NYC to MCO for President' Week - EXPENSIVE!

[Maleficent's Dad]

Wow. AirTran is close to $500 pp round trip (not including seats or bags). JetBlue is over $800!

These same flights, for the week prior, are about a quarter of the price. We can't (won't) take kiddies out of school, so we're stuck...

Sorry, I just need to vent! And yes, we tried to book as soon as the rates came out. Traditionally the fares don't drop for that week.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Ugh, that is rough! The only time we've flown Pres. week in recent years we ended up paying about $500 and going out of Newark, which we normally don't use because there are closer NY airports to us. That is a hard week. We've been doing April break recently and get a little relief on the prices because not every school around here does the same week.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You waited too late. This one needs to be booked when fares are released. That was March and it is still going to be high. Do not expect a sale for the peak days. . Try moving your dates. Monday to Saturday for example

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

You waited too late. This one needs to be booked when fares are released. That was March and it is still going to be high. Do not expect a sale for the peak days. . Try moving your dates. Monday to Saturday for example

Nah, I've been on top of things.
I tried AirTran and JetBlue within 5 minutes of their release. They're the cheapest. Now they're on par with Delta, etc., since all the big carriers released (in March, which I checked then).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Nah, I've been on top of things.
I tried AirTran and JetBlue within 5 minutes of their release. They're the cheapest. Now they're on par with Delta, etc., since all the big carriers released (in March, which I checked then).

I don't understand. You say you tried to book within 5 mins of release but you never did?

Any time there's super high demand for flights you either have to suck up the high price, be extremely flexible with dates or give up & plan for a different time.

It's that way here for Jersey Week (1st week of Nov) I buy when dates first come out. If it's crazy high on USAirways, I wait for SWA or Airtran & hope for the best. It's rare that I can't find something decent, meaning less than $200 each way. Dh would rather have root canal than drive that far so we suck it up.
Price out flights to Cali. That makes MCO seem cheap.

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

I don't understand. You say you tried to book within 5 mins of release but you never did?

Nope. Not booked yet...

Hoping against hope that fares on one of the carriers is reduced. Will book in the next few weeks if someone doesn't reduce; we'll just have to bite the bullet. Not happy about it.

Like I said, just venting!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Nope. Not booked yet...

Hoping against hope that fares on one of the carriers is reduced. Will book in the next few weeks if someone doesn't reduce; we'll just have to bite the bullet. Not happy about it.

Like I said, just venting!

I understand. Airfare is awful these days. I'm so glad we went as often as possible back in the days when fares were $49 each way, we could get a Ding on SWA for $39, and kids were young enough to miss school to go.
Now they're in HS/MS & a bit "parked out".
Regardless of where we go to vacay, Disney or not, it's crazy-expensive.

Good luck!

 

[silmarg]

I feel your pain.

I think the airlines know most schools in the northeast are out that week and are looking to soak those that travel to Florida.

I have travelled on that week for the past several years and here are some alternatives we have done, but I must say even these suggestions dont yield the massive results they used to:

1) If possible fly out of airports where the local schools dont get off on Presidents week (basically many NY and New England schools have off) so we have flown out of Allentown, Philly and Baltimore to get our WDW fix on Presidents week

2) In the past Orlando was most expensive, but places like Tampa were less so. So we have flown into Tampa. This strategy seems to totally not work anymore

3) If all you need is a Disney fix, you can fly to LA and goto Disneyland for less than flying to Florida on Presidents week. DL is really great and I recommend it.

4) Be flexible on the dates you fly. If you wait until Sun or Mon to fly down to Florida, it may be more reasonable.

5) Drive to Fla. Ugh, I hate this option.

This year will be especially challenging for me as we are taking the Disney Fantasy, so we must be there from at least Saturday to Saturday... American Airlines is around $375 round trip. I may actually have to bite the bullet on this one...

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I feel your pain.

I think the airlines know most schools in the northeast are out that week and are looking to soak those that travel to Florida.

I have travelled on that week for the past several years and here are some alternatives we have done, but I must say even these suggestions dont yield the massive results they used to:

1) If possible fly out of airports where the local schools dont get off on Presidents week (basically many NY and New England schools have off) so we have flown out of Allentown, Philly and Baltimore to get our WDW fix on Presidents week

2) In the past Orlando was most expensive, but places like Tampa were less so. So we have flown into Tampa. This strategy seems to totally not work anymore

3) If all you need is a Disney fix, you can fly to LA and goto Disneyland for less than flying to Florida on Presidents week. DL is really great and I recommend it.

4) Be flexible on the dates you fly. If you wait until Sun or Mon to fly down to Florida, it may be more reasonable.

5) Drive to Fla. Ugh, I hate this option.

This year will be especially challenging for me as we are taking the Disney Fantasy, so we must be there from at least Saturday to Saturday... American Airlines is around $375 round trip. I may actually have to bite the bullet on this one...

So true. Cruising really ruins any flexibility you may want. So many times we could get great flights either 6am the day we debark or 8pm that Saturday evening we sail. Neither works.

OP I don't know how far away from me you live but Philly is much more reasonable than Newark/NY. Maybe even check Spirit out of AC. My brother lives in Central NJ and Newark is closest airport for them but now he flies from Philly; it's just so much cheaper.
Still waaaaay easier than driving all the way to FL. Worth a try. Our schools only close for Prez Day (Monday).