Fantastic! 
I got some flight prices today. This year we paid £480 each from Heathrow with BA. Next year we can do it with Virgin for £403. Better still we can go KLM from Birmingham via Amsterdam for £381 each. So another reason not to build a 3rd runway at Heathrow!
Great stuff! You will have all the experience from this year to add so next year's trip should be even better!
luci
luci
My Head was so impressed that she wants to come with me in 2009!
Update on the trip
Flights booked and about £90 quid a seat cheaper than in 2008.
Slightly bigger party this year with 15 kids and 4 staff and we are going for an extra day as well.
The White Sox have a home game so we will probably go. In addition I have found a bus tour called Weird Chicago Tours which sounds just the sort of thing we want so will probably book it. The Rock andRoll McDonalds is apparently something to be seen as well.
Flights booked and about £90 quid a seat cheaper than in 2008.
Slightly bigger party this year with 15 kids and 4 staff and we are going for an extra day as well.
The White Sox have a home game so we will probably go. In addition I have found a bus tour called Weird Chicago Tours which sounds just the sort of thing we want so will probably book it. The Rock andRoll McDonalds is apparently something to be seen as well.
Accomodation now booked. HiChicago Youth Hostel in Downtown. 10 minute walk from Millennium park.
I'm looking at booking the Historical boat cruise for one afternoon. The White Sox game is vs Detroit however I have been assured by my friend in Chicago that the game is unlikely to be as exciting as the one we did last year as the Sox are not in contention for a playoff spot (how they can be so sure this early in the season I don't know)!
The Brookfiled Zoo is booked for one day and the Barrel of Monkeys Theatre group for another evening.
The intineraray is filling nicely. We are hoping to ge into the Field Museum and the Art Institute as well if my contact can swing us free admission (we didn't pay for any museums last year either)!
I'm looking at booking the Historical boat cruise for one afternoon. The White Sox game is vs Detroit however I have been assured by my friend in Chicago that the game is unlikely to be as exciting as the one we did last year as the Sox are not in contention for a playoff spot (how they can be so sure this early in the season I don't know)!
The Brookfiled Zoo is booked for one day and the Barrel of Monkeys Theatre group for another evening.
The intineraray is filling nicely. We are hoping to ge into the Field Museum and the Art Institute as well if my contact can swing us free admission (we didn't pay for any museums last year either)!
What ages are the kids you are taking?
Sounds like you're having fun organising!
I've only passed through Chicago airport, never actually stopped but it sounds like there's loads to do!
I've only passed through Chicago airport, never actually stopped but it sounds like there's loads to do!
emdia43 wrote:What ages are the kids you are taking?
Most of the kids are yr 11 with a few year 10s thrown in. 15 kids from 8 different schools. 4 staff (it would have been 3 but one of the kids is from a special school and needs his own member of staff.
It is the joint School Council from our consortium of schools.
lesley74 wrote:Sounds like you're having fun organising!
I've only passed through Chicago airport, never actually stopped but it sounds like there's loads to do!
Chicago airport is an absolute dive! Once you get airside there is nothing. No bars, no cafes, no shops.
I've been through O'Hare many times and there are the usual shops, restaurants,bars, fast food outlets.
There are before you check in but once through customs there is virtually nothing!
You don't go through Customs on your way out to a flight.
Only on arrival to O'Hare from abroad.
Once you get through Customs then you are on your way out to ground transportation. There is no call for shops or restaurants there other than snacks..... is that the area you are thinking of?
When you arrive at the airport for an outbound flight you go through TSA screening and then toward the gates where there are literally dozens of all kinds of shops, the usual airport stuff.
Only on arrival to O'Hare from abroad.
Once you get through Customs then you are on your way out to ground transportation. There is no call for shops or restaurants there other than snacks..... is that the area you are thinking of?
When you arrive at the airport for an outbound flight you go through TSA screening and then toward the gates where there are literally dozens of all kinds of shops, the usual airport stuff.
I must admit, I can remember it quite well, there's a little food court in a sort of Y shaped area, and we had chicago style pizza and it wasn't good! I was really disappointed. I'm trying to remember if Chicago was where they were ID'ing everyone buying drinks, including some old grannies that came into the bar...quite funny. 
emdia43 wrote:You don't go through Customs on your way out to a flight.
Only on arrival to O'Hare from abroad.
Once you get through Customs then you are on your way out to ground transportation. There is no call for shops or restaurants there other than snacks..... is that the area you are thinking of?
When you arrive at the airport for an outbound flight you go through TSA screening and then toward the gates where there are literally dozens of all kinds of shops, the usual airport stuff.
No I mean when you go through the security gates into the airport to catch your flight home. There are a couple of portable stalls that sell drinks and magazines. Another that sells a bit of duty free. A couple of bars (on trolleys) that may be manned if you are lucky and they sell luke warm beer and wine.
That's about your lot.
OK now I am confused...... 
I have flown from O'Hare multiple times and always eat and shop before I make my connecting flight.... and there are LOTS of choices. I am wondering if you are on a chartered airline or in some other area than the main concourses as O'Hare is huge and it has the usual array of shopping. I do not recognize the airport you are talking about, but..... whatever.
I have flown from O'Hare multiple times and always eat and shop before I make my connecting flight.... and there are LOTS of choices. I am wondering if you are on a chartered airline or in some other area than the main concourses as O'Hare is huge and it has the usual array of shopping. I do not recognize the airport you are talking about, but..... whatever.
First time we flew Aer Lingus second time BA. Main terminal. Plenty of shops on the American side of the security but despite having a good long walk about there was nothing on the other side that we could find and let's be honest airports don't usually hide the retail stuff where you can't find it!
Booked the Chicago River cruise today. Things are coming together. Just need to confirm the dates for the visits into the schools and we are pretty much set.
Sears Tower booked, White Sox tickets in the pipeline as well. The river cruise and Wierd bus tour are also booked and paid for.
Spent today entering all the kids onto the ESTA immigration system (well all bar 2 who are still waiting for their new passports to arrive)! However I have been told that despite doing all the online stuff we will still have to fill in the green forms on the plane as normal!!
4 weeks to go!
Spent today entering all the kids onto the ESTA immigration system (well all bar 2 who are still waiting for their new passports to arrive)! However I have been told that despite doing all the online stuff we will still have to fill in the green forms on the plane as normal!!
4 weeks to go!
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