# Where to go first time in Florida



## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 8, 2010)

I saw some Florida weeks on RCI sales last night (haven't looked yet today). I would like to do Epcot Center and Harry Potter, but we don't have lots of money to spend (time now, not money). We also want to spend at least one day visiting DH's son in Ocala and my aging aunt in Boca Raton (that could be a side trip with a motel).  If the water is warm enough to swim in January, when we are thinking of going, I would like to be at the beach.
Thanks,
Liz


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## Judy (Sep 8, 2010)

To see Epcot and Universal Islands of Adventure, stay in Orlando.  You can make a day trip from there to Ocala.  To swim in the January, go as far south as you can get.  Boca might be fine. The beaches near Orlando will be too cold for swimming in January, although the weather might be good for walking on the beach or fishing.  But it might be too cold and windy.


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## vacationhopeful (Sep 8, 2010)

January in Florida is cooler than many think - unless you are Canadian. Boca Raton is north of Pompano Beach which is north of Ft Lauderdale which is north of Hollywood which is north of Miami which is north of the Keys.

You can get to Boca via I-95, but the closer you get to Miami, you will find that road to be very insane (IMPO).

All the pools are heated, the sun without wind feels warm, and walking on the beach after sunrise is very pretty.

Enjoy your trip. Many Tuggers can be found in the area at that time of the year - let us know where you decide to stay.


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## b2bailey (Sep 8, 2010)

*My Fav is Gulf Coast*

If there is any way you can trade into something on the Gulf side, there is  much better chance you can go into the ocean.


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## Big Matt (Sep 8, 2010)

Back to the Orlando stuff...

You will be there in one of the slowest parts of the year.  Go during the week and you could very well have the run of either park.  Epcot is very hard to do in a day with crowds, but without them, you could have a good time.  You will pay about $180 with parking for one day at Epcot for two folks.

Universal is the same price, and I'd be hard pressed to pay that for one day there.  Universal gets much better value wise with multi-day passes.


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## rapmarks (Sep 8, 2010)

If you have lots of time, get either a real cheap vacation escapes in Orlando and drive up to Ocala, or do an RCI rental in Orlando for just 2 or 3 nights.   , I saw a week at Palm Beach shores Resort as extra vacation and you would get the beach and you could drive down the coast to see your aunt in Boca Raton.  there were also weeks in Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale for extra vacations and there is a 30% off sale today only on RCI.  Boca Raton is nearer to all those places and the weather will be warmer, but I doubt if you will swim in the ocean at that time of the year.  A nice warm heated pool, yes, that far south.


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## siesta (Sep 8, 2010)

*MIAMI*

South Beach is fun.


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## MILOIOWA (Sep 8, 2010)

We stayed at Ocean Pointe in Palm beach Shores the 1st week in jan. 2008 and the temp was around 78-80 all week and the ocean was plenty warm to swim in. Don't know if that was normal or not but we really enjoyed it.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 8, 2010)

Wow, maybe I made the wrong choice. I didn't realize that the parks would be that expensive and hoped we could do Epcot and Universal, for Harry Potter world, so I went ahead and book Vacation Village at Parkway, in Kissimee, as it had good reviews and I figured we could get to any parks in the morning, could drive to the beach or to Ocala and do one or two nights in a motel in Boca to see my aunt. I have a free Marriott certificate and they seem to have places in Boca that I can use it. I can get by without seeing Disneyworld, it can't be that different from Disneyland, right?
Thanks,
Liz


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 9, 2010)

Looking at the Disney theme parks, trying to pick one: Epcot or Animal Kingdom? Is Universal Studios really worth the money, even for the Harry Potter world? We (especially DH) aren't into roller coaster thrill rides particularly, so I hope I can get him on the Harry Potter rides if we go. We'd also like to do a day at Kennedy Space Center.
Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Liz


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## siesta (Sep 9, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> Looking at the Disney theme parks, trying to pick one: Epcot or Animal Kingdom? Is Universal Studios really worth the money, even for the Harry Potter world? We (especially DH) aren't into roller coaster thrill rides particularly, so I hope I can get him on the Harry Potter rides if we go. We'd also like to do a day at Kennedy Space Center.
> Any other ideas?
> Thanks,
> Liz



Universal is cheaper than disney if you look at more than a 1 day pass.  If you have little ones, then disney is obvious choice, but if it is just adults, or even adults with young adult kids, then universal is more fun IMO.


