Posted on 04/18/2019 1:54:19 PM PDT by MplsSteve
next week, the wife and I are taking our 10-yr old great niece to Orlando. Yes (sigh), we are spending several days at Disneyworld. Due to someone on the inside, we were able to get great rates for admission and overnight.
One day, we're going to Canaveral National Seashore. Yes, we're gonna avoid the nude beaches. No one should ever see me naked and frankly if some weirdo even looks at my great niece...well, you get the idea.
So what else do Freepers like in the Orlando area? Is Gatorland worth it? Or maybe Discovery Cove? I'm not sure we're gonna have time for SeaWorld or to drive west to Busch Gardens in Tampa.
Would love to go to Kennedy Space Center - but with the reat-nice, I'm gonna have to take a pass on it this time.
Are there places I should avoid? I've heard that certain parts of Orlando are kinda scary.
Are there any good restaurants? Me? I love Bob Evans, Shoney's, Waffle House, etc. The wife and great-niece are pretty flexible too.
I'd appreciate any reasonable suggestions.
yes, Gatorland is great and you’ll be supporting a local business that isn’t rife with gays.
you should also check out downtown Winter Park (Park Ave)
Kennedy Space Center is a must see. Were going in June.
Also, take the time one day to go visit one of the many springs in the area. Clear, cool water and good, cheap fun. Lots of places to rent tubes for floating.
...or "Going to California with an aching, in your heart"
I remember when the DIE-4 was two lanes with tons of orange groves right off the highway. I call it the Happiest Highway on Earth because after a long slog driving down I-95 hitting the interchange for I-4 meant we are on the final leg to Orlando.
April 26: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Dragon CRS-17 cargo mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, at 5:55 a.m. EDT
Being a SpaceX launch you not only see the rocket launch to deliver the payload to space but also the rocket booster land several minutes later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn5HxXKQOjw
Check
Space.com’s calendar
https://www.space.com/32286-space-calendar.html
and Spaceflight Now’s launch schedule
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/
for up-to-date information on when launches will happen, and keep an eye on NASA’s and the rocket company’s Twitter feeds for additional updates.
I would love to see a launch.
Take a couple of days at Universal. Like it better than Disney. Gatorland is a neat excursion if you have never been up close with these critters. 1 day at Seaworld.
Enjoy your stay.
I could tell you all about our family trip to Orlando.
But that was in 2000. 19 years ago.
So nothing is relevant now. Nothing’s the same.
Disregard this useless post.
(But have a good time anyway.)
Bring your bass fishing equipment... Kissimmee is post post-spawn... Lots of 7-to-10 pounders waiting for you...
Well, I don’t know where you are from, but prepare to be hot...very hot.
As for attractions...Universal Studios is nice, as is Sea World.
The Kennedy Space Center used to be cool. Last time I went we were still launching shuttles.
If you want a beach, I would go to the Gulf coast or, if you are going to the Atlantic go north of Daytona. St. Augustine beaches are very nice. I still prefer the Gulf Coast Beaches.
Hollowed out Pineapple, filled with 2 oz Myers Rum. 2 oz Orange Juice.
3 oz Pineapple Juice. oz Sour Mix. Bartender floats Bacardi 151 on top.
Texas de Brazil can be quite satisfying with a meat overload. The location is near the Disney facilities. The same area includes a lot of factory outlet shopping.
Good stuff! They tried to open here in Allen, TX some time ago, but it was poorly managed and didn't last long.
“Are there places I should avoid? I’ve heard that certain parts of Orlando are kinda scary.”
—
‘The areas around the parks are fine. They are filled with hotels and restaurants.’
—
I think what MplsSteve may be looking for re:areas to avoid would be more like neighborhoods - e.g. if MplsSteve is from Mpls he’d probably suggest not spending a great deal of time hanging around in the Near North Side, Phillips and Powderhorn neighborhoods in Minneapolis.
Or a flower in your hair.
Maybe they really meant ‘Flour’ in your hair,
as in Gold Medal.
I think I know enough about Disney to consider myself an expert.
Rule one for staying on property. Eat a late breakfast and an relatively early supper. Disney food is kind of expensive, but, they give you a LOT of food. Two meals and a box of popcorn or a Mickey Ear ice cream will hold you all day.
What resort? What park? Some of the restaurants in the better hotels have wonderful food. If you PM me, I can give you a list of the best ones?
Which Parks? The best restaurants you have to make reservations, usually 6 months in advanced, but, some you can sneak in if you are lucky. I’ll be glad to share my favorites on that too.
If you have your tickets already, make sure you register them on the disneyworld website and make your fast pass selections tonight! Child will be disappointed if you have to wait too long for her favorite rides. If you are going to EPCOT, you had BETTER get one for Frozen. It is incredible by the way.
Other places. Why? There is so much to do at DisneyWorld that you can park your car, ride the internal buses and do LOTS of things. There is a whole mess of things to do at Disney Springs, some free, some not. LOTS of good food too.
My favorite is the bacon-wrapped meatloaf at Wolfgang Pucks Express. Worth the trip to the Springs by itself. Fantasia Mini-golf is also LOTS of fun and very challenging. Specially the true MINI-golf side that is laid out like a golf course with bunkers and everything. The other part of fantasia is more whimsical but also challenging.
The weather will be perfect for you up until Memorial day weekend. It’s been cool down here in Florida (at least in St Augustine area) and my experiences in DisneyWorld in April and May have been that it will be that way. It may get up to 90 for an hour during the afternoon, but, around 3 o’clock, the wind will start blowing and it will be nice and airy.
Canaveral. Must do, the kid will probably like it. I would discuss it with her.
Please PM me. I will be glad to help. We ALWAYS have a great time at DisneyWorld and I think I can help you have one too.
I have the Ringling Museum near Sarasota on my own bucket list, and Bradenton Beach is a great beach trip on the Gold Coast (but this is straying a good way away from Orlando).
And honorable mention to Tampa Theater - although one should always check what's playing. This movie theater dates back to the 1920's, they still have the organ player that comes up though the stage floor before each movie.
"Morelando" has always been a mixed bag. I would just suggest staying away from Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. Charley's Steak House in Orlando is top notch.
Seaworld is great, also Bush Gardens run by the same company NOT disney. The live shows are nice.
Check out a Cici’s all you eat can pizza on the strip.
I avoid disney world - too commercialized. But if you have never been, enjoy it. I like EPCOT the best.
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