Orlando and Surrounding Area

[IronDave]

So I'm Heading to Orlando for ten days from the 12th until the 22nd this month and I'm looking for suggestions of things to do from locals or people who have already made the trek

Things already planned:

Daytona 500
Gator Land of some sort
Disney World
Maybe Universal Studios (better than Disney?)
Hockey Game (maybe a little far to Lightening or Panthers)

Thanks for suggestions

[GreenTeaFrapp]

To catch a Lightning game is only about 90 minutes away. The Panthers are probably a little too far, which is too bad because their fans are far more civilized then the cretins in Lightning Land.

[STeeLy]

Go visit missdpuck.

[malcolmk14]

Bobcats @ Magic - Feb 17
Heat @ Magic - Feb 22

Also, isn't MLB training camp going on right now?

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

Go visit missdpuck.

Hmm..my mom lives in Longwood right outside Orlando. I have a heavy foot we made it to bolts game in under an hour. Naughty me .

[mykalberta]

If you have never been there, go to Kennedy Space Centre.

[Bill Bumface]

Tampa is a pretty cool place. You can go and check out Ybor City! I preferred going to a game in Tampa as at least people show up there. Florida was EMPTY. Jacksonville is also pretty close to Orlando and you can hit up the Jax Beach area. Orlando itself is pretty brutal besides the parks.

[missdpuck]

Fla. was only empty 'cos we knew you were coming.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Orlando itself is pretty brutal besides the parks.

It's probably the most horrific sprawl I've ever encountered.

I also really loved how the gas stations by the airport gauged customers like I've never seen before. Gas prices at least three times higher then elsewhere in the city.

[IronDave]

Sadly i miss Grapefruit League by 3 days...
But being someone who doesn't hate but is fairly apathetic towards the NBA, is a Magic Game wroth it for the experience? (It is a sport so i assume it has some entertainment value)

Oh and thanks for the Space center suggestion, I will definitely be going to see were they filmed the moon landing

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by IronDave

Sadly i miss Grapefruit League by 3 days...
But being someone who doesn't hate but is fairly apathetic towards the NBA, is a Magic Game wroth it for the experience? (It is a sport so i assume it has some entertainment value)

Only if you can get close enough to the floor so that the players can hear you when you heckle them. But not so close that they can slap you silly.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by IronDave

Sadly i miss Grapefruit League by 3 days...
But being someone who doesn't hate but is fairly apathetic towards the NBA, is a Magic Game wroth it for the experience? (It is a sport so i assume it has some entertainment value)

Oh and thanks for the Space center suggestion, I will definitely be going to see were they filmed the moon landing

Seeing a live NBA game took me from apathy to hate in about 5 minutes. The single most boring live sport I've ever watched. I will never go again.

[Sample00]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Seeing a live NBA game took me from apathy to hate in about 5 minutes. The single most boring live sport I've ever watched. I will never go again.

agreed, although a Harlem Globetrotters game can be highly entertaining.

[missdpuck]

I hear Medieval Times is fun.

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

If you have never been there, go to Kennedy Space Centre.

Originally Posted by missdpuck

I hear Medieval Times is fun.

agreed on these for sure. Kennedy, man i wish i has another day.


Also, Seaworld is the best aquatic zoo i've ever been to.

Downtown Disney (not Disney World) is pretty damn cool too. Great Shops, has a full bar strip (Planet Hollywood, House of Blues, etc...), the Rainforest Cafe plus a ton more.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

I hear Medieval Times is fun.

haha, my minor hockey team went to Anaheim for a tourney when we were kids and went there! So much fun. Pigging out on chicken, no utensils... watching a bunch of dudes dressed up like knights knock each other around!

[StealthOiler]

Cool. Good timing on the thread, as I'm heading there tomorrow as well for the Daytona 500. The Space Center looks badass, so that's high on the priority list.

[GGG]

For pure rides universal's Island of Adventure park is better then disney. The Spiderman ride is probably the coolest ride I have ever been on. Disney still is really cool.

I went the the Daytona 500 last year and stayed for about 10 days we did listed each day we were there.

Magic Game
Bud Shoot out
Magic Kingdom
Kennedy Space Center (lots of gators out there too)
Other 3 Disney parks (in one day)
Sea World and Tampa Bay Montreal Game
Gatorade Duels
Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure
Busch Race
Daytona 500

There are very few line ups in disney land and universal in february so you can do all of the rides in Universal and Islands of Adventure in one day.
Magic Kingdom 1 day is good.
I got have used an extra day to spilt between epcot, animal kingdom, and hollywood

I thought the magic game was pretty good. Way better then TV and definately worth going to if you have nver been before and I don't really like basketball. Kenedy Space Center is definately worth going to. And bring a wide variety of clothes as at some point every day it will rain for 10 minutes and the temp ranges from about 5 degrees on the coldest night up to 30 degrees on the hot days. And if you are going with your wife/girlfriend or like designer clothes there are fantastic outlet malls there that are amazing Sak's off 5th has True Religion Jeans for like $100.

And make sure you rent a car, you need it to get everywhere and always keep some change and singles on you for tolls

[henriksedin33]

+1 for Islands of Adventure...Spiderman, the Hulk, Dueling Dragons all great rides. Busch Gardens in Tampa is great too if you like coasters.

I would definitely see a Magic game, they've been doing well for the last couple years and Dwight Howard is one of the best players in the game.