fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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Anyone been to disneyworld florida? Taking my daughter in november. Not sure where to stay in a hotel or a villa? Not staying in disney. Also can any suggest anything to do apart from disney stuff? My daighter is only 4 so wont be doing universal
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Dave
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Registered: 26th Feb 01
Location: Lancs
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How long are you going for/ how many?
Villa will be more expensive but you've more freedom to do your own thing, have a rest day at home etc
You'll hardly be stuck for other stuff to do either, Sea World, water park if she can swim, Busch Gardens has a lot to offer too.
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Cavey
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: Derby
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We stayed in a villa in Kissimee when we went (was when I was 10, so about 20 years ago now) was my mum, dad, me, and 2 sisters. Had a really good time. Was about 30-45 mins drive into the parks each day though iirc.
Busch gardens was awesome, and quiet so got on rides really quickly
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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We've been twice.
First time stayed in a hotel, second time stayed in a villa in kissimee.
I thoroughly recommend the villa.
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Stoneyginger
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Registered: 25th Jan 01
Location: Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
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We stayed in a villa in Kissimmee like the above 5 years ago and loved it!!
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Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
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We went last August, going again next August. We have to go in school holidays as the misses is a teacher.
We stayed here last time
https://www.facebook.com/RosenInnPointeOrlando?fref=ts
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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I prefer hotels simply for the fact you can walk down international drive and find somewhere to eat/drink.
Villas are good too though but you'll have to drive everywhere.
Universal has kids rides too so I wouldn't put that out the window without looking into what rides they have. There is plenty to do.
Lego land opened last year
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taylorboosh
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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Seaworld for deffo its great
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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I wanted to do a villa next year but girlfriend likes the idea of been able to talk to people around the pool etc whereas it would be just me and her for 3 weeks 
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fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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The price for a villa through thomson is about £150 more so price isnt a problem. Thats the thing thats confusing me what to do about been able to walk out the front and get drinks and food etc also most hotels have shuttles to the park so i dont have to drive everywhere and pay parking $17 a day at disney. But on other hand have the space and quiet of the villa. We was actually lolking at that rosen inn but going to avanti now because just been refurb thats if i choose the hotel. Seems like alot have been i take it everyone recommands it the ?
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fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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Will defo be doing seaworld and discovery cove wife wants to swim with the dolphins. =BHX&flexibility=true&noOfSeniors=0&when=06-11-2014&units[]=000207:REGION&packageId=048845AVAUUG1415491200000141549120000063014160960000001416182400000631FW135&index=18&multiSelect=true&brandType=T&finPos=7]Avanti hotel
[Edited on 25-05-2014 by fred7]
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Dave
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Registered: 26th Feb 01
Location: Lancs
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If you stay in a villa you will need a car for the whole stay so factor that into the cost.
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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Look at vista kay
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fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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Thats free with thomson or £120 for the week with alamo brits with fully comp insurance. Thats for a medium size car as well
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Tomnova16
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Registered: 21st Jan 06
Location: Gerrards Cross Drives: Porsche 911
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quote:
Originally posted by Cavey
We stayed in a villa in Kissimee when we went (was when I was 10, so about 20 years ago now) was my mum, dad, me, and 2 sisters. Had a really good time. Was about 30-45 mins drive into the parks each day though iirc.
Busch gardens was awesome, and quiet so got on rides really quickly
How strange. Did the same thing. Had a pool and we had a hire car. Loved it
http://www.lemass.co.uk/ for all your automotive/bodyshop needs
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fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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Vista cay looks nice but tripadvisor has alot of bad reviews?
[Edited on 25-05-2014 by fred7]
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Went to Florida recently. Disney was by far the worst place we went. Horrible. Both Universals were wicked tho.
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fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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What was so bad about disney? Not heard anyone say anything bad from my research so far? I know its each to there own?
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Could just be us, but we went when it wasn't school holidays and it was absolutely rammed. Full of fat people on scooters. Got on 2 absolutely dog shit rides in the whole day.
If your daughter is like mine, she'll want the little signature book to meet the Princesses/characters and get their signatures. Queuing just for one of those can take up to 2hrs, not kidding. Pretty much wasted the day getting a book signed by people in outfits.
Trying to get something to eat seemed like a real problem and the park seemed badly laid out (or poorly sign posted) and you'd just end up at dead ends and things like that. Things were also shutdown when we went, so I'd checkout the refurb/closure schedule.
We only went to Magic Kingdom in the end and didn't do the others because of the experience. Saying that, we plan to go back next year and might tackle the Hollywood Studios Disney bit.
It was just such a huge contrast from Universal, where we were literally walking straight onto rides, found our way around great and just had an awesome time in either park.
Apologies for the negativity, just really wasn't my thing at all.
