Going in November? Have you secured flights and/or cars?

[Shea&Van]

How-dee,

We are heading down on Thanksgiving day (or early on Friday) and I'm already so excited!

I thought it might be helpful if we post the deals we're seeing on airfare, flights, lodging, etc.

I'll go first...

Lodging: We have two nights at the AOA LM Room for $300 (pricey right?), but I'm hoping for a code. I'm not optimistic though since this is a holiday.
We have two off-site places "on hold" -- $1100 townhouse in WH and $1400 SFH in Emerald Isle for the week (Saturday - Saturday) after Thanksgiving.

Rental Car: Have mini vans booked for Friday (11/29) - Saturday (12/7) for $360 through Budget and hope to use the e-coupon for an extra $40 off at check in. Also, have National booked for Thursday (11/28) - Saturday (12/7) for $405. Will cancel one of these once I know which date we are flying.

Airfare: We are coming from the DC-area, so there are three airports I can use. I'm seeing some decent flights for USAirways out of DCA ($185 inc taxes, but not baggage, per person). But, I'm hoping that Southwest and Jet Blue have some competitive pricing when they release their flights. I'm assuming that will be in March or April.

ADRs: Can start booking them on June 1.

Seems so far away...but I'm already in high-octane planning mode.

Any great deals you are finding?

Happy planning to all my Dis Pals!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

We are hoping to go the week before you....and flights have not moved from $350 rt on Delta!!! I'm hoping AirTran or SW are better....but I'm pretty sure they no longer do nonstops out of Detroit

 

[ToddyLu]

I too am waiting on SW to release their flights. We are traveling 11/1-11/9. We are DVC so already have my room. We are trying to attend MNSSHP and MVMCP in same trip. So will see how that goes in May when dates for that come out. I think we are going to do a 6 day MYW ticket with PH and then use the party tickets the other days.

 

[Shea&Van]

Thanks for posting y'all!

I'm glad to know I'm not alone in my stalking of the airlines and car rental prices. Probably takes as much time as a part-time job.

Has anyone done the Christmas party before? We've done the Halloween one and LOVED it!!

So excited to see WDW all dolled up for the holidays. Has anyone done the buggy ride through WL?

So much to think about and plan, looking forward to waiting and planning alongside you!

Have a happy day!

And, please keep us posted if you find any awesome deals!

 

[schoen]

My family is trying really hard to plan a November trip. We are trying to co-ordinate the schedules of five different schedules: My MIL and FIL, and my husbands grown late 20's early 30's three siblings. We are having a hard time even nailing down dates.

My BIL wants to be there for the last weekend of F&W and is really digging in his heels on it. My DH and I could only go for like 2 days if we go that weekend, but we could come out later, but by that time BIL would have to be gone. MIL wants us all there at the same time. My other BIL and his wife want to go and take the kids, but I get the feeling that they are overwhelmed at the idea of a huge family trip. They think they should get a 2 bedroom villa at OKW for their family of 4 (BIL, SIL, DS 4 DD2). If they do that than there will be no points for DH and I to go. It is just a mess.

I am eager to get the transportation part figured out! I am concerned about rental cars. DFIL think we should get a 12 passenger van and all cram in. That can be expensive though, and it doesn't allow for us to do different things. I am thinking that we should have each family unit get their own car, at whatever size they see fit. My DH and I would get a fulllsize, DFIL, DMIL, BIL, SIL in a fullsize SUV and BIL, SIL and their kids in a minivan. That is a lot of cars to book though! we'll have to see.

My FIL wants us to fly delta, but it is expensive now. My MIL is walking on egg shells to please my BIL with the kids, and so she wants to fly out of Flint, which is closer to them (and us!) but delta does not have a non-stop from FNT (i don't think they do anyway.... maybe they do).

The whole thing is just a mess, and all I want to do is go to WDW for a week during hunting break in MI! and I want to start planning like NOW! Right now everything is so up in the air that I am not convinced that this trip will even happen!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Don't worry...you still have tons of time. What week is "hunting week" in MI? My kids don't have any time off school?

