Other Disney parks?

Ive noticed by the posts on TA that it sounds like alott of European travelers come to Disneyworld. How is the Paris DW? Is it cheaper or just a better experiance?

TNCLEUEN

Other Disney parks?

I think most on the forum agree that Orlando is way better then Paris

Other Disney parks?

I went to Paris (looking for answers to questions...) ahem, where was I?

Sorry :) Anyways, we went to Disneyland Paris about 10 years ago (TEN YEARS EEK!) and it was a much different experience. It was neat, but I%26#39;ll take WDW any day. It was kind of dirtier. And what was interesting was half of the attractions were in English and half was in French. And on some rides, it was mixed! Plus, WDW because it has 4 parks has a lot more to offer than the one in Paris.

Yea , thats kind of the responses I thought.

I figure WDW is kind of the ';center of the universe'; and everything expands outward from there.

Great Buffett reference there, Kat!! Love that song!!

I think most folks in the U.K. find it actually cheaper to come to Orlando WDW than Paris anyway, plus you get so many other things in the area too.

I%26#39;m spoiled being only a few hundered miles away, but I really like WDW Orlando. Can%26#39;t see ever getting to Paris..except via Epcot.

I wouldn%26#39;t bother coming to Paris either if i lived over the pond. The whole Florida experience is unbeatable.There is no comparison between the two.

The ONLY possible advantage for us is that its so much closer,and the travel time makes it attractive,but thats it. No contest.

Having been to Disneyland, WDW, and Eurodisney.

I like the original Disneyland in Anaheim as the house that Walt built. It has special magic for me and also because it was the first Disney park I ever went to many years ago.

WDW is a total different experience because of the sheer number of parks involved where Magic Kingdom is just a big cog in a bigger theme parks machine.

Disneyland Paris is an alternative, popular with Brits but not up there yet. A bit like Coco cola Light. But I am hoping to check it out again later this year to see how it has evolved.

I%26#39;m glad you got the reference Kat :)

We were over in Europe and visited England and France. Well, you can%26#39;t have a Disney-loving family in France and NOT do Disneyland Paris, now can you? So we made sure that we did it. Unfortunately what I remember most is getting a migraine that day :%26#39;(

I go to France a lot. but I%26#39;ve never ever been tempted by EuroDisney.

I%26#39;ve lived in the US and now back in the UK. Done both parks and WDW is WAAAAYYYYYYY better. Disneyland paris is , as people have already said, just 2 parks, much smaller, lots of things in French (which I don%26#39;t speak other than the greetings- bad I know!) but worst of all is the smoking! In the queues, outside food eateries, everywhere!

Also Florida has the weather! When you live year round in a predominately rainy just above chilly country, holidays need to be someone sunny and warm. Paris is pretty much the same climate so the very unpredictable weather wise.

From a very cold damp Wales!!! brrrrr!!!

brown hair

Vacation Planning Software ?

Is there a program available where I can enter, say, 20 tourist locations in Florida %26amp; the South and it will place them in the BEST ORDER for (a) shortest road distances and (b) most scenic routes ?

Of course every Route Planner will do this for any two points, BUT without the above info I can%26#39;t decide what order to place my 20 locations in to begin with.

Ramblesider

beacon by the sea motel

We stayed at the beacon on our trip to florida and it was not anything like it said on the webite. It was old and run down. The room wasn%26#39;t horrible but it wasn%26#39;t what we were told it was. There was no maid service at all. You had to wash your own towels and sheets. The pool was never cleaned not one time the whole week we were there. It had sand, bugs, and bird poop in it! When we arrived there was laundry left in the dryer for us to fold. You could tell that nothing was done to the place to try to keep it up. We were also told that our room had a pool table in it and the was no pool table when we arrived. The owner told us that the roof was messed up during a hurricane and that it had ruined the pool table. There was no signs of a new roof. It looked like the same roof as when it was built a long time ago. Would not reccomend this hotel to anyone!

beacon by the sea motel

Chas - where is this place that you stayed? The only Beacon that I was aware of was near Silver Beach bridge on South A1A - the Beacon that was torn down over 2 years ago to make room for condos that they have yet to break ground on. I%26#39;d be interested to hear where this place is located.

beacon by the sea motel

beacon by the sea has been a family retreat for years and will be forever...each unit is unigue.. we are never bothered by a maid each unit has its own free laundry...the pool is always inviting we can relax by the pool and bar b que where can you do that in the sky scraper concrete messes with thousands of people around ?????

disney dining reservations

Does Disney charge for making lunch or dinner reservations?

We are traveling Jan 25 for 7 days do you think I still need to make dining reservations for the parks keep in mind it is superbowl week.

disney dining reservations

There are only a few Restaurants that require a Credit Card Number to book, Most do not require this

I would call ASAP if there is something you have your Heart set on :)

www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm

disney dining reservations

The ';best days'; predictors are saying the Super Bowl weekend is going to be crowded, so I would definitely call and see what%26#39;s available. I%26#39;m guessing there won%26#39;t be many spaces for ';walkups'; that weekend.

As Partypa said, only a select few places require a credit card deposit, so most places you can easily cancel if you change your plans.

Hi Puppychi

They don麓t take a amount if You show, Its only if You are a no shower. They asked me for a creditcard number for Akershus Epcot dining and for the bippi boppi di doue shop.

Mutter

Thanks

I am having a hard time since it is superbowl week (we get there the sunday before) what parks do we do Monday the 26 to Sat 31. Do I take adv of EMH days.

I need help

Have a look at www.touringplans.com They will help you to decide which Parks are Best to Visit on which days

Forum for villas?

This may be a stupid question. Is there any type of site or forums that would kind of ';rate'; individual villa rentals? We are thinking of renting a house for next Christmas and I do not like to blindly enter into things. I have read posts here of some bad things that have happened in renting and I really hate to just take a chance. Just wondering...

Thanks!

Forum for villas?

It%26#39;s not a stupid question. Here are some sites to help you out: www.orlando-guide.info/forums %26amp; www.thedibb.co.uk %26amp; www.disboards.com scroll down to orlando %26amp; attractions, many members have rented villas. I always use www.orlandovillas.com and have been very pleased with them. They will contact you with the owners and the have pictures of their homes posted Good Luck.

Forum for villas?

To be honest ive never found one (thats not to say there isnt) ive been renting villas in Florida for about 25 years and before that 15 years of hotel holidays.

Im afraid its google and google then narrow the area you like down, then google some more,i tend to spend about 4 hours a evening for about a week untill i have 6 on my short list then i start to contact owners.

Though i have nothing against US owners i tend to deal with UK owners only .Once weve started a rapport then i will book ,you get a feel about people and to be honest ive only had 1 bad deal and that was a rush job through a booking company .

Good luck with your search ,i tend now to stay around the Formosa gardens area in gated communities close for Disney and shopping and eating though you do need car hire to enjoy it.

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Making a 5 Year Birthday Extra Special

We are spending a few days in Disney during February for our son%26#39;s 5th birthday and was wondering if there is anything we should be on the lookout for or make reservations for on the day of his birthday to make it extra special. I realize that staff members are not supposed to give extra attention to children just because it is their birthday, but wondering if his birthday would be the day to do a character meal or something else that maybe I have not thought of.....This will be our first trip to Disney so I really do not have any idea....We are staying at the Polynesian...

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Making a 5 Year Birthday Extra Special

Absolutely!! A character meal with his favorite characters would be a great idea and not extremely cost prohibitive either.

What are his favorite Disney characters? Here%26#39;s a page that gives all the character dining meals to help you decide:

http://allears.net/din/cb.htm

Just be aware that, as of this weekend, the character meal at Liberty Tree Tavern is sadly ending, so that one won%26#39;t be available.

Making a 5 Year Birthday Extra Special

BTW, you do know about the ';free entry on your birthday'; at Disney, correct?

Be sure, when you arrive at your given park on his big day, you go to the guest services area and get him a birthday pin to wear that day. He may get just a little bit of extra service for it, but don%26#39;t count on it 100%.

FYI, you need to sign-up for the Birthday ';free entry';, before you arrive at Disney. You can order decorations for your hotel room, have a ';celebration package'; at your character meal, order a special birthday cake, etc. It%26#39;s the perfect time to celebrate, at Disney!

There is a wonderful ';Pirate Cruise'; at the Grand Floridian (next door to the Poly) that your son will love. I have heard rumor that the Poly may also host a pirate cruise. Worth checking into.

You%26#39;ll have so much fun, celebrating on your trip!

Another option might be the T Rex Restaurant at downtown disney. I know my sons favorite characters don%26#39;t have a character meal. Buzz, Woody, Sully, Mike, etc.

What a great place to spend a 5th birthday.

Hi Patsfirrrl

We just spend our daughter 6 years birhtday at T-Rex

on the 30 th December They have good food and we got a share dessert with some iceing smoke on the table and the servants was singing for her. Only thing about this restaurant is that You dont book above You have to que to get a table so start a bit earlier then You want to eat.

