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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

disneyland Florida

50 replies

JaxTellersOldLady · 21/03/2011 10:02

Children are 11 and almost 8, and are desperate to go here. Having avoided it for my 36 years and not really fussed about going think it would be nice if we went and had a fun time... but having looked into prices I really dont want to spend £5K for a couple of weeks there.

A friend has a villa near there and would give us a good rate (dont know how much yet) but can anyone recommend hiring a house/villa or staying in the resort?

We would want to do lots of things, not just disneyworld.

Please convince me that it will be a one off and the kids will love it and DH and I will get a relaxing holiday too.

OP posts:

empirestateofmind · 21/03/2011 12:33

We first went when DDs were 6 and 9. We all loved it. In fact we liked it so much we went back again the following year. Now we live in Asia so it is too far to get to. We did get to HK Disney but it is nothing compared to Florida.

Try to stay in a Disney hotel for a couple of nights so you can do a character breakfast. Never mind the children- I loved it!

munstersmum · 21/03/2011 12:40

We hired a villa about 15mins drive away. It worked really well as could go home for break/swim mid afternoon. Days are very long in that heat if go early to get fastpasses & stay all way through to fireworks. Also food at the parks expensive & rubbish.

We did week at Disney, week at coast which would do again if going back. Felt we actually saw something of States, lovely beaches.

sowhatis · 21/03/2011 12:41

id say get a villa. its so much nicer and you can 'get away' from the disney madness a bit more than if your in the resort.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 21/03/2011 12:50

What sort of things would you want to do?.

What time of year were you thinking of going there as well?. I ask this as it can rain a great deal during the summer months (short sharp showers with high humidity levels).

Also children over the age of 10 will pay adult admission prices with regards to the theme parks.

mummynoseynora · 21/03/2011 12:53

we have been twice and hire a villa, its far more relaxing!

cedar12 · 21/03/2011 13:01

Florida is the best holiday we had. We stayed about 15 mins away, nice to get away from disney for a bit and chill. We paid about £550 for 2 weeks in a 3 bed condo it was lovely.
We didnt fly direct and it was a lot cheaper 12 hours instead of 9 hours though. We found the 12 hours ok, dd was almost 7 and was fine with the flight.
We went over easter and took dd out of school for 3 day before they broke up. Loads cheaper just before the hols. Weather is great at this time of year aswell, not to hot.

newpup · 21/03/2011 13:08

I love Florida, have been many times, 4 with the DDs. There is so much to see and do outside of Disney (although Disney is fab). The first few times we took DDs we did spend most of our time at the theme parks but during later visits we have explored more of Florida. If you can, take a trip in an airboat on the everglades. It is a really fun thing to do, you will get to see some natural habitat and wildlife and it is a world away from the theme parks.

The great thing about Florida is that you can budget wisely and still see a lot or blow some bucks and have a ball!

Some of our favourite things have been -

Mickeys Xmas party in Magic Kingdom
Airboat ride
Hot Air balloon ride
Cirque du Soleil
Wandering around Downtown Disney after sundown
Water parks
Animation classes at Hollywood Sudios (M.G.M)
DDs love the Crazy Golf after dark
Great seafood restaurants.

The beaches on the coast are fantastic too.

There is such a lot to do whatever your budget you will have a great time!

Original poster

JaxTellersOldLady · 21/03/2011 13:54

Thank you, we would be going in the English summer holidays, so end July, August time.

I want to visit as much as we can without knackering ourselves. I think hiring a villa close by would be good, so long as it had a pool my children would be happy! (As would the grownups)

The everglades, the beaches, the other sights apart from Disney.

OP posts:

Original poster

JaxTellersOldLady · 23/03/2011 09:55

anyone else got any pearls of wisdom to share on Florida/Disneyworld?

villas to recommend? airlines that are helpful? carhire? (gulp) I seem to have a mental block about driving in USA, although happy to drive rest of world!

OP posts:

sowhatis · 23/03/2011 18:28

www.floridalakevillas.com/viewthevillas/viewvilla4.asp this is one of the villas we are staying in next year.. the guy couldnt be more helpful.

are you sure uk summers hols is the best time to go?? we were told not and having done it once i can say i agree! we go at easter.

withagoat · 23/03/2011 18:31

its a LOT of driving
no one said that

withagoat · 23/03/2011 18:32

we flew to sandford
ws BRILLIANT as so easy to get in and out of compared to the other airport

id never go in summer
i cannot imagine the HEAT and i like it hot.
you spend a LOT so dont try and budget

withagoat · 23/03/2011 18:32

( we went at xmas was freaky cold a couple of days - hats and scarves)

silverfrog · 23/03/2011 18:34

we are off in 10 days - eeeek!

we are staying at a Disney villa, as we are braving a catered holiday for the first time in years (dd1 has multiple food intolerances, but have heard very good things about dietary requirements at Disney), so we wanted ot take advantage of the dining plan options.

we do still have a villa for the odd lazy breakfast/quick tea though, and better space for the dds (only young still - 6 and 4) to run about in without driving us completely crazy!

we are only there for a week, and then off elsewhere for a week, too, so reckoned we could cope with the extreme hype for the week (am not so confidant about that now! )

the girls a re a bit young for Universal, and we are not really water park people, so we will be doing the 4 Disney parks really.

we are flying with Thompson, into Sanford.

