Florida

[Elite]

I want to book Florida for next year for myself, girlfriend and 5 year old daughter. I realise it's not cheap and have estimated it will cost approx £7k with passes to parks and spending money. For people who have been, do you have any advice on maybe cutting costs, places to stay or avoid?

[Chip Butty]

We've been quite a few times so my advice would be...

 

 

Go for three weeks, after two you're fucked so book a 3rd week on the beach on the gulf of Mexico to relax, you'll thank yourself afterwards

Don't buy tickets to be at parks everyday, you'll get fucked so plan days off (you'll save money for the 3rd week)

Don't over spend on a hotel but get one with a pool if you can, you're hardly ever in them other than to sleep

We stayed on International Drive so didn't hire a car as its all near bar Disney, which we taxi'd or bused too, everywhere else use the I-hop bus

Forget drinking, you're too fucked to bevvy

A 5 year old in that heat is going to do your head in, bring your Captain Patience Cape 

Beware of yanks, they're bad knobheads, though really polite on their own patch

It's hot and humid there, so take Sudocrem - the chaffing that goes on is like nobodies business

Denny's Diner is ace for cheep and cheerful scran

Popeye's is king

If you can at the parks, hire a buggy for your kid, she'll get knackered in that heat with the amount of walking

[mattyq]

Stay on or near International Drive in Orlando south of Sand Lake Rd

You can walk to everything apart from Disney here although having a car gives you a lot more freedom and is easier

Spend a week on the beach...Clearwater, St Petes or Sarasota/Bradenton

Go to Busch Gardens in Tampa for a day if you can

[Nunavut Patrick]

Watch out for alligators.

[Chip Butty]

Watch out for alligators.

 

To be fair its the other way around - they taste really nice. Just the tail of course, only heathens and bummers eat the head.

 

 

Great belts and wallets as well. 

[Elite]

Sage advice guys.

 

I was only planning on getting the Disney passes. As 6 parks = 6 days out is enough. Is there plenty to do in the local area? For days when we don't go to the parks?

[Geoff Woade]

Rent a villa for the accommodation, there will be people from your local area who own one. It's probably cheaper than a hotel and if you can get friends to come with you the cost comes right down per head. The owners will probably also have contacts who can get you residents discounts on the park tickets and restaurants. Most villas will also have BBQ and pool facilities so you can save money by getting shopping in instead of eating out all the time and you'll be happy enough knocking round the villa on a non park day as they tend to have a load of amenities. Most likely that cost could easily come down to 4/5k with a little bit of research.

[TheHowieLama]

I want to book Florida for next year for myself, girlfriend and 5 year old daughter. I realise it's not cheap

 

Could be cheaper if you tried to book maybe just a city? The whole state seems ambitious.

[A Red]

I wouldnt go. Why spend £7K on a holiday for a 5 year old? She wont remember any of it, will spend much of the time bored and having tantrums, you'll be worried about her being burnt or bitten and will come back knackered. Mind you, you can spend the lead up time telling everyone youre going to Florida and getting the respect that is obviously due.

 

Put most of the money into some sort of savings scheme so shes got a chance of some day perhaps buying a house and take her for a week to euro disney. Shes 5 years of old shes interested in the characters and kiddie rides, she couldnt give a fuck about hot weather, thrill rides, the american way of life or bbq's next to a mosquito net covered swimming pool in an alligator proof garden.

 

Ignore me, i'm a cunt.Go

[Scott_M]

I have agree with A Red. She won't be tall enough to go on all the decent rides either so your paying full price to effectively only do a third of what's on offer.

 

However, I suppose you won't get the sheer happiness on her face as she hugs Goofy or whoever when she's a teenager.

 

I'd take her to Paris for a couple of days instead and use the money on a proper holiday.

 

Having said that, if you do decide to go, check Disney's website and if your not staying in a Disney hotel, avoid the Magic Hours days. A couple of Disney Parks open an hour a day earlier for their hotel guests and a packed by the time regular visitors can enter.

[Chris]

I want to book Florida for next year for myself, girlfriend and 5 year old daughter. I realise it's not cheap and have estimated it will cost approx £7k with passes to parks and spending money. For people who have been, do you have any advice on maybe cutting costs, places to stay or avoid?

 

Don't go to the parks, go to the Florida Keys.

[VladimirIlyich]

Aruba,Jamaica,ooh I wanna take yer....

[Bogman]

Don't go to Wet'n'Wild.

 

Go to Boggie Creek and have ago on the airboats

[3 Stacks]

The northern part of the state (the Panhandle) is basically the worst place on earth, so avoid that. 

[Wicket]

I'm presuming you'll be just going to Orlando and unless you're averse to the idea of driving over there then hire a car, and go for a villa with a pool, it'll be like a home from home and it's a great way to spend time chilling out away from the parks (which you will need). Plus you can get stuff in for breakfasts/other meals that can save you a bit of money on dining out all of the time.

