For those of you who have planned 11 months+

[Luv2trav]

How do you stand it? I usually plan my trips 2-4 months in advance. We are not going until May next year and it's killing me to stay focused and not scheduled something earlier.... These deals are killing me.... I keep trying to figure out ways to go this fall and it's really not a good decision...

How do you keep yourself motivated when your vacation is so far away....

 

[Bill From PA]

I start 'building' the trip as soon as I concieve of the tentative date. I track airfares daily, book my rooms way out, trading in old ressies for new as codes and bargains become available and I frequent this site and others for new ideas. In other areas of life I'm not a compulsive planner, but this activity keeps the dream alive. As a result we usually save major $$ and I'm ready for any speedbump we might encounter.

Bill From PA

 

[Luv2trav]

Do you reserve your room this far in advance? I have AAA so I could do that.

By the way what would you do? I bought an AP last February. It's only for me not my DH or children. I am really torn on if I should try to go back before my AP expires. The downside to that is it expires Feb 12th and my son LOVES LOVES the pool... and personally I love the hot weather too. I want to go in May but I would hate to lose out on my AP one more time.. I've already saved a lot of money on it this past February but it's burning a hole in my pocket.

 

[Rootskate]

Im in the same boat, only further out!! We just returned from our trip less than a month ago and wont be going back until September of 2006! Likewise, passing up the "free dining" deal is killing me, so I figured I would price out a "long weekend" (arrive late Thursday night, leave Sunday morning).....just about $1000.00 is what im coming up with. Trying to convince myself that I would be better off saving the money for our trip next year....

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Luv2trav,

I'm running into the same situation. My AP expires on 2/28/06 and I want to get in one more trip next year before it runs out. I'm thinking about doing Feb 11-20 to take advantage of value season, but I also want to go later in the year also, but can't do both. While I was able to get a good AP rate for my trip in Feb, I am now missing out on the e-mail deal I got and now the free dinning deal, and don't want to miss a possibility next year of a deal like this comming out.

Rootskate,

Nice to talk to you again. I am thinking the same thing about trying a fourth of July or Labor day weekend quick 3 night trip, but when I figure air, hotel, etc, I figure that I'm better off waiting the 7-10 months and go next year when I can really enjoy it more.

 

[Bill From PA]

For our March 2006 trip I've already bought our airfare because I wanted an early direct flight from PHL to MCO and I got a good rate. I'm looking at gettting an AP for me alone and booking the rooms for us and our daughter, SIL and grand daughters IF the AP rate for a Mod. makes up the difference between a 10 day MYW pass and the AP. If so, I'll be in your shoes after that with an AP tempting me. I'm a heat-lover too, but summer in Orlando can be brutal from what I've heard. I'm also looking for room-only codes for our WDW resort. This March a Mod could be had for $114, tax included with the BPD code that came out in Oct. 2004. I'll probably wait 'til then to get a room, always looking for a better deal.

Bill From PA

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Bill From PA,

Your correct about the MOD rate with the BPD code because I used it and stayed at Carribean Beach Resort. I just don't know what to do. I'm trying to decide between values season Feb 11-20 and use my AP or just renew it and go later in the year.

 

[faeflora]

Normally we do not plan 11+months out but this time is different. First we have the technical side, my mom lives in Florida and I graduate in Dec 2006 and I live in North Carolina.
So we need to get her from FLorida to North Carolina for all the pre-graduation rituals and departmental honors thingy. Then we do the graduation and then drive to Florida to go back to her home, chill then off to WDW.Then back to her home and then back we all go to North Carolina for Christmas and then finally she gets to fly home again to Florida.
So we are planning now!! Researching airfare, booking the Fort Wilderness Cabins, researching tickets and what is best for all of us. Not to mention that once classes start again I will be going nuts.
So this is a first for us on the long distance out planning.

 

[skuttle]

I've been counting down for our December trip since BEFORE December 2004! When I started my countdown in my signature, I had over 400 days...now less than 200!

Something that has helped me is that my mom is coming with us in December, so I've spent some time making stuff for her about the restaurants we're dining at, the room, our tentative schedule, etc. And I DIS A LOT!

 

[MagicKingdom05]

I would love to go to WDW in Dec 2006, but am not sure I could wait that long to go. It would allow me to save enough money to beable to stay at a nice room at the Polynesian, but like I said I'm not sure I could wait 17 months before I go to WDW again.

See my problem is that I end up making my vacation plans for the early part of the year that then when it gets to June or later no more vacation time is left and then I have to wait. I'm thinking that If I actually put a deposit down now for something later in the year like Dec 2006, this would give me something to aim for, so I wouldn't be using my vacation time so early.

