Westside
12:41 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Northern - was that economy class flights? Seems massively overepriced if so. Looking at trip May next year, just been to BA website £400 per person and change for direct returns in cattle class.
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Northern Sold
11:50 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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andy... yeah deffo noticed spending more over there this year... didn't seem to do anything more out of the ordinary either... this is our breakdown for three of us last May...
£1,100.00 Flights x 3
£167.00 Flights x 3 (London City to Dub)
£50.00 Premier Inn - Dublin
£1,080.00 Attraction Tickets (3 x MYW Disney + Discovery Cove/Sea World/Aquatica)
£370.00 Car Hire (SUV Intermediate Dollar)
£626.00 Hotel - Liki Tiki Resort Orlando - 12 nights
£200.00 Hotwire - 4 nights at Indian Rocks Beach
£810.00 Dollars - Rate $1-52 - $1232
£1,500.00 Spends on credit card (including 3 x 1 day pass to Universal Studios)
So just under £6k all in... does not include the £400 my daughter took (money that we put by each week etc).
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wansteadman
11:36 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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We used to do 4 days park 5 days cocoa beach and end up another 5 days in Orlando. The hopper passes were great park or studio as they opened lunch. The wife used to go to the pool and I used to take the kids to a water park. Evenings were a couple of hours in Epcot then dinner in Alfredos then watch the firework display then home. Bloody hard work
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Dr Congo
10:57 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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I'm guessing with kids you'll hire a car, but if not and you use a hotel running shuttle buses make sure they run late enough into the evening.
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andywestham
9:55 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Be prepared to part with some money. Gone are the days when Brits used to go over to Florida and think they were getting bargains because of the exchange rate. If you want to do stuff you need to spend some money. Having said that you can save money and get some real bargains on accommodation if you look. We rented an apartment from someone on Owners Direct for just £250 a week and it was fantastic. Ensuites in every room, TVs on every wall, in a gated community and nearby to everything. Flights were booked early so cost slightly less than usual.
My kids loved Universal much more than the Disney offering even though we've always done all the theme parks. We spent more time in Universal overall. Eating in the park can be expensive but if you go for something a bit more upmarket (for a theme park) at least you feel like you've had a meal. In Universal go to the Mythos restaurant for a proper sit down.
Don't be precious about hiring a lairy car either. Just get something that can do the job; which is to get you from the airport and then around the locations you want to go to. You can be tempted to upgrade but it really isn't worth it.
I would budget for about $150-200 a day spending on food etc. and parking at the theme parks (oh yes you have to pay for that). For spending money it depends on how much theme park crap you want to let your kids buy. Overall you will look to spend about £8-9,000 for two weeks.
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Pop Robson
9:21 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Been a couple of times when the kids were younger, hired a villa with pool bit of drive to the park but it was a nice quite area. So quite we got burguled.
Sea world, Boggy Creek, Kennedy, shopping outlets and all the water parks and theme parks, needed a holiday when we got back
Would go again and stay in the same villa just double lock the doors
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Irons10
8:02 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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I stayed in Davenport, a place just off the 192 called Florence Villa Grove. Fantastic it was.
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Basildon-iron
7:38 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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icwhs 5:27 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
Small world mate, that's where we had our villa bought it when the development was in the stages of building in 98. I'm travelling to New York in February as a bit more of an aldults playground but this Thread has bought back all the memories....best holidays of my life by far!
When we first took the villa me and my dad flew over there in the February to check it was all completed to spec and I'd forgotten my toothbrush, went round to the showroom and spoke to one of the realtors and she said 'don't worry honey there's a little convenience store round the corner you can get one there' ....the little convenience store was the Walmart. If that's her version of a convenience store id love to find out what she does her weekly shop, it's still the biggest supermarket I've ever laid my eyes on
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icwhs
5:27 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Basildon-iron 1:13 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
We used to rent a villa on Indian point every year! It was amazing, i used to do the drive to Wallmart, just around the corner, passing the Orange trees, to get fresh bread everyday..
My best holidays ever.
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DukeofDevo
12:58 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Used to be a really good gun range opposite wet N wild down international drive don't think it's there anymore but there's bound to be another one advertised.
Advice is to spend an afternoon there and get to grips with some tasty firearms!
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Northern Sold
12:48 Tue Sep 8
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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http://www.crackerbarrel.com/
Agree with Samuel Adams.... love that they do it in the UK now... was drinking a lovely brew called Orange Blossom Pilsner last time over in May... worth a swig or two...
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chad sexington
11:13 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Florida is my home from home but Never been to Cracker Barrel. Talk to me soldo. What's the craic?
Get on the seasonal Sam Adams too (for the OP). They do some superb stuff.
