Florida

[strangeirish]

Thread here

[paul_oshea]

we are going on the package deal with firstchoice, £900 for the 2 of us all in, but we haven't got theme park tickets, just wondering if there are any other sites now since this thread started that do good deals, and is it best to have them bought before travelling over Strange one? Is it worth buying a weekly pass for us, and which theme parks are the best to go to?

Says there are shuttle buses to the theme parks from the hotel but should I rent a car for the week? How much are we talking about for renting a car per day and can you rent straight from the hotel?

[strangeirish]

Car Rental. This is who I use, but there are others like Hertz etc...Are you over 25? They run normally $30-$40 per day if you are over 25 for the economy models. You may be able to book it from the hotel, but I doubt it as you don't have a Florida DL.

Disney and Universal are a must. Get with the concierge at the hotel you are staying at and they'll hook you up. Stay away from the 'Free theme park tickets here' shops. You'll get a free ticket alright...After sitting in a high pressure sales seminar(Time Share Condos) for about four hours. Universal City Walk is good for a night out. Get a city walk pass here.

If you do rent a car, a drive to the Kennedy Space Center would be highly recommended. Here. About an hour and a half drive from Disney.

[paul_oshea]

ya i am over 25, im 27 so that shouldn't be a problem hertz were offering $20 a day for car rental, though im going to check out paylesscarrental.com. Ive got a pdf that has a 7 day guide which recommends everything you said to, so will def go to those places now. Definitely on for the factory stores as well on SR 535 near International Drive and Disney, im assuming they aren't hard find?

Whats the International Trolley and Train Museum and warbird air museum like? Feck its a pity only going for a week now.

Thanks again strange one. Mad to find a place that does spicy buffalo wings too, so if ye can suggest anything there.

Here is some of the stuff that I found from a pdf for a 7 day trip for anyone else that wants it in the future. I think its more geared towards a family with young kids for day 1 - 3 inclusive...

The airport is located approx. 25 minutes down the I-4 to Kissimmee, where your hotel is located. While there is a daily train service via AMTRAK, and taxi cabs available, we strongly recommend that you hire a car for the duration of your stay. Orlando, and its surrounding cities, is a sprawling web of well maintained and easy to drive on highways. Car rental is widely available (Orlando is the world’s largest car rental market) and can be found for as little as USD$20 per day.
Check out http://www.paylesscarrental.com for more information (but there are many others)
Eats
Tarantino's Italian Restaurant
10 W Monument Ave, Kissimmee
Originally from Queens Village NY, now third generation bring old family recipes with homemade taste. Located in downtown Kissimmee, in the historical district, Tarantino’s is set an old and charming renovated building.
Day 2, 3 & 4 – Disney World
Walt Disney World Resort
The Walt Disney World Resort is located in Lake Buena Vista. Within WDW there are the four theme parks. The Magic Kingdom is based on the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Epcot is an "educational park" dedicated to international culture and technological innovation with two distinct areas, "Future World" and "World Showcase". The third theme park is Disney's Hollywood Studios, which is themed around movies and television, with a variety of live shows and attractions. Finally, Disney's Animal Kingdom is a wildlife park, something of a mix between a zoo and a theme park with both naturalistic animal exhibitions and typical Disney rides.
Walt Disney World also has the world's two most popular water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and the newer Blizzard Beach. Downtown Disney has extensive shopping, nightclubs, restaurants, and unique entertainment. Other activities throughout the resort include golf, miniature golf, tennis, boating, spas and health clubs, backstage tours, and many more.
We have recommended that you spend at least three days at WDW, with a 3 day pass being USD$212 per adult at time of writing. Children under 3 years old are admitted free.
Whilst we don’t want to presume what you will enjoy most about WDW, we have made a list of must dos whilst visiting the resort:
• Kilimanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom
• Castaway Creek at Typhoon Lagoon
• Ketchakiddee Creek, a children's play area at Typhoon Lagoon
Copyright © 2008-2009 TrippedOff.com. All Rights Reserved. 2
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends, another great one for kids at the Epcot
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Getting There
Since you are staying at a hotel off Disney property, a car is absolutely recommended. Many off-resort hotels offer shuttle service to the parks, but the schedules may not be convenient. Using a car will avoid the delays that can sometimes affect the public transportation options and getting around Walt Disney World by car is not much of a problem. All you need to do is follow the purple directional signs with black Mickey Mouse ears to your destination. Your WDW resort will also provide a map of the complex.
Parking at any of the four theme park lots is $12 for ordinary vehicles, however parking is free at the two water parks or Downtown Disney. For your convenience, there are three Hess gas stations within the resort, BUT beware they are notorious for pricing well above the market rate for fuel. Be sure to check out http://www.orlandogasprices.com to find the local average price and get addresses for other handy gas stations.
Eats
Food is surprisingly good, considering WDW isn't known for it. Every park has low cost meals in the $3-$4 range for kid meals and $6-$8 for adult meals at the sandwich shops, ethnic specialty nooks, cafeterias, and communal dining halls. They provide ample food for the money.
We definitely suggest heading to Downtown Disney (for the shopping as well), the largest dining destination in the whole resort and most restaurants are family friendly.
But our special must do recommendation for food at WDW is to try some of the exotic varieties on offer in Epcot's World Showcase, with food from almost every country imaginable, you won’t be disappointed.

