Orbit One Vacation Villas

Please give me any info you have for Orbit One...the good, the bad, what room/blocks to request, your experience. THANKS!

Orbit One Vacation Villas

Has anyone stayed here before?

Orbit One Vacation Villas

Orbit One is a timeshare resort - you may get replies if you post on the timeshare forum.

I just checked the RCI reviews and the latest one posted about 2 years ago is as follows:

';The resort is older and could use a decor update, but overall, it was a very nice place to stay. There was lots of room in the entire unit, with the master bedroom being huge and a good-size second bedroom. ';

Hope this helps.

Do you know the website address for the Time share forum?

It%26#39;s a newer Forum right here on TA- a bit tricky to explain how to get there, so I%26#39;ll give you a link and you can bookmark it once you find it:

tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g1-i10700-Timeshar鈥?/a>

beachlova

You can also find reviews of this resort here.

If you look at the left hand side of the page (top) you will see a search box. Type in Orbit One Villas, Fl and hit go. The reviews will come up.

acne get worse

Is goat's milk available in Orlando ?

We are staying on International Drive for two weeks at the end of feb . We have a two year old who drinks goats milk and i am wondering if i can buy it anywhere in Orlando . Thankyou, i am very grateful for any replies .

Is goat's milk available in Orlando ?

I don%26#39;t know any store%26#39;s that sell it but when you get to Orlando look up the phone number to a place called LOGAN%26#39;S BISTRO, they did have it as a menu drink, maybe they can tell you where they get it or they may sell you some by the bottle.

Is goat's milk available in Orlando ?

I found that Meyenberg (they produce goat%26#39;s milk) sell their goat milk (at least thats what their web site said) at Winn-Dixie, Publix, and super Wal-Mart, all of which can be found all over the Orlando/Kissimmee area. I have been to many of these store%26#39;s locations and I can%26#39;t say that I ever saw goat%26#39;s milk at any of them but than I wasn%26#39;t looking for it.

i am pretty sure all publix%26#39;s carry it....the one on vineland by dolly parton and the one on sand lake by I 4 would have the better selections vs the one on central fl pkwy

I%26#39;ve also seen it at the Publix on highway 27, about 4 miles north of I-4.

thanks for this post %26amp; replies. I too am travelling to florida in Feb, and was about to ask the same question as my son can only drink goats milk. I%26#39;m also hoping we might find somewhere that sells the swedish glace - soya ice cream as well?

Maybe some local can help more with this, Perry%26#39;s Ice Cream Co. sells this, they are in NY and I don%26#39;t know if they sell their Ice Cream that far South in any of the stores in FL.

In theory you might also be able to source Buffalo Milk which as an alternative for the dairy-allergic is much nicer than Goats Milk. In my daughter%26#39;s words, it tastes and smells of milk instead of tasting of goat.

I haven%26#39;t looked lately , but Publix used to carry Tofutti- ice cream made from soy. I%26#39;m sure Whole Foods carries many versions of non- dairy ice cream ,but I don%26#39;t know where the one in Orlando is- may not be convenient for tourists.

There is a Whole Foods in Winter Park,its not convenient for tourists but not all that hard to get to either-it%26#39;s on Aloma AVenue,Highway 426 I think

i think publix sells some sort of soy ice cream and or rice based as well....not a large selection but a few varieties....chamberlains nat foods and whole foods have more of a selection but not located close to tourist land....my son used to be allergic to milk and milk by products and we found that he could have hagen daaz (sic) sorbet with no reactions....the chocolate one is pretty good

Animal Kingdom itinerary

Has anyone been to Animal Kingdom since the Expedition Everest ride has opened? Trying to figure out the best way to avoid lines June 17th. Want to go on the Safari and ride Expedition Everest, see lion king show, bugs life, nemo musical, ride dinosaur, triceratops spin, primal whirl and kali river rapids. Not too keen on seeing anything else. What order would you suggest we see things in? Don%26#39;t want to wait in two hour lines and not sure how to use the fast pass. If you get a fast pass for Expedition but are in line at the Safari ride how do you get through the line in time to use the fast pass? Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks so much.

Animal Kingdom itinerary

Go to Safari first because in the early morning most of the animals will be activ!

Take the way over asia and grap a fast pass for Expedition everest, which is a great ride!

Then go on safari (appr. 5 minutes after park opening...)

On your way heading to dino land you stop at expedition everest, using your fast pass!

Then go to dino land!

Grap a fast pass at either ride (dinosaur or whirl) and do the other thing, where you didn麓t get it first...

You have to look after the show times in the park map! The shows are not the problem! :-) just be there 20-30 min prior the show!!

it麓s tough to be a bug is crowded before noon but in the afternoon you will be able to walk almost in straightly!

Animal Kingdom itinerary

First thing to plan on is being in line at the gate when the parks open at 9:00 AM.

Both the safari ride and Expedition Everest both use Fast Pass. However, due to the popularity of Everest and the propensity of it%26#39;s mechanical breakdowns, I suggest you head for it first before the Safari ride, and if nothing else, get a Fast Pass for it. Perhaps get a Fast Pass and ride it first thing, then head for the safari ride.

The Lion King show is held numerous times throughout the day, so you shouldn%26#39;t have any problem getting into a showing of it. The ';Bug'; show is also continueously back-to-back, so you shouldn%26#39;t have to wait for more than one showing of it in most cases. The Nemo musical will be the ';newest'; and most popular show, so schedule your shows around the time you want to see it and get to it%26#39;s auditorium early.

Concerning Fast Pass, while there is a one-hour window of time stamped on the Fast Pass, you don%26#39;t absolutely have to use it in that particular hour%26#39;s timeframe; you can use it later in the day if necessary. The only thing you can%26#39;t do is ';show up'; before the earliest time on the Fast Pass. So, if you are in another part of the park at a show when the ';hour'; arrives, not to worry. You can use the Fast Pass anytime during the rest of the day.

You can ';typically'; have only one Fast Pass at a time, but if you get one in the morning and the ';return'; time isn%26#39;t until later in the day, you%26#39;ll be able to get another one in two hours of the first one. For instance, you get a Fast Pass at 9:30 AM for Everest, but the return time isn%26#39;t until 1:00 PM. At 11:30 AM, you%26#39;ll be able to get another Fast Pass for Everest or any other attraction because two hours have expired since you obtained the first one.

Hope this info helps!!

oh, sorry, i forgot kali..

maybe you can grap a fast pass after using the fast pass in dinoland prior watching a show o r

grap this fast pass after using the fastpass from expedition (because this is quite near)

Kali is v e ry crowded in summer time ... i personally have to say that kali isn麓t my favorite... did it once and never again :-)

Thank you both for all of your help. Great suggestions!!!!!!!!!!

Were down in Oct. Went directly toE.E -no wait. On to Dinosaur-no wait. You cold now try the spin and check on times for Nemo. I would then head to safari and get a fastpass, have lunch, and check on times for the Lion King. Bugs run continually in a fairly large theater so there isn%26#39;t much of a wait. We usually save Kali for last just because you WILL get soaked! Remember the later you get a fastpass the further out your return window will be. You could get a fastpass for safaris at 10A and your return may be 11:30-12:30 At 12P your return may be 3:30 -4:30

Wow ,thanks for the info on fast pass. Was not sure how it worked. Sounds like it could be several hours wait if you get a fast pass later in the day.

Cindy, at some of the most popular attractions, they can actually run out of fastpasses late afternoon. The rule of thumb is that if the stand-by line is less than 1/2 hr getting a fastpass is not an advantage. It will take that long to seek out another attraction and then return for the fastpass. Don%26#39;t get me wrong, when used correctly they CAN save a lot of time. For example: last year we headed directly to Soarin%26#39; and rode with a very short wait. The bride insisted that we do it again so we grabbed a fastpass on the way out noticing the stand-by line was now 1 Hr. Went to the Living Seas and returned to Soarin%26#39; and rode again with a minimal wait. We almost felt guilty walking by the other folks in line. Note ';almost'; Have fun!!

Lots of various questions

Let me start by giving you some info on my family. We are a family of six. Hubby, me, and 4 kids ages 16, 14, 12, and 9. We are planning a trip for April......done a good bit of pricing and I am asking for your opinion on.........

Is it worth the price difference to stay IN the park?

Is the meal plan worth it? Are the sitdown dinners ';fancy';?

Are reservations required? Can%26#39;t we just decide we are hungry and go eat? I hate scheduling.......

IF you say not worth the extra money to stay inside the park- where do you suggest?

A 5 day/6 night trip is roughly $1,000.00 cheaper outside the park....no meal plans....the meal plan ups the in park Disney stay by $1,200.00......I am insane to pay this kinda money LOL

Lots of various questions

danitom, you left a couple of things out. Such as are you going to have a car? Is the purpose of the trip to be exclusively visiting disney?

Lots of various questions

Coming from Alabama, will you be driving to Orlando? If flying instead, will you be renting a car?

Staying inside the park is beneficial for the following reasons:

Flying into Orlando, going only to Disney parks, not renting a car.

If you drive or plan to visit other venues, you might find it cheaper to stay outside the Disney property.

The meal plan is worth it if staying at Disney and planning to eat at only Disney venues and will be using all of your table service credits you%26#39;d get. Reservations are highly recommended for the table service restaurants because they fill up and walk-ups aren%26#39;t usually accomodated. This is especially true in a busy time like April.

