I did some price checking...

[EmmasGrammy]

I just call Costco to transfer my DCL repositioning cruise (CA>FL). I was very happy to get a $554.00 savings over the Disney quote. I did have to wait on hold for 37 min. but to save a few $$ it was worth it.

Anyhow the agent I spoke with was very helpful! I ask her for prices for the airfare for the cruise dates. She informed me you do NOT have to purchase 2 one way tickets (1 to CA and 1 from FL). She said the airlines offer a "open jaw" fare for people flying into one city and out of another. I had never heard of this before, perhaps some of you frequent flyers know about this. I got a price for Pittsburgh to LA and Orlando to Pittsburgh for $442.20 per person "round trip". That price would be if we flew out the day of the cruise and home the day we disembark. I asked about flying out earlier and she stated it is a $50.00 fee per person to add an "air deviation".

Just for kicks I asked her to price a "package " for Disney Land add on and it would cost an additional $842.00 for the two of us to stay @ Paradise Pier, one of Disney's on site hotels. (The Disneyland Hotel would cost $910.00 and the Grand Californian would cost $1172.00). This price would include a 3 day hopper pass.

She stated I should really look into booking the Disney Land add on separate from the cruise package because she was positive I could get a much better price. She also said to look at airfare prices else where, which I fully intended to do. I just wanted to get a base price and go from there.

Sorry this is so long. I thought someone might be intrested in the prices out there. The agent at Costco could not have been nicer. The long wait was worth the info she provided.

 

[thiscloud]

hi emmasgrammy,

my wife also had a good experience with costco's travel agents. really, the most common complaint i've heard about costco is wait time, but the wait line for disney cruise line last wednesday when they announced the california and the repositioning cruises were over an hour in many cases.

if you live near a city that southwest or jetblue airlines service, even though they probably won't be selling tickets for travel in august of 2005 until later this year or the beginning of 2005, you should be able to buy one way tickets for right around $100 per person, so two one ways for $200/pp total beats the $442/pp open jaw tickets.

i'll be keeping an eye on when southwest starts selling tickets for that time frame, and i'm sure others will too, so you'll probably start seeing posts on DIS about it.

 

[CoMickey]

I also had a great experience transferring my reservation to Costco! The TA I was talking to looked into air just so I'd have an idea of the price and she found air using DCL from/to Denver for $412.87pp and that includes a comp room the night before and port transfers. I didn't think that was too bad so I am holding the air but I can cancel if I find something better before final payment is due.

 

[hydster]

Just for kicks I asked her to price a "package " for Disney Land add on and it would cost an additional $842.00 for the two of us to stay @ Paradise Pier, one of Disney's on site hotels. (The Disneyland Hotel would cost $910.00 and the Grand Californian would cost $1172.00). This price would include a 3 day hopper pass.

Having been to Disneyland every year for 10 years I do have to say that Disneyland "on property" is much different than Disneyworld "on property". Disneyland is so much smaller that unless you really feel you HAVE to stay in one of their hotels for your own personal reasons there are a ton of hotels close that offer free shuttle service. There are Mariott hotels, Mariott suite hotels, Embass Suites, Ramada,Crowne Plaza, Four points sheraton, Hilton, Hyatt Regency, radisson and many more hotels that are cheaper and easier to get to. If you go to http://www.anaheimoc.org/ that is the Anaheim Convention and Visitor's Bureau website which may also help you find a hotel you like for much less $$$$$.

Also there is a website called www.getawaytoday.org that has some great deals. I couldn't tell if you were traveling with children or not but they have several packages for hotels, suites or disney. I don't know when you were going but I just put in the 7th of September for 3 days in the Disney Properties

Here is what it includes:
All 2 Night Packages include 2 adult Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Tickets valid for admission up to 2 days - a $196 Value!
All 3 Night packages and longer include 2 adult Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Bonus tickets valid for admission up to 5 days - a value of $368!
Per room prices, NOT per person. Up to 2 adults and 3 children using existing beds (except where noted)
Room Tax (10-15% savings)
Southern California Fun Discount Booklet. Over $300 in savings in Southern California.
Free Postcard Fun Pack
Free Lanyard and Disney® Collectible Pin!
Free Phone Card while supplies last!
Prices good thru 2004.

Paradise Pier through them is $749.00 total
Grand Californian is $1029.00 total
and Disneyland hotel is $899.00 total

HTH
Heidi

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Heidi, Thanks for doing the research. I know it's too early to really start booking stuff, but I am soooo excited about this CA>FL repo cruise I could just BURST!!! I am going to check out those websites (THANK YOU!!)

Our trip is planned for August 17-19,2005 staying 3 nights, in or near Disney Land then leaving on the 20th for the 14 day repo cruise from CA to FL. It will be just my DH and myself. No kids or grandkids this trip.

Thanks again for your imput!! I just bought the Unofficial Guide to Disney Land last night! I visited there in 1974, but I am sure things have really changed since then!!! DH has never been to DL or to CA at all!! He wants to ride the Matterhorn in the worst way!!!