Mutter

Here%26#39;s a Link to all the ';get in free on your Birthday'; info

www.wdwinfo.com/Disney2009Celebration.htm

Have Fun :)

Thank you all so much for the great ideas! I think we will spend most of our time on property, although the TRex restaurant sounds fun, my 15 month old may be terrified. I plan on making him a special shirt with mickey iron ons and getting him a button - maybe balloons. We are all set for the free admission (thank you very much) and can%26#39;t wait for our trip! I think I%26#39;m more excited than he is! I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll have a ton more questions - this forum is soooo informative. Thanks again!

long hair

Encantada Resort Kissimmee

Has anyone stayed at this resort and in particular stayed at the 3 bedroom town houses there? After a look around were now going in February next year instead of October as planned and have been offered an early special on this, Iv had a look at their site and they look lovely not to far from everything and theres restaurants etc close by and they have private pool, so just looking if anyone has stayed here and what was your opinion of the place. Thanks in advance!

Encantada Resort Kissimmee

I will be staying at Encantada from the 16th tp the 29th, when I get back home I%26#39;ll post a trip report.

Bill

Encantada Resort Kissimmee

Thanks for the reply just booked it all now for there!

Hi all! Checking in to see if pgbilly returned from Encantada. My family is heading there for spring break in a few days. Any advice and input would be great! Thanks!

Hi stayed at encantada in april and going back in Aug. We loved it!! You wont be dissapointed. 2 miles from disney and lots of restaurants near you and also 2 pulix a couple of minutes away. all townhomes have there own pool and the resort itself has 2 pools overlooking a lake. very relaxing after a day out at the parks!!!

Enjoy

eva

Excellent...... i am going in 15 days time for 2 weeks with 5 adults and a 21month old girl. Is it possible you could tell me a few things?

is it a new resort. Are there still building work going on? is there any night entertainment in the complex of the resort. is there are a bar that serves beers etc. If so is it open during the day, and can you take wine/beers from there to communual pool? is it complex easy walking distance to shops bars restaurants? does the road 192 near the complex filled with restraunts bars activities etc or is it just motorway?

is it easy to get to universal and disney etc by car. will i need to hire a sat nav? whats the temps there just now?

is it busy and if so do you have any tips on what days to avoid certain parks. how long were your waiting time for the big rides i.e. kraken, hulk, duellingdragons,etc.

Oh my .... i have so many questions.....hahhaha... hope u can enlighten me

cheers

A little late in the report area, but our stay at Encantada was terrific. Great location, with ample shopping close by, about a 5-10 minute drive to the parks and a nice pool and lake view with decent fishing. We had a three bedroom unit and the private pool was a favorite amongst my kids. More than once the kids wanted to escape the parks and head back to resort to go swimming.

As far as the parks go we did all the Disney parks once and then went back to Magic Kingdom for a second and a third time, we really enjoyed all the parks. We spent a day at Blizzard Beach, a day at Aquatica and a day at Sea World and all were great and very entertaining. Spent a day at each of the Universal parks with Islands of Adventure being my favorite park we went back for another day and purchased the parks version of the ';Fast Pass'; that was expensive however well worth it as we worked through a ton of rides.

We took advantage of some great restaurants in the area for most dinners (we ate breakfast at the resort and packed lunches and snacks for the days out) we dined at Texas de Brazil, Bucca de Peppo, Outback and many restaurants on site at the parks. We prebooked the Fantasmic Dinner package that was very good and well worth it.

What else, well we spent a day at Caladesi Island lounging on the beach, collecting shells and trying my luck at some fishing from shore. The Island is beautiful and we were lucky enough to see some of the wild tortoises that inhabit the area. After we were dropped of the ferry we headed to downtown Tampa and went to a hockey game at St Petes Times Forum (Lightning and Panthers) then back to the resort. My son and I also spent a day fishing in Mosquito Lagoon with Troy Nash for giant Redfish. The day was perfect weather conditions as it was very flat in the morning and my son and I each landed a ton of very large (25-40 pound) reds, incredible. We had a couple of floater days in our schedule that got ate up very quickly, we were in central Florida for 15 days and next time we won%26#39;t think twice about planning on three weeks instead. We would have liked a couple more days just to relax around the resort, especially after some of the longer park days. All in all a great trip, with alot of memories we all will never forget.

Cheers Bill

hey bill sound like you had a ball. We too loved Encantada and its just a great location. we had the 3 roms with provate pool which was ace. We did all the parks like yourselfs and must say the fast passes at universal were terrific.. How good is spiderman and the simpson ride... by far the highlight of our holiday. Only wish disney would do the same ticketing as universal as when we went in July it was very busy and we didn%26#39;t see anything near all of what we wanted to in magic kingdom.

Wish i had taken more time to find a good beach to go to... we ended up in st petesburgh... Maderia beech which was a public beech and full of seeweed and not very nice.... nothing like the Caribean white sands palm trees look i had imagined. it was a busy holiday and thank got we could afford it ... as we went to spain to a private rent villa within 4 weeks of returning from florida......just to relax ah aha hahh

I here what your saying, we definitely felt that we needed a holiday after the holiday. We seriously were considering heading back to Orlando this March, and the kids were really pushing it, however my wife and I decided on a relaxing holiday. So we are Provo bound, sun, sand and bonefish. I think we will probably head back to Disney in 2010, we%26#39;ll have to see how much fun the family has in Turks and Caicos.

My husband and I are looking at staying here at the beginning of April. Who did you book your trip through?

Are there any little ';hidden'; fees to be aware of before hand? (like the $20 per day for pool heating if desired)....We%26#39;ve stayed before at Windsor Hills and booked through Magical Memories but not sure to go with them this time around. Thanks for any info you can give!

Gatorland $9.99 FL Resident

In case any other FL residents are reading, Gatorland is running a special for $9.99 for Adults and kids until Jan 12th.

Regular FL resident prices are $19.99 so this is a good discount. Especially for me since technically I could walk to Gatorland in 20 mins and my son has been wanting to go there for the last 6 months :)

As a side note, walking distance to Gatorland wasn%26#39;t a good thing back in 98-99 when one of the hurricanes flooded the area and lots of the gators got out ;)

Gatorland $9.99 FL Resident

Thanks for the tip. I%26#39;ve lived here my whole life and haven%26#39;t ever tried that place out. I think we will before the deal expires.

On-line Vouchers

Going to florida in July and would like to know if there are any web sites that allow you to print off discount vouchers or coupons for restaurants etc

On-line Vouchers

I have printed some for Premium Outlets, and some restaurants from their individual websites. There are plenty of free magazines/brochures with such coupons in them everywhere you go there.

This past October, I even bought one day tickets and parking online from Busch Gardens and got them at a discount.

On-line Vouchers

The Seaworld family of theme parks and Universal theme parks give you the ability book and print tickets online and you also get discounts.

You can print some shopping vouchers of Outlet malls etc but most of the good stuff is of the coupon variety from magazines in outside of shops.

Preston, I always pick those up but I never find places I want to actually eat in them. I do use the discount vouchers for mini golf though ;-)

google orlando magicard and it will give you a website where you can print the card off or have it sent to you for free and has a multitude of discounts on

i ride web site have printable vouchers

Hi

Sign up for the Prime and Premium Outlet Malls clubs and you%26#39;ll receive discount codes for shopping.

Sign up on the restaurants websites often result in rewards/discounts. I%26#39;d most recommend Texas De Brazil if you%26#39;re meat eaters ... current offers ar 50% off the price of normal meal ... very good value in my opinion.

When you arrive in Orlando pick up free magazines at the airport - these often contain discount coupons also.

Great karma for our March trip

OK how%26#39;s this for unbelievable karma. I just heard that our favorite band from Michigan (Don Middlebrook and Living Soul) are playing at the Conch Republic for the last part of our week in KW (March 7-14). The only problem is when I listen to them i end up buying round after round for everyone.....LOL.........so if i have any money left by CTH....at least the first round is on me!

Great karma for our March trip

Hey, what kind of music do they play? I will be there with a friend from 3/13-3/18...

Great karma for our March trip

Plays a lot of Buffett or Buffett-like music. Since he will be in KW I believe he will NOT be playing a lot of Buffett...but he plays that type of his own music...a little blues thrown in...website is www.donmiddlebrook.net.....hope to meet you there...just look for a tall, slim, man with lots of hair...then look for the opposite and you will find me!

I checked out his site, looks good but, I can only see 2 dates under his %26#39;tour dates%26#39;: March 28 and Sept 18. Where did you find your dates?

Hi Sharla,

dates are on an email he sent me, sorry i don%26#39;t have it at work. He plays in Saugatuck a lot in the summer, maybe you can catch him on your next trip to South haven. The website should be updated soon.

OK, socrog - the search for the short, chubby, bald guy on 3/13 is on! :-)

Sounds like a fun band...I really like watching the live entertainment at that particular venue, it%26#39;s just such a nice wide open space in the main bar area, and right next to the water - can%26#39;t beat that.

T. Rex, Downtown Disney - well worth a visit :-)

T Rex - we found this restaurant at Downtown Disney actually by chance, we stumbled upon it at the right time, were hungry, were lucky to get a table straight away and really did enjoy the whole experience, the lighting effects are fabulous, there%26#39;s just soooooooooooooooo much to look at, watch and enjoy.....and of course photograph (absolutely everyone takes photos there LOL)....... actually it%26#39;s difficult to focus on the food to be honest!