The ';table service'; dinners aren%26#39;t ';fancy'; in that you don%26#39;t have to dress up or anything for most venues (with a couple of exceptions), but the meals are much ';nicer'; than plain old counter service burgers and fries.

sorry....yes, we will have ';our'; car....we will be driving from Alabama. Yes, we only have plans for Disney...........I guess, if you include Animal Kingdom, Epcot, whatever other parks you get with the ';hopper%26#39;......Is that ';just Disney?';......my brain is FRIED LOL

so, I am thinking......if I don%26#39;t want to have to ';schedule'; my meals, maybe I shouldn%26#39;t do the meal plan and just stick to counter service meals.....we are definitly NOT picky about food.....we are a ball park family.....we live on nachos, hotdogs, hamburgers, and pickle pops(frozen pickle juice)

The necessary reservations you%26#39;d need for table service dining definitely can put a cramp in ';ad libing'; your vacation days. It does confine you to ';be at certain place at certain time'; and does not allow for flexibility.

If counter service is all you%26#39;d really want, then don%26#39;t do the meal plan.

Having your own car really allows for more flexibility, and staying off site will be much easier. However, there are certain advantages of staying at a Disney resort, even with the increase in price. The Extra Magic Hours would be available to you and you%26#39;re almost guaranteed to get a nice room with no problems at a Disney resort.

The problem I see is if you try to get just one room with six people. Disney allows a maximum of 5 per room and then that%26#39;s only a certain resorts. Are you going to have to get two rooms adjoining?

If so, you%26#39;d probably be better off getting a villa or other rental place outside Disney.

Well if you have your own car I would say stay at Disney, don';t do the dining plan as you can drive off site for more variety ( I always say sometimes a sausage egg mcmuffin and hash brown at mickey ds sounds good). But if you are doing Disney, stay at disney. How did I do Kats?

The Disney parks are: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and MGM studios. Other Orlando non Disney parks are: Universal Studios, Seaworld, Islands of Adventure and nearby Busch Gardens in Tampa.

I would stay at either Comfort Suites Maingate East or Holiday inn Express Lake Buena Vista. Both have free breakfasts a great $ saver, free Disney transport and larger rooms than Disney.THey also have very nice pools. Disney will not let 6 stay in one room unless you book a suite which is very expensive. The other option is to book two rooms at a value resort. Still not cheap. I would also get base passes if you don%26#39;t really need to park hop. This will save a great deal of $ on 6 tickets.

Staying in the parks is more convenient but if $ is a concern I would stay offsite at one of the above mentioned hotels. Both have great reviews. We%26#39;ve stayed at both and also Shades of Green on Disney . All three experiences were great . On site is quick ,convenient but expensive. One option may be to look into Doubletree suites in downtown disney. THey have large rooms that sleep 6 but not sure how expensive they are.

BSSD,

The problem is that they have 6 people going and they%26#39;d have to get two Disney resort rooms unless they get a suite.

There are suites available at some of the Disney venues (All Star Music is the least expensive), but that%26#39;s the only way they could stay at a Disney place, I think.

Disney has a max capacity on their rooms.

I thought Shades of Green was for Military personnel only?

Also BDDS,

Did you know there%26#39;s two McDonald%26#39;s restaurants on Disney property?

One is at Downtown Disney and the other is over near the All-Star resorts just off Osceola Pkwy.

neutrogena

are the parks safe

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Stephanie Wien, staff writer (Send an email)

In the January 8, 2007 Walt Disney World Park Update, Mark Goldhaber reported on the recent incident at Walt Disney World involving an alleged assault by Tigger on a teenage boy. This incident has garnered much response in the Disney community, including a great deal of letters to the MousePlanet mailbag. A selection of these letters is presented below.

Eric writes:

I just read the most recent update on your Web site and also heard the family is suing Disney because of the attack. My opinion is simply this... I have two kids, and if I ever felt they were being attacked or hit in anyway, I wouldn%26#39;t simply stand there and continue to videotape as this father did. If any father felt his child was being hurt, they would have intervened. Not only that, imagine the teasing this dad is setting up for his son ';You got beat up by Tigger, watch out, I hear Snow White has a nasty uppercut.';

are the parks safe

Frankly, I%26#39;d watch out for Peter Pan. He%26#39;s the loose cannon if you want my opinion.

are the parks safe

Didn%26#39;t seen the video, but from what I%26#39;ve heard, it sounded like Tigger was the one getting attacked initially.

I saw the video. And the TV interview. The kid was very obviously parrotting what his dad told him to say- not language a teen would use at all.

I%26#39;m on Tigger%26#39;s side. Tigger is a spontaneous creature! It%26#39;s those big mouse ears you have to look out for- especially if you are in the 5%26#39;3';-5%26#39;7%26#39; range- you could get taken out by one of those things with an errant head turn! :)

I agree!! Everything I%26#39;ve seen and heard leads me to believe that the 14 year old was the instigator!

It is sad that people are so willing to do anything to get money. For the father to parade his son around claiming to be beat up by Tigger is just low! I saw the video as I guess most have and Tigger didn%26#39;t beat anyone up. I love the point about how the father continued video taping. If I thought my child was being hurt I would drop the video camera and save my child at all cost.

HA HA HA......Suing Disney, thats funny.

Yeah, they got a prayer. I am sure they have about 500 corperate lawyers just waiting for them.

I read something once that said that they have yet to lose a lawsuit brought against them at DisneyWorld.

Disney makes accidental death lawsuit go away

Disney has settled out of court with the family of a woman who died 2 months after experiencing the Indiana Jones Adventure and claiming to have injured her head/brain during the ride. Disney, of course, admits no wrong doing (despite the fact that they changed some aspects of the attraction after the death was reported).

Alas this settlement was too late to prevent Disneyland from being held to a new standard of care by California Courts. Disneyland attractions must now meet the same standards of care as a city bus. Which strikes me as a pretty loose standard (afterall there are no seatbelts on the bus and it can travel at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour). But what it doesn%26#39;t do is bounce, jar, spin, or contort. So I don%26#39;t know what Disney will do about some it%26#39;s attractions that do just that. Does adding a seatbelt/restraint meet the new standard of care? After all that%26#39;s more than a city bus would do.

One year after a 4-year-old Pennsylvania boy died after riding Epcot%26#39;s Mission: Space simulator ride, his family has sued Walt Disney World for wrongful death.

The family of Daudi Bamuwamye sued the company Tuesday in Orange County Circuit Court seeking unspecified damages. The suit says company officials did not adequately warn the public of the ride%26#39;s hazards, should never have allowed a boy so small onto the ride and didn%26#39;t do enough to help him when he got off the ride stricken.

In May, Disney revised the ride to also offer a ';lite'; version that does not include centrifugal force. But the company has always maintained, and still insists, that the original version is safe.

A Disney spokeswoman denied all the assertions in the suit Tuesday and offered the family sympathy.

While on vacation, Daudi, his sister Ruth and their mother rode Mission: Space on June 13, 2005. During the ride, Agnes Bamuwamye saw her son tense up, scream and then become unresponsive. When the ride ended, paramedics and later doctors at Florida Hospital Celebration were unable to resuscitate him.

An autopsy by Dr. Jan. C. Garavaglia, chief medical examiner for the district that includes Orange and Osceola counties, found that Daudi died of a heart attack caused by a rare, previously undiagnosed heart disease that gave him an enlarged heart flawed with scar tissue.

Has anyone rented through Unique Florida Orlando.com?

Hi

We are planning on renting a villa on our next trip to Orlando. While researching Terra Verde resort I came across a property management company called ';Unique Florida Orlando'; and I was wondering if anyone has rented through them in the past? If so, was the experience positive or negative?

This would be our first time renting a villa as we usually stay in hotels so I guess I%26#39;m just being overly cautious.

Any advice with regards to this company or renting at Terra Verde would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Has anyone rented through Unique Florida Orlando.com?

Hi, We used them for our trip last Feb. They were great. You will get confirmations in your email right away. Had no problems whatsoever. The prices through them are fantastic. We got the Homewood Suites for $99 a night, on their website it was going for $150 at the time. We were very pleased. Have Fun!!

Has anyone rented through Unique Florida Orlando.com?

Hi SunnyDee

Thanks for the info - I%26#39;m not sure if were thinking of the same place? The company I%26#39;m asking about is according to their website a husband and wife team that manage and rent out houses and townhouses in the Kissimmee and Orlando area.

You may be right. I am talking about ';Florida Unique Travel Service'; its under the website www.fun-travel.org

Sorry for the confusion. You might want to check it out anyway!

help finding niche

Child friendly hotel, restaurants, parking, and more?

Hi to all,

I have a ton of questions for you nice people:

Can anyone reccommend or offer me a list of the best child friendly hotels and restaurants in Miami Beach? I do not want to spend no more than $175 a night. I do not mind the flavor or nightlife of SouthBeach. I just want to stay at a hotel that accomodates a young child and that gives me access to restaraunts near by. I prefer a hotel that is located on the beach. I am coming in June.

Are there any 24-hour parking garages or facilities that offer in and out privileges? What are my options outside of paying for the hotel valet?

Do most of the hotels charge extra for chairs and umbrella usage on the beach?

If so, will I be able to bring my own umbrella and still utilize the beach outside of the hotel?

I was looking into staying at the DoubleTree Ocean Point Resort %26amp; Spa or the Courtyard Marriott Beach Oceanfront hotel...will they be okay? If not, please give me more suggestions. I prefer to be closer to South Beach and not so far away.

Any other tips or suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks!

Child friendly hotel, restaurants, parking, and more?

NEM!

