CAMPYLOBACTER: Anyone else had it?

[clucker1]

OK, booked 2 weeks hol in Florida with the kids and OH, not knowing it is their busiest time of year....aggh! Any tips how to survive....we are going out on 27/3 and there for 2 weeks. Thanks

[patsylabrador]

Sorry, no help at all, but dead jealous. Saving like crazy for motorbiking holiday in America but haven't decided what part. Any info would be welcome.

Can't wait to visit USA , good luck and above all have fun.

[mollyripkim]

How exciting, I would buy the passes that allow you priority on the rides to cut the queuing down.

[clucker1]

I'm jealous of you too, PL. We toured California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona when we were younger, about 20 years ago...took nearly 4 weeks. It was absolutely AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! The scenery was AWSOME. By luck, we were in Yosemite in May when the glaciers melt, the waterfalls in particular Bridal Falls were fab. We booked all of our accomodation as we went along..doing 2/3 nights in each top over....very easy peasy with 2 of us. Saw so much...San Francisco, red indians they are real, drove down the west coast, San Diego zoo, brilliant, Monument Valley,Grand Canyon, a real rodeo which we just happen to come across, Arizona...yeee haa cow boy country, saw a wacking show in San Francisco, went under and along the bridge, didn't get to Alcatraz as everyone prebooks and they were sold out,, huge cacti in the dessert, the seqoia trees....I could go on and on and on.......

[patsylabrador]

That is very useful. OH wants to see the cacti more than anything. Your description there is great. I want to visit east so we might have to do I don't know what. Perhaps West to East and prepare for a very long holiday. Kids are all grown up so why not. I'm enjoying the planning.

[Chickendoodle]

Plan plan and plan again. Assume you will be going to Disney and universal?. Buy a good book ( we found one which rated all the rides by age, thrill,scariness etc ) sit down before you go and decide which rides you absolutely want to do and head for these first. It is easy to be overwhelmed and end up doing nothing and going round in circles.

The theme parks are unbelievably huge - the car park took our breath away. They are also exhausting and you can't really do them day after day. Try to plan a day at a park and a day relaxing by the pool or at one of the water parks. Our children who were 9 and 11 at the time woke up one morning in the middle of the week and said please don't make us go to Disney today as they were so tired.

Loved Universal and Universal world of adventures (same place different tickets -need a day for each) the Spider-Man ride at world of adventures is the best ride ever and is a must.

Disney wise MGM was our favourite. My children were underwhelmed by Epcot - think they were too young. Brain not working but the Disney one with Snow White etc is best for very young children

Sea world also really good for a different day

Oh and brilliant crazy golf courses around international drive for a bit of relaxation

 

Enjoy !

[clucker1]

Thanks Chickendoodle, much appreciated. The children are 14 and 10. We went, before kids, about 23 years ago or so. Familiar with the largeness of it all, but not how busy it will be. Booked this holiday in January 2012, didn't think of Easter and the whole of America will be there Have got a hotel booked, no car as yet as there is a courtesey bus that takes us to most of the main theme parks and with parking at the parks of $15 a day, I hear, thought ouch. Car hire is a min of $300, decided we could do quite a few taxis for that. Having said that, still might book car hire or when we are out there. Looking at doing Discovery Bay, expensive but the kids will love it and apparently it has a max capacity it can take, so won't be busier than normal if that makes sense.

[Leeloo]

I don't know that Easter is a huge peak time. Kids only get about a week off school for Spring Break so it might not be a big travel time. Of course, I don't have kids so I don't really know how parents plan vacation times!

 

If you are planning to do Disney, here's a guide written by a girl whose blog I sometimes read http://www.southernplate.com/2011/03/disneytopten.html. I haven't been a lot of times, but from my trip a year and a half ago, I advise finding out the wait times on the rides and get a "Fast Pass" for the ones with the longest waits. I think they will only let you have one or two Fast Passes at a time so you have to work out a strategy! If you go to Hollywood park, go before sundown because most of the shows shut down after dark. We didn't know that and saved it for the evening of our short trip. Magic Hour is good if you stay on site. The Animal Kingdom opened early for park guests on the last day of our trip so we went early and beat the crowds. We got to see the meerkats before they went in their burrows for the day to beat the heat. Of course, we went in the summer so it was HOT! We stayed in the Animal Kingdom lodge on the main savannah and got to see all kinds of animals out our room window which was way cool! The antelope and bison slept there at night and the giraffes came out to feed in the morning and evening. They also have guinea fowl running around so you can work in some poultry stuff, too!

