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* ~** ThemeParks megathread **~**
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Possibly a number of these questions have been answered in previous threads but I'm looking for some fresh information and opinions.
Am heading away for 10 days in Orlando in June... so I've a couple of questions for anyone who's been there before in a similar timeframe:
Firstly.. with regards to the theme parks, myself and the girlfriend have been investigating investigating these "bundle tickets" (such as the Magic Your Way tickets). But no real ticket does all the sights and involves you buying a number of ticket bundles (which works out at about €250 each). Basically, the theme parks we're aiming for are Disneyland (The Magic Kingdom), Epcot, Seaworld and Universal Studios. Any recommendations for the tickets (or bundles) to get and where to get them?
Secondly, will the theme park queues be as bad as I'm imagining? I'm relying on Fastpass a fair bit but you can only have one Fastpass ticket at one time.
Thirdly, any recommendations on restaurants and / or shopping centres? Staying on International Drive in the 'Best Western Movieland' (across from Wet N Wild Water Park).
More questions to follow in time probably.
Thanks in advance.0 -
disney are a pain in the ass that way, they do not participate in those bundle deals :mad: you have no choice but to buy disney tickets separately i am afraid and at $75 a day they will set you back alot, i just boycott disney now, they aren't worth the hassle, huge queues and lame rides to be honest.
Early June is pretty quiet by Orlando standards, the queues shouldn't be too bad, having said that the only way to be sure is to arrive at each park BEFORE the gates open and bobs your uncle. We were over there during Easter week and arrived at 8.30am and had all the rides in Islands of Adventure done by 12, amazing stuff, no queues early in the morning
Fastpass is the biggest load of BS ever, universal did away with it because it actually means more queueing, Disney are the only ones that participate in this scheme now, just arrive early and everything is grand, apart from seaworld where you have to wait for the shows throughout the day at specified times but that ain't a problem because they are held in large stadiums so you will get a seat.
loads of restaurants next to Wet and Wild, Ponderosa Steakhouse is my favourite you can get a 16oz sirloin here with full buffet for $14, other good ones include Black Angus Steakhouse, Bennigan's Grill & Tavern, Shogun Restaurant and Sizzler. Finding a restaurant on I-Drive near Wet and Wild is easier than finding a pub in an Irish town
Festival Bay Mall is the closest big mall to wet and wild approx 1 mile north http://www.shopfestivalbaymall.com/html/0 -
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Thanks for your reply rossie1977.
Well, the girlfriend is a huge Disney fan so it's unavoidable I'm afraid. I'm not arsed to be honest.. but we're getting a 6 day MYW (Magic Your Way) ticket from UndercoverTourist.com (reputable seller) which allow you to go to one of these a day for 6 days (and that's $221):rossie1977 wrote: »disney are a pain in the ass that way, they do not participate in those bundle deals :mad: you have no choice but to buy disney tickets separately i am afraid and at $75 a day they will set you back alot, i just boycott disney now, they aren't worth the hassle, huge queues and lame rides to be honest.* Magic Kingdom®
* Epcot®
* Disney's Hollywood Studios™
* Disney's Animal Kingdom®
But unfortunately it's looking like Seaworld and Universal Studios are gonna set us back an extra $120 - $140. Phew.. I got the holiday for a great price but these ticket prices do take the shine off it!
That's the plan.. be up at the crack of dawn alright. Try and get most stuff done for lunch and then just stroll around for the rest of the day.rossie1977 wrote: »Early June is pretty quiet by Orlando standards, the queues shouldn't be too bad, having said that the only way to be sure is to arrive at each park BEFORE the gates open and bobs your uncle. We were over there during Easter week and arrived at 8.30am and had all the rides in Islands of Adventure done by 12, amazing stuff, no queues early in the morning
A few people have said June will be pretty quiet alright.. but I assumed it was peak season.
Yeah, I never really got it myself. Queuing to get a Fastpass ticket to go back an hour later into a "priority queue"!rossie1977 wrote: »Fastpass is the biggest load of BS ever, universal did away with it because it actually means more queueing, Disney are the only ones that participate in this scheme now, just arrive early and everything is grand, apart from seaworld where you have to wait for the shows throughout the day at specified times but that ain't a problem because they are held in large stadiums so you will get a seat.
Very odd, impractical and pointless alright!
