Has anyone ever stayed at vrbo 97939 at Seychelles.
Didnt stay in that room, we had vrbo #100628 at Seychelles. You WILL NOT be disappointed. The place is beautiful, just quiet enough. Convenient to everything. Great hangout/bar/restaurant (schooners) next door. Easy check in/out (although receptionist girl a bit rude but whatever). Covered parking.
Does anyone know of a place to get hard shell crabs in the universal hotel area?
You want them cooked already
Florida is not known for what I think you want (blue crabs). I don%26#39;t know of any place in Orlando. There are a few places around Titusville and Melbourne though.
if you are talking snow crab legs... than that broadens it out.
blue crabs are not readily available in central florida.
There is a place in Daytona Beach, about 1 hr 20 minutes from Orlando that has great crab legs, most nights they run an ';all you can eat'; special. They are large, snow or queen crab legs usually. As far as I know they don%26#39;t serve blue crab. The name is Charlie Horse and it is on A1A. I hope this helps.
punz
You can get bluecrab meat in tubs at some of the supermarkets, but not whole as they don%26#39;t travel well. I%26#39;m from MD, and I sure miss them.
When I arrive I will be ordering off the internet a bushel of crabs and cooking them myself at my room cause you can never find a fresh seafood market only at the grocery stores and that it%26#39;s a fresh I want it so before I leave I%26#39;m gonna make my arragnements
Go to this site %26amp; type in the work crab in the search box. It will give you the names of several seafood restaurants. Hope this helps.
鈥itysearch.com/find/鈥estaurants.html
there was a man on the side of e colonial drive selling blue crabs by my house today....
thats the only way your gonna get em. :)
Off to a good start. I called the phone number listed on the Splash website and was told they do not handle bookings for this resort. Does anyone have a correct phone number? I wanted to ask a few questions before booking so that%26#39;s why I didn%26#39;t use the website.
Thanks!
I have two different numbers on my sheet that I am taking in case I have troubles.
One is 1-888-212-9889
The other is 1-800-804-0417 this said it was the reservation line
I wrote both down thinking they could help us find the place if we got lost. Hope one of these helps you.
Hi to make a reservation for Splash you need to call Sterling Resorts at 1-866-5RESORT or go to there website at www.sterlingresorts.com
Hi
Four of us are coming to Orlando 28 October for 2 weeks.
A 2 bed condo at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort sounds perfect, given the good reviews.
But I can%26#39;t seem to find a website through who I can book. Expedia tells me there is no availability.
Can anybody help me?
Thanking you in anticipation.
Mike
Call the actual hotel type in the hotels name .com and see what you get that way or find a phone # for the hotel
This is a timeshare hotel and all availability might be gone. Hotel.com said all the rates for that hotel have been taken.
It is a timeshare resort and our neighbors just got back from spending a week there and loved it. We will be there for 5 nights next week but are not owners of a timeshare. You can buy someones reservation that they can%26#39;t use. Try these:
myresortnetwork.com
redweek.com
tug1.com
Also there are some reservations that are sold on ebay.com through auction. Just make sure you only buy from someone with really good feedback. That is how we got ours. $700 for five nights in a 2 bedroom.
Any locals know what the gas prices are now not around Disney away from it seems to be much cheaper last year we came and it was $2.87 a gallon and I%26#39;m trying to figure what it is now and how much it will be when I get there
Actually it may be a tad higher $2.9x and some places will be just over $3 - depends on when you are coming.
We left WDW this past Friday (5/11) %26amp; paid $2.87 for regular @ the Hess across from Disney Marketplace.
Last year we thought is was gonna be $3.50 but on the drive from South Jersey the prices weren%26#39;t that bad at all we come every August and they were pretty decent then I was giving ourself $800 for gas we only spent $600 and we have a Expedition
Less than $3 per gallon still. Fantastic! We%26#39;re just shy of 拢1 per litre which works out at 拢4.50 per gallon, $9 per gallon but I can%26#39;t remember if US gallons are smaller or bigger than UK ones. Still cheap as chips for us Brits though.
We here in Glorious Canada are being gouged at the pumps! Even the government has said so. They%26#39;re just not going to do anything about it!
We here, in sunny Saskatchewan are averaging $1.17/litre. That works out to over $5 CDN per US gallon.
How%26#39;s that for an oil-rich country?!?
That is a total rip off in Canada I think it%26#39;s a ripoff all over the goverment can do something about it there not cause there making money on it
Yes, but we wouldn%26#39;t want the government to pis$ off the all powerful oil companies, now would we?!?
pokerolls, remember to fill up in GA, just before you cross into FL. It%26#39;s always cheaper in GA.
The US gallon is smaller (to the poster that couldn%26#39;t remember) by quite a bit too. Don%26#39;t remember exactly, LOL.
I am in Fl. now and saw regular gas @US $2.72/gal. on International Drive near Seaworld.
Got gas last night at the Hess across from DownTown Disney, it was $2.79 for regular. $2.89 for the middle stuff and $2.99 for the premium.
Cheapest places for gas in the Lake Buena Vista area are the Hess stations on Disney and off.
Cheaper way is to buy a gift card at WalMart and use it to buy gas. you get a 5% discount allowing you to get more gas!!! there is a walmart on 535 near Vine st (192)
hi,
we will be driving from miami saturday 26th and knowing it is memorial day on the monday....what time do you think we should leave...will there loads of traffic or not...also we would like to stop of for a break along the coast for an hr or so...where would you recommend...a nice beach would be nice...driving palm beach side..cant seem to find any nice pics to make a good jugdement....thanks
most of the holiday traffic occurs on the friday and the monday of monday holiday weekends....mia to orl approx 4 to 4 1/2 hours straight thru....beaches...hutchison island around ft pierce, vero beach, melbourne beach, cocoa beach.....you will be adding time to your travel just getting to and from the beach, prolly at least 30 minutes each way from i 95...maybe longer for everyone will be going to the beach
if you are going up I-95 the best place to stop will be the stuart area. their forum can help you with choices.
orlando is not on the coast and 95 is not along the coast either. while I think 30 minutes is excessive to drive inland... it will not be ';on the way';
deerfield beach about an hour and half north of miami has two wonderful resturants on the beach. oceans 234 and JBs on the beach, both offer direct beachside dinning. both lovely food.
quite frankly... if you are staying in miami for any length of time... go for a great breakfast or lunch there on the water. than drive the rest of the way to orlando.
during your stay in miami there will be many options for you to get great ocean views with your dinning!
We will be celebrating my nieces birthday in August %26amp; wold love to book a reasonably priced stretch limo (preferably pink !) as a surprise.
We will be going to House of Blues %26amp; then Cirque show from i-drive.
Anyone know a reliable but well priced local company?
Anyone that can help?
THANKS
Our group of 9 has contracted with Happy Limo while we are in Orlando in June. They have a nice website. I think it may be happylimo.com or something like that. If you cannot find it on the web email me and I will dig out my paperwork and get the correct address for you. I have spoken with them over the phone many times and have been very pleased. Also, if you tell them you found them on the net they will give you an internet discount if you book roundtrip. Good good lauralou1.
There is a link to HappyLimo on Mousesavers.com. Just click on Car rental and it will give a reccomendation for Happy Limo!
Thanks both of you
mears can provide transportation as well.
Hello,
4 mid 30s girls are leaving California on the Red Eye and heading to SoBe for ONE NIGHT 6/2/2007. Crazy? Yes! A well needed night out? Definately!
We are looking for the ideal:
Fun Hotel
Fun Nightclub(s)
Fun Restaurant
We are looking for a fool proof place (or places) to go dancing. We are used to the VIP treatment in Vegas and San Fransico, however, we do want to wait in an hour long line to hear ';house'; music and not have a great time. We love salsa music and hip-hop as long as it is not hard core rap.
We enjoy fun people who are not stuck up! Pole and bar dancing (with our clothes on) is always fun. =)
Thanks so much for your suggestions.
Hello there,
Im dave from dublin, Ireland, i hope to hit miami at the same time as you lot. YOu lookin forward to it???
Dave.
Hi heard a rumour that the haunted mansion ride will be closed for refurb in July does any one know if this is the case?? I am going with my parents, it will be there first time in Florida. My children were telling them about this ride and it would be something they would enjoy.It will be disapointing if this is true. Thanks in advance.
Alas, not a rumor , a fact- scheduled to close June 6- Sept 12, 2007 I guess for an ';updating'; which , honestly , it does need. Sorry your parents will miss it- hopefully they will be wowed by everything else!
Thanks Lulutoo, I am sure we will find alot of other rides to go on - still a shame though!
