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Florida Holidays

ReZourceman

By ReZourceman
in General Chit Chat

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ReZourceman Newbie

ReZourceman

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I booked my Florida holiday this morning. Just need to check prices on tickets/stuff and book car. I am excited as I am a big theme park nerd geek and winblog and I've wanted to go all my life, so I just thought "fuck it"

 

 

Memories?

Ramar Newbie

Ramar

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Hold up you booked it without booking your theme park tickets? School boy error, I'd have got the travel agent to throw them badboys in with a deal.

ReZourceman Newbie

ReZourceman

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Hold up you booked it without booking your theme park tickets? School boy error, I'd have got the travel agent to throw them badboys in with a deal.

 

Pffft, I booked everything seperately it was crazily cheaper.

Ramar Newbie

Ramar

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Pffft, I booked everything seperately it was crazily cheaper.

 

Whilst that might be true for flights and accomodation, sometimes in the travel agents you can twist their arms and get decent deals on the theme park tickets.

 

When I booked my trip we managed to get quite a bit off our theme park tickets and also got tickets to Arabian Nights chucked in for free. So we had a night out at this show where you got a meal and free beer.

 

Make sure you get yourself one of those Orlando FlexTicket, covers all the non-Disney theme parks. You probably already know about it if you've done your homework.

 

But anyway you'll love Florida, it's amazing. When is it you're actually going?

Ramar Newbie

Ramar

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October's a great time to go. All the Halloween stuff starts late September, Universal has Fright Nights for example.

 

I went last September and it was shockingly quiet. Which was fantastic because there was no queues for the rides. Longest queues were at Disney but that's a given because it's where all the kids and families go.

 

All this talk makes me want to go back. :(

Rowan Newbie

Rowan

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Currently in florida (hence the sudden absence on Uncharted), I recommend buying your tickets here at the tourist booths as its cheaper than at the park usually. Lovely memories at the parks, two weeks isnt enough. We love it here so Florida is the usual holiday destination. Main Disney parks took us 5 days, Universal 3. Then there are days spent shopping at the malls, Downtown Disney etc as well as the 1 day parks like Busch Gardens, Seaworld.

 

Fave memory was probably the Back to the Future ride at Universal few years ago but sadly its been replaced. Weather is intense during the summer like now, 35+ celsius plus the humidity. They do a great breakfast buffet all you can eat for $4 at Sizzler.

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Yeah I'd recommend buying your tickets in advance... bought mine online a few weeks before hand, and you take the print outs along to the park.

 

You can get a combination SeaWorld & Busch Gardens ticket, saving money, and also save money on your Universal tickets.

 

Also Rez I HIGHLY recommend you go to,

 

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf... http://www.piratescove.net/location/5

 

It's on International Drive, so near Universal and Seaworld, and is open all day long.

Night time golf FTW!!

 

And yeah if you want to go shopping, go to The Florida Mall, but be warned it's EPICLY HUGE, the misses is bound to love it, so be prepared because you'll need a day there to explore!

Nintendohnut Newbie

Nintendohnut

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I can't really say much more than the guys above. You'll love it, spend a day at each disney park then go back to the one you liked best. Plan your routes round the park before you go as you need to prioritise where you want to go as you probably know. If there are parades on in the day, that is definitely the best time to get on rides as they are DEAD quiet. 3 days at Universal is a good amount. Also don't forget water parks, they're epic fun and people tend to forget them and head to the theme parks. Busch Gardens is also surprisingly good, but not as good as Universal or Disney in my opinion.

 

Food is epically cheap in most places (or it was when I went). If there are two Denny's restaurants near you, one will be awesome and one will be shit, so try both :) Also unless you're super rich try to take packed lunches to the park because Disney charge a lot for a burger etc.

 

Don't know what else to say apart from these were the best two weeks I've had ever, so you'll really enjoy it. My favourite ride when I went (which was some time ago) was the Incredible Hulk, but I'm sure there are better ones now.

 

Have fun!

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Following on from what's been said...

 

- Food in the parks is very expensive, compared to take aways and restaurants outside of the parks. TGI Fridays are EVERYWHERE and awesome as usual.

- Bottled water inside the parks again is expensive, but you'll need it! So buy a large multipack of water from a supermarket and take them into the park with you. For example... 1 bottle of water in the parks is $2.50... you can buy a multipack of 9/12 at a supermarket for like $3!!

 

 

Also Kennedy Space Centre (complete with coach trips featuring Crocodiles & Armadillos!!) FTW!!

 

And Space IceCream is Amazing!!

 

space-food--astronaut-ice-cream-neapolitan-.jpg

Edited by Retro_Link
Ramar Newbie

Ramar

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Busch Gardens is also surprisingly good, but not as good as Universal or Disney in my opinion.

 

In my opinion Busch Gardens is the best thing in Florida, the only theme park that comes close is Islands of Adventure. Disney is great the first time you go, but if your party is all adults its not as 'magical'.

