For Spring Break we went to Disney World. Last May 2007, after much calculation and Jon's famous charts he loves to make on the computer we decided to buy a year pass to Disney World. Last May we wanted to go to Disney World right when school got out. Actually, we pulled the kids out 3 days early (from previous years we have found out they turn all their books in the Friday before school gets out so the last week is filled with field days, movies, games, and parties). We wanted to go to Disney before the summer heat and crowds hit. Our first thought was to buy a 10 day pass (the more days you buy the cheaper the price is per day). But then we were thinking we wanted to go back right after Christmas and with those two vacations it was cheaper for us to buy a year pass. With that in mind we decided it would be cheaper if we did all of our vacationing in Disney World (and boy did we do all of our vacationing in Disney World). We have really gotten our moneys worth with these tickets. We went in May 2007, Jon and I went for a long weekend just the 2 of us in August, we went for a week during Thanksgiving, after Christmas, and for Spring Break. I think all in all we spent 30 days at Disney parks this past year (Jon and I a few days more).
Well enough of that now back to Spring Break. This is the first year I think we have gone on vacation during Spring Break. We usually tend to stay home and go on vacation right when school gets out (1 1/2 months later). But with our Disney passes expiring the day school gets out we thought it's now or not for awhile. I voted for now. It took me a little bit of persuading Jon to go. With such a large family the only way we go to Disney now is by renting houses. It is much cheaper than getting 2 conjoining hotel rooms or a suite that fits 8. Their are many people from the UK who buy houses in Orlando to rent them out to vacationers. The houses are 15 minutes away from Disney. Many of the houses have there own screened in pool (we like to get the spa too), wireless Internet, free long distance phone calls (even some international since many people who rent these houses are from the UK), and they have converted there garage into a games room (pool table, air hockey, foos ball, etc). I wanted to go for a week Sat-Sat, but we ended up getting a great quote on a 5 bedroom house if we only went for 6 days (they were trying to fill in their 6 day gap) so of course I jumped on it. We tend to spend on average $130.00 a night for a 4 or 5 bedroom house (some houses are double that so we shop around for a while). This includes tax and pool/spa heat (which is a must in the winter).
Our Disney schedule begins before we leave for Orlando. Jon types down all the days the parks open an hour early and close later for people staying on Disney property and those are the days we avoid. So we get to the parks right when they open and go, go, go until either at lunch time or just after depending on how much we were able to get accomplished (we usually spend 2 days at Epcot and Magic Kingdom and sometimes MGM depending on how many days we have and 1 day at Animal Kingdom). Then we head back to our house and some nap while the others swim. Then after dinner, we either go back to the parks for a few more rides and a night show, go to Downtown Disney, or stay home and swim. Since only 3 of the parks have night shows we usually only go back at night 3 times with the whole family. Jon and I have been taking turns doing a big kids night. We usually take 2 or 3 of the older kids (no strollers) and go to the park of their choice and do a few things. This trip it was my turn and I took Brenton and Payton and we started off at Epcot and took the monorail to Magic Kingdom (I have always wanted to do this but don't think I ever have) we left right before the firework to beat the crowd and watched the fireworks on the monorail.
Our Spring Break is always the first full week of April. So with Easter being in March a lot of other schools either have their break either the week before Easter or the week after Easter. So the crowds weren't too bad.
Enough typing already on with the pictures.
Our Disney schedule begins before we leave for Orlando. Jon types down all the days the parks open an hour early and close later for people staying on Disney property and those are the days we avoid. So we get to the parks right when they open and go, go, go until either at lunch time or just after depending on how much we were able to get accomplished (we usually spend 2 days at Epcot and Magic Kingdom and sometimes MGM depending on how many days we have and 1 day at Animal Kingdom). Then we head back to our house and some nap while the others swim. Then after dinner, we either go back to the parks for a few more rides and a night show, go to Downtown Disney, or stay home and swim. Since only 3 of the parks have night shows we usually only go back at night 3 times with the whole family. Jon and I have been taking turns doing a big kids night. We usually take 2 or 3 of the older kids (no strollers) and go to the park of their choice and do a few things. This trip it was my turn and I took Brenton and Payton and we started off at Epcot and took the monorail to Magic Kingdom (I have always wanted to do this but don't think I ever have) we left right before the firework to beat the crowd and watched the fireworks on the monorail.
Our Spring Break is always the first full week of April. So with Easter being in March a lot of other schools either have their break either the week before Easter or the week after Easter. So the crowds weren't too bad.
Enough typing already on with the pictures.
Our first day was Animal Kingdom.
Connor, Talmage, and Brenton
Brenton and Kennedy digging for fossils
Brenton and Kennedy
Hayden
Hayden at Rain Forest Cafe. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . Kennedy with Cha Cha
Kennedy at Rain Forest Cafe
Our second day was Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM).
the new Playhouse Disney show
Talmage in front of Lightning McQueen and Mater
Magic Kingdom was our third and fourth day
Hayden with a huge lollipop
Kennedy in front of Pirates of the Caribbean
Payton and Kennedy in front of Princess Minnie
Payton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hayden
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Brenton and Connor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Talmage, Jon, and Hayden
Sand sculpture
Payton and Kennedy at the butterfly garden. . . . . . . . . . . .Kennedy with plant and flower Minnie
The whole gang
Talmage in front of a robot. . .. . . . . .Talmage, Brenton, and Kennedy in front of beach Pluto
Butterfly garden. . . . . . . . . . . . .Brenton, Kennedy, and Talmage in front of the three Caballeros
Brenton and Talmage Crocodile from Peter Pan. . . . . . .Talmage and Brenton with Captain Hook
.Hayden ringing a bell at the Peter Pan play ground
Connor with Peter Pan
Swimming in the pool
Talmage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kennedy
Hayden
3 comments:
Looks like a ton of fun. I wish we were closer so we could go more often with you. We had fun when we all went together in 2000. Can't believe we haven't been to Disney since 2000! Yikes!
$130 a night sounds like a really good price for a big house with a pool and a game room. Cool!
That was an awesome vacation! I'd love to go sometime during the Flower and Garden Festival. Also, during the Food and Wine Festival, where I will skip the wine! :)
John sounds like a crazy combination of Dan and I. He loves - LOVES - to make charts and spreadsheets and analyze everything. I am nuts about Disney and want to maximize every second I'm there.
Next time you go, you should look at www.tourguidemike.com.
OH - and I'm glad you like the vacation homes! That's the only way we'll be able to afford it, if we have any more kids (probably will). I was considering www.dreamsvillas.com. Where did you find yours? I'd love to stay in a place where we didn't have to put the kids to bed and tiptoe around in the dark so as not to wake them!
Love the pictures...
Beth
I usually check out a few different sites for disney vacation homes. That way you can be sure and get a great deal. I like the ones where you put in your info (date, how many rooms, etc) and they will e-mail you with a quote. If you google disney rental villas, or orlando rental villas it will give you a bunch of good ones.
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