We are now thinking about Florida and Disney, would be grateful for any advice (-:

[christmosschops30]

So I might have persuaded dh that we need something special next year and I quite fancy disney and beach but just want to know a few things and if anyone could post their recommendations that would be great

1. We can only go in July/August, will the temp be unbearable?
2. Is 3 1/2 too young to go (dh thinks so)
3. is the renting of a house a good idea, it seems a lot cheaper but there must be a catch.
4. Do we definately need a car
5. Is food as cheap as everyone makes out?
6. Is 5 days enough to spend at the disney parks, dh hates parks so I have to compromise, I know you could spend 3 weeks there but theres no way he will go for that

Think thats it but will probably think of loads more

1. It can get very humid in July and August. Also that part of FL can have thunderstorms at that time of year.

1. No because he can go on some of the rides

1. cannot answer that one as have never rented a villa or house

1. If you rent a villa/house you will need a hirecar.

1. You can eat well and cheaply (especially for British people as the exchange rate is in our favour).

1. Five days is more than enough for the Disney parks.

I have only been to disney pre kids, but we really liked staying in a villa.
My mum went and they stayed at a disney hotel, and said that was great for getting to the parks.

Beware - Disney is very very tiring, so personally we are waiting until the dc are more like 7 yo.

The disney hotel might be better for you because you could go in early, come back for a rest, and go back later.

Food is cheap, and there's lots of it!

great thanks for that glad that you think 5 days is enough, friends of ours said they need 3 weeks to do the parks.

Has anyone been to Clearwater or St Petersburg? which would you recommend?

I have been looking at tripadvisor for some hotel recommendations and it seems you can get them a lot cheaper if not booking with a travel company (e.g. virgin) but then is it better to have the security of having someone do it all for you rather than trying to sort your own package?

Wouldn't contemplate going in the summer myself. Easter is way too hot for me as it is!

Renting a house is def. the best idea

Five days in the parks is plenty - there's so much to do.

Yes, you need a car.

Don't know about the age thing. Didn't take mine till they were older, but you could still have fun, it will just hold you back from doing certain things I suppose.

1. We can only go in July/August, will the temp be unbearable?

We have been twice and both times around this time of year. Yes it is hot and humid, but it is defintely bearable. It is hurricane season so be prepared for that too - we were affected once but Disney was only closed for half a day. You get rain most days but it is short lived (less than an hour) and you can see it coming - we timed meal times around it.

2. Is 3 1/2 too young to go

DD was 2y4m and then 4y2m the two times we went. Both times she adored it entirely. Have been to DLP before and since too and DD gets a lot of enjoyment from going. She still talks about her first visit to Disney Florida. Loads of rides and shows suitable for them, and they are so young that they believe in it all.

3. is the renting of a house a good idea,

Villas are definitely the way forward. Huge and very cheap, own pool, close to parks. Great! We don't like hotel holidays so definitely villa for us.

4. Do we definately need a car

If not staying in a Disney hotel then I would say yes. I am sure it is possible with public transport and shuttle buses, but more hassle.

5. Is food as cheap as everyone makes out?

No it isn't IMO. However you get loads of food, when outside the parks - so your children can eat from your plates. Also if driving you don't drink which brings down the bills a lot too. Parks are standard price of any other type of theme park IMO.

6. Is 5 days enough to spend at the disney parks, dh hates parks so I have to compromise, I know you could spend 3 weeks there but theres no way he will go for that

Yes, you could do the Disney parks in 5 days. There are 4 Disney parks plus 2 water parks. You won't see it all, and you won't have time for the Universal parks or Sea World. But you could do lots in 5 days. We normally do a fortnight and go to parks pretty much every day - DH was very sceptical firt time but he had a great time.

Oh and a 3 year old will need a buggy for Disney days.

Villa is a good idea - make sure it's got a pool.

We went to the parks very early - to be there as soon as they opened, then left at about 11.30, when it started to get busy. There's lots else to do - shopping, sightseeing - just people watching!

Yes, eating out is cheap - and portions are huge - we often had two main courses for the 4 of us (and nobody minded) and we had plenty to eat.

