TAJ Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Having a 'deprived' 18 year old that has never been taken to DisneyWorld (or America) before - so we are off in February 2013, just for a week, staying at the Old Key West Resort onsite, with a free dinning plan. Any tips or ideas? OH not so keen, but being dragged along. Descent dining advice appreatiated along with any other tips! Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Whoo hoo! That's great! You'll be up earlier than the Americans anyway because you'll still be used to UK time! The queues are long, but as you are staying at the resort, take advantage of the early opening and do the popular rides first. There are also vouchers you can get as something like a VIP which allows you to go to sit at the front of the rides - you can get them from your hotel in advance too. It's been a long time since we went, so if you want to eat in a posh restaurant on site it's best to book early and you can do that from your hotel. We always shopped for our own cereal, milk and fruit and bought disposable bowls and plastic spoons. Also plenty of water. There are plenty of fast food places on site though. Water rides are always great! Hopefully in February you'll have some nice warm weather, but the evenings might be quite chilly so take warm clothes too. We've been twice at Christmas to Florida - one was freezing and the other boiling hot! Twice at Easter - very hot and a couple of very scary thunderstorms as it was just starting the rainy season. If it's really hot, have a go at the water parks there - one slide that is almost vertical. OH called it an enema trip! I decided that a whale would not look good with her cossie looking like Borat's swimsuit and spared the public that one view they'd want to forget! Perhaps someone will fill you in on better details from a more recent trip. And I was in my late 20's when I first went to Disney! It was still awesome, although last time we spent a few days at Universal and a few at Busch Gardens. 3 trips consisted of 3 weeks so they were split up into touring the rest of Florida. If you can get to Cape Canaveral for one day then do try - it's just amazing. So much to see and so little time to do it in! You are all going to have so much fun whatever you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 We have now booked 4 days of restuarants and preferential fantasmic, epcot laser show and firework viewing and a revue show - so just 3 non-Disney days to plan now. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Reading with great interest, as we are going there end of March 2013... 2 adults, 1 14 yr old and 1 10 year old. Have you completed the online visas yet? Can't remember what they are called, but I looked a couple of months ago and it all seems so long to fill in x 4 so leaving it til the New Year. Did find out that Easter is the busiest time for Orlando as the Americans are on hols. Anyone any ideas which are the mega busy days there? Wondering about booking Discovery Cove on one of the busier days as that has a max capacity. Everyone seems to say it is expensive but worth it, ED has always wanted to swim with dolphins, though I am not too sure myself about how good it is for the dolphins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 For swimming with dolphins I would recommend the Dolphin Research Centre. It's non-profit organisation and they are registered manatee rescue people for the area, which accounts for a lot. You won't see manatees there though - or at least we didn't see any. They are much more responsible and the dolphins are freed into the sea if there are hurricanes imminent so they can get to safer water. Actually the dolphins can get into the sea if they so wish. One hopped over and then hopped back again! It's where Flipper was filmed and his descendants are there. Trouble is they are in the Keys and you'd have to stay down there as it's a long way from Orlando. But please bear it in mind for future visits. And you have to book well in advance. Definitely Cape Canaveral for a day trip. It really is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I know you can see it over here, but what about a Cirque du Soleil performance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 There is a place called Crystal River where you can swim with wild manatee, all done very professionally, you are not allowed to touch them and it is up to the wild manatee if they want to interact, the water was like thick pea soup so a bit daunting but we were lucky enough to have a huge manatee surface right next to us, he just floated looking at us and did brush against us as he swam away. I dread to think what else was in the water but the excitement of seeing the manatee took that away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
