Rain the next few days??

Just checked weather.com and scattered thunderstorms are predicted for today through next week! Leaving tomorrow... Hope this doesn%26#39;t put a damper on our weekend in KW.... Any of you locals know from experience what ';Scattered Thunderstorms'; really means in KW??

Rain the next few days??

scattered means quick, short rains in the afternoon, if any at all. Not enough to stop virtually ANY activity. That forecast is essentially carved in stone during our rainy season.

Rain the next few days??

THANKS!! kwt.... I feel much better!

scattered means quick, short rains in the afternoon -

followed by impromptu wet T-shirt contests

:-)

For the remainder of the summer til about October, you can count on a 20 - 40 percent chance of rain daily. Basically, if it%26#39;s 30% or less, usually no sweat. Walk down Duval St. or around the Bight. It rains? Duck into a bar and get a beer.

As KWT says, ';when it rains, we get wet. No problem';

In spite of the nearly daily rain, no one here carries an umbrella or wears a raincoat. No reason to worry about a vacation getting rained out.

If you are bar-hopping and it rains, you hop a little faster.

If you are going out to snorkel and it rains, so what, you are gonna get wet anyway.

See? No problem!

Just thought of something....

your most comfortable CANVAS shoes (or at least not leather, like Topsiders.) They will dry more quickly. After one of our ';sunshowers'; our little island%26#39;s 1940%26#39;s infrastrucure wastewater plumbing system gags just about every time......so there are LOTS of puddles, some you%26#39;d call lakes.

Comfy canvas shoes, better yet sandals or Crocs, one less thing to worry about splashing through Old Town.

I actually enjoy a little rain in KW!! Like BK says, no raincoats or umbrellas. Just take a walk in it and enjoy it!!

I once saw a city bus go through the water at Front and Duval that always is there after a hard shower. The bus had water up to it%26#39;s axles. Everyone was yelling at the bus driver from the sidewalk telling him it was a ';no-wake'; zone.

Thanks to all of you! Sounds like a great excuse to give lots of bars some business!

Said the same thing this past weekend and we were unaffected - we were in a bar and or restaurant and would miss 95% of it and the other 5% was overnight. No problem whatsoever!

How to make a quilt out of denim

Key West - Cheap hotel ???

Trying to get a cheap hotel for one night 30th August in Key West - anyone know of any deals going ? Can we risk travelling down without booking, and picking up a cheap deal on the day? Someone mentioned discount coupons in a magazine ?? Cannot get anything less than $100 on the internet.

Thanks

Key West - Cheap hotel ???

Angelina Guest House, I%26#39;m staying there in 2 weeks. $89 a night

Key West - Cheap hotel ???

I have stayed at the Avalon which is a bed and breakfast.They have rooms avail. that night for $100.Website is avalonbnb.com

Good luck with your search.

If you show up in Key West without a reservation in August, you can probably find something. But since you are already there, the price will be much higher. I remember paying $89 a night at the BW Hibiscus in July and a drive-by showed up at the office and they quoted $250 for a room that night. Do a little research and book in advance.

The thought of renting a car at the airport for $47, driving to Higgs Beach, parking just outside the public showers and spending the night in it does have a certain appeal BUT try the Angilina as mentioned above. The people who run it are AWESOME and the pricing is perfect!

Duval Gardens has specials throughout the summer.

http://www.duvalgardens.com/

we are staying at Best Western Hibiscus the second week of september, $71.10/nite

$71.10 a night? Wow, that is an excellent rate for a very good motel.

71.10!!?? Is that a typo?

Holy cow, that is a great rate!

10% disocunt off $79.00. What was the disocunt for?

Great Rate.

Just before Labor Day is quiet. Lots of good rates going.

Avalon also has a $10.00 off coupon in Great Locations

dvd films.

What do i need to look for on dvds so i can play them in the uk.

dvd films.

You need to check that they are %26#39;Region 2%26#39;. On the back of the DVD cover you will see a globe shape with a number in it. If it has a %26#39;1%26#39; then it can%26#39;t be played in Western Europe unless you have a multi-regional DVD player or can download a code for your particular model which will make it multi-regional.

Region 1 applies to US.

dvd films.

Claregirl thank you.

I think it would be quite rare to find region 2 (UK) DVDs in Florida - all the ones I have ever bought have been region 1. If you%26#39;re planning to buy a few DVDs over there, Currys sell a nice little multi-region player for 拢30-拢35 which should play DVDs from any region once you put in a code from their website.

If you%26#39;re looking for cheap DVDs in Florida and don%26#39;t mind pre-owned copies (they are all quality checked etc and up to date titles) have a look in Blockbuster and Movie Stop - I think that%26#39;s the name - on Kirkman Road, just up from I-drive. We have found some absolute bargains there in the past, especially on box sets like Lost, CSI etc

Going to Coronado Springs solo...on a work trip...a few ???

Hi...

I%26#39;m not Disney obsessed by any means but am going to be staying at Coronado Springs for a work trip...going solo and have 1 day free to myself, free of meetings. I really think I%26#39;ll just enjoy the nice pool at the hotel as I love to relax and lay out...but was considering getting an after 2pm or after 4pm pass to head to one of the parks at night. Which one is best for me to go to and walk around by myself and grab some dinner? I was thinking Epcot but am looking for some suggestions from the experts...

Thanks in advance for the help!

Going to Coronado Springs solo...on a work trip...a few ???

I suggest Epcot, I loe to leave hubby and the kids on test track or mission space and wander around the world showcase and shop and eat on my own.

Going to Coronado Springs solo...on a work trip...a few ???

I think Epcot would be your best bet. It is a very ';quiet'; park in that there are no roller coasters or big rides per say. It is lovely to walk around and go in and out of the buildings (each buliding represents a different country). There are a ton of food venues to choose from ranging from grabbing a quick bite at a cafe or a nice sit down dinner. Epcot also has a very nice fireworks/laser show too. You could even drop into the Pub and have a beer!

NYC Chic1,

I would agree that EPCOT is your best bet. Find a table in either England or Mexico by the water about half an hour to an hour before the fireworks and have dinner there for the best view of the night time show.

CTR

Great suggestions...thanks for the quick responses!

I am Irish so I love pubs and beer : )

I should have mentioned this is really my first experience traveling alone so I am a little nervous about this day I have all to myself. I know I%26#39;ll be fine and it will be so relaxing I%26#39;m sure....Epcot sounds perfect though so thanks for the ideas!!!

I think you%26#39;ll be just fine. I also recomend Epcot. Even when traveling with a group, i have gone off by myself to enjoy a slower paced Epcot.

Enjoy Coronado Springs. We have stayed there several times, most recently back in Feb. The Pool is great and the HOT TUB is wonderful. The food court is quite nice, lots of options.

lip care

Fly home on son's 13th birthday any ideas?

We have booked to go back to florida on the 20th july next year for 3 weeks. As it happens the day we fly back is my son%26#39;s 13th birthday (it worked out alot dearer to go either side) I have thought about celebrating it a day early but would also like some ideas on what we could do in a morning. I will be all packed and out flight is not till 6pm so get to to airport about 3pm. Any suggestions would be grateful on either days. Thankyou.kerryx

Fly home on son's 13th birthday any ideas?

Definitely spend the last day at Disney Quest. Boys, especially at that age, love their video games.

Fly home on son's 13th birthday any ideas?

Disney Quest sounds like a good idea-- -I%26#39;d contact their Special Events and see what they can do for your son%26#39;s birthday. I%26#39;ve seen some birthday parties held there before in which an area is blocked off for the party (with several game consoles included). Not sure how many people are in your party but thought I should at least throw the idea.

you could go shopping with him then out for lunch or does that sound to girly if it does sorry

disney quest or mini golf might be better

My boys are not that old yet, but they would rather get a tooth filled than go shopping. Maybe teenagers are better?

You could take him to the lego shop in the disney marketplace and then go to the disney quest or there is a go cart place on Icot blvd. that I am sure he would love my young brother did.(not sure of the name).

Disney quest sounds good husband and son loved it last year then maybe we could go for an icecream there I don%26#39;t know what the shop is I know its famous. Never got round to it last year as it was always packed.

Thanks for all your ideas, kerryx

My son (who%26#39;s 11) was excited yesterday to find that you can book a 2 hour surfing lesson at Typhoon Lagoon before it opens to the public.

Would something like that be fun for your son?

That sound like a good idea not sure if I would have time to re pack all the towels etc though. Thanks for helping.

Kerry - Think the ice cream shop at DTD you are referring to is Ghirardelli%26#39;s. Check out allearsnet.com for their menu - they do a HUGE sundae which costs $25 but it is meant to share and might be fun as a birthday treat!

Happy planning :)

Upscale resort wanted - either lido, longboat, or clearwater

Need some help. Been reading through these postings for days and I am definitly confused. My husband and are are planning a trip down very soon and he is very picky with hotels - usually a ritz or upscale Hyatt kinda guy. He would prefer a full service resort, with a nice health club, nice pool, restaurant, and comfy bedding on the beach - with things nearby.

