England Six Nations Rugby Fan

Hello all

I was wondering if anyone could help me a situation i%26#39;m in. Were just about to jet off for a three week trip, and for the most part this is a really good thing.

But i%26#39;ve left myself open to missing the six nations, which really just isnt going to happen if I can help it.

Does anyone know if its possiable to watch the rugby in any sports bars etc (willing to stay up to silly times in the night or get up in the morning (dedicated fan).

Is their any english folk who has watched any sport in orlando ? Is it even shown ?

I%26#39;m sure their must be a way of saving myself from missing England beating Wales in the opening match (sorry to the welsh fans)

Any replies will come greatfully recieved

Many thanks

Stu

England Six Nations Rugby Fan

we were there in 2003 whilst the 6 nations were on and we couldn%26#39;t find any info anywhere - things may have changed now.

There is a new Irish bar in DTD they may show an interest in the Ireland games - my hubby is Irish - when we came across Brits in the parks etc. he%26#39;d ask them when they arrived and if they had any idea of the scores etc.

We even went to the ESPN (think thats what its called) on Boardwalk and couldn%26#39;t get any info.

I remember that we were having dinner in the Italian restaraunt in Epcot on the day that Ireland were playing Italy and we asked a couple of the waiters and they had no idea what we were talking about. The day we flew out my husband asked the stewerdess on the plane if England had won - I forgot who they were playing and as we were getting off they announced that yes indeed they had.

England Six Nations Rugby Fan

I think it may be better that you enjoy your holiday without the benefit of live coverage ot the carnage that will be England v Wales. I am sure that England will suffer a second successive mauling at the hands of the Welsh. Perhapst will be kinder to yourself to read about it when you get home because I am sure the Orlando Sentinel Sports Desk will not be sending their writers to Twickenham for that one.

I think you have to realise that the glory days are over for some time to come.

My tip enjoy the holiday - come back refreshed and enjoy your hard won victories over Italy and Scotland.

lol

Oh how I wish I could agree......but unfortunately our (Wales) list of injured and suspended first choice players is just way too long.....

Have a good holiday though!!

Delongi, bad planning! Vegas are you a taff?

What%26#39;s happened to English rugby, since the World Cup? I really can%26#39;t get my head round Sir Clive coaching football at Southampton.

They show English football at the Cricketers in I-Drive, they may show it or be able to tell you where to find it, they%26#39;re English in there.

Good point Carla.

Chris - keep the faith. Wales had a lucky year in 2005 why should that change?

Carla surely as a veteran on TA you should have noticed the celtic zest for life and the sharpness of tongue (at times).

OK maybe not!

Talking of Wales what happened to that maniac?

I think he gave up after every post he wrote was deleted or he never got out of Guantanamo.

Still, I found him quite entertaining.

There are two things you can do to see your rugby- we have to do this with my husband all the time when we travel.

If you are staying in a pool home, many of them have computers and high speed internet access. In that case, you can pay to see your matches on the computer. My husband did check this, and there are services offering it - for a price.

The other way is if you know it will be broadcast via satellite, to ask everyone especially waiters/waitresses or hotel staff for the names of sports bars that have lots of tvs. We%26#39;ve collected names then gone back to our hotel room and called the bars, asking if they planned to have it on - or if they could plan it, for a little tip.

Hi everyone

All this talk about rugby has got my juices flowing.

Any chance of bringing the All Blacks into this discussion or is that just rubbing salt into the wound...

Have a great trip Stu. Hope you get to watch the games!

You are right last Autumn the All Blacks proved they were in a different league.

Programme on BBC tonight showing the delights of NZ - what a place !

Leave us ordinary mortals to play out our little European League in peace. The problem you have is that you peak too early before the World Cup.

Surely the Irish bars will show the Irish games at least.

eye makeup pictures

Disney jokes

Minnie...Do you love me Mickey?

Mickey...Sure do Minnie.

Minnie...Will you love me forever Mickey?

Mickey...Sure will Minnie.

Minnie...Will you never forget me Mickey?

Mickey...Sure I wont Minnie.

Minnie...knock knock

Mickey...Who`s there?

Minnie...Its Minnie

Mickey...Minnie who?

MINNIE...I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU`D NEVER FORGET ME..............

Disney jokes

Cute little:)

Comfort Inn @ RJ stadium, safe area?

Hello,

I was wondering if the Comfort Inn at RJ stadium is in a safe area. We will be staying one night before a cruise in May. I am trying to decide between the Comfort Inn and The Howard Johnson on S. Dale. Which one is better?

Thanks,

Melissa

Comfort Inn @ RJ stadium, safe area?

My choice would be the Comfort Inn, it is in an OK area, better than the HoJo%26#39;s(lots of traffic, and strip clubs across the street and next door). There is a Sam Seltzers steak restaurant next door, and a Pop and Sons restaurant for breakfast. Mostly surrounded by Car dealerships, so if its just for the one night, I say go Comfort Inn.

Weds.

Just printed my Boarding Passes. Be there tomorrow night at 9:00 P.M.!

Weds.

Have a wonderful trip bssd! Look forward to reading your review when you return. Safe travels!

Weds.

Thanks much.

Welcome!

Hope you have a great trip!!!! Everytime someone says they are leaving I get more excited. We leave in 31 days!!! Already packing!!!

Best Time for lunch?

Going May 5th to the 12th. Going to MK,AK, Epcot and MGM what time is best to stop for lunch so that we don%26#39;t hit the crowds? Are the Character lunches good?

Best Time for lunch?

In the theme parks, lunch crowds are usually bad from just before 11:00 A.M. all the way up to about 2:00 P.M. or even later.

We%26#39;ve tried to eat lunch at Magic Kingdom as late as 2:30 P.M. before, and still had to wait in a long line over at Peco Bill Cafe.

Best Time for lunch?

If you want to dine in a table service restaurant, and you don%26#39;t have a reservation, your best shot is to go when they first open, or even a little before if you see them setting up. In fact, for any restaurant that either doesn%26#39;t serve breakfast, or has a break between breakfast and lunch seatings, your best bet is to go when they open. Another option is to go to a nearby resort for lunch. Their restaurants typically are busy for breakfast and dinner, but not for lunch.

We normally try to eat a late lunch somewhere around 2:00. That way we miss the HUGE lunch crowds and there are usually shorter lines for rides during the typical lunch hours because everyone else eating or waiting in line for food.

As others have already said, we usually eat late or early to avoid the crowds. 2:00 - 3:00 seems to work well for us.

Crystal Palace is the only restaurant offering a lunch character meal and has a buffet that is good. Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet are the characters here. Our favorite dinner character meal is The Liberty Tree Tavern at the Magic Kingdom that has a wonderful Thansgiving family style dinner complete with Turkey, steak, salad with a delicious strawberry vingarette dressing, (They will give you the recipe if you ask for it) Macaroni and Cheese, veggies, potatoes, biscuits and dessert. Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale come around often to your table.

Another Character lunch at MK is A Fairytale Lunch Cinderella%26#39;s Castle. But be aware that if you are doing the dining plan, it uses 2 table services per person.

which is closer to times square, pink shell or gullwing...

we%26#39;ve narrowed it down to the pink shell and the gull wing resort, both look beautiful.

Does anyone know which is closer to times square?

which is closer to times square, pink shell or gullwing...

Pink Shell.

which is closer to times square, pink shell or gullwing...

Pink Shell is within walking distance to the square, Gullwing is not.

thanks , I appreciate your help. Which do you think is nicer?

marilkynpetunia

Marilkynpetunia

Sorry, computer operator problem! I think with the ages of your children, you will like the Pink Shell better. It is close enough to Time Square for you kids to walk to all the shopping, restraunts, and activities. It is very safe! We stayed at Pointe Estero, which is right next to Gullwing, and our children were bored. There was too much traffic to even ride the trolley to the Square at most times of the day. We now stay at the BW Beach Resort, which is close to Pink Shell, on the north end of the island and love it. It is also fun to walk to the north point of the island where there is a park, walkways, and to just explore. Also to watch all the boats come and go around the point.

Hmaint,

Does the Pink Shell have many teens.....we are staying there and have 2 older teens and I don%26#39;t want them to be bored.....any public access to this area?? I am hoping that all guests are not ';mature';???? Thanks for any info

coldinNewYork - The Pinkshell is a family resort. It is not a big teen hangout, but there will be lots of kids of all ages with their families. It would be a good place to stay with teens, because they can safely walk down the beach to all the action. Or they can take the trolley and be at Time Square in 5 minutes. There is also jet ski rental, parasailing and other water activities right by the hotel. You wouldn%26#39;t want to stay where all the teens do without their families, the Lani Kai. It is pretty loud there. It is within walking distance from the Pink Shell, probably 25 minutes. They won%26#39;t be bored with all the shopping, restraunts, just walking the beach and just watching all the water activities and people watching at the square.

shuttle from Ft. Myers

Can anyone tell me where it disembarks passengers? How far would it be to Buffet%26#39;s Margaritaville? And Smather%26#39;s Beach. Am so looking forward to a visit!

A Hoosier

shuttle from Ft. Myers

At the ferry terminal, which is on the far end (as in away from Duval) of the Key West Bight.

shuttle from Ft. Myers

You%26#39;re taking the shuttle, getting off, then going directly to Margueritaville? You want to pick up Caroline Street which runs kind of behind the terminal and walk over to Duval. Or you can walk along the Key West Bight and see all of the bars there, picking up Front Stret at the corner. Ten minutes in either case.

