Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

mrs_moneyspinner

Hi, we have purchased childrens discount meal ticket from Attraction Tickets Direct. You pay £10 and the ticket entitles you to up to 90 days use where selected restuarants allow the child to eat free. The restuarants are well known ones like Ponderosa and Mcdonalds Bistro for example. Has anyone used these tickets in Florida, if so were they widely recognised? also, has anyone been to a Mcdonalds Bistro? what's it like?

johnnyroper

mrs_moneyspinner wrote: »

Hi, we have purchased childrens discount meal ticket from Attraction Tickets Direct. You pay £10 and the ticket entitles you to up to 90 days use where selected restuarants allow the child to eat free. The restuarants are well known ones like Ponderosa and Mcdonalds Bistro for example. Has anyone used these tickets in Florida, if so were they widely recognised? also, has anyone been to a Mcdonalds Bistro? what's it like?

not used the meal tickets personally as my daughter only 2 but i did go in the massive mcdonalds on sand lake road they sell all the usual stuff along with paninis,pizza sandwiches etc.

joewa

Hi there

We are trying to decide what the best tickets to buy are? We are going to Disney 6 nights, then a villa the next 6? Looking foir the best deal for 6 day disney tickets

BristolBoy23

Hi there,

Me and the GF are heading over to Orlando on the 17th of June and we would really like to do the Disney water parks, we arent that fussed about the main theme parks, but we cant seem to find anywhere that we can get a combined entry ticket.

Does anyone know if these even exist as buying each one separately is an expensive nightmare

Many thanks,

BristolBoy23

Mr_Lahey

BristolBoy23 wrote: »

Hi there,

Me and the GF are heading over to Orlando on the 17th of June and we would really like to do the Disney water parks, we arent that fussed about the main theme parks, but we cant seem to find anywhere that we can get a combined entry ticket.

Does anyone know if these even exist as buying each one separately is an expensive nightmare

Many thanks,

BristolBoy23

$100usd (iirc) for an annual waterpark ticket for both waterparks.

dark_horse_4

Pity the exchange rate wont budge!!

stmidwife

I know its ages away but I want to save up! Basically Me, hubby and 2 kids (will be 10 and 6 at date of travel) want to go to orlando in Sept 2011. I have a few questions is someone would be kind enough to reply.

1. Are disney hotels worth looking at or are they vastly overpriced?
2. If Disney is a good option what is the dining plan like?
3. Has anyone been to the Doubletree Resort on I drive and if so is it it any good.
4. Should I buy attraction tickets at time of booking holiday?
5. Where would you recommend visiting?

I think that's all at the moment.

TIA.

FH_Brit

STMIDWIFE -

Disney can be overpriced but if you are doing nothing but WDW then the early entry to parks and convenience may well be worth considering. WDW food - some great Restaurants (BOMA at Animal Kingdom - well worth it).

Don't know what you pay for Dining Plan so I can't help there.

Doubletree on I-Drive???? Do you mean on Kirkman Road?

See below for some visiting ideas...........

Beaches – the best ones…..

Nearest to Orlando is Cocoa Beach (not to be confused with Cocoa) (40 mins - 1 hour drive) depends where you are staying. Cocoa Beach is "next door" to Port Canaveral therefore some good seafood places and near Kennedy Space Centre is 10 mins drive.
South from Cocoa Beach is Melbourne and some good food places there too.

Daytona Beach great for NASCAR fans – the original home of NASCAR (although now at a racetrack not on the sand).

Titiusville – some great “junk/antique shops” and home of the original (not fake ones at Festival Bay or Mount Dora) Dixie Crossroads.- see below.

New Smyrna Beach – visitor friendly.

Other Visitor Stuff (you'll need a car) –

DEAD RIVER CRUISES - Dead River Vic's Dora Canal & River Cruises, Dead River Vic's Restaurant, 3351 W. Burleigh Blvd., Tavares, FL 32778. For Reservations call: 001 352 742 5000 - US 441 Mount Dora (50 mins) $15 for 90 min ride through lake to see (not guaranteed as they are wild) Gators, Turtles, Snakes, Racoons, Ospreys, Eagles, (once only a Panther) etc etc.

DeLEON SPRINGS - http://www.planetdeland.com/sugarmill/index.htm - Sugarmill breakfast Rest - fun for kids - hotplate in middle of table & they just keep bringing pancake mix until you are sick of it! With fruit etc for pancakes. There are also Manatees (depends what time of year) and walks and a spring swimming area.

