Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

laragh

Hi Everyone

So my first trip is being planned, we go on 7 August for a fortnight (8 weeks!!). I've found the following tickets and wonder if I've covered all bases.... We def want to do the dolphin swim so I've got details as follows:

Discovery Cove Ultimate Adventure: Dolphin Swim and entry to Busch Gardens, Aquatica and Seaworld for 14 days. £221 each

Universal 2 Park Ticket: Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure 14 days $112 adults and $99 kids

Disney 5 day Magic your Way Base: $220 adults and $188 kids

Also a Kids Eat Free Card £10, my kids are 13 and 6, do you think we'll get away with one for the 13 yr old??

blue_monkey_2

Well, I booked my Disney Character meals last night and we are going to Chef Mickey, Aloha breakfast with Lilo & Stitch on the last day, that rotating restaurant in The Land with Chip & Dale, Tonys, rainforest Cafe, Tea Time at The Crystal Palace and a few other places, I forget now. All booked though so that is great. And all Free!! I booked around $700 of dinner experiences last night and all but one is free on the Dining plan - and that is before starting on the other food we get for free for lunch and a snack each day. I am so pleased we booked that.

However, we have the free dining plan and on going through it I thought I had to give up 2 table service meals for a dining experience and it isn't, it is one table service meal in exchange for a Character meal. Wow. We are going to be STUFFED as we do not usually eat that much because of all the walking around.

Only around 18 weeks and we are off. Hurrah!!

PS. I am not doing a daily planner to make sure we do not miss the dinners we have booked. I nearly fell off my chair when my husband said 'we need a holiday diary'. He cannot organise a p up in a brewery, maybe all my years of lists have finally worn him down. ha ha!! The night before we go to bed I do a list for the next day that says where we are going, what time we are leaving and what we need to see to make sure it gets done.

blue_monkey_2

laragh wrote: »

Hi Everyone

So my first trip is being planned, we go on 7 August for a fortnight (8 weeks!!). I've found the following tickets and wonder if I've covered all bases.... We def want to do the dolphin swim so I've got details as follows:

Discovery Cove Ultimate Adventure: Dolphin Swim and entry to Busch Gardens, Aquatica and Seaworld for 14 days. £221 each Have you checked the price on Expedia for these? You get 12% cashback at Expedia, quite a saving

Universal 2 Park Ticket: Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure 14 days $112 adults and $99 kids

Disney 5 day Magic your Way Base: $220 adults and $188 kids

Also a Kids Eat Free Card £10, my kids are 13 and 6, do you think we'll get away with one for the 13 yr old??

I would save your money with the kids eat free card, you can get booklets of vouchers all over Orlando where you get $$ off or kids eat free. The only places they cannot be used is in the Theme parks.

blue_monkey_2

Wow, have just seen this for the Rainforest Cafe (2 in Orlando, one outisde AK and one at DTD). We usually go at least once so I am going to fill in a couple of the calendars and get some 99c meals for the kids.

http://www.rainforestcafe.com/rewardsCalendars.asp

We have a WILD way to motivate and reward your kids when they accomplish their goals. We have several different certificates outlining various achievements that you can simply download and print for FREE!. Once your child has earned their reward, bring the certificate in to any Rainforest Cafe and receive a kids meal for only $.99!!

FloFlo

blue_monkey wrote: »

Wow, have just seen this for the Rainforest Cafe (2 in Orlando, one outisde AK and one at DTD). We usually go at least once so I am going to fill in a couple of the calendars and get some 99c meals for the kids.

http://www.rainforestcafe.com/rewardsCalendars.asp

We have a WILD way to motivate and reward your kids when they accomplish their goals. We have several different certificates outlining various achievements that you can simply download and print for FREE!. Once your child has earned their reward, bring the certificate in to any Rainforest Cafe and receive a kids meal for only $.99!!

That's a great offer, we love the rainforest Cafe, we usually go to the one in AK haven't tried the down town one yet.

blue_monkey_2

We went to both last time We Lurve the Rainforest Cafe!! If you are going Downtown then make a reservation (I have done this already from the Disney Website) we had a 2 hour wait to get seated last time and it was an hour and a half for food. We went at 12 and got out at nearly 4pm, complete waste of half a day.

This time we are booked for 5.15 after going to AK. There were only 2 slots left from 4pm to 8pm in November.

I've printed out the certificates, there is a reading record, Tooth Fairy certificate - we go wild when the tooth fairy comes, give us your best smile, LOL and then are some 'I did my best' ribbons you cut out and take in. They are fun vouchers basically but are dated until the end of December 2010 so print them out now. I've got enough for 4 visits

lex

Hello!