Yeah, there seems to be a load around there alright. Someone recommended Bahama Breeze to me too.. it's like a caribbean restaurant. Meant to be lovely. $14 steak buffet sold me!rossie1977 wrote: »loads of restaurants next to Wet and Wild, Ponderosa Steakhouse is my favourite you can get a 16oz sirloin here with full buffet for $14, other good ones include Black Angus Steakhouse, Bennigan's Grill & Tavern, Shogun Restaurant and Sizzler. Finding a restaurant on I-Drive near Wet and Wild is easier than finding a pub in an Irish town
Pfft.. showed that to the girlfriend who never heard of any of the stores! :mad: Think I might leave her behind..rossie1977 wrote: »Festival Bay Mall is the closest big mall to wet and wild approx 1 mile north http://www.shopfestivalbaymall.com/html/
.. but her parents said there's a decent mall a few miles away called The Millennium Mall (or something like that).
Cheers for your help again rossie1977.. it was much appreciated!0 -
well advance purchase of Seaworld/Busch Gardens combo tickets and Universal/Islands of Adventure 2-Park Unlimited Admission Ticket will set you back roughly $170. $170 for four parks for 7 successive days ain't bad and a free bus to tampa (to busch gardens) and free in to all the clubs and pubs on universals city walk
http://commerce.4adventure.com/eStore/scripts/skins/swf/ticketsmultidaySWBG.aspx
http://www.universalorlando.com/tickets.html
seaworld, busch gardens and islands of adventure are must dos in orlando, islands has consistently been ranked as second best park in the world, spiderman, duelling dragons, hulk, popeye and dudley do right murder nearly all the disney rides, sitting front row on sheikra in busch gardens is an experience and a half, its a billion times better if you don't hold on to the bar as i found out second time round
Disney is a long way from Wet and Wild so keep that in mind, Magic Kingdom is 20 miles away and i believe Epcot is the closest some 13-14 miles away.
easter (spring break), christmas/new year, labour day and weekend and fourth of july weekend are peak periods in orlando. the weather will also affect crowds. We rode the water rides last time out in islands of adventure on an overcast day about 19C, we were the only ones riding them, they even let us stay on
in that mall i linked there is a place called Bass Pro Shops, its probably the greatest store in the world for guys, if you like guns, fishing, camping, hunting, sports, BBQs you will love this place, they have tents bigger than Irish houses http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Shop_10151_-1_100010 -
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Think I was looking at this at one stage alright. Another $170 on top of $220 (as I can't avoid the Magic Kingdom etc.) though works out at about €250. Mad money really!rossie1977 wrote: »well advance purchase of Seaworld/Busch Gardens combo tickets and Universal/Islands of Adventure 2-Park Unlimited Admission Ticket will set you back roughly $170. $170 for four parks for 7 successive days ain't bad and a free bus to tampa (to busch gardens) and free in to all the clubs and pubs on universals city walk
http://commerce.4adventure.com/eStore/scripts/skins/swf/ticketsmultidaySWBG.aspx
http://www.universalorlando.com/tickets.html
Never heard of 'Islands Of Adventure' but sounds great alright.rossie1977 wrote: »seaworld, busch gardens and islands of adventure are must dos in orlando, islands has consistently been ranked as second best park in the world, spiderman, duelling dragons, hulk, popeye and dudley do right murder nearly all the disney rides, sitting front row on sheikra in busch gardens is an experience and a half, its a billion times better if you don't hold on to the bar as i found out second time round
Friend of my mother said Universal Studios is the best of the bunch she visited... that's what I'm most pumped about (as a big film fan).
That is a good distance.. buses are probably quite reasonable though, right? And i'm sure there's one leaving every 20 minutes or so.rossie1977 wrote: »Disney is a long way from Wet and Wild so keep that in mind, Magic Kingdom is 20 miles away and i believe Epcot is the closest some 13-14 miles away.
I'd imagine Spring Break would be mad alright. I'm hoping for a few overcast days.. if just to salvage my poor delicate Oirish skin - as I don't tan, I just crisp!rossie1977 wrote: »easter (spring break), christmas/new year, labour day and weekend and fourth of july weekend are peak periods in orlando. the weather will also affect crowds. We rode the water rides last time out in islands of adventure on an overcast day about 19C, we were the only ones riding them, they even let us stay on
Not my bag.. but looks cool nonetheless.rossie1977 wrote: »in that mall i linked there is a place called Bass Pro Shops, its probably the greatest store in the world for guys, if you like guns, fishing, camping, hunting, sports, BBQs you will love this place, they have tents bigger than Irish houses http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Shop_10151_-1_10001
Cheers BJJDUB but you're giving the other half a bit too much options in your post.. we'll keep this post between ourselves!For shopping go to the Prime One Mall (formerly known as The Belz Mall) on the northern most point on I-Drive (just past the Festival Bay Mall).
