2014 anybody?

[zanzibar138]

The bookings continue. I was initially going to book LAX to BOS with my MEL-LAX tickets w/qantas, but you can't book a multi city ticket with a voucher. So that would have meant landing in LAX at 640 and flying out with AA at around 1230, getting in around 2045. A month ago I found Delta flies direct at 940. When I checked prices last night the flight was $300. I checked again tonight and its $180. Not sure if the website is just messing with my head, but that was a price I was happy to pay. Oh, and it gets in at 1809

Nice work

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

Great job on all the bookings everyone!

Your trips all sound amazing, looking forward to trip reports! .

I'm just holding off until next month to book our park tickets.

Has anyone been to Kennedy Centre and the Air & Space Smithsonian in DC? If so, which one would you recommend? Kennedy have stopped most of the tours they used to have access to and I'm wondering if it is still worth a look.

 

[kyton]

We have 45 days until our 4th visit to Aulani. The kids still don't know - we will wait until it gets closer to tell them. 6 nights at Aulani in a 2 bedroom before moving up to Trump Waikiki for another 6 nights in a 2 bedroom with den.

 

[gogo65]

We have 45 days until our 4th visit to Aulani. The kids still don't know - we will wait until it gets closer to tell them. 6 nights at Aulani in a 2 bedroom before moving up to Trump Waikiki for another 6 nights in a 2 bedroom with den.

Hi Kytoni think I know you from another forum! I think you have a Waikiki splash back in your kitchen!!
We leave in 46 days on our next adventure

 

[kyton]

Hi GoGo! Yep that's me LOL.

 

[Franrose]

Has anyone been to Kennedy Centre and the Air & Space Smithsonian in DC? If so, which one would you recommend? Kennedy have stopped most of the tours they used to have access to and I'm wondering if it is still worth a look.

We did KSC in December 2013, and the Air & Space in 2004. Honestly, I loved them both! We did a tour at the Smithsonian led by a woman who had worked there since the day it opened, she was a huge wealth of knowledge. I loved it, my favourite of the Smithsonians. But KSC was equally amazing - I loved seeing the Atlantis, kept having to pick my jaw up off the ground.

 

[Franrose]

PS Am on this thread because I'm totally thinking we're going to swing a 2014 trip. Just waiting for Disney to make me an offer I can't refuse

 

[wrestlingchick26]

PS Am on this thread because I'm totally thinking we're going to swing a 2014 trip. Just waiting for Disney to make me an offer I can't refuse

What kind of offer?

 

[Franrose]

Anything appealing! When I say "make me an offer", I really just mean start enticing their October visitors with their deals and discounts. I'm keen and waiting to be tempted, so a good room discount could do it, or free dining (oooh wouldn't that be good - although to be honest I don't think it would work for me because I have an annual pass)... or something. Looking at October so too early to bag any discounts yet. Usually I pour hours and hours (and hours) into planning but because we've just had a visit in December, it's all fresh in my mind and I am wanting to do it all a bit more 'fly by seat of pants'.

I know there are some ok flight deals out at the moment, but a big part of me just wants to wait and ride things out and see what else comes our way. (Whereas last visit, flights & accom were booked a good year in advance lol.) Flexibility is good, I keep telling myself

 

[Aust]

Only 1 more day and I'll be in DLP! Today is our last day in London and I've loved it, and we've been so busy that I haven't thought much about DLP since being here. But tomorrow morning we hop on the Eurostar direct to Disneyland. Just for one and a half days but we will make the most of it.

 

[heidispidi]

Aust I'm so excited for you 3 heading to DLP! Make the most of it and don't be comparing it with DLR all the time - enjoy it for what it is! I hope Ash has fun!! You could come home with a new outfit - ahem, for Charlotte, of course ;-)

 

[gogo65]

Only 1 more day and I'll be in DLP! Today is our last day in London and I've loved it, and we've been so busy that I haven't thought much about DLP since being here. But tomorrow morning we hop on the Eurostar direct to Disneyland. Just for one and a half days but we will make the most of it.

Have a fantastic time, we only spent one day at DLP, and we certainly made the most of it, I'm sure you will have a ball

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

We did KSC in December 2013, and the Air & Space in 2004. Honestly, I loved them both! We did a tour at the Smithsonian led by a woman who had worked there since the day it opened, she was a huge wealth of knowledge. I loved it, my favourite of the Smithsonians. But KSC was equally amazing - I loved seeing the Atlantis, kept having to pick my jaw up off the ground.

Thanks for this, that is awesome information. Sorry about the delay in replying, been away for work.. oh well, a crazy cat lady has to get her WDW cash somehow!

 

[heidispidi]

I really have to stop changing my mind! Just changed our booking from 5 nights at PPH std view and 2 nights DLH std view to all 7 nights at PPH premium view concierge. I figure with the AP discount it's not so bad, plus we'll save a lot on snacks and water and breakfasts etc. I also cancelled GCH for our last night, and will book an LA hotel instead - I'd love some suggestions for the one night - our bus from Vegas doesn't arrive until around 9:15pm, so it's really just somewhere to stay overnight, and to leave our bags while we have one last day of sightseeing before our evening flight. We'd like to visit the Walk of Fame, Madame Tussauds and Warner Bros studios for the VIP tour, if that helps to pinpoint a location at all?

