Considering Florida next July - madness?

[BudaisintheZONE]

I know it is hot but we live in Budapest which gets hot anyway although a drier heat I think.

Thinking of 3 weeks in total. 10 days in and around various parks with days off etc. Poss renting an RV and driving around for a few days and finally a week at a nice relaxing beach area. Ana Maria Island maybe.

Any comments/recommendations?

We were in Florida last Easter and stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. DH happy enough to do that again or another Disney hotel. I would like to be somewhere we can walk to restaurants in the evening. We ended up eating in the hotel most of the time last time as that way we could both have a drink. We like to be able to wander out and pick a restaurant.

One child - DS is 9.

There are so many options with Florida that I get brain freeze!

We did a July holiday in Florida with our two primary aged dc's. Stayed in a villa with pool & air con. On some days it got so hot that we literally ran from door to door around downtown disney.

The thought of an RV does sound good to us too but just off putting that there's no guarantee of aircon or pool to cool off.

Also need to plan in time to rest for the first day or two to recover from lack of sleep.

Otherwise, would really love to do it all again sometime.

When I went to Florida in July it was far less humis than when I went in May, which was unbearable and constantly stormy. Storng memory of being stuck in a plane at Tampa airport for 2 hours during a mad storm - they couldn't get us out the plane because they couldn't stick the exit thingies out or have people on the runway. Great.

I think Spring is worse than summer.

tmmj - great to see you! We will be mad together then!

Tess - thanks for advice. We thought of a villa last time but DH wasn't keen and again we want to be walking distance to restaurants and I assumed the villas would be mostly on developments away from shops and restaurants.

GetOrf - thanks. Maybe we will be lucky. We lived in Asia so DH and I are used to humidity but DS isn't.

Buda, you are right that the majority of rental villas are in residential areas away from the main attractions. Ours is only 4 miles from Disney but down a very rurual road and at least 2 miles to the nearest restaurants/shops.

Ref RV, we did this 2 years ago. We hired an RV in Orlando and drove down to Miami stopping a few nights in two different places (one was a rather good site next to a Lion park where you could hear the lions roaring - think near West Palm Beach) and then went on down to Florida keys for a few days then up to Naples/Tampa before back to Orlando. Camp sites varied greatly. Some were very good but one in the Keys (Pennekamp state park) was very basic compared to others. I have to say it wasn't really for me but then I'd just found out I was expecting DC4 a few days before we went so wasn't feeling 100% and the van we hired was a little too small for myself, DH, two teenagers and a nearly 2 year old. I'm sure if we had a bigger van (and one with bloody stabilisers to stop the sodding thing rocking everytime someone got up at night) it would have been a better experience.

We hired our van from a company called something like El Monte RVs in Orlando but I will double check that tomorrow with DH. We got the very smallest van which would be more than ample for a family of three. We booked most of our sites in advance from Kamp America (I think but again will check this tomorrow).
Definitely worth doing if you like something a bit different.

We have been to Disney in July/August three times now and it has been fine. DD was 2y, 4y and last time was 7y. We intend going again next year; DD will be 9y.

Yes, it is hot and humid, but bearable.

With just three of you I am not sure a villa makes sense TBH. We found it easier to be in a Disney hotel (Animal Kingdom infact) last time. Have done villas in past when we have been with family and more of us, which has worked well.

IME you can't just wander out to a restaurant anyway, even in a car. they almost all involve needing transport.

You could use the Disney transport and eat in different parks/hotels.

mumoverseas - I was hoping you would be along! Thanks. DH is very about the RV thing - I am a 5 star hotel girl normally! DS is keen so I thought it might be a fun experience! It will be a few nights only and then back to civilisation!

Hulababy - thought you might pop along too! I know you are huge Florida fans.

Need to get DH to look into flights - we are using airmiles so are dependent on that for dates etc and then we can begin to plan.

Are there any NICE hotels on iDrive within walking distance of a few restaurants? I should have done a proper recce last time but didn't. Or a condo type thing.

Buda, I too am a 5* girl. I have to say I was very negative about the RV trip whilst on it but most of that down to total out of the blue shock pregnancy that I was struggling to deal wtih and also that I'd had a threatened mc a few days before we went (having already had one) so spent the whole holiday not knowing if the little bean was still hanging in there (and not drinking, scuba diving and generally cavorting) was worth it though, he is gorgeous

The great thing about an RV trip in Florida is that you won't be too far from your base in Orlando (if you have one) and if you really aren't enjoying it then there are no shortage of hotels. We went 'home' to our villa a few days earlier than planned but think that was just because I was being grumpy and sleep deprived. DH and DC loved it and DH wants to do it again.

Can't think of any hotels on I drive but we are going out there in 7 weeks so can have a mooch if we are up that way

I suspect you had very good reason to not get into the swing of things on your RV trip mumoverseas. Am glad it all worked out well.

We will be flying into Miami so will maybe do the RV thing at the start and get it over with! DH is still and suggesting we just hire a nice big car and drive to nice hotels! But I think DS would really enjoy it.

sounds like a good plan Buda. Maybe you can pick up in Miami and drop off in Orlando and get a car there?
I'm sure your DS will love it, particularly if you stay at the campsite at the lion safari park. The drive down to the Florida keys is really nice and there are some nice sites there. Go for it

Have to say I'm really looking forward to 3 weeks in our luxury villa there in Oct/November this year. Can't wait after the crappy summer we've had

We are going at Easter - Ortlando and the oarks for a week and then www.southseas.com/here

mumoverseas - I had a look at the website for RV rentals that you mentioned. Didn't seem to be an option for renting in Miami and dropping off in Orlando. Not the end of the world if we can't though as have to get back to Miami anyway.

MadameCastafiore - thanks so much for that link! It looks lovely and JUST what I would love for our last week. Did you book direct with the resort or as a package? Trying to figure out how to get the best deal!

2fedup - that's a good idea. I'll have a look. Thanks.

Flights booked! We fly into Miami on 5 July and out of Orlando on 26 July. Yay!

Am now thinking we will not do RV as seems very complicated! (DH is still not 100% on board which is colouring my view!) But I have seen that you can go to camp sites and rent an RV onsite. So we may do that. Or a cabin. Something rustic anyway!

Then beach for a week - really like the look of the resort MadameCatafiore linked to.

And then 2 nights in Universal hotel and then final week in a Disney Hotel.

Now just got to see about packers packing up house before we go as we are moving from Budapest to UK then to