Going to Australia question using travel zoo deal question.

[yeahdisney]

Travel zoo this week has a deal five nights eight days from Chicago to Sydney $1199. I wanted to go in 2 years for 2 weeks, DH would go for that trip. Not for this trip.

So the travel zoo deal it includes hotel transfers,the hotel, the flights, and free breakfast each day . Anyone who has gone before to Australia or use travel zoo do you think it would be a good trip for women only possibly, four of us . We like all of the suggestions they recommend for each day and each person could afford the trip .

We are aware taxes make the trip around 1350, all of us have passports, we know we all need visas. We would not make a trip to snorkel the great reef which is a shame, the weather would be 67° and the water colder. But this trip would help me decide if I wanted to spend a larger amount to go with the DH for a large trip, allowing travel time to the great reef.

TIA. Any helpful insides for the travel zoo offer very much appreciated.

 

[aussie shaz]

The first thing that bothers me with this, is the same thing that bothers me with a lot of the cheap tours. You will literally have 5 nights accommodation, which will most likely give you 4 full days. You'll also be dealing with jetlag. Do you really want to travel for that long, just to see a city in Australia for 4 days?
Who is it flying with? What dates would you be looking at? Which hotel do they use (I assume it's just seeing Sydney)?

 

[yeahdisney]

Just seeing sidney. 2 days can be added on either end of trip cost would be $400 more divided by 2 so $200 more. Tours are not included. We know.
Great southern hotel included.
Or metro hotel or richest world square hotel for 90 more per person per nite. We will not be in hotel except to sleep and shower.

Flying UA and then AA for the flights. Dates either April or May so 67 degrees ish.

Thanks! so now what do you think? The ladies would prob only go that long quite quite happliy and for me it is to see if I wish to return.

 

[Agent 86]

As an Aussie, I'm not sure that five days in Sydney will give you a true taste of Australia. Sydney is just a city, much like many cities around the world and nowhere near as impressive as New York, London, Tokyo, etc.

What appeals to you most about visiting Australia? Perhaps there is another city that would be more fitting?

 

[AussieNSW]

Do some double checking on the hotel. The location means a lot of walking and personally it is to far away from the harbour for me. I live in Sydney and don't like the area for a group of women.

 

[LivingforDisney]

How many nights exactly in Sydney? 5?.
If it's Rydges World Square, I have stayed there, it was nice. From there you can walk to Darling Harbour, and from Darling Harbour, catch a ferry to Circular Quay to check out the Rocks area, the Opera House and the catch a ferry anywhere on the harbour, eg, Manly Beach, Watsons Bay, the zoo, magnificent views of the Harbour from the zoo.
You could do a day trip up to the Blue Mountains.
If you want to see , kangaroos and get to hold koalas u can visit Featherdale Wildlife Park, though this is in the western suburbs, prob a hour drive in Sydney's traffic, I am sure there are tours to it.
There is a lot of road construction going on in the middle of the city at the moment, not sure when that is due to finish.
I guess if you just want to wander the city and take in the sights, you would find enough to do in 5 days. I love going into Sydney and staying a night or 2 and wandering around.
What are their suggestions to do for the 5 days?

 

[BecBennett]

We would not make a trip to snorkel the great reef which is a shame, the weather would be 67° and the water colder.

You're definitely not going to have time to get to the Great Barrier Reef, as you'd be looking at probably a day's travel each way to get there, but I just wanted to point out that it's a lot further north than Sydney, and therefore a lot warmer. No you won't be swimming in Sydney, but it's very possible to be swimming at that time of the year in North Queensland.

Having said all that, it's a very long way to come for less than a week. Especially if you haven't seen any of Australia before.

 

[ColinA]

The jet lag will be hard for the first few days.

If it was me I would use the money to go to Magic Kingdom and board The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed. You will visit Australia and also New Zealand.

 

[Zosha]

The jet lag will be hard for the first few days.

If it was me I would use the money to go to Magic Kingdom and board The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed. You will visit Australia and also New Zealand.

View attachment 278393 View attachment 278394

 

[Aussie Wendy]

My daughter and I have stayed several times in Sydney in the vicinity of the Great Southern Hotel, though not there, and sorry AussieNSW but we feel perfectly safe in the area. We found it an easy walk down to Darling Harbour or the theatre district in the evening and near central station and buses to get around. What the hotel itself is like I can't comment. I'd read reviews on TripAdvisor. Ridges World Square is a few more blocks south and is nice. But as to coming all this way for 4-5 days-only you can tell. It is very short but you will have time to see the famous Opera House, the Harbour, an example of the beaches and the wildlife eg half a day at Taronga Park Zoo rather than heading out to Featherdale or similar or is that odd wildlife place still in Darling Harbour? The Chinese Gardens in Darling Harbour are nice too. I have chipped in a month late so the deal is probably over and you have probably decided one way or another. We have done equally crazy trips at times. If you don't mind the long flights and can manage the cost then why not do something crazy!