Just wondering if there is any public parking near The Grand Bohemian Hotel? (the 300 block of South Orange St, downtown)
We will be renting a car and need a place for overnight parking.
We are trying to avoid the hassle of waiting and the $20 surcharge per day for mandatory valet .
Thanks for any info you might have!!
There are garages downtown... one on central very near to the hotel. I do not think it has overnight because of commuters in the morning,
the reason that parking is expensive is that parking downtown (like most places) is at a premium. Any overnight parking in the area is most likely nearly the same amount.
Very much agree with the previous posts...but wanted to add that I think I would pay the $20 fee to have the car parked at the hotel. You do not want to leave a rental car on the street or in another public garage overnight in downtown. Not the safest idea.
so im going to disney from june 2-8 so here%26#39;s the order in thinking:
bought a 4 day (non hopper) pass for four adults (no kids)
June 2 Sat: AK or MGM ( since the parks will be the busiest so one of the smaller parks will help)
June 3 Sun: Universal studios ( with 30.99express pass, 24.99 meal deal pass and 8.99 drink pass)
June 4 Mon: Seaworld
June 5 tues: AK or MGM
June 6 Wed: Epcot
June 7:MK ( this is the only park im commited to having to go on thursday)
June 8: Wedding and DC
I think you have all the bases, or should I say parks, covered. I would do AK on Sat, but get there early before it gets too hot and crowded. Have a swell Holiday.
Looks like a good plan to me if you don%26#39;t wear yourself out, LOL. Be sure to catch the night parade at MK, spectacular!! Have a wonderful time.
punz
I would give MGM a miss on the Saturday it is too busy. Meal Deal - they are not good value unless you are planning lunch and dinner and even then dinner in Bubba Gump or Pastamori only includes an entree.
I was %26#39;advised%26#39; by a seller that unless you are a big eater, as an individual dont buy one and for a family of 4, buy 2 and queue twice.
Also, IoA is more fun than Universal.
is IOA really better than universal? looks so much smaller than universal
you are doing a lot. more than I would recommend.
what kind of rides do you like? love thrill rides? IOA is for you.
since you are jamming in everything to a ridiculous degree... you might want to give yourself and extra afternoon at MK or Epcot. one day is usually not enough for either... one day is too long for magic kingdom.
The plan looks fine to me. I would go to Animal Kingdom on the Saturday - aim to be there as the park opens - head to Expedition Everest and get a fast pass (if there%26#39;s a fast person in the group send them with all the tickets) the rest of the party have a more leisurely walk to the Safari ride (animals are more active in the morning so best time to see them) - meet the fast runner at the entrance to the Safari. Enjoy the ride then work your way back through the park to Everest. It is possible to do all the activities that interest adults by early afternoon and then you could visit Downtown Disney in the afternoon for a bit of shopping or hit the pool at your hotel. On Sunday again get to the parks early - it is possible to do both parks in one day (subject to crowds). IOA is more rollercoasters than Universal Studios but both are worth a visit. Seaworld - must sees are the Clyde and Seamore Show - get to your seats early (you%26#39;ll realise why once you%26#39;ve been). If the evening Shamu show is on (Shamu Rocks) then go and see that rather than Believe (yawn). I believe you can leave Seaworld and return later in the evening - you might want to consider doing this and maybe head to Premium Outlet Mall for lunch and shopping to break up the day.
It all depends on who much activity you enjoy in your hols. Personally ours is non-stop from the minute we arrive to the minute we leave (I relax on the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon).
i was treated to a trip to florida for graduation. im looking for a nice beach with a great nighlife. [people our age, 18] any suggestions? maybe another beach?
The 2 big night clubs are Spinnakers and Club LaVela.
I know one of these has teen nights, though I forget which one.
Do a seach on the web and you should be able to find their websites.
Club Lavela has teen nights it is featured on MTV sometimes, has a nice deck area and pool which is accessable from the beach in the day. I%26#39;m sure they must have a website that you could check out, I may be wrong but I%26#39;m sure I heard that it is the biggest or one of the biggest nightclubs in America ( I may be wrong ) The beach is great with the usual paragliding etc available.
Those are the most popular nightclubs from what I here. They used to be on MTV specials during spring break, not sure about this year.
You might want to post on the ';Panama City Beach'; forum instead of this one. It%26#39;s for the beach area.
Also, my 19 yr old and her friend are going with us. I%26#39;m pretty sure you only have to be 18 to get in the clubs and 21 to drink. I%26#39;m not too crazy about that rule, but I trust them to make good decisions.
Any suggestions for fun places for a group of 40 yr old moms? We%26#39;re a fun group but don%26#39;t know if we%26#39;d ';hang'; with the younger crowds. Planning to have dinner at Joe%26#39;s and Prime 112. Any tips would be great.
Hi moms%26gt;
When is your trip (month and days of the week)? Duration?
What do you moms like to do?
Will you have a car?
Shop, sightsee, museums, theater, snorkel, boat rides, spa?
Give us an inkling of the group%26#39;s direction and we can help...
AG
We are booked to go in August (I know but school holidays had no choice..).
Anyway we want to surprise our girls by arranging a limo to collect us and take us to our villa.
We are flying into MCO and I would like a glamourus limo with all the lights and bling etc.
Can anybody recommend a company and do you know how much it might be.
Many thanks to all in TA land who reply.
Gday Nickybitty,
Try www.orlandoairportlimo.com i think they are about $90 for a one way trip to Disney or universal areas you can get prices on their web page.
Haggis
try
happylimos.com
You will need to give them a call, but they offer a good range of limos and are not too expensive.
hi we just did the same thing to surprise our mother. We did ours through virgin holidays and it cost us 拢140 for return trip and she loved it. Who have you booked with? maybe they could help
Our group of 9 has also booked with Happy Limo in June. They give great discounts and I think they are reasonably priced. We have booked a stretch limp from Sandord-Orlando to Port Orleans Riverside for about $290 (plus tip). They will even let you pay when you get there!!!!.
Hello Natalie
We have not booked through anybody as we are doing it ourselves but thanks for he tip......I have checked out the Happy Limo%26#39;s website and it looks good...
Many thanks to all
Back when I was little my parents took me to Typhoon Lagoon and I loved it, now I am taking my boyfriend to Florida and he hasn%26#39;t been to any water parks, what is the best water park these days????
Typhoon Lagoon definetly is the best
wet n wild is awsome. best slides, no cheesy themes and less kiddie rights.
plus the wave pool is huge and you can bring a cooler with you for beers and sandwichs.
I have to vote for Typhoon Lagoon for best overall.
However, if you want the water park with the best slides, then I have to vote for Blizzard Beach.
We are arriving late on Ffriday Oct 5 so we can get an early start to MK on Saturday. It is our first tip to Disney with our 10 year old daughter. I made an ADR for the Royal Table for dinner on Wed for 5:45 so we can see spectromagic and Wishes but since we are ALSO going to MNSSHP on Tuesday I think by Wed we wil be ready for another park. I would like to switch our ADR to Saturday but am not even sure we can get an ADR for Royal Table at this point.
We can do lunch or dinner and would also like to see Spectromagic and Wishes but am concerned the park wil be too crowded later in the day on Saturday or we%26#39;ll be too pooped to stay on.
Any suggestions?
you can call and ask to change to the royal table. if you do go... it will be crowded. don%26#39;t waste valuable morning time when you could be collecting fastpasses. if you are going to do it. go at night for dinner.
If you want to switch to Saturday, call and see if there are any openings for then. You%26#39;ll need to know that before any other arrangements are changed.
Saturdays in October at M.K. are more crowded than weekdays, due to the locals coming on the weekends.
I am trying to plan an itinery for our 7 day visit to Orlando (our second week will be in Clearwater)
How much busier will the parks be on Monday 28th - Memorial day? I had originally planned a shopping day for this day but to fit everything in am now wondering if we should go to a park that we intend to visit more than once or am I mad to consider this?!
I have bought a 3 day Universal/ioa ticket, intend to buy a 7 day sea world and busch gardens ticket and a 1 day MGM. It is the Sea world/ busch gardens one that is giving me problems as we want to do 1 and a half days at seaworld (combining it with a trip to Premium Outlets) but can%26#39;t do this too early in the week as we want to visit Busch gardens twice while at Clearwater and only have 7 days on the ticket to fit this in.
we went to sea world last year and ended up staying half an hour and went to mall at milenia, it was chocca,, you couldnt walk through the dolphin area the crowds were that big. We didnt even chance going to disney that day as it was so busy throughout the trip we knew it would be worse that day.
It%26#39;s madness to go to any park on that weekend, LOL. Even the beaches and Malls will be crowded. Where do all those people come from? LOL.
