Key Post: Florida.

I'm going to Florida in July with my wife and three children -two teenagers, an 11-y-o. Spending a week in Orlando, a week on the Gulf Coast.

Any tips or hints, dos or donts? I've heard Universal Studios and Busch Gardens are better for older kids than Disney. Any opinions from someone who's been there, done that would be very welcome.

Regards
Homer

Florida tips

Lucky ol' you, You will love it. I went about 5 years ago (for the kids!) and was quite cynical of the whole Disney thing beforehand. However, once you're there you can't help enjoying it.

Disney's Magic Kingdom is really ideal for smaller kids, say 4-10, or sentimental adults! However its star attractions, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad are worth a visit and will not disappoint teenagers. If you want to take in these, GET THERE EARLY in the morning. Remember, Disney's parks open an hour before the advertised time (ostensibly a 'privilege' for guests in Disney's own Hotels/Resorts, but in fact, available to all. If you do this, you can reduce the queue for Space Mountain etc. to a few minutes, rather than the couple of hours it will take later in the day.

Disney's EPCOT and MGM Studios would appeal to older kids or teenagers (although personally I found MGM the most dissappointing of the theme parks, no rides and LOADS of merchandising.)
The nightly EPCOT laser/fireworks show is AMAZING and well worth a visit.

Universal Studios is better than MGM, and definitely has better rides.

The Daddy of them all is BUSCH Gardens. The roller coasters are truly amazing and unforgettable. If this don't scare you nothing will. Big cojones required!

Also well worth a visit are the water parks. Wet-n-wild is near Disney and is fabulous fun with some incredible water slides etc. Teens will love it! Think Tralee Aquadome to a factor of 100 with weather!

Elsewhere, Kennedy Space Centre (about 60 miles from Orlando) is unmissable if you have any interest in Space or Astronomy. If you go, do take in the guided tour of the launch pads and the Apollo launch centre. The sight of a fully equipped, real (unfired!) Apollo rocket is awesome.

Daytona beach will be in demand by the teens, but you may need to lock up your daughters!

Disneys Animal Kingdom opened a couple of years ago has got good reports and might be worth a visit.

Financially, do NOT buy tickets for the attractions before you go. They are ALWAYS cheaper, and sometimes heavily discounted, in Florida. The 5 day Disney pass is good value.

Do NOT stay in a Disney hotel. They are twice the price of anywhere else and offer very little for it.

For getting around, a car is essential, and air conditioning is pretty universal. Avoid the pressure to upgrade to an even bigger car - they always try this!

For shopping, there is an excellent outlet mall at the top of International Drive - I can't remember the name. Really good designer stuff at great prices - kids, teens and adults all catered for.

Finally, you should pick up the Fodors Guide before you go - they do one for Walt Disney World and one for Florida. They are very accurate and 'tell it as it is'

Enjoy!

Re: Florida tips

Thanks Observer.

I hope I enjoy it as much as you seem to have.

Regards
Paul

florida

homewood suites good & convienant on International drive
take tram to Sea World the near end of Int Drive
sometimes estra day free so do 1 day from morning and another frm 6 - closing
take tram to the factory outlet far end int drive
universal studios best, islands of adventure, disney
eat at house of pancakes

F16

Re: florida

Thanks Flash

Homer

FLORIDA

SURE DON'T GO

Disney

Last time I was there they had special lines for those who had booked rides via the Disney website! Made a mental note to check that out if I went back because the queues for the ordinary plebs were geinormous!

Next time I go to FLA I want to see a Shuttle launch, and you can enter a free draw for the on-site viewing area via the NASA website.

Re: Disney

Thanks Tharg, I'll check out the website.

Hi Pigsy. Is your advice not to go based on personal experience?

Regards
Homer

Florida

Hi Homer,

Don't mind that ejit Pigsy - sure florida is a great place - I was there
for my honeymoon some 10 years ago and had a great time sadly my
husband has since run off with a much younger woman and things are
very hard at the minute but I must say we had such a terrific time and
I would really recommend it - you'll need lots of dosh !!!!!!

Re: Florida

The holiday is booked and I'm off at the end of next week.

I took Observer's advice and have not bought tickets yet for the attractions. Looks like a good move, given what's happened to the dollar. Is there anywhere in particular I should go to buy tickets when I get there?

What about cash? I figure credit cards are very widely accepted so I was planning to bring a relatively modest amount with me, say $500 or so. I figure I can top up if need be using my Maestro card while I'm there. Or would I be better off using my Amex charge card?

Any last minute tips or suggestions will be very gratefully received.

Regards
Homer

....

Hi Folks,

Fingers crossed Im also going across the Big Pond later this year ....

Any chance of a few links that others have found to be of use ?

Many thanks

Njoy the trip Homer, I'll be expecting a full report when you get back

Orlando

Homer,

You will have no problem finding tickets. There are kiosks in every shopping mall that sell them. Also hotel/motels and even from street vendors. The street vendors are quite kosher, apparently there is a healthy resale market in tickets that are won as prizes/offered as incentives/bonuses, unused at the end of a holiday, whatever. As always, check out the official prices online first so you know whats a good deal.

Your (genuine) Disney merchandise is also available at the malls at much cheaper prices than in Disney itself. There's a place at Belz (thats the centre at the top of International Drive) that's particularly good and has a huge range. My daughter bought a Minnie Mouse cuddly toy that was taller than herself for about 30/40 dollars.

