Booking two rooms at Pop Century or the All Starts

We go to Disney every year. Lately we%26#39;ve been staying off-property. In the past we%26#39;ve stayed at the Moderate Resorts, found them nice, but of course lacking a lot of amenities that other hotels provide free of charge. Anyway . . . this year my kids are off Easter week (this does not happen every year). Was thinking of booking two adjoining rooms at one of the Value Resorts, so we can be on property. Don%26#39;t want to spend a lot - we were just down Disney in December.

Would love to hear feedback from anyone that has done this. Also concerned that these resorts might be a little noiser than some other places - would also love to hear feedback on this.

Thank to anyone who can help!!

Booking two rooms at Pop Century or the All Starts

Ask for ';connecting'; rooms, not ';adjoining'; rooms. Adjoining just means your rooms will be next door to each other. Connecting means there will be access back and forth through doors between the rooms. It seems like a little thing, but when you expect one thing and get another, it can be a big disappointment.

Booking two rooms at Pop Century or the All Starts

Thank for that clarification. If we do this we do want the rooms to be ';Connecting'; via the inside!

philosophy

Mainsail suites safety

We will be staying at the Mainsail Suites in Tampa the last weekend in April. I want to make sure it is not in a crime area. Can anyone reasure me?

Mainsail suites safety

Never saw that area on TV. Hillsborough just North of that is very busy and a little dirty, but that%26#39;s like an area of a couple of car dealerships and convenience stores there. You will be right off the Vet expressway and airport. I don%26#39;t know what%26#39;s behind you there, but like I said I%26#39;ve never seen it on the news or anything.

I wouldn%26#39;t be walking around at night with cash falling out of your pockets, but why walk anywhere in Tampa when you can drive? That place looks like a sweet suite online. I didn%26#39;t even know that it existed (nestled all between the highway like that). Just remember that people walking around an Expressway or Airport at night are probably not tourists.

I would guess that the security is pretty tight there, but as for actual crime...no big flashing lights go off for me.

Anyone else?

Mainsail suites safety

Just wanted to add that it%26#39;s on Eisenhower. That road is more synonomous with business office complexes than crime. You are probably okay there.

Mainsail has the look and feel of an Upscale Apartment Community, you will be very safe in the complex, and it is in a Business Park.

La Quinta Inn

I am meeting my sister in Tampa and I am staying one night in the La Quinta Inn, has anyone been there. I am landing around 9pm, are there plenty of taxis outside the airport, have you got to ask what the cost is.

Thanks

La Quinta Inn

There are 3 La Qunitas in Tampa

La Quinta Inn Tampa Airport

4730 Spruce St

TAMPA, FL 33607

Phone: (813) 287-0440

La Quinta Inn Tampa South

4620 Gandy Blvd

TAMPA, FL 33611

Phone: (813) 835-6262

La Quinta Inn/Suites Tampa USf

3701 E Fowler

TAMPA, FL 33612

Phone: (813) 910-7500

I live in Tampa so I have not stayed at any of them, the one on Fowler near USF looks nice from the outside. The one near the airport is older, and has exterior corridors. I am not familar with the South location.

La Quinta Inn

I have stayed at the La Quinta Airport location on Spruce Street many times. It is an older facility, but rather decent and clean. No problems really. Staff were friendly and helpful always.

Each of the Tampa La Quintas are good. Teh one right outside the airport is a $10.00 cab fare(that is the minimum for any cab outside the airport), check with the hotel for shuttle service.

The La Quinta in South Tampa on Gandy Blvd is brand new and would be a $15.00 cab fare. The La Quinta at USF on Fowler is very nice, and about a $25.00 cab fare.

Thanks for the info, it is the one nearest the airport that I have booked. Is it safe to walk around this area as I will be staying there by myself

Thanks

Sue

Hi

On the Sunday morning I am picking up a car from 5111 W Spruce Street, it must be the same street as the hotel that I am staying in, could anyone tell me if it is walking distance to pick the car up.

Sue

What is the name of the car rental agency you are picking your car up? Value/Dollar and Thrifty are all next to the La Quinta. It is a safe area, the International Plaza and Bay Street(mall and restaurants) are within walking, as is Westshore Blvd which has hotels and resturants.

Hi

Thanks for the info, the car company that we are using is Alamo

Thanks

Sue

Check if the hotel provides a shuttle...you can walk it, but its about 1/4 mile on a busy road. Taxi would be best otherwise.

Someone posted that the La Quinta Inn in South Tampa (Gandy Blvd)was new. Can you tell me how new? When was it built? Is it in a good location? Restaurants nearby? Also how far from the hotel to Busch Gardens? I%26#39;m travelling alone with my kids so I want to make sure I stay in a safe place. Thanks.

I believe that the La Quinta Inn on Gandy Boulevard was built in 2003. You might want to check out their webpage at www.lq.com/lq/properties/propertyProfile.do鈥?/a> for more information. The hotel is very clean and well-kept. The staff members are exceptionally friendly. I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone staying in this area.

Thanks Lulutoo

Would the Hampton Inn be close to downtown for the Blues Festival?As long as she could get there, it would be OK. I%26#39;m not familiar with Ft Lauderdale!

Thanks Lulutoo

Yes, it iss Downtown a few blocks north of the Riverwalk area. I%26#39;m still not recommending that it be walked, although it might be possible. There also may be a bus that runs down Andrews Avenue by the hotel.

You can look at the reviews of Hampton Inn Downtown on this site and it will also connect to to Expedia where there is a map.

It is certainly much more expensive than Days Inn ( for good reason). While the reviews are not entirely good, it doesn%26#39;t have the same issues you probably saw for Days Inn- much more a businessman%26#39;s hotel. I think there is also a Comfort Inn Downtown south of Riverwalk. I%26#39;ll check that out and repost later today- I will be in that area later this morning.

This is the height of the tourist season so hotels are expensive and frequently full of pre cruise customers.

Wet N Wild Emerald Pointe

Anyone been to wet n wild in Greensboro NC? Are there any reputable hotels with easy access without much driving? How does the waterpark compare to others?

Wet N Wild Emerald Pointe

Do you want Orlando info or should you be on a different forum?

Wet N Wild Emerald Pointe

I want Greensboro, not Orlando. Seems too crowded.

remove brontok

TourGuideMike

I am not much for guidebooks, but I do like the the bits of insider info they can provide. Personally, I look at guidebooks for the basics and then use forums like these to get the opinions of many people to answer my questions and help me make my decisions.

On this trip to WDW we go in June (3 teens) and my 67 almost 68 yr old mom (who has just had knee surgery) has decided to join us. This changes things a bit and makes planning somewhat more important. I need to know things like where the closest A/C is, cause I know she will not be able to last all day in the sun. I don%26#39;t want to have to run all over the parks trying to find her someplace to rest inside with a/c.

Anyway, based on the reviews from a couple of other forums I looked up TourGuide Mike (which is basically a guide book on line-cost $20)and found it loaded with lots of when to go and how to go info.

Has anyone else used TGM-what do you think?

TourGuideMike

I have used TGM quite a few times for my trips -- and we have been at least 10x to WDW. His information and advice is invaluable. I know that on the wdwinfo.com discussion forums, a lot of people have used him.

Going to WDW Feb 14-21 -questions on crowds and internet

We will be arriving on Feb 14 and are staying at the POP Century Resort with our 9yr old and 6 yr old.

I have read where the parks are very busy during Presidents Week (luckily that is the week we go home). Does anyone know how the crowds will be or have been in the past for the week b.f presidents week?

Also as silly as this may seem, when the kids go to bed hubby and I have to work and the PC resort is the only one without high speed. Does anyone know if I can tap into wireless there? THANKS in advace.

Going to WDW Feb 14-21 -questions on crowds and internet

Historically crowds are not bad for the week in question, but you just never know. If they are, just get to the parks early and make good use of the Fastpass system.

Can%26#39;t help with the wireless question since I never travel with my laptop. But if you have never stayed at the Pop before, it is really really cute and your kids will love it. If the All Stars have high speed, you may want to switch to All Star Movies. While Pop is our favorite value resort, Movies is our favorite one of the All Stars. The only real difference(besides the Pop Icon theme and the ';Toy Story, Dalmations, etc.'; theme)is the the All Stars all share buses and Pop has its own. That shouldn%26#39;t be a big issue though because I don%26#39;t think crowds will be that bad.

Going to WDW Feb 14-21 -questions on crowds and internet

Can';t speak for the week before, but we went the week after last year. The longest line we had to wait in at Disney or Universal was 15 minutes. This year we are leaving Feb. 15th thru the 26th. We will get in Seaworld and anything else before the weekend hits, and then spend Presidents week relaxing at our timeshare. Just for your info, Presidents week is Febuary break in most of the Northeast, so by Sat., it will be crowded. Hope this helped a little bit.

President%26#39;s week in Disney is crowded, but nothing like Easter or Xmas. Also, you mentioned that when the kids go to bed you will be working -- the value-resorts (Pop or All Stars) are extremely small and there is not a lot of free space in the rooms.

philosophy

Looking for Romantic Honeymoon in Destin

Do any of you have any suggestions? Something with maybe a hot tub by the ocean? Does that exist in Destin?

Looking for Romantic Honeymoon in Destin

Although not a direct answer to your question, check these two previous threads:

Romantic Getway for Hubby and I?

Honeymoon Location in Destin Area

waves at clearwater beach

Hi, Im staying there in April third week, will there be waves or since its on the gulf side is it pretty tame.Keep in mind my kids are 7 and 13 so they arent really surfers, but they love waves. We live in Chicago so ..... thats what they are used too.Also any advice about what to do and see while there thank you.

waves at clearwater beach

Yes, there will be waves -

little itty-bitty teenie tiny ones - unless there is a storm out in the gulf.

waves at clearwater beach

so what do you suggest

You should stay in Cocoa Beach.The waves will be bigger.