Seaworld is not that exciting 2 rides and a bunch a animals
The entire holiday weekend is going to be busy, plus that is the beginning of many summer vacations, so the entire week may be extra crowded.
Anyone have any idea of what it%26#39;s going to be like...crowd wise. I am told that it isn%26#39;t too bad...but just wondering. Leaving on Thursday for Orlando and getting very excited! TIA
Hi ~
We went that week last year. Crowds were not too bad. The only time we had to wait very long was for the ';new'; stuff like Soarin%26#39; or the interactive show at The Living Seas. The weather was humid, but manageable. I think you will find it a good week to go. Have a fun time!
=^..^=
You%26#39;ll be there for a week cause the kids should start getting out of school cause the colleges are out now
Crowd levels according to the ';best days'; site range from a level ';5'; up to a level ';7'; during that time.
Max wait times shouldn%26#39;t be more than 65 minutes, worst case scenario, but may not even be that bad most days.
We are looking to plan a trip to WDW for early 2008. We would like to visit when there are very few crowds. Which month would be better - Jan or Feb? Between those 2 months, which weeks should we avoid (we heard to avoid President%26#39;s Day weekend). We%26#39;re not interested in going to the water parks. However, our friends have a swimming pool, so it would be nice to enjoy it while we are there. Can we swim during the winter months?
=^..^=
Heated pool? Yes can swin. Unheated? No.
Late Feb after Pressies week best for weather +crowds, Jan better for crowds/prices.
What about going in October? I have visited in jan/feb twice and October twice and definately prefer October. It is warmer than jan/feb and just as quiet.
October is a great time apart from being huricane season and isn%26#39;t a %26#39;value%26#39; period for the disney hotels like Jan. I ouwldn[t dissmiss it out of hand, but you have to be careful on times prices.
Thanks.
We thought about October, but didn%26#39;t want to wait over a year to visit our friends who just moved there. Hmmm...I will have to think about this a bit more.
Hello nature,
I love Disney in January and February. For least crowded times the 2nd week of January through the 1st week of February are the best times to visit in those months. The 2nd week of February until President%26#39;s week and the last week of February isnt%26#39; too bad either. If I had my choice I would go between the 2nd week of January through the 1st week of February.
Best prices and fewest crowds happen in January, after the first week. However, not necessarily the best weather.
We are non drivers and looking at this hotel. We also want to do Seaworld and Univeral. Is this possible????
we have two kids - aged 8 and 13
Thanks
Staying at Port Orleans is ideal for doing Disney stuff. As for SeaWorld, there is the #50 Lynx Bus (public transportation) that goes from the Disney Ticket and Transportation Center to SeaWorld and back (you%26#39;d need to take a Disney bus to the Ticket and Transportation Center); but public transportation in Orlando is not necessarily always reliable. Or you could taxi it from Downtown Disney (there%26#39;s a boat ride from there to Port Orleans) to Premium Outlets and take the I-Ride Trolley (low cost) to SeaWorld. Or just taxi it. As for Universal, its a bit farther, and taxi would probably be your best option. You could use the I-Ride trolley, but it would take a while, and it wouldn%26#39;t get you right to Universal; you%26#39;d have to get off and walk. There are some new Lynx bus routes to Downtown Disney; I saw one which gets close to Universal but nothing that goes right to it. To get an idea of taxi services, you can check out the fare calculator at the Mears Transportation websites; of course, there are a number of other taxi/shuttle options. I can pretty much guarantee, though, that you won%26#39;t find free shuttles to SeaWorld and Universal from Port Orleans.
Here are the pertinent websites to check out:
www.golynx.com (Lynx public transportation)
www.iridetrolley.com (low cost trolley up and down I-Drive)
www.mearstransportation.com (taxi/shuttle services)
Great Info Eddie!!!
Sadly, Disney makes it easy to get to Disney things without a car, but not much else.
we are going to por this year and we never drive. always managed to get to universal and seaworld and id through the linx and i ride. good directions in above messages.
wendy27a
I am going to disney in sept. for a week and I am staying at pop century I heard you can see fireworks from here ,is this true? and if so is there a building that has a good view.
I don%26#39;t think you can see the fireworks from Pop Century. I don%26#39;t remember seeing any when we stayed there. I think the only hotels you can see them from is the Contemporary and the Polynesian. These are the two closest to MK.
One of the local experts may know better than me.
You cannot see the fireworks at any of the parks from the Pop Century. But you can see them from the beach at the monorail resorts if you are not going to the park that day. WE like the Grand Floridian the best
I%26#39;m afraid PoP Century is too far away from any of the parks to see fireworks.
You may hear the ones from Fantasmic or Epcot, but you won%26#39;t be seeing them.
I%26#39;ve seen the TA reviews and still want to give it a try. Two boys at 5 and 7 years of age who are into anything ';pirates'; right now I think will have a great time regardless of food situation. I know for the price the food should be close to top notch, but I think your more paying for the show. Anyone been there lately and can provide some insight?
I can%26#39;t comment on the Pirates Dinner Adventure, but if your boys like pirates, have them do the kid%26#39;s Pirate Cruise from the Grand Floridian! My kids did this in October and had a blast! They still talk about it. I think there are a few other resorts that offer this cruise now, too. No Disney park entrance is required.
Hi we have just come back from Florida and took the kids and they loved it, the food is not too good but the kids will love the show. Go enjoy!!!!
We went last May. At that time, my boys were ages 12, 8 and 4. We%26#39;ve seen Dixie Stampede and Arabian Nights also. We all got very bored with the Pirates show. It was stupid and difficult to watch for some reason. The set was too big or they moved around too much or something. The food was ok but certainly not great. There are tons of posts on Pirates if you do a search.
Hi, we did this last year in June, with 7 and 11 year old. We did not find this as enjoyable as Dolly Partons as the show did not hold my attention - although I think the children enjoyed it. One other thing - if you have the right sort of pass if you go to Laser Quest in Downtown Disney you can do an interactive Pirate Ride (which was great fun for adults and children alike).
looking to charter a boat. or at least what kind of a price range it would be?
For the wishes fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, you can charter a pontoon boat which holds 12 people. Cost is $120US. Snacks and drinks are extra. To reserve, you need to call 407-WDW-PLAY about 90 days before the day you wish to book.
Boat charters are also available to see Illuminations at Epcot. $250 US and the boat holds 10 people. Food and drinks are optional. Same phone number to reserve.
Both are private charters (as opposed to tours) so only your group will be aboard the boat.
There are individual boat rentals available in downtown Disney (at the Marketplace), at the Yacht Club, Old Port Royale (Caribbean Beach) as well as a few other resorts around the world. Most of these are done on an hourly basis.
No website I%26#39;m aware of ... everything done thru the ';PLAY'; phone number.
the boats don%26#39;t go out at night though I think the last rental is at 4pm cause it%26#39;s so dark out in that murky water
We reserved a pontoon boat for my family right through Disney like the previous post states. It departed from the Polynesian and they took us to a spot to watch the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. It was my daughter%26#39;s birthday, so they decorated the boat with balloons, streamers, etc. It cost about $250 which if I remember correctly included snacks, drinks and possibly the birthday cake. It was well worth it - my daughter said this was her favorite part of our week at Disney!!
Naples 5/19-22/07, 24 yr old women interested in nightlife, bars, music , socializing on beach %26amp; male interest. Suggestions where to go?
Hi Charlie,
Saturday night check out Sanibel Steakhouse. The restaurant closes at 10 and two DJ%26#39;s come in. House music on the terrace and Hip Hop in the main room. If you have a my space page you can add maineventpromtions as your friend and you%26#39;ll get bulletin messages for the guest list for free entry. Cover is usually 10.00.
Another club is Yabbas on Fifth. I like Sanibel better. I found the drinks weak and the service poor at Yabbas.
If you want a lounge type atmosphere with music but no dancing, Cafe Lurcat on Fifth is a great choice. This is one of my favorite places to have a few Martinis, grab a club chair and chill. They serve light fare as well.
Sundays, Naples Beach and Golf Club have a sunset party on the beach. The age group is mixed.
Beach wise, Vanderbilt Beach and the pier are your best bets for your age group. I prefer Vanderbilt Beach. The Ritz Carlton is there and they have a chickie bar if you want drinks or something to eat.
If you need directions tell me where you%26#39;re staying and I%26#39;ll get you there, otherwise your hotel (if you are staying at one) will help you I%26#39;m sure.
Enjoy you trip!
Night Life....
I love Paddy Murphys on 5th. It is a small irish bar with some of the best live guitar music in the city. Good drinks and always packed on the weekends.
Then Handsome Harrys down on 3rd st. is pretty good. Basicly it is a big lounge with good drinks and lots of people.
