So how do you plan your Disney trips

[Dina]

So, after the last trip, I was planning next year's trip, and we were also discussing our dvc points, and DH and I have been discussing what type of trips we want to plan for the future. I'm a bit of an ocd Disney planner--- I love a week in Disney every year, same time of year. We just did 8 nights, which we always do. We went in October only because my new job prevented us from going in Summer, but usually we go some time between June through August. HE really does not feel that he wants to do 8 nights in Disney any more. He likes a long vacation at the beach (my parents live at the beach in Delaware so we usually do that for 10 days in the summer), but Disney he said he'd rather go for shorter trips, but maybe more frequently (although he says that depends on whether or not we get good airfare). Our kids are older now, and we get to the park, and we know what we want to do, and honestly it doesn't take us long to do our must dos,a nd then we just enjoy the park. My husband thinks that instead of taking one long trip every year (during the summer), we should plan shorter trips, when we have time. If ssee they have a day off... do a long weekend etc. Maybe go a little more often then once a year some years, and not other years etc. He said he'd like to go different times of year. Wondering how others plan their disney trips. Do you have a certain time or week that you go, or do you go for short trips, or long trips. Do you go every year or every other? Just curious, if you feel like sharing.

 

[com_op_2000]

Wow are you opening a lot of areas.
This all comes down to how you like to travel, when you want to travel, and of course your $$$.
DW and I want to go at least once a month for 2 - 5 nights. The most we have been able to get so far is nine trips in one year. What we do is depending on if it is just us, family/friends coming along, or mixed up trips where different people come on different days.
We have multiple trips that we never set foot in a park. We find that doing things outside the parks are more enjoyable for just the two of us. Taking the DGS(2) and enjoying the resorts pools is great. We enjoy the parks special events (F&G, F&W, Holiday Decorations) are very enjoyable times to walk around and soak up the enviroment of the park.

 

[RDawn]

My dream is to visit different times of the year. So far, budgeting, work & school schedules have not cooperated, but I can still dream! I have been there in summer & in April. Loved April visit because crowds were not bad & saw Flower & Garden Festival. My son wants to go for Star Wars Weekend and I would LOVE to be there for MNSSHP.

 

[rowlands57]

I go a few times a year now that my children are older and we can avoid the peak times. Usually we make it down for F&W and then another break in the dead of the NY winter. Then we watch for flights on JetBlue and will grab a 4 day weekend if time permits. Sometimes I'll get a 2 BR and invite friends for F&W so that uses up points. I guess we are just playing it by ear sometimes and do 11 months at the BCV for the trips that are well planned out.

 

[DizBub]

We've been going for a long time......our first trip was in 1975 and we started camping at Fort Wilderness. We haven't camped since the 1985.

We only went in the winter months, late Jan, Feb or March. Not much pool time. Then the kids got older and couln't miss so much school and we went at spring break in April. Discovered early May, low crowds and lovely weather. Free Dining caused us to start going in Sept. Occasionally we would make 2 trips per year. Since we live in IL and always drive our trips are at least a week. Our last trip was 11 nights.

We bought DVC a little over 4 years ago, now we go 3 to 4 times per year. Always in Sept or Oct and May and mix it up and go in the winter a couple of times. Just never in the summer months....late September and early October are still too hot but that's when we go with family.

Travel habits change over time. Have fun planning!

 

[DVC Mike]

We book 4 weeks every year at Disney.

Usually the same times - early March, early May, late October and early December.

 

[DreamerWDW]

We book 4 weeks every year at Disney.

Usually the same times - early March, early May, late October and early December.

That sounds absolutely fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We go once or twice a year as a family and then I've had adult only trips as well. We usually go during Spring break, during summer, or over Christmas break because my kids are still in school. The trips with my kids are usually 1-2+ weeks. For the adult only, I've gone every month of the year now and they are shorter 3-5 day trips usually.

I love planning the trips and my DVC points and experiencing all the resorts and different times of the year!!!

 

[graueMaus]

I would suggest using those point at either Hilton Head or Vero Beach. Or you can do a split stay between one of these and WDW to get magic of the two. Hilton Head is fantastic in October (or off season) and lots to see and do other than the beach. We haven't been to Vero yet, but I understand there is pretty much just the beach completely different than HHI. We only do WDW every other year usually and Hilton Head is awesome.

If your points qualify you could also check out going to Lake George with the COncierge collection (I think)

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Mine follows the school calendar!

Ist week of June (after school let's out)
2 Days in early August before school starts.
2 Teacher Planning Days in Mid October which luckily fall during F&W
2 Days before Thanksgiving
2 Days+/- around mid Feb, another teacher thing

When my son heads off to college, we'll formulate a different planning strategy!

