iplf Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 It's been awhile since I posted here, because I have been busy with work a lot. However, I have a holiday coming up in May and because you guys helped me out VERY good the past few years, I'm askign for help again. From May 22 till June 1 I'll be in Florida (I live in Belgium). 1) Park-wise, I definitely want to visit Busch Gardens Tampa & Sea World Orlando. However, I'm still not sure about what I should do with Disney and Universal... Some things to take into account: - I'm mainly interested in rollercoasters, although I like walking around in a nice park - Both parks are pretty expensive - I don't mind rushing through a park and don't need to sit down every hour - I think we have enough days in Florida, so there IS time for an extra park, however, we cannot spend an extra 3 days on parks. - I have already visited Disneyland Paris, I liked it, but I'm not 'Disney-crazy'. - I don't care much about studio tours/behind the scenes/... - I like Right now, Universal IOA & Disney's Magic Kingdom seem most interesting to me, with IOA getting my vote. Would it be possible to combine IOA with the Studios, and Magic Kingdom with one of the other Disney parks? If I only have 1 day I can spend, should I go for IOA (+studios?) or Disney? 2) Are there any other interesting (small) parks I should do? We have a car and will be roadtripping between Orlando & Miami. 3) I like hiking and having nice viewpoints/nature. Are there any (maybe not so touristy) options I should consider? Most mainstream websites only mention The Keys & Everglades, but I feel like I need something more. 4) What are the must-dos in Orlando & Miami? Any interesting places to eat that I should visit? Because I love checking out all kinds of restaurants/diners/fastfood places(low-budget as well as <30 USD pp)... Thanks in advance! I wish I could return the favor but I'm pretty sure Belgium is not as appealing to you guys, as Florida is to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 It's been awhile since I posted here, because I have been busy with work a lot.However, I have a holiday coming up in May and because you guys helped me out VERY good the past few years, I'm askign for help again. From May 22 till June 1 I'll be in Florida (I live in Belgium). 1) Park-wise, I definitely want to visit Busch Gardens Tampa & Sea World Orlando. However, I'm still not sure about what I should do with Disney and Universal... Some things to take into account: - I'm mainly interested in rollercoasters, although I like walking around in a nice park - Both parks are pretty expensive - I don't mind rushing through a park and don't need to sit down every hour - I think we have enough days in Florida, so there IS time for an extra park, however, we cannot spend an extra 3 days on parks. - I have already visited Disneyland Paris, I liked it, but I'm not 'Disney-crazy'. - I don't care much about studio tours/behind the scenes/... - I like Right now, Universal IOA & Disney's Magic Kingdom seem most interesting to me, with IOA getting my vote. Would it be possible to combine IOA with the Studios, and Magic Kingdom with one of the other Disney parks? If I only have 1 day I can spend, should I go for IOA (+studios?) or Disney? This seems very odd. Even if you're 'just into credits' you chose Sea World Florida and Busch Gardens Tampa as your only two parks to hit? Have you been to Orlando before? It would be pretty silly to not go to IOA/Universal for a day. You should be able to get all of the credits at those two parks without a problem. If you want to do other things as well, just look into their Express skip the queue program. I'm assuming you're saying Magic Kingdom is most interesting to you cause it has the most credits? Keep in mind I believe Thunder Mountain will be down and we don't have a firm reopening date for the kiddie coaster yet, but it should be open. You might as well just plan a crazy Disney Day, get a one day hopper, and hit all the credits and some other decent rides as well. With good planning this is possible. Keep in mind you're traveling over Memorial Day Weekend and that is a busy park time for Orlando. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iplf Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks. It'll be my first time in Orlando. We have about 10 days to spend so our schedule will be close to this: 2d Orlando 2d Miami 1d Everglades 1d beaches+keys 1d BGT 1d SWO 2 'free' days We're flying into Orlando on Tuesday evening and we're flying back home on Friday of the next week. That way I think we can avoid do parks on Memorial Day weekend. I considered Magic Kingdom to be most interesting because it seems like it's the only complete Disney-park. I don't have any preference though and if I'm paying the Disney ticketprice, I won't focus too much on doing the rollercoasters because they're not that breathtaking anyways... I've thought about the Disney hopper day, and it seems fun to just hang around (with a tight schedule) and enjoy our last day in Florida. I'm not sure though. Based on what you said I will definitely plan a Universal-day! I'll probably just give in to my gf and plan a Disney day too... even though I think 4 days out of 10 spent on theme parks might be 1 day too much... Can't always get the balance right I guess, especially not in Fl . