where do you start when booking seperate??

[uktigger]

hi all

i've just returned from a great trip and i need to start planning for my next trip, dh tells me 2007 but that is far too long to wait so i am trying to convince him if we can budget a bit he might go for 2006
so here's my dilema,i know virgin can work out quite exspensive (especially as my eldest is classed as a teen)i am thinking of trying to book it all seperate but i don't know where to start and does it work out cheaper in the end
could anyone give me a clue on where to start

thanks eve

 

[jockey]

Uk Tigger - I always book the flights first then you can be a bit more flexible with dates to get the best price! The earlier you book the flights the cheaper they are!

I always sort everything myself rather that book a package. I find it works out cheaper and you have more flexability fi you need to change plans at the last minute!!

 

[Miffy2003]

Can you avoid school holidays Eve? That would save you lots of money!

 

[poet123]

I booked all the elements of both this year and next years trip sep. Knowing what I knew from this year has enabled me to do it much more cheaply next year.
This year I booked flights first and decided to take our 7 yrold out of school for 6 days at the end of term in July. This saved £1100 on flights!!!!!!!!!!flight prices rise from july 10th( Virgin).
I also booked our villas with the owners which is cheaper, dont know about hotels as we prefer a villa with pool/game room.
Then booked car hire sep from a villa site which was the cheapest I could find and they use Dollar /Alamo which are onsite airport pickups.
If you wabt any villa info let me know

 

[LorraineH]

Hi Eve!

Glad you had a good time! Did you go to the MK on the 16th Oct and stay till the end?? It was wicked!! Got very busy there, but we had breakfast at CRT at 8:05am and left at about 10:45pm! Loved it!!

We, too, are struggling to see if we can afford a 2006 trip. I cant wait until 2007 which is what we were originally thinking!!

One quick (cheaky) question though - we noticed that none of the parks asked for id at the gate. My daughter (who is 8) obviously had the kid's tickets (aged 3-9). If we go in Aug 2006 she will just have turned 10 (but only just). What are the chances of us getting her the kid's park tickets, and just blagging it out there that she is still 9?

We HAVE to go Aug (even though slightly concerned with the hurricane fiasco of this year!) as my son will be in high school by then and we cant take them out of school for a fortnight which is what we did this month.

Oh decisions, decisions! WE JUST WANT TO BE BACK THERE NOW!!!!


LorraineD

 

[tartangirl]

Hi,

We always book seperate.

Place to start is with the flight as the price varies hugely with the dates. Once you can get a flight (or flydrive) at the dates that suit you and the best price the rest is fairly easy. If going at a busy time of year book as early as you can as the price doesn't come down.

If going with a flydrive it is not always best to take the car insurance but rather arrange the car through someone else and just dont pick the free car up.

 

[uktigger]

lorraine,i have sent you a pm

miffy,i will start off trying to go in the school holidays but having said that i know it is going to be more exspensive i was thinking more the easter than the 6 weeks
but i wouldn't mind pulling my eldest out of school if i went during one of the half term weeks that way he will only miss 5 days

tartangirl, how early can you start to book flights?

i would prefer to stay on site again do you book direct with disney?

poet, if you have some info on villas would be great altough i prefer disney hotels i would look at this option if it works out cheaper i will look at anything if it gets me going to disney again, lol

thank you all so very much for you help

eve

 

[jns]

we book the flights first and then go from there . but if you can be felixable you can get some grrat last minute deals

 

[tartangirl]

Most scheduiled airlines dont start selling their flights until 11months before the departure date.

We tend to book flydrives through the brochures. For companies like Virgin the prices are on the Virgin holidays web-site before the travel agancies get the Virgin Holidays brochure.

The brochures are now coming out for December 2005 so I would expect the brochures for easter 2006 will come out at the start of 2005 but I'm not sure when.

Easter gets very busy as there is a set 2 week period that everyone with school kids gets and Florida is cooler than in summer so I reckon you'll need to be flexibile to get a good deal.

 

[Camac]

Hi Eve,

I have already booked my flights for December 2005 direct with BA. They were £1500 (yes, really!) cheaper than the same flights with Virgin. Book early!

Camac

 

[uktigger]

hi

thanks for the info tartangirl, jns

camac,
thats a great saving how many in your party?there are 2 adult and 2 kids in ours,do you know if 13 is classed as an adult with just flights?

thanks eve

 

[poet123]

EVE,
Try the orlando villas forum, you decide roughly whch area or size of villa and what amenities you want and put out a request for the dates you are travelling. Then all the villa owners that match will email you wuth prices/availability.
Or try Orlando4villas.com they have some great villas and are great to deal with.
Good luck

 

[uktigger]

thanks poet

eve

 

[sallybrealey]

I booked seperate and saved over £200 each, we are very lucky though as we are very flexible and are going off peak in Jan.

sally