Thinking of trip to Orlando - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pentoman · #1 03-05-2007, 04:20 AM

Hi,

Me and a friend are thinking of coming to Orlando, Florida just for a week this month (March) from the UK. We both have time to take off work and couldn't think of anywhere else. We thought we'd come here and go to some of those theme park things like "marvel lands of adventure" (my friend loves that marvel stuff) and Universal Studios. I know it's not very imaginative and we should really go to Africa or something but I think we'll leave that for another time.

So can you yanks tell me what Orlando is like? It's part of Florida, I get that much, and if my Seinfeld viewing is anything to go by Florida is full of old people... is that true?
Will we otherwise be bored stiff in Orlando?
How far is Orlando from Miami and is Miami worth visiting or just silly? We're only in our 20s and don't have money to burn like might be necessary in somewhere like Miami?
Are the Marvel place and Universal Studios really worth a brief trip from the UK? How far apart are the two and should we hire a car (or buy one like in the recent Top Gear episode

! A cheap 190 perhaps

)?
What else is there?

ta

Russell

P.S. We both have girlfriends already so luckily don't need to worry about being somewhere that we can show some of your American 'ladies' the ways of the English.

Kuan · #2 03-05-2007, 08:32 AM

Hmm, tough call. Three days yes, a week? Nope. Depending on where you stay, the hotels will have shuttle busses to and from the theme parks. Take your gf's to Victoria and Albert's for dinner at Disney's Grand Floridian resort.

kerry · #3 03-05-2007, 09:15 AM

Not a tough call for me. I wouldn't. Been to Orlando once, for a conference and wouldn't go back by choice. My daughter was about 4 or 5 at the time and liked DisneyWorld but it's the kind of place I try to avoid. I prefer the Keys to Orlando. However, if your friend likes Marvel places, he might enjoy it. We rented a car and drove to Cocoa Beach and St. Augustine. St. Augustine has some interesting history. There'll be tons of college students overwhelming the beaches in March since it's Spring Break.

Mistress · #4 03-05-2007, 09:34 AM

If you go to Miami be sure to try a Cuban restuarant to two and stay away from downtown at night....

450slcguy · #5 03-05-2007, 09:40 AM

Personally I don't like theme parks, great for kids but for single guy's it's kinda like phony entertainment for me.

A car is a a must have in the States, cheap to rent in Florida. Also, you guy's are use to driving on the "wrong" side of the road and that can be a real problem to adjust too.

SwampYankee · #6 03-05-2007, 09:47 AM

The wife and I are just big kids so we love going to Disney and Universal. I've been about once every 5 to 7 years so I don't get bored with it. I'd spend a couple or 3 days in Orlando and drive down through Miami for a day then down through the Keys.

Key West is beautiful. Just be sure to go with your GF's everywhere and hold their hands, don't venture out alone with your friend.

Zeus · #7 03-05-2007, 09:48 AM

Hmm...not the biggest fan of Orlando. I prefer someplace a bit smaller and less commercial - someone mentioned Cocoa Beach? I stayed there once...had a great motel by the beach, it was cheap. I'm usually surfing in Florida, so I try to stay seaside. I visited the whole Disney/epcot center thing in Orlando. My opinion? Boring and a waste of money. Plus, I was pisshed off that Typhoon Lagoon was closed on account of it being 'too cold'. It was about 70F.

I'd much rather stay somewhere on the beach, with some great little beach bars. Rent a boat one day, do some cruising, fishing, etc. All depends what you're after I suppose...

Have a safe trip!
C.

Juck · #8 03-05-2007, 09:57 AM

If you don't have kids in tow, I'd skip Orlando and head down to Key West as someone already mentioned.

Take a night or two in Miami on the way,,, nightlife is an eye-opener for sure,,, Miami Beach is a very cool place as well.

kerry · #9 03-05-2007, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

l. Just be sure to go with your GF's everywhere and hold their hands, don't venture out alone with your friend.

I was in Provincetown a couple of summer's ago and I noticed that almost every straight guy was hanging on to a woman's hand. The ones that weren't were desperately scouting around for a female hand to grasp.

