Thanks Jeff. We dont actually want to hire a car (at least not for the whole 2 weeks anyway). Some people (i think), think we are mad not hiring a car before we go, but we want to be fairly central on I Drive and be able to walk in the evenings for a meal, drinks etc.

I will check out those websites for flights thank you, however as we arent going until middle of May next year, i dont think they will be able to quote us yet will they?

Funny TCD havnt replied to my email yet (when they were very quick with my quotes!!).

Jo Jo

Hi
Scheduled flights are usually available 11 months ahead so you may have to wait a few more days
I-Drive is OK but it's not really that good anymore, it's getting a bit run down and tourist trappy almost like Blackpool!. Supermarkets & restaurants etc. are more expensive than those off I-Drive and there are 100s if not 1000s to choose from.

Hi JoJo
I have booked a cruise & stay with Travel City Direct. There are 2 couples going, two cabins & 2 hotel rooms but because we only wanted 1 car they charged us £50 per person, because of this we decided to have 2 cars and so not pay the extra.

We were having second thoughts about the hotel as we had heard some very bad reports about so I too emailed them. This was on the 3rd May and as yet I have received no response. When I rang to ask if someone would reply to my email I was told quite simply, NO

Jude

Jude, Travel City Direct finally responded to my email and said that because I'm not taking out care hire with them I have to pay £200! So obviously I wont be booking with them!

I'm sure TCD are good value if you want car hire, but we (me & my husband) wont want to be driving the whole 2 weeks of our holiday.

What are you going to do about your hotel if TCD will not reply to your email?!

Jo Jo

Just to say that TCD are not cheap evn if you do want a car, they do offer the odd good deal but their prices can usually be beaten by shopping around, as I've said before their price for a 7 seater minivan for 2 weeks is almost double the "proper" price, that's about £300 more than you need to pay.

We booked with TCD in February for flights only direct from Manchester to Sanford. I have looked at the invoice and there is no extra charge because we didn't book a fly/drive. All the supplements are listed separately and the flights are just slightly more than they were last year. There was no mention of an increase because we were not taking up their car hire at the time of booking. I just asked for flight only price and that is what I was quoted.

We always book a fly/drive normally but this year have taken Jeff's advice and have received much cheaper quotes for a 7 seater van than we would have paid with TCD and the quotes include Platinum Insurance Cover. We have not booked the car yet.

I cannot understand why they have quoted an extra £200 for not taking out their car hire. Even when you book a fly/drive with them the flights and the car hire are listed separately on the invoice.

Have re-read your post and noticed that you said you had received quotes on 3 properties from TCD. From that I assume that you were going to book the whole package through them i.e. flights and accommodation. Perhaps this is why they are adding the extra £200 because a package is a package and because you don't want a car you are, in effect, splitting the package. Whereas we book the flights or fly/drive with TCD and the accommodation independently. Just a thought.

Babs

I think you are right Babs, it is the fact that we wanted to book 'without' car hire which as you say, split the package. Still not sure what we're going to do - i.e. book flights separately/hotel separately etc. The flights for when we want to go (approx 16th May), arent available yet when you look on the internet, but will be in a few days - hurray!!

Jo Jo

Hi JOJo

We are still keeping with the hotel as I have now found out that it has been taken over by Best Western and that a complete refurbishment is taking place that will be completed by the end of July. As we are not going till middle of Sept. it should all be completed.

The most worrying thing I have found out is that TCD used an unfurbished part of the hotel (which is also now being done) This is very frightening when you are paying a lot of money (Granted they were cheaper than competitors) and are being put into rooms that need a good overall.
Anyway if the worst comes to the worst There are plenty of Hotels in Orlando that we can move to if need be and then I will go about getting some money back off them when I return home

Jude

Jude, I have heard that about TCD too - that they sometimes use 'old' rooms or rooms in the back of hotels. You should be fine if your hotel is being refurbished, maybe you could email them just before you go to ask for a nice room?! (we did this when we went to New York and were upgrade free of charge to a junior suite!).

Jo Jo

Hello

I have been shopping around and found that TCD were only about £130 cheaper than Virgin and that was for a party of 4. Also there seems to be limited in flight entertainement on TCD.

Tho I do know that they are using Excel airways sometimes and they are rated quite well - however you cannot upgrade on Excel flights.

First Choice have new aircraft with improved leg room and entertainment but costings put them at about £500 more.

I used to use TCD when they first started and they used to sell flights at £39 for last minute deals.
However even then 2 flights at £39 used to add up to about £500 with their non optional extras. like insurance, car hire and more insurance, surcharges, taxes, charges, booking fees and not forgetting credit/debit card charges.
Now their bargain last minute flights are say £139, and 2 x these now comes to over £1100 with the extras.

They are masters of the extra charges, seems like a con trick to me.
I cannot understand why people use them.

I have a home in Florida, not in the Disney area but still about a half hour east from Orlando MCO but now use Airtours service to Sanford.

Although Sanford is not so convenient for me Airtours flights to there from Gatwick can usually be booked for just over £200 per person during most of the year, no nasty extras and I book the car hire through a broker for £109 per week all inclusive.
I don't see how this can be beaten, and as long as Airtours stays in business their Airbus A330 is a comfortable plane flying just about every day.

After hearing on the net about numerous problems with cancelled First Class i.e. Travel City 'Sunshine First', especially on routes back from Sanford Florida to the UK - and experiencing the pain of being bumped down to economy with no notice on a incorrectly configured Air Atlanta 'flying skip'; I would like to hear from anyone who knows just what Travel City is playing at?????
Just how often does this actually happen?
Is it operational difficulties or are Travel City pulling a fast one because they have more passengers returning on certain flights??

same here l am flying with them 29th july sunshine upperdeck 5 seats

Hi,

the plane I came back on had no Sunshine First or Sunshine Upper. It was configured as ALL economy. Everyone who upgraded only found out on check-in. It was an old plane with water leaking from the aircon vent which was stuffed with tissues, seats not working, poor in-flight entertainment. No way would I fly with them again. TC have been aware of these problems for over a year and just don't seem to care.

We booked in February with TDC. In march my sis-in-law wanted to go so TDC managed to get same flight hotel etc... even though our hotel was showing as fully booked. we upgraded our hire car to a 8 seater minibus, but they were going to charge the £50 each to my sis-in-law. When i complained about this they cross-referenced the booking to ours and waived the extra fee, which i thought was very decent of them.

PS. We are staying in the Quality Suites on Canada Ave, has anyone any reviews on this hotel
!4 Weeks and counting

Have a look here,

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34515-d87741-Reviews-Quality_Suites_Universal_Orlando-Orlando_Florida.html

Travel City have 2 new 747-300's which are running flights for them until november.

747-300 will not be a 'new' plane, it maybe new to TC but I guarantee it aint a 'new' plane!

Travelled withTCD last Aug/Sept on a flight only cost £1700 for 4 people with extra legroom seats, found they were the cheapest around. Booked with them again for Jan/Feb next year total cost with car and golf carraige under £800 for 3 people there prices cannot, ive found be beaten, only downfall cabin staff - they dont appear to enjoy their job, you can only have your free drinks when its convienient for them not when your thirsty or as i saw with other passengers, have a small child who wanted a drink and was refused. Otherwise no complaints so using them again.