[Grandmashazzie]

Hi Clucker1 we are also going to Florida at Easter22nd for us .We have been at Easter before and it's fairly busy as American firms have Spring break but it's variable dates for different firms.Best advice I think is to try and have a vague daily plan and get to the parks about30 mins before opening times get parked, be through gates and do most popular rides first if you can.We found Disney to be busiest and would do them mid week as some people do a long weekend and Universal was quietish.We are also lookin at discovery cove.To Patsylabrador USA on motorbike would be amazing we have done Boston,Marthas Vineyard,Cape Cod by camper van and also San Francisco,Yosemite,Las Vegas and Grand Canyon-absolutely fabulous but much longer distances.

[Cooks]

Ooooh you will love it! Went with my hubby and two teenagers last summer for two weeks and had also been when they were younger.

 

I would advise you to book the 14 day orlando flexi pass, you really need a lot longer than one day at each park and this way you can come and go as you please.. We did not do the Disney scene this time as my boys have grown out of that but last time we bough the multi park tickets which were a godsend.

 

Where are you staying? We stayed in a hotel on international drive and if you are staying in this area I recommend you buying. 14 day pass on the iride.. These are green trams which run the length of international drive, which is verrrrrry long. Kids travel free.

 

Universal has Hogwarts now and omg I enjoyed the Harry potter ride... The mummy ride is a fast roller coaster in the dark...but is brilliant. The Simpsons ride is a simulator ride.. Brilliant...Hulk ride is a white knuckle roller coaster. Spider man ride.again simulator and the kids loved it. Jurassic Park is slow boat ride around lost kingdom with a mad drop at the end... So beware.

 

At sea world, you can feed dolphins, stingray etc... There's a helicopter simulator, more water rides again with steep drops nada white knuckle roller coaster called something like mantaray. But best of all are the shows, ie, Shamu show, which are different at night. There also an animal show with chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, eagles, otters etc doing tricks.

 

If you need any more info just let me know..... I want to back now

[peachachecha]

Hope you have a wonderful time on your trip. When we have gone we always book dinner for the night of our arrival at the Hoop De Do Review. Usually we arrive late in the day and there is not enough time for any of the parks and this is fun slap stick comedy show of the old west saloon. Lots of laughs and good food and they have audience participation too. The suggestions of fast passes and getting a book about all that they offer are great suggestions. Have fun and hope the weather is sunny and warm.

[Princess Leia]

Surprised that no one has mentioned the Kennedy Space Centre. I know my OH would be making a beeline for that if we went. Absolutely ideal with kids that age if they are even slightly interested in science.

[clucker1]

Thank you everyone so much for all of your helps and tips. Grandmashazzie, we are looking at Discovery cove at the moment....a lot of the ticket agencies are sold out for Easter...cheapest we have found so far is Travel Republic. Also will def buy these 14 day flex passes to let you into all the parks, so we can pick and choose. A lot cheaper too. We are staying at Lake Buena Vista, at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek....they are doing us a fabulous suite for the grand sum of and extra £100 for 2 weeks, fingers crossed! We are realling getting into this America hol at the mo, spent most of the weekend on it. Just about to research small ruckacks. And OH has applied for our visa thingies, and plane seats chosen too.

[abwsco]

For DC have you tried booking with them direct? That's what we did. Also, I'd book it for as early as you can in your holiday and arrive there for opening so you can enjoy a full day Also, take a look at www.thedibb.co.uk if you haven't already

[Cooks]

One thing to mention is on a lot of the rides you will have to put your bags/rucksacks in a locker and claim after. We chose for just one of us.. namely me..to take a bag and I would dash off to put in the locker and they would get a place in the queue. Word of warning though these lockers are finger print technology so make sure your finger is squarely on the pad and it is dry otherwise when you come back you might hav problems with it reading your finger print... I know a few people had this when we were there.

 

Also fingerprints to get in the parks now.

[abwsco]

Don't know if you've looked at the Dibb or have decided to hire a car but thought I would post this for you.

 

If you are planning on hiring a car in Florida you now need an International Driving Permit in addition to your driving licence. You can get one from some post offices.

[clucker1]

Thanks Anne for that, didnt know that....will make a trip to the PO. Just found we have got our ESTA visa things all sorted and booked for Discovery Cove for Easter Sunday, that beats Easter eggs! Have also found Virgin Atlantic will book our suitcases in the day before if we want them to. TBH, the thing I am most looking forward to is warm lovely sunshine and lovely food that I am not cooking for 2 whole weeks. I love my cooking here, but just need a break. The other day, I went on strike as I realised I had cooked over 60 dinners for the family with no night off/out/takeaway etc. OH cooked a lovely dinner with help of 10 year old son.

[abwsco]

Oooh, we did DC on Christmas Day when we went. It was so relaxing Also know what you mean about cooking. We all still miss the restaurant chain Sweet Tomatoes. Salads, soups, and delicious cakes.

[clucker1]

Just back from Orlando, stayed in a fabulous hotel, did lots of theme parks and had fabulous weather. If anyone wants any advice about the parks, or a lovely hotel or anything else to do with Orlando, I feel as if I have a degree in it!