Dawning realisation we just can't afford it! - Oh wait we can just!!!!!!!!!

[Disneynutinlondon]

oh good lord....after saying we weren't going back for a while I now need a new ticker!!!
Just used airmiles and booked from November 18th for 15 nights!
Going out direct with VA Premium Econ but coming back VA Econ and cost us a total in taxes of £715-ish so £357 return each..result.

We really really didn't think we could do it this year for various reasons but after playing about with the airmiles and miles plus money etc on VA we just could resist..this is it for a long time though

WOW lucky you ... how fantastic .....enjoy

 

[Disbabe]

I can understand everyone's point of view. For me there are 5 of us - "kids" are 19,17 and 14 - so five adults. We didn't go last year, so has been 2 years since our last holiday and have saved hard to be able to go. It has been helped by the fact we got a decent payout from refunded PPI so have treated ourselves to our first and probably only visit to Discovery Cove and 1 week staying onsite at the Beach Club with Free DDP.

This will also be the last time I will have to pay for us all. DD will be off to university in September and she's thinking of moving all the way down to Kingston on Thames so have told her that we will have to forego paying for her holiday to support her through uni with food & mobile contract.

This will probably mean that our holidays will become cheaper. As awful as this might sound - I am looking forward to the day when its only me and hubbie.

 

[london75]

Well, I'm just full of rubbish aren't I! After the disappointment of package Egypt in April, we (and in particular, I) couldn't face not going this year.

I just found a deal on Orbitz.com with pretty good indirect flights to Tampa in August for £500 ish per person. 19th August to 2nd September. All booked so safe to post now, there's loads available across the end of August so hope this helps someone.

Already got 7 day tickets which I can extend to 10 day. Just need Universal now as really have to go for youngest daughter's sake.

 

[wayneg]

19th August to 2nd September. All booked so safe to post now,

Just miss you, we leave the 18th.

 

[london75]

Just miss you, we leave the 18th.

That's a shame, we walked passed you once in MK but as you were coming out of toilets (or waiting for someone actually) and we were going in it just felt wrong to start chatting.

It's really exciting seeing people you feel you know over 3000 miles from home!

I can't believe we're going back this year, it was so close. Just waiting to see if there is anything special in the US Free Dining offers if they come out, otherwise its a nice but budget hotel for us so will be reviewing your threads for advice! Who is best for cars at the moment? Usrentacars is 279 for an intermediate SUV (prefer the driving position) which seems pretty good.

 

[wayneg]

That's a shame, we walked passed you once in MK but as you were coming out of toilets (or waiting for someone actually) and we were going in it just felt wrong to start chatting.

It's really exciting seeing people you feel you know over 3000 miles from home!

I can't believe we're going back this year, it was so close. Just waiting to see if there is anything special in the US Free Dining offers if they come out, otherwise its a nice but budget hotel for us so will be reviewing your threads for advice! Who is best for cars at the moment? Usrentacars is 279 for an intermediate SUV (prefer the driving position) which seems pretty good.

LOL, you could have said hello.

The USrenatcar offer you have seen looks to be with Dollar. They also have same car with Thrifty at £266. They are same company, same pool of cars. I find USrentacar quite expensive in recent years, its about 2 years since I used them now.

Cheapest way is usually thru this link with Holiday Autos/Alamo cars http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/othe...e/734198-holidayautos-discount-worldwide.html

Link gives 15% off
Code gives £20 off NORTHAMERICA20
Quidco gives 12% cashback (£30.34) Topcashback pays 13.13% but I don't have much luck getting money out of them.

Final cost £222.51

 

[dixonsontour]

Great news.

We have flights only booked for October.

If US disney release free dining for our dates then we'll go for that if not we are offsite.

Not sure where you are looking at but we stayed at bahama bay last May and is was very nice for the price. A 2 bed apt was coming in about £600 for our dates with expedia for 2 weeks.

 

[Minniesgal]

I know what you all mean and sympathize but personally those years I can't afford to go I'd rather not go anywhere and save the money towards my next trip. I just don't get excited over Europe holidays the way I do Orlando

 

[london75]

I know what you all mean and sympathize but personally those years I can't afford to go I'd rather not go anywhere and save the money towards my next trip. I just don't get excited over Europe holidays the way I do Orlando

The original ocnversation was a while ago but I know what you mean but If I don't go away I just end up working 7 days a week and increasingly feel the need to do so. I can't take time off and stay home as someone will contact me and I'll feel compelled to work. I work on holiday too but actually enjoy using the laptop with my feet in the pool!

Luckily it's been a good couple of months and I think we can get this fortnight in for 3k in total so good times. DW is 40 in February so will probably have a cheeky weekend then and Orlando properly (ie hopefully OKW again as it was ace) next August with a cruise.

 

[tinkerpea]

Just read through the whole thread ( couldn't sleep as usual!!)
I'm so gutted by how much everything has gone up in the last yr or so! And might also have to come to the realisation that we either change the way we holiday at Disney or don't go!