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## Talent312 (Sep 9, 2010)

Disney World is vastly different than Disneyland in size and complexity; although, many of the rides, shows and themes are similar (Epcot copied Soarin' almost eggsactly). For kiddies, Magic Kingdom is a must. For adults, Epcot or Animal Kingdom is better.

I'd devote at least a day to one of these. Fit in Universal only if you have a spare day. Its got some nice stuff, but the Potter stuff will entail long waits, and it simply doesn't have the the Disney cachet.

The Kennedy Space Center can be done in 1/2 a day. You may want to buy your tour tickets online in advance. http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/index.asp
You could fit it in on your way from Ocala to  South Florida... just shoot across SR40 and then South on I-95.


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## suzanne (Sep 9, 2010)

hi Liz, sent you a PM regarding routes. Water in January is usually too cold to swim in average temps in January are 70 to 75 degrees. Beaches are great for walking around or picnic lunch. Boca doesn't have the best public beaches. Drive a bit further South to Deerfield and visit the public beach there. We're right next to Boca. Do bring quarters for the parking meters. Its $1.50 per hour now at Deerfield Beach. 

There are lots of motels around depending on your budget. Off the beach or off I95 rates are cheaper.

Suzanne


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## Judy (Sep 9, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> I figured we could get to any parks in the morning,


 Yes, but any Disney World park or Universal is going to take at least a full day, if you've never been there before.





> could drive to the beach


 You can make a day trip from Orlando to Cocoa Beach, but I wouldn't want to swim there in January.  Any beach with a chance of water warm enough to swim in at that time of the year is going to require an overnight trip (really pushing it) or preferably two or three. 





> or to Ocala


 Yes, you can do a day trip to Ocala from Orlando. 





> and do one or two nights in a motel in Boca to see my aunt.


 You could do that and depending on the weather and water temperature, drive south from there to a nice public beach. 

Florida's bigger than you think.  What you're planning would be better done in two weeks than one.  How much time do you have?  Get on a mapping program (like Google Maps) and check out the drive times.


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## 1950bing (Sep 9, 2010)

It's all about the mouse !


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## suzanne (Sep 9, 2010)

We love Disney, but its not cheap. We will be there for two weeks over Christmas and New years. I bought our Florida Residents tickets online and paid $354.00 for 4 days just for the two of us, without the park hopper. We are not going to do Universal this trip as we did it last year. We will do Sea World for 1 day, its cool at Christmas.  Thats just price for park tickets, you then have to add food, gas and misc expenses to that. You will need a day for Magic Kingdom and Epcot, you can do Animal Kingdom and MGM in the same day. My favorites are Magic Kingdom, Epcot and MGM. The Space Center in Cocoa Beach was very interesting, we spent an entire day there several years ago. If you have been to Disneyland, I would say do Epcot if all you have is one day.

If you go to Ocala, on your way there or back try to go to Silver Springs State Park, its very pretty. Another wonderful place is Crystal River, Homassassa State Park six miles south of Crystal River has a great underwater viewing area for the Manatees in the Springs as well as other assorted fish and gators. Its on the Gulf side of the state north of Tampa.

So many places so little time, darn it!!!! 

Suzanne


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 9, 2010)

We have time, just limited money. lol!::rofl: I'm thinking the biggest problem with my idea to stay in the timeshare for one week doing day trips, then drive to Boca and use our free Marriott night and then fly out of Ft. Lauderdale, would be the car expense, as I don't think I can do that with Priceline or Hotwire, but if I'm wrong on that, please let me know. Otherwise we would need to miss one night of our timeshare, drive down to Boca, see my aunt and uncle, spend the night at a motel, see my aunt and uncle again and drive back to Orlando to fly out.
Liz


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## MustangGuy (Sep 10, 2010)

*Florida*

RCI-  for Orlando, Orangelake in Kissamee was fun in May. Also Miami or Daytona. Never a dull moment in either place.


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## chrispy08 (Sep 11, 2010)

I agree with Mustang, there is always plenty of free stuff to do at Orange Lake. My kids especially loved the sunset countdown party every night, limbo contest, jugglers and baloon making every night! Last year we did Magic Kingdom and disney Hollywood but were dissapointed with both. I have 2 boys aged 6 and 8 and they wanted to do rides (rollercoasters etc) and there just aren't that many rides at either! They could care less about the mouse or princesses. This year we're doing 1 thing (universal) and are going to enjoy the resort!


