***The Official May 2017 Thread***

[MissMaryQC]

Family of 3 booked for April 28-May 5 @ AoA We are September people so pretty excited to see what this time of year brings, we've never been April/May. I'm reading some good things about crowd levels and the Flower and Garden Festival should be really cool to see. Just can't wait to be back at the World!

Omg! I just watched your 2015 trip video! Your family is so cute. And how beautiful is your DD!!!

 

[toyotaae86lg]

Omg! I just watched your 2015 trip video! Your family is so cute. And how beautiful is your DD!!!

Awwww! Thank you DD good looks all come from my wife while I patiently sit back with my shotgun and wait for dating season

 

[MissMaryQC]

Any May veterans in the group?

I thought the cheer summit was the last week in April, but it's actually the weekend we arrive; May 4-7 I believe.

How bad are the crowds cause of the summit? We arrive the 5th, but won't actually be in a park until the 7th, which is a Sunday. The plan is to get a PPO at CP, but now I'm concerned for crowds at MK that day.

Any advice is welcomed; this is our first May trip in a long time!

 

[tarablymurray]

I was worried about the same thing! We plan to go to MK that Sunday too and from what I read, they didn't feel the cheer summit would be an issue because a lot would be leaving that day. Then I looked into it and that Sunday is the actual finals so I've been thinking about all the scenarios. Maybe everyone has to be at the finals at the resort which would be great, or the people who didn't make it to finals will visit a park or maybe most decide to stay the week after and all parks will be busy. I guess we can't be certain but I don't think I plan to change my MK day. Hopefully more will have input on it.

 

[MissMaryQC]

I was worried about the same thing! We plan to go to MK that Sunday too and from what I read, they didn't feel the cheer summit would be an issue because a lot would be leaving that day. Then I looked into it and that Sunday is the actual finals so I've been thinking about all the scenarios. Maybe everyone has to be at the finals at the resort which would be great, or the people who didn't make it to finals will visit a park or maybe most decide to stay the week after and all parks will be busy. I guess we can't be certain but I don't think I plan to change my MK day. Hopefully more will have input on it.

I was reading that it's usually just the weekend that's busy. Most schools have break in March or April, so I'm hoping parents don't want their kids missing more school...?

 

[xlsm]

Hi everyone! I just "popped the question" to my MIL, and asked her to go to with me to WDW from 5/1 - 5/6. I picked this specifically for Flower and Garden, which I know she'll love. She said yes almost immediately, and I'm glad for the enthusiasm.
My first trip ever was during F&G, so this will bring back a lot of great memories for me. I also hope being in WDW keeps me from killing her, lol!!
I'll probably book officially this week sometime, right now planning to do AKL savanna view to give her the wow factor...she's never been to Disney before, and I think it will be the resort theme that will impress her the most.

I also plan to take my own mom next October, but she's been more hesitant to commit. We shall see!!
I'll be upgrading my tickets from our upcoming December trip to an AP, so hoping for some decent discounts, too

I look forward to planning with you!

 

[hsmamainva]

It's official!! We have booked!!!!

AOA Little Mermaid -- May 12-22

Anyone know when JetBlue releases flights for May 2017? Right now, it only goes through May 2nd?

 

[hsmamainva]

I answered my own question! Will post it here for anyone else interested:

JetBlue will release flights for dates through June 14th on September 25th at 12pm EST

 

[jennypooh90]

Hi all! We are booked 5/28-6/6 at Poly. First trip as DVC members! This will be our fourth trip but we've never gone at this time of the year!

 

[jsteener]

This is so exciting to find people as excited about planning as me! My husband thinks I am crazy! We are plannnig our first trip as DVC owners as well for May 3 -16. THe first half at Animal Kingdom Kidani Village, and the second half at BCV! Cannot wait! We have always stayed in Pop Century until our last trip Sept 2015, when we stayed at POR. We have never stayed deluxe, so I am so excited for the experience!

 

[MamaJessie]

Congrats on your DVC trips!

I am thinking more and more it could be May for us... It would be hard to not take advantage of fall free dining if it comes out - but I want to visit Flower & Garden and try something new. And we also want to try a resort we have never tried before - CBR. If there is a list of dates and resorts we are planning 4/30 - 5/6 - CBR.

How is the planning going? Only 7 months out makes me feel so late to the party! Everyone have their park days planned? ADRs planned?

 

[xlsm]

Officially booked as of right NOW!!

I checked my email and had a PIN code for 30% off...I booked savanna view at AKL, 4/30 - 5/6.

They marked on the reservation that it will be my mother-in-law's first trip, so she'll get her button So excited!!

