WELCOME TO THE ORLANDO, FLORIDA STEP BY STEP HOLIDAY PLANNING and SAVINGS GUIDE FOR E-BAYERS!

(ELECTRONIC VERSION)

Hi! Thanks for trying our Florida Guide, which well post out to you in the next post! In the meantime, heres our complimentary electric version, which we send as a service to our Customers. This allows you to read through it as quickly as possible, in case of postal delays. For some visitors, this may be the only Florida trip they make, so youll need to carefully identify what you want to see, long before you go and we cant stress enough that the earlier you begin planning (with our help) the better. For those who have been before, youll know that although each trip becomes more relaxed than the one before, attractions tend to change and hopefully, weve even provided you veterans with something to think about. Its doubtful that anyone could use ALL the money saving ideas we offer, but using just one would save you at least the cost of the guide, so good luck! Please remember to ask any questions you may have thought of, or any you think of later well always help!

Thank you again for trying the Guide we hope it helps!

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CONTENT/STAGES:
A BEFORE YOU GO
1 Make the decision and book that flight! Temperature and Rainfall - Orlando and London. Flights - Passport Requirements and NEW ESTA USA Travel Rules! - Adjusting to the Time Difference Disabilities and Special Needs!

2 Where are you going to stay Villa or Hotel?

3 Insure your holiday What if you have to cancel?

4 The Attraction Ticket minefield. Disney, Universal Park and other Parks 5 Car Hire.

1. The Main Attractions Orlandos Funtastic Theme Parks (With 60-minute Teenage Park attack and Tiddler tips and links to great Park Maps!)

B. WHEN YOU GET THERE

2. Spending, Eating Out and Tipping Kids eat FREE! 3. Best (other) Guide. 4. What to pack. 5. Shopping The Malls (where to get $3600 in vouchers and much more!)

6. Driving Tips For Brits - Parking at the Main Disney and Universal Parks 7. Central Florida Golf Courses.

C. 30 BIG SAVINGS IDEAS (IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM!)

A - BEFORE YOU GO
1 - Make the decision and book that flight!
FIRSTLY, WHEN DO YOU WANT TO GO? In the past, we always travelled between Easter and the end of May. That was mainly because we were told that the summer could get very busy at the Parks, there was lots of rain each day and of course, June - November is the Hurricane season (August and September have the most risk!). Travellers would be very unlucky to catch one of those, but lets face it IS a possibility in Florida! However, in 2009, we grabbed flights at short notice and spent the middle week of August in Orlando and the following week down on the Gulf Coast (Rotonda, Englewood). Wed do so again, as the parks were no busier than in May and the restaurants were significantly quieter. Maybe this is due partly to the recession, but the locals informed us also that less Americans holiday there in August, due to their kids going back to school and the daily rainstorms. These were dramatic, but never stopped us from doing anything as they usually rolled in late in the evening, rained during the night and were gone by the morning. Even though flights were expensive, well certainly be going again during the summer school break. TEMPERATURE and RAINFALL ORLANDO AVERAGE TEMPERATURE / RAINFALL HIGH (f) LOW (f) 71 73 78 83 88 91 92 92 90 85 79 73 49 50 55 59 66 72 73 73 73 66 58 51

MONTH JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

RAINFALL (inches) 2.3 2.8 3.2 1.8 3.6 7.3 7.3 6.8 6 2.4 2.3 2.2

LONDON AVERAGE TEMPERATURE / RAINFALL

MONTH JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

HIGH (f) 44 44 48 54 61 67 71 70 65 59 50 45

LOW (f) 32 32 34 38 43 48 52 51 47 43 37 34

RAINFALL(inches) 3.1 2 2.4 2.1 2.2 2.2 1.8 2.2 2.7 2.9 3 3.1

BUYER TIP: If youre not tied to childrens school holiday times, you might find it useful to know that the monorail captain they spoke to last time at Disney, told them that the last two weeks of September were the least crowded of the entire year.

OK, ONCE YOUVE DECIDED WE CAN REALLY GET THINGS MOVING

CONSIDERING TAKING THE KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL? Next, youll have to consider whether you need to obtain absence consent forms from the kids schools if youre intending to take them out of school during term time. Thats never ideal but sometimes the cost of holidays outside term time is way too high and might otherwise make the trip impossible. Should be ok though, although you dont have any official entitlement, its unusual for an application to be refused, unless it affects exams etc: http://www.egfl.org.uk/export/sites/egfl/categories/behaviour/attendance/_do cs/docs/termtimeholidayguidance.doc FLIGHTS Flights arent really something anyone can honestly claim to have any secrets for If you book early, you pay more simple as that, but if youre looking for flights, check out: www.CheapFlights.co.uk Its sometimes a bit slow to update, but gives you a general guide as to who is offering the cheapest flights at various times of the year. Weve found the best time to look for last minute flights is when a school holiday is coming to an end. When the families are flying back, youll find some incredible bargains for flying out. For example, last Easter, the week before we flew out, we

obtained fights for our eldest son (who decided to join us late!) for 20!!!! (OK, so it was 200 after taxes etc were added, but still incredibly cheap.) If you have the nerve to wait, give it a try! If you decide to look for a short notice, reduced-cost flight, just bear in mind that you might have less choice of Cars (though weve never known any company to run out completely!) and more importantly, Villas. The easiest way to find something suitable is to use the sites with general searches (see where are you going to stay section later for details). That way, any owners with homes still available will contact you and you dont have to get stressed sending e-mails to hundreds of villas that are already booked! At short notice, this is particularly useful, but beware trying this if you book a year ahead, as youll be utterly inundated! Weve used Thomas Cook, Monarch, First Choice and Virgin for flights. Thomas Cook and Monarch are amongst the cheapest, but dont guarantee individual TVs, which can make the 9.5-hour flight out, a very long one if youre not prepared. We tried Thomsonfly in August 2009 and found them to be as good as anyone. There are some cheap flights out there, but generally theres a huge range. We look to pay around 350 and wouldnt consider anything over 500. Flight links: Thomas Cook - www.thomascook.com First Choice - www.firstchoice.co.uk Virgin - www.virgin-atlantic.com Monarch www.flymonarch.com Thomsonfly - www.thomsonfly.com Passport requirements and NEW ESTA travel rules!

British passport holders travelling to the USA (or via the USA) are required to have either individual machine-readable passports or biometric passports. (If you need to check your passport we recommend you contact the UK Passport Office (Click for link) Families will be required to obtain individual passports for each traveller including all children. Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) If you have a machine readable or Biometric passport you should be able to qualify for travel (of up to 90 days) without a visa, under the Visa Waiver Programme

(VWP). That is, provided no one in your party has ever been arrested (even if not convicted), or if suffering from a serious communicable disease (visit the US Embassy web site (click for link) for details of all restrictions). Important changes! From 12 January 2009, before travelling, everyone travelling into America must have, completed a brand new internet-based registration form. This new requirement is called Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, or ESTA for short. Its been implemented by US Customs & Border Control and applies to all international visitors to America who qualify for the US Visa Waiver Programme. British passport holders usually qualify, and therefore must register through ESTA before they travel. If you are travelling into America after 12 January 2009, then you will probably be refused entry if you havent registered. Registration is quick & easy, and requires you to enter only a few personal details regarding everyone in your party as well as details of where youre staying during your first night in the States. After you have booked your travel details to the US, you can register your details through ESTA here: BEWARE, OTHER SITES MAY CHARGE UP TO 40. THIS ONE IS FREE! https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
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DISABILITIES and SPECIAL NEEDS! Some buyers have asked questions about Disabilities and Special Needs and we feel that weve let them down in the past, as weve no experience that were able to relate to. However, were always busy and have come up with the following link which seems to answer most of the questions: www.diz-abled.com/Disney-with-Disabilities-Book.htm

2. Where are you going to stay Villa or Hotel?

VILLA

For your accommodation Wed always recommend a Villa as you get a greater taste of Florida. They offer privacy, independence, supermarket shopping, your own pool and of course you wont have to share a room with your kids for two weeks! The trip itself is special and for many families, a once in a lifetime visit. Finding your Villa can be difficult. Our first ever effort was almost disastrous, as we spent a week somewhere that was way beyond tired. It was pretty grim and although we moved on to spend our second and third weeks in a lovely place, weve never forgotten that mistake and dont want any of our buyers to endure a similar experience. Believe me, it can be so difficult to choose, so here are some wed recommend We have stayed in these, so can recommend them personally: These are in our favourite developments - Cumbrian Lakes and Crescent Lakes Theyre not the closest to the Theme Parks, but are new and of a very high standard. Some developments, close to Disney are old, tired and frankly a bit grubby, so beware! We loved the first one particularly. Its the house (which we also liked as the kids are closer to you at night) pictured above, with a great games room, pool backdrop. Its quiet, not overlooked and really handy for evenings out on the 192! www.spaciousdisneyvilla.com/ The next is near the first one. Fantastic backdrop by the pool a little close to the Villas next door, but superb nevertheless very close to the 192! www.ourluxuryvilla.com/ This one is in Clermont, which we found a bit of a drive each day, both to the parks and eating out, but a great Villa close to supermarkets, with superb pool and backdrop. www.places4u2stay.com/ Heres a belter if youre heading down to the Gulf Coast: www.florida-rotonda-villa.com Alternatively, we suggest you start your search by visiting the following Villa sites. These allow you to post general searches which means that you put in the dates youre travelling and all the owners with available villas contact you! (obviously if youre booking well in advance be careful as youll receive hundreds and hundreds of replies!) www.vr360homes.co.uk/ www.lastminutevillas.net/ www.fabvillas.com/

These sites are also excellent Check out their offers sections, particularly for late travellers. www.orlandovillas.com/ www.villas2000.com/ Consider the information and photographs very carefully though, to make sure they have everything to suit your needs. This can be a bit of a minefield with some pictures being taken years ago when the Villa was new, but are now in areas that have become tired over recent years. Most adverts can be relied upon, but take note of whether youre overlooked and how far you are from the attractions, nearest supermarket and of course, the restaurants (as you may be tired and whereas a slightly longer drive to an attraction may be ok, youll want to eat out locally). In our experience, the nearer you are to the US192, the better, but take care. Being very close to Disney isnt always the best choice. If youre travelling between (and including) November to the end of May, you should add pool heat to your Villa booking Itll cost an additional 100 but is well worth it when you slip into a beautifully warm pool at 85o even on cooler days. Try searching for your chosen Villa on GOOGLE EARTH before you book Youll be able to see exactly where youll be and how far you are from the attractions, shopping and restaurants you most want to visit. We havent added a link as it can affect peoples computers differently, but it can generally be downloaded free and very easily. Words of warning We would strongly recommend renting from British owners until the current credit crunch financial crisis improves Were not saying that US owners are any more or less reliable than Brits, but should an owner get into difficulties and have their Florida home repossessed, itd be much easier to communicate with someone here, than it would be in the USA wouldnt it! Dont forget that business is NOT booming in the rental business, so negotiate, negotiate and negotiate! Should you have any comments to make about the villa you choose and wish to leave a personal recommendation to other buyers, wed be happy to consider including it in future updates of the guide Simply get back in touch on your return! HOTEL

