Planning a trip for 2012...need help!

[Heidi P]

We took our first trip to Disney in September 2007 and had a blast. We're looking to plan a return trip in 2012 but I'm struggling with when to go!!

We definitely want it to be warm bordering on hot, as we all enjoy swimming. That rules out Jan/Feb and Nov/Dec as far as I'm concerned.

Easter next year is on April 8th. Do you think the crowd levels will be high if we look at the end of April? Are the March crowds really insane? I'd really love to have an escape from Pennsylvania winter and it would be nice to have a trip to look forward to a few months after Christmas. I think this time of year will be my first choice if the crowd levels aren't too crazy.

Sept/Oct would be our next option, but I feel like the fall is already so busy with getting the kids back to school, etc... and I'd love to try another time of year IF it seems like the prices will be decent. It was nice having free dining the last time, though...

We have 3 kids...as of 2012 they will be 7, 7 and 10. I really don't love the idea of all 5 of us squeezing into one room with a trundle bed. Last time, we got 2connecting rooms Coronado Springs and that seemed to work well. Any other suggestions??? I'd LOVE to get a 2bdrm villa at the Boardwalk but I think it's just too $$$.

How does anyone manage to book a trip? I feel like I go back and forth on when to go and where to stay ALL the time. The next trip is at least a year away and I'm already fretting over it!!! LOL

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would say March would be a good time to go. But remember with Easter being April 8 not all schools/colleges take Easter break at the same time so you could see spring break crowds starting as early as mid March.

If you go Sept/Oct that will be during food and wine at Epcot and it can be rather crowded. Not to mention very HOT. Take it from someone who has been there twice recently during that time period. Plus room rates will be higher.

For a family of 5 I would recommend staying at the All Star Music in a Family Suite. The 520-square-foot Family Suites are located in the Jazz Inn and Calypso buildings at All Star Music
Here is a link with more info just scroll down to the heading titled Family Suite Calypso room 506
http://allears.net/acc/g_asmu.htm

If you want to stay in a deluxe resort I would suggest renting points from a DVC member. See the DVC thread for points for rent. I am a DVC member and it the past when we don't have enough points to complete a trip we have rented from a DVC member with no problems. You can also find deluxe resorts for sale on EBAY that is how we first were introduced to DVC. We bought a room that was for rent on Ebay and after our first DVC stay we became members.

I think you need to first decide when to go based upon what type of vacation experience you want. Be it a pleasent layed back trip or a hot, bustling trip. Now that you have almost a year I would start saving. We have a Disney milk jug that we contribute spare change to. Then when it gets close we empty it, guess how much is it the jug, and spend an evening wrapping the coins. In fact we just empty our jug a few weeks ago and had $253. And there are only two of us in our family.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We took our first trip to Disney in September 2007 and had a blast. We're looking to plan a return trip in 2012 but I'm struggling with when to go!!

We definitely want it to be warm bordering on hot, as we all enjoy swimming. That rules out Jan/Feb and Nov/Dec as far as I'm concerned.

Easter next year is on April 8th. Do you think the crowd levels will be high if we look at the end of April? Are the March crowds really insane? I'd really love to have an escape from Pennsylvania winter and it would be nice to have a trip to look forward to a few months after Christmas. I think this time of year will be my first choice if the crowd levels aren't too crazy.

Sept/Oct would be our next option, but I feel like the fall is already so busy with getting the kids back to school, etc... and I'd love to try another time of year IF it seems like the prices will be decent. It was nice having free dining the last time, though...

We have 3 kids...as of 2012 they will be 7, 7 and 10. I really don't love the idea of all 5 of us squeezing into one room with a trundle bed. Last time, we got 2connecting rooms Coronado Springs and that seemed to work well. Any other suggestions??? I'd LOVE to get a 2bdrm villa at the Boardwalk but I think it's just too $$$.

How does anyone manage to book a trip? I feel like I go back and forth on when to go and where to stay ALL the time. The next trip is at least a year away and I'm already fretting over it!!! LOL

We've done plenty of trips to WDW, 44 to be exact and at many different times of the year....thru the years we've ruled out alot of months...most recently week after Thanksgiving, first week in December..plus the January/February times too. It's just too cold then and weather wise too iffy. We want and enjoy the hot weather and it's why we leave the north to go to Florida. We've done most of our trips in the August, September, October time periods....always value season....headed back this year September 7th....value season, cheapest rack rates and have a pin.....so we're in. We enjoy the pool too much at the resort and those fall times are not that bad crowd wise....anytime anymore it's gotten more crowded but September seems to be alot less than the other months....

