May 2014

[suw33]

Hi

I haven't been on the board for a while as I'd tried to forget about our potential trip next May until the flights get released.

Packages are available up until the end of April 2014 now so it won't be long until we can get booked.

We were looking at May 2013 prices tonight to hopefully get a rough idea of what cost we are looking at and Cosmos were coming up with £4952 for 18 May-1 June 2013 (we're thinking 17-31 May 2014) so it should be pretty similar.

That cost includes flights for 2 adults and 2 children, villa in Highlands Reserve, fully insured car and 14 day Ultimate tickets.

It's our first trip so we are looking for some advice please.

Just wondering if anyone thinks it would be cheaper to book DIY? Looked at VA flights for the same time and they are £43?? Without anything else!

Are we better off to not have the car with the Cosmos package and book one ourselves? It's £60 for the car upgrade, £210 full size insurance upgrade and £266 gold car insurance.

Also how much does it realistically cost to eat over there per day. Intend on having breakfast in the villa most mornings but will have a couple of breakfasts out to sample some of the food everyone posts photos of;-) Lunches will be something easy - do people take food into the parks with them. Dinners will be out most evenings with a couple of nice steaks hopefully.

Sorry there's so many questions but it's a trip of a lifetime so we want to be armed with as much info as possible before we book and know what's best to do when we are there.

DD (9 - 10 when we go) the other day came out with that she would like to swim with dolphins one day so we may try to fit in a DC trip but that will be an extra special treat if we can afford it.

Many thanks for any help you can provide.

Su

 

[OhanaSam]

Just curious where did you get £43 for VA flights from? lol

 

[dynamite100]

Think the OP means flights at about £4300

 

[OhanaSam]

That would make more sense

 

[wayneg]

I have not booked a package for years now, DIY always works out cheaper. Last trip cost me around £5,000, VH quote was almost £12,000 but its all about how much time and effort you want to put into it. For convenience a package is by far the easiest, DIY you have to search & search until you find what you want. You will also lower prices by being flexible, use diffent UK & US airports, fly a day or 2 earlier or come back later etc. If you are not flexible then a package could be the better option.

For the car, are you saying £270 for full size? or £326 gold? you will be able to shave a little off that, you never know when sales will appear but again for convenience many add it to a package, the prices are not way OTT.

Food costs vary so much, offsite being far cheaper than in Disney. A meal can cost from $5 to over $100pp. You really need to be more specific to get some ideas, look at past threads maybe.
We never take food in, Some parks won't allow you to, I was stopped at Busch Gardens last trip and told I had to put all food in the lockers outside until I eventually got it thru to the CM it was a spare Tshirt in the bag not food.
For 3 of us we can eat a good lunch with drink in a theme park for around $30 (approx £6.50pp) I don't see point in taking food in for that price.

DC is amazing, we get good dealas being SW AP holders, recently $69 non swim, $159 with swim but it can be expensive paying full rate.

Keep asking the questions.

 

[suw33]

Thanks for the replies and Wayne for answering my questions.

Yes I meant £4300 + a bit for the flights (the pounds seemed insignificant when it got over £4k!).

I have not booked a package for years now, DIY always works out cheaper. Last trip cost me around £5,000, VH quote was almost £12,000 but its all about how much time and effort you want to put into it. For convenience a package is by far the easiest, DIY you have to search & search until you find what you want. You will also lower prices by being flexible, use diffent UK & US airports, fly a day or 2 earlier or come back
later etc. If you are not flexible then a package could be the better option.

Flying from Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham or East Mids are all about the same for us so we have a few options to try and get a cheaper priced flight. DH isn't keen on doing an indirect for our first trip although it's £240 cheaper on one airline that I looked at.

For the car, are you saying £270 for full size? or £326 gold? you will be able to shave a little off that, you never know when sales will appear but again for convenience many add it to a package, the prices are not way OTT.

The car is £60 to upgrade to a full size car. Do we need the full size car insurance as well as Gold. The Cosmos website lets you choose both so I'd assumed the Gold part was to cover all excesses inc. windscreen, tyres, etc. as the basic insurance doesn't cover that.

Food costs vary so much, offsite being far cheaper than in Disney. A meal can cost from $5 to over $100pp. You really need to be more specific to get some ideas, look at past threads maybe.

We're not going on a tight budget but at the same time we won't be having 3 course dinners every day. I am sure there was a post about a $100 a day budget a while ago but I couldn't find it. I'll have a look at some trip reports to see if people put the costs on them and get the ol' mouth watering!

We never take food in, Some parks won't allow you to, I was stopped at Busch Gardens last trip and told I had to put all food in the lockers outside until I eventually got it thru to the CM it was a spare Tshirt in the bag not food.
For 3 of us we can eat a good lunch with drink in a theme park for around $30 (approx £6.50pp) I don't see point in taking food in for that price.

For that price it definitely isn't worth taking food in. I was probably comparing theme park food in the UK which is probably a lot more expensive.

DC is amazing, we get good dealas being SW AP holders, recently $69 non swim, $159 with swim but it can be expensive paying full rate.

That's a good saving. I saw something about AP holders getting good discounts for up to 6 people but it is probably not worth getting a SW AP just for one trip to get the discount. DH said this morning that we HAVE to do DC. Can see our birthday money next year going towards it but it's a once in a lifetime thing to do...

Keep asking the questions.[/QUOTE]

Many thanks,
Su

 

[wayneg]

I never use Charter flights they are too restrictive. We like to go for say 25 nights or 9 nights for example so charters don't work for us as they are usually 7, 14 or 21 nights. Best prices for scheduled tend to be Manchester, Heathrow or Gatwick. Indirect can save you quite a lot, I am looking for relative for this August, indirect is £620pp direct £920pp, for 3 of them thats £900 saving for sake of a few hours extra on their journey. Some will not go indirect at all, I would with a £100pp saving. we enjoy indirect so doesn't matter to us.

Never looked at Cosmos car rental but usual options are all inclusive or gold(some call it platinum) the gold/platinum is usually a tank of gas and extra drivers. The enhanced breakdown cover is usually paid locally if wanted (I never would) but maybe Cosmaos work different. I think USrentacar now give 3 levels, All inclusive, gold (tank of gas & extra driver) then their last option includes the enhanced breakdown cover. When the time comes for you to book we can help with that.

Thread you saw http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2930907

 

[suw33]

Thanks again Wayne.

The car hire is with Alamo.

That's the post I meant

Su