Florida 2024/25
Discussion
Not sure this thread will get much traction, but there are always a fair few PH’s heading over to Florida so I thought a thread compiling planned trips/experiences might be interesting/helpful…
My wife and I are heading over in September and we can’t wait; we tend to go once a year and we absolutely love it. I appreciate it betrays a lack of imagination but we really enjoy the weather, beach, driving etc and the familiarity.
Around 6 years ago we did a home exchange with a lovely couple with a house on Marco Island and we are now firm friends and are lucky to be able to go whenever we can without the “exchange” element now; they have already been over here earlier in the year, but when they heard we were struggling for someone to look after our dog when we travel, they instantly decided to come back over for a second holiday and combine it with some dog sitting!
So, two weeks from the 10th September…
Flights are with BA from Edinburgh to Miami via London; we managed to get premium economy and have upgraded on the way out into business, which is a nice treat. We are also on the earlier flight, which makes the drive across the Everglades less tiring.
Car hire is with Alamo, who over the years have been faultless. They always have a great selection of Mustang convertibles, and you can upload your details before you travel and head “straight to the garage” to select your car, bypassing the desks and the inevitable queue and upsell. Last year we used Avis as it was a BA flight deal, and for the second time they were a complete disaster (no convertibles and overcharged us). I booked a cancellable rate with Alamo quite far out and monitor the prices weekly, and it dropped £100 last week so we did a new booking at £540 for 13 days, which isn’t bad.
The last couple of times immigration queues have been a nightmare, so we both decided to sign up for Global Entry ($100 for five years) and will interviewed on arrival to complete the process so hopefully that will be trouble free.
The plan is to spend a week at our friend’s house, then head down the Florida Keys to Marathon as a base for two nights, and on one of the days take a drive to Key West. We’ve done it a couple of times before and I enjoy the drive. My wife’s company owns a Marriott hotel so she gets an “owners discount” in any of their hotels so long as they have empty rooms so the costs are pretty cheap.
The last few years we have found food shopping/eating out to be really expensive, so tend to head to local restaurant’s “happy hours” as we aren’t big eaters and they are relatively good value, or have the occasional Dominos pizza on the beach.
I just love that feeling of waking up early on the first morning and getting the roof down and driving up to the Starbucks on 5th Avenue in Naples and sitting watching the world go by. Can’t wait!
So, who is heading this year or next and what are your plans?
My wife and I are heading over in September and we can’t wait; we tend to go once a year and we absolutely love it. I appreciate it betrays a lack of imagination but we really enjoy the weather, beach, driving etc and the familiarity.
Around 6 years ago we did a home exchange with a lovely couple with a house on Marco Island and we are now firm friends and are lucky to be able to go whenever we can without the “exchange” element now; they have already been over here earlier in the year, but when they heard we were struggling for someone to look after our dog when we travel, they instantly decided to come back over for a second holiday and combine it with some dog sitting!
So, two weeks from the 10th September…
Flights are with BA from Edinburgh to Miami via London; we managed to get premium economy and have upgraded on the way out into business, which is a nice treat. We are also on the earlier flight, which makes the drive across the Everglades less tiring.
Car hire is with Alamo, who over the years have been faultless. They always have a great selection of Mustang convertibles, and you can upload your details before you travel and head “straight to the garage” to select your car, bypassing the desks and the inevitable queue and upsell. Last year we used Avis as it was a BA flight deal, and for the second time they were a complete disaster (no convertibles and overcharged us). I booked a cancellable rate with Alamo quite far out and monitor the prices weekly, and it dropped £100 last week so we did a new booking at £540 for 13 days, which isn’t bad.
The last couple of times immigration queues have been a nightmare, so we both decided to sign up for Global Entry ($100 for five years) and will interviewed on arrival to complete the process so hopefully that will be trouble free.