If your own space, your own private pool, your own bathroom, kids not having to share rooms (or even beds!) isnt enough for you and you still want a hotel because you dont want to end up doing the same cooking etc as you do at home EAT OUT! Its not as cheap as it used to be, but still better than in the UK. Your meals will cost the same in dollars, as youd spend at home in pounds so thats a third cheaper than the usual cost. But, if youre still not persuaded, hotels come in four main standards, Budget, Standard, Superior and Deluxe. Search for price and location and you dont have to look far on the Internet to find somewhere acceptable to you. Month by month, prices vary, so get your quote from two or three hotels (direct) and again remember that in the current climate it is more important to negotiate than ever. Try to knock them down, before you book - What have you got to lose. Tell them youre on a budget and ask if they could do the same deal for less. (Give them a figure!) Staying at the Disney (or Universal) hotels usually allows additional time in the parks, for guests only, but these are obviously more expensive. Here are some useful links in each category We havent included Disney hotels, as theyre so easy to find for yourself. Budget: www.motel6.com www.redroof.com www.econolodge.com www.microtelinn.com www.travelodge.com www.choicehotels.com www.knightsinn.com www.redhorseorlando.com Standard www.hojo.com www.ramada.com www.choicehotels.com (as above) www.marriott.com www.hamptoninn.com www.radisson.com www.tropicalpalms.com www.enclavesuites.com Superior www.doubletreeorlando.com www.doubletree.com

www.hawthornesuits.com www.marriott.com (as above) www.sheraton.com www.wyndham.com www.nickhotel.com Deluxe I doubt youd be buying our guide; if these were within your budget, so if youre interested, just let me know! Try also some general sites where you could find some great offers! www.Hotelopia.co.uk www.greatorlandodiscounts.com www.CompleteOrlando.co.uk www.ebookers.com/orlando-hotels www.internationaldriveorlando.com www.expedia.co www.lastminute.com www.UniversalOrlando.co.uk 3 Insure your holiday What if you have to cancel, or worse!

We thought wed found the cheapest Insurance on previous visits, including this one. 42 for a family of four, with 1Stop Travel Insurance Pay them a visit and let me know if you find cheaper! www.1stoptravelinsurance.co.uk A buyer recommended the Travel Supermarket for the cheapest Insurance and we found that they did the same package for a family of four for 29!!! Refund Issued. Visit them at www.travelsupermarket.com In December, another buyer seems to have gone better: www.supermarket.com

Insurance has risen in price recently and after we looked into it, she was right, this does now appear to offer the cheapest range of Travel Insurance, better even than those above, so give it a try to see if it suits your needs Refund Issued.

4 The Attraction Ticket minefield. If youve begun to look for your tickets, youll have already found what a minefield of options it can be. Well begin with an explanation (translated into our own plain English!) of the types available and follow it with some personal observations and ideas you might like to consider: Disney Tickets Magic Your Way means you can build your own ticket to suit your needs. Choose the number of days you need for a base ticket, then build in any of the following extras that you want: Park Hopper Option Base means one park (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM or Animal Kingdom) for each day of use Hopper means that you can visit any amount of them on the same day and it only counts as one. If its your first time, the question you need to ask yourself is will you have the energy or the confidence to do that? Water Park Fun and More The experience doesnt stop with the main theme parks. The choice here is to add visits to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon water parks, Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, Disneyquest or Disneys Wide World of Sport.

Non-Expiry Option Normally, Magic Your Way tickets expire 7 or 14 days after first use. This option allows you to use any unused days on another visit. It costs more of course, but can work out very economically if you intend to visit another time. This is also an option used by many e bayers to reduce their costs as will be explained fully later.
Disneys Ultimate Ticket For UK visitors, only available in the UK. This allows access to everything, whenever you like. A great option for flexibility, but probably not if youre conscious about your budget. Universal / Islands of Adventure/ Seaworld / Aquatica / Wet n Wild tickets -Visits to these attractions can be made with a FLEXTICKET (or 5 Park Bundle of Fun) which gets you unlimited access and

includes access to Universal Citywalk a complex between Universal and Islands of Adventure, featuring restaurants and nightclubs. FLEXTICKET PLUS (or 6 Park Bundle of fun) Includes visits to Busch gardens in Tampa. Before buying a FLEX ticket, which are actually pretty good value, consider where you actually want to visit. If you dont like swim parks, it will probably be cheaper to buy a day at Seaworld (where youll get at least another free) and a two day pass for the Universal Parks (usually with another free). We doubt youd want to visit these parks more than once each, so buying separately will save you about $40 each. If youre in the military, the Flex ticket is probably NOT for you! When we were last at Sea World, we noticed that US military personnel were given FREE entry for themselves and up to four dependents. We asked if the same generosity would be afforded to their allies i.e. the UK military and the staff confirmed that IT WOULD! So, on production of a UK military ID card, our service people will also be given FREE entry to Busch Anheuser Parks Sea world and Busch Gardens! Unfortunately both Disney and Universal have confirmed to us that they are not considering a similar gesture for members of our armed forces. They arent overly generous to their own either, offering just percentage discounts. Were currently in correspondence with them in an attempt to persuade them to change their policy, but no joy yet. So, thats the formal stuff Here are some further thoughts for you. SAVINGS IDEAS FOR DISNEY TICKETS First time travellers tend to buy from tour companies who will sell you a 14 day hopper pass to the Disney parks and another 14 day pass to Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens and Wet n Wild water park. If youre only going for two weeks (four days of which, youll probably be too tired to go out) why buy 28 days of entertainment? So, using our itinerary later in the guide, decide what you want to do on each of your 14 days (build in some rest!) then judge more precisely what youll need but read on! Why buy hoppers, when the first time visitor, particularly with kids, is either too nervous, or too tired, to use them. We feel its best to save money and buy base tickets which give you a full day at one park. Hop on your next visit, when you dont want to try to see everything and are far more likely to pick and choose what you want.

Should you use the non-expiry option on tickets for the Disney parks? If you do, you could make some very significant savings. See the spreadsheet on the next page, which shows the savings potential, researched by us for over 3 years from e bay. Sales prices fluctuate, but the averages weve shown are based on that extensive period of research. One could buy a 10+10 day pass (thats 10 at the main parks and 10 at the plus day parks i.e. swim parks and Disney quest), use 5+5 and sell the remainder on e bay. Why buy 10? Well, if you were intending to buy 5 (many people buy 7 and often dont use them all), why not? 10 will cost about 92 more of course, but by using your 5+5 (shouldnt need more than that) and selling the remainder, one could recoup over 200 of the 340 outlay. Remove the extra 92 from your initial planned costs and you have a net gain of around 110 at least, for each ticket. Lets go back to the beginning Your 5+5 day pass was going to cost you 247, but by using this method, the 110 gain would reduce that to 137 (at the most) for your 10 days entertainment, or 13.47 a day! Basically, the more days you buy, the more you seem to get for those you dont use and although the initial outlay might be difficult, its well worth it in the end. This idea can be used for fewer days too and if, while youre in Orlando, you decide to use more than the 5+5 days and sell less, the costs of your extra days will still work out much less than they otherwise would. If thats not enough, come to think of it, if tickets were also bought from e bay, perhaps from one of the buyers who decide to follow this idea, savings could be even greater but see WARNINGS below! Its also very interesting to note that you can upgrade the days remaining on your tickets. For example, if you want another three days (as long as you had days remaining), you dont have to pay the full cost of a three-day ticket You can pay just the difference between what you have left and the amount you want to upgrade to.

Complicated? Not really Heres a great example of what you might consider, in stages: 1. You obtain a 2+2 ticket At various times of the year youll find these on e bay Youll pay around 100, maybe less. 2. When you get to Orlando, you use the ticket to upgrade to 10+10 at Guest Services, if thats what the ticket was originally (or adjust appropriately). Going to cost you, maybe 200 (the difference between 2+2 dayers and 10+10s) but read on. 3. You visit all five Main Parks and maybe 5 others, thats 10 days entertainment. 4. Youre left with 5+5, which you sell on e-bay for about 200. 5. You sit back and enjoy the thought of those eight days, which would cost around 250 from a ticket dealer, having cost you only 100! Thats about 10 a day! Weve worked variations of this idea and always saved a packet, but if you need any hep at all, just get back in touch! INCREASED SECURITY-CONSCIOUSNESS AT DISNEY Second-hand tickets used in the last 12 months are highly likely to have been fingerprinted by Disneys security system. That means the system could hold the first users fingerprint. The way it works is, if you have second-hand tickets and are also fingerprinted, the prints wont match. Families and parties of people mix up tickets all the time (which is why weve stressed that YOU shouldnt!) so youll simply be asked to sign your ticket. Thereafter the system will hold your fingerprint and of course the ticket will have your signature, which makes buying or selling unreliable! We dont recommend either in those circumstances! So, if the ticket has been fingerprinted, make sure it isnt signed and only buy what youre going to use. Dont buy with a view to selling on what you dont use. If it isnt fingerprinted or signed youre ok. Remember therefore, if you are intending to sell on the days you dont use, make sure that each member of your party uses the same ticket each day. Swapping them around between you will alert the system to the change of print and you might be asked to sign them. UPDATE: Some buyers have mentioned that Disney seems to be fingerprinting people with greater consistency these days and our August 2009 trip certainly confirmed a general increase in security. This shouldnt affect your buying and re-selling of any tickets that you purchased new and the same benefits can be enjoyed. Also, it wont affect used days never

expire tickets, which are older as the fingerprinting system wasnt in place. However, be very careful buying second-hand tickets that have been used in the last year or so, as they are much more likely they have been fingerprinted than before that period. REMEMBER, we recommend the purchase of new tickets which will allow you to choose to use the use what you want, then sell on the rest method, as used by hundreds of e bayers to save money for both buyer and seller. Buying from e bay is safe (usually), but dont buy, or sell tickets, which you know are printed and signed. If you buy from e Bay, always ask the seller when they were last used and whether they were fingerprinted. If not, you can use and re-sell, but if they have, we reiterate that you should buy with a view to using the days yourself. You may not always be asked to sign them if/when the fingerprints dont match. If youre not, re-sale is still secure for the buyer. (Then of course it will be them who are asked to sign). If youre selling tickets PLEASE inform the buyer of the last date of use. (ASK! when buying!) Contact us if youre in any doubt Well always offer our opinion! SELLING ON E BAY If you decide to sell your unused days, youll get more for them by listing them individually, despite e bays extra fees. Never be tempted into selling by someone asking you to end the sale early. They are looking for your tickets under their value - Let the auction run! It may seem obvious to most, but if you buy your tickets with plus extras, dont bin your left over swim park days (as we did first time around!) Swim park days sell well on e-bay Usually for just under the gate entry cost! NEVER pay more for tickets than the amount of Paypal cover (See below for further explanation.) OTHER TIPS Purchase your tickets before you go! Tickets are NOT cheaper in Florida! One of the very few things not to be. There are guides who are recommending not getting your tickets until you get to Orlando and are advising people where to shop there. This is a HUGE risk. There may be some ok places around, but once you arrive, do you really want to be scratching around Orlando looking for deals, when you should be having fun?

