Tell me about your first holiday to Florida

[princess allie]

First visit September 1998 with my Mum and both my in laws and DS who was 3. We flew with Virgin and you used to get proper little embossed wine glasses with your meal (a couple may have dropped into my bag). Stayed in a villa, but although we keep trying to remember what the villa area was called, we just can’t remeber. We bought tickets before we went and had no plan, just did Disney and had the time of our lives. DH bought a pair of Levi’s and they were too long, so the shop altered them for him. That shop is long gone now. Our first morning, we went to a breakfast buffet, again, we don’t remember what is was called, but you paid downstairs and then went up a flight of stairs. I remember being absolutely amazed at the choice of food on offer. We had been to Disneyland for a day a few years earlier, but this was when we really caught the Disney holiday bug.

[skb 123]

DH and I had been together 6 months when we did a month-long backpacking trip around the US. That was 1992 when Delta did an unlimited standby air pass and we criss-crossed the country, saving the best for last of course, Orlando. This was my first visit but DH had been doing this for a few years so knew his way around. Stayed at Red Roof Inn on I Drive. Second visit was 1996 when we escaped a harsh Canadian winter while we were living there. Third time was 2002 - first with our DS who was 4. Stayed at CBR. 2003 stayed at All Stars. 2004 persuaded parents to buy a villa and enjoyed many more trips up to 3 times a year until villa was sold. Now stick to one 3-week trip a year in a friend's villa. Can't see us ever being able to do a hotel holiday again at least until kids are off our hands!

[janeywaney]

Our first trip was June 1999. DH was in the army and had been away for 7 months in Bosnia before we went. DS 's 6 & 9 years old at the time. My darling grandma's funeral was the day before we flew out I didn't think I would enjoy the holiday due to this.

We stayed at All Star Sports and our holiday was booked with Unijet, the flights were with Air 2000. We flew into Sanford and we were literally the last off the flight and through immigration! The carousel had stopped and our cases were at the side!

Even though we were suffering from grief from losing my grandma we had a fabulous holiday.

The boys loved swimming at 10pm most nights

We didn't hire a car we did one day at Universal on our 11th wedding anniversary. ( we recently celebrated our 30th!)

We didn't plan anything we didn't know anyone else that had ever been. Restaurants at that time were just a walk up, and no fast pass was available. When we booked we didn't know that the US schools were out and it was sooooo busy! (like I said we didn't plan!) It was so hot that one day when we were in Epcot one of the cast members told us it was over 100 degrees.

I remember that it cost us £3,300 for the holiday, reserved seats parking and transfer tickets etc. I kept the invoices for everything for a few years as we loved it so much the once in a lifetime holiday wasn't going to be once!

We booked and went back the next year with Virgin and it cost less!

We have missed a couple of years but some years have gone twice. This is the first year in a long time that we have missed, but we wanted a new kitchen and we have had a large party for our pearl wedding anniversary so the holiday had to wait , oh and a little thing of a stroke we are taking our granddaughter for her first Disney holiday next year and cannot wait!

Jane

[Rac20]

First visit...

We flew in September 2000 with air tours and we too had the plane with the toilets downstairs. There was me, boyfriend (now husband) my mum, stepdad and baby brother (5).
We spent a week at the holiday inn on international drive (now called the international palms). We bought all of our tickets: Disney, Universal, Seaworld and Busch Gardens from the tour rep somewhere on international drive and it cost us a meager £450. I can’t remember if that was each or for both of us. I’m sure it was for both of us but that seems too cheap even in 2000.
After a week we stayed in Clearwater at the Bellview Biltmore. Such a beautiful hotel with so much history. If you’ve never heard of it here is a link:
en.m.wikipedia/wiki/Bell...Biltmore_Hotel

We loved it so much that we went back three years later and got married.

[mick]

Our first trip was in June 1990. We were both 44 and our daughters were 16 and 12.

We flew from Birmingham into MCO on a Britannia plane and refuelled in Bangor. Spent one week in Fantasy World villas on the 192 then a week in a beach front condo at Indian Shores. Never stayed in such a fancy accommodation with a Gulf view from the front and a intracoastal waterway view from the rear.

Car hire was off-site and we had a Buick Skylark. Remember driving past the Tupperware H/Q to get to the 192.

Universal had only been open a couple of weeks and half the stuff was down. Queued about an hour for ET only to reach the door and another hour's queue through the woods.

Our first ever Florida photo - a bit cloudy.

Mick

[marypoppins38]

1998 for our honeymoon.
We had a suite at the Omni Rosen (I think its now called the Rosen Centre?) on I-Drive. It was fantastic. We had huge windows all along one wall and could see Seaworld. I remember drinking champagne and eating a plate of deserts that the restaurant has sent up to our room after hearing we were on honeymoon while we watched fireworks. I assume the fireworks were from Seaworld. The staff in the hotel were exceptional and really made it a special holiday. We did Disney, Universal, Seaworld, KSC and I think we also went to Blizzard Beach. The exchange rate was pretty good and we had saved up for ages so did a ton of shopping. I even bought Dh a set of golf clubs!

