Buying park tickets from American web sites?

[pricefamily]

Evening all!!

Two simple questions.

Firstly, if we buy park tickets from an American web site, and pay in dollars, and the tickets are then sent to us in the UK, will we end up paying tax when they are sent into the UK (I've known folk to be charged tax by customs for things they've bought on the Internet)

Secondly we're planing on being in Orlando and doing the parks for a week. In your experience is it better to have four days worth of tickets for the Disney parks and going for it... or is it better to but five and go at a slightly slower pace.. possibly do a couple of half days... I know that the answer is do whatever you think best... but I'm interetsed in other peoples perspectives. We have four children 4,7,9 and 11 and think that the youngest ones will get whacked out if we try to spend every day in a park

What do you think?
A

 

[MrsGrumpy]

In answer to your first question, we bought park tickets from Ticket Master, service was 1st class, and we didn't get caught with any extra charges. They were even posted free! Have been caught out in the past, bought MrGrumpy a dressing gown from Disney with his picture on it for Christmas, and got stung for a fortune by customs.

 

[mike230652]

Hi .... and welcome to the DIS Boards!!

Can't answer your question re: USA tickets...but I wouldn't imagine they'd attract tax from HM C & E.

When are you travelling to Orlando?

I'd imagine it would be a lot harder trying to hit WDW 4 or 5 days in one week during the height of summer !

We have two kids , on our first visit they were aged 9 & 7. Both kids are fit, active types...........but after 3 days on the trot at the parks they were showing signs of wear! We now alternate one day at the parks and one day off!! You get to do just as much but don't finish up footsore and weary. I'd agree with your thought that your younger ones will feel the pace.

I can understand anyone on their first visit thinking " Gotta do this, gotta see that...! " ( we did LOL ! ) but pacing yourself pays dividends.

I couldn't personally recommend a half day at WDW.... not at those prices !! ... but you could perhaps try going to the parks later in the morning/early afternoon and stay for the evening entertainment ? We found we did just as much that way and avoided the early morning rush.

Hope this is of some help............either way you'll have a great time !!

mike230652

 

[Sweeney Todd]

RE: tickets by post & customs:

We received over a grands worth recently. No customs. I've got a feeling they don't attract tax anyway - something about being a service you will use over there rather than a commodity you will use in the UK. I should imagine the HM Customs website will give more info.

Watch out though for crappy exchange rate and CC charge (usually 2.75%)
I frequently buy DVDs at £10 to £18 and you don't notice the CC charge incorporated into that. But buy tickets with a UK value of over a grand and it is a bit of a shock.


Regards,

Sweeney.

 

[billybluenose]

If you do opt for a five day pass, you could always take in one of the water parks for a more relaxing day on day three for example.
There is nothing more relaxing than floating round the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon in the warm Florida sun. Until you come to the waterfalls, that is.

 

[galaxy]

Hi there

Obviously your chioce of ticket will depend on how often you visit the parks.

We have just returned from a weeks stay, this is what we did:

day 1 - 9-5 at Universal studios
day 2 - 9-2 at seaworld back at night for shamu rocks
day 3 - 9-3 at IOA
day 4- am shopping pm at pool
day 5 - 9-3 at universal studios
day 6 - 9-3 at IOA
day 7 - shopping and home

We have visited the parks before so were able to take our time and knew what we wanted to do so were quite leisurely in our approach. Our kids ages 5, 8, 11 wanted to hang out at the pool whenever possible so we did daily for 2-4 hrs. At night we ate out and shopped and did mini golf once.

The week passed quickly but I felt quite relaxed coming back, something I didnt feel after 3 weeks earlier this year!

Hope this helps.
Galaxy

 

[FloJo]

Hi,

This year will be our third visit to Florida. I've always used www.ticketmania.com for our tickets and they have been the best value and best service.

I ordered tickets for our Christmas trip last saturday (11th Oct) and they came the following Monday (20th Oct) - TM don't charge for delivery either and there is no credit card charge of HM taxes to pay so don't worry about that.

I wouldn't recommend waiting to get tickets until you get there, with you only going for 1 week you don't want to waste time finding somewhere that sells them at a decent cost - the first time we went the friends we travelled with waited and we wasted a whole morning trying to find somewhere and then sorting it out and at the end of the day it was slightly dearer then what we had paid.

With regards to your question on which tickets - personally I would go for the 5 day ticket and spend a full day in each park and then hop around on the 5th day, that's what we did on our first visit. There's so much to do and see the kids won't get tired - but you might!!!

Believe me, once you get into a park no one will want to leave until you have done everything and the last day will be more revisting the areas you loved best, rather than ones you missed.

If that sounds too much, go for a 4 day hopper plus, which will give you 4 days at the parks and 1 at a water park (this ticket isn't advertised everywhere but if you email ticket mania asking if its available then they will email you back providing the link for it).

I would also suggest hitting Animal Kingdom on the first day as it does take a while for the jet lag to wear off and AK is a relatively sedate park but still fab.

How busy it is depends on when you are going but whenever that is - USE fast passes - I can not recommend these enough, they really do save the queing times.

I hope this helps.

Have a happy holiday

 

[pricefamily]

Thanks for all the feedback - much appreciated. Wil try the various links etc

Cheers
A

 

[dc1964]

There would not be any Customs tax as the tickets are solely for use in America.