Yes, Sanibel steakhouse turns into a club on Saturday night nights. I can%26#39;t stand house music but I hear some people like it.
Another club is SWAY. It is located just down US 41 E. (Just down the road from 5th ave. It%26#39;s a typical club.
Naples Beach club on Sunday night has great music and lots of young people.
Male interest??? Might I suggest a guy by the name of ';MenuGuy';
:-)
Have fun and I hope I helped!
MenuGuy
My whole family is coming to the area to have a family reunion/vacation together. We are staying at the Old Florida Cottages near Santa Rosa Beach. This is my first trip to the area. Could someone tell me if this is a nice area for families? How far is the beach from the neighborhood and do we have to cross a main street? Any other recommendations on kid-friendly activities would be greatly appreciated! Also, is there a Costco or a Sams nearby?
Are you staying in Old Florida Village? If so, we stayed there last fall with our two little ones and loved the area so much that we are coming back next week. We personally felt it was a great area for families, off the beaten path enough to not be overly busy, but close enough to the Destin attractions. The beach is across the main street and down a little bit but the public beach access is great there and really not that far. We preferred it over staying on the beach for the cost/benefit. The one great benefit is that the local access at Gulf Place is one of the few that has lifeguards. As far as activities, there are different activities in several of the surrounding areas. Look up events in Seaside, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Rosemary Beach and especially the Village at Baytowne Wharf. Between those you should find plenty to do.
There is a Sam%26#39;s Club in FWB
My daughter is arriving at 11:20 pm at Tampa airport for a conference in June and needs a safe, clean, moderate hotel for the evening before going to the Marriot Suites in Clearwater Beach. Can anyone recommend some place that also has some kind of transportation (cab? trolley?) from one place to the other? There was a room available at the Sea Captain, but they didn%26#39;t know where to catch the trolley and would have taped the key to the door for such a late arrival. (?) Thanks, in advance, for any advice.
Perhaps she should stay in Tampa for that night. There is the Mariott at the airport. Also check for hotels in the Westshore area of Tampa, some have shuttles to/from the airport. Or the Rocky Point area Never stayed here but could be a place to check -
Holiday Inn Express Hotel %26amp; Suites Tampa/Rocky Point Island
(813) 287-8585
Agree with Donna; by the time she lands, gets her bags, gets a ride (taxi, shuttle) and travels to Clw Beach, it%26#39;s going to be very late. Best bet is to stay in Tampa near the airport. Go on the Tampa forum and review some of the airport hotels, not all of them get stellar reviews.
It will be after midnight, probably closer to 1 am, by the time she is ready to leave, if the flight is on time. Better to stay at the Mariott that is in the airport building. You don%26#39;t say from where she is travelling, but at that time of night I would head for the nearest hotel.
I agree the airport Mariott would be best for such a late arrival. She would not have to even leave the airport terminal as the hotel entrance is within the airport. But it is not really a moderate priced hotel.
A short cab ride, maybe $10-15 would be a hotel on Rocky Point in Tampa. There is a Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and a Radisson on Rocky Point. Rocky point is on the way towards Clearwater also. I know the Radisson has an airport shuttle van as I see it often, although I don%26#39;t know if it would be running at that hour. You could check with the hotel. Past Rocky Point, in Clearwater there is a brand new Holiday Inn Express at Gulf-To-Bay Blvd (Hwy 60) and US19. This is on the mainland, about halfway from Tampa airport to the beach. TIA to this hotel will be about $35 in a cab. Then the next morning she could cab the rest of the way to the beach area.
I booked dinner at MK at The Crystal Palace and basically did it so we would have a reservation to eat somewhere, but I am just wondering if it%26#39;s good or great or mediocre. Also, how is the character experience?
Thanks!
We ate there a couple of years ago and really liked it. It was buffet style but the food was preaty good and alot of variety. The setting is really preaty and they have a garden with shrubs shapped like the winnie the pooh charachters. The charachters were great they came over a couple of times to meet the kids and take pictures and sign autographs. They also had a parade where the kids went around with the charachters. I would definetly keep the reservation as our kids had a great time.
WE ate there last sept and the buffet style food was good. Plenty of interaction with the characters who tour the tables several times during the time you are there with plenty of photo opportunities.
Would reccommend it.
If you like a buffet, it%26#39;s not bad.
However, I found the food at the Liberty Tree Tavern to be much better. Have you look at getting reservations there? The dinner there is also a character meal, just not a buffet.
We went a couple of years ago and family didn%26#39;t like it at all husband said he didn%26#39;t want to go back anymore food wasn%26#39;t that great and the table was way to close together
We thought it was okay as buffets go, but nothing special. We didn%26#39;t leave hungry, but it was just your average buffet. It%26#39;s a good place to eat if your little ones enjoy Winnie th Pooh. I%26#39;m hoping that our (almost 6-year-old) son will have outgrown the character meals soon so we can avoid this type of place.
Cute character meal for the kids the buffet wasn%26#39;t too bad however as Kat said for a MK dining choice we much prefer the Liberty Tree Tavern.
I am planning to travel to Destin Saturday May 19. Can anyone give me an update on how the wildfires have affected the weather in that area?
Read this....
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g34182-i111-k11965…
and this....
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g34182-i111-k12002…
I smell smoke in Crystal Beach. Fire department said the wind has shifted and we are getting the Freeport fire smoke.
Hopefully it will calm down shortly.
How much do you think a family of three (7 year old son) with Theme Park Passes already bought could spend on their first trip to Florida? Obviously the good old Visa will also be holidaying with us!
Staying at Quality Inn Plaza on I-Drive if that assists?
Oooooh that%26#39;s a toughie!! It obviously depends on where you%26#39;ll be eating and how many souveniers you plan on buying!
Personally, I%26#39;d get a visa that doesn%26#39;t charge for overseas transactions (I know Nationwide have one) and take as much as you can. Try not to go over budget (maybe set yourself a budget per day for souveneirs and food). If you%26#39;re going to rent a car, don%26#39;t forget to take about $10 in quarters for tolls on the way from the airport.
I think that is an impossible question to answer. It can be done on a budget but it is sooooo hard to resist all the bargains at the shopping outlets malls!
On a budget I would visit the Wallgreens (I think it is) supermarket type place and stock up on snacks so that you don%26#39;t have to buy them in the parks where they will be expensive.
Similily I would try to avoid eating in the parks but wait until you are back on I-Drive where there are quality restaurants galore.
However with the 拢 so strong against the $ everything should feel more reasonable!!!
Thanks hope2pigs - I know it was a long shot but I thought I%26#39;d give it a go!
Thinking of about $2,000.00 and then using the Visa when needed!
My 7 year old already has $300.00 of his own money to spend!
That sounds like a sensible amount. You haven%26#39;t said how long you are going for. We will be spending 8 nights in Orlando (and will have bought most park tickets - spending 5 days in parks) and 8 days in Clearwater. We are taking double what you are but do intend to shop shop shop!!!
Another thought - travellers cheques can be spent just like cash out there so you don%26#39;t need to change them into dollars first. You just sign them and they give you cash in change (just have some id to hand)
Also - it is a good idea to phone your credit card company before you go to let them know you will be using it overseas as they can often pick up on unusual spending and require telephone authorisation - this will save any embarassment in a store!
We are going for 2 weeks!
Hoping to shop also - hence the Visa that I have been really good in getting right down - just to blow while in Florida!!!
How long will you be here I know we come for 2 weeks and budget ourselves $3000 and we bring the 3 kids also and sometimes my nephew but my kids are not ones to say I want ,Iwant so that%26#39;s good.
Hi Pokerolls we are going for two weeks.
Our littlin also isn%26#39;t one to want (famous last words)!
Hi,
I have been searching through the hotels on the net and there are so many. I am looking for a 4 star or above right in the hear t of the action.
Any suggestions???
Dave.
there is the delano hotel which is conidered very hip and of course the asian style Setai - though the room rates at Setai are exorbitant
and I have not stayed at either - infact havent ever been to Miami yet but these two are supposed to be really good - Delano has a sister property as well which is also considered good - you can check them all out.
Hope this helps
The National Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
Loews Hotel
The Setai
Casa Casuarina
Delano
New Clinton Hotel %26amp; Spa
The Hotel of South Beach
The Shore Club
The Tides
Hotel Victor
Do I just catch a cab from the airport or are there frequent shuttle buses?
Hello NY Law,
You have two reasonable choices to get from MIA to anywhere in South Beach (such as Ocean Drive). They are:
1) Super Shuttle (or is it Superhuttle ?). It%26#39;s a blue passenger van that will pick you up at the airport and drop you off anywhere in SoBe - along with 5 to 7 new friends. They will wait until the van is full before leaving - which may mean driving around the airport. If you are traveling alone and not in a rush, it%26#39;s a good option as they charge per passenger (I think it%26#39;s $15 each)
2) A taxi cab is much quicker and fixed at some $32 each way (plus tip). The price is fixed regardless of the number of passengers or luggage. Therefore it%26#39;s about the same price as Super Shuttle if you have two travelers and is actually cheaper if three.
