Orlando tips

[Mashwort]

Looking for tips / advice for a planned visit to Orlando. We have a villa booked with friends for two weeks mid august 2023. Our son is 11, not the biggest fan of thrill rides but very open to try new things / experiences. Initial thoughts are:

- get two week passes for Disney and Universal so we can go in and out as we want to, and not have to rush around in a day to get to things we want to do
- Trip to Discovery Cove
- Trip to Kennedy Space Centre
- fair amount of chill time, visit to water parks etc

Anything else a must do? Any tips on the various types of tickets (Genie +, fast passes etc)

Thanks

[Collectingbrass]

Orlando, and the parks especially, needs a plan, especially if you are there when the US is on a school break - eg different parks open early on different days, and the night shows are well worth doing. You will want to do 2 – 3 big parks then a day at a water park or something. They will usually do pass outs for the car parks if you want to go back to base in the middle of the day, which we did about half the time.

The Brit Guide to Disney is worth a look as well as the Touring Plans book

Disney & Universal park apps are well worth getting – and the in park photography (free I think but that might have been our ticket level) is delivered to your app account by wifi quicker than you can walk away from the photographer

Florida can be exceptionally wet, I’ve never seen anything like it. You can get ponchos there. Its also very hot (obvs) so take refillable bottles.

Book ahead for eating in the parks where you can – its uncheap but then an Orlando holiday is uncheap anyway

Cars & Driving – first, treat turn right on red as a give way and you’ll be ok. Hire Cars don’t come with Sat Nav as standard but Waze works just fine. Just remember that everyone has guns so do not road rage. If stopped by the cops keep your hands where they can be seen at all times. IME in the tourist areas lane discipline is the only real problem.

NASA - if you can get to a launch then do so, but it will be the busiest place you go to and there are no services once you get in the queue for the car park...

There's a whole thread here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing//topic.asp?h=0...

[yellowbentines]

Mashwort said:

Anything else a must do?

An airboat ride. This place was good:

https://www.airboatridesatmidway.com/

Kayaking here:

https://www.paddlingcenter.com/

Orlando speed world - check the calendar to see if anything is on whilst you're visiting

https://raceosw.com/dragway/

[Freakuk]

I've not been for years, but it would be worth checking Kennedy for their launch schedule and booking tickets to watch a launch, I managed to see a shuttle go up a long time ago.

Also, there are different tours you can book at Kennedy so again have a look which would be interesting, likewise they usually have astronauts doing talks, not sure if they have a schedule for this, but again there may be someone of interest.

If you're based in Orlando it would probably too far to get to Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Keys etc but if you do plan on venturing further those would be on my list.

[Johnniem]

Just got back from the Keys. Not particularly related to the initial query but take twice as much money as you think you'll need. It is an extremely expensive part of the world (and not just because of the exchange rate!).

[barryrs]

Mashwort said:

Looking for tips / advice for a planned visit to Orlando. We have a villa booked with friends for two weeks mid august 2023. Our son is 11, not the biggest fan of thrill rides but very open to try new things / experiences. Initial thoughts are:

- get two week passes for Disney and Universal so we can go in and out as we want to, and not have to rush around in a day to get to things we want to do
- Trip to Discovery Cove
- Trip to Kennedy Space Centre
- fair amount of chill time, visit to water parks etc

Anything else a must do? Any tips on the various types of tickets (Genie +, fast passes etc)

Thanks

I’d say this is too much!

Discovery Cove comes with 2 weeks access to Seaworld and Aquatica so you are paying for 6 weeks of park access on a 2 week holiday.

Just save the money wasted on excessive amounts of days for another trip in the future otherwise you will get no chill time.

[Matt Harper]

Collectingbrass said:

Cars & Driving – first, treat turn right on red as a give way and you’ll be ok.

Don't do that.

[ro250]

Mashwort said:

- get two week passes for Disney and Universal so we can go in and out as we want to, and not have to rush around in a day to get to things we want to do

As someone else said, that's too much to cram in anyway but you might want to see how much that will cost for both! We did 2 week passes this year for Universal (the 3 parks) and that was £300 per person. No idea on Disney but expect it to be equivalent so will add up.

