Wife's 40th: Oh no, not Orlando! Planning for 2016

myloaf

Deleted_User wrote: »

Personally, I think four is too young to be doing all the parks you suggested.
Possibly The Magic Kingdom but even then I doubt she'll remember much at that age.Epcot ? Forget it.
As for all the rest they're mainly attractions suitable for much older kids and adults - you'll be dragging the daughter around like a ball and chain.
Also If you want to do this independently you're not going to get flights for Oct 2016 this far out - I'd be thinking early next year.
But overall I think you're making a mistake by combining what could be a great adult holiday with bringing along a young child.
Again,personally,I'd leave her with the grand-parents and go off and enjoy yourselves.
Take her when she's older and you're a bit more experienced with Florida.
Others,however,may disagree.

In reality, there will probably only be two parks that we will absolutely visit - Islands of Adventure because this is my wife's absolute favourite, and Magic Kingdom because the this would appeal more to our daughter, she is a bit of Frozen fan too (having recently sat through the film, Lord only knows why ). If anyone, whilst I do like theme parks, I will not be as gung ho as the wife. I will be bag hoder and I will be the one accompanying my daughter on the gentler rides (Although judging from our recent time Paultons Park these will get more white-knuckle as she gets older) so she won't be seen as a 'ball and chain'. As for the holiday, we will enjoy it as a family and won't be all theme parks - my blood pressure couldn't take it!

myloaf

meer53 wrote: »

I don't think it's a problem taking a 4 year old, we've been lots of times to Florida, the first when my daughter was 3, i get the impression the OP's wife will enjoy the holiday more then the child, it's for her 40th anyway,so it won't be a problem. We took a pushchair when she was small and she slept each afternoon whilst we enjoyed the parks. The OP and wife will have a fabulous time, there's never a bad time to to take children to Florida IMO

Thanks. I was encouraged to go by a work colleague who went to Euro Disney for a week. His youngest is 3 also and she really enjoyed it. The reason for the holiday is to tick a few of my wife's theme park wish boxes, and to create some special memories for our daughter.

myloaf

Moto2 wrote: »

Sept is the worst month for hurricanes in Florida so be aware when booking.

Oooh thanks. I wasn't aware of this.... October it is then!

myloaf

John259 wrote: »

A couple of links to Google Maps showing routes:

International Drive to Kennedy Space Center:


International Drive to Everglades National Park:


BTW if you're ok with the mileage, the Keys might be worth considering. Here's a link to a video (not made by me) of a trip to the Keys:

Thanks. I'm okay with mileage in America - I once did Reno to Eugene, Oregon which was quite a trek. However, that was pre-little one and so we might have to break up the trip to accomodate.

myloaf

lea2012 wrote: »

I'll disagree with the previous poster and say that taking a child of 4 is not a problem, as long as you don't try to cram too much in one day and you organise yourselves properly.

Realistically I think you would need to do 14 days so that you can do a day on / day off for theme parks, waterparks etc. Also make sure that you make the most of the parks by taking regular breaks whether it be stopping for regular snacks / drinks or simply to enjoy one of the many shows or parades on offer. Also consider using Fastpasses for the bigger rides so that you don't need to queue all day, you don't all have to use it for the same ride so your wife can go on some of the bigger ones if she wishes without you both.

If you are thinking of going next Sept / October I would start to look at packages now from the likes of Thomson, Thomas Cook etc.
We normally book all of our holidays DIY but we're off to Florida next year and found it much cheaper to book a package with Thomson to stay offsite but still on International Drive than to book it all separately. We saved about £500 each to book it through them than to book flights, hotel, tickets and car hire ourselves but this isn't always the case. Thomson and Thomas Cook have flights for sale already for those dates so check it out.

I would say that you will likely get a better deal by booking the one hotel for the full stay, possibly not with HI, and then you also won't need the hassle of changing accomm part way through your holiday either. If you're travelling with a young child then I'd even suggest consider booking a villa as then you have more space and the freedom to cook for yourselves if she's tired.

