Flights in august help!

[california37]

Hi all! Am looking for a bit of advice... Since our eldest starts school this year (eek-time does fly!!!) we are moving our 2015 Disney holiday to the school hols-august-sometime around the 15th ish.... As we are dvc members we only need flights and usually fly from Manchester to Orlando int with virgin and organise our own car hire.

We have never looked into this before and having checked the flight prices for this year... Well... It doesn't leave a lot for spending money!!!!

So here's my question....(s)

When do we book the flights? For the cheapest possible ? As soon as booking opens or wait for 'sales'?
Has anyone flown from Scotland (kids go back to school earlier than in England ) and have heard its cheaper? Again any experience out there ?
Never flown with another carrier so what's the cheapest option (we have a baby too so direct only is considered!)

Any help is appreciated!! There's 4 in our family-me, DH, and dd(will be 5) and dd (will be 20 months)

We're also looking at going twice ( potentially) in Easter too but flights have been around for a long time already .... Again any help with possible cheaper options would be appreciated

Thanks in advance

 

[Woodview]

Have you looked at going with Aer Lingus via Dublin

Manchester ..... Dublin ( including Immigration & Customs ) ... Orlando

International .... And arrive there as a domestic passenger.

Just check in your luggage at Man. ....... Point it out at Immigration / customs in Dublin & collect at carousel in MCO.

 

[Elise79]

If you are looking at direct from Manchester you have Virgin and Thomas Cook flying into MCO.

There will be other charters flying into Sanford such as Thomsons (sorry I am not sure who flyings from Man as they usually require 7 or 14 nights and we never stay those durations!). Check Thompsons & Monarch etc

I am not sure about booking August but for early July the last 2 years I have booked in October

 

[california37]

Hi thanks for the suggestions so far-woodview I think this option would take too long going via Ireland with a baby. We would rather go direct from a uk airport so the travel is on this side hence considering traveling to Scotland if cheaper!

Eloise_thanks for your thoughts. Am not sure where/who flies into what.... Although we normally book a 18 night ish vacation so I guess travelling with some airlines which are just 7 or 14 nights are out

Any other suggestions? Virgin are open in bookings till June so I could do with sorting myself out soon. That plus as soon as the flights are booked we are ready to start planning!!!!

 

[joolz1910]

Hi thanks for the suggestions so far-woodview I think this option would take too long going via Ireland with a baby. We would rather go direct from a uk airport so the travel is on this side hence considering traveling to Scotland if cheaper!

Eloise_thanks for your thoughts. Am not sure where/who flies into what.... Although we normally book a 18 night ish vacation so I guess travelling with some airlines which are just 7 or 14 nights are out

Any other suggestions? Virgin are open in bookings till June so I could do with sorting myself out soon. That plus as soon as the flights are booked we are ready to start planning!!!!

Have you checked when your DD's school goes back in 2015? I got caught out with this as my girls go back on Sept 7th, which I hadn't realised before I booked flights.

I booked with Travel City Direct and they were cheaper than Virgin (but still Virgin iyswim)

Perhaps compare BA's prices when they are released.

Virgin have a sale at Christmas.

Hope that helps.

 

[scoobydooby]

Today Travel City Direct (so Virgin) are charging exactly £979 less than Virgin Holidays fly drive for identical flights (x4 adults) from August 1st to. 18th. Shop around folks! I'm bored waiting for the normal flights to be released now!!!!

 

[Button]

If you book TCD can you do DTD check in?

 

[ashleyfallis]

I would 100% recommend Aer Lingus and immigration through Dublin - it really is super easy and took a lot less time than previous flights standing in hours and hours of immgration queues in MCO!!

 

[joolz1910]

If you book TCD can you do DTD check in?

Yes but you have to pay extra for it. I think it's a bit like a 'no-frills' version of Virgin.

 

[luke]

Yes but you have to pay extra for it. I think it's a bit like a 'no-frills' version of Virgin.

You have to pay even if you book flights with virgin don't you?
Just the virgin holidays customers who get it for 'free' I think

 

[winniepie81]

Yep only virgin holiday customers that get Dtd disney check in for free.
Thinks it's around $10-15 pp if you booked flight only or another tour operator....well worth the cost. Check in at MCO is chaos!!

 

[california37]

Thanks to everyone who has responded still not sure tho whether we should book as soon as tickets come avail or hold off for cheaper options? And even when next aug will be avail to book!

I've checked dd school and she will return 1st week of sept so going later is nut an option.

We normally check in at DTD and my understanding was that it's only first class who get it free?! Speaking to the lady there this year she said it's really tailing off for people using the service-hope they don't take it away!

