Ken K, which is better choice?

Hi Ken K, I have been offered a 1 bedroom unit at Fairways of Palm Aire, at Canada House, and at Dover house. They are all for under $1000 for the week of Dec. 23. Which would you say is the better choice? I%26#39;ve read reviews about Palm Aire being near a seedy neighborhood and not right on the beach.

Ken K, which is better choice?

Are you referring to the Dover House in Delray Beach ( about half an hour north of Ft. Lauderdale) or is theer another one in this area I don%26#39;t know of?

Ken K, which is better choice?

Sorry, it is the Dover House in Delray Beach.

How badly do you like to be at the beach? And who likes to play golf?

If beach and kinda near action, I%26#39;d say Canada House. MOST of Canada House has pretty nice rooms.....it is kind of consistant through out the resort. One part of Canada House is across A1A from the beach. But most is in the sand.

Wyndham/Fairfields Fairways of Palm Aire is several miles off the beach. Its management company is now Wynham/Fairfield. ( Was Vacation Break system before the takeover by Fairfield) They run several condo buildings in the gated community %26amp; CC of Palm Aire. The possible problem here is major. It is the difference in conditions in the buildings. Some poster %26amp; reviewers get a well kept unit in a %26#39;prime%26#39; building, but others get a pretty run down unit in an unkempt building. It was promised by Wyndham that one building closed since Wilma is reopening after repairs %26amp; renovations. I%26#39;m sorry, I don%26#39;t know the great building names or the names of the ones needing better rehab.

BUT....Fairways dose have the golf course...and pools. It is what some call an iffy area ( not in the gated community), but my cousin lived near there and didn%26#39;t seem to have a problem ( Since moved to Parliment House on the beach in Pompano). You will be right next to a Wal Greens and a Supermarket...AND the pompano Harness Track and Casino.....which might be fun...but not like Vegas ( ask Lulu).

Additionally, Wyndhan DID have a shuttle that connected all the Vacation Break T/S units. This might still be running...I think it is. It connects the Faiways units, with the five star Royal Vista ( great) the Sea Gardens and if reopened yet, the Wyndham Santa Barbars ( across from A1A %26amp; ROYAL VISTA...with a yacht cruise.

These units are still in Wyndham sales mode, and I need to say something.....about points. Wyndham resale points sell for below one cent each to below 3 cents each. If you go there, make sure you know this.....the developer priced weeks are much higher.

Dover House is at the beach as well. It is a small converted to condo T/S use...and many on the tug bbs love it. Units here are SMALL, but are well kept. You will not be near much, but I believe you will have a car. I want to post the websites of each place in a post below.

I would like you to google each address and them map it, and pull in close on HYBIRD. I think you will even be able to see the places.

IMO...( I can%26#39;t play golf)...I%26#39;d pick the beach units first. Canada House is a big place with OK rooms, Dover is a nice small place. Not have super bad reviews......but remember, if you are staying in a T/S rented unit, you WILL NOT get services as you are used to in a hotel.

Unfortunately, on resale e bay, I%26#39;ve seen seeks at both the beach front units sell for one dollar a week via PCCs. Even top weeks hardly SELL for more than $500 a week. Why? THe maint fees %26amp; takes %26amp; insurance in Fl is high. ( THats another caution statment for if they try to sell you a T/S.

Hope I helped. Watch for links

Ken

I don%26#39;t know if you would thik this is a full resort...Dover House:

http://www.doverhouseresort.com/

Canada House:

http://www.canadahouse.us/

Golf Palm Aire:

http://www.palmairegolf.com/page/19-436.htm

Wyndham:

www.wyndhampalmaire.com/unit-features.php

This rental offer on e bay shows a lot of the Palm Aire pix. I was looking for a resort map link, but didn%26#39;t find it.

Always remember, from Sept to the first 3 weeks in Dec.....rentals in this area ( and all areas) are very very inexpensive for a time share week:

http://tinyurl.com/34zdon

Hope they work

Ken

any bugs now

Any one reciently back from W D W , how was the biting bug situation ? Should I bring bug repelant ? Six days and counting , the little one is getting excited and so are the big kids , can%26#39;t wait .

any bugs now

disney does a really good job of controlling the bugs, ive even been in summer and had little or no problems with mosquitoes. i dont think youll need bug spray this time of year

any bugs now

The only bugs around this time of year is las cucarachas. If your staying in a decent hotel you%26#39;ll be fine.

Arrived back Sunday morning after 2 wks in Orlando. No problem at all with bugs.

Have a great holiday.

staying at little palm Jan 08

Hi, My husband and I are planning our first trip to the keys and want to make sure we take time to experience key west. So, my question is - should we cut our time at little palm and spend 1 or 2 nights in Key West. If so, since we won%26#39;t have a car what would be the most convient place to stay?

Thanks, Elizabeth

staying at little palm Jan 08

How are you planning to get to LPI? If you won%26#39;t have a car, are you going by boat , keys shuttle, hitchhiking, parachuting in?

You%26#39;re about 17 miles from Key West at Little Torch Key. How do you plan to get to KW from LPI?

As far as where you should spend YOUR vacation, thats a toughie. It%26#39;d really help to know a little about you and your hubby, and what you want to accomplish on this trip.

Do you want to sit on a lounge chair all day, reading a book, doing nothing in the lap of luxury?

or

Do you want to get out party, sight see, meet people?

BIG difference in what you wnat to do on your vacation. It%26#39;ll make suggestions MUCH easier.

staying at little palm Jan 08

Wow, lucky girl staying at Little Palm. I%26#39;m jealous.

~~E do you need an assistant to make sure you have your

drinks chilled to perfection or to brush the sand off your

shoes or..to ...anything.. LOL!

Knowing what interests you most about KW will help us help you.

~~Cheers~~

^-^

Yep, I%26#39;m with bluewater....lucky you! When we were looking for wedding venues down there we asked if we could take a tour of the island BEFORE deciding on if we wanted to spend that much and they handed us a DVD package and said that shows everything!!! Didn%26#39;t even seem concerned to earn our business for a wedding!

My vote would be save your money for two nights and spend them in Key West. If you%26#39;re staying on LPI then you%26#39;d have no problem staying almost anywhere downtown. BG is right though, it depends on what you want to do for your vacation. Downtown is a nice social atmosphere but if you want seclusion then you%26#39;ve picked the best spot to have that at LPI.

i%26#39;m staying on little palm too...

not...

just wishing

but,if i did, i%26#39;d boat down to kw and party with the big girls!!

LPI is wonderful! You will really enjoy it. The rooms are stunning, food is wonderful and the expereince is amazing. There is nothing like it. Key West is about 28 miles from the Little Palm launch so you will need some way to get to KW, either car or taxi. Years ago Little Palm had a shuttle that went between LPI and KW so you might want to see if thats still possible.

Its hard to suggest something but the sister property of LPI is Ocean Key resort, in Key West, and its close to just about everything. Take a look there.

Is Hertz Car Rental efficient at the Airport?

We are catching a 1pm flight to Canada from Orlando on a weekday.We also have to return the rental car to Hertz. We are leaving from Disney Beach Club Resort .

When would you suggest that we leave to go to the airport?

How long do you think it will take to return the car and catch the shuttle to the airport from Hertz Rental?

Thanks.

Is Hertz Car Rental efficient at the Airport?

I see that no one has answered your post, so this will at least bump it back up where some may see it. I can%26#39;t be specific with Hertz in Orlando, but my experience in every airport lately is that as I drive in to return a rental I am met by a worker carrying a hand held computer who very quickly verifies my information and prints out my receipt on the spot. It has never taken more than 5 minutes. So, I don%26#39;t know how long the shuttle ride would take ( not long I%26#39;m guessing) but as far as returning the car- there should be no standing in line at a counter if that%26#39;s what concerns you- but now that I%26#39;ve bumped this up, lets see if anyone with specific Hertz in Orlando experience can reassure you that it won%26#39;t be a major wait. The rental car companies are very speedy- they are anxious to turn over the cars as quickly as possible these days!

Is Hertz Car Rental efficient at the Airport?

Since Hertz is not at the airport,I would allow at least 45 minutes to return the car and catch the shuttle-you may have to wait awhile for a shuttle to the airport. You%26#39;re supposed to allow 2 hours at the airport to check in there and clear security so I would think you would need to leave by 10:30

Returning the car doesn%26#39;t take very long, but the shuttle over to the airport isn%26#39;t quick

if you can find a comperable rate at a airport car rental, you might want to consider it

Hmack:

I normally rent from Hertz, but Alamo is the favored car rental w/ Disney, so its got the market share at least in Orlando.

As the last post said, Hertz is not in the airport, and any shuttle means time. Alamo%26#39;s cars are parked across the driveway from the luggage carousel area (I think). We visited in November, and if you make an online reservation w/ Alamo, you can use one of their self-serve kiosks and really fly through the reservation process. I recall about 6-8 self-serve machines next to their manned counters.

We used Hertz in October and it does not take long to get to the airport and we only had a couple of minutes to wait for the shuttle.