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigs91 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 To save starting another thread, I will be in Florida over the same Memorial Weeked. Does this start on the Friday (like a long weekend in the UK) or does it start on the Saturday? What parks will be the lesser of all evils during that weekend? I will be going to all 4 Disney parks, hopefully both Disney Water Parks as well as USF/IOA, Seaworld and BGT. Apologies to the OP for hijacking his thread but hopefully the answers will benefit him as well as myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 ^If you have the money I would go to Sea World, BGT, or Uni/IOA as they all have pay skip the line systems so you don't have to worry about the crowds! Also, a very important tip is to always check which parks have Extra Magic Hour at Disney and if you're NOT staying on Disney property, avoid them on those days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 It's been awhile since I posted here, because I have been busy with work a lot.However, I have a holiday coming up in May and because you guys helped me out VERY good the past few years, I'm askign for help again. From May 22 till June 1 I'll be in Florida (I live in Belgium). 1) Park-wise, I definitely want to visit Busch Gardens Tampa & Sea World Orlando. However, I'm still not sure about what I should do with Disney and Universal... Some things to take into account: - I'm mainly interested in rollercoasters, although I like walking around in a nice park - Both parks are pretty expensive - I don't mind rushing through a park and don't need to sit down every hour - I think we have enough days in Florida, so there IS time for an extra park, however, we cannot spend an extra 3 days on parks. - I have already visited Disneyland Paris, I liked it, but I'm not 'Disney-crazy'. - I don't care much about studio tours/behind the scenes/... - I like Right now, Universal IOA & Disney's Magic Kingdom seem most interesting to me, with IOA getting my vote. Would it be possible to combine IOA with the Studios, and Magic Kingdom with one of the other Disney parks? If I only have 1 day I can spend, should I go for IOA (+studios?) or Disney? 2) Are there any other interesting (small) parks I should do? We have a car and will be roadtripping between Orlando & Miami. 3) I like hiking and having nice viewpoints/nature. Are there any (maybe not so touristy) options I should consider? Most mainstream websites only mention The Keys & Everglades, but I feel like I need something more. 4) What are the must-dos in Orlando & Miami? Any interesting places to eat that I should visit? Because I love checking out all kinds of restaurants/diners/fastfood places(low-budget as well as <30 USD pp)... Thanks in advance! I wish I could return the favor but I'm pretty sure Belgium is not as appealing to you guys, as Florida is to us. I would visit EPCOT, since it has really good attractions, food, etc. If you are going to Florida just for coaster credits, you are going to the wrong place. Florida parks have less coasters and more attractions (not rides) than most parks. California, Virginia, & Ohio are states for coaster credits. If you are going without a budget, I'd go to all four WDW parks in four days, Islands of Adventure one day, BGT one day. I would highly reccomend going down to the Kennedy Space Center for one day as it is worth it. For the remainder of the three days: there is Tampa & Daytona Beach. There isn't much hiking in Florida since it isn't mountainous (where most trails are). Though, you can check for some state parks to visit there. For Universal Studios & Sea World, it depends on your taste. Love Movies? Go to Universal Studios Love the Aquarium/Sea-Life Animals? Go to Sea World I said this before, but this is very important and I must say this again: Don't go to Florida just for the credits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCJ48 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 ^XYZ makes a great point. Any of those three states have parks that surpass the coaster count of all of FL. Florida is about theme parks, the sort of things where you do everything and admire the fine details, more than amusement parks where you go for thrills. Sure, we have coasters, but they really aren't as good as those of other states. If you're interested in coming for the theming and decor, definitely do Disney. I'm not sure if I would agree that you should do all four parks, since I think Universal/IOA (which are very doable in one day) are superior to DHS, for example. Perhaps one day each at the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, then one at Uni/IOA and one at BGT? Then you'll see the best everything has to offer (except SeaWorld). