What Do You Have Planned for 2009?

[pilferk]

That's exactly what we figured out after talking with the Disney planners. We're doing our own thing for our 20th Anniversary celebration!
I'm sure your wife will be thrilled! Congrats!

Nice to hear that others find the same, sometimes.

Now, I'm not saying there weren't some great options. There were! But I had/have a very specific vision of what I want. Some of their package additions I don't need (for example, transportation and, well...we're DVC members so a minimum room booking for me is just a means to an end..all but 2 of the rooms would have gone unused). They wouldn't allow any "tradeoffs" on those elements. Some of the things I know Disney does, but they can't add as part of the wedding package. And some things they simply can't do, period, but I can approximate in our private space without any problem (and without Disney caring one bit...).

If my "vision" in any way matched up with their offerings, I'd jump at them in a second. They have a LOT of cool options....that's for sure...but they just couldn't accomdate us. I talked to the wedding planner, and explained my thought process, what I wanted, and after going over all the options, explained I thought I could get closer to what I wanted on my own. The planner actually LISTENED to me, to their credit, and agreed...even gave me some of the numbers I'd need to make contact to get some of the stuff done and made some cool suggestions I hadn't thought of.

It's going to make it a LOT more work for me, obviously....but I think it will be worth it in the end. And, at least at initial price out, it's going to be markedly less expensive. Seemingly worth my time on the LOW end of savings, remarkably worth my time if on the high end.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

We'll be going Sept 17th - 26th, 2009. It will encompass my son's 5th birthday (20th), my daughters 3rd birthday (technically the 27th..we'll celebrate early) and DW and my 10th wedding anniversary (23rd).

As part of the 10th anniversary, I'm putting together a surprise vow renewal.

Gonna be a BIG trip.

Hope all goes perfectly.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

So far....

March - extended family trip, 10 of us, VWL's for first part, SSR GV for second, will be our niece's first trip
October - annual Food and Wine trip just the two of us, this is the year for our AP's so I don't want them to go to waste!

Maybe....
end of January - for 2008 we did a quick trip during the high school exam break, so far haven't planned anything but may try to arrange in Dec as a surprise. Last year we found availability so this year will depend on that and airfare. I assumed 2008 was a 'on-off' but heard my DH talking to someone about it last week so maybe he is thinking the same as me !

 

[loveswdw]

As of right now, we have a 1BR OKW March 15-20, 2009 for spring training. Other than that, no plans. Contemplating a short June trip for SWW, but that's not at all definite. No reservations made for that. And who knows if we'll go back in October next year.

 

[Starr W.]

Thanks everyone. It's shaping up to be a fun one. What's even MORE amusing is my wife is working to plan a birthday party for the kids while we're there.....and has no clue that I'm doing some planning of my own.

There WILL be a TR....though probably not a "pre-TR". My wife knows I post here, and while I double doubt she'll stumble across the surprise...I'm going to keep as many details as possible "close to the vest" as I can. Just in case.

I will say this: I talked to Disney's wedding planners...and they were just completely unable to do what I really wanted done...even if I offered them a premium price point. They offered other options but...they weren't as appealing as what I could put together on my own...but that's maybe a tale left untold, for now.

Suffice to say: Disney will never know what's going on, as I'll just arrange all the pieces seperately, on my own, but we'll get 90% of what I set out to do (because they DO all of it..just not necessarily as part of a wedding package)...and the other 10% will just be a little more private (it was always going to be pretty intimate....about 10 people, including our 3 kids) than I had originally envisioned. AND it'll be at least a thousand (and maybe a couple thousand) bucks cheaper than the less than optimal options I got from the wedding planners.

Wish me luck. If I manage to pull this off, it's gonna be a DOOZY.

I've looked at the DFTW stuff(though I won't bother calling for another 6 yrs as we want to do our 20th). From my talking to some of the gals who post on the wedding board, some of the planners are not very "imaginative" with locations for ceremonies or receptions. You really have to push to get them to come out with all the options as they like to "stick to the book".

DH saw where one of the girls had her ceremony at Epcot in the morning. He thinks that would be way cool. But you need to pony up at the min. $10,000 for a Wishes package. Didn't spend that on the first(though came pretty close with our honeymoon though).

 

[MaleficentFan]

I am heading "home" for the first time with dd and my parents in May 2009 (Memorial Day weekend). DH will be down at WDW chaperoning the senior class trip. We have him listed as one of the room occupants though... that way he can get a key and use the pool away from the nutty seniors! Plus it's our first stay at AKV, he didn't want to miss out!

We are waiting to book for December 2009... mom and I are all set to take a day off from work and be on the phone first thing in the morning so we can get it booked. DH, dd and I are going with my parents (also DVC members) and are taking DH's whole family (both parents, three siblings, a husband and a child). So we're hoping to get a GV and a 2 bedroom. We're keeping our fingers crossed though because we know it's a popular time!

 

[moredisneyplease]

As of now here are my Disney vacations:

Spring: hopefully a solo trip for about 4 days to BC, AKL, or VWL (resorts I've never stayed at

Sept: 6 days in AKL and 5 days at VB

Thats it as of now!