Carabaras is a decent meal too.
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Sarge
10:50 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Went earlier this year - wasn't my first choice but would go back in a shot...
Your kids are the ideal age.
We stayed at tuscana appartments off j58 on the I4 - can recommend them.
Try and plan your some days in advance - Get the disney fast passes - and get some of the popular rides booked early (splash / space mountain in he M'K) also check out the multi park passes (we got a 14 day universal /seaworld /aquatica ticket) - think we used KCS an agency near celebration.... They talked me through the various options and if you dont leave it till the last minute they'll courier stuff to you....
Single rider lines at universal are a good idea. If you are into harry potter there's a 4d ride in the castle that is a must.
One practical tip - If you have access to a freezer, pack water bottles in there overnight.
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Bungo
5:37 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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I first went to a Halloween Horror night in the early 90's.
Still have the T shirt from 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure' somewhere - Brilliant!
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Eerie Descent
5:26 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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I think this is probably the one holiday which don't really require any advice?
"Go and see Mickey Mouse"
"Why, is Sold0 there at the same time?"
"Yep, same hotel every year"
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Northern Sold
3:46 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Alien v Predator Maze Universal Horror Nights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNqRRKo5L_Y
Michael Myers maze Universal Horror nights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9MHg0B8Heg
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Deano54
2:59 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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I went to that horror nights a few years back when one of the mazes was based on the Werewolf in London Movie, absolutely brilliant theming. Its like being in the movie.
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Northern Sold
2:45 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Eric was looking at some You Tubes at their Horro Nights... that Alien v Predator stuff was brilliant
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Eric Hitchmoe
2:41 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Johnny, if you're going in October then you should do the Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. Been a few times and it smacks the shit out of anything us Brits attempt (although I've heard Thorpe Park's Fright Nights are pretty good). Great fun and your kids should be old enough not to have any recurring nightmares!
http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/events.html
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Northern Sold
2:11 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Done a few Disney Resorts (Wildreness Lodge, Animal Kingdon Lodge, Old Key West, Port Orleans Frenc Quarter and the All Star Movies and Art of Animation).. yes they are pricey but if you can get them linked in with the FREE Disney Dining plan they can be pretty cost effectice... you also eat at some top class places (FREE)... lot sof other benefits as well (early booking of fast passes, transport, Early morns and evenings at the parks to yourself)... I like mixing it up if I do a 3 weeker of a week in a Disney resort, week in a villa nd a week on the coast... ideal that for me
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Basildon-iron
1:13 Mon Sep 7
Re: Orlando holidays - any tips
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Love Orlando, my old man used to own a villa in Kissimmee went every year all throughout my teenage years. I 've stayed in both Hotels and Villas and a villa wins hands down all day for me. your own private pool, come and go as you wish.
In my opinion don't bother with the Disney hotels, massively overpriced and you don't get a chance to get out and see any of the real Florida, hire a car and do your own thing. Driving is very relaxed over there.
I can recommend villas on a development called Indian Point in Kissimmee just off highway 192. Stack up on all your groceries from the Walmart round the corner, the place is so big it has its own generator that powers the surrounding areas in times of power cuts.
My tried and tested formulas for the parks is day on/day off. If you're going for 2 weeks you'll want to see a lot but also they're full day jobs so get there early and stay till closing (some of the firework displays are out of this world). After 12-14 hours in a park the next day you are going to want to chill out so get up a bit later, go for a breakfast buffet (sizzler or Golden Corral) do a bit of shopping, the outlets are great as is the Florida Mall which is about a 30 minute drive out of town, visit the local flea markets where you can pick up some real bargains. Play some crazy golf (Congo Rover on the 192 is a favourite of mine) and just drive around see the local areas.
A few people have mentioned the classic car show that happens on a Saturday evening in a local town celebration, that's worth a look.
A water park is a must with blizzard beach and typhoon lagoon pretty much like for like.
In terms of flights I always found it pays off to fly with an American carrier, US Airways, Delta, you will fly into another state (Philadelphia, Charlotte) and get a connecting flight from there. It will add a few hours onto your travel time to get to Orlando but could save you a couple of hundred per ticket. Also you will pass through immigration at the first destination which is nearly always a better and easier experience than Orlando.
Busch Gardens is worth a trip as is Kennedy Space centre for something a bit different they're both a good 90 mins drive a way. The last few people I spoke too have said Sea World has gone down hill a bit which is a shame as I used to love it but would say you'd have to go and make up your own mind. The 2 Universal parks are fantastic.
One thing is guaranteed you will have an amazing holiday. I do not know anyone who hasn't returned with the serious holiday blues and loved every minute of it....I'm very jealous mate!
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