Bypass the fried shrimp - $19.99 and fish tacos $16.99 Best item on the menu IMO are the Burgers- good quality and filling, also not as expensive at $12.00, beer $6.75- have a soda for $3 :-) , only remembered the good tip I read on this forum about choosing a desert and asking for several spoons, just as we were leaving LOL

Nevertheless if you%26#39;re visiting Disney you must visit T Rex it was a perfect start to our holiday and just got us in the mood for what was to come, it%26#39;s very well put together, interesting and fun for the whole family.

T. Rex, Downtown Disney - well worth a visit :-)

Thanks ete for the review. There were some folks asking about T-Rex the other day and I%26#39;m sure they will be pleased to read this. It%26#39;s been getting a Thumbs Up from most forum members that have gone

We stopped in for a look around back in November but didn%26#39;t have time to eat that night. I%26#39;ve put it on the list for March :)

T. Rex, Downtown Disney - well worth a visit :-)

Hi, totally agree ete, we went 3 weeks ago and thought it was brilliant, well worth a visit. When we arrived there were loads of people waiting and we thought we were going to have to wait ages but it was only about 5 mins. There is so much to look at and our 2 1/2 year old daughter loved it. We took her round all the rooms, showed her all the dinosaurs and then took her to have one made in the Build a Dinosaur shop, it now lives on her bed lol! The food was nice, wouldnt say brilliant but will definately be going back again on our next trip in September.

Do you know if you can book yet, and did you find it to loud! I read that on a couple of other posts and it kinda put me off.

Sally-ann

Hi

We ate at T-Rex last night. Downtown Disney was absolutely heaving so we expected the worse in terms of queues. Arrived at the front desk at 8:30pm and was advised it would be a 55 minutes wait. Luckily 2 seats became free at the bar so after a quick browse in the shop and Build-a-Dino store we decided to eat at the bar instead. I had the T-Rexadillas appetiser as a main meal ... I thought they were v.good. DH had the filet with waffle fries ... steak was medium well when we had requested medium rare however the filet was v.tender so DH didn%26#39;t bother sending it back. Although we got seats at the bar we did have to wait nearly an hour for our food after we had ordered it ... I think our meal got lost somewhere as the couple next to us placed their order and their food was delivered in about 15 mins. We didn%26#39;t mind as we soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed a few drinks.

Overall I would recommend the T-Rex if you have kids and if you like the novelty factor. The food is average rather than excellent but the atmosphere is worth it.

By the way it is LOUD!!!!

Glad you enjoyed it; I did, too! And I agree with Gracie: the atmosphere is what you%26#39;re really going for, and it%26#39;s great!

We went xmas day nite and I thought it was great. Soda ...free re-fills btw. I had chicken, country gravy. Derek the ribs. Others had lasagne, shrimp, steak and a burger. And then the ice-cream, six spoons! All clean plates. Was a little noisy but it wasn%26#39;t annoying.

north face book bags

fish

Virgin flight vs027

Hello all. My son and girlfriend are going on 2nd Feb. They just rang Virgin to book the V room (special offer 拢10 ) and they were told their flight has been cancelled and they have now been put on the later flight at 12.55. Has this happened to anyone else or is this normal? Many thanks Carole

Virgin flight vs027

This is Virgin cutting the number of flights to suite customer loads. Why fly 3 aircraft when you have only enough passengers for one. When you fly on a given day doesn%26#39;t matter you can only do traveling that day

Virgin flight vs027

hi, has happened to me. i dont go till october .

Thank you for replying. What happens if they get a %26#39;sudden rush%26#39; of people wanting to fly on that day, do they open the flight again.?

Nope they overbook then offer goodies to those willing to go from heathrow to Miami lol.They provide the transport or overnight at Gatwick. To fly out you need a slot its not like putting another bus on lol.

Another Illuminations ?

Help me out guys-if Epcot World Showcase closes at 9pm the night we%26#39;re there, how can the Illuminations show be at 9? Especially if you are having dinner or enjoying coffee from one of the carts in the park?

Another Illuminations ?

You can enjoy your coffee or finish your meal at the restaurants, they don%26#39;t rush everyone out. Illuminations is how they end the day and then everyone walks out of the Park but if you are in the middle of Dinner, no problem, continue

We were at LeCellier one night and finished up about 10pm, it was lovely to walk thru at that time, felt like we were the only ones in the Park :)

I always recomend taking your time to lesve anyway way, it can get very crowded trying to exit with the other million people all at once ( OK, maybe not a million but you get the idea )

Another Illuminations ?

Agree; if you aren%26#39;t in a %26#39;hurry%26#39; to leave, hanging around the park is a great idea, just taking a leasure stroll. Shops stay open until most of the customers are gone.

Thanks everyone! We definatly will take our time leaving, not in any hurry to get back to the hotel to sleep as we are night owls anyways! I can%26#39;t wait, come on Jan. 27.....

I actually made our reservations for Tappen Edo for 7:00 so we are done with dinner and will stay for Illuminations. Otherwise if we ate earlier we might not hang around for it. We have seen it all but the youngest, and it is not like he is asking about it yet.

Just remember they moved Fridays illuminations to 8:00, not 9:00.

I agree, the park is wonderful at night after the majority of the people have left. If you are into photography you can get some of the best night shots if you hang back and leave after everyone else.

Virgin Information

Just recieved this.

Virgin Atlantic has been flying high for 25 years and we will be celebrating in style throughout 2009.

The celebrations start on 4 January 2009 with a 鈥?5 and still Red Hot鈥?TV ad and, as a valued Flying Club member, we鈥檇 like to offer you an exclusive preview before anyone else. The soundtrack is an all-time favourite, so sit back, 鈥楻elax鈥?and turn up that volume!

The party doesn鈥檛 stop there either. Throughout the year look out for some special birthday treats so you too can join in our celebrations.

Kick off your New Year with our Red Hot Economy Sale

To get our 25th year off to a flying start, we鈥檝e got some Red Hot Economy deals for you. Book now and start celebrating 25 years of Virgin Atlantic!

25 years! Doesn鈥檛 time fly?

The Flying Club team

Virgin Information

Oooooh wonder what I get as a not so special new flying club member now I have actually booked a flight with them?

Di

Go Orlando card

Looking at the extraordinary card which combines Universal/IOA with the Go card. Any experiences to share on Go Card would be welcome - ease of use, worthwhile, value for money, etc THANKS

Go Orlando card

You can see the itineraries for the Go Card here:

http://www.goorlandocard.com/itineraries.html

The Extraordinary Card is here:

orlandoticketsales.com/oi/Orlando_Extraordin鈥?/a>

Looking at the itineraries I notice that the things that are on the card are somewhat spread out over Orlando. You will need a rental car while here to see most of those sites. They are not all in the Disney area. Kennedy Space Center is, at a minimum, a good hour from Disney (but well worth the drive).

This would mean you would have to do the cards days separate from days you would go to Disney because you wouldn%26#39;t be able to fit it all in each day. Universal is a two day pass and the card is three days, if you can do Universal the first two days and then activate the pass for the next three it would work.

If you really believe you would do all the things on the card it might be worth it. If not, you could just pay for the certain things you want to do and save yourself some money.

Have a good trip!

St. Augustine Beach Events Parking (NY Eve)

Apparently there is an Events Shuttle running to the Pier from both the Amici%26#39;s lot and the Anastasia Baptist Church for New Year%26#39;s Eve.

There are also many Public Parking (free)locations on A1A marked with green signs: A Street beach side, Jack%26#39;s BBQ (A St), Cafe Atlantico (3rd St), on both sides of the Castillo Real Hotel (9th %26amp; 10th St), Cafe 11 (11th St), Sunset Grille (15th St) and on both sides of the St. Aug Beach Front Resort (Pope Rd %26amp; 16th St.). It took me several years to learn these were all free public parking lots!

St. Augustine Beach Events Parking (NY Eve)

Wonderful!! I hadnt thought this far ahead yet, but this is great to know in advance!!!

Happy New Years to Everyone. Be Safe!!

St. Augustine Beach Events Parking (NY Eve)

Note to self for next year (Bring thermos with hot beverage), bring warm blanket and maybe a firepit for smore%26#39;s then stay put when everyone leaves after fireworks....

It was a horrible departure, wasn%26#39;t it? That is what I was afraid of; and ultimately didn%26#39;t go because of that. The shuttles must not have been very efficient (which is how it was last year.) Thanks, Capn.

it was a fantastic fireworks at the pier but i agree capn it was a nice late afternoon when i arrived than it started to turn chilly and i had only shirt and shorts on thinking it wasn%26#39;t gonna be so windy i was wrong i was freezing lol. We had to wait at least 15 minutes for other cars to leave .

Mehmet

The display was wonderful! But I was lucky to be at friend%26#39;s house and didn%26#39;t even attempt to go home for hours - good N.Y. Eve party. thanks jen and mike!

find horses for sale

';Gallery Cafe'; 117 King Street

A new little Mom %26amp; Pop%26#39;s cafe opened just last weekend downtown in the old city. Very nice cuople own it - she is from Argentina, he Miami.

Lunch and Dinner daily EXCEPT Sundays. Items from Philly Cheesesteak, Argentinean Steak, Reubens, Cheeseburgers and cold sandwiches to Quesadillas, soup, salads. dinners Argentinean shrimp, wonderful sea scallops (I had these), Fresh wonderful Mahi (my husband had this), Argentinean Skirt Steak, Meatloaf, Barbeque Baby back ribs , fresh vegetables, etc. etc., etc. (no additives). $7.00 up

Homemade desserts. Daily Specials.