JackG · #10 03-05-2007, 10:06 AM

Ditto on the theme parks being over rated.......Head for the beaches dude

Traffic in the Miami area is a PITA, but the topless beaches in s Miami might be worth the trip

....yup.....it's spring break time

dannym · #11 03-05-2007, 10:47 AM

Hey I live in Orlando and there are so many things to do here.

International Drive in Orlando has a lot of things to do and it's geared for tourists.

I like Universal Studios. I had season passes for 2 years. If you like roller coasters they have the Hulk which is awesome and Dueling Dragons. They have a lot of other neat stuff. If you go there make sure you get the 2 park pass. Don't just go to one park. If you can get an express pass you should do that too.

I would definitely rent a car. If you don't mind driving Bush Gardens is near Tampa. They have 4 of the best roler coasters on the east coast. I was just there 3 weeks ago. It was awesome.

There are place where you can go on airboat rides, which is pretty cool.

You can go to Cape Canaveral visitor center. that's a real cool place. You can spend all day there.

Then theres the beaches. Cocoa beach is nice. That's one of my favorites. Sometimes I like to go to New Smyrna or Daytona.

You can go on a riveboat tour up the Saint Johns river.

Yeah Orlando is a cool place to visit.

DAnny

LaughingGravy · #12 03-05-2007, 11:45 AM

I could easily spend a week at Disney World, but only if staying 'on-site' on Disney property. If you do that, and you only do Disney, you don't need a rental car. There's the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney Studios as the main parks. I rate them in that order. Minimum one day each.
The Disney water parks are great, but really take a whole day to get in/out and enjoy when they're open.
For Disney World questions, www.wdwmagic.com and www.mouseplanet.com are the best sites.

Universal's definitely a fun couple of days by itself, but rent a car.
Many hotels will offer a free shuttle service to Universal or Disney but for the aggravation of meeting up with it (their schedule vs. yours), it's really better to have a car.

If renting a car, the traffic in that area is nuts. I found it better to leave really early in the morning, plan to arrive at your destination about 7:30 AM, even if it means sitting in a parking lot quietly. Florida's warm, so the AM will be nice and the driving stress you'll avoid by leaving early will be well worth it.
It'll also assure you'll be at whatever theme park at opening in order to get your full value for the pricey admission tickets.

Most people there don't use turning signals and the idea of following the rule of pass on the left, keep to the right otherwise just never seems to happen.

dannym · #13 03-05-2007, 12:30 PM

The best way to go to Universal Studios or Disney is to stay in their hotels. Disney has a tram that runs like every 15 minutes. But staying at the Grand Floridian can get VERY expensive.

Universal Studios has a tram too I think or some kind of shuttle that runs like clockwork too. If you stay in their hotel you automatically get a speed pass.

The biggest advantage of doing this is you can go back to the room or the hotel in the middle of the afternoon for a nap or just to rest and get away from the crowd. Then you can go back in the evening and stay till closing.

The biggest disadvantage is your stuck there. Unless you rent a car. But being stuck there may not be such a bad thing.
Staying off site at a cheaper hotel saves money but you lose the advantages of being on site. Also like stated before if you do this you will have to rent a car.

Danny

kerry · #14 03-05-2007, 12:39 PM

The conference I attended in Orlando was held at the Disney hotels. Few people were happy with them One thing that really pissed off a lot of people was the almost total lack of water fountains which forced the attendees to purchase WAY overpriced drinks from the stands in the hotels.
We rented a condo a couple of miles away and rented a car. I think the two prices combined were less than the Disney hotels and I felt very lucky to be able to escape.

pentoman · #15 03-05-2007, 12:55 PM

Thanks all.

I've driven briefly in America once before, I think I can cope ok. If I do rent I hope to get the worst, most american car I possibly can (within a sensible price range). Some sort of convertible with a 9.0L engine and 54bhp would be perfect

. Just kidding actually I love the cars out there.

Will bear in mind that spring break is happening cheers for the tip. I think 2 or 3 days spent there might be best. I'm afraid I don't really care for Disney stuff, never really been into it for some reason, but Universal studios and especially the water parks do appeal a lot!

Can I get what I'm looking for an more in California? A friend suggested it...