Florida....

maisiemog

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We've just been gifted some Thomas Cook vouchers so going to use them as a deposit for a holiday to Florida. Any recommendations? Where is best to stay? Shall we book park tickets with the holiday or buy them separately?When's the best time to visit?
 

Jon

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We've just been gifted some Thomas Cook vouchers so going to use them as a deposit for a holiday to Florida. Any recommendations? Where is best to stay? Shall we book park tickets with the holiday or buy them separately?When's the best time to visit?
Oh Jesus this is my sort of thread but I’m going to have to reply tomorrow night when I’m back home and not sat I’m a hotel darn sarf

Have got some great info for you anyway - you can start with this! https://blog.themoneyshed.co.uk/theme-parks-florida-really-worth-money/
 

skint

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I took my two children in 1999 so anything I can add will be way out of date, but it was awesome. We stayed on site at Disney World which was expensive and we got a much better exchange rate then. The reason I chose to do it that way was because I really didn't want to drive in the US and taking children abroad on your own is stressful enough without adding American freeways to the mix. So I didn't see much of Florida. If I was to do it again and I was with people who didn't mind driving I would rent a villa with a pool so you could chill out a bit more as you can get a bit theme parked out.
 

maisiemog

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Thanks all. We went in today but didn't actually book. We can't decide between a few different hotels so have got the details of them and will go back in next weekend to do it. And she looked at me like I was some weirdo when I declined car hire. husband can't drive and I don't know if I am confident enough to do it on the wrong side of the road!

We're looking at going the last week of April into first week of May 2019 as it was the cheapest two weeks when it wont be stupidly hot. (Bad mummy pulling her child out of school for 2 weeks!). I'm going to be VERY poor for the next year I think. Worth it though. My daughter has already started planning her shopping list! No doubt I'll be back with more questions!
 

Jon

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Thanks all. We went in today but didn't actually book. We can't decide between a few different hotels so have got the details of them and will go back in next weekend to do it. And she looked at me like I was some weirdo when I declined car hire. husband can't drive and I don't know if I am confident enough to do it on the wrong side of the road!

We're looking at going the last week of April into first week of May 2019 as it was the cheapest two weeks when it wont be stupidly hot. (Bad mummy pulling her child out of school for 2 weeks!). I'm going to be VERY poor for the next year I think. Worth it though. My daughter has already started planning her shopping list! No doubt I'll be back with more questions!
What were the hotels you were looking at @maisiemog ?
 

Jon

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I took my two children in 1999 so anything I can add will be way out of date, but it was awesome. We stayed on site at Disney World which was expensive and we got a much better exchange rate then. The reason I chose to do it that way was because I really didn't want to drive in the US and taking children abroad on your own is stressful enough without adding American freeways to the mix. So I didn't see much of Florida. If I was to do it again and I was with people who didn't mind driving I would rent a villa with a pool so you could chill out a bit more as you can get a bit theme parked out.

Thanks all. We went in today but didn't actually book. We can't decide between a few different hotels so have got the details of them and will go back in next weekend to do it. And she looked at me like I was some weirdo when I declined car hire. husband can't drive and I don't know if I am confident enough to do it on the wrong side of the road!

We're looking at going the last week of April into first week of May 2019 as it was the cheapest two weeks when it wont be stupidly hot. (Bad mummy pulling her child out of school for 2 weeks!). I'm going to be VERY poor for the next year I think. Worth it though. My daughter has already started planning her shopping list! No doubt I'll be back with more questions!

honestly, driving over there is a breeze. Download US maps onto your TomTom and take it with you and you are good to go!

The roads are SO WIDE and the only 2 laws that you need to remember that are slightly odd are

you can turn right at a red light

you can't overtake a school bus if it is picking up

But honestly I worried about the same thing but when you actually do it it all just becomes second nature very very quickly
 

Jon

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I love threads like this from you guys and gals who have set goals! So if there's anything I can do to help you get earning that big more money let me know!!!
 

maisiemog

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What were the hotels you were looking at @maisiemog ?

We're looking at Comfort Suites in Kissimmee, Rosen Plaza on International Drive and Disney All Stars. I am thinking Comfort purely because it includes breakfast. husband wants to be on international drive and the daughter wants to be on resort.
 

disneygirl

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Are you looking at this year or next? If next year Disney should be doing the free Disney dining offer released in april for booking next year. So would be worth waiting for that if you want to stay at a disney resort. Its not available at the value resorts. But if you book a moderate resort you get the quick service plan which would cover pretty much all your food.


I have never stayed offsite but have heard lots of good things about rosen point inn , great location and plenty of restaurants in walking distance.
 

Jon

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We're looking at Comfort Suites in Kissimmee, Rosen Plaza on International Drive and Disney All Stars. I am thinking Comfort purely because it includes breakfast. husband wants to be on international drive and the daughter wants to be on resort.

yes!!

We've stayed there twice and can't recommend it enough. I would recommend booking it via my ebookers loophole that ALWAYS guarantees you get the lowest price!

