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casperdje
11-07-2002, 00:40
this is very probably a one off holiday not to be repeated in the near future especially for our 2 children aged 11 and 15yrs for 2 weeks in april 2003 and we hope to visit the following areas on a one day basis with rest days in between and i would be grateful for any suggested visiting order? or advice on what to see or miss out
wdw epcot disney mgm universal ioa bush g kennedy and water parks x 2
i know will be very tiring but we will also definately be having a
break in spain canaries as a surprise in oct for my wifes 50th birthday in oct 2003 on our return to uk
thanks again

dave and teresa

jewell
11-07-2002, 01:16
Hi Dave and Teresa - If you are going from UK, you will probably find yourself and all your family awake at 4am approx on your first day at your villa. Time difference, your body thinks it's 8/9am, so make use of the early rise and head down to Busch Gardens, I can send you directions if you want to email me. It's not a long drive, but means that you'll get to the park early enough to have a full day, because by 4/5pm your body will be telling you it's time for bed, that time difference again!

Back in Orlando, it depends on your children really, but with ours we would not have been able to enjoy anything much until they had 'done' the Magic Kingdom, it was the focal point of going to Florida for us back in 1992. So for your first park visit and your experience of the magic (and take your camera) get yourselves to Magic Kingdom and watch the adults turn into children when Mickey and his friends make personal appearances!

From personal experience I would recommend that you do MGM before you visit Universal Studios. MGM is a great park, but on a smaller scale than Universal, so for maximum impact I would advise MGM first.


Break up the big theme park days, don't try to do two consecutive days, you'll need new legs. Visit the water parks for a break. And remember the shopping. And enjoy your villa, take time out for yourselves, just swim and snack. It will recharge your batteries for the next day.

This is all just my experience, others may feel different. Hope it's of some use. Enjoy!!!



Sandra

Edited by - jewell on 10/07/2002 21:19:08

Lakul
11-07-2002, 01:19
Hi Dave and Teresa

On our first day, thinking we would never go back again for a long time, we did Seaworld. A lovely relaxing park to start with. In that following week we followed on with Disney, MGM, A shuttle launch, Universal, Animal Kingdom, Busch Gardens and lots of shopping. plus a splattering of Water Parks in-between. We were absolutely exhausted with early mornings and late nights, but it was worth it. You just don't want to miss a thing. Have a great time in whatever order you choose to do things.

Kerry



Edited by - lakul on 10/07/2002 21:21:20

Carla
11-07-2002, 01:26
Hi Dave and Teresa

If it were me I would do them in the following order because we don't go to bed the first night until about 10-11pm Orlando time, no matter how tired:

Epcot, Disney MGM, Rest day, MKingdom, Waterpark, Universal, Rest day, Busch Gardens, Rest day, IOA, Waterpark, Rest day, Kennedy, Home day.

I know that it is my personal preference but Disney MGM is not a patch on Universal, so do MGM first or you may be disappointed.

Swap Kennedy around for any day, if there is a shuttle taking off while you are there. It is awesome and a "must see".

It shouldn't be too tiring as you've built in rest days. On our first trip we were staying in a hotel and forgot to do this. We went from Park to Park from one day to another. Had to come home for a rest!!

Have a great holiday!

Edited by - Margot on 10/07/2002 21:28:27

fiona
11-07-2002, 02:25
My children are now 17 and nearly 14 and they enjoy Universal more than Disney (oh it's so sad, they're growing up!).

I'd take them to Disney first - I agree about MGM not being as good as Universal. Having seen Epcot twice they can't be dragged back there!!

They love Sea World and IOA is just THE business!!

Water parks are a great success too, as was Kennedy. They found Cocoa Beach disappointing but Ron Jon's is a MUST - and we have to go again this time.

This year we are doing Busch Gardens.

It all seems a long time since we were taking them to character meals and queuing to get the character's autographs - they're much too grown up for that now!

But what they certainly enjoy is the shopping!!!

Fiona

imported_n/a
11-07-2002, 14:21
For anyone who has not been before and even if you have been before and think you know it all :

Buy this -

"A Brit's Guide to Orlando Florida and Walt Disney World 2002 by Simon Veness".

Perhaps there should be a link to it on this site - maybe there is.

The order and type of parks very much depends on what you and your family like.

I wouldn't hold out too much hope of rest days though.

Jamie->

tinkerbell
11-07-2002, 16:32
Hi Dave and Theresa, just wanted to add that although everybody is right to advise you on visiting MGM before Universal, don't be fooled into thinking MGM is not ejoyable! Now after my 6th visit to Orlando, MGM is one of my favorite attractions!!!

A good way of planning out your days, is to get 14 Post-It notes, representing your 14 days, write all the things on the pices of paper, and then you cal juggle them around to fit in! Soudns silly but it's really useful for solving family disputes!!!!

Tink

Ruth
11-07-2002, 17:14
All of our family prefer MGM to Universal, although we've not done IOA yest as the children are still a bit young. In fact went to Universal last Christmas, and won't be going again until we forget that we are always disappointed with it!

Ruth

chris
11-07-2002, 20:18
Our family hated IOA but loved Universal. We are in the 'better than MGM' camp.

As regards Brits guide to Orlando, we found it so useful we have one at home and one provided for guests in the villa.

Chris

paul
12-07-2002, 14:53
with the parks youve listed i would advise buying a 5 park flex ticket..this will give you the 'flexibility' to enjoy the universal parks and wet&wild at their best. we went to IOA for 8am and did half of the 'islands' with no queues then at about dinnertime walk over to Universal and spend the afternoon there, then spend a couple of hours in Wet&Wild. we did this 3 times, we seen every attraction, hardly waited in any queues, and give our stomachs a break by not doing rides all day long.

busch gardens was our favourate park - a good mix of wildlife and rides. get there early and head for rhino ralley first otherwise you will be queuing for at least and hour!!!. apart from that there was hardly any queues for the other attractions.

paul

mikewj
12-07-2002, 17:52
We always go to Seaworld on the first day, as its quite relaxed and gets you used to the Floridian climate without the queues and the walking that most of the other parks bring with them.

After that, its a case of getting around them all in the time available without killing yourself !

For coasters its Islands of Adventure and Busch, for childlike magic its anything Disney and for entertainment its Universal Studios.

Just be sure to visit all of the Disney Parks at night for their firework spectaculars, especially Disney/MGM Studios for Fantasmic and Epcot for IllumiNations.

As a regular visitor to Orlando, I've actually started to write an online guide to the themeparks (as well as a few other things). I've just got back and need to update a few things, but if you want to take a look, its at http://www.wooder-jones.co.uk/florida/guide.html

jewell
12-07-2002, 22:07
Nice one Mikewj ! I've just added your info to my 'favourites' list.

Full of useful tips <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Sandra

orlandobabe
13-07-2002, 03:51
My personal tip is to try to get as much sleep as you can the first night. I'm not one of those who advocate getting up and getting to the parks early on the first day. I force myself to stay in bed and get those vital 7-8 hours because you only run out of steam too quickly if you don't.
Usually when we get there our first day is a Saturday so we never do the parks on a weekend as they are always far too busy anyway.
I usually find by doing this by Monday I feel much more energetic and more like I'm in my usual time zone.

Orlandobabe