Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

KarenG

tich2 wrote: »

Thanks for the quick response Karen, any help is much appreciated. I have answered all the questions below.

When are you looking to go? Going on Monday 28th March or any time that week.
Are you prepared to fly indirect to save money? Prefer to travel direct.
Do you want a package or DIY? Happy with package or DIY (package may be easier?)
Villa, offsite hotel, Disney, or other? Would love villa but not sure if viable for 2 so hotel fine if a lot cheaper.
Do you want to drive? Yes I will drive.
Budget? Looking at about £700pp for flights, accom and car for two weeks but this is negotiable.

I hope this helps.

Hi there

I suspect the parks may be quite busy in that period, as it's just heading into Easter. Is that going to be OK?

To Orlando, scheduled direct flights are from Virgin Atlantic and British Airways only, unless you book a charter holiday with the likes of Thomson etc (they don't always have a great schedule off season, but if it fits that could work well). I checked Thomson and the prices for the most basic of hotels plus flight is £904 for 14 nights on 26/03. Per person, which seems very very high to me. Virgin (flight only) on 28th March for 14 nights is just under £500 per person, and you can find a cheap hotel for the two of you separately (plus you'd need car hire). As an alternative, you could also fly into Tampa, on the West Coast with BA and the drive is not much more than Orlando. Check out the websites direct to give you a benchmark for prices.

If it's your first time you may prefer the security of a package.

If you drive that will give you more flexibility

You can get an offsite hotel very cheaply, cheaper than a villa. You should be able to find a few for £20 per room per night (the likes of Masters Inn, Quality Inn etc. Not recommending these myself because I've not used them, but just as a cheap and cheerful example).

On Expedia they have a package for your dates for £1300 for two people which is a basic hotel, car hire (and some if not all insurance... I didn't check carefully) and Virgin flights. So your £700 budget is possible.

I think you need to browse a few websites to get an idea.

blue_monkey_2

Well, excuse my absence but it has been all go the last few weeks. We fly on Sunday but leave first thing tomorrow for Gatwick twilight check-in, out for the day, guest house in the evening and then fly on Sunday morning.

OMG. TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!

I *think* I am ready for it, just some odds and ends to do around the house, I am more organised than I am for going on holiday in the UK. Ironically I seem to have less luggage too - what is all that about?? Yes, I even have a case of food - cereals, biscuits, washing tablest, coffee, etc... LOL. I WILL be prepared!! The empty space will be filled with goodies on the way home.

I woke up with this morning with this impending feeling of sickness and doom and could not get back to sleep - 3 weeks is a long time away for us but I know once I get there it'll be fine.

I have packed loads of motion sickness tablets as I am so paranoid about being ill on the rides and it ruining the day. Eveverything is booked.

Just a big heads up for the Virgin Concierge Service in Florida for Virgin Holidays Guests, we wanted discovery Cove tickets so gave them a call, they gave us the same price as on the DC website (A bargainous $249 + tax each for dolphin swim) - PLUS because we booked via them we got free Kids eat free cards and she has put us on the shuttle from the Airport to our timeshare apartment for free too. Not sure why we got that as we are on a FD with our own accomodation for the full 3 weeks but it is great we have that as it saves some $$ on the shuttle. http://concierge.virginholidays.co.uk/florida/ It seems they will price match so call them and you'll get extras for free.

We are also picking our HP early entry voucher up from the Airport.

For those of you that do not know, the welcome meeting is now elsewhere and you HAVE to attend that to get your voucher for early entry. There have been reports of the reps not signing the voucher off unless you buy something so it is worth considering buying your tickets from them via the concierge so they allow you to collect your early entry voucher from the Virgin desk at MCO thus avoiding having to attend the welcome meeting.

So, is there anything else I have forgotten? I'll have my laptop with me so I'll no doubt be online to catch up in the meantime.

it's going to be a very strange morning tomorrow, waiting to leave with nothing to do, usually I am running around like a headless chicken but tonight it will all be done. The one thing I am not doing is ironing, I have started washing and tumble drying and folding so anything that might be creased will get done while we are there. It has saved me HOURS of packing time. Amazing.

I've left my business in the hands of 2 others. They do not do everything just the way I want things done but what's the worst that can happen? They dispatch a few incorrect goods? The address labels are not right? if they cannot keep up I shall just close the site from over there. Nothing I can do about it after all.

