November/December 2012?

[dabecs]

Good news here - hubby got the job he applied for and they said having November off will be no problem

How is everyone else going? Made anymore plans? Booked anything?

I have been looking at Undercover Tourist tonight at Cirque and KennedySC tickets - I am not going to buy them yet but I was wondering if this is the cheapest/best way to buy them?

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

That's wonderful news Dabecs. Way to go to you DH getting the job.

I'm not sure how it is best to book KSC. Would love to hear what others have done.

 

[dabecs]

Well today we booked our NY accommodation! Makes it feel very real

We are staying in the financial district (Maiden Lane). There is a supermarket a few doors down and, of course, several restaurants and a salad bar within very easy walking distance

Now to find somewhere to stay in Washington!

 

[aussietravellers]

The airfares are coming down

Brisbane to LAX

Just checked Qantas and for the same days, they are cheaper than VAustralia

Looking at dates, end of November (30th) with return mid/late December is coming up at $1299 return. So one way is $679 ret is $621

Virgin is $1397 ($631 over and $766 ret)

 

[dabecs]

It's great to see them come down isn't it

The $1299 Melbourne to LAX on Qantas is tempting me... Not sure if I should wait and see if they come down anymore or jump now because the Grand Prix sale (Qantas) ends Tuesday.

 

[DisneyGirlInOz]

Hi All,

I'm new here (This is my first post)!! But I am currently looking at our next trip to WDW in November. We were there in May last year and even though this will be our 4th trip we can't get enough.

Looking forward to reading through all the info here

 

[dabecs]

Hi All,

I'm new here (This is my first post)!! But I am currently looking at our next trip to WDW in November. We were there in May last year and even though this will be our 4th trip we can't get enough.

Looking forward to reading through all the info here

I'm sure you will learn a lot on here - but you will probably also have heaps of tips to share.

When are you thinking of going and where would you be staying this trip?

 

[DisneyGirlInOz]

I'm sure you will learn a lot on here - but you will probably also have heaps of tips to share.

When are you thinking of going and where would you be staying this trip?

Thanks dabecs, for the warm welcome. I am happy to share all the things I have learned from every trip and am looking forward to learning more from everyone here.

We were thinking of the week before thanksgiving as we would like to do NYC again. We spent 7 weeks travelling around the US last year and WDW and NY were stand outs for us. DL was also so much fun.

Thinking of Contemporary Resort again. We liked being able to walk to MK. BUT the trip before that was AKL. Loved it! Our room was looking onto the Savannah. It was beautiful.

I was waiting as they extended the free dining last year into some dates in November but the airfares are good now so I may just book.

 

[DisneyGirlInOz]

I am looking at ADR at the moment (Just a little keen and early) but has anyone eaten at Sanaa?

I have only heard good things but have not eaten there before.

Also anyone else hoping that the Be Our Guest Restaurant will be open in November.

 

[mickeyd78]

I am looking at ADR at the moment (Just a little keen and early) but has anyone eaten at Sanaa?

I have only heard good things but have not eaten there before.

Also anyone else hoping that the Be Our Guest Restaurant will be open in November.

We ate at Sanaa on our last trip last August. Highly recommended. One of the best meals we had - and a bit different from other WDW restaurants. We even had a table right at the window looking over the savanna. We plan to eat here again on our next trip.

 

[DisneyGirlInOz]

We ate at Sanaa on our last trip last August. Highly recommended. One of the best meals we had - and a bit different from other WDW restaurants. We even had a table right at the window looking over the savanna. We plan to eat here again on our next trip.

Thanks mickeyd78. Sounds perfect. Will have to book it.

 

[dabecs]

Plane tickets booked!

The $1299 fare from Melbourne to LAX with Qantas felt like too good a deal for us to pass up. We are 6 travelers (including 2 children), had already booked accommodation in WDW and NY - plus hubby had already requested leave for certain dates so I didn't want to gamble and leave it till later.

I am really happy with the times of all of the flights and there are no extra stop overs which will be easier.

So our flights look like this:

2/11 Leave Melbourne at 10:20am arriving in LA at 6:40am (Qantas)
Leave LA at 10:30am arriving in Orlando at 6:07pm (Delta)

18/11 Leave Orlando at 1:45pm arriving in Washington DC at 3:57pm (United)

22/11 Leave Washington by train (not yet booked) to go to NY

29/11 Leave NY at 6:45pm arriving in LA at 9:50pm (Qantas)
Leave LA at 11:30pm arriving in Melbourne on 1/12 at 10:05am (Qantas)

I am a bit nervous about the short stop over in LA on the way home but the flight from NY is also QANTAS - so assume the international check in will happen in NY and our bags will go straight through. Is that correct?

It feels really good to have it all booked All that is left is accommodation in Washington

 

[aussietravellers]

Plane tickets booked!

The $1299 fare from Melbourne to LAX with Qantas felt like too good a deal for us to pass up. We are 6 travelers (including 2 children), had already booked accommodation in WDW and NY - plus hubby had already requested leave for certain dates so I didn't want to gamble and leave it till later.

