5 replies to this topic

[Cubbie Blues]

Beginning the 20th I am going to be in the Orlando for a week. Is there anyone here in the area? The first have of the week is going to be a conference with downtime in the evening the rest is going to be vacation with the family meeting me down there.

Does anyone have suggestions for activities to do in the evening before the family meets me down there?

Also, any suggestion for the family to do that we wouldn't normally think of while they are down there?

[hansman1982]

Ya, how about you maroon yourselves on an island and eat each others arms...


(and yes, I am going to be bitter about that one for a while)

[King Jeff]

Beginning the 20th I am going to be in the Orlando for a week. Is there anyone here in the area? The first have of the week is going to be a conference with downtime in the evening the rest is going to be vacation with the family meeting me down there.

Does anyone have suggestions for activities to do in the evening before the family meets me down there?

Also, any suggestion for the family to do that we wouldn't normally think of while they are down there?

Postpone your vacation for a week or two and go on a Spring Training tour. Seriously, there's very little to do in central Florida. If you want to come down south, I could give you the royal tour. One tip for travel in central Florida, avoid any non-chain, shady looking gas stations, and don't give a ride to or buy anything from any "travellers" you come across.

Touristy things that aren't Disney or Univeral related; Gatorland(very cool), there are some EcoSafaries(fake African safaries), the Ripley's museum is around there somewhere, the Kennedy Space Center is a must-see, and there are more rip-off theme parks than you can shake a stick at.

[Cubbie Blues]

Beginning the 20th I am going to be in the Orlando for a week. Is there anyone here in the area? The first have of the week is going to be a conference with downtime in the evening the rest is going to be vacation with the family meeting me down there.

Does anyone have suggestions for activities to do in the evening before the family meets me down there?

Also, any suggestion for the family to do that we wouldn't normally think of while they are down there?

Postpone your vacation for a week or two and go on a Spring Training tour. Seriously, there's very little to do in central Florida. If you want to come down south, I could give you the royal tour. One tip for travel in central Florida, avoid any non-chain, shady looking gas stations, and don't give a ride to or buy anything from any "travellers" you come across.

Touristy things that aren't Disney or Univeral related; Gatorland(very cool), there are some EcoSafaries(fake African safaries), the Ripley's museum is around there somewhere, the Kennedy Space Center is a must-see, and there are more rip-off theme parks than you can shake a stick at.

Believe me I wish I could postpone it till spring training, but I am going to be down there for a conference and the family is piggy backing it into a vacation.

We will have to look into Gator Land and EcoSafaries. We've done Ripley's in Gatlynburg a few times so will have to pass on that one.

[Luke]

I think the Astros have spring training south east of Orlando. Odds are good some of them are on the facility training already. It might not hurt to take a drive by the Braves(?) complex by Disney as well.

Cocoa Beach is good trip any time of the year. You can see the launch facilities for Nasa from most of the beach (look North), and there are a number of pretty good food places on Merritt Island.

[Mike Taylor (no relation)]

Cape Canaveral is about 1.5 hours away from Orlando (using the toll road); The Kennedy Space Center is really cool. Plenty of stuff to do and look at in an afternoon. If I remember, the food wasn't bad at all. They have an IMAX film that is really fascinating that includes all of the new, hi-def Hubble photos, and it's narrated by Leonardo de Caprio. Me and the wife watched a shuttle launch when we went... wow, it was awesome (had to get clearance/tickets beforehand, though).