The Year Brighton went up Saw the whole squad minus a few at a couple, sadly no escorts
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[Travel] USA
- Thread starter Huple
- Start date
The Year Brighton went up Saw the whole squad minus a few at a couple, sadly no escorts
I've resisted the urge to book flights when I'd normally join in, not 'falling' for the last two stampedes - Easyjet releasing a wide array flights in January and the one last week when the UK governments announced their roadmaps. Not wanting to add the stock of credits I have.
I'm sure plenty of flights will be available as the pandemic unwinds.
On the topic of EasyJet vouchers I have quite a few from last season, a bunch were due to expire shortly but the company unexpectedly extended their validity by 6 months, same happened to a friend. I also received some inflight vouchers for these a while back. Credit where it’s due (pun obvs intended)
Weststander
Well-known member
Which reminds me, I have an Easyjet flight I transferred to late March to 'park it' before they opened up their later flight, to move again.
Biden administration eyes mid-May to begin relaxing Covid travel restrictions, sources say
The Biden administration is looking toward the middle of May to relax restrictions on travel across the borders with Mexico and Canada and on inbound international travel from the U.K., Europe and Brazil, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/18/bid...g-covid-travel-restrictions-sources-say-.html
The Biden administration is looking toward the middle of May to relax restrictions on travel across the borders with Mexico and Canada and on inbound international travel from the U.K., Europe and Brazil, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/18/bid...g-covid-travel-restrictions-sources-say-.html
They've just hit Biden's target of '100 million vaccine doses in 100 days', in a mere 58 days. The sheer scale of that given the complex logistical nature of the US is quite impressive, albeit at a lower rate per capita than the UK.
We'd always planned to do the Orlando thing with the kids this year, with a short stop-off in NYC on the way as it's where my new HQ is, but we sacked that idea off some time ago. I'm still cautious about it, as I'd hate to be in the midst of a family holiday only for a sudden news development to cock everything up, however I'm slightly backtracking from having entirely ruled the idea out.
If you were thinking of doing Disney parks this Summer for the first / possibly only time, I wouldn't do it. The whole experience is very scaled back to what it was a year ago. Briefly...
- Most in-park shows closed
- No character meets
- No parades
- No night-time fireworks
- Some restaurants closed
- Some hotels closed
- No FastPasses (ride queue-jumping)
- Park reservations (you have to "book" which park you are going to in advance. Some days there is choice and you can change but other times, such as right now, parks are essentially booked up due to the reduced capacity)
- No Dining Plans (a previous regular attraction of booking early, from the UK, to stay in a Disney hotel was some inclusive meals/snacks/drinks)
- Masks everywhere, inside and out (unless eating/drinking) which on a humid 100 degree day is not going to be a huge amount of fun
- Socially-distanced attraction queues, meaning many lines extend outside in the sun (again in the summer in a mask won't be fun)
Many of these things will change as things progress, but quite how many will change by July/August is unknown, and I'd not want to risk that for a first/only visit.
Completely agree with you. I think it’s still 99% likely we won’t go this year for all those reasons - we want it to be a special trip and I don’t want to spend five figures on a holiday and have a half-baked experience. That said, the situation in both the UK and US looks so much healthier now than I could have imagined at the turn of the year, I just thought it was worth noting.
My wife’s sister and her family are in a slightly trickier position. They were due to go last August, had it cancelled (obvs), but opted to move the dates rather than take a refund. They’re due to go in early July now, so there’s a danger that the holiday is honoured but in a very watered down fashion. I’m not sure where they would stand on that front.
Raphael Meade
Well-known member
After completely ****ing it up for a full year, at least the vaccinations are moving very quickly here now. Daily infection/hospitalization numbers are really, really down at least in California. Just had my second Moderna shot today and things moving along at a good clip.