Thanks. I'd never really seriously considered using travel agents, simply because all previous overseas holidays I've tended to piece together myself and it would work out cheaper. As I've discovered in my initial planning that there are so many permeatations (hotel, flights, on-site, off-site, theme parks, theme park tickets) that it may make sense to at least get a quote. After all, I suspect travel agents will have a vested interest in all those areas and can probably muster a discount on each (as well as taking a cut themselves) so the combined saving may equate larger than the sum of the sum of any individual one I could make. Might also make it less stressful to plan!

As for the little one, you're absolutely right in your suggestions: we always give her breaks when she's tired and tend to go at her pace for everything! The good thing is, now at least, she's dropped afternoon naps and is very good at telling us when she's tired - she does a good job of staying active and then knowing when to wind-down.

Villa or apartment was a consideration.... but I guess this hikes up the cost? Although that's just an assumption!

myloaf

Deleted_User wrote: »

I'm trying to think of the logistics of two adults going to an amusement park with a 4-year-old child.
Who looks after the kid when you want to go on a ride ? Who looks after the kid at night when you want a meal and a few drinks ?
From experience I found it easier to wait until our kids were older so they'd appreciate the parks,remember the rides and accompany us to a restaurant to eat with adults in the evening. I suppose it's why so many families take one or both grandparents or a babysitter with them.

I'll be taking the little one on rides at her age range whilst mum queues (or maybe not with Fast Pass) for the more white knuckle rides. Like I said in the origial post, I will be the designated bag-holder.

We will stay in with our daughter of an evening, it limits our options but it's no less enjoyable - this has proved just the ticket at things like music festivals and other holidays we've been on with her. The main communal meal time for us is lunch. If we want a special meal of the evening, it's generally one of us who cooks.

[Deleted User]

myloaf wrote: »

I'll be taking the little one on rides at her age range whilst mum queues (or maybe not with Fast Pass) for the more white knuckle rides. Like I said in the origial post, I will be the designated bag-holder.

We will stay in with our daughter of an evening, it limits our options but it's no less enjoyable - this has proved just the ticket at things like music festivals and other holidays we've been on with her. The main communal meal time for us is lunch. If we want a special meal of the evening, it's generally one of us who cooks.

Hey, if you think you'll have a great holiday going as a family then go for it.
I just know that something like this wouldn't have been my wife's choice to celebrate her 40th.
And we took our kids to Florida so often they eventually begged us not to go again.
I just hope you think seriously about everything you're thinking of doing - a drive to the Kennedy Space Centre or to the Everglades with a 4-year-old in the back of the car ?
If you can consider taking grandparents to help give you some quality time with the missus on her 40th.

matgunners

First things first, get yourself over to The Dibb, it's an incredibly helpful resource/forum.

I'd go for October but try to go mid-late October, weather will still be in the 20's but very little rain and you'll be able to go the halloween parties which are fab.

Tickets can be expensive, £70ish a day, I'd choose one themepark and get a multi day ticket, Universal do a ticket which gives access to both of the parks and the waterpark for £100ish (I being very vague with figures)

You could always just go Magic Kingdom for the halloween party which is cheaper than a day ticket, most rides are open from 4-12 and there are special displays etc.

Hotel, try the Rosen chain, very clean, good hotels, very cheap. alternative look into a villa, mayb £350-£450 for a week but you can prepare food in the villa which cuts down on costs.

I'd also argue that 4-6 is the perfect age because the magic still feels real.

any questions let me know :-)

John259

Kennedy Space Center is very close and I'd be rather surprised if the OP's offspring wasn't already well used to car journeys of that length.

The Everglades and the Keys are much further away though.

artemisia_2

Same idea, my husband treated us to a trip to Disneyworld for my 40th.

Here's how to do it cheaply. Go to Thomsonfly and look at Flight Deals. Put in your dates, and select Florida Sanford as a destination.

Next, go to eBay and look at Villas for those dates.

Once in the States (this is risky), you can buy tickets on International Drive for around one fifth the price on the door. I have heard some folks have had difficulties with this, but it worked for us on a two-week and a three-week trip that year.

If you buy a ticket that has say three days left on a ten day ticket, you can top it up or make it an indefinite ticket to use on future trips. Also if you don't use days, some of the International drive ticket desks will buy back Waterpark days that are on tickets.

Hope this helps.