I'll take a little crowded over cold weather any time....lounging at the pool, cooler full of beverages....boat ride to the MK (we're biased with the WL and spend more time in the MK) back and forth throughout the day totake a dip, cool off and relax, makes our vacation.....we stay away from any kind of school breaks and holidays and September early October are just right for us...

As for resort...we're willing to pay for the location....like the lakes, seems cleaner and fresher with the breeze blowing over the water and since the MK is our go to park....dollar wise...WL suits the bill...a deluxe in the MK area, under one roof and greatly themed....over 10 stays there and never any problems.....hope you find your time slot that works for you...I'm not one to wear a coat in WDW....

 

[Metro West]

 

[BMC423]

I've been there in March twice and as far as the crowds go... everyone's spring break is different so sometimes you get a really busy week and sometimes not... during Mardi Gras its BUSY! When it comes to weather March is not always very warm... on my last trip we wore jackets almost everyday and it was only warm enough for the pool on one day. HTH

 

[McKclanof6]

We usually go in April (kids school vacation), and the weather is usually beautiful. We are from NH so I understand wanting some nice weather. It gives us something to look forward to all winter long and we know when we return home good weather is right around the corner. It is busy but I think its worth it. I would be disappointed if I went to Florida and it were cold( that is why we never go during Feburary and the summer months would be to hot for me). The flower and garden show is in April as well and that is beautiful. I would look into renting DVC points, you would have a full kitchen, your own washer & dryer plus lots of room.

 

[Heidi P]

Thank you!! I'm hoping that the crowds might not be too severe if we go a few weeks after Easter. I don't want to wait until May but I will if we need to. I think we've narrowed it down to April/May or October.

Are there instructions somewhere on how to rent DVC points? Is it a risky thing to do? I don't know anything about it, but I would LOVE to rent a 2 bdrm villa at the BW if at all possible.

 

[Aliceacc]

Another consideration: take a look at the calendar.

We go in August; we're both teachers, so the vacations are non-negotiable. Value Season II starts sometime in mid to late July, so the prices come down a bit. Throw in the AAA discount (and pray for a PIN or other promo) and suddenly you're paying a bit less for that value resort.

Like Pepe, we're willing to pay for the right resort. I've really agonized over this for the upcoming trip-- at various times in the past 2 months, I've decided on the Dolphin (teacher discount), the Contemporary, and played with the idea of the family suites at All Star Music. I've come to realize that these vacations are important enough to us that I want us to be at a resort we'll love. That's not a priority with everyone, but it is with us. I want the convenience of a great location, and a pool that the kids will reminisce about afterwards.

WL got amazing reviews from my Assistant Principal, but their basic rooms won't sleep 5. The Contemporary is the least expensive of the Deluxes that will sleep 5 (and you can WALK to the MK. More important, you can WALK home at the end of a long day.) I was SET on that until one of my daughter's friends raved about her stay at the Beach Club. I took a look, and I'm hooked. (That same daughter is still raving about the fact that "the pool has a MAP!!!") We've had 2 amazing stays at the Poly, but those extra few hundred dollars are making me hesitate. And we're ready to see the advantage to being next door to Epcot instead of the MK.

We'll economize in lots of ways over the next 16 months. We'll give Disney gift cards for every occasion, from Easter to Mother's Day to birthdays to Christmas. But I can't wait to go to the Beach Club, and I think that's how it should be.

 

[BBG-BLT]

Think about renting points from the DVC section of these boards. You can get a 1 BR for a fraction of the price. I love BLT (own there) and it's a great location for MK & I agree with OP BCV is great location for Epcot and the kids love the pool.

A few weeks after Easter should be great - October is also a favorate time for us but the kids can't get out of school anymore (in private school now and they won't let them out ). So now we're stuck with the masses. Trying the last week of August this year and praying for no bad weather.

I hear anytime in May is great as well.


Good luck