Just Booked March 2016

[bama_ed]

Well, I've done it.

I was told to do it.

Didn't wanna do it.

Had no choice but to do it.

Afraid I might not like it.

But what I like doesn't matter, does it?


















I booked a Fort reservation just now for late March 2016 (the last week following Easter Sunday) but there's only a 65-75% chance of using it. My DD is in her high school band and she might opt to take the spring trip (yet to be announced) with them. Which means DW would go and chaperone. Which means no Fort for yours truly.

The silver lining in this cloud has been that DD said if the band trip is not in the Orlando area (which it has been in the past), she would forego a band trip with her bud-ettes for a family vacation to WDW and the Fort. Last year was NYC for St Patty's Day - how do you top that?

However, the week before Easter and week after are the 2nd most busy (and expensive) time at WDW and the Fort after the Christmas leadup through New Years. The crowd calendar is up for March 2016 on easywdw and it's all 10's. (It gives me the hives).

So it's on the books.

A deposit has been paid.

I have done my fatherly/husbandly duty.

Now to wait for the spring band trip announcement.

There is the slight chance she does it.

But like I said, it's more likely we end up at the Fort (oh, I mean WDW).

Just helps to have a Fort reservation on the books.

A Preferred site in keeping with my latest crush (done the Tent and Premium thing already).

Hopefully loops 100 or 200.

We will do at most 2 park days (prolly both MK).

If it happens.

But I tossed it out there.

Just in case.

Bama Ed

 

[iheartpeterpan]

I may be there with you. For a band trip.

 

[Bishoparc]

Was looking at next year tonight myself. Trying to decide if I want to go ahead and put Thanksgiving and Christmas 2016 on the books for next year. Not that I'd go to the parks during that time but I'd love to give Christmas at the Fort a try.

 

[tiggerdad]

Congrats Ed, and hopefully it works out. Probably no 2016 run to the Fort for us. This October trip will be our second in less than a year so time for a less expensive destination for this next year.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Good job on doing your fatherly/husbandly duty, I'm doing mine in February, and it's hard to explain to someone who's never been (aka my mama) why you have to plan things like dinner reservations so far out. I told her to go with and just show her Disney side.

 

[amcc]

Hope your trip works out!! We are booked in tent sites for New Year's and for Wednesday-Monday over Easter. It hurts to pay $100 for a patch of dirt with no housekeeping service but we can't wait. We have never traveled in our popup when it is cold so looking forward to that (yeah, yeah, December in Central Florida is cold for us South Floridians). No parks for us at all.

 

[bama_ed]

iheartpeterpan, I hope your trip works out to WDW. I wish my daughter would end up in Florida but some of the Mom Mafia who volunteers every day with the band at the high school say they know where we're going and it's "North" (of Alabama). Not looking good for us for a WDW band trip.

Bishoparc, if I had to choose one, I would do a Christmas season trip first. I nibbled at the Christmas season a long time ago and I loved the decorations at the Fort by campers and Disney that time of year. Did Thanksgiving a long time ago too but if I had to choose, my choice would be Christmas.

SouthAlabam5er, I feel like I want to "go rogue" this trip. No advance ticket purchase. No advance dining reservations. No advance FastPass+ scheduling.

I can buy tickets when I arrive at the Fort and have them linked to my MDE.

Because of the dining cancellation policy, I bet I can pick up a reservation the night before I want to eat out. I don't care a whole lot one place versus another.

We are early theme park folks so I would schedule FP+ for late morning or early afternoon, go at rope drop and walk onto what I can, stay through the FP+, chill at the Fort for the peak afternoon hours, and head back after supper for the nighttime experience. I realize my trip is not like everyone's. DW made noises about wanting to try BOG but other than that, eh..... Whatever.

This is the way we USED to do WDW. Relaxed. Night before type of planning. Take whatever comes. Be happy with it.

This what-park-on-what-day-and-match-it-to-our-ADR's-and-buy-tix-in-advance-(lock-in-how-many-days-or-do-the-add-on)-and-stay-up-till-midnight-to-make-the-BOG-ADR-6-months-before-but-what-if-it-is-going-to-rain-that-day "$tuff" is "I'm-so-over-it". The 2014 trip we did (I tried the hyper-scheduling approach) sucked a lot of the joy, spontaneity, and relaxation out of that vacation. I'm not picky. So I want to give the old approach a try again (if DW approves, that is).