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## Jim Bryan (Sep 11, 2010)

Anywhere along the Gulf of Mexico.


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## chriskre (Sep 11, 2010)

I'm sure if you do a TS tour, which there are tons of, when you stay in Kissimmee, you could get free or reduced priced tickets to Disney.
We did it many years when we didn't have the money but had the time.
Of course you already know about resales so won't be tempted to buy,
 but they have given us $150 for our time in the past.  :ignore: 

You can always use the free tickets you get to upgrade your ticket to a multiday pass at the Disney ticket window.


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## chriskre (Sep 11, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> We have time, just limited money. lol!::rofl: I'm thinking the biggest problem with my idea to stay in the timeshare for one week doing day trips, then drive to Boca and use our free Marriott night and then fly out of Ft. Lauderdale, would be the car expense, as I don't think I can do that with Priceline or Hotwire, but if I'm wrong on that, please let me know. Otherwise we would need to miss one night of our timeshare, drive down to Boca, see my aunt and uncle, spend the night at a motel, see my aunt and uncle again and drive back to Orlando to fly out.
> Liz



Since your coming for the first time, why not stay in the South Florida area for a few days.  I know that Weston resorts seem to always be available on last calls year round although I have to admit I haven't paid attention to January and then you'd be close to Boca, Ft. Laud and Miami.  Heck you could even do a day trip to the Keys from there, just hop on the turnpike.  

You could fly into Orlando and pick up your car there and drop it off in  Ft. Laud.  There shouldn't be a drop off fee if you use Alamo or National for this.  
Ft. Laud. is a nice small airport and easy to navigate compared to Miami.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 11, 2010)

We already did one of the getaway sales from RCI for Kissimee, but will drive down and spend a night near my aunt and uncle in Boca Raton. I think I really want to see Epcot most. I'd like to see Harry Potter, but the rest of the park has no interest for me and we have no kids, so we might just skip that. I'd like to see Kennedy Space Center and the beach (too bad the water will be too cold to swim, but if it was even 70, that would be warm compared to the Pacific).
Liz


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## Ricci (Sep 12, 2010)

Hi Liz,

Nice to talk with you again since our encounter at Maui Schooner last year.  

We've been to Disney World more times than I can count.  I have also been to Disneyland and I was disappointed in it compared to Magic Kingdom.
You definitely need a full day at each park, trust me on this.  If you need to limit your visit to one day, then I think you and your DH would really enjoy Epcot.  It's HUGE, so get there when it opens....  you picked a good month to go and it won't be crowded at all.  I'm very familiar with most of the attractions....if you have any questions about what to do and what not to do, don't hesitate to ask.

Darlene


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks, Darlene. We will definitely do Epcot, so if you have favorites and don't waste your time places, I'd appreciate any advice. Is Magic Kingdom worth the cost without kids? Pretty much decided that Harry Potter is not worth the cost if that's all I am interested in.
We head back to Hawaii on Oct. 22. Cannot wait.
Liz


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## Bee (Sep 12, 2010)

Hi Liz, 

I'm also from California. Disneyworld is a very different experience than Disneyland. What we call Disneyland is one park, the Majic Kingdom in Florida. Disneworld is huge. If I could only go to one park in Florida, I would go to Expcot. It's very different from Disneyland or California Adventure. My second choise would be Disney/MGM Studio park. Animal Kingdom was o.k., but not as good as the other two. 

Disneyworld parks get cheaper the more days you go.  For example a 4 day pass may cost just a dollar or two more than 2 day pass. Take a look at www.mousesavers.com

Whatever you decide to do have fun!

Bee


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## DavidnJudy (Sep 13, 2010)

*Epcot*

Some suggestions:

1) Get there at rope drop (perferrably 30 minutes before to park and walk up to the area where the rope is)
2) Don't miss Illuminations!  (9:00 night show)
3) Use Soarin or Test Trac first (and get fast passes for the other)
3b)  Use Fast Pass - you may only need it for Test Trac and Soarin' maybe Mission Space
4) Enjoy World show case! Soak in the Disney atmosphere - all day   Finish Future world before you do World show case - cuts down on the walking back and forth and future world closes earlier.
5) Get dinning reservations for dinner somewhere around world show case (they book up) - call the disney number 407-wdw-dine. There are a lot of good choices
6) Avoid the park on EMH (early magic hour when the Disney hotel guest get in early or get to stay late) - they sometimes flood the park those days.  Which for January would be to AVOID Tues or Fri.
7) Have fun!

