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#1
05-16-2012, 09:27 PM
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Orlando, Florida...
So excited!!! We (most of my family - parents, siblings, hubbies & kids) are looking at renting a vacation home for about 10 days in the winter (early 2013). So I am looking for some recommended places to go see. DH and I won't be going to WDW (not wanting to do it with kids as small as ours).
I was looking at an unlimited access pass to 5 attractions (Orlando FlexPass) that I think would be good (it would cost us $850.00 for the 3 of us - DH, me & Ava, & Elora is free). Unlimited access for 14 days to Wet N Wild, Universal Studios, Universal's Islands of Adventure, Sea World & Sea World's Aquatica. The waterpark & Sea World would be the best 2 for the girls, and DH & I would probably go to Universal without the kids for part of a day (or 2). But I am looking for some more "hole-in-the-wall" places to see, or other attractions that aren't quite so over-crowded to go to... suggestions?? Jessica - I hope you have lots of ideas, lol!
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#2
05-16-2012, 09:47 PM
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I am about to crash right now as I am exhausted and have to have oral surgery tomorrow (have a molar that I broke cut out...nothing to serious. BBut feel free to message me with any specific questions and I willl see what I can answer for you
 And after I get home tomorrow if Im not hurting to much Ill be back on to post tons of suggestions and advice
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#3
05-16-2012, 09:50 PM
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There's always the Holy Land Experience.
 I'm sure someone else will have other suggestions for you. My only advice would be to know that depending on when you go, it may or may not be warm enough for the water parks. My sister and I went to WDW in January last year and it was like 40 degrees - totally unusual I think but definitely not water park weather, haha.
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#4
05-16-2012, 09:56 PM
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Hmmm, we will be going in February some time. Keep in mind, February is Saskatchewan is like -30*C (-22*F), so even "cold" Florida will be plenty warm for us, lol!!!
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#5
05-16-2012, 10:03 PM
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LOL, true, well you'll probably be fine then! We were just totally unprepared because it's not normally quite that cold there. The day we left (of course, haha) it was in the 70s again. So perhaps you'll roast?
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#6
05-16-2012, 10:40 PM
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I think Ava would love WDW personally and Elora would be free. There's TONS to do with small children. I think Universal and Universal IOA isn't much different for small kids (although you said you'd just go with DH)
How old is Ava?
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#7
05-16-2012, 10:44 PM
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Yeah, tbh, WDW is SOOOOO much more baby / toddler friendly than US or IOA are. There's lots lots lots to do and see at Magic Kingdom for the little ones. I'd honestly avoid the universal parks until the kids are much older and February at Disneyworld is not high season for them at all, so it shouldnt be too crowded either.
Good luck! R
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#9
05-17-2012, 12:58 AM
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#10
05-17-2012, 06:26 AM
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Get a good book about WDW. I recommend Complete Guide to WDW for information about attractions. Unofficial Guide can be a little overwhelming, but it has good information, especially about touring with small children. Birnbaums is the official guide. A lot of the same information as Complete Guide. I like Complete better.
If you want to go with the Flex Pass -- and I really think you could have fun doing it and find enough to entertain your little ones at Universal/IOA -- there's always Gatorland as a fun little add-on. We're doing Disney and Universal/IOA next month. I've been taking my kids to Disney since they were 11 months old, and it's very family friendly. I'm excited to explore Universal/IOA.
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#11
05-17-2012, 08:17 AM
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I'd say WDW would be easier for you since there are more attractions, shows, and characters for little ones. I know a lot of people plan out their Disney trips, but if that's not your thing it's also OK to just enter the park... grab a map and go for it. When you enter the parks there is a big map (they will have height requirements at the rides) and a white paper with all of the show schedules for the day. If you head to Fantasy Land there will be a ton for your 5 year old to do. We've gone to WDW 3 times already with my kids (they're now 3 & almost 6) and we never felt like there was nothing to do. Oh, and if your littlest can't ride something they let you take turns riding. So, you get to wait in a special place with the baby and your DH can ride with your oldest. Then when they get off the ride you and your daughter can do it again without waiting in line. We always go to Disney in Feb or Jan and it is wonderful that time of year. The Disney water park will be practically empty. I do know that they rotate which one will be open in the winter months. Only 1 is open at a time. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are such fun water parks. If you don't mind the potential cold FL weather in Feb. This website is a great source of Disney information but don't be overwhelmed. It's completely OK to enter the park without a plan... you will still do lots and have fun. As for the AMAZING deep dish pizza place I mentioned: (it's right off of the hotel plaza blvd near Disney resort area) Check it out on Google Maps UNO 12553 State Road 535 Orlando, FL 32836 (407) 827-1212 unos.com
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#12
05-17-2012, 08:28 AM
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Gatorland is pretty amazing. Depending on your daughters fear level (and yours) she can hold a baby gator that has its mouth taped shut so no danger to getting bit. But besides that they have shows and you can see the gators pretty close. I take my kids every year and they have always loved it.
