pre-planning, input needed

[chmurf]

Hi. We're going back, as my ticker says, and even if it's in 2013 we need some imput about a few things to lay our plans before we start thinking about budget and deals.

What we know :
- we're going
- we'll rent a car
- we're going for roughly 3 weeks
- we're going to POP (best value for money and for our style of vacation)
- we are not (really) tied to schools holidays, DS will be 5 and still not required to attend school, so he'll skip school if he has to, but we'd rather take off the week before the holidays, since kids don't do a lot in the last week before hols.

What we don't know :
- the dates.
We're pretty much set on April 2013.
Our "zone" is on holyday starting april 13th and going back to school april 29th, so we'd rather go on the 4th or 9th of april (as tuesdays and thursdays seem to be cheaper when it comes to air fares. (back on april 23rd/25th)
**************.net gives a forecast of crowd levels 3 and 2 from april 6th on.
But it seems too early to make that kind of prediction. Of course we're thrilled by this perspective, but does it sound realistic ? will spring break be over ? (I mean *really* over)

I know we will have to refine a bit, but what are your thoughts on april 2013 ?

- the air route.
We're flying out of CDG (paris) and let me be clear about one point : there are NO DIRECT FLIGHT whatsoever from Paris to Orlando. Air France currently has a route 3 times a week but this route will be cancelled in a few months.
We are not big on going to other european cities. Especially by plane, too much hassle in our opinion. We live 10 minutes away from Lille so we could take the eurostar to St Pancras, then another train to LGW, but that's over 2 hours both ways with a train change. The TGV from CDG to Lille will almost get us to our doorstep in 50 minutes. So it will be very difficult to get us consider another airport than CDG (or even ORY)

We flew United last month, with a stop in EWR and it all went smoothly, so an indirect flight might be a good value.
But we also consider going through MIA direct.
Then we have 2 options. Drive to Orlando and back and take both flights in and out of Miami, or get an open jaw and drive from MIA to orlando and then fly home from Orlando.
We're renting a car through Alamo so there is no surcharge for dropping the car off in Florida.
We do not intend to do a road trip, so if we go for Miami, we'll basically spend one night (at most) in Miami and then hit the turnpike direct to Orlando
Miami used to be a nice city back in my teens' memories, but now it dosn't sound so appealling or safe to me, and I'd like to avoid spending much time. The keys, the glades, been there, done that, so Miami is not a point of interest or base camp for us.
Is it worth it, in your experience (and cost wise) or is it better to go indirect to Orlando (driving times and layover times make it for an even trip time)

If we go through Miami, what hotel would you suggest. I'm normally take reviews on tripadvisor with a grain of salt, but for Miami I'm getting a bit scared, lol. So I'd like a nice, clean, safe and cheap hotel in Miami. I'm not paying "disney prices" for a hotel in Miami.

- Dining
We don't like DDP, we eat OOP and out of property as it is cheaper and better suits our vacation style (parks mornings, lunch outside, resort/pool afternoons). So the free DDP dates is not really relevant, even though we might want to take advantage of a free QSDP (as we stay at a value) if it falls within our dates, but it won't be a decisive factor in our final choice (we already know that we'd end up with unused credits, because QS food in WDW is *bland* (let's leave it at that). Between a WDW hamburger and a Big Mac/Whooper, my choice is made in a new york minute, even if it means driving 10 miles to the nearest McD/BK

I know it's way too early to have all the information to reach a final decision, but any input will be much appreciated
thanks in advance

 

[Pootle]

Just want to ask about one thing in particular. If you fly direct into MIA, why would you not fly onwards up to MCO as this is the route you are considering in reverse? Is it the times of the flights? I would have thought that a routing of CDG-MIA-MCO outbound would have been better than a night in a Miami airport hotel.

I've flown into and out of MIA a few times and do not like it much. I'd be going for Tampa if I couldn't get MCO but I'm assuming that's not an option for you?

I would consider all routes, as you obviously are doing, but my main criteria would be an easy journey once you hit Florida on the outbound journey (ie when you are most tired) and an easy journey home once you arrive at your major hub if flying indirectly - so if you have to do a connecting flight within Europe, I would want that to be as brief as possible. In short, I'd have all my major travelling 'inconvenience' at a time when my body clock could cope with it.

Congratulations on making the decision to go

 

[chmurf]

Just want to ask about one thing in particular. If you fly direct into MIA, why would you not fly onwards up to MCO as this is the route you are considering in reverse? Is it the times of the flights? I would have thought that a routing of CDG-MIA-MCO outbound would have been better than a night in a Miami airport hotel.

thanks for your question
One thing I'd like to avoid is getting through security more often than is strictly necessary, let's leave it at "I don't like taking my shoes off after a 9hrs flight"
When you fly indirect, you have to go through immigration, collect bags, go through customs, recheck bags, go through TSA, then wait, sometimes large amount of time, to board your next flight, etc.
If I land in EWR, CLT, ATL or CVG or any other hub, then so be it. But if I land in the sunshine state, I want to be out in the open ASAP. If you give me the choice between 4 hours on the road in FL or 2hrs layover + 1.5 hrs at 35.000 feet, then I'll drive.