I did our ETSA applications during the week, we are all approved Now just have a few more details to fix before next month. Only 35 days to go!!

 

[gogo65]

I know it is getting so close, can't believe we booked our flights one year out and now we are a month away
Still things to do, mainly booking transfers.
Having a bit of difficulty booking transfers in Orlando for my DD and her team.
I have had a few quotes but whenever I reply by email and ask a few questions I end up getting standard response. I don't want to book with mears as they only have 10 seater buses and they are so much more expensive.
I have had a quote from happy limo as recommended here, ace transfers, Orlando luxury transfers, they are all within $50 and spread across 20 people it is neither here nor there price wise, I just want someone to answer my questions
New passports for the kids done, esta's for the kids done, travel insurance done.
Unfortunately as we are all leaving on different days, I have had to get everyone separate policies, but after the discussion about travel insurance last week, I think I am going to go with my bank west card platinum insurance. They only require $600 of travel booked on the card. Unfortunately for DH even though we put majority on his Amex, we didn't book flights using it so use can't use the Amex travel insurance. Oh well still got a good deal for his insurance.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I know it is getting so close, can't believe we booked our flights one year out and now we are a month away
Still things to do, mainly booking transfers.
Having a bit of difficulty booking transfers in Orlando for my DD and her team.
I have had a few quotes but whenever I reply by email and ask a few questions I end up getting standard response. I don't want to book with mears as they only have 10 seater buses and they are so much more expensive.
I have had a quote from happy limo as recommended here, ace transfers, Orlando luxury transfers, they are all within $50 and spread across 20 people it is neither here nor there price wise, I just want someone to answer my questions
New passports for the kids done, esta's for the kids done, travel insurance done.
Unfortunately as we are all leaving on different days, I have had to get everyone separate policies, but after the discussion about travel insurance last week, I think I am going to go with my bank west card platinum insurance. They only require $600 of travel booked on the card. Unfortunately for DH even though we put majority on his Amex, we didn't book flights using it so use can't use the Amex travel insurance. Oh well still got a good deal for his insurance.

If you book with ouch travel through the Qantas website your whole family can go on 1 policy as long as your doing more than half the trip together and the kids are financially dependant on you I used them for this reason in 2012 and we had to claim and they paid the claim. You can find this in the FAQ I did email them to confirm it was correct as our son was flying 2 days after us.

CC travel insurance works as well

 

[heidispidi]

Quick question - I can save $960 on our PPH booking if I cance the premiumconcierge room we have with Disney and re-book just a premium room through Orbitz.

Does anybody think 7 nights of concierge for 4 people (2 adults, 11 and 15) is worth it?

 

[gogo65]

If you book with ouch travel through the Qantas website your whole family can go on 1 policy as long as your doing more than half the trip together and the kids are financially dependant on you I used them for this reason in 2012 and we had to claim and they paid the claim. You can find this in the FAQ I did email them to confirm it was correct as our son was flying 2 days after us.

CC travel insurance works as well

Thanks for the info wamum, unfortunately it still wouldn't work for us as. DS ia leaving 18 days before DH and DD, then when the kids come home DH and I continue onto Europe by ourselves for a month. It would have been good on our last trip although I had an annual policy anyway.
Something to keep in the brain vault

 

[gogo65]

Quick question - I can save $960 on our PPH booking if I cance the premiumconcierge room we have with Disney and re-book just a premium room through Orbitz.

Does anybody think 7 nights of concierge for 4 people (2 adults, 11 and 15) is worth it?

That's over $130/day, I suppose I would consider what you would normally eat for breakfast and then whether you would be at the hotel to make use of the evening food and drinks, for me, I wouldn't do it, not at Disney, I would be in the parks,but it really depends on your touring style, you have longer so you may spend more time at the hotel.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Quick question - I can save $960 on our PPH booking if I cance the premiumconcierge room we have with Disney and re-book just a premium room through Orbitz. Does anybody think 7 nights of concierge for 4 people (2 adults, 11 and 15) is worth it?

When DH and I are booking a hotel for a relaxing weekend getaway, I always look at club/concierge style rooms as I know we will have time to make the most of the amenities.
When I am booking for an active family trip, rooms like this are rarely top of my priority. I worry that they would change the way I travel for the worst. I would feel compelled to use the facilities to get my money's worth, when in reality I would probably much prefer to still be in the parks during evening canopies, or trialling a range of nearby restaurants for breakfast.

If the difference in cost was minor, it's not that bad, but at $130 p/d I would seriously be considering a downgrade. The money you could save on some days by having a cheap counter service or bakery style breakfast, you could put towards plenty of snacks as well as some special (e.g. Character) breakfasts on other days.