I was leaning towards the Lido beach resort because of the proximity to the beach and the shopping/restaurants at Armands or whatever. Also because I wanted to stay on Siesta Key (nicest beaches) but he wouldn%26#39;t go for those accomodations so at least we%26#39;re a closer drive.

My issue is that I%26#39;m reading that Lido%26#39;s beach is awful. Maybe it%26#39;s silly to stay there if we won%26#39;t be using the beach, and if we%26#39;re going to drive to another beach anyway, maybe there%26#39;s a nicer resort to stay in. Like the Ritz in town and use thier beach club - or is that near construction right now?

He checked out some (Marriott, Sheraton) on-line in Clearwater beach - but I don%26#39;t think those are ';right on the beach';. Also, I just don%26#39;t know if it makes sense to be so far away from Siesta Key if that is what I%26#39;m dying to see.

I need some clarity from someone who is a picky traveler or who at least knows one. I don%26#39;t want him to be disappointed.

Thanks.

k10

Then there%26#39;s longboat key - haven%26#39;t heard much about their beach.

Upscale resort wanted - either lido, longboat, or clearwater

I would highly recommend the Longboat Key Club and Resort on Long Boat Key.

We have stayed there numerous times and have never been disappointed. It offers golf, tennis, a full service spa, health room, private beach, large pool area and dining. The grounds are beautifual and the service has always been very attentive.

It is located on the south end of the island so it is a short drive to St Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota for shopping and dining. Longboat Key also has its share of great restaurants nearby.

The beach on Longboat Key is not as nice as Siesta Key but it is still nice.

Upscale resort wanted - either lido, longboat, or clearwater

If your husband is that picky then maybe you should stay at the Ritz.

It is downtown with all the amenities including transportation to their Beach Club on Lido Key.

Where did you get the idea the beach on Lido was awful??

That is simply not true. The beach is better than most in FL.

The Longboat Key Club has all the amenities and is on the beach.

I would make sure the unit you rent has been remodeled/upgraded.

When I stayed there last year the room was dated.

I personally like the Lido Beach Resort but perhaps it%26#39;s not ';ritzy'; enough.

Maybe your husband should pick the place.

Siesta Key has great beaches but unless you rent a penthouse in a condo complex there isn%26#39;t anything upscale.

~SRQgirl

Does your husband golf or play tennis? If so, then Longboat Key Club would definitely work for him and for you. Otherwise I%26#39;d suggest the Ritz. Frankly I%26#39;d push for either one before the Lido Beach.

As for the beach itself, either on Lido or Longboat, you%26#39;ll definitely be happy. At the risk of offending some Northern snowbirders, it%26#39;s definitely not like the Jersey shore.

I%26#39;d go for Longboat Key Club or the Ritz.

Lido Beach is where the Ritz%26#39;s Beach Club is located (south end) and Longboat%26#39;s Beach is really just an extension of that, to the north. Fabulous sugar sand for both.

It takes a little while to drive up Longboat Key in season, but it%26#39;s beautiful. Lots of joggers and rollerbladers on the wide sidewalk. Euphemia Haye/Hayloft is one of my favorite restaurants, just a bit farther north. St. Armand%26#39;s is fun for people watching and strolling/shopping.

Mote Marine Laboratory is neat too.

An article in the local newspaper today on the Longboat Key Club mentioned that they had recently completed a $6.5 million renovation of all of their hotel rooms, so things should be fresh and attractive to visitors who stay there.

enhance nail growth

10 hours to go !!!!!!!!

OMG we leave for the airport in 10 hours Im that nervous just been sick. Haven%26#39;t finished packing yet. Just scanning tickets and passports just in case we lose them . THANKYOU to everyone who has helped me with my planning just me and my boys going hubby cant travel that far. He has just told them hes got them tickets for Discovery Cove , they are so excited.

10 hours to go !!!!!!!!

have a safe journey and a FAB time

hope your boys have a fab time at Discovery Cove

you will be ready for when you go

10 hours to go !!!!!!!!

Enjoy enjoy enjoy.....have a safe and happy trip.... will you be posting a trip report when you get back??.......................

bring back some sunshine please and have a wonderful holiday......................

Have a fantastic trip, it is a great thing you are doing for your boys. Safe travels.

Same for me ewe leave for airport in 9 hours.woo

Have a Swell Holiday.

You and the boys will have soooooo much fun !

Now, take a deep breath and relax, just a little.

have a great time phil maybe c u at airports i%26#39;ll be the one looking very scared and my boys will be jumping up and down, with there new Celtic tops on

are u flying with TCX.? we will be on MYT

there will be 3 of us.2 adults and a child.

Thomas Cook

Best Western Movieland

Hi all,

Just finalising our trip and keep coming back to this hotel for accomodation. Going over christmas for a few days and are mainly going to Universal so position wise it seems good - anyone stayed here?

Juls

Best Western Movieland

Hi Juls,

We have just booked our fourth trip to Orlando in three years, and we are mad about it! Our first trip we stayed at Best western International Plaza and every other trip we have stayed at the Best western movieland, and we will be staying there again in January 08. It is lovely and clean and has just been refurbished!! You will have a ball, and a great place to lay your sleepy head!!!

Have a great time.

Beckie

Best Western Movieland

Thanks Beckie thats put my mind at ease! Really good to hear a first hand report - much appreciated

Juls

stayed there about 2-3 years ago,and it was a nightmare,the staff was rude (apart for the girl in the small shop)the manager/or owner wanted to start a fight with one of the guests.we phoned for a tv guide from the room and after about 2 hours someone came up to fix the bathroom! i wouldnt recomend anyone staying there, unless its under new managment.

Hi Juls101

I stayed at the best western movieland in March 2007.This is a very good hotel and is in a great location.The hotel provides a shuttel to Universal but if you dont want to use the shuttle a cab is $4-5. When I return to Orlando I will stay at this hotel again.

we stayed here last september really nice clean hotel friendly staff would recommend also opposite wet n wild and sizzlers yummee

Bout time it was refurbed....stayed their 2 years ago and it was a dump. no other word could describe it. Nice to see it has improved.

Personally i would stay at the Hilton garden inn just down the road in American way..... far better hotel by miles. Although probably more pricey at $99 per night. But by UK prices it%26#39;s cheap

Hi Juls

Stayed there for the first 3wks of Jan - found it clean and convenient - staff were friendly - good location - can walk to Universal in 20mins - suited me fine - its just a place to get your head down and a place to shower etc. You may or may not be aware that there is a resort fee per day, payable at the end of your stay - i cant say how much it is now but in Jan it was $2.50 per day - that was having booked through Virgin, although it applies to the room and not the travel agent, so i guess you stay, you pay!.

Fine as a base though.

All The Best

Thanks for your opinions and tips!

Would have liked to have gone a bit more %26#39;up market%26#39; but very limited funds and from what the majority of you have said I think its a good choice.

Only 121 days til we go!

Juls

Will I be running around like a crazy person??

First time family trip to Disney (Sept.22~29) with 2 kids (6-boy, 5-girl), hubby %26amp; me. I%26#39;ve planned out are days and meals, but I%26#39;m now wondering if I%26#39;ll be running from place to place in order to get to restaurants? Could you please take a look and see what you think...THANKS!

Sat.22 : Arrive @ Orlando 10:30am, check -in @ Wilderness Lodge, get our barrings, head over to Magic Kingdom. Dinner 8:20 @ Wilderness Cafe

Sun.23: 8:30 breakfast @ Chef Mickey%26#39;s, either MGM or Epcot , dinner 5:25 @ Sci-Fi Dine-In, after dinner ?

Mon.24: Animal Kingdom (EMH/ am) when done at AK, back to hotel to swim, dinner 5:55 @ 50%26#39;s Prime Time Cafe, after dinner?

Tues25:Epcot (EMH/am) , dinner 5:50@ Spoodles, check out boardwalk, then?

Wed.26:MGM all day 4:10 Fantasmic Dinner Show package

Thurs.27: Magic Kingdom (EMH/am) stay all day,dinner 5:40@ Liberty Tree Tavern, stay at MK to see fireworks

Fri28: May cancel but as of now,10:00am appt for daughter @ BBB, explore Downtown Disney, go to whatever park, dinner 5:25 @ Ohana, after?

Sat29: whatever kids want to do,, plane doesn%26#39;t leave until 7:30pm

Does this seem OK? Will we have a hard time getting to dinners in time? Am I missing anything. We only want to tackle MK, MGM, Epcot, %26amp; AK this trip. Any and all insight will be much appreciated :)

(I pre-ordered the photo pass cd, we have the park-hopper option all 8 days, and we are on the dining plan)

Will I be running around like a crazy person??

The only ';running'; will be your getting to MGM for early dinners on days that you aren%26#39;t planning to be at MGM for the whole day. SCI-fi and 50%26#39;s prime time are great restaurants but you might want to eat closer to or in the the Park you plan to be at on those days. Just my thoughts at the moment. I assume you have the Park Hopper on your Tickets, is that right ?

