Florida...how to book for best value?

[rainbowmagic1974]

Hi. I know there are lots of Florida posts on here, so i was hoping for some advice? I was looking for summer 2014, and spoke to virgin who gave me a very expensive price. Any tips/ ideas of the best value way to get to and stay in Orlando / maybe with a bit if beach thrown in?
Thank you

We're off for the first time in October.

My top tip, which a friend who works in the travel business gave me, is to fly to Tampa rather than Orlando. It's about 40 mins further away than Orlando, but you get through immigration etc quicker as it's a smaller airport. BA non-stop flights for the four of us worked out £1500 cheaper than going to Orlando!

I've also picked up some money-saving tips on the Dibb forum, although there are some seriously obsessive people on there!

I always book our holidays independently.

We usually purchase direct flights but have travelled on indirect flights 3 times too. That can save loads of money.

If you plan to stay at a Disney hotel do not pay rack rate. There are always offers.

Do not buy more admission tickets than you need.

Have never stayed at a beach but I would book that myself too. Most American hotels take 1 night as a deposit which is fully refundable if you need to cancel. I book deals when I see them then cancel if something better comes up.

agree with notlong. we book everything separately and independently. you can fly into Miami or Tampa rather than Orlando but school summer hols will be peak peak prices so not as many deals as at other times. we flew into Miami and drove to Islamorada on florida keys. 1.5 hours easy drive and a fab place to stay if you like the water, walking, cycling etc. parents like annamarie island by tampa and would like to go there myself in future. re flights you almost need to check weekly as sometimes there are some real deals going on. just got flights to rome on BA in May and business class was cheaper than economy!!

Thanks! Don't mind booking separately as always do it for our summer hols in the med as for 5 of us works out soooo much cheaper ( and have done indirect flights too - annoying but worth the saving!) so will definitely look into that. Unfortunately tied to school holidays as I teach and all 3 children will be at school by then.
Really appreciate your advice

Last couple of weeks in August or the October half term are the best times to go if restricted to school holidays.
Not too expensive or busy.

I always recommend flying into Tampa rather than Orlando. We saved £1,200 (for 6 of us) last year by flying BA to Tampa. It is really only an extra 20 - 25 min drive to where most of the rental properties are in Kissimmee.

For villas, have a look at www.loyaltyusa.com a management company who only manage luxury homes within 4 miles of Disney. This is one of their homes www.ownersdirect.co.uk/usa/f1895.htm.

Agree end of August will be much quieter than July or beginning of August as American kids will have gone back to school.

Did you book direct with BA? How much would I be looking at for flights to Tampa? Thanks again!

Really depends on when you go. We looked last night at BA website (2 adults 2 children) going on 3rd August for 2 weeks was over £4,000. But by going a few weeks later, returning 1st or 2nd September was almost £1,100 cheaper! we weren't going to go this year as couldn't afford it but just having a compensation claim settled so may yet get to go. Normally its best to book as far in advance as possible (11 months) for best deals but I think if we go as late as possible in August/early september we'll get an 'ok' price. Its no longer possible to get the deals that used to around years ago.

Other bonus of going later in August is American kids will be back at school as will a lot of european kids and scottish so should be a lot quieter.

DH did a quick mooch on internet last night and think said that the same BA flights were a few hundred cheaper through netflights so worth shopping around

We got a Thomas Cook holiday cheaper through another company. But our friends fly BA to tampa then Miami home.

Booking flights 11 months in advance is good but you have to pay upfront for them. The Dibb have some great DIY tips and there are owners who you can book villa's through.