Let me give you 2 cents worth...

1. The Lowe%26#39;s and the Ritz Carlton are the most kid helpful South Beach hotels. The Doubletree may be the best idea for you, but it is the Surfcomber property that is on Miami Beach. Ocean Point is WAY up in Sunny Isles - a $50 cab ride from the airport and a less fun atmosphere for a small child. Also, the Marriott South Beach at about 200 Ocean Drive is on the ocean and the Courtyard property has a pool on the roof - but is a walk of 2-3 blocks to the sea (Washington Ave). Properties with space for visitors with kids include the Hilton Grand Vacation Club, the Casa Grande, the Crescent, the Bentley Beach Club...

2. There are public parking garages all up and down the strip that will run about $10 a day. Do not bother with valet service as it can run up to $30 a day!

3. Some hotels charge for beach chairs but not all of them. The beach is PUBLIC and you can bring your own chairs, your own umbrella - whatever you choose. You can stop by a CVS pharmacy store and buy a cheapy beach chair for the visit and save any tarriff the vendors might try to charge.

More here:

tripadvisor.com/鈥?165516

AG

Child friendly hotel, restaurants, parking, and more?

Hello NEM,

Here are some quick comments on several of your questions. I see AG posted something... which I didn%26#39;t read but if something here contradicts her, I%26#39;d listen to her as she lives there and I am but a visitor and SoBe is always changing so my info may be dated.

First thing, you need to ask yourself if you want to stay in South Beach or ';anywhere'; in Miami Beach. South Beach (SoBe) is the most southern two miles of Miami Beach. It is where the ';action'; is in that you can walk to tons of great bars/clubs/restaurants/Burger King/McDonald%26#39;s (for the little ones :) )/drug stores/shops and of course, the beach.

Family Friendly hotels in South Beach include Loews (note spelling) and the Ritz-Carlton. The rooms are larger and have a great pool area. I often stay at the DoubleTree Surfcomber and there are often children in the pool and families staying there. A less expensive hotel you might consider is South Seas - right next door to the Surfcomber.

Wifey and I just stayed at the DoubleTree Ocean Point Resort and Spa. Calling it a ';Resort'; is a real stretch but it was clean and safe but the place is a little tired. We were there over the holidays and I%26#39;ve never seen more rude guests stay at one hotel at one time which made it tough for the staff and other guests. However it may not always be that way.

There are few (as in very few) restaurants in walking distance of the DoubleTree Ocean Point and they only have velet parking - but the do allow in and out. I don%26#39;t believe there are any parking garages nearby. Also, know that this hotel is about 10 miles north of South Beach. Also, the beach chairs and umbrellas are NOT included in the cost of the hotel - however the few chairs and such in their pool area are included.

I know very little about the Courtyard Marriott Beach Oceanfront Hotel except that it is some two (2) miles or so north of South Beach.

To my knowledge, the city parking garages in South Beach do NOT allow in and out. However, I always use the hotel%26#39;s velet parking, which isn%26#39;t cheap, but the extra dollars to me is worth it. I%26#39;m on vacation and try to make things as simple as possible.

Each hotel in South Beach has different policies on the beach chairs and umbrellas - and it%26#39;s constantly changing. For example, the Ritz gives you the chairs but an umbrella (which you will need in June) is some $15 a day. The DoubleTree Surfcomber used to provide everything for $7 a day but this went away as a result of a stupid Class Action Law Suit (thank you very much lawyers) - it was the best deal going! Now they charge $10 each (run by a third-party).

The beach is public so you can certainly bring your own chairs/towels (I sometimes borrow my hotel%26#39;s sheet - but always return it - maybe a little sandy) and umbrellas. The Wings store (corner of Collins and Ocean Drive) has several to choose from if you don%26#39;t have one. You will see many people setting up in front, next to, and behind the rental/hotel chairs.

June is a HOT (as in very) time of the year. This makes for great water for swimming but LOTS of sunscreen and an umbrella are critical. But the good news is hotel rates are lower then so hopefully you will be able to find something around the $175 you are looking for at a location that suits you.

Oh... one last thing... If you make your hotel reservations today (such as at the DoubleTree Surfcomber cause I%26#39;ve seen this happen) using their web site, check their web site from time-to-time for the same dates you are booked. I have seen many times that as the date grows near, they lower their rates (sometimes substantially) if it isn%26#39;t filling up. You%26#39;d need to make a second reservation and then turn right around and cancel your earlier one.

Hope that helps!

Cheers!

Question for Kat-cubs-fan please

We will be arriving in Orlando on Saturday 3rd February for 3 lovely weeks. I wondered if you would be so kind as to let us know what the weather will be like on the first few days?

Can%26#39;t wait, counting down the sleeps............

Thanks.

Question for Kat-cubs-fan please

Well, it%26#39;s too soon to be exact, as anything more than 5 days away is a guess. Feb. 3rd isn%26#39;t even on the 10-day long range forecasts just yet.

This year has been much cooler and wetter in Orlando than in past winters, so I%26#39;d be sure to bring clothes/jackets you can layer and shed as the day goes on.

Right now, the low temps in the mornings are around 4 Celcius or lower, and the highs are only around 19 Celcius....very chilly for this time of year in Florida. It%26#39;s also been much rainier than normal.

Question for Kat-cubs-fan please

Kat - when you say rainy, do you mean very heavy prolonged rain or a few light showers here and there ???

This time of year, the rain is normally the ';off and on'; all day long type of rain, not just the ';pop up'; storms you get in Florida in the summer.

It%26#39;s that damp, chilly, gloomy, ';creeps into your bones'; type of rain.

Well, just checked the ';long range'; outlook for early February.

At this point, 60% chance of rain almost every day and temps ranging from 12 to about 21 Celcius.

Many thanks for that

im back.....

hi everyone just stepped in the door .. gonna have a coffee then give report see ya inna while...........

im back.....

Welcome home. Cold isn%26#39;t it!!

im back.....

tony7

Well I take my hat off to you (Well I would if it wasnt so darned cold)

All I am usually fit for after Orlando is a good sleep. Also usually too depressed at getting home that I go into a sulk.

Look forward to reading that trip report. Welcome home.

Welcome back tony,

looking forward to your trip report (once you%26#39;ve had your coffee, got your central heating on and warmed up!!)

Of course Tony is just like many other selfless posters who only think of their duty to impart vital information on travel to orlando and greater Florida. It only took me a day and a half to get up out of jet lag and that was with my brown paper insoles. Imagine what it would have been without. I am sure Tony has his brown paper insolse in right now and that is why he is so vibrant and ready to relay all the news and colourful stories of the holiday.

Tell you what though Tony - you missed it going off in the Big Brother Household and huge threads on here with Semi %26#39;Jade%26#39; ( you never see both of them in the room at the same time).

Now you mention it Vegas, there is a passing resemblance, or 2.

actually vegas she was on the local news in central Florida however i digress so hear is my unbiased report ....... stayed overnight in crawley hotel for convenience 拢43 per room it was the clarion nice hotel so after a 10 minute bus ride we check in .......WOW!!! the line was MASSIVE!! but i was sunshine first and checked in with no q s... champagne hot towels ...upgraded meal menu.... dvds ....worth every penny!!! arrived on time at Sanford ...however Thomson had arrived 15 mins earlier so having rented only an economy i was upgraded to a pt cruiser!! stayed at the best western movieland ....its been remodeled but we had to move rooms cos of no hot water but they were very obliging,, i-drive was VERY QUIET.....the outlets were having sales so my wife and i took advantage of this!!!!!!gas prices were around$2.20 per gal still pay b4 u pump...some of the chain restaurants were hardly doing any business i saw a lease to let sign on sweet tomatoes.... chilli.s very good always busy... george and dragon push the tip thing FAR TOO MUCH..... pointe orlando only has 3 or 4 shops open... dan marino.s is closed...the atmosphere was just like after 9/11 very quiet.............. questions anyone??

Tony,

Glad you had a great time and nice to hear how quiet it was, if you are anything like me you would love avoiding the lines!

Dan Marino%26#39;s - I talked with someone at there head office (St Pete) last week as they owe me a comped meal.........he said they were rebuilding it in the %26#39;new part%26#39; of the mall on International Drive - i think i know where he means!

Nice to see you back buddy.

Nick

Sweet Tomatos are obviously relocating to satisfy consumer demand - there can be no other explanation - can there?

just kidding vegas ..... i wanted to see if u were awake!!! seriously everytime i passed the carpark was canny ( geordie for quite busy!!)thanx nick it was eerie yet tranquill not to battle the onslaught of stroller pushing white skinned (except for sunburned shoulders!!) scrape backed haired wrong sized fitting chain smoking loudmouthed slappers who can only scream the loudest to get there point across!!!

You certainly have got a way with words Tony - what a turn on!!!

Best economy hotel near Universal Studios for 6

I have searched and searched until I am now more confused. I am looking for a resonable priced room near or with free shuttle to Universal Studios for our trip 4\18-23. Not necessary to be fancy but clean and not too run down is very important. Me, Hubby, Son 22 %26amp; GF and 16 %26amp; 12 year old. a suite might work if it provides enough privacy or 2 rooms as we are 4 adults and 2 teens. Price is not the most important aspect but we do need to keep it in mind. Thanks in advance.

Best economy hotel near Universal Studios for 6

bkids, I see you have asked this same question 3 times now in one way or another. I don';t think anyone is going to be able to help you until you are willing to say what you will spend per night. Reasonable priced takes on many meanings for many people. For some people $300 a night is reasonable, or $200, $100, etc......