We stayed in Cocoa Beach last year in May and had a blast. The waves were huge! (but not too huge) Even my 7 year old brother was out there w/ his boogie board the whole time and had a blast, as did my boyfriend and I. We are staying in Clearwater this year though, b/c we like to try somewhere new every year and have never been there. I don%26#39;t personally need the waves, just give me a float and and I will drift in the water to my hearts content!

We%26#39;re heading to Cocoa beach this June. Since your looking for an inexpensive room try renting a condo. You can hit the grocery store and not even spend any money to go out to eat. Check out www.vrbo.com which list vaction rentals in the states and all over the world. I%26#39;ve justed signed for #49507 for a week and it comes with a surf board, boogie board, chairs, umbrella and beach towels. No need to rent a thing. Good luck with your vacation plans.

Longdistance/endeavour/sailmaster is quite correct that the waves gently lap in - but when there is a disturbance out in the gulf the waves are quite substantial at times. Then the surfer dudes come down to the beach.

It is like the lakeside in Chicago usually, however.

Longdistance/endeavour/sailmaster is quite correct that the waves gently lap in - but when there is a disturbance out in the gulf the waves are quite substantial at times. Then the surfer dudes come down to the beach.

It is like the lakeside in Chicago usually, however.

i was gonna stay in cocoa beach but then people at work said it would be a little bit cold in april

i guess what i really need is to talk to someone that lives there so my email is sizzorgirl@yahoo.com and my yahoo im id is sizzorgirl67 please anyone

If your from chicago, april will be plenty warm(highs in upper 70%26#39;s to low 80%26#39;s), and water will be very swimmable at low 70%26#39;s. I surf there throughout the year.(wet suit in the winter)...you may even head to lauderdale by the sea, pompano beach, or fort lauderdale for some surf.

Clearwater is nice, and great for families, but the surf can be minimal unless a storm is brewing in the Gulf.

Girls Trip-We want hotel on nice beach, good nightlife...

We are a group of women celebrating my 30th b-day. We are thinking about Clearwater. We want to stay at a hotel on the beach, and somewhere that has good nighlife. Does Clearwater have good bars/nightlife? Any advice??

Girls Trip-We want hotel on nice beach, good nightlife...

When is the bday? Clearwater Beach is fun, Shepards Resort is lively, as is the Quality Inn next door(The Wave nighlclub, Shepards Tiki bar, Frencys, Palm Pavillion)..

My 30th, was in Fort Lauderdale, and was a blast..

Hope this Helps!

delegates

Hotel close to Days Inn on Broward Blvd?? Please help ASAP!

Is there a hotel within walking distance of this hotel?? My friend is staying there and it is not the best!! No car, and is working at the Blues festival-does anyone have a quick suggestion?? I don%26#39;t know this area-thank you!

Hotel close to Days Inn on Broward Blvd?? Please help ASAP!

I%26#39;m afraid I don%26#39;t know af any hotel near that one- and you are right- it is not one I would stay in ( and I would certainly not feel comfortable walking anywhere near there).

The new Hampton Inn on Andrews Avenue would be the closest and that is nowhere near walking distance.

Your friend would need to consider a rental car ( and be willing to spend considerably more per night) to have any other options.

I assume they are ';stuck'; at the Days Inn because they are providing some sort of shuttle- but if they can afford a better situation I would advise it.

If they do end up at Days Inn- I would advise never travelling away from a group- it in in a very iffy part of town- at the I-95 exit- not a place where most folks would want to stay if visiting Fort Lauderdale.

Sorry I can%26#39;t be more help- maybe someone else has an idea.

Hotel close to Days Inn on Broward Blvd?? Please help ASAP!

I would not recommend staying at the Days Inn at all, not even to my worst enemy! I agree that the Hampton Inn would be a much better choice.

need some good advice

Hello,

I am planning on taking a buddy of mine down there for a bachelor party in June...Can anyone advise me on where to stay. We a re looking for a good location but it doesnt have to be super nice as we wont be spending much time at the hotel. We will have about 20 guys with us so any advice is well appreiated.

need some good advice

Sully, i just came back fron my first trip to Sobe. I strongly suggest that you stay in a hotel that is on Ocean Drive or on Collins Ave. directly behind Ocean Drive. There is a strip of sidewalk facing bars and clubs on Ocean Drive with a number of hot spots such as the Victor Hotel, Mangos and the Clevelander.You may have to travel a little to some of the other venues such as the Delano, but for those last last few hours of wildness, you might as well be within stumbling distance of your hotel. Be prepared though, that place is Babe City, more so even than Vegas.

need some good advice

hey thanks bro I appreicate it...we are actually staying at a place called the Colony Hotel...I kow its on Ocean Drive but I hear its not the nicest..oh well

Hi Sully,

I%26#39;m staying in the Colony Hotel in September with a few mates. I too have read mixed reviews about the place but it appears to be right in the middle of everything.

Let me know what it%26#39;s like! Its good to hear that it%26#39;s babe city too :-)))

Disney Cruise / Transport from Poly to Port C.

Hi,

Just looking for some information on questions below, hope you can help...

1. Day excursions on Disney Cruise (we are going on the Costa Maya cruise)what trips would be recommended? I have read here before that some are not worth doing. As well as Costa Maya, we are going to Cozumel and Castaway Cay.

2.Cruise Dining options. I went for 8.30pm seating, mainly because we wouldn%26#39;t have to rush back from day excursions - is this a suitable time for a 6 (nearly 7) year old?

3. I have booked a stay at the Polynesian prior to the cruise, could you please suggest how we travel from the Poly to Port Canaveral? I don%26#39;t mind driving (I have driven on the right hand side around Eurpoe before), but it might not be worth it for the day as I don%26#39;t intend to drive at all apart from that. Should I try and get a transfer from the Poly to the cruise with a cab company?

Thanks in advance...M.

Disney Cruise / Transport from Poly to Port C.

Have you checked with Disney to see if they provide a shuttle, even though you have booked your hotel and cruise separately? Even if it were for a fee, I%26#39;m sure it would be much less than a taxi. Taxi%26#39;s here are outrageously expensive.

Disney Cruise / Transport from Poly to Port C.

We went on the 4 night Bahamas Disney Cruise, so I can%26#39;t help with excursions. We selected early seating for dinner and our children 3 %26amp; 5 who normally don%26#39;t go to bed until 9:30pm were falling asleep at the table. Only one night did they make it threw the entertainment and one evening we had to skip the entertainment altogther.

We had a car for our stay and it%26#39;s just a straight easy drive across 528 to the port. It took us just under an hour to reach the port. We liked it because we didn%26#39;t have to rely on anyone and went when we were ready. Parking at the port was $10/day. If you%26#39;re not going to have a car for your stay, then it might be best to hire transportation either through Disney or an external company such as Mears or Florida Town Car. Friends of ours rented a car for a couple days, dropped the car off at the car rental office near the port which offered transportation to the port from the office and then rented a car when they got off the cruise. Sounded like too much logistics for me.

You should do some research on your cruise on wdwinfo.com and go into the cruise line discussions. This website has a lot of information and you will find answers all your questions and more. I recommend a limo car or even a rental car to take you to the port. Or, even the Disney transportation is OK.

A lot of the families with young kids will be at the early dinner seating, and the older kids will be at the later dinner. It all depends on your kids and if they do well eating so late. People reported their kids falling asleep at the dinner table at the later seating. We enjoyed the later seating.

coolinarriq, posted under your original question. apologies for the delay in answering. S-M

Thanks everyone for your replies...M.

philosophy

kayaking

Where is the best place in the Fort Myers area to kayak? I%26#39;ve never done it before but always wanted to. We%26#39;ll be there in May. Thanks!

kayaking

You can rent them at Lovers Key State Park. A lovely place to expore.

kayaking

Another option is to come on over to Sanibel Island and rent your kayaks (unless you have your own) from Tarpon Bay outfitters. Beautiful open water and between island routes from their starting base.

Questions for our UK friends

Ok,

Gotta ask, what is it about this Disney/Florida that so many people from the UK find so appealing? There seem to be so many posts from across the pond that it seems to be a popular destination for you.

Now I loved London when I went there on my Honeymoon, and it wan not just the language thing, it seemed like the British people we came across loved Americans (that was pre Iraq war-9/11), we felt so at home, add in the incredible history and culture-we never wanted to leave. Is that the same for you? Or is it that you hate the French and the rest of Europe more than you hate the US?

I think the only people we have met that love the US more than the Brits were the Austrailians we met at the Eiffel Tower in Paris-now those guys were nuts but they gushed about how they loved Americans. Discuss.

Questions for our UK friends

im a big fan of the good ol%26#39; U.S.of A ok so president bush has made a few cockup%26#39;s but america and its peeps are great. you will find the people that hate america are the deranged left wing liberals that see america as the great satan of today!!

Questions for our UK friends

DisneyBaby!Y

ou have got one thing correct, us Brits hate the French !! Anyone who eats snails and frogs has got to be mad (yes I have tried them).

I love America and everyone I%26#39;ve met has always been so nice (except one guy from Chicago who was really anoying)

Love the country and love the food.

When can I move there !!

I to am a fan of our America cousins.I have found the people to be very welcoming and friendly every time i%26#39;ve visited.

ps. most of the people i know would agree that the french aren%26#39;t exactly popular with us brits...don%26#39;t know why?

i%26#39;m with ADS i would like to sign up for the move across the pond too.

aw Crap ads!

