Cocoa Beach?

[Amom2five]

Hi! We're going to Disney May 2 - 8 (05) and are planning on doing only one day at MK (we have 5 under the age of 7, they are 11 mos, 23 mos, 3, 6, 7). So we think one day is all we can handle - plus our budget is small! Staying in a condo w/ pool will be quite a vacation for us anyway. DH would like to take a day trip to Cocoa Beach, has anyone been there and how was it. We're used to driving an hour everywhere we go b/c of where we live so that's no big deal. But I don't want to drag all the kids if the beach isn't very nice.

 

[Lynn4Mel]

I've been to Cocoa Beach!!! It was nice when we were there You'll have fun!

 

[Amom2five]

Thanks!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

The beach is nice but it is somewhat of a haul from Disney. Good luck!

 

[momto2]

Where has anyone stayed in Cocoa Beach. We are thinking of a couple day unwind at the end of our Disney Trip. What it is like there? Is it very commericalized? I thought it was only about an hour away from Disney.

Thanks

 

[Aidensmom]

Cocoa Beach is a wonderful, beautiful beach, my favorite in all of Florida and I live on the other coast. Florida thrives on tourism, so all of the beaches are going to be a little commercial, but Cocoa Beach is definately no where near as commercial say as Daytona Beach, Miami Beach, etc. Kennedy Space Center is also nearby which is a nice place to visit.

 

[ladydancer]

It has been a few years ago but we flew down to WDW for a few days then drove a rental car over to Cocoa Beach. We stayed at a resort on the ocean. It was really nice. Try to find a website for Cocoa Beach and do a little research.

 

[momto2]

It has been a few years ago but we flew down to WDW for a few days then drove a rental car over to Cocoa Beach. We stayed at a resort on the ocean. It was really nice. Try to find a website for Cocoa Beach and do a little research.

We did. It was a bit difficult to follow as it included surrounding areas. I was hoping someone had a sure thing!

 

[ladydancer]

We did. It was a bit difficult to follow as it included surrounding areas. I was hoping someone had a sure thing!

As I said it has been a few years ago so I really don't remember the name of the resort.

Have you tried going to www.hotels.com and seeing what resorts come up? I wouldn't book through them but you can get information. I would also google with " " on either side "cocoa beach". Also if you can get a trip book from AAA of Florida. That would have some good information. Not only on resorts but sites to see in the area. I believe the AAA book is where I had gotten my information. Just some suggestions.

 

[cruiseonmagic]

We did. It was a bit difficult to follow as it included surrounding areas. I was hoping someone had a sure thing!

Have you tried----------------cocoabeach.com?

 

[vicb]

For the OP... not about Cocoa Beach (although I was there about 10 years ago and it was nice, quaint, go to Ron Jons) but rather focusing on the fact you are only going to MK. With the ages of your kids I think they might also enjoy SeaWorld. We have been to all three SeaWorlds (FL, TX and CA) my kids were various ages starting with 2 and really liked the shows, nice play areas, looking at the Dolphins etc...

 

[conmama]

We just got back 4/10 from a 4 night visit to WDW, then traveled to Cocoa Beach for a 3 night visit.

We stayed at The Resort on Cocoa Beach...very very nice! It's a timeshare condo that you can rent by the day. I think its the nicest place on Cocoa Beach. Great pool, lots of activities throughout the day for kids. They have a movie theatre, a game room, you can pay $25 for the week unlimited movies for your condo. Easy access to the beach. I would ask for an oceanfront condo ABOVE the 2nd floor. There's vegetation in the front that blocks the 2nd floor and you can't see the beach. You can find more info on the web about this condo. We will definitely go again.

conmama

 

[conmama]

One more thing...it took EXACTLY one hour and 15 minutes to drive from AKL to The Resort on Cocoa Beach.

 

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

We stayed at Cocoa Beach last April, before our Disney cruise. The beach was nice and relatively empty of people. We stayed at the Raddison which had a fun pool. My family - DW, DD 12 and DS 7 really enjoyed it.\


Our June trip to WDW will include a morning in Cocoa and lunch at Grill's seafood restaurant. www.visitgrills.com. If you time it right, you can see the Disney cruise ships heading out to sea on Saturday, Sunday and Thursday afternoon's around 5:00. (check cruise schedules - the 50th anniversary will temporarily cause the MAGIC to go out to California, so no Saturday trips during this time).

 

[Scoutdog]

Amom2five,
We're thinking of making the same day trip to Cocoa Beach this May with our 1 and 4 year olds. How did your trip turn out? Any advice on things to do with kids there? Or which roads to take from WDW?

Thanks

 

[steelcitymom]

I was married on Cocoa Beach. We stayed at the Royal Mansions. It was nice, condo rooms. We could see the shuttle launch.
We're headed to WDW in June, and I am definately planning a day trip to Cocoa.

 

[joiev98]

I am sure this is strange question, but, will my kids be able to find any seashells at Cocoa Beach? It has become somewhat of a tradition for any trips we take (usually on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana)

 

[Disneyolic]

Cocoa Beach is nice. We stayed in a condo in Cape Canaveral, however. It took us just about an hour to drive to the Magic Kingdom. We were able to see the Disney ships sail in and out of port.

If you do go to Cocoa Beach, there is a wonderful restaurant there called:

This is outside of the restaurant where they encouraged you give the fish some of your leftovers. It was really fun.

 

[mom2aredhead]

having been to both, I 'd go back to Clearwater, not Cocoa, even though it's a little longer ride. We went to both for for a few days during 2 different trips, and I found there to be very little to do in Cocoa Beach. We went to Kennedy Space Center 1 day which was nice, and we loved the beach and pool at the hotel, BUT to go out at night (window shopping, an ice cream cone, a cup of coffee) there was essentially NOTHING but Publix. (The Lobster Shanty was really good, but the original Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty is in NJ and we've eaten a LOT so even that wasn't new and ecxciting for us.) Maybe we were in a quieter area? I don't know - I found it a little boring. How many times can you walk around Ron Jon?
In Clearwater we stayed at the Hilton which was right on the beach next to the pier. Every night there was something going on along the pier - magician, dog tricks, music, craft shows, etc. There was also a really nice park right there with swings, playground etc. We were walking distance to a small shopping center with an Outback Steakhouse and a few stores, a GREAT restaurant Crabby Bills (good happy hour specials) right across the street, as well as a Marina.
Just my $.02, FWIW.

 

[Disneyolic]

having been to both, I 'd go back to Clearwater, not Cocoa, even though it's a little longer ride.

In Clearwater we stayed at the Hilton which was right on the beach next to the pier. Every night there was something going on along the pier - magician, dog tricks, music, craft shows, etc. There was also a really nice park right there with swings, playground etc. We were walking distance to a small shopping center with an Outback Steakhouse and a few stores, a GREAT restaurant Crabby Bills (good happy hour specials) right across the street, as well as a Marina.
Just my $.02, FWIW.

Yes, Clearwater Beach is very nice. I have been there too. We didn't particulary like Crabby Bills but we loved a restaurant called Shells. We loved the conch fritters there.