St. Augustine Hotel and things to do in the area...

We are booking the St. Augustine for 1/9/09 for 2 nights. It is located around 4th street and Washington Avenue. We would like to know of some nice places to visit pertaining to these categories in the area:

1)Seafood Restuarants

2)Lounges/Clubs

3)Lunch Cafes

4)Sushi Spots

Preferably any suggestions would include your particular favorite or something you consider the best in the area. Or if its not in the area but no more than a $15-20 cab drive, Id really like to hear those recommendations as well.

For example, we are expecting to visit Barton G%26#39;s. We find the setup and menu really interesting and cool. Suggestions of this caliber would be very much appreciated even if not in the area. Thanks!

St. Augustine Hotel and things to do in the area...

senunit%26gt;

1. Joe%26#39;s Stone Crab, Monty%26#39;s at the Marina

2. Fifth, Heathrow, Room, Opium/Prive, Nikki Beach, LOVE/HATE, Jason%26#39;s, Cozy, Abraxas

3. Big Pink, Prime 112, Las Olas, Clarke%26#39;s

4. Bond Street

Here is a guide I posted online for you:

SoBe Area%26gt; http://tinyurl.com/2vojh6

AG

Family trip one teenager and a 9-year-old boy

We are going to Orlando at the end of Sep.

Is Fantasy World a nice place to stay or are there others in the same category, that are better.

Thanks

Family trip one teenager and a 9-year-old boy

Not at all familiar with this place, but it is located on I-Drive up near the Wet %26amp; Wild end if the maps are correct.

http://www.fantasyworldcondo.com/

revlon lipstick

Free quilt patterns for baskets

South Beach Pearl Lounge...

Hi we are coming to Miami on 1/9/09 for two nights. We are a couple and visited Miami 2 years ago. We loved Pearl but wanted to know the probability of us actually getting into Pearl on either Friday or Saturday. We went last time on a Wed or Thurs?, got in no problem. But the door on Saturday was incredibly slow moving and no one got in. We really want to go and just wanted to know if its possible to get in and if anything%26#39;s changed.

Also if you can make the same assessment about the likes of Prive, Mansion, etc. it would be greatly appreciated.

South Beach Pearl Lounge...

senunit%26gt;

If you time your arrival before midnight you will get in more easily. Couples do better than single men... Packs of wild girls do best.

: )

AG

quick breakfast near Swan

Going to Disney in 2 weeks (my 1st time) and we are not big breakfast people. Please suggest a place or two where we can pick up a bagel or muffin on our way out of the Swan and on our way into the parks. A.M. visits will be Epcot, MK and AK. Thanks for your help!

quick breakfast near Swan

You could wait til you are in Epcot and stop by the Sunshine Seasons, they have a very nice assortmant for a Breakfast treat. You could also stroll over to the Boardwalk Bakery, YUM :) Or grab a little something right at the Swan at the Garden Grove

quick breakfast near Swan

This will be easy. You can get a quick muffin, croissant, or other breakfast pastry from the small bar in the lobby of the Swan. Similar pastries and fruit are available at the bar in the lobby of the Dolphin. The Dolphin also has a cafeteria-style spot - Picabu - with more expanded fare, including good donuts (I think they%26#39;re Krispy Kreme). If you get bored with the Swan%26#39;s offerings, you could walk over to the Dolphin, and just catch the bus to the MK or AK from there.

On your way to Epcot, there%26#39;s a pastry shop on the Boardwalk, but that%26#39;s more likely to have lines than the Swan or Dolphin.

I thought there is an express line for TA members at The Boardwalk Bakery?

I am not familar with the baked goods at the Swan, I am sure they are good. The Boardwalk Bakery is as good as anything in Boston, and that is worth the line.

Thank you all for your input. It will be nice to have a couple of places to chose from!

its all just too exhausting!!

i finally get to say ';im going next week'; hurray! thing is tho, i cannot for the life of me get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzeds!! im exhausted! God knows what im gonna be like next week but im too excited to sleep right now. im practically falling asleep at my desk in work and this morning, i woke up only to find a sty perching cheekily on my eye! oh the excitement...i cant bear it !

its all just too exhausting!!

