Some help with planning Florida holiday

[McKayz]

We have been thinking about taking the DCs to Florida. DH went with a friend before we got together and he loved it.

Obviously it is very expensive and so there are a few questions I wanted to ask.

Does it work out cheaper to book it through Disney themselves or through a travel agent?

Also is it better/cheaper to stay at a Disney hotel or to hire a villa and get a hire car?

Any other tips and suggestions would be great. Thank you

I wouldn't book everything through Disney. Personally I'd prefer to stay in a Villa, you can get some quite close to the parks. The biggest cost is likely to be the airfare. I got a good deal last year on Disney tickets direct from Disney, as I was from the UK (Ireland would have worked too). Try DIBB for some good tips and info.

I would go the villa route unless money is no object. When looking at villas check how many MINUTES they are from the parks rather than how many MILES......(speaks from experience of being a 10 mile nightmare journey away every day!)

I think I'd prefer a villa too. I was just worrying about the DCs missing out. My aunt and uncle take my cousins every year and they always stay at Animal Kingdom I think. She was saying it would be unfair to stay somewhere else as we'd miss out on the fireworks and stuff.

But when I looked it was about £10 grand for the hotel they use!!

We have been lots of times and have never stayed in a Disney Hotel. I think unless money is no object it just not worth the cost.

Villas in Florida are very reasonable compared to Europe and are much better value for money.

Besides Mickey Mouse is nice for a couple of hours a day but it's nice to leave it all behind at the end of the day!

So your dc don't miss out on the "Disney experience" - depending on their ages i would suggest you do things like going for a meal in the castle if you have dd, my dds loved this and it can be booked online before you go. Or take them for a character breakfast, i can recommend breakfast at Chef Mickey in Disney's Contemporary Resort, i'm sure i book this online before we go too.

I've never stayed in a Disney hotel. This is the first year going without my parents/extended family (we're 26 with 8yo DS) and we're staying at a hotel/motel on International Drive. Nearly every other time we've gone we've stayed in a villa but it was always my dad driving!

Villas are brilliant - own pool, loads of space to relax, come and go as you please, v spacious.

My aunt and cousins have stayed at the Animal Kingdom hotel and are staying there again this year - don't know how they afford it!

We booked with Thomson, 11 nights leaving end of June (we're in Scotland), premium economy seats, mid range motel, coach transfers - approx £2.5k for 2 adults and a child. Not incl park tickets and spending money.

Undercover Tourist website is highly recommended for tickets - we gr ours from there - real tickets, not a voucher.

I wouldn't book through Disney - no personal experience but I've checked prices and they're always more expensive.

Flight wise, think best companies are Thomson, Virgin and Monarch - all do package deals to Florida.

I don't ever normally book package deals but I think because this is our first 'big' holiday it's made it easier and less stressful.

Leave in 19 days, can't wait!!!

Also if you book a villa a car is a must as the communities can be quite far from amenities.

Ah so excited - Florida is amazing. I've been 4 times since I was 8 and every time the excitement is the exact same - there really isn't a holiday like it :)

How old are your DC?

You should also consider whether or not you plan to visit Universal studios and Islands of Adventure. We spent more time there than the Disney parks - depends on the age of the children really. We stayed in a hotel on international drive. Very reasonable cost and there are restaurants within walking distance.

I would do the villa route. If you stay at a Disney hotel hotel you are a completely captive audience and it works out much much more expensive. The villas are excellent and having your own pool to come back to is just great.

But you really do need to do your research about where your villa will be located. When we went our villa was in theory a 20 min drive from Disney, Universal etc but this was only if the 20 sets of traffic lights we had to drive through to get where we wanted to be were all on green - often it would take 45 mins to get anywhere. We stayed in Clermont - perhaps Kissimee is better in this respect.

We barely did magic kingdom. Was naff. Boys too old. All pink shite

We did Magic Kingdom at least twice with a 15 and 12 year old (15 is a boy too), we loved it. We'd love to go back this year and see the expanded Fantasy Land. Disney is what you make it IMHO.
You can certainly stay for fireworks etc. if you are in a villa, we stayed in Rolling Hills, and we're close enough to pop back for mid day naps and swims to escape the heat.

just a thought, i have booked to go this oct for 2 weeks, i have got my flights through BA as they were cheaper than virgin, but virgin have PRICE MATCHED my prices i found for hotels. i ended up getting £400 off.