There are enough savings ideas in this guide for you to leave such potential trauma well alone! - Attending a timeshare presentation is the only way to obtain genuinely cheap tickets, without using the e bay or buy and sell method above. They are very different from the dodgy European experiences and ARE a source of cheap tickets; so, if its for you, give it a try. These are advertised everywhere, but usually outside eating places such as Ponderosa. But, do you really need that when youre on holiday? The spreadsheet below is based upon Ticket Momma, which has been amongst the cheapest ticket sites for some time. http://www.ticketmomma.com/walt-disney-world.htm Take a careful look at the options (newly updated for January 2010!) and come back to us if you need any further explanations. EXCHANGE RATE $ Cost 525.77 477.89 429.06 380.23 397.14 348.31 383.99 335.16 352.07 311.69 329.53 285.40 135.70 83.70 6.5 Tax 34.18 31.06 27.89 24.71 25.81 22.64 24.96 21.79 22.88 20.26 21.42 18.55 8.82 5.44 Your days Ave Cost. 14.14 13.65 13.49 12.30 14.56 12.97 23.81 19.39 30.56 25.30 39.42 33.55 82.00 54.02 Last Update

Park Days 10 H 10 B 7H 7B 6H 6B 5H 5B 4H 4B 3H 3B 1H 1B

Plus Day s Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

1.65 Total $

Likely Use Sell Return 5+5 5+5 4+4 4+4 3+3 3+3 3+3 3+3 2+2 2+2 2+2 2+2 5+5 5+5 3+3 3+3 3+3 3+3 2+2 2+2 2+2 2+2 1+1 1+1 198 172 169 147 169 147 105 100 105 100 55 50

559.95 339.36 508.95 308.46 456.95 276.94 404.94 245.42 422.95 256.34 370.95 224.82 408.95 247.85 356.95 331.95 350.95 303.95 144.52 89.14 216.33 201.18 212.70 184.21 82.00 54.02 374.95 227.25

H Hopper Tickets

B Base Tickets

Jan

2010

Figures are based on the current 1.65 exchange rate and INCLUDE US local taxes. The dollar exchange rate is a bit more settled now, but has fluctuated horribly, so you may pay a little more (or less) for tickets. However, its swings and roundabouts as you should expect to recoup the same proportions when you sell. The principle remains the same. After spending many hours searching the Internet, in order to find the cheapest website, we quickly discovered that they regularly vary, though only by a couple of quid. So, here are a couple of others wed recommend: https://secure.orlandovillas.com/park-tickets-co-uk/TicketChooser.aspx Thats Orlando Villas. Visit it for the cheapest tickets and information on all your other requirements Flights, Car Hire, Villas etc its a very extensive site, which will cater for most of your needs. (Theyre also listed in the Villa links later) Try also: www.magicaltickets.co.uk A very competitive ticket site and currently offering the 10-day pass for 157 (NOT non expiry!) Just a thought, which wont help everyone, but if youre intending to visit more than once this year, or staying for an unusually long time, you might want to consider purchasing an annual pass. This can cost about the same as a 7 day hopper pass and would mean youd be able to visit the parks in a much more relaxed way, whenever you wish, even for an hour at a time if thats what you prefer.

DISNEYS KIDS TICKETS Childrens Disney tickets If you bought these while your kids were 9 or under, but now theyre over 9, you dont need to sell them or bin them (never!), just take them to Disneys guest relations and they will exchange them for adult passes, or remove their value from the cost on new tickets. Therefore, dont sell them under their value, just because you dont think you can use them. This also means that you could consider buying kids Disney tickets (see warning about Universal!) from e bay (usually cheaper than adults) and use them!

Youd need to ask when they were last used though, for use when youre upgrading them. TICKET BOOTHS Some sellers recommend buying tickets from booths such as those dotted around on the I192. There may be some savings there, but we dont make that recommendation, as its too unreliable. For example, we were talking to some Brits in Orlando last year. They had just sold their 'left-overs' at a booth, where they were asked how many days were left. They LIED and got a higher price than if theyd told the truth. Having been a victim of an e bay ticket-liar in the past, we feel that anyone who lies about such things deserves the potential consequences of being caught. The important point for our buyers though, is if, due to the various start dates and lack of real clarity on Disney tickets, the booths dont (or cant) measure how many days they are buying, then they cant know how many they are selling to you and YOU could therefore lose out. Having said that, there are tickets that we WOULD consider selling, such as the multi-days sometimes available on Sea-world or Kennedy Space Centre tickets. You know the type. Those buy a day and get another free, or buy one and come back anytime within 14 days type offers. Well, in our view, its highly unlikely that youll go a second time and certainly not a third, so we see no problem with selling those at a booth. Dates can be checked easily so theres less risk. Why not allow other visitors to benefit from something you wouldnt be using anyway and make a few dollars - makes sense to us. NOT EVERYONE ON E BAY IS NICE!

Now, sadly, a warning when buying tickets from e bay: Before we went away in April 07, we purchased 4 tickets from an e bayer, which he (and his wife) said had 4 main park days and swim park days remaining. We were told their children had become ill on holiday, so they didnt use all the days. However, we realised wed been had, when we were refused entry to the Magic Kingdom, causing our kids much distress. Disney insisted there was only one swim day and no park days left on the tickets and when we insisted they prove it, they did telling us precisely the days and parks at which they had been used four years earlier!

On our return, the RAT predictably called us liars (calling Phil a conman) and suggested wed used the days, not them! If we hadnt thought to get evidence from Disney Guest Relations, they would have got away with such their scam, totally! Paypal found in our favour, but only on condition that we returned the tickets to them. We were uncomfortable with this as they could simply close their account, in order to end up with both our money AND the tickets, so we approached the police for advice. Initially, they advised that the seller had committed the crime of deception, but be warned - This is NOT a police matter, as much later, they changed their minds. Sorry, but they were not helpful at all on this matter! So, always pay using Paypal and raise a dispute immediately if your seller doesnt cooperate. If Paypal find in your favour, they will reimburse you! Therefore, ALWAYS ask the seller for details of when the tickets were last used and if problems arise, you MUST gain details from Guest Relations. They are very informative and helpful and you dont need to reveal how you acquired them. Theyll simply tell you whats left on tickets and provide all previous usage details.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE TICKETS Before you read about tickets for these stunning parks (BETTER THAN DISNEY IF YOU HAVE SLIGHTLY OLDER KIDS) see details on the new Island due to open late in 2009 The wizarding world of Harry Potter! Heres a link www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/ .and now to the tickets: There is less variation in price on Universal tickets. The sites above are still recommended, but its also worth paying a visit to the Universal studios website, which always has the most up to date deals (for obvious reasons) and general reasonable prices (see also below).

Universal dont offer free fast-passing for individual rides, like at Disney - They offer a fast pass which will allow you to miss the queues once on all the best rides. We see the travel programmes on TV arent mentioning that these passes cost!

Costs vary depending on the time of year (visit the Universal Studios Florida website for updates) Personally, wed only buy one if the park is busy and your holiday days are running out and would leave it until we got to the park before deciding (though numbers are limited for obvious reasons). NB: Universal hasnt sold non-expiry tickets for some years, so the buy more/resell idea wont work with them. A common ticket offer is a third day free with a two day 2 Park hopper ticket Dont buy one that doesnt! Keep an eye out for another offer: Occasionally, starting in January, for about three months, they offer an additional childrens two day (+1 day free) pass FREE WITH AN ADULT TICKET!!! Most ticket sales sites then do their own version of this deal. Taking advantage of this offer will save you OVER 50 for each childs ticket, so take a good look round for this offer. However, beware if buying childrens Universal tickets from e bay. Make sure they dont have to be used with the adult tickets with which they were issued free!!!!!!! Always ask the seller!!!!!!!!! This is why there are sometimes so many kids tickets on e bay. If youre considering buying some of these, beware, because sellers dont always mention the condition below (maybe unaware of it, to be fair). We have no evidence yet on whether Universal conducts any checks, but it may be worth the risk if theyre very cheap, but not otherwise. Universal dont always offer this deal, but theres usually something tempting early in the year, so keep an eye on their website. A great fallback is a seven-day pass to both parks for around 60 (+ a couple of quid for tax)! You wont do any better than this, so if you want to visit the Universal parks (a must unless you have only very young kids) visit the Universal Website for your tickets! If theres no sign of this on the Universal site, try visiting www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com I used this deal for our family in 2008 - Rarely come across better Customer Services. They were very helpful and respond to questions very quickly. A buyer has also recommended that you visit VIATOR who also has good deals on Universal tickets.

LATEST THEME-PARK INFORMATION (Updated daily!) Check out these websites: www.screamscape.com/index.htm Screamscape-The ultimate guide to the theme parks and is updated every day, which is far more than us visitors would have time to do, so give it a try for the latest news: Also, you might want to visit another excellent site for up-to-date news: www.themeparkinsider.com

5 Car Hire.

No rush to book your car. Take your time and look for the best deal but car hire generally is a big area to be ripped off, so BEWARE! Most tour companies promise a free car, but their charges for insurance alone will be more than if you go to the car hire sites. This is the best website that weve used for cars It gives four choices: www.uscarhire.co.uk Tried it this year and its saved us 60 against our former favourite Dollar (which is one of the options) Expect to pay about 270 for two weeks mid-range car all in! Booking is so much easier than youd imagine and very reliable, so dont feel tied to the tour company We doubt whether the car they offer will genuinely be free as theyll charge around 300 just for Insurance! - Let their car go! HOWEVER, with all car hire firms comes another warning. Buy the top platinum package on the net (or the GOLD at US Car Hire), NOT the Full package, otherwise, you will be ripped off for petrol, local tax and additional drivers, when you arrive at the airport, tired and maybe unwilling to argue your case, as you might normally. It will cost about 30 more but will save you around 100, if you want an additional driver, but only maybe 20-30 if not. Youll get a full tank to start with, but nothing is returned if you bring a full one back, so try to make sure the tank is running on willpower when you take back your car.