Wine, beers.

Very pretty too, cherry hardwood floors, and local artists displayed on the walls. WIFI

Espresso bar, cafe conleche, cortadito, cappuccino.

We so enjoyed our dinner and will be going back. Let%26#39;s support this new place and wish them the best!

904-826-1080

Locals, put this on our ';lunch list';, ok?

';Gallery Cafe'; 117 King Street

They will be open New Year%26#39;s Eve for an intimate dinner with specials, and order off the menu also if you are not into the large all inclusive thing that so many restaurants are offering. Closed New Year%26#39;s Day.

';Gallery Cafe'; 117 King Street

It sounds like a nice place. Maybe January%26#39;s lunch list. We do need to support the Mom %26amp; Pop%26#39;s.

Maybe i might think about joining you guys not promising though.

Mehmet

Where%26#39;s 117 king....hmmm, i guess I %26#39;ll take a walk...

Up King by the Giggling Gator (where that hookah coffee bar was of Nemo%26#39;s (Ayman%26#39;s friend Nemo).

Do they have a website? Sounds interesting for New Years eve....i love little local places...

It is right next to Hamblem Hardware store. A very

nice little place. Look forward to going there.

Had their skirt steak sandwich ($9.50-the most expensive sandwich on the menu) which was tender and yummy, but not quite as good or as large as the one I had at the Argentinian steak place on South Beach (Washington St). The scoop of homemade potato salad left something to be desired though, I found it pretty bland (I%26#39;ve been spoiled by my mother%26#39;s German potato salad so I%26#39;m pretty picky) They make everything there, ie. No Boar%26#39;s head corned beef there, they cook it themselves.

Dinner entrees range from $9 for meatloaf to $16.50 for a rack of ribs or the prosciutto wrapped scallops.

Are they closed on Sundays? What are their hours on the other days? Thanks! :) -Niki

Hopefully,

They will still be in business in March my next trip. I wish them good luck

north face book bags

7 Day Flexi Ticket

does a 7 day flexi ticket have to be used by the same person each time or is it possible to pass it on to other people within your group to use on a different day?

Regards Tim

7 Day Flexi Ticket

All tickets must be used by the same person for each entry into the theme parks.

Disney has a ';finger scanning'; device that ';tags'; tickets to certain people and others cannot use those tickets. At least that%26#39;s the way it%26#39;s suppose to work.

Think the other parks have similar for multi-day tickets as well.

Disney only Forum

Im kind of new to this but how come TA doesn%26#39;t have a exclusive Disney only forum. I realize about 90% of the chat on the Orlando Forum is about Disney, but Im just curious.

Disney only Forum

Because ';Disney'; isn%26#39;t a city

Disney only Forum

Oh...Isn%26#39;t a ';world'; bigger than a city?

And there is so much more around than just Disney. It is nice to try and get people to broaden their horizons a bit.

If you want just a Disney forum, but not a T.A. forum, try the Disboards.

It only seems like 90% is chat about Disney. We do chat about alot of other things, it%26#39;s just that Disney is one of the Biggest reasons people visit Orlando. We are all here to help with any area of Orlando Travel :)

There are other sites that deal with just Disney, we don%26#39;t want to be like everyone else, I think we%26#39;re very good at being different here on TA, I like that

I think 90% normally is about tipping. Well, that%26#39;s what it feels like anyway.

Hi Chinners why are%26#39;nt you building that plane?LOL

I do agree about trying to get people to do more then just Disney.

Even though we are staying in August in Disney I am looking at a day trip with my youngest deep sea fishing.

No matter what we always do loads outside of Disney, Orlando and Florida has so much more to offer.

Mick

What is Tour Guide Mike's website

After reading some reviews I saw this what is the offical web site

What is Tour Guide Mike's website

http://tourguidemike.com

What is Tour Guide Mike's website

thanks has anyone out there used this service

I used it this summer, it was OK but, to be honest, he doesn%26#39;t tell you anything you can%26#39;t find out for free on this forum.

We used it this time around as we were going to Disney during Christmas time and was worried about the crowd. Website doesn%26#39;t tell you exactly what to do you need to do a lot of reading and planning. We did enjoy Disney this time around using the information I got from Tour Guide Mike%26#39;s website and kids went on all the rides they wanted to go on multiple times. I don%26#39;t think I would use it if I was going to the parks during non-peak times.

We use it every trip. I like it as an easy place to keep things organized (lists of restaurants we want to hit this trip, etc.)

Most of the information can be found for free, thats true, but there is a certain all-in-one convenience. The price is cheap enough compared to the cost of the trip, after all.

Hotel suggestions with 3 kids

My sister and I are planning a spring break trip to Miami with our 3 kids (ages 4-8). We have not been to Miami before. Any suggestions on where to stay? Price is not a major factor for the hotel, but we would like to be within walking distance of things to do and restaurants.

Hotel suggestions with 3 kids

Geography for 1st time visitors:

Miami Beach is a city on a barrier island of the same name off the coast of Miami %26amp; connected to it by several causeways. ';South Beach'; is the southernmost 2 miles or so of the city. It contains the best known beaches, shopping streets, retaurants and the historic ';art deco'; district.

Sobe hotels:

To be in the center of or within walking distance of the center of SoBe you want to stay somewhere below 23d street (address number under 2300) and on or within a block of Washington or Collins Aves., or Ocean drive. You won%26#39;t need a car.

Is a duvet and a comforter the same

Food Prices

We are all talkig about airfares,car hire and hotel prices but my question is what about the food ,are the portions being cut down are prices rising are the best cuts of meat being replaced with cheaper bits have the supermarkets pushed prices up.

Food is a big part of my allowance on holiday over 3 weeks so whats happining please, do i need to increase my dollar count.

Food Prices

Nemmis:

I went to an Olive Garden for the first time in the Boston area. I highly recomment it and you cannot beat the prices.

I googled Olive Garden it is seems there are several in Orlando.

Food Prices

Nemmis, I think you may ';just'; break even on your next Holiday. Food Prices are up a bit but you have saved some $ on the Villa :)

For my next Holiday I will spend the same on food, $37.99 per day and will eat the same wonderful meals I always look forward to ( one of the reasons I keep going back to you know where )

At home, we have increased our food budget because prices have gone up and to balance it out, have turned our heat down 5 degrees. I%26#39;m not giving up Yummy Meals, I%26#39;ll just put a sweater on and some wooly socks :)

partypa so it doesnt sound to bad at the moment .

I think alot of people ( well, some people on the forum ) always make things %26#39;sound%26#39; worse then they really are.

I really haven%26#39;t noticed that much of a difference in food prices. Food prices in grocery stores have fluctuated in recent months with gas prices, but most restaurants that WE frequent have either not increased prices at all or have done so very minimally.

Nemmis- I think now that the gas is down the prices are a bit lower for groceries. Most restaurants knew not to jack up prices due to gas prices because they would have no customers. The one thing I have noticed is less employees, at least here in Connecticut. I am sure it is the same in Florida.

Olive Garden must be cheap, we tried stopping there when one of our favorite italian places was closed and the parking lot was filled...and it was a big parking lot. This was a Tuesday night. I have yet to eat at a olive garden.

We%26#39;re just back and to be honest due to the poor exchange rate 1.40 pounds to $1 I did actually find the food and restaurants to be pretty expensive, you may be lucky though, just watch the exchange!!

Average restaurant, average portion, average quality - 5 people (2 adults, 3 teens);

one course and one drink (no alcohol!)per person;

-total bill including tax $85 - $110

hope that gives you some idea for your budget.

:-)

nemmis,

if you eat most of your meals out, i really don%26#39;t think you will notice that big of an increase. where you will notice it is at the supermarket.

i agree with the other poster that restaurants are cautious to raise their prices too much, hence no business, but the grocery stores and the companies are out of control. companies are decreasing the size of their products and not rasing prices. for example, ice cream used to be 1/2 gallon, now you get 1.75 liter for the same price of the half gallon.

to put things in proper perspective, i have 5 in my family and my most expensive bill every month is food. higher than my mortgage- and we don%26#39;t eat out too much. maybe pizza once every 2 weeks. it%26#39;s disgusting.

hope this helps.

Hi Nemmis,

Been here in Orlando for the last month. The prices in supermarkets are up from last year. Restaurant prices are up slightly. Fast food prices seem to have risen more than I expected.

Best money-saving tip for eating out is the Entertainment Book. Buy before you go from ebay, or from several outlets here in Orlando including Bed Bath and Beyond on I-Drive. Loads of ';buy one, get one free'; vouchers.

The Entertainment Book is a very well-established business, available for most medium-sized to large cities.

Olive Garden tends to be busy anywhere. It can be helpful to do an early dinner.

Carrabba%26#39;s is a chain somewhat similar to Olive Garden.

Orlando has an abundance of local restaurants. The Orlando Sentinel newspaper website can provide some guidance and of course Google Maps is good at finding locations.

Publix supermarkets provide good sub sandwiches.

Outlet Malls

Does anyone know where the nearest outlet mall is if we%26#39;re staying in Saint Augustine? Are most of the shops open or has the economy hit hard here also?