Will I be running around like a crazy person??

Sorry, yes you said you have the Hopper.

Are you hiring a car?

Also depends on your kids - how they react to so much excitment and stimulation and running around... I know that some parents just stuff tired/whiney kids into strollers when it all becomes too much. Personally I would look for a bit more down time (pool/naps etc.). But it depends on your kids...

UCC

No rental car. We are staying at the Wilderness Lodge and only going to the Disney parks, so we won%26#39;t need one this time. As far as naps, neither one of my kids have taken one since they were 3. We do plan on renting a stroller, but have no intentions of ';pushing'; them to do any more than they can. My main concern is being able to navigate the parks and dinner reservations. How long should I expect it it take to get from Mk to MGM for dinner (etc.)?

Slow down!!! Why do you need to have a strict timetable - go and enjoy yourselves and see what happens. Do things spontanesouly some of the time.

Just enjoy. You don%26#39;t know what the weather is going to be like every day so you might want to change plans accordingly.

Bus time travel from Magic Kingdom to MGM: If you%26#39;re lucky to find your bus available inmediately it%26#39;s 40 minutes. But it can be easily 80 minutes.

If you have the Dinning Plan I think it%26#39;s a good idea to make your reservations right now!

But, if yod don%26#39;t have car you%26#39;ll need to make some adjustments. Maybe:

Sun 23: Go to MGM. After dinner at Sci-Fi stay at the park for Fantasmic.

Mon 24: Forget about Prime Time Cafe at 5:55. After swimming at your hotel, you won%26#39;t have enough time to make the transfer to MGM. Maybe if your dinner is at 6:30+. Or go to Whispering Cafe or Artist Point at your hotel.

Good luck!

Because you are travelling with young children, I would recommend making everything as simple as possible. Eating at the park you%26#39;re in would be less of a hassle and would save time. If the kids are really enjoying themselves at a particular park, they%26#39;ll probably give you a hard time about leaving.

Another suggestion would to do something more slow paced your first day (rather than jamming in Magic Kingdom). Maybe Downtown Disney that day? Or just hang around the pool, have early dinner/bed to be ready for a full day on Sunday? By the time you leave the airport, get to/check in the hotel, it will already be mid-day. Also, after getting up early that morning (probably need to be at the airport by 6am?), that may not be the best day to have the late (8:20) dinner. The kids may be nodding off by then.

Finally, I would probably alternate Epcot and Magic Kingdom (both long days) with the easier parks (MGM and Animal Kingdom).

I planned an itinary and most days it just went out the window, in the end i just went with the flow and had a fantastic time. But oh how we tried to cram everything in, and are now feeling the effects of such a hectic holiday and with the heat too.

Thanks to all! What I have planned out is not set in stone. I do realize things can happen. I made the dinner reservations months ago. I%26#39;ve tried (to no avail) to change some times(esp. the 8:20) and restaurants (to coordinate with park visits). I%26#39;ll keep trying, but NOTHING I%26#39;m interested in is available. We%26#39;ll have to see what happens...No matter what, it will be an adventure :)

Someone else nailed my ';car'; question on the head - you don%26#39;t NEED a car if you stay on-site, but being dependent on Disney transport can be less convenient, more crowded and a real pain if you need to dash from one park to another...

The ';nap'; comment was not really in relation to you kids age, more the stimulation/activity/tiredness of being Disney. It is unlikely that you kids are used to spending a good part of 10 hours a day on their feet, in which case - if you don%26#39;t take enough breaks - you could well end up with a couple of very over-tired, slightly cranky little people on your hands... 8-(

Many people underestimate the size of the parks and the amount of walking involved (especially if you don%26#39;t have a car - you could even have a sizeable walk between your room and the bus stop!)

Definitely ';play it by ear'; and adjust accordingly. Listen to your kids - if they are getting cranky, chances are that they are either over-tired or dehydrated (that can creep up on you) or both. And remember it is a vacation and not an expidition ;-).

UCC

what parks to avoid whem

which days might there be a problem at parks ie a busier day within the next 2 weeks as of tommorow

thanks

what parks to avoid whem

See www.touringplans.com/tp2/UG2_index.php鈥?/a>

what parks to avoid whem

any none WDW ones?

go to www.undercovertourist.com

and click on avoid the lines....breaks down what you%26#39;re looking for.

Try askdaisy.net/orlando and click on %26#39;busy day guide%26#39;. This is the website associated with the very popular Brit%26#39;s Guide book and we have found their recommendations for the best days to visit very good on past trips.

lip care

dining plan

Its just occurred to me that with the new dining plan at Disney it probably means our usual method of booking a couple of disney meals when we get there is going to be difficult! Am I right in assuming this and do you think I am too late to try a book a couple now, we go on 18/10/07?

Thanks for any advice

dining plan

Hi Emilysmum, the Dining Plan does make it abit harder. You are however going at a quiet time ( in Disney terms ). The Free DIning folks will all but be gone by then. I would make a few reservations now for the Restaurants you really want. I know some people have said that it hasn%26#39;t been too hard to make a reservation for off times, like lunch for 11 am or early dinner at 5 pm, once they have gotten there. hope that helps abit

dining plan

Thanks for your help partypa

wireless mouse

travel lodge international drive

we are staying here next year all the reports seem to be bad anyone been lately? help

travel lodge international drive

We stayed at travel lodge American way ...is this the one you mean ?

If so we had no problem we had a pool view ...staff really good room cleaned everyday fresh towels left ...we were only there for showers and to sleep and were not in the room all day

..very close to universal all in all a nice place to stay ...there is also a small bar were in the mornings they serve a continental breakfast free of charge

Annie

travel lodge international drive

thanks thats the one

We returned from there on Sunday, we were very worried about staying at this hotel but it was ok. the beds were ok and we all slept quite well. Had hot water for showers, staff helpful, posting cards letting me use the phone in reception to call a friend. Cleaners came every day.

Yes the place could do with a overhaul but as a place to sleep n shower the location is perfect. Dennys is about 100 yards 1 way wet n wild is about 5 mins other way.

We never felt unsafe even when returning late at night.

WE were on the top floor over looking the pool and duck pond.

it is the worst hotel i%26#39;ve ever stayed in. however the location is great and try and get a pool view, we had a lovely view of the high way. the rooms were cleaned everyday but still very dated. i hear that its going through a bit of revamp at the moment, so you should be fine. if your like me you shouldn%26#39;t be in the hotel to long anyway just to shower and sleep, don%26#39;t forget your holidays what you make of it. if the hotels the worst thing about your holiday you%26#39;ll have a great time... i did

First day coping mechanisms

Any advice would be gratefully received. Has anyone yet really sussed how to get into US time quickly. My kids never sleep on the plane and so when we arrive at the hotel at 7pm US time (midnight at home) they are so cranky and miserable that they go to bed without eating anything. They then wake up at 3am (8am UK time) and continue this pattern for about the first week!

Any tips - apart from sedating them on the plane!

Trish

First day coping mechanisms

I always change my watch time as soon as i get on the plane at gatwick.

that seems to work for us.

First day coping mechanisms

I find jumping into the pool the best way to revive. And then staying up as long as is physically possible on the first night.

Yes,

cranky or not, give them something to eat and make them stay up a bit (it best to be outside if the sun is still shining). If each day, you manage to get them to stay up a bit longer, and sleep a bit longer. You may have to let them have afternoon naps fr this, but that%26#39;s my strategy for younger ones anyway. Spend as much time outside as possible in the sunshine for the first few days. The sunlight on your body regulates the chemical called melatonin which influences your sleep patterns.

It%26#39;s funny, but in our family it%26#39;s me up at 3am, and the kids sleep in now. the teenager aligns immediately, no problem.

And lastly, take advantage of being up early, and get to the parks before they actually open. They let you in, you can wander your way thru the shops etc on your way towards the most popular rides, then jump on as soon as the rides open. I find we can get thru many rides the first 90 mins this way. Animal Kingdom is an excellent park to see this way, as the Safari has long lines later in the day, and the animals are asleep by then. Last time we did this park we were ready to leave by 12:30 (pretty much seen and done everything) so went to BBeach nearby for the rest of the day!

at least getting up early you can enjoy the best part of the day

the first night we went to bed early and got up early, then after that they were fine

i have to agree that no matter how cranky they are don%26#39;t let them sleep until roughly 10ish. we first took our boys when the youngest was 4 and found that worked. we get them up around 7 the next morn and keep to this patern for a couple of days, they adapt really quick. we have never had a problem and trust me my boys like their sleep.

take them for a walk, a dip in the pool and then food.

shell

They need to get a nap in there somewhere...

I normally get a reasonable nap on the plane (2.5 to 3 hours or so) and that will tide me through to about 10pm Florida time. That isn%26#39;t easy for everyone to do, I know. I WILL wake up at about 5am or so the following morning, but that isn%26#39;t too bad: we tend to run on a fairly ';up early, to bed early'; routine on holiday (husband and I will get up at about 6.30am and go to bed about 10/10.30pm each day we are in the US...)