WHOEVER YOU USE, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SORTED BEFORE YOU GO!! WARNINGS! Make sure you have enough luggage space! When you pick up your car at the airport, the staff WILL try to get you to upgrade for maybe just $20-$25 a day. The pressure isnt heavy, but in any case DONT FALL FOR IT! If you do, you could end up paying up to 175 extra for car that may have cost you only 25 extra if youd booked it from home! Sorry, but in our experience, all the stories about free upgrades just arent true! Its also well worth paying extra for a SAT-NAV system if youre a bit nervous about driving in the USA. A good tip is to ask the company to set your villa or hotel address as your home before you arrive. That way youll be guided to your destination without having to worry anymore than is absolutely necessary about driving. ADJUSTING TO THE TIME DIFFERENCE! Just a thought and it may seem a bit daft to you, but Phil is a creature of habit; someone who suffers when trying to adjust to the time difference abroad. The kids and I always adjust very easily, but on early visits to Florida he was yawning and ready for bed around 19.00 hours! (Oh, hes such an exciting guy to be with! Bless him!) Of course, Orlando is five hours behind UK time (4 at some times of the year) so for him it was already midnight. He got around this by trying to adjust earlier. It would be MAD of course to stay up until 4 in the morning every night during the week before you go and work will almost certainly prevent you from staying in bed until mid-day, but you might want to try SOME sort of adjustment at least, in order that you have more chance of hitting the ground running. This may be even more relevant with kids, most of whom have limited energy levels. Maybe try to keep them up later and let them sleep longer, wherever possible, before your trip. Having said that, the excitement is normally enough to get peoples adrenalin running, but if you suspect you might need some adjustment time, where would you rather it was? At home, or during the first days of your Florida holiday, where theres so much to see and do. You dont want to risk either yourself or the kids being too tired to do it, particularly if it may be the only time you go!

B WHEN YOU GET THERE

LEAVING SANFORD AIRPORT - INTERSTATE 4 to TAMPA

Travel brochures often suggest that the Interstate may be too scary for new visitors, but wed recommend it. Even though everything is the wrong way round for us Brits, its only a motorway and in our view, is the easiest and best way to get to the Orlando area. Youll need the Interstate 4 EAST towards Tampa. For first time visitors we strongly recommend hiring SAT-NAV, but if youre on a tight budget, your car-hire firm will provide you with a reasonable map in any case. Your accommodation details should contain full directions from the airport, including the correct exit (make sure you have this whether youre in a hotel or Villa). Itll take you around an hour, so take your time, quieten down the kids, concentrate and drive slowly. Its probably best to stay in the middle lane as much as possible until, youre leaving the Interstate. The reason for that is that the right hand lanes arent like ours and suddenly become MUST turn right lanes! When youre tired and fed up travelling, you dont particularly need the hassle of having to leave the Interstate at the wrong place and then find your way back on. An alternative is to take the 417 which is quieter, but we dont recommend it, particularly if youre new to all this, as the last thing youll want to encounter is the seemingly endless tollbooths. You probably wont have the right loose change or small notes. You have to pay every few miles and again when you leave the expressway.

IF YOU NEED A LITTLE EXTRA CONFIDENCE, DONT FORGET TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE! 1 THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS - 0RLANDOS FUNTASTIC THEME PARKS:
www.disneyworld.go.com www.universalorlando.com www.buschgardens.com www.seaworld.com/orlando www.kennedyspacecentre.com www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com www.gatorland.com www.aquaticabyseaworld.com THE ALTERNATIVE ORLANDO PARK GUIDE or 60-MINUTE PARK ATTACK (with tiddler tips and the teenage dash).

At any park, no one can organise your whole day for you, each of us likes to do different things, but this is our if you do nothing else, do this guide. First, some more preparation for the uninitiated: - Before heading off to the park of your choice, preferably before you even go to Florida, look closely at the park maps and decide your priorities Dont imagine you can do this when you arrive at the park Do your homework The more you do, the more benefit there will be. - Buy tickets before you go Theyre usually cheaper that way and having them, means you wont have to queue at the gates, watching while everyone else skips through and gets to the best rides first. - Get there early! Get there early! Get there early! Thats to EVERY Park and before the gates open. Late arrival will guarantee big waits for rides at most times of the year. Add time for parking (cost $12 in 2009) and for your trolley ride to the park gates (used at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios). Theyre good fun, but dont be too British. Be as determined to get your family on as others are its not a time to stand back and be polite! - Grab a map on entry to all the parks Theyre always by the entrances and are vital to get you quickly around the park. Each Park has an attraction board, which lists the wait times for individual attractions and show times. A Cast Member is usually stationed beside them and will provide you with directions, if required. In Magic Kingdom its at the far end of Main Street on the left just before the hub as you approach Cinderellas Castle. Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) has a board located at the right corner of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard. Epcots electronic board is just outside Innovations West.
-

Travelling around the park: Should you travel left or right around the parks? The answer is actually BOTH! The holiday programmes on TV are still telling people to go the opposite way (i.e. turn right) around the parks, but if everyone follows that advice, wont that create bigger crowds in that direction? Bit of a conundrum isnt it, so heres our advice: Go to the LEFT at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Islands Of Adventure and Universal Studios. Go to the RIGHT at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Seaworld doesnt matter (see below)

Also, see 60 minute park attack below, which is not only for teenagers (which includes those who are teenage at heart) but also for those with tiddlers. A common tip is to take empty water bottles to the parks and fill them from the many drinking fountains to save money. Its a good idea, as drinking in such heat is an absolute necessity. Try filling and freezing them the night before, so theyre nice and cold. Theyll defrost while youre at the park (though beware, getting very wet bags!). Its one of our 30 tips as its quite popular, but having travelled all that way, spent so much to be there and as its the USA (where everything is still cheap despite the bad exchange rate), dont be so mean! BUY THE KIDS A COKE IF THATS WHAT THEY WANT! Next its our 60-MINUTE PARK ATTACKS: BEAT THE QUEUES / SINGLE LINE RIDERS! If there are just two of you, keep your ears open while queuing for rides as the attendants often shout for couples so they can fill cars that take four or more people in each row. This could save you lots of queuing time. However, by far the best method of reducing queue time (other than using the fast-pass system) is to take advantage of the rides that have single rider lines. Unless you specifically want to experience a ride as a group, or family, consider splitting up into these lines. The attendants are always looking to fill spare seats in the cars with individual riders and you will definitely get to enjoy the rides faster often with no queuing at all! THE DISNEY PARKS If youre planning to go to a park a bit later, check whether it opened an hour early that day. If so, it will almost certainly be the busiest park all day, so AVOID! Fastpasses are fantastic and you despite what youll read in brochures, you CAN hold two at a time. Just wait until a minute or so into your allotted time period before using your ticket again. In other words, if you get a time-slot of 11.20 to 12.20, just wait until 11.21 to get another. Try it - It works! -

MAGIC KINGDOM www.wdisneyw.co.uk/mkmap.html Follow your Disney dreams to a place where storybook fantasy comes to life Well were not going to pop that particular bubble. There IS magic about this park. Everyone will love it even though its more for tiddlers than teenagers, but this is why you came all this way and its well worth all the effort! Tiddler tips: The entire park is simply wonderful for smaller kids particularly. The two tips we would offer are firstly to head for Fantasyland (Dumbo, Peter Pan and many other rides) and Adventure land (Aladdin and more) where most of the rides will be ok for them. The other is very simple - try to split the day. If youre in a Villa or a hotel thats relatively close, go home for a few hours in the afternoon so you can come back in the evening to see one of the night parades Theyre stunning but can get very busy, so find a good vantage point on your route map and stick to it like glue. The alternative is to plan for two visits to this park, once with an early start and early finish, the other with a late start and late finish later in the holiday perhaps, when youre adjusted better to the time difference and have more energy for nights out. Make the effort you wont regret it and your little uns memories will all be positive. Teenage dash: Dont delay - As soon as youre in, head to the back of the park (Frontier land). Fast pass Splash Mountain and ride Big Thunder Railroad. If youre in early enough you may get to ride both without a wait more than once! Then relax and enjoy having done the best two rides in the park for non-little ones. The only big (ish) ride left for you is Space Mountain, though you might like Buzz Lightyear more than you expect to. They are also next to each other, so you can fastpass one while you queue for the other. EPCOT www.wdisneyw.co.uk/epcotmap.html The EPCOT CENTRE is really two parks in one. The first has futuristic rides, the best of which are Test track and Soarin These will both interest teenagers but not tiddlers. Teenage dash - Go to one and fast pass it, then head to the other to ride it. Theyre quite a distance apart, but after riding one, head back to use the fast pass. Mission Space will also interest older kids, but give it a miss if you dont like enclosed

spaces. The G force on this ride can be disturbing. We hated it and it took Phil an hour to feel normal again afterwards, but our 11-year-old son loved it (though perhaps all the more because it made the others feel ill). There are some other rides, nothing too challenging, which you should check out from your map, then you can prepare for the second part of this park and your leisurely walk around World Showcase - the world as seen in the US! (Renew your sun cream before setting off!) TEENAGE WARNING! Many of you will not enjoy the next couple of hours, but put a smile on your face and make an effort. No major tiddler tip here other than to make sure theyre in a stroller as its a long walk for little ones. ANIMAL KINGDOM www.wdisneyw.co.uk/akmap.html The latest Disney park. It has an African/Safari theme and is one you can do in a day. Teenage dash - As always, get there early and if you do, we suggest you go sharp right, to ride Dinosaur Its usually quiet for the first hour. This ride throws you around a lot; so if you have a bad back, dont risk it! When youre done, leave the area to the right and head for the Everest ride. This is the newest ride in any Disney park and worth a bit of a queue. However, consider fast passing it and moving on because later, the queues can reach almost 2 hours! Try also the Kali river rapids A wet ride, not as good as the Popeye and Blutos bilge-rat barges at Islands of Adventure, but similar. Not too sure about the Kilimanjaro Safari Long wait which can take much of your energy resources. Big attraction, but if Safari parks dont do it for you, consider giving it a miss whereas one of our Tiddler tips is to do it. The other is to take them to see the Lion king show and dont miss Its tough to be a bug, a very good 3D movie. HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS (Formerly MGM) www.wdwinfo.com/maps/MGM.htm Teenage dash - Turn right at the first street junction (Sunset Boulevard) and head for Aerosmith (Rock n roller coaster) and Tower of Terror. In our view theyre the best two rides but Aero is so popular they will run out of fast passes, so do it first! From there, head to the back of the park for the stunt show Lights! Motors! Action! We find Star Wars a bit disappointing, but you must ride it (maybe fast pass it for later and go to the Indiana Jones show round the corner). Do the others first. Tiddler tip - Its definitely a park you can do in a day, but the early start has a drawback here, as you mustnt miss the night show Fantasmic.