Smathers is all the way on the other side of the island. If you can find a map, it is across from the airport.

Pjk

Thanks all.

cj

sober -

If I were you, I%26#39;d pass on Smathers, especially if you%26#39;re spending any time on the beach around Fort Myers, Naples, Sanibel, Captiva - wherever you%26#39;ll be in that south Gulf corridor. I would stick to Duval St, Mallory Square, and the seaport, especially if your KW time is limited.

hey, you know what....that%26#39;s probably a good idea. We have the rest of the week at Ft. Myers beach and it would save us from carrying around beach stuff. I%26#39;m getting good weather reports from down there for next week. Thank you.

eye makeup pictures

Futura Yatch Club Islamorada

Newbi here..Family(2 kids 7 and 11)headed down to the Keys in March. I have been reading everyting I can on this site, It%26#39;s GREAT info. How to drive from FLL, What beaches to go to, best snorkling, keep the kids away from Key West at night, etc.... but have not found anything on The Futura Yatch Club? ..does anyone have any info on this place...??

Futura Yatch Club Islamorada

I%26#39;ve stayed at Futura in the past. Do you plan on bringing/docking a boat with you? We had our boat with us (which is the reason why we stayed at Futura). It%26#39;s a nice place with a large marina and good slip rentals.

Futura Yatch Club Islamorada

Captruss: We are not bringing our boat , although it would be great. She is put up for the winter. We found Futura on the Web and liked the condo idea rather than a Hotel room.. It%26#39;s so much nicer with the extra bedroom for the kids. I was nervous that I found nothing about it on this site.. It seams to have info on everything. We are planning to use this place as a home base and explore they Keys by land. There is no offical Web Site for the place so other than a few pics it%26#39;s hard to see what it has to offer.

All I remember about the place besides the marina was a pool and a volleyball court. I think they had some playground equipment. The condos were pretty nice and roomy. Our family of 4 slept comfortably. What kinds of activities do you have planned/in mind?

Captruss: Well we%26#39;re booked now at Futura..hope it is a nice enough place. As far as activities go:

We have no reservations yet ...but from reading these forums have a few ideas. #1) Snorkling would like to take a day trip out somewhere and let the kids give it a try. #2) Fishing ..have read there are many kinds. I think we would rather go on a trip where you catch 30 or 40 fish rather than try landing a Tarpon. #3) Key West...since we are so close we need to check it out.. any info on the ';sunset celebration';? #4) Bahia Honda beach #5) Maybe rent a boat for the day. I%26#39;m guessing we%26#39;ll pass on the Doplphin swim and Museums ...but would love to here about what we should not miss. Any thoughts on Food and Bevy%26#39;s?

When exactly is spring break?

Is it one particular week? Spread out over a few weeks?

I haven%26#39;t been in college for awhile so I don%26#39;t remember.

When exactly is spring break?

Spring break is different for each school and university. For grade school/high school it is usually in late March or April and for college students it runs from the last week in Feburary thru mid-March for most. My spring break is between 2/28-3/4 this year. I am a college student from Michigan.

When exactly is spring break?

Spring break is different for each school and university. For grade school/high school it is usually in late March or April and for college students it runs from the last week in Feburary thru mid-March for most. My spring break is between 2/28-3/4 this year. I am a college student from Michigan.

Spring Break for Purdue, Indian University and University of Georgia are all the week of March 13, 2006. I often go down there for a conference that is the last week in March and Spring Break is in full force than as well.

SPRING BREAK IS 3/13-3/18.....Its gonnna be hotish......Thats for about 70% of all Florida Colleges....

Bachelorette Party in SOBE August 2006

Hi all - Like others in this forum, I too am trying to whip up a bachelorette party weekend in South Beach. It%26#39;s a tad difficult because I%26#39;m out of state. I%26#39;ve read thru most of the posts here and the locals offer some sound advice. However, I have yet to see any post-trip reviews. I want to know if you took the advice and how the party was. Please come back to this post and share your experiences. Tell us what worked and what didn%26#39;t. If you went to a cool restaurant that catered to large groups, tell us about it. If you got over on paying a cover to a club, tell us how you did it. If you found a great spa w/decent prices, share it w/us. You%26#39;ll help a lot of us who are still in the party planning stages. Thanks in advance and party on ladies!

Bachelorette Party in SOBE August 2006

Follow up: A coworker just got back from a bachelorette weekend in SOBE and here%26#39;s what she had to say: ';I recommend going to BED Miami, Oceans 10 (for dinner; they have live music outdoors) and The Clevelander. Mangos is pretty funny as well. You will have a blast!';

Bachelorette Party in SOBE August 2006

Mango%26#39;s is a fun place to have a couple of drinks. I have numerous clients that fly into Miami and I am always looking for places to take them to eat and drink. Out of all of the places, most of the people have enjoyed Mango%26#39;s the best. Mango%26#39;s is energetic, always crowded, has live music and very different. It is the only restaurant that has half naked women and topless men dancing on bar tops. I have seen bachelorette parties there and 2 of them, the bride to be was brought on top of the bar with 3 men dancing around her in a very sexual way. It was quite a sight! :)

Every time I think about Mangos I want to cry. I had the best night of my life there...the bartenders and busboys are amazing. And very ';entertaining';! ;)

Marriott BeachPlace Towers

I have read mixed reviews on the Marriott BeachPlace Towers. How is it really? I booked for Dec 25-Dec 31 of 2006.

Marriott BeachPlace Towers

MBP is very nice, but remember, it is a time share not a hotel. If you are not using your owned week in the year you own, or ar trading a week for another week somewhere else, parking fees of $12.00 a day were institutd last April 05.

A second car parked at beach place fo the same apartment might be $40.00 a day....but this was just brought up at the HOA meeting, and not sure if that is the case.

The apartments are all identical, they are called two bedrrom (sleep 8) lock outs. Owners there can lock out their one apartment, and get a credit for at least two weeks from the exchange company they use. The contracted exchange company is Interval International, which has sometimes given owners a bonus week for the one bedroom they give to interval. San Francisco Exchange ( SFX ) also has been know to do this.

If you get the full 2 bed 2 bath sleep 8, you will have two private entrances, two patios (lanais is from SW Fl), and toweling dishes, pots %26amp; pans, for at least 8. (They can be strict on the count). An 18 to 21 ft Ref %26amp; a cube Ref, one stovem two microwaves, two coffee pots drip,DW and a W/D in the unit.

If you get a one bedroom unit, you will have nearly all above, but the microwave, and the small ref. (Thats in the studio portion....no DW or W/D here, but there are free W/Ds next to the health club/gym downstairs.

Many of the units have been recently refurbed...but not all. Most love the new bedding, I%26#39;m too heavy %26amp; sink a lot...wife likes them a bunch.

If a trade....you will NOT GET maid service, nor clean toweling or bedding (there are extra sets in the closet. You can request towels, and USUALLY they don%26#39;t charge, but some T/S have been know to charge. If you need maid service, if a trade, you will pay.

There is new construction on both sides of the building. The Starwood St Regis is to the N and now blocks a big portion on the N view of the beach. This was to be Marriotts second tower, but it appears another bid higher.

To the S, the view will be blocked by the new Las Olas Beach Club and Resort (The Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort Hotel is the facade you see, and was not to be touched by the Las Olas crews....

The lobby of MBP is on the 6th or 7th level, so start the room count from there. Below is parking, and Marriot T/S guests park on the top levels. (You enteer the parking lot, go through the first gate and get a tix. Then you drive up to the top level, and there should be another gate for the marriot area. You may be asked to put that tix into the machine. The gate opens, and you find a parking spot as close to the elevators as possible. There is bell service, and most of the carts S/B up in the lobby. (Fire Regs). When you get to the elevator banks, they may be locked. You can ring a bell and they will ask ID info. They will see you. If you need (free) help, Johnathan will bring two carts down. By the time you get to the main lobby, if they got your name right, they should have most info ready.

If you are arriving by taxi (many do not bring cars...but its hard to get to the publix without), they enter %26amp; exit Beach Place FREE. Have the driver go to P1 or P4 at the elevators, and then ask for bell service.

The first 3 or 4 levels of MBP are stores, and shops. Many are mentioned elsewere on the forums.

There is a Seven-Eleven about s blocks S on A1A S....but a publix is cheaper. The water taxi stops at the Beach Place stop in the back of the building on the intracoastal, in the Ft Laud public yacht club.

The beach is across A1A N. There was a beach access tunnel, but another forum writer informed me there wasn%26#39;t one....so you will need to see what happened to it.

Views will be either ocean, or Intracoastal. Reviews on TUG indicate either is good. There are jazz clubs in some parts of MBP that may play late....and if you like the ocean breeze blowing in, you may here some muted music-and some young adults having too much fun.

I believe they may check age at 21.

You need to check all the stuff happening here...if you are a mover, there is a lot of things to do.

club level

thank you all for your posts.

I wanted toknow if you have had any run ins where a hotel will not allow 4 (2 adults and 2 children ) people in a king room. I booked a roomwith 2 queens and want tostay at Club level but they won%26#39;t le us because only a king is available??/

club level

For just a hotel rooms (not suite, condos or villas they have different rules)you can have 1 extra person in the room (using a rollaway bed) than the number of sleeping spaces in that room, ie.

