Let's plan Together! Jan 2009

[Kelly1]

Hi, Nice to hear everyone is in the same place we are!

We are planning on going Jan 27th to Feb 4th, not sure where to stay? We stayed at Port Orleans last January and it was nice!

Thought about renting DVC points to stay at a deluxe resort for a great price - anyone else done this before? Any advise?

We have 3 kids - 9, 7 & 4 any suggestions for a great resort?

Enjoy your planning!

Kelly

 

[VA_mouseman]

Thought about renting DVC points to stay at a deluxe resort for a great price - anyone else done this before? Any advise?

We have 3 kids - 9, 7 & 4 any suggestions for a great resort?
Kelly

If you're thinking about renting DVC points from a member, then my advise would be to consider -
- Beach Club Villas, for its proximity to Epcot and DHS, and for Stormalong Bay
- Boardwalk Villas, for the same proximity, as well as access to the boardwalk area
- Animal Kingdom Villas (or is it VAK??), for the savannah views.

I've stayed at the first two but not the latter.

 

[HappyCamperToo]

If you're staying at POP CENTURY and are interested in a FREE fridge/toaster swap, please click the link in my signature to learn more.

 

[moonvxn]

hi there everyone!!!! we are starting to plan our trip for january, i'm thinking the second week since the third and fourth are looking to be busier than last year. I'm curious though about a few things--- where are you guys getting these discount codes and whatnot? i'm thinking about joining aaa just for the disney discounts...any thoughts on that? we have 5 days of tickets comp'd from the last time we were there, (very horrible long story) when I call to make my ressie's since the package prices aren't released yet do I just tell them that I want to add dining plan when I call back to change the res to a package? I have to say...I'm a firm believer in the dining plan- for us it works out great, we are both in crazy careers and family time for meals is super important, so we try to book at least 2 sit down meals a day, and boy do we come out ahead (especially with the signature dining choices) yummy!! can you tell I'm excited!!!?? We just came back from mexico to dc through mco and I was so sad that we weren't going to mickey's while we were sitting in the airport for our layover. My hubby thinks I'm nuts btw that I would choose the world over mexico.


I'm so happy to be back planning!!!
Thanks in advance for the help

 

[Auntie Ruth]

We have already booked room only two rooms at the Pop. If a code come out,or we get a pin by chance,could they do us any good? We have to have two rooms because we are three adults and three kids.

 

[henrylovespooh]

Hi there everyone! DH has a hankerin' to go to the World. He just checked the school calendar, and with MLK day, the presidential inauguration and a two day school break the following week, we're thinking of booking a trip January 17-26, 2009. Let the planning begin!

My dream is to stay at AKL for part of the trip or the whole thing. We've never done a split stay and I'm not sure we can pull it off. We've already stayed at WL, ASMo, Poly, and CSR. I'd consider the Poly again, or maybe POFQ.

My kids will be 6 and 7 - this could be the first trip we go stroller-less. I have a pretty quick pace through the parks, and being able to push the kids has been fabulous.

Anyone else thinking of going over MLK weekend?

 

[MomofKatie]

Anyone else thinking of going over MLK weekend?

DD and I have room reservations (offsite through Hotwire) for 1/16- 1/26. It will be a "girls only" trip for us- DH isn't into WDW like we are. DD has MLK day off, then that Friday and following Monday for teacher workdays. We are going to be able to take a 10 night trip and only miss 3 days of school!

We are excited- we will have LGMHs on our lanyards and backpacks, so if you see a Pooh-sized mom and a skinny 10 year old with long, curly brown hair, say Howdy!!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Kelly1--we are also a fam of 5 & we are doing the Poly. 3 kids or more in a room limit where you can stay, so that's where we are going. The last 3 trips have been to the Beach Club--dh is still wanting to back over there, but I want to do something different this trip!!

 

[Pluto_fan]

Hi there everyone! DH has a hankerin' to go to the World. He just checked the school calendar, and with MLK day, the presidential inauguration and a two day school break the following week, we're thinking of booking a trip January 17-26, 2009. Let the planning begin!