Tiggerdad, wait till the kids get older. Be glad you'll be there in October because once they get up into the higher grades, taking the kids out of school is highly frowned upon.

And please don't anyone get the wrong idea. I love the Fort and the MK. But going at a crowd calendar time of "10" is something I usually try to avoid. Look at my signature. I don't do WDW in summer either. I'm mostly a spring kind of guy.

My saving grace is DD is our last child in high school and next year we will be empty nesters.

Bama Ed

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

We are early theme park folks so I would schedule FP+ for late morning or early afternoon, go at rope drop and walk onto what I can, stay through the FP+, chill at the Fort for the peak afternoon hours, and head back after supper for the nighttime experience.

That's our routine,

$tuff" is "I'm-so-over-it". The 2014 trip we did (I tried the hyper-scheduling approach) sucked a lot of the joy, spontaneity, and relaxation out of that vacation.

I agree, we did this last February. The weather forecast was calling for rain the day we planned MK, so we switched days and with EPCOT and couldn't get any good FP+ for either day. How am I going to know what I wanna ride and what the weather is going to be like 60 days down the road?! Waiting in a line don't sound that bad after all, less stressful in the end.

 

[JETS70]

We are early theme park folks so I would schedule FP+ for late morning or early afternoon, go at rope drop and walk onto what I can, stay through the FP+, chill at the Fort for the peak afternoon hours, and head back after supper for the nighttime experience. I realize my trip is not like everyone's. DW made noises about wanting to try BOG but other than that, eh..... Whatever.

This is the way we USED to do WDW. Relaxed. Night before type of planning. Take whatever comes. Be happy with it.

This what-park-on-what-day-and-match-it-to-our-ADR's-and-buy-tix-in-advance-(lock-in-how-many-days-or-do-the-add-on)-and-stay-up-till-midnight-to-make-the-BOG-ADR-6-months-before-but-what-if-it-is-going-to-rain-that-day "$tuff" is "I'm-so-over-it". The 2014 trip we did (I tried the hyper-scheduling approach) sucked a lot of the joy, spontaneity, and relaxation out of that vacation. I'm not picky. So I want to give the old approach a try again (if DW approves, that is).

Bama Ed

When we first started visiting WDW in 2000, we hyper planned. At the time it was good as it helped us make sure that we did the things that we really wanted to do, to make sure we didn't get bogged down trying to see it all. Now that we have been several times, we do the later FP+, limited ADR's usually only a couple with one being at Mama Melrose's for a Fantasmic Dinner Package. After that we just decide what we are hungry for and visit one of the local establishments for dinner. A time to relax away from the crowds for a bit, less expensive and more variety and then back to the park for the evening hours. (maybe??) The one thing that the DW and I always agree upon are the park hopper passes. We like the freedom to go to any park at any time.
This past August trip, we took a day to visit the beach at Clearwater and had diner at Frenchy's on the beach as the sun was going down. This was our first time visiting the gulf coast. (Beautiful, great family time. Well worth a day of our vacation) On our earlier trips to WDW, we would not have done this due to not wanting to lose a day at WDW.
I can honestly say that the more we visit, the more enjoyable the trip.
The DW mentioned the possibility of a March trip on DD's spring break. Maybe an opportunity for Cat fan and a Tide fan to say hello.

 

[bama_ed]

The DW mentioned the possibility of a March trip on DD's spring break. Maybe an opportunity for Cat fan and a Tide fan to say hello.

DW knows best......

Bama Ed

 

[peg110]

My DD did a WDW band trip 3 years ago (her Sophomore year). She is now going to be a freshman in College. It really was an exciting trip for our kids because they hadn't "Flown" with that many kids in MANY MANY years (we are coming from NE Pennsylvania, so it would be too long a drive for the kids/school). It was an awesome time. They now are going to plan a WDW Trip every 4 years so that those in Band have an opportunity to get them in at least once during their 4 years of High School. Plus, I got to Chaperone all 4 years of Band Trip. That was an experience in itself.