Its a memorable show not just for tiddlers, but also for the whole family. Dont miss this outstanding entertainment Disney at its very best. Disney Teen tip Rides are quieter while everyones watching the parades. Consider getting over to your favourite while the queues are reduced. THE UNIVERSAL PARKS

If you, as we do, feel the Disney parks are better for smaller kids, Universal is where the bigger ones find their own paradise. Two parks (Universal studios and Islands of Adventure) with masses of rides, very few suitable for little ones. Again, get your tickets before you go not on arrival, Preferred parking will place you nearer to the parks, which are otherwise quite a walk through the parking areas. Itll cost you an extra $5 (costs $16) and if you want to do it, stick to the very far left lane of arrival. Theyll direct you from there and ask you to put on your hazard lights so it might be an idea to know where they are! A big saving can be made on Universals meal deals. For around $20 you can get UNLIMITED meals at four Universal theme park restaurants (salads, chicken, burgers etc) so, consider buying two and sharing meals between four (as many times as you like!) Normal single meal prices are around $8 each. ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE http://www.universalorlando.com/ioa_map.html Journey with your family through five remarkable islands where all your favourite myths, legends, comic books, cartoon heroes and childrens stories come to life on the most innovative rides and attractions ever created. There are high-speed roller coasters, whimsical childrens rides and groundbreaking 3-D attractions. Visually stunning park and the most recently built. This is also where the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter area is planned to open in 2009. (Teens - Take a change of T shirt and shorts when you visit this park!) Tiddler tip When you enter the park, turn right and head for Seuss landing. There are some rides here for little ones, which wont interest the bigger kids at all. Take your time here, as this is as good as it gets for little ones and theres not much else for them beyond this island.

However heres the best Teenage dash in Florida! Dont turn right with the tiddlers, go left into Marvel Super Hero Island and meet The Hulk. If you have the bottle to do this ride, do it now, as queues will build later. From there, keep going left and get yourselves on Spiderman. This is the most technologically brilliant ride weve ever been on Dont miss it. If crowds are small, youll be tempted to go on it again Just one more please, as you have to move on to TOON LAGOON and prepare to get wet. Try Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls first (Phils favourite) and then Popeye and Blutos Bilge-Rat Barges. You WILL be drenched, so get changed quickly and move onto Jurassic Park followed by Duelling Dragons. If youve followed this guidance you may just have done the best rides in under an hour and the crowds wont yet have caught up with you. This is where to begin going on things a second time. Youve missed Dr Doom, so if you like the look of it (near to Spiderman) fit it in as you pass and skip the second ride on Spidey. If its a quiet day, youll be ok, if not, you may end up with a wait some of the other rides. (You could of course avoid all that rushing by buying a past pass, which allows you to jump the queue once on every ride Good idea if you couldnt get out of your bed early enough!) We havent made many theme park eating recommendations, but at Islands try to eat at mythos (In The Lost Continent). Its voted the best theme park restaurant in the world every year and although it looks a bit posh, it isnt and meals are quite reasonably priced. UNIVERSAL STUDIOS http://www.universalorlando.com/usf_map.html (The Rip Ride Rocket is OPEN just wait til you see it!) Universal is our favourite park. Its based around the film industry and has a great atmosphere. Another park mostly for Teens and although some of the rides may be considered a bit tame for some (Jaws, Twister, Disaster) others are great fun (Jimmy Neutron, Shrek, Men In Black). Revenge of the Mummy and the Simpsons ride, which opened in 2008, are the main white knuckle rides. Teenage dash Turn left when you enter the park then left again for the Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket You cant miss it, its rather BIG! This is the latest stunning ride in Orlando and Im afraid we bottled it. Kids loved it though. Next, head for the Revenge of the Mummy. This is a fast indoor roller coaster based on the movie. If youre there early, youll get top ride it more than once, but maybe limit yourself to two because next you have to cross the park before the queues get too long for the Simpsons ride. This is a 3D roller coaster very similar to the ride it replaced (Back to the Future). If you loved the old ride, youll love this. If you hated the old ride, sorry, youll hate this. Same ride new theme!

The Terminator isnt to be missed if you enjoyed the movies, but its a show and 3D movie in a large theatre, so leave it until after youve done all your priority rides. Our Tiddler tip here is to go to the right and head to the Kidzone (youll pass the ET ride on the way which may be ok for your kids) where there is entertainment and a small roller coaster (Woody woodpecker) for little ones. Our favourite place to eat is Finnegans, an Irish bar serving great meals and an unexpectedly nice pint of Guinness! The Guinness stew is to die for and they do some interesting puds in shot glasses. You might even get to see the Blues Brothers performing across the street, if you time it right. If youve been before and you werent keen on the Earthquake ride, you should miss Disaster as only the pre ride entertainment has changed The ride remains the same! C) SEAWORLD www.seaworld.com/orlando/parkmaps.html Lacks the charm of other parks and certainly not our favourite, though to be fair, we know people who consider this their favourite park! Unlike other parks, we feel that one visit here is enough, so you dont want to miss any of its gems. For me, these are obvious There are the three big rides (For teens, not tiddlers) Journey to Atlantis, Kraken and Manta Ride these early so you can concentrate on getting the timing right for the others. Check your map for the times of Believe which is the new Shamu (Killer Whale) extravaganza and excellent Blue Horizons (Dolphins and Birds). These are obviously must dos at Seaworld, but also try to fit in Clyde and Seymour (Sea Lions) take pirate island. Only the tiddlers are likely to enjoy the show, but get there early and youre in for a treat. Before the show begins and as the audience are still arriving, look out for a mime that appears in the crowd and mingles with those arriving, taking the mickey out of them. Its very, very funny so dont miss it. There is other entertainment of course, the best of which is probably Arctic Encounter. Not our cup of tea, but very popular with us tourists. In May, SeaWorld opened their new thrill ride. Ride it facedown in a horizontal position, this manta- (flying Ray) inspired ride looks great. Didnt go to Sea world in August, so didnt get to ride it, but it looks great fun. Wed appreciate some reviews from buyers once youve tried it out! D) KENNEDY SPACE CENTRE Throughout the Orlando area, theres more than enough to fully occupy visitors even if you tire of the theme parks (?), so, if youre tempted to branch out a little, you might want to try Kennedy Space Centre, the home of the US space travel programme and in our view, well worth a visit.

It can be reached with a little an hours reasonably straight-forward driving (lots of tolls, so have lots of dollars and quarters at hand), but maybe leave it until youve been there for a few days, when youre more confident and itll be even more enjoyable! Whats generally on offer is well covered on their website: www.kennedyspacecenter.com/ If youre lucky enough to be visiting when theres a launch, here are some viewing tips: Did you know that the satellite and shuttle launches are from different parts of Merritt Island? No, we didnt either until we were advised to watch a shuttle launch from the north-end of CoCoa beach. We were told (wrongly) that it would be the best place to see a take-off. Thats actually very good advice for rockets, such as those carrying satellites, but NOT for Shuttles, which take off from the northwest of the island, NOT the south! The best viewing points for Shuttles are around Titusville, such as from the Interstate. This will also provide easy access in and out of the area, but as always Get there early! Personally we wouldnt pay to view from the Space centre, as there are great vantage points to be found elsewhere for free, but of course you can pay to go onto the main site for the full experience. Beware though, as tickets run out very quickly so if you havent booked well in advance, youve little chance of getting any. Keep a lookout on their website and add your name to the e mail distribution list for up to date news, which is generally reliable. Watch the local news for updates, when you get to Florida though, as disappointingly the last time we planned to watch a launch, it was postponed for three weeks. Hope you get more luck!

HERE ARE MORE OTHER USEFUL MAPS TO EXPLORE: CITY WALK OVERVIEW: http://www.universalorlando.com/cw_index.html BUSCH GARDENS PARK MAP: www.buschgardens.com/BGT/pi_park_map.aspx DISCOVERY COVE:http://www.discoverycove.com/default2.aspx TYPHOON LAGOON WEB SITE: www.wdisneyw.co.uk/tl.html BLIZZARD BEACH WEB SITE: www.wdisneyw.co.uk/bb.html

DOWN TOWN DISNEY SHOPPING: www.wdisneyw.co.uk/ddmap.html

NEXT, ARE OUR RECOMMENDED TIMETABLES FOR YOUR VISIT (SOMEONE ON E BAY IS CHARGING 20 FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS!) USE OURS, CHANGE THEM OR MIX THEM WE HOPE YOU FIND THEM USEFUL. 1. SUGGESTED ITINERARY - FAMILIES WITH TIDDLERS!
Find your accommodation-Shop for food, DAY 1: FLIGHT IN ARRIVAL explore the vicinity and eat out locally. DAY 2: No doubt what to do on the 1st day. Up early + off to Magic Kingdom! Dont push the kids too hard Well be back! Early finish after day parade then pool time + eat out. Day 3: Let's keep up the momentum Up early and off to Epcot. Lots of walking so take (or hire) a pushchair (Stroller). Great eateries here, so try them out, then stay home tonight. DAY 4: Your feet are tired; your legs are stiff, so this is a rest day. Lie in late and then take a trip to Down Town Disney. Relax, 'potter' and maybe have dinner there. Take your time! DAY 5: Get back into the parks slowly-Try a swim-park. Aquatica is best for little ones as it has a large wet play area just for them, which Disneys swim parks dont have. DAY 6: Up early again-We're off to the Animal Kingdom. Not so much walking today but the tiddlers will love it. Back to accommodation in the afternoon for pool time and eating out. DAY 7: Move away from the Disney parks + take a trip to Universal Studios. Up early again but not the best park for tiddlers, but dont miss it if this is likely to be your only Florida trip. DAY 8: Rest day-Well, sort of! This is the one mum's been waiting for. Go shopping at one of Florida's great Malls. Eat there in a food hall and stay at home tonight. Consider also visiting Gatorland A terrific half-day entertainment. DAY 9: Islands Of Adventure! Not filled with tiddler treats but still well worth it. Get there early once again, or spend the day queuing. Watch the rides if you cant ride them. DAY 10: Seaworld - Read our notes on this park as its not our favourite. For tiddlers though, plan your day not to miss out on the three shows strongly recommended in the Guide. DAY 11: Rest day and off to another Mall or outlet village - Enjoy taking your time around the shops even though the pound isn't as strong as it was, you're bound to find bargains. CONSIDER A TOP UP OF YOUR DISNEY TICKETS - AS IN THE GUIDE! DAY 12: Hollywood Studios-If there's one park to maybe delay your arrival, this could be it, in order that you get to see Fantasmic when it's dark. Maybe consider getting here early, see the park, then go home for a while, before returning for Fantasmic. DONT MISS IT! DAY 13: Haven't been for an 'all you can eat breakfast' yet, so do this today. Then we're off back to the Magic Kingdom. Arrive much later, so kids have energy to stay for a night parade + fireworks when the park closes. THIS WILL BE A LIFETIME MEMORY FOR YOU ALL! DAY14: This is your last day so YOU decide what to do with it! You should have enough ticket days left to choose your favourite, so ENJOY! DAY 15: Last minute souvenirs/shopping at WalFLIGHT OUT DEPARTURE Mart, or maybe a last trip to Downtown Disney.

