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Member since:22.09.2005
Reviews:19
Airline: Britannia Date of travel: August 2005 Duration: 2 weeks ----------------------------------------
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I have been on a few different airlines now, and have experienced a range of fmeals on them, and I have to say that the meals I received on Britania were some of the nicest I have had. One of the meals was chicken in a carbonara sauce which was lovely, but the bread rolls and tea are still not great!
I went to Florida with my aunt, uncle and 2 younger cousins last August (2005) for 2 weeks, and had a really good time.
The heat was too much for me in Florida (100 degrees + at times), and it rained every day at least once! Apparently its hurricane season during the summer and when it rains it REALLY does rain! So take a light rain coat with you!
DO NOT use the public transport
system, it is very unreliable and we were left stranded outside Disney because some bus drivers decided they were not picking up!
Disney - (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdwi/en_GB/index)
Disney was great! The small countries in Epcot were good, each having food places from the country! United Kingdom had its own fish and chip shop and pub!! And we just had to buy an English bar of chocolate from the gift store, even though it was 2 - 3 times more expensive!! And You can have your photograph taken with Mary Poppins! The lady who was being her was really pretty - but the photo I had taken has got lost somehow =(!
Magic Kingdom had to be my favourite park in Disney, and Cinderellas Castle was really nice, and at times throughout the day there is a show performed outside the castle for you to stand and see - although I advise that if there are small members of your group, to start gathering round a good 10 minutes or so before it begins so that you will be at the front. It gets packed!
You have an oppotunity tto have your photos taken with many characters throughout the park and to get their autographs if you want them - so take a camera with you and an autograph book!! My favourite had to be space chip and dale - they were funny, and were playing with my hair! =)!
I did not rate Animal Kindom that much, It did not have as many rides as the other parks - but they were in the process of building more whilst I was there and maybe open this year (2006), but don't hold me to that! There are a few animals there; monkeys that live on a tiny island, and there is a parrade during the day.
Animal Kingdom gets much hotter than the other parks as there are not many places to get away from the very hot heat, and unlike other parks there wasnt water features to cool you down, apart from the odd one at the toilets!
So I advise you take fans, water, hats and sun cream with you - but these can be all purchased at the parks, and there are some great water sprays with fans on (cost $15), well worth it because of the heat.
The best parts of Universal Studios for me was the 50's Diner that has some old cars outside it, and the Muppets area.
There are some good stores on City Walk, but I am more of a Disney girl myself.
Discovery Cove - (http://www.discoverycove.com)
At Discovery Cove you have to book well in advance as you can not just turn up.
Here you can swim with dolphins, sunbathe, snorcal, swim, and walk amongst birds in the avery.
As I am a non-swimmer this was not the best of days out for me, but I still had fun in the avery, where you get to feed the birds and there are small birds that fly around and land on you, so you can then hold them.
There is a huge meal in with the cost.
Sea World - (http://seaworld.com/seaworld/fla/default.aspx)
Here you get to see all the animals you expect, dolphins - where you get to feed them and touch them if they come to you, killer whales in the show, Artic animals - polar bears, seals etc
- You can take a polar treck to see
Pictures of Orlando
Bird at Discovery Cove
the artic animals, - Shamue the Whale show - Games arcade - Dolphin pools - Sting-ray pool - Places to eat
Nasa - (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/visit/index.html)
I am really interested in space and astronomy and here you get to look at space shuttles and other stuff.
You get to listen to an astronought talking and get to ask him questions.
There are a couple of gift stores and a couple of films to watch, and there is a mini bus ride around.
We wen to Nasa as part of an arranged tour and felt that we were given too much time to walk around, so maybe it would be better haveing a car and going yourself.
Billy Swamp Airboat and Buggy ride -(http://www.seminoletribe.com/safari/)
Billy Swamp is in a Native Indian Reserve. Another arranged tour, I was not keen on this at first, but at the end I really enjoyed it.
You are sat in airboats with a driver/guide and driven around the swamp and shown crocs, and talked to about the plant life - where there is a fern that can live without water for about 40 or so years (cant quite remember but something like that).
After the boat ride there is a buggy ride, where you get to ride around the reserve being shown animals (lions etc), and are talked to about them etc
There is a cafe, but you are strongly advised not to enter or eat in it, as it is used by the locals and because of the menu!
Titanic Museum - on International Drive - (http://www.titanicshipofdreams.com/)
As I am really interested in Titanic, I really enjoyed this. You are given a guide (Elderly Irish man) and taken around the museaum whilst being told a story (factual information).
The guide was funny whilst also giveing lots of factual information, like: that the 3rd class were not shut down below, they actually had their own deck space - away from other classes, but due to them not being able to afford health checks, the door to upper classes was locked and that was why nearly all died below decks.
After the talk and tour you are taken into a couple of rooms where you can wander and look at some objects, and on entry to the museum and before the tour starts you are given a bording ticket with a real passengers name on, and it is here after the tour and in these rooms that you get to look on the lit wall to see if you survived or not. (I can't remember mine!)
There is a gift store at the end selling some really nice gifts.
Eating Out
Along International Drive there is a really nice resturant called Ponderosa (http://www.ponderosaorlando.com/), where you on entry pay for your meal (menu is on walls), are taken to youe seats and then you get to enjoy a huge buffet before your meal arrives, and you get a HUGE choise - hot food, salad, deserts.
Fizzy drinks are 'free' refils, but one is enough as the glass is huge, but you can't stop them taking it from you and filling it up! lol!!
This is a GREAT place to eat, but you REALLY do have to be hungry.
Florida Mall - (http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=139)
If you like shopping then a day out at Florida Mall is a MUST!!
We took at taxi to Florida Mall from International Drive, and I reccomend you do the same as it is a little way.
I went here for the day, and I reccomend you spend a day here. It is really big, with loads of shops to spend your money in!
There is also a food court so you can spend lunchtime there! A fantastic range of places to buy your food from. From chinese to burgers!
There is a fantastic range of shops. from the Playmobil store, Build a bear, clothes, electronic, gifts. Everything you want you will find here!
** Make sure you pick up a map! As the Mall is big you may find it useful - also it has money off vouchers/coupons attached for some of the stores!!
Overall opinion
This was a really good holiday, but I strongly advise you hire a car (which we didn't), there are plenty of taxis around, especially along International Drive but you would save on money by going out to hire a car.
Also if you plan on staying on International Drive (which I really reccomend as it was great!!) do not use the I-Ride trolly busses as they are always packed, don't always stop, or if you're like us one never came along when we wanted one!!
Do not spend too much time outside during mid-day to early afternoon, especially during summer (June to Auguat) because of the extreme heat.
There was so much to do in Florida, that if you stayed on International Drive like I did, you were quite away from it all (Bush Gardens etc), and you would relly have needed to hire a car to see a lot, or what I would like to do if I went again is stay in Orlando (International Drive) for 1 week and further south poss by the coast for the other week. We spoke to a few families during our holiday and that was what they were doing. Good idea I think!
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A really good review. I went there couple of years ago and also had a great holiday. M
bluejules 29.07.2006 16:17
I went to Orlando in 2001, we went in April though so the rain wasn't a problem and it wa still nice and hot! This review brought back lots of happy memories, I hope to return again one day! Glad you had a good time, great review, Jules x
Crimsonflame 29.07.2006 02:07
What a thoroughly enjoyable read, always nice to see a ciao member share their fabulous holiday experiences, well done. Crimps
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