I'm contemplating getting a late holiday to Orlando this summer...I know that many seasoned Orlando visitors swear by booking all the components of the holiday separately. I've tried a few times over the past months and I can't get anywhere near the price I can for a package with a travel agent.

If, for example I was staying at AKL in disney at the end of August, I can get a holiday for 4 (2 adults, 2 children) for 2 weeks for around £3500 (excl car hire, tickets etc) with First Choice.

If I look at piecing it together separately I seem to be looking at at least £2k more.

I always book car hire separately as the cost of the insurance cover with the "free" car hire with first choice is always more than I can get booking directly with someone else. Tickets - likewise will do research and get good price - just looking at base holiday currently - flights and accomodation.

Forgot to mention - happy to fly from most London airports into either Sanford or Orlando - quite flexible.

Has anyone got any hints or tips on how to book it cheaper separately - or is this due to the timing of my booking?

lex

johnnyroper

lex wrote: »

Hello!

I'm contemplating getting a late holiday to Orlando this summer...I know that many seasoned Orlando visitors swear by booking all the components of the holiday separately. I've tried a few times over the past months and I can't get anywhere near the price I can for a package with a travel agent.

If, for example I was staying at AKL in disney at the end of August, I can get a holiday for 4 (2 adults, 2 children) for 2 weeks for around £3500 (excl car hire, tickets etc) with First Choice.

If I look at piecing it together separately I seem to be looking at at least £2k more.

I always book car hire separately as the cost of the insurance cover with the "free" car hire with first choice is always more than I can get booking directly with someone else. Tickets - likewise will do research and get good price - just looking at base holiday currently - flights and accomodation.

Forgot to mention - happy to fly from most London airports into either Sanford or Orlando - quite flexible.

Has anyone got any hints or tips on how to book it cheaper separately - or is this due to the timing of my booking?

lex

august is always going to be expensive but i would look at a villa outside of disney if you only want a base somewhere like kissemmee.
i think the flights will be the big money as they are nearly booked up thomson are coming out at£1159 per person for 14 nights from aug 14th.you could try indirect flights or travelling to tampa and driving up may work out cheaper.

try posting on the travel agents quote thread see if any of them come back with a better price

robert0

You should also check out the new Harry Potter Park if you are going

blue_monkey_2

lex wrote: »

Hello!

I'm contemplating getting a late holiday to Orlando this summer...I know that many seasoned Orlando visitors swear by booking all the components of the holiday separately. I've tried a few times over the past months and I can't get anywhere near the price I can for a package with a travel agent.

If, for example I was staying at AKL in disney at the end of August, I can get a holiday for 4 (2 adults, 2 children) for 2 weeks for around £3500 (excl car hire, tickets etc) with First Choice.

If I look at piecing it together separately I seem to be looking at at least £2k more.

I always book car hire separately as the cost of the insurance cover with the "free" car hire with first choice is always more than I can get booking directly with someone else. Tickets - likewise will do research and get good price - just looking at base holiday currently - flights and accomodation.

Forgot to mention - happy to fly from most London airports into either Sanford or Orlando - quite flexible.

Has anyone got any hints or tips on how to book it cheaper separately - or is this due to the timing of my booking?

lex

Have you looked at the prices of the flights online? Coming home is out of the kids holiday times so the prices should come down. However, AKL is expensive at the best of times, check what accomodation they are giving you. If you have not stayed here before you want the Savannah View otherwise you'll be facing the (boring for kids) car park which is a standard room. The Savanah room will be an upgrade. I am afraid that if you want to go to this help for what it is and wake up seeing the animals you do have to pay extra for it.

The other thing I would say is that 2 weeks is a long time to be stuck in AKL. It is gorgeous there but it is VERY expensive to eat and food is limited in choice. It is one of the furthest hotels to get to and from the parks (40 minute trip from MK on the bus if I recall) and is a long way away from the other parks and certainly anywhere to get anything different to eat or pop to a supermarket. Parking at MK is $14 even if staying at a WDW hotel. We are staying in the villas for a week but we are only staying as it is Self Catering and we are going to Wal-Mart first so we have something for breakfast. There is nowhere to buy or prepare food in the rooms so you are stuck with Disney Food. Breakfast on Boma when we stayed for one night cost us $60 plus a tip.

I'd seriously consider staying elsewhere for week 2 otherwise you will have had enough after a week and it'll spoil it for you. It is a gorgeous hotel but the choice and cost of food will drive you nuts, especially with 2 kids to feed healthily as well. Our room was a good 7 minute walk from the lobby, it's a long way there an back if you want something from the shop too or leave something in your room by mistake. Have a think about it and maybe go to I-Drive for week 2 so you can get too and from Universal etc.. easier.

Just a thought for you.