A shuttle bus left as we got out of the car and by the time the luggage was out and we walked over another bus came along. The trip took a few minutes and we were impressed with how smooth it all was. I did not check how long it was but it certainly did not take long. We got off at the terminal door and the longest part was luggage drop off but we were going back to UK with BA.

I would use them again. Our main reason for using them was the ability to pick up at the hotel.

One of the reasons you didnt get many replies form this side of the Atlatic is Hertz is not one of the Cheapest for Brits ,Dollar ,Alamo Budget are better rates for us and they are on the Airport with easy access for arrivals and departures.

So we wernt being rude just had no input :)

Hyatt and Restaurant Help.....

We are staying pre-cruise in Fort Lauderdale for 2 nights this weekend; one in the Airport Sheraton and the second at the Hyatt Pier 66. My questions are:

1. I was reading reviews on the Hyatt and they all seem bad; has anyone had a recent good experience there?

2. We are looking for restaurants near both places that are moderately priced (~$20 per person) for breakfast and dinner. Any suggestions? For dinner it can be any type of food.

Thanks in advance for all of your help!!

Hyatt and Restaurant Help.....

Will you have your own transportation at the Airport Sheraton?- there%26#39;s nothing very close by except their own dining room or the one at the Hotel across the street. You%26#39;d need a taxi for anything else- I guess Islamorada Seafood would be next closest- still a taxi ride and might likely be a bit more than $20 pp at dinner as opposed to lunch. No other choices for breakfast in that area at all that I can think of except at the 2 hotels. Perhaps if you have a car there might be an IHOP on US 1 east of there, but it%26#39;s taxi ride and I%26#39;m only vaguely sure it%26#39;s really there.It%26#39;s a very isolated area because it is on the Airport ';greenway'; where no other areas are developed at all.

From the Hyatt you can walk or maybe SunTrolley West ( no Sun Trolley goes to the Airport hotels) to RJ Gators, Southport Raw Bar or Quarterdeck- or even Outback Steakhouse for dinner - and there area few bagel places ( Einsteins is one ) in some of the little Strip Malls there for breakfast.

Hyatt and Restaurant Help.....

Just checked the IHOP Locator and theer is one east and south of the Hotel on federal highway at Stirling Rd. That%26#39;%26#39;s a taxi ride. Theer are a few other ';fast food and chain type places in that area- it%26#39;s not a very high income area , so nothing very good. Jaxson%26#39;s Ice Craem is locally famous but is just sandwichws and amazing ice cream concoctions. There is a little ';diner'; type place north of there on Federal called Grandpa%26#39;s that has a good homestyle breakfast and is a good bakery too. All these would be taxi rides. The two Airport Hotels ( they are acros teh street from each otehr and keep changing affiliations) are newly refurbbed and pretty nice, but the rates are reasonable mainly because they are so very isolated from anything for anyone without a car. I%26#39;lll keep thinking , maybe something will pop in my head.

Thanks Lulu,

Yes we will have a car so location doesn%26#39;t really matter. We don%26#39;t neccessarily want to be in the car for 30 minutes to get to a chain restaurant but we are okay with going 10 or 15 minutes for breakfast.

carmex balm

Bedding Set

which would be nicer in March

has anyone been to both Naples and Miami in early March? which would be better for a beach vacation at that time of year?

which would be nicer in March

They are both great with regard to weather and beaches. The question is what type of vacation are you looking for?

Are you going with young children? Do you prefer the waves of the ocean or the peacefulness of the gulf?

They both offer great shopping and dining. Naples is much more laid back than Miami. What area in Miami are you considering?

which would be nicer in March

hi, thanks for the reply...I am going with my 20 year old daughter for her spring break...all we want is a nice beach with sunny weather..we don%26#39;t really get in the water much and we don%26#39;t need a nightlife...don%26#39;t really even need shopping and we wouldn%26#39;t be into going out to expensive restaurants though some shoppin and decent food would be nice...she just wants to get a tan is basically it...

Hi,

When I saw that your daughter was 20 I first thought Miami. It%26#39;s a lot more trendy but as I read on it seems as if you want a more relaxed atmosphere, so my opinion for you guys would definitely be Naples.

The beach at the pier or the beach at Vanderbilt would be perfect for you both. There are enough casual restaurants to eat at and Fifth Avenue South, Third Street South, the Water Side Shoppes and Venetian Village. There is great and unique shopping at all of these places.

I will list some websites for you regarding shopping, dining and beaches for you to peruse and give you an idea of what%26#39;s it%26#39;s like.

http://www.fifthavenuesouth.com/

http://www.thirdstreetsouth.com/

http://www.watersideshops.net/

http://www.naples.com/village/

http://www.colliergov.net/Index.aspx?page=465

cs.naplesgov.com/parks/naples_pier/index.asp

Do you have any hotels in mind?

Hope this helps!

Annette

Annette

Thanks for the advice. I do not know anything about Naples so no, no hotels in mind but some that I looked at that are on the beach are extremely expensive. Do you know any on the beach that would not cost more than $200-250 per night for two people that are still nice? Also, I don%26#39;t want to have to rent a car so do you have any idea how we could get to and from the airport without it costing as much as a car rental anyway?

thanks for your help

Maria

You may have to fly into Fort Myers. Try Supershuttle id they offer transport to and from the airport.

If Naples beach hotels will be higher in March than the $200-250 limit you set, check into Fort Myers beach for better prices. Fort Myers Beach is more lively than Naples but is has retained more of the feeling of a laid-back vacation spot than Miami Beach. MB is the place to go if you like to go clubbing, if that is not a priority I would choose the Gulf Coast.

Mimi

Hi Maria,

Trying to stay within your budget driectly on the beach would be difficult but there are hotels that offer shutte service to and from the beach.

The Park Shore Resort is a very nice condo resort on a lake that offers free shuttle to and from the beach, which is only a few minute ride. I believe this would be within your budget. They are equipped with full kitchens. living rooms and bedrooms. I think this resort is a great alternative. There is a poolside pub on the property and a Publix supermarket nearby so you can pick up food for the room to have breakfast and snacks.

Another resort is Bellasera Resort, a sister hotel to Park Shore Resort. They might be slightly over budget though. This hotel is gorgeous and also offers shuttle service to the beach. The rooms here are also equipped with kitchens. The plus of this hotel is that it%26#39;s a tiny walk to Fifth Avenue South where there is lots of greats shops, galleries, pubs, restaurants and lounges.

One other hotel that offers free shuttle to the beach is the Naples Hilton. You may be able to get this hotel within your budget, especially if you have a AAA or AARP card.

Here are the websites to these hotels for you to check out:

http://www.parkshorefl.com/

http://www.bellaseranaples.com/

http://www.hiltonnaples.com/

As for transportation from the airport, here is link from the Ft. Myers airport which lists all transportation options:

flylcpa.com/rsw/…ql_groundtransportation.php

Hope this helps!

Annette

I have stayed at The Park Shore several times in the past an loved my stay each time. They offer 1 as well as 2br apartments.

If you are staying Saturday to Saturday you can also try the Sandrift Club which is smaller property in Olde Naples just off Fifth Avenue. The offer 1 BR and 2 br apartments, have nice grounds, a heated pool and jacuzzi. Theyb are in walking distabnce to the beach and od course steps from Fifth Ave dining and shopping. Their website is www.sandriftclub.com.

Scuba Diving shops

Whilst the delightful Mrs h2 is engaged her retail therapy I thought I would hunt for some shiny stuff of my own. Can anyone recommend a good scuba diving shop in the Orlando area?

Scuba Diving shops

h2overload,

The Kissimmee Dive Center is a little shop on 192 a quarter mile east of 17-92 (Orange Blossom Trail).

http://kissimmeedivecenter.com/

Scuba Quest 8092 S Orange Blossom Trl, Orlando, FL 32809

(407) 851-6677

World Watersports 5368 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819

(407) 354-3644

CTR

Timing for the trip back.

Well, forst off I sort of a spazz when it comes to flying. Not the actual flyikng, but worryin%26#39; about missing my flight.

So here%26#39;s my quandry. We are driving from KW to Miami on a Sunday. Our flight is at 9:35. How much time should we give ourselves to drive, gas up and return the rental to make sure we get back on time?

Timing for the trip back.

6 hrs.

3 - 4 hrs to drive to MIA

the extra time to return car, etc.

Timing for the trip back.

Would that time frame of 6 hrs apply KW to Ft Lauderdale also?

I would add another 45 mins for FLL, although - rental car area is easier than MIA.

Depends on the rush hours too.

I spazz too. Missing the flight is the last thing I%26#39;d need at the end of a great vacation! I always worry about an accident blocking the road, which has been known to happen.

I hope your flight is at 9:35 pm. If not, I%26#39;d think about getting a room somewhere closer to MIA for the last night.

Yes, 9:35 pm. We wanted to have as much of a final day in KW, so we opted for the latest flight out. Of course, if we miss it, we are kinda screwed...