The plan is to spend a week at our friend’s house, then head down the Florida Keys to Marathon as a base for two nights, and on one of the days take a drive to Key West. We’ve done it a couple of times before and I enjoy the drive. My wife’s company owns a Marriott hotel so she gets an “owners discount” in any of their hotels so long as they have empty rooms so the costs are pretty cheap.
The last few years we have found food shopping/eating out to be really expensive, so tend to head to local restaurant’s “happy hours” as we aren’t big eaters and they are relatively good value, or have the occasional Dominos pizza on the beach.
I just love that feeling of waking up early on the first morning and getting the roof down and driving up to the Starbucks on 5th Avenue in Naples and sitting watching the world go by. Can’t wait!
So, who is heading this year or next and what are your plans?
Went in January with a mate, back next Jan to do the same.
Got back on Sunday having been out just under 3 weeks with the family. First went when I was 12 months old and have been at least once a year ever since. We have a house in Kissimmee but this last time we decided to stay on a Disney property and do the whole up early and to the parks thing for the kids (we'd normally only do a couple of days at parks) and then finished up with a cruise round the Bahamas on the Disney Wish.
It's a home from home for me and nothing beats when you first walk out of the airport towards the rental car garage, the small, humidity that just says "I'm back".
That said, in Jan we used Turo for a car, C8 Corvette, cheaper than a Mustang from the usual suspects and easier collection, pick up etc. We'll do the same next year.
I quite like an early morning drive over to Celebration for a Starbucks and to sit and watch the world go by in one of the rocking chairs.
Spend a lot of time in Longboat Key which is glorious, and a few rounds of golf.
Got back on Sunday having been out just under 3 weeks with the family. First went when I was 12 months old and have been at least once a year ever since. We have a house in Kissimmee but this last time we decided to stay on a Disney property and do the whole up early and to the parks thing for the kids (we'd normally only do a couple of days at parks) and then finished up with a cruise round the Bahamas on the Disney Wish.
It's a home from home for me and nothing beats when you first walk out of the airport towards the rental car garage, the small, humidity that just says "I'm back".
That said, in Jan we used Turo for a car, C8 Corvette, cheaper than a Mustang from the usual suspects and easier collection, pick up etc. We'll do the same next year.
I quite like an early morning drive over to Celebration for a Starbucks and to sit and watch the world go by in one of the rocking chairs.
Spend a lot of time in Longboat Key which is glorious, and a few rounds of golf.
Im back and forth quite a bit to Orlando.
Was there Jan, Feb, April, June, July and am heading back in about next week.
My car over there is now up on Turo so I am back to renting and the past few times I have found that Budget have been the best mix of value and short queues, especially at MCO (dreaded Terminal C), and also MLB (cheap flights over the summer period with TUI). I wouldnt personally rent off Turo - double standards I know.
We are Universal annual passholders (Preferred) and hadnt been to Disney since 2018/9, but headed to MK and AK at the beginning of July as I was debating becoming a Disney Passholder but Im pleased we went beforehand as Disney certainly isnt for us now.
Really looking forward to Epic opening in 2025 but will let the initial crowds subside first.
The exhange rate seems to have stabilised again, and while its still rubbish there still lots of bargains to be had. Tipping remains out of control but that isnt changing anytime soon.
Was there Jan, Feb, April, June, July and am heading back in about next week.
My car over there is now up on Turo so I am back to renting and the past few times I have found that Budget have been the best mix of value and short queues, especially at MCO (dreaded Terminal C), and also MLB (cheap flights over the summer period with TUI). I wouldnt personally rent off Turo - double standards I know.
We are Universal annual passholders (Preferred) and hadnt been to Disney since 2018/9, but headed to MK and AK at the beginning of July as I was debating becoming a Disney Passholder but Im pleased we went beforehand as Disney certainly isnt for us now.
Really looking forward to Epic opening in 2025 but will let the initial crowds subside first.
The exhange rate seems to have stabilised again, and while its still rubbish there still lots of bargains to be had. Tipping remains out of control but that isnt changing anytime soon.