[paul_oshea]

Day 5 – Sightseeing (Kissimmee)
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Has a museum on the history of space exploration, two IMAX theatres, and tour buses to the (otherwise restricted) launch facility. The highlight is definitely seeing how the space shuttles are moved from their prep areas to the launch pad, which takes about 2 weeks! The Kennedy Space Center is off the eastern end of Florida State Road 528, about 1 hour east of Interstate 4.
Copyright © 2008-2009 TrippedOff.com. All Rights Reserved. 3
Shingle Creek Regional Park
Located at 4265 W. Vine Street (7 miles east of I-4 on US 192), is a nature park that encompasses 1,033 acres of natural Florida along the banks of beautiful Shingle Creek-Headwaters to the Everglades. The park features hiking/canoeing trails, picnicking and play areas placed amongst the remnants of the historic Shingle Creek community's pioneer homes and farms. In March the park is open from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Warbird Air Museum
Located at 231 N Hoagland Blvd, this is an active work shop rather than a museum which specialises in restoring WW2 aircraft to flying condition. Guided tours are available of the work shops and hangers which are crammed with wrecks and bits and pieces of rare aircraft, as well as planes which are flyable or are being restored.
Eats
Fat Boys' Bar-BQ
1606 W Vine St
Fat Boys’ is a local institution, featuring good ole traditional, quality American Bar-BQ. A real American dining experience!
Day 6 – Shopping/Sightseeing (Orlando)
International Trolley and Train Museum
Features 14 model railroad trains with sound and lighting traveling through an indoor garden with 12 foot (4 m) high mountains, waterfalls, and more than 30 trestles and tunnels. Also on display are toy trains from the 1920s to the present. Visitors can catch a ride in a California Victorian-style half open/half closed trolley or the 5/8-scale replica of an 1880 locomotive (a Mason Bogey) with its passenger cars. Especially good for the kids, no matter what the age (adults included).
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
Houses the world's most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) including Tiffany art glass, leaded-glass windows, lamps, jewelry, pottery, paintings, and the chapel interior he designed for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Museum's holdings include a major collection of American art pottery and representative collections of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century American paintings, graphics, and decorative arts.
The Florida Mall
The biggest single-level mall in the US and the largest mall in Orlando located at the crossroads of Orange Blossom Trail and Sand Lake Road, about a mile north of the Orange Blossom Trail/Florida Turnpike/Beachline Expressway interchange. Home to over 200 shops including Saks Fifth Avenue, Macys, Dillards, Nordstrom, JC Penney, Sears, & Apple. You can go an entire day in this mall and still not finish. Popular
Copyright © 2008-2009 TrippedOff.com. All Rights Reserved. 4
among international tourists wishing to stock up on cheap American goods, but of better quality than found at the many outlet malls/stores.
Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores
Select from over 300 designer and name brands such as Gap, Reebok, Carters and Eddie Bauer. Stores offer factory direct, quality merchandise at savings up to 75%. The Factory Stores are located off of SR 535 near International Drive and Disney.
Eats
Stefano's Trattoria
1425 Tuskawilla Rd, Orlando (Intersection of Red Bug and Tuskawilla in Winter Springs)
A small, family-run, but quiet (but still delicious) Italian/Sicilian restaurant situated only five minutes out of Orlando. A local gem! The best advice on dishes: ask Stefano to personally make a recommendation, he walks around the restaurant and will tell you exactly what you want to eat!). This shouldn’t be missed!

[paul_oshea]

SI would you recommend renting a car then for a 7 day trip?!

[strangeirish]

Whats the International Trolley and Train Museum and warbird air museum like?

Thanks again strange one. Mad to find a place that does spicy buffalo wings too, so if ye can suggest anything there.

