Christmas Time(mistletoe&wine!!)

[harry the spider]

OK, I'M HOOKED ON THE IDEA OF SPENDING CHRISTMAS IN FLORIDA.
WE ARE GOING TO RENT A VILLA FOR THE 2 CHRISTMAS WEEKS AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW BUSY THINGS WILL BE.
NOT NESSASARILY THE PARKS AS WE WOULD LIKE TO CUT DOWN ON THE PARKS AND GO SEE STUFF WE HAVEN'T VISITED BEFORE AND HAVE A VERY RELAXED TIME.
I HAVE 2 KIDS WHO WILL BE 7 & 9 ( GOING 2004).
WE WILL BE THERE IN JAN04 AND WILL BE DOING ALL THE MAJOR PARKS THEN.
WILL WE BE ABLE TO BOOK A CHRISTMAS DINNER ANYWHERE OUTSIDE THE PARKS?
IS ANYTHING OPEN?
DO YOU THINK WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF COOKING A CHRISTMAS DINNER IN THE VILLA ?
I QUITE LIKE THIS IDEA AS IT COULD BE FUN.
ANYTHING FOOD WISE THAT YOU JUST CANNOT GET?
ALSO, ANY IDEAS FOR GREAT DAYS OUT IN AND AROUND ORLANDO/KISSIMMEE.
WE PLAN TO SPEND SOME TIME AT THE BEACH AS WELL.
ANY ADVICE WOULD BE GREAT
LIN

 

[neo's white rabbit]

Lin - you just put that %*!* song in my head LOL

Can't really answer your questions but this is a good site for villas

www.villas2000.com

 

[JayneL]

Lin

We went christmas 2001. It was fantastic. The atmosphere in the parks is great. The decorations out of this world.
We spent xmas day in IOA and it wasn't very busy at all. It did rain a bit later in the day but we stayed until they closed and all the rides were walk ons.
The only place we could find open after was a checkers on the 192 so that was our xmas meal but what the heck it was far better than getting stuffed with turkey and spending the afternoon asleep

You'll love it.

 

[Janice]

Hi Lin

We have been out over Christmas a few times and just love it. The decorations around the parks alone make it all worthwhile.

We have spent Christmas Day in Busch Gardens and that was fab - very little crowds although at that time of the year you do run a slight risk of more rides being down for Rehab - but it didnt spoil our fun.

My trip reports from our Millennium trip are in the Index on the Trip Report Board - they would give you a rough idea of what we did each day.

We managed to get a meal at a Pizza place on Christmas Day on our way home from Busch - had a fab time.

You will be able to buy everything you wanted if you wanted to cook yourself - but I dont think the Supermarket type shops are open on Christmas Day itself.

 

[scoobie's m]

We will be there over Christmas, we plan to be in the Parks if only to soak up the atmosphere, don't expect to get on many rides. We had been in a dilema as to what to do for Christmas dinner, as I don't expect many places outside the parks to be open and I'm not sure if we'll be in the Parks all day as the crowds may prove too much. We have decided to book a PS for Christmas Eve (poss Crystal Palace as I believe it is a buffet, my kids are VERY VERY fussy eaters) and have something 'cold' back at the villa Christmas Day (Blowed if i'm cooking!) I think all restaurants will be open as normal on 26th as I don't think the USA have a 'Boxing Day'.

Just a thought as to something different to do. I plan on visiting Celebration in the run up to Christmas as I believe it 'snows' every evening for the Holiday season.