 

[hydster]

We've visited the Disneyland hotels down there and yes they were nice because of the monorail or the entrance to California Adventure but for the price it wasn't worth it to us. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza for $80 dollars a night and it was brand new. We bought Park Hopper passes online from Disneyland.com and the difference in price was astounding versus staying on Disney property because they only have the 3 properties unlike Disneyworld. We figured it out and for our 5 night trip it cost us $400 for the room where at the Disney hotels it would have cost us over $1000.00 *granted the park tickets WERE included in the Disneyland hotel price* but still I think total we saved almost $250.00 even after buying our own PH Passes!!

Disneyland is fun...your dh will love it! It is SO much smaller and easier to walk around in a day!!!! And Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is great fun along with the Matterhorn and Pirates is SO different from the WDW one! ALso if you get a chance try to eat at the Blue Bayou restaurant which is inside the Pirates ride! It's pretty good!

Heidi

 

["Ginger"]

I called today to make our ressies for the Cal. to Fla. cruise.
The CM quoted me airfare from Balto. to Cal. then from Fla. back to Balto. $403.90 pp includes transfers. I didn't take it but have been thinking hard about calling back to book it. I too fear the prices of fuel by next year. The only problem with booking air with Disney is that you either have to fly in the day of or 2 days before staying at one of their resorts. That means buying a package which BTW I got a quote for that too. To stay 2 nights at Paradise Pier including length of stay passes for 2 adults and 1 child was $951.
I was thinking of flying in the night before and staying at one of the resorts using my DVC points. But again the fuel prices are quit scarey. I would sure hate to cancel my cruise because the airfare cost is more than the cruise cost.

I also agree with everyone about using Costco as your TA, great rates but that wait is awful. I think I'll wait till the cruise get closer before I tranfer my reservation to them.

Well off to think things our to go to DisneyLand or not, that is the question?????

Oh! has a thread been started for this cruise?

 

[jin diesel]

I totally agree with EVERYTHING Heidi has said! As a frequent Disneyland visitor (we went 4 times last year), I can assure you we never spend more than $79.00/night. There is no need to stay on property at all, as the hotels across the street (along the crosswalk) are the same distance to the Resort's main gates as the "on property" hotels. (The Disneyland Hotel is actually a father walk, [a whole 5 minutes ] then say the Best Western Park Place Inn across the street). getawaytoday is a good site, but just go there to get the names of the hotels, then go DIRECTLY to the hotels websites and book there. The hotels are offering rates lower than getaway Expedia or any other travel service. I just use them as a starting point now - more like for research.

I haven't been to WDW since 1992, so I am sure much has changed, but I can say this - Disneyland is much more fun! It has a nice, small intimate feel that really gives you that whole "magic" vibe. My daughter and I love it there!! You will have so much fun!

 

[DonnaDavid]

Costco saved us almost $1300 on our two staterooms. We've booked through them before and it was a good experience.

I played around with the airfare on Southwest - it will be very reasonable. I've heard that you need to be aggressive about booking your airfare on the am that Southwest opens its bookings.

We go to DL about once a year. I agree that staying on-site is relatively expensive and not really critical to the experience. Except for the Grand Californian, I can really tell that these hotels didn't start out as Disney hotels. The Grand Californian is nice but it reminds me a lot of the WL. I recently stayed at a new Residence Inn (Garden Grove) and there is also an Embassy Suites nearby that is highly regarded. I recommend www.laughingplace.com for your research.

Have fun researching!

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Thanks everyone!! DH is getting angry that I am doing all this research before we even have a chance to enjoy our 1st Disney cruise!! I am just so sure the costs in the CA area are gonna sky rocket when the Magic is in the West Coast waters!! Am I being too over anxious?

 

[debm]

My husband is asking me every night what we are going to do about airline tickets. (We are doing the CA-FL repositioning. ) I'm just wondering if anyone has an idea WHEN Southwest would open up booking for next summer? I think it will be a long time--but I also know it will be important to get it as soon as they open. This is worse than booking the cruise!!

So for those of you that are experts with flights---please help. Tickets had better be good because we have 4 kids!

Debi

 

[erbie]

We frequently use Southwest to go West to East coasts, and we watch the fares all the time, because if you book in the first few days, you can usually get around 100 bucks each way. They generally open up the fares about 6 months in advance. You can sign up for their internet specials and get a weekly (I think) email with news about fares.

We're doing the CA -> FL repo, so I imagine we'll buy our plane tickets back to CA in January of next year or so.

The only downside to SWA is that they don't feed you, and you will most likely have to stop or switch planes, as they don't have many long flights. Generally in the 3 hour or less length. So you'd want to take plenty of food on the plane with you. We usually bring one carryone just with food. We use a plastic grocery bag and then we get off the plane with one less bag to carry.

Also, there are no assigned seats, so you need to get to the airport early to get in the first boarding group and get on first. In Orlando, there is no pre-boarding for families with small children, since they are a dime a dozen in the land of Mouse.

 

[thiscloud]

debm: it looks like, since you're in illinois, southwest actually has a couple of nonstop flights in their current schedule (which hopefully won't change). their current one way rate is $138 for september 3, 2004 (i'm just using the same date this year as a guide), but i know that september's been on sale probably since january or even last december, so that's probably why they're not offering $99 one way on it now, but they have different sales all the time.

i expect the southwest will be selling around the end of the year or a little into 2005 for september 2005.