I have been taking my boys since 2006 when we did our 1st onsite hotel, it was pop century for 2 wks with myself now DH my mum and our 3 boys aged 1,1,3 at the time we had 2 rooms went with TCD on the worst flight ever which was excel ( awful) no dining plan but it only cost us £2600!! No spending money

We then went in 2008 did the same hotel but upgraded flight with first choice to PE both ways and got married at the wedding pavilion paid for DDP as the food the last trip was soooo much money!
That trip with the wedding plus 2 rooms again cost us around £10,000 no spending money

2010 we did 3 wks at AKL free DDP 2 rooms again as we always take my mum "I figured she took me nearly every yr for 18 years so I best pay her back !!" Went with FC again but flew economy and it cost us with tickets to I ly Disney 21ultimate £11,300 no spending money!

That last trip really spoilt us lol but luckily the boys loved pop just as much and would be happy to go back,

This last trip we did in October thanks to Wayne for loads of advice on the SSR deal only cost us for a 2 bed at SSR with tickets and free DDP £4800 for 16 nights!! No flights but they was not bad at all it was 6 people with virgin for £2700! We was pretty pleased we the added 2 nights AOA and 5 nights at springhill seaworld to do universal.
Total was around £8500 for all 6 of us and was soooo amazing!!

I've just looked up what the 3 wks at SSR will be for the same room/tickets/ DDP etc and they want £9300 odd that's without flights!!!!!!!!

I'm so gutted, I hate the fact that prices have risen so far that they could have out priced us, since I've gone as a child and so have my kids we do not like beach holidays( I get bored) we tried a caravan trip last yr with family to warmwell and let's just at DH who had never been to Disney before we went in2006 and who never wanted to go " I had to beg and plead & blackmail him" lmao said the only holiday we would be doing is either Disney or all inclusive to somwhere like the Caribbean, even then he would prefer Disney lol.

I really hope they come out with the discounts for SSR this yr, other wise it looks like its all of us in 1 room at POR if we don't take my mum if we do then god knows! As the boys just love onsite & so do we! I think we would rather save another year for the trip we know we will all enjoy rather then doing Disney cheaply and regretting the choice!
I even asked my boys if they would be done with character meals for next years trip as they will be 9,9,11 and they all nearly burst into tears, so that means we will def need the DDP so we can afford to do all the places they love.

 

[london75]

I really hope they come out with the discounts for SSR this yr, other wise it looks like its all of us in 1 room at POR if we don't take my mum if we do then god knows! As the boys just love onsite & so do we! I think we would rather save another year for the trip we know we will all enjoy rather then doing Disney cheaply and regretting the choice!
I even asked my boys if they would be done with character meals for next years trip as they will be 9,9,11 and they all nearly burst into tears, so that means we will def need the DDP so we can afford to do all the places they love.

Have you added up what one of the values costs combined with paying for specific meals out of pocket?

Most of the values are on Priceline for around $100 per night and when we went on DDP last year there is no denying we ate far more than we usually would so if I scale it back to a sit down meal at between $100-$150 every other day instead = £1500, there is the rest of the food as well but on big meal days we'd only probably have a snack if it weren't "free" and so probably $60 per day on the off days so another £280.

We do want to be onsite and that's me being selfish as I love my quiet time late at night with my eldest daughter as we're both nocturnal as opposed to my youngest and DW. MK is open until 1am on the Sunday after we arrive so that will be our night. I know it seems extreme to pay more just for that but there are other reasons like the buses etc.

We were in the pattern of ever increasing luxuries and our costs were spiralling, cruises, bigger and bigger cars, bigger and bigger villas or hotels etc. This feels like a nice way to get a break without spending too much. We are lucky to have 7 day tickets from last year though as I realise that's another £1000 saved.

 

[Laurafoster]

We were in the pattern of ever increasing luxuries and our costs were spiralling, cruises, bigger and bigger cars, bigger and bigger villas or hotels etc. .

Us too! We have 'upgraded' flights, cars, transfers etc on various different trips and these things seem to have now become the norm for us instead of a luxury treat. My DD starts school in Sept 2014 so our trip next year will be our last all out trip before cutting back as we will have to go in holiday dates.

It's only now that I'm truly appreciating what value my DVC has to me. Our accommodation costs are now around $1100 for 3 weeks so as long as we can get reasonable flights we'll still be able to go.

 

[london75]

Us too! We have 'upgraded' flights, cars, transfers etc on various different trips and these things seem to have now become the norm for us instead of a luxury treat. My DD starts school in Sept 2014 so our trip next year will be our last all out trip before cutting back as we will have to go in holiday dates.

It's only now that I'm truly appreciating what value my DVC has to me. Our accommodation costs are now around $1100 for 3 weeks so as long as we can get reasonable flights we'll still be able to go.

I've been thinking more and more that a DVC resale might be the way to go for us too. We really enjoyed onsite last year as it was the first time ever for us as we were villa people prior to that. The plan was to try and buy a villa as part of a longer term pension plan but it's got me considering some DVC instead, not so much as an investment but to keep the holidays feasible.

