Knights, Lights, Rides and Bikes! PTR - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Love the plans and looks like a great trip! Well done with the hotel bookings! Would be cool if you got an Eiffel Tower view, depending how many floor up you are. The Eiffel Tower is to the south from where you are and possibly a bit east or west of south.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
How did I miss the beginning?! Well, I'm all caught up now, and stoked to see and hear the results of the hotels later. Wow! Stunners, all of them.
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Tanya
Every click helps feed .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. Give a quick click every day and help animals in shelters! www.theanimalrescuesite.com
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what a wonderful trip this looks to be. someday would love to go to Paris. Have been to London and to Stonehenge. It really was very neat. That has been 30 years ago though.
I can't believe I just now found your pre-TR, Maci! Well, better late than never Your plans look great and I can't wait to read all about your trip. Be sure to take a TON of pictures!!!
I'm so bummed we won't get to meet up during your trip. A PP Meet at DLP would've been awesome. Next time!
Posting this in a hurry, I've read through your comments and will reply soon!
The Headache that is Flights
I feel that it’s only fitting I’ve started writing this section while I wait in an airport, once again delayed. I’m trying to get back to Dallas after a great long weekend at home visiting my mom, discussing and finalizing many plans for this trip! Flying has just become such a nightmare in recent years, or am I just becoming an adult finally who just doesn’t find the novelty of it entertaining enough to outweigh the hassle? I don’t know. Either way, this was a tough decision and I’m just so over flights.
We first had to decide what airline to even take. I had heard great things about American from Dallas to Heathrow, but it didn’t seem to make sense for mom to fly west to go east, so we looked at meeting up somewhere like JFK or Philly to make it an easier transition. Worst comes to worst, mom could drive the 4ish hours to one of those airports for our meet up.
We also explored airline options, I looked into a lot of random articles on flying abroad and tried to make sense of any of it. The only problem is, we always kept hearing mixed things. Great things about American from my coworker, horrible things about Delta from another. Mom hears the opposite and hears Delta is great! We hear pretty good things about British Airways which partners with American and great things about KLM which partners with Delta. We spent weeks looking at options and simply could not find a way for us to meet up on the East Coast.
We took a little break for other things in life and circled back around to flights, of course prices had gone up so we needed to figure this out ASAP! After more research and more searching we had ultimately decided we wanted to fly on a foreign airline, because overall they seem to get better reviews and have more perks. The downside to KLM was the timing, we couldn’t get a direct overnight flight into London and it was awkward connections coming home. We did know from the start we wanted to fly overnight into London to try to get the most of our first day there and hopefully help with any jet-lag issues. And I wanted direct because I’ve had a few too many luggage issues lately
So that left us with British Airways, did we go with American and just hope for the best? Nope, we opted to get a BA flight operated by BA and booked through BA (but fingers crossed I’m still getting my miles!) We got the perfect timing Sunday night into Monday, not too early arrival, not too late departure! Then coming home we have a little puddle jumper from Amsterdam to Heathrow with a pretty decent layover in case of ANY issues. Then another direct flight back to… Dallas! We decided since I lived near the bigger airport mom would somehow get to me before and get home after, because we just couldn’t get any of those other connections worked out!
I booked with my AAA Visa which is supposed to have minimal foreign transaction fees, I got it right before I went to Europe in 2007 and didn’t remember having an issue. $150ish in fees later I quickly decided I’d need another card. (More on that later) Somehow this flight went from pricey to downright expensive. We opted to fly in an upgraded class so we could have more recline in our seats for a potentially restful night. And in-seat power, which can be a lifesaver on a flight that long! (9-10 hours) Then of course my mom wanted to make sure we were sat together so we had to pay the ridiculous “pick your seat” fee for flights both ways. Just crazy how much it can cost to get overseas, definitely glad we decided to add on to the ABD!
So what we have booked now that it’s all said and done:
British Airways
Aug 10 - Dallas DFW 6:35 PM to London LHR 9:35 AM
Aug 24 -Amsterdam AMS 8:20 AM to London LHR 8:40 AM
Aug 24 - London LHR 11:55 AM to Dallas DFW 3:50 PM
Mom will fly in the Saturday before and leave the Monday after. It will certainly be an early start to the day on Sunday the 24th, but I have to go to work on Monday (thankfully Labor Day is shortly after!) so I need to at least try to make it home at a decent time!
Unfortunately the WiFi isn’t strong here so it’s not letting me get into Photobucket to resize the photos I wanted to share here, I’ll come back with them later so it’s not just me rambling on!
Up next: What do you mean we don’t visit Disneyland Paris?
