dixonsontour
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2008
- Messages
- 5,629
Everything but Disney Intro
Cast
Me Stephanie aged 36
DH aged 37
DD Anna aged 5 ¾ (school yr 1) 49 1/2 inches tall
As you will see from our photos DD was born without her left arm.
This was my 13th trip to the USA, DH’s 14th and DD’s 4th
Our first trip together was in 1997 after we had finished studying. People tend to start with a package holiday to Orlando then branch out. We did the opposite and are lucky enough to have had some fantastic DIY road trip holidays around Florida and many other parts of the USA.
Since having DD we have stuck to Florida and mainly Disney. The last two trips we have stayed onsite with DDP. This year we, DH especially, fancied a change – so we stayed in a condo and did as the title says everything but Disney.
As you will see I do like a bargain and use coupons/deals. I’ve tried to include a lot of info about prices in my report.
Who we booked with
For the first time I can remember we have booked flights and accommodation together (a package holiday) with Thomas cook online. Why? When we booked they wanted the same price as the airline direct for the flights, had the accommodation wrongly priced (3 bed cheaper than a 2 bed?!) and knocked off an extra 10% for booking flights and accommodation together.
We booked the date flights were released (2/12/10) and paid £1540 for 3 flights with US airways plus £548 for 14 nights in a 3 bed condo at Floridays resort on International Drive. (The total cost with Thomas cook was £2088)
Car hire
We have rented an intermediate SUV with Usrentacar who we have used before – rental is with dollar. DH did all the driving (I have never driven in US). DH is a dollar express club member and for the first time I did the online pre registration – hoping to bypass the desk and collect from the garage. £287.25 fully inclusive.
Why October?
DD gets 2 weeks off for half term at the end of October so it’s the logical time for us to go. October 2010 was perfect weather – hot but not too hot, not humid and no rain and reasonable crowds so we hoped for a repeat.
New things
Ohana breakfast at Polynesian with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Pluto (so we broke the no Disney rule immediately....)
Indirect flights with DD. We usually flew indirect pre DD. We flew US Airways Manchester via Philadelphia to MCO and had decent flight times. Virgin wanted £1000 more for direct so it was time to be brave and fly indirect with DD.
Busch gardens, Tampa.
Showcase of Citrus, Clermont. DD’s request to go orange picking.
SeaWorld Spooktacular (SeaWorld’s Halloween event)
Afternoon tea at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Boggy Creek airboat ride at East lake camp location
Legoland, Lake Wales
Aquatica
Not done for ages
Universal/Islands of Adventure. We last went New Years eve 2003 before we had DD.
Seaworld. Last visited 2009.
Offsite eating. We love ddp but do miss our favourite offsite places.
Repeat from last trip in 2010
Chef Mickey’s for breakfast
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP)
Shopping!
Food
In the run up to the trip I lost 2 stone with slimming world and DH 3 stone. No plans to diet on holiday! We craved burgers and pizza and both feature a lot. I used coupons.
I find the best coupons come from email sign up to the different restaurant websites. I signed up on the Wednesday (we flew Friday) as most coupons expire in 7 or 14 days.
Coupons for joining are usually emailed within 24 hours. I also used some off orlandocoupons.com and Valpak.com.
I also bought a couple of coupons off restaurant.com. There is always a discount code for restaurant.com so paid $2 for a $25 off coupon.
Tickets
3 tickets for MNSSHP (2 adult + 1 child) bought them off the official wdw website cost $176.65 - $60.66 an adult, $55.33 a child (£110). I did the e tickets – you print them at home and take to the gate. You save a small amount pre buying online and some dates are slightly cheaper than others.
3 tickets for Seaworld/Busch/Acquatica. £70 Adult, £64 child bought from Traverepubic.co.uk. This was an offer for 3 parks for the price of 2. Total £204
Universal/I of Adventure. DD’s cost £76 for a 14 day ticket from Travelrepublic. Myself and DH had unused 7 day tickets from 2007. They were bought from Universal online so were valid until use – cost $185.28 for both inc tax (at today’s exchange rate £115)
Legoland. Bought online from Legoland using a Pepsi promotion code. Cost $69.55 adult, kids ticket free (£87)
Total cost of tickets £592
Cast
Me Stephanie aged 36
DH aged 37
DD Anna aged 5 ¾ (school yr 1) 49 1/2 inches tall
As you will see from our photos DD was born without her left arm.