Best economy hotel near Universal Studios for 6

Have you come across Homewood Suites Universal in your search? It is the #1 ranked hotel in Orlando per TA, and I%26#39;m pretty sure runs shuttles to Universal, and may be walkable otherwise. They have a free breakfast, I believe, and (I think Mon-Thurs) a free buffet/reception at night, good for budget minded travelers. Though most of his comments on the forum are ';different';, Vegasdebut007 wrote a pretty straightforward review of the hotel. If you click his profile and go to reviews. you will find it.

The Rodeway Inn International Drive (NOT the one on Carrier Drive) has received good forum accolades as a good, cheaper place to stay. AdvisorGirl, LE on the Miami and Miami Beach forums, wrote a review that I would trust. Most likely, there, you would need to get two rooms, though I%26#39;m not sure about that.

Don%26#39;t know about shuttles, but Westgate Palace is a timeshare place right behind Wet n%26#39; Wild which has two bedroom units available. They are known for being very aggresive in trying to get people to come to their timeshare presentations, and being very hard sell in the presentations, but if you know this going in, you could consider this. Though I DON%26#39;T ######### doing a deal which actually involves a timeshare presentation, but they might have a decent rate as a hotel. You would just need to avoid any ';free'; meals, gifts, or ';maintenance reports.';

Again though Eddie, I never sure of how to help people when they post I need a reasonable rate. There is just so much variance in that statement.

I apologize if some think that I have not given enough information, I would like to spend as little on accomodations as possible so we can have more to spend on attractions that was the reasoning behind my question. I guess if you need a number $150.00 per night would be great or 700 for the 5 nights. As I have said I have researched and researched and it has become a bit overwhelming I was just trying to get some assistance to try and sort some of it out. Thank you to those posters that have offered great advice.

bkjds, me thinks your going to have a hard time coming up with a proper place at that budget for all of you. Now you did not say whether you would have a car while you would be there. But I think in your case, you would be better off renting a car, getting a house rental at Winsdor Hills, or some place like that, as none of the Theme parks would be much more than 20 minotes away

We stayed in the Hampton Inn North Universal and it was fine, though probably a bit above your price range ( Maybe $95 for a four person room) , but they have a substantial free breakfast, which may help your budget. It is right near Universal and there was some sort of bus, but I%26#39;m not sure if it was free as we drove.

Rooms were standard ';budget'; rooms as far as size and ameneties. We found the staff friendly and helpful.

neutrogena

High-Speed Catamaran to Miami?

Is there one? How much does it cost? How long does it take?

High-Speed Catamaran to Miami?

No such animal. There%26#39;s a ferry to Ft. Myers only.

Coming soon......Havana.

Free quilt patterns for baskets

St. Paddy's Day

I will be celebrating my 50th in Key West the weekend of St. Patrick%26#39;s Day. How does the island natives celebrate this holiday?

Thanks

Gary

St. Paddy's Day

Oddly enough, we do it like a lot ofcommunities... We seek out one of three Irish pubs (Finnigan%26#39;s Wake, Shanna Key - a personal favorite or Irish Kevins on Duval.) Of the three, Irish Kevins is the least Irish while both Finnigans and Shanna Key come by it naturally. (My opinion only) You really can%26#39;t miss with any of the three... A good time is the objective and they%26#39;ll provide it.

St. Paddy's Day

If you are fkying in there is almost always a group of people who will meet you at the airport and give you a small welcome bag of goodies and a string or two of green beads. (You can probably pick these up at other places, too).

Pjk

There is usually a St. Patrick%26#39;s Day pub crawl that starts at the South end of Duval and continues down to the Schooner Wharf Bar. I know you get a T-shirt and make stops at certain bars. I%26#39;ve seen the end result and it looks like a fun time. I haven%26#39;t heard about it yet this year, but I%26#39;m sure they will do it.

Just a sidebar note (...side-BAR?? LOL) Irish Kevin%26#39;s has Smithwick%26#39;s (pronounced Smiddick%26#39;s) on draught. Irish brew which is pretty hard to find in the states, and a very nice surprise to us last week.

Shark fishing? Smaller charters for Snorkeling?

Returning to KW in the beginning of March for my fourth time. Having already done all of the day trips with Sebago,etc., we were interested in shark fishing. Don%26#39;t ask! I have never even caught a fish much less a shark, but I have heard of other people doing it KW. I would like some advice before we get there. What about a smaller charter that takes you to cool snorkeling spots. I am interested in that as well, being as we did that in Marathon one time. Thanks so much!

Shark fishing? Smaller charters for Snorkeling?

I went shark fishing a couple years ago,

best thing I have ever done. I caught a

150 lb nurse shark. We used Capt Tony,

ask around you may find him. Enjoy!

Shark fishing? Smaller charters for Snorkeling?

Shark fishing is pretty easy--but if you%26#39;re splitting a charter boat with others, everyone needs to want to, because the others might want dolphin, billfish, etc .Can%26#39;t do both--baiting sharks around the boat scares dolphin away. Also, realize that the crew won%26#39;t make fish money (the boat%26#39;s catch is sold to wholesale markets after you leave the dock) so they MAY charge more for the charter, or they%26#39;ll pressure you to mount the shark ($$$) because they keep a portion of the sale. Solution--charter your own boat ($5-800) for the whole day or make arrangements with a capt or mate the day before your trip at Garrison Bight or Key West bight, or with the phone book under ';fishing charters';.

FISH ON!!

On a real good day in the afternoon when word has gotten around you might see all of the ships you mention at Sand Key. The crew will kid you about not geting onto the wrong one for the return trip. (I tie a bandana onto a line before going snorkeling just to see if anyone will ask why and then tell a talltale about getting on the wrong boat). Anyway, the only smaller ship that I have not seen at the reef is the Echo, a small cat that will take as few as 2 or 4 people, but I don%26#39;t know where they go to. You can check at the Bight.

Pjk

May stay in Key West: Island City house or Gardens Hotel?

I want to stay at a nice quiet, centrally located(although I think everything is) hotel for my anniversary.

My top picks are the Island city house and the Gardens Hotel.

Which one would you all recommend?

I Want to stay duing their mid season which is differnet for each hotel.

Island City May 1st on.

Gardens Hotel May 29th on.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

May stay in Key West: Island City house or Gardens Hotel?

Both get wonderful reviews, but it seems to me that the Gardens Hotel is the current darling of Key West. The Island City House is very family-friendly and I think the Gardens is for children aged 16 and up, so if you want something quiet, it might suit your needs slightly better. The locations of both are wonderful - you won%26#39;t go wrong with either!

May stay in Key West: Island City house or Gardens Hotel?

My wife and I stayed at the Island City House in October 06. We loved the place. Easy walking distance to everything. Comfortable rooms, pool area was quiet while we were there.

If you stay in the Cigar House or island House I would think most rooms will provide you the quite you are looking for. If you choose the Arch house make sure to get the garden view (this is what we had, leved it). There are rooms in the arch house which face Eaton street, these have the potential to be a little more noisy

Thanks for the input.

Any more would be appreciated.

Gardens, hands down. Top-notch. Look at their reviews--there%26#39;s ONE bad one, and the hotel thinks he/she wasn%26#39;t even a guest.

I was kinda leaning toward the Island City House because they have some queen rooms on the third floor of the Cigar House that are fairly private.

Which one is closer to the best food and attractions?

Now I am torn!? HELP!

Well IC is at Eaton and William, which is close to KW Bight. There are bars and restaurants on the Bight (Bight=small harbor) and IC is maybe 6-7 blocks to Duval. Gardens is one block off Duval. They are both an easy walk actually....I just think the Gardens is a higher quality visit.

As the owner of (once) the island%26#39;s only limo service, I took many, many movie, TV and stage stars to the Gardens from the Airport.

I%26#39;ve got nothing against ICH, it%26#39;s a pretty property, but the Gardens just shines. Michael Keaton will not stay anywhere else.

Keep in mind--I%26#39;ve not stayed at either! So I cannot comment on rooms. I do know the properties, owners, and have met visitors staying at both.

Well here is the problem, you picked two great places. We had friend stay at Island City House and we walked around the Gardens. Both locations are good, we like the ICO location best. The Gardens is a more upscale (couples) property. The Gardens will def cost more. You can%26#39;t go wrong here.

Good luck, PJ

I have replied to this question before. I LOVED the Gardens. The property is beautiful, the rooms are great with replica antiques and marble baths with jacuzzis, great sheets and comfy beds. the pool is large for KW and in the sun most of the day. The service is super and they make you feel special. They will help you book any restaurant, excursion, etc. Continental BF is really an expanded version. Located 1 block off Duval at the 700 mark I think so it%26#39;s halfway between Mallory Sq and Southernmost point. We had a great room with a porch and comfortable chairs where we had happy hour every day. Oh and the resident cats are great. I will definitely go back. Have a great time!

We just returned from an extended holiday at the Gardens over New Year and absolutely loved it. Centrally located literally just off Duval opposite Mangoes restaurant but very peaceful and quiet location with, obviously, beautiful gardens. You can literally walk everywhere. Pool are is lovely and the pool itself is pretty large for this kind of smaller property in Key West in our experience. Pool is open 24hrs and floating mattresses are provided - great for a late night float watching the stars with a glass of bubbly (as we did New Years Eve!) Outdoor hot tub.