Outlet Malls

Hello TravelWallaby the nearest outlet mall from downtown is Ponce De Leon Mall on US1 South. Enjoy visiting St.Augustine and the beaches :)))

Mehmet

Outlet Malls

ponce de leon mall isnt really an outlet mall, it%26#39;s just a mall. there are 2 outlet malls on SR 16 and I-95, one in the east side and one on the west side of the interstate. theyve just done a remodeling of the east side and added lots of new high end shops-there%26#39;s a kate spade, a juicey, i think htere%26#39;s an off-fifth (the saks outlet-if i have the name right). i%26#39;m not a big shopper but i like the bath and body works store and the disney store ( good gifts for my disney crazy in laws)

You are right Pinkytoes but the question was what is the nearest outlet mall. St.Augustine Outlet Center doesn%26#39;t seem near to me not even from downtown but isnt too far either.

Mehmet

Thanks all, mehmet, the Ponce de Leon mall isn%26#39;t really a ';mall'; I don%26#39;t think. Nothing but a belk and J.C. Penney and an appliance type store, little shops and a movie.

When people ask about outlet stores, they mean the big ';discount'; designer type shops and the closest one is as pinkytoes described. They are thriving, for sure. Check them both out. They are only five or six miles away from downtown.

You are right, mehmet, if one is staying further away than the Old City, like in Crescent Beach, they would be considered far from them. But women will drive further than that for an outlet mall, won%26#39;t they travelwallaby?

P.S. if you re coming to St. Auguestine from the north, you will actually come into the Old City on S.R. 16 off I-95 and you will see these outlets on your way here!

OUTLET mall, being the operative term here. Prime outlets at I-95 and 16 on one side (indoor) and St. Augustine Outlet Stores on the other side of 95 (outdoor).

hehe It sounds funny to me to hear that the outlet stores are viewed as not ';near'; St Augustine... when we lived up north, the ';nearest'; outlet mall was 2.5 hrs away. Going shopping there was a special occasion and we actually stayed in a hotel overnight. :)

Does anyone know if the outlet stores in St Augustine stay open til 9 every night or do they close early? I%26#39;m looking forward to doing some shopping there while we%26#39;re in town, but I%26#39;m hoping they stay open later. :)

-Niki

Actually you have a point there if anyone is visiting the town or the beaches driving into the outlet malls is worth it . What was i thinking. I apologize .

Mehmet

cheap make up

best time of yr to go to orlando

hi, can you please tell me when is the best time to go to orlando, am in a position to take kids out of school! weatherwise , which is the best time to travel. also which time of yr would be cheaper and with less queues, thanks.

best time of yr to go to orlando

I would suggest late Sept or early Oct for good weather and low crowds. There are some good deals to be had then as well.

best time of yr to go to orlando

IMO end of April first two weeks of May, last week of October first 2 weeks of November, if you want xmas without the crowds first 2 weeks of December

Cheaper and less crowded would be mid Jan but it%26#39;s a bit chilly sometimes and the Parks close earlier

Sept - mid Nov is good for warm weather and low crowds, yes, that%26#39;s a very nice time to go. I%26#39;ll throw in end of April - mid May as a nice spring time adventure, any time after Easter but before Schools Let Out for Summer. Weather is pleasant and Parks stay open a bit later.

I have had great luck from Jan.15 thru Feb 15. Low crowds but an occassional cool morning. Never missed a day at the pool.

cash or card?

what do people do, how much cash do people take or is it all on credit cards

just want to get an idea really

thanks

cash or card?

Use a credit card for as much as you can - this will give you the best rate (market fluctuations aside). You%26#39;ll need cash for odd things like snacks and bus fares and so on (or Tolls if driving).

But pay it off in full on the due date.

cash or card?

I would either use your debit card or your credit card. Have some cash available but not a lot. T here are ATM machines all over Orlando and Disney if you need to get more cash.

Either is fine in Orlando. There are plenty of ATMs everywhere and everyone takes credit cards. If you are coming from out of country and have to exchange money I%26#39;d check with your credit card company first though to make sure they don%26#39;t charge a percentage to make overseas purchases or cash advances.

Don`t forget to tell your bank where and when you are going so that they do not put a stop on the card due to unusual transactions on the account.

TCs and cash then you never spend more than you can afford ,or you could youse the top up cards . keep your CC in your pocket for emergencys and if you are using it look for the hidden percentage for use abroad .

Nationwide credit card - best for foreign travel as doesn%26#39;t charge any commission (typically 1 to 1.5% on other cards) and you get the real exchange rate (near as anyway). Travellers cheques and cash will always give you a worse exchange rate at any given point in time, the only way you win out is if you can buy in advance and then the exchange rate drops (so down to luck). Now if you tend to go a bit overboard when handling the plastic, disregard all of the above!

We will agree to disagree lol i have TCs that i got at $2.05 to the pound in may on our last trip so its worked for me as we ordered more than we needed .

Dome Flea Market

Is Venice worth a trip? Sounds like a good place for shopping after XMAS- or is it more like a neighborhood yard rummage sale? Any nice fish restaurants on the pier?

Dome Flea Market

Downtown Venice has charm. yes, I think it is worth the trip. No chains..all locally owned.

Althea%26#39;s has good breakfast

The Crow%26#39;s Nest is on the water and has fairly decent seafood. Not award winning however.

Sharky%26#39;s on the Pier is also on the water...again OK. but not the greatest..good view however. Good beach if you are looking for shark%26#39;s teeth...

On the way to Venice, there are some Olde Florida type places.

The Spanish Point Pub...outside seating..good food Bayview St. Osprey

Pop%26#39;s Waterfront Grill..off Albee Farm Rd.

Casey Key Fish House..Blackburn Pt. Rd. Osprey

Off the beaten path..but very fun:

Snook Haven..off River Rd...on the river..

~SRQgirl

Dome Flea Market

Do not waste your time at the Dome Flea Market- it was a rummage sale.

I was there a couple weeks ago, I agree, the flea market is a waste of time.

Always enjoy the Red Barn market on 41 in Bradenton. Its a great chance to see a bit of local colour and the fruit and vegetable market is terrific,

Finish up with lunch in Linger Lodge for something really different...really entertaining and the gator bites are good.

should she tell someone

Gulf coast villas

Hi ,

With further additions to our vacation plans for 2009.

We are looking for a 3/4 bedroom villa .

Anywhere on the gulf coast , on the 13th Nov 09 for 7 nights .

Somewhere were there is plenty of things to do for 4 adults , and 2 teenages .Any reccomendations ???

Thankyou

Tilly T.

429 hours 25740 minutes 1544400 seconds

come on then!

429 hours 25740 minutes 1544400 seconds

Well if you think your hard enough :) roflol

429 hours 25740 minutes 1544400 seconds

not hard enough just daft enough

LOL it seems like an eternity then its gone in a flash :)

yep 10 more minutes just gone

Help!! Looking for discounted tickets for seaworld and bush

Hi I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get discounted tickets for 4 adults for bush gardens and seaworld , universal studios. We are comming down on Jan16th and leaving to go back home on Jan23rd. Also if anyone could recommend any other amusements besides Disney as we where down to orlando April/2008 and went there!!! Thank you everyone

Help!! Looking for discounted tickets for seaworld and bush

Check the park websites. Sometimes they have deals going on that can save you some money.

Help!! Looking for discounted tickets for seaworld and bush

For Seaworld and Universal, their own websites contain the best discounts.

Agree about looking at their own websites.

The best offer on tickets I%26#39;ve seen is SeaWorld%26#39;s ';Be a Kid Again'; offer where adults get to buy tickets for the child%26#39;s price.

I did this for my Busch tickets, they even give you a discount if you prepay the parking.

do check the price of the three parks as opposed to the flex ticket, the flex could be cheaper than 3 individual day tics.

There are tons of other things to do/see- what are your ages/interests? I like the KSC.

cheap make up

So, how is the month of september?

We are planning our next visit for the last week in september.

So, how is the month of september?

The average temp in September is a high of 90 F and a low of 72 F. We get an average of 6 inches of rain/ 14 days of rain that month too. So, it may be hot and rainy. But, it may not. The weather in Orlando is hard to predict. You can usually plan on hot though.

As for crowds, that is usually a good time to go to the parks. Crowds aren%26#39;t bad when the kids are back in school and people are not traveling as much. Lines should be minimal.

Have a great trip.

So, how is the month of september?

September = very hot, very humid, chance of hurricanes/tropical storms, but very low crowds usually.

If you can stand the weather, it%26#39;s a great time to go, especially if Disney offers the %26#39;free dining%26#39; again.

Oh, sorry, forgot to mention you need to also be able to ';bear with'; the love bugs in September as well.

They don%26#39;t bite, sting, or harm people (only car paint), but they are a real nuisance and get into everything, including your hair, your food, your drinks, etc.

IMO, Great !!

Been going in September for many years and the Free Dining Offer has made it a very cost effective time to go. It is still quite warm but we enjoy it, gives us one last bit of Summer before the long cold Northern Winter. Crowd levels are easy enough to handle, that makes it more enjoyable

PS I am already booked for September 2009 :)

Hi LDZZZZ,

I think we are following each other lol! We were there last month when you were there i believe and we are going 16th-30th Sept this year again, when you are there, how funny! I know Partypa is there the last week of Sept too so im really hoping she will organise one of her famous TA gatherings, hope to see you there too.

