1st time Family Florida visit

[glwday]

Travel dates 9-31 Oct 2003
This was our first trip to Florida as a family. We booked a villa in Indian Point via a friend of a friend. - Villa 193 on the Orlando Villas site.
Our party consists of Me, Julie, Beccy (11) and Alex (9)

Lots of preparation with the Brits Guide and asking all our friends for hints and tips. Used the theme park busy days info to plan our itinerary so each park visit is on a quiet day and build in water parks, beach visits and shopping!! Made up a postcard for each theme park with must do items and tips on popular rides/fastpasses etc. Note remember to look out your driving licence early!, my wife realised hers was missing 1 week before departure, so I had to do all the driving.
We advance purchased the Disney 10days entrance in a 20day period from our agent Charter Travel,
and the 5park Orlando Flex ticket from Toucan Travel

Thursday 9th Oct
Flew Virgin from Gatwick to Orlando International With check-in at 8.15am on Thursday morning, we didn't fancy the M25 so decided to stay overnight at the Russ Hill Hotel (family room and car looked after for 3weeks for £110). Used the twilight check-in to get rid our bags Wednesday pm - no queues and it meant we only needed to be back in the morning at 10.00 for 11.15 departure - great idea Virgin!
Flight on time, very smooth and we all enjoyed the movies on offer. Arrived Orlando 3.15

30 minute wait to get our Dollar rent-a-car then an easy 20-25 minute drive to Indian Point - good directions from the villa owner. Indian point is a smallish community a mile or so south of Wal-Mart -Mile marker 14/15 on the 192. Very pleased with our villa 4bed all mod cons and pool. Unpacked our cases then popped back to Wal-Mart for supplies, pleasantly surprised to find short check-out queues as I had been warned I could queue for 30mins whatever time of day/night. Paid with a t/cheq - first and only time during entire holiday where they asked for my passport!! Nobody really feeling hungry so had just a snack in the villa before bed.

Friday 10th Oct
We had planned a quiet day for Friday to get the lie of the land and maybe a bit of shopping, but we woke up feeling pretty good so decided to head for Animal Kingdom. Got there around 9.30 and headed straight up to Kilimanjaro safari and Pangani Forest Exploration Trail before heading back across the park to DinoSaur to find it temporarily out of order. Called in at Restaurantosauras Brontosauras to confirm/check procedure for our Character breakfast booked there for later in the holiday. Kids collected autographs of Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger and Piglet at a little dock down a path to the left of the entrance to DinoLand. Dropped in to It’s tough to be a Bug before heading up to Kali River Rapids (without ponchos) and got thoroughly soaked. Dried off a little while we grabbed a bite to eat. After lunch it was back over to DinoLand and hooray Dinosaur is working, grabbed a Fastpass to avoid the queue and went on Primeval Whirl then took in the Tarzan Rocks show while we waited.
Wandered round the Tree of Life admiring all the carvings then grabbed a roadside spot to wait and watch to Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade. Getting pretty weary by now but decided to drop in to the Festival of the Lion King show and glad we did, it was superb. Had enough by now so head home.

Does anybody else dislike the way the right hand lane of most main roads turns into an exit only lane for the next exit and unless you are concentrating all the time you can easily find yourself heading off the road your on, OR trying to push your way back in to the middle lane?

Sat 11th Oct
Had a quiet morning around the villa pool then after lunch headed for Belz, tried to be clever and go up John Young Parkway rather than I-Drive and left onto Oak Ridge Road but the map I had said the road was called Oak Ridge Drive, so there we were driving up and down John Young trying to find a Drive that didn't exist, with the wife navigating!! When we finally got there, we were surprised by how quiet Belz was for a Saturday afternoon. Got some good buys

[blott]

Crumbs, Gary, sounds like you've had an amazing time and I can't wait for the next instalment.

I know what you mean about the right lane but you do get used to the roads doing that eventually. Best to stay in the middle lane until you get the hang of it though or just peel off the road at the exit and get yourself back on again as it's sometimes a bit dangerous trying to move over into another lane, particularly at the last minute and in heavy traffic. To be fair, some of the roads give you a warning by saying exit only but not enough of them, I agree.

We've already had one person who didn't search out their driving licence in time (no names!) but you're right everyone should check that they know where their driving licence is well before they leave for Florida to make sure they have enough time to get a replacement if necessary.