Both cabs and Supershuttle are picked up right outside the doors in Baggage Claim.
Hope that helps!
We are wanting to do a small wedding rehearsal dinner for 10 people. Their website of course does not show their prices...
Can you give me a guestimate on the average price for...
appetizers (i.e. - $15 range)
main courses (i.e. - $20 or $30 range)
desserts
wines
Thanks
Tee
Tee, I would suggest that you give the Beach Bistro a call directly to make sure but the last time I was there my husband and I had one appetizer, two glasses of wine and two main courses, no dessert and it was 110.00. I would at least plan on 60.00 per person. Another nice place for a wedding rehearsal dinner is the Sun House at Bridgewalk, the chef is wonderful and will even design a menu for your party ahead of time and I believe it is a little less expensive.
Well, IMO the beach bistro was better a few years ago!
Just my opinion but i found it overpriced for what you get...
There are wedding dinners at the beach house too...
hey rusty! How was your anniversary?
:-)
Hey Floriander, it was great, I just posted a quick review, check it out.
Hi there,
My fiance and I are looking into getting married at Amelia Island either late summer or early fall. We want it to be a very private ceremony--just the two of us, the minister/justice of the peace and photographer--no guests. My first thought was having it on the beach somewhere, but I%26#39;m open to any beautiful setting. I guess what I%26#39;m looking for is simple, elegant and private since we%26#39;re going to do a big reception/party when we return to Atlanta.
Does anyone have any suggests on locations, hotels, restaurant to eat at afterwards, etc? It seems like a lot of the hotels will let you have a wedding on the beach, but cater more to big affairs, and want you to have a big reception there as well, so I%26#39;m not sure if should even approach them on something this small.
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Claire
I%26#39;m sure the Ritz or the Plantation would do something small. However, it will be expensive! You might check with the Elizabeth Point Lodge (B%26amp;B). Its on the beach. They are accomodating on most things and I%26#39;m sure they%26#39;d help on this as well. You might also check with Windward Sailing School--since you have such a small party, you could consider doing it aboard a sailing charter--sunset and all that neat stuff. Lots of great local restaurants to choose from (Espana, Bonitos, Joe%26#39;s 2nd Street Bistro, Beech Street Grill, Les Clos, 29 South, etc.).
frey - congrats on your wedding, I would recommend Elizabeth Point Lodge, it is really nice and they will certainly take care of your every need. You may also check with Ft. Clinch the park, I have heard they now allow weddings.
Hi I had posted earlier but didnt know that you were the resident expert on this forum so I decided to post again - my aplogies to anyone who may have been irritated with the repost -
Ok there are two points -
1st - (Season) - My GF and I are planning on taking a two week vacation now in May 17th - 18th onwards - we were planning on coming to Miami for this - however we hear that this time of the year it tends to rain a lot and it is generally gloomy.
I dont have a problem with a bit of rain but if its generally gloomy thorughout the day that can get a bit depressing - would love to know what one can expect from this time of the year - we love the beach but we dont have to spend our entire time on the beach - would like to explore the city as well.
2nd (Location) - we are planning on staying at the four seasons and though we know that it is not on the beach we would love to know what kind of an area it is in -
is there any shopping or movies around the place ? -
How far is the nearest mall ?
is there anywhere one could walk to and hang out ?
How far would SoBe be from here and would hiring a car make more sense than taking a taxi everywhere ?
Would really help if you could help out with this - thanks in advance
I posted the answer to the rainy question on your other post. Smoke is the issue right now.
The Four Seasons is in the Brickell area, it is a business district with a mix of condos and a few restaurants. The closest movie Theater is in Coconut Grove or in South Beach. Bayside is the closest shopping area, but it is mainly geared to tourist in my opinion. For better shopping, Cocowalk (15 mins. Coral Gables), Merrick Place (15 mins. Coral Gables), South Beach (15 mins.), Bal Harbor Shops (20-25 mins. Miami Beach), Dadeland Mall (20 mins. Kendall), The Falls (25 mins. Pinecrest) are the better shopping areas and palces to hang out at.
Across from the Four Seasons is the Mandarin Oriental Hotel which has a great spa you could hang out at or there is Bayside which are the closest place.
As far as hiring a car service vs. a cab, not sure, sorry.
Thanks doggie - that really helps
I forgot to say Lincoln Road specifically on South Beach is pretty cool place to hang out at.
I think this takes care of two full weeks in May so anyone going should be able to meet up somewhere if they like. We will need a May 27 or so - June yy. This is all I have for this week...
Rum Barrel on the 19th starting approx 8:00. This is on Front Street and you can%26#39;t miss it...all of the complaints from Pier House reviews for the Spa rooms mention a loud bar across the street so we have our work cut out.
On the 20th, Sunday there are two of us going out on the Sebago Island T%26#39;ing, and I have the sunset Sail on the 23rd so if you%26#39;re on this trip look for a loner.
And there is a meet-up at the Duval Beach Club for the 24th at about 4:30.
PJ has a sunset sail on the 25th of te Fury so the First Ever Kelly%26#39;s Challenge can be on the 22nd. Is this a good date for people? The 21st and 26th is open.
And one afternoon I%26#39;m gong up to the Rooftop for Bloody Mary%26#39;s.
Pjk
Well we do not arrive on the rock until the 23rd so the 26th at Kelly%26#39;s works for us.
Had Bloody%26#39;s at Rooftop last year, seat at the Bar view of the street, sweet.
Pjk, do locals meet on Friday%26#39;s at the TB for BM%26#39;s?
PJ
This is the most in advance plans I think we%26#39;ve ever had for a Key West trip! Can%26#39;t wait! I know there will be plenty of time to just ';chill'; in KW too though.
To recap for us
- May 19th we%26#39;re in for Rum Barrel at 8pm on the Roof (2nd floor of restaurant) Loud bar - sounds fun :)
May 20th - we%26#39;ll be on the Island T%26#39;ing. Our sunset sail is on the 22nd.
We%26#39;ll probably be able to have a drink with all who are at Duval Beach Club on the 24th
Unfortunately we%26#39;ll be heading back to FLL around noon on the 26th so we%26#39;ll miss the Kelly%26#39;s challenge. But we love Kelly%26#39;s anyway so we really wouldn%26#39;t need to participate in this - it%26#39;s on our list for Happy Hour stops.
Anyone else in for the various Happy Hour Get-togethers?? Definitely the more the merrier!
We are only goin to be there on the 22nd %26amp; 23rd %26amp; leavin on the 24th ~~ I%26#39;m still tryin to located my liver but might possibly find it while we are visitin Key West ~~ (:%26gt;)
ConchMan -
I%26#39;m just curious. Do you come down just for a few days because you are close up there in Florida and it%26#39;s convenient? Doesn%26#39;t the time pass too quickly and you have to leave? You do this several times a year?
Thanks
Pjk
I think there are some folks who are planning to try to catch the Rockin%26#39; Jake show at the Green Parrot on Friday (25th) night. Earlier that night is the BM at either Tower Bar or SWB, I think.
Yes - 5:30 at the Tower Bar at Turtle Kraals. I%26#39;ve only been once as an invitee so don%26#39;t feel qualified to invite other people.
er, ah...';BM?';
8-)
Pjk
Oh I didn%26#39;t realize the BM required an invite. We will have to wait for one then.
PJ
PJK wrote ~~
I%26#39;m just curious. Do you come down just for a few days because you are close up there in Florida and it%26#39;s convenient? Doesn%26#39;t the time pass too quickly and you have to leave? You do this several times a year?
Thanks
Pjk
Yes Pj ~~ You have it right ~~ Not only do we do this several times a year ~~ its almost several times a month ~~ We not only go to Key West where most of the people we know are just great plus the ones we meet from this forum %26amp; other forums ~~ We go to Islamorada a lot of times durin the year ~~ I guess we are gettin older then dirt but still searchin for my liver ~~ Islamorada is our favorite place to visit ~~ Lots to do ifin you know where to go ~~ Its what Key West was many, many years ago ~~
We are only five hours from Key West ~~ We always have fun when visitin Key West %26amp; espesially all them great people in ~~ like The Cap %26amp; Kat, Steve %26amp; Mikie ~~ The Seabus%26#39;s, Island Kitty, Barb, my golf friends ~~ Don of Don%26#39;s Place, Larry, Aaron %26amp; many many more ~~ I try to get a game of golf in on Wednesday when most of these guys are off %26amp; ready to party on the golf course %26amp; then continue it through the evenin hours ~~ That%26#39;s why I want to meet you on those two days while we are there ~~ There is gonna be a lot of people there on those days so I%26#39;m gonna try to meet them all ~~ Unles I find my liver which I haven%26#39;t yet ~~ (:%26gt;)
One of these years I want to drive down but stop for a night or two at Islamorada. I want to see the fishing boat at World Wide Sports and whatever else is down there. It sounds very attractive.