[Edited on 25-05-2014 by Brett]
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Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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quote:
Originally posted by fred7
What was so bad about disney? Not heard anyone say anything bad from my research so far? I know its each to there own?
Brett is a grumpy old man, probably that. 
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fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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Its good to hear it though brett a different side to things. They do a fastpass+ scheme now so can pre book time slots so can get on pretty much straight away. Theres a few things in disney my daughters to do and meeting the princesses is 1 of them. We will be going nov so been told its a little quieter because of thanks giving at the end of the month. Got all the xmas stuff up by then as well and my daugher loves santa and the lights
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fred7
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Registered: 17th May 04
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Doug
quote:
Originally posted by fred7
What was so bad about disney? Not heard anyone say anything bad from my research so far? I know its each to there own?
Brett is a grumpy old man, probably that.
Im a grumpy young man tho
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Yeah, if there's one place worth buyin a fastpass, it's there 
Something else I'd massively recommend is if you go to Universal, pay the $50 or whatever it is for the photopass thing. So many photo opportunities going around the park and you just hand your pass over and they're automatically uploaded online for you to look at/download. They also edit them and put cool little theme related frames around the pics. You also hand over your pass after each ride and it includes those photos too! As you know, just the ride photos alone can cost a packet bought individually.
Nice looking back on the day on the tablet when you're back at the Villa  Also cool knowing they're waiting for you online when you're back home ready to download. That one pass covers you for both Universals too and you get some framed at the end included in the price. Think we got around 40-50 pics taken by pros/rides around the park in total
[Edited on 25-05-2014 by Brett]
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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If you go for a villa, avoid travel agent packages and book it all yourself separately. Loads of forums and even ebay can find you a really good deal and you don't have to go as a family of 8 to make it more cost effective than a hotel!
I agree on the car bit though, roughly half of my trips have been hotels on/around international drive and half have been in Villas - I can't say I prefer either/or tbh.
This year we're doing a few days in Miami (hotel), 10 days in an Orlando villa then 3 nights in Hardrock Hotel so we can dodge the queues at Universal
I'm stuck to school holidays now as missus' is a teacher, but with a decent bit of planning you can do all rides at all parks easily without too much drama, just don't be scared of an early start or late finish.
Disney rates higher than universal/sea-world/busch IMO in terms of atmosphere and most importantly quality of food, but I'll concede the rides are better at the other parks (BG particularly).
With a 4 year old, Disney will win every day of the week, but Universal/SW wouldn't be wasted either.
Just read that Brett only did MK too, it's a decent park for kids due to the princess stuff - but Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios (prev MGM) are significantly better, modern and suited for all ages.
MK has also had heavy refurbishment recently, the new Fantasy Land is open now I believe.
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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Think this year is my 9th time there
To re-iterate my point on planning, it applies to all the parks (not just Disney) but there are good days and bad days to go to all of them. Each park awards early or late hours for hotel/resort residents only on specific days, and those days should be avoided if you're staying off site.
If you aim to get their for "rope drop" for example, you don't want to find a park that has already got 1000 people in it If you arrive at rope-drop on a non-extended hours day, you can rattle round the headline rides within an hour easily - and those headline rides will have 1hour+ queues at midday.
It's not everybody's "thing", but with a tight schedule and a solid plan you can rape the parks properly before it's time for a mid morning snack, then you can spend the afternoon walking around, soaking in the sun and enjoying the atmosphere/more relaxing stuff.
When it's just me and the missus, we've got a plan that works as follows:
Get to park A for rope-drop and nail the headline stuff, get the rides done by 10-10 : 30 then wander around and enjoy the view for a couple of hours.
Head back to Hotel/Villa at about 13-14 : 00 and then either go out for lunch (if we didn't have it at Park A) or just chill in the pool/go shopping/whatever.
Go to Park B at 17 : 00 just as it's starting to quieten down, do the headline stuff through the evening and then stick around for dinner and any late night fireworks/live shows etc.
With this pattern, we can potentially visit each park twice through the holiday - on occasion we'll stay for a full day, we did at Animal Kingdom last time because the weather was so good and we just enjoyed a slower pace.
At the Disney parks, you can have a free "fastpass" running at any one time, which lets you book a timeslot for a ride with minimal (<10min queue). You should always have one of these running and in the meantime you can queue for something "less busy". At the non-Disney parks you've got to pay for queue jumping, or stay at their hotels (hence us doing three nights at HRH).
It's not for everyone, particularly with kids - but if you're off for two weeks and ONLY doing Disney, you can afford to hit them all multiple times in 2-3 hour stints each time. Last time out (July/Aug 2012) we never queued more than 30mins and we did every ride (except the kiddy stuff), most of which we did several times.
[Edited on 25-05-2014 by Kyle T]
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