 

[MissMaryQC]

How is the planning going? Only 7 months out makes me feel so late to the party! Everyone have their park days planned? ADRs planned?

Hi! You're not late at all, still plenty of time to plan!

We're working on a plan at my house, anxiously awaiting May operating hours before we nail stuff down for ADR Day.

How about you? How's your planning going?

 

[MamaJessie]

In my best Veruca Salt voice I am whining that 'I WAAANNNT A PINNNNNN'
But YAY! Exciting to have it booked!

 

[MamaJessie]

Hi! You're not late at all, still plenty of time to plan!

We're working on a plan at my house, anxiously awaiting May operating hours before we nail stuff down for ADR Day.

How about you? How's your planning going?

Well I am trying to use last year's May hours as a guideline and go from there. Planning 4 days but keeping plans open in case they have the fifth free day promo again this year (fingers crossed)

Touring plans will be pretty loose since we will have a 16 month old with us - so right now I am focusing on important things like ADR's

We want to repeat :
Ohana dinner
Akershus dinner (it has been awhile though so the 7 & 9 year old barely remember it)
Yak & Yeti dinner


And try for the first time
Crystal Palace
50's
Chef Mickey dinner (we went for breakfast in 2009 so for most of our party it is essentially the first time and we never tried dinner. I am not terribly optimistic about the food but am willing to give it a try for my youngest to see Mickey.

The alternates that keep going on the list and coming off are :
Mama Melrose F! package
Homecoming

I have a habit of making plans on the 180 day mark and then switching them all by the time the vaca rolls around so we will see

 

[MissMaryQC]

Planning 4 days but keeping plans open in case they have the fifth free day promo again this year (fingers crossed)

We're hoping for the same! Will probably just use it to park hop though; DH needs more rest days than our two year old so 4 park days is plenty!

Crystal Palace

Love CP! We're planning our first lunch there this trip.

Homecoming

This is an amazing place! My sister lives in Orlando so we visit fairly often. We went here just after they opened and we will certainly go again. The drinks, dinner and desserts were outstanding!

Happy planning!!

 

[hsmamainva]

Hi! You're not late at all, still plenty of time to plan!

We're working on a plan at my house, anxiously awaiting May operating hours before we nail stuff down for ADR Day.

How about you? How's your planning going?

Already planning out our ADRs!!! Can't wait until next month when we can book them!

Here's what we have planned so far:

Breakfasts at 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, Akershus, Hollywood & Vine, and Rainforest Cafe

Dinners at 1900 Park Fare, BOG, Rose & Crown, Mama Melrose (Fantasmic Package) & T-Rex

So happy we booked AOA!!! I can't stop thinking about it! It's our favorite resort (and we've stayed in several of them!)

 

[xlsm]

This is going to be such a different trip than what I'm used to planning. I'm used to planning several TS meals, but this is going to be a slow moving trip. The only meals I will be booking is a BOG dinner, Akershus breakfast, and Garden Grill dinner.

The reason behind those is that my mother-in-law wants to meet the Beast, Belle, and I mentioned that GG uses food from Living with the Land, and she was all about trying it.
Otherwise we'll wing it, choosing from the Flower and Garden booths, lounges, and things like that. She's more interested in wine than anything else, LOL!

She still hasn't decided if she's flying in with me, flying in on her own, or driving down. I'm flying no matter what she chooses to do, and a small part of me is hoping I end up on my own for a couple of days...we'll see. She tends to let things get into her head and convinces herself that everything is going to be terrible, and then gets weird and cranky. I realllllly hope the pixie dust is filling the air so she can take a deep breath of it and chill out!!

 

[MissMaryQC]

Already planning out our ADRs!!! Can't wait until next month when we can book them!

Here's what we have planned so far:

Breakfasts at 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, Akershus, Hollywood & Vine, and Rainforest Cafe

I'm secretly hoping for some pixie dust on the 2017 discounts so we can try Akershus breakfast. I've heard such great things!

Dinners at 1900 Park Fare, BOG, Rose & Crown, Mama Melrose (Fantasmic Package) & T-Rex

We're doing dinner at T-Rex too! Have you guys been before? I heard the ice room is freezing!

So happy we booked AOA!!! I can't stop thinking about it! It's our favorite resort (and we've stayed in several of them!)

We love AoA! When we go visit my sis in O-town we always stay there. That way even if we're not going to a park we are immersed in Disney!

I realllllly hope the pixie dust is filling the air so she can take a deep breath of it and chill out!!

Me too! I've not been to F&G since 2012, but there is plenty of wine for you MiL!

 

[MissMaryQC]

Any TAs in this group?

I'm looking for some insider info on May hours....