We had been told to stay for the parade. Ages.

It was shit. We left.

The Disney water parks were brilliant, also really loved the Universal and Islands of Adventure theme parks.

Agree

The DCs will be 7, 5 and 2 when we are planning on going. Oldest 2 are boys and youngest is a girl.

We'd like to do all the parks or at least Disney and Universal Studios and maybe go to Sea World. DS1 really really wants to go to the Space Centre too so it looks like a car is going to be a must for us.

When DH went he went with a friend and a couple they know who owned a villa but unfortunately they've decided to sell it. That was in Kissimmee.

Go onto the the dibb website and have a good look around. It's certainly cheaper to DIY your holiday but it all depends on what you're going to be doing and for how long.

So how old are your dc?
Are you doing universal or sea world as well?
Do you want a few days on the coast?
Are you going to be driving?
Is price your main priority?
Are you traveling in school hols or Christmas [shudder]?

Other things to factor in Disney charge $15 a day to park
You will need a car
I've been to Florida many times but never stayed in a villa. It will be the cheaper option if a few of you are going otherwise a hotel will be better.
Disney do villas but they are very expensive.

You could wait until BA or Virgin have a sale and buy the tickets then.
Or leave until last minute this week Cosmos had two adults to Florida in a hotel for £299

How old are your LO's?

I'm thinking of taking my 4 and 1 year old this year, which is very scary as I have never taken children to Florida on a long flight before and we've never stayed in Disney, which is what we might do this time.

Book the holiday yourself, you don't need a travel agent. Look at expedia or the other hotel sites to book direct.
Check whether it's cheaper that way.

Summer holidays are expensive and the parks are crowded and the queues long, so if you can avoid, but they have passes to get on the rides quicker.

Anymore advice PM me and do look at the dibb

Cross posted there.

So you will need a villa but it doesn't need to be near Disney, you will need two weeks for all that and will need to plan your tickets very carefully to get the most out of them.

The dibb website has loads of good villas, or owners direct.

I may not take the two year old to the space centre, I lost the will to live within half an hour at the age of 35.

If you are going in a free dining period then it may well be better for you to split stay a one bed at old key west in Disney onsite with free dining and early park entry etc and then a villa for the next week. you would save about a thousand on food.

Universal can be done in 2 days, sea world another one and then the space coast leaving a day free for shopping etc.

I can see why my parents never gave into our begging There is so much to consider!

When are you planning it for mckayz? It's quite easy to number crunch it. Fun even for sad people like me.

It needs really careful planning and research to get the best deals.

We have been about a dozen times and i do the same research every time as prices and deals vary.

Before you book check out thedibb.co.uk and disboards.com (there is a uk forum)

I post on both as dixonsontour. Both are friendly and will help you go through various options and get the best deal for you.

7 and 5 year old I'm guessing will love universal islands of adventure - the marvel superheroes bit (they'll be too little for rides but the merchandise...!) and Seuss landings which my DS loved last time we went (he was 4.5).

He loved Disney - will still love it this year! We've looked at videos online, he was too little for some rides last time.

I think you can do a 'parent swap' where you queue for a ride once and go on seperately so you can go on the more adventurous rides.

5 yo might be more comfy in a buggy - you can hire these at the park, good for carrying bags/bottles of water. Our villa had a wee cheap buggy that we could use, it was invaluable as it's just so hot and you're walking lots at the parks.

It's just too exciting - I love the planning! When are you thinking of going?

We ave just booked for Easter next year through Travel City Direct. This company IIRC nearly went bust a while ago, so I was apprehensive, but DH had done some research and they are now part of the Virgin Group. In fact the website was the same oe as virgin with a different 'skin'. The exact same holiday was £800 cheaper booking this way than through the main Virgin site.

We are staying at the mid range disney hotel, because there is a good deal on the meal plan at the moment which will help us plan financially.

HTH