 

[schoen]

Don't worry...you still have tons of time. What week is "hunting week" in MI? My kids don't have any time off school?

I don't think many kids do have it off. My DH work in politics, and the legislature always takes the week of the 15th for "hunting break". DH absolutely refuses to leave town when they are in session. This year the 15th is on a Friday though, and they are not in session on Fridays, so "hunting break" will actually start the next week, which is after F&W ends. He gambled that they would take the week before off, but just got the schedule, and they are in, so we can't go.

Our plan was to have the whole family go from Saturday the 9-the 16th. That is when we have rooms booked. Now my DH can't go until the 14th, and BIL needs to leave by the 13th. This is fine with us, we'll just stay a week, and spend some time with the family, and some time on our own, but now MIL is freaking out that there will not be any days that we are ALL there. She suggested the whole Family go from the 7th-1ith

That is a problem for us, because we want to go for at least a week. My DH is suggesting that we do the four day weekend, come back to MI and then go BACK the next week by ourselves! That seems crazy to me. I'm sure we'll figure it out though!

 

[OurDogCisco]

We travel every year during Thanksgiving week because my kids have it off from school. I've been doing this for 10 years. I'm finding the airfare to be outrageous. I've even tried my usual tricks like leave on a Thursday ( a week before Thanksgiving) and come back on a Monday (after thanksgiving weekend). But the fare is only like 20 bucks cheaper. Plus we really can't travel Thursday to Monday because my kids are in high school and it isn't worth it to miss for 20 bucks. Normally, I get great airfare when I book early but so far I've been checking every day since the beginning of the month and nothing. Anyone else having trouble.

 

[kristenrice]

We are hoping to go the week before you....and flights have not moved from $350 rt on Delta!!! I'm hoping AirTran or SW are better....but I'm pretty sure they no longer do nonstops out of Detroit

DH and I are (hopefully) going to the F&W half-marathon. I booked our room at AKV for Nov 7-12 and now we're just waiting on airfare. I need to get it below $300 each, preferably out of Grand Rapids. I am patiently waiting for AT to release their fares because they are usually the lowest just after they come out. The only problem is that we leave for our HHI vacation at the end of March and I really don't want to dig too deep into the vacation fund yet. DH still has not secured all of the time off that he will need and neither of us are 100% sure that we will be able to get in shape for the race...neither of us have ever participated in an organized running event.

While I am waiting for AirTran, I am also glad that they are delaying it as long as they have. It gives us more time to contemplate and save up for it.

 

[kristenrice]

Don't worry...you still have tons of time. What week is "hunting week" in MI? My kids don't have any time off school?

Opening day of firearm deer season is November 15. This year, our DD's (ages 9 and 7) are going to go with DH. DD9 went along last year and unfortunately they both came up empty, but she enjoyed the experience. *If* DH and I take our trip, we will return home on Nov. 12 and then on Nov. 14, DH and the girls will head up to our property in northern Michigan.

 

[ain0004]

We are looking at airfare from Detroit from End of Oct to nov 2nd. So far airfare is $350/person. That's insane....If we have to we will fly into Tampa. Which is running about 230/person. Not something I want to do. But will to save that kind of money. I am hoping come the summer there will be decent prices.......

 

[schoen]

We are looking at airfare from Detroit from End of Oct to nov 2nd. So far airfare is $350/person. That's insane....If we have to we will fly into Tampa. Which is running about 230/person. Not something I want to do. But will to save that kind of money. I am hoping come the summer there will be decent prices.......

I always forget you can fly into Tampa, do you know how long the drive is to WDW property from Tampa? We always rent cars anyway...

 

[ain0004]

It takes about an hour and a half from TPA to WDW. vs about 40 min to MCO

 

[OurDogCisco]

We are looking at airfare from Detroit from End of Oct to nov 2nd. So far airfare is $350/person. That's insane....If we have to we will fly into Tampa. Which is running about 230/person. Not something I want to do. But will to save that kind of money. I am hoping come the summer there will be decent prices.......