I am really happy with the times of all of the flights and there are no extra stop overs which will be easier.

So our flights look like this:

2/11 Leave Melbourne at 10:20am arriving in LA at 6:40am (Qantas)
Leave LA at 10:30am arriving in Orlando at 6:07pm (Delta)

18/11 Leave Orlando at 1:45pm arriving in Washington DC at 3:57pm (United)

22/11 Leave Washington by train (not yet booked) to go to NY

29/11 Leave NY at 6:45pm arriving in LA at 9:50pm (Qantas)
Leave LA at 11:30pm arriving in Melbourne on 1/12 at 10:05am (Qantas)

I am a bit nervous about the short stop over in LA on the way home but the flight from NY is also QANTAS - so assume the international check in will happen in NY and our bags will go straight through. Is that correct?

It feels really good to have it all booked All that is left is accommodation in Washington

Woo Hoo Congratulations.

I think the $1299 is a great price Can't see that it's going to get much cheaper than that. Exciting!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Plane tickets booked!

The $1299 fare from Melbourne to LAX with Qantas felt like too good a deal for us to pass up. We are 6 travelers (including 2 children), had already booked accommodation in WDW and NY - plus hubby had already requested leave for certain dates so I didn't want to gamble and leave it till later.

I am really happy with the times of all of the flights and there are no extra stop overs which will be easier.

So our flights look like this:

2/11 Leave Melbourne at 10:20am arriving in LA at 6:40am (Qantas)
Leave LA at 10:30am arriving in Orlando at 6:07pm (Delta)

18/11 Leave Orlando at 1:45pm arriving in Washington DC at 3:57pm (United)

22/11 Leave Washington by train (not yet booked) to go to NY

29/11 Leave NY at 6:45pm arriving in LA at 9:50pm (Qantas)
Leave LA at 11:30pm arriving in Melbourne on 1/12 at 10:05am (Qantas)

I am a bit nervous about the short stop over in LA on the way home but the flight from NY is also QANTAS - so assume the international check in will happen in NY and our bags will go straight through. Is that correct?

It feels really good to have it all booked All that is left is accommodation in Washington

Congratulations . That is a great price and I think you'll be glad you booked it.

Can I ask a few questions???

So with your Melb to LAX booking with Qantas, did you include a stopover in in NYC or is your NYC to LAX flight booked as a separate internal flight?

Did you book directly with Qantas?

With your other internal flights, did you book them through an agent or directly with each airline? Did it cost alot more to do a multi city booking with Qantas than to do it with a return flight to LAX and your own internal flights?

Sorry for so many questions. This booking flights business stresses me out.

 

[dabecs]

Congratulations . That is a great price and I think you'll be glad you booked it.

Can I ask a few questions???

So with your Melb to LAX booking with Qantas, did you include a stopover in in NYC or is your NYC to LAX flight booked as a separate internal flight? Seperate internal flight as far as I know.

Did you book directly with Qantas? We booked through Harvey World Travel, which is why I don't know if it is a seperate flight or stop over. I find it helpful to have a travel agent who we can now call endlessly with questions

With your other internal flights, did you book them through an agent or directly with each airline? Did it cost alot more to do a multi city booking with Qantas than to do it with a return flight to LAX and your own internal flights? The agent did all of this for us so I don't know - sorry!

Sorry for so many questions. This booking flights business stresses me out.

I don't think I was much help with your questions anyway

The flights part stresses me out too which is why we decided to go for a travel agent. It might cost a bit more but we don't fly enough to know the ins and outs ourselves and I like having someone to call with questions. Our total bill for the 4 of us (2 adults and 2 kids) was just over $7000 which I was happy (well not really but you know what I mean) with. I am so happy to have everything locked in.

Friends who were stuck in Europe during the volcano incident said having a travel agent working from this end if something goes wrong is a great help which influenced my decision too. And I have already called with questions about frequent flyer points and seat selection - so she is earning her keep and we still have 7 months to go

 

[aussietravellers]

Friends who were stuck in Europe during the volcano incident said having a travel agent working from this end if something goes wrong is a great help which influenced my decision too. And I have already called with questions about frequent flyer points and seat selection - so she is earning her keep and we still have 7 months to go

I have to say, for anything other than a straight BNE-LAX return (for example), I have used a TA. I too have had plenty of problems and it's so good being able to call the TA and get a little help, someone else who is away from the chaos (and customer service counter with the hundreds or thousands of others trying to get their problems fixed).

I have been stuck in Hong Kong before, just in transit and found that my ongoing flight was full and I was not longer on it I was only 17 then and flying by myself. It was great being able to call home, have the TA work her magic, tell me what counter to go to and voila, I was on the flight. Also arriving in LAX once with delay and cancellation dramas, put up in an airport hilton by AA and being able to call home, get my TA to reorganise our return flights to avoid the same problem. The list goes on.

