Redbudlover
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2005
- Messages
- 2,481
I love options! 
I have been a big fan of Sidestep.com since last year when I heard about it on these disboards. So this year I read about Kayak on these boards and looked at it several times the past couple of weeks as I have been trying to get a low fare from Austin to Orlando. 
The lowest I have seen have been about $370. I have been feeling like I am running out of time to get the time of the flights I want, so today decided I would look right after the Austin Ding and American fares came out and do something! 
Well, the Ding fares didn't go to Orlando, American was high, and Southwest was over $400. I could get $250 on Southwest, but only if I drove to Dallas or Houston - each about a 2 1/2 hour drive. Since I want to get to WDW as early as possible, that meant I would have to either pay for a motel the night before or drive all night to be at the airport at 5 am for security. Not the way I wanted to start my trip. Plus I would then have to pay for gas and parking as well as the motel - which just about made up the difference betgween $250 and $370 fares, plus I would have to drive
So I clicked on Sidestep expecting to see the Continental flights leaving from Austin at 7 am and a 6 p.m. flight leaving from Orlando on my way back. No 6 p.m. flight!!!
What! OMG don't tell me I waited too long! 
I checked and checked. No 6 p.m. flight, just 4:30 p.m. Well we all know what a big difference 1 1/2 hours can mean your last day at WDW! I mean it can be huge! Then I remembered Kayak.com and thought I would try it - just to see.....
Lo and behold there was the 6 pm flight!
so I grabbed it quick and went on to purchase the flight. I got to the page where you select your seats and put in all my seats. Since I am travelling solo, I like to pick a seat in a row where either the aisle or the window seat is gone, but the middle seat is empty - I figure if I choose a seat that leaves a middle seat empty I have the best chance to have it empty the entire flight... So anyway I chose the seats and went on to confirm my purchase. I did and then read the message saying they had not been able to confirm my seats and I should choose them when I got to the airport.
Not acceptable!!! I knew I would then most likely end up in a middle seat, which I hate. So I went back in to manage my reservation and discovered it didn't show my flight TO Orlando! What??? 
Time to call Continental....
I called reservations and sure enough they only showed my flight back to Austin. The woman I was talking to started to tell me that for the $363 I paid I would only get a one way fare.
I don't thiiiiiink so!!! After much calm waiting and my giving her the number of the flights, the fare level etc, she finally corrected the situation and provided me with seats that left the center seat empty and the aisle and window seat full. 
So I am now ready to go! I have my flights, my resorts are reserved, I have my ADRs and my tickets for MVMCP and the Segway tour and my tips to the most overlooked attractions in WDW.
I am such a happy redbudlover now!!!
I have been a big fan of Sidestep.com since last year when I heard about it on these disboards. So this year I read about Kayak on these boards and looked at it several times the past couple of weeks as I have been trying to get a low fare from Austin to Orlando. The lowest I have seen have been about $370. I have been feeling like I am running out of time to get the time of the flights I want, so today decided I would look right after the Austin Ding and American fares came out and do something! Well, the Ding fares didn't go to Orlando, American was high, and Southwest was over $400. I could get $250 on Southwest, but only if I drove to Dallas or Houston - each about a 2 1/2 hour drive. Since I want to get to WDW as early as possible, that meant I would have to either pay for a motel the night before or drive all night to be at the airport at 5 am for security. Not the way I wanted to start my trip. Plus I would then have to pay for gas and parking as well as the motel - which just about made up the difference betgween $250 and $370 fares, plus I would have to drive
So I clicked on Sidestep expecting to see the Continental flights leaving from Austin at 7 am and a 6 p.m. flight leaving from Orlando on my way back. No 6 p.m. flight!!!
What! OMG don't tell me I waited too long! I checked and checked. No 6 p.m. flight, just 4:30 p.m. Well we all know what a big difference 1 1/2 hours can mean your last day at WDW! I mean it can be huge! Then I remembered Kayak.com and thought I would try it - just to see.....Lo and behold there was the 6 pm flight!
so I grabbed it quick and went on to purchase the flight. I got to the page where you select your seats and put in all my seats. Since I am travelling solo, I like to pick a seat in a row where either the aisle or the window seat is gone, but the middle seat is empty - I figure if I choose a seat that leaves a middle seat empty I have the best chance to have it empty the entire flight... So anyway I chose the seats and went on to confirm my purchase. I did and then read the message saying they had not been able to confirm my seats and I should choose them when I got to the airport.Not acceptable!!!
I knew I would then most likely end up in a middle seat, which I hate. So I went back in to manage my reservation and discovered it didn't show my flight TO Orlando! What??? Time to call Continental....I called reservations and sure enough they only showed my flight back to Austin. The woman I was talking to started to tell me that for the $363 I paid I would only get a one way fare.
I don't thiiiiiink so!!! After much calm waiting and my giving her the number of the flights, the fare level etc, she finally corrected the situation and provided me with seats that left the center seat empty and the aisle and window seat full. So I am now ready to go! I have my flights, my resorts are reserved, I have my ADRs and my tickets for MVMCP and the Segway tour and my tips to the most overlooked attractions in WDW.
I am such a happy redbudlover now!!!
