grandadowl Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 thank you very much for the info..... Also,we are staying in a villa in Cumbrian lakes, Apart from disney and universal parks. what other place are worth a visit? and Which beaches would you recommend? Also,have you been to the space centre? Went in february this year, beaches to see on your ( days off ) , clearwater beach , stunning white sand and fantastic views along the beach that go on for miles,Daytona beach on the other side was very busy and we thought just a little dangerous with the cars driving up and down looking to park,we had 3 kids trying to play football and the traffic is constant. Not moaning as daytona is also stunning,not to mention spotlessly clean, if a paper bag blows along the beach about 30 people jump up to catch it and put it in the bin. brilliant beaches and brilliant people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialPG Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 we've been 5 times and are going again this oct, Epcot is good it has many attractions if you know where to look, magic kingdom is mainly aimed the small kids and hollywood studios(MGM) has all the special effects and some good rides for the sci-fi fans, plus it also has the stunt car show. Universal studios is more adult orientated though you have to let the kid inside you out when in orlando to really enjoy it. If you want a lazy day near international drive try aquatica its a massive water park with a mix of sea creatures,birds and large manmade beaches with enough water rides to keep the kids happy all day. we went to gatorland on our first visit and enjoyed it, we are going there again this time, it has alligator wrestling and you can see loads of gators in thier natural habitats and throw feed in for them, you can also if your brave enough try some gator nuggets from the food stall, and the kids can have thier pics taken sat on the back of a gator(it has its mouth taped up). Make sure you visit premium outlets and prime outlets, they are the last stops at either end of the i-ride trolly buses, oh and expect to leave a tip after every meal a good amount is usually a minimum of $4 we usually leave around $6 and if your staying in a hotel make sure you leave a dollar per day for the cleaner and you'll be assured of getting clean sheets/towels and tea/coffee/milk replanished each day( my sister didnt leave any tips for the maids and had to keep going to reception to get her coffee and milk replenished). I suggest you take a look here http://www.thedibb.co.uk/ this is where we get all our info and news of new things plus it also has other peoples holidays and experiences from thier holidays there. oh and if you can fly with virgin, we've flown with them and tried others but they win hands down for comfort/service and all round experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineS Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Epcot centre was fantastic when I went in 2002. Evening show was great too (if you choose to stay and watch it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alternageek Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Make sure you visit premium outlets and prime outlets, they are the last stops at either end of the i-ride trolly buses, oh and expect to leave a tip after every meal a good amount is usually a minimum of $4 we usually leave around $6 and if your staying in a hotel make sure you leave a dollar per day for the cleaner and you'll be assured of getting clean sheets/towels and tea/coffee/milk replanished each day( my sister didnt leave any tips for the maids and had to keep going to reception to get her coffee and milk replenished). Actually its not a set dollar amount, its a percentage. Anywhere from 10-15% (or double the VAT) is suffice for sit down service in most of the Florida. You should tip the maid a bit more than a buck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialPG Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Actually its not a set dollar amount, its a percentage. Anywhere from 10-15% (or double the VAT) is suffice for sit down service in most of the Florida. You should tip the maid a bit more than a buck... i know what the percentage is for tips, but the percentage you have quoted is the maximum recomended tip, the average is around 7 to 10 %, and the maids get more than enough with $1 if they clean 30 rooms per day and the majority of holiday makers leave them at least $1, thats quite a hefty bonus by the end of the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialPG Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Hiya guys, can you recommend me anything for Florida, Im going in November, whats weather ike then?We always either go in nov or jan, except this time(oct) nov weather is like a good british summer the temps can be anything from late 70's upto mid 80's, its the best time to go really as all the usa kids are still at school so the parks are only about half full, though on the weekends they do get full up with locals and weekend trippers, all the bugs will have mostly died off by then aswell so you should be ok there for bites and such, its a great time to go as its probably one of the cheapest times to go aswell, you'll love it , Book a day out at boggy creek, its not that far from orlando and theres plenty of theose private taxi vans knocking around who'll take you and pick you up for about $30, its a good day out on an airboat, it takes you looking for snapping turtles/bald eagles and ofcourse alligators, and you get to within about 15 feet of a gator as it sunbathes, its amazing, plus the boat pilot takes you on a little blow out in the boat, those things are fast as. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alternageek Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 i know what the percentage is for tips, but the percentage you have quoted is the maximum recomended tip, the average is around 7 to 10 %, and the maids get more than enough with $1 if they clean 30 rooms per day and the majority of holiday makers leave them at least $1, thats quite a hefty bonus by the end of the week. Hence why I said double the VAT. Orlando has 6% sales tax, which should be the minimum left. Double that for great service. Remember wait staff dont earn a minimum wage, they rely on their tips to be paid (which is also shared out between the bus boys and bartenders in chains) Leaving $4 on a $60 bill is not a fair tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ryan* Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Cheers for your help ladies and gents, what do you do about buying your park tickets? Do you buy them before you go or when you get there, is there any difference in price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sky0000547 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 The recommended tip in the US is 15-20%. 10% is considered low. As for buying tickets, it is best to buy before you go. Look online for sites and highly recommended is undercovertourist.com they send real tickets out from Edinburgh so you will have tickets in hand and just go straight through to the entrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alternageek Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 The recommended tip in the US is 15-20%. 10% is considered low. It can vary between 10 - 25% depending where in the US you are. Cheaper states like Florida its best to leave a min of 10%. Large cities like NYC/LA/Chicago its at least 15% min. Leave 10% in NYC and the waiter will chase you out the door asking for more money. Good rule of thumb? Double the sales tax on the bill (it will be printed and be printed on the receipt). As Orlando is 6%, 12% would be suffice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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