First timer, please help

[liberty2015]

Hi, hoping someone can help? Sorry bit of a long one.

We are looking to book our first WDW trip for last two weeks in October 2015. According to the Virgin brochure, if we book by 4th November 2014 we will get the free dining, which saves us £980. But I have been playing around with October 2014 prices on Virgin site for flights only and by lossing 2 days we save £1,039 plus a saving of £393 on room (£1,432 saving in total) Yet I cant book these till end Nov 2014. What should I do???

We are on a really tight budget, working every hour possible to achieve our dream holiday. But it feels impossible right now. Any advise would be great, thank you. Only other option is to go in August but we know the heat will be a nightmare (my daughter and I find UK summer to hot as it is )

Sorry more questions. Do Disney charge a fee to add additional days onto a reservation? Do they charge credit card fee?

Thanks very much xx

 

[katie123]

Hi, hoping someone can help? Sorry bit of a long one.

We are looking to book our first WDW trip for last two weeks in October 2015. According to the Virgin brochure, if we book by 4th November 2014 we will get the free dining, which saves us £980. But I have been playing around with October 2014 prices on Virgin site for flights only and by lossing 2 days we save £1,039 plus a saving of £393 on room (£1,432 saving in total) Yet I cant book these till end Nov 2014. What should I do???

We are on a really tight budget, working every hour possible to achieve our dream holiday. But it feels impossible right now. Any advise would be great, thank you. Only other option is to go in August but we know the heat will be a nightmare (my daughter and I find UK summer to hot as it is )

Sorry more questions. Do Disney charge a fee to add additional days onto a reservation? Do they charge credit card fee?

Thanks very much xx

Hi there
If you are coming from the UK, I would suggest you log on the disney website and book an accommodation and ticket package direct with disney- you can then get the free dining offers, and the usual tickets at the prices you would pay with disney.
Once flights are available for next year, you can then juggle your booking to fit the best flight prices- we have found they can vary quite significantly from one day to another. Once flight is booked, we just contact disney and ask them to alter the booking- usually charges us a £50 admin fee, (Note- we always add, rather than deduct extra days- don't know if the charges would vary the other way round.) We also find that they will honour free dining for the extra days.
By doing it this way, you are not restricted as much, and can potentially save a fortune.
We have flown virgin the last 2-3 years but have also used American airlines from the UK- usually does involve a 2-3 transit in either New York or Chicago (from manchester) but we don't find that too onerous!
Hope this helps!

 

[liberty2015]

Thank you so much Katie123, thats a great help. I have got to the point know where I cant see it ever happening but maybe there is hope yet

 

[katie123]

Thank you so much Katie123, thats a great help. I have got to the point know where I cant see it ever happening but maybe there is hope yet

Sounds like you might be fitting your holiday around October 1/2 term. I know this will probably have parents (and teachers) screaming at me from all over the UK, but have a look at the few days prior to half term starting- it will probably save you much more than the £60 fine you will potentially get for taking your child out of school for a few days!
PS:- before anyone screams at me-I am a 'good' parent- just recognise that we Brits get very 'ripped off' by travel companies who bump up their prices to coincide with school hols!

 

[liberty2015]

We are seriously considering going just before half term to link the time but its so hard knowing what is for the best. I have spoken to the school and they said we might get a fine but I'm a nervious person at the best of times, even with 100% attendance record. Due general election before we go so things might change again?

Your spot on with Brits getting ripped off, why shouldnt all children get quality family time and experience the whole world for themselves.

 

[emma c]

Look at this way you will stil be saving even if they do fine you! I think you only get fined from how I understand it if you attendance goes below 85% and then it's up to your county education officer person to decide not your actually school. Or that's how I understand it, it is very confusing!

Try thompsons for a quote I find they are much cheaper than virgin.

 

[TinkerBell43]

Hi, hoping someone can help? Sorry bit of a long one.

