Disneyland/Orlando = Awful

[YellowTulips]

Just got back from 2 weeks in Orlando.

I know I am a miserable bugger but I HATED it.

Hot humid weather, stupidly high fees to enter the parks (legoland was especially shit).

Kids loved it, but I surely can't be the only person who disliked it ......

Discovery cove is rubbish. That's the only place I felt ripped off. The dolphin swim isn't a swim and they set it so if you want pictures you have to pay their $200+ prices. It was a really long day as not a huge amount to do and only so much snorkelling and swimming you can do. The other water parks offered far better value for money.

I go because the dc love it. I agree it's tacky and cringeworthy but that's why I like it. It's just good to see the dc getting along and never bored. They are equally as happy in a pool in Spain/France or even on the beach in Cornwall etc but ask them where they want to go and they shout Orlando every time. Ds1 is 17 and I imagine this will be his final time coming with us, this time next year he'll be working and going off with his mates and not wanting to holiday with his younger siblings and mum.

Discovery Cove, Sea World and the like represent nothing except animal cruelty.

Oddly enough, dolphins don't really like being in captivity being forced to swim round with tourists hanging on to them so that they get fed when they should be in the ocean with their families.

I love it, been 10+ times, but I know a lot of people who come home feeling like you do after there first time, it's just so overwhelming and it's not a relaxing holiday, but most in a few weeks start to look at differently and usually end up going back, after your first time you def feel like you need a holiday to recover!

Because I went do regularly I didn't rush about all day everyday and had lots of chill out time around the pool etc

That's interesting helpme

I thought we'd give it a whirl, as something a bit different. But maybe not if it's not value for money!

We go every year, although we generally break up the holiday with a cruise, but I love Orlando -we all do.
We're not brain dead by any means -we are both in professional jobs and have good degrees :).

We also go ski-ing every year and try to cram in a couple of city breaks or another trip somewhere 'cultural' -we love all the Italian cities and these tend to be our first choice.

We love the service -have travelled all over the world and the service in the Disney hotels is faultless. We tend not to do the parks too much now - but we always go to EPCOT a couple of nights for the atmosphere and entertainment (and a drink or two in every 'country').

For me it's pure escapism and it ticks the box for us and our DC.
I don't like Universal - too me that's like Alton Towers but the new Harry Potter area is stunning.

There's more to the Disney World resort than the parks -amazing restaurants (look up Victoria and Albert's, Le Cellier, Jiko) great watersports and entertainment.

Oh and I will never camp and I will never do a beach in spain type holiday either but I would never insult anyone who did.

We went because it was the time my mum and sister came with us and my mum brought it with the dolphin swim as a treat for the dc. The dc weren't really that bothered tbh. All three came away feeling sorry for the dolphins.

If you like lying in the sun or snorkelling in overcrowded pool where the fish are then it's fine. The food was ok and the frozen lemonade was lovely but it was in no way near worthy of the money that my mum paid.

Also a lot of extras that you think are included such as the helmet diving which I seem to remember was an extra $50 each.

The lazy river wasn't as expected. It's not one of those that carry you along just a long winding swim so that you can snorkel the 'ruins' moulded plastic urns and mosaics in the floor.

Funny how since we've been so many people agree that it wasn't worth the money. But before we went it seemed like it was one of the must do's.

Busch gardens is fab. That's out favourite park. That has more of the Alton towers/chessington feel to it as not as vast as Disney or universal. Bit we enjoyed the rides there and the animals. Ds2 loved the avary.

Water park wise we liked aquatica and blizzard beach. Better than discovery cove and included in our theme park tickets. Not too keen on wet and wild but it is a tick off the list for doing Orlando. We've been three times in the many times we've been to Orlando.

Looking at Cape cod for next summer for a change though.

Thank you helpme I think I shall cross it off my list!

I would never ever ever be tempted to go there. We went to Paris 2 years ago when dd was 6 & we went to euro disney for a day and honestly dh & I thought we'd never get out of it. It was the brash comercialism of it. So not 'magic' to us. Dd thought it was ok but hated all the waiting around in q's.

I feel we have ticked that box and she has seen it and we will never return.

