Top tips for Orlando

[stu99]

Off to Orlando for 2 weeks soon, anyone got any top tips please??

[Fett]

If doing the theme parks, jump the monorails, trains to the back of the park upon opening time and start from the back. We did this last time and did every ride with ease, making use of the fast track passes. If your taking kids try to time dinner time indoors or watching a show, the heat can get real bad midday and kids getting tired and annoyed early means you may not be around for the fireworks show at night.

When out shopping at the malls keep an eye out for little money off voucher booklets as we found some that were offering half price trainers with each purchase and the cost of reeboks there is so cheap anyway your getting 2 pairs for like 50 quid.

Hope ya have a great time.

[pumpman]

have a look here too lots of info
http://www.thedibb.co.uk/

[ThE gOg]

hire a car, and if you like shopping make sure you visit the outlet malls, lacost, ralph lauren etc around half the price it is over here. millenium mall was the newest when we wen't, amazing place but not the cheapest.

hth

[kracken]

watch out for fat yanks

[steve10574]

Make sure you do the capones dinner and show its great night and make sure you have good diet waiting when you get back lol (ihop and ponderosa for breaky yum yum ) oh and make sure you take a taxi at some point most of the drivers we had where as funny as you can be LOL

[jaguar982]

Put your second biggest case into the empty bigger one you will need it when you buy cheap stuff dont forget to take labels off or you might get done for tax enjoy yep ponderossa for brekki

jag

[Little John]

Take some change with you for toll roads incase you get lost. for some reason when lost we end up on a toll road.

Ignore all the advice of heading down the 417 express way toll road, It takes ages. the best way from the airport is to head east to the I4 then head south on that. jumping off at the area your heading for Kissimee or I drive. Also the I4 is easier when your fresh off the plane sat on the wrong side of the road.

[stu99]

Haven't got a car booked yet, not sure if to go for a week or two weeks hire.

[Little John]

How many weeks are you there?

ok I read your original post get the car for 2 weeks. I hear so many people go on about staying on disney property and useing disney transport to get to the parks and the bus services to get to sea world and universal. Thats fine if all you want to do is be tied to buses and the theme parks and downtown disney but there is a lot more to see and do arround the area. A car just makes the whole thing more flexable you can go to any of the mad food places and don't need to wobble to the bus stop to get back to your hotel you just crawl to your car and drive to the hotel.

The downside of the car is the cost of parking at the parks, last time we were there september 2007, parking was $11-$12 per day and there were plans to put the prices up. Have a look on the car rental sites and see what their costs are, but watch out for the extr charges, that $200 2 week hire will end up closer to $500 with extras. Same with hire over here make sure it covers insurance as well but not a tank of fuel as the cost is expensive compared to what it will cost to fill the tank. the other thing is to say no to any insurance they offer at the hire place, you will already have it if you do as I say, but they will always try to sell it to you, watch out for them saying so you just want the basic insurance they charge for that if they can so just say no to any insurance.

The biggest cost of the holiday are your park tickets, I'm going to LA next week and Disney is $142 for 2 days and universal is $70 per day each. So go to both the us ticket sites and see the us sites and see which are cheaper. The 14 and 21 day all access stuff that you get for the uk market sounds great value but 14 days of disney in one go will drive you nuts 4 or 5 days is plenty. as you also need to go to the universal parks, space center, sea world, aquatica and busch gardens. dont forget the hospitality areas in seaworld and busch gardens free beer.

[eripmav]

Watch out for Spider Man trying to sneak into Disney, seeing as they now own Marvel!

Regarding tolll roads, I always set my GPS to avoid them...tight? Possibly!

Very good places to eat, Golden Coral, a top notch buffet. Really, really good. Something for everyone there.

Cracker Barrell, my son, wife and I ate there a few times and each of the time it was under $30 for all three of us inc tip!

Like another chap said, don't feel shy using vouchers. They're so much more friendly in the US at the cashier so don't be embarressed!

I'm off myself in just over three weeks. Nine days in Disney at Port Orleans and taking advantage of their dining plan and then a week in a villa to chillaxe! Can't wait, I need a break and up north the summer's been shite.

[stu99]

Any recommendations for car hire?

I was looking at Thrifty but then looked at Virgin which seemed well priced.

[Little John]

Nice on Dan your going back again. Were haveing a change and going to the west coast this year seeing Californian Mickey. in 3 weeks? you will will be able to go to the universal studios fright night thing, I so want to go to that we did the mickeys not so scary halloween party in the rain that was a laugh.

Stu the car hire companies are all the same they just have different cars pick your size of car and then see what they are chargeing. We have used Alamo and dollar in the past plus others but they all try to pull the extra insurance trick.

