Well we are changing... again...

[Rland8228]

We were coming down the last week in April but my son has state testing that week so, I was going to book for May 14-21 but decided I would wait until the last week in August. Now DH wants me to push it back to the last week in September and I want to book it to the week in May because I am inpatient and want to go.... The only thing that is making me hold out for September are all of the new things coming like Soarin and Frozen and possibly the third track for toy story mania.

The one thing that we have agreed on is we are completely priced out of a hotel room now. I just got on today to see what the last week in September would be and that would cost us almost 3300.00 for room and park hopper tickets. Which is something I am actually thinking about getting rid of. He tried to argue with me about the gas prices and towing. But I cant see it being 700.00 difference. Maybe I am wrong.

Any advice that anyone wants to throw my way would be great lol

 

[tiggerdad]

I stopped using Park Hopper 2 trips ago. Just wasted money for us and our way of doing things.

If you push back to September then the Halloween activities start to pick up along with the decorations and add a theme that I think is the best one Disney sets up. Weather wise you are still hot.

However, the crowd calendars say that last week in September should be better than your current goal of May (depending on the calendar you look at of course) which would be a big plus as far as I am concerned.

Rland, how far are you towing? I've driven and towed from Mississippi. The cost doubled when I towed (both changing from gas to diesel and the extra diesel used due to pulling the camper). However, right now fuel prices are lower than they have been in a while but not sure what they will be in June or September. Projections are that it will hold relatively steady, but again, this depends on which source you are going with.

We usually save our greatest amount on the food. This last trip I think we did maybe two quick service meals and everything else was ours. It saved us greatly not eating in the parks. Now, we did have two meals at Trail's End but I can't turn that down, it's the best food on property.

 

[Rland8228]

Well we are towing from West Chester, PA it pretty much 2000 miles round trip. I talked with someone who use to tow overweight with a tundra and she said she got 8 miles to the gallon. We have a 2014 Dodge Ram tradesman 1500 5.7L 4WD with the towing package and our trailer is about 4200 empty.

My biggest concern is I would like to go at a slow time especially with our middle child who will be 4 in June. He has autism and I would just really like for it to be as calm and not over stimulating as possible. He is high functioning but he still has his moments. Plus the baby will be one and the oldest almost 9 so this is a whole new ball game lol.

We have never really taken our time and slowed down to really enjoy this vacation. We have always gotten up and run around like crazy people and I would really just like to slow down this year and take our time. That is why I thought about getting rid of park hoppers this trip. I feel with the two kids its just going to be to difficult. As far as food,I would like to do a couple of character meals for Aaron( DS3) as he likes Winnie the pooh. We also like the Wilderness lodge restaurant . So that will really be our only two sit downs and maybe a couple of quick service snack or meals to share. But the rest will be eating at the camper.

 

[tiggerdad]

September may be your best bet with the crowds then to cut back on the stimulation.

I agree on the slow down. Our trip this past October we had 3 down days where we didn't go to any parks and just stayed around the Fort. It made the trip much more enjoyable and our best so far.

We dropped the park hopper for several reasons, but biggest was the fact that you lose time between parks. You lose time getting out of a park, waiting on a bus, riding bus, getting from bus to check-in at new park, etc. We found we just settle on a park for the day and either go early and leave mid afternoon, or go later like around noon and stay until closing (usually on those days we pick the EMH park staying open later).

Our next trip we will add on the water parks for the first time, thus dropping at least one of the other parks if not two as we are also looking at taking a day off site to to to Legoland and/or Seaworld.

 

[parrothead64]

I drove down from NJ this past November and total gas was about $450 round trip. We tow a 5000LB trailer with a Yukon XL.
Avg went between 10-12 MPG with cruise control set at 65.
Also, park hoppers are kind of a waste, especially with kids that age. as said above you lose time and you will lose more with the stroller. Take your time and enjoy a park a day, that's what we did and have fun.

 

[bama_ed]

Mid-august to end of September has had a seasonal room discount offered the last 2 yrs. Has been announced around May each time. Might be worth waiting to see if one comes out this year. It has included the Fort campsites as well.

Bama Ed

 

[Rland8228]

September may be your best bet with the crowds then to cut back on the stimulation.

I agree on the slow down. Our trip this past October we had 3 down days where we didn't go to any parks and just stayed around the Fort. It made the trip much more enjoyable and our best so far.

We dropped the park hopper for several reasons, but biggest was the fact that you lose time between parks. You lose time getting out of a park, waiting on a bus, riding bus, getting from bus to check-in at new park, etc. We found we just settle on a park for the day and either go early and leave mid afternoon, or go later like around noon and stay until closing (usually on those days we pick the EMH park staying open later).

