September/October 2013 check in

[Caroline NZ]

Yay AWIDY on booking your next trip, roll on Sep

[WanderlustNZ]

Originally Posted by areweindisneyyet

Qantas sale to good to refuse.

So my Easter 2014 trip is now September 2013.

We leave on the 7th. and return on the 29th

We are taking the girls who will be 13 and 11. DD1 will turn 14 on the flight home. They have no idea and we wont be telling them until atleast the week before we go. They are missing 9 school days and I just dont care.

So
IOA
WDW at POFQ
Cape Canaveral
3 night Disney Dream cruise
Washington DC
New York

Very very excited.

Sounds great!
My son is missing 8 days of school and I don't care either. 2 weeks isn't heaps in he bigger scheme of things. Plus travel teaches them things they could never learn in a classroom.

[WanderlustNZ]

Just a heads up. According to the latest Mousesavers letter, there is speculation that WDW ticket prices might go up at the start of April this year in line with the introduction of Magic+. Of course we don't know this for sure, but I think I'll buy my tickets soon just in case.

Apparently, last year, tickets went up in June and Disney only gave people 36hrs notice. It would be just my luck that that 36hrs was one when I was busy with other things and I'd miss the message.

Anyway, thought I'd just mention this incase anyone's interested.

[sarefromoz]

Originally Posted by areweindisneyyet

Qantas sale to good to refuse.

So my Easter 2014 trip is now September 2013.

We leave on the 7th. and return on the 29th

We are taking the girls who will be 13 and 11. DD1 will turn 14 on the flight home. They have no idea and we wont be telling them until atleast the week before we go. They are missing 9 school days and I just dont care.

So
IOA
WDW at POFQ
Cape Canaveral
3 night Disney Dream cruise
Washington DC
New York

Very very excited.

Sounds like a great trip.

Don't stress too much about school. My kids are missing over 3.5 weeks and the experience that they'll get from this holiday will far outweigh what they could be doing in the classroom (speaking also as a teacher who works at the school where they go). Plus it's not as if they won't be practising the skills that are taught at school on holiday, think of the opportunity for using their literacy skills and it will be purposeful learning too...can't beat that.

[5ofus]

Geez, I go MIA for a couple of days and miss flight bookings, trip changes and a ll sorts of fun stuff! That'll teach me!

On the topic of Vegas airport transfers, do taxis have to have car seats in Vegas? I haven't even started looking at them yet so have no idea what we will do. Kids are 2,4 and 6 - suggestions?

[Kristin5]

Originally Posted by areweindisneyyet

I want to say $165 from LAX to DLH. There was six of us with 8 bags and a set of golf clubs by this stage. Will find my notes to be sure.

Oh, please do, I am very interested. What sort of limo was it (ie stretch, van, SUV, etc)?

[areweindisneyyet]

Originally Posted by Kristin5

Oh, please do, I am very interested. What sort of limo was it (ie stretch, van, SUV, etc)?

Booked with Prime time shuttle

Lax to DLH in luxury limo for 6pax. $125 and I also added a $50 prepaid tip so $175

Way back had SUV which was meant to be bigger but felt smaller for 6 pax

$110 plus a $45 tip

This was Dec 2011

[areweindisneyyet]

Originally Posted by 5ofus

Geez, I go MIA for a couple of days and miss flight bookings, trip changes and a ll sorts of fun stuff! That'll teach me!

On the topic of Vegas airport transfers, do taxis have to have car seats in Vegas? I haven't even started looking at them yet so have no idea what we will do. Kids are 2,4 and 6 - suggestions?

Life is fast...

So overthe guilt today. Full steam ahead. Shall update this evening.

[Aussie Wendy]

Originally Posted by areweindisneyyet

So true. We do have a rule in our house, no living with what if's We just do.

We are very funny, we talk about doing things like this for ages and then one day we just go. DO IT. It always feels strange for 24 hours, like an impulse buy. It wears off. We get a lot of joy out of traveling with the kids and we love it as well. I promise guilt will be gone when I wake up tomorrow.

