November/December 2013... register here!

[MouseFan Down Under]

Count me in!

I will be in the USA from 24 November until 22 December

WDW - 8 December - 17 December
DLR - 17 December - 22 December

WOO HOO!!!

[Franrose]

[Franrose]

Oooh you're my WDW buddy MF DU, we'll be there 2 -14th. And we just miss you at DL, you leave on the 22nd and we arrive that day!

[darrenf67]

Hi all

We have a big USA trip planned for nov -Dec. my DD 11 and I fly to Orlando 25 nov and board the Fantasy on 30/11, my DW DD 20 and grandchild arrive 07 dec for 2 weeks in Fl, then 2 weeks in NYC for christmas and new year, a week in Colorado skiing a week in LA at DLR and then home. We are all, saving like crazy and very excited. Looking forward to reading about other plans and tips for this time.

[Luisa]

I've got my travel agent looking at booking my flights as I type! Virgin/Delta have some great fares in November so I've finally worked out my dates. I'm flying Mel-SFC-LA-Mel 16th to 24th Nov and spending the 21st to 24th at Disneyland! I'd love to have longer but my dads health worsening (I'm his carer) and I don't feel comfortable leaving him on his own for longer-even the 10 days is worrying me but he's insisting I go- probably just so he gets a few boxes of Sees when I get back!
I'm thinking of doing a day trip to Yosemite while I'm in SFC, has anyone done one they can recommend?

[SIMTRAC]

Originally Posted by Franrose

It stops in at Auckland. But I'm from NZ originally so it's kind of like a quick visit home (even if only the airport lol), and I've booked skycouch, and I'm looking at it as a nice break in a long flight for kids (the actual flying time is only an hour more than direct), and it's a night flight which works well for the kids too so I'm looking at it as a win/win situation. The flights were cheaper than direct too. It's possible that between now and then there'll be sales, but I don't imagine what I could save is worth more than the peace of mind of knowing we're booked at a price I'm happy with now kwim. Better than me somehow stuffing up and being forced to pay $9,000 closer to the end of the year lol!

Omg I hear you on the cost, it is cheaper by thousands for 4 of us to fly to la and stay a night with air nz than fly direct with qantas or virgin......also the direct flight early the next morning to Orlando is non stop and half the price than later in the day!!! I think I am going to not just think outside the square...I'm moving outside the square!!!!

[aussie shaz]

Originally Posted by SIMTRAC

Omg I hear you on the cost, it is cheaper by thousands for 4 of us to fly to la and stay a night with air nz than fly direct with qantas or virgin......also the direct flight early the next morning to Orlando is non stop and half the price than later in the day!!! I think I am going to not just think outside the square...I'm moving outside the square!!!!

This is interesting. Will keep that in mind when looking at flights for next year.

[Marlea98]

Originally Posted by darrenf67

Hi all

We have a big USA trip planned for nov -Dec. my DD 11 and I fly to Orlando 25 nov and board the Fantasy on 30/11, my DW DD 20 and grandchild arrive 07 dec for 2 weeks in Fl, then 2 weeks in NYC for christmas and new year, a week in Colorado skiing a week in LA at DLR and then home. We are all, saving like crazy and very excited. Looking forward to reading about other plans and tips for this time.

Wave to me as you get off the Fantasy, I'll be waiting to get on

[MouseFan Down Under]

Originally Posted by Franrose

Oooh you're my WDW buddy MF DU, we'll be there 2 -14th. And we just miss you at DL, you leave on the 22nd and we arrive that day!

Where are you staying at WDW Franrose?

[Franrose]

Originally Posted by MouseFan Down Under

Where are you staying at WDW Franrose?

At this stage, I've booked Port Orleans French Quarter, as that's where we stayed Sept 2011.

We are open to change this time depending on the kinds of deals that might pop up between now and then - for eg if free dining came up and the prices were right, I'd be happy to move (maybe to Port Orleans Riverside?). All hypothetical right now of course!

[DizOz]

Just in the process of booking our tickets. Wow what a saga it is turning out to be.

It has been complicated by the fact I have a credit I need to use with Qantas from a cancelled business trip in 2010. One condition on the credit is I have to spend as much or more on the new tickets. So I have been able to book my tickets initially I was going to have to fly premium economy to get the price high enough to cover the credit. Apparently you can not leave any credit unused, which sounds a bit strange to me.

Anyway I was a little uncomfortable flying in premium economy whilst DW and 2 DD's flew in economy but I thought no problem I will use my points to upgrade them. DW said she had no problem if they flew economy without me but it didn't sit well with me.