[Jet]

Our first trip to Florida was in 1996.
We were originally due to go to Thailand but it got cancelled due to not enough bookings and being the rainy season...so the travel agent suggested Florida.
All done on teletext at the time!
Cannot remember who we flew with...but the hotel was at the back of Wet and Wild...think it is another name now.
For the first week we went to...
Universal Studios
Wet and Wild
Busch Gardens
Mgm studios
Sea world.

Had fun seeing I drive and the Old Mercado were we went for entertainment every night.

Whilst there we went to the rep meeting and they had a day trip to New York from Orlando...so we thought why not...it was new and they were seeing how it went..it also included lunch and bus tour...all for $99 each!

We were up early... took the flight...and arrived when the N.Y. hot dog sellers were on strike!
Which stopped a lot of the transport...but it was still a fab day and made us want to go back and see more...five times since!
Not sure if you can still do that trip now.

We then went on a three day cruise...it was the old Port Canaveral line...the ship was the Dolphin...it went to Grand Bahama were we got to swim with Dolphins.
When we got back we were asked would we like to sit on the Captains table ...which they did then..and I was sat right next to the Captain ...to say I was nervous was an understatement...my boss in work at the time asked what we had to eat...and I could not remember😂
Then it was down to Fort Lauderdale and we stayed one night there...seen manatees etc.
Then down to Miami..and stayed one night there and went to Bayside.
Then down to the everglades and done a airboat ride.
Then down to Keywest for two night which began DHs love of Keywest...it really was a holiday that kept giving and began our love of Florida.
We still have not been to Thailand😂
Been back quite a few times since...and has always been good...but nothing beats that one as it was all new.
Forgot to say we also seen a space launch on the same holiday...we drove as near to the space launch as we could and was amazed to see it take off.
That's the first time we drove past dead alligators and armadillos on the road...the one thing that upset me x

[HevaDuck]

My first trip was 1993 with DH (then my fiance) our son almost 3 my friend and her son who had just turned 3. We booked a fly drive and flew from Newcastle with Monarch into MCO think we may have used Teletext to book it.
Had to get a mini bus to the car hire either Dollar or Alamo. We didn't have any accomodation booked but friends who'd been earlier that year told us to get directions to the 192 and try Sol Orlando (still there last time we looked but called something else) found it easy bartered for a good price and stayed there the 2 weeks in a 2 storey town house.
No AK or IOA then but did the the 3 Disney parks, Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney, US, Watermania on the 192, Seaworld, Busch Gardens and Kennedy Space Centre.
Visited Florida Mall remember going to big ToysrUs just by there and the Outlets up near Universal at the top of Idrive
We also had night out with a meal and saw Cannon and Ball
Was hooked from then on to Orlando holidays 😎

[snowbelle]

We are also a bit late to the party!

I had travelled the world before I met DH, we met at age 38 in 2006 & he informed me ... That he had never been abroad! I was'nt sure if we would make a go of it as i adore travelling , I persuaded him to come with me to Sweden and he took flying like a duck to water.

A lot of my colleagues had been to Orlando and I used to wonder why.

We went for the first time in 2007 & absolutely fell in love with Florida and the American way of life..
We Have since been to the USA 16 times nearly always including Florida in our plans
This year will be our first without visiting the Sunshine State.

I remember having no clue how big magic Kingdom was , thinking it would be like Alton Towers.. I was so tired walking round there all day and staying until close when someone ran over my feet with a buggy it was the last straw and I cried all the way back to the Embassy Suites on I drive ...I was 39 years Old

[Melvin Pearce]

Our first trip was August 1994 with my sister and family, so there was 8 of us. Our flight got delayed for 24 hours and remember getting a phone call from the travel agency to say "Just arrive the same time tomorrow" she was surprised that we wasn't annoyed, but it wasn't her fault. Can't remember which airline for that trip but two years later we were also delayed 36 hours with British Caledonian. Also booked through Coop Travel.

We stayed at Holiday Inn Maingate, which is the hotel on 192 right of World Drive with the restaurent that was called "Angels". We had two rooms and since we both had a son and daughter, the two lads shared a bed and the girls shared a bed. Taking it in turns who stayed in each room. Stayed there two weeks, going to Disney, MK being the place that our daughter wanted to visit for her 6th birthday, also went to Epcot, and MGM as it was called in those days. Loved River Country and Discovery Island, remember a parrot in the show who called out "Far Out" used to live with hippys Also remember a small water park on 192 called Water mania near Old Town

Managed to see a Shuttle take off from the Space Center

Remember going around Orange Lake to get free tickets for Universal studios

Then after two weeks we went to Clearwater, stayed at the Holiday Inn on the beach. Guess which hotel company my sister in law worked for and relaxed for a week before coming home.

29th Trip coming up in September

Melvin and Lesley