16/10 2010
Travelling to Florida as a family is like a dream for many. Florida is a truly magical place to go to and taking your children makes it for me. On a more practical side though there is a lot of planning and thinking to do about going to Florida as there is just SO MUCH to do. We have therefore come up with a Top Ten Florida Vacation Tips For Families to try and help with a way to plan your trip and make the most of your time in Florida. These are not in a specific order but are just suggestions for things to think about:
- Plan, plan plan - If you have not been to Florida then you have been thinking about this holiday for a long time. When you get there it will be even better then that. There are so many things to do and no matter how many times you have been there is always more to do then Continue reading “Top 10 Florida Vacation Tips For Families” »
01/03 2010
Florida IS Disney in my eyes and so whilst looking at Florida there is so much more to do around the Orlando, Florida area I though it would be good to come up with a Top Ten Disney Parks Florida Attractions. There are so many parts that are Disney and to see everything would pretty much take you the full 2 week holiday on its own and there is so much more to do, in this article I am concentrating only on the 4 main parks (Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Holywood Studios and Disneys Animal Kingdom Theme Park) and will cover other areas suchas downtown disney etc,… in another post. Here therefore is my Florida Disney Top Ten Attractions and Rides that are a must
- Splash Mountain, Disneys Magic Kingdom, Florida – Splash mountain has to be a big one of the Disney Florida Attractions I think. I think it is almost a mandatory part of a florida vacation that you must have a photo of your group going down the water drop on the splash mountain roller coaster. It is not the most scary of rides and so most kids should be fine on it but the photo is a great keep and on a hot day it also works well as a way to cool off. The queue can get quite long but it is a nice family ride and as always the queueing in themed and you are protected from the sun most of the time.
- Dumbo The Flying Elephant, Disneys Magic Kingdom, Florida - I think the Dumbo ride at Disney Florida is an iconic ride that I suspect with be in the park as long as there is a park. This is the rotating elephants flying thanks to those enormous ears, it is a great ride for small kids to do with mum, dad, grandparent or guardian and is a real memory keeper. Continue reading “Top 10 Disney Parks Florida Attractions” »
22/02 2010
Having been to Florida a number of times and staying in villas everytime my family and I have found a number of things that we have done in Florida that may not have been thought of or even heard of and and so I thought we would share them with other to help make the most of your florida vacation holiday
- Arabian Nights Diner Experience - If you have not heard of this then you should have a look, this is an excelent evening out for families as much as couples. This experience is a meal where all people are seated around a central area where horses and riders play out a story. It is a fantastic experience with 2 seatings a day so that you can eat earlier with the children or later for adults. I have been under both a normal ticket as well as a VIP ticket, the VIP ticket was only about $10 per person more on a late purchase and this gives you a tour of the back stage and all the horse sections as well as front 3 rows seat for the meal/show. The price for the VIP element varies but is not that high and is well worth it if you have the funds.
- Discovery Cove – I must admit to having not been to Discovery cove but this is a no nonsense option to get one of the most well though of experiences in the world of swimming with Dolphins in Florida. Only approximately 1000 tickets per day this definately requires pre booking well in advance. One of the main advantages with Discovery Cove for me is the nice idea that the tickets include your food and drink and so pretty much every thing is included and so you can kick back and relax
- Disney – I was almost going to not add this as it is too obvious but I must make the point (at least to me) that DISNEY IS FLORIDA, Disney was the first park to set up in Florida, get extremely popular and then everyone else followed in and new parks like Seaworld etc set up in Florida also
- Seaworld – I will admit that the first time we went to Florida when much of my family went to Seaworld I went elsewhere as I did not want to go to a Zoo. SEAWORLD IS NOT A ZOO is something that I want to get across, it is much more. There are some fantastic things to do in SeaWorld like feeding the dolphins which if you have kids is amasing but I must admit that is was fantastic just as 2 adults, ironically after not going the first time we went there I made sure that we went there twice! This park is not a massive roller coaster park and as active as Disney and so when doing your planning whilst this is not a rest day it is a lot calmer. You must of course make sure you go and see Shamu and family as that is a show worth waiting for.
