Where to start with a Holiday to Florida?

daggin68_2

Evening All,

Were looking at booking a holiday to Florida for 2 weeks this September (2nd week after kids go back)
Really not got much idea where to start as this kind of holiday of such a mine field as there are sooo many "deals" and so many operators offering £100 discount vouchers ect ect!

Ill give you the basics

People: 4 (2 couples)
Length: 2 weeks
Wants: Disney world, dolphins ect

Villas seem to be cheaper at first glance but i could have it all wrong and renting a car as 3 of us can drive

I really have no idea on cost as ive never been, never done this sorta holiday but kinda figures with all the money you guys have saved me over the last 6 months you will be knowing the best things and value that is available to me without getting robbed!
Shout any questions at me if needed!
Thanks again

Eagle_1

You could try the following forum https://www.disboards.com its everything Disney and they will be able to give you loads of info.

edit to add : Theres a place within that forum for UK visitors who are planning trips.

Edinburghlass_2

I agree with Eagle about the disboards, it was my bible on our first trip and I picked up loads of useful little tips.

Also check out our own Orlando and Florida thread ...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=23331&page=35

windswept

the dibb is a british , disney info. site, the dis is very american-centric. I'm afraid I wouldn't go in september if you paid me, it may be quieter but the weather can be vile, very hot and LOTS of rain, every day mostly. october is much nicer , especially on the run up to halloween. we have been 5 times and still not seen and done it all. villas tend to be on huge complexes really out of the way of things. A hotel , somewhere like the south end of i-drive would be better, handy for disney, sea world and universal, or somewhere like the vistana resort near seaworld or the renaissance seaworld . get a few guide books from the library and do lots of research, if you go on the trip advisor site, take a lot of reveiws with a pinch of salt, look for english or canadian reveiwers, the yanks just like to nit-pick.

kay41_2

Whenever I have been to the states I have done loads of research especially on flights. If you can get the flights at the best possible deal, then you can sort everything else after that. Often the Guardian or other broadsheets do two for one offers for flights to USA - we once flew to North Carolina for less than £500 for 3 of us (OK one was a 20 month old!).

Some companies do a fly drive deal where you get a car for free, but check you get the full package with unlimited mileage and collision damage waiver etc - sometimes called a 'gold' package - a a free tank of gas.

I've never been to Florida or Disney and I suspect it is different there as it is a hot tourist destination, but accommodation generally is really easy to find in USA. It depends if you want a base for 2 weeks e.g. a villa, or to move around and stay in different places. We have always booked flights, accommodation and car hire separately and it has worked fine (and cheaper than a package).

Just a thought: you might want to stay in a slightly out of the way complex especially if it has a pool etc as a rest from what I imagine to be the hustle and bustle of the whole disney thing.

We managed to go to California, Nevada and Arizona in April/May this year and my 6 year old never knew that Disney was in LA - phew! I think she's a bit young yet.

You can stay in very nice (but dull) chain hotels like the Hilton, Days Inn, Comfort Inn etc with a big room with facilities e.g. microwave, fridge for not much money at all - or you could get somewhere a lot more homely like a villa.

Borrow a good guide from the library like Baedekers, Let's Go, Rough Guide etc and do a rough itinerary and see whether it makes sense to stay in one place or move around. It's really easy to drive around the states and big distances are a lot less hassle than over here. We did over 2K in April in 2 weeks arriving in SF, then onto Yosemite, Vegas, Grand Canyon, Mojave Desert and then LA and it was really stress free.

Have lots of fun doing the research and look carefully at the weather and flight prices. Good luck

annie123

Hi, hubby and I went with his brother and wife in 04. Had a fab time.
We went for 2 weeks and travelled around ending up at the keys.

When I booked the flights, got the best quotes I could on the web and then phoned around.
Went with BA in the end, via phone, cheapest flight due to sale and got free car for each couple (we wanted 2 cars incase we wanted time apart, which we did!) nice mid range models. We paid £20 each for the fully comp all bells and whistles insurance, just incase!
It feels very strange filling your large tank up and then paying £15.
Really felt stuffed when we got back to the UK!

We rented a villa in Orlando via web, from a couple who live in Wales. Very friendly and helpful and let us rent it for 4 nights instead of the usual week. It was a fab place, cant believe how much space you get.

Get yourself a good guide book now, visit all the tourist attraction sites you can now and print off coupons to take with you.
We spent a few hours in the morning of day one just driving around to get our bearings and stopped at a few places, when they realise that you are not going in now, just to make sure you come back we were given loads of leaflets many with 1/2 price entry, min free meal, we saved a small fortune in those 3 hours and worked out which order to do things in. We also found things that we had not heard off.

Hope you have a fab time.

snowy1998

windswept wrote:

the dibb is a british , disney info. site, the dis is very american-centric.

thats https://www.thedibb.co.uk if you didn't figure it out

windswept wrote:

villas tend to be on huge complexes really out of the way of things.

i would have to disagree, every time we have been (6 out of the last 7 years) we have booked a villa around the 192 / I4 area close to most things 10 mins from disney, do some internet searching there are hundreds to choose from and usually much cheaper and better than hotel rooms.

LittleTinker

Hi,
September is a great time to visit Florida.....The weather has been fantastic each time Ive been. February was just that little bit too cold for the water parks, as was November.

For 4 people a villa would work out more than a hotel.

When you drive around in Orlando, you see the hotel prices on the boards outside saying "$45 per room, per night" etc etc, so £23 split four ways is very very good.

If this is your first time, I wouldn't recommend booking hotels and flights separately.......go for a package..try Sky Travel shop as they have some great Florida deals.

All the hotels are pretty much the same......two double beds in each room....so 4 can share no problem....and you really wont be spending too much time there at all. Sooooooo much to do!

As for your Disney tickets, Universal tickets etc etc dont book them through the tour operator as they work out more expensive. I would recommend you buy them when you get there as you will find discount booths, discount vouchurs, free days etc etc for all the parks.......except for the Dolphin Experience. Get that booked in ASAP as they do fill up.

Your car hire is generally free when you book but doesnt include insurances or upgrades.......and you will have to upgrade if you are 4 adults.
I would recommend that you do all this before you go, through the tour operator.

Eating is very cheap......if you want extreme budget you could get by on $10 a day each but a decent amount would be $30 a day each (but that wouldnt allow for some of fancier restaurants.) When you think that you can get "All you can eat" buffet breakfasts and dinners from $5 each........then you get the idea.


Hope all goes well.......Youll have a great time.

kay41_2

Gas prices have risen sharply recently in the US, so I think the days of $15 tank fulls are gone, but it's still cheaper than the UK. Mind you the engines are so big it needs to be cheap.

glo1967

My husband & I went in September just gone, but will not go back in September again as every time we went outdoors we were plagued by 'Love Bugs', dunno if anyone else had the same problem. We were told that they are in season during April & September. I did still enjoy my time there & we have decided to go back in May this year instead.

recyclingbox

we have had five family holdays in Fl. 3 of those were booked through travelcitydirect.co.uk and they were excellent. not necessarily the cheapest, but we were there when Hurricane Charlie hit. The airport and most of Orlando was closed for three days and TCD were excellent in organising accomodation, transport meal vouchers etc. They are well worth a look and I would recommend them to anybody. They also organised our NYC trip and that too was excellent.

If you can afford it, Late JUly early August is agreat time to go - parks etc are very quiet because it is too hot for many Americans and most Brits won't/can't go 'cos of the cost.