 

[Brendita]

I love planning.
We are going in Oct.
Made reservations in Feb.
My DS 11 is very involved with plans.
I don't like to plan last minute.
As I get so many ideas from other people.
Also we have already changed hotel plans 3 times.
My DD is joining us for a few days.
She is AFR so SOG here we come.
I'm really a tight wad.
My DH says I can take a penny & squeeze it into a dollar.

 

[Luv2trav]

Let's just face I really want to go RIGHT NOW...but we can't.. We went last May and while it was hot hot hot it was exactly what a vacation should be... HOWEVER, come this Jan/Feb I am going to be itching to get out of Ohio winter weather and with an AP and Value season rates it's going to be VERY hard to pass up. Heck it's hard to pass up summer/fall AP rates right now and I don't really want to go during hurricane season.

There are several factors why I want to wait until next May...
-Loved being there last May.
-Hot days-Great for swimming for my DS's.
-Long daylight days=Long park hours so we can come back and swim and rest and go back to the parks.
-Memorial Day-1 less vacation day to take from work.
-Mid way through the year so I don't feel like I am burning all my vacation days early in the year.
-My youngest will be 2.5 years old and will be more independant.
-Biggest reason... We have 11 months to save for our resort of choice and we can go 10 days!! Have it paid off in advance...


Downside
-I have to wait 11 months and see all these great deals pass me by!!

 

[mickeysaver]

For us to go to WDW, it's usually at least 15 months between trips. Last year, we did not go because it was too soon to save for it and Gabby and her Mom wanted to go to Ireland together for a big 2 week blow out Mother Daughter bonding thing.....which they did just a few weeks ago. We were actually going to skip going to WDW again this year because we just bought a house a couple of months ago and we both have new trucks. Lots and lots of bills....not to mention that Gabby's Mom's health is fragile and that we have 2 medically fragile Chihuahuas that run up a big vet bill every so often and finding suitable boarding arrangements for them will be a challenge. But, Gabby's Mom's health is the driving force in making the December trip happen.

Gabby's family lives in Florida. We told everyone last year to expect us down there in December of 2005 and to join us for MVMCP for a family reunion. Well, like I said we have lots of reasons not to go, but Gabby really wants that "free family photo" that comes with the MVMCP ticket. I want her family to have that too. So, I will be broke for the next few months and the tax man is going to take a bite out of my behind for raiding some funds that I wanted to save, but it will make Gabby happy.

The planning is always half the fun, to me at least. Gabby hates the planning aspect. She just wants to go, have fun, and buy stuff. I almost had to drug her the other day just to settle her down enough to help me to decide whether or not to spend an extra $120 for a package that would leave us 3 days of park hopper tickets that won't expire that we can use on a trip in 2006....maybe. lol She loves our trips and deep down, she loves it that I plan it all, but she just doesn't want to know, she just wants to go. lol

We have a vacation box. It's filled with all sorts of useful goodies for our trips. Some of the stuff makes it back after a trip, some of it gets used never to return. Dollar Tree has some goodies that are hard to pass up. We shop the clearance aisle for trip related goodies.....like the digital camera and printer that I want....it's $179 bundle at Target.....but I digress.

Basically, when planning and waiting, it's great to cut and paste all the tips that you read to a folder. That way, as the trip comes up, you have info that will be helpful to you. I check out the menus and generally get a feel from the boards about what attractions that I need to try to hit in what order. And having a countdown ticker never hurts. Maggie

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Luv2trav,

Don't feel bad. I will be right there with you guys, trying to wait patiently as the cold months of January-March come through Chicago into April and then finally May. I guess I always figured why go to someplace warm like Orlando when it's nice at home, when you can go when it's nice in Orlando and 20 below at home. I really think I'm going to try next year and do something in May for a change.

I love your list of why you go in May and yes planning this far in advance does let you start saving really early and have it paid off really early so you can stay at the resort you want, which for me would be the Polynesian.

 

[Luv2trav]

Jason,

I see you are from IL so you know how our weather goes... Weather in May is still cold and damp. However, in Florida in February is unpredictable and if swimming is a must then we can't really take our chance to "PLAN" a 10 day vacation. When we went this past February we planned the trip 10 days in advance so we we pretty much knew the weather would be decent. It turned out we had 75 and sunny for all 5 days... Now if I could plan that again for this February then we would go...

