thinking about a family holiday

[trevorf]

Hi all,
I've been lurking here on and off and decided to finally take
the plunge, so I have a few questions.....

When is the best time to travel, we (she who must be obeyed, 4 boys
ages 8,6,4,2 & myself) were thinking of something along the lines of
1 week Orlando and 1 week on the keys ? is 1 week enough for orlando
although looking at the villas I could lounge around for a month if I could get away with it......what do the tempratures range like as I don't think that we would be used to it being too hot (a our summers here in Ireland get to a balmy 10 - 15 degrees C , maybe I should say wet season)

I have no doubht that this will be the first of many mails full of questions, but as this will be THE family holiday for a number of years I want to get it right......

Thanks
Trevor

[blott]

Welcome Trevor!

Good for you for choosing Florida - I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Now then, the weather... these are the averages

Month- high Farenheit/Celsius- low Farenheit/Celsius- rainfall inches
January 72/22 48/09 2.09
February 73/22 50/10 2.83
March 79/26 55/13 3.19
April 84/29 61/16 2.20
May 88/31 66/19 3.98
June 91/33 72/22 7.40
July 91/33 73/22 7.80
August 91/33 73/22 6.34
September 90/32 73/22 5.63
October 84/29 64/18 2.83
November 79/26 57/14 1.77
December 73/23 52/11 1.81

I would have said you can never get enough time in the Orlando area but one week will not be enough to see all the parks as you'll find exhaustion will set in if you try to do them all in that timescale. Alternatively, as your children are young, they'd probably enjoy the beaches so it's really your call. You could always spend your two weeks in the Orlando area and go to the Gulf Coast for a couple of days out if you wish - it's around 1.5 hours drive away or the Atlantic coast is nearer at about 1 hours drive away.

Just be aware that, on the Gulf Coast, home rental prices tend to be higher than in the Orlando area and the high season (where the prices are highest) is different. Orlando area generally has high season as Christmas/New Year, Easter, July & August, perhaps October. Gulf Coast high season is from Christmas/New Year to after Easter.

Good luck with making up your minds... if you want any more info, please feel free to ask us more questions - that's what we're here for.

[Lesley S]

Totally agree with Blott, you would most probably need more than 1 week in Orlando especially as this is your first visit to Florida. If you need any questions then just ask away, we are all a friendly bunch.

[esprit]

Absolutely no need at all to lurk!!!!!! Summer is too hot for the keys. We once went in August and it is boiling. It is a lot further south than Orlando and that is hot enough in mid Summer and wet too. Steamy!! Winter can be coldish in Orlando. The average temperatures belie the cold snaps they have there in December and Jan. Really cold too, particularly at night. Saw pictures last week of palm trees weighed down with icicles. It went down to 25 degrees at night!!!!

So, a good time to go then??? We went late April, early May last year and the weather was divine. Not too hot but hot enough, no rain, really lovely. As soon as the Easter crowds depart, it is quiet in the parks too. But is is out of school hols and you would need to take two kids out of school which I know is a hassle nowadays. If it must be school hols, either the Spring Bank holiday break or the October half term would be my bet. And you do need more than a week in Orlando. Allow yourself at least ten days which would mean a 17 day holiday if you want to go to the keys as well. Really you need a minimum of two weeks or even more.

[jordylass]

I have spent two holiday in April over Easter holidays, lovely weather not too hot or wet, but the parks were heaving as it was American Spring Break.
I went in October once and would love to go back then again, the weather was divine, the traffic, and queues in parks were much less than April.

[dbrook]

October is our favourite time of year to go. The weather is just perfect at that time. March/April has lovely weather too, but very busy over Easter. I certainly would avoid the summer with young children.

When our 3 children were young we found that there was so much to do in Orlando that we didn't need a week by the coast. The drive to the coast is a very pleasant and relaxing one so you can just make a few day trips. A two week duration would be perfect, three if you want a week by the coast.

[Biggus]

Trevor,
You are going to have a ball, the kids will love every minute of it........as no doubt will both you and your other half.
I am no real expert - hence the junior status - but two weeks is a must when doing the parks and surrounding area like Kennedy. We last went in September 2001, we lost most of the first week to the 9/11 tragedy and hurricaine Gabrielle, and therefore crammed nearly two weeks worth of parks and trips etc. into one, IT DOES NOT WORK - we all needed another holiday when we got back. We felt like we missed out on things that we had wanted to do........which is why we are going back March/April this year!!! and we will probably keep going back again and again. We thought about something similar to your idea this time around but abandoned the Keys on cost grounds. I do not own a villa but having a 'local' base that you can almost call home for two weeks seems a far better proposition to me than a small (and pricey) hotel room in the Keys, but then I am biased because I have been and taken in the 'magic'. Whatever you decide to do have a good one.....we can't wait.
Biggus

[honeybee]

Hi The Keys is lovely and relaxing but in the summer, very hot and you can burn very quickly. Hotels do not come cheap either.

Naples is great on the gulf coast now that is quite reasonable in the summer as the americans tend to go in the winter months. We spend two weeks in Naples one year and loved it.

As for Orlando we tended to do one day at the theme parks then either a day round the pool or at a water park. It is shattering otherwise. As for the weather May or October is our favourite as the humidity is no there. Flights are cheaper and crowds are not so big.

Jus remember you will want a couple of days shopping for all the bargains, ie Levi's shoes, trainers etc.
honeybee

[Harmony]

Hi Trevor,

We first visited Florida for three weeks in Kissimmee/Disney area staying in a motel and had a fantastic holiday. We just did not want it to end even after 3 weeks. To try to do it in 1 week would mean missing so much. We have returned many times and are just now getting to the point where we have the time to investigate further afield.

As said before, the summer months are VERY hot and HUMID. Not very pleasent for anything but staying indoors in the air-conditioning. Spring and Oct/Nov are much more pleasent.

On our second visit we tried renting a villa and the extra enjoyment it gave was amasing. Especially as you have a young family you will find the kids will enjoy their holiday so much more when not cooped up in hotel/motel rooms. This forum has a section "Traveling with Chilren" that you will find very useful.

I know you will have a great holiday and hope you will tell us about it upon your return. All the best to you and your family.

Jeff

[fiona]

On our first trip to Florida we spent 3 weeks, 2 in Orlando and 1 on the Gulf Coast. The first 2 weeks were absolutely exhausting, even allowing 2 days on theme parks and 1 day off! We stayed in a villa in Orlando and a condo in Sanibel. Our children were then 11 and 7. They did not enjoy Sanibel as much!! They did not like swimming with the rays and stayed in the pools at the complex. We went in the summer and it is extremely hot.

I would suggest you look at going either June or October or Easter (except that Easter is very busy), and look at having 2 weeks in Orlando - you will need it!