Know how you feel and I have 71 more sleeps (or not) to go yet

Hope you have a great time

its all just too exhausting!!

If you are exhausted now, just wait until about your 3rd day in Orlando!! :%26gt;)

I understand completely, but usually my sleeplessness is due to ';fretting'; over what I%26#39;ve forgotten to take care of before I leave home.

yeah...but it%26#39;s a ';good'; tired!

Night life at Disney

Hi,

I just wondered where was available to go out of a night time in Disney, as I heard they were closing places in Downtown Disney?

In particular were looking for like music and dancing - not necessarily a club - but anything close, if it exists?

Also, has anyone stayed late for the City Walk at Universal? If so, what is that like, and are there taxis readily available after everywhere closes?

If anyone has any info I would sincerely appreciate!

Happy Travels!!!

;0) Mango

Night life at Disney

Yes, Disney is closing down Pleasure Island on the 28th of this month, so there will be no longer be anywhere on the Disney campus which is similar to a nightclub.

I%26#39;ve not been to CityWalk in the evenings personally, but there are definitely taxis readily available from there any time of the evening.

Night life at Disney

Citywalk looks interesting, but we have a 19yo in our group, so we will be visiting the open mike club on Thursay for 18+ night. Whoopie. ;)

There is the dance hall over at the Boardwalk. Have never been to it (always have kids with us), so can%26#39;t comment on what type of music/dancing they have. Anyone else?

Nightlife in all of orlando is rubbish ... trust me its just full of tourists, and is just a very bizarre not normal night life.

You can%26#39;t compare it to say a regular clubbing night out in the UK, or some clubs in Vegas, etc

joey - aren%26#39;t we all tourists??? Unless you live in Orlando permanently, you are also a tourist.

you%26#39;re just doing it wrong and going to the places you%26#39;re supposed to (as a tourist)

as for the OP%26#39;s questions, here%26#39;s my recent review of Citywalk%26#39;s Rising Star, very entertaining night out anyway (that includes us locals)

http://nopixiedust.wordpress.com/

Thanks for all your responses! I really appreciate it!

We%26#39;re not looking for like a hardcore club or anything, just maybe somewhere to go for a different scenery one night or 2!!

Thank you for all the info!!

:0) Mango

Just a quick question - does cover charge mean entry fee?

Because when I have paid a cover charge it usually means all drinks included - so I am guessing in this instance cover means entry?

;0)

cover means entry fee, drinks are separate (and expensive) I%26#39;ll be taking a flask next time ;)

I had planned a few heavy nights out at Pleasure Island!! (Us Northern English dont tire easily :)) I was gutted when I found out it had closed for more shops and restaurants!! havent they enough of them? haha. However I have been doing my homework and I believe the Boardwalk offers you the likes of a ';sports bar'; cocktails, piano playing you know, a more relaxed, chilled out atmosphere. The city walk I believe is a bit more lively with places playing a range of music from reggea to dance etc, however I hear the costs of the drinks is similar to those in ';Paris';!! so best get a few drinks in your hotel before heading out! :0)

Paula x

residence inn downtown

We are suppose to be staying at the Marriott Waterside next week for a week. They just called and said they were renovating the hotel and have oversold the rooms and for our first night only they would be moving us to the Residence Inn Downtown. They will pick up the cost of this night. Does the trollet run by this hotel also? Is it conveinant to Channelside? Help?

residence inn downtown

No, the trolley stops close to the Waterside Marriott and the Residence Inn is about .75 of a mile North of the Waterside location.

Maybe, as it is only for one day, they would use their shuttle bus to bring you back to the Waterside location when you need to catch the trolley.

residence inn downtown

Does anyone know of any fun places close to this hotel. We want somewhere close for drinks and dinner or some place with a patio?

TAPS is pretty close and has tons of beer and wine by the glass. They have pretty decent food also. It%26#39;s at the bottom of the Skypoint Condos. Fly is also good for drinks and a bite to eat. Both aren%26#39;t very far from Residence Inn Downtown.

Oh, and both have outdoor seating.

There is a trolley that runs every 10 minutes throughout downtown and harbour island and goes right by the Residence Inn and Marriott Waterside and the streetcar to take you to Ybor City and Channelside. The purple line runs 6am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm Monday Thru Friday. The green line also runs every 10 minutes on Friday and Saturday evenings(6pm to 2am) throughout downtown, channelside and harbour island.