As amanx has said, try EVERYTHING to keep them awake until 9pm plus - they have MORE chance of sleeping through to a bit later.

However their body clocks will take some adjusting. Go out early and they get a good few hours to enjoy the parks and the excitment and they will probably be drowsey after lunch. Try a very early afternoon nap on the first day or so - just an hour, but a proper sleep in their own bed. If they sleep from about 1pm until 2pm, then a drink and a very small snack (biscuit or fruit or something to get their blood sugar moving again), then go out and do things (swimming, mini-golf etc). The nap should refresh them, make them less grumpy and help them stay up later. Do NOT let them nap for longer (no matter how much they moan and groan!) - if you let them sleep for 2 or 3 hours during the day it will really mess their body clocks up. Also make sure it is early afternoon - so they can get out and back into the sunshine and have a good ';half day'; left before bedtime. Doing this on the first day might be enough to rebalance things (see what time they get out the second day). If not, try it the second day too.

UCC

thanks for all the advice - I agree it is nice to get up early but I remember last time we went waiting for the breakfast area in our hotel to open at 5am for at least the first week! How sad is that!

Hopefully we will manage to stay up to see the fireworks before the last night of our holiday this time!

Trish

trish,

that%26#39;s one of the reasons I go condo- a cup of tea even if I wake at 3am, and brekkie whenever we want lol!

Agreed with amanx... good reason for a condo or villa - means that you can have what you want to drink/eat when you want it...

Also it means that one or more people can get up earlier or stay up late or nap without disturbing others or being disturbed... Husband runs his own business and tends to get up even earlier on holiday (about 4.30am - so 9.30am UK time) to keep in touch with the office for a couple of hours before I get up (sleeping from 10pm until 4.30am is enough sleep for him). So he can happily tap away on his laptop in the livingroom, whilst I am fast asleep in the bedroom...

UCC

i agree with a previous post, as soon as we board, i put my watch 5 hours behind.

Also on the morning of departure i get the kids up really early, so they tend to have a nap on the plane.

As much as you feel like going to bed when you get there, we go out and get something to eat and try and stay up till 9.30 - 10 pm.

First few days are great as you are up and out for the parks early.

chris

old town kissimee

been to orlando 7 times now never went to old town to whats the FREE car and bike shows thursday bike night ,friday saturday clasicc car night great time we had when we went this time lost of local people great night many small gift shops bars,few place to eat

old town kissimee

Got a leaflet with my tickets today about Old Town. Looks like it would be worth a visit, will have to research a bit more about it. I think the cars would be worth seeing. It%26#39;s always another option for an evening.

old town kissimee

For full information about old town look at their website:

www.old-town.com

Hi

Like as above says - its an option - you can get an idea of it by going to YouTube - there are a cpla vids on there. I went in Jan and it was good - live band playing outside - theres go-karting, ferris wheel etc - worth a visit if youre into bikes and classic cars etc.

All The Best

I love Old Town, always visit at least once while we are there. I go for the cars, loads of them cruise up the main street and you get a chance to look at them beforehand.

PS!!

Nice big Harley shop across the road also!!!

the car cruise on Saturday nights is worth a visit we went both Saturdays when we where there last week. Mostly locals great atmosphere.

We went for the Thursday night bike night and it was great. Loads of locals and a smashing friendly atmosphere. Hundreds of bikes too. would definatly recomend a visit there.

What would be a good time to arrive for bike night?

The best time is about 7 ish, stay till stay till late, look at the bikes, listen to the live bands, drink decent beer ,briliant!!!. I%26#39;ll be there a week on Thursday can%26#39;t wait

There are also lots of shops...Olg Fashioned General Store, clothing, all kinds of stuff. Hair braiding, haunted house, rides,..worth going to. Also, find a coupon book at any of the area hotels or restaurants...just an area coupon book. Inside, you%26#39;ll find a coupon for Old town..it%26#39;ll say, stop in for a free old town coupon book. Just take the book once you are there though...don%26#39;t have a disussion with them, they will try to sell you discount tickets, but really it%26#39;s a time share thing. Just send one person in to get the coupon book. Inside there are good deals, % off coupons at old time stores and restaurants, buy 1 ride get 1 free,...that kind of thing. Saturday and Sunday nights are the best for car shows. Sunday is the oldies cars..parade etc...kinda neat. Have fun.

!st time Disney - October trip - Need 411

My husband and I will be taking our children (9 %26amp; 5) to WDW at the beginning of October.

We are staying on site for 6 days (2 of them are half days due to flight times). We are currently planning to go to Magic Kingdom, MGM, Blizzard Beach %26amp; Typhoon Lagoon (our kids are water bugs). We will be going to the Halloween Party at MK one night also.

I was just wondering if this is a good itinerary for a first trip, and if anyone might have suggestions, tips, and/or must sees.....

Thanks for the help!!

!st time Disney - October trip - Need 411

Sounds like an excellent, fun-filled itinerary for a first visit. A great time to go as well. Have fun.

!st time Disney - October trip - Need 411

Thanks for the post.

Another question:

We thought we might go to Downtown Disney on the last day before we have to return to the airport. I have been told it is mainly food and shops. Is there enough to do otherwise that the kids like it?

Buy your souvenirs at Downtown Disney. They have a huge shop called The World of Disney that carries almost everything you could want. Your kids will enjoy the Lego shop - lots of sculptures made from Legos. There is even a Lego creature in the middle of the lagoon next to the shop. Be sure to visit the Christmas shop there. I like to go there early and order a personalized ornament - a nice memento of your trip. They can also ship your gifts to your home.

If you have time, eat at Rainforest Cafe. If you choose not to dine there, ask and they will let you walk around inside the restaurant. It has very unique and interesting decor that your kids will love.

We also enjoy eating at Wolfgang Puck Express.

Magic Kingdom is 100% worth a visit! So many rides and things to see your kids wont be disappointed!

Downtown Disney has Disney Quest, which is a great last day thing to do for the kids.

On the day of the halloween party do a water park early in the day then go back to your hotel and relax before the party. The party is wonderful, we always get there right at 7 and make our way around to frontierland to catch the parade, it is the best parade at disney in my opinion.

If you have a park hopper:

My daughter (age 8 last time we went) absolutely loved Soarin and Test Track at Epcot. My son loved turtle talk with crush and the finding Nemo ride.You could probably head to Epcot after MGM or after one of the waterparks as those are not all day actiities usually. We usually eat at the coral reef so the kids can watch the fish swim. Illuminations is really lovely.

On your first day there, deopending on arrival times, you could check in to your hotel, relax a bit, the go to MGM and watch Fantasmic, it starts pretty late and it is a very cool show.

We like downtown disney, the kids liked the lego shop and world of disney, the earl of sandwich and wolfgang pucks are good places to eat. We went to disney quest and my husband and daughter loved it, i could have taken a pass on it but I am not a video game.virtual reality type of girl.

i noticed a post a bit ago wherein the lady gave their itinerary and then got suggetions. So in case any of you read again or even for first time, let me know if this sounds like too much or too little of anything.....

TUE - Flight arrives @ 12:40. I am figuring in about 2 hours for shuttle and check-in (would that be approx. correct?), leaving us able to go to park around 3, which will give us around 5 hours of playtime. Planning on MK.

WED - Breakfast reservations @ 8:00 (in lodge)

MGM

THUR - Bfst res. @ 8:00 - Ohanas

TL or BB then Halloween Party @ MK

FRI - Bfst res. @ 10 :00 - 1900 Park Fare

TL or BB (since it wont open till 10 and kids will be up late from night before).

SAT - bfst res. @ 8:20 - Crystal Palace

MK all day

SUN - bfst (in lodge)

Pool (til checkout)

Downtown Disney

(Plane departs at 7:40 - Does anyone know how early the shuttle to the airport leaves?)

PS - Thanks so much for all the posts!!!

Also wondering about lines at parks and water parks...

How will they be this time of year?

Is it safe to assume that transportation time to pretty much anywhere will take approx. 45 min.?

Be sure to let me know about anything I haven%26#39;t thought of.....

Thanks again!

Lines will not be bad anywhere. Less than 20 minute waits for everything has been our experience. Your plans look good. the only thing I would add is Epcot, either in the evening Friday or saturday, but that is just my suggestion. Otherwise it looks like good planning. You are going to have a great time. the halloween party is our favorite.

There is a lego store at dt disney. They can play there in the legos and you can purchase all sorts of lego sets

Husband's Business Trip

My husband is going on a business trip and will be staying at Disney%26#39;s Coronado Springs Resort for a week, this February . He is allowed to bring family. It would be my four year old son, 9 month old baby(she is 4 months now) and myself. My husband will be doing presentations during the day. He could come with us to Disney at night and possibly stay an extra day after his business related work is done. We wouldn%26#39;t have to pay for the room and my husbands plane ticket. His company will be paying for those. We also get discount tickets for disney. I want to know if it is worth it for my husband to bring us on this business trip. I would be at disney world by myself with the two kids most days of the trip. I wouldn%26#39;t be able to go on the rides with my son because I need to stay with the baby. Are there lots of rides I can bring the baby on with my four year old son? I was also thinking of asking my husbands parents to come with us. We could pay for hotel and disney passes for three days as a Christmas gift to them. So then my son would have his grandparents to go on rides with him. Advice anyone?