I've flown into and out of MIA a few times and do not like it much. I'd be going for Tampa if I couldn't get MCO but I'm assuming that's not an option for you?

Correct. As of now our only port of entry in FL is MIA if we take off from France. I might find some Tampa flight as we draw nearer to our departure, but I doubt that. If we ain't MCO, then I doubt we'll find TPA, even though it would be great and a short drive to Orlando

ETA : flights to TPA all go through CLT or MIA (as simulated for april this year) schedules shouldn't change much. By the time I'd land in Tampa, I'd be in Orlando with the car. So that's not an option either

 

[Pootle]

Ok, so I understand the bit about not wanting to go through security again after a 9 hour flight.

I know you don't want to go via a European hub, but have you considered Aer Lingus from Dublin? You clear US immigration in Dublin before boarding the MCO flight, and the times out for you (based on April this year obviously) are not bad, although the layover on the return journey could be better:

CDG 10.25 - DUB 11.05
DUB 12.30 - MCO 16.50

MCO 19.00 - DUB 8.15
DUB 11.50 - CDG 14.35

Regarding April, it's one of my favourite times for weather, and as Easter is early next year, your dates should be very good.

Good luck with the planning

 

[WiganTony]

Last year we flew into MIA from LHR (saving us almost £1k) and drove up to Orlando. It wasn't really a problem even for myself who did the driving all the way, and the journey took us around 3-3/4 hours. TBH, if we had flown into Orlando, we probably wouldn't have done much for the remainder of the day, so we didn't see the drive as "wasted time", and we only arrived in Orlando around an hour later than taking a connecting flight from MIA to MCO.

 

[Rachandgarry]

How come they would clear US immigration in Dublin? That's kinda cool...!

 

[Pootle]

How come they would clear US immigration in Dublin? That's kinda cool...!

Yes, sure it is although I've never done it myself. Some details here.

 

[Rachandgarry]

I'm gobsmacked! How cool. When flights are out I will definitely check options with Aer Lingus!

 

[chmurf]

but have you considered Aer Lingus from Dublin? You clear US immigration in Dublin before boarding the MCO flight,

yup I have considered it and ruled it out unless a better deal appears.

I priced flights through Opodo, doing a simulation for a april 3rd to 24th 2012 to get an idea about costs

I compared Aer Lingus with UA which we flew last month.

United : CDG - EWR - MCO : 684 euros per person

Aer Lingus : CDG - DUB - MCO : 1247 euros per person

well ... in that case I'll go for United

I also forgot to mention that arrival time is important.
Our UA flight got us to MCO at 5:10pm and that was really cool.
We live close enough to CDG to manage a 9 o'clock flight with the required 3 hours in advance check in. So it's of no concern to us.
But arrival time in Orlando does matter. We will not take a flight that lands after 8pm. And also we won't go for low cost, charter, or whatever. Only major airlines
So, see, we have a pretty good idea of what we want.

 

[Rachandgarry]

Hi there - based on your simulated search, bear in mind that you are using the Easter dates (6, 7, 8, 9 April is Easter weekend) whereas the actual dates you want to go next year are after Easter so should be comparatively cheaper...

 

[chmurf]

Hi there - based on your simulated search, bear in mind that you are using the Easter dates (6, 7, 8, 9 April is Easter weekend) whereas the actual dates you want to go next year are after Easter so should be comparatively cheaper...

you're absolutely right
I changed the simulation dates to april 17th - may 8th. That period reflects the projected crowds for my timebase in 2013, and should also reflect the global trend as far as air fares go

Aer Lingus is down to 1029 euros per person
United stays cheaper a 624 euros per person
Virgin Atlantic is leading at 546 euros per person with a stop in Manchester. But, if I do the maths, between luggage allowance/fee and the seat choice fee, there is no real difference with united in the end

Aer Lingus seems a bit expensive to me

 

[VailaTigger]

I had my first April visit in 2010, during the school Easter holidays. I took my hubby-to-be and his sons for the first time. Having only been in September before, I was expecting the crowd levels to be hellish, but they weren't actually as bad as I thought.

Parade times were busy, fireworks times were busy, the major crowd-pulling rides got busy in the afternoons, but it was actually still pleasant.

We got up early, hit the parks early, then did something less manic in the afternoons when the parks got busier, and had a nice relaxed dinner each night. Seemed to work well.

The only place I 'felt' the crowds was in the water parks.

Hubby-to-be can't have been put off by the crowds that much either, as he suggested in the middle of our first week there, that we go back this September for our honeymoon

Hope this helps!