flights

[diberry]

I always book our holiday accommodation and park tickets direct with Disney which works out well but the flights are always so expensive if you don't go on a package. Does anyone know how to get reasonably priced flights please?

 

[misskrystal]

The best way I've found is to type 'cheap orlando flights' into a search engine. That was how I found a great deal on the hotel we just stayed at.

Then, if you find a good deal, you can always come back here and ask if anyone has used them before.

Even if you don't choose on, you'll at least know what kind of deals are out there and have something to compare prices against.

 

[Graeme]

I used a company called Flights Worldwide in london. I told them which flight I wanted, (going on Saturday!), which was a Thomson charter, and they got me it for over a hundred pounds cheaper than Thomsons best offer. 02078201444.

 

[Cyrano]

I'll watch this thread with interest. Some of the flight prices are very scary

Reid

 

[Miffy2003]

Di, the flights for the school holidays this year are the worst I have ever seen. It's really quite frightening!

I spend hours and hours trawling through various deals until I find one that appeals (or is not as scary as the others LOL)

 

[diberry]

OK then Karen - I'll let you do the trawling and just tell me when you find the best deal!!! It's like Alice's Amazing Labyrinth, isn't it, balancing flights, car hire, etc and then for us the difference between going from East Midlands Airport (half an hour from home but I think very few flights) or an overnight stay in London or Manchester the night before. Ah well, I suppose that's all part of the fun!!!??? I think quite a lot of the summer schedules aren't out yet anyway.

 

[Ware Bears]

Sorry I can't be much help, Di.
I spent hours trawling the net before booking our first holiday to WDW, then ended up booking a package with Virgin because they worked out the cheapest. I've spent a lot of time recently comparing prices in readiness for our return and think I'll be doing a package again for 2007. The fact that I can get teenage prices for my eldest DD's instead of having to pay adult flights for them swings it against DIY.
Of course I know you are tied to the school holidays whereas we are very naughty and will be taking them out of school for a few days before the Easter holidays start to take advantage of the cheaper prices.

 

[diberry]

Sorry I can't be much help, Di.
I spent hours trawling the net before booking our first holiday to WDW, then ended up booking a package with Virgin because they worked out the cheapest. I've spent a lot of time recently comparing prices in readiness for our return and think I'll be doing a package again for 2007. The fact that I can get teenage prices for my eldest DD's instead of having to pay adult flights for them swings it against DIY.
Of course I know you are tied to the school holidays whereas we are very naughty and will be taking them out of school for a few days before the Easter holidays start to take advantage of the cheaper prices.

Actually I'm coming round to thinking maybe a package deal might be the best. Do you think prices have come down because so many people were going down the DIY route? I'd hate to think we've been paying more than we needed to in past years when we've booked accommodation and flights separately but I can't remember package prices being as low as they seem to be at the moment.

 

[Graeme]

Portland Direct had some cheap packages to AKL.

 

[Amyrlin]

Sometimes it is worth looking at the airline sites directly and priceline.co.uk can come up with some good deals.

 

[carolfoy]

Hi Di, I have to agree I'm afraid that there are few very real bargains out there! have you tried the flydrive packages? and not take the car that might be worth looking at or leave it very late, but thats a pain as you may not get the exact dates you want. If you want to pm me details I'll have a trawl for you in my spare time.
carol

 

[Ware Bears]

Actually I'm coming round to thinking maybe a package deal might be the best. Do you think prices have come down because so many people were going down the DIY route? I'd hate to think we've been paying more than we needed to in past years when we've booked accommodation and flights separately but I can't remember package prices being as low as they seem to be at the moment.

I don't think you will have paid more than you needed because a lot of it depends on who is in your party (ie adults/teenagers/children) and where you stay. We stay offsite but when I priced up an onsite stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge (just out of interest) it would have been cheaper to DIY. Unfortunately it is still out of our budget but we can all dream, can't we!

Although, even with a package, with the dates I have been playing around with, it will be cheaper for us to do a package to Orlando, then take ourselves off for a few days to the Gulf Coast in the middle of the holiday, rather than doing a two-centre package.

 

[diberry]

Thanks so much everyone - I really appreciate your input!!! If we go for 3 weeks to Pop Century in August it will cost £1510 booking direct with Disney including 21 day park hopper tickets. But in the past we've had to pay about £800 each or more for scheduled flights & a car. So what I'm doing is just trying to find cheap flights. Maybe it's still too early. Expedia are pretty good as a rule. I booked everything through them this last summer including 4 hotels in different cities. I don't know if booking direct with airlines is cheaper. I really need to take my time but I'm always so desperate to get it booked!!!!!
Thank you very much for your offer Carol - I don't work so I've got the time, but it was really kind of you.
I'll have a look at some of the other suggestions and if I come across something really amazing (???) I'll get back to you all!!!

 

[carolfoy]

You're welcome Di happy hunting

 

[Ruth B]

Hi
its worth looking at Airmiles( especially if you want virgin or BA) i booked flighjts last night through them and they worked out nearly£200 cheaper than booking disney direct( even without airmiles). Flights seperatly are expensive but i still think it works out cheaper than booking a package and it def gives you more flexibility to split your stay. Best wishes Ruth

 

[Deedee]

Di if you see any flights on the web print them off and take them to the travel agents some times they will match the price then take their own discount off. We have had a really good deal from Thomsons good luck

 

[tallym]

Diana..Have you tried Travel city Direct?? I too have trawled the net for Fly drives for next August and TCD is the cheapest by at least £500

For two adults and two children(one who is 13) It is costing us £1800 compared to £2300-£3000 with other airlines.

I too have thought about booking a package insted of direct with disney I have had a good price from TCD for A week in AKL and then a week in a villa £2900 with flights and car.BUT Iam loathe to do this....in case.....DIsney brings out free dining or some other fantastic offer in which case you have to have booked direct to take advantage of.

 

[diberry]

Thanks Ruth, Deedee and tallym - I'll check all those ideas out!

 

[mark&sue]

I couldn't get the flydrive I wanted for 12th, 13th or 14th October 2006 with Virgin as it was sold out for the seven of us by the time I spent checking out all the different costs. We then decided we only wanted a plane which flew non-stop with seat back tvs.

Ended up booking with BA for a bit more money as I didn't go with the Virgin price in the first place. He who hesitates is lost!!!

Good luck

Susan

 

[Supercod]

Travelocity.co.uk was pretty good for me this time around. You could book the same flight via them for Iceland Air that was twice as expensive if you booked it direct on the Iceland Air website, totally nuts if you ask me.

One thing when using Tavelocity is make sure and check how many stops if any, living in Glasgow and wanting to fly from Glasgow leaves very few choices during winter months, I could fly to London and then go direct or I could fly to Iceland and then fly direct. I went with Iceland as the total time was about the same but the journey was broken up a little better and they take you to the Blue Lagoon for free when Flying from Glasgow to Orlando (or any place in the US for that matter, just need to start from Glasgow).