How long have you been planning?

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bethymouse

bethymouse

Well-Known Member
Let's see...
I planned ADRs way before the 180 day mark when I initially booked it. I called exactly on that day. Actually, I was able to book a bit sooner online for the entire week. I guess I plan for almost a year ahead of time.:)
 
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HouCuseChickie

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
In one sense, I've been planning some of this trip since August 2011. I was just thinking "this" trip would be in 2014. Initially, our 2012 Disney trip was going to be Disneyland- in part. We were going to end said trip w/3 surprise days at DLR for our girls. BUT- some things happened that were work and business related and that plan got tabled. Around that time, we found out that my brother and SIL were expecting and were due in Aug. We figured we could combine it w/a trip to WDW. We couldn't decide when so I just asked our girls if they want to go back again in the summer or w/holiday decorations. Holiday decorations won out- so we figured a trip coupled with Thanksgiving would be the way to go. I booked on February 11th...so basically, we started planning about 280 days out before booking.

Since then, we have...
- changed resorts 4x!
- changed dining- countless times
- added a day to get free dining
- welcomed my nephew to the world 2 month early - so Nov is now ideal b/c of the early health risks
- had my Jeep die a few times and settled on a new vehicle much better for "the Great American Road Trip"

We still have a ways to go, but we're in the 80s- so feeling much better. And it's all better than the 2010 trip where I had 465 days between booking and check in. Now to plan...

- more details of the surprise
- DD3's 4th bday cake for Cali Grill
- stroller stuff

Cannot Wait!!! :D
 
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Alison1975

Alison1975

Well-Known Member
DisneyDebNJ said:
Awesome!!! We're all looking at dates after Columbus Day would be so great if you and your wonderful family were there!!!
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we are hoping for anytime after Thanksgiving.. I want to get the 3 wee ones there for the Holidays. Noah will be with his own little family ( did I ever mention I'm gonna be a g-ma?) so it will just be 5 of us. Then we are taking a few years off to save for an plan our 7000 mile road trip ( which include DL and WDW)
 
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HonoraryRescuer

HonoraryRescuer

Member
Typically plan our trips at least 6 months out, though I've been known to plan a full year in advance. Once we pick the future dates, we book our dining then the hotel as it gets closer.
 
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Mikester71

Mikester71

Well-Known Member
It was usually a 2 year window for us between trips, and this coming from a guy who originally didn't think it would be more than that first trip in 2005. About a month or two after we got back from that first trip (and were hooked), we started to plan for our second trip which was to be exactly 2 years from the first one. We would wait until a year out and go in to CAA and put some money down on a room-only reservation so that we could go in throughout the year and basically pay off the rest over time. We did this each trip and the two years gave us plenty of time to save up for 10 days at the parks and a pocket full of spending money to last us 2 weeks. There were usually other little things we would do over the 2 year span too, like decide where we would like to venture off-property that trip for the day, or buy clothes and supplies as they would go on sale closer to the actual trip date that seemed to help make the 2 years go by quick.

At home, I would write a countdown on my dry erase board and it was always some crazy number like 700 days to go. I started it out as a small little number up in the top corner of my board and would make it bigger as the days-to-go got smaller. My wife and family thought I was nuts for counting it down so far out, and even I actually started to think it was just more torturous on us than anything, but low and behold, the days just seemed to fly right by! 700 became 600 became 200, and so on and so on. By the time we were doing the double-digit dance, none of us could believe how fast it flew by. So we pretty much did the same exact routine for each following trip - 4 in all.

Sadly for us, we aren't going to be able to keep that 2 year tradition going next March. There are some more important issues that need to be taken care of before we can even consider taking another WDW vacation. While we were a bit bummed about it at first, we decided to look for the positive spin in a bad situation and decided that, although we know we won't be making it back down to WDW this year or next, or possibly even the next...we WILL be making it down there again one day! Right now - it looks like that is either going to be in October of 2014 or April/May of 2015!

So what better way to help make it through some tough times than to start planning again and by starting another countdown! Because no matter how far away it may seem or how big those numbers may look (or small, in my case, with the dry erase board) right now, you just KNOW it is going to fly right by! :)
 
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disney magic 06

disney magic 06

Well-Known Member
The last few years we have started planning the next trip just before leaving WDW so we don't feel so sad going home. This year however we had to deal with the sadness as a year off was planned for 2013 - until @Crush Dude! told me in July about the 35% discount + free dining for next spring! All booked within days :D

The worst part for me is the last couple of months when everything is planned, lists are made, all there is to do is wait.
 
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D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
Alison1975 said:
we are hoping for anytime after Thanksgiving.. I want to get the 3 wee ones there for the Holidays. Noah will be with his own little family ( did I ever mention I'm gonna be a g-ma?) so it will just be 5 of us. Then we are taking a few years off to save for an plan our 7000 mile road trip ( which include DL and WDW)
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G-ma???? Alison how exciting!!! We have been wanting to do a cross country trip for years!!! Its funny, I was just saying yesterday I want to do that in the next few years. Yep, we will be the Griswolds soon!! (Minus Aunt Edna and Cousin Eddie) LOL .... headed to Wallyworld!
 
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Alison1975

Alison1975

Well-Known Member
DisneyDebNJ said:
G-ma???? Alison how exciting!!! We have been wanting to do a cross country trip for years!!! Its funny, I was just saying yesterday I want to do that in the next few years. Yep, we will be the Griswolds soon!! (Minus Aunt Edna and Cousin Eddie) LOL .... headed to Wallyworld!
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Yep! the day after we leave they will be finding out the gender..can you say SHOPPING?? I've wanted to do this trip for years. I'm waiting for the youngest to be double digits..he's still a little hard to handle and hoping by 10 he's easier.LOL.. 7000 miles, 6 weeks, 2 Disney parks and LOTS of the USA..can not wait!
 
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nngrendel

nngrendel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Does anyone else feel that planning the trip is part of the vacation and excitement as well?? Now after spending so many months planning there is a little bit of nervousness that sets in hoping that all goes to plan. 16 days to go.
 
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DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
nngrendel said:
Does anyone else feel that planning the trip is part of the vacation and excitement as well?? Now after spending so many months planning there is a little bit of nervousness that sets in hoping that all goes to plan. 16 days to go.
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Absolutely!! As much as we all try to plan well in advance, there's part of us all that pray to the Disney Gods that all goes well, no problems, no snafus and keep our fingers crossed for good weather. It's the old addage.... "the best laid plans ....." Hope these next two weeks fly by for you!! Have a wonderful time :)
 
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