Go to the disboards for more tips.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 13, 2010)

Thanks, I printed that last entry as that is exactly what I was looking for. 
Liz


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## DavidnJudy (Sep 14, 2010)

Cool - After you come back let us know how you liked EPCOT


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 14, 2010)

My son suggested we do a 3 day or at least 2 day park hopper pass. He thought one day might not be enough and we want to feel relaxed, not rushing to see everything. I have to check the cost though. He went with band in high school, about 15 years ago.
Liz


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## bankr63 (Sep 14, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> My son suggested we do a 3 day or at least 2 day park hopper pass. He thought one day might not be enough and we want to feel relaxed, not rushing to see everything. I have to check the cost though. He went with band in high school, about 15 years ago.
> Liz



Standard response to any mention of Disney tickets:

Please check mousesavers.com.  Sign up for their newsletter, which each month has a discount code for tickets from undercovertourist.com.  And UCT discount ticket prices are hard (not impossible) to beat.  

Have fun with Mouse...


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## Ricci (Sep 14, 2010)

Liz,

We always buy a 10 day park hopper pass that doesn't expire.  But since cost is a factor, do check out mousesavers.com for fewer days.
I do think Magic Kingdom is worth it...there are many attractions and live shows worth seeing.  My kids are 23 and 27 and we've been going for the last 25 years and still love it.   Personally, Epcot is my favorite.  I love the World Showcase.... Italy and France has the best food.  There is an excellent small bakery in France where you can eat lunch for a reasonable cost.  Be sure to check the program  .... there is live entertainment in each country at different times of the day.  I believe World Showcase doesn't open until 11 a.m.
Future World opens earlier, so see as much of it as you can in the morning.  And don't miss "Soaring."
And of course, Illuminations at closing is a must do.


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## Ricci (Sep 14, 2010)

Oh, and if you or your DH is prone to motion sickness, I would skip Mission Space.  We liked it, but a lot a people were getting off not looking so well.


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## Jennie (Sep 15, 2010)

Epcot is by far my favorite. It is geared much more to adult interests--educational in a very enjoyable way. The pavilions that have a ride are pretty calm. Do plan to stay for the Illuminations event around the huge lake at 9:00 p.m.. It's a truly memorable experience.  
Be aware that Orlando can be quite cold in January. Sometimes the daytime temps are in the high 70's to mid 80's and that makes your day in Epcot delightful. But I have also been there when the temps fell into the 30's and were accompanied by high winds which made it miserable. So be sure to bring a winter jacket and head gear, just in case. 

When I was in Palm Beach the last week in January this past February, it poured rain almost every day and was very chilly. Other years it was in the 80's. It is just barely beach weather though and only in in the cities further south. 

February and March are the prime winter vacation months for beach activities. But due to the different Spring break vacations around the country (from elementary school to college), the crowds can be large, timeshare weeks can be hard to find, airfare and car rental rates become astonomical, and even the large rental companies can run out of cars.The prices they charge are insane. The Disney Parks are so crowded that you would hate the experience. Your main memories would be of endless waits in lines (like over an hour).

So even though you picked a month that is not usually conducive to swimming in the ocean, you chose the right time to come on a tight budget. It's one of the quieter months of the year.

Use a website like www.mapquest.com to help you determine the distances and best routes between the various places you want to visit. And definitely plan to stay two or more weeks if that's possible. 

The Space Center is great but you should really plan to spend an entire day to see the best things. Plan to arrive as soon as it opens. Research it on the Internet prior to your trip.  Any good guide book will describe it enough for you to make the best of your time there. You should call and check which days the cruise ships will be in the nearby port. Avoid those days. There will be crowds and longer lines. There are several events taking place a few different times of the day. You need to make a chart of what you are interested in so that you can line things up properly. Otherwise you will run around in circles and arrive too late for something you really wanted to see. There are many indoor movies and events and they will not let you in once it has started.  

