Help needed for August 2013 Holiday

[nibbo]

We're looking to book our 6th holiday to DW for August 2013. We've always booked with Virgin Holidays before but am now finding them way too expensive for next year and am looking to go the diy route. Flying form Gatwick on 17/8 for 14 nights, 9 nights Coronado Springs with 14 day ticket and free dining (or OKW if I can persuade myself that it's worth the extra money) 4 night Royal Caribbean cruise to Bahamas and a final night back at Animation Resort. The hardest bit I'm finding is sorting flights. I can get Thomas Cook flights with baggage etc for £3000 for 4 adults directly from Thomas Cook or I've had the whole package priced up by Ocean Florida for £6800 which is about £300 more than what I've priced it up seperately. Doing it with Ocean Florida enables me to pay a deposit rather than paying the whole amount for flights but I'm a little wary about booking with them as they are not ABTA members or would I be better off booking accomodation and cruise now and getting flights nearer the time?
My head's in a bit of a spin as I don't know what to do and with the free dining ending soon I need to get a bit of a move on and get something booked.
If anyone's got any suggestions it would be most appreciated.

Nick

 

[LauraDaveCharlie]

Hi, You won't get the full choice of flights until 11 months away from your return date so it will be September this year before you can start to see what the scheduled airlines are offering eg: US Airways, Delta etc.

We have booked the Port Orleans French Quarter and a gulf coast villa for next summer and are now waiting for September before we can sort our flights - that's at the earliest as I will consider waiting if the price isn't right.

 

[nibbo]

Hi, You won't get the full choice of flights until 11 months away from your return date so it will be September this year before you can start to see what the scheduled airlines are offering eg: US Airways, Delta etc.

We have booked the Port Orleans French Quarter and a gulf coast villa for next summer and are now waiting for September before we can sort our flights - that's at the earliest as I will consider waiting if the price isn't right.

Thanks for replying. Do you think I would get any cheaper than £750 each by waiting for Virgin, BA etc to release their flights considering I'm after flights for mid August? I thought that was a pretty good price. I'm just a little concerned about paying for flights so far away from departure dates. What happens if I pay the whole lot now and then something happens such as change of jobs and we have to cancel, what happens then? That's why I've always felt happier with a package and just paying a deposit.