Husband's Business Trip

Yep, if I was you I would probably go for the latter. Take the grandparents as not only would it give you company for the trip, they will also love watching their grandchildrens faces...have a brilliant time whatever you decide.

Husband's Business Trip

If your in laws can go, by all means bring them, the higher the adult to child ratio the better. That said, you can take your baby on all the rides in fantasyland at magic kingdom, your 4 year old can explore mickey and minnie%26#39;s house in toontown. You can do all the rides in adventureland and shows in frontierland. Magic kingdom will not be too much trouble but you will need a double stroller that you 9 month old can ride in as well as your 4 year old. MGM would be good for you because the showsare good for this age, playhouse disney, beauty and the beast, indiana jones, little mermaid. You and your husband coud bring the kids to Epcot in the evening and walk around the world showcase and do the Nemo ride. animal kingdom- pocahontas show, lion king show, nemo show, triceratops ride, safari, and the jungle walks all would be easy to do. Feb. is a good time to go, low crowds, may be a little chilly depending.

The grandparents are always a good solution, as long as you get along well with them. LOL. I vote for them too. Don%26#39;t forget you%26#39;ll need to rent a larger car

csmorg,

Absolutely bring the grandparents. It will be a trip you and they will talk about for a long time!

Make sure you have enough digital cameras for everyone who might want one. They are cheap these days. You don%26#39;t need the best of the best, but something in the $200 to $300 range will make memories you and the kids will cherish.

It%26#39;s not about the money. It%26#39;s about the family.

CTR

And I will echo CTR%26#39;s sentiments. As for the camera, that%26#39;s a very good idea. But I would go even further to say that suitable cameras can be found for under $200. Don%26#39;t fall for the megapixel hype. Unless you need to print wall-sized pictures you do not need more than a 3 mpx camera.

Heck, I used to get excellent prints from a 1 mpx camera. The only thing that made me change to a 4 mpx camera was that I wanted plenty of optical zoom (10X) and 4 mpx was the lowest I could find.

I would also suggest that you get one that has Image Stabilization.

lip care

acrylic nails gel nails

is the week of Easter ';that'; bad?

would it be comparable to summer just without the heat?....or worse?? would love to come during spring break next year and it falls the last week of March which is Easter.

also how does this fast pass work? if everyone is using it how does it speed things along? do you have to pay extra for this? (we will be staying at a Disney resort)

is the week of Easter ';that'; bad?

Hi jsq,

The first year we went to Disney (5 years agao) we went during Easter week (it was in April) and it was completely insane...crowds everywhere! With that said, we were newbies and did NOT use our FastPasses which was a stupid mistake! You do not have to pay extra for FastPass...you just swipe your park entrance ticket at the FastPass kiosks and you will receive a FastPass indicating what time to come back to the attraction. I believe you can%26#39;t get another FastPass for another attraction until the one you have is used. In answer to you question...yes fastpass does speed things along because while you are waiting for your time to return to the particular attraction, you can wait on line for other attractions or go grab a bite to eat or shop. I hope you have a great visit :-)

Schali

is the week of Easter ';that'; bad?

oh ok i think i get how the fastpass works now!

thanks for the info :)

Typically, the week before and the week after Easter are the 2 busiest of the year. Worse than 4th of July, worse than Christmas/New Year%26#39;s which are just packed! I was at IOA this past Easter week and at 10:00am, the Spider-Man ride was already 2 hour wait and a full half hour for Express. By the way, at Universal, you do have to pay extra for Express and they can run out of them early in the day. The difference between Universal%26#39;s Express and Disney FastPass is Express allows you one time on every major ride at your leisure, not a reservations system like FastPass which is only one pass at a time. Sure it%26#39;s more expensive, but it cuts your wait times by 75% and helps keep your sanity!

wow that sounds pretty busy! lol

think we%26#39;ll pick other dates

jsq96,

I think getting poked in the eye with a sharp stick would be more fun than being at the theme parks at Easter time.

Convention season is at its peak, and tourism is at its peak as well. The airport is jammed. The highways are backed up. Rental car companies run out of inventory. The beaches are mobbed. It%26#39;s so bad that some of us leave town to avoid it.

You really should try to find another time.

CTR

If you don%26#39;t have a choice on dates, just bring a lot of patience. If you can come another time, I would definitely advise that.

We went week after easter.

Avoided the early magic hours park of the day as stay offsite. Went early, no crowds. Took a nice lunch indoors (was 97 deg F that year). Swam in afternoon at accomodation or a waterpark.

easy peasy.

CTR...you crack me up :)

yeah i think we%26#39;ll avoid it. just didnt want to take the kids out of school...but i think we will. if we do it in May they shouldnt miss anything. i was kinda wanting to go in oct/nov, but we%26#39;ll have to see if they%26#39;re off any days, that may help.

915 restaurant at James Beard

I heard that it was great and all who were invovled were very impressed. Here is a link to the article in the Keynoter. keynoter.com/articles/鈥iv01.txt

This was the menu -

Passed Hors D%26#39;oeurves

Grilled Key West Pinks with a grenn papaya salad %26amp; thai chilies

Oysters on the 1/2 shell with habanero sorbet

Yellow fin tuna sashmi wrapped around dungeness crab meat with a lemon miso dressing

Spicy chipotle conch chowder with flash fried shallots

Jumbo scallops marinated in key lime juice with jalapenos %26amp; cilantro

Dinner Menu

Crispy skin on yellowtail snapper with baby beets %26amp; a tarragon aioli

Clams %26amp; imported chorizo steamed in a white wine with grilled bread

Seared key west grouper over parsnip puree with wilted spinach %26amp; pomegranate molasses

Butter poached %26#39;first of season%26#39; florida lobster %26amp; grilled beef tenderloin with baby carrots, asparagus %26amp; a red wine reduction

Roasted mango tartlet with fresh whipped cream %26amp; basil syrup

915 restaurant at James Beard

Wow, very impressive! I%26#39;m embarrassed to say we%26#39;ve never eaten at 915 - we%26#39;ll have to remedy that.

915 restaurant at James Beard

Oh Susan I think you would like it but its wine and beer only. If I remember correctly, one of you only drinks martinis?

I surprised Mrs Seabus last year for our annerversary with dinner at 915. Very nice and Arnie is correct, beer and wine only. We had the place to ourselves and the service, which could have been overwhelming was extremely good. Recommened. Give it a try!

So they have a limited menu or was this for a specific function?

I think I%26#39;d starve to death on that menu.

If you are not familar with James Beard then that menu won%26#39;t make any sense. To cook for the James Beard Fondation is a big honor. It was the menu 915 put together for the event. They did a dry run in KW with it about 2 weeks ago but I do not think they will do it again.

http://jamesbeard.org/

My orginal post might not make sense if you think you might starve to death. It was a 5 course dinner menu with wine served at each course. They started the night with the passed hors d%26#39;oeurves with wine as well. Its a lot of food.

That is one HECK of an honor. I believe Alice%26#39;s was invited a few years back as well.

Yep, Alices, Mangos and A%26amp;B all went up and cooked together. The difference is the owner(at the time) of Mangos petitioned James Beard to let them come up and cook. 915 didn%26#39;t. James Beard came to them. Big BIG honor!

Taha menu makes my mouth water........ My Lean Cuisine Panini will seem so blah now..........

Arnie, that%26#39;s great that they were honored. I%26#39;ve never heard of the James Beard deal.

But with that menu, I would starve and be thirsty as heck.

Watson House on Simonton (is it still open?)

I can%26#39;t find any information on this guest house. I stayed there years ago and loved it - across the street from Heron House in the 500 block of Simonton? Any information or site would be appreciated?

Watson House on Simonton (is it still open?)

I don%26#39;t believe it is open anymore.

Watson House on Simonton (is it still open?)

No it closed a while ago. I believe a property rental/management company is there now.

I think it is now a private rental hosue

vacationhomesofkeywest.com/鈥?/a>

Yep, thats it Philly. I knew it was something else but I couldn%26#39;t picture it.

lol, now reading it, it looks like we were both right. There were offices on the bottom floor but they moved them a couple of years ago. It looks gorgeous!

I love Google :) I%26#39;d like to rent that out for a family vacation...oh, wait, I don%26#39;t go toKW with the family %26gt;;-)

Phillygirl... I%26#39;ve seen you in Key West... No family for good reason!! :-)

Ssssshhhhhhhh, what they don%26#39;t know won%26#39;t hurt them ;) My daddy was SO proud this past time............

Family (parents/siblings..we don%26#39;t have kids) isn%26#39;t allowed with us in KW either! I%26#39;ve told my dad some stories, and he%26#39;s been quite mortified! ;)

Yes, it is a rental property. We had a large family (18 people) there this past July. Great house, great location. Just watch out for the driveway. It%26#39;s narrow and lined on both sides by a small brick wall. My brother in law dented his day old Durango.

