Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

KarenG

Chef1980uk wrote: »

Would love some answers to the following please:

1. Roughly what price will we be looking at for 2 x adults, and 3 x children aged 4, 2, and 2 this time next year ie any time during school holidays?

And if possible

2. each price for each popular option ie a) staying in the resort park, b) staying somewhere else with hire car, or any other recommendations as all will be welcome.

3. Cheaper to book in advance or ultra late deal ie less than 24/12 hours before departure?

Thanks in advance

You can price up for next summer already with Virgin Holidays - that will you you an idea. I would have thought you could also get an idea from other Tour Ops too. To be honest, the answer to the question you are asking could range from £3k to £10k depending on what option you choose, so I'd recommend you doing that to get the best idea.

Ultra late deal in the school summer holidays for five people - or any people is very difficult to come by.

I hate to be so unhelpful but it's a "how long is a piece of string" question.

blue_monkey_2

Chef1980uk wrote: »

Would love some answers to the following please:

1. Roughly what price will we be looking at for 2 x adults, and 3 x children aged 4, 2, and 2 this time next year ie any time during school holidays?

And if possible

2. each price for each popular option ie a) staying in the resort park, b) staying somewhere else with hire car, or any other recommendations as all will be welcome.

3. Cheaper to book in advance or ultra late deal ie less than 24/12 hours before departure?

Thanks in advance

I would allow a minimum of £5k including spending money - depending on the type of accomodation you want to stay at. If you want to stay at Disney it is possible to do this for under 5k with free dining depending on the date you want to go. If you choose the apartment option it would be easier for you with having the babies. I found hotels hard with having a baby, with the apartment you can make your own foods as they have a kitchen.

Gettig a late deal is a risk in my opinion. A lot of flights have been full recently and had we wanted to go the date we are going then we would not have been able to get flights.

Chef1980uk

Ok, thanks for the quick responses.

Thats very true about the apartment with toddlers, good point. Wit that in mind and seeing children ages for flights start at 2. Would it be cheaper to go before they turn 2 that being March 12th?

broonbear

have a look at the dibb, you'll find answers on accommodation, parks ,spending money ,everything. you've got to look before you touch anything on florida

xjennax

I know most people will know but I thought it might help someone at least ....

Do this before September 8th and it's free - Do it after and its $14/£9 !

Completing the ESTA form is compulsory for travellers to the USA from UK, and once done is valid for two years
Each traveller has to have a separate one - easy to do follow the website

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c5408F2F9-7CC5-52F4-681E-570D2F3D0F12_k1DD0A191-3103-FA5D-083C-D3F811C6C24E

Hope it helps someone !

blue_monkey_2

Chef1980uk wrote: »

Ok, thanks for the quick responses.

Thats very true about the apartment with toddlers, good point. Wit that in mind and seeing children ages for flights start at 2. Would it be cheaper to go before they turn 2 that being March 12th?

Just bear in mind that 9 or so hours, on a plane, with another child under 5 is going to be a challenge in itself. They need to sit on your lap don't they? I'd pay for a seat personally. Park Tickets you'll not need, and they would eat free on the dining plan - if under 3 so you would save there anyway.

If you go in January it'll be very quiet and the dining plan will be on - you can price it up here: http://wdtc.disneyinternational.com/ choose the 'Deluxe Villa' option as these are apartments rather than rooms and you get the better dining plan that you can use for Character meals (although these need to be booked as soon as you have booked your accomodation - no charge until you get there but no booking you'll not get seated, make reservations here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/

We did Disneyland Paris with a 3 and 20 month old and it was a real struggle, my youngest did not get that much out of it. If this is a 'once in a lifetime' thing for you all I'd recommend you leaving it until your youngest are 4 as they will remember it and will not get so tired. It is exhausting for an adult, let alone 2 babies.

Plus think of luggage allowance if they do not have a seat. That is a biggie to be honest!!