 

[tinkerpea]

I've been thinking more and more that a DVC resale might be the way to go for us too. We really enjoyed onsite last year as it was the first time ever for us as we were villa people prior to that. The plan was to try and buy a villa as part of a longer term pension plan but it's got me considering some DVC instead, not so much as an investment but to keep the holidays feasible.

This is us too!
DH & myself keep saying that if we are going to keep going on 8/10 thousand £ holidays to Disney then Dvc either resale or direct would be a much better choice!!
We have our house up for sale right now and are hoping to make £50,000 on it I also should be having a health insurance payout " been waiting over a yr now" but I know I meet all the T&Cs they are just trying every angle to get out of it like they do lol, so of either the house sells OR the insurance payout comes through that's what we are going to do, we are always going to want to go to Disney so is like to guarantee our time there. And since DH is forces for at least the next 9 years we won't need to think about having a house etc an he will get his 22yr pension when he comes out!


As for going value we don't have an issue with AOA/POP but if I take my mum we will still need 2 rooms, plus I just don't think the way we eat are meals OOP would work for us, we normally do at least 5 character meals and then there are the other 6/7 most have TS places our family love and DH does like dessert with every meal as that's how we eat at home lol, planning the TS meals for me is a huge part of the holiday, I suppose you could say its the part that is like most people's pre upgrade it makes or breaks the holiday for me

I will try and look at what we would eat at a TS lace and see if it could come out cheaper though it will be interesting to crunch numbers!

 

[aneka]

My Brother has properties in Turkey I can use but not sure I will enjoy it there.

whent to turkey two years ago after so many saying how beautiful and cheap it was

dirty expensive hole never again

rubbish every were, you cant walk down the street with out rude people hassling you, people flogging knock off gear more expensive than buying genuine stuff at home.

food terrible we called it red mystery meat

lots of brits in hotel doing stupid games and drinking

like wots the point going to sit in the hotel being drunkerds

ive come to the conclusion its best to save that bit longer and make thoose small sacrifices and go on a good holiday instead of paying for a cheeper holiday and having an awful time, its a faulse economy

 

[Laurafoster]

We had a great holiday in Turkey a few years ago.

Admittedly we stayed in a 5star resort that was quite far away from the main towns though. It was peaceful and very beautiful and we did really enjoy our week there. But it wasn't cheap, (although still far cheaper than Spain etc) and I certainly couldn't do it for more than a week. We only went as we only had a weeks break.

 

[Tony Toon]

LOL, you could have said hello.

The USrenatcar offer you have seen looks to be with Dollar. They also have same car with Thrifty at £266. They are same company, same pool of cars. I find USrentacar quite expensive in recent years, its about 2 years since I used them now.

Cheapest way is usually thru this link with Holiday Autos/Alamo cars http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/othe...e/734198-holidayautos-discount-worldwide.html

Link gives 15% off
Code gives £20 off NORTHAMERICA20
Quidco gives 12% cashback (£30.34) Topcashback pays 13.13% but I don't have much luck getting money out of them.

Final cost £222.51

Booked last night for our trip from 4th July - 1st August using the Flyertalk link above and a code i got in an email from Holidayautos NORTHAMERICA30 which gave me £30 off. 4 weeks, 2 dr Compact (only Tony Toon and I) £424.58. Cashback has tracked at £50.95. Paid with my Amex (prefer the added security of a cc for the little extra) which gives 1% cashback of £4.25. Total of £369.38.

Thanks Wayne

Mrs TT

 

[2Tiggies]

ive come to the conclusion its best to save that bit longer and make thoose small sacrifices and go on a good holiday instead of paying for a cheeper holiday and having an awful time, its a faulse economy

You make such a good point in that statement!

 

[wayneg]

Booked last night for our trip from 4th July - 1st August using the Flyertalk link above and a code i got in an email from Holidayautos NORTHAMERICA30 which gave me £30 off. 4 weeks, 2 dr Compact (only Tony Toon and I) £424.58. Cashback has tracked at £50.95. Paid with my Amex (prefer the added security of a cc for the little extra) which gives 1% cashback of £4.25. Total of £369.38.

Thanks Wayne

Mrs TT

Sounds a good price, I was told about the £30 code a few days ago, still not bringing mine down enough for August. I need to put some effort into sorting it out.

 

[fairytale]

whent to turkey two years ago after so many saying how beautiful and cheap it was

dirty expensive hole never again

rubbish every were, you cant walk down the street with out rude people hassling you, people flogging knock off gear more expensive than buying genuine stuff at home.

food terrible we called it red mystery meat

lots of brits in hotel doing stupid games and drinking

like wots the point going to sit in the hotel being drunkerds

ive come to the conclusion its best to save that bit longer and make thoose small sacrifices and go on a good holiday instead of paying for a cheeper holiday and having an awful time, its a faulse economy

You mirror my Dads comments when he went for the week some years ago.

I remember him saying that "if I ever did go make sure it was with someone I trusted as I could be easily swapped for a camel"

Hence, I think I'll stick to good old Florida

Annette x