I can not tell you how many times our flight number and departure have changed over the years particularly on a Vienna - Geneva flight ret that we have taken many years in a row. Every time it changed, which seemed to be almost weekly, my TA would call me, then email through the details over the months and even whilst away.

So whilst I'm not for TA's in Australia to book Disney accommodation (actually my TA would not book that for me once when I asked about it, she told me it was cheaper to go direct years ago when I organised my first adult Disney vacation), I am for TA's for booking flights that are anything other than one over and one back. You are still booking direct with the airline or airlines, but you have someone else to sit on the phone and do the leg work if there is a problem or any changes. My TA is a corporate agent, not one in a regular retail TA

 

[dabecs]

Thanks Aussietravellers - I thought most people on these boards would be self-bookers but I just wanted that extra service.

My friends who were stuck in Europe had similar stories to you - while other people were on the net/phone/at the info desk (which were all jammed) trying desperately to figure out what to do they were able to call there TA who knew more about what was happening from the quiet of Melbourne! And she was doing all of the legwork so they could concentrate on finding somewhere to stay and eat etc

And as you said my TA will contact me if flights change which is also helpful.

Each to their own but for me it gives me peace of mind to do it this way.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I don't think I was much help with your questions anyway

The flights part stresses me out too which is why we decided to go for a travel agent. It might cost a bit more but we don't fly enough to know the ins and outs ourselves and I like having someone to call with questions. Our total bill for the 4 of us (2 adults and 2 kids) was just over $7000 which I was happy (well not really but you know what I mean) with. I am so happy to have everything locked in.

Friends who were stuck in Europe during the volcano incident said having a travel agent working from this end if something goes wrong is a great help which influenced my decision too. And I have already called with questions about frequent flyer points and seat selection - so she is earning her keep and we still have 7 months to go

It really seems like you did very well for the amount of flights that are included. I'm so happy for you getting it all locked in.

I have to say, for anything other than a straight BNE-LAX return (for example), I have used a TA. I too have had plenty of problems and it's so good being able to call the TA and get a little help, someone else who is away from the chaos (and customer service counter with the hundreds or thousands of others trying to get their problems fixed).

I have been stuck in Hong Kong before, just in transit and found that my ongoing flight was full and I was not longer on it I was only 17 then and flying by myself. It was great being able to call home, have the TA work her magic, tell me what counter to go to and voila, I was on the flight. Also arriving in LAX once with delay and cancellation dramas, put up in an airport hilton by AA and being able to call home, get my TA to reorganise our return flights to avoid the same problem. The list goes on.

I can not tell you how many times our flight number and departure have changed over the years particularly on a Vienna - Geneva flight ret that we have taken many years in a row. Every time it changed, which seemed to be almost weekly, my TA would call me, then email through the details over the months and even whilst away.

So whilst I'm not for TA's in Australia to book Disney accommodation (actually my TA would not book that for me once when I asked about it, she told me it was cheaper to go direct years ago when I organised my first adult Disney vacation), I am for TA's for booking flights that are anything other than one over and one back. You are still booking direct with the airline or airlines, but you have someone else to sit on the phone and do the leg work if there is a problem or any changes. My TA is a corporate agent, not one in a regular retail TA

Thanks Aussietravellers - I thought most people on these boards would be self-bookers but I just wanted that extra service.

My friends who were stuck in Europe had similar stories to you - while other people were on the net/phone/at the info desk (which were all jammed) trying desperately to figure out what to do they were able to call there TA who knew more about what was happening from the quiet of Melbourne! And she was doing all of the legwork so they could concentrate on finding somewhere to stay and eat etc

And as you said my TA will contact me if flights change which is also helpful.

Each to their own but for me it gives me peace of mind to do it this way.

Aussietravellers and Dabecs - I completely agree with this. Our 2 US trips and our one to Fiji were all done through an agent once I had thoroughly checked out the prices of course. I agree it gives peace of mind to be able to call them if you run into trouble and also for flight changes and seating arrangements.

I definitely need the peace of mind.

 

[Caroline NZ]

Re peace of mind over booking, we fly to the US on staff travel ( aka standby) so never have peace of mind. Ofcourse if it all comes off, we have saved $$$, but boy oh boy are the stress levels high. Last trip we didn't know until we got our boarding passes at the airport that we would be flying to SFO or LAX. To increases our chances of getting on I had 2 scenarios for the start of the trip, so it was a mad scramble to cancel the car/accomodation bookings that we didn't need. We ended up flying into SFO which was plan B, but had a really neat couple of days in SFO and driving down the Pacific Coast Highway to San Diego/LAX.
I would love to not have the mega stress ( especially travelling with children and other family members), but we just wouldn't be able to justify/afford our trips if we were paying the full price. I would be gutted if things turned to custard, but so far we have been lucky.

 

[jacs1234]

I've bought the tickets and I'm going to LA for 5 nights and then on to New York for 6 nights with my mum. We'll be leaving on the 14th of November and will also me in NY for Thanksgiving.