* ~** ThemeParks megathread **~**

MadsL

FTroydon wrote: »

Thanks for all of the replies!

MadsL - we looked at Busch Gardens online during the week and definitely want to go there, so we are thinking of staying in the Tampa area for 2 or 3 nights.
We have 10 nights in total, so are thinking of 4 nights in Orlando, then 3 in Tampa, and then the final 3 back in Orlando. Does that sounds like a good plan?

Sounds like a plan. No Miami in that schedule?

Thanks so much for the hotel recommendation! I am going to check it out now.

Really recommend it. Pricey amenities but that's 4* hotels for you. However there is a massive range of food from a grocery store right in the hotel, a 'takeout' fast food pizza, dogs, sandwich place, sushi bar, bistro, flatbread place as well as the usual high end fine dining.

Top class golf course that also does shoe and club rentals.

If you have any other advice or recommendations, such as what area of Tampa to stay in that would be great.

See another America (there are lots )

Book early for a hotel within walking distance of the main street of Ybor City, this is old cigar making town, and is now party central - full of cigar bars, pirate bars, and vintage shops, plus great eats. It is a national historic district and has a feel of another America - Spanish and Italian heritage.

Later maybe book into one of the beach towns down the intercoastal waterway. Pass-a-grille is cool, as is St Pete. Book early for a Independant guest house on the beach (we struggled showing up weekend of Cinqo de mayo trying to get a room down there) Fantastic beaches along that stretch.

I have never been to Florida at all, so all advice is appreciated

Also, did you drive over there, and if so, how was it?

You know the pottering old guy you get stuck behind. Welcome to Florida!
From my perspective, living here, Florida sucks for drivers, 45 mph on three lane highways is stupid, but they are super safety conscious, so good place to drive for the first time in the US.

Remember Florida is a right-on-red state. Other than that, it's fine. Bring a sat nav or buy one here that has free maps for Europe.

Moorsie

Going to Eurodisney via Cherbourg. Did it last year too. All went well until I got to boulevard peripherique. Spent about 2 hours on same with very young kids. Awful road. If not perfectly positioned in lane you risk losing mirrors from the multitude of motorbikes whizzing by. Like an anti-Christ when we arrived in Disney.

Want to avoid a similar experience. Don't mind if route is longer as long as we are moving. Any suggestions?

Outkast_IRE

have a look at this as an alternate and leave me know if its possible.

http://maps.google.ie/maps?saddr=cherbourg,+france&daddr=49.03779,1.45767+to:48.7774882,2.2208446+to:Eurodisney,+Seine-et-Marne,+France&hl=en&ll=48.80008,2.174606&spn=0.18408,0.328903&sll=48.819976,2.307816&sspn=0.368014,0.657806&geocode=FbVu9QIdLjPn_ymNGDOdC5cMSDGQfrlPSBQMBA%3BFd5B7AIdBj4WACnXb9EBcMrmRzGmi0Cllp9kWw%3BFRBJ6AIdLOMhAClTuVUIfnnmRzEzhWHHh0E__g%3BFW-t6QIdaHIqACFg5hBjy_j6Vw&oq=eurodisney&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=11&via=1,2&z=12

Moorsie

That looks viable. Can't be much worse.

RayCon

Sorry for bringing up an old thread but I thought this might help people travelling to Orlando this year.

Ive been regularly pricing Universal's Tickets Prices for our trip in Oct and in particular the 6 park Flex Ticket ... here's what I noticed this week ...

FlexTicket Plus (6 Parks)
Unlimited access over 14 days to the following parks:
Aquatica
Universal Studios
Islands of Adventure®
SeaWorld® Orlando
Wet 'n Wild® Orlando
Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay

Undercover Tourist : $324 = €258 approx
American Holidays : €231.51 + €10 fee = €241.51
Tour America : €241

however ... if you buy

1 Adult 3 PARK TICKET - SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens™ and Aquatica™
and
1 Adult Universals 3-Park Bonus Ticket (Islands of Adventure®,Universal Studios & Wet 'n Wild® Orlando)

.. you'll get the same unlimtied access for 14 days to the same parks for a total of €217.11 + €10 fee = €227.11 on American Holidays

Almost €30 saving per adult ticket V's Undercover Tourist

I never thought Undercover Tourist would ever be beaten but this looks the best option for 2012 (and that's before the usual price rise around June / July)

acurno

What are the best theme parks to hit on a 2 day visit to Orlando? No kids, just myself and the missus and want to hit the most exciting ones. Wet and wild looks like a definite, just wondering if we should bother with Disney. Quite expensive and more family orientated it seems.