We just drove up from Key West for a flight out of Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday. I think we left KW at 9:30 a.m. and arrived at the FLL rental return about 1:30 p.m. Our flight was at 4:45 p.m. Obviously, we had plenty of extra time, but we factored that in in case we ran into traffic and/or weather issues. We just used the time to have one last drink in Florida and make friends with other sad travelers returning to the north.

1- You need 4 hours to drive.

2- You need 1/2 hours to return the car.

3- You need to be at the airport 2 hours before your flight.

4- You need to leave 3:00 AM the latest.

OR

1- You could return the car in KW and fly.

2- You could drive up the night before,return your car and stay at

the airport hotel.

bottomtime, OP%26#39;s flight is PM.

Another thing to be considered is ship traffic. I%26#39;ve seen the line to get through security REALLLLLLLLLY long in FLL. I don%26#39;t think that a 9:30 PM flight will have that problem, but you never know. There is a Chili%26#39;s - at least in the gate area I go to - where you can have a bite to eat, and wait.

security lines might not be a problem that late at night, but if you have some full flights going out it might be. Less lanes are open that late at night, compared with peak times during the day. Although you shouldn%26#39;t need to be there two hours before your flight.... not at that time of time. Just make sure you are there at least 30 minutes prior to your departure. (and by that I mean you are checked in at the Tminus 30 minute mark... not rolling up to the counter)

Is the cruise ship problem also at Miami?

Thanks to everyone on this post for great advice and some of the funniest posts!

Parking in Clearwater Beach - help needed !

Dear all,

I have a question, primary for Clearwater residents I guess :

What%26#39;s the parking situation in the Clearwater beach?Me and my girlfriend will be staying in a hotel on the beach.We are thinking about renting a car in order to be free to go anywhere but do not want to pay exorbitant parking fee ( 25$/day !!! ) in our hotel.

To make things worst this is a valet-only parking so it will be a pain to call down each time that we need our car.Plus there are always tips to add to the parking fee...

So my questions is - what%26#39;s other ways to park ?Is there a cheaper parking option in Clearwater beach ?

All advises will be greatly appreciated !

Thanks in advance,

Regards,

John.

Parking in Clearwater Beach - help needed !

You must be staying at the new Sandpearl...I think that is so terrible they would charge their guests a $25/day parking fee. Well, you dont have many options here. All public parking is metered.

Your cheaper parking option would be not to stay at the Sandpearl or don%26#39;t rent a car. I want to say that Sanpearl is the only place on the beach that forces you to pay for parking on their property even thou you are a guest at the hotel (I may be wrong thou.)

Or instead of renting a car the entire vacation, rent the car the few first days or the last few days and be sure to do all your sightseeing on the days you have the car. Most car companies here will come to pick you up.

Best of luck!

Parking in Clearwater Beach - help needed !

Thanks for your reply ssims2 !

Yes, it%26#39;s Sandpearl ;-). It seems to be the best place in Clearwater beach so we already booked when I found about this parking extorsion ! So my options really are : 1 - find a cheaper parking ( it%26#39;s not only about the money, it%26#39;s about the fact that I don%26#39;t want to be forced to use the service that I don%26#39;t need and don%26#39;t like by my hotel ).

2 - Don%26#39;t rent a car.

Regarding option 1 - I was thinking that there may be some parking options where you can pay, let%26#39;s say 10$ and use it for 24 hours ?

Also maybe I can self-park in other hotel ( Hilton, for example ) ?It says on Hilton site that the 24h self-parking is 10$ but maybe it%26#39;s for hotel guests only ?

Option 2 - Could you tell me how much not having the car would limit us ?I heard that you could walk to almost everywhere in Clearwater, including Caladesi island...will we really need a car, are there any places worth wisiting that are accessible with the car only?

Thanks a lot for your advise, it%26#39;s really appreciated !

Regards,

John.

Unfortunately, we don%26#39;t really have the best public transportation here. There%26#39;s a trolley that runs the length of Gulf Blvd from Clearwater Beach to St. Pete Beach and back if you%26#39;re looking to visit any of the other beaches. Other than that, not much is really within walking distance. You could taxi it to a few dinners out, but after a few of those, it would probably be cheaper to rent the car. I%26#39;m astounded that hotel charges $25 a day to park a car; that%26#39;s worse than NYC almost!!! It really depends on what you want to do and where you want to go before you decide on how to do it. For instance, if you wanted to head to Tampa or Ybor City for the club scene, a car is a must. If you just plan on hanging out at your hotel most of the time outside of a few dinners and shopping trips, then you can probably skip the car, use the shuttle, trolley or taxi. Also, constructions is horrible which makes the traffic horrible, so be advised of driving conditions out here when you make the car decision. There are times you can walk a mile faster than trying to drive it!!!

I agree. If you plan on staying on the beach, then you can get by without a car. The trolley is convenient for moving up and down the beach if needed. You could walk to just about everywhere on the beach (not all of Clearwater, just the beach area), it would be a preatty long walk from one end to the other, but it is doable.

We visit Clearwater Beach regularly and our car tends to sit in the lot most of the time. We stay at the Sand Key which has free parking but I have to say the situation you describe would put me off staying there. I think the metered spaces are free at night but unless you are going to be going on trips each day and are an early riser this does not offer an adequate solution. There would be parking at some of the restaurants and other businesses along the street but this would be private grounds and I don%26#39;t think you would get off with it if you could find a space.

There did used to be a municipal parking lot at the beach (not sure if it is there now) but it is a fair distance from the hotel you are staying at so would be just as inconvenient as the valet service even if you could leave your car there overnight.

Is there a south beach bus?

Is there a bus that go from South Pointe Drive to Lincoln along Ocean Drive? What about the local buses - K, C, or H?

Is there a south beach bus?

You can catch the circulator bus at Washington and first

which is a short distance from South Pointe.

Is there a south beach bus?

It is not called the circulator but the ';South Beach Local';

www.miamibeachfl.gov/newcity/sobe_local.asp

You can take it virtually anywhere in South Beach for 25 cents.

enjoy

The Other buses are routes that go outside South Beach

You can learn about the other routes at the link below

http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/transit/

identifying rows

Is Kapok Tree still used for weddings?

We are having a nostalgic discussion on theFort Lauderdale Forum about our long defunct Kapok Tree restaurant. In googling, I found a reference to the one in Clearwater now being ';used only for weddings'; but could not determine how old that website was. Can%26#39;t find anything I know is recent. Is Kapok Tree gone completely , or is the building still around in some capacity?

Is Kapok Tree still used for weddings?

The building is a music store now. Sam Ash music if I recall. I think the garden may still be used for weddings, it is still there.

Sam Ash (well the people at Sam Ash would know for sure) It is on McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater if you need to look up the number or a website.

Is Kapok Tree still used for weddings?

The Kapok Tree facility is still there and can be rented for private parties. The gardens are still there. Did you by chance find my Virtual Tourist page with pics of the gardens? I use the same name here and there.

Here is the web page - http://www.kapokspecialevents.com/

www.kapokspecialevents.com/contactus.html

carmex balm

campgrounds near orlando airport

We are looking for campground not too far from orlando airport. We would like camping experience rather than just sitting in concrete parking lot. Is Kississimmee State Park too far from airport 30 minutes or less? Any suggestions as to campground where we can enjoy nature, hike, bicycle, etc.

trak

campgrounds near orlando airport

A great campground not far from the airport is the Disney%26#39;s Fort Wilderness Campground, its on Disney property in the Magic Kingdom area but its a great place to enjoy the outdoors, they also have a the giant Fort Wilderness Lodge hotel if you decide to book a hotel room or villa. The Wekiwa Springs State Park is also a great campground but its much farther from the airport, its in the north Orlando area in Seminole County.

campgrounds near orlando airport

WDW also will provide transportation between Ft. Wilderness and the airport. Best campground I have ever stayed at!

I%26#39;ve never seen any campground near the airport-Fort Wilderness at Disney is 18 miles away and is a nice campground though we have never done tent camping there.

trak

This may be your best bet:

Koa Campgrounds 12345 Narcoossee Rd, Orlando, FL 32832

Phone: (407) 277-5075

For a second option try:

East Lake Fish Camp 3705 Big Bass Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34744

Phone: (407) 348-2040

Those are within a few miles of the airport%26#39;s south entrance.

I have never been to either place and can not tell you much about them except that they are out in the country.

CTR

Remember the ';Kapok Tree'; ?

Does anyone remember a restaurant/bar in Ft. Lauderdale called ';The Kapok Tree'; ?? Wasn%26#39;t sure if that is the entire name or not. Back in 1976, my buddies and I drove from Michigan to Ft.Lauderdale and found this place. It had gardens, statues, and can%26#39;t remember what else. We ended up buying a tropical drink and a souvenir glass. But the next time we went down for Spring Break in about 1978, I think it disappeared.

Does anyone remember this place and what the address was?

You can email me at :dgwiz@aol.com

thanks !!!

Remember the ';Kapok Tree'; ?