1 king bed= 2+1 people

1 king + pullout couch = 4+1 people

2 queen = 4+1 people

and so on.

This is the maximun number allowed by law but if the hotel doesn%26#39;t want to allow that extra person to stay in their room they don%26#39;t have to.

club level

Maybe all the double queens at Club Level were sold out. It is true that the occupancy level for a king bed room is a maximum of 3. This is for safety reasons. They would have to put 2 rollaways in the room so 4 people could sleep, but the room size isn%26#39;t large enough to do it.

Regarding your other post about cleanliness at the hotel, we stayed there 3 years ago and had a very good experience. I find it hard to believe that the service at one Loew%26#39;s hotel is better than another. Do they pay the staff better at the Hard Rock, who knows? Please give us your report when you get back.

Have a great time!

Red Tide

As you all know from previous posts, we are considering moving to Naples. However, I don%26#39;t know much about this Red Tide phenomenon. Is there a Red tide ';Season';? If not, are there months where it is more likely to occur than others? How really irritating is it to the eyes and respiratory system? I have heard it can cause watery eyes and breathing problems. How far away from the beach do you have to be before you don%26#39;t experience any symptoms? When there is a Red Tide, how many days does it hang around? And, is it true that it is not always red...but can be green, or other colors? Thanks for the information!

Red Tide

We have seen Red Tide at various times we have visited but can only speak for April to October. I think it%26#39;s at its height during the summer months, but no doubt some search engine trawling can give you more info.

Although its visually not very nice and the smell can be unpleasant, we have never been affected by it health-wise. We have found that there are still a great many people who are happy to venture into the water, red tide or not. The odd thing we found on our last visit was that the crab population appears to have flourished so it clearly doesn%26#39;t affect all sea creatures.

If you are prone to asthma or respiratory problems, I%26#39;d try to visit at its height and see whether it affects YOU, otherwise I woundn%26#39;t be too concerned - it%26#39;s never caused us any problems. Yes, it can vary in colour.

BTW, nice horse...looks like English dressage on that pic.

Red Tide

Que..thanks for the info. It makes me feel better. Yes! It IS English Dressage! I am just learning Dressage after years of Hunt Seat, so I am glad that at least it is recognizeable!! ;-)

research.myfwc.com/features/view_article.asp…

Here%26#39;s a link to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, which monitors red tide throughout Florida and provides weekly bloom counts.

Red Tide is year round with no particular season. No way of knowing when it might pose an immediate problem. While the previous poster may not have encountered a problem that is not the norm. Emergency Room visits increase by 54% among coastal residents in a Red Tide occurence versus non Red Tide events. It kills fish and contaminates shellfish beds. As for going in the water the stench is horrid and most people do not find appealing the thousands of dead fish on the beach that can accompany a Red Tide Bloom. You can find Red Tide occuring up and down the Gulf Coast not just Southwest Florida.

eye makeup pictures

Weather & Transport In Early March

I%26#39;ll be going to Orlando from March 3 to March 12. Could someone please let me know what is the weather usually like in Orlando at that time? Will I need to bring any warm clothing like jackets or sweaters?

Also, I%26#39;ll only be reaching Orlando after a 30 hour flight as I%26#39;ll be flying from Malaysia to Hong Kong to LA to Dallas and finally to Orlando. After such a long flight, I expect that I will be completely exhausted and jetlagged. As such, which of the following is most advisable? A private town car with meet and greet service, a taxi or an airport shuttle from Mears?

Weather %26amp; Transport In Early March

Hello viking,

The weather in March is generally in the low 80%26#39;s during the day with nighttime temps in the middle 50%26#39;s so yes I would bring long pants and light jackets along with shorts.

Whew! I would be completely exhausted also after those flights! If it were me I would opt for the town car. Mears does offer town car service also. You can check their prices at www.mearstransportation.com

Weather %26amp; Transport In Early March

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the mere thought of all those flights I%26#39;ll be taking is exhausting enough!

What is a good rate for Windsor Hills/Palms, etc?

Through research on this forum, it seems that Windsor Hills is the hot place to stay. My fiance and I are going to be down in March and have extended our stay by a few days and are thinking of place such as this. We%26#39;ll be staying at Orange Lake for the first part of our trip and would only need the add on for the 24th-27 (checking out on 27th). From what I%26#39;ve read, I know some people aren%26#39;t exactly forthcoming with their rates, but any help/advice would be appreciated. What is a good price (or what should I expect to pay) for a 3 night stay at Hills/Palms? In your opinions, would I get a cheaper rate at like Westgate Villas (looking at the non-required timeshare presentation rate at hotelcorps of $85/night)?

Or, because it%26#39;s just my fiancee and I, would I be better off checking hotels?

I would like to stay in the Orange lake-Poinciania Blvd-192 area. We obviously don%26#39;t need 2 or 3 bdrms, but the villas/resorts appeal to us because it%26#39;s almost guaranteed quality. Would like to keep the 3 night total to under $300 (including tax).

Thanks to all who reply!

What is a good rate for Windsor Hills/Palms, etc?

Drolly its probably$90 a nite plus 13% Tax however their is fee for Staying less than 5 nites (cleaning fee)

What is a good rate for Windsor Hills/Palms, etc?

We payed about $85 a night including taxes, fees etc. for 8 nights in June. 3/br Condo at WH.

Hi there,

we are paying 拢625 UK Pounds for 2 weeks in Sept/Oct in a 3 bdm condo in building eight -ground floor by pool. You have to select carefully because some of them only do Sat to Sat rentals or charge an extra cleaning fee for rentals of less than 5 nights.

Happy hunting!

PS We booked ours through VRBO

Dinner / Activities

Where can I find out what dinner shows, themes, and other activities are available throughout the parks?

Dinner / Activities

Your first stop should be the website for each park. Disney, Universal, and Sea World all have excellent info on their sites. Once you have narrowed down the activities to the ones that really interest you, do a search on the forum to get the opinions of others who have been there, before you make your final decision. There are a lot of independent websites as well, but you have to be careful, because when you do a search, you may get websites with old information. For the most current info, it%26#39;s better to stick to the basics. Another good source of information is the guest services desk of your hotel. They are especially helpful if you find yourself with a free day and need suggestions of something to do.

Dinner / Activities

Here%26#39;s one of the best, always up-to-date sites: http://www.allearsnet.com/

Hi,

I found that www.wdwinfo.com is the best!!

I have just remembered, We did the dine with Shamu at Seaworld, among other things and had a fab time. You get a table pool side, buffet lunch/dinner and a private show with one of the whales, never seen one so close up before it was amazing, we then wandered round after this for the Shamu show in the actual stadium, would highly recommend this.

A Rental agent told me there is NO RENOURISHMENT project?

I contacted a rental agency today about a beach house on Miramar beach and he informed me that the eqipment has been delayed and that it has not started yet, and when they do they won%26#39;t make it to the Miramar area prior to my March 18th arrival. Is this true?

A Rental agent told me there is NO RENOURISHMENT project?

I have a friend who lives in Tops%26#39;l. The equipment is on the beach in front of his condo. He is going to call me back later today to let me know if the sand has actually began pumping onshore. Supposedly, there was a problem anchoring the dredging barge.

Once it begins, they are supposed to advance 100 feet west per day until they reach Henderson State Park.

A Rental agent told me there is NO RENOURISHMENT project?

Your rental agent had no right telling you that. Basically we don%26#39;t know a lot until it gets started. There was only a delay with getting the dredging boat here because of rough waters in the Gulf. It is here now, is my understanding and all other equipment is also here.

I went to the area to visit friends this weekend and I have to say that things are not as bad as reported. However there is still a lot to do if things are to be right for the coming summer season. Butterbean, I think your agent may have overstated the case but at the moment it is %26#39;work in progress%26#39;. I would have expected there to have been more heavy duty equipment and things to have started earlier.

If they do not get a move on or if storms stop the work then many people will be disappointed this year.

I wish you all the best of luck.

Vegas, you can%26#39;t even see where the equipment is. It is in a private area not accessable by the public.

I wonder if you were really in Destin. If so, what was the special activity heavily publicised thie weekend? You would only know if you were REALLY here.

AND, what exactly isn%26#39;t as bad as you thought earlier. You stated you were here not too long ago and how bad things were then.

And, if by chance you were here, you GREATLY underestimate the people in this area. We are not from Louisiana, we are residents from the Panhandle of Florida.

We move on to the future. We pick up, help ourselves and ';get on the stick';. Life goes on and so do we.

Outraged

I was indeed in the area on Saturday and I was pleased that some progress had been made since I was last there in the Autumn. I do not have to prove myself to you since the nature of my post was to add support. It seems that many on the Destin forum do not understand that people care about this area even though they do not live in the area. This insular approach does you no service.

I have had many wonderful holidays in the Destin and surrounding resorts with real, true American friends and I can honestly say I have never met the hotility I have found on this forum in REAL life. The people of the Panhandle are welcoming and generous. That is why I keep coming back.

It seems that if anyone posts on the destin forum who does not comply with a certain view then they are called names or their views called into question - that cannot be right. You seem to want this forum for yourselves.

I can assure you that although I will be an infrequent visitor that sort of bullying attitude will not put me off.

Hi Vegas. I don%26#39;t think ANYTHING puts you off! (Except maybe leaving a proper tip! LOL!)

And most of the Destin posters are quite pleasant, wouldn%26#39;t you agree?