TICKETS NEEDED FOR THIS ITINERARY:

1x Four Park Flex Ticket + 1x Five Day DISNEY BASE TICKET without PLUS days. (You may want to buy more Disney days initially, or top-up (Day 11) - See Guide for details) WHAT YOULL MISS! Disney Quest at Down Town Disney An Indoor theme park on 5 floors. Great for a dull or rainy day. Maybe not for very little ones, but otherwise worth a visit (Plus day needed) Kennedy Space Centre (Bit of a long drive and not for Tiddlers at all!) Busch Gardens OK, for little ones, but the long drive rules it out in our view and youd need to add it to your five-day flexticket! Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach (Disneys swim parks and our kids favourites Plus days needed.) 2. SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR FAMILIES WITH TEENAGERS
Find your accommodation - Shop for DAY 1: FLIGHT IN - ARRIVAL food, or explore the vicinity. DAY 2: No doubt as to what to do on the 1st day. Up early + off to Magic Kingdom! Bit tame for teens, but this is why you're here. Early finish-back to the pool + an evening eating out. Day 3: Let's keep up the momentum - Up early and off to Epcot. Lots of walking and plenty for the teens to moan about! Great eateries here, so try them out, then stay home tonight. DAY 4: Your feet are tired; your legs are stiff, so this is a rest day. Lie in late and then take a trip to Down Town Disney. Relax, 'potter' and maybe have dinner there. Take your time! DAY 5: Get back into the parks slowly-Try a swim-park. Aquatica at Seaworld is great, but our teens love Typhoon Lagoon best of all. DownTown Disney is virtually over the road! DAY 6: Up early again-We're off to the Animal Kingdom. Not so much walking today+maybe not the fullest day you'll have, so you'll get some time around your pool later, then eat out. DAY 7: Move away from the Disney parks + take a trip to Universal Studios. Excellent for Teens - See our 60-minute park attack! Early start vital! DAY 8: Rest day-Well, sort of! This is the one mum's been waiting for. Go shopping at one of Florida's great Malls. Eat there in a food hall and stay at home tonight. Consider also visiting Gatorland A terrific half-day entertainment. DAY 9: Islands Of Adventure! Stunning! Park for Teens! Get there early Once again, you can be guided by our 60 minute Park Attack. DAY 10: Seaworld - Read our notes on this park+plan your day so you don't miss the 3 shows I recommend. Also, there are two GREAT rollercoasters, but not the best park for Teens. DAY 11: Rest day and off to another Mall or outlet village - Enjoy taking your time around the shops even though the pound isn't as strong as it was, you're bound to find bargains. CONSIDER A TOP UP OF YOUR DISNEY TICKETS - AS IN THE GUIDE! DAY 12: Hollywood Studios-If there's one park to maybe delay your arrival, this could be it, in order that you get to see Fantasmic when it's dark. Only the most cynical teens won't enjoy it and it's right next to the parks top two rides - Tower of Terror and Aerosmith. DAY 13: Haven't been for an 'all you can eat breakfast' yet, so do this today. Then we're going back to the Magic Kingdom. Arrive later, so you can stay for a night parade and see

the fireworks when the park closes. This will be a lifetime memory for you all! DAY14: This is your last day so YOU decide what to do with it! You should have enough ticket days left to choose your favourite, so ENJOY! (I bet it's Islands of Adventure!!) DAY 15: Last minute souvenirs/shopping at WalMart, or maybe a last trip to DownTown Disney. FLIGHT OUT DEPARTURE

TICKETS NEEDED FOR THIS ITINERARY: 1x Four Park Flex Ticket + 1x Five Day DISNEY BASE TICKET without PLUS days. (You may want to buy more Disney days initially, or top-up (Day 11) - See Guide for details) WHAT YOULL MISS! Disney Quest at Down Town Disney An indoor theme park on five floors. Great for a dull or rainy day and worth a visit Plus day needed. Kennedy Space Centre (Bit of a long drive and probably teen moan-zone!) Busch Gardens (Great for teens but a long drive and youll need to add it to your five day flexticket!) Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach (Disneys swim parks. our kids favourites but not really for very little ones Also more Plus days needed.) 3. SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR ADULTS + OLDER KIDS.
Find your accommodation - Shop for DAY 1: FLIGHT IN - ARRIVAL food, or explore the vicinity - Eat out locally. DAY 2: No doubt as to what to do on the 1st day. Up early and off to Magic Kingdom! It's for the kids really, but isn't this why you came? Early finish-back to the pool+an evening eating out. Day 3: Let's keep up the momentum - Up early and off to Epcot. Lots of walking today Great eateries here, so take advantage and try them out - maybe stay home tonight. DAY 4: Your feet are tired; your legs are stiff, so this is a rest day. Lie in late and then take a trip to Down Town Disney. Relax, 'potter' and maybe have dinner there. Take your time! DAY 5: Up early again - We're off to the Animal Kingdom. Not so much walking today+maybe not the fullest day you'll have, so you'll get some time around your pool, then eat out. DAY 6: Fancy a Swim Park? If so,Aquatica at Seaworld is the latest, but our favourite is Typhoon Lagoon. DownTown Disney is virtually over the road! If not, it's time for a bit of a drive! Let's go to the Kennedy Space Centre - Don't scrimp - visit everything you can! DAY 7: Rest day - Well, sort of - This is the one mum's been waiting for. Go shopping at one of Florida's great Malls. Eat there in a food hall and stay at home tonight. If you have kids, consider also visiting Gatorland - A terrific half-day entertainment. DAY 8: Time for a trip to Universal Studios. Not the best park for those with small children, but excellent for everyone else-See our 60 min.park attack! Early start vital if you want rides! DAY 9: Islands Of Adventure! Stunning! Stunning!! Stunning!!! Park for rides! Get there early! Once again, you can be guided by our 60 minute Park Attack. DAY 10: Rest day and off to another Mall or outlet village. - Enjoy taking your time around the shops even though the pound isn't as strong as it was, you're bound to find bargains. CONSIDER A TOP UP OF YOUR DISNEY TICKETS - AS IN THE GUIDE!

DAY 11: Seaworld - Read our notes on this park and plan your day so you don't miss the 3 shows recommended. Also, there are 2 GREAT rollercoasters, but not the best park with Teens. DAY 12: Hollywood Studios - If there's one park to maybe delay your arrival, this could be it, in order that you get to see Fantasmic when it's dark. Only the most cynical kids won't enjoy it and it's right next to the parks top two rides - Tower of Terror and Aerosmith. DAY 13: Haven't been for an 'all you can eat breakfast' yet, so do this today. Then we're going Back to the Magic Kingdom. Arrive later, so you can stay for a night parade and see the the fireworks when the park closes. This will be a lifetime memory for all ages! DAY 14:This is your last day so YOU have to decide what to do with it! You should have enough ticket days left to choose your favourite, so ENJOY! DAY 15: Last minute souvenirs/shopping at WalMart or maybe a last trip to DownTown Disney. FLIGHT OUT - DEPARTURE

TICKETS NEEDED FOR THIS ITINERARY: 1 x One-Day ticket for Kennedy Space Centre (Full access), 1x Four Park Flex Ticket + 1x Five Day DISNEY BASE TICKET without PLUS days. (You may want to buy more Disney days initially, or top-up on day 11 - See Guide for details) WHAT YOULL MISS! Disney Quest at Down Town Disney An Indoor theme park on five floors. OK for a dull or rainy day, but not a priority Also a Plus day will be required. Busch Gardens - Bit of a drive but you could visit this great Theme Park on one of your rest days or the day before you leave - Youll need to add it to your five-day flex ticket! Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach (Disneys swim parks and our kids favourites Plus days needed.) If youre going for 7 days and need similar help, just ask!

2 - SPENDING MONEY AND TIPPING (A WAY OF LIFE IN FLORIDA)

Lets face it, how much you spend is up to you isnt it. The Nationwide and Post Office are the only credit cards Im aware of who dont charge for use abroad, so it may be worthwhile getting one before you go (particularly if youve been considering transferring your balance anyway). CREDIT NOT DEBIT During our latest trip (August 2009) we experienced some difficulties when using our bank debit card. Apparently, when youre paying for your shopping, if a payment screen gives you a choice of Debit or Credit card, even if its a Debit card, you should choose Credit. Thatll save the embarrassment of the card being rejected.

You should always make sure you have an alternative way of paying - Cash, or a Credit card. Generally, work on the basis of dollars for pounds, so if your normal supermarket shop at home costs you 150, its going to cost you $150 (or less), which at the current exchange rate is 100. Still cheap despite the tumbling pound and thats typical of pretty much everything over there. Just to help you judge things a little better when eating out. There were four of us in 2009 We always eat out. We had cokes (all refilled free) beers and the odd marguerita. Heres what it cost us: Outback (www.outback.com) (Australian theme) (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!) 75 Ponderosa Steak House Booking not necessary, but heres a link anyway (www.ponderosa.com) - 40 Kobe Japanese - 94 (www.kobesteakhouse.com) Black Angus Steak House (www.BlackAngusOrlando.com) (Highly recommended) 75 Sizzler Steak House Booking unnecessary - 35 Olive Garden (www.olivegarden.com) (Our favourite Italian cuisine) - 65 Golden Corral - Booking unnecessary - Not our favourite, all you can eat buffet style - kids loved it) - 35 Giordanos (Pizza) (www.giordanos.com) Not keen on the big baked crusts, but everyone else liked it - 45 Charleys Steak House (www.talkofthetownrestaurants.com/charleys) (Steak to die for!) Over 100 (with wine) Cracker Barrel Booking unnecessary - (They go for a more homely atmosphere here No alcohol, but still Lornas favourite!) - 40 Planet Hollywood (Kids love it) (www.planethollywood.com) 60 The prices are for all five of us!!!! (Try also Boston Lobster Feast Booking unnecessary but heres the link (www.bostonlobsterfeast.com) REMINDERS: Dont forget to pick up vouchers wherever you see them. They can prove very useful when dining out and IF YOURE NOT THAT HUNGRY get something from the kids menu or split an entre (thats a main course) with someone else! Kids Eat FREE (Valid for children 11 and under) Most ticket sites also sell a Kids Eat FREE card, which is good for over 50 restaurants. 1 card per child accompanied by a full-paying adult. Youll also see these advertised when you get to the Orlando area and they can save you a large chuck of change.