My dream is to stay at AKL for part of the trip or the whole thing. We've never done a split stay and I'm not sure we can pull it off. We've already stayed at WL, ASMo, Poly, and CSR. I'd consider the Poly again, or maybe POFQ.

My kids will be 6 and 7 - this could be the first trip we go stroller-less. I have a pretty quick pace through the parks, and being able to push the kids has been fabulous.

Anyone else thinking of going over MLK weekend?

Hey, I think we must be in the same northern VA school district
I'm betting there will NOT be very many students at school those three days!

Do you drive or fly down? We're planning to drive down, arriving Monday afternoon (MLK day) and departing Sunday afternoon We're staying at Shades of Green, which we love...but I'd also love to try AKL! We've never been there, but I'm picking Boma for my birthday dinner

 

[Cupcake88]

Hi!!! I am new to these boards and relatively new to being a Disney Devotee! We went this past January for 5 days for my son's bar mitzvah and the experience was so magical (he is now 15y/o and is HF autistic) for all of us that we couldn't wait to book again! I finally did book as soon as the rates came out and scored one of the new Business Club rooms at CSR (we LOVED CSR!!!) for Jan 16-25 2009. Last year we flew out of Pittsburgh on the 20th so we're pretty much in the same time frame. Unfortunately THIS year, the day after I booked, we found out my husband will be going on the transplant list for a heart. Nothing dire just yet, he's very healthy although that's where we want him to be for the transplant so all is well. After some thought we decided to keep the ressies and make it my son, me and my BF/"sister" (and it will be both of their birthday weeks!!!).

I had originally thought I couldn't make ADRs but when I called to take DH off the ressie, they told me to go ahead and I was THRILLED to get every one we wanted including Chef Mickey, 1900 Park Fare, and Le Cellier!!! I even had one for CRT but decided to cancel and substitute 1900 Park Fare and Whispering Canyon.

Anyway, last year the crowds were a little thick over the Sunday and Monday of MLK. I can't speak to the Friday and Saturday but they really weren't THAT bad. There WERE a LOT of groups from Brasil and they WERE annoying and sometimes even ill mannered. Fortunately for us we are eligible for a Guest Services Pass for my son so we basically did a Fast Pass on every ride (and let me tell you...LIFESAVER!)

So...I am subbed and REALLY getting excited for our trip. I still have to cancel my husband's air ticket. AirTran HAD comped us $100 per person last year due to some nastiness at MCO so I am hoping they'll credit the whole ticket back when I explain why we have to cancel. I can hope right???

 

[Pluto_fan]

Cupcake88--
to the DIS! There are so many friendly and helpful folks here. It will make your planning that much more magical!
Thanks for sharing your observations from MLK weekend last year--we're arriving Monday afternoon and I hope the weekend crowds will be on their way out by then.
Best wishes to your DH.

 

[henrylovespooh]

DD and I have room reservations (offsite through Hotwire) for 1/16- 1/26. It will be a "girls only" trip for us- DH isn't into WDW like we are. DD has MLK day off, then that Friday and following Monday for teacher workdays. We are going to be able to take a 10 night trip and only miss 3 days of school!

We are excited- we will have LGMHs on our lanyards and backpacks, so if you see a Pooh-sized mom and a skinny 10 year old with long, curly brown hair, say Howdy!!

Same thing - here - only three days out! I'm going to check at my Home Depot for my lime green Mickey to put on my backpack. If you see a disheleveled tall, semi-Pooh sized blond mom corralling a 7 and 6 year olds while a grumpy looking (but Disney loving) DH walks behind - it's me!

I'm tempted to from from the 17th to the 27th too - we've never done a 10 day trip before.

 

[henrylovespooh]

Hey, I think we must be in the same northern VA school district
I'm betting there will NOT be very many students at school those three days!

Do you drive or fly down? We're planning to drive down, arriving Monday afternoon (MLK day) and departing Sunday afternoon We're staying at Shades of Green, which we love...but I'd also love to try AKL! We've never been there, but I'm picking Boma for my birthday dinner

We're in Fairfax County/Alexandria. I told two friends about the holidays and they're both thinking of going to WDW now too!