So I managed Qantas flights for Melb to LA, LA to Orlando(AA Code share), Orlando to NY (AA Flight), NY to LA (Actual Qantas Flight) and LA to Melb. I was happy having been on the NY to LA Qantas flight before it is much better than a domestic US airline flight as you fly in a fully fitted out 747.

I then went to book DW tickets was told the prices I had I couldn't upgrade them. So I thought I might as well use my points to pay for some of their flights. I checked various options such as points and pay versus points only and the points only saved me over $2K more than points and pay for the same amount of points.

I booked the tickets for LA-Melb return using points, unbelievably the fees and charges still amounts to more than $2K (I had already taken that into account when comparing but still seems excessive and devalues what the points are worth).

I had the internal flights booked through TA on the same flights as I am on. He then advised he couldn't book the NY-LA flight so I had to speak to Qantas. I rang Qantas and was advised I could include NY-LA leg for DW and 2 DD's by using points (I am a little short right now) or change the Melb-LA to paid tickets. I could not use points for Melb-LA and pay for the NY-LA ticket.

I asked the ticket agent so you are telling me Qantas will not allow me to buy a ticket with cash but I can do so with points. "Yes" was his reply.

Now I am hunting around family members to borrow some points so I can secure the tickets. My alternative is to change my flight and book on an internal AA flight instead.

Anyway for all the hiccups the flights so far have cost me approx $3K for the 4 of us. So a little pain in the short term hopefully will result in longer term joy.

[Marlea98]

Originally Posted by DizOz

Just in the process of booking our tickets. Wow what a saga it is turning out to be.

It has been complicated by the fact I have a credit I need to use with Qantas from a cancelled business trip in 2010. One condition on the credit is I have to spend as much or more on the new tickets. So I have been able to book my tickets initially I was going to have to fly premium economy to get the price high enough to cover the credit. Apparently you can not leave any credit unused, which sounds a bit strange to me.

Anyway I was a little uncomfortable flying in premium economy whilst DW and 2 DD's flew in economy but I thought no problem I will use my points to upgrade them. DW said she had no problem if they flew economy without me but it didn't sit well with me.

So I managed Qantas flights for Melb to LA, LA to Orlando(AA Code share), Orlando to NY (AA Flight), NY to LA (Actual Qantas Flight) and LA to Melb. I was happy having been on the NY to LA Qantas flight before it is much better than a domestic US airline flight as you fly in a fully fitted out 747.

I then went to book DW tickets was told the prices I had I couldn't upgrade them. So I thought I might as well use my points to pay for some of their flights. I checked various options such as points and pay versus points only and the points only saved me over $2K more than points and pay for the same amount of points.

I booked the tickets for LA-Melb return using points, unbelievably the fees and charges still amounts to more than $2K (I had already taken that into account when comparing but still seems excessive and devalues what the points are worth).

I had the internal flights booked through TA on the same flights as I am on. He then advised he couldn't book the NY-LA flight so I had to speak to Qantas. I rang Qantas and was advised I could include NY-LA leg for DW and 2 DD's by using points (I am a little short right now) or change the Melb-LA to paid tickets. I could not use points for Melb-LA and pay for the NY-LA ticket.

I asked the ticket agent so you are telling me Qantas will not allow me to buy a ticket with cash but I can do so with points. "Yes" was his reply.

Now I am hunting around family members to borrow some points so I can secure the tickets. My alternative is to change my flight and book on an internal AA flight instead.

Anyway for all the hiccups the flights so far have cost me approx $3K for the 4 of us. So a little pain in the short term hopefully will result in longer term joy.

What a saga! They sure do make things hard for their FF members, don't they?

[DizOz]

They sure do Marlea.

I spoke to Qantas again yesterday and I now don't even have the option of using points as there are no seats on the flight and very unlikely to be according to the service representative due to the time of the year.

He did offer to cancel my points booking for the return flight and I could pay for a one way flight all the way NY-LA-Melb @ $1700 per person. Thanks but no thanks.

So I resigned myself to cancelling my Qantas NY-LA flight and all of us flying AA instead. I was then told my NY-LA flight was part of the whole ticket and can cannot be cancelled. If I did I had to pay a cancellation and re-booking fees. All I could do at this stage was to .

So I spoke to DW last night to explain our options that she and the girls fly NY-LA without me and we meet there an hour or so later or I try to rebook everything and pay more fees. DW agreed to fly back to LA with the girls. So I think we are all done now except for booking accommodation in NY.

[Franrose]

Dontcha just love how they love to help (so long as you pay the feeeees )

[DizOz]

Frustrating thing was I was willing to pay for the NY-LA fare but wasn't allowed to do that.