Tell me about your first holiday to Florida

[JudeB]

Our first trip was in February 96 - a belated honeymoon! We got married in Nov 95 but just went a week to Tunisia after the wedding. DH travelled a lot with work so had enough airmiles to take us with BA for 2 weeks end Feb/beginning March. We did no research! Booked cheapest car hire when we arrived at MCO! DH had booked Econo Lodge in Kissimmee - ropey enough, but sure it was only to sleep in. Very noisy air-con, I do remember that. We bought all our tickets when we were there, as far as I can remember it was from the ticket booths at Dennys. We did Seaworld, Wet & Wild, Universal, MK, MGM and Busch Gardens. Had a fantastic time! We spent a few days with DH's aunt & uncle who lived in Port Charlotte on the Gulf Coast and saw a shuttle launch on our way back to the airport. We went again a year later with DH bro & sil and then had a break until 2006 & 2008 by which time we had 3 children and rented a villa with another family. We've been 2013, 2015, 2017 with my parents - staying in a fab Dibb villa and are booked again for 2019. Just love Florida and all the family memories holidays there create.

[MarionG]

Our first trip was in April 1993. My Mum had recovered from cancer and decided to retire so wanted to give us some money to go to Florida. I said only if you come with us. We booked flights and car with a travel agent and a man whose son went to the same school as my son owned a villa on Loma Linda so we booked that for 3 weeks. My son was 7 and there was no problem taking him out of school those days.
We were amazed at how well equipped the villa was (and really it was quite basic compared to villas now!) To have your own swimming pool was fantastic even if it was chilly when we got in (no pool heat). No internet so when the guy from the management company called round the following morning we bought tickets from him.
Visited Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Kennedy Space Center and Cypress Gardens. We went to Typhoon Lagoon, River Country and Water Mania (anyone remember Water Mania on the 192?).
We borrowed a video camera from a friends son, couldn't afford one ourselves as they were over £1000 which in 93 was a fortune!. Have all our visits now put on DVD , just love watching them. My Mum wrote a diary which I still have too.
No Fastpasses, just get in the queue but in those days it never seemed busy. The roads were a lot quieter too. We have just returned from our 17th trip (just the two of us now) and the roads are manic!
Florida holds such special memories for me, my Mum came with us up until 2006 although we realised that it was going to be her last visit due to her age and health problems. Unfortunately she passed away in 2007. Our son came with us up until 2014 but now has a partner, they both hope to visit theirselves when funds allow.
I have a photo of the four of us taken at Cypress Gardens which is in a frame in my kitchen, I give a smile everytime I look at it..

[Stitchfan626]

My first visit was in 1995 and was with my Mum and Dad. I was 14 and we went at Easter.

We flew with Virgin from Gatwick, but couldn't get a direct flight to Orlando so flew to Miami. They had to get my Mum's wheelchair out of the hold and we were the last out of the plane. I remember us being whisked to the front of the immigration queue with everyone looking at us.

We drove up from Miami that night and got lost trying to find our hotel. We stayed in an awful Days Inn Hotel in Beana Vista. We complained and they did change our room, but it still wasn't that nice. We ate in a Sizzler next door practically every night.

On our first day we went to Cypress Gardens. I've got such fond memories of that place.

We had a 4 day value Disney ticket, and did 2 days in MK, 1 in Epcot and 1 in MGM.

Dad and I went to Universal as Mum didn't feel up to it and also SeaWorld. I'm tearing up just thinking of the memories. Does anyone remember the 'murder she wrote' attraction at universal? I loved it.

We also sent to Splendid China (which I hated, Mum loved it) and KSC (which we all loved) and the beach.

I've so many special memories of that trip. It was the first time I'd been abroad on holiday (apart from school trips to France) and our only family holiday abroad.

I lost my dear Dad in 2003 and my Mum is in poor health so they are memories I really treasure.

[lolalolo86]

Love reading all these. So lovely.

