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Original poster

Is it madness to try to do Florida WDW this Aug?

29 replies

triplets · 01/07/2011 07:27

Hi....I am under pressure to organize a 3 week trip to Disney in Aug. Sounds madness but y/day my husband got an all clear scan for cancer, so our first free summer from chemo in 3 years. Next ct in Sept! He is desperate to take our 13yr old trio back to Orlando, its been his goal. For me its going to be far too busy, far too hot and far too expensive, we haven`t been since 2005 so expect things to have gone up alot. Would love your opinions please.

OP posts:
chopchopbusybusy · 01/07/2011 07:37

In the circumstances you describe I'd go. We've been in august. The American schools go back mid august so it gets quieter then and accommodation tends to be a bit cheaper. Your tri

chopchopbusybusy · 01/07/2011 07:38

Posted too soon! Your triplets at 13 are probably just the right age.

mummytime · 01/07/2011 08:00

I'm going at the end of August, it will be hot. So we are planning to: go to the parks early, then leave late morning/lunch time; go back to our villa for naps, swim, eating, cooling own; then maybe go back to parks or do something else for the evening.
If planning your trip I would: find flights, this was the most expensive bit, I choose USairways with a stop in Charlotte because it is supposed to have better legroom than Monarch, but I'm not sure what is available now. Then look for a villa, as you can get 4 bedrooms for the price of you all in one room at "All Star resorts". But the choice is yours.
For park tickets a 21 day do all the parks ticket for a UK resident is at present £259 per person, you all count as adults; a 14 day one costs £220. I would book these at the official disney sight as when I looked you couldn't get them cheaper anywhere. It is cheaper than US people can get.
Do also get the Unofficial Guide to WDW, to make your stay more enjoyable.

The one tricky thing maybe travel insurance, I know Which has some advice about this.

Good luck!

mummytime · 01/07/2011 08:01

Oh BTW. If you do stay Disney, or want to have a special meal, I would let their customer relations know about the circumstances, they may give you a special surprise.

Original poster
triplets · 01/07/2011 14:38

Thanks everyone, went to travel agents this morning and flights seem to be between £4500-£5000, car hire came out at £650! Really want to make this summer special without getting into debt, with everything I cant see us being able to do it for less than £10,000 as dh will not go for less than 3 weeks. Trying to get him to think of other holidays were we wont go into debt.

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mummytime · 02/07/2011 08:29

Our flights were about that, but the villa was less than £1000 for 2 weeks, car hire via net flights was £400 ish. I wouldn't use a travle agent btw, UK ones don't tend to know much in my experience.

However where else do they want to go?

Original poster
triplets · 02/07/2011 22:42

Hi Mummytime..............phoned Charter Travel in Surrey this am, have booked all our flights thru them prev, though we live in Kent. They have always found us a brilliant deal but not today! Looked at several option, Florida still around £900 each. Then thought about flying into New York and out of San Fran as we have always wanted to cross America, same price. Then thought we could fly into and out of Vegas, very cheap in Aug, tour canyonlands, but still around £8-900 ! So looks as though the States is out. My favourite holiday destination, we have been 6 times, I just love it. So guess I am looking for an adventure, kids want theme parks and dh wants both!

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mummytime · 03/07/2011 07:58

Okay have you thought of Port Adventura in Spain, and doing Barcelona and surrounding Spain at the same time?
Another alternative would be to do Southern Germany (near Munich ish) including Freiburg and Europa Park. There are some amazing castles (real fairy tale stuff) around there, and I'm sure some great outdoorsy stuff too.
(The US seems to be about £3,500+ even for less obvious places like Chicago, which has a 6 flags theme park.)

ellaballoo · 03/07/2011 08:16

How about Gardaland in Italy,it is great and Lake Garda is beautiful.We went to Venice for a few days then caught a train to Lake Garda..so it was quite an adventure.

You could even do the whole holiday by train and call in at Disneyland Paris!

Happy Planning,have a special holiday
xx

Original poster
triplets · 03/07/2011 08:48

Goodmorning, actually just been looking at Port Adventura, all hotels there are fully booked for whole of Aug. Will work on that though, flight in Barcelona then a villa maybe then visit the park for a couple of days? All the kids keep saying is America America!

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Hulababy · 03/07/2011 08:54

WDW is not as busy in August as it is at Christmas and Easter.

We are going for our 4th visit on 31st July, for a fortnight. We;ve only ever done it in the summer, due to school holidays.

Yes it is hot and humid, but tbh you spend so much time inside rides or shows it is bearable.

Yes, it is expensive. No way round that one. We are about to buy or tickets for the the parks today when my parents arrive - for Disney, Universal, Sea World, and Space Centre - for the three of us it will be almost £1200 for tickets alone! But that is all our entertainment sorted. And we do 14 days of parts so it truely is all our entertainment.

PotteringAlong · 03/07/2011 09:03

What about another WDW - how much is it to get to disney in
Hong kong? ( no idea, just thinking out loud!) I went to HK last pre Disney but you could go then get the ferry to Macau for some beach time?

