Orlando - How the bloody hell do you try and make this holiday work for less than 2k for 2 weeks!!!??? Suggestions needed! x

[steph101]

Can anyone out there do this holiday for under 2k and if so how do you manage it!! We are looking to book for May 09 and its working out to be veeeeeeery expensive especially with passes etc. If any of you seasoned travellers out there have any advice or tips I would be very grateful!! Sx

Try travelcity direct and also make sure you avoid the may half term as the prices will be loads more

Have you tried to book everything sepatately, ie hotel, flights, car and passes?

You could think about hiring a villa rather than a hotel which means you have full laundry and kitchen factilities so saving a bit of cash that way.

This is what I usually do.

Plus have a look at the disney or florida forum on www.tripadvisor.co.uk. Someone on there is bound to be able to help you.

You don't say how many of you need to go for less than £2K

Have you tried to book everything sepatately, ie hotel, flights, car and passes?

You could think about hiring a villa rather than a hotel which means you have full laundry and kitchen factilities so saving a bit of cash that way.

This is what I usually do.

Plus have a look at the disney or florida forum on www.tripadvisor.co.uk. Someone on there is bound to be able to help you.

You don't say how many of you need to go for less than £2K

where to ? If Disney Florida we can't get it under 3k at Easter next year. Is Kbear due back soon btw ?

Don't do school hols, or if you have to, go earlier on in the year say May/June half term.

This will be our third year to Florida - DS1 in Yr6 so we cannot go until they break up in July. The flights for four of us have cost an extra £1000.

We stay in an apartment with full kitchen and laundry facilities. Food is really cheap, so once we get there, we do a supermarket shop and buy breakfast stuff, snacky things, bottles of water, coke (and the odd case of beer). We even buy our toiletries and suncream out there.

I usually do meals in on a couple of nights if we have been lazying about by the pool as the kids get very very tired with all the walking around the parks.

I think Kbear has another week to go.

I a in the US and am currently booking our Florida holiday - going in 2 weeks! through this website, which seems to offer terrific deals. Don't see why anyone in the UK wouldn't be able to use it too!

It's worth a look!

We saved £700 by going from a different airport so that could be an option.

Last year we got a late booking for flights from Manchester plus villa (package with Direct Holidays) - £1300 for me, DP and DS age 6.

Booked car through US rentacar and got an SUV for 2 weeks for @£225. Do not take the car that the tour operator offers - it is NOT free; you pay way over the odds for insurance.

Other major cost is park tickets. Buy them in UK - much cheaper. Loads of websites. Think we spent @£550, maybe more but we did all Disney parks and Universal Studios.

One thing that made a difference was putting DS as an adult for some strange reason. It knocked @£300 off the package price. Had to phone to book it this way though. We ended up with a lovely 5 bedroom/3 bathroom villa overlooking a golf course.

We flew late August and DS missed first 4 days of school in September, not ideal I know. However parks are much quieter as US schools go back mid August. If you are in England and can get to Glasgow keep an eye on the prices as Scottish schools go back mid August too.

Sorry, see you want to go in May. Have a look at flying via New York as that sometimes works out cheaper. Or even consider flying into Tampa although that is a considerable drive to Orlando on top of a long flight. Flight prices can change daily so it requires lots of research.

If you do book, watch the £/$ exchange rate as it is very favourable for Brits at the moment so you might want to buy some currency while the rates are good.

Finally, if you do find a bargain please let me know.

Someone told me that flying into the other Orlando airport is cheaper (as well as being less frenetic)

Sanford airport is the one used for the package flights. Think it was actually built to service the UK tour operators. Pretty basic but very geared up for Brits.

Orlando International deals mostly with sceduled flights. Bit more swish but you have to collect your baggage twice which can add to delays.

Entirely possible to get bargains from both.

BA and Virgin only fly into Orlando from UK airports. Sanford is also about a hour further out from Orlando itself.

The system at Orlando has now changed, you are now actively encouraged by staff to bring your suitcases with you onto the train to the other terminal rather than having to collect them twice.

Didn't know that Attila. We haven't flown into MCO since 2001. Planning a 2-centre trip for Dec so will probably land there from New York.

Sanford is further away but we always go up the Interstate which is quicker than the toll roads. I'd still go for whichever is cheapest.

Back to the OP, the key to saving money is flexibility especially with dates. And think about which parks you want to do or you might end up with unused tickets. You can't see everything in every park in 2 weeks especially with small DCs.

Attila - thats a good one to know about the suitcases for when we go in July.

Depending on whether you're OK about driving, flying into Miami can be a much cheaper option. We flew in there last year, stayed one night then drove up to Orlando. it took 4 hours but was an easy drive and saved us £1000. Hotel cost £70.

We have also flown into Miami, got a really good deal on flights and car hire, cant remember how much we saved but it was considerable. Drive took about 4 hours but was easy, basically point the car north and drive until you get to orlando.