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!!

I think it depends which airport you're travelling from - some of them have relaxed their rules now, but I think it's safer to have liquids in hand luggage in a separate plastic bag anyway just in case.

How much cash is a bit like asking how long a piece of string. Most things can be paid for on a card, but you need money for things like car parking (about $10 at SeaWorld), snacks, drinks etc. It's pretty easy to withdraw dollars on your credit card when you're there though, so I would wait and see how much you're spending when you get there.

By the way, don't try to get cashback on your card in places like Walmart - even if it's a debit card it won't work with a UK card.

We usually take around $700 dollars in cash which we use to pay for little things as we go a long - as foofi says parking etc or tolls.

When this money runs out we will just draw out as and when we need it.

The supermarket shop that we do when we arrive will be paid for by credit card and any top up shopping will be the same.

If we are going to a waterpark, we would take a cool bag with our own sandwiches, drinks, snacks as you tend to get your sun beds and use these as a base and pop the stuff underneath the beds out of the sun.

It is obviously more difficult carrying things around going to a theme park - but sometimes we do take a couple of drinks ie. bottles of water (would put them in the freezer the night before then they are still cold for part of the day).

Watch out for the Krispy Creme donuts - they are to die for!

Foofi-going from Gatwick,which seem to still be doing the limited hand luggage but the airline say not so I'll stick with plan A & pack a plakky bag!

yes "how long a piece of string." whatever we take we'll spend I'm sure!! Just trying to avoid using the credit card too much (yeah who am I kidding!!!)

Managed to get a parking permit in with my Discovery cove ticket for an extra $30 it covers all the parks down there so that would be at least $40 if we paid individually.

BV thanks for the cash guide that's about what I'd reckoned on. Oh donuts....I'm putting on the pounds already- my only consolation is I am quite slim by US standards & it is LOVELY to have to leave a shop because they don't have anything SMALL enough to fit you!!!

Hope you have a fantastic time!! What are you doing about car seats? And, don't want to mention coming home before you even go but if you're back before 24th April (4 weeks today!!) can you post what the weather's been like because THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING!!!!!!

MCFee- Back on the 16th will let you know!!

My girls are both tall & 11 yrs &13 yrs respectively-we'll be OK for car seats won't we???? (one thing I HADN'T got on The List!!

bossy - my boys are 8 & nearly 11 - this is our third year running and we have not had to use car seats. They are quite short - DS1 is 4ft 7" - measured yesterday.

phew one less thing to worry about!!

Thanks BV!!

Im so jealous. we were there exactly the same time last year. The weather was fantastic (really hot!!)

Make sure you come back and tell me how amazing it was.

(I could cry im so jealous)

Will do!!

Booger-just checked the weather forecast for Florida, cloudy 66deg & showers expected!!!!

that better change on Monday grrrrrrrr!!

www.orlandosentinel.com

The above is Orlando's local newspaper, this also gives the weather forecast for there for the next five days. Its slightly different from the forecast the BBC give.

yay 75 deg that's more like it!!!

Thanks Atilla!!

Bossy - at Seaworld the Shamu show is really really popular. He does 2 shows a day. The gates open about 1 hour to 45mins before the show. It would be worth your while doing this first (show probably starts about 11.00am). I know it is a pain sitting in your seat for 45 mins before anything happens, but believe me when we have been it has been very very busy.

My boys always want to sit in the soak zone and last year we sat on the very last bench (me thinking we might just escape any water) we were absolutely drenched - the water is very salty.

The show is fantastic and well worth the wait.

There is also another show with trapeze artists and tropical birds, again, this is very popular and like Shamu if you want a decent seat be prepared to wait in your seat. The birds actually fly out to and from the audience. They really are spectacular.

sob we're back!!!

Absolutely brilliant-would do it again we got the park/days at home combo about right & learnt how to work the system.

Might do a holiday report thread later if the jet-lag doesn't get me before bedtime!

Can't wait to hear all about it, am soooo pleased you have posted, I thought the jetlag would have got you already! Sorry for you that you're home (but secretly pleased for me as that means its only 6 sleeps!!)

where are you staying mcfee?

We're staying in a villa in the Davenport area (somewhere down the 192 but isn't everywhere??!!) Sorry, lied yesterday it was actually 7 sleeps so now its only 6!!!!
Did you have the best time ever? What was the weather / queues like?

Have just seen your other post!!

Cme on over & i'll tell you more!!