Question about my next vaca?

[Princess1215]

Ok so here goes...I am trying to plan my next vacation (2010) to The World and here are a few of my obstacles...

1. I have a five month old son (he's very laid back and wouldn't have a problem traveling) but I want to go during a time where we could maximize the family experience!

2. I am a teacher...and in our contract I can not take personal days before or after a planned vacation nor can I take them all together at one time. So this limits my choice for times I can take my vacations. :brick:

So here are my ideas...

• Christmas break...we can spend more time and it's in my opinion one of the most beautiful times there, but cost and crowds could be more than I can handle.
• Feb Vacation...I have promised my husband for YEARS that we could go during ESPN weekend...but I've never been during this time and am unsure about the crowds, and I'm not a fan of the time constraint.
• April Vacation...When I was younger this is when I would visit with my family. I remember crowds but it wasn't to bad and the weather was nice enough that we could visit Typhoon Lagoon. Once again time constraint.
• Summer Break...WEATHER...is it bearable with a toddler??? Not to mention Hurricane season. We could go for as long as we wanted!

So there it is...obviously I've thought quite a bit about this :hammer:...but would really appreciate any input from other teachers/parents that have traveled during these times!

 

[Master Yoda]

Here is the best to worst order I would put your travel times in as well as a little reason as to why.

1. April. Spring break dates are all over the map. This tends to thin the crowds out a bit. The weather also tends to be a fairly good in April. It can get hot but not blistering hot.
2. February. Crowds will be big and room rates will be high but they are not quite as bad as Christmas week.
3. Christmas/New Years week. The parks are beautiful but the crowds are in-freaking-sane. Plann on phased closures of MK almost daily.
4. Summer. To hot, to crowded and to many tour groups. I love Disney more than anyone and I have zero desire to be there during this time of year.

 

[mousefan1972]

I would concur with the Master. :animwink: Your April break is a week after ours, and the crowds are not bad at all. We went to WDW in April '09 and our trip spilled into the NH vacation week, and it was not nearly as crowded as when we first arrived. (at the start of the MA vacation week) And the weather was just gorgeous. Not a drop of rain, and warm (mid-high 80's). The only problem is the airlines charge an arm and a leg to fly to Orlando during the vacation weeks. April is your best bet by far, both for crowd levels and weather. Good luck!

 

[Princess1215]

Thanks for the input!

We were just told this year that our April vacation in our school district is now the same as MA vacations. Needless to say we weren't very happy because of the fact airline tickets are SO MUCH more expensive to fly anywhere :brick:!

Their thought for changing the vacation week is that they wanted an even 7 wks between Feb vaca, Apr vaca and the end of school! I guess it makes sense. :lookaroun

 

[Nemo14]

When is your February break? My DD teaches in NH and has the week after President's week - is that the same for you?

 

[mousefan1972]

Thanks for the input!

We were just told this year that our April vacation in our school district is now the same as MA vacations. Needless to say we weren't very happy because of the fact airline tickets are SO MUCH more expensive to fly anywhere :brick:!

Their thought for changing the vacation week is that they wanted an even 7 wks between Feb vaca, Apr vaca and the end of school! I guess it makes sense. :lookaroun

Oh, so that partly explains why Southwest's airfares were so high for next April! I nearly passed out. :dazzle:

One positive, though... even though the flights are expensive, mid-late April is considered "regular" season at Disney, and the discounts are usually pretty good. Even in April '09 when the peak Easter season was later in April, by the time our school break started it had reverted back to regular season. So Disney will cost less than February vacation (peak season), Christmas (holiday season: the most expensive time to go), and summer. That will somewhat balance out the more expensive flights. :shrug:

 

[Princess1215]

We have the last week in February...this year it will be from the 20th to the 28th. That is an early vacation...does she work in southern NH...sometimes their vacations follow MA vacations?