I hope that annoying chap from Chicago wasn%26#39;t me. I know our midwestern nasal twang can get on your nerves.

Love the climate and have also met very friendly people certainly in Orlando. Never been anywhere else in the US. Whenever they find out we are English they are always keen to talk and in particular about Princess Di, whom you all seemed to love.

Not at all keen on the French - we have a mutual dislike!

Apart from Henry, Pires, Arsene, etc...

';Do you know why the French hate us (Americans)? Because they gave us the croissant, LE CROISSANT (!), and we turned it into a croissanwich (thank you very much)! A croissanwich is a croissant with a cheeseburger inside it.';

';Do you know why I like England? Because its not France.';

--Dennis Leary

I enjoy to hear the Brits and the Americans talk. The accents are much different. I look forward to saying ';yous guys'; like the Americans do when I am in Orlando.

Personally, I love to hear the Brits talk (even on paper) and I love their slang.

But what I am really interested in knowing about is your %26#39;laundry tablets%26#39;. I have heard Brits talk about these wonderful %26#39;laundry tablets%26#39; that are far better than laundry detergent in the US and I want some.

uk hosting

Hurricane damage? South Seas Resort?

I am planning a trip in August to Captiva Island and am thinking about staying at South Seas. Has anyone used or heard anything about the kids club? My son will be 5 then so I am curious if I should use it or not. What kind of shape is the island in since the hurricane? Will it even be worth going? Since we have never been, what kind of activities are there to do for adults and kids? How many days would be good? Thank you!

Hurricane damage? South Seas Resort?

South Seas Resort is still being rebuilt and won%26#39;t being it%26#39;s phased re-opening until March. Also, the property has just been sold to a different company, so that may, or may not, impact dates. The projected date for completion of all facilities is currently July this year. Unfortunately, South Seas has not yet hit a single target date. The resort is so revamped, I%26#39;m not sure any previous experience with kids club (there will be one and expanded from what I%26#39;ve read) and facilities will apply. South Seas will be looking better than before when they%26#39;re done.

The island has lost its canopy and looks very different. Everything except South Seas is open, but you%26#39;ll still see some damage. The long closing of South Seas has impacted a lot of shops, but the restaurants seem to be doing OK. The beaches were fully renourished late 2005 and are once again wide.

South Seas is the largest resort on the two islands and is expanding all of it%26#39;s resort facilities while going through this ambitious restoration. Even many of the restaurants are changing menus and names. It seems to be heading upscale in all aspects.

Captiva Island

Has anyone stayed at an island home called Margarita Villa and what kind of shape is the island really in after the recent hurricanes?

KJB

Captiva Island

The canopy is gone, as it is on Sanibel, but it%26#39;s more noticable on Captiva, especially along Captiva Drive up to Tween Waters Inn.

Haven%26#39;t Stayed in Margaritaville villa. I know the place and the photos show a new interior. It is in the area of the island considered to be Captiva Village and pretty much walking distance to restaurants, though walking along Captiva Drive at night is a bit risky. That area lost some of its privacy with the loss of all the plants and trees, but it%26#39;s far enough off the road that the traffic on Captiva Drive sould be an issue. The area is just more open now.

These owners (assuming you%26#39;re renting direct) seem to really take care of their properties.

Captiva, kids and beach

Hello - we are thinking of renting a Captiva home on or very near the beach in July of this year. I would appreciate any one%26#39;s advice on houses. I would also like to know opinions on the water/Gulf for kids. Is it clear? Deep? I have heard there was lots of seaweed. True? We%26#39;ve also thought of the keys as our other choice - how would you compare the two?

I would love to hear your experiences and recommendations.

Thank you!

Captiva, kids and beach

We took our kids to Captiva last year for Spring Break and are returning again with them in July of this year. We have rented a home on the bay side near Captiva Village. We always rent through Royal Shell Vacations (www.royalshell.com). They have numerous accommodations of every type. We are renting the house named Bay Jah View because we like the pool and hot tub, the layout for the kids, and the closeness to Captiva%26#39;s Village area.

There are also very nice homes on the beach side, but are a little more costly. The thing about Captiva is that it is 1/2 mile wide at its widest point, so even if you stay on the bay side, you still have a short walk to restaurants and the beach.

We love Captiva - we go at least once a year (sometimes twice when we%26#39;re lucky).

For more information about Sanibel and Captiva, visit the web site www.bestofsanibelcaptiva.com. They have a wonderful message board full of tips and recommendations.

Captiva, kids and beach

Hi Pantherfan, I rented Bayjah view a couple of years ago. It is lovely and an easy walk to everything in town.

Reilly3, the water varies depending on the weather. If the weather is calm, the water is lovely and clear. If the waves kick up, it is less so. It is easy to find very shallow areas/sandbars near the shore. There is not a lot of seaweed, but there are lots of shells and you%26#39;ll want watershoes for the kids so they dont%26#39; cut their toes on the shells. Also, remember to teach them to ';shuffle'; their feet when walking in the water. There are stingrays around, but they honestly won%26#39;t bother you unless you happen to step on one.

Between the keys and Captiva, with kids, I%26#39;d say Captiva if you like the beach. The beach is absolutely lovely on Captiva and the keys doesn%26#39;t really have much beach. The water is warmer at Captiva and there are lots of great houses to rent there.

I love both Captive and the Keys. Tough choice! Captiva has great shelling and the beaches on Sanibel and Captiva are lovely. They used to have crab races at the Tween Waters Inn (great family place to stay) that my kids loved when they were growing up. The Bubble Room and The Mucky Duck are both not to miss restaurants.The Pink Flamingo is also a fun dive for a hamburger or fish sandwhich. Also renting a boat and running over to Cabbage Key for lunch is a fun thing to do. Kids would love the boat ride and you will love the lunch at the famous restaurant there. I think that for young kids Captiva is a better choice. Go to the Keys too sometime though, maybe more fun w/out the kids there! Depending on the ages of your kids, the Thomas Edison Museum is in nearby Fort Myers and very interesting if you like history.

I rent houses on Captiva often. I%26#39;ve rented direct from owners and used agencies. In addition Royal Shell, try Resort Quest and captiva-island.com The last has quite a few houses in the Village area convenient to shops and restaurants and a short stroll to the beach on private lanes.

The water can have seaweed. The beaches are %26#39;shelly%26#39;. Lots of crushed shells making the sand hard on the feet in areas. The water can be sandy as its shallow. At certain times of the year it can get a %26#39;tea%26#39; color - usually down by Sanibel. It comes from the mangroves and on occasion from the water releases from Lake O.

The water is shallow and warn and very good for safe playing and swimming. Shelling is highly addictive and you%26#39;ll find kids can spend hours looking for new and different ones.

The Keys have limited beaches. The nicer ones, say from Marathon south to Key West are quieter. The water is is generally clear and get deep quickly.

I happen to prefer Captiva to the Keys, but that%26#39;s me.

La Playa in March

Hi there

I will coming over from London in March and have found a good deal for the La Playa.

I will be there from the 7th March - is this is a very busy time in Naples ? I also understand the hotel is a club for locals which may add to the number of people.

Basically I do not like very busy loud pool areas so I need to know whether to look elsewhere.

My travel agent also found me a good deal for the Marco Island Mariott so that could be an option.

Many thanks in advance

La Playa in March

There will still be quite a few people there who go to Naples for the Winter, but most should have returned to their Northern homes.

La Playa in March

Have been to both of your possibilities and love both. However, the Mariott is more family friendly so it%26#39;s less likely to provide the pool atmosphere that you want. We take our kids with us to the Mariott but not La Playa. La Playa is a fabulous place to stay. Honestly, I don%26#39;t understand the ';club for locals'; comment. The bar is very small (seating at the bar and maybe 4 small tables), it%26#39;s not a ';club'; atmosphere, although they do have live music sometimes. They do consider themselves to be a golf resort, but the golf course is off-site not right at the hotel. However, it since it is a very nice hotel and has a highly rated restaurant I know that it is a destination even for people who actually live in Florida. I would definitely stick with La Playa. The beach is better, it%26#39;s smaller and more intimate than the Mariott. I%26#39;ve stayed there about 4 times and don%26#39;t remember seeing a lot of children. It%26#39;s not a destination for the crazy college spring break crowd, because it%26#39;s not the right atmosphere. Also, their spa is great. March is still a busy month in the area. Most of the ';snowbirds'; stay until Easter and then head to their northern homes. There are some nice restaurants along Gulf Shore drive and in Downtown Naples, if you want to be safe, make reservations. Often, though, we just plan to wait (sometimes up to an hour) and have drinks or walk through shops while we%26#39;re waiting for our table. Have fun -- LOVE that area!

Thanks ever so much for your detailed response.

You have made my mind up - La Playa it is !

Thanks again

We too will be at LaPlaya at the beginning of March. We will stay in the Bay Tower..across the street from the main building, but in a ';Coastal View'; room. I am hoping that this ';across the street'; building isn%26#39;t too noisy, meaning the noise coming from the street itself. Any comments on this room location? From what I can tell, it is a small street. We really want to stay at this resort, having read nice things about it. And, it will certainly be better weather than here in Ohio!

Marriott Marco Island is a zoo!!

La Playa is Naples!!

Naples is WONDERFUL!!!

No choice...

Stan

Marriott Marco Island is a zoo!!

La Playa is Naples!!

Naples is WONDERFUL!!!

No choice...

Stan

philosophy

5 in a room- Spring Break South beach

If anyone who has been to south beach for spring break how difficult is it to sneak a fifth person in a 4 person room ?