Check the In town Trolley here%26gt; http://www.hartline.org/

For fun and eats walk over to Fly or TAPS. There is also Malio%26#39;s too! On harbour Island I enjoy Jackson%26#39;s for some drinks and great views, Cafe Dufrain for great eats and drinks with a nice view as well.

.net

Help - hotel near convention center

Hi,

I%26#39;m flying in from Canada in a few weeks and am looking for an inexpensive hotel for a few nights fairly close to the Convention Centre. I am a girl travelling alone so a good part of the city would be helpful.

I have been looking at Hyde Park Hotel.......and suggestions about that?

I had looked at a few motels on North Dale Marby but the reviews say it is in a bad part of town.

Also, how far is the convention centre from the airport?

Please help!

Help - hotel near convention center

I don%26#39;t know much about the Hyde Park Hotel, but you will need a rental car to get to the Convention Center from there. I would consider it too far to walk.

If you are on a budget, I would try doing priceline for a downtown hotel. I believe others have won the Sheraton Riverwalk for less than $100/night in the past. It is walkable to Convention Center and seems safe. You can look at www.betterbidding.com or www.biddingfortravel.com for tips on how to bid.

The Embassy Suites Convention Center, Marriott Waterside and Westin Harbour Island are all an easy walk and very safe, but are not inexpensive. You may win them on priceline, though - never know!

The airport is about a 20 minute drive to Convention Center depending on traffic. There is a flat rate for taxis from the airport to downtown of I believe $25.

Help - hotel near convention center

Hi FSUFUN,

Thanks for those tips.......I%26#39;ve never ';bidded'; but I will definitely check it out!

Even though it may be a bit further, can you tell me about the neighborhood that the Hyde Park Hotel is in........I%26#39;ve been trying to search and it ';sounds'; ok but would love some first-hand opinions.

Also, I%26#39;m sure taxis are fairly easy to come by, what do you think the average fair would be from the Hyde Park to the Convention Centre (is it ';fairly close, a few miles?)? Or would it be cheaper just to rent a car?

Thanks again!

Hyde Park Hotel is nice, had a friend stay there for a month, they are small apartments..excellent part of town, Hyde Park/SOHO, you can walk to everything, from Starbucks, Panera, to over a dozen great restaurants all along Howard Avenue, grocery store, walgreens, etc...grteat part of town, and a cab would be a flat fare of $3.00 per person each way since you are ';intown';.

Yaaaaay! You just made my day!!!! Thanks so much for the reply. I%26#39;m so glad to hear that Hyde Park is a great part of town!

I can%26#39;t wait to visit!!!!!

Thanks again!

Hyde Park is actually one of the MOST desireable areas to live in Tampa, by the way. ON the Natinal Register of Historic Places..make sure you walk around the Hyde Park Village neighborhood, homes form the late 1800%26#39;s early 1900%26#39;s, and also Bayshore Blvd.

I think that the $3 rate only applies if there are 2 or more passengers. If you are taking a taxi alone, I believe they will use the meter. I take taxis from Harbour Island to Howard Ave. and back often and it is about a $10 cab ride. It should be about the same or a bit less from that hotel to the Convention Center.

IN that case, I would probably just take the city bus(#4 goes up Howard Ave and Swann Ave to downtown, about 10 min., ). It runs every hour. $1.50 each way.

hartline.org

Oooohhh yes, a $10 cab ride each way is a bit more pricey than $3. I%26#39;ll have to check into that for sure.........

The bus sounds ok, is there a bus stop near the hotel?

I wonder if it would be just cheaper to rent a car?

The bus runs less than a block by the hotel along Howard Ave(the #4)..clean and convenient, $1.50 each way. The Hyde Park hotel can tell you the times it runs by them.

Car rental would be good if you needed to go outside of In town areas, but you will also pay to park at the convention center daily.

revlon lipstick

watch this topic

hey when did this button appear? will we have spell check and an edit button?

watch this topic

The ';watch this topic'; button has been on here a while now; they added it back in early summer, if memory serves correctly.