Rooms are spacious with a big comfy beds, fridge, fairly compact bathrooms with small jacuzzi tubs with showers over. Wooden floors - we had a downstairs %26#39;Garden Room%26#39; (14) last year and could hear people upstairs until the early hours so would suggest you request an upstairs room. All the buildings have wrap around verandahs with your own wicker table and 2 comfy chairs. For total outdoor privacy (which we like) this year we booked %26#39;Carriage House Front%26#39; (room 4A) which has a totally private balcony on its own above the bar overlooking the pool - defn. recommend it. (If you really want to splash out for your Anniversary the Master Suite upstairs in the main house is huge, very private but not cheap!)

There is a bar open from 2p.m. (ish!) until approx. 7.30p.m. and this is a great meeting place for guests. Staff are fantastic.

We will definitely be back - highly recommend it!

Thank you all, I appreciate all the feedback!

Now for the final decision.

Based on air and hotel rates, I have to go with the Island house.

It will cost $621 dollars more for me to go with the Gardens in late May.

Total cost ICH and air $1232 in mid may. Gardens is $1853.

Oh, I did get a Queen Suite on the third floor with a private balcony.

car rental

Does anyone have info on a car rental company that is near the port of miami, We will be leaving for a cruise on Sunday and would prefer to have a drop off that is close to the port. Thanks.

car rental

Hart%26gt;

Here are all the near by RENTAL CAR places for Cruise visitors:

Hertz Rent A Car 354 SE 1st St,

Enterprise Rent-A-Car 400 SE 2nd Ave

Budget Rent A Car 495 Brickell Ave

Enterprise Rent-A-Car 1601 Biscayne Blvd

Avis Rent A Car SE 1st Ave

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g34438-c11219/Miami:F鈥?/a>

AG

car rental

Make sure the downtown locations are open Sunday.

Gulf Tides resort Longboat Key

Can anyone give us information on this resort? From the web site it looks like it may be a small building on the beach. Does anyone know how many units and are they clean? Can%26#39;t find much info on their site other than 2br, 1 br and efficiency. Wondered if the efficiencies were real small and it they are clean, on a corner -- just anything.

Thanks

Gulf Tides resort Longboat Key

Gulf Tides actually consists of two parts. The ';small building on the beach'; that you referred to is one of those two parts, and I believe there are four units in that building; you park underneath the building and walk up one floor. The setting is fantastic, right on the beach, the units in that building are good size, probably all two bedrooms. We rented there twice and enjoyed our stay immensely. I could be wrong, but I believe these are condos, owned by people who rent them out, so the furnishings probably vary from unit to unit.

The other part of Gulf Tides is a big building across the street, I think maybe 3 or 4 stories tall, with many units. (This is where the picture was taken from looking out over a pool and tennis courts to the ';small building on the beach';). We looked at one unit there one time, but were not impressed. Again, I suspect the sizes and quality vary immensely.

In terms of location, Gulf Tides is in a nice position, about one-third of the way up Longboat and quite close to a small shopping center with a grocery, bank, library, cleaners, drug store, etc.

If you%26#39;re looking for a small efficiency, there are several other places from which to choose on Longboat.

Gulf Tides resort Longboat Key

I wanted to amend my post from yesterday re Gulf Tides. I happened to drive past the place today. There are two small buildings on the beach, one with two units and the other looks to have five or six units. Across the street (where the picture was taken from) is a two-story building; it looks to have 10 to 12 units. All are described as time-share, with rentals when they are not being used.

My other comments are the same, including the fact that we totally enjoyed our stays in one of the units in the two-unit building.

neutrogena

Name for a new kitten

Destin West?

Is anyone familiar with this resort? We will be in Destn with our 3 yr old, so I really like the idea of the big pools and lazy river. BUT, we really want to be beachside with gulfviews. From what I can tell, some have ';bayviews'; so I%26#39;m really looking for specific info on what condo to book (i.e. what floor, what part of the building etc).

Any info??

Thanks!

Destin West?

A helpful website is destinresorts.com. That is Dale E Peterson rental co. Look at Okaloosa Island %26amp; Destin West Gulfront. There are virtual tours of the rooms %26amp; can give you more specific info. Looks like a great place.

Destin West?

Destin West Sandpiper is a very nice condo. My husband and I stayed here back in 2005 and it was near about brand new. The condos are nice sizes and the pools are to die for. I loved the lazy river and waterfall pool. The Destin West Pelican, Sandpiper, and Heron are bay side and the Destin West is beach side. All you have to do is drive across the street if you stay bay side and park in the Destin West parking lot to go to the beach. You can use their facilities as well. We booked with Dale Peterson as well. I hope this helps. I would love to go back and hope to very soon!

Cases

I want a case like on the advert on this Orlando forum page. You know, leather case with stickers placed strategically onto the sides telling the rest of the passengers where you have been recently.

Can anyone tell me where in Orlando you can buy these little flags or pictures of Orlando and do they come with adhesive.

If not it is easy to purchase a Pritt Stick from the Dollar shop

Cases

Such stickers may be purchased at souvenir shops, %26amp; are self adhesive. Only purchase 1 sticker from each destination, or you will appear a fool with an assortment of orlando stickers on your precious bag. Also, place the stickers randomly about the bag, posed on-angle, to give the appearance of ';devil may care attitude.'; Most importantly, inform your wife of your special up-coming purchase, so she may pick a seat on the aircraft well away from you %26amp; your little bag.

Cases

I%26#39;m still looking for a sticker that says ';My other case is a Pierre Cardin Chateau';

Orlando will be my first, because I haven%26#39;t done it before.

Is there a special way to put the first one on?

Do you put it right in the middle and then future ones can be slapped on anywhere or should i just pop it in in the top right hand corner?

I bet you have had loads in the past - to the point where you are scraping them off.

My case is in great condition do you think I should cover it in a bubble wrap for the journey?

vegas I am surprised at you!

Needing stickers to show off! How ostentatious, how crass!

Surely people can tell by the look on your face, the tone of your voice, your manner of walking, in fact your whole demeanour that you are a well travelled sophisticat.

Personally, I don%26#39;t think you should use the case until you have at least 3 stickers. otherwise, you%26#39;ll look like that kid on the first day of school, with his brand new shoes, %26amp; Incredible Hulk lunch box. Wait to get a few more, or get someone to get you one from their destination. Too bad nick left in a huff, or he could have fetched you one from Vegas. That%26#39;s not cheating because you%26#39;ve been there, you just lacked the good sense to buy yourself a sticker.

How would anyone ever see your luggage, anyway? Doesn%26#39;t your valet follow behind in the other limo so you don%26#39;t have to deal with such pedestrian issues?

Why does everyone say Nick is gone? I thought he was in Las Vegas and then driving to the Grand Canyon and then to LA for a Lakers game.

Oh yes we are well aware of the whole itinerary.

No Butlers,valets or au pairs. I fetch and carry around here.

It%26#39;s just that all of you have these lovely retro leather cases covered in stickers and i want to be the same as you guys. I think I know the sticker that Nick would bring back - and it aint %26#39; had a lovely time at the Luxor%26#39; . Hope he does though.

Where should I stick it?

I know a great Tanner who%26#39;s been %26#39;collecting%26#39; at Barmvitzvahs.

He%26#39;s going to make you a small purse, which he guarantees will turn into a case once you%26#39;ve stroked it!

Vegas, I believe the semigirl would like to tell you where to stick it!

How busy will the parks/hotels be in early March?

I am wondering if we are getting too close to the busy season if we go then or if we are better off waiting until after spring break? My concern would be if we push to close to May it starts to get really hot then. With two young kids, we are trying to avoid the peak crowds and crazy heat if possible. Beginning to wonder if this is a good idea after all :)

Thanks!

How busy will the parks/hotels be in early March?

The 3rd week of March through the 3rd week of April is considered peak spring break period. If you vacation the first two weeks of March you should be O.K. the parks won%26#39;t be at low capacity but you should find the crowds manageable. As far as temps are concerned your going at a good time as you don%26#39;t have to worry about the oppressive heat and humidity that the summer months bring! Generally the temps are in the high 70%26#39;s.

How busy will the parks/hotels be in early March?

The only thing working against you is the ESPN weekend at WDW the first weekend of March.

Since many sports celebrities will be all over WDW that weekend, I would expect it to be pretty crowded those days. Otherwise, the first of March will be much better than later in the month.

The further in the month of March you get, the more crowds arrive. Also, March is spring training baseball month and the Atlanta Braves have spring training there at Disney, so that brings in even more people.

We usually go the second week of March and it is always pretty darn crowded that week. Weather, however, is usually very nice.

Thanks to both of you for the great information. I had no idea about the ESPN weekend. Dh would probably think it was cool but I would rather avoid the crowds. I also did not know that Atlanta did their ST there either. Being from NY I can tell you we are not Braves fans - lol :). I am really hoping if we go during the week it will help. Thx again.

Hello!

I`m from Brazil and I`ll be at Orlando on March,10 tru March16. Considering the spring break, would you people tell it is bad time? I know the parks will be crowded, but my question is: Will it be the worst period to go? If I anticipate one week and arrive at Orlando on March, 3 and stay until March 10, will it be less crowded? THANK YOU ALL!!! I DO NEED A HELP ON THIS MATTER!!!

It%26#39;s going to be crowded Dedeca however the massive crowds don%26#39;t arrive until the third week in March.

Thank you healin1! So, I think I麓m going to reeschedule my arrival date in Orlando for March, 3, I guess it麓s the best option I have right now. THANK YOU!!!