We are thinking about staying at the Hotel Chelsea ...Opinions ?

And will we be able to buy ';VIP';cards for clubs etc when we are down there or do we have to go with a spring break company that offers these... anyone know ? Is it even worth it ?

(there are a bunch of 23 year olds on a budget who can%26#39;t let go of college)

5 in a room- Spring Break South beach

Vaneska, I stayed at the Chelsea back in November, we had 4 in a room with 2 beds and it was tight, the hotels in SOBE are not that big. Have you looked into getting a suite? Your hotel should have free passes to get into different clubs, they had those when we stayed at Chelsea. Have fun!

fish

First time vistor

Can anyone advise on the best time of year to visit the Keys?

First time vistor

My personal favorite time to visit in November/early December. The air and water are still warm, you can still get %26#39;off season%26#39; prices for lodging, and it%26#39;s really cold and dark here in the midwest.

In all honesty, it%26#39;s too chilly for me in the keys right now, highs this week are only in the upper 60%26#39;s. If I%26#39;m paying for vacation, I want more heat.

I like it there in the summer too, but it is really hot. And lately, there have been more than an average number of hurricanes to worry about.

First time vistor

Yes, right now it%26#39;s freezing down here. I had to turn the AC off AND put on a long sleeve shirt....with the sleeves rolled DOWN.

BRRR!

I hear you, Steve. It%26#39;s freezing in Orlando too. It%26#39;s 60 right now, but supposed to go below 40 before tomorrow morning. TOO cold for me!!

Brrrrrrrrr!

I love the hot-hot-hot weather but a lot of people don%26#39;t, so I always recommend September to late November and March to early May. You miss the hottest months, the rainiest months and the potentially coldest months. Unfortunately, that still leaves you with the hurricaniest months.

When is the cold front in KW supposed to pass? It looks like on the weather.com site for extended forecast, no 70%26#39;s till Wed the 15th??? How much can you rely on that site and what is the %26#39;%26#39;local%26#39;%26#39; take on the weather for the 2/12-2/18 week? Still comin%26#39; down either way, just not as much water activity$$ spending. More bar time? LOL

We%26#39;re March people. We%26#39;ve been down from January through March (As well as October and November) and feel early March gives us the best odds of avoiding a cold snap and the best feeling of avoiding a cold, northern winter. There%26#39;s always a possibility from December through March that the wind will come out of the north and drop the highs into the 60s and the lows into the 40s. We%26#39;ve been caught too many times in January and February. (That being said, it was down right nippy in the middle of March in 2005).

One think about October and November: while I enjoyed the days, I found the nights too muggy. Not unexpected, just uncomfortable.

Thanks for all your advice. My husband won%26#39;t go near the Keys in hurricaine season. Do you think mid May would be OK?

It must be OK. There%26#39;s a whole crew of people going that month. I%26#39;m booked.

Pjk

Yea, May should be fine. I don%26#39;t think the hurricanes really get kicking untill mid to late summer. You have to get the water really warm. Besides, a hurricane while on vacation gives you LOTS of stories! You will not be put in harms way if one does come. We evacuate you! Then you get to improvise and have a really off the cuff vacation. I know this is bad to say, but when a hurricane comes the anticipation is just TO MUCH FUN. It%26#39;s the aftermath that is really the part you want to miss. Just NO FUN AT ALL.

Public Parking Garage

Is there still a parking ramp near Duval ? Can%26#39;t find it on any of the maps. What are the daily rates and can you leave car overnight if you choose to take a cab vs. driving?

Public Parking Garage

What do you mean by a parking ';ramp';? I know there is a parking garage...like a multi level thing at Caroline and Grinell. I have no idea of the price. The parking Garage that use to be at Simonton and Angela has been ';removed';..ie, knocked down. Now it%26#39;s a regular parking lot with hourly meters. Just find a spot near Duval a street or two off with no meter. Then you can leave your car overnight.

universal hotels

My family and I will be going to Universal soon and I am considering stayng on site. Rooms are exensive but I%26#39;ve heard the express pass is worth the price as it will probably be busy that week. Any thoughts on which hotel might be better? I%26#39;ve read so many reviews and both the hard rock and royal pacific have their perks and falls. I%26#39;m confused.

universal hotels

You%26#39;re missing the one on-site hotel that I would recommend the most of the three, the Portofino Bay Hotel. It is a very nice hotel, although a bit expensive, and you can use your room key card to avoid waiting in long lines at the Universal theme parks. The grounds of the hotel are beautiful and the place feels more like a small Italian village than a hotel. The Hard Rock is also an excellent place to stay, especially for families with chiildren. I am not so sure about the Royal Pacific. It seems like a ';hit or miss'; hotel. I%26#39;d stick with either the Hard Rock or the Portofino Bay Hotel. I hope that this helps.

vegetarian food

Im looking for some restaurants that serve vege food not just pizza

vegetarian food

I usually recommend the following website for information: www.happycow.net They should be able to direct you to vegetarian restauarnts in the greater Orlando area

day spa's in marco Island

just looking for a good day spa for a great massage. do any of the hotels have day spa%26#39;s?

day spa's in marco Island

The Mariott has a great one....there are also some others not attached to hotels.

philosophy

best web host

Tampa to Ft Myers

Will be flying into Tampa on way to Ft Myers. Have about 4-5 hours to kill. Heard it%26#39;s about a two hour drive. Where would good places to stop (food/drink) along the way?

Tampa to Ft Myers

I make this trip quite a bit and I don%26#39;t usually stop (unless I need gas or to pee) There is plently to see like the ringling museum in sarasota/bradenton or any of the beaches like seista key. The traffic is unpredictable and during the winter can take an hour to get from the expressway to the beach, what%26#39;s the harm in arriving early in FM? lots to do there. Oh and on a rare occation when there is an accident he may take 3-4 hrs to make the drive.

Tampa to Ft Myers

So you%26#39;re driving to Ft Meyers? ARe you going to go over the Skyway bridge to 75 (i.e., through St. Pete) or over to 4 and down 75 that way (i.e., across Tampa and down)?

I%26#39;ve driven both ways and it%26#39;s really not much difference time-wise. If you are going through St. Pete, there%26#39;s the Salvadore Dali Museum. That%26#39;s cool.

Going across Tampa there would be a bunch of Tampa things to do.

Right near the airport, I would recommend eating at Roy%26#39;s if you get a chance. It%26#39;s a chain, but very very good. If you are hear for lunch, I would recommend TooJays in the International Plaza (near the airport). Very delectable deli. Also at the International Plaza is Bar Louie (has like over 80 beers on tap and bar food) and Chammps (sports bar fare).

I-75 doesn%26#39;t have a whole lot of must-see stuff.

Sarasota is like 45 minutes out of Tampa and has some good restaurants and stuff there. Lots of places going in just off the Interstate. University Parkway has basically stripmall after stripmall. There%26#39;s a classic Car Museum if you take University all the way to 41 (right after you pass the Sarasota airport) and make a right onto 41. It%26#39;s right there. The wringling museum is around there too.

TOOday and Strongbad!! Thanks for the info! Sounds like my wife and the other couple will like Bar Louie!! Unfortunately, I have to drive. If you ever need any Indianapolis info let me know

After getting into Tampa, drive I-275 South to downtown St. Pete, and have some lunch at the Pier(Cha Cha cocnuts, or Fresco), maybe check out the Dali museum. Then head back on I-275 South and go over the Skyway Bridge, to I-75 South, the Ellenton Outlets will be about 10 minutes south...

Tampan%26#39;s right, I just saw some outlets at the Ellenton Exit today (off of 75...exit 224 I believe). It had this huge outlet complex, and there was some sort of ice-skating arena/museum/something. I don%26#39;t know why I missed that before.

I%26#39;m happy to help. I%26#39;ve always liked bar louie. I like to get Boddingtons from a tap much better than the can draught. And lots of widescreen tvs. They used to have a pool table, but either they got rid of it or moved it somewhere.

To get to International Plaza from Tampa Airport: just keep driving toward the exits, and look for the sign that says ';Spruce Street'; (should be the second of three off ramps). Zip zip zip and at the second stoplight take a Left onto Westshore. Follow that around the parking lot (be sure not to accidentally get on the rear access road because it veers off to the left and puts a large fence between you and the mall there) and Bar Louie and other restaurants will be in the same area that the Cheescake Factory is. Valet parking if you are feeling jaunty.

Re: Days Inn posting from cat.woman

Thanks for your responses-the Hampton Inn much better-we always go the Hampton in Williamsville New York-its always excellent!

Re: Days Inn posting from cat.woman

I was down at way this morning. The Hampton is easy walking distance to the Festival Area- about 3 blocks-and is right near City Hall- It%26#39;s highrise and clearly geraed toward business travelers.Tthe Days Inn is about 20 blocks to the West- in a very dicey area- the Salvation Army Rehab center as well as several other social service agencies are across the street- lots of ';Adult Video '; stores etc as well- the Hampton is clearly a better choice- but certainly won%26#39;t be cheap. If the Hampton is the choice the McGuires Pub across the street would be a good eating venue- as well as several spots like Downtowner Saloon that are close to the Festival. Hope it all works out!

Who does the best firework displays on 4th July

I have looked back over the recent posts regarding staying in Orlando during the first week in July. We plan to be there during that time this year and understand that it will be incredibly busy in all the Theme Parks. We%26#39;ve been to Orlando a number of times before and have always promised ourselves to go back %26amp; see the %26#39;4th of July celebrations%26#39; We are travelling with our teenage (16) son. I would appreciate any recommendations for what to do and where to go to enjoy the celebrations.

