Holly IN Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Hello We are booked to go to Orlando in June. We can only afford to do one theme park for one day (didn't realize how expensive they are). We will be deciding between Epcot and Universal Studios. Both about the same price for one day. We will be renting a beautiful home (near WDW) with a pool so we are covered in the water dept. ;) They have bikes we can use so we will be doing a lot of biking. We love to putt putt golf and eat out to off the beaten path restaurants(something unique to Florida or around Orlando). So we need recommendations of restaurants and shops to visit. Also any must see that is affordable or free. Thanks! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I like Sweet Tomatoes. It is a neat all you can eat salad/soup place. The ice cream is really good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Make the drive to Cocoa Beach. It's a little over an hour, and beautiful. Tolls on the road to get there are minimal, and free parking can be found if you're willing to walk a couple of blocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker25 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Downtown Disney is a fun day. Full of shops and restaurants. My mom had a condo in Orlando for awhile. It was in June so too hot for me to do theme parks and we never had money anyway. We always spent a day at DT Disney and the kids LOVED it. Lots of putt-putt in the Orlando area. Olde Town can be a fun trip as well. Just more shops and restaurants, though when we were there last, about 2 years ago, it was starting to look a little run down. The kids still had a good time though. Oh and if your not a McDonalds hater they do have a HUGE McDonalds on International Drive with a big play area. We'd always have lunch there one day and let the kids play for hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Yep we are McD hater ;) We prob will visit it just to see what it is about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwickimom Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I dont know how cheap you are thinking but- I think even for 1 day theme park tickets you can add a water park for pretty cheap Theres a zillion little tourist-y shops up and down International Drive. We also ended up going to Gatorland and loved it. Tickets are $25 for adults and $17 for kids. We love walking Downtown Disney and also love Cocoa Beach if you are looking for basically free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 My go-to suggestion for cheap family fun is always Kelly Park/Rock Springs. http://www.theothero.../kellypark.html Admission to the park is something like $5 for a carload of people. Before hitting the gates, though, you will want to stop at one of the grungy, little stands on the road and rent giant inner tubes for the day. They will likely take a deposit -- fully refundable -- but the rental fees won't be more than $5-ish per tube. There is a snack bar inside the gates, or you can tote in your own food. Seriously, it's a gorgeous, natural place and so much fun! It might be a 45-minute drive from the WDW area, and definitely worth it. If nature is your thing, I also highly recommend Tibet-Butler Preserve, which has the bonus of being just off the Disney property. http://www.theothero...s/16/tibet.html They have wonderful nature trails to wander, and you can get a real sense of what Florida was like before The Mouse arrived in town. If you'd like to post more information about your kids' ages and everyone's interests, I'll see if I can help brainstorm some more ideas for you. Edit: I just remembered Fort Christmas. http://www.nbbd.com/godo/FortChristmas/ It's out of the way, but could be worth a stop if you do decide to head to Cocoa for a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 What I mean cheap is under $200. Universal or Epcot will cost us roughly $450 for family of 5 for one day. We can't do both but only one for one day. The rest of the stuff will have to be under $200. This is not including restaurants or food or gas. ;) This means attractions or park or fun stuff. Thanks for the recs. Sounds great and will look into it and see what we can do. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker25 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Yep we are McD hater ;) We prob will visit it just to see what it is about. LOL, it probably came out different than I wanted it too! I just meant I know some people don't like McDonalds. I wish I could be one of those people, but every time I get a message warning me about 100yo Happy Meals and pink slime I become blinded and can't seem to hear anything. :) One day I will read it and be very sick and we will become people who don't eat at McDs. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 We recently took a trip to Orlando, and Disney wasn't our favorite - Clearwater was (my daughter is a big fan of Winter from the movie Dolphin Tale). It is about an hour and 15 min. away, is fairly inexpensive to visit, and the staff are amazing. It certainly isn't as fancy as Sea World or Epcot, but we really had a blast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 This is what I can think of right now. I will put my thinking cap on for more. We love Gatorland. About $25 per adult. Coupons can be found normally. Ds loves it there. We go for his bday treat frequently. Restaurant wise one of our favorite take out/casual is Pollo Tropical. There is one near the airport but I am not sure about Disney area. An Orlando based chain with Cuban food. Their grilled chicken is great. We also love the yuka fries and tostones(I amnot sure how to spell). Black beans and rice are great there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Something else you might consider is a day trip to St. Augustine: http://www.oldcity.com/ Again, it's kind of a drive from the WDW area (a good two hours), but it could be a full day's entertainment for a family. We've actually gone for brief staycations a few times and always had fun. There are lots of silly tourist attractions, but also genuine historical things to see. It's a pleasant place to wander and poke around in shops. And it's definitely Florida. For your $200 budget, you could buy all five family members tickets for the trolley tour ($100 total) and still have enough left for lunch and admission to Castillo de San Marcos, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Kennedy Space Center is about an hour away. You can spend a full day there for a reasonable price. OR you can send your dh there with the kids and have a day to yourself! I like to do this on one day of every vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Kennedy Space Center is by Cocoa Beach, but it wasn't worth the ticket price we paid to get in. Unless you've got a huge space junkie in the family, I'd do something else. I'd rather save up and do a free day and then buy a two-day to universal studios. It's not that much more to tack on a 2nd day :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 How old are your kids? Green Meadows Farm is great for the ten and under crowd. My girls love it. Downtown Disney is a good recommendation... Always lots to see. Disney had two of their own putt putt courses, which is fun. Have you considered Disney Quest? What about the Medieval Times dinner show? It's excellent. There are lots of nest things to go at the Disney resorts, even if you are not a guest. Pirate Cruises, watching the fireworks from the beach with the music piped in, character meals, hayrides at Ft Wilderness, Chip and Dales campfire singalong and movie at Ft Wilderness, wandering from resort to resort exploring by way of buses or monorail, etc. there's endless random fun at Disney without paying for a park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 First I would pick universal studios as my one park. Next Orlando is filled full of putt-putt. We really like the two course that Disney has; they are a bit more expensive but everything is in tip top shape. If you must pick I would pick the Summer and Winter course. I usually use Google's map page to check out reviews of mini golf places. Generally you can get a good sense of what a course is like. We also like Gator World, but it is expensive and it will nickel and dime you once you are in. But the gators are pretty darn cool if you like reptiles. The Orlando Science Museum is also a good deal. Especially good if you are a member of your local science museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Duplicate post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 For a nice few hours try http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/ and take a picnic lunch. Even if you don't do Kennedy Space Center, the drive through Cape Canaveral National Seashore is beautiful and you might even get to see gators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Kennedy Space Center used to have an area where you could pull off on your way in and look at a couple of rockets. I think they were apollo ones but long time ago. When they were little they loved those more then the paid for part. There are supposed to be some great walking trails near there too in the nature reserve. Dixie Crossroads in Titusville has great deals on kids meals. Good food in general. Highly recommend if you go over to Kennedy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 My sister thought you could get into Fort Wilderness at Disney without a ticket. It is the campground but has beach, walking trails, horse barn and other fun things to see. If you do a dinner show, our family liked Arabian Knights much better than Medieval Times. Sometimes you can check more "last minute" for an early in the day show and get cheaper tickets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Another option would be to look at something like Sea World instead of Disney or use your extra money to buy another day or 2 at Disney. It seems like the 1 day tickets are outrageous but the more days you buy the cheaper it is per day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Another option would be to look at something like Sea World instead of Disney or use your extra money to buy another day or 2 at Disney. It seems like the 1 day tickets are outrageous but the more days you buy the cheaper it is per day. Yes, do make sure you check the price of multi-day tickets at Disney World vs. one day at Disney and other stuff, if you are really interested