Orlando & Florida - Questions & Answers (Part 1) *CLOSED*

Highland_Lass_2

Just back last night from a great fortnight in Orlando. Went there for the 1st time last year and just had to go back. Didn't realise you couldn't take any food or drinks into Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. The 2 days we were there I took drinks and snacks and nobody said a word. We travelled with TravelCityDirect and stayed in the Holiday Inn Mercado. Were really quite disappointed with the hotel though. I wrongly "presumed" that the hotel would have a bar. I don't drink but dh likes to have a beer or two at the end of the day. Couldn't believe this hotel didn't have one at all. Last year we stayed at the Howard Johnston in Kirkman Road (which has now changed to the Royal Swan or something like that. One of the good parts of that was sitting in the bar with others at night and hearing about all the other parks different people went to etc. In the Holiday Inn I only saw one family who seemed to be doing the theme parks etc. Everybody else was people who were there for business or attending seminars at the Convention Centre nearby. The hotel was full and they had transport arranged for them to get to the Conferences every day so this is probably the normal type of client they have. This was certainly not geared up as a holiday hotel. The staff were very friendly though but don't think much of their fire procedures. On about our 3rd night there we were woken at about 3 o'clock in the morning with the fire alarm going off. People were still arriving from their rooms after we'd been outside for about 20 minutes. Fire brigade arrived but it was obviously known to them it was a false alarm. After about 30 to 40 minutes outside (in which time not a single person from the hotel came outside) people started to drift back in to their rooms. Not an explanation from Holiday Inn - nothing. Certainly wouldn't use this hotel again although I must say it's in a good spot just behind the Mercado Centre.

MINMOUSE

Has anyone stayed in the Country Inn and Suites at Lake B Vista?? If so what were they like????

funkmaster_2

Ok, here it is. Please pick this apart - I've reserved all this but need to book it all by Friday.

Sat 8th April - Wedding Day!
Tue 11th April - Flight with Virgin to Orlando direct from Manchester
5 nights in Animal Kingdom Lodge at WDW
4 nights in Polynesian Resort at WDW
3 night cruise to Bahamas
5 nights Renaissance hotel at Seaworld
Friday 28th April - Flight back getting in on Saturday morning.
Bank Holiday weekend to recover ready for work & school on Tue!!!

Decided against visiting Kennedy Space Centre & Busch Gardens (littl'un is 6 so won't appreciate either), so out of the 16 full days there will be 6 Disney days, 3 cruise days,2 Universal days, 1 Seaworld day and 4 days for rest (also the cruise day will be rest days in the middle of the hols)

Not booked this yet so your thoughts appreciated.

MINMOUSE

Just a wee note - if you book holida/ flights via jestsave they are doing kids prices at £199 for up to 17 year old's on flights till 30.6.05. Just booked with them the flight are with virgin and all 3 of my brood got the £199 price ( it was supposed to be for bookings taken before 30.9.05 but they stilll have offer running)

Edinburghlass_2

funkmaster wrote:

Ok, here it is. Please pick this apart - I've reserved all this but need to book it all by Friday.

Sat 8th April - Wedding Day!
Tue 11th April - Flight with Virgin to Orlando direct from Manchester
5 nights in Animal Kingdom Lodge at WDW
4 nights in Polynesian Resort at WDW
3 night cruise to Bahamas
5 nights Renaissance hotel at Seaworld
Friday 28th April - Flight back getting in on Saturday morning.
Bank Holiday weekend to recover ready for work & school on Tue!!!

Decided against visiting Kennedy Space Centre & Busch Gardens (littl'un is 6 so won't appreciate either), so out of the 16 full days there will be 6 Disney days, 3 cruise days,2 Universal days, 1 Seaworld day and 4 days for rest (also the cruise day will be rest days in the middle of the hols)

Not booked this yet so your thoughts appreciated.

You might want a second day at Seaworld but if you are buying a single day ticket you usually get a second day free anyway and the Renaissance Hotel is just across the car park from Seaworld so easy access and I think your 6 year old will love it.

Polynesian is beautiful and on the monorail so again easy access to MK and Epcot. Didn't get a chance to visit Animal Kingdom Lodge but I believe its wonderful, tell them you are on honeymoon and try for an upgrade to Savannah view We loved the laid back atmosphere in Animal Kingdom and much easier for the kids to see the characters without the long queues at MK. Definate must is a Bug's Life, 3d effect, you really feel if you put your cupped hand up that the bugs are sitting on your hand.

If you are going to the late opening hours at Animal Kingdom make sure you eat early as a lot of the eating places were closed and we were forced to eat at McD's and it cost an arm and a leg.

