April 2012: NY & Orlando - Take 2

[Toy Story]

Hi,

I thought I would start a planning thread about our trip for April 2012. We visited the USA for the first time in April 2010, spending 10 nights in NY and 12 in Orlando (9 at POR).

In 2012, we are booked to fly to NY on April 4 and home again on the 28th. My plan is to stay in NY until the 16th, then fly to Orlando. It is here I get a bit muddled about what my plans are as we want to go to Universal for Harry Potter and go back to POR (DD wants to book into one of the new Royal Rooms).

So far I have booked nothing apart from our return flights. I feel very unorganised the second time around, so will use this thread to bump ideas of others.

DD18 will not be joining us on the trip, as she is starting her first year of Uni next year.

Oh - and we will have two birthdays to plan into the mix, mine on the 19th and DD13 on the 25th.

ETA: How do I add photos?

Editing to update Universal and Disney Plans

Disney Days:
Day 1 - Check in, Downtown Disney
Day 2 - Magic Kingdom
Day 3 - Epcot
Day 4 - Disney Hollywood Studios
Day 5 - Day off - 1900 Parkfare Breakfast
Day 6 - Magic Kingdom - Ohana
Day 7 - Animal Kingdom
Day 8 - Epcot
Day 9 - Fly Home

 

[PrincessInOz]

Congratulations Toy Story!

There are some videos in the link in this thread. The adding an image one is the 3rd video in the link.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1947588

Looking forward to seeing your pics!

 

[Princessbec]

Sounds great. We plan on being in Orlando from the 11th to 25th April but staying at Bonnet Creek. Who did you book flights with.

 

[Toy Story]

Congratulations Toy Story!

There are some videos in the link in this thread. The adding an image one is the 3rd video in the link.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1947588

Looking forward to seeing your pics!

Thanks - I tried to use Flicker, so may try a different product.

Sounds great. We plan on being in Orlando from the 11th to 25th April but staying at Bonnet Creek. Who did you book flights with.

We will be there at the same time! We booked our flights at the Flight Centre Travel expo - $1587, V Australia, SYD to NY, the Orlando - SYD.

I still have to book the internal NY - ORL flight, which I will do as soon as I sort out accommodation in NY.

Last year our flights were around the $1540 mark, flying Qantas/Continental. We had 24 hours in Tokyo on the way.

 

[shushh]

Hurray for another trip!!!

 

[arje]

DD18 will not be joining us on the trip, as she is starting her first year of Uni next year.

We're also in that situation, our daughter will also be starting Uni, but we have taken the risk that she can hopefully work around it. We're arriving in Orlando April 1 and jumping on the Fantasy on the 14th, arriving home in Sydney 24th.

We're spending 4 nights at Universal (HP) and then 10 nights at hopefully POR. We stayed at POFQ last time, and really enjoyed it, so wanted to try POR this time.

 

[Mum from oz]

Sounds like a great trip. I am also feeling less organised planning our second trip compared to our first. We also booked our flights at the travel expo. Can't wait to hear more planning.

 

[Toy Story]

This is my favourite WDW photo from our 2010 trip. It was taken on our first day at Magic Kingdom, the girls gave away the balloons to two other children the day before we checked out of the hotel, I would love to know what they use to keep the balloons inflated for so long.

 

[Toy Story]

Hurray for another trip!!!

We are excited, but also know this will be the last trip to the USA for a while.... there are some other places in the world we need to visit.

We're also in that situation, our daughter will also be starting Uni, but we have taken the risk that she can hopefully work around it. We're arriving in Orlando April 1 and jumping on the Fantasy on the 14th, arriving home in Sydney 24th.

We're spending 4 nights at Universal (HP) and then 10 nights at hopefully POR. We stayed at POFQ last time, and really enjoyed it, so wanted to try POR this time.

Yeah another April traveller. Originally our older DD was going to travel this year as part of her gap year, but circumstances change (i.e being a casual employee is not the best way to save), so we thought it was ok to do this trip without her. She has enough $ saved for an airfare somewhere, so I am sure she will do it when she is ready. I am also reminding myself we took older daughter to Europe before DD#2 was born, and she did a trip to the US with her choir when she was in high-school (they sang at DL). So she is already two trips up on younger sister.

We were going to stay at POFQ this trip, then DD saw the Royal rooms, and persuaded us to change our plans....

Sounds like a great trip. I am also feeling less organised planning our second trip compared to our first. We also booked our flights at the travel expo. Can't wait to hear more planning.

I am definitely feeling behind the eight ball this time around... have made some bookings this weekend so feeling a little better.

 

[Toy Story]

There is something you should know about the way I plan my trips, I budget for everything, and try to make sure we don't pay full price for anything.

So for the past month I have been trying to secure accommodation in NY. We will be there over Easter/Spring break, so I wanted to make sure I had an initial plan of attack.

