Feeling the pressure for large group booking! Advice please.

[Twinniemum]

I'm so confused, I don't know what decisions to make and whether offers I'm being quoted are good or still too expensive? Whether to book with an agent or wait and do DIY? But when booking for 13 people it's more nerve wracking leaving everything to DIY booking as it's harder to get flights for that many people unless we book as seperate family groups.

We are wanting to do the last 2 weeks of August next year to get the quieter parks but by the looks of the holiday companies quotes, they've cottoned on to these last 2 weeks being popular and flight prices are currently crazy high! I have a quote from Florida Holiday Planner for £17.5k covering flights, car hire, 2 nights at Universal Royal Pacific and 12 nights in an 8 bed villa in Championsgate. BUT it would be flying 4th August for 2 weeks not the latter part of August, agent says he doesn't believe it is quieter in last 2 weeks and going on these dates is cheapest. It's also pretty much working out what I would get for DIY booking but the flights are currently much more expensive if I was to book with Virgin direct. He waits to book our flights in a few months time or in the sales, but that makes me nervous, will he actually be able to get them? And if that's the case, surely I can get them too?
Then another quote from Ocean Florida at £18.5k, based on the above but can secure flights now with Norwegian and flying 15th August. But I still think the flight prices being quoted are very high?!
Do I go with one of these? Do I wait for the flight release across the board at 11 months prior and do DIY... It's so hard when based on 13 people!

Help! Sorry for the long post!

[mickeyspal]

Flight prices are always higher in August.
The last 2 weeks are much quieter than the first 2, because the Americans and large groups of Brazilians have gone back to school.
As a rough guide work on 2.5k pp to include flights accommodation car and tickets. Obviously this could vary a bit depending on tickets
That price sounds about right for 13 of you , if you are happy book it, if not you could wait and try and do a last minute bargain but you would risk not getting on the same flights etc

[mrsbenny]

What I would do and will be doing in future is waiting for the BA sale in sept / Oct time. Last few years there has been lots of bargains! People on here paying about £550 each for flydrive.

[Twinniemum]

Originally Posted by mrsbenny

What I would do and will be doing in future is waiting for the BA sale in sept / Oct time. Last few years there has been lots of bargains! People on here paying about £550 each for flydrive.

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This is exactly what I would do if I was travelling as a family of 4, but would we get 13 sale tickets?!

[Mexy02]

These really are questions you should be asking your group ? Have you discussed this with them? That’s the problem with a group booking one person gets landed with it all . I would be asking everyone their thoughts. Are they happy with the price and want to book it , that’s all that matters really .
Have you discussed what happens if one family drops out if you are sharing a villa etc ? If you book separate then this won’t impact everyone else as much. Have you priced up two side by side villas ?
Good luck x

[mrsbenny]

I don’t see why not. I wouldn’t hang around though I would book as soon as I found the right price.

[Twinniemum]

Originally Posted by Mexy02

These really are questions you should be asking your group ? Have you discussed this with them? That’s the problem with a group booking one person gets landed with it all . I would be asking everyone their thoughts. Are they happy with the price and want to book it , that’s all that matters really .
Have you discussed what happens if one family drops out if you are sharing a villa etc ? If yoru book separate then this won’t impact everyone else as much. Have you priced up two side by side villas ?
Good luck x

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Yes we have a WhatsApp group set up for all questions and discussions, you can imagine how much that's pinging all day! I think it's just being unsure when to pull the trigger. It's alot of money and a once in a lifetime holiday for the entire family, so nervous to make the right decision. Lots of us are looking into options, working on quotes and then reviewing the detail. Currently the main decision is whether to wait for a few months and see what the next flight release is like, or whether to jump on these quotes.

[Mexy02]

Originally Posted by Twinniemum

Yes we have a WhatsApp group set up for all questions and discussions, you can imagine how much that's pinging all day! I think it's just being unsure when to pull the trigger. It's alot of money and a once in a lifetime holiday for the entire family, so nervous to make the right decision. Lots of us are looking into options, working on quotes and then reviewing the detail. Currently the main decision is whether to wait for a few months and see what the next flight release is like, or whether to jump on these quotes.

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I hear you Did you set a budget ? Ie £2000 pp? It is a lot of money but you need to do two things really . A) have you found what you all require . So a villa location you want , the airport you want to travel from etc b) is it in your agreed budget ?
No matter how you book you will always ask yourself could I have got it cheaper ? So if it ticks the budget box then book it

I booked diy this time and it was stressful . I knew I wanted man flights but the prices just weren’t dropping ( and still haven’t) so we had to set a budget and as soon as it hit that price we booked. It was more than I had wanted but it was a decent one . They may come down if I had waited but I didn’t want the stress anymore .

[PPM]

Being honest, I’d split this into family groups, possibly three, and have three villas. Getting 13 folks to agree to everything as to where you are going, which park, which time, where do we eat etc etc, would be a mammoth task. You can never please everyone.
Many years ago we went as a group of twelve to an eight bedroom villa in Majorca, for three weeks. By the end of that time, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. It can be very difficult living in each other’s pockets for all that time. One group actually took a couple tears before we all really spoke together again.
Please understand I’m not trying to put you off, and you may all get on really well together, it’s just something you may not have thought about.
Yes go at the same time, meet up sometimes thro the holiday, but for us, living together 24/7 in a big group did not work.
Sorry.

To return to pricing . As it is id estimate at least £2500 per person inc tickets with 1 big villa, 1 ea 15 seater mini bus, not eating in the parks but offsite.
Which ever way you decide to go I wish you all a brilliant holiday

[toonarmani]

Originally Posted by mickeyspal

Flight prices are always higher in August.
The last 2 weeks are much quieter than the first 2, because the Americans and large groups of Brazilians have gone back to school.
As a rough guide work on 2.5k pp to include flights accommodation car and tickets. Obviously this could vary a bit depending on tickets
That price sounds about right for 13 of you , if you are happy book it, if not you could wait and try and do a last minute bargain but you would risk not getting on the same flights etc

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£2.5kpp seems high IMO. We’ve paid just over 3k for direct flights, 2 weeks at Rosen Shingle Creek and 3 nights at Fort Lauderdale beach hotel for 4 of us in August (indirect even cheaper if that’s what people prefer). Car is about £500 on top and any additional tickets.

When we stay onsite at Disney in summer school period we usually pay around £6k inc tickets (based on CBR).

For spends on food etc. It’ll depend on where you want to eat out as can be reasonable through to expensive.

Happy planning (I agree with above post of considering splitting it down to groups).