Savman

acurno wrote: »

What are the best theme parks to hit on a 2 day visit to Orlando? No kids, just myself and the missus and want to hit the most exciting ones. Wet and wild looks like a definite, just wondering if we should bother with Disney. Quite expensive and more family orientated it seems.

2 days is awfully short but Islands Of Adventure (Universal) is a must.

acurno

Yea 2 days is short alright but that'll do us!
I'm putting islands of adventure and wet and wild on the two day itinerary now so unless someone else has a further suggestion??

Need to head to Miami the following day so just wondering if anyone has done the drive from Orlando to Miami? Google maps says it takes about 4 hours. I don't mind driving at all but I'd rather take a scenic route than sitting on a concrete highway with nothing to see. Was also looking at heading to Clearwater after Orlando instead and driving from there to Miami. Will take about 5 hours but the road looks like it goes through some national parks so could be an interesting drive. Anyone done something similar?

Savman

Clearwater is nice, not too far from Orlando, but that's taking you away from the Miami direction. You'd be going west to go south, adding highway miles in the process.

Not sure I'd fancy the Orlando to Miami drive unless you have your reasons for doing so, there's not a lot to see in Miami either. I'm guessing you're heading there for work or family or other such purpose.

Driving Miami to Key West is an experience though.

acurno

I'm only heading to Miami cause I'm booked on a cruise from there.

Flying into Orlando and planned on staying 2 nights there. Planned to drive to Miami and break up the journey in a couple of towns. Day in Miami. Next day on the cruise. When we're back from the cruise I'm planning on heading down to Key west for a couple of days.
Would you recommend Miami at all even for one day on the beach or would I be better of staying another day in Orlando for an extra one? Could also drive to Clearwater, spend 2 days there, then drive well early to Miami for a 16.30 cruise.

As I said, I've no problem driving as long as it's a scenic drive. If it's a scenic 5 hour trip from Clearwater I'd take that any day over a 4 hour traffic jammed drive down the I95 to Miami from Orlando.

Savman

Yeah an overnight in Miami before the cruise would be a good idea. It's very much a tale of two cities IMHO, downtown is a ghetto whereas Miami Beach is home to the rich and famous.

Either way I'd still go for an extra night in Orlando where possible.

rossie1977

miami is a really good city, southbeach is great for nightlife, shopping, eating and has a fantastic beach, downtown is grand, far better than downtown orlando and much much cleaner, bayside marketplace, the arena, bayfront park are all downtown, certainly not a ghetto in 2012

its not a scenic drive between orlando and miami, nothing to see at all really if you take interstate or the turnpike

RayCon

acurno wrote: »

What are the best theme parks to hit on a 2 day visit to Orlando? No kids, just myself and the missus and want to hit the most exciting ones. Wet and wild looks like a definite, just wondering if we should bother with Disney. Quite expensive and more family orientated it seems.

Islands Of Adventure is your #1 priority.

Wet N Wild is good fun - but dont think it's a full day but you sound like you want a Water Park so your choices are Wet N Wild or Aquatica - you'll have a great time in either.

If a water park isn't a priority and I only had 2 days in Orlando - I'd do Island of Adventure and Seaworld.

jack presley

RayCon wrote: »

Islands Of Adventure is your #1 priority.

Wet N Wild is good fun - but dont think it's a full day but you sound like you want a Water Park so your choices are Wet N Wild or Aquatica - you'll have a great time in either.

If a water park isn't a priority and I only had 2 days in Orlando - I'd do Island of Adventure and Seaworld.

Wet n wild is only a 5 or 10 minute drive from Universal studios so you could easily do 1/2day in each as well as your full day in IoA

RayCon

jack presley wrote: »

Wet n wild is only a 5 or 10 minute drive from Universal studios so you could easily do 1/2day in each as well as your full day in IoA

Good point ... and a 3 park ticket will set you back €134 for unlimited access to those 3 parks ..

david2002

Cheers for that . . . We're going soon too and that looks like it will be a BIG help

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

have a look at this as an alternate and leave me know if its possible.