Full participating restaurant list: Lake Buena Vista Area Cattlemans Steakhouse / CICIs Pizza / Indian Palace Restaurant / Kitty OSheas Irish Pub / Ponderosa / Ragian Road Irish Pub / Sizzler Kissimmee Area Boston Lobster Feast / CICIs Pizza / Kools Oak Fire Grill / Magic Mining Co. / Passage to India Restaurant / Pacinos Italian Restaurant / Ponderosa / Sizzler International Drive Area Aashirwad Indian Restaurant / Baskin Robbins, Bergamos Italian Restaurant / Bola Ristorante / Boston Lobster Feast, Cattlemans Steakhouse / CICIs Pizza / Dixie Crossroads, Dunkin Donuts / Fridays Front Row / McDonalds Bistro / Ming Court / Oishi Japanese Restaurant/ Wild Jacks / Passage to India Restaurant / Ponderosa / Punjab Indian Restaurant / Shallmar Indian Restaurant Sizzler / Spice Caf / Taverna Opa-Orlando, Thai Thani / The Butcher Shop Steakhouse / Village Inn Restaurant None of the chain restaurants are big on puddings (but you wouldnt have room anyway!), but, if you must, stop at Krispy Cream Doughnuts (mmmmm, so much better than dunkin doughnuts). Also the bakeries in the supermarkets should easily satisfy even the sweetest tooth. For a really good guide of the main chain Orlando restaurants, visit rent-a-disneyvilla website, which is a good guide But take the prices with a slight pinch of salt! USE THE LINKS ABOVE TO BOOK THE RESTAURANTS YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO VISIT, BEFORE YOU GO. WAITING CAN BE OVER AN HOUR SO THIS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Tipping is a big deal there and scared the hell out of us first time out, so we probably overdid it. Now, whatever the formal guides tell you, we give 10% if the service is just ok, 15% if its good. Sometimes 20%, if its excellent. Generally, guides will advise 15% to %18% at least, as thats the rate American waiters/waitresses are taxed, whether they get the tips or not. However, even in the land where the Customer is king, service comes at different standards, so why shouldnt tipping also vary. 10% to 20% does it for us! In Florida, tip in all the places you would in the UK i.e. Not in Burger bars, or when you pick up your car; not bar staff, just the waiters/waitresses; cab drivers, your luggage carriers and tip with your restaurant bill, just as you would here. If in doubt, watch what others are doing.

3 - BEST (OTHER) GUIDE

The best guide weve found for the whole experience from start to finish is without doubt A Brits Guide to Orlando and Disney World, by Simon and Susan Veness. Its a brilliant book by Brits, for Brits and deals with everything in a simple straightforward way. Buy one from any bookstore, the internet (or even e bay) with some of the money we hope we can save you. There are some e bay guides who seem to have exploited the popularity of the book by selling under a similar name, over-emphasising the BRIT theme Weve no comment on their quality, but they shouldnt be confused with the real one and are probably infringing copyright laws!

4 - WHAT TO PACK
What to pack? NOT MUCH! Everyone over packs on their first visit, but t-shirts, shorts and something comfortable to walk in are all thats needed in the warmer months. Also, leave the smarter, going out stuff at home Everyone dresses casually, even in restaurants! Try packing your things in a smaller suitcase fit snugly within a larger one You will almost certainly be bringing much more back than you came with!

5 SHOPPING

Ladies, Florida may be a paradise for many things, but for the boys, heres the down side The Fantastic Shopping. Sorry lads, but we have to cover this: Heres a website which gives details of how to obtain coupons/vouchers for up to $300 of discounts: orlandotouristinformationBUREAU.com Its a brilliant site for Florida information generally, with links to every shopping experience you need! Visit the section on the Florida mall for $300 worth of shopping coupons. Apparently they are now charging to send these vouchers over here, but why wouldnt they? The point is to pick them up personally and use them there, not resell them here So dont waste them girls! THIS MALL HAS A FANTASTIC FOOD COURT TRY WALKING PAST ALL THE OUTLETS FIRST AND GETTING A TASTE OF WHATS ON THAT DAY, BEFORE

YOU DECIDE WE USUALLY END UP WITH THE SESAME AND TERIYAKI CHICKEN IN THE JAPANESE ONE! Heres some other useful shopping stuff on the site further apologies to the boys, but theres also a coupon book available from the Customer services desk at Premium Outlets. BEFORE DOING ANY SHOPPING, ALSO TRY TO VISIT WAL-MART TO GATHER SOME VISITORS BOOKLETS. THEYRE NEAR THE EXITS AND ARE PACKED WITH DISCOUNTS FOR MANY ATTRACTIONS, DINNER SHOWS, SHOPPING AND EATING OUT! Another buyer tip is that Disney send their out of season merchandise to stores in the area, including Character Warehouse at Mall 2 of the Belz Factory Outlets at the end of International Drive in Orlando (the opposite end to the Convention Center is). Another one is Character Premier in the Premium Outlets in Orlando. Both of these stores sell official Disney merchandise much cheaper. Remember Florida Sales and Resort Taxes When youre working on your budget, remember that Sales Tax in Florida is approximately 6.5%. SOME MORE FREE COUPON SITES: http://www.orlandosaving.com/foodtop.htm http://goflorida.about.com/od/orlandocouponsdiscounts/Orlando_CouponsDiscoun ts.htm PREMIUM OUTLETS MALL This has shops like Ralph Lauren, Nike, Timberland. Dont forget that coupon book from the Customer Services desk in the middle of the Food Hall, available for all foreign visitors. From the 192 follow signs for I4 East to Orlando. Exit at Junction 68 signposted Lake Buena Vista. Go straight over at lights, keep going past the church Mary Queen of the Universe and the car park is then on your right. MALL AT MILLENIA This is the newest Mall in Orlando. There is a lovely Macys store and it is nice to wander round. There is also a great restaurant called The Cheesecake Factory. To get to it, take exit 78 off the I4 and you will see the impressive building on your right with palm trees laid round it.

FLORIDA MALL Take the 192 and follow signs for I4 east to Orlando, exit at 74A at Sand Lake Road, Turn right, follow road for 4-5 miles to junction of Sand Lake Road with the 17/92. You will see signs for the Florida Mall car parks all round this junction. The alternative route is to take the 192 for about 17 miles, you come to a set of traffic lights, with a metal sign over the road on your right for Downtown Kissimmee, take a right turn down Orange Blossom Trail, then its a ten mile drive down OBT till you see signs. Opposite the Florida Mall is Best Buy, which sells computer and hi-fi stuff and a lovely bookshop, called Barnes and Noble. SANFORD FLEAMARKET (the best one) This is held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday each week, but not all stalls open on a Friday. It is good for suitcases, leather goods, t-shirts, and pets! The nicest route showing you a bit of Florida countryside, go right onto US27 north out of Woodridge estate, and carry on to US50 and turn right. Follow this road towards Orlando, go under the I4 then take a left turn onto the 17/92 north. Follow signs for Sanford and keep going. Fleamarket is on that road just before Lake Mary Boulevard on the right hand side. You will see a brightly coloured hoarding and a small fairground just before the entrance. You can get here on the I4 but quite a busy motorway or using the 417 toll road $5.50 much the quickest route 50 mins and little traffic. Take 417 from Celebration and follow through to jnc 49 Lake Mary Boulevard go left to the 17/92 and then left onto 17/92 for 2 miles flea market on your left.

6 - DRIVING (and parking) IN THE USA JUST FOR BRITS! (Updated for 2010!)

Like most UK visitors, before we went, we were quite scared at the prospect of driving in the USA, but have grown to love the slow pace We hope you do too. BRITS have the most accidents at road junctions:

You must stop first, but can then turn right at traffic lights (unless a sign says otherwise), even if theyre on red, provided the road is clear But you CANT do it to the left!! On our first visit, while sat on a clear road waiting to turn left, someone tooted us. So, presuming he was being a stupid holidaymaker, Phil went left, followed by the driver who had shown such irritation. Later, on a busy road, he presumed we could do the same - DOH! Nearly killed us all!!! Right is good Left most certainly isnt! The only time you have priority to go left is if your lane has a GREEN ARROW. A green light means you can go, but you must give way to oncoming traffic. (We laugh now, but it wasnt far from being funny at the time!) Here are some other points to bear in mind: - Make sure you are driving on the right hand side of the road! - Be aware that traffic lights are suspended above eye level, on wires. - Lane discipline isnt as it is in the UK. Slow traffic should keep to the right, but look out on both sides, as overtaking is permitted in either lane. - The street signs facing you at traffic lights and junctions, name the road youre crossing/turning into, NOT the one you are on. - Within residential sub-divisions theres a strict 25mph limit. Get caught exceeding it and you will receive a hefty on the spot fine. The speed limit on interstate highways ranges from 55-70mph. In the cities and congested areas, it will range from 20-55mph. - Carry your driving licence and Insurance papers at all times. - When using wipers, your sidelights must be on. - You can overtake on the outside AND the inside. -SCHOOL BUS You must not overtake when its taking on, or dropping off Wait behind and overtake only when it sets off again! - Florida has adopted very tough policies regarding drink-driving (blood alcohol levels of .08% or over are prohibited. -While driving if you are bumped from behind, flashed by headlights or see someone who indicates they need help it is not wise to stop. Drive to the nearest, well lit public area and dial the police on 911. -Kids of 4 and 5 years of age must be in a safety seat or wear a seat belt. -Dont pick up hitchhikers! -Drivers and front seat passengers are required by law to wear seat belts and children under 3 years of age must travel in child-safety seats! ACCIDENT! If you are unfortunate enough to have one, you must insist that a formal accident report is made (by the police), or your insurance will be void! Afterwards, go to your nearest rental office and complete another report for them.