Our next trip we will add on the water parks for the first time, thus dropping at least one of the other parks if not two as we are also looking at taking a day off site to to to Legoland and/or Seaworld.

We did agree to drop the park hoppers, its just to much. We will just pick a park and stick with it that day. If we have to take a break we can still go back correct?

Yeah im trying to still convince myself that September is the best. I do love the Halloween decorations. But me being the inpatient person I am is dying to go down... We have waited for this for forever. DS 9 is begging me to bump it up as well lol. I literally made a list last night and said the only thing Im holding out for is the new frozen ride and Soarin to open up.


I got on last night and saw that we could get a room for less than that of the campsites in May but I feel like I will be kicking myself if I do that. Our entire reaosn behind the camper was for the Fort!

I also didn't even think about possibly doing Legoland...thats a good idea! I hate deciding!!!! lol

 

[mstephen87]

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[mstephen87]

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[peg110]

We did agree to drop the park hoppers

We have always found that even in the parks that are a "Half" day park, the rest of the day can easily be spent doing "Fort" things or DTD (aka Disney Springs) or just other stuff in the area. Plus by the time you get out of one park and into the other.... we would be either too exhausted to do much and it really wouldn't be worth it.

This trip down we are looking at getting the AP, so the Hopper is essentially part of it, so maybe it will be an opportunity to test that theory (above) but to date, we have never gotten the hopper and haven't missed out on anything we wanted to do as a result of it.

 

[mich1073]

We hop alot. But we are AP holders and it can tire you out. But sometimes when its dead enough its fun to do. Grab some drinks and walk the world at Epcot starting at Mexico and then grab a boat to HS and do Star Wars and Aerosmith

 

[Rland8228]

We hop alot. But we are AP holders and it can tire you out. But sometimes when its dead enough its fun to do. Grab some drinks and walk the world at Epcot starting at Mexico and then grab a boat to HS and do Star Wars and Aerosmith

Yeah DH is thinking because we backed it up to September and it is a slow time that maybe we will just keep the park hoppers. If we were going in May then we were just going to focus on one park per day with larger crowds.

I am still having a really tough time trying to convince myself that not going in May is the best option. But that is just my "I wanna go now" side talking lol.

 

[mich1073]

You can always add the hopper there for no more than what it would cost you. Its what my MIL did with hers, so that way you do pay the extra money unless you feel the need to park hop. You are staying quite a few days, so thats what I would do.

You just have to go to a guest relations and upgrade.

 

[peg110]

I am still having a really tough time trying to convince myself that not going in May is the best option. But that is just my "I wanna go now" side talking lol.

I am guessing that there is not a lot of difference between May and September. Mostly because of normal school schedules. May is the "End" of the school years where finals and projects are due, so most parents don't want to disrupt that process by taking their kids out on vacation. September is typically the "Beginning" of the school year and most parents don't want to pull their kids out just as they are getting used to the new grade, teachers and polices. This will generally equate to lower crowds. (Okay except for maybe right around labor day). Plus I am guessing the weather is probably comparable for both time frames.

I don't think you are any better or worse off other than you have a few more months to wait now.

Either way, I am sure you will have an awesome time when you do get there.

 

[Rland8228]

I am guessing that there is not a lot of difference between May and September. Mostly because of normal school schedules. May is the "End" of the school years where finals and projects are due, so most parents don't want to disrupt that process by taking their kids out on vacation. September is typically the "Beginning" of the school year and most parents don't want to pull their kids out just as they are getting used to the new grade, teachers and polices. This will generally equate to lower crowds. (Okay except for maybe right around labor day). Plus I am guessing the weather is probably comparable for both time frames.

I don't think you are any better or worse off other than you have a few more months to wait now.

Either way, I am sure you will have an awesome time when you do get there.

Thats my problem lol.....I dont want to wait. I know that deep down September will be much slower. DS will be in fourth grade this year and has had some struggling with reading. With third grade this year they really are not doing much at the end of the year. My issues is money really, I would have more time to save for September, and more rides such as frozen and soarin will be open. May is just more of the right now we get to go phase.

 

[peg110]

May is just more of the right now we get to go phase.

I hear you there. August won't come soon enough for us. I know it will be hot, but I don't care.

DW and I were there in August 2010 for an "Extended Weekend" trip and it was sweltering. Even Locals called it "Unseasonably Hot/Humid", but we still loved it.

Since we just got a new TT DW wants to get a few smaller trips (locally) in to get any issues "Shaken out". I love camping. I love camping at the Fort a lot more. If I thought I could swing it, I'd have another (earlier) trip in May too!