Golf courses

Does anyone know of a nice golf course in the Daytona area that is really nice? Any idea to what the greens fees are?

Thanks

Golf courses

There are lots of golf courses around Daytona Beach. Here is the official golf website of the Daytona Beach Tourism Bureau:

http://www.golfdaytonabeach.com/

The most expensive is probably the LPGA golf course - the least expensive is probably the Daytona Beach city golf course. There are many in between too.

Golf courses

If you like old classic courses check out Riviera. Very nice and reasonable, with reduced rates after 11:00 am.

Wedding in January-Hotels near the National

Hello! I have a wedding to attend in Mid January. Everything takes place at the National but truly it%26#39;s a bit out of my price range. Can anyone recommend somewhere in the vicinity of the National that is nice and clean but not as expensive?

Thanks for any help!

Wedding in January-Hotels near the National

gretel%26gt;

January is an expensive time of year here...

Nearby - check out

Albion Hotel

1650 James Ave, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 913-1000

Catalina Hotel %26amp; Beach Club

1732 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 674-1160

Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel

1717 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 532-7715

South Seas Hotel

1751 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 538-1411

Crest Hotel %26amp; Suites

1670 James Ave, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 531-0321

Greenview Hotel

1671 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 531-6588

Cadet Hotel

1701 James Ave, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 672-6688

Townhouse Hotel

150 20th St, Miami Beach, FL

(305) 534-3800

there are also a few private rentals at the Shelbourne Hotel (windyrec %26amp; mlopez are TA forum members who post frequently about their places - you can contact them for more info).

There is a well-reviewed B %26amp; B too:

Sadigo Court

334 20th Street

1-800-403-4176

Have fun!

AG

Wedding in January-Hotels near the National

Thank you once again Advisor Girl!

Hi Gretel!

I am one of the private rentals that Advisor Girl mentions. We own a studio we call Susy%26#39;s beach getaway that has received very nice reviews on Tripadvisor.

Please visit our website at www.susysbeachgetaway.com for most of the information you need. There is a link to our availability calendar on our website. Contact us if you are interested.

-Max and Susan Lopez

';Susy%26#39;s beach getaway, SoBe

cs files

Sept. 26th roll call

Getting both excited but nervous.

Our KW adventure begins Sept. 26th

What are our chances the weather will cooperate?

Who else will be there?

Sept. 26th roll call

stusmom, The weather.... Ahhh, the weather. There is a great chance that it will cooperate but on the other, there%26#39;s a great chance that it won%26#39;t. Very frustrating but that%26#39;s what we live with here in the Keys at this time of year. For the sake of conversation... Let%26#39;s disregard the chances of a hurricane. (Statisitically, the chances tend to diminish the later into September and into October you go. That is NOT to say there won%26#39;t be one... It%26#39;s just statistics and ya know what that means. There are several threads currently running about hurricanes here so we won%26#39;t go into it.)

That being said, the temps near the end of September are going to be on average in the mid 80%26#39;s with a fair chance of mid to high 70%26#39;s in the evenings. Rain chances tend to hover in the 20 - 30 percent range but again, they tend to come quickly, last shortly and leave within 10 minutes. Other than that... It%26#39;s Key West and you%26#39;ll love it!

Who%26#39;s gonna be here?? All 25,000 of us who call this place home but I also have a sneak%26#39;in hunch there%26#39;s gonna be some additional visitors! :-)

Looking forward to your arrival!

Sept. 26th roll call

Thanks Seabus

Looking forward to possibly running into you and your possy at SWB. Friday nights, right?

I%26#39;m bringing my sisters and a couple friends down for 5 days, last week of Sept.

This is my 2nd trip to KW, but it will be my sisters 1st time.

Can you suggest any ';must sees'; , besides your Trolley.

%26lt;Looking forward to possibly running into you and your possy at SWB. %26gt; LOL!!! I had to read that line twice.

lip care

Need Place for family reunion

We are having a family reunion in July 2008 on Sanibel. We will need 7 or 8 units (an assortment of 1 and 2 bedroom units.) There will be 7 children under age 10 so kid friendly is important. Pool is vital and tennis, beach access, and playgrounds are desirable. We would like some outdoor grills so we can do some group cooking.

What do people recommend? It seems the choices are either quaint, beachy places or condos. I am thinking of the Waterside Inn as it seems to have both options. Do some of the larger resorts have kids prorgrams? What are the fees for them?

Thanks for any input.

Need Place for family reunion

Hi Queen - I just wanted to say when we were in sanibel in March - one very big family was having a reunion at Waterside. Each family rented a condo at Breakers, they took turns at the pools with the kids, and grilled out every night. They told me that at least some of the do it there everyyear. This year their whole entire family met up.

There are two pools at Waterside, very close to the beach. Family friendly, good management. I highly recommend it. We meet our family there, also - though on a lot smaller scale.

I can%26#39;t speak for tennis courts - Island Inn has some, so that might be another option for you. They have lodge rooms, small cottages to 3 bedroom cottages.

Playgrounds, there is one on Periwinkle in one of the shopping complexes - for the life of me, I can find it, just can%26#39;t tell you where it is.

Need Place for family reunion

We get a lot of family reunions at our complex- Pointe Santo. It is family friendly and has lovely tropical grounds.

Everything you are seeking except the playground is there including a children%26#39;s program M-F. There are grills scatterred around the courtyard lagoon and the pool is gulf front. It isn%26#39;t very large but in July the complex is not crowded and it is more than adequate.

There are four one-bedroom units and most of the rest are two-bedrooms.

Another option is Casa Ybel. I mention it because you mention playgrounds so I assume there are a number of young children; Casa Ybel is one of the only places that has a kiddie pool so that might be something to explore.

Ocean';s Reach would be ideal as well. They are all beach front, there is a ';patio'; area that has several grills, and lots of seating. You could set up your meals in that area. They also have tennis, no childrens program, but you won%26#39;t need it. The kids have a ball just being together. The children%26#39;s program at Pointe Santo, is ok, and cheap, but it is not the reason I would choose to stay there if you plan on that complex.

Ocean%26#39;s Reach has 1 and 2 bedroom, and you can go onto their website and see for yourself what units are available for the time you are going. oceansreach.com

I meant to add that Pointe Santo is a good choice as well. I love the complex, very lush and tropical. I just thought of Oceans Reach because of the convenience of their website, and their outdoor grilling area. Pointe Santo is prettier though, IMO.

There is a small playground in Periwinkle Place. Slides and swings. Watch what time of day you come by, it%26#39;s pretty hot-and sunny -especially the slide.

Hmmmm...this discussion got me to thinking. In all the years we have been coming to Sanibel (babies to teens in tow), we have never been to a playground nor have we missed having one. If that is a ';must';, though, isn%26#39;t there also something available over by the school / recreation center area (locals?)

Anyway, the children get so caught up in looking for shells, building sand castles, bicycling (even small ones with the tandem bikes or baby seats). ';Hunting'; for little lizards is another gleeful pasttime. Pools, tennis, shuffleboard are great fun, especially if the adults play too and give the youngsters a bit of special attention. They just seem to wear themselves out and are generally cooperative with indoor rest time activities when the heat is most intense. Watching the birds and looking for the %26#39;gator at Pointe Santo has also consumed a lot of time. We always do a big Easter Egg hunt at Easter...why not have something like that? (Who says it has to be Easter to hide little treasures?) Maybe even a scavenger hunt. Most people are pleased to participate and help the children find items on their lists. Just some free floating thoughts....

So many nice options on Sanibel. I%26#39;m sure you will find something that will meet most , if not all, of your needs.

You%26#39;re right GM - my kids are knackered at nap times and at the end of the day - just the fresh air, running on the beach, wears them out.

Several years ago, more than five, fewer than 10, we had a similar family reunion at SandPebble. It worked out very well.

Having just gone through a disastrous rental, not on Sanibel, without the help or advice of professionals, I feel compelled to recommend that you consult with a member of SCVRMA dot com.

Present them with your needs and they can recommend some choices. They even can arrange the rental, with some protection if something goes wrong with your choice.

I value my vacation time enough not to want go through this again. (I will write in more detail later). I can%26#39;t imagine what I would be feeling now if I was responsible for a family full of people and their respective units.

I feel compelled to recommend that this whole issue of ';professional'; agencies (SCRVMA or otherwise) not become an issue yet again. Can%26#39;t this thing rest, please?

TheQueenOhio- If you wish to consider the pros and cons of different kinds of vacation rentals, see:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g34616-c22715/Sanibel…

I respectfully suggest that in the future if anyone wants to bring this issue up to simply refer the poster to this page. Agreed?

As you request, MSC. I keep forgetting who is in charge here.

I was just trying to offer some advice from my current personal experience.

If attempts to be helpful are considered off limits, just because someone has a personal prejudice, this forum is in trouble.

Whatever happened to the spirit of helpfulness?

