Orlando for £2K?

[ChipnDaleRule]

Hi not been here for a while as we have no Disney plans for the next few years and it makes me sad but now i have a friend who wants to go to Orlando with his 10year old son for two weeks (no dates as yet) and has asked for our help
He says he has a budget of about £2,000.How realistic is that? Has anyone some great budget hotels/apartments/villas,and any ways of doing the best of Disney and Universal on the cheap?
Any help for him to get the best VFM would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

 

[wilma-bride]

If he can go off-season and is prepared to fly indirect, will drive and is happy to stay off-site, it might just be doable for £2K. But he will need spending money on top. I would be very surprised if he could get flights, accommodation, tickets, car hire, travel insurance and car parking for £2K, let alone have spending money included. His son will be classed as an adult (for ticket purposes) so will be paying the same price for tickets and just WDW tickets will set them back around £400. There will be those who tell you it can be done but I, personally, think it would be extremely unlikely.

 

[MrRomance]

I would agree with the PP'er...£2k is going to be barely doable at best. A 10 year old is considered an adult at Disney and to be honest, flights are not that much cheaper for children than they are for adults.

It would need to be off-season (which would include avoiding school holidays and therefore possibly incurring a fine for pulling the child out of school). A package deal with one of the high street travel agents might work, but it would be a close run thing. He would have to stay off site and drive (but that includes the insurance costs) and if he wants Universal tickets and Disney tickets I think he'll be hard pressed to do it for that price.

There are some budget motels that he could look at with indirect flights, but flight prices are going to run at least £500 each I would think.

I don't know, but I would say under £2k would be really hard to do.

 

[scoobydooby]

I just priced a 2 week package with Virgin in May and selected their cheapest accommodation. With flights in economy and accommodation that's coming out at £2,700. That's without food or any park tickets. DIY would inevitably be cheaper than a package and he would no doubt get cheaper flights going indirect/changing dates but even if he could shave £700 off that way he would still need tickets and food. So no. I don't think it can be done.

 

[scoobydooby]

Ok I am obsessing on this a bit now! I just chose cheaper dates (Nov 16 to 30), also Virgin package, economy flights and comfort suites at Maingate east with car and this comes out at £1,668. I then added 14 day ultimate tickets and car insurance (FI) and the total price for this is £2,309.

So I still can't get in in for 2k and with this they have only got breakfast covered, but its closer.

Realistically I think he's looking at 3k

 

[scoobydooby]

Or.....


Same Nov dates All Stars and no car with 14 day tickets is £2,485. No food and would need to use Magical Express.

Or.....

Same Nov dates Port Orleans Riverside, 14 day tickets and FREE quick service plan is £2,996. Would still need to use magical express.

So it seems 3k is more realistic, indeed doable apart from spending money.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

I forgot to add that his son suffers from Fragile X.Are there any airlines that have a better reputation with special needs children than other?

 

[Kath2003]

We got flights and a nice 3* hotel for under £600 each for 10 nights in the Easter holidays this year. With park tickets (not Disney - just Universal and water parks), food, insurance and transport, it will come in at about £1000/adult for 10 nights. It's definitely doable outsider Disney.

Here's the breakdown for the two of us:

Flights £830
Hotel £300
Food £500
Tickets £220 (14 days; Universal, Islands and WnW).
Insurance £40
Transport in Orlando £40
Transport to airport £60

Total £1990 in the school holidays (10 nights)

That's for two adults, so should be able to get 14 nights on the same budget for 1 adult & 1 child if he doesn't do Disney and stays offsite.

 

[chmurf]

£2k is too tight

2 airfaires average at £500. That's already half of the budget gone.

2 adults 14 days ultimate (at 10 the kid is an adult) : £514

Plane and park tickets only leave £500 to spare for accomodation and food.

that's £35 per day. Food only would eat (litteraly) this budget.

£3k would be more realistic, but would also not leave much room for extras.

 

[wilma-bride]

We got flights and a nice 3* hotel for under £600 each for 10 nights in the Easter holidays this year. With park tickets (not Disney - just Universal and water parks), food, insurance and transport, it will come in at about £1000/adult for 10 nights. It's definitely doable outsider Disney.

Here's the breakdown for the two of us:

Flights £830
Hotel £300
Food £500
Tickets £220
Insurance £40
Transport in Orlando £40
Transport to airport £60

Total £1990 in the school holidays (10 nights)

I don't think anyone is doubting that it can be done but, to be fair, with a 10 year old child, I would imagine that for the OP's friend NOT doing Disney is unlikely to be an option.

 

[MrRomance]

OP -- If his son has Fragile X and he wants a good airline, we found that Virgin Special Assistance were quite helpful. Delta/Air France were definitely not helpful at all.

I don't see any point in going to Orlando with a child and not going to Disney! Isn't that defeating the entire purpose?

I have looked into it and can't find anything that comes in under £2k.

Indirect flights at low season you can probably get for around £500 each.
Tickets for Disney (even if you only had a 5 day pass) would be another £350
Hotel, maybe if you can find a budget motel would be around £400
Car with insurance probably around £200

All of these are in my view best case senario. It will be tough.

UPDATE: Thomas Cook have some options in April that might work.

 

[Kath2003]

I don't think anyone is doubting that it can be done but, to be fair, with a 10 year old child, I would imagine that for the OP's friend NOT doing Disney is unlikely to be an option.

That would only add £260 on to the total cost to switch the ticket for 14 day Disney passes.