We are looking to book our first WDW trip for last two weeks in October 2015. According to the Virgin brochure, if we book by 4th November 2014 we will get the free dining, which saves us £980. But I have been playing around with October 2014 prices on Virgin site for flights only and by lossing 2 days we save £1,039 plus a saving of £393 on room (£1,432 saving in total) Yet I cant book these till end Nov 2014. What should I do???

We are on a really tight budget, working every hour possible to achieve our dream holiday. But it feels impossible right now. Any advise would be great, thank you. Only other option is to go in August but we know the heat will be a nightmare (my daughter and I find UK summer to hot as it is )

Sorry more questions. Do Disney charge a fee to add additional days onto a reservation? Do they charge credit card fee?

Thanks very much xx

Hi
We've just booked 16th October 2015 for 2 weeks (week before our kids break for half term) we found booking direct with Disney to be cheaper than Virgin. We have independently booked our flights with Thomson and again this was cheaper than Virgin...with the Disney Dining Plan, the $200 Disney card it works out a lot cheaper. We don't drive when we are over there so we will be using the Disney transport. The only thing we have to organise is the transfer from Sanford Airport (where Thomson fly into) as Disney Magical Express doesn't go from Sanford. Don't despair...if you set your budget and research I promise you, you will have your dream holiday....just shop around, but do it before July 10th when the deal ends booking direct with Disney. GOOD LUCK x

 

[liberty2015]

Thanks Emma. I'm not worried about paying the fine at all, just struggling to pay for holiday to find out new goverment get elected in Sept 2015 and increase the penalty would be a total nightmare. Starting to consider European Disney Cruise in August instead as so many problems booking at the moment.

Katie123's idea on not missing out on dining plan is still an option though. We wont be able to afford it without the free dining.

Sorry, bit heavy for on here but got our hearts set on this trip now.

 

[liberty2015]

Hi
We've just booked 16th October 2015 for 2 weeks (week before our kids break for half term) we found booking direct with Disney to be cheaper than Virgin. We have independently booked our flights with Thomson and again this was cheaper than Virgin...with the Disney Dining Plan, the $200 Disney card it works out a lot cheaper. We don't drive when we are over there so we will be using the Disney transport. The only thing we have to organise is the transfer from Sanford Airport (where Thomson fly into) as Disney Magical Express doesn't go from Sanford. Don't despair...if you set your budget and research I promise you, you will have your dream holiday....just shop around, but do it before July 10th when the deal ends booking direct with Disney. GOOD LUCK x

Thanks Tinkerbell, good to hear someone has already booked for October 2015. We didnt want to fly to Sanford but its a consideration. Have you asked school yet?

 

[emma c]

Nah I know what you mean we booked and then got evicted by landlord so he could move niece in, I could have cried when we thought we was going to cancel!

I would love to go on disney cruise but at mo no one else wants to but save and go just me and kiddo for her 21 or something.

I'm hoping with all complaints about holidays costs come campaign time all the parties will try and find better solutions so won't cause a problems for people.

Tinkerbell do you phone disney to book? When I looked online thompsons was stil coming out cheaper?

 

[TinkerBell43]

Thanks Tinkerbell, good to hear someone has already booked for October 2015. We didnt want to fly to Sanford but its a consideration. Have you asked school yet?

No will do that next year - we will just tell them we are going and our son is going to miss 6 days. When we did it for our honeymoon 2 years ago, they wrote back and said it's unauthorised absence...and the Head actually said have a nice time.....we've checked school website and they have not mentioned a fine yet but as you say the election may change things. I just think it's worth it and we do take work with us what they would have got to complete during the half term. xx

 

[emma c]

No will do that next year - we will just tell them we are going and our son is going to miss 6 days. When we did it for our honeymoon 2 years ago, they wrote back and said it's unauthorised absence...and the Head actually said have a nice time.....we've checked school website and they have not mentioned a fine yet but as you say the election may change things. I just think it's worth it and we do take work with us what they would have got to complete during the half term. xx

That's just what we did, school was fine actually had one of teachers telling me to go! I mean she was 6 weret like she was doing exams or anything.
Flying from Sanford is fine only just over hour away and compared with what you save worth it in my book. I know there's not a lot there when you cooing home but you be depressed anyway cos your leaving!