PotteringAlong · 03/07/2011 09:06

Or even if you were going to Paris, have you ever been to parc asterix? I tOok pupils there on a school trip and really enjoyed it

utahforever · 03/07/2011 11:08

Does it have to be August?

What about 1 week either side of the October half term? If you explain to the school your reasons (congrats to your husband), I think it is a reasonable request for time off.

October is lovely, flights and accomodation should be reasonable as well.

moondog · 03/07/2011 11:10

Hey, that's great that your dh got the all clear!!

PotteringAlong · 03/07/2011 14:58

Sorry, moondog saying what I should've said first Blush

Original poster
triplets · 03/07/2011 22:27

Hi all and thanks for your good wishes and ideas. Reluctant to wait until Oct as he has to have another scan in Sept. This is his first period of remission but he has stage 4, bowel/liver/lung so it can return almost certainly at any time. So this summer is special as its the first since 2007 without the awful chemo. His heart is set America, west coast or Florida, we have done both with our trio and we also went in the 90s with our sone Matthew who died in 94. I would love to go but we just dont have the money, yet its his dream. Just don`t know waht to doConfused

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TOMOLBEN · 05/07/2011 13:47

Hi there,
We went to Florida in April. The queues were awful. The majority were 120 mins. We went in August in 2007 and it was busy but quieter in comparison. (As someone mentioned the American schools have gone back.) It was hot but it did tend to rain every afternoon, when we went in August. This cooled things down slightly. They had alot of the big fans in a lot of the lines and many were sheltered.
We got the 14 day Disney pass off the offical website. I think the 21 day is the same price about 220. Then we got the seaworld/universal/aquatica passes from Flexitics. You will find the link on seaworld website. They had deals also.
our flights we did through dial-a-flight. They were 3,300 for 3 adults and 4 children it also included a 7 seater car for the 2 weeks. We stopped at Boston on the way and Minniapolis on the way back with Delta (not the best airline but much ceaper than Virgin, which were coming out at 7,000 for all of us and no car)
We dis Port Aventura in April 2010. It was good but if you can get to Florida nothing will beat that. Your 13 year olds are at a brilliant age to get the best out of the experience. My kids are 11, 9, 7 and 2. They all had an amazing time.
I hope your husbands scans in sept go well and you have a fab holiday whatever you decide :) xx

TOMOLBEN · 05/07/2011 13:47

Hi there,
We went to Florida in April. The queues were awful. The majority were 120 mins. We went in August in 2007 and it was busy but quieter in comparison. (As someone mentioned the American schools have gone back.) It was hot but it did tend to rain every afternoon, when we went in August. This cooled things down slightly. They had alot of the big fans in a lot of the lines and many were sheltered.
We got the 14 day Disney pass off the offical website. I think the 21 day is the same price about 220. Then we got the seaworld/universal/aquatica passes from Flexitics. You will find the link on seaworld website. They had deals also.
our flights we did through dial-a-flight. They were 3,300 for 3 adults and 4 children it also included a 7 seater car for the 2 weeks. We stopped at Boston on the way and Minniapolis on the way back with Delta (not the best airline but much ceaper than Virgin, which were coming out at 7,000 for all of us and no car)
We dis Port Aventura in April 2010. It was good but if you can get to Florida nothing will beat that. Your 13 year olds are at a brilliant age to get the best out of the experience. My kids are 11, 9, 7 and 2. They all had an amazing time.
I hope your husbands scans in sept go well and you have a fab holiday whatever you decide :) xx

jlimum · 07/07/2011 17:37

we too are planning a last minute trip across the pond - first time to parks with 15,13 and 10 year old ( can't believe i've managed to hold out for so long!!)
can i ask 'mummytime' - who did u use to book your villa? there are so many sites and i've seen on various posts that some are quite a way from everywhere....you seem to have a goood inside track on things - but please anyone else who vcan recommend reliable good sites /villas speak up!!

jlimum · 07/07/2011 17:56

sorry should have said triplets really hope u can get something organised imho, screw the debt, in your circumstances i would just go for it. every day is a gift to us all.

Original poster
triplets · 20/07/2011 23:50

Think I will give up! Flights coming out at over £800 each!!

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mrsnesbit · 22/07/2011 19:07

Hiya. We went last July as my mil had the all clear from her cancer and i had just had my 5th miscarriage. We went to celebrate and recover.

It was awful.

42 degrees every day. We waited for rides at WDW for upwards of 2 hours in that heat...for EVERY ride or show.
We had to line up for over an hour to even get into the entrance gates of the parks as they were so horrendously busy with thousands upon thousands of people.
Waited for restraunts, cafes, burger bars and the prices have indeed increased hugely.
We have been a number of times previously (Its our most favourite holiday destination) but always either side of the year, never in the midst of the summer. We would never go at this time again and we would never recomend it to any one either.

Also agree about the expense, it is very expensive for direct flights, but the flights with the multiple changes are equally as horrendous and make your journey very uncomfortable indeed.

Original poster
triplets · 22/07/2011 23:12

Hi you are right, it is madness. Its just he had his heart set on it, and we are going to be restricted to taking hols in school holiday time only, just cant afford the prices anyway. So now racking my brains to come up with a good alternative, and Im stuck!!

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