[stu99]

Been looking at car hire and so far as I can see Dollar come out best via Thomas Cook's Netflights website.

[eripmav]

I can't for the life of me remember who the missus uses but we pick up from the car care centre actually within Disney itself. If you're staying onsite, arrange to pick it up from there and then you can get a bus from your hotel directly to it for free

Even better, if you are staying on site, when you get there (If you're flying to MCO) arrange for the Magical Express to take you to your resort. It saves SO much hassle and it's so relaxing after the 9hr flight!

Yeah back again John, the missus loves the place far too much. Out there for our first anniversary and once again (sigh) her birthday!

[Cooleo]

just got back from Orlando on the 28th, It rocked! Suggestions from me:
1. Grab Ponchos, 99p in ASDA for two. You will need them if the rains come.
2. DONT FORGET SUNCREAM, You don't want to be wailing around in Pain.
3. Dont panic if you break your car, The insurance on the car rental normally covers it.
4. Don't worry about bringing lots of memory cards for the camera, You can buy them over there, They're cheap as.
5. Pick up coupon booklets, They're everywhere and will save you a fortune.
6. One word, Hooters.

[flik]

Get to the parks at the crack of dawn if you want to do all the rides. Go later for a few rides and watch the firework/laser shows. Over 8 hours on any of the parks will knacker you out !
At Islands of Adventure if you want to avoid waiting in the queues for the big rides like Spiderman then just use the single rider queues. We did Spiderman 5 times in an hour when the standard wait time was about 40 mins.

Medievil times is a good night out as well.

Very good restaurant called Outback up the road as well which does beautiful steaks.

We did Discovery Cove which is next to Seaworld and is very expensive. You are promised a 1-1 Dolphin swim while there but you actually go out in groups of 6 for just half an hour so be warned. I wouldn't do it again !

I think Downtown Disney has now closed btw which is a fookin shame !

If you want to buy any beer at any of the Disney parks you MUST have photo ID or they won't serve you in general no matter how old you look. Universal has no such probs.

Busch gardens is worth going to twice as it is so big (V tiring) and has loads of stuff going on.

There is a new Water park next to Seaworld that is supposed to be amazing (Can't remember what it's called I haven't been yet). All the water parks are pretty amazing tbh !

Hire a car for the duration you are there and deffo take a TomTom with you ! Don't have any open beers in your car as Police will screw you if you get caught even if you are a passenger.

Don't in anyway get in any trouble. Just grabbing someones sleeve or collar can get you locked up. Don't try and score any drugs either !

Make sure you have a couple of days off at least when you get home as you will be fooked !

There is so much to do that 2 weeks is nowhere near long enough to see half of what's there.

I can't go this year and am jealous as fuck. Enjoy

[crashtestmac]

We are going on the 14th for 16 days....

Cannot wait..
Charter Travel were the cheapest for tickets for both Disney and Universal.

Booked cars through floridacarhire.net (with Budget but you get a free upgrade, paid for intermediate and got a full size...!)

We decided to feck it and just paid for 14 day disney and 14 day universal because we may get there and the kids might want to go to disney 8 times so for the maximum flexibility and the fact that it is only about £30 more we went for it...

Wallmart it a great place to go for an adventure and bobs sporting goods is an eyeopener, isle 1 is tennis rackets and footballs, isle 10 is shotguns and sniper rifles...!!!!

I can recommend Cirque du solei, Logans Roadhouse (porter house steak), any outlet mall, Ridgewood Lakes golf course (£20 a round with a buggy and club hire....)

Just do not go and expect to have a relax. The place is awesome and has to be done full on to get the most out of it...!

[flik]

We are going on the 14th for 16 days....


We decided to feck it and just paid for 14 day disney and 14 day universal because we may get there and the kids might want to go to disney 8 times so for the maximum flexibility and the fact that it is only about £30 more we went for it...

That's what I always do mate so you can revisit the best parks. Like I said if you do say Magic Kingdom for a day and also want to see the firework show expect to be there a good 12 hours or so in 100 degree heat which is not as fun as it may sound !

As with Walmart the one next to Medievil times my brother who has a criminal record in the UK from a long time back applied to buy a Sniper rifle just to see if they would sell him one. After a quick check on the National register the Ex marine looking sales assistant informed him that he was 'good to go on the Gun' ! When are Asda going to get a Hunting and Fishing section ?

Whilst we are talking about Walmart it is advisable to go early to avoid the queues as they can get pretty busy.

[Cooleo]

Oh, if you are going to theme parks, Go to Busch Gardens. Because its off the track, its going to be empty now the kids are back at school. If you get there around 10AM when it opens, you can ride, rides with no one on, or just walk straight on. Queue's arn't much.