There are two places called Fun Spot. Lots of fair type rides and plenty for the little ones but the main reason to go are the go-karts. They have two seaters so your little girl can ride with mommy or daddy. A nice place for you and hubby which is kinda romantic date type thing to do is Leu Gardens. It has one of the largest rose gardens in the country. Beutiful estate home you can tour. I am not sure what wuld be in bloom during that time probably camelias. There are some pick your own orange groves still around and aaround that time I think is the perfect time for them. That would be a cool Florida experience Tampa zoo is amazing...and just down the road from the Florida aquarium. It is not far from Orlando if you have a rent a car. Then there is Ripleys Believe it or Not, Old Town in Kissimmee and Fun Works. Oh and downtown Disney. Free admission and you can see some of the disney shopping type stuff but not deal with even half the crowds. There is a toy store there where you can make your own Mr/Mrs Potato Head and whatever fits inside of them you get for a set price. Same thing for a My little pony. You get a box and stuff it full of my little ponies, clothes, hair accessories, riding carts and other accessiories but the little girls LOVE that. I took my niece twice. Then there is the Nickelodeon Hotel. Never been there but I am thinking of doing a sleepover for my niece for her birthday. Ill be back if I think of anything else
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#13
05-17-2012, 08:32 AM
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Also I took my niece to Univesal/IOA and she loved it!! She got to meet Dora, Shrek, Angelica, Barney. She thought it was the coolest place ever LOL. She went to Disney the week or two after with her mom and I am not sure she had as much fun because it was way more crowded. My sister got free tickets to go so long as she agreed to watch the parade which was being recorded or at least that is what she told me. But anyhow they spent a good deal of time watching the parade and I rode rides with my niece. My sister wont do that.
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#14
05-17-2012, 09:44 AM
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Thanks so much for your ideas & experiences so far! I secretly (okay, not really secretly) have been wanting to go to WDW since I was a kid (never been before), and I know it's totally kid friendly, but was/am worried we'd end up spending 3/4 of our day in huge line-ups for the rides. I do know about the speed-passes though, so we'd likely do that.
I am trying to add up all the expenses in my head. This is going to be a very expensive trip, which scares me a bit. Less than a year to save (this idea just popped up into our heads 2 weeks ago). The MOST exciting part of this trip is that my sister from the Dominican & her little girl (same age as Avalynne) is going to come. That's actually why we are meeting in Florida. It's not too far for them to go, and still nice & warm (my niece is DR born & raised, and can't do the "cold" weather of Canada in the summer, let alone the winter, lol). We haven't seen them in 3 years, and are SO EXCITED that we will see them this winter! My sister still hasn't met little Elora!
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#15
05-17-2012, 10:08 AM
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#16
05-17-2012, 12:17 PM
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we went during the busiest holiday time in December and we never waited over 20 minutes (except once on a spur of the moment trip back to a park at night)
I used TouringPlans.com. Similar to tourguidemike but cheaper and there's TONS of plans..with small children, etc you can choose from and I pretty much followed it to a T and the trip was amazing. You can do it!! Check Disneyworld.com for specials. On the bottom you can choose Canada from the international options and sometimes they have different offers listed. Deals for Feb will probably come out between June and August. Since you are planning to stay offsite you can buy discounted tickets ahead of time to save a little $$ once it's closer to the trip (Undercover Tourist--sign up for all-ears newsletter for a discount link--it's in the link Brook posted earlier) I agree researching before your trip since you are coming from far away you don't wanna waste your time in the park wondering what to do. You can get a lot done in a short amount of time if you plan right
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#17
05-17-2012, 02:09 PM
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If you haven't booked the place yet ... look at these 2 houses ... VERY close to the parks ... and are kept up nicely ... a friend owns these (it is where I stayed in January and last year) ... I have stayed in both homes ... and they have pools in the back yard ... and Lara who owns the property is VERY good about helping you find discount tickets and recommending places to go and things to do ... in fact she is there right now working on the houses ...
http://www.onlyorlando.com/ Tell her I sent you ... they are decorated so cute ... they sleep 10-12 depending on which house you get ... and they are just down the street from each other ... which was handy when our robotics team went down there.
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#18
05-17-2012, 02:20 PM
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You are not going to run into long lines in February! It's a great time to go!
When we're not going to Disney, we like to walk around Downtown Disney. We've also been with friends to Lake Eola (downtown). The Tampa Zoo (Lowry Park) is really nice. We had passes last year. And if you have a car, there's always the beach! It's lovely to walk on it in the winter time. There's always something to do and see in Orlando... like mini golf or outdoor shopping. Lots of places to eat, too. Winter Park is another awesome place to walk around and eat at. HTH!
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#19
05-17-2012, 03:57 PM
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Oh yes Lake Eola is amazing too. They have every breed of swan in the world there I believe and the swans will eat out of your hands (not vicious and it doesn't hurt to feed them but probably scary the first time). I just remember to bring hand sanitizer after Im done feeding the ducks and swans. Also they have swan boats you can paddle out to the middle of the lake and the fountain is supposed to synchronized lighting at night. I have a few shots of the fountain at dusk but none at nighttime. It is really beautiful. There are a lot of historic buildings downtown like the library and the church next to the lake and there is a museum just down the road where there are tons of stuff for the kids to do and alligator "statues" for them to pose with
I have one of my son with his head inside the gators mouth and people have actually asked if the gator is real LMAO.