Yes, you do need a car - there are lots of interesting things to drive to!

It depends on the child - 3.5 is a bit young if yours is anything like as wimpy as mine about rides!

If you and DH want to do bigger rides - use baby switch. We have always gone with other adults which makes it easier. But have done DLP without and managed perfectly well, taking it in turns using baby switch.

A villa is best with more than 2 children as Disney hotel rooms are only geared up for 4.

Also you come home and swim in your own pool, go to the supermarket if you want or eat at the "all you can eat" places (an experience in themselves).Although you obviously need a car.

dd3 was 3 when we went and if we had had the choice I would have waited for a couple of years but ours was a once in a lifetime holiday so we couldn't wait.

I enjoyed the disney parks least and thought Universal was better, although the water parks were fab.

We tended to do a big park one day and something less frenetic e.g. Gatorland or a water park the next. As an adult I wouldn't hae enjoyed every day queuing for rides and miles of walking as it is exhausting. Although friends of ours have done 2 weeks non-stop parks with older children.

definitely agree that it is way too hot at that time of year ... Easter is very hot but manageable. I wouldn't go in July/August let alone take my ds to be honest - it just takes some of the enjoyment out of it if you are struggling with the heat. I think I agree with your dh about your little one being a bit too young. I probably will not go until my ds is older as I think it would spoil it a little if one parent has to stay with the child while the other goes on most of the rides. Will stick with Paris until he is older (I am also a chicken about taking my ds on a long flight!). Renting a villa is a good call as it gives you the flexibility you need as well as self catering facilities (a fridge is really handy for drinks etc) but I think you need a car whichever way you do it. I wouldn't like to go to anywhere in America without a car (other than manhattan maybe) as everything is so far apart. Food is cheap and you get HUGE portions ... but food in the parks is usually expensive, but again if you have a villa you can always take some lunch and frozen drinks with you. 5 days is plenty in the parks in one go (you can always go back another year as you can never see it all!) - I have been a number of times as my parents used to live in NY and have found that we used to go to the parks first thing in the morning and then come back late afternoon to chill out by the pool.

This useful . dh is set on going at Easter 2009. ds will be 11 and dd 7 1/2. We went in October 1994 and stayed at a Disney hotel - then called Dixie Landings resort iirc - followed by a week on Captiva Island. Drove up from Miami via the Space Centre which ds would also want to see.

Wow so many fab things on here thank you

Great posts hulababy, I think a villa will be best plus it means if we've had enough of the parks we can just chill out at home and have a swim in the pool.

This is probably something we wont do again, its an important year for us so wanted to do soemthing different which was either disney or a normal holiday with the kids and a long break without which seems a bit pointless

I might phone Virgin now I have a better idea of what a want, villa/car etc. Can you get one week disney passes?

Just need some advice on the beach areas for second week

I wasnt so impressed with Disneys EPCOT theme park so would probably go to one of the Universal Parks or Seaworld instead ( universal I found to be much better than Disney)

I thought that the food was amazingly cheap, you really can eat out for next to nothing.

If we went again we would stay in a villa and probably do St Petes for the last week. This year we stayed in a Disney hotel which was fantastic but I would like more room to relax after a day at the parks

We are thinking of going next year too. DSs are 5.5 and 3.5. In answer to your questions:

1. Yes the temperature will be unbearable. I was 18 the first time I went and I hated the extreme heat. There's no was DSs would cope with it so we are going in April.
2. 3.5 not too young imo.
3. We rented a house last time we went (group of friends). It was fabulous, three big bedrooms, two bathrooms, own pool and really cheap. It was also miles from anything so not driving wasn't an option.
4. See answer to 3. If you want to do anything other than Disney (including staying at Disney) you'll need a car. Nowhere is within walking distance.
5. The food is abundant and very cheap.
6. Five days is all we're planning to do. But you can't do/see everything in that time so you'll have to pick the things that interest you most. There are plenty of other places the explore.

hth

How about the Bahamas for the 2nd week - not as expensive as it sounds and glorious for relaxing and sleeping - I done a week at Disney and a week sleeping in the Bahamas here...paradise

Booked through Virgin IIRC

July/August - yes temperature will be very hot - we are going on 25th July due to DS1 being in yr 6. This year we went May/June temp excellent, last year we went 10th July and it was hot and humid. Just make sure you drink plenty.