Last Question.... What do you guys think about the following days: February 24 thru March 03. Do you think Parks will be ';less crowded';???? I have to pay USD 150,00 to tranfer my flight date once I have already booked and pay for it, and I want to do it it right. If I could, I would postpone my vacation from April 15 ahead, but I can麓t. Thank you all!!!! Dedeca :-)

Just FYI the spring break for High Schools in Canada is the week of March 11th to 17th. As well the PGA Bay Hill Invitational is also that same week.

Thank you JMSH!!!! If I decide to go earlier these dates, I guess I麓ll be fine!!!! :-X

If this is any indication - the moderates %26amp; value resorts are nearly fully booked from March 5 - 12.

Disney Magic Express

Hi, just wanted to ask if you can still use the Magic Express when you are hiring a car. Can you use it to look after your bags while you go out and sort your rental car or do you have to take the bus as well?

Disney Magic Express

Pretty sure if you book Magical Express, you have to ride the bus to the Disney resort.

Disney Magic Express

If you don%26#39;t take the bus,you can%26#39;t transport your luggage on it.

If you do the ME can you pick up and take on your own luggage? Don%26#39;t want to wait 3-hours to have it delivered to resort.

Thanks guys, ultra helpful as always!!! ruleoffour, I%26#39;m nearly sure you can take the Magic Express but take your own luggage as I%26#39;ve read people in reviews doing that rather than wait for the luggage to be delivered.

Yes you can take your own luggage on the ME bus,just don%26#39;t put the tags on it and get it from baggage claim as you usually would,take it out to the bus and the driver will put it underneath the bus. Much MUCH better than waiting for your bags to show up...whenever. It%26#39;s certainly more convenient to just check them at your home airport and then have them show up in your room but it is much better and less stressful in my opinion to skip this ';convenience'; and have all your stuff with you when you want it,not when Disney (actually Mears) gets around to delivering it.

Thanks, good to know... especially since we%26#39;ll be arriving so late at night.

Then absolutely take your own luggage or you will have some polite bellhop knocking on your door at 3 am.

One thought is to use the Magical Express and then only rent your car for the days you%26#39;ll actually need it.

Here%26#39;s a link with good information: http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com/dme.html

Hotel for Bachelorette Party

We%26#39;re planning a bachelorette party weekend in South Beach in June07 and need recomendations on where to stay. We were originally going to stay at the Fountainbleau in a 2 bedroom suite, but we found out that the hotel is undergoing renovations until 2008. Is there anything comprable to Fountainbleau? We prefer to stay in a suite so we can all be together.

Any suggestions would be great!

Hotel for Bachelorette Party

I am not sure if the Bentlies or the Strand have two bedrooms

but they would be more than comprable. One of the

nicest suites at the Savoy is their Oceanfront two bedroom

suite. The Savoy has a great pool and beach setup. It is located

south of fifth on Ocean Drive and walkable to all the good

clubs and restaurants. There have been a few recent reviews

on this site of the Fountainbleu that did not mind the construction.

You can call the hotel and see if the construction will be

more of a problem in June. Hope this helps.

Hotel for Bachelorette Party

Hello Belle 1004,

Actually, unless it was by design, I would not have recommended the Fontainebleau as it%26#39;s some two miles from what most consider South Beach and quite frankly, too stuffy for a bachelorette party (at least it was the last time I stayed there which admittedly was before it%26#39;s new owners). However it is very big and not much charm.

The good news is rates for hotels is about at their lowest in June. (The bad news is that there is a reason - and that is because it is HOT during the day - more on that later).

To get the most out of SoBe, you really want to be in SoBe. Being able to walk out your hotel%26#39;s front door and be in the action as well as being able to walk out your hotel%26#39;s back door and be on the beach is HUGE.

Hotels south of say 22nd Street and north of say 5th Street all are in the South Beach area. You could stay south of 5th Street but the walk to areas such as Lincoln Road and some of the popular clubs may get a little old.

A hotel comparable in SoBe most comparable to the Bleau would be Loews. It is very large - and like Bleau, doesn%26#39;t really have that SoBe charm or Art Deco feel to it. Don%26#39;t get me wrong, it%26#39;s a very nice 4-star hotel and a quality product but not unlike any 4-star hotel in any other city USA. It%26#39;s more of a family and convention hotel that is more conservative than many of the SoBe hotels (for example, topfree sunbathing in their pool area is not allowed).

As I typically don%26#39;t stay in suites, I can%26#39;t speak to what hotels in SoBe have suites that sleep more than four. However my guess is several hotels have rooms with adjoining inside door to combine two rooms. Oh... before I forget, also know that many hotels in SoBe charge a fair amount more for putting more than two (2) guests in one room.

One option that I think would be very cool if you could get enough rooms at the DoubleTree Surfcomber - 2nd Floor - Ocean View - South Building. There are four (or maybe five) rooms (some connected with an inside door) that all share a common outdoor balcony looking over the pool/courtyard/beach/ocean. It%26#39;s not a suite per se, but you would have a common (albeit outdoor) area. Mmmm - just an idea.

Other hotels you might consider include Royal Palm, Ritz-Carlton and Sagamore. If money is no concern, also check out Delano and Shore Club. All of these hotels are directly on the ocean and easy walking distance to fun clubs, restaurants, Lincoln Road Mall, Ocean Drive, liquor stores, CVS and Walgreen%26#39;s, etc.

There are also lots of great hotels on Ocean Drive. They are across the street from the beach so a very short walk. That beach tends to be a little more public as the beach area behind the hotels I mentioned earlier are mostly (but not all) hotel guests.

We ran into a bachelorette party at Jazid (great dance jazz club) that last time we were there. They were having a great time and I know you all will as well!

Cheers!

Belle%26gt;

You want to be on South Beach - not at the F%26#39;bleau.

The Hilton Grand Vacation on Ocean has 2 bedroom suites. The suites at Casa Grande on Ocean are also big - as are the Strand... (www.thestrandoceandrive.com)

NOW%26gt;%26gt; the best insider tip I can offer is that the Bentley has a penthouse (#4) with 2 bedrooms and a sleeper in the living room that%26#39;ll be great for your girls to party!! Just call the front desk and ask for Dominick%26#39;s cell phone number to get the hook up.

http://www.thebentleyhotel.com/

Bentley Hotel

877.236.8510 Toll Free

305.538.1700 Phone

305.532.4865 Fax

Info and pix here:

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34439-d8697鈥?/a>

Take everone to Taverna Opa one night to eat, drink and dance on the tables with the hot Greek waiter boyz... Brunch on Sunday at Nemo (100 Collins) and hit Big Pink for great diner/comfort food all day and night.

The Bentley is on 5th which is near all the good clubs (Opium/Prive, Nikki, Fifth) PLUS you get to use the beach facilities at the sister hotel ';Bentley Beach Club'; on South Pointe - about 3 blocks away and adjoining Nikki Beach Club. The beach club has a gym, a big pool, 2 plunge tubs (hot %26amp; cold) - and the Bentley has a rooftop pool deck with a jacuzzi...

The Beach Club has a penthouse as well that%26#39;s awesome...

Pix:

thebentleybeachhotel.com/acc-penthouse.asp

Have a GREAT TIME!!

AG

I planned a bachelorette party in South Beach last June. We initally wanted a suite as well, but couldn%26#39;t find one that wasn%26#39;t either too well or out of our price range. We ended up at the Royal Palm, which we loved. The location is great, and while we didn%26#39;t get a suite (though I believe they do have them), we were able to get 3 adjoining rooms. Its close to Lincoln Road and everything on Ocean Drive, and we greatly preferred the hotel beach over the public beaches. Though if money is no object, I second the Shore Club! :-) No matter what, you%26#39;ll have a great time in SOBE...we had a blast!

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Emerald Shores Hotel

I have booked a room at the Emerald Shores Hotel for race week, just wondering if I made a good decision or not? The fact that they have availability this late makes me second guess my decision! Any feedback would be great.

Thanks

Emerald Shores Hotel

Did you follow the other post by BToledo? Some info about Emerald Shores is there. It is a newer property, I don%26#39;t think you will regret your decision. They are located in Daytona Beach Shores, you can get to the track from the shores using some alternate routes than the main one from the middle of Daytona. Don%26#39;t second guess it, just relax and have a great time.

Emerald Shores Hotel

Emerald Shores is a very decent property.

It is south right across the street from Cow Licks Ice Cream.

It is being renovated now -- so do not be surprised at minor construction going on there.

I am not sure how many of the ';Hotel Rooms'; have now been converted to condos...

The amenities are medi-orce.

The balconies are standing room only.

The prices of the newly renovated condos are higher than re-sale down the street.

I personally thought that the old rooms --- were better appointed than the renovated ones.

They are putting granite counter tops in and not re-doing the cabinets..

Like lining a sow%26#39;s ear with silk. (IMHO) Granite is a B%26amp;^%* to keep looking spot free.

You will be windexing all day...on your vacation LOL

I personally would not purchase there....but I would stay there if only looking for a decent place to crash if the price is fair.

Renata

Emerald Shores is not a newer property----it is an older property current being converted to condos.

They are renovating all the rooms and have made sure that the building and all of the amenities there are in top shape in order to sell the condos....

You will see the resort at it%26#39;s best!!

Renata

The Emerald Shore is three years old. That is new. They are upgrading some of the rooms. They have redone the lobby. The pool is small. Nice mid-price property.

neutrogena

Daytona 500 hotels

Yes, I know this is a hopeless cause, but can anyone tell me where I can still find a hotel somewhat near Daytona for the the weekend of the Daytona 500? We got some extra tickets last minute and now my brother in law wants to come. What towns should we start looking in? I still see things in available in Orlando but I thought maybe there was a better direction to stay so that the drive in on Sunday won%26#39;t be so bad?