Also try the Premium Outlet Mall which is several miles further south on I-Drive.
If you are not driving, the I-Drive Trolley will bring you to and from both Malls.
Bahama Breeze is okay - it is a Caribbean themed bar / restaurant.
There are numerous new restaurants located at the Wonderworks attraction (the I-Drive Trolley will bring you here also) which is located south on I-Drive which are worth a visit. Actually, there are restaurants all over I-Drive as a previous post pointed out.
Try to get to a Superwalmart if you are looking for value for money shopping. The nearest one to your hotel is located on the corner of John Young Parkway and Sand Lake Road. If you are driving its easy to get to and its open 24 hrs.
I've told her there's no malls in Orlando.. and that there's no point even looking for any!
Won't be driving anywhere as i'm just under the minimum age (25) to rent-a-car. Shame!
And cheers for the restaurant recommendations.
One more question.. is it worth e-mailing my hotel asking have they any special deals for tickets to theme parks? Not likely really, is it?0 -
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Never heard of 'Islands Of Adventure' but sounds great alright.
Friend of my mother said Universal Studios is the best of the bunch she visited... that's what I'm most pumped about (as a big film fan).
islands is part of universal except they are two parks, its like a few hundred yards from one park to the other through universals city walk. universal is ok, many of the rides are outdated now though, the likes of ET which should have been closed years ago imo. The best universal studios is in LA where they actually film the movies and take you around to the backlot to see the sets of past classics like Jaws, king kong, war of the worlds, psycho, the mummy, terminator etc, nothing like that in Orlando
if you like rollercoasters and other high-powered rides, islands of adventure and busch gardens are worth every penny. Busch gardens is a giant zoo with its own safari adventure where you get to feed zebras, giraffes and other animals up close, it also happens to have some of the best rollercoasters in the world too
a sample of islands of adventure and busch gardens coasters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT0981dRxxMThat is a good distance.. buses are probably quite reasonable though, right? And i'm sure there's one leaving every 20 minutes or so.
Lynx and I-Trolley are the public bus services serving I-Drive. I-Trolley doesn't go as far as disney but it serves Seaworld and the malls. I-Trolley costs $1 per ride and they do day passes as well http://www.iridetrolley.com/
Lynx is a much more comprehensive service and does serve disney but not direct from Wet and Wild, you have to change at Seaworld, lynx costs $1.75 per ride Route 50 goes from close to Seaworld to Disney http://www.golynx.com/index.cfm?fuse=cstm&app=route&view=sched&cid=50
More than likely your hotel will offer a shuttle bus to disney/universal/seaworld, some hotels charge for this service especially the disney shuttle, some don't
Another thing Disney is massive, the 6 parks and downtown cover an area bigger Dublin city, about 120 km² or 30,000 acres :eek:One more question.. is it worth e-mailing my hotel asking have they any special deals for tickets to theme parks? Not likely really, is it?
once you walk in the door of your hotel you will see the deals don't worry
There will stand in the lobby, the tickets come with a catch, you must sit through a 3 hour timeshare presentation with people trying their best to make you buy a week in their condo. If you have seen that episode of southpark set in aspen you know the score :mad: Having done it i would recommend everyone to steer clear its not worth your time even if you get the tickets for half price; unless you tell the guy/girl at the start and over and over again "I am not interested in buying just give me my tickets now" Time share booths are located all over I-Drive, if you see a sign for half price tickets or heavily discounted tickets in restaurants or outside a store chances are its a time-share. 0 -
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Thanks again all for your responses.. all extremely helpful!
Was looking at the Park Hopper passes on UndercoverTourist.com but works out at about $45 more for the Park Hopper (than the standard Magic Your Way ticket - 1 park per day) and I don't think I'd do more than one park in a day. Would it be possible and should I pay extra for the Park Hopper?Mr. Anderson wrote: »The Disney hopper passes are good tickets to get as you can go from park to park within the one day. The ticket never expires either in that you can use it for 3 days on your holiday and use your remaining two days in ten years time if that's when you're back.
As people have said you can get bundle deals where you get access to say Universal and Sea World. Shop around for them though and try to avoid pokey souvenir shops as they'd be pricey.
