New Ideas for our Orlando/Disney Vacation Wanted!

[HeatherC]

Hi!

We are planning our annual Feb. break to Orlando/Disney. Wondering if you can give us some new ideas on places to try/see. Kids are 13, 11 and 8. We are staying at Bonnet Creek and have a car.

We've been to:
SeaWorld
Universal
KSC
Cocoa Beach
Clearwater Beach

Looking for some fun local things to do in between relaxing and hopefully swimming.

Any places you've been that were kind of under the radar that you loved or would suggest?

Thanks so much!

 

[joesemo]

Have you been to old town in kissimmee.

They have lots of stuff for kids and a car show every night.

it's only about three miles from the main gate entrance on 192.

it's not disney, but it's free to go to, and they have some rides if you want to pay for them.

 

[Darcy03231]

How about Busch Gardens? Its one of my kids favorite parks. Another family favorite is an airboat ride through the everglades.

If you haven't been, Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum is worth seeing once.

 

[js]

Have you been to old town in kissimmee.

They have lots of stuff for kids and a car show every night.

it's only about three miles from the main gate entrance on 192.

it's not disney, but it's free to go to, and they have some rides if you want to pay for them.

\\

Do you know more about the car show every night? Is it big?
My dh and ds would love to do this one evening.
We are going week before Easter (not by choice my dd is playing softball tournament at WWS) and we are trying to avoid the parks.
Any information would be welcome. Thank you VERY much!

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Daytona Beach. Your kids will love it. Pack a lunch, drive right onto the beach and hang for the day. Rent bikes or golf carts on the beach.
It's only about $5 to drive on the beach.
There are great resturants for dinner too.

 

[toverly]

We did something different this time, we went to M&M World in the Florida Mall. It was a hoot, we had fun, spent alot of money on priceless figurines, clothes and chocolate, LOL. I would recommend it to anyone with a car. Something else we have done is gone to Ron's Miniatures in Orlando, in case you have a dollhouse fancier. And we have gone to MouseMemories in Kississimee for Scrapbooking supplies. All shopping but alot of fun.

 

[Detailor]

There are a lot of things to do if you want to take the time to find them.

We like Blue Spring State Park because it features one of the larger natural springs in the state and attract manatees that swim up the river for the winter. They'll be in residence in February. The park is about 50 miles north of Orlando in Orange City, take I-4 east.

If your trip is late in the month the children might enjoy going to a major league baseball spring training game. The Atlanta Braves train and have games on Disney property, the Houston Astros train in Kissimmee, and the Detroit Tigers are in Lakeland (about 40 miles southwest via I-4 west). The first games are usually during the last week of February.

A visit to Celebration, Florida, can be fun. Rent one of the electric vehicles or just walk around to look around the town (count the little for sale signs!), walking paths, shops, restaurants, movie theater in a pleasant setting that's close by Disney.

The children would probably either love or hate the Scenic Boat Tour out of Winter Park - there's not usually much middle ground - (just north of the city of Orlando and about 25 miles from Bonnet Creek).

We like to visit the Disney BoardWalk resort complex for a meal or two during a week in Orlando. Several good restaurants to choose from and always an opportunity to stop by Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club Resort for an ice cream dessert.

Mini golf can be a fun diversion for a couple of hours at one of the two Disney courses or one of the several mini golf places in Lake Buena Vista, Orlando or Kissimmee.

If you feel like a beach day at a different beach check out Fort DeSoto Beach at the Pinellas County Park of the same name. It's located south of Clearwater Beach in Tierra Verde. A nice gulf coast beach area that hasn't been particularly crowded when we're gone.

Good luck with your vacation planning.

Dick Taylor

 

[HeatherC]

Thank you all! Some good ideas I'll be looking into.

 

[rabit]

hi the car show in old town i think is only on a saturday night .people bring their
classic cars and display them then finish with a cruise round oldtown a must for
petrolheads .also i think they have motorcycles on friday night.

 

[cjlvsccm]

Hi!

We are planning our annual Feb. break to Orlando/Disney. Wondering if you can give us some new ideas on places to try/see. Kids are 13, 11 and 8. We are staying at Bonnet Creek and have a car.

We've been to:
SeaWorld
Universal
KSC
Cocoa Beach
Clearwater Beach

Looking for some fun local things to do in between relaxing and hopefully swimming.

Any places you've been that were kind of under the radar that you loved or would suggest?

Thanks so much!

I think this is the best airboat ride http://www.spiritoftheswamp.com. Small boats, private to your party, and they can tailor it to you... stop anytime you want to look at wildlife or scenery... or just speed around and do 360's, if that's what you want!

Also, http://www.showcaseofcitrus.com/home/ is a U-Pick orange grove with lots of varieties, plus a swamp-buggy ride!

Have a great trip!

 

[hts]

http://www.gatorland.com/default.php

(our boys were 7 & 8 on that trip). Of course, they prefer Discovery Cove now, but it's not a real apples-to-apples comparison, more like peanuts-caviar.

;-)