You might want to go to the Space Center on the day you check out of your Orlando timeshare. Maybe plan to stay at a hotel in the Space Cente area that night e.g. Cocoa Beach. Then when you head down to Palm Beach the next day, you will be very close to I-95 which is the highway you'll want to take south. Why double back to Orlando?  From Orlando it would make more sense to take the Florida turnpike south instead of driving back east to pick up 95. I-95 has no tolls and moves just as fast as the turnpike. The turnpike has a lot of tolls. Some require the correct coins and have no one on duty to provide change.  Web cams pick up pix and bill the owner of the car, as determined by the license plate, if you go through w/o paying. You'll get a hefty bill from the car rental company  They add a ridiculous "handling fee" over and above the price of the ticket. 

Hope you have a great time!


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## Detailor (Sep 15, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> I'm thinking the biggest problem with my idea...would be the car expense, as I don't think I can do that with Priceline or Hotwire, but if I'm wrong on that, please let me know.



Liz, 
Are you asking if you can use priceline or hotwire for a car rental?  If so, the answer is yes.   Priceline tends to lead to a lower price than hotwire if you have patience.  I'd suggest checking out biddingfortravel.yuku.com for some info on using P*line or Hotwire on car rentals.

Dick Taylor


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## bankr63 (Sep 15, 2010)

Jennie said:


> Use a website like www.mapquest.com to help you determine the distances and best routes between the various places you want to visit. And definitely plan to stay two or more weeks if that's possible.



I find my GPS is almost essential for Florida.  Costco usually has a decent unit for a bit more than $100; that's made up quickly in comparison to renting a unit from the rental company, and you can get used to it before you go.



> The Space Center is great but you should really plan to spend an entire day to see the best things. Plan to arrive as soon as it opens. Research it on the Internet prior to your trip.  Any good guide book will describe it enough for you to make the best of your time there. You should call and check which days the cruise ships will be in the nearby port. Avoid those days. There will be crowds and longer lines. There are several events taking place a few different times of the day. You need to make a chart of what you are interested in so that you can line things up properly. Otherwise you will run around in circles and arrive too late for something you really wanted to see. There are many indoor movies and events and they will not let you in once it has started.



Check out the Unofficial Guide "Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando ,SeaWorld and the Best of Central Florida" (Wiley) which has an excellent section on KSC.  The touring plans and tips are probably worth the cost of the book.



> You might want to go to the Space Center on the day you check out of your Orlando timeshare. Maybe plan to stay at a hotel in the Space Cente area that night e.g. Cocoa Beach. Then when you head down to Palm Beach the next day, you will be very close to I-95 which is the highway you'll want to take south. Why double back to Orlando?  From Orlando it would make more sense to take the Florida turnpike south instead of driving back east to pick up 95. I-95 has no tolls and moves just as fast as the turnpike. The turnpike has a lot of tolls. Some require the correct coins and have no one on duty to provide change.  Web cams pick up pix and bill the owner of the car, as determined by the license plate, if you go through w/o paying. You'll get a hefty bill from the car rental company  They add a ridiculous "handling fee" over and above the price of the ticket.



With Florida moving to all electronic tolling in the near future, you won't have much choice if you take toll roads.  Right now, National has the best deal on a toll package.  They charge $2/day that you use toll roads, to a maximum of $6 plus tolls.  Some other rental companies charge exhorbitant fees for their toll packages, and charge the fee every day of the rental, regardless of whether you use tolls that day or not.  Again, check mousesavers.com for a comparison of the fees for tolls in the rental cars section.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 15, 2010)

This toll thing is confusing. You mean I can't just pay as I go through? If I need a toll package and National is best, then I can't use Priceline or Hotwire can I as you don't know what you are getting. What do people in Florida do who occasionally drive the toll roads, but not often enough to bother with the electronic tags? Here in California there are a very few toll roads that use electronic tags, but they all also have lines to just pay cash and they all have attendants to make change. I guess I could use a Florida guide book for Disney, Space Center and toll roads, too.
Glad to hear of all the variable weather, hopefully, if I put off packing until a day or two before I go, there will be a reasonable weather forecast, but it's always good to have a jacket and scarf everywhere. Hopefully it won't be 30 and windy as that is why I am leaving Wrighwood at that time of year!
Liz


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## vacationhopeful (Sep 15, 2010)

Jan 2010 was miseriable ... cold, windy, wet at Disney. I had a DVC week at Broadwalk Villas. It was a long week. No pool (closed for repairs), no hot tub - (same reason). Disney TV is the worst cable system showing nonstop warm weather, sunny days and happy people. Alcohol prices too high to use that as a means to stay warm or sane. Bad weather. Then had to leave a day early on a 5AM bus to airport to catch the only PLANE on SWA to Philly that day.  It was a VERY happy plane of people - not one person wanted to stay another day and several groups of people were planning how to turn in the LOST night(s) of lodging to their travel ins companies .. ie snow bizzard shortening their stays.. and they were thrilled.

