A former local's (brief) guide to the Orlando area
Written: Oct 12 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: can be really fun
Cons: see above
|
|
|
| kilinahe's Full Review: Florida |
Review Topic: Practical Information
I was born and raised in Florida, not very far from Orlando. Since I spent twenty-one years in the area, it's not very special or magical to me, but I've seen thousands of people wandering around Disneyworld, coming and going on their vacations, and I know that being there must mean an awful lot to them. Like any tourist destination, though, the Orlando area has its own special pitfalls.
1. The Heat. And I don't mean the basketball team. From June through September, and sometimes later, it is really freaking hot in Florida. I am continually amazed that more visitors don't drop dead from the heat. At the peak of summer, the mercury can work its way up past the 100 degree mark. This is bad news for anyone, especially someone from, say, Minnesota. If you're not prepared for bright, scorching sun, you can become dehydrated fast. Therefore, it is imperitive that while you're at the Magic Kingdom, or wherever you wander with your family, that you carry water or Gatorade. The operative word here is carry. Which brings me to...
2. The incredibly high prices. A vacation in the area can be mighty expensive if you're not careful. Just forget about buying bottled water at Disney. You'll need a second mortgage. Instead, just go shopping. Go to a grocery store (Publix and Winn-Dixie are the two major chains in the area) and buy whatever snacks and drinks you think you'll need for a few days. You'll probably have a small fridge in your hotel room; use it. Store your drinks and food and carry them with you to your theme park du jour. This goes doubly for things like sunscreen. I don’t think I need to mention that only a fool goes to Florida without sunscreen, but you should buy your own at your favorite store and pack it, because you’ll pay a mint for it in the gift shops.
3. The crowds. Never, ever, under any circumstances, try to go to the Magic Kingdom, MGM, or Universal any time in the week before or after Christmas. You will get there only to realize that a few thousand people had the same idea. If you should find yourself with vacation time and a ticket to Florida at Christmastime, plan accordingly. Go to the attractions no later than mid-December. After that, the holiday rush is in full swing and you’re looking at a wait of 90 minutes per ride. Parking is nonexistent after 9 a.m. on any given day during that time of the year. Consider spending Christmas week at Kennedy Space Center or even Busch Gardens in Tampa. If you’re like me and live for long car trips, take a drive 90 minutes north to Ocala and check out Silver Springs. You can’t swim in the ocean at Daytona that time of year, but a walk along the shore is quite pleasant.
4. The traffic. It’s worse than you think, so if you have to be somewhere, allow extra time. Additionally, if you are driving to Florida from the north, you will be tempted to drive on the turnpike. For this privilege, you have to pay tolls. It’s a straight shot and if you don’t mind the added expense, it might be better. State Road 27 takes a little longer, but is much more scenic and probably less congested.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
kilinahe
|
|
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Reviews written: 74
Trusted by: 23 members
About Me:
"In your face, Space Coyote!"
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.