - When we went this past May/June, we were able to experience the Flower and Garden Expo at Epcot and LOVED it. However, since my wife has only finished the school year before Memorial Day 1 time in the past 15 years, we likely won't be able to get to it as part of our May/June trip again. We would like to take a short weekend trip, staying only 2 nights (Fri, Sat) and spending most, if not all, of our time at Epcot for F&G. Also, to throw a bit of a wrinkle in, I have recently begun running longer distances again, and am thinking about doing the Star Wars half marathon in conjunction with this weekend trip. This would be an adults only trip, so I'm looking for advice on what resort might be best to stay at for an Epcot/marathon visit and also if any of them are more adult oriented than others. Also, am I crazy to think I can run a half marathon, take a shower, then spend the day walking around Epcot with my wife looking at topiaries and gardens?

TLDR: The family has gone Disney crazy and we need help!

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have on ANY of these ramblings!

 

[hakepb]

I'll ramble back

I hear the week after New Years is much less busy. But you would miss the special Christmas fireworks and parade

Christmas week is crazy busy, but I think it's still really fun as a family .. especially as a secondary trip on an AP. You won't be doing as many rides but that's not your main focus for the family Christmas trip. As a disadvantage, Christmas week has higher room rates. Deluxe resorts have nice resort lobby decorations, and you might find an extra character meet or caroling in the lobby. Walking distance (Epcot Area) or monorail can help minimize some of the peak crowd transportation waits.

Are you looking at buying the limited time 13 month AP's?

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Also, am I crazy to think I can run a half marathon, take a shower, then spend the day walking around Epcot with my wife looking at topiaries and gardens?

This depends on your fitness level. Once you have built up to it with training (if you haven't already), you could try running that distance near where you live, and then afterwards shower, and then spend a day walking around with your wife. Easy enough to see how it goes near home, before trying it at WDW.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

We love being able to walk into Epcot through the International Gateway entrance from Beach Club Villas. Some of the Boardwalk rooms are close too, I think; and any of the Epcot resorts can walk or boat to the International Gateway entrance to Epcot. Swan and Dolphin used to offer teacher discounts but I never looked into the details because I don't have a school system ID badge.

We've been during Christmas at WDW a couple years ago and enjoyed it. You have to be prepared for wall-to-wall people; but if you plan for that, the atmosphere is wonderful. I used to home-school my children, but now have to comply with college and high-school days-off. It's an adjustment, but better to adjust and enjoy WDW than not go.

If you're seriously off-the-rails, you may want to consider renting DVC points to determine if it's something you would want to invest in. We like being DVC members for the DVC discount on APs. YMMV

 

[AngiTN]

So we caught the Disney bug and are now going off the rails! We've got a longer trip planned for June 2017 where we will be purchasing APs for the family. This decision has led to us wanting to take a couple of shorter trips in Dec 2017 or Jan 2018, then again in Mar or Apr 2018, followed by a longer trip in June 2018. We have stayed offsite up to this point, but I'm looking for some help in staying onsite for the shorter trips. I'll probably start a separate thread for each trip as it get's a bit closer, but for now, please offer up any suggestions you might have for these trips:

1. Dec 17 or Jan 18 - Our family LOVES Christmas and we would like to experience Christmas at WDW, but my wife is a teacher and kids are both in school now, so our options are a bit limited. We could either do a long weekend in December, where my wife and kids would miss no more than a day of school/work and we squeeze in a MVMCP or we could take a 4-5 day trip where we would visit sometime the week of New Years. Supposedly all of the Christmas decorations are still up the week after New Years, but would that provide enough of the Christmas experience? Also, I know the week between Christmas and New Years is crazy busy, but how is the week after? Finally, I'm looking for suggestions for on-site accommodations. I've done a little bit of looking around and might like to try a moderate or possibly deluxe, if we can get a decent price, or I could be talked into renting DVC points if you think that's the better way to go.

2. Mar 18 or Apr 18 - When we went this past May/June, we were able to experience the Flower and Garden Expo at Epcot and LOVED it. However, since my wife has only finished the school year before Memorial Day 1 time in the past 15 years, we likely won't be able to get to it as part of our May/June trip again. We would like to take a short weekend trip, staying only 2 nights (Fri, Sat) and spending most, if not all, of our time at Epcot for F&G. Also, to throw a bit of a wrinkle in, I have recently begun running longer distances again, and am thinking about doing the Star Wars half marathon in conjunction with this weekend trip. This would be an adults only trip, so I'm looking for advice on what resort might be best to stay at for an Epcot/marathon visit and also if any of them are more adult oriented than others. Also, am I crazy to think I can run a half marathon, take a shower, then spend the day walking around Epcot with my wife looking at topiaries and gardens?

TLDR: The family has gone Disney crazy and we need help!

