Orlando - Next Weekend, so what have I forgotten?
Discussion
Most welcome. Don't rule out Jetty Park at Port Canaveral, if you want to see the launch with a bit of company and more of a party atmosphere.
Also Playalinda might be open - often governed by intended trajectory and is very close to the air station pads. You are aware that it's a nudist beach, right?
....and finally - (reminded by a thread in GG this morning) - no 'reverse-in' parking allowed in FL - your license plate needs to be visible to patroling cops - and don't parallel park with your car facing on-coming traffic.
Have a great time!
Also Playalinda might be open - often governed by intended trajectory and is very close to the air station pads. You are aware that it's a nudist beach, right?
....and finally - (reminded by a thread in GG this morning) - no 'reverse-in' parking allowed in FL - your license plate needs to be visible to patroling cops - and don't parallel park with your car facing on-coming traffic.
Have a great time!
Well, the two weeks are over, sadly. Thanks to everyone for the tips, we had a truly fantastic time, I'd move there at the drop of a hat if I were able to.
A few pics and impressions of our holiday.
Following the long and uneventful flight we collected the Chevvy Traverse (huge and perfect for the American roads) and made our way to the Villa.
A quick dip in the pool (those nets are bloody fantasic) before breakfast.
Then a Lumberjack Slam at Denny's, highly recommended and everywhere :drool:
248 Dollars for this beast!!!
Some 'mericuns are a bit odd
Busch Gardens is a pretty good day out and slightly off the beaten track.
Something I'd always wanted to do was an Airboat ride, and I wasn't disappointed, and rather than take the big boat, I'd gone for the 'when in Rome' approach and hired a smaller boat just for us. We saw Alligators, a Bald Eagle, and various other beasts along the way, a cracking day!
A 7 footer, about 5 feet away from my leg!!
Some snappy thing that crawled out of the bushes, and a Turtle
Can you guess where we are yet?
Universal was another great day but it confirmed what I had already feared, it was bloody knackering!
Next up, Kennedy Space Centre, a fantasic day and one that you have to do.
The loo on the Space Shuttle
Do the launch simulator, brilliant!
These buggers are pretty big.
Then we spent a day at Clearwater Beach and had a swim in the Gulf of Mexico, beautiful and well worth the hour or so drive from Orlando.
On to SeaWorld and another great day out. If you go there you have to go on the Manta rollercoaster, awsome!
What shall we do today? Universal again and eat some Cajun Shrimp....
...and then go on this :barf:
Let's try the Atlantic today shall we? Well, it's got to be done hasn't it
Don't forget, you are not allowed to drive the hire car on the beach
We also did Islands of Adventure which was great, Aquatica, which was not my cup of tea but the kids liked it, and loads of other stuff. It really was a holiday of a lifetime and I want to go back next year, should my wallet recover in time, thoroughly recommended.
Oh but one thing, the Americans certainly know how to tease your money away from you, trust me
And be prepared for the security at the airport, there's a lot of it. It took us three hours from arriving at the Airport to leaving it in the hire car!!!
A few pics and impressions of our holiday.
Following the long and uneventful flight we collected the Chevvy Traverse (huge and perfect for the American roads) and made our way to the Villa.
A quick dip in the pool (those nets are bloody fantasic) before breakfast.
Then a Lumberjack Slam at Denny's, highly recommended and everywhere :drool:
248 Dollars for this beast!!!
Some 'mericuns are a bit odd
Busch Gardens is a pretty good day out and slightly off the beaten track.
Something I'd always wanted to do was an Airboat ride, and I wasn't disappointed, and rather than take the big boat, I'd gone for the 'when in Rome' approach and hired a smaller boat just for us. We saw Alligators, a Bald Eagle, and various other beasts along the way, a cracking day!
A 7 footer, about 5 feet away from my leg!!
Some snappy thing that crawled out of the bushes, and a Turtle
Can you guess where we are yet?
Universal was another great day but it confirmed what I had already feared, it was bloody knackering!
Next up, Kennedy Space Centre, a fantasic day and one that you have to do.
The loo on the Space Shuttle
Do the launch simulator, brilliant!
These buggers are pretty big.
Then we spent a day at Clearwater Beach and had a swim in the Gulf of Mexico, beautiful and well worth the hour or so drive from Orlando.
On to SeaWorld and another great day out. If you go there you have to go on the Manta rollercoaster, awsome!
What shall we do today? Universal again and eat some Cajun Shrimp....
...and then go on this :barf:
Let's try the Atlantic today shall we? Well, it's got to be done hasn't it
Don't forget, you are not allowed to drive the hire car on the beach
We also did Islands of Adventure which was great, Aquatica, which was not my cup of tea but the kids liked it, and loads of other stuff. It really was a holiday of a lifetime and I want to go back next year, should my wallet recover in time, thoroughly recommended.
Oh but one thing, the Americans certainly know how to tease your money away from you, trust me
And be prepared for the security at the airport, there's a lot of it. It took us three hours from arriving at the Airport to leaving it in the hire car!!!
Adenauer said:
And be prepared for the security at the airport, there's a lot of it. It took us three hours from arriving at the Airport to leaving it in the hire car!!!
