Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

Reue

SuzieSue wrote: »

We paid around £35 each for the transfer from the airport to the hotel and back. You just need to book this when you book your Thompson package (from memory it asks you as you are booking).

We just ate at the hotel, so not sure if there were any other eating places, but our hotel was quite isolated because it was on private land, not on Disney land so there was nothing else within walking distance.

Ive just seen the transfer option on the booking form, thanks!

Any other tips you could give??

Idiophreak

Reue wrote: »

My question is; is it worth paying these for the car hire? Or would it be better to just not bother with it? Or even would it be better to hire a car through a seperate company? Is it possible to get around to the parks etc with shuttle buses and also how much is it likely to cost to get from the airport to the hotel?

It really depends on what you're intending to do, where you're intending to eat, etc.

If you're staying in Orlando, you can probably make do without a car, but it's such a shame to stay in Orlando when the rest of Florida is so beautiful. With a car, you can drive down to Cocoa beach, explore the space coast a bit, and KSC. You can go a little further and hit daytona beach, or you can go west to St Petes, Clearwater et al...Amazing beaches really not a huge drive away. You can even do thinks further afield than that - we did swimming with manatees in Crystal River and I just don't think we could have done it by public transport.

If you're intending on sticking around Orlando, I'd have thought you'd be better off getting a hotel right in the middle of i-drive...then you'll have tonnes of places to eat in walking distance....

Reue

Idiophreak wrote: »

It really depends on what you're intending to do, where you're intending to eat, etc.

If you're staying in Orlando, you can probably make do without a car, but it's such a shame to stay in Orlando when the rest of Florida is so beautiful. With a car, you can drive down to Cocoa beach, explore the space coast a bit, and KSC. You can go a little further and hit daytona beach, or you can go west to St Petes, Clearwater et al...Amazing beaches really not a huge drive away. You can even do thinks further afield than that - we did swimming with manatees in Crystal River and I just don't think we could have done it by public transport.

If you're intending on sticking around Orlando, I'd have thought you'd be better off getting a hotel right in the middle of i-drive...then you'll have tonnes of places to eat in walking distance....

I think we really are aiming just for the Theme parks, this is all a cheap late last minute deal trip for 2 weeks so wont have time to do much else, although we are planning a big group holiday for longer next year to Florida!

There are some other hotel options which are on I-Drive, but then wouldnt that then be alot further from Disney (adding alot of time on the buses/shuttle), or do you think its worth being on the i-drive for that?

It's been a loooong time since ive been to Florida so not too good with judging the distances from maps!

SuzieSue

Reue wrote: »

Ive just seen the transfer option on the booking form, thanks!

Any other tips you could give??

If you have any food allergies don't rely on Thompsons to provide appropriate meals. I asked for gluten free meals and didn't get them on either flight even though we had rung and told them months in advance and also complained when we got there.

We used the Brit Guide http://www.britguideorlando.net/ and found it invaluable.

SuzieSue

Idiophreak wrote: »

I

If you're intending on sticking around Orlando, I'd have thought you'd be better off getting a hotel right in the middle of i-drive...then you'll have tonnes of places to eat in walking distance....

Yes, that is what we were told when we were speaking to the Thompsons reps, but we were quite happy to eat at the hotel. If you like eating at different places and visiting shops etc in the evening then i-drive would be better.

r.mac_2

looking for an honest opinion. Has anyone done the flythomascook charter flight direct to sanford? pros and cons?

previously I have flown KLM with several stops or direct with virgin atlantic.

Idiophreak

r.mac wrote: »

looking for an honest opinion. Has anyone done the flythomascook charter flight direct to sanford? pros and cons?

Never done this route, but never would. Flew with TC to Tunisia...I think 4 hours with so little leg room that I couldn't touch my feet on the floor was long enough...8 hours of the same? No ta!

toddy2226

Did this 2 years ago as a last minute thing with my son.Been 8 times, flown with Virgin,BA, Delta, Continental,American Airlines,Airtours.The Thomascook flights were as good as any, legroom was 33" i beleive the plane was A330-200 this was from Birmingham It did have back seat tv,s a meal and a snack were provided and you had to pay for drinks. .Flying into Sanford is a doddle ,Immigration was about 20 mins,then picked up hire car,its about 45 mins into Orlando,was out by 5pm local time having a nice cold one and eating the Tepenyake at KOBE,s.I paid £188 for the flights last minute (within 7 days departure). Oh get some coins for the Toll roads on the way to Orlando or think its called Sunshine Pass?. Go for it, flights are fine.

Hope this helps
Toddy:beer:

r.mac wrote: »

looking for an honest opinion. Has anyone done the flythomascook charter flight direct to sanford? pros and cons?

previously I have flown KLM with several stops or direct with virgin atlantic.

Birdie85

I went with Thomas Cook last year and wouldn't fly long haul with them again. It felt very cramped, the hostesses were awful, there were no seat-back TVs, and the TVs they had were all fuzzy because they were broken. It may be cheap but it's not cheerful! If you can put up with some discomfort for 9 hours then it's worth it, but make sure you take plenty to keep yourself entertained and go with plenty food and drink as you don't know when they'll bother to serve you, or what they'll give you!

Flying into Sanford wasn't a problem though, got through immigration quickly enough and it's an easy drive to Orlando, we're flying there again this year but with Thomson who we've gone long-haul with before and were quite happy with, we've also paid for extra leg room this time!

mulberrybush

Thanks. That's helpful. Thomson is better then?

Pricing up a cheeky trip and there can be so many variables!