***Official April 2013 thread*** SEE POST # 4028

[elfling8]

Hi - we are taking our first family trip this coming April! The last time I was there was 1989, and DH's last trip even before that. DD (10) and DS (8) first trip. My inlaws gave us the trip for Christmas! We are still in shock
I have not been reading the boards too long, so I will probably mess up some abbreviations

We are staying at POR April 15-21. We have the DDP, and are getting the photopass so Nana and Grandpa can see our trip. So far (I keep checking back for better meal times - almost have it perfect), our ADR's are:
April 16 8:20am Crystal Palace
April 17 (DH's 40th birthday!) 12:25 Tusker House, 6:10 Biergarten
April 18 5:40pm Chef Mickey
April 19 5:15 Tutto Italia
April 20 6:55 Kouzzina
Happy to hear anyone's comments or advise about this schedule.
Looking forward to reading this thread and hearing about everyone's plans!

 

[Alice Royal]

Anyone else notice that Mad Tea Party will be closed for rehab starting on 4/10? Kind of a bummer, but at least it isn't one of the main attractions. My fingers are crossed that there won't be many more closed in April! http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/rehab.htm

First I was like and then I was like and ... and then I was like .

At least I'm most likely going back next year, since I'll be much closer.

 

[TJDisneymama]

that's a bummer about the Tea Party, although you couldn't pay me a million dollars to go on it (motion sickness). Maybe they'll cancel or push it back a few weeks; they do that sometimes. It's not even on the official WDW TA website

 

[Mousemommy1]

that's a bummer about the Tea Party, although you couldn't pay me a million dollars to go on it (motion sickness). Maybe they'll cancel or push it back a few weeks; they do that sometimes. It's not even on the official WDW TA website

It has already been pushed a few times. It was supposed to be closed now actually, so we'll see. I'm fine with it being closed. DH doesn't do spinning rides (or he's DONE for the day), so that takes that one out of the equation! My girls always LOVE that one, but I hate it when the family is split up.

 

[DisneyBum303]

Should we splurge and do Victoria & Albert's? Should we save some money and go somewhere else? Should we eat somewhere much less expensive and do another activity as a couple (ie. it might be fun to do the Seas Aqua tour at Epcot)?

FWIW, I think the Seas Aqua tour would be amazing! For me, vacation is the time to do things you can't really do at home. I can eat at a fancy restaurant anytime (well, as the paycheck to bills ratio allows), but the Seas Aqua tour is strictly Orlando. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[DisneyBum303]

I am out of control with the custom outfits for DD. At first I figured 1 or 2. Now I'm going for 1 for each day. And I can't be simple and just pick a design that someone's already done, I have to like 1 aspect of 1 design and another aspect of another design, and then mix them all together and come up with my own thing. God only knows what they'll look like in the end, lol.

I hope you post photos! I LOVE seeing little princesses. My 2 yr old granddaughter's first trip was last year and her Mom did exactly the same thing!

 

[pwdebbie]

Anyone else notice that Mad Tea Party will be closed for rehab starting on 4/10? Kind of a bummer, but at least it isn't one of the main attractions. My fingers are crossed that there won't be many more closed in April! http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/rehab.htm

I hadn't picked that up. I'll go put the info in the first post right now. (Sometimes I wonder if anyone even reads the first post!)

 

[Mousemommy1]

I hadn't picked that up. I'll go put the info in the first post right now. (Sometimes I wonder if anyone even reads the first post!)

I check it every now and again.

 

[thunderjones]

Heads up


The Magic Kingdom's Mad Tea Party is once again back on the refurbishment schedule. It is set to close on April 10 2013 with a reopening on May 22 2013.

 

[wdwgirl03]

65 days until Bay Lake Tower and I get to see my sister!

 

[DelaneyJ]

Heads up


The Magic Kingdom's Mad Tea Party is once again back on the refurbishment schedule. It is set to close on April 10 2013 with a reopening on May 22 2013.

Oh geez. MY family loves the Tea Party. We will have to ride as much as we can the first few days we are there!!!

 

[cherylsmike]

Resort Changing...again...again...again

cherylsmike -- April 14 - 20 @ CSR

Yes, I am even annoying myself with all these changes. I am on my way to join the Resort Changers thread. I really thought I wouldn't be changing so much this trip. Each change has made perfect sense at the time I made it.

