I am panicking

[bex7583]

This trip seems to be creeping up rather fast we are now 202 days way and apart from flights i have done nothing. Me and DH sat and tried to come up with a route and rough itinerary the other day and just seemed to go round and round in circles.

Everybody on here always seem so organised, i did struggle with our 2013 road trip but felt better knowing we had our first week onsite arranged at least . This time i haven't even got the first night sorted, then i need to do all the official stuff like estas and new passports , plus we wanted to do some disney resort dining as we will have no theme park tickets so need to try pin down days we may be near disney to book adrs as the 180 window is almost upon us.

Car hire prices are coming up insane so am holding off booking at the moment but not sure how long to wait , should i just accept that the price is way more than anticipated and book it ( may just be a small relief to have something booked)

I am usually rather laid back, in 2013 we did just drive and book on the day some of our road trip hotels and it turned out really good but this time we are flying in to Miami and the length of our trip seemed a good idea at the time but now its a bit daunting pinning down hotels for so many nights. Especially with our 5th person !

somebody make me a nice list of jobs to work through or just hold my hand lol

I do have all the VERY important details like where we want to eat sorted and what we will eat , so we may have no beds but we wont starve

 

[dixonsontour]

I agree with the list. I usually have a book with all the things to do and I jot down prices

I'd do things like passports now so no panic about them coming back.

Passports
Estas
Tickets
car hire
accommodation
watch groupon/travelzoo for any offers on accommodation or food
Date can book adr
List of onsite dining you fancy
List of offsite dining you fancy Sign up to emails just before you go

Route wise write down where you want to go and any must be there dates and I bet it will fall into place.

Where do you fancy and i'll have a think. Have done a few loop tours of Florida in past.

We go May still need DD's ESTA (new passport just come), car hire and accommodation. Waiting for Universal to hopefully release AP rates.

 

[Woodview]

Just read your post .... several times..... You say you have no Park tickets but you wish for Disney Dining ?

Well here is an idea.

Passports , then when they arrive do ESTA's then Car hire.

You fly to Miami then stay a few nights there. Then go to The Everglades ..... stay in Everglades City ( small village ) Via Hwy 41

Back towards Orlando Via Hwy 29 to La Belle then right turn to join Hwy 27 North . At Palmdale


Now as you cross over Hwy I-4 STOP & check out the several Hotels located there. OR the Omni Hotel At Champions Gate.

You are Now within 15 miles of Disney.

Eating places Are ALL around you ... Hwy 27 north to Hwy 192 towards Disney ( Longhorns, Texas Roadhouse , Manny's ETc )

AND There are plenty of Villas to rent in the area ( All with private pools )

Looking at a 4 bed villa going for £ 585 per Villa Per Week in September . ( Indian Point )


This is NOT my Villa ...... mine is in another area

 

[Elise79]

Firstly, don't panic!

I would get passports and ESTAs sorted first.

I would also decide how long you are going to stay in Miami and book a hotel for those nights along with car hire.

I would then try and decide if you are going up to Orlando first and then driving or driving with Orlando nearer the end - that means you can pin down dates for the Disney restaurants that you want to do and book ADRs.

Once you have something in place then you can work from there

 

[Jon84]

Lots of good advice above!

I wouldn't bother with ESTAs till much closer, at 202 days you might then be able to use your ESTA up to 2018

 

[chmurf]

I wouldn't bother with ESTAs till much closer, at 202 days you might then be able to use your ESTA up to 2018

if for some odd reason, a glitch in the system gets you stranded with a declined ESTA application, at 202 days you might just make it in time for a visa application.

leaving that to a later date is only taking the risk (even if remote) of losing a lot of money when you need to cancel your vacations ... for the sake of $14 ... not worth the risk

ESTAs should be done ASAP

 

[Jon84]

if for some odd reason, a glitch in the system gets you stranded with a declined ESTA application, at 202 days you might just make it in time for a visa application.

leaving that to a later date is only taking the risk (even if remote) of losing a lot of money when you need to cancel your vacations ... for the sake of $14 ... not worth the risk

ESTAs should be done ASAP

If you've had one before or you know you are squeaky clean I don't see the rush

 

[cijay]

Try Air BnB for accommodations.

 

[Minniesgal]

I would get passports and ESTA as soon as you can as the USA has stated they want to make the process more complicated. I'd get it done and out of the way now.

 

[Jon84]

I would get passports and ESTA as soon as you can as the USA has stated they want to make the process more complicated. I'd get it done and out of the way now.

What are the plans?

 

[Minniesgal]

What are the plans?

I don't think they have decided on specifics but they have said they will make changes this year.

 

[Jon84]

I don't think they have decided on specifics but they have said they will make changes this year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35162916

Doesn't sound like tourists will be affected too much

 

[Minniesgal]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35162916

Doesn't sound like tourists will be affected too much

I'm not talking about tightening of the Visa programs they announced tightening of the ESTA program as well just before Christmas. We did ours straight away after that

 

[Minniesgal]

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/30/457889016/post-paris-obama-administration-changes-visa-waiver-program

 

[Jon84]

I'm not talking about tightening of the Visa programs they announced tightening of the ESTA program as well just before Christmas. We did ours straight away after that

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/30/457889016/post-paris-obama-administration-changes-visa-waiver-program

Ah I didn't see that one.

From an initial read it seems that the changes are more the systems and process around data sharing between counties and tracking previous travel.

Also how they collect store and share photos and fingerprints.

I shouldn't invisige many changes to how ESTAs are applied for, there maybe more checks made behind the scenes.

All the same it's worth keeping an eye out on any changes.

 

[Minniesgal]

Ah I didn't see that one.

From an initial read it seems that the changes are more the systems and process around data sharing between counties and tracking previous travel.

Also how they collect store and share photos and fingerprints.

I shouldn't invisige many changes to how ESTAs are applied for, there maybe more checks made behind the scenes.

All the same it's worth keeping an eye out on any changes.

Yes but if you read the article it states those are the initial changes and that there are further tightenings in the pipeline but those are not yet finalised

 

[Jon84]

Yes but if you read the article it states those are the initial changes and that there are further tightenings in the pipeline but those are not yet finalised

Hence I said it's worth keeping an eye on

 

[chmurf]

If you've had one before or you know you are squeaky clean I don't see the rush

You're right ... in a perfect world ... (but having had a previous ESTA is not a guarantee you'll get it renewed ... otherwise it would not need to be renewed, would it ?)

what are the odds anyone here finds themselves on the black list, because of a glitch, or because someone in this small wolrd happens to bear the same name as you and is not as squeaky clean as you are ?

In the right corner, wearing white trunks, weighing $14, the sensible, aka over-cautious solution

In the left corner, wearing black trunks, weighing £10.000, your whole once in a lifetime vacations funds.

Your refereee tonight will be Mr Computer with his 2 assistants, Mr Bureaucracy, and Mr Glitch

This fight is scheduled for one fall ...

 

[bex7583]

well thankyou all who replied i had read your posts and was just getting on with some progressive planning before i replied then had my big accident on 9th feb!!( see my trip cancelled post)