Boy, do I ever need that spell-check button!!

watch this topic

Gosh I wish there was a spell check, or even and edit function!

I type too fast and always have typos.

I think this forum definitaly needs a spull check function. The standerds of english is appawling.

i need the edit button quick. i meant to type in will we have an edit and spell check button next? lol.

can%26#39;t believe that i never noticed the watched topic button.

What button?

Where is it?

Having problems finding it?

80)

If you have firefox, it comes with a spell check :) No grammar check, but at least I spell words right!

tallandglam, i%26#39;m with you.... I can%26#39;t seem to see it either! Where is it....?

As for spell check, at home on my Mac any mis-spelt words have red lines under them, no such help in work though.... :(

But would the spell check be in English, English

or that new version

American English?

its next to the reply button underneath the posts.

hey thats not fair, i%26#39;ve just noticed i was on .com not .co.uk and on the uk version you don%26#39;t get button!!!

Is it enough ??

I%26#39;m heading to Orlando with my fiancee with car rental, hotel and park tkts already pre-paid..will spend 10 days..3k is enough ?? Thx in adv !!!

Is it enough ??

As a family of 5 we spend 100 to 150 USD a day.

I would have thought 3K is plenty.

Is it enough ??

Assuming your talking about US $, then you should have well enough for 10 days. Last year we spent around that amount in 10 days, and we didn%26#39;t skimp on anything. We did do alot of shopping too.

Have fun!

$300 a day is loads. Maybe too much, depends what you wanna do, where you wanna eat and how much shopping your going to do. We did half that amount last year in 14 days.

More than enough! Have a great time!

Best American Beer

Hello,

What is the best widely available american beer in pubs and bars etc.

Many thanks.

Best American Beer

Opinions vary, but IMO, Sam Adams is the best - most bars have it on tap. You%26#39;ll find Miller and Budweiser products on tap everywhere.

Best American Beer

I vote for Bud. I think it tastes better in the US than it does in the UK. I don%26#39;t know if there is a real difference or not. Its kind of like have a Guiness at your local pub and then having one in Dublin - much better!

Sam Adams is pretty tasty too. Coors is not so good.

Sam Adams is good and widely available, but ask at the bar what micro brews they have. Beer in America has come along way in the past 10 years, there are many,many great micro brew beers around. Ask what they have and try one. SweetWater, AnchorSteam, Sierra Nevada ,Red Hook to name a few. Stay away from Bud, Millers, Coors if you like decent beer IMO!! Just ask the staff,they%26#39;ll tell you what micros they have and can recommend.

Thanks for the replies.

I like the idea of Sam Adams as I have never tried it before. I am also glad Bud taste different in Orlando than home, is it still 5%?

I will look out for micro brewes but as I am staying in tourist heaven (I-Drive) I don%26#39;t think there will be any places doing them.

I%26#39;m more of a wine drinker but here%26#39;s my list:

Boulevard Pale Ale (with a wedge of lemon, mmm)(I think this is brewed in America)

Coors Light (cold and crisp just like the Rockies)

Miller Chill or I believe Budweiser has a version like this with lime also.

I am partial to our local brew Abita Amber but that%26#39;s only available on tap here. In Orlando I usually go with Sam.

Jennifer

Definitely Sam Adams Boston Lager but their seasonal beers are also good (right now is Sam Adams Octoberfest).

Budweiser isn%26#39;t even a contender!

warning: copy and paste this in your notepad or somewhere where the owls can%26#39;t delete it

Ok, the answer to that VERY on topic question is:

Budweiser!

BUD %26amp; MIC for me tke top spots, strange people say SAM ADAMS as I am not fussy. On the other side the wife loves it, but wouldn%26#39;t try a dark beer at home.

It all nice after a long day in the parks.

If you get a chance on your way out of Universal sit on the kerb with a bottle of BUD and watch the world go by...great way to finish the day off.

Only have the one if driving..

Well as a Scotsman My opinion is simple ;-)

If its chilled and the sun is shining and its got an alcohol content,,,,,,,,,,, Drink It ;-)

btw my poison is cider ;-)

Cheers ;-) Wullie

Polynesian or Floridian

Thanks to everyones advice re my last post on the best diney pool. We have narrowed down or hotel choices to these two. We really want to be on the monorail. Also think we are going to go in March instead of February. Which hotel would you pick?