Things others have said that I remember from virst trip are the Mercado and FAO Schwartz on I-drive. Loved both!

Going to Walmart for the first time and seeing all the guns and being amazed that a McDonalds was inside!

Don't recall the "murder she wrote" attrraction at US stitchfan, I do remember the Alfred Hitchcock one which was brilliant!

I have never been back with my family for a number of reasons but we hope to have a big family holiday there in the next few years

[gtyrel10]

Originally Posted by lolalolo86

Love reading all these. So lovely.

Things others have said that I remember from virst trip are the Mercado and FAO Schwartz on I-drive. Loved both!

Going to Walmart for the first time and seeing all the guns and being amazed that a McDonalds was inside!

Don't recall the "murder she wrote" attrraction at US stitchfan, I do remember the Alfred Hitchcock one which was brilliant!

I have never been back with my family for a number of reasons but we hope to have a big family holiday there in the next few years

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Oh yes the guns and tasers in Walmart that was just so odd!

Also the Hana Barbara (is that the right spelling) at Universal was it a ride maybe? I can't remember. I'm actually digging out all the old photos to make up an album for my parents.

[lolalolo86]

Originally Posted by gtyrel10

Oh yes the guns and tasers in Walmart that was just so odd!

Also the Hana Barbara (is that the right spelling) at Universal was it a ride maybe? I can't remember. I'm actually digging out all the old photos to make up an album for my parents.

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Yes it was a Flinstones ride I think? I have a photo somewhere of me and my sister sitting in the car

Also remember the Nickelodeon studios area which I believe is now Blue Man Group? So much has changed.

[mick]

Originally Posted by lolalolo86

Yes it was a Flinstones ride I think? I have a photo somewhere of me and my sister sitting in the car

Also remember the Nickelodeon studios area which I believe is now Blue Man Group? So much has changed.

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It certainly was and here's our youngest in 1990.

Mick

[Nimbus]

First visit: Early December 1997
Flew with: I can't remember. Maybe Thomas Cook or Airtours? It was a package holiday.
Stayed: At the Gateway Inn on Kirkman Road just off of the north end of International Drive (like a couple of other DIBBers). We'd booked this because my parents had been there and said it was good and because they had free shuttle buses to the parks. It must have been okay because we went back there the next time we visited.
What did we do: Spent 4 or 5 days at the 3 main Disney parks (AK hadn't opened yet), a day at Universal Studios (IOA hadn't opened yet), two days at Seaworld, went on a coach trip to Kennedy Space Centre, and the bus to Florida Mall and Belz (as it was back then) to do some shopping. Plus we walked up and down International Drive a few times - it was mostly empty of people. Those were the days you bought tickets over there. It was also the time when people went to rep meetings! We didn't do any waterparks because it was a little too cold and we're not really fans of them.
Weather: It rained for half the time we were there. Not just short sharp showers, but day-long downpours. Still, when it wasn't raining it was sunny and warmer than the UK. However, I do remember seeing warnings on the TV regarding frosts and advising Floridians on how to lag their pipes.

BTW, I do have a trip report of my first visit with a few (poor quality) scanned in photos:

www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=936221

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by riversider2014

If have been annoyed seeing this monstrosity too...!

funaticstv/blog/magic-kin...e-disappeared/

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I loved that castle and much prefer it to the "proper" one.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by lolalolo86

Things others have said that I remember from virst trip are the Mercado and FAO Schwartz on I-drive. Loved both!

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We loved these too! The FAO Schwartz shop was brilliant, especially the piano keyboard in the floor.

Originally Posted by gtyrel10

Also the Hana Barbara (is that the right spelling) at Universal was it a ride maybe? I can't remember.

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The Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera was a simulator ride. It was in the same location (and used most of the same building and technology) as the current Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem ride at Universal Studios.

The Flintstones were one of the Hanna Barbera cartoons, as was Yogi Bear, Dastardly & Muttley, the Jetsons, etc. After the ride you could sit in one of the Flintstones' cars: