Florida- Disney World et al

teckno

Any info here would be very much appreciated. Looking to go to Florida in late August to start of December. Flights at the moment are quoting around €700 return. Does that sound like a fair price? or would it be better to wait.
Also, on passes for Disney World, Universal etc, where is the best place to purchase these. Should they be bought before travelling or when over there?

PCros

Buy them over there at the gates. If I were you I would go as late in the year as possible as the queues are mental for the parks. I've been to Florida four times and and twice to Universal and Disney and once to MGM.

€700 is the norm for August, I went last December and payed €500. Make sure to go with Continental, they fly through Newark and the connection flight will be in the same terminal, so much handier than JFK etc.

daveg

Last time we went was at halloween. Great time of year to go. Not too hot, quieter and the parks have halloween nights (www.halloweenhorrornights.com).

We paid about E500 for flights with Virgin (Dub - Lon - Orlando).

We have been over in September, January, April and November. We thought Nov was the best time to go.

Buy tickets at the gate or on-line direct with Disney etc.

Hard Larry

I was there last July. I stayed in a hotel called 'The Grosvenor' right beside Downtown Disney Market Place. The flights sound okay for that time of year, I booked mine through Lastminute.com (got the hotel there too).

Didn't rent a car as there are buses all over the place to all the parks (Although we got a lift to Universal for the Day)

I was with my GF and NO kids so we done a park one day (thats the 4 main Disney parks Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Magic Kingdom ((the best tbh) and MGM Studios)) and rested the next. We did Universal in 1 day.

We got a Disney 5 Park Pass which gives one visit to each Disney Park and the 5th is the park you liked the most (we went back to Magic Kingdom at night) we bought the Pass at the Hotel reception desk.

Universal was great fun but I much preferred the Disney Parks ( I flet dirty in Universal, they just want your cash...couldn't care less about you...unlike Disney who always had a smile on their face....except for the Disney Nazis armed with what look like Lightsabers who enforce the rules...all octogenarians too)

A day trip or two to the Factory Outlets is a MUST!! great deals on anything you think of. Great place for Clothes and Toys (you can buy the Disney toys cheaper in the Factory Outlets than in the parks...and if you want to buy people presents of T-Shirts etc. go to Wal-Mart the t-shirts cost little or nothing there)

Bad Points for me were:

Weather (first thing you need is a plastic poncho...bring it everywhere)

Queues (Plan what rides/shows you want to do...always get the Fast-Pass for the MAJOR attractions Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain(DO THIS AT NIGHT its twice the fun!) Splash Mountin etc.)

Disney Nazis..Don't argue with these people...shoot them!

Good Points;

The Grub!
The 3D shows (do them all!)
The rides....(except Mission Space...such a let down)
The Factory Outlets!

PS: Virgin is the only Airline I'd fly to the States

PPS Check Google Earth for a layout of the state it marks all the parks etc.

PPPS Ooh...Ooh..I forgot! Be nice to the staff (ie groundskeepers, waiters/waitresses and shop staff...if they here you're Irish you never know what freebie you might get from them...use the gift of the gab if ya know what I mean...got free fast passes off some line attendant guys and free dessert off our waitress!