This was my 13th trip to the USA, DH’s 14th and DD’s 4th
Our first trip together was in 1997 after we had finished studying. People tend to start with a package holiday to Orlando then branch out. We did the opposite and are lucky enough to have had some fantastic DIY road trip holidays around Florida and many other parts of the USA.
Since having DD we have stuck to Florida and mainly Disney. The last two trips we have stayed onsite with DDP. This year we, DH especially, fancied a change – so we stayed in a condo and did as the title says everything but Disney.
As you will see I do like a bargain and use coupons/deals. I’ve tried to include a lot of info about prices in my report.
Who we booked with
For the first time I can remember we have booked flights and accommodation together (a package holiday) with Thomas cook online. Why? When we booked they wanted the same price as the airline direct for the flights, had the accommodation wrongly priced (3 bed cheaper than a 2 bed?!) and knocked off an extra 10% for booking flights and accommodation together.
We booked the date flights were released (2/12/10) and paid £1540 for 3 flights with US airways plus £548 for 14 nights in a 3 bed condo at Floridays resort on International Drive. (The total cost with Thomas cook was £2088)
Car hire
We have rented an intermediate SUV with Usrentacar who we have used before – rental is with dollar. DH did all the driving (I have never driven in US). DH is a dollar express club member and for the first time I did the online pre registration – hoping to bypass the desk and collect from the garage. £287.25 fully inclusive.
Why October?
DD gets 2 weeks off for half term at the end of October so it’s the logical time for us to go. October 2010 was perfect weather – hot but not too hot, not humid and no rain and reasonable crowds so we hoped for a repeat.
New things
Ohana breakfast at Polynesian with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Pluto (so we broke the no Disney rule immediately....)
Indirect flights with DD. We usually flew indirect pre DD. We flew US Airways Manchester via Philadelphia to MCO and had decent flight times. Virgin wanted £1000 more for direct so it was time to be brave and fly indirect with DD.
Busch gardens, Tampa.
Showcase of Citrus, Clermont. DD’s request to go orange picking.
SeaWorld Spooktacular (SeaWorld’s Halloween event)
Afternoon tea at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Boggy Creek airboat ride at East lake camp location
Legoland, Lake Wales
Aquatica
Not done for ages
Universal/Islands of Adventure. We last went New Years eve 2003 before we had DD.
Seaworld. Last visited 2009.
Offsite eating. We love ddp but do miss our favourite offsite places.
Repeat from last trip in 2010
Chef Mickey’s for breakfast
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP)
Shopping!
Food
In the run up to the trip I lost 2 stone with slimming world and DH 3 stone. No plans to diet on holiday! We craved burgers and pizza and both feature a lot. I used coupons.
I find the best coupons come from email sign up to the different restaurant websites. I signed up on the Wednesday (we flew Friday) as most coupons expire in 7 or 14 days.
Coupons for joining are usually emailed within 24 hours. I also used some off orlandocoupons.com and Valpak.com.
I also bought a couple of coupons off restaurant.com. There is always a discount code for restaurant.com so paid $2 for a $25 off coupon.
Tickets
3 tickets for MNSSHP (2 adult + 1 child) bought them off the official wdw website cost $176.65 - $60.66 an adult, $55.33 a child (£110). I did the e tickets – you print them at home and take to the gate. You save a small amount pre buying online and some dates are slightly cheaper than others.
3 tickets for Seaworld/Busch/Acquatica. £70 Adult, £64 child bought from Traverepubic.co.uk. This was an offer for 3 parks for the price of 2. Total £204
Universal/I of Adventure. DD’s cost £76 for a 14 day ticket from Travelrepublic. Myself and DH had unused 7 day tickets from 2007. They were bought from Universal online so were valid until use – cost $185.28 for both inc tax (at today’s exchange rate £115)
Legoland. Bought online from Legoland using a Pepsi promotion code. Cost $69.55 adult, kids ticket free (£87)
Total cost of tickets £592
