Just can't decide...

[Tinks1984]

We're getting close to looking at booking our trip for next May 2015.

We're travelling as a party of 5, this being 4 adults and one child, who'll be 3. We've been to the travel agents this weekend and been given a price of £11,000! This covers us for everything we want, which is below....

16 nights, Disney's Art of Animation. Virgin direct flights (good times), the 'One Pass', which covers us for 14 consecutive days at all parks, including water parks. Car hire (7 seater Dodge) with a tank of fuel & gold insurance (inc car seat) and we have our own holiday insurance.

But, what does everyone think? Should I attempt this DIY? Would I save by doing this? I've never done DIY before and I actually wouldn't know where to begin, especially when looking for flights (which seem to be so hit & miss)...

Any advice for me?! All other times we've been it's been through a travel agents and of course all that just falls into place.

I've also looked at Complete Orlando, who don't yet have their flight prices out for next May, so I used this years as a guide and it's still coming in at £10,800 (and with that I don't even know if car insurance is included or not)

Help!? Where would my starting point be for DIY?!

 

[pascalstongue]

That is crazy money! I booked DIY for seven of us and it came to £9000 ish. This was last year though.

How badly do you want to stay at Art of Animation? Saratoga Springs and Old key West have villas, hopefully free DDP will be released soon for next year and those two resorts are usually reduced by 30% or so.

Do you really need 14 days tickets for all the parks? Especially with a three year old in tow. I would try and decided how often you would go to each park.

I would book accommodation first and then wait until flights are released (at 11 months for charter).

Good luck.

 

[pascalstongue]

Also I booked a fly drive though BA which had all insurance included for less money than flights only.

 

[NikkiMouse]

Disney's deals should be out end of next month for travel in 2015

Not sure what discount AoA gets if it even gets one!

We have booked DIY last two trips. Once with Complete Orlando and the other direct with Disney. Just a case of timing for booking room and flights to get good deal!

At the moment our Aug 2015 is coming in at around £12000 for two adults, two teens for 21 nights at SSR 2 bed villa inc tickets with a guesstimate of £2400 for flights no car hire.

Hoping with room discount and free dining that UK gets to get same for around £9500

HTH

 

[crabbie1]

Ok you will probably get bombarded with advice lol. Is ur quote with virgin holidays? We are also going may 2015 16-29th(well that is our plans dates it him one or two days). Flights DIY VA I found were cheapest last september to book for may this year at £520 per adult £479 per child. Some book straight away I never have. There are still seats for this may so the flight is not full. This is booking direct with VA. You can go through a cashback site to get some money back.
For example for your hotel look on WDW. Are you having ddp added or not? Booking this early you may miss out on free ddp which is sometimes offered with new deals which are released april May time. AOA would not qualify though as it tends to be the moderates and deluxe that get the free DDP. If your set on AOA then u would have to pay for your ddp. Car rental im not sure on but wayneg the moderator can advise you on that. Generally VH are quite expensive and by booking yourself you will save money. Its just whether u feel more secure booking through a TA. Example of cost cld be
Flights 4 adults +1 child may 5th( for example) £2800
14 nights AOA (depends on u having a suite or 2 rooms or one room) £3332 for a suite
Tickets £2000 guessing as not had one of these before).
This comes to approx £8500. I cant see ur car and insurance being £2500 .
This is just a quick look but if free dining comes out u may be better off looking at a one bed at OKW /SSR and get majority of food included.
Hope this helps a bit.

 

[Tinks1984]

Thanks for all the fab advice so far! We'd got quotes from Thomas Cook, Thompson & Complete Orlando (using this years flights on CO).

I really do feel like a newbie again, despite having been 5 times before!

We aren't interested in DDP, it's something we've looked into and it's not for us as a family. We like to eat off-site and don't do that many meals within the parks etc.

I think we're set on AoA at present, though I will look out for any offers in April/May now whilst they're due to come out.

Thank-you for pointing out we also wouldn't need the consecutive passes. We'd go for the 14 days for Disney, as we like to park hop and we'll be there most days I'd expect, but I'll definitely look into shorter stay passes for Universal and Sea World

 

[Kath2003]

If you want to eat offsite, you will get much better value accommodation offsite too

 

[Tinks1984]

If you want to eat offsite, you will get much better value accommodation offsite too

We enjoy being in Disney, on-site

I totally understand we would get much cheaper options off-site, but we like the extras we get with Disney. EMH's, busses, the Disney-emersion...we enjoy all that.

 

[crabbie1]

We enjoy being in Disney, on-site I totally understand we would get much cheaper options off-site, but we like the extras we get with Disney. EMH's, busses, the Disney-emersion...we enjoy all that.