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have on ANY of these ramblings!

1. Sadly, no, the majority of the Christmas decorations will not remain up for the week after New Years. MK's do but the resorts will start to come down. We have gone the day school got out and left just before Christmas and had a fine time. The crowds didn't get bad till our last day. WL is a great reasonably priced resort for Christmas visits (even with their current construction)

2. Boardwalk. Best resort ever! for an Epcot centric adult only trip. You can always do the 5k or 10k and you don't even have to run. We have done this and still did fine at the park for the day. The only * is doing any of the races means you've gotten up and out about 3 AM!

 

[lroger01]

Be sure to check out when schools go back after Christmas. Kids don't automatically go back right after New Year's Day anymore. As long as school is out for most, the parks will be busy, busy, busy!

 

[lchuck]

1. Sadly, no, the majority of the Christmas decorations will not remain up for the week after New Years. MK's do but the resorts will start to come down. We have gone the day school got out and left just before Christmas and had a fine time. The crowds didn't get bad till our last day. WL is a great reasonably priced resort for Christmas visits (even with their current construction)

2. Boardwalk. Best resort ever! for an Epcot centric adult only trip. You can always do the 5k or 10k and you don't even have to run. We have done this and still did fine at the park for the day. The only * is doing any of the races means you've gotten up and out about 3 AM!

Unfortunately, because of the holiday dates, my wife and kids won't get out of school until December 22nd, so we wouldn't have many days down there before Christmas. So I guess the question I have is, would we get more of the Christmas experience going for a MVMCP in early December (probably a long weekend, I think I can convince the wife to take a Friday or Monday off) or should we go for a bit longer trip (4-5 days) the week between Christmas and New Years? They won't have to go back to school until Jan 8th, but it sounds like most of the Christmas decorations/events end right at/after Christmas. We'll be taking several trips during that year, so the main thing I'm looking for on that trip is the "Christmas experience". Thanks!

 

[AngiTN]

Unfortunately, because of the holiday dates, my wife and kids won't get out of school until December 22nd, so we wouldn't have many days down there before Christmas. So I guess the question I have is, would we get more of the Christmas experience going for a MVMCP in early December (probably a long weekend, I think I can convince the wife to take a Friday or Monday off) or should we go for a bit longer trip (4-5 days) the week between Christmas and New Years? They won't have to go back to school until Jan 8th, but it sounds like most of the Christmas decorations/events end right at/after Christmas. We'll be taking several trips during that year, so the main thing I'm looking for on that trip is the "Christmas experience". Thanks!

Yes, the trip in early December would be better and you'd get the full Christmas at Disney experience. Less crowded and all the Resorts and all the parks are fully decorated by Thanksgiving so you are fine there.
It may be a shorter trip but you'd end up getting more done since it will be much less crowded.

 

[lchuck]

Yes, the trip in early December would be better and you'd get the full Christmas at Disney experience. Less crowded and all the Resorts and all the parks are fully decorated by Thanksgiving so you are fine there.
It may be a shorter trip but you'd end up getting more done since it will be much less crowded.

Sounds like a plan. Are there set days for MVMCP or do they change year to year? If we book a resort for a Fri-Sun in early December now are we certain to hit a party day or how soon do they announce the days? Thanks again for all of the advice on this guys!

 

[AngiTN]

Sounds like a plan. Are there set days for MVMCP or do they change year to year? If we book a resort for a Fri-Sun in early December now are we certain to hit a party day or how soon do they announce the days? Thanks again for all of the advice on this guys!

They do change every year. I think if you go back and look at the dates over the past few years (I'm sure this is on a site somewhere) you'll get a good idea of the dates of the parties but yeah, I'd have to say that if you did a Fri-Sun you'd have a party

You can probably find a blog post somewhere that gives the date they announced the parties too. I believe this year was later than normal though

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

so I'm looking for advice on what resort might be best to stay at

The Boardwalk, Yacht Club, or Beach Club would be your best bet for Epcot!

P.S. I vote for Boardwalk!

Once you've started staying onsite, you're going to get addicted.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

For what it is worth, if the Teacher discount is comparable to the nurse discount, you are talking Swan or Dolphin for less $ than a moderate, even with the daily resort fee and parking.

Tom

 

[lchuck]

Since we normally stay offsite, the wife is taking the opportunity to splurge a little and we're looking at staying at the Poly. What are the thoughts on staying Poly DVC vs hotel side? Also, the cost seems to be cheaper if we rent points vs cash for a Poly hotel room, but are there likely to be some discounts down the road we could try and get for the 1st or 2nd weekend in December? Finally, anyone have a recommendation on a rental site for DVC points, if we go that route (or should we try to rent directly from an owner)? I'm a newbie to all things DVC, so any help is appreciated!