 

[CaskPeg]

It depends totally on your ability to book and go using the 11/7 windows for reservations. Owned since 1993 and have been to a lot of places based on the planning of my husband, Caskbill.

We did HHI, Vero, WDW at all of the DVC locations, did GC on a DL trip, stayed at some of the Hotels out there besides for the experience, also went to Disneyland in Paris and in Tokyo. Each has its own sense of "Home"...so its hard to judge. HHI is gorgeous however you have to be able to work the reservation system to get into those resorts...not your home resort. Also have stayed at Tree House Villas and been aboard the Magic, Wonder, and Fantasy( this past May) in the Disney fleet.

I guess if you want to make a "wish list" you need to book a primary location with a possible "wait list" location if the first doesn't come through if traveling by plane is required. I have loved each experience at Disney locations...and I am hoping to get a reservation in January for December 2014 for a Grand Villa for a large family gathering. Good luck in all you "adventures"!

 

[LindaBabe]

I'd go every couple months if I could, and some years it has worked out that I have, either alone, with spouse, or girlfriends. We like to go SOMEwhere (ANY where!) at least every couple 3 months. This year I went to WDW in January while dh went skiing. We moved to Georgia on Easter. Went to WDW and cruised the PC and did Vegas in May, moved into house in June, Florida for a long weekend in August, cruised DCL(on a whim) in September, going to Florida again for two weeks at Thanksgiving.

 

[rkold]

We've only just bought a DVC membership, but we've been going to WDW 2-3 times a year for the last few years. We usually go once in January, once in October, and once in early December. The October trip is usually around DD's birthday and the December trip is around mine. This year (and 2014 and 2015) we're starting to try to time a trip so I can run in one of the Disney races.

We tend to do shorter trips. We once stayed for 8 nights on purpose, and it just felt too long for us. We got sick of eating out and felt relieved to be leaving instead of a little sad. We tend to prefer 4-5 nights.

 

[JustTinking]

We usually plan a large trip, once every other year, with extended family members. Timing will depend on when they are able to go. Around those timeframes we plan trips just for the two of us, maybe F&W, or F&G, occasionally during the Nov - Dec holiday seasons to see the lights and decorations. September has always been our favorite month to travel, as the weather seems to be pleasant always.

 

[DougEMG]

Being on the west coast we like to plan for long trips, 3-4 weeks at a time, just because it is a hassle and expensive to get to WDW. We'll do shorter trips 10-12 days only if the school calendar restricts us. Last year did three trips for a total of 52 days. This up coming year have a 3 week trip booked for Sept and looking at doing about 10 days in Dec.

 

[DonnaL]

As another poster has said, travel habits/times can and do change over the years. We first began visiting WDW in either May or Sept when our kids were really young and school didn't matter.... as they got a bit older it became early October so we could take advantage of Columbus Day and only miss two or three days of school.....high school and college years became over New Years and into the first few days of the New Year. Now, it's only the two of us (most trips anyway) and we still favor early to mid January because I work at a college and I'm off the entire month of January between semesters, and DH currently has about 7 weeks vacation at his day job....however, he's retiring the end of year and will be teaching as adjunct faculty so we pretty much need to adhere to early January or summer...which both of us do not like...can't handle the extreme heat and the crowds. However, once we totally retire we plan to spend most of the month January and probably a three or four day trip during either the F & G Festival (most likely early May) or F & W Festival (probably mid October)

 

[magicaldisney]

We book 4 weeks every year at Disney.

Usually the same times - early March, early May, late October and early December.

I would LOVE this schedule. The most perfect times to visit. We have been druing those exact same times except for May. However, to do them all in one year would bankrupt us for airfare alone!!

 

[staceymay00]

We went to WDW for a week twice a year for a couple of years - usually once at Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, and once for spring break or in May right after school ended. That is now too much Disney for our family since time is more limited now that our kids have more activities, and there are other things we'd also like to do. I now prefer a week once a year or two shorter 4-5 night trips. We still go around the same times, always during school breaks. We avoid summer trips because it is too hot, and for the last few years we've had at least one child on a travel sports team during the summer so we don't have time for WDW over the summer.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Desnik]

When our kids were little we went 2, sometimes 3 times a year for mostly 5 night trips. Now that DD is in HS, we can't take as many trips especially during the school year. So it's holiday vacations or summer vacations for us for 7/8 nights once a year.

Last year we went for a week Xmas week. This year we did 8 days in Aug. Next year we will do a week Xmas week. We are also doing the Disney cruise in Jan and 2 nights at WDW. So, I think going forward we will alternate with Xmas week & a week in the summer. Once the kids are out of the house, I imagine shorter, more frequent trips.

 

[mikron]

We live 80 miles north of Disney and are DVC members and own an RV. I am self employed and when we want to go we take what ever is open between resorts or the fort. Only in America.