Tht is funny! Great minds think alike!! we should definitely meet up!!

I%26#39;m planning, always planning :)

I`d quite forgotten the love bugs.

I don%26#39;t recall them being around this past September, were there any ? Wasn%26#39;t it an Odd Year ? I don%26#39;t mean the date, I mean that there weren%26#39;t many Love Bugs

September is a wonderful time to go. People say about the rain but we had one rainy day in 14 and even that had stopped and gone back to normal humid heat by midday. You get a passing sprinkling of a shower, which considering the heat is very welcome! We did however catch the tail end of a storm and there were weather warnings all over TV, but because Orlando is so inland you only really catch the heavy rain.

The love bugs are annoying, but its something you get used to.

The crowd level = FANTASTIC!

A few things we still had to queue for, such as The Mummy at Universal and Expedition Everest but almost everything had very very little to no wait at all! It was great and you can reallly make the most of your trip when it is like this!

I%26#39;m going in June this year due to term restrictions, not looking forward to the crowd level.

5 bedroom villa nearish to Disney - sorry in advance

Hello All,

I am new to the Orlando/Disney forums so I would imagine that this has been covered in detail previously but I would prefer not to read 75 pages of postings!

My extended family (6 adults, 4 children-3, 5, 6, 13) will be traveling to Orlando in August of 2009. I will be attending a conference near Universal Studios but the rest of the family will likely be interested in Disney. I am looking for a 5 bedroom villa in a nice area with a pool. Preferably closer to Universal Studios if possible since I will have to drive there daily.

I would appreciate all thoughts on good communities, any specific recommendations and some ideas for itinerary if you like.

Thanks in advance...

5 bedroom villa nearish to Disney - sorry in advance

Lovely gated community with 24 hour guard 3 miles from Disney 5 mins shops eateries along 192 its called Emerald island in kissimmee

5 bedroom villa nearish to Disney - sorry in advance

You won%26#39;t find a villa close to Universal because it%26#39;s in Orange County and there%26#39;s a law against short term rentals. That%26#39;s why you see all the subdivisions in Kissimmee which is in Osceola County.

We like the Formosa Gardens area which is only 5 - 10 minutes from Disney. It would be about 20 min or so to Universal via I-4.

Subdivisions: Windsor Hills, Emerald Island, Formosa Gardens Estates, Windsor Palms, Acadia Estates etc.

Windsor Hills is the newest of these and has resort facilities.

Map of the area: http://tinyurl.com/5udywl

There%26#39;s also the area on Poinciana Blvd which includes Terra Verde, Lake Berkley Estates etc. It%26#39;s a little further to Disney but still nice.

You can find lots of listings directly from owners on vrbo.com. This is the listing page for Kissimmee:

vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/鈥issimmee

There%26#39;s also owners listing for specific subdivisions like www.windsorhillsrent.com Windsor Hills

www.stayatemeraldisland.com Emerald Island

If you%26#39;d rather use a rental agency allstarvacationhomes.com and floridasunvacationhomes.com are both good but you get a better deal directly from owners.

You need a community not too far from I4 for the hop up to Universal. I would look at the communties near to Disney that were rec%26#39;d above, as well as Terre Verde (go up Poinciana to 535/I4 exit 68) or the ones near to the I4/27 interchange.

Have a look at this map:

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/villa-map.php

acne get worse

Still excited after 81 trips

Just got my E-Ticket from Virgn and i couldnt belive the excitement i got from going online and turning the grey seats on the flight plan to purple as stupid as it sounds after all these visits i want to keep logging on and checking them ,my wife says im worse than the grandchildren.

Still excited after 81 trips

I know the feeling well.

Still excited after 81 trips

This will be 82 but my knowledge of cheese ,vegitarian food and shopping malls would let me down :)

Wow, 82 times, is this all to Orlando or do you go to different destinations in the States. That is a pretty impressive average of twice a year for the last 40 years. Imagine all the air miles you have clocked up - I hope you are in the flying club!

I too have just booked Virgin and now getting excited as only have 6 weeks to go, but sadly not going to my beloved Florida, but I am going to LA and Vegas, which is just as good.

LiverpoolJamesy yes im a flying club member just used 37000 on the tickets this year ,started going in the 60s my wife is American so we have family out there ,and we will still be going if im lucky enough to live to see great grand kids .My middle Son 36 now has the bug and will carry on the Disney tradition with his kids lol.

82 times.....can you remember each trip?

As i get older the ones further back are clearer than the ones closer lol

Hi, I am in the flying club too, but I don%26#39;t think I would have enough points yet to do anything with. Mind you I%26#39;m not too sure how it works anyway.

My youngest son wants to go and work in Epcot for a year when he is 18. I am living in hope that he meets an American girl and doesn%26#39;t come back so that I can go over and visit him and have cheap hols - pretty sad I know but a girl can dream can%26#39;t she lol!

I understand that Nemmis...sometimes clear as a bell

LiverpoolJamesy when you go to Virgin Atlantics web site ithe corner is a log on box if you have a log in name then do so, your air miles come up under your name ,then click on book flights and pick flights, then miles + money,the date you want to fly and return and it will show you the price and how many miles you need .

Virgin also allow you buy miles to make up your amount i needed 37000 for 4 adults and 1 child in PE and that brought he price down to 3200 with credit card cost added.

Has anyone else heard?

I have heard that this year flights are meant to be coming down in price.

Has anyone alse heard anything on this?

If so, how much are they set to come down by?

Answers on a postcard please!! Thanks!!

Has anyone else heard?

Well demand is down, but so are seats on flights. So there might not be much change, or there might be a lot. Who knows, it is early days yet.

Has anyone else heard?

Hi act1980

if you go onto BA or Virgin site, you will find the are having a sale.

hope this is helpful

Hi,

Yes I am aware of their sale but I have heard that prices are going to drop even lower than that. :-)

Anyone heard anything??

There will be less seats because of the demise of some tour operators either by going bust or taken over. I will miss BMI.

The phoenix like rebirth of TCD will not create more seats because it will buy up surplus and charge the best they can.

The market has to contract because of the lack of confidence shown by tourons. Whoever you are Florida Holidays are very costly and people will think twice during these uncertain times. However you can be sure that the tour companies will not be seding half full planes out - they will just consolidate bookings.

Having said all of that how many people will be rushing off to Europe with the euro taking us back to the bad old days when you had to check with the bank before you got a round in at any french resort.

I think many Brits will be following Chinners and try building greenhouses for a few years to come - he could bring out a magazine with weekly instalments on the build and how to make the rides.

so what, should we all buy stock in green house manufacturers lol?

I agree, with the number of flights contracted due to failures and scheduled like BA and Virgin cutting back, there won%26#39;t be as much supply. We%26#39;ll just have to wait and see a bit with this one to see how much further demand falls.

sorry but how can anyone predict lower fares. fares are low now because, oil prices are low for now.once the oil goes up the fuel surcharge will go up , and with that air fares go up.

i do hope what you have heard is correct, this will be great for everyone.

Sadly Florida bookings are up according to TAs so with bed space lower and flights less i belive that prices will rise ,the flights ive just booked were rising by 拢3.00 pound a day the first price would have saved me another 拢100 but i couldnt make my mind up thinking they might drop ,tonight there up again ,so i think book now .

I%26#39;ve said it before and will say it again. You can%26#39;t predict airfares. No one knows the price of oil 6 months from now, nor the demand..

When you find a fare that fits your budget, take it and know you have a seat.

cannot wait never been b4

thanks to one n all for the wonderful advice cheers

cannot wait never been b4

Hope you have a most amazing trip!

Neighbor's Ice Cream

If you all haven%26#39;t visited this little store yet, make time!

Located at the corner of Spruce Creek Rd. and Central Park Blvd., near All Children%26#39;s Park.

They have Hawaiian Shaved Ice, Ice Cream, Deli foods, misc. sundries and more.

Outdoor seating...even small picnic tables for the little ones!

Neighbor's Ice Cream

Mr. Ducky is always on the lookout for ice cream and I like shaved ice, so we will pay a visit next month!

cheap make up

AKL-which Savannah view do you prefer??

Now that we decided to go to AKL, I didn%26#39;t know if you could try to request a certain Savannah, I know there are 3 different ones-just looking for opinions on which savannah people prefer-if one is more convenient to the pool area, or if it really matters at all!

handling exceptions

where to stay

would like suggestions as to where to stay in orlando. hubby and i, 12 and 8 yr old. dont want to be all in 1 room.thanks.

where to stay

Have you considered a villa or town house or there are suite resorts like floridays we need a bit more before we can help :)

where to stay

You will want a suite hotel with a seperate bedroom or two and a living area or a condo or villa.

Which parks/what will you be doing and will you be hiring a car?

suite hotel sounds good, any suggestions? we plan to do most of parks as i think it will be a one off holiday as it is so expensive. we will hire a car but would like to be near the theme parks. thanks

Try this,

http://www.floridaysresortorlando.com/

My favourites in this hotel type are Staybridge Suites 1 or 2 bed suites with full kitchen in LBV, and Courtyard by marriot LBV one bed suites. Both are walking distance to restaurants/grocery/mini golf and a long walk or short cheap taxi to DTD. Both have breafast buffets. Only a mile off Disney property, they are very close. And just off exit 68 of the I4 for a quick hop up to Universal.