No age really too young as there is something for everyone 0 - 100.

Would not rent a villa - we always stay at the Sheraton Vistana Villages - fabulous - we originally stayed first time through Virgin - we now do everything ourselves. We have a 2 bed apartment with a full kitchen so on the days we don't feel like doing anything we can just go to the fridge and get what we want.

Yes I would strongly advise getting a car - I do the driving and DH does the navigating - works a treat.

I would do day at the park, day at wherever you are staying, you will not be able to do 5 consecutive days at parks it will be too much. This year, we had our middle weekend at Clearwater and the time before that we did Cocoa Beach. Both lovely. It just breaks up your holiday and gives you that extra r and r.

Always fly Virgin they are the best.

At the moment, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (which are two parks next to each other) have an offer on - buy two days and get 3rd free which is very good. Always do fast passes.

If you want to go on a grown up ride - a lot of them do parent swap or single rider which takes a big chunk out of having to queue.

Yes food is very cheap. We do not take toiletries or anything and just do a full shop when we get there at Publix. (Virgin supply toothbrushes and toothpaste on your flight so this will put you on) and where we stay they supply little bottles of shampoo, body lotion, shower gel etc.

I think you can get 5, 7, 10 and 14 day passes for Disney. We have always found Travel City Direct good for tickets. Their flights were rubbish but the rest fine, and tickets with them were cheapest.

Best park for 3 year old will be Magic KKingdom by far

We were disappointed with Animal Kingdom. The safari was a real disappointment - we saw few animals and they were miles away and it was all so staged. But then I have been on a proper safari so maybe wrong way to look at it. The zoo part of it was better and the Lion King show fantastic.

DD liked the Beauty and the Beast show at MGM.

DD also liked Epcot - all the different countries. They normally do some form of children's quiz/activity - you collect a stamp or similar from each land and when you have the all they trade it in for a sweet and a picture.

Sea World lovely but the Shamu show they had last time we were there was very cheesy!

The water parks are great but it gets too hot by about 1-2pm, so we got there early and then left in time for a late lunch.

Universal very good but more for adults/older children than young children.

We do parks or water parks every day - all 14 of thempgrin] DD couldn't get enough of it, even with really long full days. So that depends on you and your child.

IMO there isn't really much else to do there bar parks. The shopping malls were found but nothing special, and the other "attractions" were a bit "not that great."

With only 5 days I would definitely do parks every day! You can chill out the week after.

We also did the Space Centre the first time. 3yo may not get so much out of it though, but we enjoyed it.

As 2008 will be the 3rd year we have been, the boys want to swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove and do Aquatica (new water park which opens March 2008) and Island of Adventure as there will be a new Simpsons ride open. As with this year, we will not bother with Disney.

We still need to see Cape Canavaril, Busch Gardens.

You could probably go every year and still find something new to do.

Forgot to say that Cocoa beach is nearer to Orlando - about 1hour 20 mins and Clearwater is around 2 hrs driving.

If you stop on International Drive like we do (albeit we are at the very quiet end where there are no shops etc) there is an I Trolley bus which you could get if you really did not want to drive. We have neighbours who have been the last two years running and did not bother with a car although it say took them an hour to get somewhere and only 10 mins for us.

I'm going in May for three weeks - am beyond excited. I'm staying at a Disney Hotel (have contacts dontcha know) and I am getting flustered just thinking about it!!! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek

ahem, which doesn't answer any of your questions but I can't contain my excitement!

thanks for the valuable input kbear

scrmmymummy that aquatica looks fabulous have seen lots of pics and would definately do that

hula luckily ds (3) and dd (12) are fitted with ever-ready bunnyness and when the situation requires can stay awake and bubbly for longer than me

You're welcome!!

Last time we went we alternated with a park one day, chill out by the pool/shopping the next day and so on. Iirc you don't have to use a five-day pass on consecutive days and i think you'll enjoy the parks more if you take a break now and then.

good idea, think that will be dh's preferred choice.