in going. At undercover tourist, 1 day is $95, 3 days is $256, 4 days is $269, 5 days is $271, and so on. At this point, you are only paying a few more dollars for another day's ticket - the 5 day works out to $54 per day, almost half of a one day ticket. UT prices include tax and shipping. If you do wind up doing a single park, well, you can't get much more different than Universal and EPCOT, lol! EPCOT has only a couple of typical rides, really. Universal Studios has more rides and pop culture type shows and attractions. Just to make sure you are aware, Universal's Islands of Adventure is a completely separate park, and it's the one I would recommend if you want the visit to be all about the rides. You can also get a 5 day Orlando flex ticket for $294 - that's a bit more than 5 days at Disney, but good if you want variety: Universal Studios Florida®, Islands of Adventure®, Sea World of Orlando®, Sea World Aquatica®, Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay, and Wet 'n Wild® Orlando. http://www.officialticketcenter.com/discount-flex-tickets-orlando.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto3innc Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Legoland Orlando offers homeschool days. it says on their website that they are offering it every Monday starting at some point in May through December. Students get in for $8 and family members for $20. Cant post the link right now but you could look up more details on their site. Another site is kidseatfreecard.com. They are 20 each which may make it not worth it but could save you money if you use them enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Yep we are McD hater ;) We prob will visit it just to see what it is about. I will warn you, I'm neutral on McD's, but after spending an hour in that giant one I wanted to burn it down. Overstimulation doesn't begin to describe it. It was like Chucky Cheese, but poorly air conditioned. UGH. As for where to eat..hmmm....I'd say take a day on the coast and eat some seafood. As for what to do for a reasonable price. there are several springs in the area. I live near Wekiva Springs, but my favorite is Rock Springs/Kelly Park. You rent tubes from the places on the side of the road on the way there, or bring your own. Then it's like a real life lazy river from the head of the springs through some trees and such...really pretty. Then you walk back along a boardwalk. Its the "Real Florida' experience. Truly gorgeous, and I think it is $6 for the whole car full of people. Just get there early as it fills up quick. Oh, and bring bug spray. The last time we were there one of the kids got eaten alive by mosquitoes, he ended up in a swarm/nest/something of them while floating along. In fact, bring some benedryl or cortisone, and Walmart sells something in the camping section called stingeeze that works great on bug bites. Florida has a LOT of bugs. There's also Blue Springs, and Deleon Springs. OUr favorite breakfast/lunch place is First Watch, not sure if they have one near Disney. Really fresh, good breakfast items, some of which have a Florida twist to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Something else you might consider is a day trip to St. Augustine: http://www.oldcity.com/ Again, it's kind of a drive from the WDW area (a good two hours), but it could be a full day's entertainment for a family. We've actually gone for brief staycations a few times and always had fun. There are lots of silly tourist attractions, but also genuine historical things to see. It's a pleasant place to wander and poke around in shops. And it's definitely Florida. For your $200 budget, you could buy all five family members tickets for the trolley tour ($100 total) and still have enough left for lunch and admission to Castillo de San Marcos, at least. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Here is a link to a site with pictures of Rock Springs / Kelly Park. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g29171-d116904-Reviews-Kelly_Park-Apopka_Florida.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 This is what I can think of right now. I will put my thinking cap on for more. We love Gatorland. About $25 per adult. Coupons can be found normally. Ds loves it there. We go for his bday treat frequently. Restaurant wise one of our favorite take out/casual is Pollo Tropical. There is one near the airport but I am not sure about Disney area. An Orlando based chain with Cuban food. Their grilled chicken is great. We also love the yuka fries and tostones(I amnot sure how to spell). Black beans and rice are great there too. lol, I never realized that it was a local chain! Yes, Pollo Tropical is great. prices and such similar to say Boston Market, but way better and less processed. You can see them grilling the food while you are ordering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 It's not. We have them up north. Up until recently there was one down the road from me. Now it' is becoming a White Castle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Another option would be to look at something like Sea World instead of Disney or use your extra money to buy another day or 2 at Disney. It seems like the 1 day tickets are outrageous but the more days