And what does MSC have to fear from helpful information and alternative resources?

Pls. allow me to be ridiculous re: accommodations

Dh and I have been to KW three times...we love it. We%26#39;ve never been to Fantasy Fest. We *could get there on frequent flier miles. Question: is there anyplace we can stay for 5 nights within walking distance to Duval where we don%26#39;t have to remortgage our house? So maybe I%26#39;m exaggerating just a little and if you stop laughing hard enough, are ';reasonaly-priced'; and ';Fantasy Fest'; just too stupid to put in the same sentence? :)

Pls. allow me to be ridiculous re: accommodations

What do you consider to be resonably priced?? If you give a per night amount that would help us with suggestions for you.

Pls. allow me to be ridiculous re: accommodations

You can get an idea of what is available by starting here...

http://www.historickeywestinns.com/

and leaving ';All Properties'; with your dates.

Pjk

Actually, IMO, the prices are so ridiculous in KW at Fantasy Fest that if you have to ask, you probably can%26#39;t afford it. If one was going to stay a day or two, it would probably be do-able, but many places have a 4-5 day minimum stay.

I personally feel that the ransom demanded for staying in Old Town during FF is too much. The places charge it, and people pay it.

From where I%26#39;m sitting, New Town is a short cab ride. The money you save on the nightly ransom, MORE than pays t he cab fare.

We%26#39;re paying about $2,700 for a 2 bedroom/2 bath w/kitchen unit (1,200-1,300 sq ft) at the Galleon resort that week. There will be 2 couples staying in it though and it could hold another couple (if necessary). I don%26#39;t believe we were charged any extra because of fantasy fest though since we booked so long ago and it was not through the resort (through a timeshare owner). I suppose that%26#39;s still kind of expensive but it%26#39;s a good location. We really didn%26#39;t shop around that much as this place seemed to have what we were looking for (on water and within walking distance to most everything).

Thanks for your responses, everyone. We have been to KW this year, even. I was sort of thinking out loud about the whole FF thing and if I wanted to justify the expense considering we%26#39;re going to Vegas in 2 weeks. I%26#39;m still thinking about it...though haven%26#39;t told dh yet, LOL.

Better half have been twice and love it so this time we are spending last 5 nights of FF in key West and managed to get la concha on travel points, its as central as you can get and I think rates are around $350 pn. I remember seeing a holiday inn a little further out with rates around $150..it may be worth checking out. Tell yourself that you are offsetting the expense by saving flight cost...it usually works for us lol.

Hope you find somewhere soon...we have begun the countdown already.

The Holiday Inn is a long way from Old Town and the FF events. It%26#39;s at the entrance to the island. It is also quite old and scheduled for demolition very soon. Not recommended.

Apologies for duff advice and thanks to Simkeith for correction. Thats the reason i only ask questions on this site....:-). Mrs has now given me an earful for posting that :-(. I can recommend Curry House Mansion as we have stayed there previously and it was very nice. Not sure about cost at this time..no doubt expensive.

Still hope you get somewhere soon.

On another point....I%26#39;m assuming that one really needs to book trips, snorkling etc well in advance at FF time , can anyone confirm (see what i mean about questions)

I%26#39;ve only been to FF once. The place was jam packed with people. I%26#39;d say that if there is any activity that you consider a must-do, I%26#39;d book it in advance to avoid disappointment. Any other time of the year, a day or 2 in advance should suffice.

Accommodations... help

My hubby and I are traveling to KW at the beginning of October. The following places are in review but I can%26#39;t decide on a spot. Could you please help by offering suggestions between these hotels/b%26amp;b?

Eden House

Albury Court

Merlin Guesthouse

lighthouse Court

the Duval House

Accommodations... help

What are you looking for in a guest house? Location, quietness, large rooms, happy hour etc.....

Accommodations... help

Thanks for your reply... I am looking for mainly a good location. All the places listed are within .6 mile from Sloppy Joe%26#39;s which is pretty much where the fun begins on Duval, correct?

We would like to be able to galavant and walk home at night!

I am never opposed to a Happy Hour!

Also a clean place is high on the priority list. Other than that I am not concerned with most things

I would suggest Key West Harbor Inn over any of these if you want location. It is 2 blocks from SJ

Just for perspective, Duval Street is 1.25 miles long and only 14 blocks. Whitehead Street, one block over to the west, and Simonton, once block over to the east, run parallel. So anything that says ';1 or 2 or 3 blocks off Duval'; or on Whitehead or Simonton is ideal.

Idealer places are only so by a few blocks. As long as you can walk easily to the Mallory Docks for sunset (or the La Concha on Duval) and the Key West Bight for happy hour, you%26#39;re OK. Once location is OK, cost and amenities are your concern.

Pjk

Thanks! I checked out the Key West Harbor Inn... since you are an expert for Key West, out of the places mentioned along with Harbor Inn, which would be your recommendation?

I can recommend Lighthouse Court. The grounds are just beautiful, and the location (one block of Duval) is great.

Steve in Houston

I%26#39;d rank them like this...

1. Key West Harbor Inn at 219 Elizabeth is about as good as you can get. You will find virtually all of your happy hours and several places to eat at bars %26amp; restaurants at the Key West Bight, and many of the snorkel trips and sunset sails go from here. You are 2 blocks away and just off Duval, and this area is very nice, very safe.

2. Merlin at 811 Simonton and Duval House at 815 Duval. Simonton is a nicer location and you might not want to actually stay on Duval. But location is still good. You%26#39;re 8 blocks from the north side and the above activities. No problem.

3. Lighthouse Court at 902 Whitehead. There are sectins of Whitehead which are iffy, especially after dark, and in most blocks on Whitehead, only one side of the street is nice. This is what makes most of Simonton Street so nice.

4. Eden House and Albany Court just because the are a little farther away and any of the others are more convenient.

If it helps, one of my favorite things in Key West is going out for breakfast / brunch. Staying at a real B%26amp;B will save you money and might be more convenient, but not as much fun or tasty.

hth

Pjk

Cypress house is very clean and the location is PERFECT.

It also has the coveted Happy hour.

Check them out.

And don%26#39;t think you have to eat the B %26amp; B%26#39;s breakfast either (we never did). You can go out to breakfast (we did) :)

Lost!!

My wife and I are very overwhelmed with all of the choices of things to do in Orlando(Disney). I don%26#39;t know where to start with buying cheaper tickets and which things are a don%26#39;t miss. That is why I%26#39;m asking the experts to help me plan the perfect four days. We are traveling with our two children who are 2 and 5. We are staying off property at the Marriot grande vista. We chose this property because we wanted a two bedroom with kitchen. We are headed down on monday.

Lost!!

We%26#39;ve stayed at the Marriott Grande Vista and its very nice, right down the road from Seaworld. Give a hint as to what your children like. Are you just doing the Disney parks?

Lost!!

Check out the Mousesavers website for tips on discount tickets and everything else. Any character meals you want to book try calling now! It may be too late to get a reservation, you may have to try walk-up. Also, check the Orlando Tourism and Kissimmee Tourism websites for restaurant discounts, etc.

I still recomend your local AAA office for tickets, with it being such short notice. If you order tickets on-line, at this point you will have to pay for express shipping. You could also wait until you get down there and buy them, but you may not get a big discount.

If you haven%26#39;t made any reservations yet I would do so ASAP, if you wanted to eat at any of the Disney Restaurants.

I recomend a full day for Magic Kingdom, full day for Epcot and at least a 1/2 day each for Animal Kingdom and MGM.

Scorpion feeding

where to stay

We will be driving down from Ft.Myers for 1 night the 2nd week of Sept. What would be a good place to stay? Looking to be where the action is-Duvall St. Sloppy joes,etc. Duvall Gardens had a good rate. Let me know what you all think and thank you.

where to stay

We stayed there and thought it was fine for the money. Its nothing fancy but it is quiet (we had a room not on Duval) and comfortable. The location is also good, while being on Duval, its closer to the quiet end with lots of good restaurants and galleries.

Coming to Miami for Weekend Shopping

Hi,

My twin and I are planning a weekend shopping trip in Miami for October 2007 (from Jamaica). Can you recommend any inexpensive hotels in Miami that is near a Walmart SuperCentre? We chose Walmart because it%26#39;s open late and has just about everything we need in one place.

thanks a lot.

Coming to Miami for Weekend Shopping

nadme%26gt;

You might do better flying into Fort Lauderdale (cheaper flights) and staying at the Sawgrass Mills Mall area

Crowne Plaza Hotel Sawgrass Mills Sunrise

13400 W Sunrise Blvd, Sunrise, FL

(954) 851-0500 - - 0.3 mi W

La Quinta Inn

13651 NW 2nd St, Sunrise, FL

(954) 846-1200 - - 1.6 mi S

Coupons 禄

Wellesley Inns %26amp; Suites -

13600 NW 2nd St, Sunrise, FL

(954) 845-9929 - 1.5 mi S

You can shop from morning until night and everything is discounted FOR MILES.