You sound like us..and yaay-how exciting. I love it when a trip suddenly jumps closer than expected for whatever reason!

[Aussie Wendy]

In July 2011 we used a Zippy shuttle from Hojo's to Hollywood Orchid suites (behind Hollywood and Highland shopping centre)-only 3 of us but it was a minivan that would have fitted at least 6 or 7. Cost us $87. Not sure what they would have charged for more passengers. He was late (can't remember now - 30 mins or maybe 40mins) which fretted us a bit but it wasn't like we had a plane to catch. He was highly apologetic as he got held up through huge delays picking up his previous fare from the airport-(something like they were 2 hrs late) still that's a negative in that you are dependent on their previous bookings. On the plus side he drove very well and sensibly (compared to a Supershuttle trip I have done many years earlier which was a white knuckle affair) and we felt very safe travelling with him and he knew the way to the tricky entrance to the hotel and was helpful.

[Kristin5]

Originally Posted by 5ofus

Geez, I go MIA for a couple of days and miss flight bookings, trip changes and a ll sorts of fun stuff! That'll teach me!

On the topic of Vegas airport transfers, do taxis have to have car seats in Vegas? I haven't even started looking at them yet so have no idea what we will do. Kids are 2,4 and 6 - suggestions?

You know, even though I am right on top of following all the car seat laws here, it didn't even occur to me to check for the US. I guess I just assumed that it would be like here, where taxis do not have to have car seats, and also where tour buses, school buses, and the like, don't have them either. We only caught 2 taxis, both very short trips, and DS sat in the seat with a seatbelt. But your question had me intrigued so I have looked it up, and it seems I was right anyway, that taxis don't have to have car seats (neither here in Oz nor in the US), same with tour buses, etc. However, in scanning through some forums, they advise that if you are planning lots of taxi/bus travel, that you might feel safer to bring your own car seats along (if feasible).

I will say that wherever there is the option (eg rental car, limo) I would always get a car seat, however with taxis and tour buses we won't be.

[Kristin5]

Originally Posted by areweindisneyyet

Booked with Prime time shuttle

Lax to DLH in luxury limo for 6pax. $125 and I also added a $50 prepaid tip so $175

Way back had SUV which was meant to be bigger but felt smaller for 6 pax

$110 plus a $45 tip

This was Dec 2011

Thanks for this. I have looked into Prime Time and they look good (though apparently only a private van will fit us and our suitcases!). They also operate in San Fran, which I think would be slightly cheaper for us than a taxi.

[Kristin5]

Originally Posted by Aussie Wendy

In July 2011 we used a Zippy shuttle from Hojo's to Hollywood Orchid suites (behind Hollywood and Highland shopping centre)-only 3 of us but it was a minivan that would have fitted at least 6 or 7. Cost us $87. Not sure what they would have charged for more passengers. He was late (can't remember now - 30 mins or maybe 40mins) which fretted us a bit but it wasn't like we had a plane to catch. He was highly apologetic as he got held up through huge delays picking up his previous fare from the airport-(something like they were 2 hrs late) still that's a negative in that you are dependent on their previous bookings. On the plus side he drove very well and sensibly (compared to a Supershuttle trip I have done many years earlier which was a white knuckle affair) and we felt very safe travelling with him and he knew the way to the tricky entrance to the hotel and was helpful.

Thanks, I will look into them too (I have vague recollections of a similar hair raising ride with Supershuttle many years ago, so that is something to consider!)

[Kristin5]

Originally Posted by areweindisneyyet

So overthe guilt today. Full steam ahead. Shall update this evening.

Glad to hear it, now the fun starts!

[Jade+3]

Gee, I don't log on for a day, and there are pages and pages of catching up.

Kirstin, I am also looking at transfers in San Francisco. The hotel we are considering recommended this company. I have not done any research so don't know what their reputation is like. We are not doing Bart either, with 3 kids and too many bags.

http://www.airportexpresssf.com/