How early do you start planning your stay?

[FutureAshleyDukes]

I started planning my trip for this May about two months ago, but haven't been able to get the exact priority seatings and other things that we wanted. How early do you suggest planning a Disney vacation, DH2B is already talking about going back to WDW for our one year anniversary next May.

Thanks!
Ashley

 

[My2BabiesLexis&Dill]

I would start early as possible. I have already booked my dates for trip in February 2006 and I'm also planning our trip in December 2006 (hubby doesn't know about this one). I have to be on top of everything, just to make sure I have everything planned and paid for BEFORE we get there. Have a great trip!!!

 

[aubriee]

Lets see, I was there Jan 9th-15th and was making some mental notes while I was down there for my trip in May. Arrived back Jan 15th and made ressies for my May trip Jan 17th. A week later I booked three tours. I then decided I would rather stay in the Epcot area, so started working with someone on renting DVC points at BWV. The days I wanted at BWV were not all available so the owner put me on a waitlist which came through about two-three weeks later. At exactly the 90 day mark I started making my PS. When AP codes came out this week, I decided to add two more days to my vacation and then had to call a couple of days ago to rearrange alot of my PS and two of the tours because of adding the extra days. Also two days ago I went ahead and booked my airfare. I think I have everything done now, so it took me a little less than two months. For my trip in January I started planning in mid-Sept and was finished by around the first of December.

I'm taking my son and D-I-L in late Sept-early Oct. I haven't paid for anything yet, but am making sort of tentative plans. I recently gave them a copy of the new planning video and am hoping they will give me some input. When we went in Jan it was a surprise for my GD, her dad said to just surprise him, that anything was OK, he'd just go with the flow and anything I planned was fine. I'm going back in early Dec and again won't start making definite plans until I get back from the Oct trip. I am hoping to rent DVC points again for at least one/if not both of the other two trips, but haven't initiated anything yet.

What are your dates for May? I'll be there May 13th-May 22nd and had no trouble rearranging either my tours or PS. I didn't need CRT or PSB, but got everything I asked for, including the Fantasmic Pkg. I just counted them and I have ten PS (Marrakesh, Biergarten, Rainforest, LeCellier, Rose & Crown, Sci-Fi, Mama Melrose, House of Blues, Bomas, and Crystal Palace), plus three tours (KTTK, Backstage Safari, and the Around the World on a Sedgway). Again I rescheduled almost all of them two days ago without any trouble.

Good luck and keep calling until you get what you want! People are always rearranging their PS (just like I did a couple of days ago).

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

We are going at the end of April, and I started planning in Late Jan. Just outside of the 90 day mark. This was the shortest coutdown we have ever had. Last October, and the October before that, were both booked in early May (5+ mos. ahead). 5-6 mos. is pretty average for us.

We were going to wait till Oct. again, but decided to go in April, to take advantage of the dining plan, and cheaper ticket prices before my oldest turns 10.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I just booked our vacation for summer 2006 - Disney Magic Costa Maya Cruise. And, I'm thinking of booking Poly concierge for December 2007 (DD15's last year at home before college). It's never too early to begin planning.

 

[debbiedoo]

I have had my upcoming trip booked since last July. I will be booking my 2006 trip Hawaii soon.

 

[cinmell]

We usually start planning a year in advance.

 

[newholidayx2]

being DVCers we can book our rooms 11months prior
the next trip is always in my mind

 

[Cupmom]

My Trip is not till Aug. 2006 and my wheel are already turning.

 

[lemondog]

We're going in Jan. 2006 and I've been planning since this past Dec. Up 'til now it's been deciding where we want to stay, and I am getting ready to make our ressies in the next week or so. Then I'll probably lay off a while until we get closer to time to make PS and stuff like that.

 

[imatoad]

We're going in Oct., but have been discussing details for about a month now.

 

[dmslush]

Ideally, I would like a year to save and plan. But, this year, we only made our decision to go in January, so that gives us a total of 7 months to plan. I think it kind of feels rushed, we make our PS in a couple of weeks! The time has flown by!

 

[bethzfl]

I plan at about 100 days.. so Im all ready 90 days to make PS's and things.

 

[lclark0621]

I start planning my trip & book my hotel ASAP. Usually about a year out, which means usually I start planning the next trip when I get home from the last trip.

I like paying my hotel off before we get there & booking early we can pay it slowly. Usually sending Disney a hotel room a night.

Then about 3-4 months out we book airfare. We try & buy our passes 3 months out.

Then when we get there, all we have to pay for is food & souviners.

 

[stacy347]

We are planning our first trip for June 2006 and DH thought I was crazy to start all of this so early but the more I find out, the happier I am that I'm starting early!!

I'm making our ressies in about a month (have decided on ASMo) and I've already been doing tons of research (thanks so much to everyone at this board!) about the parks, tickets, etc. I could just about have our itinerary printed up right now, LOL!

The only main thing that needs to be done is for the kids to decide which park they want to pick for our second choice ~ I am going with 2-day passes with the Magic Plus option so we'll be doing MK, undecided 2nd park, BB and DQ. I am also leaving days open for DD and the BW just for fun ~ I am so excited about this trip I think I'm driving my family crazy with all of my planning!!

 

[pumpkinfish]

Feb. 15 2005...that's when I started planning our April trip . No problems so far...I did change my mind about one character breakfast @ 1900 Park Fare...and couldn't get a later seating...but that's it!

Now, as for our October trip, that will be booked when we come back from our April trip (just can't see spending $340 from our vacation fund on that BEFORE the April trip ). I am working out a few details right now though....

 

[Liz]

I start planning my next trip as soon as I get home from one! Its the only thing that helps with the post-Disney depression!!!

 

[Joann]

We started talking about our trip 2 weeks ago, and booked it and payed in full last wed. haha for may 3rd we always do everything last minute as my husband works at his fathers chemical company and we pretty much have to do eveything last minute

 

[we3disneygo]

we are planning for 2006, it will be our 20th wedding anniversary!

 

[goofy4tink]

Well, we were in WDW in August '04. Had that trip planned a year in advance. Our trip in Nov '04 for Thanksgiving was planned 10 months ahead. Before we left on the Nov trip, I was planning our June '05 trip. At the moment, I'm starting to plan a dd's birthday trip in Oct. '06!!! I love having a plan in the works at all times.