 

Dining wise i'd recommend Olive Garden and Longhorn Steak House, reasonable prices and you won't leave feeling hungry. Plus loads of diners like Denny's and chain restaurants like Chili's and Applebees. Unless you hunt out top end restaurants it's pretty reasonable to eat in the main.

[TheHowieLama]

Its hotter than Hades boxers in the summer in Orlando - what month you going?

 

I would agree with some of the above - get over to Tampa/St Pete if you can - three days tops in Orlando (must purchase fast pass and stay on site at Disney, for a kid that age Animal Kingdom lodge for sure) - should also definitely do Discovery Cove - high ticket but all food and drink  is free (including suds), and the kid gets to swim with the Dolphins and snorkel in open water - shitloads of wave pools etc. Easily the best attraction in Orlando.  That way you don't need a car the whole time.

Then do Busch Gardens/Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa - half the cost, same shit.

Save you about eleventy hundred as well as the 5 year old having more fun anyway. Then get you a couple days at Clearwater Beach , Caldesi Island, Egmont Key or even get down to Siesta Key. All of that is more fun anyway.

[Sugar Ape]

On 18/02/2016 at 16:53, Elite said:

I want to book Florida for next year for myself, girlfriend and 5 year old daughter. I realise it's not cheap and have estimated it will cost approx £7k with passes to parks and spending money. For people who have been, do you have any advice on maybe cutting costs, places to stay or avoid?

Did you end up going? Thinking of going on a family holiday next year or the year after, be about 15 of us going so not sure what’s the best way to do it all. 

[Elite]

7 minutes ago, Sugar Ape said:

Did you end up going? Thinking of going on a family holiday next year or the year after, be about 15 of us going so not sure what’s the best way to do it all. 

No, my son was conceived not long after this post!

[TheHowieLama]

[Ne Moe Imya]

That is insane. It's not like she shot him with a handgun, either. That bullet is from a full-on hunting rifle, unless I miss my guess.

Trying to imagine his wife loading a bolt-action rifle and shooting him in the face only to not even do him in!

[jonnyp]

On 26/06/2022 at 22:39, Sugar Ape said:

Did you end up going? Thinking of going on a family holiday next year or the year after, be about 15 of us going so not sure what’s the best way to do it all. 

Are you planning on going to one place only for the whole time or are you renting cars and looking to explore?

 

If the latter, fly into Miami stay somewhere like the Pestana, Art Deco buildings, couple of blocks from the beach and lots of restaurants and bars (especially at the nearby pedestrian area). Check out Rosinella’s for great food.

 

If you’re planning on going to Disney World or Universal Studios, drive to Orlando and just stay at a motel. The US does it’s motel scene really well, so unless you’re looking for 5 star service it’s usually clean, comfortable and has a coin operated laundry area. You can also stay at these resorts but you pay more.

 

Then drive down to the Florida Keys and have fun. AirBnB, Double Tree Hilton (these places tend to have shuttle bus services to/from the town areas). Lots of beach and park areas, Hemingway’s house, Ship-wreckers museum, bars and restaurants. Check out Sarabeth’s for breakfast (you’ll need to book).

 

Depending on your available time, the Everglades are worth a visit.

[Oh Buoy]

On 26/06/2022 at 21:39, Sugar Ape said:

Did you end up going? Thinking of going on a family holiday next year or the year after, be about 15 of us going so not sure what’s the best way to do it all. 

 

What's mad about Disney/Florida is that there's like a cult of cunts trying to figure out the best way to reduce the costs. I'm one of those cunts and I've found that https://www.disboards.com/ is the place where all the bad meffs hang out. I swear, post up your budget/issue and you'll have an assigned team of deal finders within seconds. 

[Bjornebye]

Like fuck you'd get me near the water in Florida

 

 

Elderly woman dies in alligator attack after falling into pond at Florida golf course | US News | Sky News

 

An elderly woman who fell into a pond in Florida was killed after being grabbed by two alligators, authorities say.

She was seen falling into the water by a golf course in Englewood late on Friday and struggled to stay afloat.

 

While she was in the water, two alligators were seen grabbing her.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two alligators have been removed from the area, but it is not yet clear whether those were the reptiles involved. The cause of the woman's death has not yet been confirmed.

 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says alligators are more active when temperatures rise.

 

It comes after a man died in a suspected alligator attack while looking for frisbees in a lake in the US state last month.

The 47-year-old was combing the water at Taylor Park Disc Golf Course in Largo where people are warned to beware of the aggressive reptiles.

[Elite]

How many warnings do these people need?

 

[Bjornebye]

Nuts isn't it. If my ball/frisbee/missus falls in the water over there it fucking stays there. No chance I'm wading in.