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shellees
![]() United Kingdom 9 Posts Joined: 07 Apr 2008 Status: offline | Posted - 07 Apr 2008 : 20:31:48

| We are planning to go to Orlando on 28th July 2008, and have a few quotes for 3 bed villas, are any villas close to International Dive as I have been told that I should look for a resort close to there as it would be in walking distance from bars and shops. Or if anyone can advice me of a resort that has good facilities near by, we are hiring a car but don't want to drive all the time. Any advice for our first trip would be great. | | Report this post to a moderator |
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louisbourg

 United Kingdom 92 Posts Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Status: offline | Posted - 07 Apr 2008 : 20:39:34

| hi there you are deffinately in the right place to get all the help you could ever need 
we too are looking forward to our first time in florida in just over 2 weeks and i have been a member of the site for a little while now
the people are wonderful , so friendly , and so helpful no question too small 
sorry i can't help but, the answers you need will soon arrive have a great time and welcome to the site
sharon | Edited by - louisbourg on 07 Apr 2008 20:58:06 | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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Albert the Frog
  
 United Kingdom 334 Posts Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Status: offline | Posted - 07 Apr 2008 : 20:43:19

| Well you've come to the right place for advice. By clicking on the links above and putting in your requirements you should get some prices back-having said that I'd get a move on for July.
"walking distance from bars and shops" is a tricky one as personally i consider a car an absolute must for getting around generally.
anyway i'm sure that there will be people on here who are more expert than i am to advise but welcome anyway-enjoy the planning!
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shellees
![]() United Kingdom 9 Posts Joined: 07 Apr 2008 Status: offline | Posted - 08 Apr 2008 : 08:46:14

| Thank you for your replies, I have put my request into the villa section and am now waiting for replies as to which villas are available. I must say having read through all of these forums until late into the night I am so glad I have found this helpful resource, everyone on here knows what they are talking about and I'm sure over the next few weeks I will have a very good idea of the best places to visit with my children as this is our first ever visit to the US I am so excited that I want to get to see and do as much as possible in our short two weeks.
Shelley | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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Fourdents
   
 1382 Posts Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Status: offline | Posted - 08 Apr 2008 : 13:57:49

| The best thing is planning - before you go. This will be good as you will time wise be able to get the most out of your day / night. Know that you will not be able to do everything. If you are staying at a villa you will have excellent facilities. I would advise you to plan in a time for relaxing and enjoying the pool etc at your villa home.
If you plan to have a "night-out" there are taxi services available so you don't have to drive. Most owners do have access to contacts for reliable taxi services
| Linda
http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-3192.aspx
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ujpest doza
  
 United Kingdom 544 Posts Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Status: offline | Posted - 08 Apr 2008 : 14:45:18

| To be honest with you i can't think of any villa communities near International Drive, just hotels and suites.
The Villa communities i am aware of are south of Disney in communities along US27 and US192 in Kissimmee, Clermont and Davenport.
In my experience though nobody walks anywhere.
Its too hot and the size and distances make it pretty difficult anyway.
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Newhomebuyer
   
 United Kingdom 1372 Posts Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Status: offline | Posted - 08 Apr 2008 : 16:01:07

| Planning that first trip is such fun but it is so hard to imagine the scale of what Florida has to offer. You are going to have a wonderful holiday and do so many fabulous things but when you come back people are going to say . Why didn't you do this.......? or You should have done that...........
You cannot do it all and you mustn't try or you will find it too tiring and too expensive.
For my 'first timer guests' I usually get them to tell me something about their family and the ages of their children and then I am able to make some recommendations. I am sure that if you choose a villa from one of the OV sites you will get lots of advice from your home owner; that is one of the benefits of choosing a villa directly. Don't worry about being close to International drive there are some great communities to choose from which have shops and restaurants nearby and they are not close to I Drive. By the time you have enjoyed all the theme parks you will have done enough walking and be glad to get into your air conditioned car to drive to one of the many great restaurants. I hope that you didn't restrict your request to 3 bed villas becasue many of the 4 bed villas will also be suitable and as you are late in booking you might be better looking at a wider group.
Happy Planning | Angela http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-2066.aspx
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steph_goodrum
    
 United Kingdom 6709 Posts Joined: 12 Feb 2002 Status: offline | Posted - 08 Apr 2008 : 19:05:44

| You'll find that International Drive has hotels down it, mainly because it was really one of the first "tourist" areas that sprung up after Disney and Universal bought the customers. Most of them are quite old now and of course there is no land left there to build villas which people have now realised are the best way to "vacation" in Florida. All the communities have things around them and new ones are opening all the time.
Even since Christmas we've had a whole new shopping area opening up on Posner Park with Target and other shops waiting for my next trip. We find that after we've been to the parks we don't want to go out quite often and are happy to go back home, have a swim and wait for dinner to be delivered or get the BBq out rather than sit down and eat and everyone can do their own thing if they want. Will all the new eating places springin up if oyu dont want to drive they'll only be a taxi ride away or as I said can come to you instead. | Babblin Boo http://www.orlandovillas.com/villas/92.aspx
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shellees
![]() United Kingdom 9 Posts Joined: 07 Apr 2008 Status: offline | Posted - 09 Apr 2008 : 22:12:33

| Thank you to everyone that has replied to me, I now have a villa booked in Kissamme so am now really excited, I can't believe that I'm actually going to Florida it's been a dream for so long and the good thing is my children don't know where we are going (they are 14, 10 and 8) they think we are going to cyprus, so I know they are going to be over the moon when we get to the airport as unfortunatly they can read and will work it out when we book in. As long as I get to meet Mickey Mouse I'm happy!!
Thank you all again, I will keep reading this forum to plan my holiday.
Shelley | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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dunkderby

![]() United Kingdom 62 Posts Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Status: offline | Posted - 11 Apr 2008 : 11:22:15

| Hi Shelley
Kids never pay attention to anything, I wouldn't be surprised if you got all the way to Disney before they noticed
I'm sure you will all have a brilliant time.
Colleen | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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LiesaAnna
    
 United Kingdom 11634 Posts Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Status: offline | Posted - 11 Apr 2008 : 15:51:44

| Hi Shelley how exciting planning a surprise trip to florida!!!! am sure the kids will love it!! all such perfect ages to go there and such choice for all your age groups, hey remember us when you get back and on a bit of a post op downer..... maybe a little trip report so other first times pick up some valuable tips ..... hope you have a truely fab time!! | Liesa | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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Jill
   
United Kingdom 1857 Posts Joined: 23 Feb 2003 Status: offline | |
eclipsed
 
 United Kingdom 115 Posts Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Status: offline | Posted - 13 Apr 2008 : 08:22:18

| | 10 years ago on our first trip to Florida,my kida were 6,10 & 11. I didn't tell them where we were going till the week before,even though they had been guessing places for months.The look on their faces was a treat. | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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luckylady
    
 United Kingdom 4021 Posts Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Status: offline | |
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