Thanks Suma. I am still looking for yypub and I think I am getting closer!!!

imoutraged, it sounds like you are putting the

people of La. down.

AlCapone - It%26#39;s not a put down, at least it isn%26#39;t meant to put them down. They just seem to do things differently. They want someone to pick up for them, we just go ahead and pick up ourselves, help each other and go on with life.

Sorry if you thought I was putting them down.

Odd question about Fantasmic!

Hi guys

Odd question about Fantasmic:

I know the lines for this will be long and we will have to arrive well before showtime. Once we%26#39;re seated, are there restrooms within the fantasmic area or do I need to go all the way back up that long path to pee?! I have a bladder problem so this is kinda an issue for me.

Cheers!

Kath

Odd question about Fantasmic!

There should be some restrooms just before you enter the ampitheater main area. You don%26#39;t have to go all the way back out to Sunset Blvd.

Odd question about Fantasmic!

Hunnie

There are definately restrooms at back of ampitheatre. However depending on where you are sitting this can be some distance away.

If you want to cut down your waiting time you could book the dinner package and will not then need to queue for entrance to Fantasmic and also will find getting away at end of show a lot quicker.

I agree, Hunnie book the dinner package if your planning on dining in the park anyway, this way you won%26#39;t have to worry and you get seated immediately!

We probably won%26#39;t be dining in the park as it%26#39;s likely to be too expensive. We did look at this but it kinda pushes the budget.

Sanibell Cook?

Hello, we are visiting friends on Sanibell and would like to have a chef come in and prepare dinner for us one evening. Is there anyone out there that knows of a GREAT chef who does this for a living? We will be down Feb 19 (SOON!!!)

Thanks for your help

Sanibell Cook?

Sanibel Island isn%26#39;t exactly a great gourmet paradise, but there are a couple of personal chefs - never used them myself.

Oh, What a Night - personal chef, party planning, etc. And the Silver Chef. You can get contact info off of the Chamber of Commerce website www.sanibel-captiva.org and go to business directory and enter personal chef.

Sanibell Cook?

Thank you for this lead. I appreciate your

help.

eye makeup pictures

Ocean too cold to swim in mid-March?

We%26#39;re visiting mid March and were wondering if we should expect to be able to swim in the ocean and if snorkeling is possible off Marco island?

Ocean too cold to swim in mid-March?

Don%26#39;t know about snorkeling off Marco Island, but the ocean is too cold to swim based on my past experience. Sometimes, there is cold front and we couldn%26#39;t even play on the beach.

Ocean too cold to swim in mid-March?

No swimming it is much too cold!

Yes, in March the Gulf is too cold for swimming, although you will see a few hearty souls in there!!!!

There is noting to see off the coast of marco, there is no reef--- snorking may not be a good use of time. There is a few dive companies like scuba adventures you could go diving but would need a wetsuit.

Naples/Marco Island Beach Questions

I have heard that the beaches in this area are beautiful. However, are there a lot of shells on the sand and in the water that make it difficult? Is there a certain resort in the area that has the nicest beach? We would like a beach with a sandy bottom, not a lot of shells and rocks.

Naples/Marco Island Beach Questions

The beaches in these areas are beautiful and have soft sand. They are not rocky. Like any beach, there are some shells, and the amount depends a lot on offshore storms, tides, etc.

Naples/Marco Island Beach Questions

truthfully I have seen better beaches in Florida siesta key has softer sand, the panhandle has soft sand and clear water, but on any given day it changes. I often walk on Naples beach and never where shoes-- so it is not shelly, little to no rocks. On any given day though you never know if a bunch of shell pieces have washed up so just be prepared.

truthfully I have seen better beaches in Florida siesta key has softer sand, the panhandle has soft sand and clear water, but on any given day it changes. I often walk on Naples beach and never where shoes-- so it is not shelly, little to no rocks. On any given day though you never know if a bunch of shell pieces have washed up so just be prepared.

international drive

Hi

We are going to orlando in july and wish to stay on international drive. We require a family room or suite with free breakfast and free transport to disney parks. Can anyone help please.

international drive

We are also going in July and have booked a suite at the Embassy Suites (the one at the Convention Centre) which do the free breakfast and transport to Disney.

international drive

Hi

We are going in May and we are staying in the I Drive Inn which has free breakfast and free transport. Only thing is it has very mixed reviews on here.

When staying at a hotel that provides transportation to any of the parks, make sure to inquire on what their schedules are to make sure they fit your needs.

If your hotel do not offer transport to Disney you ARE going to have problems.

Along I Drive there are bus stops for the Lynxs bus system and they will take you to Disney, A Scottish couple who were staying in our hotel had to use the lynxs system and it took them almost an hour and a half to reach their destination. On leaving Disney they decided they could not face the journey back so they got a cab. The journey back to the hotel took them 15 minutes and cost 37 dollars.

Also the buses that come to your hotel in the morning may have been to at least 3 other hotels before coming to yours so be prepared to have to stand on the bus.

These buses will arrive at your hotel between 8 and 9 and will drop you off at your park. Now this is where the problems could start. The same bus will then come back and pick you up at around 8pm in the evening. Now I love theme parks and I like to think of myself as quite a fit healthy guy, but I am sorry, there is no way I could manage almost a full 12 hours walking around in that heat and I know only to well from past experience that neither could my 2 sons. So what do you do? You could catch a Disney bus that will take you to one of their other parks but you are still in that heat and most likely exhausted. The only thing you can do is go back to your hotel and the only way you can do this is by taxi. Unless you are driving of course.

Remember most of us English are not use to this heat and these theme parks are very very big. Dont drink fizzy drinks whilst in the parks, make sure you drink loads of water before you go and whilst your there.

Vinny

I thought I posted a International Drive topic but I didn%26#39;t see it on here. Oh Well. I%26#39;m also going to be staying at the I-drive inn.

There is a web site for International drive. They will send you a free visitors guide in the mail. Type in International Drive Orlando and it will take you to the site.

Fantastic Hotel for Families?

I%26#39;m planning a trip to KeyWest with my two young children. The hotel must be clean, close to beach and family friendly! I%26#39;d typically like the cost to be under 300.00 a night. any advice??

PS any suggestions on sight seeing activities?

Fantastic Hotel for Families?

I definitely would recommend the Casa Marina. It has a nice pool with plenty of water activities that you can sign up for like wave running and snorkling. It even has a pretty decent beach. (Just so you know, Key West beaches are not that great at all and this is one of the better ones.)

If you search around for deals, you can get it under $300. Try www.mobissimo.com.

It is also about 6 blocks or so off of Duval so the kids are not in the middle of party central either.

Fantastic Hotel for Families?

I%26#39;ll agree with the Casa Marina recommendation. It%26#39;s a beautiful place with old world charm and very clean and comfortable. There is a very small beach and a nice pool.

Hopper or Not

We are heading to WDW in March. We are planning on hitting the four main parks as well as water parks, disney quest etc. We were going to get a 10 day base ticket with the water park plus option. My question is if we did decide to go to two parks on the same day does that count as two of our 10 days or do they not allow that and we would need to get the hopper option.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

Hopper or Not

To visit two parks in one day, you%26#39;ll need the ';hopper'; option on your tickets. Otherwise, you can only go to one park each day.

Hopper or Not

You can not use more than 1 day at a time off of a muti-day ticket, you need a park hopper ticket to go to more than 1 park in a day. Did you get the ';no expiration'; option on the tickets? If not your going to have to use your 10 days with-in 14 days of the first day it was used, so there is really no need to be park hopping.

If you buy the base ticket, you cannot visit more than one of the four theme parks each day. You may, however, leave the park you are in, take a break at your hotel, and go back to the same park. With the water park option, you could go to a theme park and a water park in the same day if you wish, and that would use one theme park admission and one water park admission. You didn%26#39;t mention if you have been to Disney before, but since you will be here during spring break, when it%26#39;s pretty crowded, you will probably want to spend the entire day in one park. You will lose a lot of time hopping from one park to the other. If you have been to Disney before, and enjoy just hitting the highlights and new additions to the parks, then you would need to add the hopper option to be able to go from one park to another on the same day.

Yes we were there 5 yrs. ago. I think we will just stick to one park a day. Thanks everyone for clearing that up for us.

I had a odd situation a few years back when I 2 visits to Pleasure island within 14 days of using a 5 day hopper. I went in before 11pm. I stepped out side to put something in my car and came back 12:01am. It registered on my ticket that I used 2 days. I was supprised when i went a couple of night later and found out I had to pay.

Anyway that was the old ticketing system. Not sure if the new system address that problem but its good to keep in in mind.

If you are adding the water parks and more options (which you obviously are) you get to visit so many ';other'; things so many times based on the number of days your base ticket is. So lets say you get 6 ';others';. Without the park hopper option you can visit one major park per day for ten days (just not two different ones in one day). Or you could visit one major park and one ';other'; in one day. Or you could visit two ';others'; in one day. You don%26#39;t have to have the park hopper option to visit more than one ';other'; in one day. It just uses up two of your ';other'; options. So like if you wanted to go to two water parks or one water park and DisneyQuest in one day, you could do that but know that it uses up two of your ';other'; options. Now that%26#39;s as clear as mud isn%26#39;t it? LOL

Oh, and if you are going to be there for 10 days then I wouldn%26#39;t waste money on the park hopper because you should have plenty of time to do everything you want without hopping around trying to get in two parks in one day. MK, Epcot, and MGM really take a full day each if you do everything. Animal Kingdom can be done in less time so we usually do something like DisneyQuest or Downtown Disney shopping or a resort dinner that evening.