YABU

For going to Florida in August.

Completely different experience in May or October.

Universal is better though!

We really enjoy holidaying in Florida. We also ensure our children have lots of other experiences. I really don't understand why people are being so derogatory about going to Disney. Variety is the spice....

Superglue - Orlando is far superior to Paris... It's an entirely different experience.

Agree that DLP is very different to Disneyworld Florida - very different in so many ways. Less queues at DE to start with and obviously far more to do as there are 4 parks and 2 waterparks to start with rather than 2 (smaller) parks at DLP

yanbu

and obviously a better parent than myself as I would not spend so much money taking ds to a hyped up over commercialised magical shite that is called Disneyland/world

We're at the airport waiting for our flight home. We've had an ace time! As well as universal, we went to the Keys, visited the Everglades and drank many margaritas on the beach at Fort Myers (I am a complete sucker for a tiki bar...)
I'd prefer to go Oct or Feb but I teach now so this is one of my only options. I've been pleasantly surprised by the lack of queues (apart from Gringotts -Hula we may have seen you there!)
We go rartly in the am, lol about the pool in the pm then head back from 7-10pm. Night at Harry Potter is amazing.
Food - we get fresh stuff from Publix and eat at Sweet Tomatoes (salad buffet restaurant, very reasonably priced) a couple of times when we get fed up of fried stuff.

YABU.

You went to fl in July. You went to DISNEY in July. Are you mad?

Didn't expect to love it but we did. Went in April and weather was glorious.

With jet lag, we arrived early for each theme park, longest queue was five minutes, and we left by 11am. Disney was dull and didn't offer anything more than the Paris one, but DDs (9 and 11) loved universal and the water parks.

The key was staying in a non-Disney gorgeous hotel with lovely pools, and not making theme parks the main focus. People were friendly, petrol cheap, food cheap, lovely and varied, and the weather superb.

Wouldn't go again as there are too many other places to visit, but it was a truly amazing holiday.

Half spam - we are having a lazy morning here; 10:30 and I've still to have a shower! Then we are off to universal esp for Wizarding would at night :)

Ah Hula - I'm jealous already.
I'm just downloading my photos now - we went in to Diagon Alley just before 10 pm a couple of times and managed to get some fab atmospheric shots with us and no other people in the pics.

Can't wait until Friday. Orlando here we come!! If that makes us chavvy/common/unintelligent so be it. Bring on the tack fest and we will have some lovely lazy mornings by the pool or early evening.

As someone else said good thing about having been a few times is no need to fit everything in in two weeks, we know what we want to do and where we want to go and can relax and take it easy for other days.

I would hate it!

Quite a few people I know have been this summer, a few for the second or third time. They seem to love it. I look at their holiday pics and am not at all

I do feel a bit guilty, because I know my DC would probably love to go.

If I was going to Florida out of choice, I certainly wouldn't go in July/August.

I didn't rate Disney either.
Universal parks are much better.
Busch Gardens is fab and Kennedy Space Ctr... WOW!!!!
SeaWorld is also brilliant.

Half spam a went to DA last night in the dark; was lovely. We sat and watched the telling of the Deathly Hallows which was fab

Can't believe the miserable gits moaning how it rains every day.
Yes it does often rain, but it's usually late afternoon, is a spectacular show of thunder and lightening (almost as good as watching fireworks), the rain is warm, and unlike British rain, which can hang around for hours, the whole storm is over with in about an hour - and then it's brilliant sunshine again!
We often found ourselves looking forward to this daily spectacular show of nature!

Forgot to mention, I'm British and have been to Florida twice and had a fantastic time.

I love Florida.

Had loads of great holidays there - used to do a week by the beach then a week at Orlando with friends and do maybe 3 days of parks.

Once as a special treat we stayed in one of the smdisney hotels!

Not sure my parents would have been up for much more than 3 days of parks, it's quite tiring and expensive.

It's an easy place to get to, easy place to be language and culture wise, fx rate meant things have been cheaper and clothes generally are anyway. Nice weather except maybe not so much in the dead of summer.

I'd go back for sure as soon as I have kids.