[Maureen Edwards]

Gary, all so exciting. It was lovely to read your trip report. We are off next Monday 17th Nov for 16 days, can't wait. I agree about the lanes, I find is quite unnerving sometimes. Also the way the Americans lane hop and undertake as well as overtake. Some weave their way through traffic like stunt drivers[msnscared]

I hear the weather has settled again after a couple of rainy days, hope it holds out for us[msncool]

Look forward to catching up with your next instalment.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Hi Gary

Thanks for filing your trip report - I'm hankering for Orlando reading it. Here's hoping you get a free moment soon for the next installment.

Thanks again,


Sarah

[chrizzy100]

quote:Originally posted by blott

Crumbs, Gary, sounds like you've had an amazing time and I can't wait for the next instalment.

I know what you mean about the right lane but you do get used to the roads doing that eventually. Best to stay in the middle lane until you get the hang of it though or just peel off the road at the exit and get yourself back on again as it's sometimes a bit dangerous trying to move over into another lane, particularly at the last minute and in heavy traffic. To be fair, some of the roads give you a warning by saying exit only but not enough of them, I agree.

We've already had one person who didn't search out their driving licence in time (no names!) but you're right everyone should check that they know where their driving licence is well before they leave for Florida to make sure they have enough time to get a replacement if necessary.


I leave my husband to do most of the driving, I was the only driver in England so I think its his turn to drive for the next 20 years.....:D

The thing I found to watch out for is driving into carparks for shopping......making sure you drive up the 'in' lane and not the 'out'....I'll not tell you which of us still do that.........but he should know better by now....LOL

[glwday]

The saga continues

Sun 12th Oct
Decided to look at packing up lunch instead of buying burgers in the parks so that our holiday money will go further. Popped down to Wal-Mart last night and picked up a good insulated lunch bag big enough for all 4 together with a sheet of those ice cube freezer blocks - all for under $10. Also got some Gatorade powder - recommended by a friend as better than fizzy drinks all day. Of to Magic Kingdom today, we arrive soon after 9am, you have to admire how Disney get so many people through ticket check, entry onto transport and into the parks so smoothly. Drop in to hire a locker (5$) and leave the lunch bag and frozen bottles of Gatorade in it, then head up Main Street and left into Frontierland to Splash Mountain where there was no queue at all. Disappointed that Big Thunder was closed for refurb. Decided to head across the park to TomorrowLand, 5minute wait for Space Mountain then onto Indy Speedway (grabbing a FP for Buzz Lightyear on the way past). Did Buzz then caught the Carousel of Progress then headed back across to AdventureLand for Pirates of the Caribbean. While the kids went on the Jungle Cruise, I popped back to get the lunch bag and now defrosting but still ice cold Gatorade.

After lunch put lunch bag back in locker then cut through to Haunted Mansion (I still do the demented laugh when all the lights out - some kids never grow up!) Now it was time to set up camp in Liberty Square for the Parade. While we waited we got talking to some good 'ol Alabama folk who luuurv our accent!! After that took a turn round the lake on the Liberty Belle Riverboat then round the back of Cinderella's Castle to Mickey's Toontown Fair for more autographs. Decided to call it a day after that.

Monday 13th

After yesterdays busy day our itinerary took us to Typhoon Lagoon for a nice relaxing day (who am I kidding!) Swimming against the wave machine, up and down the steps to the Storm slides, Keelhaul falls family raft ride and Humunga Kowabunga body slide, swimming with the sharks in shark reef . I hardly had time to read any of my book ("Emperor - The Gates of Rome" by Conn Iggulden a cracking read about the young Julius Caesar). Feeling a bit odd late afternoon, went to bed when I got home with hot and cold sweats.

Tuesday 14th

Still not right, so an enforced day of rest with Julie champing at the bit wanting to get out but not wanting me pass on what I've got (if it’s a bug) but of course cant drive herself without the driving licence. So she looks at rejigging out itinerary to fit in what we should have been doing today. After talking to a friend in Arizona this evening she decides I've probably got sunstroke after yesterdays water activities without a hat and not drinking enough. Consolation - At least I got to read a good chunk of my book in peace (bliss).