That should just about cover anything you might encounter, but please, for the good of your own health, visit this website for everything you need to know about driving in the USA: www.kissimmee-us192.com/british/driving.htm SOMETHING FOR THE NON-DRIVERS Quite often non drivers are encouraged to pre book their transportation to the parks, by tour companies or their reps, at the welcome meeting. They can charge up to 100 for transport to and from the parks, which will be provided by private transportation companies. YOU PROBABLY DONT NEED IT! You could even be in a hotel already which provides free shuttle buses to all the parks, so CHECK FIRST! It's hard when you don't know and a bit scary the first timers. We only recommend staying at a hotel that provides free shuttles or charge just a couple of $ per round trip, so check when booking. Public transport is something weve never used, but appears to be a bit hit and miss, but Disneys transport is fantastic. Travel is free around the Disney resort between all the parks and Down Town Disney. (PS - Dont even consider visiting the Gulf Coast without a car!) A useful telephone number for non-drivers is: DISNEY TRANSPORTATION (407) 658-2284 PARKING AT THE MAIN DISNEY and UNIVERSAL PARKS Once again, its only obvious if you know already, but consider using your mobile telephone to photograph the area youve parked your hire car (i.e. Goofy 45), or maybe send yourself a text! Despite reminders by the Disney staff, people regularly lose their cars, as they cant remember where they put them. I always take a piece of bright ribbon (or similar) to tie around the top of the aerial! Never fails! If youre looking for free parking at any of the main parks, youll be disappointed Only the annual passes come with free parking - However, you can achieve it if youre willing to park at Disneys world resorts or swim parks, where its free. You could then use Disneys free transport to travel onwards. We wouldnt recommend this personally as we feel the key to a great day at any of the parks is to arrive EARLY! Thats why we dont include this tip in our top 30! If youre park hopping at the Disney Parks, you only have to pay once, but keep your windscreen leaflet on display or youll be asked to pay again.

Universal and Islands of Adventure have a preferred parking option which puts you at the closest parking area to the park. You do actually gain a little but the walk is still significant, so in our view, not worth the extra $4. 7 - CENTRAL FLORIDA GOLF COURSES Choose a course and book your tee time before you go! - CELEBRATION GOLF COURSE (www.celebrationgolf.com) ( MILE EAST OF US192) - FALCONS FIRE GOLF COURSE (www.falcomsfire.com) (2 MILES EAST OF US192) - GRENELEFE GOLF COURSE (www.grenelefe.com) (HAINES CITY) - THE OAKS GOLF CLUB (www.kissimmeeoaksgolf.com) 1500 THE OAKS BOULEVARD, KISSIMMEE - POINCIANA GOLF AND RACQUET RESORT (www.poincianagolf.com) 1500 EAST CYPRUS PARKWAY, KISSIMMEE - RIDGEWOOD LAKES (www.rifgewoodlakesgolf.com) 7 MILES SOUTH OF WESTBRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 27 - SOUTHERN DUNES CLUB (www.southerndunes.com) 12 MILES SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 27 ON US192 - ORANGE LAKE COUNTY (www.orangelake.com or ocngolf.com) 3 MILES EAST OF HIGHWAY 27 ON US192 - HIGHLANDS RESERVE GOLF (www.highlandsreserve-gold.com) HIGHWAY 27 NORTH Try also -KISSIMMEE GOLF CLUB (www.kissgolfclub.com) -KISSIMMEE BAY GOLF CLUB (www.kissimmeebaycc.com) -REMINGTON GOLF CLUB (www.remington-gc.com) -METRO WEST GOLF CLUB (wwwmetrowestgolf.com) Then there are Disneys courses: (www.disneyworld.disney.go.com) -EAGLE PINES FORT WILDERNESS RESORT -OSPREY RIDGE FORT WILDERNESS RESORT -LAKE BUENA VISTA DOWNTOWN DISNEY RESORT -MAGNOLIA MAGIC KINGDOM RESORT -OAK TRAIL MAGIC KINGDOM RESORT -PALM COURSE MAGIC KINGDOM RESORT Heres a great general website for golf: www.golforlando.com

C FACING THE CRUNCH!

(30 SAVINGS IDEAS IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM!)

(We hope this section helps you to squeeze a little more out of those tumbling pounds!) Financial uncertainties have left many of us wondering if we can we still afford Florida after the pounds value has fallen faster than Big Thunder Railroad! Theres some good news of course: Interest/Mortgage rates have just been slashed again so before we give up on our Florida trip, lets take a closer look at the effects of the crunch on the big five concerns for Brits in Florida: 1. FLIGHTS - WILL THEY BE MORE EXPENSIVE? Not necessarily The guide explains how to look for the best deals and with lower interest rates has come lower fuel prices Our view therefore is that generally theyve fluctuated anyway and with lower bookings, companies must remain very competitive and therefore relatively unaffected. 2. CAR HIRE If we take a smaller car than planned it could have no effect at all. However, falling bookings should reduce prices, increase competitiveness between car hire companies and make prices much more negotiable, so there may be no need to lower expectations. Petrol (Gas) is still massively cheaper than in the UK, even though Americans complain about it constantly. Our view The crunch could have relatively little effect. 3. PARK TICKETS Definitely costing more, but smart use of e bay could mean cheaper park days than ever before for you Dont be afraid to give it a try It works! If you dont like the idea, then youll have to expect to pay more. No sign yet of prices dropping due to falling bookings, but personally this is something we expect soon. 4. ACCOMMODATION Remember, all prices are negotiable! Reducing value of property and lower bookings should result in some really great deals, so MAKE A LOW OFFER and pay only a

minimum deposit - negotiate on extras, such as pool heat (outside the hotter months), normally about 120 for two weeks. Minimise the potential effects of repossessions - No reason whatsoever for Americans to be any less reliable than Brits Its not really about nationality, its about distance. Rent Villas owned by Brits (or if youre already in the USA rent from Americans!) No offence meant, but you know it makes sense. 5. SPENDING-MONEY Well, were all in trouble here, as the tumbling pound puts 20%-25% less dollars in our pockets. However, with some canny adjustments even these effects can be minimal. Hopefully, even if many seem obvious at first, thats where some of the guides 30 savings will help. Heres a quick re-cap on the savings recommended and more fully discussed in the main guide, in case you missed them, together with one or two other ideas: (If youve skipped to the top 30, read the guide as there are many other tips, which for various reasons, we havent repeated here.) 1. Seriously consider following the observations in the guide, to reduce ticket costs Buy a 10+10 day Disney pass, use only 5+5. Selling the remainder could save you hundreds of pounds for remarkably little effort! Remember the tip about upgrading kids tickets Weve used it regularly. 2. Buy the 7-day Universal pass You cant re-sell days, but 2 day passes sell for around the same amount and just may not be enough. 3. Dont buy hoppers if its your first time. Yu probably wont use them and Base tickets are considerably cheaper. 4. Use the links to investigate the cheapest car hire and always choose the Platinum package. 5. Seek out the fullest range of shopping coupons and dont be too British. USE THEM! 6. Use the same Coupon books for eating out. They usually include breakfast or dinner or both.

7. Enjoy all you can eat breakfasts for the whole family then skip (or share) lunch. 8. Refill bottles with free water in the parks and share drinks (remember to ask for no ice the drinks will be chilled anyway!). 9. Dont forget to take a good look around Wal-Mart and some of the souvenir shops on the US 192 before you go paying the gift prices at the parks or in Down Town Disney and try to avoid buying ANYTHING in a theme park (sun cream etc) that you can get outside. 10. Haggle on villas and consider sharing with friends Youll be out so often that you dont need to spend too much time in each others pockets Big savings available if you can do this! 11. Cheapest insurance. We doubt youll find cheaper than the two sites recommended. These are less than half of what we paid originally. 12. Guide flight tips. Booking at short notice is a risk of course, but well worth considering, particularly if you wont be taking any children. 13. TIPPING Pressure Stick to the guidance in the guide Unless service has been particularly good, dont feel pressured into giving more than you feel it was worth. Waiting on staff will often suggest to you what they think they deserve Ignore them! 14. Best credit cards: Take the guides advice and obtain a new card well before you travel. 15. Look out for kids eat free This could save you a great deal and is one of the easiest ones to use. 16. Dont make phone calls home Use texts or get one of the many Villas with free Internet. Dont forget that its wise to rent from someone of your own nationality. 17. Did you know that if you buy from Wal-Mart, you can return to ASDA after you get home? 18. Shop around for currency (Commission free doesnt mean profit free!!!) Get three estimates of the ACTUAL amount youll get, not just what the exchange rate may be.

19. If youre in a Villa or have cooking facilities in your hotel, shop at the cheapest store i.e. Win Dixie, then Wal Mart, then Publix, for your food. 20. Obvious, but shop around for your hotel and before you book, NEGOTIATE! You could earn yourself big savings or a much better hotel for the same money. 21. Consider a time-share presentation No SERIOUSLY, this is a foolproof way to get cheap tickets, if you have the time and wont feel too pressured. 22. When eating out, consider starters for everyone and as the entrees can be pretty big, consider ordering less and always share puds! This wont work in places like Ponderosa, as you have to order an entre in order to visit the salad bars and buffets Remember that all restaurants have free refills on soft drinks, so dont order them for everyone unless youre particularly thirsty. 23. Look for Happy hours (Such as at Outback). Eating earlier will be ok considering the 5-hour time difference. 24. Eat at home. Shopping is cheap, even now, so BBQ more and eat out less. 25. Relaxation days as above Spending an extra day sunbathing and swimming in the pool will save money. OK, so you dont want to go all that way and miss anything important, but it also has to be a holiday. 26. Get a smaller car Well if you cant negotiate a lower price on a bigger one, consider lowering your expectations. The car is merely to get you from A-B after all. This will save you money on petrol too Dont forget to watch how much you use for each journey The Disney parks are close together so youll use the same amount next time. Measure what you use coming from the airport, so you know approximately how much youll need to get back. You dont want to hand back the car with a full tank, as youll get no refunds! 27. Get a lift to and from the airport Taxi and airport parking costs are very high You can always return the compliment another time. 28. Buy your reading stuff the day before In your local newsagents or supermarket. This has got to be cheaper than going mad at the airport and there may be a better selection too. 29. Dont buy new smart clothes You wont need them.

30. Pool heat negotiation and timing. Also ask the owner about pool toys. If there are none, youll have to buy them yourself.

AND FINALLY

At www.virtualtourist.com youll find comprehensive information on Orlando It seems to be where many sellers of Florida guides gather information for free. Check it out! We hope theres been something to help and to save you some money. We dont pretend to cover all aspects of visiting this wonderland as there are so many information websites which do it so well (no point in copying whats free there and claiming its ours!). This is all about passing on experience, from lessons learned the hard way, with our opinions and ideas to save some cash along the way. However, while youre planning your trip, if youve any questions, dont hesitate to get in touch. Visiting Florida is incredibly exciting, but can also be a bit scary, particularly for first time visitors. Everything on these e-mail attachments contains our observations and opinions. Details change of course, so please read all figures as approximate and bear in mind that Disney tickets do contain the term Non transferable, so strictly, even though thousands of people do it, re-selling always contains a risk. This information is regularly updated. If you have any comments or new tips, or if this hasnt answered all of your questions, just get in touch. If we can use something you send me to help other people, youll even get your money back as a thank you.