Florida next week-yeeha! Any last minute recommendations/warnings/advice?

[bossybritches]

Travelling light as I fully intend to take advantage of the sales but with biiiiig suitcases.

Got our Dolphin Swim booked ( the one must have for the kids who've saved like fury bless 'em)

Got a villa, with pool & car hire sorted.

Meeting sis & family there we overlap by a week.

The poeple out there at the moment say its beeny rainy but now getting warm (anything oither than snow will be bliss!)

Got a pile of books to read on the trip, ditto the kids.

BOUND to have forgotten something!!

don't forget passport, money, tickets, driving licence, holiday insurance

anything else you can buy out there

enjoy

Thanks Iota!!!

Check to all of that!

I reckon if I take just a small amount of toothpaste & shampoo etc for the first few days I can get a family size tub/tube of everything we need out there for much less & leave it behind/chuck it to save luggage space on the way out AND back.

Oh & several large boxes of PG-tips (decanted into poly bags) for Sis who now lives in Trindad & misses a decent cuppa!!

Picking up the hire car can take ages-if possible,let Dh wait for the luggage whilst you nip downstairs and queue for the hire car (or vice versa).Kids will be better off downstairs neer hire car desks as there is far more space (assuming Orlando airport,not Sandford).However,it has been my experience that members of a certain sex need their DCs to help them identify the luggage .
Hope you have a lovely time.

Weight limit per suitcase is 23kg.

Good idea to do what you suggest re toothpaste and shampoo.

Inform your credit card company before you leave the UK that you will be in FL. They could well stop your card otherwise!.

Do take photo id with you if you intend to buy items by credit card; some stores ask for photo id as an extra precaution. If you have a photocard driving licence take this with you. You will need photo id as well if you're going to do the dolphin swim at Discovery Cove.

Bossybritches - we are doing the dolphin swim in July and my boys cannot wait.

Are you flying Virgin? If so, they supply a toothbrush and toothpaste for every person on the flight. We are lucky enough to have a sample of toiletries in the apartment that we stay in to tide us over till the next morning after arriving and then we go to Publix and do a big shop.

On our last day we just ditch anything that is left.

The supermarkets sell some fab sun spray (sorry cannot remember the name - only know it when I see it). It is in a cannister. You literally spray it over the body but do not rub in. We have found this is perfect for the kids as mine hate standing around for 10 minutes whilst having gunk rubbed in.

Universal have a new Simpsons ride this year which the boys cannot wait to go on. There is also a new waterpark - Aquatica which is opposite Seaworld which has opened this month (it was just being built last year) and it looks fab.

Hope you have a great time.

Good point Attila - that is exactly what happened to me last year with my direct debit card. It cost a lot of money in phonecalls to get it reinstated as waiting on hold for different departments etc.

Same rules applies with debit card - again inform the bank that you will be departing for FL within your holiday dates. Again this could be stopped if you do not tell them.

Simpsons ride at Universal (the original park) is still not open and may not open till the Summer.

Do complete all forms given to you at check in (one white customs form per family and one green visa waiver form for each member of your family regardless of age; you will sign the visa waiver form for each child) well ahead of time on the flight - you do NOT want to complete these standing in line at Immigration. If you make a mistake you will need to fill in another form. Fingerprints and photographs will be taken of all adults in your party.

Ensure that all the green departure cards are removed from your passports upon departure at check in (these get stapled in at Immigration on arrival). You do NOT want to arrive back into the UK with one of these documents in your passport!!!. It will cause you no end of problems.

Also be mindful of the yellow line at the head of the Immigration queue; you are NOT allowed to cross it until called to come forward by the immigration officer. Have seen children as well as adults being told off for such transgressions so be mindful of this.

Wear comfy shoes if arriving into Orlando - you have a long walk.

Take tea bags- the American ones taste like you have stewed old socks in the cup!!

Also make sure you spread your family's packing over several suitcases. When you arrive in Orlando they have this really daft system where they give you your bags and then take them back to transport them to the other side of the airport (you go by train). My daughters case fell off the belt and we had to wait a day for it to arrive. Meanwhile they had no clothes- not even a pair of clean Knickers so we had to go to the local walmart and buy them a few bits.

If you have a villa there will be a washing machine and a dryer so don't take too many clothes. When we went last year I only wore about half of what I took and the clothes I felt the most comfy in just got washed and I wore them again. Ask for the pool to be heated- it's warm this time of year but not quite warm enough for a cool pool. Take a waterproof- it can really pour (but usually clears up quickly) Very hot when we went at the same time last year.

All the parks there are great but the best day we had last year was at the Kennedy Space centre- well worth a visit if you have time.

We are off there on Saturday too! (Along with half of Essex- I know no less than 20 families who will be out there at the same time as us!)See you on the rides!

Oh good one whoosh -someone else mentioned that & I'd forgotten!