 

[coltow]

Personally I would NEVER go during Christmas break. It's insane. My cousin's a teacher in MA. She left Christmas afternoon. She said "never again." Her next trip she's going in July. She said she rather deal with summer crowds than Christmas crowds. The best thing she told me how to explain it to others is that the line for Small World was 60 minutes!!!!

I've been during April vacation before and it's only bad if Easter is the same week.

I don't mind the heat so would pick the summer out of all your choices, but I would pick as late in the summer as possible. DS didn't start school until the 2nd week of September this year (kingergarten) so we went the 1st week of September and the parks were empty. It was still hot so we had got to have plenty of pool time too.

 

[swimmom]

When my daughter was in high school we had these same choices excluding February (we don't have a break at that time of year). Our preferred time to go was spring break, which was the last week in March for us, as long as Easter didn't fall in that week. The weather that time of year is great and since there are so many different spring breaks the crowds are managable. We did go once over Christmas break when her break was almost an entire week before Christmas, and the crowds were managable. I do enjoy that time of year for the decorations and Candlelight Processional. And since I really don't like the heat, summer is not for me.

Now that my daughter is in college, we go the second week in May. Not very crowded and usually pretty good weather not too hot or rainy (except when there is record rainfall )

 

[EaglesfanNJ]

Ok so here goes...I am trying to plan my next vacation (2010) to The World and here are a few of my obstacles...

1. I have a five month old son (he's very laid back and wouldn't have a problem traveling) but I want to go during a time where we could maximize the family experience!

2. I am a teacher...and in our contract I can not take personal days before or after a planned vacation nor can I take them all together at one time. So this limits my choice for times I can take my vacations. :brick:

So here are my ideas...

• Christmas break...we can spend more time and it's in my opinion one of the most beautiful times there, but cost and crowds could be more than I can handle.
• Feb Vacation...I have promised my husband for YEARS that we could go during ESPN weekend...but I've never been during this time and am unsure about the crowds, and I'm not a fan of the time constraint.
• April Vacation...When I was younger this is when I would visit with my family. I remember crowds but it wasn't to bad and the weather was nice enough that we could visit Typhoon Lagoon. Once again time constraint.
• Summer Break...WEATHER...is it bearable with a toddler??? Not to mention Hurricane season. We could go for as long as we wanted!

So there it is...obviously I've thought quite a bit about this :hammer:...but would really appreciate any input from other teachers/parents that have traveled during these times!

Just food for thought, i have relatives who are Disney Vacation Club members and last year went during Christmas Break just to see. First words out of my cousin's mouth when they got back "Never again during that time" 60 minute waits for almost everything, closures... no thanks.

MasterYoda is one of the most reliable folks on these boards, i would roll with him if i was you! April! I've also been during this time and weather was gorgeous, crowds managable... during the day you might be able to swim too.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I live in MA and went April Vacation week in 2007 (I'm a dance teacher so that was my time off also). It was great!!! If you tour the parks wisely you will be just fine. We got to the parks every morning at rope drop and rode the headliners first with little to no wait. By about 11am it started to get busy so that was when we utilized fast pass and did the non-headliners. We also made dinner ADRs every morning from the front desk in the hotel and had no problems getting the restaurants or times we wanted. It only rained one day, in the morning for about 2-3 hours. Temps were very pleasant- low 80s mainly.

I wouldn't be at all concerned about April, we had a great time!

In terms of the one week time limit- consider flying down on Friday night and home on Sunday morning. My husband and I just did that on our last trip and having 2 full extra days (the two Saturdays) made a HUGE difference!

 

[cinderellafan6]

I think Feb is your best bet

 

[mousebymarriage]

Here is the best to worst order I would put your travel times in as well as a little reason as to why.

1. April. Spring break dates are all over the map. This tends to thin the crowds out a bit. The weather also tends to be a fairly good in April. It can get hot but not blistering hot.
2. February. Crowds will be big and room rates will be high but they are not quite as bad as Christmas week.
3. Christmas/New Years week. The parks are beautiful but the crowds are in-freaking-sane. Plann on phased closures of MK almost daily.
4. Summer. To hot, to crowded and to many tour groups. I love Disney more than anyone and I have zero desire to be their during this time of year.