The Warbird museum was pretty cool. Never been to the other one. Any sports bar for the wings. If you want some eye candy and wings, Hooters!

SI would you recommend renting a car then for a 7 day trip?!

Well Paul, you need to figure out how many theme parks you are going to do. They normally take a day each, so no point having your car sitting in a parking lot. However, it does give you the freedom to go where and when you want. There are no buses to depend on in Orlando, so you have to rely on theme park shuttles and cabs. But if you can get a car for $20 a day, I'd take it.

[paul_oshea]

cheers strange one, ill see if she is up for hooters!! IM sure i can convince her

Ya id like the freedom of the car, ive used payless car crowd for $102 for the week and ive got it for orlando international, ive been informed that we are more than likely flying into sanford and will need to re-arrange

[passinginterest]

cheers strange one, ill see if she is up for hooters!! IM sure i can convince her

It's not all that great, I went to the one in New York with my missus and it was very tame, it's more a family diner than anything else, there was a few blokes there watching a baseball game, a family and a few other couples. The chicken wings weren't great either, the chicken was very fatty.

Sorry if I've ruined it.

On the plus side we had a pretty hot waitress, on the down side some of the others were awful.

[paul_oshea]

PI, ive been to america a good few times at this stage, ive never once gone to hooters, i did think the one in florida would be well up there though, given its in florida, sunshine state etc etc. To be honest getting served by a hot waitress when im with herself does nothing only makes the mind wander or should that be wonder Just thought if i was going to go to one then florida would be the best place.

I would be more cocerned about the hot wings though. That fada place in chicago was still the best ive ever got. They were humongous as well, so big made me wonder if i was actually eating chicken!!

[strangeirish]

PI, ive been to america a good few times at this stage, ive never once gone to hooters, i did think the one in florida would be well up there though, given its in florida, sunshine state etc etc. To be honest getting served by a hot waitress when im with herself does nothing only makes the mind wander or should that be wonder Just thought if i was going to go to one then florida would be the best place.

I would be more cocerned about the hot wings though. That fada place in chicago was still the best ive ever got. They were humongous as well, so big made me wonder if i was actually eating chicken!!

You can check out BWW(Buffalo Wild Wings) on International Drive too. Their wings have more meat than Mary Harney

[paul_oshea]

Mary harney has a lot of fat though!!!???

Ok ill remember that place too.

[paul_oshea]

anyone know if this tickets is a good price or what amount would be a bargain for this, what exactly does it mean, is it a pass that you can use over and over again?!:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Disney-Ticket-...ht_1046wt_1165

[ParkLife]

Your as bad as me ...30 years old and the biggest child when it comes to the theme parks!! It all depends on who's going... if your going for yourself..ie..no kids. Then Islands of adventure and Universal are the best for rides. The Hulk, Duelling Dragons, The Mummy, Spider man, The Simpsons, Jurassiac Park and the new Rip,Ride Rockit. All excellent. I'd advise getting the fast pass for these parks, queues move much faster. The Water Parks are brilliant, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Make sure you go on Summit Plummet water slide. the lifeguard had to push me off the edge...it's a straight drop down, 120 feet....brilliant. The Disney parks are nice for a stroll around,but the rides are tame enough...plus there usually more packed cos it's more for the younger ones. If your going to pick a Disney Park then go with Magic Kingdom, the night time parade is Spectacular... Seaworld is pretty good too, 2 excellent rollercoasters there. Busch gardens in Tampa is worth a visit if you have the time. It has 6 or 7 excellent rollercoasters. As for tickets, there bloody expensive. They can add an extra 4 or 5 hundred euros to your holiday. Check out www.undercovertourist.com, pick the parks you want to see and it will give you a total cost for tickets. The Orlando Flexticket is worth getting. i think it's about 200 for 14 days,and that's unlimited access to IOA,Universal,Aquatica, Seaworld and Wet n Wild. I'd recommend buying before you go cos you can be queueing for an hour to buy tickets at the gates when you get there. As for cheap tickets....they can't be bought over there..without a catch. you'll see small shops advertising 10 and 20 dollar tickets,but it means you have to spend a day looking at time shares etc..etc... So stay away. If you want any more advise let me know.I've been there 3 times, like I say i'm a big child. BTW if your staying on INTL Drive(which I recommend) then go to the Golden Corral for dinner. All you can eat buffet for about $20...well worth it!!! I physically couldn't walk after it....Typical greedy Irish!!