We're almost certain to go back in Easter 25 (was there boxing day 23 into mid Jan)
Went a few times as a child, then twice again as childless adults with my now-wife but this Christmas was our first time with a sprog and needless to say it changed things considerably.
We stayed on site at Disney for the first time which was incredible but eye wateringly expensive, being "trapped" with Disney Dining etc (not helped by how many signature dining meals we booked...) so our instinct is to revert back to our norm with an off-site villa.
BUT... The convenience of being on site was incredible. Just "popping to Epcot" for a meal on a night was really really good. Early entry, Disney transit etc. all really nice to have with a 4yo.
So we're proper torn. A half and half seems logical so we can do Disney in one week and universal the next (we skipped universal in Jan) but losing half a day to relocating feels like a drag.
Interesting to hear other opinions from this thread. We did miss the international drive/diner experience type stuff the positives seem to outweigh, I think?
The pool complex at our hotel was one of the highlights for our daughter, despite it being low 20s in January, but I hear they're absolutely rammed in the spring/summer months so that might take the shine off a bit.
I imagine we'll be going every other year at least until she outgrows it all, so hopefully will have time to experiment a bit.
Went a few times as a child, then twice again as childless adults with my now-wife but this Christmas was our first time with a sprog and needless to say it changed things considerably.
We stayed on site at Disney for the first time which was incredible but eye wateringly expensive, being "trapped" with Disney Dining etc (not helped by how many signature dining meals we booked...) so our instinct is to revert back to our norm with an off-site villa.
BUT... The convenience of being on site was incredible. Just "popping to Epcot" for a meal on a night was really really good. Early entry, Disney transit etc. all really nice to have with a 4yo.
So we're proper torn. A half and half seems logical so we can do Disney in one week and universal the next (we skipped universal in Jan) but losing half a day to relocating feels like a drag.
Interesting to hear other opinions from this thread. We did miss the international drive/diner experience type stuff the positives seem to outweigh, I think?
The pool complex at our hotel was one of the highlights for our daughter, despite it being low 20s in January, but I hear they're absolutely rammed in the spring/summer months so that might take the shine off a bit.
I imagine we'll be going every other year at least until she outgrows it all, so hopefully will have time to experiment a bit.
AB said:
x5tuu said:
I wouldnt personally rent off Turo - double standards I know.
Interesting, how come?For something exotic or rare I can see the point but again it’s unusual for those to be rented for more than a handful of days at a time.
tim0409 said:
RammyMP said:
We’re doing 2 weeks in Naples next summer. Looking forward to it but the villa rental is bloody expensive!
You will love it though, we really like Naples. Where are you renting?Going back to Orlando in May 2025 - took a year off this year after going in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023
Brother & his family now lives there permanently in Dr Phillips area, but we choose not to stay with them just so we can do our own things at our pace without feeling under their feet the whole time
Flying from Edinburgh to MCO direct
Brother & his family now lives there permanently in Dr Phillips area, but we choose not to stay with them just so we can do our own things at our pace without feeling under their feet the whole time
Flying from Edinburgh to MCO direct
This year will be my third year in a row doing Florida, it all started in 2021 when I originally planned a week over in mid September to watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and to also make a holiday of it, but Biden never opened the borders until November so I ended up going for 9 days in September the next year - 2022, stayed in a condo in Clearwater and in general had a really good time. Visited the Florida aquarium, took a 2 night mini roadtrip over to Savannah and Charleston, and flew to New Orleans to watch the game as it just happened the 2 weekends I picked to stay, Tampa both had away games. At some point in 2022 someone here mentioned the Alamo readers brits discount trick, which I used to also hire a Mustang convertible and I chose the skip the counter option as well.
2023 was again similar, 9 days in Clearwater, same condo, except that year I spent 2 nights in Nashville in the middle of that trip, hired through Alamo TPA, and this time got to see the Bucs play at home in Raymond James stadium. I also got soaked during the USF - Alabama college football game because I decided to try and tough out a "quick shower which will pass" which turned into a heavy Florida rainstorm. I retreated inside pretty quickly!
