Best time to book a trip?

clairenutter · 3 Sep 21, 12:22 PM

Hi,

I am planning a trip for November 2023. I just wondered when is the best time to book was? I know for example Virgin holidays let you book far in advance but not sure of any other agents? Or is it best to wait to the 11 months from my return date as then I can check with various agents?

Any tips would be very much appreciated.

Claire xx

**youre-nicked** · 3 Sep 21, 12:56 PM

I'm one of the book early types, I booked my villa 2 years before our trip and then when the Virgin fly drives came available a few months ago I booked that.

At the time the fly drive prices were in my opinion low (4K for 5 of us including car upgrade to 7 seater and insurance) although it is going to Miami, had they been expensive I would have waited.

I like knowing its booked so can relax a bit, if you get a price in mind then keep checking to see if its close to your expectations, if it is then Id book it.

Good luck

**cornishfrogboy** · 3 Sep 21, 01:22 PM

It depends what type of vacation you seek.

You are looking to November, a quieter time.

If I do a diy, then I always, but always do it the same way, namely flights before I do anything else, then accommodation and then car. I travel during school hols as I have children. I have never had the remotest problem sourcing good accommodation, be it Villa, Condo, Hotel apartment or hotel room. There is a glut of really good accommodation, particularly if you are not specific on a certain Villa or a certain apartment.
I then do car (Andy at DFCH will take some beating) and finally, park tickets.

If you are after a package, then I can�t really help you. I never find them competitive for what I want and therefore no longer waste my time looking.

Overall, I would read, research and then research more until I knew exactly what I wanted. I would then, having formed the plan, start looking for flights at around 320 days from your return date, having already got a good idea from research as to what would be a good deal.
Flights are released at 355 with BA and 330 everywhere else.

clairenutter · 3 Sep 21, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

It depends what type of vacation you seek.

You are looking to November, a quieter time.

If I do a diy, then I always, but always do it the same way, namely flights before I do anything else, then accommodation and then car. I travel during school hols as I have children. I have never had the remotest problem sourcing good accommodation, be it Villa, Condo, Hotel apartment or hotel room. There is a glut of really good accommodation, particularly if you are not specific on a certain Villa or a certain apartment.
I then do car (Andy at DFCH will take some beating) and finally, park tickets.

If you are after a package, then I can�t really help you. I never find them competitive for what I want and therefore no longer waste my time looking.

Overall, I would read, research and then research more until I knew exactly what I wanted. I would then, having formed the plan, start looking for flights at around 320 days from your return date, having already got a good idea from research as to what would be a good deal.
Flights are released at 355 with BA and 330 everywhere else.

Oh thank you. I never knew BA released a little earlier than VA for example.

I already have a pretty good idea about what I want to do. 3 weeks. 5 nights at universal hotel. Then a hotel in Lake Buena vista Disney springs area resort hotel. No need for a car. Will use hotels shuttles to the parks abs Uber or lift for anywhere else!

Claire x

clairenutter · 3 Sep 21, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by youre-nicked

I'm one of the book early types, I booked my villa 2 years before our trip and then when the Virgin fly drives came available a few months ago I booked that.

At the time the fly drive prices were in my opinion low (4K for 5 of us including car upgrade to 7 seater and insurance) although it is going to Miami, had they been expensive I would have waited.

I like knowing its booked so can relax a bit, if you get a price in mind then keep checking to see if its close to your expectations, if it is then Id book it.

Good luck

I can so relate to this. Knowing it is booked is the best feeling!

Claire x

loldis · 3 Sep 21, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by clairenutter

Oh thank you. I never knew BA released a little earlier than VA for example.

I already have a pretty good idea about what I want to do. 3 weeks. 5 nights at universal hotel. Then a hotel in Lake Buena vista Disney springs area resort hotel. No need for a car. Will use hotels shuttles to the parks abs Uber or lift for anywhere else!

Claire x

For this type of holiday, there's no huge need to book early. Can certainly research which hotels in the meantime, but I'd wait and look once flights are released. Then book the hotels on refundable rates. Universal hotels tend to have an early booking deal that's decent (the savvy traveller rate) but haven't really noticed the same for the DS area hotels. So for that one, I'd probably periodically check for new deals and rebook onto better rates as you find them. Mousesavers is pretty good for posting deals for the DS area hotels but they tend to only come up a few months in advance.

For park tickets, I'd wait until the 2023 tickets are on offer. Typically around the end of 2022, start looking when the Black Friday deals come out. It's not usually a huge saving, but it adds up depending how many of you there are. But because you're not staying onsite at Disney, there's no rush to buy these. Won't really need them until you want to make park reservations, assuming they're still around in 2023. Universal you don't need in advance at all.

clairenutter · 3 Sep 21, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by loldis

For this type of holiday, there's no huge need to book early. Can certainly research which hotels in the meantime, but I'd wait and look once flights are released. Then book the hotels on refundable rates. Universal hotels tend to have an early booking deal that's decent (the savvy traveller rate) but haven't really noticed the same for the DS area hotels. So for that one, I'd probably periodically check for new deals and rebook onto better rates as you find them. Mousesavers is pretty good for posting deals for the DS area hotels but they tend to only come up a few months in advance.

For park tickets, I'd wait until the 2023 tickets are on offer. Typically around the end of 2022, start looking when the Black Friday deals come out. It's not usually a huge saving, but it adds up depending how many of you there are. But because you're not staying onsite at Disney, there's no rush to buy these. Won't really need them until you want to make park reservations, assuming they're still around in 2023. Universal you don't need in advance at all.

Yeah I look at mouse savers from time to time. I have spoken to virgin and I could book flights and hotels with right now for then just with the 5 nights at Aventura. But think I will hold out a while to be honest. I think if I leave it more options make open up!