# Thinking of 5 days Disney, 5 days gulf coast



## krmlaw (Jul 25, 2011)

we have never been to gulf coast - and everyone says its beautiful. 

SO - we are planning our annual disney trip for Oct 2012. thinking fri - sunday, which a change in the middle. 

Im trying to decide if we should go to disney, say from Friday to check out wed. then Wed to sun on the gulf. or longer? or gulf first then disney?

ill have to book a TS for friday check in. then for Sun check in. right?


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## krmlaw (Jul 25, 2011)

and is the trip from disney to the southern gulf too long? shoudl we stay up north?


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## tombo (Jul 25, 2011)

It is only about 6 hours from Panama City Beach to Orlando, and almost all interstate. If you check out at 10 and can't check in until 4, that should be about perfect timing.


Early October is one of the best times of the year to go to the Gulf Coast other than for the risk of Hurricanes. The days are not too hot and the ocean is very warm until late October or early November depending on the year. The crowds are gone from the beaches and restaurants. The only reason I don't go to the panhandle every October is because it usually conflicts with my college footbal home games which I do not miss. 

We are people who go go go on vacation. About the only place I ever go where we do not leave the resort for days at a time is the Gulf Coast beaches. Everywhere else we get up in the morning and go sightseeing, shopping, hiking, theme parks, etc, etc, etc. At the beach we get up and walk the beach in the morning, swim until it gets hot, then sit on the balcony or watch the ocean from the den until afternoon, swim as the sun gets lower, and then drinks on the balcony watching the sun set. Eat supper, go to sleep, repeat.

I have been to the beach and not cranked my car for several days, and the beach is the only place we relax like that. If it was me I would do the theme parks first and then relax and wind down at the beach to finish your vacation. I wouldn't be surprised if the next year you totally skipped Disney  spent a whole week at the beach. I go to Orlando every 4 or 5 years now that the kids are grown, but I never miss a year without going to the beaches of the panhandle. If I ever reduce my portfolio to where I own just one timeshare, my last timeshare will without a doubt be a warm weather panhandle beach week.


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## krmlaw (Jul 25, 2011)

wow 6 hours ... too long for us in a car. so panama city is out. 

what about ft meyers? i think i read its like 3.5?


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## kjsgrammy (Jul 25, 2011)

What about Siesta Key/Sarasota?  One of THE best beaches!  Orlando is only 2.5 hrs. drive to Siesta Key.

Are you looking to exchange for a gulf coast unit, or rent from private owner?  You shouldn't have any problem finding a rental at a decent price, and be sure to get one directly on the beach!  There are a few TUGgers who are very familiar with Siesta Key and would be more than happy to offer advise on specific resorts.


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## krmlaw (Jul 25, 2011)

exchange ... im going to put in a search now for that week. if we dont get it - we will just stay at disney the entire time.


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## krmlaw (Jul 25, 2011)

ok here is my search for gulf - what am i missing?

0229 - Casa Ybel Resort
2023 - Club Regency of Marco Island,
0731 - Eagle's Nest Beach Resort,
0459 - Lahaina Inn Resort,
3285 - Lighthouse Resort and Club,
3038 - Plantation Bay Villas at South Seas Island Resort,
0045 - Plantation Beach Club at South Seas Island Resort,
2765 - Plantation House at South Seas Island Resort,
0601 - Seawatch On-the-Beach Resort,
2197 - Shell Island Beach Club Resort,
3044 - South Seas Club at South Seas Island Resort,
0613 - The Charter Club of Marco Beach,
3043 - The Cottages at South Seas Island Resort,
0344 - The Surf Club of Marco


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## Margariet (Jul 25, 2011)

Longboat Key!


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## Sea Six (Jul 25, 2011)

Some of those resorts only have Saturday check-ins.  Too bad I deposited my week 40 at Club Regency for 2012 - I would have traded a week with you.  Conan is using my Club Regency week this year in exchange for a week he booked for me at Bonnet Creek.


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## chriskre (Jul 25, 2011)

krmlaw said:


> ok here is my search for gulf - what am i missing?



How about Beach Club I and Little Gull Cottages.


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## tombo (Jul 25, 2011)

krmlaw said:


> wow 6 hours ... too long for us in a car. so panama city is out.



6 hours is too long for a 4 night 5 day trip? I thought that was a simple short hop.