Thanks!

Polynesian or Floridian

I have stayed at The GF and only visited the Poly.

I think if you have never stayed at either, go for the GF. The lobby of the main building is very nice.

There is a map of the grounds. You may want to look at it to request the building you may like.

Partypa is pretty good at this.

Do visit the Poly if you go with the GF.

Polynesian or Floridian

www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/grandflomap.htm

Hi Cab,

Both hotels are fabulous.You really can%26#39;t go wrong. I have stayed at Poly,and have eaten and visited GF. If you%26#39;re bringing children,I would probably vote for Poly. My reasons would be 1. A bit less money

2. Feeling like you%26#39;re practically in the MK.

3. The theme of the Poly is a little more ';laid back,and kid friendly'; (IMO).Breakfast w/ character is a blast.food is great.

You%26#39;ll have a great time at either..Hope your trip is WICKED GOOD! :+))

Yes, think I would have to vote for the Poly of these two as well.

The volcano pool is awesome there, and the beach is a wonderful place to watch both the Wishes fireworks as well as the Electric Water Pageant on the lagoon at night.

IMHO,the Grand Floridian is the better choice. The Polynesian pool is very nice but pretty cramped while both pools at the GF are pretty great. GF is a prettier hotel and the rooms are nicer. It%26#39;s as deluxe as Disney gets;for the money,we would pick the Floridian anytime we choose a monorail hotel.(though the AKL is our favorite resort)

Are you the one with the 5 year old?

This is my opinion...if you have a girl, stay at the GF. If you have a boy, stay at the Poly.

We LOVED the Polynesian. It had a very relaxed and vacationy feel and the kids loved Kona. A big plus for us was the transportation. At the Polynesian we could walk to the TTC to catch the monorail to Epcot. I have to admit, though, that I%26#39;m not a big fan of gingerbread architecture and have never stayed at the Grand Floridian.

Jennifer

I would pick the Poly, only because the GF is the best Disney has to offer and you will probably spoil yourself right off if you go there first. I can promise you that being on the monorail will spoil you to not wanting to stay anywhere off the monorail and as nice as Poly %26amp; Contemp are, the GF will probably spoil you to never ';stepping down'; to these resorts. Of course, if you think you will always be content going back to the GF and budget will allow for it, then go straight to the top, but there is alot to be said for working your way up thru the many Disney resorts, they all have something special to offer, but just like with cars, it%26#39;s hard to trade down to a Chevy after driving a Mercedes.

Here%26#39;s another vote for the Polynesian - it is just a fun resort! Here is some good information:

Resort Photos - including the pool: buildabettermousetrip.com/images/鈥ndex.htm

More Polynesian information: http://tikiman2001.homestead.com/index.html

The Grnad Floridian, no question. Better pools, better food and Disney%26#39;s flagship resort. You can%26#39;t go wrong.

handling exceptions

birthday restaurant fort lauderdale riverfront

can anyone recommend a restaurant with great food and service for my birthday 12/28? Two adults. we will be just off a cruise and are staying one night at the Hampton Inn ';downtown'; and will not have a car. Understand you can walk to the riverfront area from the hotel, but if there%26#39;s a super place that requires a cab ride, that%26#39;s fine too. Many thanks and Merry Christmas to all!

birthday restaurant fort lauderdale riverfront

JSN - while the name of the hotel is Hampton Inn downtown, you should know that it%26#39;s not in a good neighborhood - at least at night. During the day it%26#39;s safe, but I would cab it at night.

If it were me, I%26#39;d head to the Grill Room at the Riverside Hotel. It%26#39;s on Las Olas Blvd., and while it%26#39;s walkable from the Hampton Inn, again I say I would probably cab it. The reason I picked the Riverside is because the hotel and the boulevard will be all decorated for the holidays....not to mention that the food is great as well! It%26#39;s a place for a celebration :)

After your dinner, stroll the boulevard and head to Kilwin%26#39;s for some chocolate and ice cream. Yum yum!!

birthday restaurant fort lauderdale riverfront

As I re-read my post, I realized that I should probably explain my verbiage about the hotel being in a not-so-good neighborhood. Between the hotel and the New River, there%26#39;s a park where there are typically homeless people and older kids - which translates to me not wanting to walk there. Better to be safe than sorry, so I would take a cab - or perhaps the trolley. The trolley does have a weekend schedule and it runs right by the Hampton Inn. Check it out at www.suntrolley.com

Many thanks for the great info! We will have fun on the trolley and hopefully a great birthday dinner.

