HI we are back from 3 weeks in Florida

[bengunn]

Hi again all, we are back after 3 wonderful weeks. Still trying to work out what day it is let alone what time of day.

Trip reports will follow in due course but if anyone has any questions, fire away.

The highlights? Well pretty much everything but especially:

Swimming with dolphins at DC
Hand feeding and stroking giraffes at Busch Gardens
Illuminations Cruise
Fantasmic
Spiderman ride
The weather - rain only changed our plans one day

Lowlights:

Journey into your Imagination at Epcot
Dream Chaser at Epcot
Rain most of last Thursday

More soon.

 

[Astrid]

Welcome home Richard

Glad you had such a great time!

Astrid

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time - would you recommend that time of year then (weather and crowd wise) as we're thinking next year is the last time we should be taking our DD out of school.

 

[bengunn]

Hi PoohBears#1fan,

We were stuck with this time due to childrens exams and college holidays but it was much better than we expected.

The weather was hot but we drank a lot of water and got used to it. The rain was much less than we expected - mostly at night - and it only stopped us doing what we wanted on one day (our last full day there).

The crowds were much less than we had expected - we found most parks relatively quiet especially Busch Gardens last week. It was worth getting to the parks early though as they were always quieter before noon. We managed to see every thing we wanted in all except Epcot in a single day.

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

Thanks for that, sounds ok then and by the time we need to go in August our teeny won't be so teeny, so easier to keep cool!

I'm sure I read on the US board that the American children go back to school on the 15th August as well, which has to make a difference to the crowds.

Glad it all went so well for you - I so want to hand feed giraffes now!

 

[WDWfan uk]

Welcome home Richard

( During the Foot and Mouth epidemic, they had stopped Brits getting up so close to those animals at Busch - great to be able to do these things again!)

 

[bengunn]

Most of the children had gone back to school when we got there but some (NY and NJ mostly) did not go back until the end of August.

The Serengeti Safari trip (when you get to feed the Giraffes) costs around $30 per person (you get $2 discount if you get an AAA card which is free to UK AA members) and can be booked in advance for the first trip of the day or in the park for the other trips.

 

[Penny12]

Welcome back Richard, glad to hear you had a good time, and looking forward to more info when you've had time to recover

 

[Mazzy]

Welcome Back!

Glad to hear you had a great trip. Roll on the trip reports, I'm VERY interested in hearing about your day at Discovery Cove!

 

[Madjock]

Welcome back! Sounds like you all had a great trip. Isn't the dolphin swim at DC something

Annmarie

 

[KayleeUK]

Welcome Back, Can't wait for your trip reports

Kaylee

 

[kazzie]

Welcome back

I look forward to hearing loads more

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

. . . . and me

Welcome back

 

[bengunn]

Thanks all, it is nice to be back - we really enjoyed Florida but 3 weeks is probably enough - it is nice to go outside and be cool, going out into a tropical greenhouse all the time gets a bit much!

Trip reports are on the way - I posted the first one yesterday.

 

[Mazzy]

Gosh Richard that was fast work with the Trip Report! I'm on my way over there now ......

 

[Eskomo]

Do they still take photos of your dolphin swim for you to purchase?

We're planning on going to Discovery Cove the first part of October and can't wait!!

Thanks,

Eskomo

 

[bengunn]

Oh yes, they take lots of photos and then present you with them to choose immediately after your swim. Personally I think that it is slightly high pressure salesmanship to show you them straight away but there is no real pressure to buy anything.

The photos are not cheap - it cost us $67.80 for four photos; if you bought them all it would cost a fortune. The pictures are very good quality but restraint (or an overdraft) is needed.

Their other 'generous offer' is that you can buy the photos in digital format on a CD - only $100 for a minimum of 5 and then $20 for each extra one - and you get all the rights to use them how you like - wow, you can use your own photos! This seems like a rip-off; surely they should be cheaper in digital format not more expensive?

We did not buy the video as we split into two pairs and videoed each other.

You do also get a free family photo which is taken soon after you enter the park.

Don't get me wrong, it is a wonderful day and we would do it again like a shot but it is expensive and they do seem determined to get even more of your money if they can, with the photos.

 

[stevechase]

It is something we would like to do next time round, as the kids will be a bit older, but $100 for 5 pics on CD, jesus! that is a bit steep. I'm sure that some things should be a little cheaper, but as the lady said to us when we checked into the ASM, 'It is Disney World after all'

I still have sleepless nights having paid over 10 dollars for a pint and a hlaf of bitter in the pub at Epcot.


Steve