Even More Brummies are Coming! - Pre-Trip Report (August 2017) - UPDATED 16/8/17

[MinnieMrsA]

Fantastic plans and choice of hotel - it doesn't feel busy even in August! 😊

[jemima2]

Hi! I know the villas book up so early! We got the dibb villa we really wanted for June 17 but had to change our dates to get it! French quarter looks lovely, we stayed at riverside last summer ...you should make a visit to riverside it's lovely too 😄

[Brum26]

Hello!

Sorry there has been no update for a little while. I think we are at the point where we really want to plan everything but it's still too far out to do much.

This morning we decided to fill some time by watching some Phil,Emma & Ben videos on YouTube. We watched some of their vids before we went in 2013. If you haven't seen them they are well worth a watch.

We are now just eagerly awaiting the 11 month mark so that we can start looking at some flights. I keep getting itchy fingers and checking the TC prices which are still coming in at around £2500 including PE on the return journey. Still hoping for cheaper but doubt we will get Virgin Atlantic with PE for cheaper than that. Decisions, decisions!

[Grapesoda]

I remember feeling the same, once the flights are booked things really do seen to fly by!

[Brum26]

So, I have been doing more flight browsing and saw that our dates with TC for next year had come down slightly and are now coming in at just over £2300 which includes PE on the return journey. This is around the same price as we paid with Virgin economy in 2013, although that was at the beginning of August rather than the end.

I was very close to biting the bullet and booking it but then I decided to check prices for the same dates in 2016. If we were going this year instead then the same flights are just over £1500. That is over £800 difference. The problem I have is that I can't see me holding my nerve until this time next year on the offchance that they come down.

Why is booking flights so tricky?

[Silvercat]

Hello from another Brummie lass! (Isn't it nice and sunny here today!)

Great pre-trip report, and I know what you mean about the frustrations of not having things to plan yet. I have gone as far as I can with this year's trip to Disneylands in Tokyo and Hong Kong, and have also booked for next year's trip back to Florida, Caribbean Beach for the first time for us, with the free QSDP. But I'm now impatiently twiddling my thumbs with nothing else able to be planned yet ...

Your kids are cute!

[Brum26]

It's been a little while since I've been a dibbin' so thought I'd pop in and say hello! As there was a bit of a lull in the planning for next year I did what any sane person would do and booked a week away in Spain. I haven't had a week off work since I set up my business in January 2015 so was well overdue a break. We went to La Cala near Fuengirola last week for baby Joeys first holiday and we had a great time. He was much better behaved than I thought he would be as he is still only 7 months old. He's really turning in to a funny little character, showing off to all the waitresses etc.

Now that we are back I can turn my attention back to planning for next year. We are not far off the 365 day mark now and then it will be counting down to booking flights at around 11 months if I can find a good price. Saving is going well so now all that's left to do is wish away a few months.

[Brum26]

Hello!

So we are now just under the 365 day mark and have been watching lots of YouTube videos about DDP and the best restaurants and ways to use snack credits etc.

We know it's going to take a while to work out which restaurants we want to do so thought we would start trying to narrow it down. This is our first time staying on site and using DDP so if any of you have any useful tips we would love to hear them.

Here are the restaurants that we are thinking of at the moment. We'd love to hear your recommendations of any we have missed.

Be our Guest (Lunch or Dinner)
Tucker House (Breakfast)
Crystal Palace (Breakfast)
Teppan Edo (Never been but looks lovely)
Via Napoli
Ohana
Le Cellier (want to try this but unsure if it's worth 2 TS credits)

Out of that list we have only been to the first 3 before. Let us know if you think we should include any others. :-)

[Brum26]

Quick update...

Flights are starting to be released for our dates (Whooppeeee!)

Been doing a bit of browsing and found that we can go with BA direct for just under £2000 for the 4 of us. After speaking with our villa owner we also have the option of bringing the holiday forward by one day which means Jem would have an extra day before she goes back to school when we return.

Looks a good price to me, however I did have my heart set on going with Virgin from Manchester and this is with BA from Gatwick.

I doubt that it makes much difference, just the fear of the unknown as I have never flown with BA. Any advice?

I could wait until VA release theirs but then risk them being more expensive and the BA flights may have increased in price. The BA flights work out at around £650 each as baby Joey will be on our laps.

Tell me what to do! :-)

[MinnieMrsA]

Originally Posted by magickate

Just wanted to say hi, we're in Shropshire so not a million miles away! Also travelling next August, look forward to reading your plans ☺

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I'm in Shropshire! The county where nobody knows where it is 😊


We too are playing the waiting game for flights next summer, having decided we are going back to the FQ. Think we'll be there at the same time!