There were two Kapok Tree restaurants in Florida I remember. One was very near the present location of Flamingo Gardens off the then 2 lane Flamingo Road.

From the beach. we took US Rt one to L on Griffin ( also then a 2 lane road-past Tropical Acres) and turned right onto Flamingo. When we neared Flamingo Gardens ( the Wray House, where they grew %26amp; developed citrus, sold to a company called United Fruit Co. out of Port Everglades and also sold via their stands called Alexs Groves), we turned left onto I think was 39th court ( or something).

About one mile into the forest (?) there was this big mansion of a place with lakes, pools, and several rooms with dining.

There was also one in the Clearwater Area. If you Goggle, you will find Pix and an article about the family who ran them (I think there were more than 2...not sure).

It seems the one in Clearwater area ( I think Maderia Beach) is still used for weddings and other functions.

If you go to the Davie website (City of Davie)....they mention the land of the Kapok Tree Restaurant and Pioneer Village are considered environmentally not stable???

But when I drive by the area now....it really looks like there are many housing developments in the area.

It was advertised as Ft Lauderdale, but was in Davie.

Remember the ';Kapok Tree'; ?

I do remember The Kapok Tree ! We had our prom there back in the early 80s. I happen to live near there now too and it is long gone. They are making the area a preserve that so far is not open to the public and I think the tree itself is gone too.

It was in Davie off of Flamingo Road and 26th Street.

There was also ( for a very short time) a Kapok Tree in Deltona when that community was brand new build by the Deltona Builders....same who developed Marco Island.

When I was stationed in Dover AFB, Del., in the early 60s, there were a few restaurants called Peter Pan (I think maybe diners) in MD %26amp; Del.

They were owned by the family who also owned those majestic palaces called the Kapok Tree (INN) in Florida.

This site has some info %26amp; pixs, but of the one either in Clearwater or Maderia.

Once when I was looking for info for some poster on the Coral Tides Timeshare in Pompano, we found post card offered on E bay with pixs of that ocean front motel, 1940s or 50s.....and in the lot of postcards was a Kapok Tree card ( I think from Davie).

http://www.kapokspecialevents.com/home.html

Another link can be found with the history of the family, and the story of the Kapok Tree Inns ( Restaurants)

I remember the Kapok tree.As a teenager while visiting with my aunt and under in the mid 70%26#39;s, they took my family to Busch Gardens for the day. We had supper that evening on the way back to their home at the Kapok Tree.

I remember getting a ';virgin'; tropical drink with the little umbrella in the glass and feeling like an adult. The restaurant was rather exotic and unlike anyplace I had even been to before.

I remember the kapok Tree as we ate in Ft. Lauderdale often at it what a grand time it was have they closed them all i wanted to take my daughter, i know that the one is located just off alligator alley

I found this old photo of the one in Clearwater- looks a lot like the Lauderdale location and may bring back memories. The post says the facility is now used for weddings etc- but I am not sure that post is current. I think I%26#39;ll post in the Clearwater Forum and ask the locals.

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/6886c/

I remember having dinner at the one in Clearwater with my family back in the 70%26#39;s. It was AWESOME! They had a big beautiful Kapok Tree with a vine like trunk like some of the trees I saw in Costa Rica.I remember the food being great and my favorite thing was fritters covered in confectioners sugar. I just looked it up on the internet hoping it was still there so maybe my husband and I could take a trip down there but sadly it is gone. We drove 700 miles to eat at the Dillard House in Dillard GA which is also a unique experiance that is still in business. We also love the Columbia but there will never be anything as Magical as the Kapok Tree Inn!

How funny! I spent hours one night trying to find the Kapok tree inn. My parents took me there in the 70%26#39;s. It was a big event as my father had business in Florida so we flew from Kansas to Ft. Lauderdale and then ended the trip at Disney World. I must have been in the 1st grade. I remember the place completly as it seemed huge to me then and very magical. Sad to hear that it is no longer around.

Would you believe inquired in the Clearwater Forum about the Kapok Tree there ( the original of which ours was a clone) and I learned it is now a music store ( Sam Ash). The poster thought the garden is still next door to it and that weddings sometimes take place there. My how times change!

Another poster on the Clearwater Forum says the KT building is still thereand can be rented fro special events. She referred me to this website:

http://www.kapokspecialevents.com/home.html

Gorgeous photos!

Trip report

While my wife and I have just completed our 8th trip in the last 11 years to Key West, I thought I%26#39;d make this report as I%26#39;ve only been a TA member for the past year.

I%26#39;ll offer my brief negatives first as it is always better to end with the positives, which are many.

First, I agree with others about that eyesore being built next to Schnoor Wharf Bar. While development can%26#39;t be stopped, this place will look totally out of place next to an old seaport bar and market. Someone had pasted a picture of a guy ';relieving'; himself into the pool scene that was depicted to promote this development. I wish I had taken a picture. The next day I saw it the';relief'; part had been wiped away. While the picture was a little dirty, it wasn%26#39;t as bad as some of the tee shirts on Duval, and I understood the point. Maybe the project will help to spare the Waterfreont Market next door which I read might be closing, but I doubt it. It is a shame

I was also a little distressed by being hit up constantly by the panhandlers looking for money for ';alcohol research.'; I usually offer a dollar here and there to be honest, but one day, within 5 minutes, we were hit up not only by someone for booze, but also by a persistant SOB looking to give away a bunch of freebies to look at a time share. I said to my wife both were hustlers, only one was looking for a little more money than the other. I don%26#39;t want to sound harsh, especially to those who might be visiting for the first time. The homeless, and those looking for a dollar are not uncommon anywhere, especially a tourist spot like this, and no crime comes of it. But sometimes you don%26#39;t like getting yelled at if for once you happen to walk by, whether it is for the homeless person or the timeshare hustler.

As for the positives. I asked about A %26amp; B Lobster House for my birthday dinner, and it was FANTASTIC. I shared the 2 person surf %26amp; turf meal and the fillet mignon could be cut with a butter knife. We ate outdoors as suggested and that was wonderful too. This explains too why I couldn%26#39;t make the roll call meeting at Captain Tony%26#39;s on Sunday as my head couldn%26#39;t fit outside our door. Also had a great lunch downstairs at Alfonzos Oyster Bar. Had two wonderful meals at Pepe%26#39;s as well. Pepe%26#39;s is Key West%26#39;s oldest restaurant, as well as one of it%26#39;s smallest. It doesn%26#39;t always get the greatest reviews, in part because the menu is so plain, and because of the size of their kitchen, they can%26#39;t do say breakfast and lunch at the same time. But the food is wonderful, as is the service. A terrific little place.

We stay at the Eden House on Fleming and love it. It isn%26#39;t for everyone. If you want room service, or a sunset view it isn%26#39;t here. If you like a little funk, a great pool scene, very friendly service from all, not on top of the action but only a couple of minutes away, and a fun free drink happy hour, then this is the place.

I don%26#39;t usually see a lot about entertainment on this forum, but I still say Sloppy%26#39;s has the best with great piano from Barry Cuda, and one hillarious duo named Pete and Waytne which we saw for the first time. We couldn%26#39;t stop laughing.

Finally, the best part about the trip, besides the company of my wife, is slipping into ';island time.'; You literally lose minutes and hours, and feel much better for it.

Thanks to all who we met, laughed with, waited on us, and served us. See you next year!!

Trip report

Sounds like a great trip! Thanks for the report. BTW - the negatives are seen as negatives by everyone. It is illegal in Key West to panhandle and as you point out, by either the homeless or those who want to sell you one. Both are obnoxious.

Trip report

We were in KW 3 week ago, and were pleasantly surprised- didn%26#39;t get panhandled ONCE. We walked or biked by lots of people who were obviously homeless but no one said a word. Maybe it was us?

Thanks for posting such a great report. I am glad you had a great dinner at A%26amp;B and took my suggestion to sit outside.

I love Pete and Wayne but they are not for everyone so I rarely ever suggest them. They are a riot. You either love them or you don%26#39;t, lol.

Like Pete and Wayne%26#39;s sign says...

';Adult entertainment, childish behavior';

I thought they were funny, but at times even I felt a little uncomfortable. One particular sing-along they do had the whole crowd involved, and the sides of Sloppy%26#39;s are open to the streets. I felt a little embarrased for those who were walking by, possibly with smaller children.

We have never had a bad experience with the homeless - however this past trip I did. One guy was asking money for a beer and we NEVER carry cash anymore. And I point blank told him, ';hey man, if I had cash on me I would give you some.'; Well then one of his homeless buddies sneaks up to me from behind and said ';well give us your credit card.'; I will admit - I felt threatened since I was alone and then my fiancee came out and they left. However, we happened to walk by the ';credit card man'; the next day - and he just so happened to remember us. Again, felt threatened - he yelled at me to give him my credit card! OH well, hopefully just an isolated incident.

I agree about Sloppy Joe%26#39;s. I love their rock bands.

Where to stay for approx AUD$250 per night

Hi,

I%26#39;ll be coming to Miami Beach in April 08 (13th - 17th) with my boyfriend. We would ideally like to stay somewhere with a pool.

