florida /disney

[goingroundthebend4]

After looking into disneyland paris and working out costs have decided instead that rather go to Florida

Do people think packages better or book it seperatley myself .If so how early can things like flights etc be booked.

Know want villa as there be me , ds1 (18) ds2(15) dd9 and ds3 be 6 also my mum and stepdad both be 60 .So villa just gives us more choice what to do and like the freedom of it

Am thinking next year summer holidays maybe last week or so of term .

How soon should i start booking things ,.Know going to take some serious saving but with two 60th and a 18th birthday just thought it be extra special .plus am aware that ds1 not always going to want to come away with us

ooh, us too.

although we are off this summer.

so far, from minimal research, booking separately definitely the way to go (eg, large villa near Disney - we need the same size as you, as have dc 22, 20, 6, 4, plus family coming too, and a close friend - can find them fr anything form £700 per week upwards. book that through Virgin holidays, for eg, and the villa cost works out at £7k, as they charge per person staying there!)

there are a couple of threads in the longhaul section I am keeping an eye on too

oh i shall have to go look over there .Whe n do you thin k earliest is to be able start booking things .Just means not such a shock for prices.

Flights will be the most expensive for us though

I thnk the villas you can book quite far ahead - some I have looked at do have next years prices up. always worth contacting the owners and asking - most places happy ot book, I would think, as a guaranteed booking now is better than waiting and having none next year!

flights are the issue for us too. dh has to travel business class (he had DVT previously), and he wants us all to as well . there's no way we can afford that.

I am working on him going business, and the rest of us going PE, otherwise it's cost us about £12k fo rhte flights alone!

I htnk ownersdirect have been mentioned for villas, and mumoverseas owns a villa out there, I thnk (hope I've got the right poster!) - she might be happy to take a booking ahead of time (no idea what size villa though)

yes though am worried about booking villa then find flights dont match arghh headache stuf fbut just want to get much as possiable booked up ahead of time

silverfrog i had dvt and will be flying cattle class did to chicago to .though will be taking asprin and making sure move around that was drs reccomendation

or should add Virgin do premium encomany which gives more leg room wider seats without the business clas cost

Villas you can book quite far in advance and are as little as £450 a week. You would also want a hire car to get to the parks and around as the villas are usually in gated communities.

thank you

yes were thinking Mpv as there be 7 of us and will need chuck ds3 wheelchair in boot does not need to travel in

Villa appeals as can have lazy downtime if we want to

thanks, goingroundthebend.

we usually manage to book flight on airmiles, but no can do this time, BA saying absolutely no availabiltiy for the whole of the summer - bugger!

dh is Not Small, and we just don't want ot take any chances. he flies loads for work, too, so that all adds up too. anythign over 4 hours is business class, is the rule we usually use. now that the little ones are both over 2, that's pushed up the prices obviously as well, as need their own seats (not that they will sit in them ) I think what is bugging me is that we all went ot Australia 18 months ago (all 6 of us in business class, plus loads of internal flight transfers too), and got such a good deal on the flights that it cost less than the proposed costs for florida - bonkers!

I think I'll win the argument - the price difference just doesn't justify it. we can afford it, I suppose, but I just think there's so many better things we could do with the money (esp given that SN stuff always costs 4 times as much!)

My mum and dad have a villa 10 mins from Disney, sleeps 6 if anyone's interested?

if you want ot really push the boat out, there are Disney resort villas, but expensive. depends on your room combinations, though. might be worht a look, as you might be able to get a package deal that way?

we were temted, but would def need to book 2 villas that way, so that bumped costs up again...

we always go villas, as need to be self caterign (dd1 is gluten and dairy free, as well as ASD food issues) - the downtime is the best bit , and all the villas out htere have pools etc

hmm only want one villa ideally needs 4 bedrooms .one for me .Ds1 and ds2 in another dd and ds3 in one and one for my mum,stepdad

ilookgrotsbag would be but needs to sleep 7

And silverfrog want to try keeping costs down as well .Yes ds2 is Gf due to chrons so self catering good and yes im having kittens at the thought of the cost but always wanted to do and some recent health scares mad eme realise not keep putting it of

am thinking maybe time to pop into travel agents and see what they might have package wise then compare

You need to go on the disboards and the dibb forums as the people there know everything there is to know about Florida ! We went last year and it was amazing,going again in August :)

We booked our flights around November with BA, prices go up and down all of the time so you need to keep checking. DIY is usually cheaper.

