2 centre holiday, any advice?

[Disney Dreamer]

Hi Shane and welcome to this fabulous forum. I completely agree with what everyone else is saying, 2 weeks in a villa in Orlando followed by a most welcome chill out week in a villa on the gulf coast is the best way to go. There are so many wonderful beach locations along the Gulf to choose from, the hardest part will be choosing which one to go to! I think you have also picked a good time to make your first trip to Florida. I am assuming with the age of your children you don't have to worry about fitting in with the school holidays so you will be able to go after the Easter rush and enjoy the parks when they are a bit quieter. Travelling with young children a leisurely pace will be very important. Wherever you end up you won't be disappointed. Enjoy the planning and have a great trip.

Angela

[GrahamC]

Hi Shane, and welcome.

You are definately making the right choice. The links quoted will give you a great selection of villas both in Orlando and on the Coast. If you follow the other links they can also help you with your car hire and park tickets.

[stabard]

Hi and Welcome Shane.

As as already been said it is a great idea to split your trip. We are doing the same ourselves this New Year with a couple of weeks in our home and then we have rented a great home on the Gulf so we can visit the area in a more lesiurly fashion.

You will find plenty of fantastic homes to choose from in both areas via the links above so have fun choosing.

[Tonish]

Hi Shane

If you can, go for the 3 week option. Changing between villas is no trouble at all, and actually a pretty standard holiday option.

We've done 2 week / 2 centre holidays and 3 week / 2 centre holidays. We've always found 1 week not quite enough in Orlando - you can't possibly do everything you want in 1 week (without driving yourself mad) and especially with young kids you need plenty of rest time and chill out days. The problem you will find with a 2 week stay is that you will be heading off to your gulf coast villa a bit frustrated that there were quite a few places you didn't get to and you will already be planning what bits you'll be coming back for the next year.

So, we're trying something different this year. We're having 3 weeks, with the split in the middle - so 1 week Orlando, 1 week chill out on the Gulf coast, then back to Orlando again for the final week to do all the things we didn't do in the first week (plus be closer to the airport for the last day).

We wouldn't do this if switching between villas was difficult, so go ahead. A lot of the fun is planning and choosing locations and villas.

[Cowboy]

Hi Shane,
First of all welcome to the forum. You will probably find any information you require about Florida here. If you cannot find something specific that you need to know, just ask.
Secondly, go for the 2 centre holiday and you will have a holiday of a lifetime. All our family preferred the 2 weeks in Orlando first and the last week on the gulf coast when you can really relax and just chill out!
The first time we did it was staying in hotels but staying in villas makes a holiday in Florida much, much more enjoyable.
Enjoy planning your holiday and I am sure you will have a fabulous time,
Mike and Kath.

[The King of Sheba]

Thank you all for your replies, sounds like the 2-centre holiday wins.

I've got itchy feet already (and it's a year away).

I'll be popping up in other post over the next few weeks/months and look forward to picking your brains again...

Thanks again...Shane...

[Mo Green]

Hi Shane

We first went to Florida for 2 weeks in 1983 when our children were 6 and 4 and both ourselves (and the now grown-up children) have been hooked on Florida ever since. We did a week in a hotel in Orlando followed by a week in a villa on the Gulf Coast.

The children were fascinated by seeing the natural Florida on the coast - dolphins, pelicans - and still remember how they used to rush down to the beach to see what the fishermen had caught that morning. Having a villa is great for the adults in the party for a quiet drink or meal by the pool once the children are in bed.

Have fun looking for your perfect holiday.

[CarolAnn]

Hi Shane,
I agree that a 2 centre trip would be amazing in Florida. My only comment, would be that if you could manage a 3 week break, then ideally, have 2 weeks in a villa in the Orlando area (there is so much to see and do a week would be tough), and then go to a villa on the coast for a complete relax[8D] There are villas in both areas on the sites at the top of the page. You will be spoil for choice in both locations, and it will truely be a wonderful holiday.

[Bookworm]

I think it's a great idea. Some friends came and stayed with us in our villa in Orlando last year and then went off to the west coast for a week. They really felt like they'd had a best of both worlds holiday.

Joanne

[orlandodaze]

How ya Shane ,lovely to have another Irish person on board . A great idea to have a two centre holiday . Make it 3 weeks if possible ,believe me its not long enough . You certainly have come to the right place for all information regarding Florida