Big TGI Friday fan myself.. was there in Madrid last Summer and absolutely great food (massive portions and very tasty) - got served a bowl of onion rings larger than my head!Mr. Anderson wrote: »There are tons of restaurants all along International drive. I like Tony Romas (the ribs are gorgeous) and TGI Fridays. Must try and dig out that photo!
What's in Universal Studios in Orlando then? Would it be worth it? I'm sure there's a certain amount of movie tie-in's but the one in Hollywood sounds fantastic alright.rossie1977 wrote: »islands is part of universal except they are two parks, its like a few hundred yards from one park to the other through universals city walk. universal is ok, many of the rides are outdated now though, the likes of ET which should have been closed years ago imo. The best universal studios is in LA where they actually film the movies and take you around to the backlot to see the sets of past classics like Jaws, king kong, war of the worlds, psycho, the mummy, terminator etc, nothing like that in Orlandorossie1977 wrote: »if you like rollercoasters and other high-powered rides, islands of adventure and busch gardens are worth every penny. Busch gardens is a giant zoo with its own safari adventure where you get to feed zebras, giraffes and other animals up close, it also happens to have some of the best rollercoasters in the world too
a sample of islands of adventure and busch gardens coasters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT0981dRxxM
Cheers.. I love roller coasters indeed. Was at Warner Bros Park in Madrid (which was excellent) and enjoyed every minute. Went on practically every ride there - couple of great rollercoasters!
Will look into it... the hotel's site don't mention any shuttles or anything. They just mention distances to the local attractions (Universal is close anyways!rossie1977 wrote: »Lynx and I-Trolley are the public bus services serving I-Drive. I-Trolley doesn't go as far as disney but it serves Seaworld and the malls. I-Trolley costs $1 per ride and they do day passes as well http://www.iridetrolley.com/
Lynx is a much more comprehensive service and does serve disney but not direct from Wet and Wild, you have to change at Seaworld, lynx costs $1.75 per ride Route 50 goes from close to Seaworld to Disney http://www.golynx.com/index.cfm?fuse=cstm&app=route&view=sched&cid=50
More than likely your hotel will offer a shuttle bus to disney/universal/seaworld, some hotels charge for this service especially the disney shuttle, some don't)
That is huge. But with less Burberry than Dublin city I'd imagine!rossie1977 wrote: »Another thing Disney is massive, the 6 parks and downtown cover an area bigger Dublin city, about 120 km² or 30,000 acres :eek:
The girlfriends parents also did this also.. and were telling me about it saying it's not worth your time at all also.rossie1977 wrote: »once you walk in the door of your hotel you will see the deals don't worry There will stand in the lobby, the tickets come with a catch, you must sit through a 3 hour timeshare presentation with people trying their best to make you buy a week in their condo. If you have seen that episode of southpark set in aspen you know the score :mad: Having done it i would recommend everyone to steer clear its not worth your time even if you get the tickets for half price; unless you tell the guy/girl at the start and over and over again "I am not interested in buying just give me my tickets now" Time share booths are located all over I-Drive, if you see a sign for half price tickets or heavily discounted tickets in restaurants or outside a store chances are its a time-share.
I don't think I could take it to be honest. I'll pay the ticket prices rather than listen to someone drone on for 3 hours. I get that at home!
Cheers jph100. Yep, my plan is to eat a large breakfast in the morning as I'd like to avoid eating in the theme parks as much as I can.i think everyone has covered everythin in the previous replies but ill throw in my tuppence worth.
finally as regards restaurants, theyre are loads. id recommend eating a large breakfast, bring snacks to the park and then eating dinner in the evening cos food in the parks is rediculously expensive. there is a steakhouse just across from wet'n'wild that does a fantrastic buffet breakfast that isnt dear at all!
hope this was of some help
Was chatting to someone my company does work for out in Florida and mentioned I was going. She recommended The Kennedy Space Center - it's about 45 minutes away but I would miss the next launch by about a week (one on May 31st!). Any been there and recommend it?
Oh.. and with regards to drinking in bars, the legal age is 21. I am 24 but I look VERY young. What would be the best form of ID (besides passport) as I don't fancy carrying this around with me? I've an Irish provisional license but I don't imagine they'd be too trusting of it. Also.. you don't pay for drinks as they're served to you, correct? You make up a tab and pay it when you're leaving and add in a $1 tip per drink - am I right in these presumptions?0 -
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