Any thought or suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Daytona 500 hotels

At this point in time I would head for the Orlando/Sanford area hotels. In order out of Daytona look for Deland, Deltona, Sanford, Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs, Maitland then Orlando.

Pack your patience and you%26#39;ll have a great time!!!

Daytona 500 hotels

hi smartypants, saw your post and if you will call the famous shores motel, daytona beach shores asap they still have rooms available (i just talked to them) 386-767-2943. i work across the street and live close by and have heard nothing but good. the guy i talked to said they have a three day minimum but alot around here have a 9 day min so 3 is a good thing. anyway give them a call. hope it helps. dave

Hawaiian Inn Resort still had a few rooms

386-255-5411

Renata

The Daytona Beach Official site daytonabeach.com has a booking engine and there are some rooms available.

Idea for a bike trip

Can you ride bikes over the 7 mile bridge?

Idea for a bike trip

You COULD.

I wouldn%26#39;t, I don%26#39;t think it is wise nor do Ithink it is even legal,

but you COULD.

( ; %26gt; 0

Idea for a bike trip

Thanks BuffetGuy. I kind of thought so but I thought i%26#39;d check. I was in San Francisco last week and saw people riding their bikes over the Golden Gate and it gave me the idea. But the 7 mile bridge is a whole other animal.

I wouldn%26#39;t either, I tthink it would be very dangerous. There are some crazy drivers and they don%26#39;t slow down. You could ride on the old 7 mile at Pigeon Key. It goes about 1/2 way. I don%26#39;t know if you have to pay to get onto Pigeon Key or not, you do if you take the train and the tour. It%26#39;s a neat place to visit.

Help

I am going to Orlando for a family holiday .We will not have a car and plan to spend 9 out of 14 days at Disney ( we can%26#39;t afford a Disney Hotel ).We require a hotel near to WDW with good free shuttles.

Have been on lots of sites but one contradicts the other. I am not looking for deluxe accommodation - clean with a free continental breakfast would be good.

Also don%26#39;t want to be marooned in middle of nowhere with some shops and eatinmg places nearby.

Thanks for helping

Help

Did you mean to post in the Apopka forum? You would get more responses if you post in the Orlando forum and give your posting a more descriptive title, maybe ';looking for hotels near WDW with shuttles'; or something like that.

Raddison Hotel at the Pier, Cape Canaveral FL

Has anyone stayed at this hotel? We are planning to go next month and I don%26#39;t want to stay at a hotel that is bad. If anyone could advise their thoughts it would be great

Also what about the Cocoa Beach Towers Condos? I just received information from a realtor about his location. Any commens?

What is the best accomodations in the Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral area?

Thanks so much,

Raddison Hotel at the Pier, Cape Canaveral FL

There isn%26#39;t a Radisson Hotel at the Pier. Do you mean the Radisson near the port?

Raddison Hotel at the Pier, Cape Canaveral FL

Opps, meant to say at the Port

The Radisson is a very nice property. Are you coming for a cruise?

The rooms are clean, the pool is nice with a waterfall in the middle, the tiki bar has good hamburgers, good fish sandwhiches and good drinks. There is a good restaurant next door called Kelseys. There is a go cart track down the street if you have kids. There is a small game room at the hotel. However it is not in walking distance to any shopping.

Thanks you for your information. No, we are not going on a cruise, but wanted to stay some where nice and not super fast paced. We thought this might be a central location to visit Daytona, Space Center, etc.. We are renting a car and would like to visit the beaches and some shopping, but mostly R%26amp;R. My husband perfers pools over the beach so I wanted the pool to be nice for him to relax. Any suggestions on restaurants or places to eat would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

At the port is Grills, good fish sandwhich and good drinks, has a band on weekends and free entertainment watching the boat ramp follies. (you will know what I mean when you go there). Just go on Saturday or Sunday afternoon and you will not believe it. Just around the corner from Grills is a smokehouse shop, Has all kinds of smoked meats. If you like smoked fish they have it and they also have a good bbq sandwhich. Don%26#39;t eat at Rusty%26#39;s which is just down the street from there.

Also try Cocoa Village, just across the 520 Causeway. There are some cute shops and some good restaurants there.

I%26#39;m sure someone will have some more suggestions on where to eat.

medium hair styles

driving

i want to come down there in march

is this a good time to drive in

will i hit alot of traffic

driving

Depends, the weekeinds and holidays are the busiest times on the roads in the Keys. Many rentals are Saturday to Saturday so everyone is coming in and out on that day. Get an early start and it won%26#39;t be as bad.

lodging in or near the everglades

I%26#39;m looking for lodging for 2 nights in the Everglades area.

Any recommendations ??

We will be going late Feb / early March...how%26#39;s the weather ?

Thanks so much !

lodging in or near the everglades

I was in the Everglades yesterday - it was lovely weather and we saw many alligators and other wildlife. Feb/March should also be a very pleasant time to be there. Are you thinking about the Florida City entrance to the Everglades (near the Keys/Miami) or the Everglades City side (near Naples)?

lodging in or near the everglades

We stayed at the Best Western Gateway to the Keys in Florida City and would try someplace else next time. BW was hard to find (sign not lit on Krome Ave, very small drive off Rt 1), and the room smelled - my guess is they are too cheap to leave the AC running when rooms aren%26#39;t occupied. Breakfast was fine, hostess let guests know before she cleaned up, which not all hotels do.

Not sure which entrance....our plans are open....which do you think would be best ?

We%26#39;re using a ';free'; air ticket and just would like to stay 2-3 days total.

Is this enough time....what should NOT be missed....which entrance better or rather, which would have the better lodging choices ??? I assume we can drive to all areas no matter where we stay.

Thanks.

we are in the same boat. Flying in to FT. Lauderdale 1/23, stay at the airport, then have 2 days to explore. Have to catch cruise ship back in FT. Lauderdale then.

i booked one night at the everglades spa and lodge (everglade city)and trying to figure out where to go for the other night.

From the guidebooks i have on our intinerery:

Biscayne NP

corkscrew swamp sanctuary

homosassa springs

coral gables biltmore hotel tour

everglades:

shark valley

gumbo limbo trail

birding in flamingo (where to stay? Flamingo lodge is closed)

eco and mrazek ponds

Any suggestions or recomendations are appreciated!

We are not fisherpeople, love birds, manatees, nature trails.

I%26#39;m looking into the Everglades City Rod %26amp; Gun Club for our hotel. It looks really nice and historic. The website is www.evergladesrodandgun.com

Is it worth it to stay in Everglade City, or do you think staying in Miami would be nicer? I%26#39;m trying to make the decision right now.

The Rod %26amp; Gun Club looks nice and very ';Everglade-ish';.

I don%26#39;t reaaly know if you%26#39;re looking for a more upscale - chain - hotel. I suppose you%26#39;d find that in Miami.

After 2 nites in Everglade City we%26#39;re off the Key Largo for 1 nite @ AZUL...just to relax and soak in all the sun.

Let me know how the rod and gun club is. It looks so nice in the pictures!

I%26#39;ve stayed at the R%26amp;G. While the main building is interesting, that%26#39;s not where the rooms were. They were so-so cottages on the grounds. If I were to go back, I would stay somewhere else (maybe the bank vault place, which I think is the Everglades Spa) and have a meal at R%26amp;G. MamameOw, it sounds like you%26#39;ll want to spend one day exploring the Everglades City/Shark Valley Area and then a day in Florida City. SFRosegrower, you may prefer to stay on the East Coast and doing a little Miami City touring, Florida City Everglades and Florida Keys.

I would be sure to book a trip on the water from Everglades City - fish, kayak, eco-tour, whatever - you need to spend some time on the water.

You drive across the Tamiami Trail through the Everglades to get from Everglades City to Shark Valley and to the Florida City entrance. I suggest a stop at Clyde Butcher%26#39;s gallery along the way. www.clydebutcher.com He does large (huge!) black %26amp; white photos of the Everglades and other Florida landscapes.

If you are really interested in your ';own'; adventure in the Everglades, you may want to skip the Shark Valley tram. It%26#39;s a good way to see some of the Glades quickly but you%26#39;ll be more ';up close'; with other tourists than with wildlife. If you ride bikes, consider renting a bike and biking all or part of the very flat 15 mile route.

On the Florida City side, be sure to hit Robert is Here fruit stand for a fresh fruit milkshake. You%26#39;ll pass it on the way to the park entrance. There are no real food concessions in the park so be sure to pack a cooler with food and drink. You%26#39;ll want to stop at the visitor center for a bit. Then head off to the Royal Palm Visitor Center and Anhinga Trail which a boardwalk through several different habitats. Great opportunity to see birds, gators, etc. There is usually a ranger walk at 10:30 if that interests you. The Gumbo Limbo Trail is in the same area - it%26#39;s short so you may as well walk it but unless you can interpret the flora yourself, it may not hold much attraction. (You have likely already seen that the Gumbo Limbo tree is also called the Tourist Tree because it has peeling red bark like the skin of a sunburned tourist!)

Talk the the Rangers at the main entrance about the best stops along the rest of the road to Flamingo. I haven%26#39;t made it much past Royal Palm since the hurricanes but understand that some of Flaminigo is re-opening (but not the lodging and maybe not restaurants. There is a little marina store). The only lodging is either Florida City, Miami or the Uppper Keys.