Cant help with the villa as we stayed in a disney hotel with free dining.

Good luck !

Will go hunt the boards down when kids in bed.The hotels no good as to many would need least 3 rooms could not expect ds1 to share bedroom with me and younger dc

Thank you

it's always been something of a dream and determined to make it happen

Mumtotwo

did you book flights first then the accomdation once you confirmed flights

for me it's Bering disclipned to put the money away and leave it there least travel agent could go pay every month so no temptation for emergencys

I think it depends on what you want from the holiday as I found the villa for 8 of us a main in ass and more expensive than when we stayed in the Disney hotel!

Resons for me that I would not do a villa again:
Traffic was a nightmare and qued in to everywhere and felt like commuting to work
Parking is expensive
Not relaxed due to the drive ect
Supermarket and cooking didnt feel like a holiday

But like I said they are personal reasons and I know loads of people who love them! I did not save enough money to make me want to do it again.

Also because its such a bit holiday I think next summer will be launched when this summer starts so not long to wait.

Ty coeboylover

I thought about hotels but even if I just took the 4 dc I will still need two rooms inconnecting am going scoot over to the Disney boards when can. Get on computer

Anyone got a link to them
please

Yes booked flights first, went on a Wednesday this year as it was a lot cheaper

Hi,
I have been to Florida / Walt Disney World 5 times, and Disneyland Paris regularly for 18 years.
Are you aware of just how hot, humid and wet Florida is in August? It is extremely likely to pour with torrential rain every afternoon for a few hours - this is a Tropical climate remember.And Tropical storm season followed closely by hurricane season.
Fine if you can take the heat and humidity, but I have seen many hot, tired and screaming kids there - and not even in the summer.
If this is the only time you can go then you have no choice, but if you can go in October, November, April or May ( avoid Easter and USA Spring Break - it is manic ).
We last went end of April / beginning of May, and the temperature was over 90 deg every day for two weeks.
But we didn't have the high rainfall with it to raise the humidity.
I don't mean to put you off, but some people just do not realise how hot, wet and humid it can be in July/ August.

I agree with other posters by the way - We stayed in the All Star Movies hotel 3 times, then twice with a friend in Kissimmee, just 10 mins from the parks.
By the time I added up the flights and taxi fares ( I didn't want to hire a car and drive ) it was not much different than the AS Movies hotel, with the free Disney buses for transport.
We also missed the Extra Magic Hours in the parks, that we got when staying in a Disney hotel.
Regarding Disneyland Paris, you need to book at the right time - when they are offering 40% off, with kids under 12 free.
The Dibbs and DISboards are good, but also look at Trip Advisor Orlando forum and also TA Marne La Vallee forum for Disneyland Paris.
Both have Destination Experts who can help you.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g34515-i19-Orlando_Florida.html

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g226865-i2224-Marne_la_Vallee_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html

The current Disneyland Paris offer is 30% off hotel, tickets and transport ( train, plane or ferry ) with kids under 12 stay and play free.

Look at www.mickeyhomes.com for villa rentals in Orlando / Kissimmee / WDW area.

Sorry.

www.mickeyhomes.com

This is the page for holiday rental villas.
www.mickeyhomesflorida.com/Rental_Homes/page_2239825.html

By the way, you mention your DS3 uses a wheelchair?
Make sure you take any Disability cards, letter from doctor or consultant, or anything else you have as proof that she has a disability, and Disney will give you an Easy Access Pass, which means you can avoid queue lines for rides.
In Disneyland Paris you get this from Guest Services inside both parks - I assume it is the same in Florida.