Orlando Florida/Disneyworld (Part 2) *CLOSED*

disney_cjd

Hi Kezza

We go in both may and Oct. Yes its the same sort of temp. But I'd say in october the nights are much cooler.

As for going to cinders dinner. Please take your passport with you and show this as you enter. As its your birthday you will get in for free of if you have a pass already you will be given 75 free dollars to spend!!!

As for the dollar rate I am no expert but if the bank keeps dropping the base rate I think it will fall. I had to change some money this week and got 1.45. Not great.

Use places like xetrade.com for good prices

Take care
Craig

disney_cjd

sorry am doing this from therthe train.

Someone recently asked about scrapbooks? The following was in the last allears newsletter. Hope it helps

Our series dedicated to Disney Scrapbooking returns this month, written by Disney scrapbook expert Barbara Bennett and her husband Brian (who are also the owners of MouseMemories.com). This month's feature is all about albums:"You can't judge a book by its cover," so says the old adage, but when it comes to creating a scrapbook, the cover does say a lot about what's inside. Themed scrapbooking albums give the perfect final touch to a scrapbooking project that includes your personal photographs and other mementoes.Scrapbooking albums are the single most expensive part of a scrapbooking project. The album also plays a big role in making a good first impression for people who are enjoying your memory book. Today we'll talk about the core of your project, the album. We'll start by sharing some thoughts on the basic purpose of a scrapbook album, then we'll review album sizes, styles, and themes. We'll also consider best practices for using scrapbook albums as we wrap up.There are two major purposes for a scrapbooking album. First, the album provides an aesthetic quality to your finished project. Keeping your scrapbooking pages in nicely designed albums makes them look nicer as they sit on the bookshelf or on the coffee table. Second, and this is really much more important, the album should provide a safe storage place for those pages.Read the rest of this month's article at: http://allears.net/btp/scrapbook/part9/part9.htm

jimandjen_2

Hi all

I'm new to this, it's my first post so go easy. We are going to Orlando for the third year in a row, the last two we flew travely city, this year we are thomas cooking it. Is there anybody who has flown both and can offer up a comparisson? (we have a young daughter (21 months at time of travel) so if anybody with an infant has travelled this would be perticularly useful.

Also buy dollars now or wait till mid April when we go?

Thanks all.

cspu03

Dear Disney CJD,
I will be staying at Orange Tree in May and need some advise please.
What is the drive like from Orlando to Orange Tree (4 counties) ?
We have booked WDW tickets and would like to understand what in your opinion we should do for the first few days just so we can hit the ground running.
We won't get to the villa until early evening on our first day (Weds) so we just expect to unpack and relax after a long day travelling.
Would you recommend a park on the Thurs if so which as I have heard there are better days to do certain parks than others ??
Any other advise you can give please (buy a guide book etc ?)

Thanks in advance for any help and/or assistance for a first timer.
Cheers,
CSPU03

disney_cjd

cspu03 wrote: »

Dear Disney CJD,
I will be staying at Orange Tree in May and need some advise please.
What is the drive like from Orlando to Orange Tree (4 counties) ?
We have booked WDW tickets and would like to understand what in your opinion we should do for the first few days just so we can hit the ground running.
We won't get to the villa until early evening on our first day (Weds) so we just expect to unpack and relax after a long day travelling.
Would you recommend a park on the Thurs if so which as I have heard there are better days to do certain parks than others ??
Any other advise you can give please (buy a guide book etc ?)

Thanks in advance for any help and/or assistance for a first timer.
Cheers,
CSPU03

hI cspu03

Well Orange Tree is next door to me so I know it well. Its a lovely community and in a great position in my opinion.

Your nearest park is actually the Animal kingdom and on a good day you can get to the car park in about 20 mins or so. Your Villa is on a road called the US27 which has really come on over the years. The Americans deal in north, south east and west with directions and this road runs north to south. TO the north of you are some new resturants - the Olive Garden and Red Loster - about 15 misn drive. There is also a very nice Wal Mart to the North at Kings Ridge and also a nice Publix supermarket.

