What would you do? Trip advise needed....

[trampslady]

So, I admit I'm a forward planner, and I'm looking for a 12-step program to help me with my affliction. Until I find the right one, I'm actively planning my 2006 trips. This is my dilemma--decision between weekend before and through Easter 2006 (at BCV) or weekend before and all the way through Memorial Day 2006 (at BCV). This trip is just for hubby and me. We've been at both times before, but for some reason, I can't decide this year.

Next problem....

Hilton Head and another WDW trip are on the agenda for fall/winter. Since starting our pilgrimage to WDW, my husband and I have never missed a Christmas celebration (not necessarily always on holiday, but decor up). So-----take the family to Hilton head in October and then hit WDW the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving and through the entire next week (again just hubby and me), or do Food and Wine Festival in October at WDW and take family to Hilton Head over Thanksgiving.

Things to consider:

point usage (Easter is so darn expensive!!)
foliage (possibilities for drive between Dallas and South Carolina)
the thought of missing the holiday decorations
the prospect of attending only our second food and wine festival.....

HELP!!!!!

 

[trampslady]

Anyone?

 

[Mary Anne]

If the Easter involves a weekend stay, I wouldn't do it. Those points can kill you. I've done it once and realized it just wasn't the best use of points for me. So in that case, I'd pick the May trip.

I've never done the food and wine, so fo me I'd pick the Food and Wine at Disney and then go to Hilton Head for Thanksgiving. However, I've heard Hilton Head can be very cold during tha time of year. I've read that in a trip report. Is that what you really want?

Don't think I've helped but maybe I've thought of a few things to help you decide.

 

[CarolMN]

I'd pick May, too - less crowded, less expensive and you'd be able to catch Flower & Garden Festival.

Can't help with second problem. I haven't been able to schedule a trip to WDW for a time other than early December since 1998! And I would like to go during Food & Wine, too - just can't bear the thought of not being there right before Christmas. Maybe after Dh & I both retire we can do both - have enough points, just not enough vacation time, LOL!

Best wishes -

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Personally I think the crowds would be more bearable for the Memorial Day option (especially the days leading up) as compared to the Easter season. That's the time period I would choose.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

My choices would be

Spring - i'd go first or second week of May, weather is great, low crowds, lower points. Went in April this year after two years in May and feel may is a much nicer time to go. If just hubby & you, why are you planning trips around holidays??

Why not bring the family to WDW in October, you get the F& W (which really only effects the World Showcase at EPCOT and if you have grandchildren they can do a halloween party trick or treat at MK one nite. Once again Beautiful weather and really only crowded on weekends due to locals coming for the F& W and Halloween parties.

Then back to WDW for you & hubby for holiday decorations.

You love decorations, you liked to experience F&W again, to me sounds like you should just skip HH this time or go in the spring with just you & DH Or you could always split your HH & WDW trip. HH is only about a 5 hour drive from WDW.
good luck

 

[bobbiwoz]

I wouldn't miss the Flower show, so the May pick is my choice.

You say you always have gone to see Christmas decorations at WDW, and are you really ready to miss seeing them? Can you get just a teeny trip in to see them, but do the F&W and HH for Thanksgiving.

Bobbi

 

[trampslady]

Thanks for the many responses. To answer one really good question--why book around holidays? I'm always trying to find ways to soak up every last second of vacation time that I can, and using vacation around holidays lets me maximize my fun time. That said, I think I'm sold on the May vacation.

An interesting thought--Disney in October and again in November/December. My mom, grandma, brother have all been to WDW with us, and, although I'm certain another trip would be enjoyed, my grandma and mom have really wanted to visit Hilton Head. The points are superb for a 2-bedroom, and we can try to time the visit with some fall foliage through Tennessee and North Carolina. We definitely would visit Charleston and Savannah on the trip.

I've been researching, and it looks as if we must do Hilton Head in mid-October if we hope to catch the foliage. Points are better if we wait until Thanksgiving. And, points are mucho better at BCV for an October visit. Sounds like we might have to forego the foliage (and the Disney holiday decor) for what makes the most sense for both trips.