DH wants CSR. We tried to stay at POP Century to keep cost down, but the idea of the full size beds on our couple's trip was depressing. DH is a furnace and we would both be miserable. We stayed there for one night on our last Couple's Trip before moving to CSR. Neither of us slept well at all. I am a very light sleeper and my tossing and turning on the smaller beds kept my DH from sleeping well. The beds seemed firmer than when we were there for 9 nights in Feb. 2008. So, we cut off the last day of the trip (nothing planned anyway) to save a few $$$ and upgraded. I would rather be at POR, but DH loves CSR. As I did when we stayed in Feb. 2011, but we were upgraded to Cabanas 9B which was perfect. It was the back of the building but faced a pond and you could see the entrance but not the parking lot that was only a few steps away. It was also super close to the Bus Stop 1 and the El Centro and very quiet. It was a Deluxe room then that wasn't even a booking category it was only available to business guests. Now 9B is the Business Club building and comes with a hefty price increase so that probably won't happen again. I have a feeling he wants access to the gym, but I doubt he ever steps foot in it .

In other news...I was able to change to a non-stop flight on our way home and even got a credit. I love Southest. Free changes and free bags. WooHoo! Two round trip non-stop flights for a total of $414. The DFW flights are still over $250 for a one-way. I love Disney World, but when it's time to go home you just want to BE home.

While we had POP booked I had changed to a package with QSDP. We wanted the food prepaid. We only have a debit card and with the cruise first, a rental car to the port, and a rental car from port for the week we are at Disney, I was getting concerned about too many authorizations hanging up our account and freezing up our "fun" money. But after some research we decided the QSDP wasn't a good value for us since we have a couple ADR's and we will pay out of pocket. I may do a pre-paid VISA or something for our food/fun money. We may eat some off property meals to keep cost down. I can tell you I don't like doing that. The lights seem sooo long and I audibly sigh with relief when we drive back through the gates. It isn't as magical to see power lines and strip malls. But it sure saves some serious money.

And when I changed the reservation to 6 nights instead of 7 this morning I also PAID IN FULL!!!. And I booked the Epcot Segway tour for April 15th. The segway tour was on my DH's wish list so I am excited we get to do this. I only had two days off this month, but it was completely worth it and I have a fantastic boss who always manages to get me OT when I need it for a trip. I love her!!

I booked our pre-arrival flight hotel with ThankYou points. I love free hotel rooms!

Tomorrow we are at 69 days before we leave town to start our two-part vacation. I think April is going to be a beautiful time of year to visit and I am looking forward to that "Disney" feeling. I crave the crack corn, I cry at the parades and fireworks, I enjoy watching all the younger kids having magical moments, and I love spending time with "Disney Mike". My DH is especially charming and fun-loving while at Disney World. I had the flu on our last couple's trip and he did a wonderful job keeping things positive and upbeat.

Thanks for being a member of the April 2013 thread and giving me somebody to share all these little details with. My DH is amazing and always give opinions when asked (even if it ends up biting me in the rear for asking). But I think fellow April 2013 thread members have a special understanding of the excitement that planning all these little details brings.

Well just great...now I have to change my signature and my countdown again!

 

[Jays2013]

Time to start talking Lime Green Mickey Heads -- LGMH, the unofficial secret DISser identifier.

So, how many of you are doing this: ?

If you don't know what a LGMH is, check the DIS. The most recent thread I found is this one: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2984199 .

I always put one in our car window, one in our room window, and attach one to whatever bag I am carrying / wearing that day.

If I see you with one, I WILL say Hi. If you see me, you better say Hi!

Neat! I'll have to make a few. We're AoA Nemo, so no room window by the front, but I can think of other places.

We have this gaudy LL Bean backpack I picked up for the trip on clearance. Blue and lime green! The LGMH will totally get lost on it.

 

[Jays2013]

I feel a little silly, but if anyone understand, you folks will.

Anyone else get teared up with Disney planning stuff sometimes? It's meant a lot to us over the years (see PTR) and it's been a long time since our last trip. In fact, I'd almost given up hope we'd ever get back.

I was curled up on the couch this morning with my younger son (who has never been to WDW). We were the only two in the house awake and he asked to watch the Disney planning DVD. A few minutes in, he squirmed around and looked up at me and asked suspiciously, "Are you crying again, Mommy?"

Well, yes, a little. The video clips of kids running around the parks at the beginning get me. I can't wait until it's my two.

Then I was doing some work on the computer in our home office and put the "Illuminations" soundtrack on as background music. Big mistake.