Northman, we%26#39;re going in June for 7 days and I had the same thoughts. I have decided to buy the 7 day pass and the plus options. The way I figure it we will do a park a day the first 4 days and then we can go back to what ever parks we want the remaining 3 days. With the 6 plus options I%26#39;m still trying to figure out how we%26#39;ll have time to do everything. My kids want to go to the water parks, downtown disney, spend time at the resort and pool, and do disneyquest a couple of times. I am even thinking of airboat rides and IOA. So, personally I don%26#39;t think we will have time or desire to park hop, but I know a lot of folks swear by it. The way I look at it if we get tired of the park we are in, there are a ton of other things for us to do if we want to leave.

By the way you can use as many of the %26#39;options%26#39; per day as you want to. For example you can do a water park during the day and DisnesyQuest at night.

I was at the same boat, this will be our first family trip to Orlando next june, I know it will be very crowded so I dont want to lose time hopping around. We have decided to buy our 7 day tickets with the water park option but WITHOUT the park hopper. Our plan is one day AK, EPCOT and MGM and two days MK and with the remaining two days we will choose the one that the kids liked more. Also we will spend one day at each water park and another at Sea World.

Honeymoon on Marco

Hi! My fiance and I will be taking our honeymoon from May 29th-June 5th on Marco at the Marco Beach Ocean Resort. We hear it%26#39;s a beautiful, relaxing place and that%26#39;s just what we are looking for. Does anyone have any good suggestions for restaurants? My fiance LOVES seafood. Also, any good night life spots (we are 23 and 29) that are within driving distance?(we are renting a car) Also, can we see dolphins or wildlife anywhere on the island? We might want to take a tour or something. Thanks for the help!!

Honeymoon on Marco

Congratulations and you couldn%26#39;t have picked a better place for a honeymoon. We go to Marco all the time and would love to try it once without children. (Not gonna happen for quite a few years.) We%26#39;re pretty much beach bums, but I do know there are all kinds of tours to the Everglades and out thru the smaller island chains. If nothing else, your resort can give you info and help you book. Seafood restaurants are everywhere. Our favorites are Captain Brien%26#39;s (within walking distance of your resort) they now have an after dinner hour comedy club. Stan%26#39;s Idle Hour on Goodland Island (about a 10 minute drive) is great seafood at incredible prices. Live entertainment and one big party on their huge deck. The Little Bar Restaurant (make a reservation) and Crabby Lady are also on Goodland. Cathy O%26#39;Clarke%26#39;s is an Irish Pub with traditional Irish food and nightly seafood fests - Lobster on Tues, Shrimp on Thurs. It%26#39;s also within walking distance. Enjoy!

Honeymoon on Marco

Thanks so much!!

For nightspots on Friday or Saturday, try Porky%26#39;s. The Friday night band, Jezebel, is great.

You might also want to spend an evening on Fifth Ave. in Naples. Yabbas is a good spot....but there are many restaurants there and it%26#39;s great just for strolling.

Dolphins are often seen from the beach. There are a few different type of boat excursions that you can take and probablly will see them. There also are Everglades boat and airboat trip. For a longer ride, I love Shark Valley (no sharks there), part of the Everglads National Park. You will see lots of wildlife. Not dolphins...%26#39;gators and birds.

Marco Island is an awesome spot for a very relaxing honeymoon! Stay out on the beach and check out the sunset one night. You will be pleased with Marco. It is not exactly a nite time hot spot, but great beaches, great weather and hotels, and great restaurants.

For exellent Italian food go to Arturo%26#39;s. Owners are from NYC area, and really know authentic Italian food. For a more casual seafood dining experience, go to Pelican Bend, in Isle of Capri. It is a 10 minute car ride from Marco. Awesome sauteed fresh Grouper, and many other fish specialties. Everything caught fresh daily in the local waters. The place is actually right on the boat dock In Capri.(don%26#39;t forget the Key lime Pie, or Peanut butter Pie for desert.)

You%26#39;ll enoy Marco, I went there with my wife when we first were married, and have been going back for 18 years, (and three kids later). Enjoy.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I love Marco - and it%26#39;s a beautiful and RELAXING place for a HM.

As far as restaurants - for Italian, I%26#39;ve always favored Arturo%26#39;s. For seafood - Kretch%26#39;s, hand%26#39;s down. However, the ambiance is slightly lacking (the food makes up for it) if you%26#39;re looking for a %26#39;romantic%26#39; dinner. Marek%26#39;s Collier House is very good - and quite lovely as well. For lunch - Snook%26#39;s. It%26#39;s right on the water and we always see Dolphins swimming near by. For breakfast - Breakfast Plus is a must. It%26#39;s just awesome. (You%26#39;ll want to go back more than once.)

Since you have the rental car - maybe take a ride down the Everglades and go for an air boat ride. We%26#39;ve done it almost every time we visit and never get tired of it. If memory serves me correctly, we always used Captain Dougs (it%26#39;s been a while - so I could be wrong on that one). We saw a manatee once or twice and it was just incredible!

I%26#39;d also recommend Stan%26#39;s on a Sunday afternoon for drinks - live music - and lots of fun.

Another thing we always make time to do is take a ride in to Naples and walk around the shops (and have lunch) at Tin City.

Hope this helps and, again, congratulations to you.

Also want to mention Capt. Brien%26#39;s for seafood and they now have a comedy club at 9:30PM Thursday through the weekend.

Thanks to all of you! We are so excited and can%26#39;t wait! Your posts have been very helpful. We actually booked our trip for 10 days, which is even better!

eye makeup pictures

Tampa City Areas for Hotwire ...

Hi there again,

Looks like I will be crusing out of Tampa, so now I am trying to book a hotel for the night before the cruise leaves. I am trying to use Hotwire for a good deal ... can anyone tell me what areas are close to the port. This is the breakdown:

1. Busch Gardens Area

2. Westshore - Tampa Intl Airport TPA - South Tampa

3. Downtown Tampa

4. Tampa East - Brandon

5. Tampa North - Temple Terrace

We plan on coming in 1 day early and hanging out before we head on to the boat. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you! :o)

Tampa City Areas for Hotwire ...

In order of proximity:

1. Downtown

2. Westsore

3. Busch Gardens

4/5. Tampa East

4/5. Tampa North

Tampa City Areas for Hotwire ...

Stay downtwon/ybor city area. Marriott Waterside, Courtyard and Residence Inn, Sheraton Riverwalk, Hyatt Regency, Wyndham Harbour Island, Hilton Garden Inn Ybor, Hapton Inn Ybor, Don Vincente B%26amp;B Ybor.

YOu can visit Florida Aquarium, USS VIctory, Channelside, Hyde Park Village, SOHO district, Ybor City, Museum of Art, Tampa Bay History Museum, Ybor City Historical Museum, Bayshore Blvd., on your one day, no car needed.

Great info guys/and or gals :) Thanks for the fast response!

OK Bad news. I was getting ready to book ';Downtown Area'; on hotwire but its:

$121 per night for a 2 star hotel

$169 per night for a 3.5 hotel

This is way to much for just a place to lay our heads down before our cruise. But Busch Gardens area has a 3 star for only $55. Now I need to find out how far Busch Gardens will be to the port since we will need to shuttle or cab it there?

Please help ... :(

How about the Westshore/Airport Area, Howard Johnsons Tampa Stadium, Days Inn Tampa Stadium, La Quinta Tamap Airport, Tahitian Inn. All less than 5 miles from the Port.

Busch Gardens area is about 10 miles, and possibly a $25 car fare.

Hi, what hotel did you decide on. We are planning on staying a night in Tampa before our cruise and we our trying to decide which hotel to choose.

Epcot/MK by monorail

I am trying to finalize my daily schedule for WDW. I need the answer to be able to finish my plans for a couple of days. Help Please!!!

question 1:I want to know if you can take the monorail from Epcot to MK. I know I can catch it from MK(TTC) to Epcot, but can%26#39;t find if you can go the opposite way Epcot to MK. I would assume you could, but I don%26#39;t always depend on my assumptions.

Question 2: Will the monorail take me from Epcot to the Polynesian for the Luau? Or can I only do that from MK?

Question 3: Am I correct that I can take a boat from the WIlderness Lodge to MK?

THanks!

Epcot/MK by monorail

Yes, the monorail goes two ways back and forth from EPCOT and Magic Kingdom. You could actually ride round trip on the very same monorail car; it just makes a circle at each station.

To get to the Polynesian, you%26#39;d have to ';get off'; the Epcot monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center, then board the ';resort'; monorail to go to the resort. It%26#39;s like changing trains at the station.

I%26#39;ll let someone with more Wilderness Lodge knowledge answer your question about the boat, but I think you can. You can certainly take one of the busses.

Epcot/MK by monorail

The monorail DOES NOT go from the MK to Epcot, you must get the Epcot monorail at TTC to get to Epcot.

As the other post said, you can take a monorail from Epcot to MK or from MK to Epcot, but you will have to switch monorails at the TTC. Easy to do.

You can take a monorail from Epcot to the Polynesian by doing the same.

