Orlando Florida/Disneyworld (Part 2) *CLOSED*

GRIGGSY

Hi
I was wondering if anyone had flown into Tampa before and what the car rental place was like there. I know that some people have been given free upgrades at Orlando Mccoy but I am assuming that Tampa isn't as busy so if you book an economy car thats what you get - DH really doesn't want to be driving anything like a corsa over there! Also I have been quoted £1600 for the two of us going next Monday from Edinburgh this includes flights, accom and car no extras to pay, just wondering if this was a good price. lastly anyone stayed at the Kingstown reef before?

Thanks for any help
Jo

Coveredinbees!!!!

makie wrote: »

hi sorry if its the wrong place wheres the best place to change money in orlando i go on tuesday

I just take a couple of $100 and find a cash point even better if you have a nationwide card

bluep

HAZIEC wrote: »

I saw you said "a bit of rain" does not bother you in your other post, sorry but Orlando in August can mean heavy downpours and storms for hours which keep you indoors and the children bored. IF you are not going for the parks I'm sure there are loads of places where the weather will be more reliable and the flight shorter for your little one. The jet lag is something you might not have taken into consideration.
Orlando is wonderful but you do struggle with babies and toddlers as its mega busy and you cannot compare a hotel type "beach" and pool there in a large town to a lovely beach on the med and a nice hotel with a gorgeous large pool and NO RAIN!!
JMO but think you may have a different idea from the reality and its not a bargain if its not really what you want !!

hehe. I understand your point and thanks for the reply - however I worked in Puerto Rico for a while and we had heavy tropical storms like clockwork every afternoon for months!! So I'm not underestimating the weather...just that working around it doesn't bother us too much! Anyhow, stinky online company quoted one price on their internet site and then tripled it per person when I phoned up to book so that's shelved!

New query - we're thinking of 12-14 days over christmas - to counter the travel time, have enough time to see parks and to relax by the pool a fair bit. Are we best to book flights (around £550 each) and get a villa independently or to book a package of flights and villa through lastminute.com or similar (around £750 each currently)? The other question is, that's for three of us, but the villas coming up on lastminute are much bigger i.e. 3/4 bedrooms, sleeps up to 8 etc... If my parents decide to book flights separately, is there anything to stop them coming and staying with us too or do the agents/owners have a maximum guest policy if you've paid per person through somewhere like lastminute? Are those prices relatively good for that patch of time or should I look around a bit more? What's the weather like?!? Lots of rain?!? hehe...Thanks in advance for any help!

sturll

GRIGGSY wrote: »

Hi
I was wondering if anyone had flown into Tampa before and what the car rental place was like there. I know that some people have been given free upgrades at Orlando Mccoy but I am assuming that Tampa isn't as busy so if you book an economy car thats what you get - DH really doesn't want to be driving anything like a corsa over there! Also I have been quoted £1600 for the two of us going next Monday from Edinburgh this includes flights, accom and car no extras to pay, just wondering if this was a good price. lastly anyone stayed at the Kingstown reef before?

Thanks for any help
Jo

Just one tip and i come out with this every time. Make sure you turn left out of the airport, keep driving West for about 35 mins and stop when you reach the coast. You will now have arrived at Clearwater - one of the most beautiful beaches and places in North America.

sturll

bluep wrote: »

hehe. I understand your point and thanks for the reply - however I worked in Puerto Rico for a while and we had heavy tropical storms like clockwork every afternoon for months!! So I'm not underestimating the weather...just that working around it doesn't bother us too much! Anyhow, stinky online company quoted one price on their internet site and then tripled it per person when I phoned up to book so that's shelved!

New query - we're thinking of 12-14 days over christmas - to counter the travel time, have enough time to see parks and to relax by the pool a fair bit. Are we best to book flights (around £550 each) and get a villa independently or to book a package of flights and villa through lastminute.com or similar (around £750 each currently)? The other question is, that's for three of us, but the villas coming up on lastminute are much bigger i.e. 3/4 bedrooms, sleeps up to 8 etc... If my parents decide to book flights separately, is there anything to stop them coming and staying with us too or do the agents/owners have a maximum guest policy if you've paid per person through somewhere like lastminute? Are those prices relatively good for that patch of time or should I look around a bit more? What's the weather like?!? Lots of rain?!? hehe...Thanks in advance for any help!

I go every Jan 1st.

It is still Christmas in Orlando with lights and decor etc.

Weather: Well, in 2007 it was about 18 C each day, didnt rain once until i woke up one morning and my son said "Dad did you hear the wind and rain last night?" I said i hadnt. Turned the TV on and found out Tornados had passed over about 20mi from us and there was about 30 people killed.
Generally though it was nippy up till about 11am then got warm and comfortable for the remaider.

Jan 2008 was different, it was about 27 C each day and lovely. It didnt rain once.

I go each Jan and wouldnt go any other time of year. Its fairly quiet, avg queueing times approx 10 mins pleasent weather.

haziec

bluep wrote: »

hehe. I understand your point and thanks for the reply - however I worked in Puerto Rico for a while and we had heavy tropical storms like clockwork every afternoon for months!! So I'm not underestimating the weather...just that working around it doesn't bother us too much! Anyhow, stinky online company quoted one price on their internet site and then tripled it per person when I phoned up to book so that's shelved!

