Can anyone beat TCD's prices

[paul_sheps]

Hi everyone

Checking around for the last two weeks of the summer hol's 2006 for me my wife and three kids the best price I've found has been TCD who quote £3700 for the 5 of us in a standard villa and a full size 4 door car with pre-seating on the plane.

All the others I've checked want much more. Went with TCD this year and paid £3500 for the same and thought it great value for money and they don't seem to be able to be beaten.

Anyone know of anyone cheaper than TCD?

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We fly with Virgin but for value TCD are difficult to beat.

 

[Miffy2003]

Whenever I have checked TCD prices they have been more than if I booked directly. I must be unlucky as I seem to be the only one! I have checked about 4 times for different times of year too.

Have you thought about booking a fly drive and arranging accommodation separately? The nice thing about that is that you get to choose your villa exactly rather than getting one allocated on arrival (though perhaps TCD tell you in advance where the villa is, I am not sure?)

There are lots of lovely villas out there and we have tonnes of websites to recommend, I will find a thread posted earlier this week with loads on

 

[Miffy2003]

The villa thread is here

For flights, I have booked with Expedia , Bon Voyage and airline network all of whom were cheaper by far than a travel agent, and cheaper than booking direct with the likes of Virgin or BA.

Hope that helps!

Karen

 

[jdybnsn]

Just wanted to add to the last two posts...

We are using TCD for fly drive (generally the earlier you book the cheaper the flight) and arranged a town house on Regal Palms (where TCD also rent) and it was loads cheaper than doing the whole package, plus you can decide on the place you stay not them !
Think I'm right in saying the more in your group, the more you have to save from using this option as tour operators charge each person for the room/ villa , where as most hotels/ villas you pay for the unit no matter the occupancy.
We also booked a Disney cruise and again had a much cheaper deal booking fly drive & cruise separately than doing a package.

Hope this helps

 

[paul_sheps]

Just wanted to add to the last two posts...

We are using TCD for fly drive (generally the earlier you book the cheaper the flight) and arranged a town house on Regal Palms (where TCD also rent) and it was loads cheaper than doing the whole package, plus you can decide on the place you stay not them !
Think I'm right in saying the more in your group, the more you have to save from using this option as tour operators charge each person for the room/ villa , where as most hotels/ villas you pay for the unit no matter the occupancy.
We also booked a Disney cruise and again had a much cheaper deal booking fly drive & cruise separately than doing a package.

Hope this helps

Just checked the TSD site for flydrive the cost is £2833 and I think most villas cost £500 per week so the TCD package is still cheaper, although you don't know where they are going to put you.

 

[paul_sheps]

Whenever I have checked TCD prices they have been more than if I booked directly. I must be unlucky as I seem to be the only one! I have checked about 4 times for different times of year too.

Have you thought about booking a fly drive and arranging accommodation separately? The nice thing about that is that you get to choose your villa exactly rather than getting one allocated on arrival (though perhaps TCD tell you in advance where the villa is, I am not sure?)

There are lots of lovely villas out there and we have tonnes of websites to recommend, I will find a thread posted earlier this week with loads on

I've checked a lot of these sites and most want over £3000 just for the flights, I would like to book my own villa but it's just not economical, TCD seem the cheapest by a lot.

 

[jdybnsn]

Sorry hate to disagree but we paid £1210 for 2 adults and 2 children fly drive for Feb with TCD, and our Regal Palms FOUR Bed town house (we would have been allocated 3 bed with TCD) cost us £630 total for 14 nights.

The same holiday would have been over £600 more as a package with TCD

If you book early (and that is key here, as prices do rise after they initially come out ) you can make big savings !

 

[Miffy2003]

So it looks like it pays to compare everything first and then decide, as sometimes package is cheaper, sometimes not

 

[PaulaSB12]

TCD anyone?