Rather than Biscayne NP, I would recommend John Pennekamp State Park in the Florida Keys. Both require going out on boats to see the park (they are mostly underwater). Both have glass bottom boat and snorkel tours. I know Pennekamp also rents canoes and kayaks (not sure about BNP).

Be sure to pick up a bird guide (or even one of the plastic cards at the park gift shops) so you can identify all the amazing birds you%26#39;ll be seeing.

WOW...thanks for all the great info.

I%26#39;m kind-of disappointed to hear about Rod %26amp; Gun.

Do you think I should change the reservations...is it that bad ?

The ';bank '; spa %26amp; hotel didn%26#39;t look so great on the website. Have you been there ? I%26#39;m not looking for fancy...but I%26#39;d like to get a ';feel'; for the area. Any suggestions other than those 2 ?

Thanks again.

neutrogena

prices of food and motels

Hi me and my boyfriend are off to florida on 26th april for 14nts. We are planing to do the parks then miami and the keys. I would like some advice on the rough prices of motels or cheap hotels and how much food is so we know how much money to take with us.

prices of food and motels

Most motels are at least 100.00 per night. You can sometimes find some 89 / 99 per night. Anything less than that is usually not so good. If you find the ones with free breakfast thats a plus. Meals can be anywhere from 5 to 12 per person for breakfast, 5 to 15 for lunch and 10 and up for supper. Plus if you are renting a car or paying for a taxi. You will want some money for tips and of course souveniers.

Theme parks I don%26#39;t know prices but you can look on line or look back thru some posts on here. I%26#39;m sure there are some ideas of cost.

I also read on here about meal plans, you can check into that to see if there is savings there.

Everglades/Biscayne Activities

Hi, all.

The guidebooks I%26#39;ve read have all recommended the glass bottom boat tour/snorkeling in Biscayne NP, but the few reviews I%26#39;ve seen of the park concessionaire on TripAdvisor were negative. Can anyone recommend a tour company with knowledgeable staff?

Also, are there opinions on who the best airboat tour provider in the Everglades is?

Thanks!

Everglades/Biscayne Activities

I can%26#39; t answer your questions but I know the airboat tour question has been asked before. You may have to search back thru some posts to find your answer

Confused about where to stay

We are traveling to Tampa/Clearwater/St Pete area for a week in early April (Tue – Tue). Looking for a comfortable family accommodations preferably with a kitchenette (fridge, micro, coffee) or a full kitchen that can accommodate 2 adults and 2 kids (3 and 10) and not too far from the beach. We will most likely spend some days exploring the area, visiting Bush Gardens, Adventure Island, Tarpoon Springs, Fort De Soto park, zoo(s), museums, etc. We usually spend some time (2-3 hours) on the beach and then go places.

We have not been to this area before. (We visited Miami/ Fort Lauderdale a few times and stayed on the beach there).

We are on the budget, but would like nice, clean and comfortable accommodations. We also have some points for Marriott and Hilton chain hotels (will not cover all 7 nights though).

We are a bit confused about where to stay – should we stay on the beach in Clearwater Beach, or St Pete beach, or within 10-15 minutes from the beach. Should we stay in one place for all 7 nights, or should we split our stay between Clearwater and St Pete area??

Please help!

Thank you so much

Confused about where to stay

I personally think that St. Pete Beach is much more family-oriented than Clearwater. It%26#39;s so easy to get around to all of the area you mentioned as long as you have a car, so I wouldn%26#39;t necessarily pick my hotel based on activities in the immediate area.

My wife and I, 10 year old daughter and infant son spent a long weekend at Sandpiper Resort directly on St. Pete Beach last May. The standard room was a little small for the 4 of us, but we had a crib in there too. Their rooms do have a mini kitchenette area with dorm sized fridge, microwave, coffee maker, sink and dishes. We scored an astonishingly great deal through Southwest Vacations. This is a great property that was very recently completely renovated. I would definitely stay here again.

As a side note, I have been travelling to the Gulf Coast of FL my entire 37 years. My mom is from St. Pete and I still have lots of family there. I actually worked at The Breckenridge resort on St Pete Beach back in the late 80%26#39;s (now part of the Island Grand complex). I know this area and the surrounding cities/beaches pretty well. Given the choice, I would always stay on St. Pete Beach over Clearwater, Treasure Island, Tampa, etc. It really is a fantastic family beach destination!

Confused about where to stay

St. Pete%26#39;s Beach , Madeira Beach and Treasure Island are the better places to stay with family. I have been going there for many years and there are many inexpensive motels and hotels right on the beach in any of these towns and the beaches are great. Clearwater is more for college aged. Go on any of the web sites for the towns and i%26#39;m sure that you will find something nice and inexpensive. Have A Good Trip.

Thank you for the information and advice. The Sandpiper seems to be a very nice resort. Wow. I%26#39;d love to stay there. Unfortunatelly, the propertie (Sandpiper) is not available on all the days that we will be there. In addition it%26#39;s about $360 per night -- a bit pricy!

As for Clearwater Beach being a party place, that%26#39;s great! We are in our mid 30s, and very active. We never spend all day at the beach. Having very active kids as well, we usually go places and visit the beach on the same day, so being fairly close to the activities is important as well.

We were thinking about Marriott Suites on Sand Key for a few nights and Hampton Inn Suites in Saint Pete for a few nights.

Try the Alden Resort on St Pete, it is ideal for families.

Check out http://www.barefootbayresort.com/ We have stayed there several times and have never been disappointed. I have never stayed in their 2 bedroom kitchen, but it looks nice. The beach/pier is 200 yards away.

Frenchy%26#39;s Saltwater Cafe is great place for seafood and rumrunners, and is a block away.

Frenchy%26#39;s Rockaway is great for sunsets, head to the beach and hang a right, about 1/2 mile nice beach walk.

Marina is right across the street and has a nice little place for breakfast. In the afternoon around 4 go check out what the fisherman caught that day, you can take fishing trips from there if you like.

We stayed in Treasure Island last year with our two kids - ages 8 and 5. There is a lot to do - not far from Fort De Soto - which is really neat! There also is St. John%26#39;s Pass nearby with cool little beach shops and all kinds of restaurants. That is also where you can rent jet-skis, go on a cool pirate ship cruise (neat for kids) and all kinds of other stuff. Mini-golf isn%26#39;t far away either. Anyhow - we are going back to Treasure Island this year again and we are staying at Sunset Vista - it is a condo style beach resort right on the beach. All of the rooms are 2 bedroom, 2 bath, full kitchen and the place just opened a few months ago. I have obviously never stayed there but the reviews on tripadvisor are great and I know the area because last year we saw it being built - very close to everything. Check out their website too it%26#39;s www.sunsetvistas.com - I booked directly from their website and it was $247 a night - which isn%26#39;t bad at all for a brand new ';apartment'; with a gulf view, plus it has 2 hot tubs and a pool and kiddie pool! Plus we are staying there spring break time - so I thought that it was a pretty good deal. Hope you have a great trip!

Thank you all.

Will check out the Vistas. Barefoot bay unfortunatelly pretty booked and only avail. on a few nights. We will where we will end up.

Plaza beach Resort is a small family owned business with efficency units for about $100.00 a day. There is a stove top, a full sized fridge, microwave, coffee pot %26amp; dishes. The rooms have 2 double beds and a pull out couch. They are clean %26amp; comfortable and right on the beach. Across the street is a shopping center with a supermarket %26amp; restaurants. It also has a pool. I%26#39;ve stayed ther for 3 years now and am going back this year. Check out their web site www.plazabeach.com

external hard disk

sem-girl

can you email me? I have a gville question

qkeywest@aol

sem-girl

I could, but i might not have the answer to your question... I have only visited once.

sem-girl

correction.... one college visit.

Rent stroller at MK or bring my own? (I'm driving there)

I am staying at an off-site condo so I will need to drive to MK. Will it be too much of a hassle to bring my own stroller considering Iwill have to lug it from parking lot -to- tram- to- monrail/ferry- to- park? Can I bring my stroller on the monrail/ferry? How difficult is it? Is there a long walk from drop off to stroller rental? OR should I consider renting a stroller once we finally arrive?

Rent stroller at MK or bring my own? (I'm driving there)

This topic was just covered extensively a couple of days ago, so if you find it, it will give you a lot of help. A lot of it depends on the age of your child. The walk isn%26#39;t a problem if the child is 3-4 or more, but younger than that, %26amp; you will have more problems with carrying them etc. You can take a stroller on the trams %26amp; ferrys. If you have room in the trunk, why not try it the first day? If you don%26#39;t like it, you can always rent one. It will also be handy to have your own along for shopping %26amp; downtwn Disney, which doesn%26#39;t have stroller rental.

Rent stroller at MK or bring my own? (I'm driving there)

you can do a search by typing in strollers in the blank box at the top of the forum page.

You situation is a tad bit different since you are driving there... I know I am generalizing to say this but I do think that if that was the one variable in the situation that was changed... 90% give or take 5% would have said bring your own.

You have to wait in line for a stroller... they cost 16-18 dollars per day.

if you are worried about something happening to your current ';nice'; stroller. get a cheap one at walmart for like 15 bucks. an umbrella one wont take up too much room and be very light to carry and even buying a new one you would still save money.

please read my post on the other stroller topic

we grew up in orlando my parents ';lugged'; the stroller. It really itsn%26#39;t that bad. the only place you can%26#39;t have it unfolded is the tram.