We fly down. I just can't sit still in a car for that long - antsy pants.

I love Boma - we haven't been in awhile but we are definitely going this trip, even if we don't stay at AKL.

Have a great trip!

 

[MomofKatie]

Same thing - here - only three days out! I'm going to check at my Home Depot for my lime green Mickey to put on my backpack. If you see a disheleveled tall, semi-Pooh sized blond mom corralling a 7 and 6 year olds while a grumpy looking (but Disney loving) DH walks behind - it's me!

I'm tempted to from from the 17th to the 27th too - we've never done a 10 day trip before.

This will be our first 10 nighter! The longest we've stayed until this is 7 nights- we're looking forward to a longer stay. I am trying desperately NOT to commando-plan this trip, but I tend to schedule nonstop open-to-close touring, no matter what! We'll see if I can slow down and really take it easy this trip.

We'll look for y'all- have you already planned which days/which parks? I have our schedule all worked out already- made ADRs today. I am a seroius planning addict!

 

[henrylovespooh]

I'm a planning addict too! I haven't started planning yet, but I'm getting ready to. I would love to see your plan if you don't mind. I think 10 days would allow me to ease up a bit and do things I wouldn't do if we were going for 5 or 7 days. My kids are young, so we usually start early in the morning and don't stay out too late - but we have done Wishes. We haven't yet done Fantasmic, Illuminations, the Hoop dee Doo, or some other things because we focused on the parks. I'd like more of the full Disney experience this time, if possible.

 

[moonvxn]

yay!! yoo hoo ladies...another nova mommy here I'm so excited, I think I've convinced a couple of our friends and their kiddies to come along- and then I think my mom is coming. We're shooting for 10 so we can take advantage of some of the grand gathering experiences that sound so exciting.. anyone had any experience with either the safari dinner or the illuminations cruise??

 

[Pluto_fan]

Kind of like Jersey Week in the fall--we can have Fairfax County week in January! What were they thinking, scheduling three days of school during an 11-day stretch?

I would also like to see others' park plans. I've been working on ours, but I'm not totally satisfied with it. There are some "limited opportunity" things to work around--Fantasmic! only on Monday or Thursday; Spectromagic only on Monday, Thursday, or Saturday (these are during our dates, Jan 19-25). We'll plan to do morning EMH but probably not evening. We'd like to try Blizzard Beach if it's not too cold, so I'm thinking I should plan it for early in the week so we can push it back to later if the weather looks better then. Too many factors to account for! Any brilliant thoughts for me?

 

[momatater]

Hi All!!

Just wanted to join in...my DH surprised me and told me to book a trip for Jan 23-30th without the kids!! We never and I mean NEVER do anything without the boys, so I'm excited. We didn't have a honeymoon either because at the time he was in the service and work wouldn't allow him leave. Anyway, we are staying at the wonderful AKL CL!!!

I'm an OCD planner, but was able to whip this trip out in about 2 hrs. Well, at least where we are staying and a few ADR's. Oh, and the sunrise safari, couldn't miss that!

One more thing...my DH just about lives in Springfield, VA because of work. We spent a lot of time there this summer...good ol' Fairfax County. Such a small world!!!

Thanks for letting me share!

 

[Pluto_fan]

Just wanted to join in...my DH surprised me and told me to book a trip for Jan 23-30th without the kids!! We never and I mean NEVER do anything without the boys, so I'm excited. We didn't have a honeymoon either because at the time he was in the service and work wouldn't allow him leave. Anyway, we are staying at the wonderful AKL CL!!!

How exciting! What a great DH!

So who is watching the boys? I'm kinda jealous...DH and I haven't had so much as a weekend getaway since our oldest was born! There's just no one to watch the kids. But, time enough for that later (hopefully).

 

[bucky1023]

I just booked out flights this morning (got a pretty good deal from AirTran) and I can't wait to start planning!!! Originally I wasn't planning on going back down until next August, but I just couldn't wait that long.