I can let you know how it was when we get back if you like?

EvilTwins · 23/03/2011 18:35

We went last year and stayed in a villa about 25 mins drive from all the Disney parks. That definitely suited us better - we had a pool which was perfect as it was hot and muggy. We totally loved the whole experience though, despite being cynical at first. We were only in Florida for a week - we had a few days in New York at either end of it, which was fabulous. Whilst in Florida, we did all the Disney stuff, but also drove out to NASA one day which was pretty interesting. DTDs were only just 4 at the time, and we'll definitely go back when they're a bit older.

We booked our whole holiday with Trailfinders, who were great - particularly given that we were doing the New York bit too, and internal flights as well as international. We were impressed with the amount of time they put in to finding us the best deal - didn't expect that at all with an agent.

withagoat · 23/03/2011 18:38

we loved half a day at gatorland
is hilarious any sandford flights - go on the way back to airport

also USE your fast passes at disney parks - lot didnt

thought sea world awas a bit meh
fave parks for us were the movie themed ones

boys liked slides at wet and wild depsite it looking a bit tired

go at the end of the day and you can do the whole lot with no queing

EvilTwins · 23/03/2011 18:39

silverfrog (sorry for hijack, OP) - fon't dismiss the water park idea - we went to Typhoon Lagoon with our 4 yr old DTDs and it was just fabulous. Seriously relaxing, particularly compared to some of the other parks. Of the Disney parks, that one, along with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom were definitely our favourites.

EvilTwins · 23/03/2011 18:39

Fon't? Don't. Doh.

silverfrog · 23/03/2011 18:41

Really? for Not Keen swimmers (ie me ) too?

the girls might quite like it, but neither can swim yet (dd1 is ASD, and ex-water phobic), and can't really cope with anythign other than the most simple of slides (eg 3-step toddler ones!). woudl just a waste of time, surely?

will (grudgingly) mention to dh and see what he thinks...

Buda · 23/03/2011 18:44

It will be hot July/August. We are going 5 July for 3 weeks. Doing a week on a beach and then 3 nights at a Universal Hotel to make the most of that and the fast passes there and then the rest of the time at a Resort opposite Downtown Disney.

We went at Easter 2 years ago and all enjoyed it so are going back.

I don;t think you can do the Everglades in July/August. Too many bugs. Too hot. Not sure the touristy things even operate there then.

cherrychoo · 23/03/2011 18:50

we have been 4 times now.
Last year we went in July....it was 40 degrees every day, too hot to stand in but we were in 2-3 hour waits for every ride..in the 40 deg heat.

Every where we went it was litterally heaving, shoulder to shoulder with people.
We would never ever go in the summer again.

We have only ever been either end of the year and had an amazing, fantastic, unbelievabley fabulous time. Plus more tolerable heat, lovely and warm but not stifling.

We have always stayed in Villas, which without exception have been gorgeous.
We get park tickets before going, good value and great savings.

I would definitely recommend doing parks one day, rest next day, slobbing around villa in the pool, out for lunch & dinner....just lussh xx

mummytime · 23/03/2011 19:01

We're going end of August (commitments mean we can't do 2 weeks any other time of year). Have heard that once Florida schools go back it gets a bit saner. We're staying in a villa v. close to parks, but most cost more than ours. We are also flying independently because we wanted more leg room than Monarch.

Get the Unofficial guide. Buy Disney tickets before the end of April from UK and you can get a 2 week ticket for 5 day price. I've always loved Gatorland (and laughed at the Tupperware museum). Nasa is good too.

Be prepared for heat and humidity.

I loved Blizzard beach when we went there before.

EvilTwins · 23/03/2011 19:05

silverfrpog - the best bit of that water park is the lazy river ride, where you sit on a massive rubber ring and float round the whole park on a slow-flowing stream. If you stay on all the way round, it takes about 40 minutes - bliss. You can get off at various points though. Water came up to the top of my legs. Also lovely childrens' area with very very tame slides. I think Blizzard Beach is the wilder one of the two. We loved it. DH proclaimed it his favourite park.

silverfrog · 23/03/2011 19:09

oh, that does sound good.

may well reconsider, especially if there is a decent wuss small children section.

thanks

Buda · 23/03/2011 19:11

mummytime - where do you buy your Disney tickets from?

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