FabSwingers.com forum: Florida theme parks

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Thinking about heading over to Florida any tips people can give - where / when did you get tickets (any special discount sites) or parks that not worth going to etc

Re - the theme parks

Car hire

More or less any good tips on a good holiday

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Thinking about heading over to Florida any tips people can give - where / when did you get tickets (any special discount sites) or parks that not worth going to etc

Re - the theme parks

Car hire

There is a ticket crowd based in Dublin..I think it's " attraction tickets" and they do all the tickets for the parks in Eurodisney & Florida ...try and see if they're still operating ,but l got tickets for 5 way cheaper than on the location itself ...might be worth checking out ...

More or less any good tips on a good holiday "

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *ust4funcoupleCouple
over a year ago

Moira

We used uber instead of car hire .just did universal and prebooked all before we went saved a fortune floridapasses i think

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We went to a travel agent and got a ticket that grants you unlimited access to 5 of the parks for two weeks. It worked out cheaper than paying each time. Can't remember the travel agent, it was a few years ago.

The US school holidays are the same as ours, so 100% don't go in the summer. The queues will be massive. We went in September when the schools were back and the queues were fine. Plus the weather will still be around 25-30 degrees.

Hope you enjoy it

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Thanks for the info

Looking at staying on international drive - is a hired car necessary?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *mokey and the bandit 1Couple
over a year ago

Dublin

if you plan on staying on international drive there’s very little need for a hired car. The itrolley is not exoensivefor a weekly ticket and runs all the time from the outlets on either end of international drive.

Most of not all hotels/apartments have shuttles running to the theme parks. The itrolley drops you not too far from universal so it’s within walking distance

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Car hire will probably save you a fortune

Airport transfer to office run about $60 each way

If you’re relying on your hotel to ferry you to and from Disney and Universal you’ll probably lose 2 hours outta your day on buses

Get your theme park tickets here

Rent car and get FULL insurance that covers all incidentals here

Any decent travel agent should be able to sort you out

If you’re booking accommodation go for a self catering apartment/hotel and hit Walmart and fill your fridge and save a fortune on breakfast/lunches! There’s 3/4 on idrive and a few south of Disney too

With a car you can go to parks and hit the popular rides early and come back to accommodation and have home cooked food and then head back to park for the evening and fireworks shows (entry on park hopper passes is good to leave and come back plus once you pay your parking your covered for the day for re-entry too) food in parks is ridiculously expensive and expect I pay €10-€12 a day per person in lunch

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *eralt80Man
over a year ago

cork

Bush gardens in Tampa is very good so is Universal in Orlando. Disney is ok, if you have kids travelling they’ll enjoy it more. Found Cape Canavrile a bit boring if I’m honest. If you can try and take in an NBA or MLB game, these are well worth it.

South Beach in Miami is a great spot too and the Art Deci hotels along the beach are a great place to stay.

Key West is nice too but a bit of a drive from the main land but a lovely drive over the islands and bridges.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *ouble Trouble 1000Couple
over a year ago

ireland

If you are on Facebook there's an "It's Orlando Time " group with over 200 000 members giving hints and tips of best places to stay ,where's good to eat and best value for money park tickets etc .It's a closed group but you can ask to join it,we would definetly recommend it .

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Thanks for the info

Looking at staying on international drive - is a hired car necessary?"

A lot of hotels on ID do shuttles to the Parks. Personally we prefer to have a car but we use the itrolly by night when we go out for a bite to eat and a few drinks.

My advice for first time is do Disney. You can buy an a 14 day ticket for the price of 7. Disney has 6 parks 4 theme and 2 waterparks. You will go back after being there once so do universal next time.

For tickets buy direct on Disney or we also used attraction tickets direct.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *iteowlnowCouple
over a year ago

Dublin

Have been to Florida a few times usually we would hire a car but then I generally wind up been the driver. Last time didn't bother meant could have a beer with lunch a beer with watching the fireworks and wine with dinner (if I wanted to). The hotel had a shuttle service between parks, got a pass for the shuttle on international drive as well and we got a couple of taxi usually late night

If you have a couple of kids with you would probably still hire a car

As to tickets book in advance way cheaper

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *hipchippersonMan
over a year ago

dublin

Stay in Clearwater its a lot nicer and make sure you get a car for a day or two and go to busch gardens its the best park in florida

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I recomend staying in Orlando for first trip especially if your main focus is theme parks.

International Drive is a long strip kind of tacky with loads of restaurants, shops and attractions including mini golf.

If going to Universal and if your budget allows stay one night in the Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino Hotel for express line access in both parks for two days. Well worth the cost. Spend your evening exploring City Walk.

If you do go to Tampa to do Bush Gardens I can highly recommend Don Ceasers (Pink Palace) just amazing.

Enjoy

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *artinaAndrewCouple
over a year ago

mountmellick

Oh you'll love it........

We hired a car and booked theme park before we went saved a fortune and hit the parks twice a day loved it.......

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Thanks for all the info so far

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *hy_bangor_bi-girlWoman
over a year ago

Bangor

Going back to florida in August so would recommend attraction tickets direct for theme park tickets. They do one called the "ultimate freedom" ticket and usually throw in a freebie or two (usually a voucher for a themed dinner) this covers all the Disney parks, universal studios, busch gardens, sea world, lego land, islands of adventure, aquatica and another water park I can't remember the name. It's expensive but it's worth it.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Loads of info here - https://www.thedibb.co.uk

Lots of good deals and saving to be had just take your time, do your ETSA before you pay for anything and lots of research.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Going back to florida in August so would recommend attraction tickets direct for theme park tickets. They do one called the "ultimate freedom" ticket and usually throw in a freebie or two (usually a voucher for a themed dinner) this covers all the Disney parks, universal studios, busch gardens, sea world, lego land, islands of adventure, aquatica and another water park I can't remember the name. It's expensive but it's worth it. "

Yup..that's the site sexy ...l got all the tickets there a few years ago for Eurodisney and saved big time when l saw the prices they were charging when l got to the parks ...

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

Post new Message to Thread