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December/New years in orlando

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  • 23-06-2013 12:01pm
    #1
    PaulKK
    Registered Users Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    Will be on honeymoon over new years in Orlando for 5 nights before we move on to another part of Florida. Just wondering if anyone has been in Orlando for NYE before or would have any advice on how best to spend 5 days there? Trying to get everything organised in advance in case we need to buy tickets etc.

    I've been to Orlando once before but just to Disney and my future wife has never been. The only place thats on the list at the moment is sea world as she always wanted to go there, I also like the look of universal studios.

    Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.


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    #2
    irishbloke77
    Registered Users Posts: 630 ✭✭✭irishbloke77


    Citywalk at Universal should be doing something good at that time of year.

    The locals will gather around a lake called Lake Eola just east of Orlando city centre for the fireworks, but Disney and universal will do the fireworks aswell. Try citywalk, see what they have planned.


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    #3
    PaulKK
    Registered Users Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭PaulKK


    Thanks for the advice so far, would anyone have any other recommendations?

    Thinking for now to just go to Seaworld for a half day and the Universal parks over 1 or 2 days (including NYE), and relaxing for the other 2 days. Are there any other must see attractions while there?

    I was looking at some of the park hopper tickets also but they don't seem to suit our needs!


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    #4
    Jonny_D
    Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭Jonny_D


    If you have a car, drive to Celebration. It's worth spending a couple of hours there.
    I really enjoyed Gatorland too.
    And Old Town Kissimmee if you're in the area.


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    #5
    oB1
    Registered Users Posts: 706 ✭✭✭oB1


    As a Universal Studios employee, i would recommend coming here for NYE, it really is quite spectacular. You can get a 2 day park to park Universal only ticket, but i would actually recommend the park hopper tickets, especially if you are going to SeaWorld as well. you can get other parks included in that.


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    #6
    PaulKK
    Registered Users Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭PaulKK


    RobertHopkins wrote: »
    As a Universal Studios employee, i would recommend coming here for NYE, it really is quite spectacular. You can get a 2 day park to park Universal only ticket, but i would actually recommend the park hopper tickets, especially if you are going to SeaWorld as well. you can get other parks included in that.

    Thanks Robert, I presume there's fireworks etc? That sounds great as we had planned going to universal for sure, would city walk be the best place to be for the night?


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    #7
    oB1
    Registered Users Posts: 706 ✭✭✭oB1


    PaulKK wrote: »
    Thanks Robert, I presume there's fireworks etc? That sounds great as we had planned going to universal for sure, would city walk be the best place to be for the night?

    No problem :) - yep, there will be fireworks galore, the atmosphere is great. CityWalk is where the night will continue after the parks close. Usually with several different parties going on :)


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    #8
    TingTong
    Registered Users Posts: 138 ✭✭TingTong


    RobertHopkins wrote: »
    No problem :) - yep, there will be fireworks galore, the atmosphere is great. CityWalk is where the night will continue after the parks close. Usually with several different parties going on :)

    Before our kids arrived we spent NYE in 2005/6 at Universals citywalk. I can tell you it was one of the best nights of my life. I think we paid $80 each for the night, but all the food and drink was included. It was a multi-themed night from what I can remember, reggae in one location, dance in another, comedy in another and lots more besides. We actually met Gloria Gaynor (I will survive) on the night and got a photo taken with her. In our drunken state we told her we were her No.1 fans from Ireland which raised an eyebrow or two. From what the wife tells me Universal actually paid for our limo home because I fell up a stairs (or down?) and they were afraid I would do damage to myself.:D

    Well worth a visit on the night...don't miss out. Our kids are in tow now so it is all now just a distant memory.


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    #9
    PaulKK
    Registered Users Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭PaulKK


    Thanks everyone for the feedback! I will definitely head to citywalk for NYE, I'll be keeping an eye on the Universal site for more info.

    One more question if you guys don't mind.. is it better to rent a car there or just get taxis?

    We are in the Hilton at the bottom of I Drive, so I'm unsure what the best thing to do is, obviously if I had a rental car the disadvantage is no drinking, but I don't mind too much.


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    #10
    oB1
    Registered Users Posts: 706 ✭✭✭oB1


    PaulKK wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for the feedback! I will definitely head to citywalk for NYE, I'll be keeping an eye on the Universal site for more info.

    One more question if you guys don't mind.. is it better to rent a car there or just get taxis?

    We are in the Hilton at the bottom of I Drive, so I'm unsure what the best thing to do is, obviously if I had a rental car the disadvantage is no drinking, but I don't mind too much.

    I would recommend hiring a car, as, there is a lot more freedom associated with having it to use whenever you like, and not being tied to a bus schedule, or forking out lots of money on taxi's, having said that, there is a bus service called the iRide trolley, and that leaves frequently to and from iDrive covering the greater "tourist-area" of Orlando ( to and from iDrive, Universal Studios, SeaWorld etc ) and tickets are pretty cheap for that. I would check out the hotels website, and see where the nearest stop is, they usually stop right outside hotels :)


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