Yes, I've been checking Tampa too but we don't normally rent a car so, it would have a huge savings. Right now it is like $20 a person. I've tried all different airports from my home town that are about 1 to 2 hours a way and no luck. I did fly into Tampa the last 2 times I flew to Florida but the savings was $200 per person times 4 makes it worth while. With the $800 savings and the $200 to $300 car rental it is still a $500 savings.

Right now our airfare is $700 per person. I can fly to Hawaii cheaper. Granted I'm coming from CA but ususally we pay $300 to $450 (the highest) per person to fly to Florida. This is a a huge price increase for us.

 

[wweazel]

Allegiant also flies out of Grand Rapids, but not every day, and to a different Orlando airport than MCO. We would not save enough to cover the car service, since we don't rent a car. but that might work well for car rental folks...

 

[disny_luvr]

We will be flying around the same time as you, OP. We are sailing on the Disney Fantasy on November 30th and are planning on flying into MCO the day before. I haven't even looked at prices yet, as I am waiting for SW to release their rates. I'm nervous though. Just today I booked a roundtrip ticket for just me to fly from my local airport - Harrisburg, PA (MDT) - to Bentonville, Arkansas (XNA) for my cousin's wedding in June. I paid $463 for one, roundtrip ticket. If flights are that much in November, we'll be driving to Florida.

 

[schoen]

Okay, we finally nailed down our November dates and have secured rooms.

We will have eight adults, a 4 yo and a 2 o.

We will be kinda coming and going throughout the week. But we will for at least two days all be there.

We are trying to decide if we should get a 12 passenger van or a few smaller cars. The 12 passenger van that we are seeing at Hertz is $1300 for the week, and the minivans are $650. My family is extremely brand loyal, and will only go with Hertz.

They are also exceptionally brand-loyal to Delta, as my MIL and FIL are a super high level in their frequent flyer program, and they usually get upgraded to first class. DTW-MCO for my dates is $350 right now.

I am not booking the flight for now, as I am hopeful that the prices will come down on the flight. Since my In-laws are unwilling to negotiate on the car rental brand, the have agreed to pick up the cost of the cars. This is kinda a bummer for me, as constantly checking prices for cars is fun for me!

 

[jnfr2424]

We visit every Thanksgiving this will be year 7 for us.

This year is going to be crazy we also usually visit Columbus Day weekend and then return 6 weeks later but my nieces want to join us so we are going instead the end of October/early November
looking forward to seeing MK change from Halloween to Christmas during the week and we are planning to go to the last MNSSHP and the first MVMCP!! The crazy thing is DH still wants to go for Thanksgiving so within a two week period we will be back to the world!
The rooms are all already reserved and as far as flights go we usually book one way flights just in case we have enough mileage for a one way so as of now we have our one ways from Jersey to MCO.
Last year we left Jersey on Thanksgiving day and it was amazing!! MCO was so empty we could do cartwheels in the main terminal!! Definitely doing Thanksgiving day flight again!
As far as car rental I will probably start looking in the spring it still too early right now

Here's to all of the November travelers! Good Luck with any deals you find!!

 

[OurDogCisco]

Okay... I'm still finding the airfare to be high. So what I decided to do is book one way tickets as someone suggested earlier except we are going to do different airlines. We are going to take American going since they do red-eye flight and then take southwest home. I finally figured out by doing one way searches it is my return flight that is driving the cost up. So I expect southwest price will be higher than normal but the free bags will help.

 

[mmouse50]

Have 2 Lion King Suites booked 11/22 thru 11/29 - have the car

Mini van - Budget 302. (using x474200) or national 304. (klm 8572130) - hoping that Budget will come down or Dollar will get a city special.

Now waiting on Southwest - currently it is running at 416.00 rt (for the end of Sept- have to wait until after March for Thanksgiving flts) - so I think that is what it will be or possibly higher.