Of course I%26#39;d like to pay as little as possibly :o) but I want to stay somewhere that is safe %26amp; the accommodation is in good condition...

Where could I stay for AUD$250 or there abouts per night??

Thanks,

Vanessa

Where to stay for approx AUD$250 per night

Vanessa%26gt;

Check out the Park Central, The Doubletree Surfcomber, the South Seas, the Catalina... or do a private rental here:

floridavacations.com/fv/Miami-Beach-Florida.鈥?/a>

AG

Where to stay for approx AUD$250 per night

The Miami Beach Resort and Spa has a deal right now

$149.00/night.

I am not sure what dates you were for but check them out.

I will staying there myself at Christmas and from what I have read it sounds very nice.

Lisa

The above reco refers to the Shelbourne Hotel which has a

few nice condo rentals, but for opinions of the hotel itself, please

check the reviews of the Shelborne. You might want to

try the rentals at Benley Beach through Naomi that could be

in your budget.

cs files

charter fishing

We will be visiting Anna Maria Island for the third time this spring. Any suggestions for a good fishing charter for a half day fishing trip? Something that can accommodate 4 people.

charter fishing

I know many fishing charter captains here on AMI, since I live here. Send me an email at dhoward6@tampabay.rr.com and let me know if you want inshore or offshore / full day or half day / fishing with children, etc.

captiva question

We just decided to visit Captiva/Sanibel for a week in early January. Lots of places are booked up of course. We have 2 daughters, 8 and 12--trying to decide if we%26#39;d be better off at a resort such as Casa Ybel than a quaint cottage since it%26#39;s Jan and might be chilly...esp at night.

If cost is no object, where would you recommend for upscale charm directly on the beach (or as close as possible?).

South Seas sounds like a nightmare. Several of the inns look sweet but might be a little smallish feeling or less private?

Thanks much

OceanA6

captiva question

Tough question, but I%26#39;d take a compromise and stay at Sunset Captiva. There are a few beachfront houses there, but the bulk are off beach and a short walk. Check out ResortQuest and look for units 1, 3, 4 and maybe 8 b- all show availability. They are free standing homes that function like condos. All show availability. There%26#39;s a community pool and tennis and walk to some restaurants and a few shops in the village.

www.resortquestcaptiva.com/rental/alpha.html

Also RoyalShell and units 5,6 and 7 listed under their Privates Homes.

Off beach, I really like the looks of unit #13 thru AMRC at www.captiva-island.com

As for beachfront houses, SUnset Too thru VIP [no pool]. Also Saba Winds and Nirvana thru AMRC. Both have pools. Last would be Beach Sweet Beach thru Royal Shell, but it sits across the street from the beach and has a road on two sides that carries all the traffic in and out of the village - it%26#39;s near the road.

As for beach view condos - Captiva Shores units - the townhouse style ones are duplexes and have more privacy. Buildings 7 and 8. Units in Blg 6 are traditional apartment style ones. 1 to 5 are bayside. AMRC and Royal Shell have the beachfront units. Same road as the one that goes past Beach Sweet beach, but the condos only have them along side and have a deeper setback. AMRC%26#39;s 7A unfortunately has little availability in Jan.

If you rent at South Seas and choose to use an agency, the best way to get a good unit, you will lose resort privileges, but will have the beach and local condo pool. There are some beautiful units on the resort. Take a look, but know what you DON%26#39;T get renting that way! It is very unfortunate the management hasn%26#39;t straightened out their issues and continue to causes guests problems. It%26#39;s got potential to be an outstanding place to stay if they could just get things like housekeeping under control.

captiva question

F.Y.I., we stayed at SSR last June, booked throught the resort, and our experience was fine. It is on a GORGOEUS stretch of beach, and we stayed in the beach villas. If you rented throught a private owner and picked a nice unit as suggested by Tourmaline, and, as she said, you know what you dont get, you should be fine. If you stay in the beach villas you have access to their smaller pool, which is along the path to the beach. You would not have access to the resort%26#39;s ';fancy'; pool complex, but that%26#39;s no loss IMHO as those pools are woefully small and overcrowded. We only went 1 day and were perfectly happy with the beach villa pool. All of the staff were friendly and responsive. I know experiences there can vary wildly after reading reviews both before and after our trip, but with the right unit you could have an awesome time there.

We chatted with other families at the beach villa pool who were renting privately and they were having a terrific time with their families. I wanted to cry when I realized I was paying WAY more than them for the same unit, all for the use of pools we weren%26#39;t using, just because I booked through the resort and they picked the VBRO route. Hope this helps!

Me, again! Just paid attention to price not being an object, so another thought. If I was going to Captiva and price was no object, I would rent a private house on the Gulf with a private pool! Check the website of American Realty of Captiva, www.captiva-island.com, for some really awesome houses. They are a well-reputed rental company serving Captiva. When on the home page, click ';rentals';. Some super-sweet, budget busting choices included: Nirvana,

Surfcomber, and Suits Us. If you just won the lotto and want to bring extended family =), check Seastar and Bali Hi!

South Seas is probaby the most upscale resort if money is no object. Especially if you don%26#39;t want to leave the resort much. If you would like to do a lot of bikining and exploring however it is pretty removed from the Sanibel past of ';Captiva/ Sanibel';.

On Sanibel for more upscale you could consider Tortuga Beach- run by Hilton Vacations and Sanibel Cottages. Our own Pointe Santo is on the upscale side of the continuum and should be actrive but not too crowded in January. And I know that Casa Ybel has some mixed reviews but we enjoyed our stay there.

All I mentioned are beachfront.

carmex balm

2 week rental options?

Hi,

My husband and I plan to spend the last two weeks of January in this area so are looking for places that would be a better deal than the per night hotel rates. We don%26#39;t need to be on the beach but would like to be within a few blocks or so. Thanks!

Cynthia in Wisconsin having our first big blizzard of the season!

2 week rental options?

Lots of people reccomend VRBO.com for this type of situation.

2 week rental options?

I have a contract with the State of Wisconsin and spoke to several on Friday. They did not like me when I told them it was 80 and sunny here.

I agree with Island. VRBO.com is a great way to find a place. Just make sure you read the entire listing. Some people have additional charges such as a cleaning fee.

When you find a couple let me know and I will give you my opinion.

Stay warm!

Thanks for your info I will let you know when I get some replies.

VRBO is proving a bit frustrating as so many listings do not update their availability calendars or reply to emails.

But I will keep trying!

You may also want to search google for Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral condos. There are a bunch here.

Having used VRBO myself (and vacationrentals.com), I think the trick is to send messages on all the rentals you see that look like possibilities. I had to inquire on 10 or 15 properties in Cocoa Beach before I found one that was available.

Biscayne or Pennekamp for Snorkeling???

Any advice or opinions on which is preferred and why is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Biscayne or Pennekamp for Snorkeling???

I%26#39;ve snorkelled Key West, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel...and John Pennekamp marine park near Key Largo has been my favorite experience so far!

It was beautiful and the marine life so abundant. We went on a Friday morning July 2003. We went with a smaller boat-had a great captain. There were other larger boats/catamarans in the same area (Christ statue) with divers/snorkellers. Our captain was able to maneuver around easier. Used a company from yellow pages...they are located on the right side of the road near Key Largo-red/white building. (sorry I can%26#39;t remember their name!)

We saw so many different fish, barracuda, sea turtles, eels, huge brain coral, brillant purples, yellows, and reds. Also, really enjoyed the short ride out to the snorkelling site-the waters are shallow and very clear- you can see the bottom the whole ride out-we also had these very thin silver ';flying'; jumped alongside the boat the whole way there-kids loved that :)

Hope the past hurricanes haven%26#39;t changed too much...planning on returning for a day visit before cruising out of Miami soon...hope to be more educated on the types of fish so, that I can know what I%26#39;m seeing:)

Happy Travels!

Proposed itinery 2 Jan - 14 Jan

Hey Everyone

Roughly 29 days to go before we (myself, hubby %26amp; my mom %26amp; dad) hit Orlando - CAN%26#39;T WAIT %26amp; thoroghly EXCITED BEYOND! Feels like I have been waiting a lifetime when in fact it has only been a YEAR %26amp; a HALF :) but all u Disney fans out there, u SOOOOO know how it feels :)

Our Sunshine State trip starts on 18 Dec 00:20 SA time (we are I think 7 hours ahead of u guys), fly to Amsterdam, then Detroit %26amp; finally arriving in Fort Lauderdale @ 23:58 the very same day (scary how that works).....

We are gonna spend time with my bro %26amp; new sister-in-law in Boca Raton (places to definitely viz : Sawgrass Mills for sure, South Beach, some more shopping, airboating, maybe Miami Sea Aquarium etc) until 2 Jan 2008.