Next door to Staybridge and around the corner from Courtyard is Cypress Pointe Resort. 2/3 bed condos will full kitchens, washer/dryer and some hotel type facilitues including fun pool, quite pools, activities, tennis, basketball etc.

I would recommend Cypress Pointe or one of the Sheraton Vistana resorts. They both do retail rentals at pretty reasonable rates or if you will be staying a full seven days, you might want to get even a better deal and rent from a timeshare owner using a site like TUG2.net or Redweek.com. I think a two bedroom condo would be perfect for your family. And these resorts are great.

Hotel and Site Seeing Help

I will be visiting Miami with my five year old in March. I would like to be located within reasonable distance of a beach, resturant, and any type of family activities. Does anyone have any suggestions on hotels or even which part of town would be great for what I am looking for? Would it be easier to rent a car or use public transportation to get around for the week that I will be there?

Hotel and Site Seeing Help

Look at Loews on Miami Beach and give feedback in terms of budget and type of hotel. That will help people give you ideas.

I would plan to rent a car at least part of the time. You%26#39;ll want to go out to the Everglades and see some of the other parts of Miami.

Hotel and Site Seeing Help

My budget for a rental car and hotel for the entire seven days is 2,000. My budget for activities and food is 1,500. I would like a hotel that has a small refrigerator and microwave or stove, so I could use most of the spending money for activities.

Dinning out in the Orlando area.

For those of you who ask about resturants in Orlando.

Here is part of an e-mail I have received.I just hope the links work.

Menus for Orlando area restaurants. Thinking of dining out tonight? Check the following menus to see what you are in the mood for. Also available are prices, wine lists, cocktail menus.

American Dining in Orlando

Fifi%26#39;s Bistro %26amp; Wine Bar: Review - Menu - Catering

Located in the Thornton Park area of Downtown Orlando.

Le Peep: Review - Menu - Catering

Located at the intersection of Kirkman and Conroy Roads in Orlando.

Krispy Kreme: Review - Menu

Four locations in the Orlando area.

TooJay%26#39;s Original Gourmet Deli: Review - Menu - Catering

Six delis located throughout the Orlando area.

White Wolf Cafe: Review - Menu - Catering

In Orlando%26#39;s antique district on Orange Avenue.

First Watch: Review - Menu

Five Orlando area restaurant locations.

Mimi%26#39;s Cafe: Review - Menu

Restaurants at three locations in the Orlando area.

BB King%26#39;s Blues Club: Review - Menu

Located in Point Orlando on International Drive.

Orlando%26#39;s Steak Houses

Ruth%26#39;s Chris Steak House: Review - Menu

Three steak houses in the Orlando area.

Fleming%26#39;s Steakhouse: Review - Menu

The restaurant is located on the corners of Lee Road and 17-92 in Winter Park.

French Restaurants

Le Coq Au Vin: Review - Menu

South of Downtown Orlando on S. Orange Avenue.

Irish Pubs

Fiddler%26#39;s Green Irish Pub: Review - Menu

On Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park.

Italian Dining

Rocco%26#39;s Italian Grille: Review - Menu

This award winning restaurant is located on 17-92 in Winter Park.

Antonio%26#39;s: Review - Menu - Catering

Three Orlando locations each with a separate menu.

Pannullo%26#39;s: Review - Menu - Catering - Coupon

Three Orlando locations each with a separate menu.

Mexican Cuisine in Orlando

Colibri: Review - Menu

In the Community of Baldwin Park in Orlando.

Garibaldi: Review - Menu

Two Orlando area locations: Kissimmee and Orlando.

El Potro: Review - Menu - Catering

Four locations in the Orlando area.

Don Pablo%26#39;s: Review - Menu

Locations in Sanford and on International Drive.

Tijuana Flats: Review - Menu

Many locations throughout the Orlando area.

Fast Food Restaurants

Domino%26#39;s Pizza

Pizza Hut

Sonic Drive-In

Orlando Chain Restaurants (without reviews)

Applebee%26#39;s

Atlanta Bread

Chili%26#39;s

Cracker Barrel

Macaroni Grill

Olive Garden

Outback Steakhouse

P.F. Changs

Red Lobster

Ruby Tuesday

T.G.I.Fridays

Dinning out in the Orlando area.

Salford, didn%26#39;t get links to menus form these, but did get links to the ones with reviews here. Great idea though.

to post a menu link, you need to go to the relavant restaurant site and then copy/paste the link into the message:

for Bahama Breeze http://www.bahamabreeze.com/menus/

Dinning out in the Orlando area.

Hi amanx

I still get the copy and paste on links wrong, thanks for the tip.

Happy New Year to you and your family.

Gary

Longhorn Steak house on South Orange Blossom Trail for great Flo%26#39;s Filet and sweet potato with cinnamon and sugar.

Texas Roadhouse for fantastic fall off the bone ribs.

Tastee or Twistee treat for fantastic three flavor banana splits (you will recognize them by the ice cream cone shaped buildings).

Dairy Queen for the chocolate dipped waffle cone, strawberry and hot fudge sundaes.

Follow-up on Winter in Destin

Hi to all:

In May 2008 I posted a few questions on this forum under a title ';Wintertime in Destin, FL. This is a follow-up to that original posting.

Back in May 2008, I was thinking about spending the winter in Destin.

Now it%26#39;s winter and I%26#39;m in Destin. See, I listened to you guys.

I want to thank everyone who provided info and help about Destin.

I remember that Semco gave me some very good ';meteorological'; information that Destin was warmer than Missouri. And that was right. Absolutely right.

And special THANKS to RJSTLOUIS77 who meet me at a Panera BreadCo in St. Louis and provided info and maps.

Then there were reply postings from sandywhite, thinkin%26#39;vacation, JoeMammy, the bbqman, and many others.

Thanks to all for your help.

Everyone on this forum was really great, hope to meet some of you in person sometime.

Destin is a really great place in winter. I%26#39;ve noticed that it is warmer than Missouri !!!!!!!!!

proftom

Follow-up on Winter in Destin

I remember your original post. Where did you decide to stay and do you like it? Could you also tell us what you have been doing, what places you%26#39;ve been to, where you%26#39;ve eaten out and anyhting else you%26#39;d like to share? That way others thinking about a winter vacation would have a better idea of what it%26#39;s like. Thanks.

Follow-up on Winter in Destin

We arrived on Jan 1, 2009.

Our activity for the first day was unpacking all the stuff we brought. Next year (and we do plan on returning next year) we will bring a lot less stuff.

We are staying at the SunDestin Resort and condo. We are on the 16th floor. We really like this place and have a gulf front view that is really great.

This morning we walked on the beach. The temperature got up to 70 degrees today. After our walk on the beach, we drove around the town to get a feel where everything was located. We had a great idea to go the the Wal-Mart Super Store and get food for lunches. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same great idea so the place was jammed. But we survived and made it back to the SunDestin with all our groceries.

This evening we had a nice meal at the Back Porch restaurant, nice informal place located right on the beach with good view of the gulf. I had an appetizer of oysters covered with crab met and cheese and baked. Then I had calamari which I dearly love.

So that%26#39;s the report on our first two days.

And I%26#39;ve noticed that it is warmer than Missouri.

proftom

$200 or $400 in gift cards?

Ive booked two rooms (Carribean BR) for Feb 09 and the way it looks we will geet 2-$200 gift cards. One for each room. I thought it was one per reservation. Now Im not complaining at all, but just wondering if this is the norm, or did the Disney rep do this because Im such a nice guy.lol

$200 or $400 in gift cards?

I was told that since I booked my two rooms under different reservations I would get two gift cards. If under one reservation I would only get one. I am sure they can extend it for anyone booking two rooms since it does not take much to do two seperate bookings. Certainly worth a extra gift card.

Do you have two booking numbers or just one?

$200 or $400 in gift cards?

We%26#39;re getting two Gift Cards also. Booked two rooms/packages

PS I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;re a nice guy :)

Partypa- Did you get 2 numbers too?

I booked at one time and only have one res # but my itinerary show my wife and kids in one room and myself in another and the add ons IE... arcade, wave runners, planet hollywood cupons and gift cards for each room so it looks legitimate. Now Im happy with the $200 but $400 sounds like twice as much fun! 31 days and counting

They told me by booking them seperate was the only way I could get the two gift cards. I am used to seperate bookings since I have always done them online until this time when I had to call for one of the rooms. It might of been easier to have all the meal credits on one reservations.

400.00 is a lot to get, but then again if booking two rooms you deserve to get 400.00.

Hey Macs, yes, I have two reservation numbers. Different names on each so they have to be two reservations, can%26#39;t have one person staying in two rooms, I think they see it that way. I booked with dreams and they always do it that way for me, I thought it was Normal that each room was a seperate reservation. Oh, what do I know !!

Sounds like the two cards are good. I just didnt want that little ';disagreement'; at check-in. I think Ill call just to make sure. Thanks for your two(hundred) cents.

I was told when I called that I booked it the right way with two seperate reservations. She said that if I booked it with one number I would only get one gift card. I would call and be sure your getting two gift cards.

Just got home from work and ironically my travel packet was in the mail from Disney....with two $200 vouchers. Must be that nice guy thing again.

Hopefully eveyone that is booking more than one room gets a voucher for each room.

That is good news. It is the nice guy factor.

