Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

poet123

blue_monkey wrote: »

We'll have to agree to disagree then jonny, I priced up seats recently (because we want to go again next year) on VA and they were under £2000 yet to do a fly drive, no car, for the same date was £2900 - quite a substantial difference I am sure you'll agree. When I was looking to book back in Feb, booking on VH was the same price for all dates I tried and the discount made it come out at much less.

Every date I looked at was substantially more expensive on VH fly drive option now - even 10% off would not make any difference. I reckon they changed it because people could get flights cheaper on VH.

Now it's not an option. I am going to try and save CC vouchers for next years holiday and book the lowest of the low hotel and just not use it.

Who accepts CC vouchers for Florida?

poet123

mattarmy wrote: »

OK - flight is booked!!!

This is my proposed itinerary, flying out the 3rd September and flying back on the 17th.

Day 1 - Land Sanford, pick up hire car and drive to somewhere in Tampa/Clearwater area
Day 2 - Busch Gardens
Day 3 - Drive to Sanibel spend 1 night there I would stay on Captiva Island, the beach is fantastic
Day 4 - Drive to Miami via Route 41
Day 5 to 7 - say at South Beach for 3 nights. Do the Everglades airboat tour.
Day 8 - Drive to Orlando. Maybe do the Kennedy Space centre on the way (I know it's a long drive this day but I can handle it!)
Day 9 - 14 Stay at Orlando. Do Discovery Cove and Universal. Not sure whether to do 2 different hotels or stay at the same one. Staying at a Universal hotel gets you front of line access.
Day 15 - Drive to Sanford and Fly home

The additional days in Miami/Orlando will be days to relax, we don't mind not doing something every day. Please feel free to make and suggestions or tear it to shreds!

Have a great time.

blue_monkey_2

poet123 wrote: »

Who accepts CC vouchers for Florida?

Virgin, they accept £700 pp. Someone from school has just gone to Florida with Virgin and Tesco CC. Even if I get cheapie accomodation and have to put £1k in it'll still be a huge saving on the website price. We'll be staying in an Exchanged resort again so the weeks accomodation will be £350 for Disney.

In Tesco I found we can get our currency with our Clubcard Credit card and get points on that and no extra charges. I've done my Xmas shopping already using the codes they had last week for Teco direct. I am on a mission. I managed to save £600 worth in the last 3 months too.

If we don't save enough it'll be off to Butlins.... again. :rotfl: I should have saved them I guess. I used £600 worth for Butlins earlier this year.

poet123

MMm might be joining you on that mission, we need to be in Florida for a family wedding, and having just costed it it is eye wateringly expensive. May come back to you for some tips!

natters_2

Myself and my 11 yr old son are booked to go on 18th October 2010 for 3 weeks

I have the following and am looking for suggestions to what i may have missed - might like to do. This is our first trip, so would like to do as much as poss

We are staying in international drive and using i ride/taxis

Flex tickets & discovery cove with busch gdns
pirate adventure meal
hardrock cafe
planet hollywood
Kids eat free card
Plan to try and get disney used tickets when we get there also does anyone know about the birthday entry to disney as mine falls on Halloween and I'm told it is a pretty good day to go.

blue_monkey_2

poet123 wrote: »

MMm might be joining you on that mission, we need to be in Florida for a family wedding, and having just costed it it is eye wateringly expensive. May come back to you for some tips!

They have 150 points on albums at the moment if you need to get any presents.

Everyone gets stuff from Tesco for us. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2645555

They had a great offer on that finished on 1st, I got loads of half price toys and an offer code as well with 1500 points

blue_monkey_2

natters wrote: »

Myself and my 11 yr old son are booked to go on 18th October 2010 for 3 weeks

I have the following and am looking for suggestions to what i may have missed - might like to do. This is our first trip, so would like to do as much as poss

We are staying in international drive and using i ride/taxis

Flex tickets & discovery cove with busch gdns
pirate adventure meal
hardrock cafe
planet hollywood
Kids eat free card - I'd not get one of these, you can get loads of booklets with offers in from outside supermarkets and in shopping centres.
Plan to try and get disney used tickets when we get there also does anyone know about the birthday entry to disney as mine falls on Halloween and I'm told it is a pretty good day to go.

It is a pretty good day to go if you go to the Special Event otherwise you'll be chucked out of the park at 6pm - no fireworks or anything that day, only at the Special Event.

The price of Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween party for that day is $65 for adults and $59 for kids 3-9 and it has to be booked on the phone before you go or you can chance getting them on the day but they only have a limited number: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/special-events/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party/ You will not be able to get cheaper tickets for these. These events are great as the park is not full. This is the day that we are going, you get a wristband to wear, they rope off the entrances to the lands so you are in Main Street and you can only get throught if you have a band, without it you'll be ushered out the exit.

No-one gets free into Disney!! Local residents get in at a reduced charge but they do not give free admission to anyone. It's not like here in the UK where carers get in free, does not apply over there. However, you can go to Guest Services and get a 'Birthday Badge' from the Concierge.

It is worth mentioning that you should check the days of Mickeys Halloween party and also the Xmas party which starts on 8th Nov as these days the Magic Kingdom will be closed early with no fireworks so plan to do another park that day, the list of dates is on the link I have given you.

Another thing to mention is that you son will not be seen as a child in the theme parks as this goes up to age 9, Age 10+ a child becomes an adult but there is not a huge amount in difference in prices tbh.

Discovery Cove needs to be booked before you go, if you leave it until you get there you probably will not get tickets.

blue_monkey_2

Also: Get a Kids Meal for 99c from the Rainforest Cafe (Downtown Disney and Animal Kingdom - I'd advise booking before you go) http://www.rainforestcafe.com/rewardsCalendars.asp

To book a table at a certain time )we had to wait 3 hours for a table at DTD) http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/rainforest-cafe-animal-kingdom/

natters_2

Thanks for the links - have now booked the disney halloween event - I already have all the tickets mentioned above (except the disney used tickets), I got the kids eat free as my son can eat like a horse - me on the other hand doesn't so I am imagining he will be eating the adult meals & me the kids portions!

FloFlo

The birthday celebration has finished, it was an offer on for around a year that if you could show ID at the gate on your birthday you got in for free. If you already had park tickets they gave a gift voucher to approx the value of the gate price. This has finished now and I believe replaced with the give a day get a day promotion.