Any other help or thoughts would be appreciated

 

[Evoga]

I would 100% recommend Aer Lingus and immigration through Dublin - it really is super easy and took a lot less time than previous flights standing in hours and hours of immgration queues in MCO!!

I would also pick this route with a baby as it is sooo much easier with a baby as no stress waiting in security in mco and you have a short break in Dublin. Plus you don't have to worry about carrying the baby and bags up the dreaded escalator.

 

[pickers1982]

Thanks to everyone who has responded still not sure tho whether we should book as soon as tickets come avail or hold off for cheaper options? And even when next aug will be avail to book! I've checked dd school and she will return 1st week of sept so going later is nut an option. We normally check in at DTD and my understanding was that it's only first class who get it free?! Speaking to the lady there this year she said it's really tailing off for people using the service-hope they don't take it away! Any other help or thoughts would be appreciated

When we did it in feb it was only 1st class or people with a virgin holidays voucher. Was much quieter than previous times

 

[scoobydooby]

Thanks to everyone who has responded still not sure tho whether we should book as soon as tickets come avail or hold off for cheaper options? And even when next aug will be avail to book! I've checked dd school and she will return 1st week of sept so going later is nut an option. We normally check in at DTD and my understanding was that it's only first class who get it free?! Speaking to the lady there this year she said it's really tailing off for people using the service-hope they don't take it away! Any other help or thoughts would be appreciated

I am looking for flights for August 1st to 18th. I will post if and when I see anything decent. Decent is in the eye of the beholder though. I don't want indirect so expect to pay a stupid amount to a point. DH will sulk at anything other than Virgin too, although I think we would both consider indirect via Dublin with Aer Lingus if that comes out a good bit cheaper.

 

[wayneg]

Looking like its back to August again for us next year, probable dates 6th-29th. If anyone sees a deal let me know, I don't mind any route, just cheapest possible, Any UK airport to any in Florida.

 

[scoobydooby]

Looking like its back to August again for us next year, probable dates 6th-29th. If anyone sees a deal let me know, I don't mind any route, just cheapest possible, Any UK airport to any in Florida.

That's a long one lucky you If you fancy a lovely villa with pool for such a long trip I can send you a link to my friends website. I'm not touring for trade for her (I have never stayed there) just thought it might suit you having read many of your posts. Decent location, lots of space, good price.

 

[Feebarn]

We always use Kayak when we are looking for flights. Don't necessarily book that way, we always book our own usually through our banks travel agent as they give a good wee discount. We have routed ourselves lots of different ways. Don't believe that the Scotland flights are cheaper - honestly they aren't! Invariably they are more expensive.

Kayak gives you a fare graph, showing which days are cheapest to fly, trends in prices etc. Worth using it as a research tool.

Like someone else has mentioned do consider routing through Dublin. You can do your immigration stuff in Dublin airport, so when you arrive at Orlando you just walk off, collect your case and go through customs. Its VERY nice not to have to stand in that 1-2 hour queue to get through immigration.

I think we paid something like £560 this year for Edinburgh to Dublin to Orlando return this year.

 

[wayneg]

That's a long one lucky you If you fancy a lovely villa with pool for such a long trip I can send you a link to my friends website. I'm not touring for trade for her (I have never stayed there) just thought it might suit you having read many of your posts. Decent location, lots of space, good price.

Thanks for the offer but we won't be around Orlando much if all goes to plan. Wanting to go back to Key West then visit places we missed on last years road trip, a few days around Orlando then finish with a cruise.
We are done with Disney for a while til they sort things out, DTD was a mess, MK like a building site, bins over flowing, FP+ needs fine tuning. I am sure they will get ontop of it all but its going to take a while.

 

[scoobydooby]

Thanks for the offer but we won't be around Orlando much if all goes to plan. Wanting to go back to Key West then visit places we missed on last years road trip, a few days around Orlando then finish with a cruise. We are done with Disney for a while til they sort things out, DTD was a mess, MK like a building site, bins over flowing, FP+ needs fine tuning. I am sure they will get ontop of it all but its going to take a while.

That's no problem I just thought it might suit you, especially if you were traveling with your extended family. I do find your insights helpful so was just hoping to return the favour. I agree about DTD, it was properly ugly in May when I last visited. Then again I am not someone who has fond memories of the previous adult only area (actually I didn't like it), so am hoping the changes end up as worthwhile for my family. I also agree FPP needs some critical amendments, mostly the tiering system at Epcot and DHS (get rid of it) and the inability to get your fourth and subsequent FPP via mobile technologies. I didn't notice problems with rubbish to be fair in May, that would have bothered me. The parks cleanliness is always something that has impressed me and I didn't personally see a deterioration in that. I did think attention to the ladies rest rooms had declined though. Can't comment on the men's' facilities lol!