[ParkLife]

anyone know if this tickets is a good price or what amount would be a bargain for this, what exactly does it mean, is it a pass that you can use over and over again?!:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Disney-Ticket-...ht_1046wt_1165

__________________

I wouldn't bother with it, it's all for the Disney Parks and if your only going for a week you'd be wasting your time going to these parks. Plus, it'd be typical that if you did buy them they'd ask for I.D. at the gates to prove that the tickets were yours. My advice..Get the Orlando Flexticket, and a day pass for Magic Kingdom. From my experience you won't be able to do a theme park every day. You'll be burnt out. We did 4 parks in 4 days and by the 4th one we were like zombies walking around it. if you try 5 parks in 7 days..you might be ok. Just try and relax in the evenings...

[strangeirish]

Yeah, good advice on that one Park.

[paul_oshea]

Parklife we are staying on international drive, a person also mentioned Bahama Breeze for eating. No kids just me and the missus, she isn't great at rollercoasters but she will learn to be fine come the end of it. Although a few years ago we were up at alton towers and she hopped on the oblivion and she started roaring at the control men to stop and let her out that she was going to faint... Embarassing but seriouslly funny at the same time.

The fast passes thingies can you buy them there as add-ons or can you buy them online when buying your normal tickets online. Ive had advice from loads of ppl and everyone seems to think Islands of adventure, universal, mgm and blizzard beach by the sounds of it. THe only thing im kinda worried about in the water parks is i have a dodgy knee that sometimes dislocates and i wonder do you go all over the place in these water parks or are the slides safe enough?!

[ParkLife]

That's actually bit of a problem..re: fast passes. I don't think you can buy the add-ons if you buy them before you go. But in saying that, the last time we went was in September and the parks were fine queue-wise. Try and go to IOA and Universal mid week and you'll be fine. They say to avoid Monday's too...apparently that's the busiest day??? as for the water parks..you'll be fine, slides are narrow enough so you just go straight down without bouncing off the sides. And don't forget the LAZEEE River...it' a huge river that flows around the whole park,you pick up a rubber tube, sit in, relax and the manmade current pulls you the whole way round...sssooo relaxing... My missus was the same with Rollercoasters but I managed to get her on The Hulk..ended up going on it 6 times. You could go to Magic Kingdom first and ease her into it. Space Mountain is very good, it's all in pitch darkness so you can't see the loop the loop and twists :-)) But it is tame enough... and she'll love it. if your doing MK then it's worth your while paying a bit extra and doing Disney studios. Aerosmith and Tower of Terror are there...worth it!! you'd go round the Studios in about 2 hours. One other thing, usually you go to MK and then to Disney village in the evening for a meal. Make sure you book it the minute you get to the park because you could be waiting 2 hours for dinner otherwise. So find a nice restuarant in the Village, get the phone number if it's closed in the morning and ring them the minute it opens. Otherwise you're going to be disappointed!!

[paul_oshea]

fair play parklife, thanks very much for all the info and you too obviously strange one. So you bought the add ons when you got there along with the entry tickets, but you just said earlier go to undercovertourist.com to get the passes so i wouldn't have to queue. not sure what you mean?!

K ive taken all this in and will def do those.

[ParkLife]

Ok.. I've had a more in-depth look for you regards tickets. Forget about the Flexticket as it's for 14 days and your only going for 7.
Go to www.universalorlando.com Get the 2 park unlimited access for IOA and Uni, for $99
and as your only going for 7 days I would recommend getting the fast pass too. Only thing with the fast pass is that it can only be used for one day AND you have to specify the day you want to use it when you buy the tickets.
You can get this for $26 from the same website...you can also print these tickets out before you leave Ireland. Make sure when you go on the rollercoasters you go to the Fast pass Q...some of the rides don't tell you where to go for the fast pass Q and you end up queueing with everyone else.
Just buy the Blizzard Beach tickets at the ticket office cos there's usually no queue to get in.
If your going to Magic Kingdom then I STRONGLY recommend buying before you go. Buy from either Disney world website or Undercovertourist ...1-day ticket.
That's 4 parks there..plus with the Universal ticket if your missus fancies shopping on her own one day you can head back to Universal for more rollercoasters cos you have unlimited access.
Univseral is 3 mins away from Intl Drive, the Disneys are about 20-30 mins drive away.
I've never hired a car..got a mini bus from the airport to the hotel, $5 cab ride to Universal, free shuttle buses to Disney parks, and the I-ride trolley($2) all along Intl Drive that also goes to Seaworld and Aquatica.