If not - Here are the local Walmarts in Miami

Wal Mart Supercenter

1108 Sw 10th St, Miami, FL

(305) 470-4505 -

Wal-Mart -

8651 N.W. 13Th Terrace, Miami, FL

(305) 470-4510

Wal-Mart 7725 NW 48th St, Doral, FL

(305) 471-3871

Wal-Mart

1425 NE 163rd St, North Miami Bch, FL

(305) 949-5881

Wal-Mart Supercenter -

9300 NW 77th Ave, Hialeah, FL

(305) 819-2116

Wal-Mart

5851 NW 177th St, Hialeah, FL

(305) 558-6069

Wal-Mart Supercenter

17650 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL

(305) 651-4661

AG

Coming to Miami for Weekend Shopping

Thank you so much for your assistance.

These are the hotels near the Wal- Mart super center in Homestead. About 45 minutes south of Miami International Airport.

Hampton Inn

124 E. Palm Dr., Florida City, FL 33034

(305) 247-8833

Best Western Gateway to the Keys

One Strano Blvd., Florida City, FL 33034

(305) 246-5100

Travelodge

409 S.E. 1st Avenue, Florida City, FL 33034,

(305) 248-9777

Days Inn Falcon Inn

51 So. Homestead Blvd., Homestead, FL 33030,

(305) 245-1260

Econo Lodge

553 N.E. 1st Avenue - Florida City, FL 33034,

(305) 245-2753

Holiday Inn Express

990 North Homestead Blvd., Homestead, FL 33030,

(305) 247-7020

Comfort Inn

333 S.E. 1st Avenue, Florida City, FL 33034,

(305) 248-4009

Ramada Limited

100 U.S. 1, Florida Ciy, FL 33034,

(305) 248-4202

The Inn of Homestead (Former Howard Johnson%26#39;s)

1020 Homestead Blvd., Homestead, FL 33030,

(305) 248-2121

Nadmae:

I think AdvisorGirl has the right idea. Incidentally, I believe there is also a Walmart Supercentre close to Sawgrass Mills Mall. I am from Trinidad and my husband and I will also be in Miami in October, we are going for a little longer though and will be driving so we will be staying 10 mins from the airport. We are still trying to decide whether to drive all the way to Sawgrass or to go to Aventura Mall instead since we have never been there. Whichever we decide we know we will have fun! Hope you and your twin do to!

Aventura mall is really nice..and there are a few hotels nearby...i recommend the Residence Inn by Marriott....you can walk across the parking lot to the mall...it is maybe 30 minutes from either Ft Lauderdale or Miami airport.....many many stores, plus there is a Target, a Marshalls (discount clothing) and many other stores nearby,

Restaurants in that area may be a little expensive as the Aventura area is very well-to-do...BUT there are plenty of places in the mall.

The residence inn has breakfast included, plus from Monday-thursday nights, they have a social hour deaturing food and sodas, beer and wine included (t is part of the rate---free food) .. when i was there they had burgers one night and i think hot dogs too, another night was chicken wings...the brekfast has, usually, eggs, some sort of meat (bacon or sausage) muffins/pastries/breads, waffles, coffee/tea, juices, fruit, yogurt, cereals and oatmeal. It was a nice hotel.

Plus, the room have little kitchens and you can walk to a grocery store....you could buy some stuff to cook your own meals to save money...or get stuff to snack on, make sandwiches, etc. Hae fun shopping!

lip care

email address for wynfield inn

i have been looking for the email address for the wynfield inn on international drive .Its probably under my nose but i just cant find it can anybody help me .

email address for wynfield inn

If you consult your Google Gods, you will. Took me two clicks.

best place for groceries

Are there any markets or grocery stores on the island to pick up breakfast and lunch items like fresh cold cuts, salad fixings, etc? We%26#39;re driving and will be loaded down on our trip in on check in day just with luggage and that kind of stuff, so not sure if we%26#39;ll have room to pick up items off island before check-in. 30 days and counting now!!!!

best place for groceries

Yes, but remember its not really a grocery store, it%26#39;s more a market, but it is THE best place for meats, especially steaks.

Go to the SGI market. It%26#39;s a place where you can pick up some of the basic essentials. One other place is the BP station and they have things there as well. You%26#39;ll see the BP beside Harry A%26#39;s when you come in just off the bridge.

If you are looking for fresh seafood, go to Dougs Seafood trailer on the island right across from BJ%26#39;s Pizza. He is usually there from about 8:30 AM till mid afternoon unless he runs out first. It%26#39;s best to buy seafood early in the morning for best selection. Try the seafood %26amp; crab dip, it is great.

The closest thing to a real grocery store is the Piggly Wiggly over in Apalachicola, it%26#39;s about a 15-20 minute drive. You%26#39;ll get more selection there.

One other place we buy some of our things also is at the Dollar General store over in East Point about a 5-10 minute drive across the bridge. They%26#39;ll have more of your home items that you may need.

Have a great trip !!!

best place for groceries

I bring some staples and supplies from home and I usually hit the Pig in Apalach and the SGI Market for lunchmeat or meat to grill. I get my shrimp from Doug%26#39;s seafood wagon -

Not a probl;em - try the convenience stores (two) on the island and or The Market (a better choice).

Want to drive a bit? Head into Apalach and try the PIggly Wiggly and or the IGA, both full service grocery stores.

Bottom line, you%26#39;ll have no issues with food supply!

has anyone got a flight upgrade

on the day of travel before??

thanks

has anyone got a flight upgrade

yes, several times.

But they are like gold dust - you need to be the right person in the right place at the right time (and that is like winning th lottery...).

When it comes to upgrades, airlines often tend to upgrade certain types of people: generally presentable single people and presentable couples. If you travel with children you are incredibly unlikely to get upgraded...

UCC

has anyone got a flight upgrade

do u ask at normal check in or the upgrade check in??

do u pay??

thanks

There are two types of upgrades:

- those you pay for,

- those that the airline do for operational reasons (i.e they have oversold economy class) and they are free.

The free ones you don%26#39;t/shouldn%26#39;t ask for.... That is where being the right person in the right place at the right time: ether they pick you or they don%26#39;t. A lot of people do ask for free upgrades, but they often get either short or rude replies (because so many people ask, most check-in staff are fed-up with being asked...). Also generally, if you do ask for a free upgrade, they are more likely to make sure you don%26#39;t get one (i.e. mark your record ';Not Suitable for Upgrade';).

As far as paying for an upgrade, the best place to start is the ';ticket desk'; - see what they can offer you (if anything). If that fails, then try asking again at the check-in desk. But always word it carefully - so that they know you are enquiring about buying an upgrade (and not trying to get one for free)... like ';Is it possible to buy upgrades for my flight today?';

Some airlines will give good deals on upgrades (especially if a route is oversold in economy), others will want to charge you an arm and a leg (they are not oversold in economy, so don%26#39;t need to offer you a good deal).

Also, to upgrade, you need space in the cabin you want to upgrade into - if it is full, then you are out of luck. This is why it is normally better to book into that class to begin with, rather than try to upgrade on the day?

Which airline are you flying with?

UCC

Yes, if it%26#39;s a charter into Orlando there are only limited premium seats and they sell out first.

monarch

My boss and I were flying back from Madrid a couple of years back and when we were checking in, I was upgraded and my boss wasn%26#39;t. He has a gold BA frequent flyer and I was silver. He wasn%26#39;t happy but I quite enjoyed it!

How nice to get a free upgrade...but I dont think I would like anybody to judge whether myself or my family were suitable!! I managed to get 4 premier seats for 拢55 for my family of 4! now thats what I call an upgrade. Roll on next year.

I received a free upgrade to business coming home from New York this past April. This was with Virgin. But I think that was only because I was so late checking in and I reckon my seat had already been given away.

I didn%26#39;t mind, it was a lovely flight home.

We received a free upgrade flying to Paris on our honeymoon. It was Christmas night, so I doubt ecomony seats were full (the gate was empty). I think the man at the ticket counter was just in the Christmas spirit. He asked if it was our honeymoon (have no idea why he would think that though). When we said it was, he said he was going to give us a Christmas present. Since the flight was overnight, it was great to have some room to sleep. On the way home, it was back to economy, with a child sitting behind us kicking our seat the whole time and the flight attendant informing us that they ran out of food.

I agree with the other posts on this subject - however the free upgrades I have recieved BA going Montreal to London (Premier seating)

was given to my wife, myself %26amp; two children out of the blue - I did not ask for them.

The best upgrade was when we were stranded in Orlando after hurricane Francis, our seats had been given to somebody else.

So rather than get angry with the check in lady, I said that we had been delayed 5 days (Not so bad, as my insurance paid for these free days - work wasn%26#39;t so happy though) %26amp; I needed to get back or I may get Fired. She took pity %26amp; upgraded the four of us to First Class (Virgin).

Probably the only time I will get to experience this sheer luxury. The only draw back was they were not preparred to give us First class food ect, but hey within an hour I was fast asleep all the way back - another first %26amp; probably last time I will get to sleep on that red eye flight back.

tech help and advice