 

[Merylj]

TCD = travelcity direct.
Just wanted to add that me and DD paid £550 each for return flights from Manchester to Orlando with delta (one connecting flight) this was the last 2 weks of Aug. About four weeks before we flew the flights had dropped to £420 each - so sometimes Aug. might not be too bad.

 

[wayneg]

There are no rules in the travel industry, You can't guess what is going to happen with prices, Sometimes booking early is better other times you are best leaving it late, sometimes a package company will have a good offer other times independant is best.
If you find a price you are happy with get it booked if not wait, there is always another year or another destination.
This last year we did Xmas day -New years Day Flight only £300 each
Oct inc school hol week Virgin Package £550 each for 21 nights
Next Aug 3rd £319 each flight only BMI going for 25 nights.

In 12 years of going to Disney i have never paid more than £400 for a flight, or £25/night for a hotel (Except Xmas stayed onsite for guaranteed admission)

 

[Cochise]

Admittedly off peak a little but i should be nailing a Flydrive with Sky Deals flying Virgin and a Full size 4 door for £2017 for 4 people/3 weeks and the villa will be half of £1400 on Indian Creek.

£2700 for 3 weeks aint bad.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I tried aa quote with tcd, a couple of points.

1 they only fly to Orlando sanford
2 There is no non driving option

Is there a way to book it with a flight with the airline of your choice and a transfer to the hotel of your choice.

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Paula,

I am not quite sure what you mean from your post, do you want to fly into Sanford or not?

If you want to fly into Orlando International then have a look at my post number 4 on this thread

For transfers there are several different options. Would you be staying in Disney accommodation? If so and you fly into Orlando International, consider Disney's Magical Express which is a coach service that will take you free to your resort. Another option is a town car service (sort of like a pre-booked taxi where the driver will meet and greet you, drop you off at your hotel etc and some even stop for a grocery stop too)

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I always book all elements of the trip seperatly, flight only with a scheduled operator, don't want 24 hour delays due to lack of repacement aircraft, not fly drive as you pay more for the car and they put you into the smallest version available for your party size, & don't forget the price of the car is in everyones ticket
The car hire I always book with one of the leading hire car companies as they always seem to be a good price and I have the confidence of the hire company still being there plus extra flying club miles. i.e. this year a 4X4 Ford Explorer size two weeks with Hertz £377 (that's £125 per person going)
Yearly insurance with my Bank account.

Look at various villa hire companies (for trips outside Florida that is, i.e for next year to Vrermont, have got s great deal on a four bed villa)

Yes, you can save a few pounds with looking at other options, but this is the one that I personally am happy with and gives me piece of mind.

Its each to their own really.

 

[Laurafoster]

Hi Paula,

For transfers there are several different options. Would you be staying in Disney accommodation? If so and you fly into Orlando International, consider Disney's Magical Express which is a coach service that will take you free to your resort. Another option is a town car service (sort of like a pre-booked taxi where the driver will meet and greet you, drop you off at your hotel etc and some even stop for a grocery stop too)

I think what she means is if you book it online you have to have a car! so your paying for the car and insurance even if u dont want it! You can book it over the phone and not have the car though!

 

[Miffy2003]

I think what she means is if you book it online you have to have a car! so your paying for the car and insurance even if u dont want it! You can book it over the phone and not have the car though!

Yes Laura,

What I didn't understand was the Sanford part which is what I asked for clarity on

 

[Laurafoster]

Yes Laura,

What I didn't understand was the Sanford part which is what I asked for clarity on

TCD only flies into Sanford airport which is basically a smaller airport. From what i understand is the opposide side of Orlando that the Orlando international airport. I personally have never flown there but im told the transfer times are pretty much the same as from the orlando international airport.

I may be wrong on that though!

 

[Miffy2003]

LOL Laura, we are talking at cross purposes here

I have flown into Sanford & MCO several times, what I was unsure about Paula's remark was whether she was saying she wanted to avoid Sanford

Part of the reason I asked was because DME does not operate from SFB.