First Choice Star Class Premier benefits

[El Tel]

My family (wife and two teenagers) and I are flying First Choice Star Class Premier to Orlando in October because it seemed such a good upgrade. Having looked at the latest First Choice brochure, I'm now uncertain what benefits come with this package. It looks like my travel agent may have exaggerated.

I hope not, but can anyone confirm the following for me:
Luggage allowance - travel agent said 30kg per person
Seating together - travel agent said this was part of the package
Day before check-in - travel agent said this was part of the package
Use of airport lounges - travel agent said this was part of the package
Complimentary headphones - travel agent said these would be ours to keep (which seemed a nice perk considering they are noise reduction ones - nice for my daily train commute)

One other question - do First Choice do a 'Downtown Disney' luggage pick up, like Virgin. This was very handy when we first went to WDW in 2000. Virgin had stopped it when we went in 2002, but I believe it is up and running again, so I guess the security issues have been addressed.

Thanks

 

[tashasmum]

We flew with first choice last year and they did not have a DTD check in then. Can't answer any more of your queries as we went economy.

 

[RachaelC]

Hi,

The Travel Agent was exagerrating slightly:

Luggage allowance - travel agent said 30kg per person YEP!
Seating together - travel agent said this was part of the package YEP KINDA! They will endeavour to seat you together but this can also mean separated by an aisle or seats behind the other. They work out the seating plan from those that booked first, so the earlier you book the better
Day before check-in - travel agent said this was part of the package This depends on the hotel you've booked - if it's a Premier hotel I believe that it's included.....will check
Use of airport lounges - travel agent said this was part of the package HMM, NOPE - First Choice don't offer this, so unless the TA is giving it to you then it's not included
Complimentary headphones - travel agent said these would be ours to keep (which seemed a nice perk considering they are noise reduction ones - nice for my daily train commute) - HMM NOPE - yours for the flight only I'm afraid - looks like the commute will be as noisy as ever!

Hope this helps - take a look at First Choice Star Class - they've recently put a video online so should get you quite excited about going.

Rach

 

[RachaelC]

Day before check-in is only included for Premier hotels. In Florida including:

Animal Kingdom lodge
Omni orlando resort at championsgate
world center marriott

Rach

 

[El Tel]

Rach, you are an absolute treasure! All questions answered!
We booked as soon as the brochure came out so I'm very hopeful about seating together. Is this decided at check in, based on earliest bookings, or do the check-in staff have a pre-prepared allocation list?
We are staying at AKL, so it looks like we can check in the evening before.
Airport lounge - won't really miss this as we will probably doing the usual tour of duty free shops
Noise reduction headphones - I thought it was too good to be true, but again no real problem provided they work their magic for the flight. I'll just have to put my fingers in my ears on the commute as usual.
I've already been pointed in the direction of the video. It looks fantatstic. In fact we dropped our usual airline - Virgin - on the strength of the First Choice package inc. Star Class Premier. Even as frequent Virgins (!) First Choice seemed to offer a better product. My only concern is non-scheduled to Sanford and the distance to WDW, but some people think it is a more pleasant airport and quicker to get through - so I'll wait and see.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[El Tel]

Thanks - I didn't think anyone except Virgin did it. I was just hoping as it saved a lot of grief in the past when the car was stuffed full of luggage. I've got a bigger car this time though so it should be less of a problem

 

[RachaelC]

No probs, happy to help.

Seats are pre-allocated in the UK a couple of days before you depart.

And the 30kg baggage allowance should help fit in some Orlando purchases.

I'm really jealous - I want to go to AKL............!

Rach

 

[carolfoy]

Just adding, don't worry about the sanford arrival, it really is very quick to get through so you'll arrive at AKL (you lucky thing!) about the same time as you'd have if you'd arrived at MCO

 

[wifey]

You should get a pampering pack eack including moisturisers, lip balm,face spray and eye cream and face mask (tip use 'em during the flight and drink lots of water it helps keep you hydrated) as well as individual menus to select your food and choice of drinks . The seats are great as previously stated they try to keep you together we had no problems.Transfers to WDW take abour 40-50 mins can be quicker if the traffic is not busy on the main roads. on the return journey you get wonderful evening meals and nightcaps if you need a little help to sleep they had horlicks when I asked , if you need anything just ask the cabin crew they are brilliant. All the extra pillows and blankets were sealed and after use they are sent to be cleaned again so they are fresh for the next trip Enjoy

 

[Cinderella2006]

I am so excited by reading this. We are flying in October from Gatwick with First Choice Star Premier, the main reason we chose it was for the extra baggage and we are getting married so thought we would treat ourselves and our family. I hope we get seated together though; there are 11 of us travelling in the Star Premier all together. I am glad that you clarified the 30kg baggage allowance because I couldn’t find anything on the website supporting this; we spent a fortune last time with excess baggage! Our own fault, we should have guessed!