Who does the best firework displays on 4th July

Are you staying on property at Disney, or off property? If you are on property, I recommend the Magic Kingdom, but viewing them from one of the monorail resorts instead of in the park. The parks are all extremely crowded on the 4th, with locals and tourists. If you want to view them from inside the park, I would recommend not going to the park until late afternoon or early evening. You will be too exhausted to enjoy the display otherwise. It%26#39;s nice to make a dinner reservation at one of the monorail resorts, and then go outside for the fireworks, before heading back to your room.

If you are staying off property, you won%26#39;t have the luxury of going to the parks late, or using internal transport to get to a monorail resort. You can still drive and park at a monorail resort if you have a dinner reservation, but make sure you check Disney%26#39;s calendar and make your reservation late enough that you will be finishing dinner about 15 minutes or so before the fireworks are set to start. July 4th is one day that they will really enforce the parking limitations, and you don%26#39;t want to be asked to leave just before the fun starts! If you want to watch them from inside the park, you will need to arrive when the park opens and stay all day. Often on the 4th, the park will reach capacity early in the day, and only guests staying on property will be admitted to the park once this happens. So if you aren%26#39;t in there early, you won%26#39;t get in at all.

Who does the best firework displays on 4th July

We are staying on International Drive. I guess that means an early start. I thought about have a dinner reservation at the Polynesian Resort (Ohana) and watching the fireworks from there. Alternatively going to EPCOT on the 4th. Is the Magic Kingdom the best?

Universal has had a pretty mean fireworks display on July 4th in the past. I%26#39;ve watched it several times from locations outside the park, once at Dr. Phillips High School on Turkey Lake Rd. (they charged a small fee for a fundraising effort). If they still have it, its worth watching. They actually had two identical displays next to each other.

After dinner at the Polynesian go out to the beach and watch the Magic Kingdoms fire works. They are the best in town and you will avoid the packed park!

Thanks for your ideas. I like the sound of the Polynesian for a meal. Went there (Ohana)in 2001 and loved it! I reckon the fireworks from there would be fantastic.

Ohana is o.k. you can really stuff yourself silly and the beach is a good spot for viewing. My choice would be to spend a couple extra euros at The California Grille at the top of the Contemporary Hotel. If you can time your dinner correctly there is roof top observation deck with an awesome view, not just of the fireworks, but of all the adjacent lakes and properties. To steal a phrase ';truly magical'; Book Early!!

Just a heads up for you. We were there last July and Magic Kingdom had their 4th July firework display on the 3rd *and* 4th of July (I%26#39;m not sure if the other parks did this too, I%26#39;m guessing they did) so you could technically see the MK fireworks on 3rd (from the Poly or Contemporary or in the park) and then see the Epcot or Pleasure Island or Universal 4th July fireworks on the 4th. Both displays (i.e. the ones on the 3rd and 4th were identical).

The parks were packed but it was great! VERY hot - lots of water required :-)

What to do for 3 days in Miami for 6 from UK

Hi, we are spending 3 days in Miami 1st week of April between Las Vegas and Islamorada and wondered what are the must sees/dos in Miami as this is our first time. We already have tickets for ice hockey on the Saturday night but that is all we have planned. Many thanks.

What to do for 3 days in Miami for 6 from UK

chippers! ahoy!

Directly across the street from the ice hockey arena is THE BIGGEST and BEST DISCOUNT SHOPPING MALL in South Florida. You might literally spend the day there buying everyone on your list prezzies galore. There is an adjacent area with restaurants and bars and if you%26#39;re not in Miami to bask in the sun - it%26#39;s a must-see- shopping paradise.

Check out:

http://www.sawgrassmillsmall.com/

Where will you be staying in Miami?? - knowing the general location will help determine where to go and what to see.

On South Beach, you%26#39;ll want to check out the Beach (imagine?!) from 5th -11th on Ocean Drive. Lincoln Road pedestrian mall due west of Washington Avenue at about 17th Street for shops, sidewalk cafes, people watching, movies and bowling of an evening, casual Miami Beach style living...

Miami tourist attractions like Vizcaya, Parrot Jungle, a few nice museums perhaps? Bayside Marketplace on Biscayne Blvd.

Islamorada is a great deal of fun. The drive down is divine. Please check out Alabama Jack%26#39;s en route, the Islamorada Fish Company for lunch, Holiday Isle Tiki Bar for a rum runner, Casa Morada...

You%26#39;re in for a great adventure.

Did I mention the weather is DIVINE???

What to do for 3 days in Miami for 6 from UK

Thats brilliant Advisorgirl, we are staying in the Century hotel in Miami (think is is 2 blocks from Ocean Drive)then we are staying at the Caribean Resort in Islamorada. Thought about going to the Dolphin Research Centre whilst in Islamorada. But have no ideas about what to do in Miami. Thanks for the help.

One thing many people like to do when they come here to visit us is go on an airboat ride out where the Miccosukee Indians are. There%26#39;s also the alligator farms/wrestling. You can find coupons to save money. There%26#39;s also a site down towards Islamorada as well.

On your way down to Islamorada you may want to stop by Knauss Berry Farm:

http://www.redlandriot.com/Knaus.html

People come from all over to stop there and it%26#39;s on the way there, just a short hop, skip and a jump from US1. Be aware, Saturdays they get swamped. Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., November through April. Cash only.

Nice place near there for lunch, Tiffany%26#39;s Tea Room aka Tiffany%26#39;s Cottage Dining. Other places down in the Redlands:

http://www.redlandriot.com/Dining.html

Chips!

The Century Hotel is on Ocean Drive south of 5th Street. Great choice. There is a lovely park leading to the beach just across the street. There are quiet sidewalk cafes (yes, Starbucks too) nearby. You will be close enough to the epicenter of Ocean Drive%26#39;s busy section but a safe enough remove to ACTUALLY sleep.

Leaving the hotel and turning left - northbound - and again left at 2nd Street, you will find a quiet sports pub called Ted%26#39;s for a drink and a game of pool or a glimpse of the sports on TV if you find one or two of you need a break from the group. Further along at the end of this block, check out Big Pink at 157 Collins for a casual breakfast or a reasonable bite until 5am weekends. The place is family friendly and has indoor %26amp; outdoor seating.

Back on Ocean, walk due north from your hotel all along the beach front to see what all the fuss is about. Ocean Drive is lovely and some of the hotels have maintained the glorious Art Deco styling that makes Miami famous. You will hear Mangos before you get there - it%26#39;s an outdoor cafe with loud Latin music and often dancing on the bars. It%26#39;s touristy but - after all - you are tourists! Check out the News Cafe for round the clock snacks at 8/Ocean, the Clevelander pool bar at 10/Ocean.

It seems you have rented a car if you%26#39;re venturing up to a hockey game (give yourself an hour to drive there from your hotel). My suggestion is you travel by taxi or a 25 cent shuttle to get around South Beach rather than fuss with parking:

www.miamibeachfl.gov/newcity/sobe_local.asp

20 blocks north of the Century, you%26#39;ll find Lincoln Road pedestrian mall - a nice spot for a stroll any time of day or night. There are countless cafes, bars, shops, a movie theater and a posh adult bowling alley featuring cocktail waitresses and bar snacks brought right to the lanes (in the event of rain)... This is a 5 minute/ $5 cab ride from your hotel.

Quick Picks for easy sidewalk dining:

*For casual Cuban Dining, try Lincoln Rd Cafe (943 Lincoln).

*Crispy pizza and amazing fried calamari at SPRIS (731 Lincoln).

*Upscale Italian at Da Leo (819 Lincoln).

*Thai %26amp; Sushi at World Resources or Sushi Siam (647 Lincoln).

*Just a slice to go at Pizza Rustica (667 Lincoln).

*Pub? Finegan%26#39;s 2 (corner Lincoln %26amp; Michigan)

3 Days?

Enjoy at least one full day all around Miami Beach, Saturday at Sawgrass Mills for shopping and an early dinner at the Oasis, then the hockey game is right across the street...

Finally, try something touristy like Villa Vizcaya in Miami and lunch in Coconut Grove at Scotty%26#39;s Landing outdoor cafe - 3381 Pan American Dr, Coconut Grove, 33133 - (305) 854-2626

The drive to Islamorada is picturesque and should take at least half a day with stops as suggested at the Berry Farm and perhaps snorkelling at Pennecamp Park if you get an early start.

www.pennekamppark.com

Don%26#39;t miss Alabama Jack%26#39;s for a beer and some fried snacks (follow the signs in the upper Keys to Card Sound Road and drive and drive til just before the toll plaza... that ramshackle place? That%26#39;s Jack%26#39;s!)

You%26#39;re going to have a wonderful adventure!

Enjoy!

Crocs!

No not the snappy variety- someone said i should get a pair of sandals called Crocs which are apparently very comfy for walking around the parks. They also warned me they look awful! Anyone heard of them or know where i can buy them in orlando?

Crocs!

http://www.crocs.com/home.jsp

They look pretty much available, I don%26#39;t think ugly is quite a strong enough word though!!!

Crocs!

Never heard of crocs, but I have a pair of Keens sandals and I saw a lot of they in Orlando. Butt ugly and very confortable with good arch support that%26#39;s missing from most sandals. I got mine from LL Bean mailorder. see www.keenfootwear.com to see what they look like.

I don%26#39;t see a company site for Croc sandals, but I found them on islandsruf.com Very reasonably priced.

Look at the Keen sandals Rono for ugly, but the are comfortable for walking, esp. in the surf or jungle areas!!!

I just bought a pair of Reef sandal with a bottle opener in the sole. I have priorities.