 

[wilma-bride]

That would only add £260 on to the total cost to switch the ticket for 14 day Disney passes.

Plus transport costs.

Kath, like I said above, I am not saying it cant be done but I think you're probably the exception to the rule with being able to do it so cheaply. We don't do fancy dining or eat onsite (generally) but I would say we would struggle to eat (and drink) for less than £50 per day consistently. Plus you haven't factored in any other costs, such as souvenirs.

 

[Kath2003]

Plus transport costs.

Nah, stay anywhere along the 192 and you can buy an unlimited 7 day pass for the bus (direct to DTD and TTC) for £10 for an adult/£5 for a child, so a total of £30 for two weeks. Same thing if you stay near Sea World. The passes will also get you to/from the airport.

It can easily be done - but you can't do it without compromises. We find it very easy to eat out on $40/adult per day. We ride the bus, and it pays for itself in one day in parking alone. Souvenirs - well, that's up to each individual but most people don't factor that into their holiday budget initially.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

OP -- If his son has Fragile X and he wants a good airline, we found that Virgin Special Assistance were quite helpful. Delta/Air France were definitely not helpful at all.
UPDATE: Thomas Cook have some options in April that might work.

Unfortunately VA takes him way over budget as it has to be school holiday.

My friend says that staying onsite is a must.If he was to stay for a week instead of two(which IMO is more realistic) I've priced it up as follows, Oct H/T

Flight Thomson's total£1237
Accom Port Orleans £1268 inc $100 gift card,tix and counter service DP.

Also if he booked through Quidco he would get some cash back i think!
I don't think this is a bad price if on site is a must.All he would add to this would be Sanford transfers.

 

[wilma-bride]

Nah, stay anywhere along the 192 and you can buy an unlimited 7 day pass for the bus (direct to DTD and TTC) for £10 for an adult/£5 for a child, so a total of £30 for two weeks.

I'm thinking that's probably not practical with a disabled child.

 

[Kath2003]

I'm thinking that's probably not practical with a disabled child.

You say that but in my experience, the public buses are more accommodating than Disney to disabled users (and a lot faster at it, too!). Not much different in catching a bus from the TTC to a Disney resort compared to an offsite resort?

I'm not saying that the man and his son have to do these things, but to shoot down every alternative suggestion isn't exactly helpful? Put the options on the table, then at least you can see what you've got.

 

[wilma-bride]

You say that but in my experience, the public buses are more accommodating than Disney to disabled users (and a lot faster at it, too!). Not much different in catching a bus from the TTC to a Disney resort compared to an offsite resort?

I'm not saying that the man and his son have to do these things, but to shoot down every alternative suggestion isn't exactly helpful? Put the options on the table, then at least you can see what you've got.

Hi not been here for a while as we have no Disney plans for the next few years and it makes me sad but now i have a friend who wants to go to Orlando with his 10year old son for two weeks (no dates as yet) and has asked for our help
He says he has a budget of about £2,000.How realistic is that? Has anyone some great budget hotels/apartments/villas,and any ways of doing the best of Disney and Universal on the cheap?
Any help for him to get the best VFM would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Kath, you've got it all wrong. I am not shooting down every alternative suggestion. If you re-read the OP (quoted above), the question was asked as to whether it was possible for a man and his 10 year-old son to do the best of Universal and Disney for £2K. Most people (in fact all with the exception of one poster) have said that, realistically, it is probably not possible. While I have already said that I don't disagree/disbelieve that you have done it for less, what I am saying is that it would be very difficult. The costs you gave in your example did not include Disney and were only for 10 days. As soon as you factor in Disney tickets (presuming Ultimates) you add £500 to the cost (although MYW tickets might prove a cheaper alternative). Additionally, the advantage you have is that you have been to Orlando several times and know your way around. The OP doesn't say and, maybe I am wrong in my assumption, but I am presuming the friend is a newcomer to Orlando and Disney and so trying to stay offsite, use public transport and find the best bargains as a newbie is probably difficult, to say the least.

If it can be done then great, why not do as the OP asked and offer up some suggestions of budget places to stay/cheap transport options?

 

[wayneg]

These are prices that can be booked now, really its all down to dates. School hols no chance, flexible possible.

2x Thomson direct seats 23rd Feb(or 2nd Mar same price) with luggage = £857
14 nights at Maingate lakeside £292 (same dates as flights)
2x 14 day Ultimates = £492
2 x Uni 14 days = £200
Food around £500 working on it costs us around £800 for 3 adults for 14 nights. Time must be spent downloading vouchers, registering with websites etc.
2 weeks car £150

Total £2491, plus things like parking at airport UK, parking at Themeparks, petrol, ESTA's, insurance.

If someone challenged me I would be able to do it having lots of experience, taking a last minute charter flight and staying in the cheapest of cheap motels but to plan and stay in a half decent motel (Lakeside maingate is the minimum standard I would want)
For a novice, probably wanting to book a little in advance I think they would struggle but it depends if the £2k is to cover absolutely everything.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

The OP doesn't say and, maybe I am wrong in my assumption, but I am presuming the friend is a newcomer to Orlando and Disney and so trying to stay offsite, use public transport and find the best bargains as a newbie is probably difficult, to say the least.

If it can be done then great, why not do as the OP asked and offer up some suggestions of budget places to stay/cheap transport options?

You are correct in assuming that he has never been to Orlando before.Staying onsite with his son i think would alleviate a lot of the stress involved in being in a strange environment for the first time.
I am going to put a spreadsheet together for him this week with as many options as possible.