Pjk
Pjk-
We may show up for the Kelly%26#39;s Challenage, that is the day we get in, we have been wanting to try it, but again with the negative reviews we had a change of heart. But with a group it may be fun.
We dfinately want to do happy hour at DBC on Thursday.
I did join the other board and we where thinking about the BM on Friday, I did not know about the invite either!
Anyway- 23 more days for us! : )
Kim
My husband, myself, our adult daughter and her son will be vacationing on Sanibel Island soon. My husband and daughter are lobbying in favor of taking a day cruise to Key West. I%26#39;m more hesitant. Has anyone here taken one of the day trips to Key West?
I have! I have! I have! And it was great! I would, however, recommend staying the night there. You cannot get the true feel of Key West in a few hours. There are plenty of little places within walking distance to where the boat docks and then the accommodations are within walking distance to downtown Key West. I personally recommend staying at the Island City House (www.islandcityhouse.com)
Good luck and have fun!
It%26#39;s fun. It doesn%26#39;t cost too much - last advertised at $88. It%26#39;s fairly quick - about 3 1/2 hours. And Key West is a completely different experience from San-Cap. It will make you appreciate the lower key of the barrier islands (pun intended).
I agree overnight is a good idea. But not necessary to enjoy KW and get back to sanity in the same day.
You can also charter a plane.
Hi, I have only ever been to the canary islands and need as much help as possible please?
My daughter is 13 in February 2008 and I have said I will teke her to WDW. My husband doed not want to come as it is definately not his cup of tea.
I was thinking of staying at one of the Disney hotels (don%26#39;t think a villa is safe for the 2 of us alone) Would like to know which would be best?
Where to get park tickets?
How busy it will be in Feb?
Where to eat?
What surprises I can arrange?
Many, many more questions.... Please just pass on any knowledge/experience you have as I never travelled without my husband before and am finding it a little daunting!!
Thanks
S
This is a great place to start!
First, decide on your budget, then pick which Disney Hotel to stay in. Read the reviews here on TA, and do searches in the forum posts!
There are alot of UK travelllers on this forum, so chances are your questions have probably been asked and answered once before. Just type in the subject in the search window at the top of the forum.
Disney is probably the most traveller friendly place there is.
You%26#39;ll do fine once you start getting the hang of it!
Hello you!
Firstly, don%26#39;t worry about going without hubby, if your staying at Disney you will be perfectly safe. (and most other places too)
How long are you planning to stay and will you be renting a car - if you are only doing Disney then you won%26#39;t need too (saying that i have done the works before and haven%26#39;t hired a car.
Re Disney, it depends what budget you have, as you may already know they have standard , moderate %26amp; deluxe resorts so budget will be a big factor, but wherever you go Im sure you will love it as it is your first time. You need to give people an idea on your budget , do you like thrill rides (coasters) or animals etc for them to be able to help you.
After I went o the US for the first time I can%26#39;t drum up any enthusiam about going anyweher else, particuarly Europe!
Get your park tickets over here, don%26#39;t wait till you get there. Havent bought from the web before so can%26#39;t comment, I usually trawl round the travel agents and ask what deals they have and its funny how accomodating they can be when you tell them you have been offered cheaper tickets elsewhere. I know for a fact that some travel agent staff earn commision each month if they sell enough Disney or Universal/seaworld flex tickets.........
February will be a good month to go - Disney is always busy - but it won%26#39;t be manic like Xmas and Summer hols!
Food . where do you start , I personally have never had a bad meal in Orlando (no doubt others will say I am lucky).
Suprises, well i think you will get enough of them anyway!
Ask as many questions as you like as stupid as they may sound - this is what the forum is for - and for the occasional banter amongst regulars. (not off topic mind you as you will get a telling off from the TA police)
Shame your hubby isn%26#39;t up for it - it is such a wonderful place , I have known few people who did not like Orlando - and there are many more things in Florida than just the mouse - try and talk him round, you will share some great memories, and Im sure you will want to go back again .....................
Hello- We%26#39;re also going in Feb but are staying in Daytona Beach and then Orlando.
How long do you want to go for? Will you be wanting to do Universal parks , Seaworld etc?
Will you be having a hire car once to get to Orlando, as it really does make life easier (though i must confess i leave the driving to my husband purely because he is a terrible back seat driver, but i would driver in Florida if he couldnt/didnt want to).
Alot depends on your budget, Disney has value, moderate, and expensive hotels, we%26#39;re (after much deliberation) stopping again in International Drive.
jackie x
I advise you to buy %26#39;a brit%26#39;s guide to orlando%26#39; by simon Veness. It is full of helpful info about all the parks, areas, hotels resteraunts etc. We have been to Orlando lots of times but still buy an updated version everytime as the hints and tips are excellent.
yes, I second that Hope2pigs , its a fantastic source of info.
Hello Crazybabe - yes definately get the Brits Guide to Disney - it will be very informative. You can also order the free disneyworld DVD, checkout the disneyworld.com website. We have been to Florida 7 times and always use Virgin Holidays and would recommend them as we have had no problems so far. I think it would be nice to visit Discovery Cove and your daughter could swim with Dolphins and visit Seaworld. There are lots of places to eat but can recommend Dennys, Outback Steakhouse, Dairy Queen as our personal favourites but am sure other people will have other suggestions. Do not worry about going without your husband the majority of Americans are extremely friendly and very happy to help..
firstly i cannot believe your hubby doesnt want to go, im 40 and been 14 times to orlando, he is going to miss out big time, firstly whats your budget the prices do vary in the disney hotels as does the standard, cheap end is the all star music, sport, movie etc... hotels, pop century is in this chain also, geared up for kids in mind, then youve got the swan n dolphin, animal kingdom lodge, to be honest the list is huge, try www.disney.co.uk,
get a car if you want to venture out and dine at different places, try a evening dinner show, pirates, arabian nights, dolly partons stampede, etc.. weve just bought out tickets for disney and paid 159 pounds for adult tickets ( your daughter will be classed as an adult re disney ticket prices ) for that you get 7 days access to the disney parks, which you can hop between during the same day and still only use one days ticket, plus you get six further days access to the disney water parks, ( typhoon and blizzard ), pleasure island, disney world of sport, pillinger world travel do good deals and they are based in preston, ask for gavin, hes really helpfull, and we have booked with these, not just the tickets but the whole holiday, we are staying at windsor hills, but mystic dunes is a cracking place to stay as far as catering for famalies with kids, loads going on and its central to all the kissimmme shops and restaurants, blimey ive wittered on a bit, try the pillinger world travel web site and have a look, good luck, send me a private message if you have any questions
If it%26#39;s just the two of you, you may want to stay in Disney, especially if you don%26#39;t plan to hire a car. Alternatively, you could stay somewhere like I Drive as you%26#39;ll then always be within easy walking distance of loads of restaurants and within a short trolley ride of lots of shopping opportunities.
I%26#39;m sure a villa would be perfectly safe but I wonder whether you may feel a bit isolated?
If I was you, I would ask hubby exactly what he likes about the usual Canaries holidays (rather than what he %26#39;thinks%26#39; he won%26#39;t like about Florida) and see whether you could do something like a 2 centre holiday with a week in Orlando geared towards your daughter and another week at a beach resort which he may like. It sounds like you would like both?! I know many many people who have been to Florida and only one says she didn%26#39;t love it.
Discovery Cove would be an excellent treat for your daughter, though I sort of agree with a previous poster in that everything will be special.
Hi,
You and your daughter will love Orlando (your hubby doesn%26#39;t know what he%26#39;s missing!!) My hubby never wanted to go but after he%26#39;d been once you couldn%26#39;t get him away. I am sure your hubby is not into the parks, but there%26#39;s loads more to do other than trailing parks all day (which can be tiring, especially in the height of summer). We don%26#39;t always go to the parks. To try and answer some of your questions:
Disney hotels - They all look good, but we have never stayed at one, I find them a little pricey (although there is a budget one but it doesn%26#39;t look as good as some of the nice hotels you get on International Drive). International Drive is another option? There are loads of hotels and loads of restaurants and activities to do in walking distance (it%26#39;s not that near disney but most of the hotels will do a shuttle bus to disney). We stayed at the Rosen Plaza on International Drive (click on my name and %26#39;reviews%26#39; to see what I wrote about it) The Renaissance Resort at Seaworld is also lovely but not sdo convenient for walking to restaurants etc.