To the South things are a little nearer, you have a Wendys burger place (I think now there is even a path and you can walk it) and also a Win Dixie supermarket. A bit further down at Cagons Crossing is abother Wal Mart. I prefer the other one as its less English and after a few days there you will know what I mean!

Just past Cagon Crossing is the 192. This is the road that will lead you into Disney but take a look at Google maps before you go and try to take the Sherbeth road instead, Its runs along side the 192 but has no traffic lights.

If youa re flying into Orlando Airport then you will take the 417 south exit. Get yourself directions from Google Maps. Its quite easy to do but shout if you need help. It should take about 40-45 mins to Orange Tree. If you villa owner has offered you a welcome pack thats great, if not, as you turn onto the 27 mfrom the 192 by the Wal Mart there is a BP garage and you can grab milk etc there.

Remember you will need some money for tolls. We have a sunpass (like a Dart Tag) so i dont know the amounts but it will be about 5 bucks in total tops.

As for which days to the parks the weekdays are normally the less busy,. At weekends the locals go. I would reconmend a few things thought to tak einto account.

Check the calender on the waltdisnetyworld.com website. You can pick a month and a park and it will give you all the opening times and something known as extra magic hours times. If you are NOT staying in a Disney hotel then I woudl avoid going to park with extra magic hours. I have always found that parks without these are less busy.

Also Len Tester who is the go author of the unoffical guide to WDW ( a great read) has a crowd calander. http://www.touringplans.com/tp2/UG2_index.php?PageID=14 You can get a more upto date version when you get the book.

The only other thing in May is UK half term. If you are going them as you have kids its busier but not manic. If you are staying anytime outside of half term then thats the time to hit the parks.

HTH

cjd

disney_cjd

cspu03 wrote: »

Dear Disney CJD,
I will be staying at Orange Tree in May and need some advise please.
What is the drive like from Orlando to Orange Tree (4 counties) ?
We have booked WDW tickets and would like to understand what in your opinion we should do for the first few days just so we can hit the ground running.
We won't get to the villa until early evening on our first day (Weds) so we just expect to unpack and relax after a long day travelling.
Would you recommend a park on the Thurs if so which as I have heard there are better days to do certain parks than others ??
Any other advise you can give please (buy a guide book etc ?)

Thanks in advance for any help and/or assistance for a first timer.
Cheers,
CSPU03

Sorry - meant also to say....

If you arrive on a Wednesday you will probably be up early on Thursday. No matter how often I go I am always up at 4 am. I woudl therfore suggest you grab soem shopping as the places are open early and then head for maybe Animal Kingdom. The reason i say this is that this park is so good first thing in the morning as all the animals are out. I am not sure what day you are arriving but check the calenders and see what time it opens and aim to be in teh car park about 30 mins before then.

As for books there are really two main ones to consider. I have both although old versions.

There is the Brits Guide to Orlando and the Unoffical Guide to Walt Disney World.

They are both EXCELLENT> The Brits guide overs more than just Disney, it covers all of Orlando and has great tips and details on everything to do. Even those things off the beaten track. The unoffical guide is plain old Disney but its so comprehensive and easy to read. They are both about a tenner from Amazon.

If you are planning to do all Disney Id say get the unoffical guide, If youa re planning or Disney, Universial etc then get the Brits guide.

Or even both but thats not that money saving!

Cheers

atro1

cspu03
As to tolls a lot of the hire cars now have the Dart eye buiklt in we had a Budget car last year and it was great just driving straight through the tolls. And the bill appeared on my credit card [same one I used for Budget]. Just ask when you pick up yopur car.

cspu03

Thanks Craig.
The information is invaluable.
We are going outside UK's half term that's why we booked for then to avoid the hordes (hopefully) although we will be there on the US Holiday at the end of May which is the 25th I think but hope to have covered most of the Parks by then.
I also fancy taking in Clearwater and have heard there are trips to see dolphins swimming adajenct to the boats ? Any recommendations on which trip to book ? Is it worth staying overnight ? Also someone at work mentioned Captain Nemo's Pirate ship ? Just a thought that the kids may enjoy this.
When I typed in Google maps it gave me directions via 528 and then I4 (to Tampa) and then 192 followed by 25 would you avoid this route please ?
Are there any decent road maps I can buy in UK (W H Smith's maybe ?).

