Can't Help Myself - First Reservation Made for Sep/Oct 2013 Trip

[Caroline NZ]

It's very hard to be on the Disboards and watch others plan and go on their trips. In fact it's almost painful. I know many of us can sympathise with this feeling.

It will be over 2 years since we have been to WDW once we go in December and at times it has seemed like an eternity.

I usually think how quickly time flies is such a scary thing but when trip planning, it is a blessing.

Caroline - your trip will be here in the blink of an eye my luv.

Ms Shuttergirl, I love your always thoughtful comments, thanks

We are all so very fortunate to be able to enjoy these big trips overseas, and I try and never let myself forget that.

 

[hjd0411]

Hi Caroline! Can I say it's never too early to make your bookings! For my trip this October, I think I booked the Disney cruise in April last year!!! That was when the bookings opened, pretty much. Everything else worked around that, really, and the plans changed completely at least 3 times! WDW was never on the radar for this trip, but we are going back now for 10 days!!
Oh - and I also stay at Windsor Hills. 3rd time now and I love it. Love the space and the pool and the convenience. There are only 2 of us but I love having the kitchen and living area. (And I think I booked that about 15 months out too..!!)
Can I tell you the time will go very quickly - I can't believe that we are 6 weeks out now - I really thought it would take forever to get here, but it really doesn't!!
Enjoy your planning!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Hehe, Travel Mum , the secret is I have been planning for much longer, I just didn't think it was decent to admit to it in public! When one trip ends, the next one begins..... that is what keeps me going to work every day.

On the subject of WDW and going in Dec/Jan, I think we will be in a similar situation to you ( by 2015 anyway), with trying to plan the overseas holidays to coincide with NZ school holidays. And ofcourse Dec/Jan is the only state school holiday longer than 2 weeks.
Maybe we'll see you there in Jan 2015 ??!!!

For next years trip the kids are still at primary school,so I am okay with them missing 2 weeks of school. It will be one week either side of the holidays, and nothing much happens in those weeks for us.

I don't think it's a problem with the kids missing 1-2 weeks of school on either side of the holidays. Even in high school so long as you time it right you can make it work. Obviously year 12 would be different but the world knowledge and experiences they gain from travel cannot be beat.

Ms Shuttergirl, I love your always thoughtful comments, thanks

We are all so very fortunate to be able to enjoy these big trips overseas, and I try and never let myself forget that.

That is so true, we really are very blessed to be able to take these trips with out children. It wasn't something I ever dreamed we could afford to do so I feel very fortunate.

 

[australiankaren]

congrats on the planning.

obsessive planning = all day long around my house. we are looking at september 2013 for our trip, and i'm constantly trying to jiggle the figures/dates/arrangements as we are doing a massive trip from bne - lax - mco, then a stay at wdw, a dcl cruise, a stay at universal orlando then a stay at dlr. that will be an action packed trip within 3 short weeks...

my family have asked me not to start planning until at least january, but that would barely give 8 month's lead time... that's just crazy talk

live long and prosper, fellow OCD planners

crazy talk.... don't they know this needs more planing than the invasion of Normandy....

the more you plan, the less things go pear shaped

21 sleeps for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[KiwiMouseGirl]

EXCITING! I'm in the planning stage of a trip Sept/Oct 2013 too! My and my friend Alicia will be going (will both be 19) and it will be her first trip! It's the most amazing feeling knowing that you're going to change someones life forever!

 

[Saskiwi]

Saskiwi, I too will wait to hear with great interest about your experience of staying offsite at WDW. I agree it is much better value for money and it actually would be much more realistic for us to get back there again if I could accept staying offsite. I still might but the problem is that, on our trip, the Disney dining was a part of the fun and I could only eat meals at the parks if on a Disney dining plan (preferrably free dining ) because, paying OOP at Disney prices would give me heart failure

I know - planning Disney meals when paying OOP is going to require some strategic spending - we like to get going early most mornings we are going to the parks, so giant breakfasts are limited to only once or twice per holiday, and we often don't want to waste time in the parks having a sit down lunch ("There are rides to go on Mum - why are we sitting in a restaurant??!")

Soooo... dinner will be our main table service meals; I'm thinking Prime-Time Diner; maybe just a dessert at Sci-Fi Drive-In ( I heard the meals aren't so great); Coral Sea; and of course, Be Our Guest! I'd like to squeeze in the Bierhall German place at Epcot (who's name I have forgotten!) for nostalgia's sake too, *** I lived in Germany once...
At the resorts, I want to try Ohana and Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge..
Any other "must-trys" I've missed???? Recommendations at AK?? Is Boma really good?

Ooops - sorry about the thread hijack...