 

[liberty2015]

Emma thats terrible, glad you managed to still go. Im hoping your right about election, I will certainly be voting based on this issue.

Tinkerbell, I asked our school and they said so far no one has had action taken. My biggest problem is I have OCD and that means I will worry none stop about the very worst possible outcome till it drives me nuts. We would take school work and plan on making discovery cover exc as educational as possible.

 

[liberty2015]

That's just what we did, school was fine actually had one of teachers telling me to go! I mean she was 6 weret like she was doing exams or anything.
Flying from Sanford is fine only just over hour away and compared with what you save worth it in my book. I know there's not a lot there when you cooing home but you be depressed anyway cos your leaving!

Diffently going to get Thompson prices and then just rent a car. We both drive, just being lazy and not wanting to add another hour onto journey. Get to see more of US like you say. Do you know if its an easy drive from what you saw?

 

[emma c]

I know was complete pain in bottom to be polite! Why don't you ask for meeting with your head of school? I mean take reading books, spellings and you can teach her to read maps of the parks lots of education there!

 

[TinkerBell43]

[COUNTDOWN=][/COUNTDOWN]

Emma thats terrible, glad you managed to still go. Im hoping your right about election, I will certainly be voting based on this issue.

Tinkerbell, I asked our school and they said so far no one has had action taken. My biggest problem is I have OCD and that means I will worry none stop about the very worst possible outcome till it drives me nuts. We would take school work and plan on making discovery cover exc as educational as possible.

Sounds like you have it all covered and I know what you mean about worrying, although I don't have OCD but I do understand the need to be within your budget, it's so expensive and you want it to be perfect, but don't let it spoil the magic of planning, worry about it later and enjoy the memories of planning your first Disney Holiday as this is the one you will always remember, mine was nearly 30 years ago and I can still remember the excitement.....xx

 

[emma c]

Diffently going to get Thompson prices and then just rent a car. We both drive, just being lazy and not wanting to add another hour onto journey. Get to see more of US like you say. Do you know if its an easy drive from what you saw?

Yeah but there a lot of toll roads I mean a lot! It looked pretty much straight road but I don't drive so I don't tend to pay much attention to that sort of thing to be honest! I know you go over a huge river that has croc's in it my daughter was thrilled!

 

[TinkerBell43]

Nah I know what you mean we booked and then got evicted by landlord so he could move niece in, I could have cried when we thought we was going to cancel!

I would love to go on disney cruise but at mo no one else wants to but save and go just me and kiddo for her 21 or something.

I'm hoping with all complaints about holidays costs come campaign time all the parties will try and find better solutions so won't cause a problems for people.

Tinkerbell do you phone disney to book? When I looked online thompsons was stil coming out cheaper?

Yes go onto the Disney website and it's the 0800 number - the staff are brilliant or you can book it all online - we rang as there are 2 families and we wanted our booking linked but the price was the same as if we had booked it online, and it is very easy. The Disney flights are not out yet but I can tell you they use virgin which is very expensive in my opinion x

 

[liberty2015]

Thanks Tinkerbell, your right I have to stop being stupid. We have said this is a one off holiday so needs to be perfect!

Just did a thompson basic online price, WOW. Its half what I was getting based on 2014 prices from Virgin. Its so worth the drive. Little excited now

Good idea Emma, will ask about seeing head. Only probem we have is keeping the same headteacher for more than a few months

 

[emma c]

Thanks Tinkerbell, your right I have to stop being stupid. We have said this is a one off holiday so needs to be perfect!

Just did a thompson basic online price, WOW. Its half what I was getting based on 2014 prices from Virgin. Its so worth the drive. Little excited now

Good idea Emma, will ask about seeing head. Only probem we have is keeping the same headteacher for more than a few months

Rrr that's a ! I know we was shocked at price difference what got hubby to book he was so happy with the quote lady gave we booked there and then! Was over grand cheaper for exact same deal as Virgin!