 

[NeilDrum]

First Choice Premier cabin is the best we have been in so far. We have had upgrades with Thomson (big disappointment) and Travel City Direct in both their Sunshine First and Upperdeck seats.

The only problem we had was with being sat together. I was to be sat directly behind my husband! Check in staff not sympathetic at all even though we were promised by first choice when we booked that we would be sat next to each other!!!

How they can class this as being sat together amazes me. Would you go to the cinema and sit behind your partner????

After a lot of arguments at check in and that some one didnt turn up, we were sat next to each other. The same thing happened on check in at Sanford however, they changed our seats within seconds and said how stupid the airline were for sitting us apart!!

Flying Premium economy with Virgin in January, so I will see how they match up!!!

Claire

 

[El Tel]

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I'm really pleased we chose First Choice now. I'm not the most relaxed of fliers, so some of these benefits really help the time go quickly and enjoyably.
After some of your posts, I'm now feeling a little guilty about going to AKL. I know it is a special place and more expensive but we decided to splash out on it following our previous two trips: 2000 All Star Movies; 2002 Villager Premier. We liked staying onsite in 2000 - friendly staff and easy transport. The Villager Premier was absolutely awful in comparison, though cheaper. This time we decided to go back to WDW and because the kids are growing up, this may be the last WDW trip together as a family so we felt we needed to do something special. (Though WDW does have a habit of luring you back - 2000 was meant to be a one-off trip of a lifetime)

 

[Ali and boyz]

my cousins went with them a couple of weeks ago and they are quite snoby well actually very snoby they usually fly 1st class scheduled and they were very impressed so if they thought it was good then it was good


Rach I didn't know they worked out the seating plan the earlier you booked . we booked last July (going this July with MY Travel Premair) and was a bit worried about the seating. wonder if we will be okay then

 

[arieliwish]

This time we decided to go back to WDW and because the kids are growing up, this may be the last WDW trip together as a family so we felt we needed to do something special. (Though WDW does have a habit of luring you back - 2000 was meant to be a one-off trip of a lifetime)

Ha, I think we've all had that 'once in a lifetime' trip to WDW and just had to go back!!

We flew star class with first choice last september and they were excellent, the legroom and seats were the best I've had (and yours will be better), the staff were very friendly, especially to the kids, the food and entertainment were really good too. We wouldn't hesitate to travel with them again but I'm saving tesco deals now so keeping my fingers crossed first choice join the scheme before next summer!!!

 

[Miffy2003]

.
After some of your posts, I'm now feeling a little guilty about going to AKL. I know it is a special place and more expensive but we decided to splash out on it following our previous two trips: 2000 All Star Movies; 2002 Villager Premier.

Don't feel guilty, not for a second. The AKL is a very special place! I have stayed at All Star Movies (and loved it) as well as AKL, and there is no comparison

 

[gaila]

Thanks for all the comments - we fly with First Choice (cattle class though for us!) and we are paying extra to do day before check in. We would prefer two sets of two behind each other so that one of us can have a break from entertaining a 3 year old now and again.

We are very keen to see how First Choice get on as I dread flights with Airtours or other 'sardine tin' airlines.

Fraid we are staying at AKL too!

Gail

 

[Ali and boyz]

we flew last year with MY Travel on 3-3-3 seating, toilets were downstairs and to be fair I didn't find them at all to be 'sardine tin' like. I have travelled on far worse

just incase anybody is going with them and panics.

 

[RachaelC]

Gaila

Did you book a package with FC?

If so, then you should get the day before check-in free as both hotels you're staying are Premier Accommodations.

Rach

 

[gaila]

Yes we did but having checked it out the other day apparently it is only for the premier class flight & hotel - we are just bog standard flight.

As for Sardine tins - you obviously haven't travelled from Newcastle with Airtours. We did it twice and it was horrendous both times. Sorry but I'm just stating a fact although it may well be different now.

 

[Ali and boyz]

We flew from Glasgow, so maybe it was a different or larger type of aircraft.

Sorry, I wasn't picking or being rude re your 'sardine tin' quote its just. I know myself when I read some of the threads I panic so just wanted to say that not all of the MY travel planes are like sardines incase there are people out there who might be travelling with them soon. We flew with them last year and are again this year, this year trying out the Premair but that is only because my son is disabled,