Orlando Virgin here!!!! eeeeeek!!!!!

[lisagirlyUK]

OMG!! What have I let myself in for?!?!?!

I have just booked 2 weeks in Orlando for a family of 7 in August of all times!!! We didnt have much choice as it was the only month we could all get the time off!!!

Anyway its 6 adults and a 3 year old and we have booked flights, car and a villa through Travel City Direct. I have no idea if this company is reputable, we dont even know where our villa will be as it is allocated on arrival! - although I did get the Brits Guide for 2004 and Travel City were listed in there !!!

Anyway if anyone out there can:

1. Offer any advice or tips on how to cope with 7 of us in August!
2. Offer any opinions on travel city direct
3. offer any tips on helping to cope with a 3 year old out there

or generally let m eknow what the hell I am in for !!!!

 

[Goofyish]

Hi Lisa,

We went during August last year and had a great time.

It is hot and humid, and it can also be wet! Although most of the rain usually falls during a daily afternoon thunder storm (last year it rained all afternoon and evening on some days, although I've been told this was not the norm for August).

Best advise is to take things steady, get to the parks early and then take a break back at your villa in the hottest part of the day and then return to the parks in the evening. (If you have hopper passes make sure you get your hands stamped when you leave the parks so you can return later the same day).

Use 'Fastpass' as much as you can to avoid having to stand in line in the heat.

Also take plenty of drinks with you, preferably water. Bottled water and cold drinks do tend to pricey in the parks. There are free drinking fountains for water but I find it tastes funny
For a nice free drink try Ice Station Cool in Epcot - you can sample various Coke drinks from around the world.

All shops and restaurants are air conditioned (sometimes blooming freezing!), as well as indoor rides and shows, so take advantage of these if the heat gets too much.

We found eating lunch early at the counter service restaurants missed most of the crowds. Most open between 11 and 11:30am for lunch.

 

[AlisonB]

Yep, what he said! LOL

We also went in August last year - and found it much better than we thought it would be!

Not sure when you're going, but a lot of schools in Florida go back around the second week, so if you're there towards the end of August the queues aren't too bad at all.

Even if the 3 year old is out of a buggy, take one - the heat and shear mielage will be tiring - and you can also use the buggy to cart around all your stuff!

 

[bustersmum]

We too have booked with them for the first time we found their price couldnt be beaten and we know several people who use them year after year with no problems.The people we know have stayed in various hotels and villas and on site too at disney and i havent heard a bad word said.

 

[kipper]

Travelled with travel city direct last year. They fly into Sanford airport which is much quicker to get through than orlando nad a simple drive on the toll road to kissimee (dont forget some change for the toll).We also had a villa but it was a named villa but unfortunatly were allocated a different villa which in our opinion wasnot up to good standards as there was a terrible ant problem. The flight was also delayed by 7 hours.
We did asked for compensation for the villa and got £100.
But on the brighter side we are flying with them again this year (but getting our own accomodation) as you have said there price cannot be beaten.
have a good time

 

[Astrid]

We have travelled with Travel City Direct too and thought they were great. I upgraded to Sunshine First which was excellent.

The company was very efficient (and it was a brilliant price too!). Even though we had a very long delay at Gatwick due to a problem with the cockpit door I couldn't fault the service of TCD and they were most apologetic and did all they could to make it easier for us.

I've never travelled with a big party, however, one thing that various friends of mine who have is to book 2 cars rather than just 1 as this gives you all a lot more flexibility.

I took my daughter for the first time when she was 3 and it was fine, she loved it all. Take your own buggy (though you can buy cheap ones out there) and prepare her (if you can!) for the size of the characters, quite a few little'uns can be very intimidated and scared at their first sight of a HUGE Mickey Mouse!

I'm sure you'll have fun!

Astrid

 

[lisagirlyUK]

Hi,

any of you that has used Travel city, can you tell me what the legroom was like? Did it seem like more than on other planes? I am concerned for my husband who is 6ft 4". We cant afford to upgrade but I was told they offer more legroom anyway?

Thanks

 

[edie w]

We also had a villa but it was a named villa but unfortunatly were allocated a different villa which in our opinion wasnot up to good standards as there was a terrible ant problem.

I think ants and other crawlies are just part of life in Florida. Our villa had a huge tub of ant killer which we were to use at the first sign of infestation. Fortunately there were hardly any.

For the 3 year old - just let him/her set the pace and don't force him/her on any rides she/he doesn't want to go on. There are oodles of tips on the Families board but top places to go are the children's wet play areas in the parks. Ariel's grotto at MK, the fountains between FW and WS at Epcot, If I ran the Zoo at IOA and Fievel's Playland at US. Be careful in Honey I shrunk the Kids play area at MGM - I lost my 3 year old nephew in a termite mound. Not sure who was most upset!

I'd second the 2 car suggestion. You'll have touble getting the luggage into a 7 or 8 seater minivan, and you have more flexibility if you have 2 cars.

 

[SEVANS2208]

We went in August last year & there were 7 of us. We had a 8 seater van & i was panicking before that it wouldn't be big enough but it was huge!!! However, it is worth having 2 cars if you don't all want to do the same things.

We had a 9 yr old & (just) 3 yr old & they both coped very well. I agree with the advice to get to the parks early & take your own buggy (you may find that even though there is loads to see the heat will make the 3 yr old tired & they probably sleep better in their own buggy). Also, try to stick to the same routine you have at home with regard to meal breaks & snacks - I found that helped with the time difference.

Most of all - enjoy & stop panicking!!!!