Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

Mr_Lahey

disney_cjd wrote: »

clever site shame its in dollars

It isn't, where it says BOS, simply change that to LON and it will all show in GBP.

KarenG

scrappee wrote: »

Hi, does anyone know if you can visit the big Disney hotels without staying there - if so can you recommend any to have a little browse around and buy a little something to eat or drink? Also how did you get there - monorail or car. Thanks

You certainly can The only thing you cannot do is use the swimming pools.

My favourites to visit are the Wilderness Lodge (near the Magic Kingdom - you can drive there or get the boat, clearly signposted), or Animal Kingdom Lodge (near Animal Kingdom, funnily enough - you can drive or catch a Disney bus here). They are both highly themed and very impressive, designed by the same architect.


Or, you could do a loop of the hotels around the Magic Kingdom - catch the monorail to the Contemporary, then the Polynesian, and finally the Grand Floridian before going back to the Magic Kingdom. All very different hotels.

Or, you could do a walking route of the Epcot resorts. You can reach these by boat from Hollywood Studios or the back entrance of Epcot (leave via rthe bridge between the UK and France). They are a five minute walk from Epcot. You can visit the Yacht & Beach Clubs, and the Boardwalk. Now I love the Boardwalk which has a great atmosphere, street entertainment, surrey bike rental and a fabulous bakery and sweet shop. There are two other hotels too, the Swan and Dolphin. These are all set around a lake and are especially beautiful at night when the Boardwalk is all lit up . It's a very pleasant stroll around them

Do you know which hotel (s) appeal most to you? You could always book a meal at one of them too?

bryanr

I need some advice please. We have decided to go to Florida next year for 3 weeks with our twin girls who will be 5. We are limited to school holidays as we work in schools.

From what we have seen mid to late August seems a good time to go as the US schools have gone back. The question is when should we book? Virgin are offering a fly drive for around £3400 and booking through Quidco would reduce this. We are looking to book a villa as this will give us the chance to have relaxing days and also space rather than be cramped in one room for three weeks.

From what I have seen flights do not become available until around September for next August but in view of this being the peak period I cannot see how it will be much cheaper to do nothing until then and then book everything. Should we just bit the bullet and book it now which will also mean we can sort out our villa.

Thanks for your help.

Mikepcon

bryanr wrote: »

I need some advice please. We have decided to go to Florida next year for 3 weeks with our twin girls who will be 5. We are limited to school holidays as we work in schools.

From what we have seen mid to late August seems a good time to go as the US schools have gone back. The question is when should we book? Virgin are offering a fly drive for around £3400 and booking through Quidco would reduce this. We are looking to book a villa as this will give us the chance to have relaxing days and also space rather than be cramped in one room for three weeks.

From what I have seen flights do not become available until around September for next August but in view of this being the peak period I cannot see how it will be much cheaper to do nothing until then and then book everything. Should we just bit the bullet and book it now which will also mean we can sort out our villa.

Thanks for your help.

I have never really fancied the idea of a villa as the kids like other kids to play with.
Condos are a great alternative.

jeanniebeanie_2

KarenG wrote: »

Or, you could do a walking route of the Epcot resorts. You can reach these by boat from Hollywood Studios or the back entrance of Epcot (leave via rthe bridge between the UK and France). They are a five minute walk from Epcot.

Thanks Karen! Been many times, but never went that way. Just shows you can always learn something here! :T

atro1

One of our favourite evenings, parking at the Contemporary catching the monorail over to Grand Floridean walking through the hotel to Narcoosies and having a couple of drinks watching the fireworks over MK then the Disney colorful river floats as they head towards the hotels.. And then catching the monorail back to contemporary picking up at the MK and watching the hoards leaving MK quite a site!!

maemaesmummy

bryanr wrote: »

I need some advice please. We have decided to go to Florida next year for 3 weeks with our twin girls who will be 5. We are limited to school holidays as we work in schools.

From what we have seen mid to late August seems a good time to go as the US schools have gone back. The question is when should we book? Virgin are offering a fly drive for around £3400 and booking through Quidco would reduce this. We are looking to book a villa as this will give us the chance to have relaxing days and also space rather than be cramped in one room for three weeks.

From what I have seen flights do not become available until around September for next August but in view of this being the peak period I cannot see how it will be much cheaper to do nothing until then and then book everything. Should we just bit the bullet and book it now which will also mean we can sort out our villa.

Thanks for your help.

I would book now I booked with Virgin for this August in Feb.. (quite late) and since then my flights have gone up over £150 each..(4 of us)...not sure where you are flying from but I go from Manchester and am limited for direct flights to MCO... (didnt want the hastle of layovers with a 3 and 5 year old. We have stayed in a villa for the last 3 visits as we too didnt want us all cramped in one room and the kids have loved it.

We are going twice this year, August and for Xmas and have again booked villas

KarenG

jeanniebeanie wrote: »

Thanks Karen! Been many times, but never went that way. Just shows you can always learn something here! :T

You'd walk past it loads of times if you didn't know it was there - I certainly did, until I realised where it lead

KarenG

bryanr wrote: »

I need some advice please. We have decided to go to Florida next year for 3 weeks with our twin girls who will be 5. We are limited to school holidays as we work in schools.

From what we have seen mid to late August seems a good time to go as the US schools have gone back. The question is when should we book? Virgin are offering a fly drive for around £3400 and booking through Quidco would reduce this. We are looking to book a villa as this will give us the chance to have relaxing days and also space rather than be cramped in one room for three weeks.

From what I have seen flights do not become available until around September for next August but in view of this being the peak period I cannot see how it will be much cheaper to do nothing until then and then book everything. Should we just bit the bullet and book it now which will also mean we can sort out our villa.

Thanks for your help.

I would wait personally. At the moment the only flights released are fly drives (ie the ones you can see on the Virgin Holidays website). £3400 is a huge amount to pay, even in school holidays. Prices have gone up massively this year for flights, but I'd be very surprised if you couldn't get something slightly cheaper if you book at 11 months out, when all the scheduled flights are released.

If you're prepared to fly indirect (?) you could save some more.

It's always a gamble though ... if you're happy with the £3400 then book them.

Be aware that the Virgin Flydrive price probably doesn't include insurance (it never used to, anyway) and often they charge so much for that it can be cheaper not to bother picking the car up and arranging your own hire separately.

blue_monkey_2

KarenG wrote: »

Be aware that the Virgin Flydrive price probably doesn't include insurance (it never used to, anyway) and often they charge so much for that it can be cheaper not to bother picking the car up and arranging your own hire separately.

It does, you can get rid of it by selecting 'Third Party' (or something like that) and it deducts about £360 off the price. This is what we did and the chap on the phone was adamant we could not bit I said 'I can online' and he did it for us.

We have been charged £25 for the car but we will not be using it. Was worth doing it that way to get the 10% saving as we got 50% off the tickets we booked as well.