We try to travel no farther than 12 hours each way driving but to us 6 hours is nothing. Heck it is 6 hours from my house to Panama City beach and we drove there one Friday after work in May arriving at midnight and drove home Monday to be at work on Tuesday. I have driven 8 hours to Gatlinburg on Friday to come home on Sunday many times just to see the leaves change. It is over 11 hours to Orlando and we have never considered flying. A 10 hour trip or longer is kind of tough, but 6 hours or less is nothing. In fact on a 6 hour trip from Orlando we would leave at about 7 am and we would be eating lunch oceanfront in Panama City. To each his own.


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## krmlaw (Jul 26, 2011)

haha .. yes 6 is too long for me! we fly everywhere we can. plus we have a little one, 2, which makes anything more than an hour painful.


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## Jim Bryan (Jul 26, 2011)

I'd shoot for anywhere from Clearwater south to Siesta Key. LongBoat being my favorite, Little Gull Cottages.


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## Paumavista (Jul 26, 2011)

*Sanibel Island is 4 hours*

So Ft Myers would be even less travel and it's basically major hwy....we drove from SC a few years ago (that was a LONG drive w/4 kids....but definitely WORTH IT!).  This would be my choice over Panama City.....of course I'd choose Captiva/Sanibel over Orlando in the first place  for the entire week....but a split would be nice if you want a couple disney days.

Would you be "leaving 1/2 your timeshare week unused"......at both locations?.......

I've often found this the most difficult factor about time share usage.....sometimes we can't commit to a week or I'd like more than a week....few timeshare allow such flexibility (I know Wyndham does)....but most don't.  

Judy


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## Talent312 (Jul 26, 2011)

We enjoyed "Umbrella Beach Resort" in Holmes Beach last Summer.
Its a funky, well-kept little place w- 3 levels, the first being a 1-car garage.
Free Wi-Fi, a courtyard pool and an easy one-block walk to the the beach.

We found it with a state-wide search, since it didn't fit within an pre-set area.


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## CapriciousC (Jul 27, 2011)

krmlaw said:


> haha .. yes 6 is too long for me! we fly everywhere we can. plus we have a little one, 2, which makes anything more than an hour painful.



I agree - that's a long drive with a toddler.  Plus, the panhandle of Florida is nice, but I think that Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota is very nice as well.  (I honestly prefer that region over the panhandle).

Tampa has Busch Gardens, the Lowry Park Zoo, a very nice aquarium and a museum of science and industry, all of which I think a toddler would enjoy.


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## erm (Aug 10, 2011)

I'd cross Marco Island off the list.  It's too long a drive with a 2 year old.  I agree that somewhere in the St. Pete, Longboat Key, Bradenton, Siesta Key area would be much better for you.  All of those areas have great beaches. Dr. beach rated Siesta Key as the #1 beach, but the others are good, too.  I think it's a wonderful change of pace to do the beach after the hurried pace of a Disney vacation, especially with a toddler.  Last spring I rode by Umbrella Beach Club and thought it was a wonderful location (if you like relative quiet.)


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## gnorth16 (Aug 13, 2011)

We did 11 days in Florida with the first four on St.Pete's Beach, then one week in Orlando.  It worked out well for a good mixture of beach and a Parks.  The only problem was that we could not find a last minute TS deal in the St Pete's/Tampa Area ion the ocean, so we hotelled it from hotwire.com and stayed at the Grand Plaza.  Going from hotel to 2BR timeshare was a real treat.  It is what convinced me to buy my two most recent timeshares!!!

The drive from Orlando to St. Pete's was fine.  Anything longer would have been too much after a four hour flight with two kids!!!


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## janej (Aug 13, 2011)

We are going to do a week at the Plantation Beach Club, then 2 days at BLT using points.  It is relatively painless.  We are going to fly one way to Ft. Myers, pick up one way rental car, drive to Orlando after a week, and fly one way home from Orlando.  I got the one way full size car rental from priceline for $200 all in for 9 days.  Now hotwire lowered the price to $140.   I thought $200 was super for one way rental.


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## talkamotta (Aug 18, 2011)

I agree with the previous posts that once you go to the Gulf Coast, you will bypass Disney.  

I did a grandma vacation at Longboat Key, 6 grandchildren.  Thought they might get bored.  We stayed the whole time at the condo with the exception of going to get more ice cream.  

I own at Longboat Bay. Each year we will go there and then  we will go either to Orlando, Key West and this year to St. Augustine for the second week.  We have been surprised at how much Florida has to offer.


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