Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

jeanniebeanie_2

bestpud wrote: »

We're planning to go next year, mainly for Disney.

I was thinking of early January but then started reading of frosts and it not being swimming weather...

Our 11 year old daughter definitely has water parks and swimming on her agenda!
/QUOTE]

May not be of much help to you, but the weather in Orlando varies wildly at that time of year. Our friends go each year for 6 weeks starting at Christmas and report that within the same week they can be sunbathing/swimming or cracking ice on the pool. Most water parks will be open, however Disney closes both its water parks for refurbishment during the winter. It staggers the closures though so one of the parks is always open. If you book a private villa you can usually pay extra for pool and spa heat (not cheap). Crowds will be low too.

LisaLou1982

Southernman wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone can help.

I want to go to Disney World FL early may 2014 for two adults.

Realistically, when's the best time to look at flights etc? The earlier the better or wait until nearer the time?

How much spends should we take each for 14 days? £1000? £1500?

I'm just trying to plan how much i need to save as i have no idea! Now for May 2013 i can do hotel, flights and car hire for 825pp based on today's prices. We're planning out of school season to avoid the kiddie crowd. Obviously in a year prices can go up dramatically but i needed a vague indication.

The last time i went to Florida (August 2009), we took £1000 spending money for 2 adults for 2 weeks. This did not include car hire or any park tickets as we had already purchased these before we arrived in Florida. We were staying in a Villa so that £1000 covered our food for the villa, petrol for the hire car, parking at disney, souveniers and any other bits and bobs. We ate out most nights although i think there were a couple of nights that we either had takeaway at the villa or cooked.

I think at that time we got about $1.60 to the £ so slightly better than what we can get now.

Im going back to Florida in November this year and i think we will take £1500 for the 2 of us

LisaLou1982

Quote:
Originally Posted by Southernman
I was wondering if anyone can help.

I want to go to Disney World FL early may 2014 for two adults.

Realistically, when's the best time to look at flights etc? The earlier the better or wait until nearer the time?

How much spends should we take each for 14 days? £1000? £1500?

I'm just trying to plan how much i need to save as i have no idea! Now for May 2013 i can do hotel, flights and car hire for 825pp based on today's prices. We're planning out of school season to avoid the kiddie crowd. Obviously in a year prices can go up dramatically but i needed a vague indication.

__________________________________________________________

Oops, forgot to add - start looking for your flights around 9-12 months before your flight.

Im looking at car hire at the moment for November and am getting quotes of around £300 for 2 weeks. There are loads of deals to be done. Personally i wouldnt look to pay more than £500pp for a flight. There are always vouchers and offers with Virgin and Opodo and Expedia on flights. Dont forget Quidco too!!

Regards hotel - im not the one to ask as we stay in a Villa that i get through work so i dont have to pay for that!

HTH

maemaesmummy

Not been around much guys recently....way to involved in selling the house and everything in it.....not to mention trying to find one in Orlando. The move is most definately on...looking forward to our one way flight into MCO!!

KarenG

maemaesmummy wrote: »

Not been around much guys recently....way to involved in selling the house and everything in it.....not to mention trying to find one in Orlando. The move is most definately on...looking forward to our one way flight into MCO!!

Very excited for you :beer: :T :j

toadhall

Has anyone done the cruise and stay option? 7 nights cruising and 4 days in a hotel in Orlando with hire car included. Was it worth it and did you have time to do Universal etc?
We like to cruise but also want to experience a little bit of magic
Thanks

KarenG

toadhall wrote: »

Has anyone done the cruise and stay option? 7 nights cruising and 4 days in a hotel in Orlando with hire car included. Was it worth it and did you have time to do Universal etc?
We like to cruise but also want to experience a little bit of magic
Thanks

I have combined a cruise with a stay in Orlando, but not booked with a holiday company, all done DIY.

Four days won't give you much time at all, so be selective about which park tickets you buy!

KarenG

Crispy_Ambulance wrote: »

From our experience, I wouldn't bother with trying to book a restaurant for a specific view. You don't book a table at a particular time, your booking is for a time slot so there is no guarantee of a particular table or exact time of eating. My husband had booked a Japanese restaurant to watch the fireworks at Epcot last year as it was my 40th birthday. He made this really clear at the booking but when we arrived, we were put into a queue to be seated with no guarantee of a window seat or of eating at the time we had planned to. All the booking guaranteed was that we would eat there that night. In the end, we cancelled and got a takeaway instead and watched the display from the lakeside and it was great - plus we hadn't spent around $100 on a potentially very disappointing experience.

There aren't many tables from that restaurant that give you a good view of the fireworks, so wouldn't be my first choice for a meal and fireworks, though the food is lovely. We've never waited more than ten minutes or so to be seated here.

If traveller ted is going when free dining is on, I'd highly recommend making an advanced dining reservation. Many times I've been in a WDW park and there have been almost no spaces at any restaurant, so people with no ADR are not accommodated at all. This tends to be the case particularly during free dining.

Flora_marg

Hi there
Anyone know of a combo deal for Disney and Seaworld tickets? We are going over Easter for a week. Many thanks!

KarenG

Flora_marg wrote: »

Hi there
Anyone know of a combo deal for Disney and Seaworld tickets? We are going over Easter for a week. Many thanks!

There is no benefit, as far as I'm aware, of buying Disney and Seaworld tickets together. Just browse the usual websites for the cheapest tickets.

Be aware that the parks will be extremely busy at Easter.