This year, I'm going again but only a quick 5 day trip with my dad this time. Off to watch the opening home game of the season, spend a day fishing and on the beach before going home. Hiring out a Ford F150 this time round from Alamo, as I ended up buying my own Mustang at Christmas last year!
2023 was again similar, 9 days in Clearwater, same condo, except that year I spent 2 nights in Nashville in the middle of that trip, hired through Alamo TPA, and this time got to see the Bucs play at home in Raymond James stadium. I also got soaked during the USF - Alabama college football game because I decided to try and tough out a "quick shower which will pass" which turned into a heavy Florida rainstorm. I retreated inside pretty quickly!
This year, I'm going again but only a quick 5 day trip with my dad this time. Off to watch the opening home game of the season, spend a day fishing and on the beach before going home. Hiring out a Ford F150 this time round from Alamo, as I ended up buying my own Mustang at Christmas last year!
I love SW Florida, the beaches are wonderful, saw dolphins in the middle of the day once on Delnor-Wiggins.
I'd love to take our son over but he's a bit young at the moment for us to make some real memories from it and isn't old enough to get a job to help pay for it!!! I'm sure it won't be shy of 10k for a holiday for two weeks.
Places like Cape Coral have by the looks of things been brought up to a better standard now as I think a hurricane wiped it out 15 years ago.
I'd love to take our son over but he's a bit young at the moment for us to make some real memories from it and isn't old enough to get a job to help pay for it!!! I'm sure it won't be shy of 10k for a holiday for two weeks.
Places like Cape Coral have by the looks of things been brought up to a better standard now as I think a hurricane wiped it out 15 years ago.
phpe said:
Going back to Orlando in May 2025 - took a year off this year after going in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023
Brother & his family now lives there permanently in Dr Phillips area, but we choose not to stay with them just so we can do our own things at our pace without feeling under their feet the whole time
Flying from Edinburgh to MCO direct
I saw that name on Google Maps and thought it was an actual's Doctor's surgery Brother & his family now lives there permanently in Dr Phillips area, but we choose not to stay with them just so we can do our own things at our pace without feeling under their feet the whole time
Flying from Edinburgh to MCO direct
Anyways. We went at Christmas just gone. Just did Disney and I'd been wanting to take the kids for years. It was fairly stressful at times and I'm not sure it was quite the holiday of a lifetime if I'm honest.
Anyways, we are going back in October 2025 to Universal but this time we are going to Kennedy Space Centre along with the NASCAR experience at Daytona. Epic Universe is of course on the list as well as Volcano Bay. Never been to Volcano Bay or Daytona, so looking forward to that.
bakerstreet said:
I saw that name on Google Maps and thought it was an actual's Doctor's surgery
Doctor Philip Phillips - he was arguably not even a real doctor! He was an Orlando citrus baron and philanthropist. However it is thought that he was also a bit of a t
t - taking advantage of share croppers and indentured workers....x5tuu said:
AB said:
x5tuu said:
I wouldnt personally rent off Turo - double standards I know.
Interesting, how come?For something exotic or rare I can see the point but again it’s unusual for those to be rented for more than a handful of days at a time.
Matt Harper said:
Never mind the bogus cleaning fees, spurious damage claims, incidence of 'renters' being accused of auto theft, advertised cars not actually existing, 'renters' being held-up and robbed at gun-point by the supposed car owners. I understand that insurance can be something of an issue too. Google 'Turo Scams'. It's eye-opening....
Sounds like I got lucky. Corvette turned up, handed over, used it, handed it back. Cheap as chips.Matt Harper said:
bakerstreet said:
I saw that name on Google Maps and thought it was an actual's Doctor's surgery
Doctor Philip Phillips - he was arguably not even a real doctor! He was an Orlando citrus baron and philanthropist. However it is thought that he was also a bit of a t
t - taking advantage of share croppers and indentured workers....Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff