Ottawa to MCO
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bankr63
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Depends on how you want to get there. Flying direct, your options are non-existent in August. Right now, no one is flying direct in summer months, so you will need to redirect through another city; Toronto, Montreal (you could drive and fly direct too), or a US hub. Note that in the winter months both AC and WJ fly direct from Ottawa along with some charter carriers.
If you wish to depart direct from Ottawa, expect to pay a bit south of $3K for airfare based on current rates. Remember that prices fluctuate drastically based on the price of oil among other things, so it is difficult to see that far into the future. If departing from Ottawa, a US hub "might" be better for your transfer - you can clear US customs in Ottawa and check your baggage through. If you transfer in most Canadian hubs you will need to collect your baggage and clear customs at the second airport. You'll need a much longer transfer time if you transfer in Canada.
Many of the posters on this board will also suggest driving to a nearby US airport (Rochester, Syracuse, etc) to save a considerable amount of $$.
If you wish to depart direct from Ottawa, expect to pay a bit south of $3K for airfare based on current rates. Remember that prices fluctuate drastically based on the price of oil among other things, so it is difficult to see that far into the future. If departing from Ottawa, a US hub "might" be better for your transfer - you can clear US customs in Ottawa and check your baggage through. If you transfer in most Canadian hubs you will need to collect your baggage and clear customs at the second airport. You'll need a much longer transfer time if you transfer in Canada.
Many of the posters on this board will also suggest driving to a nearby US airport (Rochester, Syracuse, etc) to save a considerable amount of $$.
3pletprincesses
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From Montreal you can get usually the choice of 2 different departures. The cheapest I've seen is $535 each for this August and it was on sale. We are leaving from Syracuse and it's costing us instead $210 each. From Ottawa the cheapest I've seen for this year is $570something.
We have the same transportation challenges as the OP, and my DH despises flying. We usually take the train to Dorval, spend the night at one of the hotels (there are lots close by that run free airport shuttles) near the airport, and fly non-stop on AC to MCO. Same thing in reverse coming home. I usually manage to pay for one ticket using Aeroplan points.
ccudmore
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Cheapest I've ever gotten from Ottawa was about $375pp taxes in on a flight that connected through Philadelphia in April. Also got a direct WJ flight a few years ago in November for similar prices.
Last October I got tickets for $130pp taxes in (return) from Plattsburgh NY (3 hour drive from Ottawa - IMHO an easier drive than the 2 hours to Montreal).
Last October I got tickets for $130pp taxes in (return) from Plattsburgh NY (3 hour drive from Ottawa - IMHO an easier drive than the 2 hours to Montreal).
we usually go twice a year from ottawa and average between 350 -375 pp return whenever we travel.we're going in september and this year there seems to be an extra tax on flights originating in Canada.Just about all the major airlines from ottawa right now are charging about 200 to go and about 150 coming back.we're flying out with us air and coming back with continental.it's so much easier doing customs here in ottawa at both ends.
CanuckTraveller
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Although the drive wasn't exactly fun in a snowstorm you won't have that problem in August 
Our next trip is out of Tampa, which cost $3000 over Christmas to fly 4 of us from Ottawa. However, half of the fare is at the inflated Christmas holiday prices, and that price has gotten higher as I booked about 9 months in advance. We did SYR to MCO this January for $1100 for 4 people, again over Christmas. The difference is big, if you can get to Syracuse or find a cheap flight to a US hub city it may be worth the inconvenience.
West Jet has weekly web specials, which you can subscribe to through Facebook. I've seen up to 30% off, which can make a big difference, but right now they are only going into December.
Our next trip is out of Tampa, which cost $3000 over Christmas to fly 4 of us from Ottawa. However, half of the fare is at the inflated Christmas holiday prices, and that price has gotten higher as I booked about 9 months in advance. We did SYR to MCO this January for $1100 for 4 people, again over Christmas. The difference is big, if you can get to Syracuse or find a cheap flight to a US hub city it may be worth the inconvenience.
West Jet has weekly web specials, which you can subscribe to through Facebook. I've seen up to 30% off, which can make a big difference, but right now they are only going into December.
Just remember thoough that plattsburgh airlines do not go to MCO.. the airlines go to either lakeland or sandford airports... so no Magical Express to get to disney if staying on site.
I usually see approx. $1500 for 3 people..if i can get a good deal...but not direct.
I've been watching for Feb 2012 and all I'm finding is around $2500 out of Ottawa for 4.
I've never paid that much to fly down before. The max was $1500 for 3 of us in November 2008. The best was $920 for 4 in April 2010 (Direct w/WJ down, but 3 stops with United on the way home)
I'm looking at around $1500 with JetBlue out of Syracuse for our next trip. Just waiting for the dates to be released and then I'll book.
I've never paid that much to fly down before. The max was $1500 for 3 of us in November 2008. The best was $920 for 4 in April 2010 (Direct w/WJ down, but 3 stops with United on the way home)
I'm looking at around $1500 with JetBlue out of Syracuse for our next trip. Just waiting for the dates to be released and then I'll book.
Plattsburg is about 45 minutes directly south of Montreal. If you can swing getting there, the price difference is significant. Return flights were $163.00 a few weeks ago. Direct Air flies into Lakeland Florida, which is about 40 minutes from DW. Rental cars and car services are available from the airport.
Josh Hendy
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One of the more annoying things about YOW is that even when I find a comparatively cheap flight, it gets us into MCO after midnight and it would basically waste the first day of vacation from not getting enough sleep to make it to rope drop.
