Since this is my oldest trip report that still needs to be completed, I supposed I should do a quick update in case anybody still glance over this one.
It seems these days I am spending more time helping other people plan out their trips and less time planning my own. I can't believe that as of RIGHT NOW I do not have any kind of vacation planned in the future. That is unless you want to count the trip I have planned around the holidays to visit my family in NC, but I'm not sure that really counts since I do that just about every year. It's sorta like a vacation since we spend a lot of time doing fun and tourist-like things in the Myrtle Beach area of SC since my parents live very close to there. However, we stay with my parents and there are no amusement parks involved, so really not our typical vacation.
I am planning a trip to Orlando for June, but I am trying hard not to tell the kids about it. We are going to take them to the Universal Parks this time, since we haven't been to those since about 2011 and I'm hoping all of the kids will finally be able to do almost all of the rides. Last time the two younger ones missed out on Harry Potter, which I know they would have loved! As much as I don't want to spend a fortune on a hotel, I think we are going to splurge and staying in one of the Universal Resorts, but we may compromise and just stay in the one that isn't open yet...Cabana Bay Beach Resort. We know it won't give us the FOTL access, but in all honesty I think we can manage most of the rides that we want to ride there with 3 days in the parks and perhaps one of the cheaper one-day in-park FOTL passes. I like that it will be a pretty new resort and very close to the parks, making it easier for us to take midday breaks and then return to the parks at night.
Other than that, I'm jealous that my in-laws are actually returning to WDW this February. They are going for their wedding anniversary, first time doing the parks all by themselves. I think they will have a GREAT time and I think they'll do just fine navigating the parks despite the fact that it will be a busy time. They will go on President's Day but will stay through the following Friday. I don't know HOW busy that whole week will be, but since they have managed June and Thanksgiving Week crowds I think they will be okay. My FIL has already even done their dining reservations online as well!
So I have until Friday to decide if I go ahead and use our DVC points to book a resort for us for next Thanksgiving, or if I go ahead and book a CASH resort this time for Thanksgiving, most likely at Shades of Green Resort, and then save our points for a future trip in 2016 instead where we could accumulate enough to book a 3BR Villa and maybe take more family with us. That is the way I am leaning right now. Or maybe we'll return in Thanksgiving 2015 with the whole group on the other side of the family (mine) instead. At that point my brother and his wife should have 2 kids ages 1.5 years and 3.5 years so they may be up for it.
That is where we are today. I should make a decision by this Friday for big Thanksgiving 2014 trip.