Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

steve1500

Look at Manchester - Dublin - Orlando with Aer Lingus. You might want to consider pricing it up as 2 separate flights Manchester to Dublin & then Dublin to Orlando.


If you collect Tesco's CC points look at converting them to Virgin Atlantic Miles (www.headforpoints.com is really good for info on collecting miles) as Virgin fly direct to Orlando from Manchester you could possibly use them.


Also use Sky scanner

Crisps87

Disney have launched their main promotion for next year!

Free Dining (the level of free dining you receive depends on the level of hotel you stay in) plus free $200 gift card!

It's valid from 1 Jan to 31 Nov 2017.

I tried posting a link here but I'm not allowed because I'm a newbie. Google Disney holidays and you should get the official page which will then link you to the offer details

You do not have to book directly with Disney to receive the offer, Virgin and Thomson are honouring it. I'm assuming others too, but those are the only two I've checked. Virgin do seem to be more expensive than Thomson on the dates I have looked at.

(PS I did a forum search and nothing came up. Apologies if already mentioned)

hnisc

Having eventually received the complimentary hotel shuttle times from my hotel it would appear that it would not get me to the Disney Parks in time for 'rope drop'.

I have planned to go to the parks first thing in the morning to beat the crowds and hot afternoons. There is also a factor of some rides such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train not being available for FastPass+ for those guests not staying in Disney hotels so I need to head to them first to avoid long wait times.

I have looked at the #50 bus but the pick-up point is 2 miles from my hotel and the i-Trolly does not start until 8am which I would need to use to get there.

My question then is regarding Orlando taxis. I have heard that only Mears Taxi's are exempt from the $17 parking fee at Disney Parks even though they are only dropping off! I was looking at Uber initially but it would be pointless if the fee was to incur an extra $17.

Also my 4 year old will be with me so would I need a taxi with a car seat (which Uber provides in some cars)? What is the law regarding this in public hire vehicles in Florida? Do Mears offer this facility?

balletshoes

Crisps87 wrote: »

Disney have launched their main promotion for next year!

Free Dining (the level of free dining you receive depends on the level of hotel you stay in) plus free $200 gift card!

It's valid from 1 Jan to 31 Nov 2017.

I tried posting a link here but I'm not allowed because I'm a newbie. Google Disney holidays and you should get the official page which will then link you to the offer details

You do not have to book directly with Disney to receive the offer, Virgin and Thomson are honouring it. I'm assuming others too, but those are the only two I've checked. Virgin do seem to be more expensive than Thomson on the dates I have looked at.

(PS I did a forum search and nothing came up. Apologies if already mentioned)

you also don't have to book a package including flights, you can just book the accommodation and park tickets through Disney to get the free dining, $200 gift card and free memory maker, and then source your own flights (and car hire if you want it). There are also lots more Florida-specific travel agencies than just BA, Virgin and Thomson etc, who may have better prices if a package is what you'd really prefer.

balletshoes

hnisc wrote: »

Having eventually received the complimentary hotel shuttle times from my hotel it would appear that it would not get me to the Disney Parks in time for 'rope drop'.

I have planned to go to the parks first thing in the morning to beat the crowds and hot afternoons. There is also a factor of some rides such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train not being available for FastPass+ for those guests not staying in Disney hotels so I need to head to them first to avoid long wait times.

I have looked at the #50 bus but the pick-up point is 2 miles from my hotel and the i-Trolly does not start until 8am which I would need to use to get there.

My question then is regarding Orlando taxis. I have heard that only Mears Taxi's are exempt from the $17 parking fee at Disney Parks even though they are only dropping off! I was looking at Uber initially but it would be pointless if the fee was to incur an extra $17.

Also my 4 year old will be with me so would I need a taxi with a car seat (which Uber provides in some cars)? What is the law regarding this in public hire vehicles in Florida? Do Mears offer this facility?

Uber do not get charged any fees for taking you into the parks at WDW or Universal etc - they use the guest drop-off facilities situated at the entrances to the parks (or the TTC for Magic Kindgom).

You would need to order the specific Uber category which includes a car seat for your 4-year old. Sorry I don't have the child car seat rules for Orlando, my child is as tall as I am now!

hnisc

balletshoes wrote: »

Uber do not get charged any fees for taking you into the parks at WDW or Universal etc - they use the guest drop-off facilities situated at the entrances to the parks (or the TTC for Magic Kindgom).

You would need to order the specific Uber category which includes a car seat for your 4-year old. Sorry I don't have the child car seat rules for Orlando, my child is as tall as I am now!

I've been told that only Mears cabs can drop off without paying the $17 fee as they have an exclusive contract with Disney. Uber and the rest must pay or get dropped off at the Contemporary Resort to avoid it.

balletshoes

hnisc wrote: »

I've been told that only Mears cabs can drop off without paying the $17 fee as they have an exclusive contract with Disney. Uber and the rest must pay or get dropped off at the Contemporary Resort to avoid it.

thats totally untrue - Uber can and does use the guest drop-off areas at the entrances to all the parks. I used them myself to arrive at, or leave every WDW park last summer, and at no time were Uber charged any extra fees to take me to the entrances of the parks.

parksandrec

balletshoes wrote: »

thats totally untrue - Uber can and does use the guest drop-off areas at the entrances to all the parks. I used them myself to arrive at, or leave every WDW park last summer, and at no time were Uber charged any extra fees to take me to the entrances of the parks.

It's possible that the $17 was already included in the price you paid for the Uber so you didn't realise you were paying it

balletshoes

parksandrec wrote: »

It's possible that the $17 was already included in the price you paid for the Uber so you didn't realise you were paying it

i didn't pay as much as $17 for any trip with Uber (you are sent a notification through the app with what you've been charged for your trip just after you've arrived at your destination).

There is a whole raft of threads about Uber in Orlando, including a sticky with lots of information, on the DIBB forum -

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=888262&page=26

p-pincher

Hi everyone. Hoping I can ask for some advice.

I originally planned a trip to WDW for 2017 but due to a very close family member getting hitched abroad next year I planned to postpone it to 2018 so that we could go to the wedding next year and Disney the year after. Its our whole families dream trip. Both Dd's are now teenagers and we're all disney mad.

I've only just realised that if we go in 2018 we may have a problem pulling the kids out of school for a week in either may or october. We were planning on one of the half term weeks and then a week either before or after. The beginning part of the year will be the youngest SATS exams. The exams will take place the week before the end of may half term week. The crowd calenders shows it get crazy busy after this time. The October coincides with the younger dd starting senior school and older dd starting year 10 for her gcses so o not liking the idea f taking them out of school at that tkme either.

Sorry for rambling but my question is to either go in the actual summer holidays in 2018 (worried a bit about the heat, wait times etc) or try to go October half term 2017. Which time of year do people think is the best time to go? This is our first ever trip and we probably won't be back for some time. Thanks.