212.6 Miles Too Far South - August 2018 (Update 21/7)

[sandshal]

Originally Posted by Leyfy

Thanks for the advice regarding the gorilla grip, the one I am looking at is the actual gorilla grip brand one. It'll be so much easier carrying that around rather than a blooming great tripod!

I am looking forward to the cruise, it will certainly be something different! Pretty much everyone I've spoken to (bar one) who has been on a cruise has loved it. If we don't, then it's only four days!

(Plus a few all inclusive cocktails and a buffet - what will there be NOT to like! )

We are definitely looking forward to spending a bit longer in Key West too. We really only scratched the surface there and there is so much more to do than I realised! We are going to go and have a look round the fort there and apparently there is a beach for snorkelling. Plus I've found a place that does frozen Key Lime pie on a stick!

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I'm telling you now ... Kermits Key Lime Pie, frozen or unfrozen, is to die for! Don't miss it. Also have a browse round the chilli tasting shop nearby, some ot those prices for the expensive bottles are astounding and the names? I'll let you see those for yourselves lol

[Leyfy]

Originally Posted by sandshal

Hi Kim,

Just returned from our second trip to the Keys and now catching up with your pre trippie. First time we visited we flew into Key West with the youngest lad who was 15 at the time and were a little meh, wasn't until we left we realised how great it was. This time we flew out of Key West and had a completely different experience as adults only altogether, to say we hit Duval hard was an absolute understatement. We were still out at 3 am one morning, way after the drag queens had gone to bed lol (haven't seen the sunrise in party gear for years, place was desserted by the time we got back to the hotel). Bars we enjoyed the most were Durty Harrys/Ricks Place, the house band The Durt Bags, were excellent, Sloppy Joes but don't bother going too early, we found the best ones came on at 10pm, guys we watched "Dummband" were amazing, and the Irish bar was ok for an early beer too.

Food wise, to be fair we drank more than we ate, Jimmy Buffets, usual standard, only ate there because we'd missed all the good ones and couldn't be bothered to walk back .. Wouldn't recommend at all. And wait for it ... Caroline's, on our 25th anniversary night lol ... Again walked too far, ran out of options, was raining hard and was becoming a little tense so I just said lets eat here. We laugh that we sat on plastic chairs drinking out of plastic cups on our special anniversary but food was amazing and I wouldn't have changed it for the world.

Loved Key West and Duval so much we've booked to go again September, this time, 6 nights Islamorada, 5 nights Key West and night before flight home in Fort Lauderdale.

Can't wait to hear more about your trip and read the next report.

Sharon
Ps photo below is Caroline's on our 25th Anniversary 👍🍹 ignore my fat face ... Part bad selfie/part alcohol swell lol

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Ah I'm so glad you enjoyed Carolines! We definitely need to go back there, as you say, the food was amazing! Also glad that you enjoyed the Keys on a repeat visit. We were talking about this with Phil's brother in law (Pumba75 on here) and they have two girls slightly younger than your son was on your visit. We said they probably wouldn't enjoy Key West so much at the moment for more than a day visit, although we did see some families with younger children there - there was a French family staying in at the guest house we were in, for example.

Did you notice much damage from the hurricane last year?

I would love to visit more of the the Keys one day - your upcoming trip sounds great!

Originally Posted by sandshal

I'm telling you now ... Kermits Key Lime Pie, frozen or unfrozen, is to die for! Don't miss it. Also have a browse round the chilli tasting shop nearby, some ot those prices for the expensive bottles are astounding and the names? I'll let you see those for yourselves lol

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That's the shop I found and is on the itinerary! Will be heading to the chilli tasting shop too, thanks for the recommendation!

[sandshal]

Originally Posted by Leyfy

Ah I'm so glad you enjoyed Carolines! We definitely need to go back there, as you say, the food was amazing! Also glad that you enjoyed the Keys on a repeat visit. We were talking about this with Phil's brother in law (Pumba75 on here) and they have two girls slightly younger than your son was on your visit. We said they probably wouldn't enjoy Key West so much at the moment for more than a day visit, although we did see some families with younger children there - there was a French family staying in at the guest house we were in, for example.

Did you notice much damage from the hurricane last year?

I would love to visit more of the the Keys one day - your upcoming trip sounds great!



That's the shop I found and is on the itinerary! Will be heading to the chilli tasting shop too, thanks for the recommendation!

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Hi again, Damage was quite visible just past the middle keys, you could definitely see where it made land but no, it really wasn't that evident overall and definitely didn't spoil our experience. Lots of places under refurbishment but as I understand it they've got to be finished by the end of this year or will need to reapply for permission (that's what I was told). I actually think it'll be better eventually, they're a strong old bunch down there.