Still lots of restrictions everywhere and some states that aren't as organized as CA are starting to see some increases again with the variants so still potentially dicey with booking things. I'd be wary of traveling anywhere domestically, especially Florida with their deranged governor. Just make sure anything booked is fully refundable if I were you. Just booked a weekend in Hawaii for end of April but all cancelable up until 48hrs before etc
Still lots of restrictions everywhere and some states that aren't as organized as CA are starting to see some increases again with the variants so still potentially dicey with booking things. I'd be wary of traveling anywhere domestically, especially Florida with their deranged governor. Just make sure anything booked is fully refundable if I were you. Just booked a weekend in Hawaii for end of April but all cancelable up until 48hrs before etc
I guess you don't miss what you never had, to a degree. Going to Disney World is always going to be special, but I would feel for those taking their trip-of-a-lifetime and missing out on some of the things that were previously on offer.
If our flights in late July go ahead and we are able to take them based on any requirements for vaccination/negative tests/whatever, we'd still go, but I think we'd give the Disney parks a swerve if things aren't much different to how they are today. Things are loosening up slowly though - Blizzard Beach (one of the two water parks) has just re-opened, for example.
Best experience I've ever had at the parks in Florida last month, all pretty much empty.
You don't need a fast pass when theres no queues.
By July /August everything will be fully open I have absolutely no doubt about that. However I wouldn't go then based on the fact that I'm imagining the whole of the US will be going there plus loads of tourists.
Florida is perfectly fine to visit. Although now is spring break which is an absolute nightmare/disaster zone.
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Well, there’s another 15 weeks between now and the 1st July (I don’t know when you’re due to go obviously), and in the 11 weeks since the turn of the year we’ve gone from the peak of the pandemic to the most optimistic point since it began. There’s a lot of time for things to improve both here and there.
Whatever happens I hope it works out for you.
Garage_Doors
Originally the Swankers
Good to hear, my son lives in Chicago, not seen him in over a year,
Were on the first plane over available.
Garage_Doors
Originally the Swankers
How are you getting on regarding vaccination? My son who is over there on a work visa and all the vaccination info refers to American citizens, no mention of if / when it will be available to those non Americans there on visa's.
Weststander
Well-known member
Hi, would you have reticence about any holiday to the US this summer?
At the second time of asking we’re booked for NYC in July.
A major potential obstacle for us is that our 18 year old probably wouldn’t have been vaccinated.
No hesitation here, it just comes down to the practicalities of travel arrangements...
- I should be double-dose vaccinated, as I had the first jab on 17th February, but Mrs B may not - no indication when she'll get her first dose yet. Kids also won't, obviously. If Mrs B isn't fully vaccinated by then, will she need to get a test to go to the US? Will she need a test to come back? Will the kids need tests too? We simply don't know what vaccination/negative test rules may be in place. Tests come at a cost and with a bit of hassle, although not too much.
- Requirement to isolate upon arrival in either direction. Any requirement upon arrival in the US pretty much ruins a holiday. A requirement upon return isn't so bad - I work from home and our holiday is timed such that isolation would not interfere with Mrs B's work, nor the kids' school. It would be a pain in the arse for dealing with the dog though - essentially £30+ per day for dog walking or boarding.
What we'd do there depends on movement of the loosening of restrictions. As above, we could miss out on Disney parks, but maybe visit Universal as the three hotels we like to say in come with queue-hopping rights, which helps. Other than that, we'd be happy to just have a sunny change of scene for a few weeks.
Weststander
Well-known member
Thanks.
In our one Florida holiday 4 years ago now, we paid for Universal Fast Passes every day we visited. Huge sums paid, but well worth it imho, skipping hour long queues for every attraction.
Yeah, the Express Passes can be pricey.
If there's 3 or 4 of you, it may well be cheaper to stay in one of the Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino Bay which are Universal's three premium"on-site hotels. Stays at these hotels come with inclusive and unlimited Express Passes, so you can each ride as many times as you like.
Even if you're staying somewhere else, it can be worth a one-night stay - just take overnight bags with you from your main accommodation. Check-in early in the morning and even if your room isn't ready you can head straight to the parks with your Express Passes. Everyone can have a drink if they want, as no-one has to drive home, and you get a second day of Express Passes on your checkout day too, so you could visit one park each day or park hop on both days.
pastafarian
Well-known member
As soon as isolation on arrival or return ends im off to Florida.
Havnt seen the family since march last year.
Might need to re-think where i fly in as loads of dropped routes could bump prices but thats a minor setback.