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

JoseChungsDoomsday

gizmos wrote:

If you mean Sheraton World Resort I stayed there Christmas 2001/2002. It was nowhere near the four star it makes itself be advertised as. I hated it. Would never stay again. Had to move rooms and the second room they tried to put us into I refused because it stank of smoke even though it was a no smoking room.

Also did not feel safe wandering through the grounds of this place at night - a lot of people hanging round the motel style room and just pray you dont get a car park view as it will be horrid.

THe only good thing was that you could walk SeaWorld (which we did numerous times!). Nothing else in the area at all - right at bottom of I Drive.

Sorry to dampen your hopes but that's our views. There are plenty more hotels in the Orlando area that are much cheaper and better value for money.

Real sorry it may have changed - if you can though try and get a room in the tower as these are a lot more superior to the others.

i stayed there in sept this year and thought it was a great place! the only downside it had was the expenise resturaunt!

if going get a room on the second floor and one near a pool. plus its close to a few pubs and resturaunts which are very tastey!

jonesMUFCforever

The Mercado has gone down a lot recently.
When we we there earlier this year I would estimate about half of the shops were empty or closed.

Weggy

Anyone know of any good hire car deals in Orlando at the moment?

We're out there for 3 weeks this April if that's any help.........

Thanks

pem

For the last 4 weeks I have been searching for the cheapest Orlando car hire to go with my flights (which I cannot book until this Thursday).

The best rates by far have been with usarentacar chooosing Alamo for cars.
The also have good offers on 7 seater vans with other car rental companies

http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/

tech

Thanks for the advice, my kids would be 9 and 13 in June but 10 and 14 in Aug.

gizmos wrote:

I would go in June time as the temperatures are a bit cooler than August - the early part of June is also very cheap (nearly half the price of August when I have done comparisons).

Also August is right in the middle of hurricane season and judging from the past couple of years you may be unlucky enough to experience one of these.

October is pretty much the same as June for temperatures and may also be quite quiet in the parks. June is the start of hurricane season but it is rare to get one then and October is near the end where there is a slightly higher possibility. Though no-one can predict mother nature.

I've used BA Holidays in the past and they are excellent (it was cheaper to book with them and include car hire than it was on ba.com for flights only!!) - though of course it is BA flights and they are only out of Gatwick.

Virgin are also pretty good and First Choice are also good if you are looking for local departures.

What ages are the kids and where would you be flying from??

tech

Sorry should have mentioned I would prefer to go from Newcastle and I would need separate rooms for the kids as it's one boy and one girl. I checked out Embassy but is that available with other tour operators as it looks great but I couldn't go from Gatwick

gizmos wrote:

I would go in June time as the temperatures are a bit cooler than August - the early part of June is also very cheap (nearly half the price of August when I have done comparisons).

Also August is right in the middle of hurricane season and judging from the past couple of years you may be unlucky enough to experience one of these.

October is pretty much the same as June for temperatures and may also be quite quiet in the parks. June is the start of hurricane season but it is rare to get one then and October is near the end where there is a slightly higher possibility. Though no-one can predict mother nature.

I've used BA Holidays in the past and they are excellent (it was cheaper to book with them and include car hire than it was on ba.com for flights only!!) - though of course it is BA flights and they are only out of Gatwick.

Virgin are also pretty good and First Choice are also good if you are looking for local departures.

What ages are the kids and where would you be flying from??

gizmos

tech wrote:

Sorry should have mentioned I would prefer to go from Newcastle and I would need separate rooms for the kids as it's one boy and one girl. I checked out Embassy but is that available with other tour operators as it looks great but I couldn't go from Gatwick

Tech - I'm from Newcastle too!! Anyhow the Embassy are available through many operators. However they are part of the Hilton chain so you may get a better deal booking direct. Checkout the website Embassy Suites. Then check prices for fly drive and of course one which includes all the components.

Also Virgin and BA are the only ones to fly into Orlando International if you fly into Stamford it adds nearly an hour to the drive time. Virgin fly from either Manchester or Gatwick and BA from Gatwick only.

IIRC there are only about two operators who fly out of Newcastle to Orlando and both are on a Friday/Saturday.

PM me if I can help further

Col_in_LB

Flying into Sanford only adds on about 30 mins to the drive time to I Drive area properties, but it is so much faster to get through and get out on the road that the total time spent is generally much the same - this I can vouch for on several trips.
Col

Poppy9

Whats the delay at Orlando airport. Last time I flew into Sanford, agree drive in is fine, this time we are going to Orlando MCO. We are staying in Kissimee this time (I-drive last time).

Col_in_LB

Get off the plane, immigration, go through security, get on the wee train, pick up your luggage, do something else, get rid of your luggage down some conveyor belt thingy (I may have that in the wrong order, it was all so weird!!), go downstairs to another baggage carousel to pick it up again. Although I was moving all the time (except immigration!!) it's all time spent not getting really far.
I just find Sanford better staffed for fewer pax, so is all in all a more pleasant, less stressful experience. It's all on the one level & every immigration desk was opened up (about 18 I think) even for just one plane load.
Oh yeah, that's it - they say please and thankyou!!!

Just my tuppence.

cheers ;-)
Col