 

[Tracy0729]

My plans OKW December 6-11 2008 2 Bedroom with family. Then just got for Feb 14-20 2009 AKV 1 Bedroom Villa for winter Break. Then in October of 2009 not sure of the dates another extended family trip.

 

[athenna]

Just one trip For the 2nd year in a row New job, no vacation time
But it will be worth it, my good friend from Germany who has never been to the States at all, let alone WDW, is coming to stay with me for a day or 2 ion Boston, then we're headed to WDW for 8 days

 

[airman]

The franchise that I own a business with is having it's national meeting at CSR next Feb. I will be staying 5 nights at CSR then DW & DD are meeting me for a 5 night stay at VWL. I think it will be a great trip, one problem though is the national meeting is very busy and only have one night out to go to the park or some of the DTD or Boarwalk clubs. Knowing that I am close to the parks and I can't go for 4 days will be tough.

We are also planning on a trip to London & Paris next summer. We used to live in England when we were first married and want to go back and we promised DD we would take her to Europe. We plan on finishing the trip at Paris Disneyland.

After that I think we will be tapped out for a while.

 

[GILL-WDW]

At this time we are planning....

June 18 - 21 3 Night Cruise (Booked!!)
June 21 - 26 VWL or BCV (can't book until 7 month window)
June 26 - 30 Vero Beach (can't book until 7 month window)


We have never tried Vero... I just hope we can get in at the 7 month window.

We are trying something new this year with only doing one trip to save on the airfare from Ohio.

 

[tjhsr]

VB for a couple of nights then off to SSR for 8 nights in May. SSR for 10 nights in Oct. F&W. We have been going to ESPN the Weekend the last 2 yrs but have to skip it this year. We are expecting not just one but our first 3 grandchildren in Feb. DS is having twins and
DD is having is having her 1st I'm thinking i will need more pts.

 

[starbox]

We have April (Spring Break) booked at AKV. I've also given a honeymoon to friends for March @ AKV.

Right now, I've got a back-up ressie for the first of June at SSR - but I'm hoping to change the June trip to split trip AKV/VB/BCV.

I'm also going to try to get a sometime mid-late July trip at either VB or HHI. My dates are super flexible, so I have not bothered with an 11-month back-up ressie.

And although it's blasphemous - Right now, I'm planning to do at least a weekend at Gloria Estefan's new 5 star Vero Beach resort before moving to DVC - it's cheaper than paying member's cash and looks soooooooooooooooooo tempting.

(Actually, I'm trying to convince DH to take just me for our December anniversary ........I've got my eye on the special that includes a pitcher of Mojitos at check-in and breakfast................)

 

[Anal Annie]

We had to choose between a long ski weekend in January or WDW. Since we did WDW last January we went for the ski trip this year as we can drive (flying is so expensive now) and it lets us save our points for summer. So, speaking of summer...nothing booked yet as it's too early and we haven't settled on an exact date (or place) but am planning on an extended family trip for mid-late August next summer for my parents 50th anniversary...not sure if we'll do WDW or try for VB...after this past week or two not sure if late Aug. at VB might be too much of a hurricane threat?!

 

[Grandbuddy]

Second annual trip with a single grandchild. We took Jack this year, in April, just before he turned 4. In 09, we'll be taking Spencer to SSR from 5/31 through 6/5, getting him back home to Nashville in time to celebrate his 5th birthday with his family on the 8th.

In late December, I will be on the phone trying to book a grand villa for a trip with the whole family, just after Thanksgiving.

 

[horselover]

We just booked DCL 3 night cruise for Dec. 3-6 '09. We plan to add 4 nights at the end for our 1st trip home to AKV. I've always wanted to go at Christmas to see the decorations. I can't wait!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I've got my eye on the special that includes a pitcher of Mojitos at check-in and breakfast................)

Had to look up what Mojitos are... I'm not a real rum guy, but that could probably work for me. Mary Beth loves Gloria Estefan. Not sure I should tell her about the resort

 

[DisDaydreamer]

(flying is so expensive now)

And not very much fun anymore!

not sure if late Aug. at VB might be too much of a hurricane threat?!

Sure seems like late August & Sept have become higher risk than use to be.

 

[plymouthmom]

We are heading down for our first DVC trip in Jan. Had 6 nights booked at OKW in March but airfare was WAY TO HIGH!

So....now we have cheap airfare, and 7 nights at SSR in January instead. Looking forward to a nice quiet probably cooler than end of March trip!

 

[janni518]

We have SSR booked 4/9-4/17 for the dreaded Spring Break!

Will be using TGM and being very flexible. We aren't really park warriors so I think we'll be okay. It helps knowing that we will be going back regularly now that we are DVC members.

My husband says I should ignore all the naysayers and just take it as it comes and I think that's probably good advice.

Last week of July '09 We will also being doing our annual (34 years and counting) trip to Saratoga Springs NY, for the family reunion camping trip!!