- Kennedy Space Centre – This is a place well worth a look. I will admit that a child will look at a lot of it, say Wow Thats Big shortly followed by whats next. This is a great attraction to look at and worth going around the bus route they run that stop at locations around the site allowing you to see launch pads and mock up space shuttles. I would say this is a half day attraction (or a little bit more) personally BUT as you have driven an hour to get there from the main tourist section of Florida you should go over to Ron Jons Surf Shop on Cocoa Beach Florida which was the location of the first Ron Jon surf shop. This is a massive shop and if you need anything for swimming, surfing, snorkelling or more then in Florida there is no better place.
- Cocoa Beach Florida – Most Florida attractions are based in the centre of the state and although it is a thin state very few people think about going to the Beach. I think this is mostly as people tend to think we are in Florida and MUST DO EVERYTHING that we can. As I mention is a few posts you MUST have a rest day or 2 or you will come back having forgotten what you did and exhausted (albeit in a happy way). One good option for a rest day is going to the beach, lay back have some sun, a swim in the sea and catch up with each other. Cocoa Beach is the place for this, it is the closest beach and will take you about an hour. But as I said in my Top Ten Differences About Driving In America it is a lot easier and more relaxing to drive in the US. This beach is beautiful with soft golden sand, and to let you in on a secret the location where I proposed!
- Universal Studios Orlando Resort – Universal studios resort Orlando Florida cannot be missed. Over the years this resort is getting better and better, Universal now has 2 parks Universal Studios and Universal Islands Of Adventure. Universal Studios was the first park and has all the classics, it is centered around a lake making it not feel to cramped in. There are a number of rides and experiences from classics such as Jaws, E.T (still makes my wife cry!) and the Terminator and even the chance to see the Blues Brothers. The newer rides include the Simpsons and Revenge Of The Mummy amongst others. Universal Islands of Adventure theme park is the newer park and offers more high speed rides. There are some fantastic rides such as The Incredible Hulk Coaster , The Amazing Adventures Of Spiderman, and the Duelling Dragons which is one of my favourites. The BIG THING about Islands of Adventure is that this is to be the location of The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter which is due to open in SPRING 2010.  These parks are right next to each other and share a parking complex – So, could you do them both in day? If you arrived very early, left very late and ran everywhere then maybe BUT you would still miss bits. This should really be a 2 day thing, and fortunately they do sell 2 day tickets (often even a 3 day)
- Blizzard Beach Water Park – As a bit of a water baby I have always been interested in going to the WaterParks in Florida. The first time I watched a promotional video (before DVD’s) for going to Florida I saw the Blizzard Beach Water Park and knew I had to go there. The naem Blizzard Beach is apt as it is a waterpark designed to appear as if a to be a ski resort. It is a wonderful mix of scenery to give the illusion and a great selection of rides to match all people. I have been to this park as a couple and a family and there is the “Summit Plummet” which is one of the worlds highest and fastest water slides, there a more high speed slides, there are slides 6 across so that groups can race each other, there is a lazy river to drift down and there are also raft rides down giant slides. Of the water parks that I have been to I would rate Blizzard Beach as the one to go to, especially if you are only allowing one day in a water park.
- Orlando Florida Outlet Malls, Florida Premiem Outlets - This encompasses a few things as basically it means shopping. No matter what the exchange rate buying things in America is cheaper. Obviously the better the exchange rate the better the prices, last time I went i was lucky to time it with the $2 to a £1 and so shopping was all the better. In Florida it is the land of vouchers, there is nearly always a discount to be had also as all shops are fighting for your business. Places like Nike and Reebok often offer deals like 3 pairs of trainers for price of 2, last time I went I bought about 10 $10 t shirts and so costing me about £5 rather then what I would imagine to be about £20 in the UK. People often mention the Beltz Outlets in Florida but this was destroyed about 4 years ago I believe and there is a new setup call Premium Outlets. Form my experience the prices and deals are not as good as they used to be and so keep an eye out but malls and shopping must be a tick in your box even for the blokes !!