Rono I do like your priorities. Where did you get them? My husband would love sandals like that for sailing.

Reef is carried in a lot of stores. They are really mostly flip flops. These were at a shoe store at the mall.

In my area, crocs are carried at Payless Shoes. If you go to payless.com and type crocs in the search it will bring up the same style shoe in a different brand. These shoes are very popular right now, so they shouldn%26#39;t be hard to find.

croc shoes are a brand. The ones at payless are a generic kind. Dillards carries crocs. Make sure you get ones with holes at the top not the solid rubber ones. I have some and just love the comfort. My husband does surgery on his feet and they are very comfortable. I also have keen sandles and love the comfort. It might be good to get both kinds for the trip. Both aaare water proof which will be very good. Whatever shoe you get make sure you wear them alot !!! before you actually go to break them in.

Have Fun

I also have seen them on Nordstroms.com

Also look at Birkenstocks. I have many pairs and they are so comfortable!

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hotel close to sea world and universal

Can anyone recommend a clean , free breakfast, free transportation to Univ and SW hotel around the $100 range? Also, do the hotels usually sell tickets to parks or is it cheaper to purchase tickets at the parks?

hotel close to sea world and universal

The only decent place in that area that is within your price range that I would recommend is the Comfort Inn International. It is a very nice and clean hotel that serves a breakfast buffet (free) each morning. I don%26#39;t think that they provide a free shuttle, but the I-Drive trolley stops near the hotel and takes guests to local attractions like Universal, Wet N Wild, and Sea World. It is in an ideal location and is a great value. The hotel%26#39;s webpage is choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/HotelInfo鈥?/a> for more info.

hotel close to sea world and universal

I am not sure about the free transportation (although I think they go to Universal), but we stayed at the LaQuinta Convention Center in June and it was quite nice. I believe it was around that price range. They had a decent complimentary breakfast (continental style), nice rooms, a nice little pool and were conveniently located.

A lot of hotels will sell tickets at their guest services desks. It depends on whether they run the desk themselves or run it as a concession, whether you get a discount. There are around 4 large guest service concession companies who operate a lot of the desks, and due to their ticket volume, they are able to offer discounts. In the I-Drive area, it%26#39;s pretty common for people to go around to a few hotels getting price brochures to see who has the best deal. Be careful of small stands or portable buildings. Those kind of ';here today, gone tomorrow'; sort of businesses usually deal in used or stolen tickets, which is illegal in Florida.

The I-Ride Trolley is very convenient if you stay anywhere along I-Drive. They sell 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 day passes for unlimited rides all day. It runs from Universal at the north end to Premium Outlet Mall at the south end.

thank you everyone!!

We stayed a night at the Hawthorn Suites Seaworld. $100 or less range. It was nice and offered the basic breakfast fare (cereal, waffles, toast, juice, etc) as part of the hotel rate. Not a fancy pool but a pretty pool area. The suites are two rooms--bedroom and kitchenette/living area. And for a big family like mine, it was nice for one night. I cannot say if the hotel offered transporation to the parks as we had our own car. But many, if not most, hotels in Orlando do offer this service. I think you sometimes save a bit of money (three or four dollars) buying the tickets at the hotel kiosks (which adds up if you have several people to buy for). But the hotel kiosks really do not offer that much of a discount unless they are hawking some kind of time-share deal for which your would have to attend a time-share sales pitch. Then, you can probably get ticktets at $20 a piece. Which is a big savings. But you have to commit yourself to a two-hour, high pressure time share pitch. If you just keep a Zen-like attitde during the sales pitch, you can usually come out unscathed and save about $100.00 or more in ticket costs.

Savona Suites at Lake Buena Vista is an excellent location if you%26#39;re driving up to Universal and Seaworld as it%26#39;s on a Plam Parkway which runs into Turkey Lake Road that goes straight up to Universal without using the busy congested roads and turn off Turkey lake to Seaworld - we used it everyday. Transport was to Disney only I think.

Hi. I booked a room at a place called I-Drive Inn which is 60 bucks a night with a breakfast. It%26#39;s sappost to be 1 block from Universal a person wrote a 15 minute walk. I also read that the transportation can sometimes be a real joke {?} that there either so crowded or they will only run twice a day {I%26#39;m talking about the complimentary transportation provided by some hotels}

I%26#39;ve never been to the state of Flordia so all I know about my room is what I read on here and from Expedia.Anybody ever stay at the I-Drive Inn?

Did you check the reviews for the I Drive Inn? I would never stay there. I had a room across from Wet N Wild a couple years ago and immediately left and stayed further down on I Drive, There were police inside and outside the hotel and it was a very seedy area especially at night. Maybe it has improved but the hotels at the other end in the 7000 - 9000 address may be alot better. There is a Comfort Inn, Quality Inn and Best Western all which have free breakfast, free transportation to parks and if you go to Choice Hotels website they should be under $100. Try to use Entertainment or AAA discounts as well. I have seen these hotels as low as $40 - $50 and the reviews especially for the Best Western and Quality are not bad. If you want to be closer to Universal within walking distance there is a Holiday Inn Suites on S. Kirkman road with an entertainment rate of $89 for a suite which I have stayed in. Full kitchen and living room with double bedroom. Avoid the regular rooms which have been rated lousy and stay with the suites which have been renovated and are nice and spacious. They have a free shuttle to Universal and Seaworld. If the shuttle time is not good the cab is around $5 to Universal and $10 to Seaworld. But again you can walk over to Universal and it is very safe. There is also a DoubleTree and La Quinta on or near Major Blvd. within a 20 -30 minute walk to Universal and all of these hotels have free shuttle also. Just make sure you check out the reviews as a cheap hotel can ruin your vacation. You can purchase tickets for Universal on their website with super values. I just purchased a 2 day 2 park pass with 3 EXTRA days for $106 with tax. Plus I get a free kid pass!! Seaworld I purchased at the gate for $63 and do not know if you can do better. Good luck and have fun!

The I-Drive Inn used to be a Holiday Inn Express and if you (justgetthere) would have read the reviews first, you would see that it is not an ideal place to stay. There are many reports of guests having things stolen from their room at this hotel. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.

I hope you can cancel the I-Drive Inn on International Drive. If you go into travelzoo.com there are 2 great deals for hotels in LBV for $59 and $69 with decent reviews. They both have breakfast and shuttles. I have stayed in the area and it is quite nice. I check travelzoo.com every Wednesday when they add new listings. Great site as you can cancel reservations and there is no prepayment.

philosophy

New here, need help please!!!!

Me and my girlfriend are wanting to go to Disney world for 4 days\3 nights...

We are comming from buffalo, ny and would like some help on where on the net is the best and most reliable (sp) place to get the best deals.....

Thank you so much in advance!!!

New here, need help please!!!!

Welcome smarks!

Deals for airfare are great on Kayak.com, or Mobissimo.com. Kayak gives you many gate options and prices. Also try the usual places like travelocity and expedia. If you want to stay on the property, try Mousavers.com. They give great advise for first time bookers. I suggest you price out options of car rental for off property accommadations vs. Magical Express and Disney transportation and apply any savings to staying on property! It makes a huge difference. If you stay on property, you can also take advantage of the ';extra magic hours'; program which is only available to property guests. This is what I would suggest for a 3 nighter. We%26#39;ve been there about 30 times, and I bet you%26#39;ll want to return again and again! Let us know how you like it!

New here, need help please!!!!

You won%26#39;t find any deals on park tickets unless you do some timeshare junk which I would never waste my time with. I agree with the previous post about staying on-site. Since it sounds like you are only interested in doing the Disney parks, then you would make great use of the free Magical Express airport to resort and back service offered by Disney. You can then also use Disney%26#39;s free park shuttles throughout your stay and save on a rental car and as stated take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at the parks that is only for resort guests. If you can get an early morning flight the first day and a late afternoon flight your last day, you could maximize your park time because the Disney resort will take care of your luggage so that you can maximize your park time. If you arrive early in the morning, they will go ahead and issue your park tickets and keep your luggage so you are on your way to have fun. When you come back at night your luggage will be in your room. On the last day (if you get the four day ticket since you will be there 3 nights 4 days)you can go ahead and check out of your resort and they will keep your luggage there and you can enjoy another day at the parks because your park tickets are still good even though you checked out. When it is time for your flight your luggage is ready to go and you just hop on the Magical Express back to the airport.

Disny has some great value resorts. They are themed to the max like everything at Disney. The rooms are a bit smaller than the more expensive and they don%26#39;t have the plush amenities, but are very cute, very clean, have lovely manicured grounds, two to three pools each,the same free shuttles and large food courts. Of the value resorts Pop Century is our favorite. It is really really cute and has three pools. It has its own Disney buses instead of sharing with any other resort. I think it would be a great choice for saving money and getting the full benefits of staying on-site which is great especially for a short trip because you don%26#39;t waste time driving anywhere. Hope this helps.