The "We Go On" music makes me think of a lot of things ... visiting the park with my parents during the surprise trip my dad planned for my mom after her mom (my grandma) died when I was 16 ... watching it with my husband on our honeymoon ... watching it with our parents the last night of the trip when my MIL had a heart attack (this was literally the only thing we were all able to do together that whole trip) ... watching it with our 15-month-old son after the baby survived open-heart surgery at 5 months old ...

Sniff. I'm going to be a mess in April. But a happy mess.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I feel a little silly, but if anyone understand, you folks will.

Anyone else get teared up with Disney planning stuff sometimes? It's meant a lot to us over the years (see PTR) and it's been a long time since our last trip. In fact, I'd almost given up hope we'd ever get back.

I was curled up on the couch this morning with my younger son (who has never been to WDW). We were the only two in the house awake and he asked to watch the Disney planning DVD. A few minutes in, he squirmed around and looked up at me and asked suspiciously, "Are you crying again, Mommy?"

Well, yes, a little. The video clips of kids running around the parks at the beginning get me. I can't wait until it's my two.

Then I was doing some work on the computer in our home office and put the "Illuminations" soundtrack on as background music. Big mistake.

The "We Go On" music makes me think of a lot of things ... visiting the park with my parents during the surprise trip my dad planned for my mom after her mom (my grandma) died when I was 16 ... watching it with my husband on our honeymoon ... watching it with our parents the last night of the trip when my MIL had a heart attack (this was literally the only thing we were all able to do together that whole trip) ... watching it with our 15-month-old son after the baby survived open-heart surgery at 5 months old ...

Sniff. I'm going to be a mess in April. But a happy mess.

My kids and DH repeatedly make fun of me because everything Disney makes me cry...sad, but true.

My smart Alec DH imported all of our plans for April into our awesome spreadsheet, and felt the need to put next to each fireworks show "Watch Mommy Cry"

I cry on Magical Express. It is really a problem.

 

[Jen12573]

My kids and DH repeatedly make fun of me because everything Disney makes me cry...sad, but true.

My smart Alec DH imported all of our plans for April into our awesome spreadsheet, and felt the need to put next to each fireworks show "Watch Mommy Cry"

I cry on Magical Express. It is really a problem.

I cry on Magical Express too! I cry when I see other people on TV or FB going to WDW. I cry anytime I hear "Good Life" on the radio. I'm such a sap!!

 

[awfullybigadventure]

I cry on Magical Express too! I cry when I see other people on TV or FB going to WDW. I cry anytime I hear "Good Life" on the radio. I'm such a sap!!

This is exactly me! I used to cry when I saw the commercials thinking we would never be able to go back, now I cry because I can't believe we are going! I think we are all a bunch of saps!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

You are so not alone! I cry watching Disney commercials, the planning DVD, youtube videos, etc..... I'm such a sap!

 

[TxYates]

I feel a little silly, but if anyone understand, you folks will.

Anyone else get teared up with Disney planning stuff sometimes? It's meant a lot to us over the years (see PTR) and it's been a long time since our last trip. In fact, I'd almost given up hope we'd ever get back.

I was curled up on the couch this morning with my younger son (who has never been to WDW). We were the only two in the house awake and he asked to watch the Disney planning DVD. A few minutes in, he squirmed around and looked up at me and asked suspiciously, "Are you crying again, Mommy?"

Well, yes, a little. The video clips of kids running around the parks at the beginning get me. I can't wait until it's my two.

Then I was doing some work on the computer in our home office and put the "Illuminations" soundtrack on as background music. Big mistake.

The "We Go On" music makes me think of a lot of things ... visiting the park with my parents during the surprise trip my dad planned for my mom after her mom (my grandma) died when I was 16 ... watching it with my husband on our honeymoon ... watching it with our parents the last night of the trip when my MIL had a heart attack (this was literally the only thing we were all able to do together that whole trip) ... watching it with our 15-month-old son after the baby survived open-heart surgery at 5 months old ...

Sniff. I'm going to be a mess in April. But a happy mess.

Yes, we watch the planning DVD and I tear up because I know how excited my DD wil be and the fact I can share that with her. I'll be crying the whole trip.

 

[TxYates]

Heads up


The Magic Kingdom's Mad Tea Party is once again back on the refurbishment schedule. It is set to close on April 10 2013 with a reopening on May 22 2013.

NO TEA CUPS????? WTH???? That is Disney!