Do be advised that there are two different monorails that run from MK to the TTC. One stops at all of the monorail resorts along the way and one is an express directly between MK and TTC. So if you are in a hurry to get from MK to Epcot or Eptot to MK, make sure you get the express monorail between MK and TTC not the resort monorail or you will be making many stops along the way.

Yes, there is a boat launch from Wilderness Lodge to MK.

Make sure you allow enough time for your trip as well. The monorails come to Epcot every 15 minutes or so, and including the time in the station loading, another 15 minutes or so to get to the TTC. Then if you need to catch the resort monorail, they run every 15 minutes or so as well, with another 5 minutes ride time. From the TTC, the Polynesian is the first stop. So you would need a MINIMUM of 50 minutes (and I would allow an hour) just to get to the Polynesian. Then you need to allow time to get to the Luau, be seated, etc. A lot of people fail to factor in the fact that they may ';just miss'; every connection they need to make, and then they end up being late.

The boats from Wilderness Lodge to the MK run about every 20 minutes. If you get to the dock and have just missed a boat, you can take the smaller boat to the Contemporary and walk to the Magic Kingdom as well.

Sorry, gang, I guess I should have clarified better. I%26#39;ve always considered the TTC part of Magic Kingdom, but technically it isn%26#39;t.

Both Magic Kingdom and Epcot monorails go to the TTC, but true, the monorail doesn%26#39;t go directly from the Magic Kingdom gate to the Epcot gate. You do have to change monorails at the TTC to get from one park to the other.

I%26#39;ll try to think more like a newby next time.

Thanks to all. This helps a lot. Fla4fun, you mentioned I should plan around 50 minutes. Would taking a bus from Epcot to Polynisan be a faster way of getting there?

The Polynesian resort is so close to the TTC, you might be better to take the monorail from Epcot to the TTC, then walk from the TTC to the Polynesian. It might be quicker than waiting on the monorail that goes from the TTC to the resort.

Monorail wait-time all depends on how many they have running at any one time, and that is ususally dependent on the crowds they expect on a given day.

I don%26#39;t know how long it would take to ride a bus from Epcot to the Polynesian, but this would avoid the transfer at the TTC possibly.

There is a boat from Wilderness Lodge to MK. Be sure to check on the schedules for the days you%26#39;re there as to when it runs. It can be a bit chilly depending on season.

Thanks LuvJR.....The temp won%26#39;t be a problem....June! Hot and sticky!

You can%26#39;t take a bus from Epcot directly to the Polynesian. You would have to take the monorail. If you are at the back of Epcot near International Gateway at the time you need to go to the Poly, you could take a boat from one of the Epcot resorts to MGM and catch a Poly bus there, but it won%26#39;t really save you any time over doing it by monorail. You would still have to factor in the time waiting for the boat and then the bus at MGM.

chunnel London to Paris - Hotel recommendations

We are taking the chunnel from London to Paris and would appreciate hotel recommendations near both stops.

Thanks

chunnel London to Paris - Hotel recommendations

Suggest posting on London and Paris forums.

3 Day weekend for 40th Birthday

I am planning a 3-4 day weekend for my husbands 40th birthday. Looking for accomodations close to Duval. Have normally shied away from B%26amp;B%26#39;s because we prefer privacy. Most posts I have read recommend them...i.e., Eden House, Gardens, etc. I think this would be the best way for us to experience KW vs. the large resorts. Any input would be appreciated!!

3 Day weekend for 40th Birthday

I agree with you completely. We seldom stay in B%26amp;Bs elsewhere but make it a point of staying in guesthouses in KW. (And, like a broken record, let me make my point about the accomodations in KW being guesthouses: most offer more than a bedroom and a sticky bun. The places we stay have an afternoon happy hour, a pool and pretty good concierge service. At only one was the owner living on site). And I%26#39;ve never felt a lack of privacy in any guesthouse and, to tell the truth, I don%26#39;t know what you are talking about when you say ';prefer privacy.'; There are a whole lot of guesthouses near Duval and many of the people on this forum have a favorite or favorites. We%26#39;re liking Marrero%26#39;s these days, but it may be too quirky for everyone. It%26#39;s said to be the most haunted guesthouse in town and the pool is clothing optional.

3 Day weekend for 40th Birthday

I like small B%26amp;B%26#39;s, but understand they aren%26#39;t for everyone. Most of the places we%26#39;ve stayed at in Key West, don%26#39;t really fit into that category. They%26#39;re more like small hotels, with 15 or 20 rooms. Island City House is a favorite. Our most recent stay was at Harbor Inn, great place.

Key West would be a great place to try a smaller property, you might look at Simonton Court, never stayed there, but it looks very nice.

Marquesa gets good reviews, but it%26#39;s out of my price range and doesn%26#39;t have the %26#39;curb appeal%26#39; some of the other places do.

What about a cottage? It gives you a homey feel with lots of privacy. The one I have looked has breakfast included with some of their rooms and a happy hour by the pool everynight. wwwcentercourtkwcom it also seems to be very close enough to the duval action but far away to be quiet and has parking. If I were over 25 it wouldn%26#39;t even be a question.

I want to go back to Simonton Court!! My hubby took me here for my 40th Birthday. It was ideal. Very intimate, alot of privacy. My favorite time was spent in one of the pools that had flowers floating on top and looked like a pond with a black bottom. Nobody around! Heaven!! It has so many different types of accomodations too. I have recommened it to so many friends who all fell in love with it too. (Also, stumbling distance from all the bars!)

Thanks to everyone who has responded! We decided on the Guest House route, still trying to decide which one. Any and all recommendations are appreciated!

Our past two trips, we stayed at the Ocean Key Resort at Zero Duval. While it%26#39;s beautiful and the location is perfect, it%26#39;s not fitting into our budget for our next trip! So we booked the Nassau House for eight nights in December. I booked it solely based on reviews from this website. From what I understand, it%26#39;s a bit of a walk from Duval, but we don%26#39;t mind. We love to explore everything on the island. When I called, they were extremely polite and they gave us a great deal. I would look at some of the reviews on this website to see what people have to say! Let us know what you decide on!

We really enjoyed our stay at Ambrosia Too this last trip. Immaculate room, heated pool, beautiful landscape and 2 blocks off Duval. We stayed in the Treetop Too room, iron King canopy bed, huge bathroom and closet, fridge and micro, a private balcony with porch swing, fabulous! Breakfast was simple fruit, yogurt, cereal, muffins, juice and coffee, all we needed. Ambrosia, Ambrosia Too and The Gardens are all owned by Kate Miano and her personal touches are everywhere.

Road trip-Atlanta to Key West - where to break up trip?

Hi. Husband and I are taking new Wrangler on anniversary trip to Keys in May -- from Atlanta. Really...we aren%26#39;t crazy.

We are planning to leave early Sat.a.m. and drive until close to Miami. I have never been to Miami so I don%26#39;t know where to stay overnight, just that one night. Any suggestions? Safe area and nice hotel?

We have the week pretty much taken care of - except the trip there and back.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!!

Road trip-Atlanta to Key West - where to break up trip?

I think you are far from crazy--I%26#39;m driving to KW from New York. And I%26#39;m meeting the delightful Mrs. Gam in Ft. Lauderdale, because she refuses to drive (and has less vacation time than I).

As far as where you should stop, the Miami or Ft. Lauderdale areas are not bad choices. If price is no object and you really want to experience major Miami, look for one of the better art deco hotels in South Beach. Here you%26#39;d have history with style and trendiness. If you%26#39;d like a more restrained approach, and still experience Miami, there are ample places to stay near I95 or the Turnpike. From there you can drive through Miami on your way to the keys. A visit to one of the other forums or else pages with reviews of hotels near Miami or Ft. Lauderdale would tell you far more about what%26#39;s available than I can here. Another choice is to drive all the way to the end of the Florida Turnpike and find a place to stay in Homestead/Florida City. That way you could spend you entire second day enjoying the peculiar charms of the Overseas Highway.

Road trip-Atlanta to Key West - where to break up trip?

Um I think you are crazy. I have driven many a time from the home I grew up in orlando to atlanta were my aunt uncle and cousins live. They live off of barrett pkwy (in the marrietta area). That trip is long and tedius. You may not realize but the trip from miami to the keys is a good 3 hours. If I were you this is what I would do. I would take 75 down till it splits to the turnpike. Which will be a little north from orlando. Get on the turnpike and stop some where in the Ft Peirce area. You can stay in a whatever hotel off the turnpike. In the morning get on the turnpike and take it to the keys. I would think about a 5 hour drive from there. The trip to fort peirce about 10 hours. I know it sounds like you are not going south enough. But believe me you are. No sense in tiring yourself out and paying a higher hotel bill in miami. Save that money and slurge on margaritas on duval. I know the roads. You have to get on the turnpike to get down to the keys anyways so why not break it up in a more apporpriate spot? If you need more info, just ask.

PS

if you do this idea dont leave ft peirce really early thinking you are getting ahead. i would wait until 9. Yes, traffic in ft peirce might be a little heavy. (stress the little) bbbuuuuttt you will be very glad you missed the west plam beach/ ft lauderdale rush hour. It will also get you to miami early enough to beat the afternoon rush. Nothing in the world is worse than west palm beach at 8:30 in the morning. You will still get to the keys by early afternoon. Dont even think about 95. The construction is really really heavy especially in the west palm/ boca area. I know there are some areas in ft lauderdale that are heavy. If you feel the need to push farther south. Hit ft lauderdale. the Mia Kia is on federal highway. it is a great little tiki spot to drink at. I really wouldn%26#39;t go any farther south. 13 hours with more to drive the next day in a jeep. Be ambitious, thats fine. But dont be tired when you get to the keys.