Tarpon Bend. The crab crusteed mahi mahi is awesome!

Tarpon Bend .... have you read the reviews? My request is for a special birthday dinner; this place sounds like alot of fun for drinks after work.

If anyone else has some ideas for a nice dinner in the FTL RiverFront area, I%26#39;d welcome them.

JSN, there aren%26#39;t many restaurants in the New River area. River House is still there and while it is a lovely place, the recent reviews haven%26#39;t been all that great. It%26#39;s pricey for great ambience but just so-so food. They do have their menu on line, but no prices are listed.

I still think I%26#39;d head to Las Olas but it%26#39;s your birthday and I wish there were more New River options.

Lulu, Pat, Sue - any suggetions?

None except to agree with Abby that you%26#39;ll likely be better served heading to Las Olas Blvd, not Riverfront , as most of the Riverfront complex is pretty dead.It%26#39;s basically a matter of heading east, rather than west, at the foot of the Andrews Ave. bridge. Tarpon Bend and Himmarshhee , among others , are not really in Riverfront- they are in Himmarshee Village right near it- and both get good reviews for their food, but Las Olas would have a really wide selection of restaurants. Himmarshee Village is a street near Riverfront that has many restaurants and bars , but you may find the stmosphere too ';clubby '; rather than sophisticated, from what I read in your post. I haven%26#39;t been down in so long to see what may have closed, as restaurants do come and go around here , but Johhny V%26#39;s is a celebrity chef place there that has excellent food, Riley McDermott%26#39;s is a newer place run by a few Emeril relatives and associates , and I think Abby already mentioned the Grill Room at the Riverside.

I have celebrated at the tiny, romantic Las Olas Cafe , which has great food and very atmospheric courtyard dining. I hope it is still there ( the Rack of lamb is lovely) but it is tiny and I don%26#39;t hear much about it- let me see if I can give you a few website links so you can study menus of various spots

I often use this site to look up restaurant menus and it is a good place for you to start. I hope the link takes you directly to the section listed as Las Olas/Downtown. I don%26#39;t happen to agree with teh way they geographicaly combine areas- but within the many restaurants listed here are some whose menus I suggest you study:

At Himmarshee Village :

Himmarshee Bar and Grill ( you%26#39;ll see it gets good reviews)

Tarpon Bend ( really does have good food, but you may find it too casual in atmosphere)

On Las Olas Blvd:

Las Olas Cafe

Grill Room at Las Olas

Jackson%26#39;s Steakhouse

Johhny V

Riley McDermott%26#39;s

This site usually does a good job of keeping up with closures, but I see a few that are not correctly marked a s closed, so you%26#39;ll want to double check ( and definitely make a reservation anyway at that very busy time)

A previous poster had mentioned that the River House , a very impressive building that used to be a good special occasion spot , is , at least at the moment , closed, except for banquets and group gatherings. I had found that the food there had declined in the recent months, so I wouldn%26#39;t have recommended it anyway-There certainly may be more closures etc in the coming months due to rough economic times- check back with us right before you%26#39;re coming for an update.

I%26#39;ll see if this link works well after I post it- sometimes they don%26#39;t seem to open properly- but I%26#39;ll do my best to correct it if it doesn%26#39;t.

As locals will know, several of the restaurants listed on that particular section, would not be described by me as Las Olas or Downtown for location, but it is such a good resource otherwise!

southflorida.menupages.com/restaurants.asp鈥?/a>

New Year In Clearwater...

I visited Florida a few years ago for Xmas and New Year, ill prepared we ended up going to Citywalk in Orlando which was all we could find that wasn%26#39;t sold out on the 27th of December... We had a swell time mind.

This time i%26#39;m coming back with the good lady in tow. Can anyone recommend a good new years evening out? Thinking of some sort of meal and entertainment arrangement ideally that I could have booked for when we go.