- Aquatica – I must admit I have not been to aquatica, this is the new water park that Seaworld have opened and to be honest is a water park should be good then sea world should be in a good position to make one!! There are rides such as slides that go through sharks swimming areas and swimming sections where you can go face to face with a shark (fortunately there is a thick glass sheet between you otherwise it would be Jaws 4 or 5 all over again). i hope to add more details about Aquatica soon once I have a good write up for one and all to help spread the details.
Well, I hope that you have found this interesting. If anyone agrees or disagrees then note it here and we could make a revised version with others people opinion!!!
21/02 2010
I have been to Florida 4 times and am the advocate for Florida Villa Holidays and I find it hard to find a reason why anyone would want to stay in a hotel. I therefore thought it would be good to come up with the only a Top 10 Reasons For A Florida Villa rather then a hotel. There is the obvious response that it is because I run a website whos purpose is to help hire out villas, BUT, I say to you, why do you think I set up this site in the first place !!! I truly believe a villa holiday is much better then a hotel holiday. I appreciate that for many a Florida Vacation holiday is a once in a lifetime expensive holiday and I want to help these people make the most of their trip!!
- Florida Vacation Rental Villas offer you the opportunity to continue to have a similarly structured day as at home. This is nice for a number of reasons but especially for those with children you can keep bedtime routines and part sof the day that are really important especially when you ave exhausted people at the end of a day in parks. The PRICE of a rental villa is often the same if not cheaper then a hotel.
- Swimming Pools – A big one for me is having a private pool. I would estimate that 90% of florida vacation villas have a private swimming pool. The first time I went to Florida (with my parents and siblings totalling 7) it was amazing to have a private pool. At the end of a busy day where there is a lot of walking it was great to get home and jump in th pool for 20 minutes. This is one that for me is almost a justification by itself!!
- Space – I will say it although it should be obvious, would you rather 1 room to share with your children OR at least a 3 bedroom vacation rental villa that also has a private pool, lounge area, Kitchen, dining room and increasingly a games room with a pool table in it?? Another no brainer for me.
- BBQ – I doubt this is just me BUT, I am a VERY keen BBQ man and I love to have a BBQ. The problem of course in the UK is the weather, but in Florida even if it rains it is warm and you will find me out there an umbrella. For me the picture of standing next to the pool, with a beer, the BBQ and cooking for my family IS FLORIDA. That is what I work for and dream about, it is the ultimate family situation for me.
- Dealing with the Owner – This is a big one for many people that I talk with and it flows into point 6 very easily as well. When you hire a villa direct from the owner then you get to know the owner and not a company. Therefore you can get a feeling as to how you think the villa will be, also they are offering you THEIR HOME to hire and so they want it to look good and be just what you want as well
- Know what you are getting – Often what people have said to me is that by booking Direct With The Owner you know THE VILLA that you will be staying in. You are not booking a standard villa with pool or something similar you are booking a particular rental villa, you know what there is in the vacation villa, you have spoken with the owner of the villa and asked all the questions you need to know, you even have driving instructions from the airport to your rental home.
- Noise Levels - This is one that many do not think about however in a villa you are in a house, there will always be some elemnt of noise BUT you are more than likly going to be able to open a window or be by the pool sunbathing without hearing a group of roudy people nearby. Also you wil not keep hearing people walking (or kids running) past your bedroom door, there is also never a worry about when the room cleaning is due!!
