Florida favourites

[RufusTheReindeer]

We are going back to Florida for the 3rd time with children (been a few times without)

I am making a list of my favourite things to do, eating smores and pay days, visiting T. Rex cafe, playing crazy golf. Thing like that

I wonder if anyone else has got any favourites? Shops, restaurants, american sweets, anything, would love to try some new things

The last time we were in Florida our best days were a day of Go-Karting and also spent a day at a petty farm which was a really good day

I'm going back in June and doing the petty farm again for my 2 year old and me

wee

Thanks for that, hadn't thought of go carting (not my cup of tea but my children would love it)

If wasn't mine either but once I did a lap I was addicted lol...my butt paid for it the next day

Where and what is the T. Rex cafe? Sounds interesting.

We're not going until August 2015 but am already very excited!

T. Rex cafe is at downtown disney, same place as disney quest which I would also recommend, and is a restaurant a bit like the rainforest cafe but dinosaurs instead

It is much much better than rainforest cafe, the dinosaurs are fun and the food is excellent

We had a huge brownie and ice cream pudding just because it came with dry ice! Well cool!

Get yourself to Aloha Isle in the MK to buy a Dole Whip Float. Amazing.

Have a dinner in Bubba Gumps in Universal City Walk.

Go to Dollar Tree - it's like Poundland on steroids. Kids can have a ball buying tat for a dollar and you can stock up on 'essentials' that you can't live without.

If time and cash allows, go to Boggy Creek for an airboat ride. Very very funny!

Brilliant, thanks tobago

Bubba gump is on my to do list, so I'm glad to get a recommendation (set up a board on pinterest )

Will deffo look into the other ideas, sound excellent!

Ooh T. Rex sounds perfect for kids! Thanks for recommendation

bacon

There is the cutest sandpit in there that you can dig for fossils in!!

Do I need to book for the T Tex restaurant?

*T Rex

wee

Last time we went (3years ago) we booked it. Because it's at downtown disney it's not really out if the way IYSWIM

We arrived at prime lunchtime but there were a few walk ins when we were there (not many) and more when we left

We are going to visit downtown in the first few days and book then

Really like the two Disney water parks. Pricey but worth it. Get there very early, before it opens, though, and when the gates oen leg it in to secure a really good spot.

Golden Corral - very cheap, low brow, all you can eat chain buffet restaurant, but fab for filling up at breakfast time before a day at the parks.

Dave & Busters on I-Drive for days when the weather isnt great. Kid-friendly arcade games for kids, bar for grown ups. Sorted!

For good food (and cocktails for grown ups), Gloria Estefan's Cuban restaurant at Downtown Disney (name escapes me).

grass

Liking the sound of Dave and busters!

Do enjoy the waterparks...I enjoy lying on the sunloungers !

Rufus, it was a revelation for us n a day when it pissed with rain! You buy tokens, give them to the kids in a bucket, and let them loose while you watch from the bar area. They win tooens back every time they ein a game, too, and can choose a pound shop tat prize from the 'shop' at the end woth the tooens they have accumulated. My two LOVED it. Its very child-friendly, too, not a seedy arcade.

Also, roughly opposite D&B's is a rtaurant called Bahama Breeze. Lovely, vaguely Caribbean food and GREAT cocktails.

*tokens

Disney mini golf courses are now included with MYW Disney tick (one free game per person, per day) Winter Summerland is great fun, based over at Blizzard Beach. We also enjoyed having a nose at the Disney resorts. The Polynesian resort has a great beach with plenty of loungers, and a big screen playing Disney movies at night. You can also wstch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from thr beach. We really enjoyed Kennedy Space Centre, altho this would depend on how old your DCs are.

wood

Is the Polynesian fairly easy to get to/walk into? I did think of that last time but never got round to it. I really like the idea of watching the fireworks from the beach!

Will you have a car? You can park at any of the Disney resorts, just tell the person at the barrier you are coming to eat/look around. Resort is signposted, on the main Disney route near Magic Kingdom. If you are not driving, you can take the Disney bus from Downtown Disney, or the boat from Magic Kingdom.

Am going to watch this thread with interest for all your tips and recommendations, we are looking at booking for August 2015, first time for us. Ds will be a teenager then!

Our children always loved Gatorland - lots of gators to look at, animal antics shows, gator feeding, gator wrestling etc. Nice boardwalk through a swamp, mini train etc.
Kennedy Space Centre another favourite especially when coupled with Cocoa Beach.

Love gator land, tho we do have to wrestle the hotdogs (intended to feed the gators) from dd

Not been to the Kennedy space centre or cocoa beach

Thanks ruby

We've just come back and tried to book at t Rex but they were full till about August!! I second the Dole whip, it's lush - you can get it at Epcot too. Also my kids loved the pin trading with the cast members - we bought some dollar pins from the outley Disney store and just used them to trade for the ones the kids liked.

I went with teens and on their behalf I would Second Bubba Gump and also really liked Hard Rock Cafe at Universal.

Hated Golden Corrall (sorry, I don't want to eat off plastic plates). Millers Sports Bar on I-drive was excellent. Teenagers loved it.

Loved Kennedy (best day of all for me and DH) but I think younger DCs might not enjoy it so much.