Thanks in advance for your help.

DOL

New Year In Clearwater...

I am looking for the same sort of thing - if anyone has any suggestions that would be great!

New Year In Clearwater...

I don%26#39;t really know of anything specific. But alot of restaurants, bars, and clubs have specials for New Years. Most are a dinner and party combo. Maybe dinner at the Columbia in Ybor City with a flamenco dancer show? Maybe the new Sandpearl Resort on Clearwater Beach will have some sort of deal. Keep a watch at www.tbo.com for specials.

revlon lipstick

Orlando 2009 -

Hi

I%26#39;ve been reading hundreds of posts on here which has left me with even more questions then before I started so thought I would just start my own post.

Me and My girlfriend are planning to go to orlando sometime next year or maybe early 2010 and need some advice. We were looking at going in November next year as her aunt has been twice then and recommended it. I%26#39;m worried as I have read that some of the parks can be closed for refurbishment around this time so was hoping if someone can clear this up for me. If not November we were thinking about feb 2010 again could we miss out on parks etc if we go then.

I been looking on the net at weather etc but wanted some first hand views on this, what is the weather actually like in November or Feb is it warm enough to go to the waterparks etc.

Any extra advice on where to book who to fly with etc would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks

Orlando 2009 -

Weather - glorious in November. If you got this during summer here you%26#39;d count yourself VERY lucky. Every time I%26#39;ve been. Probably the same in Feb. Yes, it can get cool in the evenings, but it%26#39;s not that common. Probably the best time to go.

Parks closed? Nope. Maybe the odd attraction within a park, but otherwise still open for business and, if you avoid ThanksGiving, not too busy either.

Orlando 2009 -

I agree

November is Great. Have done the Waterparks no problem. LOW crowd levels except for Thanksgiving

If you want even warmer weather, September %26amp; October are also good times to go. If you are thinking at all of staying at a Disney Resort, there is an offer for Free Dining, very nice Perk www.mousesavers.com/ukvisitors.html

You can get a Free Quote from www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com They are very reliable

Parks dont normally shut except for the odd attraction and a waterpark normally closes but they also close in february too.

I have been both in November and in February....weather was better in November...we were cold in Feb and had to go out %26amp; buy more jumpers as we hadnt brought enough. November we visited wet N wild and didnt feel too cold.

Another advantage of november is you can see the christmas decorations. Just beware of thanksgiving it does get a bit crowded.

I personally would opt for November over february if I were to go again at this time of year

Hi,

I have been in Late October and Jan/Feb before (going back this Jan/Feb).

People are right weather normally warmer October/November, however when we went Jan/Feb had some very warm days - all was T-shirt weather - it does get cold at night though (jacket and trousers required)

The thing about January and February time is that the parks are really quiet, at Busch Gardens last time I don%26#39;t think we queued for a ride for longer than 5 mins. The odd ride may be closed for maintainence but 90% was running and it was worth it to avoid the queues.

Thanks for all the replies guys they were a big help.

We%26#39;ve decided to go in Novmeber now so starting to look at where to boook etc.

So far Virgin are the only company to book that far in advance. Does anyone have any good suggestions on who to use. Also when is a good time to book. I%26#39;m only after room flight and maybe car, tickets etc i%26#39;m going to sort on-line.

Also apart from the parks anyone got any good suggestions on things to see?

Again thanks for all the help so far

Hi mate

ive been in July and August and next year i have decided to go in April after EASTER weather is good warm but not too hot and all park rides are open. Not much dearer than Feb either, but price goes up in May.Hope that helps

I%26#39;ve been to Orlando many times and opted for the cheap airline options with stop offs and also travelled with Virgin, who fly direct. As you have got plenty of time to save I would certainly recommend Virgin. Dollar are probably the cheapest car rental company, so you can book them on their UK site. You%26#39;ll find plenty of good hotel deals on sites such as Expedia and Ebookers. The Swan and Dolphin often have superb deals in November; ask them to keep you posted. You%26#39;ll also find several very reasonably priced hotels close to Disney Village, or Downtown Disney, as it is now known. These include Lake Buena Vista Palace, which is offering 99 dollar a room rates this year.