I would leave your "shopping" trips for when you are staying at the Renaisance as you are nearer to the malls etc and then while staying at Disney just enjoy the "magic".

I take it this is during the Easter holidays in which case it will be really busy, I believe even busier than the summer. I can't emphasis enough to read and read again the likes of https://www.disboards.com and there are others, for loads of "inside knowledge" of all things Disney. Those tips helped us enormously to get the best out of the time we had

Cullumpster

hi there,
Ok i'm looking to go to Disney in 2007 with OH and 2 kids girl of 6 and boy of 10

Girl is really small for her age so i'm worried about her not getting on certain rides, would it be best not to go to place like universal?

I've also never been so i've been avidly reading up on this (It's taken me ages to read this thread )

I think i'm going to book a villa and try and pay for the flights through airmiles, would this be a cheaper option

As you can tell i'm a disney virgin

MINMOUSE

I first took my kids when they were 4 and 7 and they both loved Universal, there are a lot of rides that even small kids can get on together with The Hulk etc for the older kids. Mine loved Seuss us Landings, The Barney Show, we are going back this year kids now 12,9 and 2 and will definately be going to Universal. see http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/orlando/website/index.php

for details of rides, height restrictions etc.

dadachu

MINMOUSE wrote:

Has anyone stayed in the Country Inn and Suites at Lake B Vista?? If so what were they like????

Hi Minmouse
You've stolen my daughters name!! lol
Yes we stayed for two weeeks just after Easter this year.

Its OK for a place to sleep and be out all day at parks etc but i wouldn't recommend if you are planning on spending a lot of time at the hotel. Swimming pool very small and looks on to the back of shops and restuarants next door. Gym didn't use. Breakfast OK serve yourself, cereals ,make your own waffles,pastries,fruit, tea, coffee etc.No hot food apart from make your own waffle thingy. We tended to go to Golden Corral back across I-4 (2 mins in car) for a more substantial bufffet breakfast about $6-7 each i think cheaper if you had 10% off coupon from books you can pick up in hotel

We did have a small problem on arrival when they tried to put me and 15 year old daughter in a room with only one bed and a sofa bed.They said had no other rooms available. Had to play my face a bit and asked how they were going to compensate me for this until they "found" a free room with two beds.

Room - on ground floor clean but looked straight onto car park therefore had to keep curtains drawn for privacy, minor thing but made room a bit gloomy during day. TV,Fridge,microwave etc. Bathroom clean plenty of towels changed everyday

Location -Good just outside of Disney resort area although a touch too far to walk to Downtown Disney. Plenty of restaurants close by within walking distance. e.g. Olive Garden about 300yds away. You don't say if you have a car, we did so i don't know if there are shuttles to parks from hotel sorry

Staff-Typical American friendly but insincere no problems though.

All in all it was fine for us, served its purpose i.e. clean place to sleep after days out at parks. But if you want more than that, such as better pool, bar, restaurant on site etc I wouldn't recommend.

Having said that I would use again, at the right price.

Hope this helps?

MINMOUSE

Thanks so much for that feedback re the hotel, we have stayed in the Enclave Suites ( never, ever again) and Ramada Inn All Suites ( near Seaworld) which was brilliant but we couldn't find a travel co that offered the Ramada. We onyl ever use the hotel as a base and only used the pool once the last time we were there prefering to go to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. As long is it is clean that is my main concern. Re the building what is it like, is it a hotel rather than a motel and should be ask for a higher level . Any more information would be fanastic.

Thanks again

dadachu

MINMOUSE wrote:

Thanks so much for that feedback re the hotel, we have stayed in the Enclave Suites ( never, ever again) and Ramada Inn All Suites ( near Seaworld) which was brilliant but we couldn't find a travel co that offered the Ramada. We onyl ever use the hotel as a base and only used the pool once the last time we were there prefering to go to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. As long is it is clean that is my main concern. Re the building what is it like, is it a hotel rather than a motel and should be ask for a higher level . Any more information would be fanastic.

Thanks again

Hi again
I would put it in the budget/moderate end of the hotel category, think travel inn/lodge plus pool, breakfast and staff, but it doesn't feel cheap (if that makes sense) . Hotel reception/Lobby bright clean and airy but no frills.
No grounds right next door to shops, restaurants and another hotel(Sheraton Safari i think?),its a bit tucked away behind Sizzler restaurant. As i said if all you want is a clean place to stay and nothing more i would say yes. But then again i'm a bloke and i don't take much pleasing lol

I will ask my daughters opinion for the girly take on it and get her to post. I remember she said it was better than Howard Johnson and also RIU LBV.

We booked through Broadway travel. http://www.broadwaytravel.com/ flew from manchester.

Again hope this helps ?