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transfer file

islamorada resorts which one?

Has anyone ever stayed at the Pelican Cove? Their rates look good and they have an internet special. We are going to the Keys at the end of Jan and are planning to stay 3 nights in Islamorada. Their website photos are not very good. We would prefer the Islander which I have seen on here highly recommended, but their rates are to steep for us. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

islamorada resorts which one? Pelican Cove?

Has anyone ever stayed at the Pelican Cove? Their rates look good and they have an internet special. We are going to the Keys at the end of Jan and are planning to stay 3 nights in Islamorada. Their website photos are not very good. We would prefer the Islander which I have seen on here highly recommended, but their rates are to steep for us. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks Suzhoff1

Morning Plans?

Trying to plan a morning-some in our party want to do the Princess breakfast at Epcot. They also want to do the hair thing BBB. I have boys that could care less, but I am the planner. Will time allow to do the hair at about 9 at down town, then travel to Epcot for say 10:30 for breakfast. Any suggestions as I think that might be pushing it for time, I assume they would want the hair done for the meal? Any help would be great, we do have 2 free days to try and fit it in.Thanks

Morning Plans?

I%26#39;m thinking 1.5 hours won%26#39;t cut it for enough time between BBB at DTD and Epcot. Depending on what package the princesses do at BBB, that could take quite a while.

Then, you have to factor in the travel time. This would take a while even with a car, but if using Disney busses, it might take even longer. About the best scenario would be to take a bus from DTD over to the Y%26amp;B club, and walk to the back entrance of Epcot, then around the lagoon to Norway.

I just don%26#39;t see 1.5 hours as long enough to get this done.

Morning Plans?

Thanks Kat- I do not know how to fit this into our schedule.

What if you did lunch at Norway? (I can%26#39;t spell the restaurant name and I%26#39;m not going to try.) That way you can do the 9am BBB and not have to rush.

Also, I know Disney is all about family time, but is there anyway you%26#39;d do it so it%26#39;d be like a ';Mommy and me'; thing and then have the boys go off with Dad and do something they%26#39;ve always wanted to do? Then meet up in the afternoon around 2? That way you can really take time with your daughter (or whoever else wants to do BBB and princesses) and then those who don%26#39;t aren%26#39;t subjected to the princesses and you won%26#39;t have to listen to the whining.

Not enough time, IMO. We were going to do it back in Nov. We had a 10:45 for the Princess Breakfast and I just knew it was going to be a crazy rush to get over there. We dressed our little Princess up in a Lovely outfit from Home and canceled BBB. The Breakfast was Great and most of the kids were not made up, it was all good with our Princess so we were glad we didn%26#39;t try to make it all happen.

Is the lunch at Norway with the characters? If not that defeats the purpose. I guess this one is in their court, I think having boys can make Disney easier!! Give them a spin on Buzz and all is good not so dramatic. Or is that just my excuse for not being able to do the girlie stuff?

Yes, the lunch is with the princesses too.

I guess I should have mentioned that the girls are my nieces, who will be going with their moms. I have the boys and will be skipping the whole deal, but I have been appointed with the planning. Just trying to make everyone happy!!

Weather/clothing in Jan.?

Thanks to other posts have lined up place to stay and many good suggestions re eating and getting around.

I notice temps seem to be in low 70s and wondering if shorts/capri/tshirt type of weather and if people swim at this time of year. Since coming from north will have some heavier layers to come and go that can be used for cooler nights but assuming this is warm weather in daytime. Given weather unpredictability am I generally right about this?

Weather/clothing in Jan.?

You are correct. We can get into the high 70%26#39;s low 80%26#39;s, but generally temps hang in the mid 70%26#39;s this time of year (get a few days of temps in the 60%26#39;s). Can get cool breezes from the north also. Just have a light windbreaker and sweatshirt for cooler weather, but capris should be fine. I persoanlly do not go in the water uless it is over 80, but that%26#39;s just me. A lot of travelers do go in though.

Weather/clothing in Jan.?

Thanks - temps sound very appealing as it is blowing snow out today in Ottawa and very cold. I%26#39;m not a big swimmer and more inclined to sit or walk on beach but will throw in bathing suit anyway.

The temperatures sound very appealing to me too. I%26#39;m going to head back down next week. My husband and sons went swimming in the ocean yesterday for a polar bear club. The temperataure was only 17 degrees at Coney Island, NY

I%26#39;m personally not a swimmer but if you do go in please be careful because the beach in Lauderdale by the Sea is not life guard protected. I think they do post the water conditions at the beach in the area of Commercial. If it is windy there is greater risk of riptides so you will want to know what to do if you get caught in one. Don%26#39;t try to swim to shore, swim parallel to the beach until you are out of the rip and then swim in. I don%26#39;t mean to be an alarmist but I want everyone to have a safe trip.

If you go to sunny.org there are a few beach webcams and you can see for yourself the swimmers. The cameras are located further south of LBTS but you will get the general idea of how the beach is that day.

Going to the parks- early vs later ?

Hi everyone, last year we came for 2 weeks and on the days we visited parks I, like a true Drill Sargent, had everyone up at 7am. We had fun but there were lots of moans and groans getting up so early. But I liked getting in a few big rides while the waits were shorter.

One day we decided to sleep in and go to IOA later and I regretted it. It was during a busier time of year but it was INSANE. On the other day we visisted IOA we went early and it was much nicer.

Just wondering if anyone has had success arriving at the park mid to late afternoon when the early birds tire out? (WE never did tire out, we went from dawn til midnight everyday but our kids are a bit older :o)

...Of course, this only works on the days the parks are open later. Obviously if AK closes at 6pm showing up at 3pm doesnt make much sense.

Thanks!

Going to the parks- early vs later ?

Sometimes we go over to the parks around 5 or 6pm for dinner. We find that it is slower in the evening. Not always, but a lot of the time.

Also, right after lunch a lot of kids get tired so their parents take them back for that afternoon nap. This time between lunch and them coming back out to the park for dinner can be nice too.

It really depends on the time of year and number of guests. I%26#39;m sure others will be able to tell you their experiences too.

Going to the parks- early vs later ?

Sorry, but I must subscribe to being the ';drill sergeant'; and be at the parks ready to go at rope drop each morning.

I can%26#39;t stand long que lines, though.

I don%26#39;t know anyone who has success by waiting later in the day, especially during very busy times of the year.

I agree with Kat. I like the drill sgt. approach. Like I told my husband, ';If you wanted to relax, you should%26#39;ve stayed home.';

Disney is not for relaxing. You%26#39;re there to soak up as much fun and magic as you can and I just don%26#39;t see how you can accomplish that task by dozing in bed. I am a rise at 5, push on through the afternoon groggies and tough it out till closing kind of girl. I have a maximize everything mentality. This tends to drive my family a little crazy sometimes, but in the end, they are more grateful for the extra experiences than they would have been for the extra z%26#39;s. (and that%26#39;s traveling with 3 children under 7.)

Disney is not a regular experience for us. February will be our 3rd trip since April %26#39;05. I like to make the most out of our visits. The more memories I have, the easier it is to be patient until we are blessed with a return visit.

I will admit, though, that I come from parents who are big believers in the afternoon nap, but by the end of the trip they are no less tired than I am. And I%26#39;m all the happier for having wasted nothing.

I just love to be the odd one out but we allways go to the waterparks at 10.30am then go to the parks at 2.30pm, never had problem we find most people have moved round by the time we start ,plus were not big parade watchers so the 3pm parade leaves the rides free for us .

Weve been at different times of the year and it works for us plus everyone gets a lie in lol.

But Nemmis,

having been to FL 80 times you may have seen and done it all lol. And lots of Americans come for 3-5 days, not 2/3 weeks. I suspect it is different for just a few days.

I say, if you are coming for a week or less, you should go Drill Sarg on them. I too believe there is no point in paying for airfare/gas then a hotel and park tickets and lying in bed and getting there at noon. Complete waste of cash. If you want that sort of holiday go to a beach somewhere (I advise the caribbean) or in these days of the Crunch, stay home and sleep for a week.

But, unlike the PP I do not say go early and stay all day everyday. I say go early and leave at 5 pm for the day (or before- with AK I was done by 1pm), or go early and leave by 1-3 pm depending on the park with a view to returing for evening activities if required/wanted. Go back, have a swim/sun/nap then return.

But, if you are staying at a disney resort, and get extra magic hours at night- these are the people I have heard who have success in seeing/riding things later on.

Thunder Mountain Railroad is a whole new ride at night .

You will either have to forego the most popular rides or stand in long lines for them. Fastpasses (at Disney parks) will be long gone by noon. We went this past year, week after Thanksgiving. Arrived at Hollywood Studios late, seems like it may have been around 5:00; went straight to the new and very popular Toy Story Mania. 50-minute wait! We decided to wait until the day guests had left the park, and only the Extra Magic Hours people were there. 70-minute wait then! So, I%26#39;m in the drill-sergeant camp. Go full speed ahead on park days.

We only go to the parks early during holiday periods like Thanksgiving. Otherwise,we go about noon-even if the parks close relatively early. Epcot is always open until 9:30 at least so we go there at the end of the day and 9 hours in the parks is plenty for us.When we go early,we leave at noon and come back a couple of hours later-can%26#39;t do the dawn till midnight thing.

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