Hi Shane, i booked for me and my son, November 2009 with virgin. good hotel and car included but opted for free transfer as first time going and hotel is off international drive. price went up by 拢100 a week later though

Hi Shane, I have been to Olrlando many times and always used Virgin they maybe a bit more expensive but worth it. We tend to book flights with Virgin then book Hotel and car. You can get some good deals on Hotels and Cars if you shop around on the internet. If your a first time driver in Orlando pay the extra and get a Sat Nav with the Car. Best of Luck Hope you enjoy your trip.

hi, we are looking to book a holiday for next september, and we also might book virgin flights, but it is still a little early to book yet as they let you book flights 11 months before you fly. I found these sites on the web, travel republic.com and roomsnet.com and they have really good prices for rooms. hope you find something.

Looking for Restaurants for wedding reception

Hi. Need some help trying to find a nice restaurant(would love to be by the ocean) to eat after I get married on the beach. Some place causal. Maybe with live music. Good food/drinks.

Thanks

Looking for Restaurants for wedding reception

I%26#39;m not so familiar with places IN Destin, but FWB is a couple miles to the west %26amp; I think Angler%26#39;s restaurant does weddings/receptions %26amp; they are right ON the beach.

American Idol Attraction

Anyone know when this is suppose to open, I can only find late 2008, just wondered if it%26#39;ll be open when were out there in Oct!

American Idol Attraction

I believe there has been a delay, doubtful it will be open in October

If I can find the news story I will post it for you

American Idol Attraction

Here%26#39;s the article about it from allears:

http://allears.net/tp/mgm/ia.htm

Ealiest opening date is now slated for January 2009.

ittwit

Pink shell for 2 adults and 3 teenage girls Easter Break

Looking for a very nice condo for Easter break with 3 teenagers. Thinking of the Pink Shell. Anywhere else we should consider in the S. Florida area?

Pink shell for 2 adults and 3 teenage girls Easter Break

check out vrbo.com vacation rentals by owners for condos %26amp; cottages.

Pink shell for 2 adults and 3 teenage girls Easter Break

The Pink Shell is an excellent choice,it is located on the north end of the island right on the beach.It is within walking distance of Times Square the Pier etc. Bowditch Park is next door. The sunsets are to die for!! You will love it!!

Beacon, Bentley, or Tides

Going to SoBe for one night w/ husband. We are trying to decide if the Tides is really worth the money vs The Bentley or The Beacon which both look good to us, too. Any opinions? BTW, we are in our 50%26#39;s, so we%26#39;re not into the really late bar scene.

Beacon, Bentley, or Tides

Just stayed at the Tides and got a rate of 320 usd. It was an awesome hotel. Great service and location

Sanctuary South Beach or Pelican hotel

I am confused now about the hotel I should use : we are both in our thirties and love modern design boutique hotels with a great ambiance.

We have a booking for Sanctuary Hotel, but now I have found the possibility to swap to Pelican Hotel, which a total rate that is 30 to 40% cheaper (Sanctuary at 220 USD and Pelican at around 170 USD per night).

What would you choose ? Should I stick to Sanctuary or change ?

Any thoughts highly welcome and much appreciated.

Regards,

Bart

Sanctuary South Beach or Pelican hotel

My choice would be the Angler over the Sanctuary or

The Strand and Beacon over the Pelican. First choice

above all the hotels in South Beach would be the Sagamore even if you have to pay a little extra. The

Sagamore is the type of hotel where if they are

renovating their pool(should be done now) they say:

Sorry for the inconvenience but you will have to use

the pool at the Ritz Carlton(38 feet away).

Sanctuary South Beach or Pelican hotel

Thanks for the input.

I had figured out already that there are nicer hotels in Miami, but issue is that we will be there from Dec 27 to Jan 1, when prices are sky-high in the hotels you mention (500-600 USD and upwards is out of our budget)?

REgards,

Bart

Your trip is at the most expensive time and in that

case I would suggest you check out the reviews for

the Pelican and Sanctuary because your prices are good.

Perhaps you can book with option to cancel and checkfor specials on the better hotels through

Travelzoo, Perfect Escapes, Quikbook.com etc and see if

you can do better.

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