[Travel] Pre Orlando stop off

[LockStock]

Hi all

Looking for some recommendations, we are heading to Florida next May with the kids 4,6 & 9. Have a few days spare beforehand and thinking of stopping en-route.

My first thought was a few days in NYC but a friend said bad idea with such small kids. Anyone done anything similar or have any other good suggestions?

TIA

 

[Bozza]

I'd be driven by flight availability and pricing. I'd only stop over somewhere if I was buying a through ticket in both directions that included a stopover on the way out.

You'd almost certainly pay a lot less for that than, say, LON - NYC return and a separately-ticketed NYC - MCO return. Additionally if you had to buy separate tickets, you'd need to leave plenty of time on your return journey as if something went wrong and you missed NYC - LON then you'd need to pay yourself to put it right.

I've done NYC plenty of times, but not with young kids. I'd do it with my son, who is 9 - it's something we've been speaking about as it happens, but it may not be a whole lot of fun with a 4-y-o.

If you wanted to take something else in, I'd consider Miami or Tampa for some beach action. Either get returns into and out of those places or fly into Miami and back home from Orlando (although that could mean departing from LHR and returning to LGW). Tampa is a very easy drive to/from Orlando or about $100 in an Uber.

 

[razer]

Why not spend a few days on the beaches on the west coast of Florida? Loads of little islands where the beaches have sand like flour, the water is warm and shallow and the fishing is excellent.

 

[Weststander]

You’re very lucky to have a kids headmaster who’s allowing the 6 and 9 year olds out of school for some of your stay, saving you dosh.

The head at our kids school dishes out a lecture to the parents, even their child is missing for just one day before a half-term holiday.


What about staying in a lovely central Manhattan hotel for your stay, then not being too ambitious on seeing too many things on this occasion. For example, Central Park, The Empire State Building, a little bit of shopping? A lovely time to go, it won’t be hot and humid.

 

[dazzer6666]

Why not spend a few days on the beaches on the west coast of Florida? Loads of little islands where the beaches have sand like flour, the water is warm and shallow and the fishing is excellent.

This. Had some excellent holidays taking in Naples, Sarasota, St Pete’s, Clearwater and elsewhere. Clearwater in particular is lovely - a few days there before (actually after would be preferable to wind down after the theme park madness IMO) would be time well spent. Easy (and picturesque) drive from Tampa.

Have also done the whole Orlando thing using Tampa airport a few times - dead easy drive as [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] says, and in my experience a much nicer/easier airport to go through. Often cheaper than flying into Orlando too.

 

[drew]

Hi all

Looking for some recommendations, we are heading to Florida next May with the kids 4,6 & 9. Have a few days spare beforehand and thinking of stopping en-route.

My first thought was a few days in NYC but a friend said bad idea with such small kids. Anyone done anything similar or have any other good suggestions?

TIA

Take it your doing the disney/universal stuff but what else have you planned. Kennedy space centre is a great day out although poss not for the 4 year old.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

This. Had some excellent holidays taking in Naples, Sarasota, St Pete’s, Clearwater and elsewhere. Clearwater in particular is lovely - a few days there before (actually after would be preferable to wind down after the theme park madness IMO) would be time well spent. Easy (and picturesque) drive from Tampa.

Have also done the whole Orlando thing using Tampa airport a few times - dead easy drive as [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] says, and in my experience a much nicer/easier airport to go through. Often cheaper than flying into Orlando too.

I did exactly that at Easter. 3 nights in Clearwater - the first night just going straight to bed - before Disney. As the kids had never been to WDW before that worked well as they didn't know what they were missing out on and it was a nice relaxing start to the holiday. Tampa is a very quiet airport as well but only BA fly direct. The downside was we changed at Atlanta via Virgin which is a fecking nightmare. You've got to clear customs somewhere I suppose and wherever you do so is shithouse.

There is a strong argument to use the time difference to smash the parks early and go straight to Orlando but that worked well for us.

 

[Bozza]

I did exactly that at Easter. 3 nights in Clearwater - the first night just going straight to bed - before Disney. As the kids had never been to WDW before that worked well as they didn't know what they were missing out on and it was a nice relaxing start to the holiday. Tampa is a very quiet airport as well but only BA fly direct. The downside was we changed at Atlanta via Virgin which is a fecking nightmare. You've got to clear customs somewhere I suppose and wherever you do so is shithouse.