On Wednes, 2 Jan we head on up to Orlando from Boca (prolly like 3-4 hour drive), arrive there in the afternoon, check-in at Hawthorn Suites Seaworld/Conv centre (yes i know this hotel does not get very good reviews but it is what the budget can handle :) - scout around, possibly a little shopping (if we haven%26#39;t quite done enough at Sawgrass Mills :) - we are rather flexible (we come from South Africa afterall :) maybe a nice meal at a nearby restaurant %26amp; hit the sack early for the start of our WONDERFULLY EXCITING adventure.....

After lotsa researching %26amp; reviewing I think I kinda have a rough plan of action - all commentary %26amp; criticisms %26amp; suggestions are welcomed - so here goes:

Thurs, 3 Jan - MK - opened til Midnight - gotta catch the Cinderella Castle (finishes 6 Jan) %26amp; all special events are on (Wishes, Dreams come true parade, Spectromagic)

Fri, 4 Jan - Hollywood Studios aka MGM - opened til 8pm - wanna see the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Lights (finishes 6 Jan) - Fantasmic

The weekend my bro %26amp; sis-in-law are coming out to do Universal with us:

Sat, 5 Jan - either Universal Studios/ IOA

Sun, 6 Jan - whichever park wasn%26#39;t visited on 5 Jan - ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Mon, 7 Jan - SeaWorld - opened til 7pm, 6pm for the rest of the week

Tues, 8 Jan - Epcot - Illuminations

Wednes, 9 Jan - Animal Kingdom

Thurs, 10 Jan - Some shopping or whatever grabs our fancy

Fri, 11 Jan - my parents wanna do the Holy Land Experience but my hubby %26amp; I (in our late 20%26#39;s) are not sure? ANY RECOMMENDATIONS?

Sat, 12 Jan - check out %26amp; head to Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral (having a look at the Residence Inn by Marriott Cape Canaveral, Country Inn %26amp; Suites Cape Canaveral, Radisson Resort @ the Port, Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront or Doubletree)

Sun, 13 Jan - spend day @ KSC

Mon, 14 Jan - take a slow drive down the coast back to Boca

Wednes, 16 Jan - 14:55 marks the start of our trip back to Cape Town SA (at this point I do fear many tears will be shed %26amp; many lumps in the throats will be formed)......

So what ya all think? Opinions, additions all so welcome.

Thx for all your help thus far

Have an abfab day

Vanessa

Proposed itinery 2 Jan - 14 Jan

I think you are going to have quite a Month long Adventure, how exciting :)

Keep in mind that the Parks will be crowded Jan 3 - 6, one of the big reasons MK will be open so late. Pace yourselves and there will be plenty to enjoy.

Jan 7 - 12 will be very relaxing. If you and hubby don%26#39;t want to do the Holy Land Experience you might go back to one of the Parks that day to do some of the rides or shows that you might have missed the week before. Disney Resort Hopping is always fun, just to have a bite of lunch or shopping, if you don%26#39;t have any days left on Park Tickets. I%26#39;m sure that day can be filled up.

Have a Swell Holiday

Proposed itinery 2 Jan - 14 Jan

Thanks for response - all responses are welcomed

Please respond

Anything???

So hoping for someone to comment :)

transfer file

Good rates - car rental

Hi all

We (4 of us) are going to be renting a car from 19 Dec - 16 Jan. Gonna drive around Boca/Orlando/KSC.

Any recommendations? Websites?

Thanks so much

Good rates - car rental

Expedia.com will compare sveral of the major companies. Some advice: rent on airport property and know in advance how much insurance you will need.

Good rates - car rental

Shop around!! Go to www.mousesavers.com and you%26#39;ll find a bunch of promo/coupon codes for use. You%26#39;d be amazed at how much you can save with those!

Alamo usually has the best rates pl;us you can check in online and just get your car from the garage and leave

Ive googled loads of sites for 3 weeks car hire and have found Alamo are the cheapest so far .

All the third party car hire companys i checked out were more expensive when booking from the UK.

There are codes that are given out for different bargains but again Ive found mst of them are only available to US residents.

Strangly off airport doesnt seem any cheeper that picking up at MCO which used to be the case.

try dollar with the discount code kiss2

if you sign up for their free rewards program, you will be able to rent your car in 5 minutes

A squared, you from Olney MD? If so, I%26#39;m from Bettswood Drive.

Anyway Blondie- what is aussie car insurance like? Do they insure the car, with it%26#39;s divers, or the Driverlike US policies? If it%26#39;s like the US, try expedia, or even priceline.

If your insurance is like the UK%26#39;s, use the dollar.co.uk site, or even better travelsupermarket.com. You%26#39;ll want a UK car site to make sure all insurance is included at a good price. the USsites assume you have some of the insurances included with your own policy or CC so won%26#39;t be as cheap when you add it all up.

A

yep - Olney, MD

I live about 2 minutes from Bettswood Drive, where Bready crosses Cashell and turns into Bluebell

Hertz?

thanks for all the info esp the Mousesavers site......

we (as in me %26amp; hubby) don%26#39;t normally rent cars as we have 2 of our own - so we drive ot our destination wherever in South Africa

Where do you plan to pick up the car? I posted earlier on Thrift deals for minivans but they also have great rate on regular cars.

I have found going to thrift directly is cheaper than expedia or any other broker. The following link has info on the deal I got with Thrifty.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g34515-i19-k158287鈥?/a>

Dollar is the other car rental that has good rates.

Us the following sites also to see who has the best deals.

expedia.com

carrentals.com

bnm.com

Different sites have sale and specials on so you have to keep checking.

Also it my be useful to sign up to receive e-mail from thrifty and dollar. They sometime have internet specials. That how I got the minivan deal with Thrifty. Saved me $300.

Advisor Girl - Your Opinion Please

Hi

We are staying at the Bentley Beach Hotel for a week at the end of November. Have you any comments about the Hotel, good or bad and recommend some restaurants in walking distance and also some shopping malls close by.

We are not hiring a car as we want a very relaxed holiday.

Let me know your views

Thank you

Advisor Girl - Your Opinion Please

max%26gt;

You do not need a car for the duration of the trip. Much of the best stuff is close at hand. The BB hotel is a great location with 2 pools and good reviews on TA...

Print these maps%26gt;

southbeach-usa.com/maps/miami-beach-maps.htm

and check this article%26gt;

southbeach-usa.com/miami/鈥outh-of-fifth.htm

I have made a map of the area with fun restaurants and bars to help you get around. It is on Google maps here (paste this into your browser)%26gt;

http://tinyurl.com/ypvsr9

Have a great trip!

AG

Advisor Girl - Your Opinion Please

Hi AG

Thank you so much for your help. One other question, my husband is looking to buy me a Cartier watch for xmas and wondered if you would know where we would find a good selection.

Many thanks

max%26gt;

The Downtown Miami Diamond District Seybold Building:

Seybold Jewelry Building

www.seyboldbldg.com

36 NE 1st St # 1021

Miami, FL 33132

(305) 374-7922

AG

Thanks for your help AG

Regards

Maxmayo

Hi AG

Just back from Miami .... thank you so much for your help. The article on SoFi and the maps were really helpful and we found some great places so near to the Bentley Beach Hotel.

We had a great time, hotel was fab and we will definately be returning.

Many thanks again

noise reduction headsets

Hi

Does anybody have any advice on noise reduction headsets,ie price, make and are they worth it.

Thanks

Tilleydog

noise reduction headsets

I have a set of Sennheiser%26#39;s and they are really good. Great base and you can%26#39;t hear a thing outside. Think they were about 拢20 on Amazon. If money is no object then get you self to Bose. The are the best headphones around but expect to pay for them.

noise reduction headsets

Hi

Thanks for that,

Tilleydog.

We bought an Altec lansing 712 and a Sony.

The first collapsed after one trip, although admittedly we packed it in the main suitcase for an internal flight. Very flimsy construction. Ear muffs stuck on with glue and came off

The second was badly put together and the plug broke first time of use.

The big question is - shoudl you spend a lot in the hope that an expensive model would be more durable or is it better not to risk say 拢100?

The noise cancellation stuff does work. But I would go for a model that encompasses the ears and not one that sits on the ears. Simply covering your ears with the headphone switched off cuts out some noise. The models which sit on the ears do not offer this lo tech solution. Switching on thenoise cancelling mechanism cuts out some more noise.

I am tempted to try the Sony ear bud version becauise I can then use it daily on the train. But I am fearful of spending 拢50 on something so flimsy which definitely would not stand up to every day use

I use the Etymotic%26#39;s E-4%26#39;s. They are in the ear buds that are barely visible and have great sound. Plus you don%26#39;t have the bulk of the over the ear head sets.

We had an incident on our plane about a year ago during a bad storm. My wife said people were screaming all over the plane. I heard nothing. If your mp3 player is off, you can hear barely voices, but if your player is on, even at the lowest volumes, you will hear nothing but music.

I liked them so much, I bought a set to use in my helmet for radio communications.

thank you for all you imput.

tilleydog

car hirer

Don%26#39;t waist your money on Sony as they are rubbish. I paid 拢60 for a set and they went back the next day. Was recommended the Sennheiser%26#39;s, think they are the cx300. I was shocked with the quality from a 拢20 pair. Btw they are the ones that go in the ear.