Chef1980uk

blue_monkey wrote: »

Just bear in mind that 9 or so hours, on a plane, with another child under 5 is going to be a challenge in itself. They need to sit on your lap don't they? I'd pay for a seat personally. Park Tickets you'll not need, and they would eat free on the dining plan - if under 3 so you would save there anyway.

If you go in January it'll be very quiet and the dining plan will be on - you can price it up here: http://wdtc.disneyinternational.com/ choose the 'Deluxe Villa' option as these are apartments rather than rooms and you get the better dining plan that you can use for Character meals (although these need to be booked as soon as you have booked your accomodation - no charge until you get there but no booking you'll not get seated, make reservations here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/

We did Disneyland Paris with a 3 and 20 month old and it was a real struggle, my youngest did not get that much out of it. If this is a 'once in a lifetime' thing for you all I'd recommend you leaving it until your youngest are 4 as they will remember it and will not get so tired. It is exhausting for an adult, let alone 2 babies.

Plus think of luggage allowance if they do not have a seat. That is a biggie to be honest!!

A lot of food for thought actually. Leaving it for now will probably be the best. In all certainty it will be a once in a lifetime holiday so yea, when the 3 are a bit older they can enjoy it more. Thanks alot

poet123

Chef1980uk wrote: »

A lot of food for thought actually. Leaving it for now will probably be the best. In all certainty it will be a once in a lifetime holiday so yea, when the 3 are a bit older they can enjoy it more. Thanks alot

I second that, my youngest was 7 the last time we went and his brothers quite a bit older. he didn't like big rides and was too small anyway for a lot of them, now he is asking to go back as he loves the biggest rides.

les64

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chef1980uk
A lot of food for thought actually. Leaving it for now will probably be the best. In all certainty it will be a once in a lifetime holiday so yea, when the 3 are a bit older they can enjoy it more. Thanks alot


We did Florida over a decade ago as two adults and we found it tiring then ! We've waited until the youngest can enjoy it. We never did fancy doing it with babies or toddlers in tow. Now we are about to venture back with 3 older kids, aged 13 10 and 7. Have to take it during summer holidays next year which put up the price alot. We thought we might as well go for 3 weeks rather than 2, since the flights are the bulk of the cost. Can't seem to find it under £7000 :eek: for flight, hotel, car and disney passes (with free dining if we stay disney). Then there's other theme park passes on top of that ! Looking like an expensive holiday, but really want to take kids once !

blue_monkey_2

Chef1980uk wrote: »

A lot of food for thought actually. Leaving it for now will probably be the best. In all certainty it will be a once in a lifetime holiday so yea, when the 3 are a bit older they can enjoy it more. Thanks alot

OK, I started this as a small message but it has now turned into a bit of an essay so apologies but......

I do not like telling people not to go but with 2 babies AND a toddler it'll be stressful and a lot of hassle - both getting there and being there. Babies can have a lot of sensory overload and there are lots of people. I do sometimes wonder why people take small babies to Disney and they are screaming because they cannot cope with it (babies not adults, lol). We went for my sons 3rd birthday, my daughter had just turned 4. They can look at the pics and remember SOME of it, but last year when DD turned 7 and DS was 5 we went to DLP and they can remember everything. It is just more special when they can get something out of it - especially if it will the the one time you'll ever go.

Right now, your kids will not be able to go on any rides without you so that will be something - you'll not be able to take 2 kids on, it is one each. For us now, with one 6 and one 8 they can go on some of them without us accompanying them which is ideally what you need, for 2 to be able to be seated together so you can take the baby on.

I had a Phil & Teds double and we had to lug it everywhere with us and it was an added pain albeit a small buggy, the kids were exhausted and would often be asleep by the time the fireworks were on in the evening (they have ear defenders because of noise and so they never woke up) and they would spend half the time in the buggy - which has to be folded up to get on the Disney Bus!! And so we'd have to carry them - and the buggy - on the bus and monorail too.

