Would I be insane to start planning a trip for April '12 or '13???

[roscoepc1]

I still have the "Disbug" from our first ever trip last April...we've agree we will go again in 3-4 years (from then)...

Would I be an idiot to start making loose plans now? Things like which restaurants to go to next, which ones to repeat, things we missed last time, etc???

We'll be at a different point in life, ie the girls will be older and not so "Princess-y" (our whole trip last time was Princess-this-and-that)...let me see, they'll be 14 & 10 or 15 & 11 then.

I might even have a prayer of seeing some things *I* want to see and do! lol

Any or all suggestions welcome...we're still real "newbies", with only one awesome trip under our belts!

 

[cassandrap83]

I am Disney-Crazy as much as the next person, but yeah that's a little extreme! (IMO)

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Well, there would only be so much you can do at this point. In 2 or 3 years, there will be significant changes to Fantasyland, so doing an itinerary would be rather pointless.

 

[VAN]

Definitely start saving NOW but plans, NO.

If you start obsessing this far out, you'll be divorced before you even get close to the date of the proposed trip! LOL.

Again, find a fun way to save for the trip, but live in the here and now for the time being and enjoy your summer!

 

[roscoepc1]

Definitely start saving NOW but plans, NO.

If you start obsessing this far out, you'll be divorced before you even get close to the date of the proposed trip! LOL.

Again, find a fun way to save for the trip, but live in the here and now for the time being and enjoy your summer!

I pretty much keep it to myself...Dh won't be interested until about 1 week before. I impressed him so much with the plans last time he trusts me implicitly!

My main thought (and I didn't express it well in my first post) was to start keeping track of what is different...ie, as someone mentioned, changes in Fantasyland, Pirate League (didn't exist last year when we were there).

I AM starting my "change jar" again already. I was stunned and amazed at how much money added up in it in only one year....3 years should be amazing!

I think I'll start a file, and just pop in notes about "new stuff" etc I see on here....not obsessing, but knowing where things are when the time comes, kwim?

 

[AJRitz]

The only thing that I think might be worth doing this far out in advance would be to go ahead and buy no-expiration park tickets as soon as you can afford to pay cash for them. There's a clear trend of ticket prices increasing faster than the rate of inflation, so if you're sure you're going to use them, there's no reason not to lock in your price now. (Note: having your tickets already purchased may disqualify you from some package rate deals, but you can usually find an equivalent room-only deal).

 

[scrapbookmommy]

We are going in 40 days and if all goes well with this trip I will start saving and collecting info for a future trip that won't be until 2012. Our next trip will hopefully be a bigger trip with my oldest son and his girlfriend going along. But of course a lot can change in 2 years time so it will be more establishing a plan for saving for that trip and things we didn't get to do this time but would want to the next. But like someone else mentioned it will be something I keep to myself because DH will not want to hear it for 2 years.

 

[3girlsfun]

Hmmmm, sounds like to me you need to go back sooner than 3 to 4 years if you are wanting to plan now. Why wait?

 

[heatherleigh]

I'm planning on taking the fam to WDW next Nov. but have only decided on which resort to stay at, and made a tentative $ saving plan. Besides that, things change too much to be able to make any touring plans this far in advance.

 

[dzneelvr]

I never underestimate the fun in planning buy a Birnbaums' Guide to WDW and have at it! Read the Disboards faithfully--especially trip reports covering the time of year you'll be in WDW. Just don't forget to enjoy the family vacations between now and then.....we began going to Eastern Tennessee/Dollywood to prepare ourselves for the WDW experience. That's a great trip at a fraction of the cost.

 

[imthatgirl]

I do think it's a little early for real planning. You don;t want the vacation to be overplanned and overworked before you even book it.
Our earliest planning vacation we took was 9mo out and that was too much. Honestly I was sick of the vacation before we even went.

However...talking, reading and watching things about disney, to me, isn't planning. I'm always talking disney to anyone who will listen. but actual itinerary, meals, timing planning...I now leave that for the 3 months before the trip.

 

[SarRoc1020]

You're not crazy! We're just about to start trying for our first little one and, after all the "work" that comes with TTC, daydreaming about his/her first trip to WDW is a welcome break.

If all goes according to plan, the three of us will be at the Poly in December 2013! No hard core planning yet, of course, but it's never too early to start saving. We've never gone to WDW with small children before, so I'm also boning up on everyone's tips

 

[SunnieRN]

Planning is a great tool to keep you on your savings plan! It will also give you time to look into things like The Grand Floridian afternoon tea, fireworks cruises, water parks, US and IOA, with the ages your daughters will be, special events during the different seasons and fun family meals like Hoop De Doo! You can do a lot of planning without making an actual "schedule" yet. Have fun!

 

[a1tinkfans]

I still have the "Disbug" from our first ever trip last April...we've agree we will go again in 3-4 years (from then)...

Would I be an idiot to start making loose plans now? Things like which restaurants to go to next, which ones to repeat, things we missed last time, etc???

We'll be at a different point in life, ie the girls will be older and not so "Princess-y" (our whole trip last time was Princess-this-and-that)...let me see, they'll be 14 & 10 or 15 & 11 then.

I might even have a prayer of seeing some things *I* want to see and do! lol

Any or all suggestions welcome...we're still real "newbies", with only one awesome trip under our belts!

Well, thats kinda pushing it...BUT, if it makes you HAPPY and it feels Good, I say, plan away....Disney kinda does that too ya

 

[DisneyClown]

I think it's great to start "loosely" planning now. You can read over the tips on these boards and based on the ages of your kids at the time of the trip, you can look into what you might do. Obviously nothing is set in stone, but you have so much time to read about what WDW has to offer, that you'll be able to go on your trip well prepared.

 

[roscoepc1]

Hmmmm, sounds like to me you need to go back sooner than 3 to 4 years if you are wanting to plan now. Why wait?

We can't afford it sooner than that...other things that need the money first.

 

[roscoepc1]

The only thing that I think might be worth doing this far out in advance would be to go ahead and buy no-expiration park tickets as soon as you can afford to pay cash for them. There's a clear trend of ticket prices increasing faster than the rate of inflation, so if you're sure you're going to use them, there's no reason not to lock in your price now. (Note: having your tickets already purchased may disqualify you from some package rate deals, but you can usually find an equivalent room-only deal).

Hadn't thought of that! Thanks!

 

[nicki.momof3]

I LOVE disney but '12 and '13 way over the top. What in the world could you plan that would take so long to do.

 

[micheleq]

We were at WDW with my parents in Dec. 2008. The plan is to go this Nov. with my in-laws. I could start hard-core planning now, but we are moving out of state this summer (just found out last week, so I knew I wouldn't be able to buy airfare since I didn't know where we'd be living!!!) and I'll have other things on my mind for the next two months lol!

What I do, and I suggest you do, is I like to read some of the trip reports and dining reviews (esp. MickeyNikki). I get to live vicariously thru fellow DISers, and when the time comes & I have my final dates and can make ADRs & touring plans, I'll be well-informed!

 

[cmcinc]

At the least start saving money!