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#20
05-17-2012, 04:11 PM
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#22
05-17-2012, 04:26 PM
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i just want to throw out there that i've been to disney several times with my kids - starting when my youngest was about 10 months old ... there has always been tons to do! i did NOT plan the majority of times i went - we just went and played it by ear and still had an awesome time. we would do the parks in the am and then head back to the hotel to swim in the pool in the PMs. both kids have always had a blast and it was very stress-free. the last time we went (feb of this year) we did a lot more planning (had character dinners + breakfasts booked, etc) - it was fun but i'm not sure it was MORE fun, KWIM? but we are pretty laid-back w/ travel to begin with. we've also done sea world a lot - i love it - but i don't think it's as fun for the kids b/c it's all shows that they have to sit still and watch - after the first couple of shows they start getting antsy ...
you'll have fun whatever you do! there's also a place we've been to - i'll have to see if i can find the official name - we call it the 'upside down house' LOL b/c that's what it looks like .. it's like a kid's science museum kind of place...
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#23
05-17-2012, 04:33 PM
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#24
05-17-2012, 04:38 PM
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yea that is it!! For some reason I get fun stuck in my head cause of Fun Spot in Kissimmee & Orlando and Fun World in Sanford. I should know it by now though because my kids all went there for their fifth grade graduations.
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#25
05-17-2012, 04:41 PM
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depends on what kinda beach you want? Natural no buildings real Florida I say Playalinda. (and no it is not nude contrary to people saying it is. I go there all the time). For touristy type beaches Cocoa Beach or Daytona Beach. (I avoid New Smyrna only because there seem to be more shark bites there then any other beach LOL). West Coast Florida you would probably have to ask one of the other Florida girls.
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#26
05-17-2012, 07:26 PM
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I've been going to disney since I was 6 months old. I'm a planner, but you can wing it too. We went in June, which is peak season, and the longest we waited was 45 mins for toy story mania. We waited longer for some characters than rides but my kids loved it.
JMO, but I'd def do disney.
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#27
05-17-2012, 07:42 PM
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Okay - you all twisted my rubber arm, lol. I am putting Disney on my list, and scratching of the FlexPass! Now to research Disney World ticket prices so I can start budgeting it in. If Elora is under 2, is she free?
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#29
05-17-2012, 08:10 PM
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#30
05-17-2012, 08:24 PM
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Nicole I am partial to west coast beaches too LOL But when it is over 2 hours to get to the west coast and only about 20ish to get to Playlinda maybe 30 that is where we usually end up. I dont like crowded and do not want to see a building anywhere around the beach (like condo's/hotels etc). Sattelite Beach is nice too but it is really rocky
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#31
05-17-2012, 08:29 PM
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The last time we were in Florida (pre-Jake), we went to Cocoa Beech, I think... is that one near Kennedy Space Center? We did an impromptu picnic.
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#32
05-17-2012, 08:48 PM
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Satelite, Cocoa and PLaylinda are all near the Space Center. When we go to the water on the west coast we usually end up in St. Petersburg but it has been years since we have been.
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#33
05-17-2012, 09:00 PM
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How far is the Space Center from Orlando? My DH would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go there (I would like to see it too, but it would be more my DH's thing than mine).
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#34
05-17-2012, 09:03 PM
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from Orlando? an hour maybe. You can take Beachline/528 and be there in no time. But it all depends on where you are staying in Orlando. If you are in the International Drive area it gets congested with traffic but once you get on 528 it is open roads
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#36
05-17-2012, 09:43 PM
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#37
05-19-2012, 11:06 PM
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Go to Disney it is awesome!
Check Mousescrappers .com Passporter.com Allearsnet You will be glad you went It gets cold in Jan but the crowds are low Disney warms up their pools so you will be able to use them if you stay there. Cannot wait to see your layouts when you comeback!,, Please see my layouts at Mousescrappers
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#38
05-19-2012, 11:25 PM
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I agree with the rest of the girls you TOTALLY need to go to Disney
check out www.disboards.com they have all kinds of info about budgetting, this to do and see, places to stay and you can ask just about any question and they will help you and in Feb I don't think you will have the major lines like you do when school is out and during spring break.
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#39
05-20-2012, 01:34 PM
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check touringplans.com they have crowd calendars and really the best touring plans around I think
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#40
05-20-2012, 01:37 PM
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just wanted to add something else really quick. I am not sure how the fast pass system works now but when I last went (which was about 10 years ago) you could only get fast passes like once per hour I think? It was free when I went and we only used the fast passes for the more popular rides like space mountain and splash mountain. Of course they might have changed how it works since I went. We had planned on going after thanksgiving but my husband got sick so we still have our passes just waiting for when we decide to go. I really do not want to do Disney in summer time though so they may wait until fall.
ETA: we went during spring break and our longest wait time was 45 minutes that was for space mountain. Most of the other rides I remember being relatively quick. If you go on a weekday I have been told the wait time and crowds are much better then weekends Last edited by jessica31876; 05-20-2012 at 01:42 PM.
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