- Casual Holiday Living – What do I mean by this?? I mean waking up as a typical englishmen and waling in my PJ’s to the kitchen for a brew and maybe even a piece of toast without having to dress and probably take one of our children with me! This level of ability to just walk about as if at home is part of a relaxing holiday
- Car Parking – In a villa you park you car in the driveway, in a hotel you park it in a large car park a long way from your room
- Location, Location, Location – This is a big one for many people, a real plus of booking your villa direct is you know Exactly where it is, you know roughly how long it will take you to get to major attractions and how, once you land, to get to your villa. Many people worry about the initial drive especially after a LONG 12 hour flight from the UK and knowing how to get where you are going is a definate plus
I hope that people read this and see the benefits. I am not saying hotel stays are not correct for some people but I am DEFINATELY not one of those people
21/02 2010
Driving in Florida or indeed America I believe is easier then driving in the UK. As with doing anything in a different land you have to allow for differences. Here is my top 10 list of differences in the driving experience in the US of A from my 6 or 7 times driving in America
- The roads are wider, smoother and less twisty, this means it is a more relaxing experience to drive in America generally
- Traffic in Florida can be heavy but most of the time it is not when you are around the main parks, if you have not been to Florida then you will be shocked by Disney having their own road systems. In my opinion the Disney roads are better then any single road in our entire country! (In fact this is true of nearly any road I have driven in America, including upstate New York)
- 4 Way Stops – This is the biggest single item I think and something most people hear about, afterall we have all watched the police stop videos. Four way stops are the US version of a roundabout, the general rule of thumb is the person that arrived at the four way stop first has right of way. Take them gently and they should all be fine
- Gas Stations – It is not unusual to have to prepay for petrol in station in the US. If this is the case there will be a not on the pump and you should either use a card in the pump as is increasingly normal even in the UK or go into the cashier
- Speeding – I have to say that my experience of driving in the US is that there is little speeding that happens. Speed limits are slightly lower then in the UK and nearly all the traffic will go the speed limit unlike the UK. This I suspect in linked to the higher fines there are in the US as well as the use of cruise control!!
- Cruise Control – This normally in any car that you drive in the US due to the large straight roads, this is a little lost in the UK as you have to brake every 15 yards for traffic, bends or potholes. Basically to use cruise control is quite simple as you get the car to the speed you want (roughly) then you press the cruise control button and you should be able to remove your feet from the peddals and the car continue at the same pace. You then have the option on the steering wheell to add or reduce speed using a button, there is also the option to turn off the cruise control – Also pressing the brake will also turn off the cruise control no matter how hard to press it for obvious reasons
- Undertaking is illegal in the uk whilst in normal driving conditions, in the US the general definition is that is is normal practice to undertake on the roads UNLESS there is a sign expressly saying you cannot
- Turning Right on a red light – Those familiar with Jeremy Clarkson (who is not a fan of the US) will have heard him describe this rule as one, if not THE, best thing about America. The rule is generally that you can turn right when faced with a red light unless there is a sign that forbids it, this could be a standard road sign saying no right turns OR if there is a turning traffic light
- Police stopping – Being stopped by the police in the uk is an annoyance but not something that agitates people unless they are in the wrong. In the US with the greater use of weapons and the police of course being armed, keep it simple. If you are signaled to stop by a marked police car pull to the side of the road where it is safe to do so then stay in the driving position with your hands on the steering wheel. It is not uncommon in the UK to get a wallet from the glove compartment or play with the stereo or get a wallet out your pocket but put yourself in the policemans situation, you could just as easily be getting a weapon. Stay still till he is alongside your window and generally just be sensible
- Finally – Check the laws. At the end of the day it is your responsibility to know the laws of where you are driving and whilst this list cover the more practical day to day driving there will always be other things that are more relevant to you and your driving situation.
I hope that you find this useful. I prefer driving in the US rather then the UK for lots of reasons but one is probably that you tend to end up with a car that is much nicer then my own, sometimes with a soft top or a 4 x 4.