But alas, I have booked _ANOTHER_ DVC week in Jan 2011 at AKV this time. Figure all that could have gone wrong happen last year.:hysterical: As long as Disney doesn't x-ray the luggage for liquor or DVDs, I should have a better time.:ignore:

PS... the toll thing is statewide. No more attendant manned booths. And toll roads are just about impossible to avoid. In July 2010 there were billboards everywhere annoucing the change overs. I am certain it was scheduled to be done before the end of 2010 Added: I was travelling south of Ft Lauderdale on I-95 and those surrounds. I travel Fall 2010 around Orlando and was amazed that about 40% of the time, when I threw coins into a toll bin they DID NOT register...Did not get any surcharges after I got home.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 15, 2010)

So with the toll roads, it is always necessary to get a toll road add on from the rental companies even if we are only traveling one day to Boca? Also one day to Ocala and maybe the Space Center one day. Are there toll roads everywhere? I know there is one going to Boca.
Liz


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## Detailor (Sep 15, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> So with the toll roads, it is always necessary to get a toll road add on from the rental companies even if we are only traveling one day to Boca? Also one day to Ocala and maybe the Space Center one day. Are there toll roads everywhere? I know there is one going to Boca.
> Liz



There are several toll roads in Florida (the Turnpike, SR 528 and SR 417 between the airport and Orlando, the Western Way just to the west of Disney are a few).  It seems that they're starting the conversion work with the southern-most section of the Turnpike from in Miami-Dade County and plan to have that section ready for use sometime in Spring 2011.  So it should not be an issue for you even if were to take the Turnpike from Orlando to get to Boca Raton (which is actually north of the initial conversion area).  Currently, there is no schedule for implementation for other toll roads and sections of the Turnpike.

As the project extends throughout the state I suspect that the car rental companies will have to address tolls by equipping their cars with transponders that they'll be able to read when customers return vehicles so they can charge people for the toll costs, or require customers to purchase the low-cost SunPass Mini device.  I think that Avis already has a process in place and equips many of their vehicles with the state-appropriate transponder and they charge customers the cost of their tolls that they incur.

Dick Taylor


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## Talent312 (Sep 15, 2010)

Most rental cars in Florida come pre-equipped with a Sunpass (also works with e-pass in Orlando) which allows you to drive thru toll plazas with the toll being charged to your CC or rental car account.

You even if you stop at a toll-both and pay the toll with cash, the pass may still be recorded and charged. Hence, this complaint from a trip-advisor poster...

"I just wanted to warn everyone about something that just happened to me. I rented a car in Orlando back in April. Today, I rec'd my credit card bill and it included a $15.75 charge for tolls. This came as a surprise because I paid for all the tolls that I went through with cash."


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## Zac495 (Sep 15, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> I saw some Florida weeks on RCI sales last night (haven't looked yet today). I would like to do Epcot Center and Harry Potter, but we don't have lots of money to spend (time now, not money). We also want to spend at least one day visiting DH's son in Ocala and my aging aunt in Boca Raton (that could be a side trip with a motel).  If the water is warm enough to swim in January, when we are thinking of going, I would like to be at the beach.
> Thanks,
> Liz



Stay at the Holiday Inn Highland Beach when you go to Boca. It's an incredible property (shocking I know). It's ON the beach - gorgeous pool, ocean view rooms - and it's cheap! The water could be cool in January, but the area is fantastic. It's a great time to go to Orlando!


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 16, 2010)

We have a free weekend Marriott certificate through Spirit for opening some Visa account, so I was going to check those. They don't include the resort level Marriotts, but the less fancy ones.
Anyone know about those Marriotts in Boca?
Liz


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## MustangGuy (Apr 4, 2011)

Heading back..5/1..always something to do


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## 1st Class (Apr 5, 2011)

Liz,

How was your January trip to Epcot?  Saw this thread was resurrected and thought I'd ask. 

Kate


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