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Coleman Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 If you have the money you can't go wrong with staying at any one of the three universal on site hotels. You get unlimited express pass for both parks and the location can't be beat. The hotels are very nice too with the hard rock being my personal favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon8899 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm planning for Jan/Feb 2013 - roughly like this: I'll likely stay at a Disney hotel as airport transfers are free. Mon: arrival Tue: Disney, Magic Kingdom Wed: Disney, Epcot Thu: Disney, MGM and Animal Kingdom Fri: getting my rental car at Disney Transport Center (all major brands) Sat: Kennedy Sapce Center Sun: relaxation day Mon: Busch Gardens Tampa Tue: Sea World Wed: Universal Studios IOA Thu: some shopping, return of rental car Fri: departure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigs91 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 ^If you have the money I would go to Sea World, BGT, or Uni/IOA as they all have pay skip the line systems so you don't have to worry about the crowds! Also, a very important tip is to always check which parks have Extra Magic Hour at Disney and if you're NOT staying on Disney property, avoid them on those days. Will be staying on site at Disney but will use your advice to keep an eye on Magic Hours. Is the Friday of that weekend likely to be busy aswell? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm planning for Jan/Feb 2013 - roughly like this: I'll likely stay at a Disney hotel as airport transfers are free. Mon: arrival Tue: Disney, Magic Kingdom Wed: Disney, Epcot Thu: Disney, MGM and Animal Kingdom Fri: getting my rental car at Disney Transport Center (all major brands) Sat: Kennedy Sapce Center Sun: relaxation day Mon: Busch Gardens Tampa Tue: Sea World Wed: Universal Studios IOA Thu: some shopping, return of rental car Fri: departure You cannot do MGM & Animal Kingdom in one day, both parks are large enough to spend a whole day. The same with Universal, each of those parks you need to spend a day at. Really, out of all the parks in Orlando/Tampa area, Sea World is the one that least impresses me, as I said above that if you really like aquariums, go there. Though, Sea World only has animal exhibits, and it does have two stellar roller coasters, but Islands of Adventure has 2 stellar roller coasters & BGT has 4 stellar roller coasters. I would pass Sea World. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 2) Are there any other interesting (small) parks I should do? We have a car and will be roadtripping between Orlando & Miami. 3) I like hiking and having nice viewpoints/nature. Are there any (maybe not so touristy) options I should consider? Most mainstream websites only mention The Keys & Everglades, but I feel like I need something more. 4) What are the must-dos in Orlando & Miami? Any interesting places to eat that I should visit? Because I love checking out all kinds of restaurants/diners/fastfood places(low-budget as well as <30 USD pp)... Thanks in advance! I wish I could return the favor but I'm pretty sure Belgium is not as appealing to you guys, as Florida is to us. Check your pm's. I'll help you with South Florida, since this thread is all over the place now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Well, one small park you could do is Fun Spot USA to ride the World's Tallest Skycoaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 You cannot do MGM & Animal Kingdom in one day. Sure you can, and you would still have time to hop over to Magic Kingdom for a few evening rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 If your are going to do SeaWorld and Busch Gardens I would recommend considering a trip to Discovery Cove. Discovery Cove is an amazing experience but can be a little expensive, however for an additional $50 on top of the Discovery Cove ticket you can upgrade to unlimited admission to Busch Gardens, Sea World, and Aquatica for 14 days. In other words depending on what day you go, for a little over $300 you can have two weeks admission to Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Aquatica, and get an incredible all inclusive day at Discovery Cove, it's one of the best deals in Orlando in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 You cannot do MGM & Animal Kingdom in one day. Sure you can, and you would still have time to hop over to Magic Kingdom for a few evening rides. If you're just hitting coaster credits, I agree with this. It all depends on how you want to spend your day. If you're really into animals and shows, you could kill the better part of a day at Animal Kingdom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iplf Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Some good advice has already been given! I appreciate that. I might not have expressed myself correctly in my first few posts in this thread. I'm not coming to Florida for the credits. I'm coming to Florida to take a few days off work, enjoy the good weather, see soemthing new and have an overall good time. The fact that there are some of the best theme parks in the world, makes FL even more interesting to me. The way it looks right now, it's going to be a full day at BGT, half day at SWO, full hopper day at Disney and a full hopper day at Universal. So, you definitely changed my schedule quite a bit . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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