USA local tours

[MMM]

Hi MMM, quite risky to do redemption at this timing when most of them opt during Nov / Dec and someone advised me to do redemption much earlier. Hence, keeping intact with our redemption. For this US trip, I booked thru Expedia last weekend. The price is around $1500 per pax with CX. If you book online with CX, the price is no longer $1500. It is much more expensive @ $2250. To me, it is a steal that Expedia has offered this pricing. DH wanted SQ initially and even with promotion, the price is $2060.

Btw, I would advise you not to book your tour after PSLE result release.
It may be hectic as our kids need to report back to the sec sch and there's orientation class , buying of uniform, textbooks, laptop etc. I thot Dec will be a good break for DD to catch up with sec sch stuff thus we just booked it early.

Mirror the itinerary is what we intend to do as well.
For theme park, would you recommend Knott's Berry Farm? The last round, we went to SeaWorld @ San Diego, Universal Studio and Disneyland.

You are cool! Manage to drive for 2 hrs to go to Woodbury. You went there alone or with your colleagues? I wouldn't dare if I am alone driving... Just don't feel safe... without DH.

I drove there all by myself relying on 2 GPS. So yes, I like waze and hence strongly recommend it. So long as you have unlimited data roaming, waze is free. Instruction was very clear. As my other colleagues are from other regions and all male... none of them were as passionate as me.... So yes I did it!!! Was glad I did it as that build my confidence for US driving. For so many years, I didn't dare to do it.

Well... if ds managed to get a CO, there is not much activity after results release till reporting day. But of course, we can start to buy uniform first. But we intend to be back by mid Dec. If he don't, we probably just have to decide based on his results.

Unfortunately we can't travel after PSLE as I still have another primary going child and a Sec 1. We couldn't do this trip last year when my dd sat for PSLE and she got a CO as the 2 older ones have some school overseas activity.

We finally saved enough miles to redeem free tickets. But the tax/ surcharges for SQ is around $4K. But that is still cheaper than paying more than $10k for the 5 of us... Can use the remaining $ for accomodation, car rental, theme parks and shopping .

So far, I've never been to Knott Berry Farm. dh went with his parents when he was a teenager. Haha... he said with fil's english pronunciation, he was wondering why his father insists on bringing them to "Not very fun". According to him, the rides are of thrilling nature.

[GiftedGem]

Tax is incredibly high - around $900 pp when I was checking with UA and SQ. Can imagine that a family of 5 will cost a bomb just for taxes alone. Hope yr family can make it in time for redemption

Yesterday evening, DD and I did some surfings and chanced upon how Grand Canyon Skywalk was built. Amazing work that took the team 2.5 yrs to complete and finally put into the hanging cliff with 8 solid steel bars ! The glass walk made one feel that you are walking in the air. We missed this the last round and certainly would want to go. Entry ticket is around U$35pp.

Finally, have you planned where to go? Europe or US

[MMM]

Finally, have you planned where to go? Europe or US

We reserved last night but still on waitlist.... I search Europe and London is available. But we are unsure if the weather will be too harsh at that point. I believed the kids will enjoy US more than Europe with all the theme parks. So we can still get to US.

Did you see any theme park tickets on offer??? Wonder if they have any special rates or promotions. Do share your lobangs With 5 pax, all costs just add up.

[GiftedGem]

Still surfing... to get more information. So far, no luck in getting discounts from Theme Parks except for Knott's Berry Farm (KBF). Booking direct with KBF seems more attractive. 1 day ticket package with hotel accomodation US$177 or with additional breakfast US$201 (for 3 of us). On ticket alone w promo, it is @ US$40pp.

One of my ex-church mates shared that we can navigate to this website http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/ which offers good discount and use the discount code to get cheaper rate for car rental.

Let me know if you have other lobangs too. Other KSP, we would like to hear more from you as well.

[jetsetter]

Still surfing... to get more information. So far, no luck in getting discounts from Theme Parks except for Knott's Berry Farm (KBF). Booking direct with KBF seems more attractive. 1 day ticket package with hotel accomodation US$177 or with additional breakfast US$201 (for 3 of us). On ticket alone w promo, it is @ US$40pp.

One of my ex-church mates shared that we can navigate to this website http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/ which offers good discount and use the discount code to get cheaper rate for car rental.

Let me know if you have other lobangs too. Other KSP, we would like to hear more from you as well.

I'd been to KBF. You've been advised: KBF is ultra boring and passe! Was out in 30min! But the Mrs Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant at the park was finger and hand-licking good...

Disneyland Anaheim was quite boring to me cos I went there 2x, but California Adventure Park next door is very thrilling for adults.

USS was eye-opening at first cos I didn't know how movies were made when I was young, but it became boring to me when I revisited 15 years later as an adult. USS is very tired looking today.

Sea World @ San Diego is ok, but nope I'm not big fan of sea creatures.

You should go to Six Flags Magic Mountain for the death defying rides:) Scared of taking plunges? Try the teenager version of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom:P

Legoland California nice for kids.

[GiftedGem]

Thanks JS. No wonder looking at the travel itineraries, none seems to offer KBF. Most heading for USS and Disney as usual. Yes. I recalled CAP next to Disney when I was young. Never has the strong heart to try. I think I will likely to ... though DH is an adventurer.

Noted for Legoland... will go for that.

[pojo]

Hi GiftedGem

I saw your post earlier in Jun 14 which I quote: "For this US trip, I booked thru Expedia last weekend. The price is around $1500 per pax with CX."

On another thread, I saw this as quoted: "I recently paid for airtickets bought in expedia.com.SG - the amount quoted to me was SGD. When the bill came, I was surprised to see that a different amount was charged on my credit card. " However this last quote was for a thread in 2013.

I assume that by you should have received your credit card bill for the expedia booking of the CX flight.

My question is whether the amount billed was as you stated or there was a surcharge as experienced by someone in the other thread which I quoted.

I am thinking of a similar trip to LA in Oct and hence will appreciate any feedback on expedia.

[GiftedGem]

Hi,

I was surprised when I received my statement of acct. It was higher than the original amt that I paid for.

Expedia does not have any branch in SG and hence MasterCard charges 0.8% of the total amt in SGD, for cross border tax charges.

[GiftedGem]

The charge amt wasn't that significant - $50 more approximately.
Still a steal for this price that we paid for as compared booking directly with CX.

[pojo]

Thanks, GiftedGem,

You are right. The amount is not significant compared to the savings of flying by CX vs SIA.