Planning a 2012 trip!

[Mom2kmta]

My husband and I always said when our youngest children were 5 we would take a trip to Disney. I was thinking April 2013 but my son has become completely obsessed with all things Mickey and when I say obsessed I'm not exaggerating! My husband and I talked it over and we decided to move the trip up a year. We're now deciding between February or April (3rd week in April) school vacation 2012. Any reason it pick one over the other? Does one time have better deals? This will be the first time I'll be planning the trip myself as apposed to having a travel agent do it for us and it will be our first time traveling with the kids (the furthest they've done is a weekend car trip). I'm so clueless and overwhelmed. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JohnnyB2]

Hi I would pick the 3rd week of April due to warmer weather.Feb I think might be a little cheaper and Spring Breaks start in the later part of the month.I think most of the Spring Breakers are back in school buy the 3rd week in April, but look out for when Easter is because it will bring crowds.Have fun planning

 

[Metro West]

 

[PrincessTiffany]

My husband and I always said when our youngest children were 5 we would take a trip to Disney. I was thinking April 2013 but my son has become completely obsessed with all things Mickey and when I say obsessed I'm not exaggerating! My husband and I talked it over and we decided to move the trip up a year. We're now deciding between February or April (3rd week in April) school vacation 2012. Any reason it pick one over the other? Does one time have better deals? This will be the first time I'll be planning the trip myself as apposed to having a travel agent do it for us and it will be our first time traveling with the kids (the furthest they've done is a weekend car trip). I'm so clueless and overwhelmed. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

April will be MUCH more crowded than February. But if you are planning on President's week then it will be very crowded too. The first time we went to Disney our kids were 2, 3, 4 and 7 and it was awesome. Are you a teacher? Is that why you are having to stick with school breaks?

If you are having to stick with school breaks, do you get a fall break? October will have lower crowds than mid-April or President's week in October.

As far as discounts, if there is a school holiday, the lower your chances are of getting a good discount and the resort prices are higher. The fall will have better discounts and lower resort prices.

 

[Rachandgarry]

Hiya

Just found the boards, and reading through I just noticed your post. We are in a slightly similar situation - we're planning a trip for April 2012, like you I was going to wait a couple more years, but my son has surprised me and just feels ready now. We went to Disneyland Paris last week, as a test, and he is *totally* ready for WDW, hehe.

Until I stopped work to have children, I was a travel agent and then branch manager at Thomas Cook then Going Places, so I know a reasonable amount about booking your trip if there is anything I can help with let me know. Folk on here seem sooooo knowledgable so I doubt there is anything that someone can't answer. (Where I'm struggling is that we're going with my in-laws, and my mother in law is very much the matriarch, so I'm finding it difficult to have any say at all in our arrangements!)

As much as school are going to kill us, we are taking our son out of school for this holiday, because I don't want to go when it is too crowded - and the flights are SO much more expensive in school holidays. Our son is autistic and has learning disabilities so the quieter it is, the better for us (without being too hot, or too rainy, etc etc).

Have fun planning!

Rachel

 

[Mom2kmta]

Thank you all so much! I'm trying to stick with school vacation just because I don't want my son to fall behind in school but now I'm thinking October may be a possibility. My two older kids will be in Kindergarten and 2nd grade so it shouldn't be too difficult for them to get caught up. Plus October 20th is my 10 year wedding anniversary and it would be nice to celebrate with a trip to Disney. We went in October of 2000 and the weather and crowds were great! I can already tell, you folks are going to be a bad influence on me...in the best possible way!

 

[Mom2kmta]

Hiya

Just found the boards, and reading through I just noticed your post. We are in a slightly similar situation - we're planning a trip for April 2012, like you I was going to wait a couple more years, but my son has surprised me and just feels ready now. We went to Disneyland Paris last week, as a test, and he is *totally* ready for WDW, hehe.

Until I stopped work to have children, I was a travel agent and then branch manager at Thomas Cook then Going Places, so I know a reasonable amount about booking your trip if there is anything I can help with let me know. Folk on here seem sooooo knowledgable so I doubt there is anything that someone can't answer. (Where I'm struggling is that we're going with my in-laws, and my mother in law is very much the matriarch, so I'm finding it difficult to have any say at all in our arrangements!)

As much as school are going to kill us, we are taking our son out of school for this holiday, because I don't want to go when it is too crowded - and the flights are SO much more expensive in school holidays. Our son is autistic and has learning disabilities so the quieter it is, the better for us (without being too hot, or too rainy, etc etc).

Have fun planning!

Rachel

Wow, I love my in-laws but I'm not sure we'd all survive an international trip together. Your very brave!
My youngest son has some learning disabilities too. He turned 3 in November but he's develop mentally about 24 months. I'm a bit worried about how he'll do at Disney. If I only had him it would be fine but with 3 other kids it can get a bit out of control. Although Mickey mouse seems to be the thing that calms him down so what could be more soothing then Disney right?