[ro250]

Matt Harper said:

Collectingbrass said:

Cars & Driving – first, treat turn right on red as a give way and you’ll be ok.

Don't do that.

Why not, isn't that exactly what you are supposed to do (unless right turn on red isn't permitted at that particular junction)?

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Disney £585 per adult 10 and up
$25 per day parking + 15 per day per person for genie plus then the 7 to 15 per premium ride per person to skip the queue if you can get them

Universal
£345 per person 10+
Same parking except after 6pm then it's free


Discovery cove with aquatica and SeaWorld and Busch
$322 per person


Kennedy
£60 adults kids 52


So £3766 just in tickets

May be another $250 in parking maybe another $270 in genie plus then the individual ride passes

Edited by Trustmeimadoctor on Wednesday 23 November 15:21

[Matt Harper]

ro250 said:

Why not, isn't that exactly what you are supposed to do (unless right turn on red isn't permitted at that particular junction)?

No, it's not what you are supposed to do.
You must come to a complete stop before turning right on red. That's not the same as 'give way'.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

i have been meaning to ask, any pointers for st Augustine?

[Matt Harper]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

i have been meaning to ask, any pointers for st Augustine?

Easily do-able as a day-trip, but there are some lovely guesthouse/B&B's if you fancy staying over. Casa Monica Hotel & Spa is fabulous, but not budget.

It is a small town and easily walkable, but the horse-drawn and motorized trams are really good and a nice way to see a lot of the history of the place.

Lots and lots of restaurants and bars, ghost tours, a haunted lighthouse, great beaches on the barrier island and a very rich Spanish/French/English history.

The architecture of Flagler College (once a very grand hotel) is quite stunning - in fact the entire town is very pretty and olde worlde.

Can get very busy during vacation season.

Well worth a visit.

[barryrs]

On our trip last month we got 1 Discovery Cove ultimate ticket between the 6 of us as this comes with free parking but only cost £20 more (no plans to go to busch gardens).

This £20 saved $120 in parking as its $30 per day.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

barryrs said:

On our trip last month we got 1 Discovery Cove ultimate ticket between the 6 of us as this comes with free parking but only cost £20 more (no plans to go to busch gardens).

This £20 saved $120 in parking as its $30 per day.

But bush has by far the best rides

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Matt Harper said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

i have been meaning to ask, any pointers for st Augustine?

Easily do-able as a day-trip, but there are some lovely guesthouse/B&B's if you fancy staying over. Casa Monica Hotel & Spa is fabulous, but not budget.

It is a small town and easily walkable, but the horse-drawn and motorized trams are really good and a nice way to see a lot of the history of the place.

Lots and lots of restaurants and bars, ghost tours, a haunted lighthouse, great beaches on the barrier island and a very rich Spanish/French/English history.

The architecture of Flagler College (once a very grand hotel) is quite stunning - in fact the entire town is very pretty and olde worlde.

Can get very busy during vacation season.

Well worth a visit.

Cheers we are staying one night and have the lighthouse ghost tour booked already.

[yellowbentines]

Matt Harper said:

motorized trams are really good and a nice way to see a lot of the history of the place.

I've done the guided tram tour in St Augustine and it was great, the driver made it as he was the real life human incarnation of Otto, the bus driver from The Simpsons, in everything from his appearance to the laid back commentary. I'd go seek him out again if returning

[captain_cynic]

Matt Harper said:

Collectingbrass said:

Cars & Driving – first, treat turn right on red as a give way and you’ll be ok.

Don't do that.

Isn't that a state by state rule?

IIRC it was du jour in Nevada but not acceptable in California?

No idea about Florida.

To the OP, get yourself immortalised in a Florida Man article.

[ro250]

Matt Harper said:

ro250 said:

Why not, isn't that exactly what you are supposed to do (unless right turn on red isn't permitted at that particular junction)?

No, it's not what you are supposed to do.
You must come to a complete stop before turning right on red. That's not the same as 'give way'.

Fair enough (if a bit pedantic). I took ‘give way’ as to stop (I always do).

The principle the OP needs to know is you stop, check no traffic is coming and that no pedestrians are crossing, then you can go (unless there’s a sign which says no right turn on red).

[barryrs]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

But bush has by far the best rides

Didn’t want to over do it on the 7th visit.