 

[harry the spider]

THANKS EVERYONE-LOTS OF GREAT INFO AND I AM GOING FOR SURE.
I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT COOKING CHRISTMAS DINNER THEN THOUGHT NO WAY!!
I WAS WONDERING IF DISCOVERY COVE WOULD BE OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY AS I REALLY WANT TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE TO SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS.
I JUST THOUGHT "WHAT A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR MY KIDS"( AND ME!!!)
WOULD ANY PARK TICKETS I BUY BE ELIGIBLE FOR CHRISTMAS DAY OR IS IT A SEPERATE TICKET?
I HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES FOR THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF DECEMBER AND ALL THE LIGHTS AND THE ATMOSPHERE ARE AMAZING.
I WILL MAKE A POINT OF GOING OVER TO CELEBRATION, I BET THAT LOOKS GREAT.
I KNOW CELEBRATION QUITE WELL, MY DH SPENT 3 NIGHTS IN THE HOSPITAL THERE LAST YEAR!! ( NEARLY KILLED BY AN INFECTED BLISTER ON HIS FOOT) AND WE WENT BACK FOR THE FOLLOWING 5 DAYS FOR I.V TREATMENT, SO I KIND OF GOT TO KNOW MY WAY ROUND THERE .
LIN

( GOING ON 17TH JAN 04!!)

 

[JANNYANS]

Hi Lin,
Christmas in Florida is magic.It does snow in Celebration adf the American homeowners are truly inventive with the lights on thenir homes.We usually spend the evenings just driving aroung the different communities to see what they have done.One thing you won't find is selection boxes so if you have children who expect them take them with you.Also crackers but with the security at one point they were making you pull them before you left the UK but may be that has changed.I love being in Florida at this time of year and would always go given the chance.If you book a villa then your owner may even have a christmas tree in their home -I have -and my guests have loved decorating themselves and even bought tree decorations for it and left behind.What ever you do you will have a great time as the magic is even more special.

 

[neo's white rabbit]

I'll have to stop reading this thread or I will want to go at Christmas too

I believe that Christmas Day is the one day a year Discovery Cove is shut, but you could contact them and check

www.discoverycove.com

We're doing the dolphin swim next month Children have to be 6 yrs or older to participate in the swim.

 

[michelle 1]

Sorry if this sounds dumb but what is 'celebration'?
we are going over christmas this year and i'm starting to think about places to go/see.
Also are any of the parks a no-no on christmas day? i don't wanna spend my whole day in massive queues although i dont mind doing a 'normal' queue.
thanks

 

[neo's white rabbit]

Celebration...

"I thank...America for the right to live and raise my family under the flag of tolerance, democracy and freedom." -Walt Disney

Imagine a place where you can live, work, play, shop, study, & worship... without leaving your neighborhood. A place where you feel safe & secure. A place that is absolutely beautiful to behold. A place that your soul has been searching for. That place is Celebration, Florida.

Celebration was founded in 1995 with five cornerstones in mind. These cornerstones are community, education, health, technology, & a sense of place. Each of these are evident as you make your way through this special town.

The homes in Celebration are a mix of traditional, coastal, classical, & Mediterranean...all with pre-1940's architectural designs. The town offers terrace homes (condominiums), villas, townhomes, bungalows, garden homes, cottage homes, village homes, manor homes, & estate homes as well as apartments. Most garages are placed behind the home accessible by an alleyway. The prices range from $161,900 to $2.5+ million

The sense of community & place come from the many parks, walking paths, community pools, the Robert Trent, Jr. golf course, and the downtown area. All places where families meet to celebrate life.

From the state of the art hospital to corporate office space...from the innovative public school to Stetson University... from the town's own intranet service to it's own television channel... Celebration is truly a town for the new millennium.

Just a short drive from Orlando International Airport, Disney World & Universal, Cape Canaveral, & Cocoa Beach. Celebration offers location, location, location.

 

[BevS97]

If you want Christmas Dinner in your villa, but you don't want to cook, then I am sure that last year people were talking about collecting the entire meal, already cooked, from their lcoal supermarket. I'll see if I can find the thread and get you a link.

Bev

 

[neo's white rabbit]

Isn't America wonderful!

 

[BevS97]

Aargh, how annoying! I just submitted my post and I got an error message and now it is gone!

here;s a link where it is mentioned a few times click here along with some other unusual ways of cooking a turkey if your oven is broken!