you buy the cheaper it is per day. All of the major theme parks (WDW, Universal's two and Sea World) keep their ticket prices within a dollar or two of each other. For a single day, Sea World won't be significantly less expensive than Disney. Here are the base prices for the three major theme park complexes, single day, single park, adult (age 10+) tickets: Walt Disney World: $94.79 including tax Universal Orlando: $88 plus tax SeaWorld: $89 plus tax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 . You can also get a 5 day Orlando flex ticket for $294 - that's a bit more than 5 days at Disney, but good if you want variety: Universal Studios Florida®, Islands of Adventure®, Sea World of Orlando®, Sea World Aquatica®, Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay, and Wet 'n Wild® Orlando. http://www.officialt...ts-orlando.aspx So what you are saying by buying the flex tickes we can visit a different park for each day right up to 5 days??? Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Downtown Disney is a fun day. Full of shops and restaurants. My mom had a condo in Orlando for awhile. It was in June so too hot for me to do theme parks and we never had money anyway. We always spent a day at DT Disney and the kids LOVED it. Lots of putt-putt in the Orlando area. Olde Town can be a fun trip as well. Just more shops and restaurants, though when we were there last, about 2 years ago, it was starting to look a little run down. The kids still had a good time though. We love Downtown Disney, especially the Lego Store, but you might want to check before going. They started changing some things (the name will change to Disney Springs or something like that), and I don't know if any areas will be closed off when they start construction on the new area. My go-to suggestion for cheap family fun is always Kelly Park/Rock Springs. Rock Springs and Blue Springs are both nice. Edit: I just remembered Fort Christmas. http://www.nbbd.com/.../FortChristmas/ It's out of the way, but could be worth a stop if you do decide to head to Cocoa for a day. It has a great play area! It will be out of your way though, unless you come to the coast. It's quite a distance from the Disney area. BTW, it's 10 minutes from my house. :) Kennedy Space Center is by Cocoa Beach, but it wasn't worth the ticket price we paid to get in. Unless you've got a huge space junkie in the family, I'd do something else. I'd rather save up and do a free day and then buy a two-day to universal studios. It's not that much more to tack on a 2nd day :) I would agree. It's not worth the cost of admission unless you are really space fans. We only go once a year when they have free admission for local residents. I really don't recommend it to most people. I'd rather spend the money on theme park admission. Kennedy Space Center used to have an area where you could pull off on your way in and look at a couple of rockets. I think they were apollo ones but long time ago. When they were little they loved those more then the paid for part. There are supposed to be some great walking trails near there too in the nature reserve. Dixie Crossroads in Titusville has great deals on kids meals. Good food in general. Highly recommend if you go over to Kennedy. That's no longer available. You have to pay to get in anywhere. When ds was little, we could go to the rocket garden and a play area without paying admission, but once Delaware North bought it, the entire area became pay-only. Dixie Crossroads - we just went there a few weeks ago. Yum! It can get crowded at dinner time though, so try to get there early if you go. AFAIK they don't take reservations. Also 10 minutes from me but in the opposite direction from Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Talked to the kids some more. They looked at the WDW website. They are not that impressed with it. So its either universal studios or Busch Gardens. We still want to do some off beaten path stuff which you guys gave really good recommendations (thanks btw!) So those of you with Teens which did they like best: Busch gardens or Universal studios? Did they even like WDW? Thanks! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Busch Gardens has the most attractive deal going on right now through their website. Buy a busch garden ticket and get all day dining for free. :) That is def friendly for my budget esp with teens. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 My teens love Disney. But, we've taken them for years. I love that my teens can act like little kids there. They ride the little kid rides with their sister just to see her smile. I LOVE Disney. We did Busch Gardens last summer and LOVED it!!! Really. Loved it. The olders got to ride HUGE rides while I took the littles and we fed kangaroos and exotic birds. Dd got to ride her first upside-down roller coaster! It was amazing. We had one free day. The kids chose Disney. I'm not sure if that was because we always go there or not. We've never been to Universal. I agree with another poster - watch Dolphin Tale. Drive to Clearwater Beach and meet Winter. We got to see an OT session with her. AMAZING. Another thought - Check out Discovery Cove. We did a day there and got 14 day admission to all their parks - Aquatica, Sea