Eating - Lots and lots of fab restaurants. If you like italian go to one of the Olive Gardens or Carrabbas - I have found these to be the best and are great value for money. For seafood, Red Lobster and Crab House are great. There are loads of other steak houses etc. Also if you go to Universal, visit the Hard Rock Cafe.
Disney park tickets - We always buy these at disney - bought them on board our flight one year and found that the gate price was cheaper! Also, you can get them in cheap ticket booths but I am always wary because they are 2nd hand and disney is so strict now for those reasons. If you buy a hopper pass for disney you can hop from park to park (as you may not want to spend full days in all parks?)
Surprises? - If your daugher likes dolphins, you could arrange a dolphin swim at Discovery Cove (it%26#39;s a little expensive but they keep the numbers into the park low and you get to swim with a dolphin) I did this in December 2005 and it was amazing. If you are interested in this you will need to book this early, at least 2 months before probably.
You must also take your daughter shopping for some cheap designer clothes - Mall at Millenia (a little more expensive than the others), Florida Mall and the Premium Outlets in Lake Buena Vista (loads of designer wear for cheap prices!!)
You could also take her to one of the 3 main water parks (weather dependant).
I haven%26#39;t been to Orlando in February but it was pretty cool in December (15 - 18C). I think that February will be warm though.
I hope this has helped!
Jill ; )
UK Jackie,
if you are staying in Daytona in Feb, it will be cold. Bring Jumpers. It%26#39;s not the caribbean, or even Miami. I go to Miami in Feb all the time, and am happy when it gets to 23 C.
Staying at the Grande Vista...any idea what the prices will start out for a timeshare there. I am commited to listening to a presentation as part of my trip..was just curious as to what they cost to begin with. Thanks
Depends on the season you buy and the # of bedrooms. We purchased a 2BR in the Gold Season (not peak) for around $20K. I don%26#39;t remember the exact amount, but it was in that area. We already own in Aruba and find the Marriott experience works well for us. We like that the property is deeded to us, and it can be willed to our kids when the time comes (hopefully not for a LONG time!!). Whether you purchase or not, I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll enjoy yourself. The property is beautiful, and only about a 10 minute drive to Disney, less to Sea World. When you get there, see if you can ask to have Nick Autiello do your presentation. He%26#39;s who did ours and we found him extremely helpful and knowledgable.
Also, to put you at ease, it%26#39;s a VERY LOW PRESSURE presentation.
Check out www.bidshares.com (thanks, bssd) and see what the resales are actually going for now. You can save a lot on resales; never buy at a presentation. If buying from a developer, you can always buy later, after testing and researching what they told you; don%26#39;t take anything at face value. Also see if the developer (Marriott) has ';first right of refusal'; on resales; this would apply both to if you%26#39;re buying a resale and/or buying from a developer. If the developer can void a transaction between two private persons and take it at the agreed on price, or keep you from giving the timeshare to someone (which is what ';first right of refusal'; essentially is; all resale transactions have to pass their desk before going through), that takes away from the idea of ';owning'; a timeshare for me; its not really true ownership, unless I can sell it to whomever I want at our set price without interference from the developer.
If you haven%26#39;t already, check out the ';Timeshares/Vacation Rentals'; forum on TA.
Marriott Vacation Club International has a form at www.vacationclub.com, where you can ask for a proposal for buying a timeshare; you could fill that out and wait for their response to get something.
My understanding is that beyond buying the timeshare, the club is going to cost extra fees.
the first thing you do is ask them about the forecloser ones first cause they give you the highest priced ones first then work they way down that%26#39;s what I did at Westgate and got 1 for $8000 so go that route first
My son (14) and I will be in South Beach for 6 days in August. I am looking at the Clinton and the Astor. Any advice which might be nicer? A couple of years ago we stayed at The Hotel and loved it but rates are a little too high this time. May be a different hotel? Park Central? Your advice highly appreciated.
Hey there,
Im dave from Dublin, im heading to Miami in Aug/Sept. Was ';the hotel'; nice??
Dave.
The thing about the Astor is that you get to use the rooftop
pool at the Strand overlooking the beach and Ocean Drive
as well as the beach service in front of the Strand(chaise
lounges and an umbrella(sun is very strong in Augest).
Thank you for your advice on the Astor. It sounds like a good bet. There%26#39;s also The Strand itself, which I might be able to get via GTAhotels for a decent rate. I am in such a muddle, I don%26#39;t know where to stay and I know that the wrong choice can break the holiday.
To Irish Dave: I loved The Hotel. The rooms are lovely and comfortable, the roof pool is also lovely, though small, more like a plunge pool, but wonderful to have it. All very Zen, but with an elegant sphere. They also have chairs and towels for the beach, which is a blessing. The location is great, the view from the windows not fab, but good enough. All in all, I would stay there again if the rates had not gone up so much.
So: what do I do? Clinton? Astor? The Strand? Park Central?
More advice please.
Many thanks to you all.
SA%26gt;
Casting votes for The Strand or the Park Central - wherever you get the best deal!
Both are beach facing - which is lovely.
AG
Recently stayed at both the Strand and Park Central which was
good, but prefer the Strand if you get upgraded(which they
frequently do) to a junior suite. The Strand is newer and has larger
rooms with balconies.
Never been to the area and staying at Surfside condos on the beach first week of June with three younger kids.
Is this a nice place?
Good location?
What nice restuarnts are nearby?
Any other tips for the trip?
Surfside is an older condo but was nice when we stayed there several years ago.The condo we had was large(3 bdrm) and had a coastline view.Had a very large balcony.The pool was nice and had a drink bar there. The only drawback for us was the walk over the skybridge and down the steps to the beach,we are pretty darn lazy come to think of it when we are on vacation.We found going out the lobby doors and crossing over to be easier.The crossover is pretty easy and most traffic stops for you.You are close to grocery stores and the outlet mall.There are lots of restaurants in the area.Check out Destin Commons in the evenings there is a spray fountain the kids all seem to n-joy also lots of restaurants to and a train that kids ride and of course lot%26#39;s of shopping.You will love the area!!
Hi! My immediate and extended family want to plan a trip to Seagrove for June, 2007. We do not want a house, and want to stay in condos on the beach that have a pool. We have looked at a lot of pictures on-line of Commodore%26#39;s Retreat, and they look very nice and reasonably priced. BUT some of the posts on the forum are really scaring me. Can anyone give me an update of the condition of Commodore%26#39;s Retreat? We are also considering Emerald Hill. Would that be a better choice? Thanks so much for any help you can give me!!!
Hi destinjimmie!
Well, Commodore%26#39;s Retreat seems to be to me budget accomodations. Not that that is bad, if that is what you are expecting. You get what you pay for, or then, sometimes not. Sometimes what you get and what you are expecting do not match. My family and I are not above doing budget but there are other things that you have to take into account. When looking at it, I just felt there was a lot to be desired. Have you asked them when they last renovated the motel? The exterior? The roof? The lobby? The pool re-surfaced? The parking repaved? What about the building sandblasted? The maintenance just did not seem to be well kept, especially the outside. And that in hospitality speaks volumnes! I cannot speak for the interior or the beachfront. But to me, after being in hospitality for years prior to kids, it would not have been a place that I would recommend to a client of mine. However reasonably priced. Another red flag, it was quiet, too quiet. Yes, the area is in a residential area and it does dead-end off to the right towards the end of the road, but the property showed no signs of employees. Front desk, maintenance, housekeeping, landscaping. It was 8:30am. No noise, no buzzing, nothing.............Our property at 6:30am was alive and going from front to back. Not loud, but there was life to it. An energy. You know? I did see a lot of outside stains on the building but then again it is old. There was quite a bit of overgrowth around the building as well (plant wise). Across the street was a house that looked abandoned. (for the season? bankrupt) The area did not look unsafe, there were actually some very nice, expensive homes there. It is a mixed area. Like most lake/ocean properties. I had to ask myself, how is this property still here in this area? It didn%26#39;t seem a good fit? Ok but that is my opinion and I am not a local. Anyhow...............I think that is the only thing keeping it going. It%26#39;s location in the residential area and proximity to the lake. Otherwise, it would probably have had to make much more greater improvements. And maybe they are trying to sell and they do not want to make any more improvements. In my opinion, there are too many other options for you to look at. We stayed at Beachside Villas and we had a great time. Building 6. Best views on right side as you face the beach . Lots of people here have had great success with other places. I think you should take your time and find a unit with a proven track record. And keep coming back here for more insight! Hope this helps! And what I meant by my previous post is no matter what the accomodations are, or how shotty, the view, the beaches are to die for!