Thanks for all of your help over the last 8 months - where did they go? Can someone remind me!!

Fancy dress is all packed and ready to go so we are going to the Disney Halloween Party, Seaworld Halloween Party and Mickeys Xmas party. Huby is dressing up after all, he is going as Jasper, Cruellas sidekick. It will be great fun.

maemaesmummy

Have a great holiday hun......can't wait for mine 19/12 and we only got back 7 weeks ago but it feels like forever!

chocolateteddy

Have a great time I was only thinking this week I wondered if you'd gone. I am about to pay our balance only 103 days to go!!!! We booked christmas eve 2009 so I can't believe we are paying balance already. Frightening but can't wait the children don't know we are telling them christmas day well hoping the presents we give them give it away!! will be asking for loads of tips when you get back,

Wardrboe

Hi everyone, thanks for all the great info in this thread

I am off to Orlando in two weeks with my wife and 2 yr old son for their first Disney experience. I have heard that as its not peak season that the parades and fireworks etc at Magic Kingdom do not take place every night. Does anyone know if this is true and if so what days they do take place?

Thanks in advance

Slinky_Malinki

Hello again everyone.

I've just had quote of £619pp for a flight from Manchester to Orlando on Delta departing 19th October 2011. It seems fairly reasonable given the time of the year and that it covers the October holidays but Virgin Atlantic, Delta et al haven't released the flights for then yet. Virgin Holidays for that period are a lot more expensive.

Any ideas if I could get it cheaper if I hold on until they are released in a month or so?

Cheers.

johnnyroper

Slinky_Malinki wrote: »

Hello again everyone.

I've just had quote of £619pp for a flight from Manchester to Orlando on Delta departing 19th October 2011. It seems fairly reasonable given the time of the year and that it covers the October holidays but Virgin Atlantic, Delta et al haven't released the flights for then yet. Virgin Holidays for that period are a lot more expensive.

Any ideas if I could get it cheaper if I hold on until they are released in a month or so?

Cheers.

Have you tried looking at the virgin hols flydrive only option?

If you wait a month or so then there will be more choice of flights/prices.
Thomson airways is also worth a look as they were quite reasonable when I looked,premium was cheaper than virgin economy

blue_monkey_2

Wardrboe wrote: »

Hi everyone, thanks for all the great info in this thread

I am off to Orlando in two weeks with my wife and 2 yr old son for their first Disney experience. I have heard that as its not peak season that the parades and fireworks etc at Magic Kingdom do not take place every night. Does anyone know if this is true and if so what days they do take place?

Thanks in advance

Kind of true, they have Xmas parties on this time of year which means that the MK shuts at 7pm and it is a ticketed event so you either buy a ticket and go (in advance, some nights sell out) or leave early that night.

Also Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios is only on on a Thursday and Sunday this time of year.

You can find park hours here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/?hdndateDesc=Monday%2C+November+01%2C+2010+-+Wednesday%2C+November+10%2C+2010&asmbly_endDate=20101110&asmbly_startDate=20101101 If it says MK shuts at 7pm it means there are nO fireworks that night unless you watch it from outside.

Slinky_Malinki

johnnyroper wrote: »

Have you tried looking at the virgin hols flydrive only option?

If you wait a month or so then there will be more choice of flights/prices.
Thomson airways is also worth a look as they were quite reasonable when I looked,premium was cheaper than virgin economy

Virgin Holidays prices have rocketed lately. Mainly because no economy are available now - just upper class and economy premium.

Thomson looked good when I checked and then they added a load of extras if your pockets were full or you were wearing a watch and belt.:mad:

katiewoos_2

Wardrboe wrote: »

Hi everyone, thanks for all the great info in this thread

I am off to Orlando in two weeks with my wife and 2 yr old son for their first Disney experience. I have heard that as its not peak season that the parades and fireworks etc at Magic Kingdom do not take place every night. Does anyone know if this is true and if so what days they do take place?

Thanks in advance

Just got back last week and firworks at Magic Kingdom are on Monday and Wednesday nights. Epcot are on every night. Dont know about weekends but the Mickeys Halloween Party thing is on the other nights. A little tip learned from a Florida resident. If you go to the Polynesian Hotel at Disney and sit on the hotel beach you can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks any night. Its almost like having a private showing.