There is a strong argument to use the time difference to smash the parks early and go straight to Orlando but that worked well for us.

Not that I’ve ever used them, but Norwegian fly direct to Tampa also.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I would book earlier what ever you decide to do, with TC going uunder the volume of seats to Orlando has gone down quite dramatically.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I did exactly that at Easter. 3 nights in Clearwater - the first night just going straight to bed - before Disney. As the kids had never been to WDW before that worked well as they didn't know what they were missing out on and it was a nice relaxing start to the holiday. Tampa is a very quiet airport as well but only BA fly direct. The downside was we changed at Atlanta via Virgin which is a fecking nightmare. You've got to clear customs somewhere I suppose and wherever you do so is shithouse.

There is a strong argument to use the time difference to smash the parks early and go straight to Orlando but that worked well for us.

Norwegian also offer regular non stop flights, Gatwick to Tampa, generally nspeaking much cheaper than British Airways too.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Not that I’ve ever used them, but Norwegian fly direct to Tampa also.

I got put off by Norweigen because I thought they were on life support

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I got put off by Norweigen because I thought they were on life support

Better placed now financially I believe. Recently released figures for the last 12 months trading, saw much improved results.

 

[Bozza]

Better placed now financially I believe. Recently released figures for the last 12 months trading, saw much improved results.

It's loss-making.

It went cap-in-hand out to investors again recently to try and help it make it through the winter - https://www.ft.com/content/84542c66-fff9-11e9-b7bc-f3fa4e77dd47

They seem to have moved from their phase of rapid (ridiculous) growth though, and are now focused on entering profitability, so fingers crossed for them - https://www.ft.com/content/799a0fec-fc94-11e9-a354-36acbbb0d9b6

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

It's loss-making.

It went cap-in-hand out to investors again recently to try and help it make it through the winter - https://www.ft.com/content/84542c66-fff9-11e9-b7bc-f3fa4e77dd47

They seem to have moved from their phase of rapid (ridiculous) growth though, and are now focused on entering profitability, so fingers crossed for them - https://www.ft.com/content/799a0fec-fc94-11e9-a354-36acbbb0d9b6

A strange airline in many ways Norwegian. They operate far more flights away from Norway, than they do to and from their own shores.

I've flown with them quite a lot, both long haul and within Europe, and found them both good value for money, and reliable too. Let's hope they keep going.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

I would agree with most, & look at a few days down by Clearwater to get yourself ready for Orlando. Really easy to drive back up the I4, and Im sure the kids would love the beaches. If they like the movie Dolphin Tale, you could also fit in a day at Clearwater Marine Hospital to visit Winter the Dolphin too - & go to the film set just down the road on one of their tours. Lovely part of the world.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

This. Had some excellent holidays taking in Naples, Sarasota, St Pete’s, Clearwater and elsewhere. Clearwater in particular is lovely - a few days there before (actually after would be preferable to wind down after the theme park madness IMO) would be time well spent. Easy (and picturesque) drive from Tampa.

Have also done the whole Orlando thing using Tampa airport a few times - dead easy drive as [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] says, and in my experience a much nicer/easier airport to go through. Often cheaper than flying into Orlando too.

Friends who are Orlando residents tell me that at immigration, you should always go to the desk on the extreme right. Although it is supposedly for flight crew, they let civilians through after that.

 

[casbom]

Definitely consider staying at the beach if you can, then you only have to fly in and out of Orlando, as Bozza says takes about an hour and a half to drive that area.

You could look on ba.com and select the customise your trip option if you do want to go to via New York? This will give you a quote for example flying to New York, stay there a few days, then fly internally to Orlando, stay there and then fly back home from Orlando.
See what the price comes out at compared to staying on the beach for a few days?

 

[dazzer6666]

Friends who are Orlando residents tell me that at immigration, you should always go to the desk on the extreme right. Although it is supposedly for flight crew, they let civilians through after that.

Tampa has the electronic kiosks, not had to queue at all for them......

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