 

[trampslady]

Call me crazy, I work for an airline and all three of these trips will most likely be driving ones. That said, we might just be able to work out a few days at the F&W Festival in conjunction with the Hilton Head journey in October. Then, hubby and I could still venture back (and we could fly if we want--probably won't) Thanksgiving and the week following, which means we get the holiday decor too! Few more points this way....but a possibility!

 

[DeeDeeDis]

trampslady

Sounds like in order for you to please the world and meet your desires you should go to wdw in may, HH in October for a few days with the family than drive to wdw for F&W festival with dh, then back again to wdw for holiday decor.

If you arrange this around Columbus day you get an xtra day (is columbus day celebrated everywhere??) or F&W now goes to Nov. 6. Veterans day is Nov. 11th perhaps you could arrange your trip to includes veterans day holiday (is this celebrated everywhere??).

I live in Mass, very liberal state, we have anything resembling a holiday off, some of us even have Bunkerhill Day off

This has me wanting to start planning for next year.

deb

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'd vote for OPtion B-the one with Food and Wine Festival at WDW, then Thanksgiving at HHI. I've always wanted to go to the F&W Festival sometime. And Thanksgiving at HHI, although I've never been there then, last March @ HH, one of the CMs was telling us about HHI at Thanksgiving and it sounded so great, that's where we're going in 2006. Besides, if you go, I'll know there's another Texan there!

DeeDeeDis-is Bunker Hill day in April, the same as Patriot's Day, also called "Marathon Day" for those of us who were Boston Marathon Fans? What I remember most about holidays in Massachusetts is that we didn't get Good Friday off. That seemed strange!

 

[pumpkinboy]

Bunker Hill Day is different than Patriots' Day, as the former is a Boston city holiday on June 17th. while the latter celebrates the beginning of the Revolution, the shot heard around the World, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and is a State holiday in mid-April in both Mass and Maine.

Patriots' Day also coincides with the beginning of April vacation for public schoolchildren in most of New England and parts of NY, which makes it a great holdiay for us. We are half a block off the Marathon route and they close our street during the Boston Marathon, so we usually have a block party (when we haven't fled to WDW like we did this year).

Note to DeeDeeDis, Columbus Day is only celebrated in the USA and several Latin American countries, while Canada celebrates Thanksgiving that weekend. I beleieve there is a bank holiday around then in the UK too. 11/11 is a holiday in most of the countries involved in World War One, including the US, Canada and the UK (to name the biggies for WDW attendance).

As for oddball holidays, most states have them, tho perhaps we have more in New England, maybe. When I was growing up in Maine, we celebrated Chester Greenwood Day (12/21) after the Mainer who invented earmuffs. Go figure. Also note that in the (now heavily Irish) City of Boston, there is a City holiday on 3/17, not for St Patrick, but for Evacuation Day, the day that British troops (and quite a few loyalists) evacuated Boston. Now the actual date of the evacuation was 3/26, but it was more convenient apparently, to celebrate it on St Patrick's day when many of the locals were celebrating anyway.

Oh yeah, and I vote for May also. In this Überplanner's opinion, it's a little late to be planning for Easter 2006 at this point.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

Thank you pumpkinboy for the holiday lesson.

a friend works for one of the state universities and has evalcuation day off. I quess what i meant by celebrate is that it seems more businesses, schools and offices close on these holidays then most other states.

deb

ps; Kittery born

 

[trampslady]

Would you believe I don't get Columbus Day or Veteran's Day here, and that's a shame because I really need an October or early Novemer holiday!

May is a done deal--booked with no real thoughts about "what if." We get to use less points and visit during the Flower and Garden Festival, which is always nice.

October and November are still up in the air, and that's okay for now. I think we will ultimately end up with WDW in October as we can get another week out of our annual passes that we got for the add-on (we plan to activate them in November this year). Three 8 day trips on the passes is a great deal! Thanksgiving at Hilton Head means less points for both trips and a nice place to spend the holiday with family (instead of hubby and I going it alone as we so often do!). And, I'll be at Hilton Head with my fellow Texas, Simba's Mom!! By the way, Simba's Mom, are you guys driving or flying to Hilton Head?

 

[Simba's Mom]

We're planning on flying-1400 miles would be a long drive (almost 600 miles more than you since we're at the other end of the state). But it's so expensive right now-$400 each from here, a little savings if we drive up to Corpus Christi. So maybe we'll drive/fly-drive part way and fly the rest.