Florida any advice?

[Crawling]

Does anyone have any advice or tips?

Do everything, don't let anything stand in your way!

Someone posted on here and it was very good advice to fly into Tampa. Saves lots of ££££

Thanks both I went regularly as a child but its my first time as a adult and its dp and dcs first time. Greggs excellent advice but its already booked ill remember it if im lucky enough to go again. Deb i lol at that.

Just got back from 4wk holiday with 3dc's aged 10 - 14. if yours are a similar age and you want to private message me, i have loads of tips, places to stay etc. We did florida keys (fabulous) everglades, tampa side and Orlando incl disney and universal. Flew into Miami which was 1.5 hours drive to the keys but considered tampa as it is cheaper. didnt spend as much as we had budgetted - lots of ways to keep the costs down. Happy to pass on all my info where we stayed what we did etc to whoever ask [bsmile]

mummymeister my dc are a lot younger than yours but would appreciate any tips?

This book really helped us in our planning:

Brit Guide to Orlando and Walt Disney World 2013 by Simon and Susan Veness

Mummy meister my dc are alot younger but I would welcome any tips or advice you have.

The book above is excellent, do your home work and plan what to do every day before you leave the UK.
Go on the Walmart site and enter your accomodation post code ( zipcode) and you can find the most local one so when you land you are not looking for it.
WE took our own sat nav but check cost on line from Walmart etc.
You may see coupon books these are full of junk but also some good offers, we drove from Orlando to Miami, stayed near Sawgrassmill shopping outlet, its excellent paid £40 a night using a voucher for 2 adults and 2 kids in a new hotel, it was excellent and we did all the Miami sites etc, then drove back to Disney.

Thank you I will defo grab that book. Thanks zumo I was wondering about walmart as I intend to make my own evening meals (cus otherwise Ill explode) plus I have two in nappies so will def need to buy them.

With really young ones are you going to hit the WDW? not sure how much they will remember if they are under about 3 but would also say that WDW is a better bet for younger ones than universal studios. we have stayed a couple of times in villas - one in sunset lakes that was only 15 min drive so we could come back during the day. We found the unofficial guide to WDW with kids a brilliant book. it helps you to pull a package together yourself. would say fly into Tampa and drive across, stay in a villa (homeaway website is a good one) no more than 20 mins away. last time stayed in Hampton Lakes but wouldnt want to be any further out than this. loads of other info please message me and happy to pass it all on but say start with the book and avoid the really hot weather and hurricane season.

Carriedawayannie I dont know how young your kids are but I needed a double buggy and Disney charge $ 16 a day for a single or 27$ a day for a double so Ive been looking around and kingdomstrollers deliever a pram for 2 weeks at $80 for a single and $100 for a double this will save you a couple hundred dollars.

Walmart sell cheap buggies and loads of Disney tat far cheaper than in the park, the fans that spray water are good if its hot

where are you staying? Depending where I might be able to give recommendations for shops/restaurants

In kissimee but I plan on going to I drive. Any tips welcome.

Don't commit yourself to doing something all day every day, especially if the dc are quite young. It's really easy to set out for one of the parks at 9am and still find yourselves there at 10pm watching the parades. It's all great stuff, but it's bloody exhausting and none of you end up enjoying it. Try to mix in a busy all-out day with a quieter day then an evening excursion.
On a two week Orlando holiday, on the middle weekend we book a night at a motel in St Pete for some beach time (actually the Howard Johnson's is very good value and right on the beach). Makes a lovely break if you can't get down to the Keys.

well Kissimmee is pretty big
If you are by the 192, there is a nice shopping complex with some good restaurants at Formosa Gardens. The Outback Steakhouse is one of our favouries as is the italian called Giordianos and there is a fairly good supermarket there (Marketplace).

Old Town, on the 192 (just West of Celebration) is worth a visit. On Friday and Saturday nights they have 'car night' where they have a lot of old and classic cars drive through and then park up and on Thursdays (I think) Its motorbikes if you or your DH like that kind of thing. Lots of nice shops and a few restaurants there and a few fun fair rides.

Good restaurants for fussy kids are Sizzler and Ponderosa, you'll find these along the 192 and some by I drive. They are 'eat all you can' buffet type restaurants and do pretty good breakfasts, we always fill up before going to the parks.

Our favourite shopping place is the Premium Outlet mall, just off the I4/SR535, lots of 'top' names and good prices.

Agree its nice to get down to a beach if you can, we went to Clearwater for the day last year and it was lovely

Thank you sadly we cant do beaches as dd who has autism hates the feel of sand and has a breakdown if it gets on her feet I dont plan on doing any evening stuff as dd will get to over stimulated so I plan on leaving the parks at 5 by the latest Im also taking ear plugs and a sheet to put over her pram if she needs it.

Any relaxing days will be spent by the pool or leisure shopping.

Make sure you go to the shopping outlets there are some great Bargains to be had esp the American brands like converse Levi's. make up etc.