The Dis Goes to Italy 5/24 - 6/1/2012 Viva Italia!!!!

[mattincanberra]

We are flying Delta.

Our outbound flight is Orlando / Atlanta / Rome.

Coming home there are two stops...Venice / Charles De Gaulle (to be so close to Paris and not be able to stop) / Atlanta / Orlando.

I am flying American from Boston to JFK and then British Airways JFK-London-Rome, then Venice-London-Singapore-Melbourne-Canberra (Stopping for a couple of nights in London - with the possibility of a sneaky side trip to Paris).

 

[DisneyKevin]

I am flying American from Boston to JFK and then British Airways JFK-London-Rome, then Venice-London-Singapore-Melbourne-Canberra (Stopping for a couple of nights in London - with the possibility of a sneaky side trip to Paris).

I'm pretty sure that you aren't allowed to go to Paris without the rest of us.

 

[mattincanberra]

I'm pretty sure that you aren't allowed to go to Paris without the rest of us.

But i need to taste test the 2012 eclair...

 

[apurplebrat]

I am flying American from Boston to JFK and then British Airways JFK-London-Rome, then Venice-London-Singapore-Melbourne-Canberra (Stopping for a couple of nights in London - with the possibility of a sneaky side trip to Paris).

Maybe we'll see ya in Boston

 

[DisneyKevin]

Folks,

It has been pointed out to me (Thanks John!!!!) that the actual dates of the trip are 5/24 - 6/1 and not 6/3 as I had in the heading of this thread.

Kevin

 

[apurplebrat]

Is anybody planning and pre or post night stays?

 

[DisneyKevin]

But i need to taste test the 2012 eclair...

I think I could plan an entire trip around a trip to Fauchon.

The 2012 Eclair......

 

[DisneyKevin]

Is anybody planning and pre or post night stays?

We are planning one pre-night and two post nights fot the May trip.



For Christmas, we are not planning any pre or post nights.

Also, for the Christmas trip, ABD does not go to the resort in Tuscany.

Those three nights will be at the Bernini Palace in Florence.

 

[JWren1234]

Has anyone even thought about booking air yet? I looked at the time I signed up for the trip and then again yesterday. The price has went down a few hundred dollars. Part of me wants to jump on it but am hopeful it may come down more. For London / Paris, I booked extremely early. It worked out well b/c the price only went up from there. What are you guys thinking?

I have been pricing airfare and what I am finding seems high right now.

John and I have decided to go to Italy for Christmas and I found first class air for $2500.00 each.

Coach was about $1400 each....but we buy 3 seats in coach. Our choice was 5K or $4200. With first class, you have much higher baggage allowances and no additional fees. It was an easy choice.

It's really a gamble as to when you buy. I know some airlines will give you credit toward your next flight if the price goes down. You might want to look at that as well.

I've been monitoring airfare out of the NYC/Newark airports for a couple of weeks ago and it seems a bit high for me as well, I'll probably wait awhile before purchasing.

I think I will be flying Alitalia on the way there...they have a non-stop from Newark-Rome and then flying Delta on the way home on a non-stop from Venice-JFK.

Jason

 

[JWren1234]

Is anybody planning and pre or post night stays?

Probably no pre or post nights for me. Are you planning any?

Jason

 

[Chropistopy]

Is anybody planning and pre or post night stays?

At this point, I'm planning on one pre night. I can't do a repeat of London. I was so exhausted that first night having just gotten in that day. Kevin-I'll be contacting you soon.

I've been having trouble finding non-stop flights on the way home. It seems as though I may be laying over at CDG. How long do you think a lay over should be to safely make the second flight?

 

[tardis1029]

Folks,

It has been pointed out to me (Thanks John!!!!) that the actual dates of the trip are 5/24 - 6/1 and not 6/3 as I had in the heading of this thread.

Kevin

 

[apurplebrat]

Probably no pre or post nights for me. Are you planning any?

Jason

We are looking at doing 2 pre and 1 post night. We found the pre nights were needed in London.
Airfare seems high from Boston too right now, There are direct flights from Boston to Rome but no direct flights home from Venice.

 

[JWren1234]

We are looking at doing 2 pre and 1 post night. We found the pre nights were needed in London.
Airfare seems high from Boston too right now, There are direct flights from Boston to Rome but no direct flights home from Venice.

I'm hoping the airfare goes down, I'm thinking maybe 4-5 months out...hopefully the airlines start announcing some specials. I have my fingers crossed! I've been trying my flight itinerary on various dates this fall/winter and I've found rates between $1,000 - $1,200 R/T, as opposed to $1,700 R/T at the end of May.

There seem to be very few direct flights from Venice back to the US, the only direct flight I can find to New York/Newark is the Delta flight that goes to JFK.

Jason

 

[DisneyKevin]

I've been having trouble finding non-stop flights on the way home. It seems as though I may be laying over at CDG. How long do you think a lay over should be to safely make the second flight?

In December, we have a 2 hour and 10 minute layover at CDG.

I don't believe you have to go through customs unless you are leaving the airport, so I'm hoping that will be plenty of time.

 

[BriarRosie]

I'm pretty sure that you aren't allowed to go to Paris without the rest of us.

I second that thought.
We need more time in Paris. I know I really do! I have Fauchon envy.

 

[corky441]

I've been having trouble finding non-stop flights on the way home. It seems as though I may be laying over at CDG. How long do you think a lay over should be to safely make the second flight?

In December, we have a 2 hour and 10 minute layover at CDG.

I don't believe you have to go through customs unless you are leaving the airport, so I'm hoping that will be plenty of time.

When we did the trip last month, we flew Air France and had our connections in CDG for our flights into Rome and out of Venice.
In both instances you had to go from one terminal to another. 2E to 2F if memory serves.
In order to do this, you take a shuttle bus.
You also walk down and around and up and down and around again in the process.
Also, you WILL have to go through passport control and a security check point.

I wouldn't want to have any less time than 2 hours between flights.
A slight delay in your arriving flight could become very stressful

Oh, BTW on our flight into CDG from NY, they didn't have a gate available and we disembarked via a stairway and then had to take a shuttle bus to the main shuttle bus... They have a lot of those stair thingings all over the place, so my assumption is that this is a common occurrence

Also, just an FYI... The Venice airport is crazy crowded when you first get there. The check in counters don't open until 2 hours before scheduled flights, this is for all airlines. While tourist travel has increased, the area at the check in counter and security has not. It is truly "cattle call" time.
Once you get through security the airport itself is beautiful at the gate areas.
ABD will have your water taxi scheduled to pick you up approx. 3 hours before your flight !!!
Trust me .... You'll need it

 

[stenogoddess]

We are also doing one pre night in Rome. I wish we had had an extra day to get used to the time change when we did Knights and Lights, so we're going for it. I wish it could be more!

Marilee: You are a GEM for that info! Thanks so much!

 

[Chropistopy]

When we did the trip last month, we flew Air France and had our connections in CDG for our flights into Rome and out of Venice.
In both instances you had to go from one terminal to another. 2E to 2F if memory serves.
In order to do this, you take a shuttle bus.
You also walk down and around and up and down and around again in the process.
Also, you WILL have to go through passport control and a security check point.

I wouldn't want to have any less time than 2 hours between flights.
A slight delay in your arriving flight could become very stressful

Oh, BTW on our flight into CDG from NY, they didn't have a gate available and we disembarked via a stairway and then had to take a shuttle bus to the main shuttle bus... They have a lot of those stair thingings all over the place, so my assumption is that this is a common occurrence

Also, just an FYI... The Venice airport is crazy crowded when you first get there. The check in counters don't open until 2 hours before scheduled flights, this is for all airlines. While tourist travel has increased, the area at the check in counter and security has not. It is truly "cattle call" time.
Once you get through security the airport itself is beautiful at the gate areas.
ABD will have your water taxi scheduled to pick you up approx. 3 hours before your flight !!!
Trust me .... You'll need it

Great info! I will definitely be looking for a minimum of 2 hours for a layover. My last experience at CDG was very stressful. I want to avoid a repeat of that visit...although it had nothing to do with layovers.

 

[jcb]

For those missing this weeks podcast(s), and especially this group (of which I soon hope to join), I suggest you head to http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-podcast/abd.htm and download the three available podcasts (there are also photos) about Kevin and John's first ABD trip to Italy.

I asked ("nagged") Kevin about these a little bit ago. I had re-listened to the October 10, 2006, Roundtable Podcast (which you can download in iTunes or which is directly available here) after Kevin announced the 2012 ABD Viva Italy trip. During the podcast, the team mentioned that "a more detailed account of their trip will be made available separately for those interested."

The recordings were originally posted on live365 but the links didn't work. Corey has been able to find the first three files (and I'm still hoping he finds the next 3).

In sending me the link, Kevin needlessly cautioned that that these are "5 years old and we were very, very new to the whole Podcast thing." I need not convince this group that Kevin is being far to self-critical. (Kevin forgets that his classic "sad little crab cake" review is even older. ) He also said that while there is a lot of talk about "WALKING 5 MILES" (his words), that this has been "cut down considerably by the addition of a motor coach in recent years."

These are not on iTunes. If you want to listen to them on your iPhone/Pod/Pad, you'll need to first download them (remembering where you saved them) and then transfer them to iTunes (click on "file" then "add file to library" and select the files you downloaded). They will not show up under "podcasts" but under "music" unless you change the "media kind" (under "get info" / "options") to "podcast.")