If you want to venture further, I saw a huge outlet mall featured on the BBC travel program this week. Its in Fort Lauderdale and seems to specialise in quite upmarket stuff. The presenter seemed mega-impressed and said it was the biggest/best in the world.

Again, enjoy and let us know how you get on!

Observer

Re: Orlando

Thanks Observer

I checked out the Kennedy Space Center and there was a shuttle launch scheduled for next week, but it's been postponed. I figure I may pay it a visit anyway - should I book in advance over the internet or is it OK to wait until I get there?

Regards
Homer

Orlando

As far as I know Kennedy Space Centre does not take advance bookings. You might be wise to check opening details as they restrict the Visitor Centre around launch times. Though that shouldn't be a problem this month as all Shuttle launches have been postponed for safety checks.

Afterthought: perhaps post September 11 additional restrictions are in place; it would make one hell of a target; kinda sad really, I remember walking into the US Capitol literally off the street, no ID check, minimal frisking and being free to roam the place including the public gallery of the House and Senate.

Loss of innocence I suppose...................

Homer - how did you get on in Orlando

Hi Homer,
I was directed to this discussion by endowed.

How did you get on in Orlando this year? Any good/bad experiences, advice?

Cheers

Re: Homer - how did you get on in Orlando

Hi Mickey

In general, we really enjoyed it. We spent a week in Orlando and a week on the Gulf Coast.

We booked villa style accommodation and the houses were great - loads of space, beautifully fitted out, own swimming pool, etc. but you had to drive to get anywhere i.e. no facilities on site.

We felt that a week in Orlando was not long enough and enquired about staying an extra couple of days. We were told we would have to pay for both homes and decided not to stay. However, the price per day we were quoted for staying on in Orlando was only about 60% of what we had paid the tour operator. So, if we go back, we'll book the accommodation over the internet and the flights separately.

We got a two week rambler pass covering five theme parks - Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, Wet n' Wild and Busch Gardens. Cost about $215 per head, but well worth it.

We visited Busch Gardens in Tampa twice during the second week when we were staying on the Gulf Coast. We all agreed that it was the most enjoyable of all the theme parks.

We visited Disney once (Magic Kingdom) and hated it. Way too crowded, huge queues for all the rides, pedestrian traffic jams. Strictly for the smaller kids who want to see Mickey Mouse and friends.

There were great bargains to be had in the shopping malls - lots of designer outlets selling stuff at a fraction of Irish prices. Bring an extra suitcase.

Huge variety of places to eat out - many of them quite reasonable.

Big regret - never made it to the Kennedy Space Center. Try to fit it in if you can.

Bring plenty of money and credit cards. No problem getting cash from ATMs.

Finally, if you really can't live for two weeks without the Internet, you can go online for free at the local library. It took me four days and lots of prompting from a family member to discover this.

Have a great time!

Regards
Homer

Re: Homer - how did you get on in Orlando

Thanks for that Homer.

We booked our villa through www.orlandovillas.com. There's a forum on that site which carries lots of tips. There are 9 of us + 2 kids going so we've got a big 7-bed place (incl. 52" TV + PlayStation 2!). Works out at about €270 a head. Now we're looking at flights (~ €680 a head), car rental and discount theme-park tickets.

Friends in the US tell us that there are vouchers a-plenty for car-rental and theme park tickets. Did you come across any of these? We'll almost certainly book the cars before we go but we don't know about the theme park tickets. Not quite sure how to plan it. We'll at least get the Flex ticket which you seem to recommend. We're keeping an eye on the Kennedy Space Centre web site for launch dates. It's a bit early yet though.

I'll probably have more questions as the time gets nearer but thanks for the tips so far.

MM

Local library - is there on on International Drive?

Homer - heading over this week, are these library's hard to find. last time I was tehre I had to go to the convention centre which had limited hours within which you could access the web.

MAC

...

Hi,

We did Florida about this time last year.

Sadly, we found many of the vouchers for cheap entry to the theme parks were for people with UK passports only ( some sort of special marketing deal )

Another option for cheap Disney tickets was to go to a breakfast where people would try and flog you holiday homes ... we never went for it, so no idea how hard a sell it was, but I gather the food was good.

If your going to Florida, visit Beltz Outlet Mall near the top of International Drive.

I note Homer suggested bringing an additional suitcase for all the bargains in clothes, well ... I went for option B and just bought another one at Beltz to put everything in when I bought it. There was a samsonite shop there selling good 29inch hard plastic cases for about $80, which was very good value at the time.

Not sure about the librarys MAC, but I found there was access in many of the hotels - not specifically the most expensive ones & also, there was the odd net cafe.

We had an excellent time - Flew BA via London & having traveled with them, I doubt I would ever fly with Aer Fingers across the Big Pond again (sorry, I am proud of our flag carier - but the airline is in dire need of an overhall !)

regards

G>

Re: ...

Watch out with the Belz outlets - there are 2. A designer and a non-designer mall. Both are worth visits. We especially like the Orlando Premium Outlets just off the I4 (behind Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede). Really really nice place. The Timberland and Ralph Lauren outlets are great. I went mad buying clothes. Picked up a nice pair of Ralph Lauren trousers for €20. But there are also plenty of other factory outlets such as Nike and Adidas if you're into that thing.

Regarding grub, if I had the choice, I'd live in one of the International House of Pancakes places.

Have a blast!