Have fun on the roadtrip. I%26#39;ve always loved a good roadtrip!

I think you should dump him in Miami, that way you both have a good chance of meeting someone new. He probably also won%26#39;t take it as bad, I mean it is Miami, things could be worse, right? Anywhere else before you get to KW you%26#39;ll just run into old people.

February Roll Call

I know , I know, it%26#39;s early but... can%26#39;t wait ! Just finished watching a gr8 Rose Bowl and there%26#39;s 5 inches of snow in the backyard, snow piles 4 ft high and we%26#39;re supposed to get 3-4 inches overnight; it%26#39;s 19 degrees out. In my neighborhood we call that Thursday.

Will be driving over the 7 mile bridge at about 4PM on 2/2 and I won%26#39;t touch the defrost button.

Who%26#39;s going down in February ?

can%26#39;t wait. can%26#39;t stop feeling it.

Chill,

K

February Roll Call

Me! Me!! I%26#39;ll be in the car at 11am on 2/3!! CANNOT WAIT! first trip to KW and probably not my last! I%26#39;m already dreading having to come home monday afternoon! lol

February Roll Call

Count us in! We arrive FLL at 11:00 on 2/2 and are driving down to Key West, staying until 2/6 when we fly back. Our snow has melted but we have had something like 3 weeks without sunshine! Really praying for some warm weather and sun to thaw us out.

We are looking forward to stopping for lunch at the Islamorada Fish Company, seeing Dominique and his little buddies at the sunset, eating at Blue Heaven, Raw Bar, 7 Fish, trying Cafe Marquesa and others, taking the %26#39;wind %26amp; wine%26#39; sunset cruise with Danger Charters, seeing as many bands as possible and, hopefully, vegging in the sun!

Oh you guys make me sick I have only been back 5 weeks and already feels like 5 years ago what I would give to hear Jimmy Buffet%26#39;s ';5 oclock somewhere'; sittin in Marguariteaville fed up lookin at grey skies

have a good one guys

Won%26#39;t make it to the keys until March, but then I%26#39;ll be there twice around the first for a day or two, and then from the 24th - April 3rd . . . . YAAAAAAAAAAAY for me.

I know the feeling about the stupid defrost button. I%26#39;m sitting here thinking how lucky we have been to have average temps of 33 degree this past week.

BTW - I think that Toby Keiths sings It%26#39;s 5 O%26#39;clock somehwere, with JB%26#39;s help.

Will not be going in Feb, but did just return from Key West on Tuesday. Be prepared, we were suprised by the Wilma debris remaining. But don%26#39;t dispair, we likely only noticed the remainder of debris because we too are Florida natives and have become sensitive to notice things that others might completely overlook b/c they are so stuck by the natural beauty in the surroundings.

On a side note, we FSU fans had 2 consulations in the loss to Penn State - (1)even in a loss, FSU played very well! AND - (2) most of those Penn fans had to return to snow, while we ';Floridains'; did not!!!

Enjoy your Feb trip - safe travel wishes...

Hi Buffetguy.... as a huge Jimmy fan I must correct you, ';5 O-Clock Somewhere'; is Alan Jackson and Jimmy. He does do the song with Toby Keith called ';Piece of Work';!

Thanks - I was going to say Alan Jackson first, but outsmarted myself (not real hard to do by the way)

Hey Buffetguy69, March will be here soon and I want to extend an invite to you and the lovely Buffet Gal (and kids)for a drink at the Cabana Club, Key Colony Inn or KCB Marina (your choice) while we are all there the last week in March. I appreciate your help finding us lodging when things didn%26#39;t work out after Wilma. We ended up in a duplex on 7th street with CC privileges and hope for the usual relaxed family vacation!

I%26#39;ll be there the nights of feb 3 and 4, staying at the Eden House, diving during the day, and drinking at night...Is there a meet up one of those nights???

I%26#39;ve never been to Kelley%26#39;s but pjk says they have the best margarita%26#39;s in KW and great happy hour! How about Sat. (2/4)evening? Who%26#39;s in?

eye makeup pictures

WHERE to find COUPON BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, etc on area...

you know, those towers full ofo brocures and coupon books etc..are there any at the airport? Where is the travel tourist station in KISSIMMEE???? I sent for kissimme ones, cocoa beach etc never got a thing!! We leave in a week and half! thank you!

WHERE to find COUPON BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, etc on area...

Kissimmee doesn%26#39;t have their 2006 book ready yet, so that%26#39;s probably why you%26#39;ve not gotten anything from them (I%26#39;m waiting on mine too). Cocoa Beach may be the same too.

You should be able to find some of those coupon books all over Kissimmee. They seem to have those stands at every hotel and restaurant in the place.

Don%26#39;t know about the airport.

Getting to Haulover from Ft. Lauderdale

About how long is the drive? Should we just head down A1A? Mapquest says to use 95.

We%26#39;re staying at the Marriott BeachPlace Towers on a timeshare exchange and just want to check it out. Neither of us intends to go nude but we%26#39;re a physically fit young couple and we have some swimwear that we might not feel comfortable wearing in the more family oriented Fort Lauderdale area.

Oh yeah, and how%26#39;s the weather in early May?

Getting to Haulover from Ft. Lauderdale

I think you%26#39;ll find I95 much quicker as A1A is full of lights and lots of traffic. You can try it and see but if it were me, I%26#39;d do 95. It%26#39;s about 21 miles to the North Parking lot of Haulover Beach and should take around 30 minutes.

Haulover Beach is the sandy beach part of Haulover Park which includes a small golf course, marina, picnic area, boat ramp. The clothing optional beach is the most northern 1/3 or so of the beach. Most of the beach is a ';textile'; beach.

As you enter Haulover Park from the north, you%26#39;ll want to park on the first parking lot on your right (North Parking Lot - $5 parking fee). There is a wooden walkway that leads to a tunnel that goes under Collins Avenue so it%26#39;s a safe walk to the beach. Once you enter the beach area, you find most straight couples are on your right (south) and to your left (north) is mostly populated by gay couples.

It%26#39;s a great beach with very friendly folks. You%26#39;ll find that almost all of the guys are sans clothes, some of the ladies wear bottoms but almost all are top free.

It%26#39;s a great beach that we visit pretty much every time we visit South Beach at least once during each trip!

May is a GREAT time to be down there as the weather is warm, lots of sun (longer days), water warm enough to swim, and the rainy season isn%26#39;t in full effect.

In fact, we%26#39;ll be there in early May as well so maybe we%26#39;ll see you there!

Cheers!

Getting to Haulover from Ft. Lauderdale

Thanks for all the great info :)

Coming for 1 day

Ok Lemstar and others- we are coming in for 1 day in March to see the Sarasota area. Our goal is to get a feel for the area and decide if we could live there. What should we do!

Coming for 1 day

For starters, you may want to visit:

www.sarasotamagazine.com

This is an online publication that will give you a chance to do a bit of ';homework'; on the area.

Coming for 1 day

Are you coming from the Sarasota airport?

I have a boring ';must do'; suggestion.

Obviously you%26#39;ll need to drive the area to see a glimpse of the Sota here. I would suggest to drive on 41 up and down one time and check that out. Also take a bridge over to Siesta Key and/or LongBoat Key and drive around.

Sometime do an hour driving adventure: take Fruitville out to I-75, take I-75 North to University and get off, heading back West to the airport. Then take a left onto 301S to get back to Sarasota city centre. Take a Right onto Main street and check out how quaint the city centre is (i.e., there are 4-way stops mixed with stoplighted streets and parking slots on either side of the street...a small town feel, although if you find a parking spot open you may want to throw yourself on it to make sure you have a space if you move here). There is also a huge Whole Foods near Main with their own parking garage. Maybe get out and walk around Main Street. There are a few restaurants and shops, a great bookstore, etc.

There will be spots of construction around town, and some people are trying to buy out the town to put high-priced condos everywhere, but there are still older landmarks.

I really haven%26#39;t driven South of the Westfield Plaza on 301S yet, so I can%26#39;t help you much past there.

If you ever need to ask for directions, remember this: the street ';Honore'; is pronounced ';onner-ay';, the street ';Tamiami'; is pronounced ';Tammy-ammy';, and the street ';Bahia-Vista'; is pronounced ';Baya-Vista.'; I figured out Honore myself, but for the other two I%26#39;ve had some peeps correct me, especially my roommate.

You will find that despite the urban sprawl, it%26#39;s mostly not too bad a drive to get to most places. I don%26#39;t even think twice about meeting someone for lunch in downtown.

And there%26#39;s no Quail hunting here so no one is going to shoot you in the face accidentally.

Help!!!!!!!!!

My sister and I are going to be in Panama Beach are March 15-19. We are 30 and love to party still, but would prefer a crowd our age..Any suggestions on where to go? What about any great seafood restaurants? thanks..

Help!!!!!!!!!

Spinnaker has a great 21-35 yr old crowd, good dance floor and several bars inside and out to choose from. For seafood try Saltwater Grill, Captain Andersons, Pompano%26#39;s or Boar%26#39;s Head.

Help!!!!!!!!!