More ASAP

[huckleberry house]

Gary
Stop your killing me, no tell me more, no dont your making me so jealous,...

Your trip report is so well written I could almost be there myself,trying to decide what to do next.Just makes me wish I was going sooner than Easter:(:(

I cant wait to read your next installment.

Lesley

[blott]

Yes, yes, so what happened next?

[glwday]

Wed 15th

Feeling more myself today, so take ourselves off to Seaworld. Driving this morning starting to feel a little more relaxed. Remarkably quiet in the car park, we get a space directly opposite the entrance. Drop the lunch bag off in the lockers (only $1 here) and head off to the dolphins after a bit popped round to catch the Dolphin show, which was great fun. Tried stroking the stingrays before seeing Clyde and Seamore the sealions in the pirate show - hilarious you must see it, also a good mime guy during pre-show wait taking the mickey out of guests walking in, doing airline style paddle waving directing wheelchair users to the places etc etc. Julie and the kids wanted to go back and see if it was feeding time for the dolphins, while I was keen to look at Kraken, so "I'm going to see what the waiting time is, I'll see you at the dolphins" say I. Of course when I got there, only a 10minute wait, so I had to go on didn't I? Got back to the dolphins just in time to give Becky some dollars to buy some fish. Had a picture taken feeding the dolphins - must get back later to see if its worth buying.

Now its across the park to Shamu stadium, I detour to pick up the lunch and we eat while watching the fantastic work of the Shamu trainers. Route march back across the lake, look in at the Penguin Encounter then leave the lunch bag in the lockers near Kraken (only 50c here) before on to the obligatory water ride - Journey to Atlantis (still using our .87c ponchos from Wal-Mart - remember to dry them out at home or they whiff a bit) great fun and a surprise or two. Back down to the waterfront to catch Kat and Kaboodle then into the Pets Ahoy, an amusing show featuring loads of trained pets (mostly ones from rescue centres). Turn round and head up to the Nautilus Theatre for Odyssea - an amazing show that leaves you thinking how do they do that?

Just time to grab a drink and the lunch bag, before getting back across the park for Shamu rocks America, an upbeat show all timed to rock music. Sitting there (now after 6.30) realise we need to get back to Dolphin Cove to view the photo from this morning. When the show finishes battle through the masses leaving the park (it closes at 7.00pm today) and arrive breathless at Dolphin Cove to find the photo booth all locked up - darn it!! On the way home came down I-4 to jct68 Julie directs us left and left again into Vineland Ave got lost (confusion between Vineland Ave and Vineland Rd!!) Ended up back near SeaWorld came back down I-Drive turned left because it seemed right (internal compass and all that) found I was now on the 417 !! Toll Booth lady said get off at jct10 and head south on John Young Parkway. Got home after an hour, calculated I had done 32 miles instead 8-10miles. Must get a decent map.

Thurs 16th

Today we are off to MGM Studios and the kids are nervous when they see the signs "The Tower of Terror - we've made it worse" On entry grab a locker then head straight up to Who wants to be a Millionaire - 1st show not till10.30 and no FP's so make for Tower of Terror it already has 50min wait, so grab a FP for it and head back towards Millionaire, take in the Little Mermaid show then round for Millionaire which is just as you imagine from the TV with a couple of twists, firstly everybody in the audience competes for Fastest Finger First, secondly Phone a Friend becomes Phone a complete stranger via a phone link to a cast member who grabs the first person walking by when this lifeline is used. Turn right out of Millionaire and jump on the Backlot tour including a realistic detour into a set mock-up that suddenly floods. Then round the back of Muppet Vision - quick stop for Woody & Co autographs then on to Star Tours joining R2D2 for an unauthorised jaunt. Scoot back across to Tower of Terror in time to use our FP - really enjoyed this ride. Grab a seat in the shade (and the lunch from the locker) outside Indiana Jones Stunt Show for a sit down and a bite to eat. Return the bag to the locker and head into Indiana Jones, a very well put together show with great s

[Cowboy]

Gary,
The report up to now is brilliant. Makes me feel that I am actually with you but please hurry up and complete it, can't stand the suspense. It is almost as bad as waiting for our next trip.
Mike.

[sunshine state]

Great report so far Gary the 1st time family visit is always the best,hope to read the rest of your report soon.

Mike