Great pictures - I've been so many times it feels like home!What happened at the airport to take 3hrs though? We're usually through in well under an hour and the times we've been delayed have been due to either queues at the car hire desks or issues with the hire car itself.
Although this year Hertz gave us an Escalade to make up for the hassle and it wasn't their fault the booking had got messed up.
Yep, MCO. There was even a seperate bag check 'after' you had collected the bags from the belt, then you go through customs, then you put the bags on another belt and off they went again, you then had to reclaim them from another belt after another security check, bloody nightmare.
I'm still planning on going back next year though
I'm still planning on going back next year though
Adenauer said:
...then you put the bags on another belt and off they went again, you then had to reclaim them from another belt after another security check, bloody nightmare.
Ah - they normally offer a choice of carrying the bags yourself rather then putting them back in the system. Big advantage then (apart from not having to wait for your bags again) is that you can go to Terminal B to pick up the hire car, while everyone else is going to A because that's where their baggage has gone.
I am sooooo envious!! However, I have just started to initially plan the holiday for my 40th in a couple of years. It'll consist of two weeks in Orlando (with Bro and Sis-in-law), plus a week (for just the wife and I) on the Gulf Coast somewhere.
I cannot wait and seeing your pics has made me even less patient!
I cannot wait and seeing your pics has made me even less patient!
I recommend buying 'The Unofficial Guide to Disney'to anyone planning on going to the parks.
I have used it twice and we have missed the queues, seen and rode more attractions and had time at the end of the day to revisit the favourites.
It has tear out plans and it really does work as it guides you round the best way for you as opposed to the official way which tries to relieve you of more money on your way round.
I have used it twice and we have missed the queues, seen and rode more attractions and had time at the end of the day to revisit the favourites.
It has tear out plans and it really does work as it guides you round the best way for you as opposed to the official way which tries to relieve you of more money on your way round.
Nothing has changed, probably just a case of the OP's circumstances being a little different to those flooding in from the UK.
I believe the OP arrived from Germany - hopefully he can confirm. I work in Europe from time to time and have used Lufthansa to fly from Frankfurt direct to Orlando, where I live. It's a great service - except that it usually arrives directly after the late Virgin flight from Gatwick and the BA one too.
So, what you have is the tired and weary contents of an A-340, a 747 and a 777, all hitting immigration at pretty much the same time. By the time the Lufthansa flight has de-planed, the log-jam is already in full swing.
The reason they often require you to hand back your checked bags after clearing immigration and customs is that 1200 holiday-makers + their checked luggage won't fit on the shuttle train efficiently. In those cases, they don't offer you a choice - you have to hand your bags over to go onto the conveyor to the baggage claim.
What is a mystery to me is why they (sometimes) require you to go through security again, having cleared customs - understandable if you had left air-side and were taking a connecting flight, but otherwise, I'm at a loss to figure out that one.
Assuming that your UK flight is not delayed, 90 minutes is about right to get through.
I believe the OP arrived from Germany - hopefully he can confirm. I work in Europe from time to time and have used Lufthansa to fly from Frankfurt direct to Orlando, where I live. It's a great service - except that it usually arrives directly after the late Virgin flight from Gatwick and the BA one too.
So, what you have is the tired and weary contents of an A-340, a 747 and a 777, all hitting immigration at pretty much the same time. By the time the Lufthansa flight has de-planed, the log-jam is already in full swing.
The reason they often require you to hand back your checked bags after clearing immigration and customs is that 1200 holiday-makers + their checked luggage won't fit on the shuttle train efficiently. In those cases, they don't offer you a choice - you have to hand your bags over to go onto the conveyor to the baggage claim.
What is a mystery to me is why they (sometimes) require you to go through security again, having cleared customs - understandable if you had left air-side and were taking a connecting flight, but otherwise, I'm at a loss to figure out that one.
Assuming that your UK flight is not delayed, 90 minutes is about right to get through.
Matt Harper said:
So, what you have is the tired and weary contents of an A-340, a 747 and a 777, all hitting immigration at pretty much the same time. By the time the Lufthansa flight has de-planed, the log-jam is already in full swing.
Top tip (which you probably know) is to queue to the most right-hand side Visitors immigration line - then when the US Residents have all gone through, the Officers in those booths will call you across.The guy who does the writing in the sky using smoke/aircraft is called HOLY SMOKE.
Met him when I did my stunt flying when over in may, well I say met him, said hello as he walked past having just written "jesus loves u" at 5000 ft up.
Might be a fruitcake, but my god hes a fruitcake who can fly a plane well.
Met him when I did my stunt flying when over in may, well I say met him, said hello as he walked past having just written "jesus loves u" at 5000 ft up.
Might be a fruitcake, but my god hes a fruitcake who can fly a plane well.
Deva Link said:
Top tip (which you probably know) is to queue to the most right-hand side Visitors immigration line - then when the US Residents have all gone through, the Officers in those booths will call you across.
That is a smart tip DL - you should keep 'em to yourself - as they lose their value if everyone is aware.Thankfully, I'm no longer required to stand in line with the "Smashin's".
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