Tinks Iv pm's you sorry forgot you had been before. Doh.

 

[joolz1910]

Ask Val (Cinders Mum on The Dibb) for a quote. She is a Travel Counsellor and is absolutely brilliant

 

[Tinks1984]

Ask Val (Cinders Mum on The Dibb) for a quote. She is a Travel Counsellor and is absolutely brilliant

I'm not on The Dibb though, would that matter?

 

[MrsTigger]

I'm not on The Dibb though, would that matter?

I think you would need to sign up and pm her on the Dibb, unless someone has a email address for her.

 

[Tinks1984]

I think you would need to sign up and pm her on the Dibb, unless someone has a email address for her.

Eugh, I'm not keen on it over there...too used to the Dis I'll check it out though and see what I can find. Thanks!

 

[MrsTigger]

Eugh, I'm not keen on it over there...too used to the Dis I'll check it out though and see what I can find. Thanks!

Have just searched on there for you and found her contact details

http://www.travelcounsellors.com/val.ramsay

 

[Tinks1984]

Have just searched on there for you and found her contact details

http://www.travelcounsellors.com/val.ramsay

Thanks, I'll drop her an email tomorrow

 

[Woodview]

To be honest £ 12,000 is WAY OVER VALUED


Check out doing the Trip Costs yourself

Flights no more than £3000

Car Hire 7 seat £ 600

NOW ... Think a Villa Rental ........ £ 700 a WEEK PER VILLA

( 3 or 4 bed 3 bath + Pool ( Heat Extra ) All Facilities )

There ARE many Co. who manage overseas owners Villas & you

Make your Deal through them . These Villas are mostly within 15 miles

of Disney area.

There are MANY MANY Eating Places of good Family Value

OUT SIDE of Disney Area & are well worth a visit.

Attraction tickets ..... is your choice ... But I will say

there are many other places & Attractions to see ( within a 2 hour drive )

Out side the Big theme Parks .

You are thinking of spending a Lot of Hard earned money on staying in a

small piece of Florida .

 

[crabbie1]

?????? I think the OP has already stated she wants onsite and yes what she has specified is only a small part of florida but thats her choice as with many of us .

 

[Elise79]

To be honest £ 12,000 is WAY OVER VALUED Check out doing the Trip Costs yourself Flights no more than £3000 Car Hire 7 seat £ 600 NOW ... Think a Villa Rental ........ £ 700 a WEEK PER VILLA ( 3 or 4 bed 3 bath + Pool ( Heat Extra ) All Facilities ) There ARE many Co. who manage overseas owners Villas & you Make your Deal through them . These Villas are mostly within 15 miles of Disney area. There are MANY MANY Eating Places of good Family Value OUT SIDE of Disney Area & are well worth a visit. Attraction tickets ..... is your choice ... But I will say there are many other places & Attractions to see ( within a 2 hour drive ) Out side the Big theme Parks . You are thinking of spending a Lot of Hard earned money on staying in a small piece of Florida .

The OP has been before they know what resort they want. They asked for help to see if they could get it cheaper than the TAs quote.

Tinks - I think you could save a good bit by doing DIY. And Florida is one of the easiest places in the world to do it

If you ask people will help every step of the way

 

[torsie24]

Sounds a lot to me too Hun. Just had a look on WDTUK site and 2 weeks AoA with tickets for the 5 of you would be £4550. So even if flights were £700 each that's an extra £3500 (£9000) and I doubt a car and extra tickets is going to be £2k.

AoA looks fab & I know you said you won't eat onsite much but I think it'll really be worth waiting and having a look at the SSR/OKW offer prices with DDP.

Especially with Samantha being the age she is - as you could do all the character meals for free!

You know how much we love AKL/GF but we're considering SSR if the deal is good enough as it'll make it so much more affordable and SSR really is a pretty resort. And being by DTD is a huge bonus.

Also you get 2 proper bedrooms. A living room, full kitchen, washer & dryer, walk in shower & jacuzzi tub.

 

[joolz1910]

I'm not on The Dibb though, would that matter?

Sorry, I haven't been on the Dis so missed the question.
I was too nervous to DIY for my first trip and Val was fantastic - giving great advice and peace of mind. She also got me a great price and booked all of my ADRs, MNSSHP, MVMCP and BBB! She is also very honest - this year TCD were cheaper for a flydrive than the price she offered and she told me that TCD were offering a good deal and that I should book with them. You ONLY deal with Val directly so there are no call centres to deal with, which was also a massive bonus.