Philadelphia (PHL) for some reason has flights that are consistently at about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of flying from YOW to MCO. It's a bit of a drive, 10 hours, but if you can fly in the evening PHL->MCO and return in the morning MCO->PHL then it's possible to do it without getting a hotel. If we do that this August then I estimate we'll save around $800 compared to the best available price from YOW or YUL.
The route from Ottawa to PHL is 416, 401, I-81 to Clarks Summit PA, then I-476 and finally I-95 for the last few miles to the airport. It's a fairly easy drive without much traffic except for the Philadelphia area, which is "Toronto busy".
We've done this drive many times for vacations in Maryland. In the summer the worst thing that can happen is heavy thunderstorms and construction slowdowns. Last summer there was a wicked storm in Philly which didn't affect I-476, but the side roads were so full of downed trees that the traffic was backed up all the way onto the Interstate. I would allow at least a few extra hours, or come down a day early if it looks like there will be storms or a lot of construction.
In winter there is a lot of potential for snowstorms and closed roads in the mountainous parts (roughly from Watertown NY to Allentown PA).
Far better would be to find similarly cheap flights from ROC, SYR, BTV, etc. but I haven't been able to find any this year for our chosen dates.
Philadelphia (PHL) for some reason has flights that are consistently at about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of flying from YOW to MCO. It's a bit of a drive, 10 hours, but if you can fly in the evening PHL->MCO and return in the morning MCO->PHL then it's possible to do it without getting a hotel. If we do that this August then I estimate we'll save around $800 compared to the best available price from YOW or YUL.
The route from Ottawa to PHL is 416, 401, I-81 to Clarks Summit PA, then I-476 and finally I-95 for the last few miles to the airport. It's a fairly easy drive without much traffic except for the Philadelphia area, which is "Toronto busy".
We've done this drive many times for vacations in Maryland. In the summer the worst thing that can happen is heavy thunderstorms and construction slowdowns. Last summer there was a wicked storm in Philly which didn't affect I-476, but the side roads were so full of downed trees that the traffic was backed up all the way onto the Interstate. I would allow at least a few extra hours, or come down a day early if it looks like there will be storms or a lot of construction.
In winter there is a lot of potential for snowstorms and closed roads in the mountainous parts (roughly from Watertown NY to Allentown PA).
Far better would be to find similarly cheap flights from ROC, SYR, BTV, etc. but I haven't been able to find any this year for our chosen dates.
bankr63
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Which points out one of my favorite reasons for flying WestJet direct from YOW in season. It is a bit more expensive, but the flight is fairly early, getting you into MCO before noon. But the return flight is a late evening flight, so that you get nearly a full extra day in MCO. A bit of extra $$ for the flight can add up to a whole extra day (or more!) of fun with the Mouse!
Many of the cheaper connector flights have long layovers that make for a couple of brutal travel days. Since I run my own business, I don't get vacation days - time off is money not made, so I look to maximize my fun time and carefully watch the tradeoffs I make when minimizing my costs. A day at Disney beats a day at the airport or on a plane ANYTIME!!!
Best_Vacation_EVER!
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We're booked on Westjet for Dec 2011 from Ottawa to Orlando --- for 3 of us it came out to about 1700 (taxes in.) We could have booked something cheaper but it is well worth it to us to get the direct flights both ways.
As previous posters have mentioned if you connect through Toronto make sure you allow lots of time between your connecting flights. We've had a situation where our luggage has took more than an hour to reach the carousel and then you still have to clear customs before you can board. Since you never know how many other flights are arriving/departing at the same time you may find yourself at the end of a very long line at customs. We had about 2.5 hours between our flights and we just made it.
As previous posters have mentioned if you connect through Toronto make sure you allow lots of time between your connecting flights. We've had a situation where our luggage has took more than an hour to reach the carousel and then you still have to clear customs before you can board. Since you never know how many other flights are arriving/departing at the same time you may find yourself at the end of a very long line at customs. We had about 2.5 hours between our flights and we just made it.
shenaniganzz
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We are pricing out some flights from YOW in mid September.
It looks like with WJ, we can book a flight for $1425 (taxes incl.). We fly out of YOW on Sep 10 with a layover in TO (we're using Airmiles for that hotel) and the next day we fly out of TO at 10:30 am I think? It puts us at MCO around 1pm.
That said, you can fly the same day fronm Ottawa to TO to MCO, but the YOW flight leaves early... like 7am. We'd rather layover the night before so we have a pleasant 3 y.o on the flight to MCO.
The flight back is at 2 pm-ish. It stops (TO again, I think) and ultimately we end up back in Ottawa at around 7:30pm.
This was a WJ seat sale. Their seat sales aren't anything to write home about, but there never seem to be any earth shattering deals out of YOW.
GL finding a flight at a decent price!!
It looks like with WJ, we can book a flight for $1425 (taxes incl.). We fly out of YOW on Sep 10 with a layover in TO (we're using Airmiles for that hotel) and the next day we fly out of TO at 10:30 am I think? It puts us at MCO around 1pm.
That said, you can fly the same day fronm Ottawa to TO to MCO, but the YOW flight leaves early... like 7am. We'd rather layover the night before so we have a pleasant 3 y.o on the flight to MCO.
The flight back is at 2 pm-ish. It stops (TO again, I think) and ultimately we end up back in Ottawa at around 7:30pm.
This was a WJ seat sale. Their seat sales aren't anything to write home about, but there never seem to be any earth shattering deals out of YOW.
GL finding a flight at a decent price!!
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