 

[Caroline NZ]

So Andona got me thinking about our Yosemite accomodation and I have found this wonderful vacation home. A bit pricey for 2 nights but what the heck, it sounds amazing in the reviews.
http://www.vrbo.com/341153

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Just thought I'd add that we booked a place through VRBO in Kyoto in April and it went really smoothly so the site is now on my radar for future o/s trips when I have a few nights in one place. In Aus we always used Stayz but elsewhere previously its been a bit ad hoc...and you are planning a wonderful trip (who doesn't start planning the next trip as soon as you get home from one-no matter how far in advance???)

 

[Andona]

So Anadona got me thinking about our Yosemite accomodation and I have found this wonderful vacation home. A bit pricey for 2 nights but what the heck, it sounds amazing in the reviews.
http://www.vrbo.com/341153

That looks gorgeous! And it's a lot closer to the valley than Tenaya Lodge
The reviews are all five stars too .

Andona

 

[Saskiwi]

So Anadona got me thinking about our Yosemite accomodation and I have found this wonderful vacation home. A bit pricey for 2 nights but what the heck, it sounds amazing in the reviews.
http://www.vrbo.com/341153

wow - your very own Wilderness Lodge - it looks great!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

So Andona got me thinking about our Yosemite accomodation and I have found this wonderful vacation home. A bit pricey for 2 nights but what the heck, it sounds amazing in the reviews.
http://www.vrbo.com/341153

That place looks AMAZE-BALLS!!!! Worth every penny for sure. Wow, don't forget lots of photos of that one.

 

[Caroline NZ]

That place looks AMAZE-BALLS!!!! Worth every penny for sure. Wow, don't forget lots of photos of that one.

I am useless with a camera. But yes we intend to take lots of photos (quantity over quality lol).

I have been reading all about the bears ( and their addiction to the food that humans bring with them) in Yosemite & Sequoia this afternoon.
Hope our rental car doesn't get destroyed by one of them!!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Ooooh bears, I think I need to stay here too

 

[Caroline NZ]

1 year to go today yay (not that I'm counting or anything like that)

On a more note. I have had at a look at the staff travel prospects this year to LAX, and it's not good. Flights are very full. I will be beside myself with worry this time next year. I have planned 4 days in San Diego at the start of our trip because we have been twice before and it won't be absolutely heartbreaking if we end up missing that part ( as long as we miss no more than that, I don't want to spend the entire trip in Akl trying to get on a flight!)

 

[alicia1506]

1 year to go today yay (not that I'm counting or anything like that)

On a more note. I have had at a look at the staff travel prospects this year to LAX, and it's not good. Flights are very full. I will be beside myself with worry this time next year. I have planned 4 days in San Diego at the start of our trip because we have been twice before and it won't be absolutely heartbreaking if we end up missing that part ( as long as we miss no more than that, I don't want to spend the entire trip in Akl trying to get on a flight!)

Wow you are organised !! Good luck with the staff fares.. I am sure places will free up and people will cancel though i think it is really smart that your first few days are flexible to allow for changes in circumstances

 

[marvel]

great planning. looks we are going for month in april and trying to decide on a route for our road trip. Yours looks interesting, we were tossing up with San Fran and driving down the PCH because apparently Yosemite is possibly snowed under in April and dont want to risk having chains etc.

Now looking at your Phoenix route, might be something different.

I havent book anything at all and feel quite inadequate.

 

[Mum from oz]

Congrats on all that planning! I just wanted to say we are huge fans of staying off site. We are planning our 3rd visit to Windsor Hills! Also the place you have booked in Anaheim will be great. We rented the 2 bed condo off Britta in 2011 and she is brilliant! Everything top notch and so convenient.

 

[marvel]

How far are these condos from the parks? i am guessing you have to drive

 

[hjd0411]

Marvel, if you are asking about Windsor Hills in Orlando, they are a drive from the parks. I have stayed twice and will be there for my 3rd stay next month. It is such an easy drive though - the closest park is AK and on a bad day it would take 10 mi s to get there by car.
The longest travel time would be to MK, mainly because you park at the TTC and have to catch the ferry or monorail.
I have nothing to compare it to as I have never stayed on site, but I love the space and "freedom" of staying at Windsor Hills!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[hjd0411]

1 year to go today yay (not that I'm counting or anything like that)

On a more note. I have had at a look at the staff travel prospects this year to LAX, and it's not good. Flights are very full. I will be beside myself with worry this time next year. I have planned 4 days in San Diego at the start of our trip because we have been twice before and it won't be absolutely heartbreaking if we end up missing that part ( as long as we miss no more than that, I don't want to spend the entire trip in Akl trying to get on a flight!)

Caroline, I feel your pain re staff travel..!!! Luckily I don't have to worry about going in school holidays so I can plan for off times. The flight out of Oz these holidays are looking bad for staff travel - are you able to get the kids out of school a few days early to give yourselves a better chance? How many flights a day do you have to LAX? Once again, fortunately I am able to choose BNE, SYD or MEL - there are 4 flights a day to LAX from the east coast. (But I always plan on going in and out of BNE for my own sanity..!!! ;-) )

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards