2012 flights advice desperately needed

[tracipierce]

Hi everyone,

been away way too long, but I'm hoping that we may be able to book for next year's free dining (1st August 2012)

I usually book a package, but really need to keep to a budget this year and from what I've read, diy is the way to go.

My DD's bf has got a little girl and wants to take her to disney so we got to talking and thought it would be nice for us all to go together.
I've priced up with Virgin and for 3 adults and 2 children staying at 2 bed villa in OKW its working out at £10,000 including tix and free dining plan.

I've also checked out complete orlando and it works out at around £4300 for the villa, tix and dining. Now I know that I can't book flights till 11 months from return date (is this right?) but I'm really scared of booking the accomodation without flights.

Can anyone tell me how much I could get flights for? I know no-one can give a definite price, but a ball park figure would really help so that I could try to work out approx costings and see whether it would work out cheaper to do diy. I do have around £1000 in clubcard vouchers that I could use towards a virgin holiday, so that is also a consideration.

I know diy questions get asked all of the time, so sorry if these questions have been asked before (

Thanks for any help!!!

 

[originalkk]

Based on your figures, VH are effectively quoting £1140 pp for a flight (assuming the children are over 12, even more if they are younger), compared with the non-flight inclusive price you have got with CO. Even with your clubcard points, it still comes to £940pp for flights.

For comparison, we are flying to Tampa on BA early this August for £740pp, so I would have thought you can do better than the VH prices once the scheduled prices are released (11 months for most airlines, just under 12 for BA).

OKW is such a big resort (and based on past years), I think there will be availability on accommodation for many months yet, so I would definitely wait and check sites such as Kayak for flight prices when they are all released.

 

[wayneg]

I would not pay £1140pp for flights (went Delta Biz class last Aug for that) nor would I use clubcard points to get price down to £940.
You can still book this August for less than that, some dates I just saw at £887.39

Do you have any VA airmiles? we have Miles and Money fares for this August £880pp fly out Eco and return PE.

Would you consider indirect? fares for this August have been available from £380pp.

 

[tracipierce]

hi, thanks for the replies!

the quote was for 2 children under 12, so the flights do seem ridiculously expensive, I do have some virgin miles as does my DD19, so that could be an option to get miles plus money. I was hoping to get flights for the 5 of us for no more than £3000, does this sound unrealistic?
I am willing to go indirect, anything at all to make the trip more affordable.

Is there any kind of strategy that I need when the flights come out in September?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[originalkk]

Wayne is the resident bargain flights expert, so I'm sure he'll come up with some great advice on tactics!

We just keep checking various flight comparison/booking sites, with a price in mind we are prepared to pay, and book as soon as something acceptable comes up.

If you are renting a car, you could fly into Tampa (1 hour drive to Disney), or even Miami (about 4 hours) if you get better prices. Plus of course indirect, if the times and conections are OK, can work out much cheaper.

You could also look at charter flights into Sanford.

 

[micksn]

Thomas Cook , Thomson and Monarch flying into Sanford are released now, some flights for around 700 pp. We've booked Thomas Cook from Manchester with OKW for next August.