When you go to Pompano%26#39;s, Capt Anderson%26#39;s and Boar%26#39;s Head, make sure you take your wallet...the BIG one w/LOTS of money b/c you%26#39;ll spend alot there! My favorite place was Laguna Grill but it has been torn down for another condo.

I think Hammerhead Fred%26#39;s is a good place and usually have someone out on the deck playing a little Buffet music while you wait. It can be expensive too but not as bad as others.

Montego Bay is ok. I%26#39;ve had a really good dinner there and i%26#39;ve had just an ok dinner.

Sharkey%26#39;s is fun...again sometimes it%26#39;s knock your socks off good, other times it%26#39;s just ok. But it%26#39;s a fun place to hang out on the back deck.

Schooners is good. I%26#39;ve eaten there twice and both times has been very good.

I know you asked about seafood but if you want a good steak, check out Angelo%26#39;s. It%26#39;s truly the best on the beach....expensive but very good.

Hope that helps.

Karen

Thanks for your all your help...

Hotel rooms at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

We just booked a week at the HRH for August. We reserved a club room. Is there anything you feel we need to know about the rooms? Any room location to avoid?

Thanks.

Hotel rooms at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

I have friends who stay there frequently and they said the rooms overlooking the pool are noisier than the others because of the music in the pool area. They don%26#39;t always mind it, depending on how long they%26#39;re staying, but it%26#39;s something to keep in mind.

Hotel rooms at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

If you haven%26#39;t already, DollyMae, check the user reviews for the Hotel on Trip Advisor. Plug the hotel name in the search box in the upper left hand corner of the page, and you should find a number of user reviews.

What is Sanibel like late March ?

I visited Sanibel for the first time in 2003 and had a GREAT time on this BEAUTIFUL island. We came in early June then. Just wondering what the weather and crowds are like the end of March. Considering coming on my son%26#39;s Spring Break (week of March 20th). Thanks!

What is Sanibel like late March ?

You may find the traffic a bit heavier during Spring Break weeks, but generally not a major problem. Sometimes you can avoid using Periwinkle and do most of your traveling on East/Middle/West Gulf Drive. March should be one of the prime periods for a vacation on Sanibel. We have been down there many times during March / April and, for the most part, were blessed with great weather, low humidity, no bugs (etc.)

What is Sanibel like late March ?

I have gone to Sanibel many times/years in March. Sanibel is not really a Spring Break destination so I never noticed it being a problem. It may be a little busy but not overwhelming. Ft Myers Beach is more of a spring break place for the young ones. The weather is GREAT in March, especially late March should be really nice. It should be getting VERY warm by then. One of the worst weeks is President%26#39;s week in Feb. After that and the shell show week, it is quite good on the island. If you have more questions, bring them on!

http://www.sanibelrealtors.com/averages.html SHows average weather

Its been a long time for me actually being there but from what my friends say and from when I used to visit in March it is In-Season so don%26#39;t plan on driving around a lot...as I suggested in another post park it and relax. June is soooooo quiet.....March can be very busy!

Last year it stayed chilly longer than usual and its been very chilly this past week.

The plus side is....No humidity, less chance of showers, and NO no-see-ums.

I have not heard of Spring Break stuff going on the islands Sanibel/Captiva. I have heard of Ft. Myers having an issue with it.

Thanks to all who replied! We have decided to wait until June when we know it is great at Sanibel. We are also considering the Siesta Key/Crescent Beach area. Anyone know much about that area?

Yup! Vacationed at Siesta Dunes and also at Midnight Cove on Siesta Key for many years. It%26#39;s a totally different experience from Sanibel in that it is more developed, more dense in terms of accommodations, (etc.)

Having said that, however, it is almost impossible to find sand as wonderful as the broad white quartz sand beach that is Crescent Beach. Siesta Dunes was our favorite place because it is gated property and has a more Florida feel on the grounds. The layout reminds me a bit of Pointe Santo, but be aware that the lower priced units are probably garden view...not Gulf View. Still....a very nice place for a beach vacation...just not Sanibel!!

Forgot to add that Siesta Key rental rates are much lower than Sanibel. However, with Sanibel rates, you are also paying for the island, itself...less density and more nature.

My husband and I took our kids to Sanibel/Captiva for Spring Break last March and I absolutely hated the traffic. That probably had something to do with the fact that we waited until the last minute to find accommodations on the island, and everything was booked up. So we had to stay with my uncle in Fort Myers and drive over to the islands every day. What typically takes 30 to 45 minutes, took us 1.5 hours each way. Way too much time spent in the car with three children. We%26#39;re returning again this year - but we%26#39;re going in July instead during the low season.

If you%26#39;re staying on the island, I recommend walking or biking to your destinations and leave the car parked.

International drive in November

Hi All ,

I I have just booked a holiday for myself and my fiance in November. It is going to be our honeymoon.It is our first trip to Orlando and we will be doing the parks as well as some shopping. We will be staying at the Homewood suites on international drive and will not be driving a car so we will be relying on the I ride trolley and hotel shuttles (if any). It%26#39;s been a rough year for us so this holiday is a surprise to raise my fiances spirits. We will be spending 12 days. Does anyone have tips on getting around, places to eat, shuttles, park tickets, must sees? What is the weather like in November?

International drive in November

You will have easy access to two outlet malls, Prime Outlets at the north end of I-Drive and Premium Outlet Mall at the south end of I-Drive. You can use the I-Ride trolley to get to both. You can get a 10 day or 14 day trolley pass. I believe the 10 day is around $7 and the 14 day is around $10. They give you unlimited trolley rides for the number of days you purchase. You can also reach Universal and Sea World by trolley, if your hotel%26#39;s shuttle is not convenient (sometimes you just want to go back to the hotel NOW and there%26#39;s no hotel shuttle to be found!) You can reach the Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia by Lynx bus (the city bus). Check golynx.com for routes and schedules. You can also check out the trolleys on iridetrolley.com for routes and schedules.

For park tickets, if you want to stick with the I-Drive area, I would recommend the Orlando Flex Ticket. It gives you unlimited admission for 14 days to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, and Wet N Wild water park. November can still have some really hot days,as well as the cooler ones, so a water park is not out of the question. If you want to go to Disney, I would recommend no less than a four day base ticket, which gives you a full day in each Disney park. The park hours at all the parks are typically a little shorter in November, so you really want a full day to see everything.

My favorite restaurant on I-Drive is Ming Court, an upscale Chinese restaurant near the Convention Center. There are dozens of restaurants up and down the street, easily accessible with the Trolley. Quite a few will be within walking distance of your hotel. I also like Bahama Breeze and Olive Garden.

International drive in November

well I Drive is very quiet in Novenber compared to the summer so be aware that certain places do close a little earlier the I Ride we felt did not run as frequently but you could always get a seat watch out for the lynx bus this also travels up I Drive although a little more epensive.ther are tons of places to eat it was quite fairly warm in comparison to uk we where able to swim in the sea but this was way further south of orlando

Orlando Limos

I%26#39;m trying to find a good limousine company in Orlando with reasonable rates to get me to Port Canaveral and back to Orlando International airport. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Mike

Orlando Limos

Try www.mearstransportation.com or www.tiffanytowncar.com both websites should be able to give you a fare estimate

Orlando Limos

www.happylimos.com have pretty competitive rates.

Try The Limousine Company they have the best price 407-467-8294

Avoid Happy Limos we had a terrible experience with them on our anniversary, let us down big time and the customer service is non existant lots of better companies to try!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We used Legacy Towncar service for airport transfers to WDW. They were awesome.

www.legacytransport.com

We just returned home from a trip to Orlando and used both Mears and Sunrise while we were there. I%26#39;d recommend Mears in a heartbeat!

california grill restaurant dress code

How strict are they in enforcing the ';business casual dress code'; in this particular restaurant? If my 10 yr old son has on jeans and sneakers will they reject him? We have ADRs for Valentine%26#39;s Day.

california grill restaurant dress code

From everything I%26#39;ve heard, its a nice place, high up on the ladder of WDW restaurants. I don%26#39;t know if your son would get kicked out for wearing sneakers and jeans, but I wouldn%26#39;t take the risk, particularly on a special day like Valentines Day.

california grill restaurant dress code

Hello champagnetaste,

They won%26#39;t kick him out however, you might want to have a collared shirt like a polo for him to wear. You know to draw the eye upward:)

We have been there many times and they do not strictly enforce the dress code, especially for children but do frown upon tank tops and the torn up jeans or pants hanging off the teens rear ends. One of our visits was a last minute thing and we went directly to dinner after the park and one of my children had a tank top on and they just offered him a polo shirt to wear over it. With many restaurants in tourist areas dress shorts and a nice polo are the norm. However you will also have guest there with very nice or formal evening wear.

I believe the only restaurant with a strict dress code is Victoria and Alberts. If your son has on a nice shirt (maybe a polo or similar style, jeans that are in good shape, and sneakers in good shape, he will be fine. If he goes in a faded t-shirt, torn jeans, and sneakers that look like they need a run through the washer, that%26#39;s a totally different story. I think the whole motivation behind the business casual dress code is that some very nice restaurants, such as the Yachtsman Steakhouse, are right next to the pool or recreaton areas, where people might get the idea that anything goes.

Thanks so much for all the replies. I was planning on him wearing a collared shirt anyway.

We were there 2 nights ago and saw people (children AND adults) in anything from suits to sweats!