Sorry to be a pain just want to be prepared and make the most of the time.

Thanks again in advance.

Atro1 - thanks, I have booked a hire car via Budget using usrentacar.co.uk so hopefully this will be included ? But will ask nevertheless.

disney_cjd

cspu03 wrote: »

Thanks Craig.
The information is invaluable.
We are going outside UK's half term that's why we booked for then to avoid the hordes (hopefully) although we will be there on the US Holiday at the end of May which is the 25th I think but hope to have covered most of the Parks by then.
I also fancy taking in Clearwater and have heard there are trips to see dolphins swimming adajenct to the boats ? Any recommendations on which trip to book ? Is it worth staying overnight ? Also someone at work mentioned Captain Nemo's Pirate ship ? Just a thought that the kids may enjoy this.
When I typed in Google maps it gave me directions via 528 and then I4 (to Tampa) and then 192 followed by 25 would you avoid this route please ?
Are there any decent road maps I can buy in UK (W H Smith's maybe ?).

Sorry to be a pain just want to be prepared and make the most of the time.

Thanks again in advance.

Atro1 - thanks, I have booked a hire car via Budget using usrentacar.co.uk so hopefully this will be included ? But will ask nevertheless.

No prob at all

OK Clearwater. I love it. We always spend a day there in the summer. We stay at wither the MArriott Sand Key or the Hilton ont eh Beach. Whilst I prefer Marriotts the Hilton is in a terrific location and can not be beaten inho. Its about an hour and 40 mins drive and is a lovely drive out. A night in the hotel woudl cost around 120 dollars but you can check at www.hilton.com

Captain Nemos is awesome. I love it as did my kids. Their web site is http://www.captmemo.com/ and it really is a good trip. It gets VERY hot at mid day so try and do wither an early or later trip.

I have not done the Dolphins there so I can not reconmend anyone. I think Strull posted some awesome pics a while back about a trip he did there but I think he is in Florida t the moment.

As for the drive from the airport - there is that way yes from Google. Driving Directions
Link: <http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&saddr=orlando+airport&daddr=orange+tree,+clermont&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=28.42643,-81.310158&sspn=0.15821,0.256805&g=orlando+airport&ie=UTF8&ll=27.71271,-80.826416&spn=2.548084,4.108887&z=8&gt;
but we tend to take a different route.

As you can see from the link we leave the bottom of the airport and take the 417 south and stay on this until the celebration turn off (the one after Disney world) I think its exit 2 or 3. You come dopwn a slip road and turn right onto the 192. Then follow this and its turns onto the 27 where you heard north for about 4 miles and Orange Tree on your right.

Cheers
Craig

jadsima

Hi disney_cjd and all other posters,

Please forgive me for posting a reply to this particular post but I need to ask some questions and I wasnt sure how to post it in this disney forum and I know you respond to loads of questions so I figure its a good place to start.

In case you haven't guessed I'm a newbie poster on the site although I have been lurking and enjoying reading the posts for a while.

I intend to visit Orlando in December 09 with my husband and two children by then aged 7 and 2. My 2 siblings, their partners and 2 children each (aged 8 and 6) will be travelling with us.

The trip is planned for anytime after the 12th of December for between 10 and 14 days (preferably 10 as hubby is self-employed so doesn't like to be away for too long). We definitely want to spend Xmas there.

I would like to know what would be the most cost effective way to book this trip.
We would probably look to get a 6 bed villa in Kissimee as we have done villas on previous visits and the quality is quite high. It has been a while since our last trip to Florida though as the children have never been so we need some advice.

Would it be better to look out for offers for packages from the big operators (what month do such offers typically get published? and would we get a discount for booking a holiday for 12?) or get flights/accomodation/park tickets separately.
When would be the best time to book a Dec holiday?
We are open to the idea of spending half our holiday on a Disney resort and the other half in a Villa.
We are on a strict budget though so want the best possible deal hence my asking the money saving stalwarts.
I apologise for the length of this post but any advise would be much appreciated.

Cheers.