(adds to list)

We couldn't get a direct flight so we're connecting via Charlotte in NC (I think) so the boring customs bit will be done there & we get fast tracked through at Orlando so that SHOULD save some hanging around hopefully as I know Orlando can be horrendous for clearing customs. (comfy shoes -tick)

Bank & C.card informed- learnt THAT lesson the hard way-got back the the UK to find everything frozen due to "unexplained activity" on the accounts!!! well it WAS the sales.

Good points all -many thanks!

Smartie should we wear an "I heart MN" badge & do a funny handshake if we meet???

Discovery cove is amazing!!

Take som proper chocolate. American chocolate is rubbish. Really. And a fortnight without a dairy milk would nigh on kill me

god yes- Hersheys -bleugh!!!!

Adds Dairy milk & Galaxy to list....for ex-pat Sister & neices that is......

Tiredemma that will be the highlight of our trip for me & the kids I think!!

Just hope they do a wet-suit in XL.......soooo NOT looking forward to THAT

We were there earlier in the month and the temp was never below 70 degrees and mostly hovered around 80 degrees. Was lovely! BBC Weather got every day we were out there totally wrong, by the way (they were saying there would be storms, heavy rain, low temps etc - wrong!). Whereabouts are you staying?

Bossy- I can't begin to tell you how amazing it is. We went there on the day before we flew home and it was the most special day of the holiday, such a fantastic way to finish the holiday off.

We had the best holiday ever in Florida, I know some people hate it, but I found the whole experience literally magical. Just this morning DS2 came into my bed for a cuddle and I said " Ooh, do you know where I wish we was right now???" and he said "Disney!!" (it was the easter holidays that we wnet last year)

We fully intend to go back next year, but stay in a villa perhaps- we stayed in a Disney Hotel last year and although the experience was fab- the rooms are a bit tight for two weeks.

Have a great time- make sure you let us now how great it was when you return.

(oh and by the way- dont worry about the wet suits you would be amazed what sizes they come in. Are you on FB? I have quite a few pics of the holiday and discovery cove on my profile)

Check (I think it is) allears.com for up to date Disney parks info and details of any special events.

Going to the Kissimee area mrs M!

Thanks TiredE will do later! Can I ask- did you get any tickets sent to you direct or jsut a booking number-panicking that it won't get here before we leave as our dayisn't till neear the end -like you thought it would be a great end to the holiday!

Ditto thanks Whoosh

hi can you tell me more about the dolphin swim?

and have a great time!

We were in Kissimmee too!@bossybritches - perfectly placed for loads of activities. Disney is fab (Animal Kingdom really lovely, and make sure you see one of the Disney parades if you do go to the Magic Kingdom or Disney Studios/MGM). We also found Universal Studios very good value for money - lots to do for all age groups. Wet N Wild is fab, too - great area for young kids/non swimmers (you can hire towels there, and those little life jacket thingies for toddlers), and there are loads of big slides for older kids.

Loads of outlet type stores/malls if you like shopping - see here for a list of the main ones.

Bush Gardens or one of those Everglades Tours (there are loads of them - you'll see them advertised everywhere) if you like nature. If you want beach action, Daytona Beach is about an hour's drive away.

If you're eating in, Publix is the biggest and best supermarket chain in Florida - very reasonably priced, too, and they have a great hot deli counter with ready roasted chickens etc if you're feeling lazy (and amazing fruit selection, too). If you're eating out, you'll get amazing breakfast buffets in some of the big chains like Golden Corral or Shoney's for about $5 each - you won't want lunch afterwards, trust me!

Enjoy! I would be back there in a flash if we could :-)

Ooh- Forgot to add.

Mythos restaurant at Universal Islands of Adventure was one of the best restaurants that we ate at. We had lunch there whilst at the themepark. would highly recommend it.

Take an empty suitcase as the shopping's pretty good and we always bring loads back with us!

Don't know what age your kids are, but SeaWorld is a good one to go for if you're catering for all ages. Universal is our favourite theme park.

Have a great time.

Thanks Foofi have several suitcases on standby -not taking much cos intend doing a big clothes shop while there so will put one case inside a bigger one for the outward journey!!! When we went to California in 95 we spent about £70 kitted my DD's out with LOADS of summer clothes & quite a few for ourselves & they lasted all through last summer as we bought some in larger sizes! The girls are 13 & 11 now so we're doing Sea World, Discovery Cove that new one Aquatica, Busch Gardens & possibly Cape Canaveral as well as Disney of course!!

My neice is 7 while we are out there & we're trying to get to see a Princess Parade as she is still into all that! in factshe has stated we will be going to Disney EVERY day because why else would we all be going??????

The adults have decided we'll maybe do every other day at a park & take advantage of the villa pool & local sites, & of course shops. The men have been warned they will be doing sole daddy duty on at LEAST one whole day so we can hit the sales!!

Anyone know the current rules regarding fluids/toileteries in hand luggage/ can't seem to find anything consistant!!

Thanks!!

Oh & chelseygirl -yes if course I'll report back!

Also how much cash do you think we'll need for the 2 weeks? I know we can use our cards but want a bit of cash for smaller purchases& food etc.

Sorry loads of questions should have started earlier!!!