College visits near Disney/Free things to do

[Tink9295]

My DD and I are going to be in the Orlando area next week. We are visiting 4 colleges in 5 days. We are staying at Orange Lake (home base). We are looking for free or budget friendly ways to spend our afternoons and evenings.

Does anyone know if the Gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian has been started yet and are the hotels decorated for the holidays already? I thought we could spend an afternoon checking out the hotels and then going to Downtown Disney for the evening.

I would appreciate any ideas on and off Disney. Thanks!!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

The heading on your thread makes it sound like you are looking for information on the colleges in the area... I thought you wanted to know what colleges would be within driving distance or something by the way it was worded... sorry...
Ok now to your question.. I don't know if the Gingerbread house will be up yet. Down Town Disney should be decorated by Nov 9th as the Mickey Monitor states the Festival of the Seasons starts on the 9th.. Santa won't be there till the 18th though

I am sure you if you resort hop, you will see some of the resorts decorated, or at least starting to get in the Holiday spirit. Maybe one day do the Monorail resorts, another day do the BoardWalk area. You can even do the Campfire at Ft Wilderness with Chip & Dale... you can watch the MK's fireworks from the Poly beach as well as the Electrical Water Pageant. You can watch Illuminations from the bridge that connects the BoardWalk area and The Beach Club area.... these are all free

What 4 colleges will you be going to? UCF, Rollins? FAU? USF? UF? FSU? just wondering because that would play into what you can do around Disney. The traffic you will hit, how tired you are going to be from your travel time.. There might also be some things to do that are interesting over by where the colleges are too...

 

[peacelover]

Kelly park in Apopka
If you are going to UCF the beach is only an hour east.
LEU Gardens is near Rollins College
Theres also an art museum
The Sanford Zoo
these are all inexpensive
Maybe Dinner and a walk around citywalk?

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Kelly park in Apopka
If you are going to UCF the beach is only an hour east.
LEU Gardens is near Rollins College
Theres also an art museum
The Sanford Zoo
these are all inexpensive
Maybe Dinner and a walk around citywalk?

I was going to suggest City Walk but don't they have to pay to park there? I know they use to. I heard they were trying some promo where FL residents can show their FL ID after a certain time and they waived the parking fee..but not sure if it started yet in fact, I heard it on the Universal Boards here... Either way, that would not matter to them, from what it looks like, they are from CT and would still have to pay to park @ City Walk to go have dinner (or do they validate now?)

 

[Tink9295]

Thanks. I editied the title. Sorry for confusion.

To give more detail.... We are visiting Rollins in Orlando, Florida Southern in Lakeland, Jacksonville Univerity and Eckerd in St Petersburg.

I was thinking about City Walk. I do have a gift certificate to Margaritaville. Not sure if they give discounts on parking if you eat there.

I really hope the hotels are decorated. I want my DD to see them. She has never been there for the Christmas holiday season.

We will be with her friend and her mom, so I want to try to find some fun things to do without using a park ticket. We have tickets, but they don't. So I'm pretty sure we're not going to a park.

I was also thinling of an evening on the Boardwalk, Downtown Disney and hotel hopping to see the Christmas displays.

We might tour around the colleges to see what the neighborhoods are like....that is if they find one they like. I hope all these colleges are in safe areas.

 

[peacelover]

Jacksonville University... in Jacksonville, Fl?
Maybe stop off in St Augustine on the way back, there's some pretty neat stuff there.
Is the Festival of the Masters going on in DTD while you are there?
Can you go to a park with just you and daughter?

 

[Tink9295]

St. Augustine is a good idea. Maybe on our drive back. I think they're are Outlet Stores off I-95 around that area too. That could work. Thanks.

 

[punkin]

OT, but I wanted to put in a good word for Eckerd. It was on DD's short list of schools and it is gorgeous.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Stop at St. Augustine for sure... and not just the outlets, but go into the City area where all old jail, old fort and old school house are. They may possibly have their Christmas decorations up as well. They light up the Lions Bridge over there. I would highly suggest going over there! Parking is going to be tough there, but worth the hunt

here is a link for their calendar of events...

http://www.oldcity.com/calendar.cfm

 

[Tink9295]

OT, but I wanted to put in a good word for Eckerd. It was on DD's short list of schools and it is gorgeous.

The pics are beautiful. Can't wait to visit.

 

[Tink9295]

Stop at St. Augustine for sure... and not just the outlets, but go into the City area where all old jail, old fort and old school house are. They may possibly have their Christmas decorations up as well. They light up the Lions Bridge over there. I would highly suggest going over there! Parking is going to be tough there, but worth the hunt

here is a link for their calendar of events...

http://www.oldcity.com/calendar.cfm

Thanks for the link!! Diser's are awesome. I knew you all would help me out!