 

Also if you're wanting to drink you'll need your ID everywhere you go, though tbh beer at some places is super steep like $8 a bottle at some parks.

 

All the advice on the all you can eat buffets is top advance, personally we favoured a local Golden Corral for buffets in the evening and Ponderosa in the mornings. Best tip is to pick up the coupon booklets they're everywhere and you save a few dollars on food, days out or what not.

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Disney is great the first time you go, but if your party is all adults its not as 'magical'.
This! As I said in the rollercoaster thread, if you set off early and get back late, at our age you can literally get round Magic Kingdom/Epcot/MGM Hollywood Studios in one day!

 

I was personally a little dissapointed with Busch Gardens, I'd rate both Universal Parks higher. But then it was the last park I went to and literally by the end of the holiday, 'coasters were getting tame.

Paj! Newbie

Paj!

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I've been 6-7 times for 2-3 Week Holidays, since I was 6 years old, and so it's kinda always been there, and I still love it. We don't stay in the parks, and really, it's only me, my uncle and only recently my sister that actually LOVE the parks themselves (and they still have the "magic" for me.), the rest of my family prefer just dossing about.

 

I just love how BIG everything is. Especially in contrast to the Paris one. You can't do any one park in full in one day, really.

 

And Universal and Islands of Adventure stun too/equally.

 

STRANGELY never ventured to Busch Gardens. We were meant to last time but never got round to it.

 

But then we spend a lot of time travelling around the place itself - I have family history in Sarasota - so we've been there a few times.

 

But yeah, a good portion of my good memories in life are from Florida.

 

My favourite memory from last time was that the only place of all of the UK and American record shops I'd been to thus far, only the Virgin Megastore in Downtown Disney had StrangeLittleGirls by Tori Amos with the alternate cover! :D

 

But yeah, recently, had so many "Florida Pangs" as my family call them. Random, out of the blue urges to go back.

Guy Newbie

Guy

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Man, I want to get out to Florida again so bad. America has everything I want from a holiday and nothing I don't. Halloween holiday time will serve you extremely well.

Emasher Newbie

Emasher

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Americans?

 

In certain parts of Florida you're going to almost end up with more people from other countries who spend their winters down there than actual americans.

 

Anyway, I went to Miami/Fort Lauderdale a few years back. I would say its probably one of my favourite cities in the states. Some really nice beaches, and architecture. The Florida Keys are quite nice as well. I didn't go to any theme parks though, so I can't say anything about those.

 

Just pack lots of sun screen and plan for the occasional thunderstorm. October is still hurricane season down there. Also, if you swim in the ocean, watch out for a purple flag on the beach, it means there are jellyfish around, so you should be careful.

 

Some general traveling tips:

 

If you're staying for a week or more, don't get a hotel room, in cities around the world there are companies that rent out fully furnished condos to travellers, they're usually much cheaper, larger, and all around, nicer to stay in.

If you do stay in a hotel, don't go for a high end one. In North america, they tend to be exactly the same aside from a few aesthetic differences (that you won't notice). The main differences tend to be that the high end ones charge for wifi (~$10-$20 per day) and breakfast (also at ridiculous prices), while the cheap ones give it to you for free.

If you have a microwave and fridge in your hotel room (just about all hotel rooms have these now), don't eat out when you don't have to, buy some groceries at the beginning of the trip and eat in your room, it will be much cheaper, especially if you want more than fast food.

Its usually cheaper to exchange you money outside of the US.

If you're hotel room key is magnetic, don't put it in your wallet.

In America, pickpockets are very uncommon, if you get robbed, it'll most likely be at gunpoint.

Edited by Emasher
Jimbob Apprentice

Jimbob

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I've not been to Florida, i do intend on going to America. Florida being a part of where i go to. One place i do want to visit is the Kennedy Space Centre, mainly because i am right into Space and the Universe, having completed a Science Project on Space and recieving an "A" for doing it. Which gives me an idea.......

  • 1 month later...
ReZourceman Newbie

ReZourceman

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Just booked my tickets. £1251 for three people for the usual suspects of parks, minus Wet N Wild (which we still might go to) but plus Halloween Horror Nights unlimited.

 

 

Expensssiiiiivvvvveeeeee. If I want to go to Florida again' I'ma make sure I get a high paying job. :D

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Yeah go for Aquatica.

Haven't done the Disney water parks, maybe they are a bit naff I'm not sure, but I've always thought this at Blizzard Beach looked immense...

 

blizzard_beach_summit_plummet.jpg

 

= Atomic wedgie!!

Edited by Retro_Link
Ramar Newbie

Ramar

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I can't believe in the two times I've been to Florida I never got on that, I even said the last time I wanted to go but no we never got to Blizzard Beach.

 

Wet 'n Wild and Aquatica are fun for a morning or afternoon. You probably could make a day of it, but on a two week trip its probably best to cram it in with another half day.

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