Flights booked.. let the planning begin!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by duchy

I got a not quite as scary as I expected quote online from FDCH. I emailed Andy yesterday asking if he had better off line prices (this was West coast too) and he does. May be worth an email to him.

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I would always do my research, get a ballpark figure and then contact Andy. If he is within the ballpark, then his admirable customer service would in probability seal the deal!

[princessnicki]

Originally Posted by duchy

Can I suggest a different option , instead of via London , look at starting in Dublin . We are paying a whisker over a thousand for PE out and business back , the same dates routes from London were the same cost PE both ways . This is for May . I used American Airlines own website for searches as it show you the cost in all classes when you do a search so you can see what mixing classes will be unlike the BA site (although we are actually flying BA on the return on an AA codeshare as they partner)

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Thank you very much i will definitely look into that option, i never thought of Dublin

[princessnicki]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

That is a really difficult question. There are too many variables. I would be looking to avoid a LHR- Orlando flight as these always seem eye watering lot expensive. I would look to access Orlando on an internal flight, once in the States.

Las Vegas also seems expensive to arrive at or leave, compared with SFO, LAX and even San Diego.

I would possibly look at fulfilling your dreams in the first sentence and within the same vacation.
LHR- SFO.
drive through Monterey, PCH, LA, San Diego, possibly as in the California 2018 report linked from my signature.
San Diego- Las Vegas
Vegas- Orlando
Orlando- LHR.

That could comfortably be done in 4 weeks.

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Thank you for that, unfortunately we dont drive or that would be amazing but i think we would be open to ditching Vegas for San Fran or San Diego maybe if the price was right, we want to do both Disneys so were set on the LA and Orlando sections. I will look at internal flights in America as well

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by princessnicki

Thank you for that, unfortunately we dont drive or that would be amazing but i think we would be open to ditching Vegas for San Fran or San Diego maybe if the price was right, we want to do both Disneys so were set on the LA and Orlando sections. I will look at internal flights in America as well

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Worth remembering if flying into San Francisco on an internal, the Oakland Int is just across the bay Bridge.

Worth remembering if using internal flights that Bob Hope is nearest to Warner Bros and Universal.

Worth remembering if using internal flights that John Wayne is nearest to Anaheim/Disney.

For San Diego, stick with San Diego Int as it is very close indeed to the City Centre.

[duchy]

I actually found Vegas was cheaper than LA and Phoenix for my dates, check them all

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by duchy

I actually found Vegas was cheaper than LA and Phoenix for my dates, check them all

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Was that with BA? I was pretty much exclusively checking BA these past weeks as my date approached and they of course, release on 355 rather that 330.

For my preferred SFO and San Diego, if I went back to 300-330 days, BA were invariably equal of best value on those preferred routes, hence why I was happy to go in on 355 days as they released.

[ClaireNJ]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

Well, after 3 Covid cancellations of West Coast vacations, I have been rather patient, waiting for BA release of flights. I have realised the following..
1. Mon Tues Wed are generally best priced flights.
2. They never seem to get cheaper with BA than initial release price.
3. Getting up at 0100 and checking on release makes seemingly no difference.

So today was the day.. Into San Francisco on 17 October 2022 and home from San Diego on 01 November 2022.
They cost around £490 each and then a further £90 outbound only for the exit row seats, total £1189. We will take our chances coming home. I must add that we fly hand baggage only.

Whilst we were on a roll, we also purchased 2 nights at the Hotel Riu, San Francisco, just a couple of blocks from Fisherman’s and a positive bargain at £365 inc breakfast with EBookers. That has free cancellation.

This is our first vacation without the kids and needless to say, we are extremely excited at the prospect. With this in mind, we have the following, rather unusual itinary to book..
There is no LA and there are no theme parks at all. I simply don’t like the place with its endless traffic congestion.
I must also add that we have visited California before and that on that occasion the PCH was blocked for all practical reasons, creating a prearranged itinerary diversion between Monterey and San Simeon, going inland and missing out on Big Sur, Pfeiffer Burns, Bixby etc. This trip will right that wrong!


ITINERARY.

Whilst SFO, ‘The Love Tour’, some cycles from Dylan’s and that is it. We are only there for 2 nights. We have already seen Alcatraz, Union Sq, Sausalito etc. We will depart SFO via cable car and BART to SFO int and collect our hire car there before driving to Monterey for the night, maybe stopping at Santa Cruz..

Monterey, 2 nights there, aquarium and whale watch before driving the PCH to the Madonna Inn at San Luis Obispo as we leave. We may even get to see Killer Whales.

Madonna Inn, 1 night as a stopover before driving via Pismo Monarch Butterfly Grove to Santa Barbara and then flying to Vegas. I really like the Madonna Inn!

Vegas 2 nights before driving out via the Hoover Dam to the GC South Rim, Yavapai Lodge.

Yavapai for Sunrset and Sunrise before driving via Winslow ( to hopefully see ‘A girl my Lord in a flat bed Ford’ ), en route to Tucson.

Tucson 3 nights, to take in Pima Museum, Davis Monthan boneyard and then Tombstone where we will Horse Ride to some Silver Mines.. and see a Gunfight! We then fly Tucson to San Diego.

San Diego is 3 nights to take in Coronado Beach, USS Midway, Kansas City Grill, Balboa Park and generally relax.

Fly home.

Lots of stuff to research and to do.. but we have a pretty set plan, having now been cancelled 3 times. Now onto Hotels!

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Sounds wonderful CF 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
So happy that you’re all booked again
Enjoy the planning & your countdown

[anji]

So happy to read this, that you've booked again and all systems are go! Have a ball planning this amazing trip and I'm looking forward to reading the updates 😀

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by anji

So happy to read this, that you've booked again and all systems are go! Have a ball planning this amazing trip and I'm looking forward to reading the updates 😀

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That is very kind of you. Hoping that all of us finally get what we want in the coming year or so.

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by ClaireNJ

Sounds wonderful CF 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
So happy that you’re all booked again
Enjoy the planning & your countdown

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Fingers crossed for all of us!