ANTIQUE - COLLECTABLES Renninger's Antique Center, 20651 Hwy. 441 Mount Dora,FL 32757 - http://www.renningers.com/dora/dorahome.htm

CASINO - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Tampa (1 Hour on I4) - good bars, nightclub, casino.

AIRBOAT - Bill's Airboat Adventures, St. Johns River, East of Sanford, 001 407 977 3214
AIRCRAFT – Museum & flights - Fantasy of Flight, 1400 Broadway Blvd. S.E. Polk City, FL. 33868 (863)984-3500 - http://www.fantasyofflight.com/
FOOD - STEAKS ETC –
Cracker Barrel – all over the place – homestyle cooking = never far from main routes and in most places.

Robinsons - on 441 in Apopka (you'll find me there most Saturdays for brunch. Try Smoked Ham and Eggs with Home fries (Dropped with onions - extra crispy) - my belly's rumbling already!

Cattle Ranch, 2700 S Sanford Ave , Sanford, FL 32773 .
001 407 321-5761 = 72 OZ STEAK CHALLENGE!!!!


TEXAS DE BRAZIL - INT'L DRIVE (Opp Festival Bay) $45.00 all you can eat = GREATTTTTT!
Logans Roadhouse or Texas Roadhouse both similar and good - I prefer Texas a bit better.

Mykanos (Greek) – 2401 W. State Road 434, Longwood, FL 32779-3694
001 407-788-9095

Dixie Crossroads - 1475 Garden St, Titusville, FL 32796 - (321) 268-5000 – Best Seafood in Central Florida.

The Mason Jar – Hwy 19, Umatilla, FL = Great US Southern Cooking. - http://www.lakecountyfl.gov/hometown_highlights/mason_jar.aspx#gallery

Quaterdeck – Hwy 19, Umatilla, FL = Seafood all you can eat (different item) every day.

Villa De Flora – Gaylord Palms Hotel, 6000 W Osceola Pkwy, Kissimmee, FL 34746
(407) 586-0000 – Buffet style (a bit more up-market) with theme days (Greek, Italian etc) - $30.00 all you can eat – Excellent!

Ponderosa Steak House – Various locations (3 on I-Drive) Cheap! – Great for Breakfast – only place you’ll (easily) find Baked Beans, mushrooms & canned tomatoes on the breakfast menu -($3.95 for buffet – also new “cooked to order”)


http://www.orlandotouristinformationbureau.com/

Mr_Lahey

FH_Brit wrote: »

Beaches – the best ones…..

Nearest to Orlando is Cocoa Beach (not to be confused with Cocoa) (40 mins - 1 hour drive) depends where you are staying. Cocoa Beach is "next door" to Port Canaveral therefore some good seafood places and near Kennedy Space Centre is 10 mins drive.
South from Cocoa Beach is Melbourne and some good food places there too.

Daytona Beach great for NASCAR fans – the original home of NASCAR (although now at a racetrack not on the sand).

Titiusville – some great “junk/antique shops” and home of the original (not fake ones at Festival Bay or Mount Dora) Dixie Crossroads.- see below.

New Smyrna Beach – visitor friendly.

Are you having a laugh?

No mention of the best beaches which all happen to be on the Gulf coast. What about Clearwater? St Petes? In fact all the beaches around Tampa bay!

FH, no doubt you know your stuff about insurance, but your knowledge about all things Florida is in my opinion very limited.

*Edit* The Travel Channel names Clearwater Beach as the second best beach in the whole of Florida - http://www.travelchannel.com/Places_Trips/Travel_Ideas/Beaches/Beach_Guide/Slideshow_Top_10_Florida_Beaches?slidevalue=2

- Not a single beach recommended by FH is in the top ten.

mintster

I always promise myself I would never post a "can anyone help me find the cheapest deal" but...........

I am looking to go to Orlando with my partner and little boy (he will be 7) in October 2011. We are trying to tie it in with half term so there is less time off school so departure needs to be around 15th October 2011.

Ideally we would like a villa and my partner wants to fly with Virgin. The cheapest we have been quoted so far is just over £3000. If I am honest I am not really fussed who we fly with but if we can get Virgin it would get lots of brownie points!!!! We definately want a villa (or similar) as we want to be able to cook ourselves and we also want to have a different room for our son to sleep in.

Would we be better off waiting for the flights to be released so we can book it all separately or is there any chance we could find a decent package for around the £2000 mark? Am I living in dreamland?

Also - having read the last few pages of comments about brits abroad, go to Corfu when the Italians invade - some of the rudest, obnoxious, untrustworthy (this is from the bar and shop owners!) people you will ever come across!!!!!