Oh, about for where to book. If you stay on-site you will find it the same no matter who you book from because Disney tickets and hotel rates are pretty set. We normally book everything directly through Disney because of the ease of doing so and the ability to get the dining plan which is a great value if you and your girlfriend want to eat at the best table service restaurants as well as counter service. We love it and it can only booked as a package deal for resort guests because it is based on your nights there. Here is the low-down on that. Also included are some sites for participating restaurants (very few that aren%26#39;t) and menus:

The dining plan is great if you don’t plan on eating fastfood counter service for most meals. If you want to eat at the better table service restaurants also then it is a great savings. You can get whatever you want regardless of price and the tip is included. You don’t have to worry with cash/credit cards because you just use your “Key to the Kingdom” card. Each person in your party gets 1 table service meal, 1 counter service meal, and 1 snack per night of your stay. (note: it is based on the number of nights you are booked in a resort and not how many days you are there) You can use them in any order you wish until they are all gone. You can use 2 table serves each and 1 counter and 3 snacks each in one day if you are really hungry and use 1 table serve and 2 counters the next day and so on until they are gone. They will give you a print out each time you use the plan so you know exactly what you have left so you don’t have to keep up with it or be caught off-guard after ordering a huge expensive meal and discover you have nothing left. Counter service includes one entrée (or combo meal), one drink and one dessert per person, table service includes one appetizer, one entrée, one drink and one dessert per person and price is not an issue. You can order the most expensive things on the menu if that is what you want. Most all ice cream and pop carts are considered for the snack option. We love the dining plan. It is approximately $38 per adult per day and $10 per child (age 3-9) per day. We are a family of three (2 adults and 1 child). So that is approximately $100 per day for us to eat with the plan since we have to buy very light snack breakfast (we use our refillable mugs for drinks). When we get our tickets for our table service meals (you still get a ticket it is just paid for already with the plan) it is normally $100-$150 just for the one meal. We won’t ever go without the dining plan again.

…go.com/media/…2006DiningLocations.pdf

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

Welcome Smarks....You%26#39;ll find a ton of info here. Since this is your first trip to Disney I would contact a travel agent that is a Disney Specialist. Their services are free and they will shop for you the best deals on hotels, ticket pkgs and answer any and all questions you have. I should know, I am one!! :%26gt;) I%26#39;ve sold 100s of Disney packages through the last 10 yrs.

As one poster said, Disney%26#39;s rates are pretty much locked in. Basically there are 4 Value properties, 4 Moderate and then it goes from there to Deluxe, Luxury and Homes Away from Home. When you want to go can make a major difference in your price. If you%26#39;re not locked in on a date, look at early to mid May. The weather is great, rates are pretty good and you won%26#39;t have the crowds in May that you%26#39;ll have over Spring Break, Easter or the summer months. What I would do is look at airfare on your own and then have an agent price a package for you with and without the air. In the Nashville area, we have Southwest and Delta that fly direct non stop to Orlando. The majority of my clients either drive or book their air on their own b/c Disney%26#39;s air rates are so high. I%26#39;m not sure how it would be from Buffalo.

If you%26#39;d like any other information please feel free to post back here w/your email address and I%26#39;ll contact you.

Good luck.

Karen

Hotels in Orlando - Are They Just Horrible?

Posted topic earlier about upcoming vacation at Universal Studioes and checked with booked hotel. I am NOT renting a car so location is important. I researched the hotels in the Universal - I Drive area and most are so bad I wouldn%26#39;t stay for free. The ones that are good seem to be on Universal Blvd but with no shuttle service. I am curious if Homesuites is REALLY as good as the rating as it is a chain hotel beating out the Ritz and Crowne Plaza? I cannot believe the way the hotels in Orlando are operating these days. I called the hotel I booked and asked 5 questions which all received invasive or negative responses i.e. shuttles up to Universal - times changes every week, pool bar - only open in summer I thought Florida was ';Summer';, pool area sunny = yes oh a positive, a renovated room - maybe might have a chance, as I am a member of their hotel, but who isn%26#39;t? so I might get to stay in one of the ';OLD'; rooms and hotel entertainment - a couple nights of Kareoke, I might as well stay home since I dont%26#39; even know how to spell it!! Where is there a nice clean hotel near Universal (which does have nice night life and I plan to spend most of time there) with a nice pool, and a late shuttle service. Taxis are fine if hotel is close to Universal. Of course I could pay $250+ and stay on site at Universal but for more problems? The on-site hotels don%26#39;t seem to get great reviews either. I am going to a Universal concert so will not consider any other area of Florida unless Jimmy Buffett was playing there. Any info appreciated. Thanks

Hotels in Orlando - Are They Just Horrible?

Hotels in Orlando aren%26#39;t horrible. But it seems like you are wanting the perfect hotel and that will be hard to come by.

Universal Blvd runs parallel to I-Drive, where you can access the I-Ride Trolley for a minimal charge. I believe their most expensive ticket is $10 for 14 days unlimited riding. The Trolley will take you to Universal and to Sea World. You will find that shuttles provided by the hotel do change every week, based on the operating hours of the park and the occupancy of the hotel. Also, the shuttles only run during normal park hours. If you are going to a special after hours event, they probably won%26#39;t be running. A cab would be your best alternative for the return trip.

During the winter months, there are fewer visitors and not as many people use the swimming pools at the hotels. That is why the pool bars are not always open. Even at Disney Resorts and Universal Resorts, you will find a lot of pool bars to be seasonal.

You will not find much in the way of entertainment at any Orlando hotel, other than perhaps a live musician in the lounge on the weekend. Most visitors will either be in CityWalk or Pleasure Island if they want night time entertainment, so there%26#39;s not much call for it. In fact, you will find more guests complaining about the noise if they do have it, so they just don%26#39;t.

Most rooms at Orlando Hotels are first come, first serve when it comes to renovated rooms. You can request one, but it is only a request. If you check in late in the day, they may all be taken. Typically the only guarantee a hotel will make is to give you either a smoking or non smoking room. Anything else, such as view, close to or far from elevator, etc., is considered, but not guaranteed. So while requesting a renovated room is the best way to get one, it doesn%26#39;t guarantee you%26#39;ll get one.

I would make a list of the absolute deal breakers as far as a hotel is concerned, and narrow your hotel choice down to three or four and then really research those choices to find one that meets the most of your needs. If you plan to be out late at Universal, you might want to reconsider staying on property. I have friends who just love staying at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Hope this info helps explain some of the answers you didn%26#39;t receive from your hotel. Enjoy your concert!

Hotels in Orlando - Are They Just Horrible?

fla4fun... what an absolute dead on on the money observation ...people who expect superior hotels and service should expect to pay for them.. the majority of the hotels on i- drive are clean reasonly priced and located primarily for tourists ..the likes of the ritz..carlton..rosen..peabody cater largely for the affluent and the conventions...there is an old saying... you pays your money and you takes your choice....

If you are going to limit yourself to one area of Orlando, you get what you get. My advice would be RENT a car for more options. Seems to me alot of people get on this site, and want to travel all over central Florida for free. Probably not going to happen anywhere in this country!

hi wutsnext,

i dont know where you got the idea that all of i-drvive hotels are bad. there are good and bad hotels all over the world, it all depends on what your budget is if you can afford why dont you go for the good ones on i-drive like the peabody etc. the homewood suiteson i-drive are good. really it all comes down to ones budget at the end of the day. and i am sure that a lot of of people will agree that i-drive is a hot topic many love it and many hate it. but on a good note it does have a lot of nightlife and good leating places that the kissimee and lbv.

thanks pam.

ps. by the way where are you from.

Hello wutsnext,

There are horrible hotels everywhere you travel and Orlando has some also. And no Homewood Suites doesn%26#39;t beat out the Ritz or JW Marriott by far.

We enjoyed the convience of staying at the Hard Rock resort when visiting Universal and the surrounding area. Yes, it%26#39;s pricey but it was great to be able to walk to Universal and the City Walk. It%26#39;s just like real estate, you pay for location, location, location.

One hotel that is outstanding and isn%26#39;t often mentioned on this forum as often as I think it should be is the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone staying in this area that is seeking a true 5-star hotel that is conveniently located to Orlando attractions and isn%26#39;t overpriced. The hotel has two outdoor pools (one is heated-probably intended for smaller children when it was designed), an atrium lobby, lush tropical gardens outside, and its own private pond! Everything is well-kept and the staff are friendly and provide their guests with outstanding service. The rooms are clean and comfortable but are not huge in size. While this hotel serves as a conference center, it equally serves as an ideal place for families visiting Orlando (especially families with children) to stay. The hotel even operates its own shuttle to/from the parks, which is usually reliable and on-time! If you stay at this wonderful Hyatt hotel and don%26#39;t like it, then something is wrong.

Oh yes sac, your absolutely correct! The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is a beautiful resort! The pools and grounds are stunning!

Not sure what your price range is, but regardless of what it is you won%26#39;t have trouble finding a nice place to stay in Orlando. There are tons of hotels in all price ranges with various amenities. You just have to be willing to pay for what you want. Many people have champagne taste, but a beer budget. Many people don%26#39;t travel much so have no idea what a really great hotel costs. Many people pay what they think should get them a ';perfect'; hotel, and are disappointed when it doesn%26#39;t. Many people are overly critical and find the bad in everything. Most people will post the bad before they will post the good.

I totally agree with the previous poster. I have stayed at many hotels in my life and have only had one bad experience so far. There have been a few places that I%26#39;ve stayed at that I just didn%26#39;t care for, but I have also had the pleasure of staying at some really nice hotels that reviewers on here seem to like too. The hotel that I had the bad experience with was one that I had high expectations for and unfortunately it turned out to be a place that was worse than the dickens. I have also been surprised in the opposite way when we when to Yellowstone and were told by others that the food there is deplorable and the cabins are rustic, and found the food and the cabins to be both satisfactory. Some people are just so picky and like to complain about every little thing. I do not by any means doubt that there are hotels/motels out there that are complete ';dumps';, but a person cannot go to a 2 or 3 star hotel and expect it to be a Ritz-Carlton or a 5 star resort.

