Help! I need more ammunition.

[Angua]

If you've read any of my other mails, you'll know that I'm in the process of trying to persuade some friends to join us in our trip to Orlando in March. The last stumbling block is simply the cost. How much would two adults and two kids have to spend to have a good time in Florida? The youngest will only be 14 months and the oldest is going to be 4.

Obviously the sky is the limit but what's the minimum that you would need, do you think?

We know the cost of the villa, flights and car-hire but having never travelled to Florida with kids, I've simply no idea as to spending money and I understand that it's an entirely different ball-game when there are children involved.

Thanks for your help.
Sarah.[8D]

[Carla]

Hi Sarah

First of all the baby will probably cost nothing at all. There are no entrance charges to any of the parks for under 3s.

For the 4 year old you will need to buy a child ticket to whichever parks you decide to go to. With little ones you are probably better off having a day at a park followed by a day relaxing by the pool and so on. So for a 14 day holiday you would only really be looking to visit parks for maybe 7 days. Decide where you want to go and then you can get prices for these parks. (This site lists ticket prices, so you can do your research there).

Eating out is minimal cost with little kids since they will either be offered a free meal by many places, or they can simply share what their parents have. The restaurants in America have no problem with you asking for an empty plate and sharing. The portions are generally so huge that it is unlikely that even an adult could eat it all.

If you prepare carefully and buy drinks etc. in a supermarket and take these with you to the Parks, then that will keep down the cost quite considerably. You have to give kids a drink quite frequently because they will dehydrate quickly. The first sign of this is a miserable, cranky child - give her a drink and she'll probably perk up.

If the parents have a double buggy then tell them to take that with them to Florida. There will be many occasions when all that walking will get too much for the 4 year old and she'll need to ride. You could hire one of the park buggies/strollers, but that will get expensive. Wal-Mart have strollers for around $15, so you could buy one and just use it for the holiday.

All in all, if you plan it right, then these children should end up costing very little. They get much more expensive the older they get!!

[ctgirlscout]

My biggest expense with my kids was the souvenirs. As soon as my youngest daughter walked through the gates at Disney (she was 6), she announced "I want some ears!", and I heard this throughout the day until I bought her a set of those Mickey ears. With four kids, we did spend a lot on souvenirs, and lunch and drinks in the middle of the day, but staying at a villa greatly cut down on the cost of eating dinner and breakfast out and, of course, on the hotel stay.

I don't know if you would be allowed to bring in your own drinks to the parks, but you can invest in the park's own water bottle and get it refilled at a discounted price whenever you need to.

[steph_goodrum]

To be perfectly honest Sarah, if you've got to keep finding ways to persuade your friends to go , I would say leave it and just you and your hubbie go and enjoy yourself. If they are not totally comitted to the holiday , you may well find they drop out at a later date and then if you've set your budget assuming they will be coming and share the cost of the villa etc. it will leave you with a dilemma if they drop out, we had an enquiry from someone in exactly that position the other day.

As far as the cost of the children goes as has been said there are ways to cut down on cost but it is still going to be a significant figure for 3 park tickets etc. and then there will be their share of the car hire, (if they do go tell them to take their own car seats for the children as under 6's must be in an appropriate seat and this way they can save on the cost (around $6 a day at least per child) and will know how to fit it and know it fits their child.

If they decide to go I'm sure they will have a wonderful time although they may well benefit from leaving it another year when the younger one will be 2 1/2 and will enjoy it more and give them more time to save.

[sammibabe]

I would have to agree with Steph that if you have to find ways to persuade them to go it probably isn't worth it. Holidaying with friends can be quite fraught anyway without the 'well we didn't really want to come anyway'. I bet if you ask there will be more people who have had problems holidaying with friends than not. All my mates who have done that have returned saying never again! If they do go buying a stroller in Walmart is a good idea but if they are tall check the height as we found the handle quite low. My husband picked up the car and went off and bought a car seat before returning to collect us. That worked well and we had a second car seat when we came home too which has been handy.

[Angua]

Thanks Gals, you're right of course.

The last time we stayed in a Villa it was with friends AND family. That was an experience, I can tell you!!! Hubbie and I disappeared down to Key West for the third week. Phew![B)]

It was probably unrealistic to organise in such a short space of time but we all thought it seemed like such a good idea. (ever the optimist, me!) They're a bit deflated but hopeful that we can organise it in the future.

Anyhow, we're still coming and it's worked out even better as we've decided to just spend a frantic week of fun in Orlando and then go and see our friends in North Carolina for a week of relaxation. WOO HOO!

While we're in Orlando, I'd really like to stay in a Villa. Having tried hotels and villas, I know which I prefer!! On researching the Villas, there didn't seem to be much price difference between a 3 bed or a some of the really plush 4 beds we've found. Is it worth my searching again?

Thanks
Sarah.

[Angua]

Oh yeah! and how do you get those extremely cool Avatar thingies?[8D]

[huckleberry house]

Hi Sarah

Your right there isnt a lot of difference in price between sizes.I have two bookings in my 5 bed villa that are each for two people.I expect by now you have had a good look at what is available villa wise but you dont need an excuse to have another drool! and as you can tell by my unique and exclusive avatar I dont know the answer to your last question,but hopefully if I watch this space I will soon

Cheers,Lesley

[steph_goodrum]

Hi Sarah
That sounds like it will work out great for you and hubbie at least. I hope you don't think we were being too negative but after all it's your holiday too and you want to get the most from it. At least deferring it means your friends can really enjoy it rather than feel they were coerced into it, make sure you get lots of photos and they'll be begging you to take them next time .

As you say there is not a lot of difference price wise between many of the different sizes - but I'm sure you'll agree they are all great value, it's jsut so difficult trying to choose one, but that's part of the fun of the holiday, the planning isn't it?
Hope you'll have a wonderful time whenever you go.

[Angua]

Hi.

I don't think you were being negative at all.... just realists and the advice was very helpful. I am a bit of a dreamer and need to be brought back down to earth occasionally (only occasionally, mind)

[xx(] I've now got to go through all those Villas that we shortlisted and look at them again with an entirely different set of values. No more kid-friendly, lots more adult - friendly!!

Oh it's so hard, trudging through all those lovely pictures and imagining us lounging in those pools. Ho Hum!

By the way, "BUMP".......

Can anyone help "Huckleberry House" and I with those marvellous Avatar whatsits?

Thanks
Sarah.