What to do in Florida

We couldn’t get enough of Florida , so decided to buy a vacation home there...  When we first went to Florida , we tried to pack everything into a fortnight; we were out of our hotel from 8am to 10pm and had a great time.  Having the villa helps us to pace ourselves more.  We sometimes have half a day in the parks, coming back to our villa and pool when the crowds start to build up and being close enough to return at night to catch the fireworks.  It makes for an even better trip, and no need to have a vacation to recover from our vacation!

Theme Parks

We are theme park junkies, so would recommend the following parks and rides:

Disney parks

Epcot – favourite rides are Soaring (good for all the family) & Test Track.  Being able to walk around the world in an afternoon is always an achievement.

Magic Kingdom – great for our son who loves the three Mountains and all the Disney character rides. We are now enjoying collecting the free Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom cards.

Animal Kingdom – we love the Lion King musical, Everest and the Kilimanjaro Safari.

Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) – First ride is always Toy Story Mania, Dad prefers to miss the Tower of Terror and we have still not seen every Star Tours combination.

Blizzard Beach – we went down Summit Plummet slide once; never again!

Typhoon Lagoon –  a brilliant day out, even when it’s raining.   Can you eat a whole sand pail ice cream bucket?

We have had character meals in a number of the Disney hotels, and in the parks.  They are excellent value, a good chance to get out of the sun at midday and a good excuse to get up close to the Disney characters. 

We would recommend booking before you travel.       http://www.wdwplanner.com/characterdining.htm

Universal parks       http://www.universalorlando.com   - more thrill rides for the older child.

Universal Studios – favourites are the New Harry Potter lands, Men in Black, the Simpsons Ride, Minion Mayhem.  Don’t go on the Mummy first thing in the morning;  a carriage all to yourself is too spooky!

Universal Islands of Adventure – Spiderman, Harry Potter - Dad always manages to get at least one butter beer.  Looking forward to King Kong (summer 2016).

Looking forward to Volcano Bay waterpark in 2017. 

Other parks

Seaworld – Clyde and Seamore - Sea Lion High, the new look Shamu show and the Manatees.   Consider booking an evening meal with Shamu before you leave the UK ;  food is good and it’s great to get up close...       Seaworld Parks Website

Aquatica – Our favorate waterpark -  Dad loves loves the all day dining package.         Aquatica website

Discovery Cove - Looking forward to our second visit - watch out for offers that include entry to the other Sea World parks.

Busch Gardens – loved everything about this park, with so many roller coasters and animals.

Legoland - Great for the younger (under 12) guests.

Something a bit different

Although we love the theme parks, we now try to fit in something different on each trip.  Notable trips have included:

Kennedy Space centre – all the men in our party love the gadgets and pretending to be spacemen for the day; we always seem to come back with space ice cream...  Check out launch dates at:   http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html

Swimming with Manatees – water is not exactly clear, but we loved getting up close to the manatees.  Make sure you get in the water first to get the best sitings.    http://floridamanateetours.com

Balloon flight – we can often see balloons either launched or landing to the rear of the house.  We flew with Orange blossom; with a child under 10 going free; most days in Florida are clear, and the view is amazing:    http://www.orangeblossomballoons.com

Homosassa Springs State Park – fantastic to see the manatees and native Florida animals up close; makes a very peaceful change from the theme parks!  We vowed to hire out a boat next time we go...       https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Homosassa-Springs

Bok Tower Gardens - a real escape for the day.

Air boat ride – Loved seeing the animals up close. Took some great photos.     http://wildfloridairboats.com/airboat-tours/

Golf – There are so many excellent golf courses close to the villa. We would particularly recommend the Disney courses which are superb.

Shopping  –  No shortage of options here.  Posner Park with Target, Staples, Best Buy and many other shops.  5 minutes drive away from the villa – head

South down the I27, just after the I4 junction. 

Walmart is 5 minutes drive from the villa – head North up the I27, just after the 192 turn off.

Prime shopping outlet can be found at the top of International Drive , 25 minutes drive away.

Premier Shopping mall is approx 20 minutes drive away with many brand name items.

Macy’s and Ikea can be found at the Millenium Outlet, 30 minutes drive away.

Enjoy!