They might not make them now as I%26#39;ve had mine a year or so but I would think they will have something similar.

If not the Shure SE110-N are a steel at 49.99 from Amazon.

Their is only one choice when it comes to proper noise cancelling headphones and that is the Bose. However they are around $300

Got some Sony%26#39;s and they were OK - but did make your ears sore after a while. I%26#39;d follow carhirers advice and look for the all-ear encompassing ones if I were you.

Another one for Bose, i can never sleep on return flights but since i got the Bose ones i had a good sleep on the last flight.

I completely agree with the Bose recommendation. I treated myself to the quiet comfort 2 headphones from the Apple store in the Florida Mall. They were $295, but they cost that in pounds at the time back in UK, so they were well worth it. The sound quality whilst not the best, is very good, but the noise cancellation on them is astounding! They are somewhat a considered purchase, but my wife spent a similar amount on a pair of shoes from mall of millenia, and i know which will last longer!!! lol!

carmex balm

Universal tickets annoyance!

Ok so I am in the UK and was on universals website the other day and seen a great deal on tickets for Universal + IofAdventure (and city walk).

You got 7 days unlimited access to all 3 places for $85 dollars. Those of you that live in the states can go to univerals website and have a look to confirm this. The link is on the bottom left of the main page.

Now, when I went to buy these tickets (I was in work at the time), the next page was blocked by our work (some pages are blocked and access is denied).

So, determined I obviously tried this at home. The problem is the tickets were now $112, and it was a different ticket! Not as good!

Turns out, in work, since I work for an american company based in the UK, our internet connection goes through servers in the USA, so when I went to universals website in work it appeared as if I WAS in the USA and therefore coule see these great tickets at $85.

At home, my IP address is a UK based one, therefore the Universal site was automatically redirecting me to a .co.uk webpage where I could only see the tickets at $112.

Seems a bit unfair, it doesnt say about the $85 tickets that they are for US citizens only. They are much better tickets and cheaper too!

I tried to get round this by using a proxy server at home, but I cant get one to work properly.

Most people would not notice, its just my curious home/work setup allowed me to see this, which I am not happy about.

Any ideas how I can get these $85 tickets?

Universal tickets annoyance!

Not sure about an IT solution, but we used the free internet at our hotel in Orlando to buy Universal tickets once we arrived, so we got the lower US price (they add 6% tax plus booking fee so worked out just over $90 each). You have to advance purchase, but this is only two calender days advance eg. you can buy on Saturday evening before midnight, and you%26#39;ll be able to access the park first thing Monday morning.

Once we%26#39;d bought them, we were able to pick them up at the park entrance via an automated machine using just our credit card, like you do for cinema tickets.

Universal tickets annoyance!

I noticed the same thing. The Universal US website has deals that we in the UK cannot get access to unless we are IT techs.

Never mind try this.

2-Parks Unlimited Admission-All Ages $85.99 from www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/universal

Try undercover tourist.I got these tickets from them last month.Its advertised on their website as for us citizens only but they let you purchase them anyway.

Well, the 85 $ offer works from germany....

But this is quite usual!

There is always an offer for people from the US OR from Florida...

But there are offers for europeans too!

Not unfair, I guess! Just good deals at different times

:-)

I know a lot of people use undercover tourist and I subscribe to the mousesavers site which email the link.

Do you think there will be any problem ordering the tickets - since it says on undercover tourist - US citizens only?

I cant see them turning me away from the gate at universal, or could I.... ;)

The offer came up with our UK sky internet and my friend booked hers over her BT internet???

Pity the universal secure ordering site is blocked here in work or I would have ordered them straight from universal.

Anyhow - I ordered them from Undercover tourist so hopefully I should be ok..

I do not like the sound of a poxy server even though I don%26#39;t really understand what it does. It sounds like a server with a disease and I would not touch it just in case. Best bet would be undercovertourist as mentioned above.

lol @ poxy server.

A proxy server redirects your internet connection through a different server than that of your ISP, and can mask your IP address allowing for %26#39;anonymous%26#39; surfing.

Didnt work though.

Another alternative was to use a website such as hidemyass.com, but that didnt work either.

Anyway, enough of all that nonsense - undercover tourist seems to be the way forward, and I will let you know if I get my tickets!

I%26#39;ve got these for next year. Ordered online from the UK with UK ISP. I even had a confirmation email from Universal that there is no deadline on them starting (just finish 7 days after first use).

Mike J

Why is it that if

Because we are a whingey old lot?

Why is it that if

Its cold miserable and raining and everyones down in the dumps..me thinks.

Why is it that if

Jenni,

Its 4 pages vs 1 page. so 4 times not twice. I%26#39;m numbers oriented. lol

:)

Because people are getting wised up ... babay

';Why is it that if'; is not a good subject title for a topic as you will be aware. Much better to say ';Worst Rides thread is longer than Bets Rides thread - why?'; or even better, ';Weather in Orlando';, or even ';Aaargh';.

However, the current title means nothing and stops me reading any further. I%26#39;m sorry, but that%26#39;s how I feel.

Apopogies - I made a spelling mistake which is not like me at all.

I tried to make the title If

but it said it was all capitals even though the f was definatley lower case. That is why the grammar is a lttle weird.

HA! We are a whinging lot indeed lol!!

I think folk genuinely enjoy lamenting, than complimenting, why, because we live in a society where complaining is encouraged, that%26#39;s why lol!!

If by Rudyard parks

If when all about you are tipping,

If when all about you are getting on a Lynx bus,

If they are going cow tipping without you,

and if the worst ride is longer than the best ride thread

Then you are on holiday in Orlando my son

Personally I think that it is all so good that the bad ones stick out in your memory.

Theres a great big beautiful tomorrow waiting at the end of every day.

cs files

Need help on New Years Dinner Choice

We have narrow our choices for dinner on new years to 3 places. Of course we can only go to one of them. We have picked out Rooftop Cafe, Pisces, or Michaels. Help us decide. Thank you

Need help on New Years Dinner Choice

If you want seafood, Pieces is the choice. If you want great steaks and continental food, Michael%26#39;s is the place. Personally I like the food and atmosphere at Michael%26#39;s best of the 3. They are all good choices though.

Need help on New Years Dinner Choice

Rooftop is good but not in the same catagory as the other 2 IMO. I would go with Pisces over Michaels but its a close race. I personally love Pisces but it hard to suggest for visitors because everyone usually wants to go somewhere with a view and it doesn%26#39;t have one. The Chef there is my favorite one on the island but his food can be expensive but it is well worth it IMO. Take a look at the Lobster Tango Mango or the Surf and Turf - YUM! Comparing Michaels and Pisces is a little like comparing apples and oranges. Michaels is wonderful but basically a steak house with the best steaks on the island (flown in from Allen Brothers several times a week) and Pisces has a French feel to it and a more creative menu. Both are online so take a look and see what you think. Do not wait too long to make reservations especially at Michaels or Pisces since both are local favorites.

Hands down the Rooftop - best location and view and assuming you mean NYE you will be able to see any early fireworks from their verandas. Go before reservations and have a drink either indoors or out at their bar - is swings around from the inside to te outside, or linger there for a drink afterwards. They will probably have live entertainment.

Pjk

Pisces is the only one of the three that I have eaten at so far, a situation I plan to rectify next trip, so I won%26#39;t tell you it is the ';best'; of the three. What I will tell you is that I had one of my favorite meals of all time at Pisces and I have eaten in many fine restaurants is my life. Pisces has a deliscious menu and an atmosphere that makes you feel that it is a special occasion.

That should be ';in my life ';, not ';is my life';, although my passion for food almost is my life. lol

Quick trip report

Returned Sunday to snow and cold! Yuck! So the trip...ahhhh!!!! We arrived last Wed. evening, flew Spirit and I was very satisfied even though they charge you to check bags (we didn%26#39;t) and anything to eat or drink on the flight (no thanks). Caught the shuttle to Advantage car rental, waited about 30 min. to get our car, which I would suggest getting off the bus and heading straight for the counter, let someone else in your party get the bags. It%26#39;s a very small office so it took longer than at most rental counters. Still, I got an amazing deal, and I wanted to keep my car as long as possible, so waiting was fine. We got a brand new Nissan Sentra, bare bones, not even cruise control, but again, cheap so I was happy. We drove to Lake Buena Vista on 528, heading for Comfort Inn. I turned into CrossRoads plaza by mistake, so we stopped and ate at Quiznos, yummy! Comfort Inn is the second light on 535, a right turn and then we found our hotel. The grounds are very nice, much nicer than the rooms. But, we paid $40/night so we were satisfied. The free breakfast was adequate, and the location to the parks was the best for the money. The bed was very comfy, great pillows, only complaint was the lack of water pressure.

Thursday morning we met my daughter%26#39;s friend, a CM, who took us to Animal Kingdom, MGM, and finally Epcot. Disney CAN be done in a day, but we were exhausted and we had just been in January, so this was supposed to be a cleanup trip to do the things we missed earlier. Weather was amazing, and we had lunch at Flame Grill in Animal Kingdom, great chicken and fixings!

