Orlando & Florida - Questions & Answers (Part 1) *CLOSED*

koru

Bobsworlduk wrote:

Have you had a look at the new First Choice product. It compares favourably with the scheduled airlines.

The premium economy packages on most charters are also worth looking at, most of the time they come in at less than the Virgin economy fares.

The First Choice website says that economy flights on the 3rd Feb would be £2296 - nearly £1000 more! Maybe they are cheaper at peak season - I guess Virgin have to keep to schedules, so they discount more to try to fill a plane in low season.

And FC want another £48 if I want to sit next to my children! That's exactly the kind of thing that puts me off a charter.

Sorry - I'll stick to Virgin, thanks.

edit: to be fair, if I was willing to go a week earlier (which I'm not), FC would be £1344, including sit together fee. But that still only matches Virgin.

Murphy_The_Cat

Koru

are you sure on the £1387 price ? as i've just been on now and can't get near it.

Have you gone for the prices from bit, or from actually doing a dummy booking ?

MTC

koru

Murphy_The_Cat wrote:

BTW, Koru's price of £1387 for 2 adults & 2 children incl a car isn't to shabby - especially if you insure the car independantly. The figure £99 for a years car hire insurance keeps getting passed around. Mabye upgrade to a bigger car, take out the insurance with the specialist guys and you're quids in.

You would have to pay state tax and airport fees as well. These seem to come to at least $160 for 2 weeks. Plus extra driver fee. I figure that's got to be at least £100. So, it would be at least £250. At best, I'd save £25 compared with Airline Network. I think I would rather play it safe.

koru

Murphy_The_Cat wrote:

Koru

are you sure on the £1387 price ? as i've just been on now and can't get near it.

Have you gone for the prices from bit, or from actually doing a dummy booking ?]

I got to the Price Summary page. Next step is provide passenger names.

Just re-did it right now. Go to http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/brochures/florida/info/flydrive/default.aspx

14 days, 5th Feb, 2 adults, 2 children.

Murphy_The_Cat

koru wrote:

I got to the Price Summary page. Next step is provide passenger names.

Just re-did it right now. Go to http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/brochures/florida/info/flydrive/default.aspx

14 days, 5th Feb, 2 adults, 2 children.

Koru

I'm not doubting you (honest), I'm just trying to get the same prices as you !.

OK, Gatwick to Orlando, going out on 5th Feb, back on 19th Feb, 2 adults, 1 x child aged 10, 1 x child aged 8, comapct car for one week, no insurances, £1386.70 - are we on the same wavelength ?

MTC

koru

Murphy_The_Cat wrote:

Koru

I'm not doubting you (honest), I'm just trying to get the same prices as you !.

OK, Gatwick to Orlando, going out on 5th Feb, back on 19th Feb, 2 adults, 1 x child aged 10, 1 x child aged 8, comapct car for one week, no insurances, £1386.70 - are we on the same wavelength ?[/img]

£1387.70 according to my quote! But near enough!

Glad you checked - it is reassuring to know I wasn't doing something wrong. Looks like I could add a villa for about £600 and car hire for £275 and the all-in price is less than £2300.

Murphy_The_Cat

koru wrote:

£1387.70 according to my quote! But near enough!

Glad you checked - it is reassuring to know I wasn't doing something wrong. Looks like I could add a villa for about £600 and car hire for £275 and the all-in price is less than £2300.

Koru

at the risk of repeating myselg, that isn't shabby a deal at all, in fact it's pretty nifty.

The villa charge, is that per week or per fortnight, as £600 for a fortnight isn't an awful lot. (& have you considered hiring a luxury car, it's a verrryyyyy nice thing to do and relatively cheap)

MTC

koru

Murphy_The_Cat wrote:

Koru

at the risk of repeating myselg, that isn't shabby a deal at all, in fact it's pretty nifty.

The villa charge, is that per week or per fortnight, as £600 for a fortnight isn't an awful lot. (& have you considered hiring a luxury car, it's a verrryyyyy nice thing to do and relatively cheap)

That's per fortnight. eg:
http://www.villas2go4.com/listings/villa1661.htm

But I haven't really researched villas yet.

I did get upgraded to a cadillac once. Hated it. Suspension like a sofa and parked like a tank. TBH, as long as it has a/c and enough room and cruise control, I don't care. The furthest I'm going to drive is Cape Kennedy.

Murphy_The_Cat

koru wrote:

That's per fortnight. eg:
http://www.villas2go4.com/listings/villa1661.htm

But I haven't really researched villas yet.

I did get upgraded to a cadillac once. Hated it. Suspension like a sofa and parked like a tank. TBH, as long as it has a/c and enough room and cruise control, I don't care. The furthest I'm going to drive is Cape Kennedy.

Hi koru

good luck on the villa research and I hope that you don't pull all of your hair out doing it - the choice is massive. If you are looking at a "hiring from the owners" website, try and pick out a Brit and negotiate no Florida sales tax - it'll save you 9-11% of the price and watch out for cleaning charges and electric/pool heating charges, they can be one hell of a lot also, I would imagine most owners will do a deal for a fortnights rental.

As for the car hire - it just goes to show hoe different we are !! I got a Cadillac Deville last year and loved it, but I was reallly lashing on the miles and doing a grand tour - the extra boot space was very welcome (and there was only 3 of us).

MTC

nicola.1

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