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

Poppy9

scotsblood wrote: »

Yes the fact that you could also pick up the locals on their amateur band shows you would also be interfering with their transmissions!

Be warned they DO take non approved radio transmitters VERY SERIOUSLY if they are found in your luggage. US immigration have been known to turn very nasty and even deny entry for attempted importation of prohibited goods.

Bearing in mind the heightened security paranoia are you willing to take the risk?
Why not just buy from walmart when you get there?

They have been found in my luggage! Twice when we've travelled to Florida (2006 & 2004) they picked on DD case to search. She considers the walkie talkies hers so they've been in her case.

Edinburghlass_2

franklally wrote: »

Can anybody suggest the best payg mobile to buy in the USA for a 2 week holiday. I think some come with credit included. If that is correct, are these the best to buy?


We got 2 tracphones from Walmart at easter - approx $15 each and $19 for a phonecard for each one.
I think they were the best buy of the trip (my sister who was with me lives in Spain so our mobiles were routed through different countries - it would have cost a fortune otherwise.)
The phonecards were virtually impossible to use up in 2 weeks - texts were approx 2c and international and national calls were 5c a minute-really cheap. Great reception in all the parks and calling the UK and Spain.
They need topping up every 3 months (I think) but as we plan to go to the US again next easter I'm lending them out to family and friends who are going out and ask that they just keep them topped up for me before they leave.

Have a good trip!

Was it this one?

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5740963

franklally

Edinburghlass wrote: »

Was it this one?

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5740963

It was - but all black not pink. Walmart on the 192 in Orlando had a huge range of phones that would be suitable, they were really helpful in advising us and we really just went for price in the end.

I forgot to mention you need access to a land line to set up the phones (only need local area code access though), which is fairly quick and easy to do.:D

loates123

what are the 10$ vouchers they do our many mins and texts do u get

how do u set the phone up too

franklally

loates123 wrote: »

what are the 10$ vouchers they do our many mins and texts do u get

how do u set the phone up too

We just bought a $19.99 tracfone phone card for each phone from walmart which gives you 60 units of airtime. Then just used the villa landline to dial the freephone number to register the phones - this took about 10 minutes for each one.

One unit = one minute of local and long distance calls.
Texts worked out about 2c each.

I have no idea what 10$ vouchers are

summerangel_2

izzitme wrote: »

Can anybody suggest the best payg mobile to buy in the USA for a 2 week holiday. I think some come with credit included. If that is correct, are these the best to buy?

Please help as I go on Thursday & don't want to use my O2 payg because it is too expensive.

Many thanks.

Personally if its to call home I would get a phone card. We got one through travel city direct when we booked and toped it up over the phone there. Was really easy to use and if you are in a villa you can phone from there with it. I took by vodaphone pay and go phone for texts which were about 50p easch but out where out villa was it was murder to get a signal but in the parks and built up areas it was easy.

WaltonVale

My family have decided, after a bit of badgering from me, to go to Florida for our 2008 sumer holiday. There will be 4 adults and one child/ We have to go during the school holidays because of the child and because I am a teacher. Obviously this means large inflated prices.

I have only ever been in charge of booking one holiday before and that was a no expense spared honeymoon, not exactly a money saving thing! This year we have to go back there because my stepdaughter has decided to get married over there, so another very expensive holiday!

We are thinking about booking a villa and hiring a car. Fisrt of all, after doing some reserach I've found a 3 bed villa with a pool for 2 weeks for £600 which looks to be a pretty good price.

The thing I am struggling with is the flights. I have been looking around and the flights for next august are not avaliable yet, but I am looking for advice.
What kind of price should I expect to pay?
When would be the best time to buy the flights?
I don't want to book the villa yet incase I can't find flights for those days, is this a good idea?

Thanks in advance for your help,

Laura

Amys

The August 2008 flights wil not come out until September/October.


However it is often cheaper to get a fly drive rather than a flight only. If you look at most tour operators the 'fly drive' proces are out already. Sometimes it is cheaper to do this and not use the car (arranging a car elsewhere) than get a flight only deal.


it is a good idea to get flights before the villa, there are more villas avialble than flights.

WaltonVale

Amys, thanks for the tips!

This is what I have found so far
August 2008 4adults 1 child

Flights only Thomson fLY - £680 pp
Thomas cook - 624 pp

Flydrive
Airtours - £842
My Travel £683
Travel city direct 690


So far, so good!

in_debt_again_but_dealing_with_it

Hi new to this one but after some advice. My lovely oh is preparing to give up smoking and as an insentive we are hoping to book a USA holiday for 2008/09 (must be school hols) for the family (2 adults 3 kids) now we are completely new to this having only travelled in the UK - so a little nervous about the whole process + determined not to be ripped off. I like the idea of booking accomodation/flights etc seperately (if it works out cheaper??), however worry that as novices to the travel game we may be better to go with the relative security of package deal. Any advice from you more seasoned travellers warmly received.