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

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  • Dumyat
    Dumyat Posts: 2,143 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    we are just back from florida in october....we found a package cheaper because our kids counted as adults on the scheduled flights..we stayed at the bahama bay resort in an appartment which was bigger that our house! £2600 for 4

    when the kids were younger we did fly drive...did villa car and flights for £2200 for 4 ( the fly drive was with BA through Kuoni with free transfers to gatwick to meet the flight)
    x x x
  • funkmaster wrote:
    I now need to sort out a car to collect us from MCO and take us to our Disney Hotel. Also, I need a car to take us from the hotel to Port Canaveral for a cruise (would need a round-trip to take us back again after the cruise ends)

    Definiely not going to hire a car, so wondered whether anyone had used a car firm - not trying to be flash, just don't want to drive.

    Initial costs would seem to be $60 from airport to Disney and $220 round-trip from Disney to Port Canaveral.

    TIA

    I've used https://www.gobeeline.com before. Give them a shot and see if they match your requirements.

    cheers ;)
    Col
    I'm tired of the censorship :D
  • jasonrat
    jasonrat Posts: 482 Forumite
    hi any advice on booking hotels in florida? our first intention was to book the whole two weeks in advance. are prices really cheaper on the internet or can you find bargainswhen u arrive? looking for cheap places to stay have read some comments on tripadvisor and people complain about paint falling off the walls or the odd cockroach to be honest we dont mind
  • MKS
    MKS Posts: 10,328 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Jason Rat - we are spending only a week in orlando in April and have found accomodation ok, after hours of hunting through we have booked at Hawthorne suite orlando , (please dont now post your bad experiences) (kids go free) I have read good & bad reviews, and am hoping it will be fine, (eek) my children are 5 and 3 so similar to yours, our main must was 2 double beds in room and not a double and a sofa bed, as i know either my husband or i no doubt will end up on the 2nd bed !! (that took about 3 days on and off /emails etc research)

    booked all our flights through American airlines. (that took an hour to two)

    am currently on the great car hire hunt !!! (day 1)
    Try usrentacar.com, we've paid £272 for 2 weeks for an intermediate car with free upgrade to full size 4door car, from Alamo. Most US hotels have 2 double beds in the room. Enjoy yourselves.
  • jasonrat wrote:
    hi any advice on booking hotels in florida? our first intention was to book the whole two weeks in advance. are prices really cheaper on the internet or can you find bargainswhen u arrive? looking for cheap places to stay have read some comments on tripadvisor and people complain about paint falling off the walls or the odd cockroach to be honest we dont mind

    If you want to check out the hotels have you had a look at
    http://www.holidays-uncovered.co.uk/
    Hope this helps :cool: :beer:
    ;)!!!!!!There are More Questions Than Answers!!!!!!:eek:
    :search: But I Just Don't Have Any Answers :idea:
  • jonnno
    jonnno Posts: 108 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    We want to go to Florida for Easter 2007 - flying from Manchester 2 adults 2 children (aged 8 and 10). Have to go in school hols but can go up to 3 days before, ie Wed 28th March 2007. We are looking for flights - charter flights have been released but the prices are phenomenal. On scheduled flights we have been quoted £449 per adult and £349 per child incl taxes but these are indirect via Atlanta or Chicago. However, we have also had an estimate from elsewhere of direct Virgin flights that will be released 11 months before departure. The estimate is £421 for adults and £371 but these prices cannot be guaranteed until the flights are released.

    So, what should I do - get the slightly more expensive indirect flights now or wait until April to try and get the cheaper direct flight??? :confused:

    Help!!!!!
  • If you want to secure the Virgin Atlantic flights now, then the only way is to book a package that includes VS flights - this can be done through Virgin Holidays, Funway, Hayes & Jarvis etc etc. Or just book a fly-drive with one of them and source your accommodation elsewhere.

    Hope this helps.

    cheers ;)
    Col
    I'm tired of the censorship :D
  • jonnno wrote:
    We want to go to Florida for Easter 2007 - flying from Manchester 2 adults 2 children (aged 8 and 10). Have to go in school hols but can go up to 3 days before, ie Wed 28th March 2007. We are looking for flights - charter flights have been released but the prices are phenomenal. On scheduled flights we have been quoted £449 per adult and £349 per child incl taxes but these are indirect via Atlanta or Chicago. However, we have also had an estimate from elsewhere of direct Virgin flights that will be released 11 months before departure. The estimate is £421 for adults and £371 but these prices cannot be guaranteed until the flights are released.

    So, what should I do - get the slightly more expensive indirect flights now or wait until April to try and get the cheaper direct flight??? :confused:

    Help!!!!!

    I did a quick check at work - a Virgin Hols flydrive on 28th Mar07 for 14 nights with a compact 4 door car inc fully inc insurance would cost around £3100 from Manchester. No idea what the other companies that use Virgin flights charge though coz I can't check them yet.

    First Choice will do 30th with a hotel included too for £3515 - and remember that First Choice longhaul has more room in economy than Virgin, BA or any other airline across the Atlantic. And the seats are wider than any of the other charters too! The flight only on those dates is £3196, so it just shows how cheap they can do the car & accom!!

    Again, I hope this helps a bit.

    cheers ;)
    Col
    I'm tired of the censorship :D
  • jonnno
    jonnno Posts: 108 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    :T Thanks Col - that's really helpful but I think I'm even more confused now. We were going to book separate accommodation - 3 bed villa with private pool - as these seem readily available and cost approx £400 per week. But now I'm not sure!! We haven't done a package holiday for years as they never seem good value but First Choice sounds like quite a good option.

    Don't know what to do now - got some serious adding up to do!
  • apcorbett
    apcorbett Posts: 161 Forumite
    I have been over to Florida in each of the last four years, and have stayed in a variety of hotels and villas, and gone on First Choice and other airlines.

    My own opinion is:

    Villa's cannot be beaten, as there will be days where you just want to relax, and the villa with cable tv, several rooms, swimming pool etcetc is better than a room in a hotel. However, they are a little further away from places such as I Drive, and this needs to be borne in mind.

    My own favourite is American Airlines, where you get to choose your seats, get good quality entertainment on the way there and back, and whilst their flights are indirect, this can also be a good way of breaking the journey. Also there will be less kids on the flight, as it is not going direct! Nothing like 9 hours couped up! Additionally, this helps miss the security problems at Orlando Airport, as you don't get there at the same time as the direct flights from London with lots of Brits all trying to get through at the same time. Orlando International is much nicer than Sanford...


    HTH
    Andy Corbett

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