We have narrowed it down to Crowne Plaza Universal and Doubletree Universal. May split between two as I do not know if transport between CityWalk and Crowne Plaza is easy? Please let me know. Again we are not renting a car and will rely on taxi back from Universal at night. Universal is where we will spend most days and late nights (Sat Mardi Gras %26amp; Concert night) so we want to be close. We will not have children with us so prefer a hotel that is more adult/business oriented but close to Universal. I also will be one my own a few days/nights so want to also be in a safe close location. I guess you can%26#39;t ask for everything. It seems when I pick a hotel then read the reviews they astonish me. We live in a suburb outside of NYC and definitely do not like to drive on vacation as we deal with crazy traffic everyday. We stayed at the Portofino Bay a couple years ago for 2 nights with a $150 night rate and loved it but that rate is not available anymore. We don%26#39;t want to pay $50 for a roach motel and can pay $100 plus but it seems a lot of the larger hotels such as Doubletree and Holiday Inn are under renovation and you have to hope you don%26#39;t get the ';old'; rooms. We travel several times a year in the U.S. and belong to every hotel chain progam and also have AAA and Entertainment which has saved tons of money. What is the status of Pointe Orlando? Is the Mexican Cantina and Hooters still open? We are thinking of checking out Fridays Front Row as that looks fun. Thanks for all the info it has helped me to narrow hotels down.

Race Fever....Daytona 500......

OK...with Speed Channel blaring.....

I am thinking that if you were going to build the Nascar Hall of Fame in Daytona Beach, what better time to make an announcement than at next Sunday%26#39;s race??

Anyone have any thoughts....???

Renata

Race Fever....Daytona 500......

huh? They should announce it, right before the race starts

Golf Orlando

Can anyone give me a recommendation for a top flight golf experience in Orlando? Money is no object. I am looking for courses to remember. Thanks

Golf Orlando

My favorite in the touristy area is Hawks Landing GC It has some nice holes, though its not in an isolated area (plays around 3 sides of the Orlando World Center Marriott, a 2000 room hotel). It has a lot of water on the holes. The only drawback is it is close to I-4 on the front 9. Also, I prefer to play the front 9 first, but they like to start off on 10.

Other top flight golf courses:

Grande Lakes Golf Course at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes (they have a caddie concierge program--its a Greg Norman course)

Walt Disney World GC: 99 holes of golf; the Palm and Magnolia courses host the PGA tour Funai classic; Magnolia was redone last year

Also, MetroWest GC and Falcons Fire GC are two of the top daily fee courses; MetroWest has hills. Also, Orange County National GC(36 holes) has hosted and will host again the PGA Tour Q-School finals, and has one of the best practice areas around. And ChampionsGate has 36 holes of Greg Norman golf.

Also, Bayhill Club and Lodge. This is Arnold Palmer%26#39;s course, and he hosts the Bayhill Invitational on it (Tiger Woods has won 4 times). I am not sure if they allow outside play, though. I do know that guests at the Lodge can play the course.

And, Grand Cypress GC. This is 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus golf, including The New Course at Grand Cypress, Jack%26#39;s tribute to St. Andrews (7 double greens, and a burn as well). Once again, I don%26#39;t know if they allow outside play, but if you stay at the Hyatt Grand Cypress (large hotel), or the Villas at Grand Cypress, you can definitely play. This is probably about as posh as it gets in Orlando, along with the Ritz course.

On the north side of Orlando, the Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes is a Tom Fazio course (and is also where Tiger Woods shot the commercial where he gave away Buicks to unsuspecting golfers--on the 12th hole). But I actually like Timacuan GC a little better. Both are near I-4 near Lake Mary. Also, 40 minutes from Universal, taking the Florida turnpike, you have Mission Inn, which has two courses (El Campeon is the older, more famous one) in Howey-In-The-Hills. And if you take Highway (FL) 50 west from the Florida turnpike for 1 1/2 hours or so, you will come to Brooksville, where World Woods GC is, which is Tom Fazio golf, featuring the Pine Barrens, done in the style of Pine Valley, and Rolling Oaks, done in the style of Augusta National. And if you take the turnpike to I-75 and Ocala, up there is Golden Ocala GC, voted the best Replica course in the country by a national poll. It has replica holes of several famous courses, including Augusta National.

vb

fort myers beach vs clearwater

please help,we can%26#39;t decide between fmyers beach or clearwater beach for 3 weeks,we will have two toddlers with us,fmyers beach seems to have more to do or more shops and restaurants to go to in the evening than clearwater ,ie:times sq .was looking at the neptune inn at fmyers beach.please please

fort myers beach vs clearwater

I used to vacation with the children when they were little in Clearwater. However, after discovering Ft Myers Beach I much prefer it. The neptune is a good choice but for 3 weeks you might be better renting a condo.

fort myers beach vs clearwater

I strongly second what the first reply suggested. Find a condo with a nice lanai so you can sit outside and relax while the little ones are napping. Lots more convenient all around for meals at home, room for everyone to have a bit of ';personal space'; and so forth.

hey,thanks for reply,sounds good but concerned in the evening time,it might get a bit boring for us looking at each others faces all evening and not being able to speak to any one else,she will kill me if she sees this,ha ha,thanks

From what I can see by researching, I think your best bet might still be a condo. Some complexes have group pools, grills, etc. Check www.vrbo.com, www.vacationrentals, etc.

Bahama Breeze Restaurant I-Drive

Staying at Universal Doubletree on Major Bvd. without car for a week. Is it worth booking a hotel for a night or two near I-Drive to check out Bahama Breeze Restaurant which has great ratings? Or is a taxi from Doubletree reasonable? I can get the Hampton Inn, Homewood or Springhill Suites on Universal Blvd but it is too far a walk from I-Drive nightlife or even worth it? Have been to Citywalk restaurants but wanted to try something different. Any info on Universal Doubletree hotel also appreciated.

Bahama Breeze Restaurant I-Drive

Take the taxi or the I-Drive Trolly. Bahama Breeze is one of a chain and fun place, but I sure wouldn%26#39;t change hotels for it.

Bahama Breeze Restaurant I-Drive

I agree, I wouldn%26#39;t make my hotel plans around being by a restaurant.

hi wutsnext,

i would change from the doubletree to the top end of i-drive it is a lot cleaner and peaceful and on a joking note you can croos the roads without running for your life like on i-drive from the sand lake raod downwords towards wet and wild. if you want to stay at some suites behing banama breeze than you will get hampton inn,homewood suites, extended deluxe suites, springwell or even embassy suites, or even try the crowne plaza.

we did like bahama breeze and the food is good and you do get big portions.

thanks pam.

i got very very ill after going to bahama breeze

There is more than one Bahama Breeze in Orlando. You%26#39;ll have to ask how much it will cost for the taxi. It is a good place, but not worth a big taxi fare.

Hi Pam We are traveling from the suburbs of NYC and that is why we prefer not to drive on our vacations as we deal with crazy traffic so much. With our discounts we can get on Universal Blvd the Springhill Suites for under $80 a night or the Crowne Plaza for $100 or less a night and the Homewood Suites on I-Drive for $120. The Doubletree Universal we can get for $65 a night which seems to be very close to Universal Studios. We can split the hotels but only once as again we will not have a car. Also I will be on my own a couple nights and want a close, safe hotel. I have stayed on site at Universal (Portofino Bay) for $150 but we are not budgeted for that as we are going to Europe in May. We like #1 Clean, #2 Location and #3 Value in hotels. Thanks for your input.

Bahama Breeze is one of my favorite restaurants here. Always a wait so be prepared. While you wait there is an outside patio bar with entertainment most nights. You can also order appetizers. Their Pina Colada%26#39;s are #1. There is one near Disney right near I4 and 535 approx 1/2 mile from Disney property. The other one is on International Drive approx 1 1/2miles to Sea World. I don%26#39;t think I would change hotels mid trip just for that though as Universal is pretty close. You may just want to make a night of it and go to Bahama Breeze for dinner (count on 2-3 hours there) and then walking over to Pointe Orlando for some shopping, Hooters, or to the Movies.

philosophy

Adults on in Disney

My husband and I are considering a Disney vacation. We are in our late 20s with no kids.

- When should we go? Obviously the less crowded the better since we don%26#39;t need to deal with kids vacations ...

- Where should we stay?

- How long do we need?

- Any suggestions for adult activities?

Thanks!!

Adults on in Disney

Sorry - meant to title it ';Adult Vacation in Disney';

Adults on in Disney

Hello Marley,

The least crowded times to visit Disney are when the children are in school. If your planning on going this year the least crowded times to visit would be the end of February through the 2nd week of March, or the last week of April through the third week of May, the week after Labor Day until Thanksgiving, and the week after Thanksgiving through the week before Christmas.

As far as where to stay, it all depends on if you want to stay on Disney property, if so the Grand Floridian, and the Yacht and Beach Club (perferable the Yacht side as it is more adult orientated) would be nice adult orientated Disney choices. The Yacht Club is great because of it%26#39;s location as it is a 5 minute walk to Epcot and a quick boat ride to MGM.

For off property choices the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, JW Marriott and the Ritz are perfect for adults.

If your planning on visiting all four parks, and also visiting Downtown Disney I always recommend a day or two for relaxation by the pool, especially if your staying at a resorts I listed then a 7 night stay should cover it. For a wealth of information along with this forum go to www.allearsnet.com and www.disneyworld.com

I would second the vote for the Yacht Club. In addition to being convenient for Epcot and MGM, you are also a 5 minute walk from the Boardwalk, with shops, restaurants and night time entertainment. You will also want to set aside an evening for Downtown Disney. You can either spend it at Pleasure Islands nightclubs, or splurge for an evening of Cirque du Soleil.

I would also get the Disney Dining Plan. Since you will get one table service meal each day, you can book restaurants like the Yachtsman Steakhouse, that are more adult oriented, without worrying about the cost.