What was your shortest and longest WDW countdown?

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:04

KenJ

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What was your shortest and longest WDW countdown?

Hey gang,

I was just thinking back to our trip to WDW we did in November 2012. It was a last minute trip. After making sure we could get a flight, we booked online on a Sunday and we traveled the following Sunday giving us a countdown of 7 days! There wasn't even time for the Magical Express luggage tags. But, that last minute trip felt so great as it was instant gratification.

Our longest booking is our upcoming trip in September at 210 days at the time of booking.

So, what was your shortest and longest countdown? And while we're at it, do you prefer short or long bookings? Are you the last minute, spontaneous type or a long term planner?

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:07

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JoAnn C

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My shortest was about 52 days when I went in 2010. My longest was around 300.

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:09

KenJ

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JoAnn C wrote:

My shortest was about 52 days when I went in 2010. My longest was around 300.

I like your current countdown JoAnn!

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:12

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JoAnn C

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KenJ wrote:

JoAnn C wrote:
My shortest was about 52 days when I went in 2010. My longest was around 300.

I like your current countdown JoAnn!

It gets better everyday.

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:25

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We did a booking 20 days out one time. That was our first on-property trip. Since then, we've had considerably more lead time because we rarely leave for one trip without having a tentative date for our next trip. Our longest countdown will be out trip in September/October of this year. We decided to do that trip at the end of our PAP that we purchased in December of 2012 and activated in December 2013. Since we made that decision in 2012 and we're not traveling until 2014...I guess that would be around...625 days. I like to have some time to plan and then tinker with the plans, but sometimes it's fun (and more relaxing) to just go!! Ideally, I'd prefer to have 4-6 months. When it's longer than that, the waiting is agony!

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:36

scrappy

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Our shortage countdown was 6 weeks for me and 1 weeks for Mark. That was his surprise 50th birthday trip a few years ago. Our longest countdowns were 1 year. That was when we only went once a year. We always went in January.

I like having about 3 months between trips but that does not always happen. We now pretty much know well in advance when we plan on going. We already know our dates for our May, Nov and Jan 2015 trip.

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:37

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My shortest countdown was something around 30-ish days for October of 2012 and my longest....is right now. Over a year to go!

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:42

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Longest - 365 Days

Shortest - 90 Days

I typically like planning at least 6 months out. It gives me something to look forward to and make plans for. Of course, I'd be happy with ANY Disney trip right now.

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:51

KenJ

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alicemouse wrote:

We decided to do that trip at the end of our PAP that we purchased in December of 2012 and activated in December 2013.

Ah, good point. I guess the pass does factor into when one books. We're looking to get annual passes so I guess we'll have to start planning our trips carefully.

scrappy wrote:

We already know our dates for our May, Nov and Jan 2015 trip.

Those months are probably the perfect times to go. Especially January!

Becks534 wrote:

My shortest countdown was something around 30-ish days for October of 2012 and my longest....is right now. Over a year to go!

Start counting down in the number of Mondays left as Scrappy does. It's MUCH better than counting days!

Eeyore wrote:

Of course, I'd be happy with ANY Disney trip right now.

Totally agree Eeyore. We just got back and could use another trip already!

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 01:58

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Our current countdown is our shortest. I'm not sure how long our longest was, but probably no more than four or five months. But we can't start a countdown without a firm date. There have been and currently are trips when we have plans to go but haven't made a reservation yet.

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 06:34

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Our longest is the current one which started at 468 days.Mainly they have been around the year mark as that is how long in advance we have to book our holiday time for work.
I do enjoy counting down day for day and drive everyone bonkers on FB with a daily picture and fact.

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 07:13

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This is probably my shortest, since we moved a trip up. 53!!!

I've been over six months, but not by much. Never into a year or anything.

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 08:06

King Fergus

Normally we book one year in advance,so 365 in average,tho this year we didn't book until jan for oct so 9 months making it our shortest...I blame WDW for sending me a E-Mail with 40% off deluxe resorts, followed by another E-Mail from Virgin Atlantic with their January sales...

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 09:07

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We usually book a year in advance too, the day the flights become available... I have a countdown timer on my phone to the second... Going this July! The time has flown by so far... Only 159 days 13 hours and 53 mins to go! The countdown is all part of the holiday fun

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 12:30

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Longest was 19 months, that was a looooooong time. I did have other trips away in that time though. Shortest is probably the one I have now, 1 month. Last year we did a last min trip but we planned to do the trip last minute so it kinda wasn't really last min if that makes sense. I think somewhere in the middle is the optimum time to plan, 8 months maybe?

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 12:47

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My shortest was the end of Sept back in 2011, it was only about 30 days. And I'm not really sure of the longest.

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 15:54

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Our longest seems like right now. We want to go back, but not sure when it is going to happen. Maybe Christmas time. Shortest countdown, that would be our first trip. DH and I happened to be in FL for something else. It had been pretty rainy, and chilly for FL. We were staying by a beach that we couldn't go to. Nothing really to do, except go to a nearby mall. So, we rented a car, and made the trip. Maybe a 2 hr. countdown until we were on property and checking in!

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 19:07

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We usually plan trips about 6 months out. We've thrown in a bonus trip last year with 3 months planning, and years ago we did a trip within a month of deciding. That was the year DH got a severance package, and what better thing to do than spend some of it going to WDW?

This year we haven't got anything officially planned, but I am sort of hoping for a fall trip.

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Fri, 02/14/2014 - 23:31

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Mrferret wrote:

Our longest is the current one which started at 468 days.Mainly they have been around the year mark as that is how long in advance we have to book our holiday time for work.
I do enjoy counting down day for day and drive everyone bonkers on FB with a daily picture and fact.

I'm in the same boat. We book vacations a year in advance, and so I have been planning our October trip for over a year now. It's an agonizing pleasure!

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