Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

steve1500

TheSmithFamily wrote: »

Hi all

New to posting but have been reading this thread for ages!!

Anyway - we are planning a family holiday to Florida in summer holidays 2016.

I really just wanted to begin by asking (in todays prices I know in 2 years they'll go up a bit) how much should we expect to pay for flights? At the time of flying the children will be 16, 7 and 5 years old.

Obviously we're restricted to term time holidays due to kids being in school.

Further info - we'll be booking a Villa and hiring a car and we HAVE to fly direct due to wifes phobia of flying - getting her on one plane each ay will be hard enough :rotfl:

Depends when your flying, who you are flying with. But for the Summer holidays, you would be lucky to see any change out of £800 per person

mintster

vivatifosi wrote: »

Shopping discounts for Labor Day are normally shown in the supplements in the Orlando Sentinel on the Sunday before. Actually that goes for all sales... black Friday, Veterans Day, etc...

Are the sales usually only on Labor Day or is everything discounted before?

Now33

We have just booked flights to Orlando for August 2015, and now need to look for a villa.

We are looking to stay at Highlands Reserve (other members of our family are stopping there, but have booked a full package with Thomas Cook).

A quick look on the web reveals a number of booking agents where I could book a villa. Can anyone recommend a booking agent and/or provide any general advice on things I need to look out for.

Thanks!

lizzielie

vivatifosi wrote: »

Should add.. with the US minor holidays there is a spike but it isn't as big as for Easter, Christmas, 4th July etc. The spike also tends to pass pretty quickly, so will be a minor blip in the course of a standard British visit to Orlando... we tend to go to Disney for two weeks whereas the average American visit tends to be much shorter, I think it is about 4 days. If you are visiting parks during those dates just be there for opening and you will be fine.

Sorry, meant to edit rather than quote myself but hit wrong button on tablet and realised too late.

Thank you Vivatifosi! That is very helpful :j Will make sure to pick up the paper as we arrive on Sunday (somehow just sunk it is actually THIS Sunday!), and we're all off for a food shop not long after we arrive. We're the latecomers, the rest of our group arrive the day before, and staying in Tampa for the night.

Best get my skates on get everything printed! Including the all important shopping vouchers for the outlets Me think the unlimited luggage on our journey home will be a blessing (or a curse according to hubby!).

vivatifosi

A bit more on outlet shopping in FL. The coupon booklets and offers in the mainstream papers (such as the Orlando Sentinel) tend to be for the mainstream stores: Sears, JC Penney, ToysRUs, Walgreens, Target, Best Buy... that type of place.

In terms of the outlet, you can get a discount coupon/booklet by registering for the Orlando Magicard, see:
http://www.visitorlando.com/discounts-and-tickets/free-magicard-orlando-discount-card/
It doesn't cover all of the stores in the outlet and sometimes there are better offers in store than are covered by the voucher, but they can be handy.

Also... if anyone is planning shopping in Florida and has a member of their party who is over 50 years old, then be aware that Tuesdays can be the best days to go outlet shopping, because of this:

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/salespdf/Orlando50plus11.pdf

Mintster, in answer to your question... I'm not 100% certain. I have a feeling that they start on the day, particularly as Black Friday people queue out, but not sure why I think that. We certainly go on the day.

Also, I'm sure everyone knows this already, but in case any first timers are reading... tax is added at the till and isn't included in the sales price. Also the sales tax changes a little between different counties. It tends to run between 6-7% of the purchase price, depending where you are.

Andy_89

292 days until I go back, not that I am counting.

I have my shopping list of football boots already set. I may start to think about purchasing my tickets for Universal, any suggestions on where is best. I already have Disney and Seaworld sorted.

meer53

steve1500 wrote: »

Depends when your flying, who you are flying with. But for the Summer holidays, you would be lucky to see any change out of £800 per person

We went in the school holidays last year, flights were £875 each (Virgin) we booked 11 months in advance. By the time we travelled they'd gone up to £1100 each !

Andy_89

Well I have stupidly checked the price of my holiday and 2 months after I booked it it has dropped by 1k.

I am considering cancelling my holiday and rebooking. I will save £650, is it worth ringing the agent to negotiate extras???

northwest1965

Now33 wrote: »

We have just booked flights to Orlando for August 2015, and now need to look for a villa.

We are looking to stay at Highlands Reserve (other members of our family are stopping there, but have booked a full package with Thomas Cook).

A quick look on the web reveals a number of booking agents where I could book a villa. Can anyone recommend a booking agent and/or provide any general advice on things I need to look out for.

Thanks!

I would recommend
http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/villa-search.php

I don't own a villa or rent one through them. It's a great site!

mumto2monkeys_2

Andy_89 wrote: »

Well I have stupidly checked the price of my holiday and 2 months after I booked it it has dropped by 1k.

I am considering cancelling my holiday and rebooking. I will save £650, is it worth ringing the agent to negotiate extras???

Who did you book through? That's a massive difference.