However, we are just going back with them being 6 and DD turning 8 while we are there and I think this is the right time and I feel comfortable. They can get on most of the rides except the big coasters - but we will go back when they are older to do those - but they are still small enough to get something out of the young rides such as Dumbo and 'Small World', they'll still like the characters somewhat and see Disney for what it is, when they get too old they'll just want to go on the big rides. I love Disney, it is magical, but teengers don't - probably too many people smiling and they have all that angst going on!! :rotfl:

So.... why not go to Disneyland Paris for a few days instead for now. The best time to go is the week after rememberance Sunday - DO NOT go this weekend though, it is a public holiday in France and everyone goes to DLP and they have some huge sale on at the back of the park - first time we was there this happened and we queued and queued and then gave up trying to get in and went to lunch (by this time it was 11am!!!), it was a waste of a day. But, the first week of 'Xmas' at Disney, it is quiet then so you can get on and off the rides easily - sometimes you can just stay there, LOL. It is just as magical and will cost a fraction of the price as Florida, and see how the kids react to it. They kids will go for free so you'll only pay for travel for you and your wife/partner, but it will give you an indication of what to expect - only that Florida is about 30 times bigger.

Here is the offers gumpf on DLP: http://offers.disneylandparis.co.uk/special-offers/kids-under-7.xhtml

I priced up Sequioa lodge for 2 adults, 1 3 year old, 2 under 2's for 3 nights leaving November 15th and it is £353 for the room and parks tickets. If you go for 4 nights then it is £370.

Do not book your travel option with DLP or an agent, do this seperately as they charge a bomb for travel. If you get the Eurostar it will take you directly to the gates of DLP and I find this easier than flying but I am not sure where you live. The kids will travel free if under 4, they can sit on your laps. HOWEVER, if you are doing this go 1st class (Leisure Select) because the family section of the train gets very hot and crowded and it always make my son sick, he is usually stripped to his undies on the Eurostar - Leisure Select is usually pretty empty and when we use it we get pretty much the entire carriage to ourselves and the kids run around to their hearts content. It is fab!!

It is coming up as roughtly £350 for 2 x 1st class tickets or £140 for standard class. But if using standard class I would get tickets for 4 of your children so you can have 2 seat sections each otherwise you'll have 5 people into a 2 seat bay - it will be horrendous. Do not under-estimate how crowded the train will get and you have to get a double buggy on there too. It is the worst bit of the holiday!! 1st class is so much nicer and you get free breakfast on the way there and dinner on the way back (the kids will not unless you have paid for a seat for them but mine are usually exhausted by then as the train leaves at 7pm in the evening so they never eat it.

So for 4/5 days it'll be under £800 for all of you to stay in a 3* Disney Hotel and travel 1st class - and that sounds like an absolute bargain to me.

When you get there you can check into the Hotel straightaway and then go to the parks, ask to leave your luggage and collect it later (unless you prefer to check in to your room first thing), on the way home for 3 Euros you can have your luggage taken to the station, you collect it after 6pm on the top floor and it is right next to the check in desks for the train. Really, really easy!!

I've done DLP loads of times with my kids, starting from age 2, if you want more advice then PM me rather than cluttering up here, you still get the Disney experience without outlaying loads of money and you will find that when your kids are this age they'll just want to look at the lights. Xmas at DLP is magical, most of the cast members speak English (they'll have a badge with our flag on), it is just done on a smaller scale but you still get the same experience - just not with the weather But is is very quiet that time of year, midweek, and you'll be able to wander round, see the parades, and get more out of your holiday.

Let us know if you decide to go and what you think of it. I love it, the kids love it too. :T

Oh, and if you do not live near London, for that price I would consider Driving to Ashford and staying at the Holiday Inn as you can park your car there while away and the cost of a taxi is included (if you choose that optio, otherwise a taxi is around £7) but there are some vouchers about for a cheap night at Holiday Inn at the moment, stay there on the day before you go and then the day you get home and travel home the next day. The train gets into Ashford at around 8.30 so after getting theorugh security it is a long day. It'll be around £100 a night without discount so it'll mean you'll pay around 1k for your holiday to DLP, in total.

I hope that is helpful.