New query - we're thinking of 12-14 days over christmas - to counter the travel time, have enough time to see parks and to relax by the pool a fair bit. Are we best to book flights (around £550 each) and get a villa independently or to book a package of flights and villa through lastminute.com or similar (around £750 each currently)? The other question is, that's for three of us, but the villas coming up on lastminute are much bigger i.e. 3/4 bedrooms, sleeps up to 8 etc... If my parents decide to book flights separately, is there anything to.... stop them coming and staying with us too or do the agents/owners have a maximum guest policy if you've paid per person through somewhere like lastminute? Are those prices relatively good for that patch of time or should I look around a bit more? What's the weather like?!? Lots of rain?!? hehe...Thanks in advance for any help!

I have just seen this and someone who has been in Jan has replied with more accuracy than I could as I have only been in the Spring/summer.
Its worth pointing out that Jan is quiet but friends have told me that its not water park weather, well you might be lucky, but don't depend on it.
The Americans adore the Christmas season and its a joy to see, Ive been in NY and Atlanta then and its fab, so I can just imagine Orlando.
I think the main Christmas/New year holiday days are very busy in the parks from what I have read on the boards.
Regarding the storms, you wait until you see the storm drains, LOL I have never seen anything like them, sooo large and we found out why within the short time.....hopefully you wont, have a great trip.
Expedia are quite good have you looked at them??
Villas are plentiful, don't go for one ourselves so can't recommend but look at www.thedibb.co.uk which is good for locations and info to help you.
Have a great trip.

sturll

HAZIEC wrote: »

I have just seen this and someone who has been in Jan has replied with more accuracy than I could as I have only been in the Spring/summer.
Its worth pointing out that Jan is quiet but friends have told me that its not water park weather, well you might be lucky, but don't depend on it.
The Americans adore the Christmas season and its a joy to see, Ive been in NY and Atlanta then and its fab, so I can just imagine Orlando.
I think the main Christmas/New year holiday days are very busy in the parks from what I have read on the boards.
Regarding the storms, you wait until you see the storm drains, LOL I have never seen anything like them, sooo large and we found out why within the short time.....hopefully you wont, have a great trip.
Expedia are quite good have you looked at them??
Villas are plentiful, don't go for one ourselves so can't recommend but look at www.thedibb.co.uk which is good for locations and info to help you.
Have a great trip.

It is waterpark weather, but be warned that for the past two years Disney have only opened up one of their 2 parks. This has been rotated. So if they keep the same order this January will be Blizzard Beach (which imo is the better of the two)

dazzer68

it might be water park weather! it depends on the weather.
we went in feb 2006 to blizzard beach and we were the only people there! me my partner and my daughter, a storm came over with thunder and lightning and the lifegaurds were literally screaming at us to get out of the pool,which we trying to do any way! when we got out the pool we werent allowed to get something to eat to warm as the staff said they had offically closed the park! there was only us three there, we wanted some coffee and doughnuts but they wouldnt let us buy them, so we got changed when the storm passed over and waited at the bus stop to go back to our resort hotel, we waited 3 hours for the bus to turn up!, the drivers get driving by as they couldnt believe any one went to the water park that day! so it was us 3 crazy brits standing in the rain getting soaked for 3 hours, we were pretty peed off by now, but at least we can say we had the whole park to ourselves for a few hours! we got there about 8 in the morning it was really cold but hey we are british and we will go swimming! so it all depends on the weatherand the staff as the whether its water park or not!

haziec

dazzer68 wrote: »

it might be water park weather! it depends on the weather.
we went in feb 2006 to blizzard beach and we were the only people there! me my partner and my daughter, a storm came over with thunder and lightning and the lifegaurds were literally screaming at us to get out of the pool,which we trying to do any way! when we got out the pool we werent allowed to get something to eat to warm as the staff said they had offically closed the park! there was only us three there, we wanted some coffee and doughnuts but they wouldnt let us buy them, so we got changed when the storm passed over and waited at the bus stop to go back to our resort hotel, we waited 3 hours for the bus to turn up!, the drivers get driving by as they couldnt believe any one went to the water park that day! so it was us 3 crazy brits standing in the rain getting soaked for 3 hours, we were pretty peed off by now, but at least we can say we had the whole park to ourselves for a few hours! we got there about 8 in the morning it was really cold but hey we are british and we will go swimming! so it all depends on the weatherand the staff as the whether its water park or not!

Thanks Dazzer, I don't feel so stupid now, what a horrible experience, we thought that being stuck in June outside one of the shows in Universal cause of severe storms was bad enough!! . My sis and family have been loads of times in Jan and don't do the water parks cause they say its more hit and miss with the weather. I personally like it very hot to hang around in wet clothes all day and do water stuff but some people might be different. But as Sturll said there will only be one open, even in March Blizzard Beach was closed, so hope its open next year when we go.

KarenG

sturll wrote: »

It is waterpark weather, but be warned that for the past two years Disney have only opened up one of their 2 parks. This has been rotated. So if they keep the same order this January will be Blizzard Beach (which imo is the better of the two)

They do swap the order around, and they have always only ever opened one waterpark over the "winter" season.

One advantage of cooler weather is that you are likely to have the waterpark to yourself We spent two days one December and while it was a little colder than I would have liked, the advantage of being only one of about five families in the whole of Blizzard Beach was priceless :T