Anyone planning a trip for sept-nov 2014?

[Aussie Wendy]

Hello-I also think this is a great surprise for the grandkids. Some planes are still a 3 4 3 config. Go to www.seatguru.com and it gives you the configurations by plane type for all the airlines eg the Airbus run by Virgin and I think Delta can be 2 4 2. Qantas and Delta Boeing 747 3 4 3. Not that the planes most commonly used on a flight leg now is any guarantee as planes do sometimes change at short notice but you can get an idea of what config the companies you are looking at generally use on their American/Canadian legs.

I generally book airfares before I lock in accom unless its in the middle of roughly when I know I will be away as we are normally flexible to vary our departure day and return day enough to take advantage of any slight savings. Yes it is always a juggle though. You can normally amend accomm bookings but sometimes to get a really good price we buy a non flexible version eg on expedia that we can't change. With children also consider booking a self contained accom (or hotel with kitchenette) not just a hotel room as it may be easier to feed them what they want when they want it for breakfast or at the end of the day when they are tired. Although hotels more often have pools which in Aug might be important for you- for them to have down time in the pool in the afternoons.

Happy planning and welcome aboard.

 

[Tashinwdw]

Thank you for your input.

I have just noticed that on United Airlines the seat configuration is 3 3 3. As we are a family of 4 ad and 3 ch we were hoping for the 3 4 3 configuration. Does anyone know if any airlines still have planes with the 3 4 3?

When we flew Air NewZealand last year the plane had 3 4 3 seating configuration. It was great on the way there as we are a family of 6 and we ended up with a spare seat in the 4 seat lot - though in hindsight we would have managed it better as the only one that benefited was my DD12, she slept the whole time all stretched out, the rest of us didnt. The only bad thing was that on the way back a stranger sat with us. But I guess cant always win. It might also depend on the type of plane.

I dont know which area of the plan would be better for children, maybe they try and space out the children so some poor person doesnt cop them all
we had a young baby in front on the way there and a toddler in front on the way back. I am sure a lot of ppl would not agree with me but I am one that agrees with travel medication for children, not for sickness but to make them sleep (I know I am a bad mother - only did it once on a drive from canberra to Hervey Bay, but it was the only way I would survive 4 children under 4 in the same car for 14 hours straight) Now they are older I dont need to worry.

 

[rissc]

We always fly Qantas for the FF benefits. If you fly on a 747 or A380 you will get the 3,4,3 seating configuration. I think they are the only aircraft that are large enough to have that configuration.

I am also looking for flights for September 2014, I keep an eye on the sales for the same dates this year and figure out what I would be happy spending and then buy them when I see them for a good price. In the past I have scored really cheap September fares early in the new year. I think generally September is a good time to travel to America, so you should be able to find great fares, especially if you are not committed to going with one particular airline.

I would book airfares before accommodation because sometimes you can save alot of money just by flying a day or two before or after and you will still have the flexibility to do so.

 

[dabecs]

We are heading to WDW and doing our first DCL cruise in October 2014

Not sure of the rest of our plan yet - might have a few days in LA or might check out Seaworld/Universal in Florida. Haven't decided yet

Happy to have a thread to join!

 

[Tashinwdw]

We are heading to WDW and doing our first DCL cruise in October 2014

Not sure of the rest of our plan yet - might have a few days in LA or might check out Seaworld/Universal in Florida. Haven't decided yet

Happy to have a thread to join!

It sounds great, we are also doing our first DCL in September, that part of the trip is the surprise for my children, they know they are going to WDW but I wont tell them about the cruise until we leave the resort. I keep wondering about doing universal/seaworld but dont want to take any time away from WDW, we might wait and see how it goes once we get there.

Happy planning

 

[dabecs]

I'm not sure if we will surprise the girls with the cruise, I have a year to decide I guess Who are you cruising with and where?

This is our second trip to WDW and we are still spending 2 weeks there! If we do Seaworld/Universal it will be before the cruise, like you I don't think I could give up any Disney days

 

[Tashinwdw]

I'm not sure if we will surprise the girls with the cruise, I have a year to decide I guess Who are you cruising with and where?

This is our second trip to WDW and we are still spending 2 weeks there! If we do Seaworld/Universal it will be before the cruise, like you I don't think I could give up any Disney days

We are cruising DCL 4 nights bahamas, I would have liked 7 nights but the dates didnt work for us and also I get really sea sick so was worried that if I do get sick I didnt want to be like that for a whole week.

We did our first family WDW holiday last year for 8 nights and we didnt get to do half the things we wanted to, when I went with a friend many many years ago we did nearly everything we wanted to, but I didnt factor in how different it would be with children, jet lag, and additional parks etc. This next holiday we will have 2 and half weeks at WDW and I am sure that will not be enough time. If we can afford it we might stretch it to 3 weeks but it will depend on how cheap we can get the flights. I am having so much fun planning this holiday I hope your planning is as much fun.

 

[Tashinwdw]

Hi, I said I would post here if I find any sales for the USA. Bestflights.com.au has a sale for the USA that include travel dates in September which is the first one that I have come across so far. The fares are cheaper than what I have found for those dates but not cheap enough though. I thought I would still post it on here anyway and you can check it out.

 

[zanzibar138]

Hi, I said I would post here if I find any sales for the USA. Bestflights.com.au has a sale for the USA that include travel dates in September which is the first one that I have come across so far. The fares are cheaper than what I have found for those dates but not cheap enough though. I thought I would still post it on here anyway and you can check it out.

Thanks for letting us know, but you're right... not cheap enough.

I don't know why flights have suddenly gotten so expensive! Since when has $1500 been a sale fare to LA? I could get to Europe for less than that! Hanging out for them to get down to at least around the $1200 mark again...

 

[Tashinwdw]

Thanks for letting us know, but you're right... not cheap enough.

I don't know why flights have suddenly gotten so expensive! Since when has $1500 been a sale fare to LA? I could get to Europe for less than that! Hanging out for them to get down to at least around the $1200 mark again...

I Agree zanzibar, I was thinking that since they are really pushing Europe fares at the moment that once thats over they will start giving us better deals to the USA - fingers crossed

 

[zanzibar138]

I Agree zanzibar, I was thinking that since they are really pushing Europe fares at the moment that once thats over they will start giving us better deals to the USA - fingers crossed

Hopefully!

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

I'm a the one year to departure point!!

Time to get serious and book those flights .... loving the FF Points that we've been saving!

We are having a small debate at home though, Crazy Cat Boy wants to stay onsite and me being the "holder of the purse strings and general tight ****" wants to save some $ and stay offsite. I feel a hybrid holiday coming on! LOL

 

[Tashinwdw]

I'm a the one year to departure point!!

We are having a small debate at home though, Crazy Cat Boy wants to stay onsite and me being the "holder of the purse strings and general tight ****" wants to save some $ and stay offsite. I feel a hybrid holiday coming on! LOL

Its exciting, we have just under 11 months to wait (if all goes well)

Have you stayed on property before? Now that I have done it I dont think I can stay anywhere else (for WDW, dont think it would matter so much for DL) you get so immersed into disney that it is like you are in a whole different world. Its why we bought into DVC. I think the feeling would be the same no matter what type of disney accommodation you stayed at, even the cabins at Fort wilderness. Keep us posted on what you guys decide, I love hearing about what others are planning for their holiday.

 

[gogo65]

I'm a the one year to departure point!!

Time to get serious and book those flights .... loving the FF Points that we've been saving!

We are having a small debate at home though, Crazy Cat Boy wants to stay onsite and me being the "holder of the purse strings and general tight ****" wants to save some $ and stay offsite. I feel a hybrid holiday coming on! LOL

Good luck with getting your flights with FF points, we travel all the time on FF points now. Unfortunately qantas charge around $800 taxes and charges return to LA where as virgin charge $130. With such cheap prices around at times, it is not worth using QF points if you can get a great deal. Do the sums....
In regards to onsite, if you are doing DL, I think staying off site is ok, as it is still a walk to the hotel at the end of the day, however WDW, definitely do onsite, unless you hire a car, cause it isn't just a quick walk home.

 

[marvel]

A year to go ! Yay. We have done on and off site and with the kids now 15 and 13 just cannot do onsite and pay $400 a night for a tiny room, as much as we love disney. We can get a massive new sheraton suite for $170 with 2 bathrooms. We will have a car and travel time is minimal. Depends of course on personal circumstances. Either way awesome just to be there. Flights do seem to yave crept up. No longer seeing the $1200 to LA.

 

[*Nessa*]

WOW it's insane, we have been planning for almost 10 months now and somehow I missed our 12 months to go date!! it's well and truly time to get booking!!

We have booked both our DCL cruises! and the super exciting news..... we were so so lucky and have booked the Walt Suite for the 2nd cruise

The only two big things left are DL accommodation and flights, I'm still undecided on which DL hotel but am going to trust my luck and book flight at the flight centre USA expo in Feb/March.

 

[Tashinwdw]

We have booked both our DCL cruises! and the super exciting news..... we were so so lucky and have booked the Walt Suite for the 2nd cruise

Wow I just went and checked out the suites on the DCL, how flash. One thing I dont get is why are they so many chairs around the table when it has only one bed? I am sure it will be a magical experience. I cant wait to experience my first cruise.

 

[*Nessa*]

Wow I just went and checked out the suites on the DCL, how flash. One thing I dont get is why are they so many chairs around the table when it has only one bed? I am sure it will be a magical experience. I cant wait to experience my first cruise.

I think the new ships are different (and sleep less) we are luckily going on the Wonder and the Walt & Roy suites have 2 bedrooms and 3 pull downs so can sleep 7. We are looking at 4 adults and possibly an infant, so hopefully will have plenty of room but even if it is a little cramped it, we have waited so long to get one I don't think we will notice

 

[LizfromOz]

We're going back to the States next Sept. We've been to DL before and now we are taking the plunge and going to WDW.

The plan is to fly out of Sydney on 12/9 and thanks to some great advice from helpful Disers continue on to Orlando in one hit

We have a cruise on Freedom of the Seas booked from 21/9-28/9 so we will be spending 9 nights in Orlando , hopefully OKW. This gives us 8 days to visit WDW.

After our cruise we are planning on 2 nights at the Hard Rock Hotel to visit Universal before flying to Vegas for 4 or 5 nights.

From Vegas we'll drive to LA for our final few nights.

Does anyone else hate the Great Airfare Deal Wait??? Drives me nuts...

 

[Millsie7]

Would anyone be able to share a estimate on how much it would cost for Melbourne/Sydney to Orlando with about 10 days at Disney (value hotels)and 4 at Universal. I am planning on budgeting about 10,000 for 3 adults and am wondering if I am grossly underestimating how much it would actually cost.