As for the Poly!! I right there with you. We stayed there last May and maybe that is why I want to go again in May so badly! We had a great time. I think we are planning to split our stay this time. I want to try more resorts but I really liked the resorts I have stayed in in the past... POLY, AKL and POFQ... I would like to try WL but I am not 100% sold on that resort. Again we are pool people and we LOVED AKL's pool.... Who knows, I have 11 months to figure it out...

My dream would be LVC Poly....but that is just a little to pricey for me.

 

[Minerva]

I've been researching for a couple of years and seriously planning our November trip since last fall. I'm a planner and the planning and waiting has paid off a couple of times already and that keeps me going and researching. I knew what I wanted last fall but then Disney changed everything on me with the MYW tickets and packages in January so I did more research and dicovered that a package with park hopping but no plusses with the addition of the dining plan would save me money over the old ticket system. Now with the value season free dining I'm hoping they extend that to Nov/Dec and I'll save more money.I made our reservations and bought the plane tickets the end of March because I'd been watching air fares and they were going up. They've done nothing but continue to go up since and my Saturday evening flight was cancelled, they tried to put me on an earlier flight on Saturday but I didn't want that so I got a Sunday morning flight for the price I paid in March. I originally wanted the Sunday morning flight anyway but it was a couple of hundred dollars more to fly on Sunday than Saturday. Now I'm flying on the two flights I wanted for less money than they would have cost me to book them originally and a whole lot less than they would cost me today. As long as things keep going my way and I keep saving money I'm more than happy to wait. LOL

 

[Danauk]

My first trip to WDW was in August 2003. When we got back we decided we wanted to spend a Christmas there but because of already planned trips we knew it would not be until Christmas 2005. We didn't begin to plan anything too much until 11 months before our trip when we could book the room (we are staying using DVC points) and then we could book the flights.

After that we (actually more myself than anyone else in the group!!) did some research into exactly what we wanted to do. That kept me motivated for a while, reading restaurant reviews and menus, looking at tours etc. Then at 10 months before we sat down and planned a tentative schedule. We decided what days we wanted to do our tours and booked them (we are going for 2 weeks over Christmas so I know it will be busy and we don't want to be dissapointed.)

Then we made a list of the restaurants we wanted to eat at and made a tentative list of where to eat and when (most of our meals are at hotel restaurants not in parks so the park schedule will not effect this.) We also decided to spend a little time off site - a day at universal, Busch Gardens etc which gave me something else to research.

Right now we are planned as much as we can for now and everything we can book is already booked, we are just waiting for the 90 day window to make AR's. To pass time now I read the DIS a lot, read trip reports, watch Disney films, read Disney trivia books. I also use Tour Guide Mike so read that a lot and print out pages with tips that will be useful and add these to my Passporter which I read to get excited about the trip. Then when I am bored at home I read the tips and try to learn them for when we are there. Right now it is just a case of testing my patience: only 201 days to go!!

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Luv2trav,

LVC POLY would be wonderful, but I know what you mean by expensive. I was glad to see that the prices for next year only went up $15-20 a night. Here is what I'm looking at:

1. May 12-21, 2006
2. Early Dec 2006
3. Hold off on doing anything next year, roll the vacation time, save the vacation money, and take multiple trips to WDW during the year since I would have 27.5 vacation days to use.

If I could only pull off #3.

 

[dpic]

For those of you who have planned 11 months+
How do you stand it?

Easy--the DisBoards!

Part of the fun for us who love to plan is spending time here knowing there is an upcoming trip--even though the trip may be a year away. Having a ressie makes visiting the DisBoards more fun because you are actually planning and thinking about an upcoming trip--not just daydreaming about maybe a taking trip "someday."

Also, purchasing flights/making ressies as far out as possible normally gives you better rates. We bought our flights for our Dec trip in Feb. Those same flights are now $117 more per ticket. Also, we made our AAA WL Standard ressie in July and now there are no more AAA standard rooms available during our time in Dec. So, planning far out makes a WDW trip cheaper and you get more time to dream about it.

 

[Sleepy]

How do you keep yourself motivated when your vacation is so far away....

When it has been so many years since your last vacation and you really can't go sooner because of location and a job situation, it makes it easier. It allows you time to reassure yourself that since it will be what seems like forever, youhave more time to save even more money and make that vacation even more worry free. Gives you time to hear others opinion of things and plan out that way. Time to find deals also. I could not imagine trying to make all arrangements in a few months. Even 8 months out is too soon for us.

As long as I read about others experiences, I drift into memory about how wonderful our vacations have been there and it helps to give me a WDW fix. We have next August planned....have had it planned for over a year. Sure, we could go to Euro Disney, but it would not be the same.