I have also asked if anyone knows anywhere in orlando specifically that does this, and I'll let you know if I here anything

Bev

 

[harry the spider]

GOSH I CAN'T WAIT.
I'M ALREADY GOING IN JANUARY AND NOW MY EXCITMENT HAS TURNED TOWARD CHRISTMAS.
I AM STAYING AT EMERALD ISLAND RESORT, IS THAT PART OF CELEBRATION?
I THOUGHT IT WAS BUT AM NOT 100% SURE.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU CAN JUST BUY A PACKAGE DEAL CHRISTMAS DINNER.
DO THEY EVER RUN OUT OF GOOD IDEAS?
ME AND DH WOULD LOVE TO LIVE OVER THERE.
WE ARE KIND OF LOOKING INTO IT BUT WE KNOW IT'S JUST NOT THAT EASY.-NO-ONE THERE TO SPONSER US SO WE WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON SPONSERSHIP FROM EMPLOYMENT I GUESS.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST HURDLE, FINDING A JOB.
WE ALSO HAVE 2 KIDS TO CONSIDER.
WE ARE NOT SWEPT AWAY BY THE WHOLE DISNEY THING AND KNOW WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK REALLY HARD.
DH IS THE MANAGER OF MINUTEMAN PRESS WHICH IS ORIGINALLY A U.S COMPANY AND THEY HAVE LOTS OF PLACES ACROSS THE U.S AND WE WOULD NEED TO BUY A FRANCHISE, WHICH IN THERORY WE COULD DO.
COME ON EVRYONE, ENCOURAGE ME TO PACK UP AND GO......PLEASE?
LIN

 

[BevS97]

LOL Lyn

You are getting excited!


According to my thread here ordering a christmas dinner is quite commonplace, I wish we could do that here, I hate cooking and am hopeless at big dinners.

I think moving to the States is a lovely dream, but maybe not such an amazing reality. My parents emigrated there in 1979 and came back in 1990. I can't say it was a disaster, we all had some amazing experiences, and I'm glad we went, but I know my mum in particular found it much harder than anticipated and was extremely homesick, Of course, once we got back to England, we were all missing things we had got used to in the States!

Bev

 

[harry the spider]

THANKS FOR THE GREAT THREAD.
I'M GOING TO ORDER MY DINNER IF WE DECIDE TO STAY IN THE VILLA ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
ASKED DISCOVERY COVE ABOUT OPENING AND THEY REPLY YES THEY OPEN 365 DAYS.YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!
I AM UNDER NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THE REALITIES OF MOVING TO THE STATES.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY AND WHY NOT TO DO IT.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY FAMILY LEFT NOW, JUST A BROTHER AND SISTER WHO HAVE THEIR OWN LIVES AND FAMILIES, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE CLOSE, I DON'T THINK ANY AMOUNT OF MILES CAN CHANGE THAT.
I SUFFER TERRIBLE IN THE WINTER WITH ARTHRITIS IN BOTH FEET AND ALWAYS COME TO FLORIDA AS I FIND I HAVE VIRTUALLY 2 WEEKS PAIN FREE BREAK.
MY DH HAS EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AS HE SPENT 9 YEARS IN OZ. HE DOES HAVE A VERY PRACTICAL ATTITUDE AND KEEPS REMINDING ME THAT YOU HAVE EVEYDAY PROBLEMS WHEREVER YOU ARE LIVING- BUT I WOULD RATHER HAVE THEM WITH A TAN!!
DH HAS A VERY DISTANT FAMILY WHO WOULD MOST LIKELY TAKE A YEAR TO REALISE THAT WE HAVE GONE!!
THE WORRIES I HAVE ARE REALLY MY KIDS AND THEIR EDUCATION.
WOULD IT BE BETTER OR WORSE?
MY BOYS ARE 7 AND 6 AND BOTH ARE STATEMENTED WITH DYSLEXIA.
WE ARE ALL EXTEMELY INDEPENDANT BUT GOING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY TO LIVE IS A VERY BIG STEP
LIN

 

[neo's white rabbit]

Good news about DC.

Moving to another country is never easy, but not insurmountable.

Research, research, research and plan...plan..plan and then add about a half to a third more to the money you think you going to need to make it...at least!

Good luck