I must agree with Yoda, he is after all the master!

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

I must agree with Yoda, he is after all the master!

:lol:
I also agree with Yoda, especially his final point.
IMO, not safe for a toddler or anyone really...it's INSANELY hot and humid!
Definitely go at another time of year.

 

[DisneyDad1964]

When to go to Disney

Ok so here goes...I am trying to plan my next vacation (2010) to The World and here are a few of my obstacles...

1. I have a five month old son (he's very laid back and wouldn't have a problem traveling) but I want to go during a time where we could maximize the family experience!

2. I am a teacher...and in our contract I can not take personal days before or after a planned vacation nor can I take them all together at one time. So this limits my choice for times I can take my vacations. :brick:

So here are my ideas...

• Christmas break...we can spend more time and it's in my opinion one of the most beautiful times there, but cost and crowds could be more than I can handle.
• Feb Vacation...I have promised my husband for YEARS that we could go during ESPN weekend...but I've never been during this time and am unsure about the crowds, and I'm not a fan of the time constraint.
• April Vacation...When I was younger this is when I would visit with my family. I remember crowds but it wasn't to bad and the weather was nice enough that we could visit Typhoon Lagoon. Once again time constraint.
• Summer Break...WEATHER...is it bearable with a toddler??? Not to mention Hurricane season. We could go for as long as we wanted!

So there it is...obviously I've thought quite a bit about this :hammer:...but would really appreciate any input from other teachers/parents that have traveled during these times!

I can only speak to the summer break option. (My wife's a teacher too.)

We've gone the past two summers (late-July, mid-June). The weather was scorching hot as you'd expect, but it didn't put a damper on our fine. The lines weren't too bad- as long as you get FastPasses for the top attractions at the peak times. We'd usually head back to the condo for a few hours to swim/relax. With a little one, it's unlikely you'd stay at the park the entire day anyway, so I'd not eliminate that just because of the weather.

Here are some Disney Vacation tips that will be helpful in planning, and once you're there too.

 

[WDW_Emily]

April or Febuary We have been both times and like April better, its perfect weather (high 70's or 80's), and the crowds are smaller. One year back in 2007 i believe the parks were EMPTY in April we were a week after New Jearsy and we only had a 10 minute wait for ToT and 15 minutes for RnRC

 

[smk]

I have been in April/March spring break trips when the kids were in high school and Christmas, again when the kids were in high school. I found both of those times very crowded, not so warm and pretty much vowed to avoid them again at all cost. That leaves us with early June, not so bad the years I went (2006 and 2007) but we went early, like the first week. Yes, it was warm but it felt good after a long cold winter. Feb. seems like the perfect time, low crowds but once again the weather may not cooperate. I have never been during that time so I really don't know. I am usually not one to argue and Richard knows his stuff so if he says April then take a chance, you will never know until you try. If you go and it is crowded at least you will know to not plan that time of year again. Right? For me it is October all the way, only not this October......

 

[Nemo14]

We have the last week in February...this year it will be from the 20th to the 28th. That is an early vacation...does she work in southern NH...sometimes their vacations follow MA vacations?

Yes, that's the week she has off (she teaches in Exeter).
We went once in April and swore that we'd never do that again. It was Easter week too, and it was insanely busy. We've done summers, but gave that up when we discovered how delightful it was to go in February. The weather is good (although last year it was cool), and when you come home, you only have another 3 or 4 weeks of snow to get through.

 

[Princess1215]

You guys are great! Thank you for your great ideas and input! I think I have narrowed it down to either April or February vacation!

I'm SO excited!!!

 

[corey154]

I'm a local and I like going in Feb. the parks have always been dead when I've been...but to be fair I can't remember what part of Feb. I've gone, it's prob always the begining or middle.