http://maps.google.ie/maps?saddr=cherbourg,+france&daddr=49.03779,1.45767+to:48.7774882,2.2208446+to:Eurodisney,+Seine-et-Marne,+France&hl=en&ll=48.80008,2.174606&spn=0.18408,0.328903&sll=48.819976,2.307816&sspn=0.368014,0.657806&geocode=FbVu9QIdLjPn_ymNGDOdC5cMSDGQfrlPSBQMBA%3BFd5B7AIdBj4WACnXb9EBcMrmRzGmi0Cllp9kWw%3BFRBJ6AIdLOMhAClTuVUIfnnmRzEzhWHHh0E__g%3BFW-t6QIdaHIqACFg5hBjy_j6Vw&oq=eurodisney&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=11&via=1,2&z=12

acurno

Thanks for the advice looks like that's a plan anyway! What time do the parks open to? Are they all Universal parks so I'd need a 3 day universal one? Thought WetnWild was disney.

Ilovelucy

Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are the Disney waterparks.

jack presley

Wet N Wild is a bit dated out but it is still a great day out and very convenient to get to/from if you're going to Universal Studios/island of Adventure and if you're staying anyway central on International Drive.

I was there in the 1988 and some of the rides were still there when I went back last October but having said that it's a water park and the rides are still great. they do have a few newish ones as well so I'd definitely recommend it.

Seaworld is a bit further (20 minutes?) away if you wanted to go to a more modern one but it is also more popular so the queues were much longer than WnW. Unless you were going to Disney for a few days or were staying there I wouldn't recommend travelling all the way there just to go to their water parks

Nelly 21

Hi Was thinking about heading to Orlando myself with my husband (no kids) in November. I really want to be well organised before we go with plans and tickets booked. We're going to be in Orlando for 4 nights as we will be travelling from Ny (and hopefully on to Nashville!). I have read that you are better off booking Disney tickets before you go. I'm hoping to spend maybe 2 days in the theme parks and 2 days sightseeing. Anyone have tips on where to go, what to see and where to book tickets!!! Any info with be greatly appreciated!!

PoolDude

Anyone else got tips on how to get the best priced tickets.

I've got 2 adults, 1 10 year old who I think counts as an adult (based on their age restrictions) and 2 kids under 10. We will also have 2 other adults in our extended party.

I think we want to hit Disney & Universal. Maybe 3 days & 2 days or a combo like that. All tips appreciated. Thx.

slave1

Better advice here man, get ready to break the bank!!

RayCon

PoolDude wrote: »

Anyone else got tips on how to get the best priced tickets.

I've got 2 adults, 1 10 year old who I think counts as an adult (based on their age restrictions) and 2 kids under 10. We will also have 2 other adults in our extended party.

I think we want to hit Disney & Universal. Maybe 3 days & 2 days or a combo like that. All tips appreciated. Thx.

Here's a rough guide posted previously

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=77923263&postcount=9

Loughc

So what is everyone's favorite theme park?

I haven't been to many but I love Alton Towers been there about 6 times in the last 3 years.

Was hoping to go to Orlando this year but the trip is very much up in the air, but if I do I really can't wait to do Universal Studios and IOA.

What are everyone elses favorites?

rednik

Busch Gardens in Tampa, bit of a drive from Orlando but well worth it.

Jame Gumb

Universal Studios in Orlando.

Loughc

rednik wrote: »

Busch Gardens in Tampa, bit of a drive from Orlando but well worth it.

Heard lots of good things about this too!

rossie1977

if you like alton towers you will like islands of adventure and busch gardens, both are a step above alton towers, haven't been but cedar point in ohio is meant to be the best theme park (if you are a rollercoaster fan) in the world, i like seaworld in orlando too, hasn't as many rides as the others but has some excellent shows

closer to home i like blackpool pleasure beach, its got more of a funfair type atmosphere to it but its still a really fun day out with some great rides

Loughc

rossie1977 wrote: »

if you like alton towers you will like islands of adventure and busch gardens, both are a step above alton towers, haven't been but cedar point in ohio is meant to be the best theme park (if you are a rollercoaster fan) in the world, i like seaworld in orlando too, hasn't as many rides as the others but has some excellent shows

closer to home i like blackpool pleasure beach, its got more of a funfair type atmosphere to it but its still a really fun day out with some great rides

Never been heard some mixed reviews of the place and some really negative reviews of it!

rossie1977

its starting to show its age a bit but a weekend trip to blackpool around early september when the illuminations are on (start august 31st) and when its still warm enough for the beach can be a fun few days, everything is walkable or short tram ride away