Kermits is amazing but lots of places have cottoned on to the frozen one, there's Anna's Cuban Cafe, near Southernmost Point that sells them from a freezer inside if you fancy one. Kermits original Key Lime Pie really is as good as it gets so I'd stick with the original and buy a frozen one elsewhere (I had 2 from Anna's as it's just round the corner from the Best Western Hibiscus where we stay).

I don't think The Keys is really for kids unless they're heavily into fishing or water sports. Duval after dark was amazing. Think there are far better places to stay on the gulf side to keep the little uns and teenagers entertained.

We also did the Mel Fisher museum last trip, was Ok but I probably wouldn't bother with it again.

Got lots of photos on my Facebook page of all our Keys trips, if you fancy a nose I'll pm you my details

Sharon

[Leyfy]

Update 17/6 - Fastpass day!

So fastpass day for our final nights of the holiday rolled around this week. Seems really odd that our countdown is at 41 days but our 60 day fastpass day rolled around on Thursday. Had pesky work getting in the way ( ) but managed to get onto My Disney Experience during my lunch break at 12.30. Our Disney days look like this:

Monday : Arrival and no parks. Dinner at the Boardwalk
Tuesday: Animal Kingdom & perhaps HS in the evening for the Star Wars fireworks. Dinner at Lava Lounge
Wednesday: EPCOT
Thursday : Magic Kingdom and the HEE Dessert party
Friday: Hollywood Studios & California Grill in the evening
Saturday: Magic Kingdom again and home - boo!

We'd discussed our fastpasses and decided that with only one day in Hollywood Studios, Toy Story Mania is a favourite so I didn't plan on getting any of the new ones. Also, having read about people desperately trying to get FOP fastpasses and none being available, we decided against that too as we've already been on it before. If you've not been on it - it *is* good, try and get a fastpass! I'm glad we've done it.

My main priority was timing. The first time we went in 2013 there were NO tiers and NO timing restrictions, it was great! As we like to dip in and out of the parks and not stay for hours I find the timings really restrictive? I kind of understand that Disney want you to stay in the parks ... I just wish they'd let you overlap fastpasses, if only for the first and last ten minutes? Oh well... Small moan, but there we go!

I also wanted to make sure we got a morning safari, so the first day I did was the Animal Kingdom day. Fastpasses secured for the Safari, Everest and Festival of the Lion King. If you've never seen this show - do it, it's brilliant! I didn't check to see if there were fastpasses for FOP but I did notice loads for the river adventure.

Next up I sorted our Hollywood Studios day. For those wanting fastpasses for the new Toy Story stuff, they are all on the same tier but the good news is that there were plenty available! Fastpasses were secured for Toy Story Mania, Rock N Rollercoaster and Star Tours.

Onwards and upwards to EPCOT fastpasses! Test Track was our tier one choice and Spaceship Earth our tier 2. Due to being claustrophobic, I hate Mission: Space (which is a shame as I love space stuff) so I wont go on it. However, Phil wanted to go on it. So I managed to get me a fastpass for The Seas with Nemo and Friends (which I love and Phil tolerates!) and him a Mission: Space fastpass both roughly at the same time! So we'll go off to our fastpasses and then meet back up after.

Last was our Magic Kingdom days. Day 1 saw fastpasses for Buzz, Space and Splash Mountains. Day 2 is Big Thunder, Pirates and Jungle Cruise. I love Pirates purely for nostalgia reasons and I am gutted that we didn't go on it last trip for various reasons!

[Leyfy]

This time in a month will be airport hotel day!

So that’s officially the start of the holiday, right?!

[Zomax25]

This all sounds awesome! So jealous it's only a month until you go

[Leyfy]

Originally Posted by Zomax25

This all sounds awesome! So jealous it's only a month until you go

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22 days now! It seems so near but so far..!

[sheluk]

Ooh that will be here before you know it! Excellent fastpass choices too

[stecee]

It sounds like you’ve got a fab holiday planned. We stayed at the Inn on Fifth a few years ago and really liked it.
Beware, cruising is addictive, you have been warned
I’d love to stay at the Swan and Dolphin, it’s in what is probably my favourite area of WDW.
Not long to go now, I hope you have a great holiday

[Leyfy]

Originally Posted by stecee

It sounds like you’ve got a fab holiday planned. We stayed at the Inn on Fifth a few years ago and really liked it.
Beware, cruising is addictive, you have been warned
I’d love to stay at the Swan and Dolphin, it’s in what is probably my favourite area of WDW.
Not long to go now, I hope you have a great holiday

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Thank you!

We were supposed to stay at the Swan during our 2015 Christmas trip, but we got delayed and our 'stay' became checking in at 11.50pm, sleeping there, and checking back out at 9am!

Love the Boardwalk though, it is definitely our favourite place at WDW.

I am a bit nervous about the cruise, to be honest, but it's only four days so it's more like seeing if we like it or not? Everyone keeps saying how amazing they are and we'll really love it, so fingers crossed