I agree that flying just gets more and more pricey and more and more unpleasant. I flew BA from Boston to Heathrow (6hrs), a few hours layover and then BA from Heathrow to Cape Town (14hrs) last year and I am very glad you upgraded your seats. I did not, and couldn't believe the small space allotted to each person. I'm under 5' tall, and felt squished into my seat, with the seat in front of me just inches from my face. With the tray table down it was right against my body. Horrible. Whatever it cost you to upgrade, it is worth it!
Glad the flights worked out overall, but flying international can be such a hassle! The flight from DFW to Heathrow will be a long one for you at about 10 hours, I would think. May have considered flying to JFK or Boston and having a bit of a break off the plane, but it does make the day longer! Although, I'm not a fan of connecting flights and avoid them, when possible!
Looking forward to more with this trip shaping up into a great one!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Don't ask me why but somehow flying to Europe from the States seems to be more expensive and more of a hassle than the other way around Transatlantic flights aren't cheap, sure, but we get a ton of good options from here. Personally, I prefer United and Lufthansa. BA's a good choice, too, though!
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Ugh. That is all.
I'm glad you could finally grab something you could live with!
__________________
Tanya
Every click helps feed .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. Give a quick click every day and help animals in shelters! www.theanimalrescuesite.com
All of your accommodations look lovely. Wouldn't it be cool to get the Eiffel Tower view? that you might get a bit of magic for that. I can't wait to hear what you think of DLP, too.
Thank you! Definitely not getting my hopes up but it sure would be magical!
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Originally Posted by lauriep
It all looks very nice! I'm partial to a nice hotel, myself.
It's definitely where we like to splurge
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Originally Posted by chezp
Oh wow, all your hotels look amazing and I'm sure you'll enjoy the Sequoia Lodge. From what I've heard, you've definitely done the right thing not staying at the Newport Bay - there was a report on one of the major consumer TV programmes with people complaining about the state of it and how much was closed.
So glad we made the right call! I think we will like the theme there too, as I Wilderness Lodge!
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Originally Posted by KMB733
More great hotels!! That would be so cool if you ended up with a view of the Eiffel Tower!!
At least when we leave to go places we will probably be able to see it!
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Originally Posted by a_bernard
wow sounds like wonderful hotels. The one in Paris is in such a good location Arc de Triomphe, you are close to Champs Elisees and I love to walk in that section of Paris, you can go for long walks and just enjoy. I love walking in Paris. it is a city to walk, unlike cities in North America. Everyone walks in Paris, people are very fit. I have eaten at the Sequoia lodge when I was in Disneyland Paris, stayed at one of their friendly hotels, but not owned by Disney, as they were too expensive. I didn't know they had the free dining available there too. And in Amsterdam, looks like a lovely hotel as well. you will have a wonderful trip
Thanks so much Anne! We love to walk so I'm excited to just get to go out and explore
Love the plans and looks like a great trip! Well done with the hotel bookings! Would be cool if you got an Eiffel Tower view, depending how many floor up you are. The Eiffel Tower is to the south from where you are and possibly a bit east or west of south.
Well I only picked the last two hotels But I'm pleased with ABD's choices too!
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great hotels in France and Amsterdam!
Thank you!
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Originally Posted by disney_duke
How did I miss the beginning?! Well, I'm all caught up now, and stoked to see and hear the results of the hotels later. Wow! Stunners, all of them.
Welcome along! Hopefully they all look as good in person
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Originally Posted by jandsdennis
what a wonderful trip this looks to be. someday would love to go to Paris. Have been to London and to Stonehenge. It really was very neat. That has been 30 years ago though.
Even planning this trip, I'm just adding more places I'd like to go!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Disneybine
I can't believe I just now found your pre-TR, Maci! Well, better late than never Your plans look great and I can't wait to read all about your trip. Be sure to take a TON of pictures!!!
I'm so bummed we won't get to meet up during your trip. A PP Meet at DLP would've been awesome. Next time!
It's okay, I still haven't posted most of the good stuff yet It is a bummer we can't meet up, but I have confidence that I'll be back to Europe sooner rather than later...
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Would be cool if you got an Eiffel Tower view, depending how many floor up you are. 
The Eiffel Tower is to the south from where you are and possibly a bit east or west of south.
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Your plans look great and I can't wait to read all about your trip. Be sure to take a TON of pictures!!! 
A PP Meet at DLP would've been awesome. Next time!
The flight from DFW to Heathrow will be a long one for you at about 10 hours, I would think. May have considered flying to JFK or Boston and having a bit of a break off the plane, but it does make the day longer! 
Although, I'm not a fan of connecting flights and avoid them, when possible! 
that you might get a bit of magic for that. I can't wait to hear what you think of DLP, too. 
Wilderness Lodge!
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