Emerald Hill is a nice property with pool and good central location in Seagrove. Just make sure that the beach access has been rebuilt. When we were there in January, it had not been repaired. But that was 8 months ago, so it should have been replaced by now (just be sure to ask).
Thanks so much for the info!!!!!
Do not stay in 101 Commodore%26#39;s Retreat. It is absolutely filthy!!! We stayed there this summer and it was a huge disappointment. I spent the first two days of my much deserved vacation cleaning. The two bunk beds had dirty sheets on them (not changed - not even straightened up). It looked like someone had just spent the night on them and they were so stinky. The kitchen had fruit flies flying all around and obviously had a nest somewhere in the kitchen but we could not figure out where. The dishes were crusted with dried egg and ketchup and a coat of bacon grease awaited us on top of the stove. I had to scour every dish before we used them. The towels were filthy - just folded up dirty. The bath had a complete black mold circle going all around where the shower walls end right over the bathtub walls. I could go on and on about the dirt in this condo but you get the idea. Also, while we stayed there the people who owned the place next door came into the condo without knocking or asking or warning. They have a key. When I got back home from our vacation I sent a letter to the owner of 101 Commodore%26#39;s retreat explaining everything. She didn%26#39;t know how the owners from next door had a key but said if she were to ask him about it (entering the condo we were in while we had it rented out) that he would lie about it and deny that he ever went in. She said he lies his way out of things all of the time. She said she would give me $40 to refund me for the cleaning that wasn%26#39;t up to what it should have been (wasn%26#39;t done at all is more like it!). I was going to be okay with that. That conversation took place at the beginning of the summer and it is now Sept 8th and I have not received a $40 check to reimburse me for the cleaning that was not done and she won%26#39;t return my phone calls. I would never stay here again and definitely would not recommend it.
doctorlady,
Did you see this posting about #101 Commodore%26#39;s Retreat from ';notail'; in February? (See below) These people also had a bad experience with the owner. How did you find this rental? Through VRBO? I wonder if there%26#39;s some way to warn others who might otherwise rent it.
%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Posted on: 11:19 pm, February 20, 2006 %26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; I recently stayed in Commdore%26#39;s Retreat. The building is in fiar condition, lots of rotting wood. Beware of Unit #101. We kept the unit very clean, but the owner refused to return our deposit citing pet hair in the unit -- she said I told her our dog did not shed. (Which is absurd.) I paid an extra non-refundable pet deposit upfront to cover any extra cleaning, but the owner still refused to refund the refundable portion of the deposit. There are plenty of other (and nicer) units to rent in the area; I would avoid this one even if you do not have a pet. Who knows what they would claim in the future to retain your deposit? No wonder they did not take credit cards.%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;
I did in fact get the condo on the VRBO website. I have only just now read the review that you referred to and it seems to be the way it goes for Commodore%26#39;s Retreat #101. I am not sure about there being a way to warn prosepective vacation renters but if there was I would do it. While we were staying at Commodore%26#39;s Retreat we also overheard other complaints from other renters of other units around the pool that were negative. The building needs work overall. It is cheap to stay there but for a little tiny bit more you can find much much better. The owner that we were dealing with was not professional or responsible. That is such a lovely area of Florida and there are so many nicer places to stay around there all up and down 30-A. Thanks for telling me about the other reivew. Very interesting.
Well, hopefully people will see your comments here and avoid Commodore%26#39;s Retreat #101. Sorry you had such a bad experience, but I bet you will save other people%26#39;s vacations by putting the word out.
what did you decide?
What did you decide to do about Commodore%26#39;s ?
We%26#39;ve stayed at the Homewood suites on international drive, rooms were big and spacious, you get an actual suite with a separate living room and bedroom, kitchen with microwave, coffee machine and fridge/ freezer, couldn%26#39;t fault the staff. Mon - Thurs they have a manager reception with a free buffet and drinks, free buffet breakfast every morning and transport to epcot everyday. easy access to international drive and the i-ride trolley. We were also looking at the holiday inn but for a little bit more you can stay on luxury , you can%26#39;t fault the Homewood suites. EXCELLENT
totally agree ,we have stayed there twice and always found them to be excellent.Highly reccommend them.
We are staying at the Homewood Suites in June. Notice you mention the transport - could you tell me, are there a few shuttles each day or are you restricted to one time there and back only?? Are they reliable or do you think a car is really necessary??? Sounds a fabulous place to stay tho!!
Sian go for it - Trust me you will not be disappointed or the Universal Homewood. The other option and just about the same deal is Embassy Suites which are also under Hilton.
Initally was preaty sure that I was going to book a 4 bedroom house at Windsor Hills. It looked great and I got some really good offers. Then I came across the Reunion Resort and although I think is is lmore expensive it looks like they have a restaurant on site and shuttles to the park and activities for kids which makes the trip even easier. Anyone been to either and have an opinion. We will likely stay for 8 nights and do 2 days at Disney and one at Universal and just relax the rest of the time.
I haven%26#39;t been to the Reunion Resort, but I searched it on tripadvisor and it really looks lovely. I%26#39;ve stayed at Windor Hills but by looking at the candid traveler photos of Reunion Resort I would probably stay there. Ok not probably, I know I would stay there. Wished I had known about it when I went on my trip. Not to take anything away from Vista Cay, but my kids would have loved their waterpark. Windsor hills is nice but Reunion Resort looks real nice. If it was me I would do Reunion Resort just because it looks swanky, more glamorous than Windor Hills.
Reunion is a Ginn development, so yes it is swanky and expensive. Windsor Hills is not cheap, but offers great value with its location and resort facilities.
Windsor hills isn%26#39;t cheap rather ';inexpensive';.
While Reunion at the current owner or even resort prices, is a flat out bargin.
It%26#39;s like comparing Marriott hotels to a Ritz-Carlton hotel. Both are acceptable but one is superior, absolute 5 stars for Reunion!
I nitally I thought I would go with Reunion as it looks nicer and everyone posted that it was. However, it is more expensive and I just was not sure about what I could and could not use at the resort and extra fees that I think Windsor Hills is more straight forward. Thanks evryone for their advice. I will continue reading the postings for both but I hate indecision. I think I will go see what Reunion lools like when we are in Orlando and maybe book it for another time.
GO FOR REUNION!! We are renting a home in Reunion this fall, and I can%26#39;t wait!! Although Reunion may be more expensive, I think it is definitely worth the extra money! I have looked at both places, and personally, I don%26#39;t think WH can even compare to Reunion.
Reunion has several restaurants inside the resort. There are also five or six pools that all people can use. The newest pool is on top of the roof, about eleven stories up! And then there%26#39;s the waterpark! My kids are looking forward to that the most. You can also rent bikes and golf!! I have never golfed before in my life, but I have read that this has some of the best courses in the country!
What kind of rates are you getting for a home? If you want to contact me through tripadvisor, I can give you the owner%26#39;s name that I am renting from. They have been very easy to deal with! We are paying about $200 per night for a 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath brand new home with a private pool.
My suggestion would be to choose Reunion!! If you do check out Reunion, let me know!
Thanks,now I am thinking about Reunion again and will put in some requests and see what kind of prices I get. It does look nicer and I think the kids would love the waterpark. I just wonder if you can walk from one end of the resort to the next or have to take a car. I think they have daily maid service which is nice althought i don%26#39;t know if that applies to the homes or just the condos. I also like the idea of on site restuarants as even though you have a kitchen ,oesn%26#39;t mean I like to cook. Although the grocery stores in the US have such good variety of things.
Because of the size of the resort- (I think it%26#39;s something like ten square miles??), I think you would need to drive to the different areas.
I think maid service is available, but I did not go for that option.
Calisymom thanks for your help. I think after all that I will book Windsor Hills. I really want to stick to budget so I can book 2 days at Disney with 2 charachter meals and one day at Univeral and I think with the slight difference in price between the two resorts I will not be able to at Reunion. i really want to stay on budget so March 2009 I can book a week at in a villa and four nights on a Disney Cruise. What is the feedback regarding Disney cruises. I think they would be amazing especially if you love Disney like myself and my kids.
Why not just do the Disney land/cruise package?
I mentioned that my kids and myself love Disney However my husband could really live a very long time without it. That is why we are staying in a Villa because he definetly does not want to be part of the magic. I may be able to convince him of the cruise as it isn%26#39;t a theme park and their private island is supposed to be amazing. Does any one know if there is a Hampton Inn near the Windsor hill resort? Friends of us are coming to visit us and they like Hampton Inns