It's an amazing hotel. The breakfast changes every day, they do mickey waffles and here are some pics!
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The location is amazing. You literally come out of the car park, turn left and then you turn right into Disney property about 4 miles down the road (hence why I still say driving wouldn't be a problem imo). It's in a VERY quiet part of Kissimmee / Own Town and you've got a HUGE walmart down the road.

The rooms are huge, we've emailed them before we go each time asking for rooms on the lower floor and also for interconnecting rooms and they email back and always accommodate ;)

you can also have hot tea / coffee / hot chocolate 24hrs a day from the lobby.

But without doubt the most important thing is the fact you get a fridge+freezer in your room! Why is that so important, because you can make these!


sFRlO5R.jpg


Every night fill a few water bottles up and put them in the freezer and take them out with you to the parks. They will last all day and then just rinse and repeat. We tend to freeze 6 at a time and take 3 each day! Will save you a FORTUNE instead of buying cold water in the parks.

Are you planning to go to universal, seaworld, discovery cove as well?
 

Jon

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Are you looking at this year or next? If next year Disney should be doing the free Disney dining offer released in april for booking next year. So would be worth waiting for that if you want to stay at a disney resort. Its not available at the value resorts. But if you book a moderate resort you get the quick service plan which would cover pretty much all your food.


I have never stayed offsite but have heard lots of good things about rosen point inn , great location and plenty of restaurants in walking distance.
The wife is going nuts over the new Star Wars land in 2019 and wants to stay at the themed hotel they are building there. That will be our first experience of staying 'on site' and I dread to think of the cost!!!

Do you feel like you HAVE to eat within disney property to get value from being on the dining plan? It's just apart from major restaurant bookings like be our guest, crystal palace etc we tend to just eat on the fly. Plus we spend days at Universal, Discovery Cove, Seaworld, Coco beach etc so aren't always at Disney and wouldn't be even if we stayed onsite.
 

disneygirl

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The wife is going nuts over the new Star Wars land in 2019 and wants to stay at the themed hotel they are building there. That will be our first experience of staying 'on site' and I dread to think of the cost!!!

Do you feel like you HAVE to eat within disney property to get value from being on the dining plan? It's just apart from major restaurant bookings like be our guest, crystal palace etc we tend to just eat on the fly. Plus we spend days at Universal, Discovery Cove, Seaworld, Coco beach etc so aren't always at Disney and wouldn't be even if we stayed onsite.

Yeah, I dread to think how much the star wars hotel will cost, looks amazing though.

Well yes because other wise we would be paying for food when we had it included with our disney package. We booked a lot of character meals including the cinderella castle and could not have eaten at so many without the dining plan. I wouldn't pay for the plan though as I think we could eat for less than the cost of paying for it.

We did a couple of nights at universal studios before staying at disney so had a few days of paying for food,

We are a family of 5 so works better to stay onsite with free dining. Worked out the cost of staying offsite and want we would spend on food against a disney hotel and free dining. We are mostly go to disney parks so eating at disney anyway, and don't have a car so also factored in transport cost. As there is 5 of us uber isn't that cheap for us.
 
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maisiemog

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All booked....staying at the Comfort Suites. Going from 27th April 2019 for two weeks! Now have a year to get it paid off and save some serious money, plus lose some weight so I don't have to wedge myself into the rides! I am seriously excited already!!!
 
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Jon

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All booked....staying at the Comfort Suites. Going from 27th April 2019 for two weeks! Now have a year to get it paid off and save some serious money, plus lose some weight so I don't have to wedge myself into the rides! I am seriously excited already!!!

YES!!!!!

have you booked your park tickets yet as I've got some great ways to get some discounts off them!
 

maisiemog

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YES!!!!!

have you booked your park tickets yet as I've got some great ways to get some discounts off them!

No not yet. I'm not sure yet what packages to go for as we want to do both Disney and Universal so not sure what is best. would appreciate saving money when we do book them though! more money to spend when we are out there then!
 

Jon

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No not yet. I'm not sure yet what packages to go for as we want to do both Disney and Universal so not sure what is best. would appreciate saving money when we do book them though! more money to spend when we are out there then!
If you're going for 2 weeks are you looking at

14 day Disney
3-4 day Universal + Volcano Bay

What about seaworld / discovery cove / kennedy space centre?
 

Jon

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No not yet. I'm not sure yet what packages to go for as we want to do both Disney and Universal so not sure what is best. would appreciate saving money when we do book them though! more money to spend when we are out there then!
Use when you do buy tickets use TopCashBack and FloridaTix

You can just pay a depost for the tickets with them but it lets you lock them in at THIS YEARS PRICE!
 

Jon

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@maisiemog

Have you paid for everything with this holiday yet or are you paying it off in installments up to 6 weeks before you fly?
 

maisiemog

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@maisiemog

Have you paid for everything with this holiday yet or are you paying it off in installments up to 6 weeks before you fly?

Paying off in instalments. Same with the park tickets too. Got until end of Feb 2019 to pay off everything off. We were planning to use my MBing money. I'm already making more than the monthly instalments in a week at the moment so hopefully we will be ok. Plus I will have Cheltenham next year before we go!
 
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