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alicemay
United Kingdom
6 Posts
Joined: 03 Feb 2009
Status: offline |  Posted - 16 Feb 2009 : 19:06:49  
| Hi all new here I have a question to ask for my sister she is looking for the best way to tack here three kids away to Florida on a budget she is looking at the month of October the ages of the kids are three five and eight she is talking about going on her own she has been before but a long time ago and she is going to drive over there she would ask herself but her internet is down
Thanks Alice
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florida4sun
 United Kingdom
8523 Posts
Joined: 16 Feb 2002
Status: online | |
alicemay
United Kingdom
6 Posts
Joined: 03 Feb 2009
Status: offline | Posted - 16 Feb 2009 : 19:27:41
| | She is just looking for the cheapest way to tack them I think. as there is just her and the kids and the less she spends on getting and staying there the more they have to spend over there we would go with them but we have just got back from Canada which I must say we found very expensive compared to the last time we were in Florida two years ago and Boston a year ago |
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Albert the Frog
 United Kingdom
601 Posts
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Status: offline | Posted - 16 Feb 2009 : 19:30:37
| | There are only a limited number of ways to reduce costs but i would suggest-go outside of school holiday times-travel midweek-be selective with your parks(at that age maybe just disney)-eat in the villa-don't skimp on villa,car or travel insurance |
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alicemay
United Kingdom
6 Posts
Joined: 03 Feb 2009
Status: offline | Posted - 16 Feb 2009 : 19:40:33
| | She is going to pop up to have a look for a villa tomorrow can villas be booked midweek to midweek? |
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caroline
 United Kingdom
7329 Posts
Joined: 29 Apr 2002
Status: offline | Posted - 16 Feb 2009 : 19:51:53
| | Many owners will accept bookings mid week - October half term and the weeks either side are high or peak season for most villa owners as they are extremely popular, you will also find the flights can be quite expensive at his time. |
Caroline & Dave
http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-236.aspx
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mfairhurst
 United Kingdom
3167 Posts
Joined: 07 May 2005
Status: offline | Posted - 16 Feb 2009 : 20:22:42
| You can save a lot of money in restaurants as a lot do kids eat free ,especially the buffet ones .
There is places like Pleasure island that is free to go and walk round and there are lots of things to see about disney .
Tell here if she has been before it is not all about how much money you can spend but the children will enjoy it and also the sunshine and once they have been they will want to go back again and again as we all do .
Make a list of what you can afford and work it out from there .
As said before lots of owners do any day as flight companys are not just weekend and cheaper midweek .
Hope fun
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx
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Susan J
United Kingdom
1417 Posts
Joined: 13 May 2003
Status: offline | Posted - 16 Feb 2009 : 23:55:17
| | To be honest, if it is too much of a budget, I would save for another year -the last thing you want to do is not be able to see and do everything- you would be like a child looking through a sweet shop window.Its not an easy place to do for the first time on a budget. Yes, the Villas are good value, but better value sharing with another family. Yes Food and stuff is cheaper, but still costs. etc |
Susan J
http://www.villasflorida.com/Villas/113.aspx |
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Katys Grandad
United Kingdom
2233 Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 17 Feb 2009 : 12:52:01
| quote:
Originally posted by Susan J
To be honest, if it is too much of a budget, I would save for another year -the last thing you want to do is not be able to see and do everything- you would be like a child looking through a sweet shop window.Its not an easy place to do for the first time on a budget.
That makes a lot of sense. A Florida holiday has never been a cheap item and the fact is that to get the most out of it you really have to spend a fair amount of money.
Almost all my trips these days are just my wife and me and we can save money because, like a lot of regular visitors, we've 'done' the major attractions and recreations to death and are looking for a different holiday. As your sister will have 3 young children with her (and this is a holiday? ) that isn't going to be so easy.
Personally, I'd hang on a while until she is sure she can get what she wants out of the trip and make it worthwhile.
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Edited by - Katys Grandad on 17 Feb 2009 12:54:45 |
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steph_goodrum
 United Kingdom
8259 Posts
Joined: 12 Feb 2002
Status: offline | Posted - 17 Feb 2009 : 13:48:16
| Whilst i would agree that saving for a while would be my preferred option. I personally would not want to take 3 young children and show them all there is to offer but have to keep saying "no I can't afford it, to everything"
It also depends on where she is starting from as to how many other things need to be accounted for, for example, do the children all have passports that will cover them, and also travel insurance. It may be cheaper to buy an annual one rather than single trip etc.
The other advantages to going later could be more beneficial to her. You mentioned you couldnt go now having had an expensive trip but if she were to put it off till either May or Oct next year, would you then be in a position (and want) to go with her? This not only cuts down the cost if you are sharing accommodation, etc (you could have separate cars so you dont have to do everything together, but also gives her some adult company as well. I know from experience that single parent holidays can be lonely for the adult.
It would also enable her to encourage the children to save as well so that when they do go, they can have their own money and it is easier then to say "when it's gone, it's gone" and not feel guilty if you can't buy them any more.
If that is out of the question and she really does want to go this October (I assumed that was when you meant) then there are some things that can save money.
Here goes:
The older 2 will obviously be in school so, to minimise the number of days they have out, if you look at flights that start on the beginning of the halfterm week, she may find that they can drop by as much as a couple of hundred pounds per person compared to in the couple of weeks leading up to the holiday. Flying on Mon-Thurs can save as much as £120-£160 as most airlines have a weekend supplement of £15-£20 per person each way. (That would pay for one Park ticket)
She could save a fair amount by going for 10/11 days instead of 14. The saving on accommodation and car hire would pay for another ticket.
Taking her own car seats for the 2 younger children would save another $150 or more, and be safer than hiring from car hire company. Thats a lot towards another ticket.
If your sister looks for a villa that has some things for the children (or on the community) then 2 or 3 days enjoying those means they can all get a break from the walking (the little ones will most likely find it tiring)and have a few cheap days at home, saving on meals out etc. Often you find that even if you are in an hotel then the children will still know where the games machines, sweet shop etc and pester power comes into play. If it's not there in front of them you usually find they are so happy with the pool, basketeball etc that they aren't asking for rmoney.
Just making sure you have breakfast saves as it's surprising how the $3 a person mounts up when multiplied by 4 and taken out of 1 budget.
Don't overdo the park tickets, I would say a 5 day Disney hopper would be enough (especially if she did go for 10 days). Perhaps splash on tickets for Mickeys not so scary halloween party and have the fun with the children dressing up and collecting candy (as it's quiter because the number of tickets are restricted then they can do the Magic Kindgom rides then so almost have 6 days.
Personally I would also add Sea World to the must do for the children of that age. It is always so interesting for them to see some of the animals they will not see anywhere else
and it's also a fantastic subtle learning experience for them.
There are many things to do which don't cost the earth as well, a trip to the beach etc. or one of the State Parks gives them chance to have a lot of fun without breaking the bank.
It is possible, although it will never be a cheap holiday, it is certainly one that is worth paying the extra for.
There is a section on things to do on the guides which will have plenty of other tips. Also get her to check out the tips for parents travelling with small children, which may not save her money but add to her enjoyment.
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Babblin Boo
http://www.orlandovillas.com/villas/92.aspx
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alicemay
United Kingdom
6 Posts
Joined: 03 Feb 2009
Status: offline | Posted - 17 Feb 2009 : 23:27:10
| | Hi all thanks for all your replys it was more the price of the flights she is concerned with but she is willing to go midweek she is going to get a villa from this site |
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lafifille
France
343 Posts
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
Status: offline | Posted - 18 Feb 2009 : 11:27:49
| She should check on prices to Tampa instead of Orlando, it's often cheaper, and only about one hour drive or so. When I check for us it was £100 cheaper par person, big money when there's 4 of you... Of course it all depends on the date, but it's worth looking.
We've rented our villa for 10 days, I don't think the day you start the rental matters, but from what I understood there's a 7 days limit under which you get charged extra for cleaning. Besides that, from the potential customer's side, I had the feeling that as long as the dates are free no owner thought it was an issue if we got there on a wednesday or a saturday.
I agree that Seaworld is great with children, and I think you get a second day free, which is nice (they already did that 15 years ago when I first went).
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Nielsen
United Kingdom
434 Posts
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Status: offline | Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 20:40:18
| Definitely go mid week and avoid the school holidays for cheaper flights. Use the comparison web sites and as lafilille says try and expand the choice of airports like tampa etc. Are there any airports other than the usual 3 (MCO, TPA or SFB) that your sister could fly into?
TOM |
http://www.villasflorida.com/florida-vacation-rental-1231.aspx |
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LL
United Kingdom
1314 Posts
Joined: 28 Nov 2003
Status: offline | Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 09:21:20
| Flight prices change on a daily basis so I would suggest she sets a budget of how much she wants to spend on flights and then starts searching, every day if possible. Then if she finds flights for the price she wants to pay be ready to book. Different airlines have offers at different times.
Flying indirect can often be loads cheaper than taking a direct flight. We always fly indirect and chose to do this when our children were young so they could have a break from sitting still. When they get on the second flight they are usually tired and go to sleep. We far prefer to get through immigration and have a break and something to eat before getting to Orlando so that we can just get off the plane pick up the car and drive to the villa and go to sleep.
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Leslie
www.villasflorida.com/Villas/701.aspx |
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Katys Grandad
United Kingdom
2233 Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 09:45:13
| quote:
Originally posted by LL
Flight prices change on a daily basis so I would suggest she sets a budget of how much she wants to spend on flights and then starts searching, every day if possible. Then if she finds flights for the price she wants to pay be ready to book. Different airlines have offers at different times.
That true but it might be a little early to see offers for October yet. For example, American currently have a 4 day sale and flights Orlando are about £300 including tax but the dates don't run that far ahead.
If previous years are anything to go by, there will more sales throughout the year and I would expect to see sales covering October around late May/June. If you can hang on for a while I think you'll save a lot of money. |
Edited by - Katys Grandad on 23 Feb 2009 09:47:06 |
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lynn56
United Kingdom
85 Posts
Joined: 26 Nov 2008
Status: offline | Posted - 08 Jun 2009 : 09:19:59
| hi just booked for 3 weeks in oct this year best and cheapest flights seem to be with us airways
£1100 for 4 people used them last year to texas and they are a good airline stop over is in charlotte getting into tampa at 6/30 pm orlando is slightly different times but not that much we prefer to stay in gulf coast area and do theme parck by driving up to orlando only takes about 1 1/2 hours from springhill
which is 45 mins from tampa airport so close to beaches and gives u the option to relax on days at villa aslo villas not so close together as in orlando this is our 9 th trip to florida and we will be back next year as well |
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alfie
United Kingdom
112 Posts
Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 09 Jun 2009 : 14:38:04
| | we booked with virgin last year for this july paid £630 for each ticket flydrive. daughters boyfriend booked in march this year same flight got it for £430 thru virgin atlantic direct!! |
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best way to do Florida on a budget