In 2010 we stayed at the Beacon Hotel on the Upper West Side, with a one bedroom suite, a kitchenette in our room and a Fairways Market across the road we loved staying there.

This was the view from the window seat.

We tried to book to stay there again next year, but the price has jumped from $3200 US for ten nights in 2010 to $4860 for 12 nights in 2012! There was no-way I was going to stretch my budget that far.
I have been searching and comparing, checking trip advisor and different promotions. We have debated different areas, suites vs apartments. Last night I booked (a discounted) room at Hilton Garden Inn at Tribecca, for a figure a lot more in line with the 2010 price. I will keep searching as the date approaches for different deals but at least I know we have somewhere to sleep for 12 nights.

I also booked WDW accommodation last night, room only (with a AAA discount) at POR. We have booked the Royal Room with a garden view. We did the dinning plan last time and decided there was way to much food for us, thought about doing the Quick Service plan but want to eat at some Table Service, so we would still have too much food. So I have decided to budget what we would have spent on the dinning plan per day for our meals.

We have about thirty days before we can make reservations, so our dinning plan may change again when we sit down, review menus and figure out where we want to eat. We did three character meals last time, not sure what DD is thinking for this trip....

 

[Anne_Aus]

wow I fly home as you guys arrive now I feel really unorganised given how much I still have to book.

I am like you Toy Story with the trying to find prices below what I budgeted, and have also done the same with booking a place in NYC and still looking incase I find a better deal. I should add I only just booked this last night as well I am just so bad at making decisions.

I am loving watching your planning process and possibly may get tips along the way since I am unsure. Also LOVE those balloons makes me want one.. and I can see now my minimal spending at WDW is going to go out the window

 

[Lulu83]

This is my favourite WDW photo from our 2010 trip. It was taken on our first day at Magic Kingdom, the girls gave away the balloons to two other children the day before we checked out of the hotel, I would love to know what they use to keep the balloons inflated for so long.

Love this photo!

And very excited for you that you get to plan your next trip

 

[arje]

We were going to stay at POFQ this trip, then DD saw the Royal rooms, and persuaded us to change our plans....

Hehe, yeah we're suckers for a themed room as well. We have stayed in the Pirate room at Caribbean Beach resort, and I also saw these rooms, and thought it would be a good balance

 

[PrincessInOz]

This is my favourite WDW photo from our 2010 trip. It was taken on our first day at Magic Kingdom, the girls gave away the balloons to two other children the day before we checked out of the hotel, I would love to know what they use to keep the balloons inflated for so long.

How does WDW keep the balloons inflated for so long?







W.eee....llll....they do have the market cornered for Pixie Dust






Are those the current prices for NYC hotels?

 

[Toy Story]

I am loving watching your planning process and possibly may get tips along the way since I am unsure. Also LOVE those balloons makes me want one.. and I can see now my minimal spending at WDW is going to go out the window

This photo is for you Anne - there are so many balloons to choose from, we had ours sitting in the window to the room everyday - with the assortment of toys that seemed to be purchased. I would increase your minimal spend allowance for WDW.

How does WDW keep the balloons inflated for so long?

W.eee....llll....they do have the market cornered for Pixie Dust

I knew someone would know the answer - now how do I convince some of those Pixies to come home with us?

Are those the current prices for NYC hotels?

Yep - Doubletree Guest Suites is coming in at $702 a night. For a 12 night stay that is way too much.

 

[Anne_Aus]

This photo is for you Anne - there are so many balloons to choose from, we had ours sitting in the window to the room everyday - with the assortment of toys that seemed to be purchased. I would increase your minimal spend allowance for WDW.

Awww thanks... I love balloons, I do have a decent budget just didn't think I would spend it all apparently a big mistake.

Have you planned anymore yet?

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Just wondered if you've looked at the Affinia Manhattan. We are looking at this as it seems reasonably price for big rooms and the location sounds great. Someone else may have stayed there and might be able to give a report on it.

I love that pic with the balloons also. I'm going to try and take something similar.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Yep - Doubletree Guest Suites is coming in at $702 a night. For a 12 night stay that is way too much.

There is a discount code on trip advisor for the Double tree it start at $509 a night for your dates the great thing is you can book and not pay at that rate and it soooo worth the money for the location.

 

[periwinkle20]

Hi Toy Story

We are planning a trip to DL and NY in late April/May and were also looking at Doubletree after reading how great it was from the trip reports on here. I thought I must have been doing something wrong as I was getting those sort of prices too! lol

Will be waiting to see if the rates come down. If anybody has stayed there do you mind me asking what sort of rate you paid?

The other place we are looking at is the Affinia Dumont.

Look forward to reading about your plans

 

[PrincessInOz]

Toy Story - $700 a night for the DoubleTree is NUTS! I know location is everything; but it really isn't worth that much.

FYI - In 2007, I paid $299 a night for a 1-bedroom at the Doubletree. I know that it was quite a few years ago, but really....the cost of living has NOT gone up that much in NYC.