Friday we hit the outlet mall and loved the Disney Store for great souvies. From the mall we headed to the Gulf Coast to spend a day at Clearwater Beach. The weather was overcast and rainy until we hit Clearwater, and then God smiled on us and we had blue skies and sun the rest of the day. Friday night we stayed in Lakeland with relatives.

Saturday we shopped at Tiger Stadium for gifts to take home to those less fortunate (aka my hubby and two of our older kids who stayed home). Also had our best meal of the trip at Cracker Barrel.

Later in the day we headed back to return our car and stay our last night at LaQuinta Orlando Airport West. Hotel was fine for a pre-flight hotel. The bus driver was a gem as she took us back to Advantage when my son discovered he left something in our (already returned) rental car. LaQuinta airport shuttle runs once an hour, on the hour, so we were plenty early for our Sunday morning flight. Always love getting Krispy Kremes at the airport for breakfast. Our flight home was quick, and we were back in the land of cold and snow.

This was our kids%26#39; first visit to Animal Kingdom, and I think they have a new favorite park! It was also their first time on Rock %26#39;n Roller Coaster, new favorite ride. Soarin%26#39; is our favorite attraction. Hope to return so my son can check out more of the educational stuff at Epcot, which he thought looked very cool. We thought he would really like the Backlot Tour at MGM but he really didn%26#39;t care for it much. I also remembered Tough to be a Bug as much cuter, wish we would have done another ride on Everest and skipped the Bugs. We also LOVED Mission Space and Star Tours. I was afraid to do the orange team, but it was a blast!! I get car sick and dizzy very easily, and I had no problem whatsoever.

All in all, this was a squeaky tight budgeted trip and such fun to plan. I hunted down all the best deals, 3 of us for 4 nights and 5 days and we only spent about $800 (including airfare, car, hotel, and meals).

Quick trip report

Glad you had a good time,

my goodness 4 nights 800 dollars thats like a dream come true for me,

That would cost me travelling from Ireland about 4000 dollars ,

Well done.

Quick trip report

glad you had a great time and yes that really was a great deal. also nice to read a hotel reportdown with a bit more realism

%26#39;The grounds are very nice, much nicer than the rooms. But, we paid $40/night so we were satisfied. %26#39;

that%26#39;s about 拢20 here so really cheap and i suppose as long as the pillows were ok who cares!!!

sounds like you had a great time!!!!!

Good, tight trip report!

I stayed last week at the Courtyard by Marriot, but need a place to stay for one night in early Jan. Where did you book your comfort Inn room for $40 per night? Was the breakfast cooked or continental, thanks in advance.

Can%26#39;t wait to go back to Epcot someday soon, as I haven%26#39;t been or Soarin yet.

A

In my opinion, Soarin%26#39; is the greatest thing Disney has to offer. I could ride it all day long. I see more each time I %26#39;fly.%26#39;

The $40 offer at Comfort Inn LBV was from an email I received from Travelzoo. Just do your homework, watch specials and different sites. I also called around to see if a few hotels offered discounts for memberships. We originally had Best Western Lakeside booked for $48 but they have a $7 resort fee (Comfort Inn had no additional fees). The breakfast was cold items except for oatmeal and toast. They have a hot breakfast but there is an additional charge. The free breakfast was perfectly adequate to get us going in the morning. I assumed you could walk to Downtown Disney from Comfort Inn, LBV but it is a trek! Yes, you COULD walk, but it%26#39;s about 1 mile to the beginning of Disney property, probably 2 1/2 miles to DTD proper. Unless you are on Hotel Blvd, you probably won%26#39;t walk anywhere. Also, I frequently saw the parks shuttle at our hotel, so I think it runs regularly. And YES, the beds and pillows were great at Comfort Inn!!

holidays

hi there, when do scools finish for xmas holidays.

holidays

soon

holidays

My son finishes fri day 21 december.

vegas sarci bugga, 21st in Blackpool.....laura

scouser, you had beter go back scools..lol..ours finish on the 21st dec..have a good one..

and I%26#39;ll be sat next to you %26#39;beter%26#39;...rofl

Condo Rentals in Vero Beach

We are attending a wedding in Vero on March 8/08. Does anyone have recommendations for condo rentals - preferably on the beach or if not within walking distance. There will be four adults and 1 child (1yr old). Thanks!!

Condo Rentals in Vero Beach

You might check the Reef Ocean Resort and also www.vrbo.com.

Condo Rentals in Vero Beach

Thanks!

carmex balm

boston lobster

can anyone tell me what they thought of the boston lobster.I cant stand the place had a bad time their waiter very rude. King crab was like baby crab. Mash was like custard very expensive and the waiter tries to tell you how much tip he wants that was just part of my bad time at boston lobster. Avoid this place big time.

boston lobster

Sounds like you had a bad time. We%26#39;ve been there a few times and never had a problem. Waiter always very chatty and efficient, food excellent and plenty of it, not as cheap as Captian Nemo%26#39;s but still a good deal.

pink hair

19 & 22 years old in Naples

Please can you tell me what a 19 %26amp; a 22 can do in Naples.

19 %26amp; 22 years old in Naples

Hit the Beach! A lot of younger people tend to go to the beach by the pier. Being 22 you can of course enjoy some of the fantastic bars on 5th ave and around town. You could rent a boat, go do a Everglades tour, go to the Everblades Hockey game if they are in town.

Just some ideas.

MenuGuy

19 %26amp; 22 years old in Naples

one word JET-SKI !!! can%26#39;t get much funner that that

Disney Resort Packages

Hi

I%26#39;m from Australia coming to Orlando April 8th - 13th 2008. Does anyone know where I can get cheap disney resort packages?

OR where I can get a package with an alternate hotel

Thanks,

Vanessa

Disney Resort Packages

For Disney Resorts and Off-Site Package Quotes

dreamsunlimitedtravel.com

kingdommagictravel.com

smallworldvacations.com

affordabledisney.com ( membership fee to join )

For up to date discounts

wdwinfo.com

allearsnet.com

mousesavers.com

spain

The wife %26amp; I have a cruise to BARCELONA, SPAIN, March 2008. How is the best way to be picked up at my HOME, in TAMPA, to cruise ship in Miami? What should I see %26amp; do in BARCELONA and MADRID? Where are the %26#39;reasonable%26#39; hotels in those cities? Which of the cities offers the BEST air fare to TAMPA? What is the best way to travel BARCELONA to MADRID?

spain

Intriguing title. It certainly grabbed my attention.

I take it you have booked a one way cruise from Miami to Barcelona and now you have to find a one-way flight back? Ouch!

Madrid is the main international hub so you are more likely to find flights from there. But you will need to check on-line eg www.travelsupermarket.com for one way flights. Or maybe phone your travel agent.

You should look at the Barcelona and Madrid forums for what to do. There is a fast train between Barcelona and Madrid but ask on the Barcelona forum for details. Ask whether the train goes between city centres or via the airportsI think it is 4 + hours. Plenty of flights but one way flights are not going to be cheap.

There is plenty to keep you occupied in Barcelona for a few days so if you are simply on a cruise stop then forget about Madrid. But if you are giving yourself a week at the end of the cruise before your flight home then a few days in Madrid would be great, if your flight back is from Madrid.

spain

Hola Carhires,

Thank you so much for ALL the GREAT info, we will rely a lot on what you said.

Also, you are very perceptive in ALL of your guessing!! Seems I did NOT make myself very clear in what I was writing.

Again, thank you for your ideas and time.

Recommendations

We well be in Boca Raton from 18 Dec - 2 Jan - what is the weather like?

Can you recommend discount shopping areas? Is Florida City close to Boca?

Where would one go air boating?

Can you recommend any good restaurants?

Many thanks

Recommendations

Well, according to weather.com, the average temps should range from a high of 78 F to lows of 61 F (25 - 16 C). Average rainfall should be about 2.5';.

Boca is not known for discount shopping. The surrounding cities sometimes have significantly lower prices for goods %26amp; services. You may want to drive down to the Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise (~30 miles south) for some good deals.

Florida City is about 80 miles south of Boca. The map sites give driving time at 1.5 hours, but I somehow doubt it (too low). If you are thinking about drive down there you might want to make a couple days of it and tour the keys.

Recommendations

Air boating? Restaurants?

Thx for the info so far

Sorry, I%26#39;m not good at recommending either. If you haven%26#39;t already checked, TA does have some reviews of restaurants %26amp; attractions in the area. Just check the menu in the upper-left of the page.

Another member, Lulutoo, may show up and help, or maybe you could post the question over in the Ft Lauderdale city forum for more assistance.

What ype of restaurant (price, ethnicity, atmosphere) are you looking for? Do you want a water view? As far as the weather, it will be similar to Capetown in March/April (at least when I was there). The other post is correct about Sawgrass Mall. For the boat ride, go to www.evergladesholidaypark.com.