Good deal with TCD???

[nattyk]

Hi,

We are really keen to go back to Orlando next year, cos have one at school and another starting next Sept - looking at going Easter 07 - we are a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 kids who will be 6, 4 & 2 when we travel).

Got an online quote with TCD for about £4300 for flights, carhire and villa, which I did not think was that bad.....but the feedback on TCD is good and bad and my main concern is long flight delays when travelling with kids.... do we just risk it??? or pay more to go with Virgin/BA? or do we wait for flight releases for Easter and book it DIY???

Also have never used Standford airport, so how much further is it? also cos of the age of the kids don't think we can take advantage if there upgrades so that is the main cabin like??? also if booking a villa, what are the location like - last year we stayed in Formosa Gardens - which was perfect, but the year before we stayed in Souther Dunes which was too far out for us....

Decisions decisions....!!!!

All advise welcome...


thanks
Nathalie

 

[traycie2201]

We just travelled with TCD for the first time, no delays and no probs, on board service just okay, if you have one take a portable dvd player / gameboy etc for in flight as they don't have in seat entertainment but do have tv screens with a couple of films, food was okay, sanford was fab , about an hour or so easy drive to disney area, 30 mins tops through luggage collection, immigration and picking up car, way better than MCO, had delays and no delays with all airlines including virgin and BMI, AA etc go with the best deal for your family, also be aware if using their dollar rental car you have to pay around $50 for the gas at collection, if you use a credit card to pay for this they hold $250 so pay cash and free up your visa, cash only was no deposit and $50 for petrol. Also we used the airport lounge at sanford, free internet about 10 computers free drinks, tea coffee cookies snacks 2 cinema areas a games room with game cubes etc, about $10 each and well worth it in case there are delays, i know they have similar at manchester etc. Hope this helps. Traycie

 

[carolfoy]

I think it sounds like a pretty good deal, unfortunately delays can happen on any aircraft - we had a 8 hour delay on Virgin last november and the 12:15 flight passengers had to wait overnight!! It wasn't virgins fault but its never usually the aircraft fault anyway.
I prefer Sanford to MCo even though the transfer is longer its usually quicker to get through immigration.

 

[jdybnsn]

You might well find with so many in your party that it would be cheaper to take TCD's fly drive option, and book your villa independently (you get to chose the exact villa you fancy, and the price you want to pay, doing it this way too).

Just a thought

 

[Miffy2003]

You might well find with so many in your party that it would be cheaper to take TCD's fly drive option, and book your villa independently (you get to chose the exact villa you fancy, and the price you want to pay, doing it this way too).

Just a thought

That would be my suggestion too - then you know exactly where your villa will be, what amenities it will have etc. I could not beleive how cheap the nightly villa rental was to be honest!

It may be cheaper (if possible) to avoid the drive bit of TCD's offer and book car plus insurance separately. You could either do the fly drive and just not collect the car or look for a flight only deal (not sure if TCD do this as I've no experience with them).

 

[nattyk]

looked at just flydrive with TCD and comes to £2893 but that is going around 24th march - so would have to take dd1 out of school for a few days - but it saves quite abit of money so we are very tempted - then with a villa could come in under £4000....mmmmmmmmmm what to do!!! and I like th eidea fo booking own villa...with thinking Regal Park and feed back on this location as like the look of the communal pool for the kids....??

Nat

 

[Disney owl]

We've flown once with TCD & had no problems & no flight delays. Would travel with them again.

We stay in a villa but booked it ourselves & just booked flights from TCD. With the villa you know exactly where it will be it & what facilities it has. On our 1st florida holiday we went on a package holiday & it was villa allocation on arrival.. When we got there it was very nice but we were a bed short ! we Couldn't sort it out till the next day either.

Have only flown into Sanford but found it a nice little airport & very easy to get through.

 

[jdybnsn]

Nat ,

That is exactly what we are doing next week...taking a fly drive with TCD and then have independently booked a 4 bed. Regal Palms appartment, through a British owner from Devon, we found on VRBO web site (£55 per night for all of us - though this is low season and was booked last year).

We looked at flights only with TCD but they were practically the same as Fly Drive prices, even though the car element is so expensive (the cheap flights element still makes them worth it).