First time booking help!!!

[loobymiss]

OK I'm freaking out here. I've never been abroad with the kids, never booked any hol's online and don't know what to do

Can someone give me a step by step guide to booking.

So far I've looked at the disney site for 4 nights at Sequioa lodge from Mon 19 May 2008. They seem to be doing an offer where it is 1 night free (is this offer on for a while as not seen it before) so the quote comes up at £607.

However, when I add flights from Southampton it brings it up to a whopping £1367!

I just checked expedia and as of todays prices the flights cost £378.40. It is frustrating though as the prices seem to chop and change constantly! I've checked with the southampton airport website as well and the prices are the same.

Anyway my questions are:

1. Is there any difference apart from price in booking flights with disney or getting them separately?
2. Is it better to book through expedia or the airport direct?
3. Do I need to buy both lots of insurance with disney and with the flight company? Or is it better to decline both and buy my own insurance?
4. What order do I need to book? Do I book the hotel through disney, then immediately after book the flights?
5. How can I get myself to calm down!!!!

 

[mumof30_3]

for you to stay calm. i too find booking a hoiday a stressful time, you want to make sure you get the best value for money.

The way I do it is:
1) search the net for the best price possible, using expedia, iglu, disney, search engines for hotel I want to stay at.
2) I always book flights seperate, mainly because ryanair have the 1p deals on and it is much cheaper to fly with them.
3) For insurance, again I use the search engines for the best deal. Mostly I get mine through moneysupermarket.com
4) I usually have a spreasheet open and insert the prices for each deal I find, then go with the 1 that ties up dates and price.

I hope you manage to get something booked without too much stress.

Maureen

 

[DLPdaft]

I do the same as Maureen - in fact, I never even look at using the Disney site for transport, as I know I can get cheaper and more local flights than the airlines they use.

So I book my flights first, then the hotel/tickets.
Then sort out my own insurance with the likes of moneysupermarket.
Once I have all that sorted, I look out for cheap car parking at the airport, and then I'm sorted.

Elaine

 

[tetley02]

I go for the simplest option, I book my disney holiday through hays travel, they basically book direct with disney so therefore I am not paying any extra fees. I find it reasonable as although I have only been once before and been and done my second booking today I have booked according to the offers avaiable. My current booking got me the extra day and night free.

My flights i book online with easyjet. The only problem with this is that from Newcastle the flights only go to france once a day and the times are awkward, example is the flight I will be booking will leave around half 1 in the afternoon. I more than likely wont get to dlp till 6pm, but I take into account that I am getting an extra day and night free.

I am probably paying more than most cos I like to go for ease rather than shop around, I find it more stresful thinking about how much money I will need to cover us for the meals and souvenirs and vea shuttle!

edited just to say, easyjet flight are as cheap as chips I estimate around £100 for myself and my 5 year old unless they change dramatically for the November prices.

 

[tetley02]

I do the same as Maureen - in fact, I never even look at using the Disney site for transport, as I know I can get cheaper and more local flights than the airlines they use.

So I book my flights first, then the hotel/tickets.
Then sort out my own insurance with the likes of moneysupermarket.
Once I have all that sorted, I look out for cheap car parking at the airport, and then I'm sorted.

Elaine

I have done it the other way round, booked hotel and tickets first, i am still waiting on easyjet to get their November flights up! God I hope they do have flights when I am going lmao.

 

[loobymiss]

Thanks for the tips.

I must admit the flights are my main worry. At least I know what the hotel prices are but flights are a different story. Knowing my luck the prices will shoot up again this week. Does anyone know how they work out their prices? Is it cheaper to get flights a lot earlier rather than later.

Although, I can't book until the school get back to me about the kids having the time off

The airline from Southampton is Airfrance, so will it be better to go straight to their website and book it there then rather than expedia or southampton airport?

Also do you get sent tickets or do you just have to do a screen print?

I am soooo glad it's only a short flight as I haven't flown for over 12 years and the kids have never flown

 

[DLPdaft]

For scheduled flights (as in Air France flights) usually the earlier you book, the better the price is for you. As there becomes less availability on the flight, the price goes up generally.

I can't help you with which company to book with, but I would check out all the sites you've mentioned, then go with the cheapest. Even if you don't get tickets as such, checking in with a booking reference number given to you by email etc is absolutely fine - I've done it loads of time with BMI baby.

Happy planning!

Elaine

 

[Ware Bears]

loobymiss, I've booked flights with Air France from Southampton twice now ~ both times it's been cheaper booking them on the Air France website than with any other site. You get sent an email confirmation, this is all you need to check in with.

Flybe also fly from Southampton to CDG so you may want to check them out but on both occasions we have found them to be more expensive than Air France.

The earlier you can book your flights, the cheaper they will be.

 

[tetley02]

If you are going before end of march disney have an offer where under 12s stay play and travel free, the travel bit means any child under 12 can qualify for free travel via eurostar or air france with each 1 paying adult!

 

[loobymiss]

loobymiss, I've booked flights with Air France from Southampton twice now ~ both times it's been cheaper booking them on the Air France website than with any other site. You get sent an email confirmation, this is all you need to check in with.

Flybe also fly from Southampton to CDG so you may want to check them out but on both occasions we have found them to be more expensive than Air France.

The earlier you can book your flights, the cheaper they will be.

That's good to know that you have used Air France. I was getting worried as I kept reading bad reviews about them and people having problems checking in with emails!!

I looked at Flybe, and yes you're right they are more expensive.