@bama_ed I totaly understand the moma mafia. Now the by oldest DD is out of band, I don't have to deal with it (as much) any more. The youngest still has 4 more years before the High School years.

Was looking at next year tonight myself. Trying to decide if I want to go ahead and put Thanksgiving and Christmas 2016 on the books for next year. Not that I'd go to the parks during that time but I'd love to give Christmas at the Fort a try.

We have done the fort twice. Both times was for about 2 weeks and checking in on Thanksgiving day. I think it's the best of both worlds (for us anyway) we get the Nice(r) weather (Usually) we get tail end of Thanksgiving and beginning of Christmas. From Thursday (Thanskgiving) to about Sunday, the parks are pretty busy, but come Monday the following week... It's pretty tame. I think the crowd calendars put that week as the #2 best time to visit. The only thing that sucks for me is that the Monday After Thanksgiving is the First Day of Buck Season here in PA (at least for Rifle. I can go earlier with Archery).

 

[North of Mouse]

Well, I've done it.

I was told to do it.

Didn't wanna do it.

Had no choice but to do it.

Afraid I might not like it.

But what I like doesn't matter, does it?
Bama Ed

Awww, so sorry that you were 'forced' into making new ressies!

My saving grace is DD is our last child in high school and next year we will be empty nesters.

Bama Ed

Now, that will really be the life! Trust me, we know, and it's great! Do love our kiddos, but they handle their own lives quite well now.

DW knows best......

Bama Ed

Just make sure you remember that - Robert tends to forget once in awhile. LOL

 

[lokin4deer]

Although we haven't pulled the ressie trigger yet.........we are looking at March 18-20 thru the 28 ourselves in the 100 or 200 loop also!

 

[bama_ed]

The Momma Mafia Underground Rumor is now that it's Orlando but it's BEFORE Easter. I had a spring break reservation planned which is the week following Easter Sunday. I have moved my potential start date to March 20, 2016 (Sunday) to cover potential movements - although I could not get Saturday March 19 because it's booked up (6 months in advance).

Stay tuned. Hopefully we will get some certainty soon.

Bama Ed

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

 

[bama_ed]

EXACTLY, Randy. "'kern for 'errybody...."

You met my DD. Today at school the rumor mill was running full bore. So I backed up the reservation to start on Sunday 3/20 at 5pm tonight online because that was all I could get. But 3 hours later tonight, I was able to pick up Saturday 3/19 still a Preferred on the same reservation number. This was online via the disneyworld.com/mytrip link after signing in using the MDE login info.

This was new for me. Normally I've called to make any changes to dates but this was the first time I've changed dates (supposedly successfully) online. Not to confuse things but there even may be more moving pieces to this puzzle. I'm just trying to keep my options open (as I recommend other folks to do). These are the max dates I might need - 2 full weeks reserved Preferred - week before and week after Easter Sunday.



This is not the final version. But dontcha know right now I'm at 180 days for ADR's.... All I want per DW (she tells me what I want) is a BoG ADR at MK. I may not plan anything else (FP+, more ADR) but I've been told to get BoG.

Period.

Bama Ed

 

[jbrostek]

BoG should not be hard to get, I got mine last year and it was enjoyable experience but one on the every few years list not every year.

You are doing well on what you want. Happy Momma leads to a happy Papa. We are just starting our ADR for February, usually we wing it, but with a busier time of the year (and we hope warmer weather) we have to do some planning. August will be the same though I think ill bring about 4 5 gallon jugs of water for me, and 2 cases for the dogs and the rest of the group since I am the sweat monster.

 

[tltay2005]

March 23-26 will be our third Easter trip at Fort. We skip the parks (APs so we can go when not so busy ) and just enjoy the Fort. Watch those crazy squirrels if you plan to put out eggs for the kiddos...they seem to love the plastic ones filled with candy!

 

[Boomer1]

We plan to be at Fort Wilderness from March 10-21, so perhaps a quick meet and greet.

 

[lokin4deer]

Ed your getting closer to my dates now!