World, and Busch Gardens (and, Discovery Cove, of course). After all of that, my kids still kept asking when we were going to Disney!!! Enjoy your vacation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 So those of you with Teens which did they like best: Busch gardens or Universal studios? Did they even like WDW? Both of mine strongly prefer WDW to any of the other theme parks they've visited. My son hasn't been to Busch Gardens, but my daughter was completely unimpressed. We had Universal passes for a couple of years, and our experience was that attractions were down/not running/broken/being rehabbed far too often. My son would go into the park with the intention of riding a specific thing, and it would be open when we walked past then closed 10 minutes later. We've all had the experience of waiting in line for an extended period of time, only to have the attraction shut down before we could actually ride. Customer service and general quality are also simply not up to WDW standards. Once our passes expired, I've never felt the need to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 (Sorry. Double post.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Islands of Adventure has more thrill rides than Disney, however they don't have a good system of "fast passes" to make your day more efficient. Busch Gardens is an excellent choice for teens, love the animal aspects along with the rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 So what you are saying by buying the flex tickes we can visit a different park for each day right up to 5 days??? Holly Right, one visit to each of the listed parks. I think you have to do each park, you can't visit one twice, but you'd have to double-check the details. My kids are 12 & 14 and love Disney above all else, lol, even tho' the oldest loves thrill rides and other parks have more of them. They've been going for years, though, I don't know if that makes a difference. They are complete Harry Potter fanatics, and they loved it when we took a day to visit Universal for that, but neither of them have any interest in going back (because we would have to choose either Disney or Universal; the one day visit was a very pricey one time deal). Has anyone mentioned the middle ages restaurant in Orlando? http://www.medievaltimes.com/orlando.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 So those of you with Teens which did they like best: Busch gardens or Universal studios? Did they even like WDW? Thanks! Holly My teen likes both but prefers Universal. If yours like roller coasters, then Busch Gardens is the place. Ds loves the roller coasters there. If they like themed tie-ins, then pick Universal. If you can do both, do both. He does like WDW, but not so much Magic Kingdom. When he has to choose between Disney parks, he picks Epcot and Animal Kingdom. He wouldn't turn down an opportunity to go to any of the Disney parks or other theme parks, but if he has a choice he'd rather go to Universal. Universal - If you can spend the money, get the 2-park pass. There are things at both parks that would appeal to teens, and it's hard to choose just one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I don't think anyone mentioned Ripley's or WonderWorks. We've never been to the Orlando Ripley's (we've gone to the one in St. Augustine). We've gone to WonderWorks many times, and though I get tired of it, ds still likes it. Both are on International Drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 So those of you with Teens which did they like best: Busch gardens or Universal studios? Did they even like WDW? Thanks! Holly Mine love Disney over Universal, even the older one, when he was 19. They would do Universal over Busch Gardens as they aren't trhill riders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey Mom Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 If you're into the rides, Universal offers more in that department than EPCOT. If you're more into learning while playing, EPCOT is the better choice. Both parks will have large crowds. Large crowds = longer lines. Regarding restaurants, Medieval Times is fun, but it's pricey. There is the little, relatively unknown, restaurant that one of the locals turned us on to that is an absolute MUST if you're in the area: Manny's Chophouse. I must warn you though, if you aren't there when the restaurant opens, you will wait at least an hour to get in. The food is amazing, and NOT overpriced at all. Bring lots of sunscreen, drink lots of water, and have fun! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Yes my teens are more into thrill rides than "theme based" parks. So far their favorite park is Silver Dollar City due to the people. Even though it is a hillbilly/redneck theme they loved it anyway. They loved the Noon shootout and the dances that is rednecked theme or inclusive of the Missouri or the south. Hubby and I wouldn't have a problem with taking them to one of the disney parks but they said they are not sure about that. We will be talking to them tonight or tomorrow about what they really want. I do know that Downtown Disney and the Disney putt putt is on the agenda for us!! :) Possibly gatorland as well. That sounds like fun! Thanks guys!! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Yes my teens are more into thrill rides than "theme based" parks. So far their favorite park is Silver Dollar City due to the people. Even though it is a hillbilly/redneck theme they loved it anyway. They loved the Noon shootout and the dances that is rednecked theme or inclusive of the Missouri or the south. Hmmmm . . . I'm wondering if they might like Disney's Hollywood Studios, then? I'm thinking specifically of the Indiana Jones stunt show and Lights, Motors, Action. Neither is hillbilly themed, but they are stunt/action shows with live people. Both shows are favorites of my teen son, too, and the reason(s) he chose The Studios as his birthday treat this year. The Backlot Tour (with Catastrophe Canyon) is also fun. And the park does have two thrill rides: Rock 'n Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror. Edited to add: I meant to say, too, that The Studios has my favorite of the night-time spectaculars, Fantasmic. The Magic Kingdom has Frontierland, with a variety of Western-themed attractions, including Splash Mountain. If they enjoy that kind of hokey, hillbilly humor, you might also consider taking them to the dinner show at Fort Wilderness, the Hoop De Doo Review? It's pricey, but it's an evening's entertainment and dinner, and getting a reservation there would probably allow you the opportunity to go into the campground early and wander there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 Are reservations required at most restauants? What about restaurants in Downtown Disney? Thanks! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Are reservations required at most restauants? What about restaurants in Downtown Disney? Yes, you will need reservations at any of the table-service restaurants, especially in June. You should be able to take care of that online here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Not sure this is what will work for you, but these are the places we really enjoyed when we were down there after Thanksgiving: Charles Hosmer Morse Museum in Winter Park (just east of Orlando) http://www.morsemuseum.org/ (we hit a free Friday evening, but admission tops at $5 anyway and parking is free). If you like Tiffany glass or the Arts and Crafts movement, I'd highly recommend it. We then walked through the downtown shopping area of Winter Park, alongside a nice park area. They had several interesting and unusual fair trade shops in the mix and we enjoyed having appetizers at the Turkish restaurant (Bosphorous http://bosphorousrestaurant.com/). The public library branch in downtown Orlando has a huge used bookstore (takes up most of a floor)---we travel by used bookstore ;) so this was exciting for us. My daughter enjoyed the selection of manga that was there when we went and I found some good options to use in homeschooling. http://www.ocls.info/locations/MainLibrary/default.asp The bookstore alone was close to the size of our library branch at home. The Harry P. Leu house and gardens was nice and not terribly expensive ($10 adults, $3 for grades K-12) http://www.leugardens.org/plan/index.htm Toojays Deli was quite good, I think it's a regional chain---we ate there twice http://www.toojays.com/ Caveat: some of these we did without my daughter because she was at Disney, though I think she would have enjoyed the museum (she's an artist). She did go to the gardens with us, but she enjoys old houses as well. We went down with my in-laws and they were the ones who took her to Disney on three of the days (they had days left on their never-expire tickets bought when we went down 7 years ago, including one for her). We're not really into theme parks. Her favorite part of Disney was the Hollywood Studios. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquilt Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 If you have a house for your stay, you can save a lot on food and packing lunches for day trips, etc. You may want to bring a crock pot if you are driving; most houses won't provide one but we use ours for dinners when you come home and are too tired to cook. Go see Winter and her friends in Clearwater and visit the beach. Don't waste your money on Ripley's Wonderworks or whatever it's called on International. It's horrible, pricey and only takes an hour, if that. If you head for Downtown Disney, be prepared to say "no" a lot if you are not into shopping; there are a ton of stores and many temptations but if you are looking for one really nice dinner there are several great options in Downtown with free parking. We've never been to Universal but we love Busch Gardens and the all day dining deal can be a great option if you plan to be there all day. I have heard there are several great organic farms that you can visit but haven't found one yet. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 The crockpot is a great suggestion. We took one with us this year for the first time (staying in a condo---my in-laws have a timeshare) and it was very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Another thought is you could do Seaworld one day and Aquatica the next for less than one day at Disney I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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